Chapter Eight: Attack at Sea
Somewhere in the North Sea
April 23, 1813
Elsa stared out into the open sea and breathed deeply the air that smelled of brine. The sea spray that occasionally blew across her face left her skin rather sticky but she hadn't minded. It was the least of her worries. At least she had stopped throwing up after every meal and her legs no longer gave way every few minutes whenever the ship rocked.
"Her majesty has already accustomed to having sea legs," Captain Otto, one of her Arendellian escorts praised her earlier today. "And in just three days. Most men don't get them until after a week."
Elsa couldn't imagine going through the hell she went through for a week. In the last two days since she boarded the French ship, it seemed all she could do was stumble about and throw up. She had taken to bringing a bucket just about everywhere. It left her so exhausted and dizzy she could barely think.
Think was something she essentially needed to do. As she was no longer distracted by her physical limitations, she allowed her apprehensions to the fore of her mind.
Was I right to trust Lars? Can he do something to get me and Arendelle out of the situation we're in or did I just fall for another trap again? He said Caleb will send someone for me but when will that happen? How long should I wait?
She didn't exactly have much for a choice left but to follow Lars' instruction. She had grown careless and she only had herself to blame for getting caught…
Arendellian Grounds
Five days earlier
Elsa lit a candle and placed it on the cold candelabra that adorned the marble tombstone of her former husband. It was early yet and she wanted to pray for him but found that she couldn't. Her mind was too restless. She hadn't had a moment's peace for more than a fortnight when all hell had broken loose and she ended up a widow.
Despite everything that happened between her and Knudsvig, Elsa didn't want him to die. At that moment when she was finally alone after the ordeal of that meeting with Marshall Baujeu, she ran off to a secluded part of the woods near the castle and unleashed a sobbing fit that ended up temporarily snowing upon her surroundings and reached even her castle. Elsa had cried not just for Knudsvig but for everyone who perished by the invisible hands who stirred up this political plot that left her in an even more dangerous position. There was no time for grief though. Once she had calmed down, Elsa knew she needed to make moves to protect herself with the ever-present threat in her midst. She didn't have much choice for allies and so she reluctantly plotted with Lars in secret to get her people home.
Speaking to Lars was becoming increasingly more difficult these days, as Captain Foix-Lescun and his men were turning up everywhere she went. Both she and Lars were constantly being tailed that they had to resort to clandestine meetings in Knudsvig's grave just to communicate.
Kai discovered from his spies that the Swedish navy had been giving the Marshall trouble in the North Sea. It was precisely through their efforts that the French regiment had not been able to send reinforcements to secure Arendelle's occupation further. Lars had refused to speak straight about who was moving things at sea, but she had long suspected that Hans had something to do about it. She knew that soon Anna's former fiancé was heading his way to land in Arendelle to offer assistance to rid her of French influence. However, Elsa was not so naïve to think he would be doing this out of family loyalty or Anna's friendship.
For now, I am willing to accept Southern Isles's assistance until they get my people home. But when the time comes, Hans and his brothers will exact their price from me and I need to be ready for that.
She felt a shadow behind her and a pair of footsteps approach. In a moment, she saw Lars from her peripheral vision kneel beside her, his hands folded in a prayer stance.
"Our dear friend the Marshall is getting suspicious of me," Lars whispered without looking at her. "I can't stay longer in Arendelle. I need to get back to the Northern Isles or he might suspect something is afoot with my loyalties or Amelia's."
Elsa nodded to indicate she understood. "When are you leaving?" she asked.
"Tomorrow at first light. I'm taking the Northern Isles guard with me."
Elsa felt her spine stiffen at that information. If the Northern Isles delegation was pulling out of Arendelle, it might mean they were trying to get out of the line of fire. Does that mean the Swedish forces are about to strike?
"Who are you leaving as my contact?" she asked him pointedly.
He didn't respond immediately but finally muttered almost too calmly: "Anna will be informed on what to do when the time comes."
"Anna?" Elsa repeated. She didn't like Lars' cryptic message at all. She turned to him and forced him to look at her. "If the Swedish army is coming, Lars, I need to coordinate it with my forces. Who are you sending as my contact?"
"I think it's for the best that you don't know right now," Lars replied. "Or any plans about the Coalition's movements while you're sailing with the French."
"Sailing with the French…?" Elsa fumbled with those words until she realized what Lars was saying. "Lars, I am not leaving Arendelle!"
"You need to Elsa," Lars went on still in soft tones. "Marshall Baujeu is starting to suspect you and Anna. You cannot evade the Emperor's invitation anymore. He is not willing to release the last 18 Arendellian soldiers unless you board the ship to Paris."
"But if I board the ship, I will be the Emperor's captive once I get to Paris," Elsa argued.
"You won't reach Paris," Lars assured her. "Caleb is sending someone to intercept you while you are at sea and bring you somewhere safe."
"Who?" she demanded.
"I can't tell you for your safety."
"And Arendelle?"
"The Coalition's coming to liberate it."
Meaning Hans and his army are coming. He is meant to be Anna's contact. Once he comes here, he can turn Anna on her head she might give him Arendelle without even realizing it. Lars is trying to get me out of the way so Hans won't have anyone opposing him and his brothers' plans. Once Arendelle is theirs, they can use my kingdom against me. I will be a captive of the Southern Isles. It won't be any different from being a captive of France.
"No, I'm not leaving Arendelle," Elsa protested. "I will not abandon my people."
"You will not be abandoning them. You are just giving them time. If you disobey the Emperor at this time you risk exposing the rescue operations and the lives of those 18 men."
He's right. Marshall Baujeu had also told me the condition of their release. But if I do as Lars says, I am risking the lives of everyone in Arendelle. There's nothing to be done. Those 18 soldiers' lives are now forfeit.
It pained her to say it, but she had to. "I'm not leaving Arendelle, Lars," she said slowly.
"But Elsa, those 18 men—"
"No!" she said vehemently. "You listen to me, Lars. I know exactly what I am trading those men's lives for. You can tell Hans he can march with the Swedish army here and I will welcome them with the open support of the Coalition. But Hans will be dealing with me. Not with my sister!"
Elsa stopped as she realized Lars' expression had taken a different form as if he wasn't listening to her.
"Lars, did you hear me?"
"Elsa stop!" he said as fear took in his face and he pointed at something behind her. "Someone's here."
She turned around and caught a glimpse of a movement on the bushes surrounding the tree-lined walk of Knudsvig's grave. Lars took to running after the figure and she followed suit. Her heart pounded across her chest as she realized whoever overheard her essentially now possessed knowledge that she was about to betray France.
Lars was a fast sprinter but he still appeared to lag behind their mysterious eavesdropper. Elsa knew if they lost this person and he talked to the wrong people, she would be losing more than eighteen lives. She sent out a blast of her ice towards the figure and was rewarded by a pained gasp and the sound of a body tumbling into the ground.
NO! Elsa inwardly screamed as she thought she might have killed someone.
Lars was first to arrive at the scene of the fallen man and drew a gun at him. Once Elsa neared him though, she realized the man was still alive, though he appeared to have a growing bruise from where she had hit him with her ice and scratches from where he stumbled. She also noted that he wore the uniform of a French soldier. She recognized him immediately as among the men who she had been seeing often in the castle. He was among those who were attempting to keep tabs on her.
"Traitor," the young Frenchman spat at her with disgust. "Just as the Marshall suspected. When I tell my commander about you, he will have your head, witch!" He turned to Lars. "Yours as well, along with your wife!"
"Then it's a good thing, he won't know about anything," Lars said nastily as he pointed his pistol at the soldier's head.
"Lars don't!" Elsa cried for she realized this French soldier couldn't be older than eighteen. He was practically a boy. As much as he was a threat to her, she couldn't allow Lars to kill him in cold blood.
Lars looked puzzled at her but didn't lower his pistol. "Freeze him so he doesn't escape, Elsa. We need to talk."
Elsa did as Lars suggested and clamped the boy to the ground with ice shackles on his arms and legs. The boy started shouting for help, but Elsa shut him up with ice on his mouth. She then walked a bit of distance with Lars to where they couldn't be overheard.
"We can't let him live Elsa. He knows too much," Lars said bluntly.
"We don't have to kill him," she reasoned. "I can put him in the dungeon where he can't speak to anyone."
"He will still be missed, Elsa. The lowest French soldiers report to their units on rotation every three days. I've seen this boy before. He's under Captain Foix-Lescun's command unit. That man's even more suspicious of us than Baujeu. You can bet, if this boy disappears, you and I will be the first people Foix-Lescun's going to go after for answers. Elsa, I can't have the French finding a reason for me committing treason. The Northern Isles is still under French control as well. They can retaliate on Amelia and our children."
"Then we can't kill him either," Elsa argued. "It still leaves us in a trail of suspicion."
Lars heaved a defeated sigh. "You're right, dead or alive, this boy's absence is going to put us in a lot of trouble…" He paused as he seemed to have an idea. "Unless…"
"Unless what?" Elsa asked fearfully.
"Elsa, you need to leave Arendelle and take Captain Foix-Lescun with you in the next two days."
"What? No!"
"You don't have a choice anymore Elsa. In three days, Captain Foix-Lescun will note that he's missing and you will be a suspect. But he can't do that if he's not in Arendelle anymore for the boy's next check-in. You need to convince Baujeu to employ Captain Foix-Lescun as your escort. The French higher command doesn't get a check-in for the lower units until after a fortnight. Without Captain Foix-Lescun around, the boy's missing status won't reach Baujeu until at least two weeks at the earliest. By then the Coalition will be in a position to give Baujeu a more urgent distraction."
So the Swedish army was attacking in two weeks. That wasn't comforting news at all. However, Elsa knew she cannot pre-empt this attack by falling under French suspicion too soon. She had to give the Coalition their best chance of success. Can I trust Anna to resist handing Arendelle completely to the Coalition? Or maybe I need to find another way to get back to Arendelle before they come.
She had no clue how to go about with either. However, Elsa knew she was out of options so she reluctantly acceded: "Fine, I'll do it."
Somewhere in the North Sea
Present Day
So it was that Elsa boarded the ship reluctantly. She managed to convince Marshall Baujeu to send Captain Foix-Lescun as her escort. She was doing everything according to Lars' plan and she knew that soon someone from the Southern Isles was bound to take her away from the French. Caleb would never risk her becoming Emperor Bonaparte's weapon.
And I will not risk becoming Caleb's weapon either. Whoever he's sending after me, I need to subdue with my powers and force him to bring me back to Arendelle. Will I have to kill this person and whoever else is allied with him so I can return to Arendelle in time before Hans takes Anna and the rest of my country hostage? What if they don't come on time? Will I then have to kill everyone on this French ship instead?
The thought gave her a shudder. Despite him being a nosy nuisance Captain Foix-Lescun and his men had been polite to her and the six Arendellians that accompanied her. She certainly didn't want to do any of them harm. However, she knew one word of doubt about their motives and they could immediately be imprisoned or even executed.
Her Arendellian entourage was composed of two women and four men. Mathilde and Agnes were both trusted ladies that served her family for quite a long time, even during the time of Elsa's mother. Agnes was Gerda's younger sister and just as street smart. The younger, Lady Mathilde, on the other hand, was the aristocratic daughter of one her councilmen who was a rather talented soldier in her own right although her sex prevented her from joining the army. Elsa however, had seen her spar with the best men and win. The other four men that came with her were equally trained soldiers loyal to her. Leading them all was Otto Gunson, Kai's oldest son, who was probably one of the most formidable tacticians Arendelle had. He was the one that managed to extract Kristoff from the Cossacks when Elsa paid his ransom and was a personal close friend of their family. Elsa was confident her people were hardy for a fight if it came to that, but she knew they would not be able to go against a ship full of trained French soldiers. It would be up to her to subdue, or if necessary, kill them with her powers.
"Sails!" someone from the rigging above shouted.
The cry brought Elsa from her reverie. She looked out towards the starboard side but could see nothing apart from the sea and sky.
Is it possible this was the help Caleb sent to us?
The French junior lieutenant who was the highest-ranking officer on deck was immediately on the alert. He had his spyglass out and peered on it just as the Captain emerged from below deck.
"Colors?" Captain Foix-Lescun asked.
"French," the Lieutenant replied confidently before handing the spyglass to his commanding officer. "She appears to be one of ours. It looks like a sloop, one of the supply ships, I think."
Elsa met Otto's knowing gaze. He was also anticipating that this could be a possible ship that would come for them.
"There's smoke billowing from their stern," Captain Foix-Lescun related. "They appear to be in distress."
"Shall I order to intercept?" asked the lieutenant.
The captain nodded. "Move towards them but keep your distance until they show proof they are who they say they are."
"Right away Sir."
Captain Foix-Lescun walked towards Elsa and politely bowed before her. "There's nothing to worry about your majesty. We will just see if we can extend assistance. The ship appears to be harmless, but for your safety, I would advise you and your ladies to go below deck when they are near. It appears to be one of the supply ships. They've been here in the North Sea running errands and the men there may not be of the gentle sort. I would not want your delicate sensibilities exposed to such coarse men."
Elsa understood the Captain's caution. They would not want anyone to know they had the Queen of Arendelle onboard. Yet, she wanted to know if this could be their means of escape and if so, it would do well to be ready. "Thank you for your concern Captain. However, may I ask if you can indulge my curiosity? I have never been at sea and ships are an interest of mine. May I be allowed to see them close? I promise I shall be hidden behind those crates so no man need know of my presence."
The captain seemed to hesitate for a moment so Elsa put up her biggest smile.
"Captain Otto will be at my side at all times. He shall warn me if anything that can harm a lady's sensitivities may come."
"Very well, your majesty," replied Captain Foix-Lescun. "However at the first sign of trouble, you need to go below."
"I assure you, I shall be ready to go at a moment's notice."
The man saluted her once more and left.
"Let the others know and be ready in case this is it," she whispered to Otto.
"They're already aware, your majesty," Otto replied as he nodded to the other Arendellian soldiers and the two ladies who came up the deck. "Although, I'm not too hopeful about this. A sloop like that won't have enough guns to overpower this ship."
Elsa had to agree with him. The ship before them was puny compared to their French warship. What she told Captain Foix-Lescun was not a lie. As a child, she was fascinated with ships, a trait she shared with her father. She knew their makes and their capabilities. If this was a ship intended to rescue them, it would be hard-pressed to fight against their French warship.
They did not need to wait for long. Their ship quickly made way to the other vessel and in less than half an hour, Elsa could see the sloop was indeed in smoke so thick, you can barely see the deck.
"It's the Beatrix," reported the young lieutenant. "Ship was reported to be bringing prisoners to France last week. They are sending a distress signal."
He passed the spyglass to the Captain who confirmed what the lieutenant said. "I would rather not stop with such a high profile passenger aboard said the Captain, but as they appear to be in distress we must assist. Approach with caution. We shall not get near unless we confirm who they say they are."
"Aye Captain!" replied the Lieutenant before he ordered the ship to intercept. approached. Elsa watched as their ship closed in on the other. However, she felt her hopes sink when she saw the flag colors. They were indeed French and the man who responded to them spoke French like a native.
"Parisian," the junior lieutenant fondly said. "I can recognize an accent in my home city."
Elsa immediately felt disappointed. This is probably just a false alarm.
Their ship moved even closer until it was close enough to transfer. The Captain was about to send out a standard greeting when Elsa heard a deafening blast and it rocked the planks she was standing on. The movement brought her down to her knees. She saw one of the smaller masts of their warship toppled with a great roar, and it sent fragments of wood raining on them.
Elsa instinctively covered her arms to protect herself from the shards. At the same time, she heard shouts. She looked up to see dozens of men leaping onboard their ship just as another blast was heard from below deck. Gunshots sounded and Elsa dove down once more. Otto was beside her in a moment, pushing her to go below deck with her ladies. However, she never reached the door leading to the stairs. She felt Otto yanked from her just as Agnes cried.
Turning around, Elsa had her fists ready to throw ice at whoever was trying to hurt her people. She saw one tall man with a dirty beard wearing a scarf tied around his head and a pair of darkened spectacles. The scarf did little to hide his equally dirty black matted hair that came spilling over his face. He had Otto on a chokehold with a knife at his throat. Agnes was on her knees on the floor, crying for her nephew's safety. Elsa pulled at the woman's arm and brought herself behind her so she came in front of the threatening man. She no longer thought of herself but only the safety of the man under her care.
"Let him go!" she ordered him.
The man didn't respond but he whispered something to Otto. Elsa figured he was making further threats to her guard and raised her hand brimming with the power of her ice, ready to strike.
"Ma'am please stand down," Otto told her in Arendellian.
"Only if he lets you go," she replied to Otto in Arendellian.
Surprisingly, the man released Otto. Her captain sided beside Elsa as the man that threatened him moved to viciously take out two French soldiers that attempted to come to their rescue.
Otto immediately pulled Elsa and his still shaken aunt to hide behind some crates.
"He spoke to me in Arendellian. He said King Caleb sent him. We are not to fight him but come willingly to his ship. He said if you surrender yourself he will spare the French soldiers' lives."
Elsa glanced up at the smoking ship that attacked them and saw that it had taken down its French colors. In its place was now hoisted a plain black flag. It was a signal anyone who read about naval history could understand immediately.
He's a pirate offering quarter if we surrender. Caleb sent a pirate to help me get out?! Elsa thought with dismay and horror as she watched the said pirate take out another French soldier just as another blast rocked the ship.
He's going to kill everyone on board unless I do something!
She met the pirate's eyes and he stared back at her with a challenge.
Slowly she got up and approached him.
"End this," she said to him in Arendellian. "Tell the French I surrender but spare his men and mine."
He nodded and bade her approach. Cautiously she came over to him and once she was within arm's reach, he grasped her to him. The feel of his warmth as her back made contact with his broad chest caused her to shudder with fear that she almost unleashed her frost at him. However, he immediately quelled it when he whispered in her ear: "Your cooperation is much appreciated, your majesty."
She breathed deeply to calm herself. As she did, she caught a whiff of the man's scent. She expected it to be awful for pirates or any man out at sea for quite some time would not have the luxury for regular washes. Even the French officers often hid their natural odors with expensive colognes. Mashall Baujeu's was exceptionally strong she often wondered if he marinated in perfume each morning. This man's scent though was neither nauseous nor overly fragrant. There was a hint of spice there mixed with something citrusy, like lemon. She knew she had inhaled something like it before but she could not quite place it.
"I'm taking you to the top deck. Don't resist," he said in a surprisingly gentle manner even as his arm clutched at her tightly.
She nodded and they moved together. Once they were in full view of everyone, he shouted in French to stand down.
The fighting suddenly stopped as both French soldiers and pirates caught on.
"Tell them if they resist I'll cut your throat," he told her.
Elsa repeated the message in French and one by one the French soldiers surrendered their arms.
The pirates made short work of gathering the remaining French soldiers into the main deck.
"I need to do a bit of theatre," he whispered. "I still expect your cooperation. Whatever I do, do not resist me. Follow anything I say and don't retaliate with your ice. I promise you and your people will not be harmed. I will try to lessen the bloodshed among the French. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," Elsa assented though her heart was pounding in her chest and she was taking her every bit of control to keep her powers in check.
"Take anything of value, including the weapons and guns," he addressed to his men who now held the French crew down. "Find out if they have cargo worth hauling." He pointed to Agnes and Mathilde. "Take them too. They're pretty enough to fetch a good price for the Barbary markets. Some of the Scandinavian lads will do too. I'm sure some Algerian would want something more exotic than his usual fare."
Elsa stiffened at his words. She knew about the slave markets along with North Africa and the shores bordering the Ottoman Empire. It was the most inhumane and horrifying end to anyone caught by the infamous Barbary pirates that plied the seas.
Captain Foix-Lescun had heard of them too. He slowly got up, hands raised in surrender and approached the pirate captain.
"Take the two women and the Scandinavian men if you want, but let that woman go," he said.
"And why?" the pirate captain taunted. "Is she something of value to you?"
Captain Foix-Lescun hesitated before answering. "She's a noblewoman. Her family expects her back to Paris."
"A noblewoman?" the pirate captain scoffed. "You're not telling me anything new. The dress she's wearing is expensive, so her status is quite high."
"Her family is willing to pay her ransom. If you send her back unharmed…"
"A ransom is but a trifle," the pirate captain cut him off before he grasped Elsa's chin viciously. His fingers touched her cheek and stroked her lips. The shock of his intimate touch however, was nothing compared to what he said next: "A beauty like this is worth more than a ransom. I know a sheik who would pay for her handsome enough to make me a prince. I intend to sample her first just to make sure she's worth the price."
Elsa stiffened and a bit of frost grazed her hands but she kept still as she tried to decide whether she could even trust this man. Captain Foix-Lescun moved forward to defend her but the pirate captain was faster. Elsa felt the cold steel of the gun's barrel at the side of her head.
"Don't be a hero," the man that held her taunted the French Captain. "I like her but if you do anything, I'll shoot her."
He felt his breath on her ear and she expected to be violated in some way but he only made to whisper: "Queen Elsa, if you don't want yourself implicated against the French, you need to pretend to swoon right now."
Swoon? she thought apprehensively. She had never swooned in her life. Of course, she fainted once when an ice chandelier of her creation hit her, but swooning over shock was something she had never done. But if I don't do it, he might just hit me on the head and I would end up being unconscious. At least this way, I'm still awake and I can take him out later if he tries to hurt me.
So she closed her eyes and let herself fall limp. She didn't fall too far for his arms were still held tight around her.
"Seems like the delicate maiden can't resist my charms," she heard the man say out loud amidst the sounds of protests from the French.
His manner was so arrogant it infuriated Elsa. If he doesn't end up as my rescuer as I expect, I am turning this ego-maniac into an ice ball and have Marshmallow use him for knattleikr.
Suddenly, she felt hoisted and carried over his shoulder and he began to stamp across the deck. The movement surprised her that she frosted part of his jacket. She felt him shudder at the cold.
"Hold the snow, your majesty, we're not out of their ship yet. We can talk about your involuntary impulse to freeze me later but right now I need to get your people out," he whispered frantically.
His words assured her a little but she still couldn't help but internally curse him. And if you don't get them all out, my impulse to freeze won't be involuntary.
She sensed from his movements that they transferred ships. Surprisingly, when he finally laid her down on a solid wooden deck, the tender way he did so felt almost familiar. It was like she had been in his arms before. She didn't have time to think through, for her nose was invaded by the smell of smoke. She coughed out and opened her eyes.
She was on the deck of the sloop where fake smoke from burning tar was effectively covering her and the rest of the men here from the view of the French warship.
"Your majesty, are you alright?" Otto was immediately beside her. Next to him was her entire entourage. All of them appeared unharmed except for a minor cut from one of her guards who was quick to point out came from the skirmish and not done intentionally by their pirate captors.
They watched in silence as the pirates brought over the cache of weapons, ledgers and even several barrels of gunpowder from the French ship.
Finally, she caught sight of the pirate captain who approached her. "Are all of your people here?" he asked.
Elsa stared at her frightened escorts and nodded. She grabbed the pirate's arm. "Spare them," she said, indicating the French.
"You have my word," he replied.
Elsa sighed relief.
"But then again, I cannot have them chasing us," he said as he turned to his men.
Then ordered them to fire.
The North Mountain
April 30, 1813
It was fortunate that Sitron was such a trained creature. The powerfully built fjord horse needed little direction once he started galloping up the North Mountain. He seemed to have a mind of his own and sensed her urgency with his constant brisk pace. He even appeared to know which way to go.
Small mercy that he probably does know the way for he had been on this path before with his previous master, Anna told herself as she thought of Hans. Wherever you are, please… please find my sister… if she's still alive.
A fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks. She had been crying for hours since she had heard the news from Marshall Baujeu. The initial shock had numbed her much like the way she was thunderstruck when Captain Bertole delivered the news of Kristoff's execution. However, once her senses recovered, she only stayed to ask pertinent details about Elsa's capture before heading directly to the stable and taking off with Sitron.
Elsa and her entire entourage were captured by Corsair pirates. That was the report provided by Captain Foix-Lescun when he returned today to Arendelle after his ship was left crippled without a mast for five days in the North Sea. Anna had immediately known what that form of capture meant. She had read about pirate stories as a child and her interest in adventures led her to read about the history of real pirates as a teenager. It was one of the few history lessons that she found compelling. Unlike the romanticized stories of the Flynn Rider adventures though, Anna knew real pirates were terrible people who pillaged, killed and sold their victims for profit. Those that plied the Barbary Coasts were known for slave trading. Elsa could be halfway to Tripoli or the Algiers by now. Based on how Captain Foix-Lescun described it, Elsa would be raped and tortured by the pirate that captured her on the way. Anna knew her sister would fight with everything she had, but it didn't mean she could not be killed or be threatened to submit if they used Otto or her other Arendellian companions as leverage.
There was one way Anna knew she could find out if Elsa still lived, which was why she had hurried with all haste up the mountain. Anna rode for hours without stopping. Hunger, thirst or fatigue could not deter her. She must find out, even if she knew what she could find there would be even more painful to bear.
When Elsa's ice castle came into her view, with its graceful towers still standing and shining brilliantly over the snow-covered mountains, Anna couldn't help but gasp out a sob of hope. Yet, she could not be completely sure. She had to see him.
She reigned Sitron in at the foot of the glass staircase that led up to the door. She wasted no time in jumping off the horse, racing up the flight of stairs and crying at the top of her lungs:
"OLAF! OLAF! If you can hear me, please come out!"
The massive doors opened even before she was ten steps away. Olaf peeked through and Marshmallow hovered behind him. A few of the snowgies were also jumping up and down trying to escape through the gaps of Olaf's stubbly round legs. Anna fell to her knees, sobbing with relief at seeing Elsa's creatures all intact and well.
She's alive! She's alive! Olaf, Marshmallow and the snowgies could not possibly be here if she wasn't!
"Anna! Anna! What's wrong?" Olaf murmured with wide-eyed panic in his eyes. He was in her arms in seconds and Anna found she could do nothing but hold him close.
"Something bad happened!" Olaf exclaimed. "Where's Elsa, Anna?"
Anna shook her head as she began sobbing once more. "Bad men have taken her Olaf. I don't know where she is. I don't know how to get to her."
"Horsies!" Marshmallow suddenly cried out as he pointed to some to something behind Anna. She immediately turned around and saw a group of three horsemen all in Arendellian uniforms arrive. She recognized them immediately as her Arendellian guards.
"Princess Anna!" one of them called out. "Thank God, we found you. Please, you must return to the castle immediately."
Anna slowly extracted herself from Olaf's embrace and turned to meet with them. "What is it? Is it news of Elsa?"
The leader that called out to her sadly nodded. "Marshall Baujeu received a message from Paris after you left. They received a ransom demand for Queen Elsa."
Anna's hopes soared. If they were asking for ransom, they could just pay it and she will be released. "How much? And how do we get her back?"
The man shook his head. "They were asking for 30 million francs for her release."
"Thirty million…" Anna gasped.
"Minister Kai has asked me to tell you that Arendelle cannot raise such a sum," the man continued.
Anna already knew that. She could not even fathom the amount of 30 million Francs. The Arendelle treasury certainly didn't have anything close to that. They were a small country, not even all their exports for ten years could reach a figure like that.
"But we can appeal to Emperor Bonaparte," Anna said. "We're allies with France…"
The man shook his head again. "I'm sorry Princess. Marshall Baujeu has also told Kai that Emperor Bonaparte is not willing to pay such a sum in light of the ongoing war."
"But certainly, my sister is worth more than that!" Anna cried desperately. "If I go to Paris… appeal to the Emperor…"
"It's no use…" the man said shakily. "Emperor Bonaparte has already given his order on the matter. Marshall Baujeu already announced it in the village square just before we left. The Emperor has already declared Queen Elsa lost and you as the new Queen of Arendelle."
A/N: The Barbary Pirates were mercenaries that existed for centuries and operated along the Africa coasts near what was then the Ottoman Empire. They were known for taking slaves and were a real menace among sea-faring merchants plying the Mediterranean routes. Some of them even had enough power to force governments to pay regular tribute just to allow their ships to pass through unmolested. Though they operated mostly along the Barbary coasts, I did come up with information that some of them did reach the Scandinavian territories during this period. I thought this would be an interesting little tidbit to throw in amidst the confusion of the Napoleonic wars.
To all my readers, I hope you're all doing okay from wherever you are. I've been able to write a bit now that I'm in community quarantine along with the rest of the majority of people in the world. I will try to update on this story soon, but my chapters will be a little shorter than this one.