Preview of Chapter 25 at the end
HOW TO TRAIN A... KING, BY SIGRID JORGENSEN
He was not at all what Sigrid thought an American would be! Boorish and crass were the words she heard usually associated to most Americans.
"He is an American but he can speak our tongue, Sigrid. Don't be afraid to ask him in Norwegian if you don't understand what he is saying. We have such a short time to do this. After the wedding, we will be sailing to America for our honeymoon. And my 'husband' needs to know certain things in order to do the duties required of him before we leave. He will not be coming back. Do you understand?" Elsa's look was so focussed that Sigrid just shook her head in agreement. In truth, she really didn't know what her Queen was talking about. No doubt, only Elsa probably knew what was going on. Still.. she caught the urgency of her Queen.
Her mind drifted back to the present when she heard him clearing his throat. And feeling the fool for absentmindedly staring at him from the doorway.
"Thank you...?" He said as he watched the young strawberry-blonde handmaiden lay out his dress blue uniform on the bed.
Sigrid smiled and curtsied when she was addressed singularly for the first time by the American officer who played such an important role in Elsa's GRAND PLAN.
"My name is Sigrid, my lord. Queen Elsa has instructed me to teach you the customs and protocol of the Royal Family.
"Thank you Sigrid, but I am not a noble yet. You can call me John or John Samuels." he replied.
She frowned but not cruelly, "Nay my lord, as of this afternoon, you are no longer a commonor or even a noble! You are King-consort to her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. And since the Queen plans you to share the crown equally, even for but a short time, you will not be addressed as Prince either. You will be King John Samuels the First." Sigrid lectured.
And so the lessons began...
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John Samuels made it quite clear that he was to be sequestered alone for the remaining three days until the wedding. It wouldn't seem proper he said for his 'father' to be in his presence while he was the Consort to the Queen.
Elsa assured Viktor that he would be welcome in another part of the castle but he turned it down and decided he and his men would stay with the ship. He didn't mention that it would give him the opportunity to make any delicate adjustments to his grand plan.
As he strode down the docks to take a cutter to his ship, the presence of armed soldiers wearing uniform and insignia of the Marine Corp of the United States caused his anxiety to ratchet up a notch.
Viktor lead all seven of his men to the end of the pier and removed his cap. "Yes Sergeant, what do I owe this pleasure to?" he asked the senior non-com.
"You are Captain Viktor Carlyle? Master of the Eagle?" he asked.
Non-plussed, Viktor responded, "Aye, I am that, and much more. What of it?"
"Then sir, by order of Captain Daniel Turner of the Constitution, and underwritten by Senator Nathaniel Tallmadge, United States Congress: You are hereby informed that you nor your men may not set sail or put to sea without permission from either previously named person representing the Government of the United States of America."
Viktor acted surprised. "But.. But... That's preposterous! And also illegal! I'm a law-abiding citizen of that same country you just mentioned!" the back of his mind immediately rejecting the last comment he just made.
"That sir, is between you and your government. I have my orders. I am to escort you and your men to your ship. You may freely leave it to entertain your obligations back in the city, but you are not to leave port. Furthermore, a squad of my marines will remain on the Eagle for a duration that Senator Tallmidge deems appropriate. Follow me please?" he ordered the civilians.
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"Anna? Anna? I know you're in there." Elsa knocked on the door to Anna's old room. "Please let me in?"
"Go away Elsa."
"Anna... Please..."
"I...I just need a little time to myself..." came the response from the other side of the door.
Rebuked, she walks back to 'their' room, the master bedroom that their parents slept in.
The wedding would be in three days. The last day of August. Time was not on their side, but Elsa couldn't impose her anxiety on her sister. She worked out most of the details weeks ago, but nobody could foresee all the minute variables that were sure to come up, so she had to adjust and adapt her plan on the fly.
With the latest setback consisting of Viktor Carlyle's latest demand seeming to have diminished somewhat, Elsa could now focus on the events transpiring after the wedding.
She discussed this with John Samuels, Kristoff, Rapunzel, Flynn and of course Anna what she hoped would be the next step in her GRAND PLAN.
The journey to America for the honeymoon provided three things that would make her plan work.
First, it provided the opportunity to travel to her husband's country thus removing John Samuels and more importantly, Viktor and his men from Arendelle. As per the agreement he agreed to in their contract: Viktor, John Samuels and his men would now legally possess and own Umboi Island in the South Pacific and would eventually set sail there. Having them half way around the world guaranteed that they would never be seen again by anyone from Arendelle and presumably anyone from Europe that attended the wedding.
What would normally take several weeks to travel would be extended far longer as Elsa planned to take Anna, Kristoff and her handmaidens with her when she went to America.
The disappearance of The King and his former comrades would be attributed to piracy off the Caribbean coast. Viktor would stage an attack on the Eagle using his own men from his smuggling fleet once Eagle was in sight of the mainland and sink her. Elsa would have escaped only by using her powers to protect herself, but alas, ALL hands were lost when Eagle was sunk. Her sister and the rest of her family and friends would be on the Arendellian flagship HMAS Snow Queen. Her flagship would provide escort but unfortunately be unable to assist Eagle because she was too big to ply up the Mississippi delta. Being a three deck ship-of-the-line, Snow Queen was far bigger and more massive than Eagle and her deep draught wouldn't allow her to follow the smaller ship as she neared the shallower waters.
Of course no-one would actually be hurt. Viktor's own crew would scuttle Eagle themselves, setting fires below deck and using gunpowder kegs to simulate explosions on the ship. The 'pirate fleet' were also his own crews and they would actually be taking on and rescuing his men and John Samuels from the burning wreckage of the sinking Eagle. Thus for all the crew on board her own ship, Snow Queen, sailing too far from the 'battle', it would appear all hands were lost with the exception and relief of Queen Elsa.
Naturally Elsa would compensate Viktor's loss of his prized ship and already procured a far better sailing vessel for him in advance. She was not going to give him any opportunity to renege on his promise.
Viktor would also make sure that any other non-combatants would be vetted from the immediate vicinity were the pre-planned attack would take place.
The only thing that might interfere with this part of the plan was what, if any action, the American Navy or anyone else's navy might do if they unexpectedly showed up during this encounter? Well, that couldn't be helped now, so there was no point in asking for trouble.
After the battle and unfortunate sinking of Eagle, Elsa would immediately make port in New Orleans and report the piracy incident to the state authorities. After a couple of days of 'mourning' for her departed husband, Snow Queen would sail up the eastern seaboard and make port in Washington D.C. to pay respects to the President of the United States as was custom of a visiting monarch or similar Head-of-State. This would give her the opportunity to act on the second part of her grand plan.
By the time Snow Queen reached the city of Washington DC, word of the piracy incident would have reached the President by mail delivered by rail. Certainly faster than her flagship sailing up the coast could achieve. The news that a visiting European Royal Monarch was not only attacked but the vessel totally lost due to pirates would certainly illicit shock and sympathy from the American Government. Only the fact that the visiting monarch was not any mere human, but had amazing powers to protect herself would be the only salve that would spare President Van Buren the humiliation of such an attrocity occurring within Amercian territorial waters.
Elsa did not expect President Van Buren to extend any special considerations to her country because of the attack. The reason for visiting the United States was after all a personal event to celebrate her honeymoon. However, now that she was here, she wanted to make her late-departed husband's country aware of Arendelle and promote trade and commerce with this realm of the New World. By doing so and establishing formal relations with the United States, it would strenthen her position in Europe. At the very least, it might discourage potentially belligerent nations from intimidating Arendelle knowing that an ambassador from America was stationed in her country. Even with Corona and Great Britain already recognized as her allies, having the friendship of the United States could only help her cause.
The third part of her grand plan was the most important part. Knowing that her role as Queen of Arendelle, with abilities far beyond any monarch past or present, she would be at best: unique. At worst, feared or despised by people who were afraid of her powers or wished to use them for their own ends. She hoped in her heart that humanity would not think unkindly of her and let her live out her reign in peace and happiness, but the events leading up to the Great Freeze showed how ignorance and bigotry were easily manifested by fearful men such as the Duke Of Weselton and Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.
No, she would not be that 'perfect girl' that Arendelle could call their model Queen. But her successor could be. She only had a small window of opportunity to conceive her plan. A few weeks, perhaps a month after her marriage would she be able to do what she had in mind. Her timing must be perfect, because if she failed, she would not be able to claim her prize nine or ten months after the disappearance of King John Samuels. She only had one shot to do this right. There would be no calling back her 'dead' husband for a second chance. But John Samuels would not be the instrument of her ultimate triumph. His legacy was already assured in the history books as the first non-Norwegian or even non-European King of Arendelle.
No, her triumph would remain within her bloodline. And the only human on Earth she needed was her sister.
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Slowly but surely, and with expert attention spent on his speech, movements and recollection of European customs, John Samuels mastered the subtleties required of him for this very short but important Royal event.
Having spent his early career in the Naval Branch of the United States armed forces and the following tour of duty as a naval officer had prepared him for the discipline required in his new role as Monarch.
What did surprise him though, was the detail of precision and firmness of authority exuded from such a small and fragile package in the form of the personal handmaiden to the Queen, Sigrid Jorgensen.
She wouldn't fail to scold him if he slouched, or reprimand him for the wrong mode of speech or address when responding to a visiting dignitary. She might even have forgotten that he spoke Norwegian, since he had several times distinctly heard curses spoken so softly in that tongue when he made a faux pas.
Looking at her, he was reminded of his old drill instructor and the thirteen weeks of hell was was subjected to when he was trained to be an officer in the U.S. Navy. Of course his old Sergeant was one of the ugliest men he had ever set his eyes upon. Sigrid of course was anything but ugly.
Funny how he had never noticed how her red and blonde hair was so much like Princess Anna's, though Sigrid preferred a single braid instead of two. Her small feminine hands belied a strength that would rival any drill instructor. Yet her slim figure and defined curves created a stir in his loins that were definitely absent during his military training.
"My Lord.. My Lord? Are you even paying attention to me?"
Snapping out of his mental haze, it was now John Samuels who stuttered an apology for staring too long at the Royal handmaiden.
Unused to blushing, he quickly turns his face, not noticing the small smile forming on Sigrid's lips.
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In the dim candlelight of his quarters on board the Eagle, Viktor Carlyle finishes the messages he spent the better part of the day writing. The information he attained from Wesleton and the Southern Isles prior to coming to Arendelle proved invaluable. And having resided in the Royal Castle and knowing its layout aided immensely in his plans. The Royal Flagship was already addressed when he formulated his plan. He knew that no other vessel currently anchored here could match her, so she was the first thing that occupied his men's attention upon their arrival.
Now that Queen Elsa divulged what she intended to do for their honeymoon, he adjusted his own plan that would seem to compliment her requests. She wanted him to attack his own vessel with his mercenary fleet upon arriving in Louisiana and heading up the Mississippi River. To do so, he would require a faster vessel to leave now before the wedding to inform his men state-side to setup the ambush before the much slower flagship would arrive with the Eagle.
Queen Elsa had given him HMAS Norwegian Wood as compensation for the eventual loss of USS Eagle. The light Frigate Norwegian Wood was indeed a fine replacement for Eagle, being faster and more heavily armed than his own war sloop. But a fair exchange was not on his mind right now.
She had also given him the incredible opportunity to circumvent the cursed orders issued by that old congressman Tallmadge. Even though Eagle was restricted from leaving the port, seven of his men who accompanied him to the castle earlier were allowed to leave the ship and head into the city. Even with only this small tithe of men, he would be able to use them to crew a skeleton crew for the Norwegian Wood to make the trip back home. And neither Senator Tallmadge nor Captian Daniel Turner would be able to stop their departure since Queen Elsa's own directive insured his ownership and deployment of his new vessel.
"Yes, Norwegian Wood will indeed set sail tomorrow as planned, but not necessarily in the direction you had in mind, my Queen!" he smiled to himself.
After placing the letters in separate envelopes and sealing and sanding each one with their intended recipient, he places them in a pile next to a sturdy case he will use to transport them tomorrow.
The top envelope was the thinnest, and perhaps most brief of all the letters, but was the most important to his plan. The name inscribed on the envelope was to HRH Princess Anna.
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AUTHORS NOTES:
1) New Orleans (/nuː ˈɔːrlɪnz/,/nuː ˈɔːrliənz/, /nuː ɔːrˈliːnz/, or /ˈnɔːrlənz/; French: La Nouvelle-Orléans [la nuvɛlɔʁleɑ̃]) is a major United States port and the largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census.
2) An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a highest ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state, or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment.
An ambassador is the ranking government representative stationed in a foreign capital. The host country typically allows the ambassador control of specific territory called an embassy.
3) HMAS Snow Queen is a 104-gun, 3 deck first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Arendellian Navy, ordered in 1796, laid down in 1797 and launched in 1801. She is best known as Queen Elsa's flagship. Originally called: HMAS Mjølner (Thor's Hammer), Elsa renamed it sometime after the death of her parents. She was created as an exact duplicate of the famous British warship, HMS Victory (flagship of Admiral Lord Nelson during the Battle Of Trafalgar). She is over twice as powerful as the USS Constitution and is the most powerful warship in Scandinavia.
4) Special thanks go to PascalDragon for his assistance with the German Language used by citizens of the Kingdom of Corona which lies on the European Continent and is part of the Germanic states of Europe.
Here are the proper translations:
"A beautiful day, yes?" would be "Ein wunderschöner Tag heute, ja?", whereby it would be even better to replace "ja" with "nicht wahr" or "oder".
"Where are you headed?" would be "Wohin geht es heute?" or "Wohin gehen Sie heute?"
5) It may seem excessive, but ALL formal ship/vessel names are written in bold to identify them. Also, all ships are referred to in the female gender. This old tradition is thought to stem from the fact that in the Romance languages, the word for "ship" is always in the feminine. For this reason, Mediterranean sailors always referred to their ship as "she", and the practice was adopted over the centuries by their English-speaking counterparts.
6) HRH: Royal standard for His/Her Royal Highness such as Prince or Princess.
HRM: Royal standard for His/Her Royal Majesty such as King or Queen. There can be only one pair of Majesties in a royal family. All other family members are Highness or Grace.
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Preview of Chapter 25
PRE-WEDDING JITTERS
Unabashedly, she removes her white shrift and stares at her bosom. Standing up and turning sideways she regards her profile to the left, and then to the right. With both hands, she cups her breasts from below and raises them higher as if in offering.
Smiling now, and with a sultry voice, "These are for you, my good sir! Take them now Krist...!" just as Sigrid walks into the room.