Chapter 11

"Creating a Barricade"

For several days and nights, all we could think of was a way to stop Villieneuve in his tracks. The encounter I had with his spy was still fresh in my mind. Then again, I had dealt with many treacherous people before him, Hans being one of them. Finally on the third day, Eric came up with an idea on how to create the blockade. Gathering us in Admiral Nelson's quarters, he revealed his plan to us.

"I propose we go here," he said, pointing to an area south of the island of Gibraltar. "There's a canal here that leads directly towards Naples. If we can stop them here, we can easily rescue the hostages."

"Sire, if I may be so kind to say," said Admiral Nelson. "What makes you think that stopping them right at Gibraltar is the right move? Why don't we stop them along the Portuguese coast before they rendezvous with the Spanish?"

"Eric, Admiral Nelson's right," remarked Ariel. "It would make sense to stop them along the coast."

But King Eric, a skilled sailor and strategist, felt that confronting the French and Spanish fleets together would be the right call. He didn't want anyone escaping.

"I'm sorry, Ariel," he replied, respectfully. "But I'd much rather take them both on and besides, your father will be providing us with underwater support."

"If you say so."

With his queen in check, Eric proceeded to direct us to an area of the Atlantic far off the coast where the French were gathered.

"As of right now, they map says that Villeneuve and his fleet will be waiting here, 500 miles offshore from our position. The Spanish are bringing in ships from the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean to back him up."

"What kind of ships?" I asked.

"Whatever ships are available in those colonies, Anna."

At that moment, Elsa stepped forward removing one of her gloved hands and demonstrated her ice powers.

"Then they will not get any farther, Eric," she said, firmly. "My ice powers will be of great use."

"Only when it's necessary, Elsa," Eric replied firmly. "As far as I am concerned, there will be prisoners that will need to be interrogated and we need them alive and unfrozen."

Olaf, who at that moment, came walking in eating a candy cane that he most likely took from the galley came in to make his remarks.

"Oh, don't worry," he chuckled. "Elsa wouldn't do a thing like that unless provoked, right?"

"Says the talking snowman," muttered Admiral Nelson, much to Olaf's supposed roasting. "I dare say that the French and the Spanish marines will not play to honor any decorum given that they have hostages to use as leverage."

King Eric decided to ignore the elder English admiral's remark.

"Anyways, we have the wind with us and that gives us time to build up the barricade off the coast of Gibraltar. I propose we take advantage of this opportunity while we have the chance."

"I agree with Eric," I said. "We've already had our encounter with the Spanish and the French and we know what they are capable of. However, I do propose one thing…that we don't attack any ship with hostages aboard. I want us to bring these hostages home to England and Denmark…alive."

So the decision was set and with the wind on our side, we proceeded to make our way towards the strait of Gibraltar where we would be stopping the French and Spanish navies.

…

Meanwhile, Vanessa once again found herself staring at her discarded wedding gown, thinking about her captured love and whether she would see him again. Just then, she heard a knock on the door of her room.

"Come in," she called and in stepped Princess Melody with a bowl of gruel. "Oh, Princess Melody. What are you doing here?"

"Just helping out anyway I can," replied the young Princess of Denmark. "You're still thinking about him aren't you?"

"Yes, It's been several weeks since Eric was captured. I'm holding out hope, but it isn't easy."

Sighing, Melody remembered how hard it was to persuade her mother to let her swim in the sea. The same was being said for Vanessa.

"I know how you feel," she said, sitting next to Vanessa as she ate her bowl of gruel. "These things take time, I guess. I should know, it took me a long time to persuade my mother to swim in the sea. Sometimes you just gotta have patience."

Sighing deeply, Vanessa absorbed what Melody had said.

"Don't give up hope, though. I hope to one day find the right one for myself, but it will take time."

Vanessa tried to not give up hope on us finding her lover, but that was easier said than done.

"There will never be another for me," said Vanessa. "Eric will be found alive…God save me."

"Look, maybe there will be someone else out there," Melody suggested rather poorly, much to Vanessa's annoyance. "Perhaps…"

"Thank you, Princess," snapped Vanessa, pointing at her to leave the room. "Leave me at once."

Not wanting to cause any friction, Melody did as she was told and left Vanessa alone with her thoughts.

"Well, that didn't go very well, did it?" she sighed. "Just gotta hope for the best, I guess."

Meanwhile, on deck, the HMS Victory and the rest of the British fleet turned towards the strait where in due course, the stand against Villieneuve would soon begin.

…

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