I don't own Frozen or any Characters. This story is a continuation of my other story Valkyrie of Arendelle things in this story will assume that one has been read.
Valkyrie at War 4:
Rating: K
Characters: Anna, Ariel, Melody, Eric and Han's brother
Summary: Anna goes to negotiate a peace treaty between Weselton and the Southern Isles. Anna meets some new princesses and another brother of Han's.
Anna was at the rail of one of Arendelle's frigates looking at a beautiful city on the ocean. It was a different beauty then Arendelle but it still had its charm. Admiral Regar and Chorak expertly captured Aston, Weseltons main trade city on the ocean. The city was loaded with weapons, goods and food just waiting to be shipped out for sale. After capturing the city Arendelle offered the peace summit and both the Southern Isle and Wesselton immediately agreed to meet at a neutral location. That location was home to King Eric and Queen Ariel in Denmark, the neutral third party was accepted by Corona and sent Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene to delegate.
Anna was sick of being on the ship though. A week of confinement without Kristoff, Elsa and no way to practice archery or someone to practice swordsmanship with made this voyage painful. Anna brought both her bow and sword to help pass the time but didn't think it through because there was no room to practice. Anna was looking toward the dock and could see that Arendelle was going to be the last one to the summit. Of course Arendelle was the farthest away so it made sense that she was the last but it could sway the thinking of the neutral parties.
The ships captain swiftly and deftly pulled the ship into dock. The flurry of activity to get the ship tied down was amazing but in what felt like seconds the gang plank was in place and the captain held out his hand to help Anna step off the ship.
Anna looked down and the dock was filled with people waiting her arrival. First among the welcoming party was the raven black with silver streaks of King Eric and the vibrant red hair of Queen Ariel.
"Welcome Princess Anna it is a pleasure to finally meet you" King Eric announces as he reached his hand out to help Anna down from the gang plank.
"The pleasure is all mine your Majesty and Arendelle is in debit to you for your kindness in offering to host this peace summit" Anna spoke and curtsied all at the same time.
"My I present my wife Queen Ariel and our daughter Princess Melody" Anna deeply curtsied to both the Queen and Princess Melody. Melody was probably only a few years older than Anna, she obviously got her father's raven black hair but everything else was her mother.
"Princess Anna it is a pleasure to meet you" both women said in nearly unison.
"Your Majesty the pleasure is all mine" Anna said again. Next in line, who Anna could only assume, was Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene and the greetings continued on down the line for several more people. Finally at the end, King Eric had been fallowing Anna down the line, Anna turned and King Eric said
"Tonight we shall host a dinner and then in the morning the talks shall begin". Anna noticed that the emissaries from the Southern Isles and Weselton were not there to great her. Princess Melody then walked up next to Anna and offered her arm.
"I'll take you up to the castle and show you to your room" Melody said with a large smile.
"Thank you your Highness" Anna replied taking Melodys arm. The whole procession started heading up the staircase to the castle.
"It is not often that another Princess comes to visit my family's lands let alone two. I hope that we can find time to talk" Melody said. As the youngest of the group Anna, Melody, Rapunzel and Eugene started to pull away from the pack. "Also we would love to hear you tell your side of the battle of Arendelle. You know how rumors tend to blow things out of proportions and all" Anna looked behind her and saw that Rapunzel and Eugene also nodded their heads.
"Well I'm sorry to say that socializing will have to be only tonight as tomorrow I will be negotiating for peace in a war that Arendelle didn't start but might need to finish unfortunately" Anna spoke plainly "Also I'm sure the delegates from Weselton and Southern Isle won't be too happy with me retelling how I slayed their brethren" Anna said with a little bit of guilt. I only did what I had to do, I wasn't doing it for fame Anna thought.
"Of course we just would like to hear if you really turned your sword into a lightning bolt as you threw it" Rapunzel said with a little bit of laughter.
"What" Anna exclaimed "That sounds ridiculous I can't control lightning".
"Yes it is but your sister controls ice and it isn't that big of a jump for the mistrals to give you magic as well" Eugene said plainly.
"If you must know the two times I threw my sword there was no lightning. One was out of rage for the death of Arendelle's General the last was the act of desperation to kill the man that killed me" Anna explained but the gasp of shock from the three people surrounding Anna told Anna that the stories of her fighting, but not of her injuries, is what traveled.
"What do you mean killed you" Melody asked in wonder.
"During the fighting I took a spear to my side" Anna then pointed to her dress where the scar was. As the group moved inside the castle Anna continued "I was bleeding from that wound and thought it was going to kill me eventually, but at the very end of the battle a man shot me with a crossbow bolt right here" Anna pointed again to her dress at her right chest just below her collar bone to the other scar "I thought I was going to die very shortly so I desperately threw my sword. Battle is terrible and stories make it sound much more exciting than it really is" Anna explained.
"You are right but it is the things like the lightning, the decapitation and that you aren't seven feet tall that makes us want to hear your side of the story" Rapunzel explained back to Anna.
"Decapitation and seven feet tall huh, well after dinner tonight I might regale you with my cowering in fear, stupidly taking a knife to the arm" Anna showed them that scar "nearly dying from blood loss and then nearly dying again after that. It's really not that exciting" Anna said as Melody opens a door into one of the guest bedrooms and begins to show Anna around her new room for the stay.
Anna laid in bed for a short rest, took a quick bath and changed into her formal ware for the evenings dinner. Anna was now being escorted by a servant to the dining hall. Outside the dining hall people were milling around waiting for their turn to be seated. Since peace summit was called it appeared many other countries sent delegates to talk with other countries for some reason or another. Anna took a seat in the corner near an open window to watch everyone. Anna was wishing that she had chosen cooler dresses; even without the pantaloons on Anna was already sweating, when Princess Melody walked up.
"Are you ok Princess Anna" Melody asked
"I'm not use to this weather" Anna started fanning herself with her hand "Summers in Arendelle never get this warm" Melody then called a servant over and asked for a fan for Anna. In seconds a small hand fan was delivered. "Clearly I choose the wrong dress for this affair"
"Hopefully the fan helps" Melody said with a smile and it did as soon as Anna started to fan herself the moving air was so refreshing.
"Can I hold on to this threw dinner" Anna asked flicking the fan back and forth.
"Of course" Melody started to say something else when an unknown man with straw colored hair, green eyes and a red beard just on his chin and lip walked up and bowed to both of them.
"Princesses" the man said to each of them before turning to Anna specifically "Princess Anna I am Prince Raith of the Southern Isles" after he said his name Anna could kind of see a little of Hans and Karl. "I hope this summit will end this terrible war".
Anna can't help but think that Arendelle didn't ask for the war but refused to be rude "Arendelle would like peace as well. I'm sure your brother would also like to go home soon" Anna said plainly.
"Is Kurt well" Raith asked.
"He is being treated as a royal prisoner deserves, soft bed, plenty of food, a window and house arrest" Anna described pretty much her whole childhood as well. Raith then bowed and walked away because his name had been called to be seated.
"You have a prince of the southern isle prisoner" Melody asked.
"Well there are thirteen Princes of the Southern Isles but yes Kurt was the Admiral of the fleet that attacked Arendelle. He surrendered peacefully so we treated him as his station dictates" Anna explained. Just then the delegate from Weseltons name was called. Anna quickly looked to see what the delegate looked like, he was a small very over weight man with more gray hair on his face and eye brows then on his head. He waddled into the dining room and Anna couldn't help but giggle, Melody giggled a little as well watching the man walk. Anna's name was next and she bowed to Princess Melody and then headed over to be escorted in the whole time fanning herself. How these people lived in this heat just amazed Anna. The room was a large ball room and there were two long tables set with all sorts of silver and gold. A third table was set up and servants where lined up waiting for the seating to finish. Anna appeared to be the last person sat besides the royal family. The only seats open were two at each table which meant Anna would be sat next to King Eric or Queen Ariel. Luckily both delegates from Weselton and Southern Isles were sat at different tables far from the open seats.
After dinner Anna was very full and sitting in a large library with Princess Melody. Princess Rapunzel wanted to join them but they found out that Rapunzel wasn't allowed to spend time with Anna while trying to be a neutral party. Anna and Melody spoke at length about each other's time at war or in the ocean. It became very late and Anna was reminded that the summit was tomorrow and Anna had to get up early in the morning.
The first day at the summit was incredibly boring most of it was spent introducing everyone to each other, why they all where there, who called the summit and what they hoped to resolve at the summit. The only things that Anna learned was that the Southern Isles wanted peace as badly as Arendelle, that Weselton didn't care much about the general Kurt but cared a great deal about their coastal cities and Arendelle was in the position of power.
It went downhill from there the delegate from Weselton was slow talking and seemed to barely be able to hear or understand Anna. Finally after two days of Anna having to repeat herself a dozen times per time she talked, Eugene of Corona started repeating what Anna would say. The delegate was polite and always apologized for not being able to hear Anna but it stretched what Anna had hoped a two to three day affair into a week. Many of the other delegations had left already but the one between Arendelle, Weselton and the Southern Isles had barely gotten to a negotiation of peace and what Arendelle wanted to give up its prisoners and Weselton coastal city.
Anna was laid out on her bed thinking how finally she was able to finish listing Arendelles demands. A knock came at her door and one of the guardsmen with Anna said that Princess Melody wanted to speak to Anna. Anna waved to the guard and he allowed Melody in.
"Are you ok" Melody asked.
"Fine I just thought this would be over so much quicker than this. In the stories they always act like boom and there was peace. Not this endless repeating of information" Anna said as she sat up too look at Melody as was proper.
"I wonder why Weselton sent a delegate that was so hard of hearing and slow of thought. You would think they would have wanted a hard negotiator" Melody said with wonder. Anna then jumped to her feet. What if Weselton was stalling and just wanted more time for something. That was the only reason to send this windbag. Sensing something was wrong Melody asked "What Anna what did I say"
"Your father has messenger birds for Arendelle correct" Anna asked.
"Yes of course we trade with Arendelle enough we have plenty of birds why" Melody asked. Anna quickly moved over to the writing table that was in her room grabbed a piece of paper and started writing to Elsa.
Elsa,
Weselton is stalling the peace summit. Have scouts on foot and by sea possible attack approaching.
Anna
Anna then rolled the paper up and stood nearly running into Melody who had walked over and read the note over Anna's shoulder.
"No. Why would Weselton agree to a peace summit only to plan an attack" Melody questioned.
"Weselton can't defeat Arendelle in a one on one fight. I feel that they convinced Southern Isles that it would be an easy win for both countries and when Southern Isles lost half their fleet and a Prince they wanted peace. Weselton wants my city and country and they might have a new ally" Anna explained as she headed to the door and Melody quickly fallowed behind. Anna continued "What better way to lul Arendelle into a false sense of security then accepting a peace summit". Melody must have sensed Anna urgency and took the lead and led Anna to the Kings office.
"Father Princess Anna wants a letter sent to Arendelle urgently" King Eric was behind his desk and quickly stood and walked over to Anna.
"What is the matter Princess" King Eric said running his hand through his black and gray hair.
"It is probably nothing but I can't shake the feeling that Weselton is stalling these talks on purpose your Majesty I just want to send a letter of warning" Anna explained as she handed King Eric the letter. Eric read the letter and nodded then handed the letter to a servant who warmed wax and Anna stamped her royal seal into it. The servant then left to send the letter by bird.
"Thank you your Majesty" Anna said curtsying.
"What makes you think they are stalling" King Eric asked off hand.
"It is my fault father. I mentioned that it didn't make sense to me why send a slow witted, hard of hearing older man then a young gun to these talks" Melody explained to her father just as another knock came at the Kings door.
Anna and Melody moved to leave but the servant said "Princess Anna and King Eric the delegate from Weselton appears to have come down with something and requests a doctor to see him and requests a two day break from the peace talks". Anna wanted to pull her hair out and scream in frustration.
"Have our doctor look at him and if the doctor can't find anything wrong then the talks continue" King Eric said also in frustration. The servant bowed and left. Anna turned to the King and he said "Go and I'll try and get the delegate to shape up and get this summit going" King Eric sighed and Anna curtsied before turning and leaving.
"Do you want to go swimming since you have today off" Melody asked then continued with "You can barrow one of my swim suits I'm sure it will fit you". Anna couldn't get the bad feeling out of her stomach but agreed to go swimming. Rapunzel and Eugene also joined them throwing the summit rules out the door after the delegate of Weselton seemed to be stalling the talks every way possible. The four of them spent all day swimming at the lagoon not far from Melody's home, Anna was able to relax and have some fun with them but worry never totally left her stomach.