4
The Island
"What happened?" Kristoff said after he heard Anna yelling and then storming into the cockpit.
"Nothing. Shouldn't you be focusing on the plane?" Anna huffed as she collapsed onto the co-pilot's seat.
"It's on autopilot and you didn't answer my question."
"The damn ice queen, that's what happened."
"Did she hurt you? Anna, I swear, if she laid a finger on you I'll-"
"You'll what? Kristoff, no offence, but you couldn't hurt her if you tried." Anna said. She looked over at Kristoff. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just… she's like a god damn brick wall, just like the rest of them." She added under her breath.
"Like the rest of who?"
"Nothing. It doesn't matter. So, how's Sven flying today?" Anna said changing the question.
"If you think you're just going to be able to brush this one off, you're wrong. I'm not gonna let this one slide alright? Now just tell me. What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it okay? Geez, you're acting like Gerda or something." Kristoff paused for a minute.
"That sounds more like you" He said, smiling.
"Oh, shut up." She fake pushed him. Her smile faded after a few moments. Her neck was beginning to hurt where Elsa's hand had been. The adrenaline from nearly dying because of that woman must be wearing off. She rubbed it carefully. "When we land, Kai is gonna get an earful."
"I don't wanna be on the other side of that conversation." Anna leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.
"I'm gonna get some shut eye." She said.
"I'll try and keep my conversations with Sven to a minimum." Kristoff said. Then he whispered "You still have to tell me what happened." Anna turned her back towards Kristoff.
"Later." She mumbled.
"I want her gone." Anna said into the phone. They had landed a few hours earlier. She didn't say anything to Kristoff after the fight, despite his consistent questioning. Now she was sitting on the side of a bed in a hotel room. A transfer point to allow her to collect herself and for Elsa and her people to prepare wherever the hell they were taking her.
"We can't just fire her" Kai said on the other end of the phone.
"Why not?"
"It's too late. No one else can take the job."
"Well then I'll just go alone."
"You know you can't do that." Anna grunted angrily. "You do know exactly where you are right? Tuvanau isn't the friendliest tropical island in the world. You need a security team, you can't do it alone."
"And why not? I'm not a little princess alright? I can take care of my self."
"Uh, because kidnappings and crime rates not to mention they're in the middle of a civil war. All things that make you front page news not because you landed the biggest acquisition in the history of this company but because you'll be dead. I'm sorry Anna. My hands are tied." Anna sighed.
"But you don't understand Kai. She's insufferable." Kai laughed on the other end of the phone.
"Have a nice trip Anna. Enjoy the weather." Kai said. That was another thing she hated about Elsa, she was so angry she couldn't even enjoy the sun after she got off the plane.
"Are you hanging up on me? I swear to god if you hang up that phone." She heard a dial tone. She slammed the phone back down on its receiver. "Dammit!" She said aloud. She laid backwards onto the bed. There was a knock at the door.
"Miss Arendelle?" A voice said from the other side of the door. It was a woman's voice. The Ice Queen. "We will be leaving in 5 minutes."
"I'm not going anywhere with you, you Ice Bitch." Anna yelled. There was a pause at the door.
"As amusing as your insults are Miss Arendelle, it doesn't change the fact that we are departing in 5 minutes and you will be in our company."
As much as Anna hated to admit it, Elsa was right about her not making the decisions. She had no control. She couldn't even fire Elsa for crying out loud. And now, the woman who nearly killed her would be whisking her away to some unknown place. It didn't seem right. Anna grabbed a nearby pillow and screamed into it. When she sat up for air she beat the pillow with her fists.
"Damn witch woman," She muttered. "Telling me what I can and can't do. What right does she have?"
She refused to let Elsa win. Whatever little victories Anna could manage, she would. She decided she'd try and enjoy the weather in the few minutes of solitude that Elsa offered. She got up and looked out the glass slider door that led to a small patio. She was on the 5th floor of a hotel that looked over the beach. To her suprise, the beach itself wasn't swarmed with people despite the beautiful day. The sun was shining and the sky was a clear blue. She could see a breeze roll through a handful of palm trees.
She tried to pull on the handle of the door. It didn't budge. She pulled again. Nothing. She looked at the lock. It was in the unlocked position. She flipped the lock anyways and tried pulling again. Nothing.
"Hey Ice Queen," She said "Did you bolt this door shut?" There was a pause.
"We had to look at all security options." Elsa said from the other side of the door.
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
"I should let you know that I originally had the door unlocked but circumstances changed and I did not want you to do something irrational."
"You what?!" Anna said. She could feel the rage bubbling up insider her again. "What did you think I was going to do that was irrational? Jump off?"
"I had to look at it from all angles."
"God woman. How low do you think I am?" Another pause from the other side of the door.
"It's time to leave." Elsa said, changing the subject.
"For a robot you really know how to get under someone's skin!" Anna called back. The door unlocked. Anna stepped back and grabbed the phone from off the table, gearing up for a fight. The door swung open but instead of the Ice Queen, Kristoff stood in the doorway.
"Come on Anna." He yawned. He motioned her to leave.
"No."
"Anna please."
"Kristoff you don't understand. This woman… I can't stand her. Every second is like torture." She proclaimed.
"Trust me Anna. I understand." Anna blinked. "Well, she had to convince me to come get you didn't she?" Anna blinked again and then smiled.
"I can't imagine how that went."
"Not well. There was a lot of staring." Anna laughed. ""Now come on, you don't wanna be late." He said Anna set the phone back down. "We don't wanna disappoint the Ice Queen eh?" Anna laughed again.
"This is going to be a fun trip."
"A blast."
Kristoff led her out the door and into the hallway. Elsa stood there, waiting for them. As much as she hated Elsa, she had to admit, Elsa was beautiful. She had the palest milky white skin Anna had ever seen. She wore a similar skirt as the one yesterday that revealed her legs. God her legs! Anna avoided looking at them, she wouldn't give Elsa the satisfaction. Instead her eyes landed on Elsa's face.
Anna had always praised herself on her ability to read people but Elsa was a mystery. Her all too perfect piercing blue eyes revealed nothing. Anna thought that Elsa's mind was emotionless and jaded. Oh how fitting the woman's nick name was. It was a shame that although physically Elsa was perfect, her mind couldn't match her body.
"Come on Ice Queen" Anna sneered. And then she saw it. Elsa's face remained steadfast, a clear cut emotionless deadpan, but her eyes twitched. Just the faintest flicker behind them. Anna thought she might've been seeing things.
"Are you just going to stand there or are we going somewhere?" She said. Nothing. They started moving. "Ice queen." Anna said under her breath, paying close attention to Elsa. There it was again. It was faint but there. Emotion. Anna couldn't place exactly what emotion Elsa had felt but she knew it was negative. Anna applauded herself.
1 point Anna.
They took the elevator down in silence. They went straight through the lobby and out the front door. Outside three black unmarked SUV's waited for them. How original Anna thought. It was weird to think that it had been just over 24 hours since she was in Chicago. She shrugged the weird feeling off and got in the car. She scooched as far as she could inward to make room for Kristoff but then realized he wasn't there. The car door closed shut.
Out the window she could see Kristoff walking back towards the airport. Elsa was making her way to the other side of the car. Anna rolled her window down.
"Kristoff." She yelled after him. He turned, caught off guard.
"Yeah?"
"You're not coming with us?"
"No." He said. "Sadly I have a plane to catch."
"Oh har har." She paused. "Will I see you again before we leave?"
"You'll see me right when you leave. You'll need a ride out of this dump right?" Kristoff said smiling.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Hey, cheer up. It's not all bad. At least it's nice and warm here, beats Chicago." Kristoff said, walking backwards.
"It was nice seeing you!"
"You too." Anna started to roll her window up and the car began to move.
"Wait! I don't get a hug before you go?" Anna shouted out the window. Elsa entered the car and the door closed with a slam.
"We have to go. Now." Elsa said checking her watch. Her cold voice contrasted the warm humid air. The car picked up speed and Anna had no choice but to roll her window up. "I made some last minute changes to the itinerary if you want to take a look." Elsa said pulling a file out from the front seat pocket.
"I really don't care." Anna said. Elsa paused. She put the folder back.
"Very well." She said. She played with her braid a moment before looking out the window.
The cars flew through the streets of the small town, the Capital, based on what she'd heard. The city sat around a large alcove that sloped upward as it went inland. It started at the beach and extended outward a few miles before degrading into jungle. The roads curved in and around a series of medium sized concrete buildings that lined the landscape. None of the buildings looked over 4 or 5 stories tall from what Anna could see.
The car flew down winding roads and rushed over hills. Market vendors lined the streets selling all different kinds of tropical fruit. The city was alive with commotion. Groups of people swarmed the edges of the streets, tourist and locals alike. The city began to thin out as they reached the outskirts of it.
As they left the city, a sign fading behind them read: "Welcome to Tuvanau" with floral print patterns on it. Without warning, Jungle seemed to swallow them whole. Anna almost asked where Elsa was taking her but Anna refused to give her that satisfaction. A bump in the road caused her to hit her head on the ceiling.
"Ouch." She exclaimed. Elsa didn't move from her seat. Anna rubbed her head, inspecting the spot where a bruise would no doubt soon form. They got off the main road and went down what looked like a long driveway. The cars slowed and stopped in front of a rustic looking cabin.
The cabin was practically on the beach. Around the sides and back was a large porch area with a few tables and chairs scattered across it. The view of the ocean was flawless, like something out of a postcard. On the side closest to them was the main entrance, a single door, nothing special.
"This is where I'm staying?" She asked, her tone neither sarcastic nor angry. She was in shock more than anything. She always stayed in fancy hotels or high end beach resorts but a cabin? She'd never anticipated that was where Elsa had been taking her.
"I…" Elsa paused, choosing her words. "Kai arranged this place for you to stay at. He said at some point you told him," Elsa pulled the itinerary out again "I quote, 'I hate this god damn city, sometimes I wish I could just get away from it all.' End quote." Anna smiled. Kai knew her all too well.
"It's perfect." Anna said.
Why hadn't she thought of it before? She needed to get away from the pressures of being CEO for once and this place was somewhere she could finally relax without having someone breathe down her neck. Well, not exactly. Elsa would be breathing down her neck the entire time. I gotta give that man another raise she thought.
"Well?" Anna said "What are we waiting for?" Anna let out a childish giggle and whipped the car door open, rushing towards the cabin to get a look inside. She kicked her shoes off as she ran. She felt the soft earth mixed with sand beneath her feet. So much better than high heels and linoleum, she thought. She grabbed the door handle, and paused for a second before yanking it open.
Inside was almost exactly like she expected. It looked like something out of a travel magazine. To her left, a matching set of blue and white lounging chairs and a couch sat around a table. To the right was a kitchen with a center island and a few appliances. A large floor to ceiling window showed the beach front past the furniture on her left. She could see the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Walking further into the living room, she saw two rooms on the wall farthest away from her. On the left was a bathroom on the right was… her room?
She stepped inside the right doorway. It was an almost exact replica of her room although it was a little smaller. Her bed was a queen size, and it lacked the closet space she enjoyed. They even had her desk with Joan of Arc open to the exact page she had left it back home. She ran her fingers over the pages. On her bed was a giant basket filled with chocolates and a note. She walked over to it and grabbed the note.
It read I hope this makes up for the plane ride, -Kai. She flipped the card over, the back was empty. Who else would know of her obsession for chocolates?
Anna unwrapped a piece of chocolate and popped it in her mouth. She let out a small groan. It melted in her mouth. Chocolate makes everything better. Anna heard a knock at the door. She turned to the noise. Elsa stood in the doorway.
"I hope everything is arranged as needed." Anna just nodded. "Good. Well, the rest of the itinerary is clear for the day so you can…" Elsa paused. "Do whatever it is that you do. However, I will need to be there at all times of course. Just to make sure you are properly protected." Anna began to protest. "I won't be cumbersome. I just need to be close enough to intervene if necessary."
"Classic Ice Queen, ruining fun as always." Anna saw the flicker behind the woman's eyes.
2 points Anna.
Although Anna was only keeping track of her own points she still felt like she was falling behind Elsa.
"So Miss Arendelle, what next?"
"I can go anywhere?" Anna said, licking chocolate from her fingers. Where had Kai gotten this chocolate from?
"Yes, I suppose so. You are in complete control. " Elsa said. Anna thought for a moment. She had the advantage. Where could I go that would be a complete nightmare for security? She thought.
"I want to go to the mall."
"The mall?"
"Is there a problem?" Elsa just stood in the doorway, an emotionless expression plastered over her face. "You said anywhere I want." Anna said. Elsa let out a small sigh.
"If that's what you want."
A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reading my story so far! I really appreciate it! Love the reviews, they made me laugh reading through them. You guys were kinda upset that Anna was so bitchy, but don't worry, just bear with me. It's all going somewhere. This is the last chapter where Anna is overly bitchy so if that bothered you a lot, you should be fine after this. Sorry this one is a little shorter too, the next few a much longer to make up for it. Once again, thanks so much for reading!