Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Abduction

The day went by swiftly and the sun started to set along the blue waters of the Southern Isles. Elsa watched it drift slowly downward, wringing her hands nervously. She spent most of the day exploring the large open air market in the port. While wasting time near the market, she kept a careful eye out for Hans. Gods know he would show up at the worst time. But the city was huge and she doubted she'd glimpse the prince down near the docks.

While most of the city seemed peaceful and well off, it did have a poor underbelly. But that's what happened when you oversaw so many people. You couldn't help them all. And that is exactly why she loved the small unity of Arendelle. It was why they could all be so peaceful and successful. The town worked together to help one another. When something got so large and oversized, people slipped through the cracks.

A few shouts behind her in a dark, dingy alleyway had her following the noise. It sounded like kids but one was sniffling loudly.

She started down the damp alley. Trash was strewn along the edges and made the smell of stagnant, dirty water stronger.

Two older boys in their early teens were teasing a small child around four or five, poking at her with a stick and snickering at her.

Elsa gasped when she realized what was happening and shot a light dusting of ice towards the boys. It was enough to get them to stop and stiffen, finally noticing her trudging down the ally. They tapped each other's shoulder before running down the length of the ally and heading back into the crowds of the market.

Elsa gingerly treaded towards the girl, crouching down and handing the small teddy bear that sat in the nasty water beside her. "Here you go, are you okay?" Elsa whispered, tucking a strand of dirty blonde hair behind the young girl's ear. Her skin was tanned like most of the citizens of the Southern Isles. Though she couldn't tell what was tanned skin, and what was grime and dirt.

The young girl looked up, tears in The gray-blue of her eyes. She paused, and both watched one another.

"Where are your parents?" Elsa asked.

The girl used her right hand and hastily moved it in motions that Elsa didn't quite understand. Saying nothing, she took off barefoot down the ally and back into the crowd.

Elsa stood, watching the crowd that the girl vanished into. The poor girl, she looked so skinny and broken.

It made her angry that the royals of the Southern Isles weren't working harder on the underbelly if this city. But she supposed she was sheltered in the peace and prosperity of Arendelle.

She glanced upward and realized that the sun had fully gone down and the stars twinkled overhead.

She let out a hiss of air and started running down the alley and back into the crowd. The plan was Jarrah would meet up with Keahi and bring her to the local tavern so he could slip something into her drink. She didn't like the plan, abducting Keahi with a drug was not, in any way, a good plan. But it was the only one she had right now. They had a limited window to get this done without Crow figuring it out.

She headed towards the tavern, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves before she went in. Scanning over the crowd, it didn't take long for her to find Keahi and Jarrah sitting in the tavern's corner.

It was like Keahi had a magnetic draw. Every ounce, every fiber of her being called to Keahi.

Could she hear it? Because She couldn't live without it.

Elsa went through the crowd and cleared her throat. Jarrah cheered and raised his tankard of ale, "Ah, here she is." Jarrah popped Keahi's shoulder.

Keahi glanced, bored, behind her with her tankard if alcohol and noticeably froze.

For a moment, Elsa thought she recognized her, and her heart gave a lopsided lurch.

A warm, pleasant feel rolled through her when Keahi watched every single move she made as she sat down across from them. She folded her hands in front of her, unable to look up and meet Keahi's gaze. If she did, she didn't know if she could hold back the emotions she was feeling.

"So this is my friend I was telling you about, she's a princess!" Jarrah told, taking a sip of his ale.

Elsa finally looked up to meet the sharp green eyes she loved. They were trained on her as Keahi inspected her. "She's the girl from the tavern I saw." Keahi smirked and leaned over on the table. "Don't tell me you're following me?" arrogance toyed her words.

And now she wanted to freeze Keahi to that chair to cool her off. She huffed, about to say something but Jarrah raised his glass quickly.

"So, Keahi is going to the land of fire. What did you say Crow was going for? You know I need to know how much money is in it for me." He asked casually, looking over the rim of his mug to Elsa.

She looked away. She got it; he was fishing for information. Her hands coiled into fists in her lap as she maintained a casual facade.

Keahi scowled when she didn't receive a reaction from Elsa and sat back in her chair, tossing a coin up and down as she rocked back in her chair. "Crow wants some giant's heart for some reason. He's been getting real twitchy about it, talking to himself." She looked back at the clock and sat up. "Anyway, he wants to get out of here immediately so come on, Jarrah. Why didn't you load up on our main ship, anyway? Saphire and I were looking for you."

What did they need with a giant's heart in some land that was only known in the pages of old books?

"Oh, haha...haha...Crow asked me to help on one of the smaller ships." Jarrah answered hesitantly.

Keahi eyes him but shrugged, not seeming to care about the answer before looking back to Elsa.

She stiffened under Keahi's gaze.

"You can come too, if you want." Keahi winked.

Elsa resisted the urge to roll her eyes so far back into her head, she could see her brain. Was Keahi always so arrogant? She thought back on their first meeting, when Keahi had, without hesitation, complimented her beauty. While it was more articulate than now, it was still Keahi being blunt. "I'll pass, thanks." She replied briskly.

While Keahi focused on her, she cut her eyes at Jarrah, who slipped some powder into Keahi's drink. He fumbled with the packet and barely got any in by time Keahi looked back at him.

"Leaving so soon? Just finish this drink with me before we have to hit the sea so soon." Jarrah laughed nervously.

Keahi waved a hand, "No, we really need to go." She urged.

Jarrah panicked and looked to Elsa.

She looked to Jarrah, to the drink, then to Keahi and inhaled deeply. She knew what she needed to do, and she would not let Keahi get back onto that ship with Crow, with Saphire. She didn't care if this wasn't the best way to go about it. It was currently the only way.

She reached over and took a swig of Keahi's unfinished ale. Her nose wrinkled at the horrible taste. It was absolutely the worst thing she's ever had. She kept the liquid in her mouth and grabbed Keahi by the collar of her shirt and tugged her in while leaning over the corner of the table.

She pressed her lips to Keahi's. That same familiar warmth flooded her. But she couldn't focus on that now and opened her mouth enough for her tongue, and the ale, she caress along Keahi's lips until the woman conceded to her and opened her mouth just enough to receive the ale.

Keahi pulled back, swallowing and wide eyed.

Elsa tried to look in control as she hastily pulled away and rubbed the sleeve of her shirt across her lips to get the remaining ale off. She nodded her head to Jarrah who was just as wide eyed as Keahi.

"Oh right, should take effect..." He went to catch a sudden drowsy Keahi. "Now. Nice one, princess!"

Elsa presses to heel of her hand to her lips, her cheeks flush with warmth.

But also sadness as she tried to keep it together. "Let's just get her on the ship and figure out what to do next."