Chapter 4

"Brought Before Villeneuve"

Aboard his ship, Scipion, Admiral Pierre Charles Villeneuve made his way down to the brig and came across one of the cells that held some of the prisoners he had bound. He focused on one particular cell with a prisoner clothed in nothing but the ruins of a wedding uniform.

"Look at me," said Villeneuve quietly but sharply at the prisoner. "Look at me!"

The prisoner looked up at Villeneuve with seemingly murderous intent.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, your Villieneuve," replied the prisoner. "You are the one who just attacked our wedding ship for no reason."

Villeneuve drew his sword and pointed it at the prisoner's throat.

"Watch your tongue, sailor," Villieneuve cautioned. "You are addressing a representative of his greatness, Napoleon Bonapate, emperor of France! Anything you say to me, you are saying to him as well!"

The prisoner scowled at the French admiral again.

"Now, I've come with a proposition that just might save your life and the life of your captured shipmates," Villeneuve said as he sheathed his sword. "Of course, this means you would surrender your allegiance to the British."

"I'm Danish," said the prisoner. "I am not from Britain. I am Eric, Duke of Copenhagen and a naval captain in the service of his majesty, King Eric."

"King Eric, the Supreme ruler of Denmark? I doubt it. As far as I'm concerned, the mad king Frederick is the new king and he supports our divine emperor."

"Lies!"

"Oh, I'm not lying and neither is his divine majesty, monsieur. You have an option to either swear allegiance to me or face the consequences."

"By what? Killing me isn't going to do much good for you or your false emperor. Is that why you attacked our wedding ship? Is your false emperor that much of a monster?"

But Villeneuve found amusement in his captive prisoner and gestured for his officers to open the cell.

"What are you doing?" he cried.

"I admire your determination and spirit," Villeneuve said. "It's too bad that I had to spoil your wedding, but I'm more than eager to make it up to you. But first, I'm going to break your spirit by having you lashed in front of the fleet."

Releasing him front his bonds, the officers dragged the Duke of Copenhagen forward as Villeneuve watched.

"Is Vanessa alive?" he asked, coughing slightly

"I'm afraid your bride is more than likely fish food, mon ami," chuckled Villeneuve. "Such a pity, but the fortunes of war, I'm afraid."

This made Eric feel a sense of dejection and disbelief. He didn't want to believe that his love was dead, at least in his eyes.

"Vanessa, wherever you are," Eric whispered. "I will find you again on Earth or in the kingdom of heaven."

So, Eric was brought up on deck and tied to the mastarm of the Scipion.

"Men, behold our prisoner…the Duke of Copenhagen," Villeneuve declared as a botswain came forward with a cat-o-nine tails in his hands. "We could always use prisoners of war to use as bargaining chips. Two dozens lashes for refusing to swear allegiance to our divine emperor."

And Eric could feel the sting of the cat-o-nine tails being hit on his back. 24 times the lashes were administered, but he remained steadfast and by the time the lashes were administered, his flesh was weak, but his spirit was still willing.

"They are just little boys who want to tower over others," Eric thought as he was brought back to the brig. "Much like that Napoleon of theirs. Well, they won't get away with this."

…

…

Meanwhile, aboard the HMS Victory, Eric and Admiral Nelson along with Queens Elsa and Anna were gathered looking over the directions that we were going to go in pursuit of Villeneuve.

"Are you quite certain that is where they are heading?" Eric asked as the attention was focused on an area south of Portugal, but not far from the British territory of Gibraltar.

"I'm very certain, your majesty," answered Nelson. "And furthermore, they are planning to rendezvous with the Spanish fleet as support. France has a best friend in Spain."

"A best friend?" asked Anna. "Like Arendelle is best friends with Denmark?"

"The very same, my child," cautioned Nelson. "And it's more than likely that they are heading for the Mediterranean Sea, trying to open up a route towards Gibraltar. We cannot let that happen."

"I propose," said Elsa. "That we capture the leaders and punish them severely. But we then use them to force Napoleon to surrender."

As much as we wanted to agree with Elsa on that one, it was not how it worked.

"Elsa, I'm afraid turning Napoleon's top admiral into ice isn't going to make much of a difference."

"If it protects our kingdoms and sends a message, then it should be done regardless."

And a small bit of Elsa's powers came out of her hands in reply.

"Very well, although it's something that I hope will not be done unless needed," cautioned Nelson, rolling the map up. "The wind is to the south and east, which should bring us to them in two to three days. I propose we follow that plan. Agreed?"

Of course, they all agreed except for Elsa who felt that bringing the cold to the French navy was still the right call.

By nightfall, Elsa had come on deck to get some air and to reflect on the decision that was made, but against her will.

"Elsa, what are you doing here?" I asked as I came on deck, slowly approaching the acting Queen of Arendelle. "It's cold up here."

"Just for a few minutes, Ariel," she said, looking out over the Atlantic ocean. "I just need to think right now."

"I heard about what was said," I remarked. "You were against the idea made by Nelson?"

"Very much so, Ariel. If we are to stop the French and Spanish, we have to fight fire with ice."

"By freezing them to death?" asked Ariel. "Elsa, I admire your desire to fight, but there are traditional ways to dealing with warfare of this nature."

"Sometimes the traditional ways aren't enough, Ariel," Elsa cried. "Don't you see? A wedding ship was attacked and whoever survived is imprisoned on those ships. They need to pay."

"I do agree with you, but freezing them isn't going to end the conflict so easily," I cautioned, draping an arm around Elsa's shoulder. "If I do have to say something, it's this: from one Queen to another Queen, don't use your special powers unless you are provoked."

I could see that Elsa wanted to protest some more, but I was not going to have any of it. We had rules for a reason and this was the reason.

As I went below deck, I removed the black shawl covering my shoulders and sat back down on the edge of the bed only thinking of whether or not Elsa's way was the best way. But it was a lesson that daddy had taught me as a child: do not act unless you are provoked. The French likely used guns to attack that wedding ship, so we would do the same.

But would it be enough, I wonder? Could Elsa end up proving us wrong?

…

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