Title: Sun Over Water

By: garlic

Disclaimer: Frozen and affiliated property of Disney.

Summary: Day 1 of Elsanna Week. Pirate AU. [T, Humor/Fluff, Non-incest]

AN: In an attempt to shirk responsibility (in both real life and fic-wise) I've decided to take a shot at Elsanna Week. These'll be pretty short and mostly fluffy (some really short depending on time) and very unedited and I'll hopefully get them out in a timely manner. Yes, I know, you'll believe it when you see it. But without further ado, here's day 1.

Anna was quite possibly the worst pirate in all the seven seas.

It wasn't that she was physically inept in any way, or somehow unseaworthy. She was deft with a sword, a crackshot with a pistol, and she glided over the decks and masts and rigging with nimble sureness even in the choppiest of waters.

It was, simply, that Anna was too nice.

Whether exuberant grin or soft smile, excited smirk or crooked tilt on her lips, she was always smiling.

And she was kind.

It was a common occurrence to hear her airy voice apologizing as her pirate crew stormed a merchant vessel - a litany of "excuse me" and "so sorry to intrude" and "please I would rather not stab you" following her around as she danced amongst any opponents, disarming them swiftly and (mostly) painlessly.

There were even a few times The Solsikke had left their quarry empty handed, because some doe-eyed passenger pleaded for mercy and sobbed about their family savings or precious heirlooms and Anna had smiled one of her damnable smiles and apologized (again) for not knowing how dear the treasure was and promptly returning it before cheerily ordering her crew back to the ship. All aboard the merchant vessel could only watch in stunned silence as the pirates summarily left with only a small portion of provisions, their wickedly talented captain waving goodbye from the stern as they sailed away. With one last apology. "So sorry for the inconvenience!"

So yes, Anna was perhaps the worst pirate in all the seven seas, but she was also never bested in a fight, or her ship caught by the various naval fleets of the kingdoms.

It was a baffling conundrum.

Pirate Captain Anna was a popular figure, even those she'd successfully robbed had little bad to say about her.

"Well, there wasn't a single casualty."

"She said she only came aboard for our shipment of Parisian chocolates. She did take them all, but only after giving every one of us a truffle."

"She didn't take my money, only the company's."

"She did take my money, but only half, and was very polite about it."

"Uh, she actually gave me some of her own when I told her I didn't even have enough to rent myself a room once we'd come to port."

So then it came as quite a shock when The Not So Dreaded Pirate Anna Solvann kidnapped the Marquise of Arendelle's daughter after assailing the nobleman's ship on summer's solstice.

Elsa couldn't help the squeak that burst from her lips as she was tossed rather unceremoniously onto a soft mattress. She bounced a couple times before coming to rest upon what she assumed were pillows, large and plush beneath her head.

It had all happened so quickly.

Elsa was aboard her father's ship set on course to the Southern Isles, where her fiancé awaited. And as much as she was not looking forward to that - it was an arranged marriage after all - she didn't think being accosted and taken hostage by pirates was necessarily a better alternative. The burst of fear that erupted in her chest as the warning shouted from the crow's nest of "Pirates!" was only eclipsed by the terror of being approached by a large, burly man, thick across the shoulders with bulging arms after all the fighting had been done and the Marquise's ship thoroughly taken. Her guards protested (but not very courageously, she noted) as a tan sack was thrust over her head and she was dragged to her feet and then tossed over the pirate's shoulder. She was tempted to squirm, but the hold was tight, and she was pretty sure all that would accomplish would be to wag her butt in the air for all to see.

So Elsa lay limp (well she did try a few sharp kicks to the groin, she was not above fighting dirty) as she was carried along, mentally cataloging the unsteady rocking of her captor as they crossed the gangplanks onto the Pirate's ship. The hollow thud of heavy footsteps sounded loud in her ears, the distant cheers of the victorious pirates a dull roar as she was carried about. A bit of jostling, and the sound of a door banging open kicked her heart into her throat, and she squeezed her eyes shut despite the darkness of her bag blindfold.

And now she was alone, at the mercy of her captors. She waited with bated breath, but only the slam of the door greeted her ears. She hesitated. Was that it? She struggled upright the best she could despite her hands bound behind her back, curling her legs under her and heaving her body up. The rough weave of the bag tickled her nose, and she gave a violent shake of head in an attempt to dislodge it.

It didn't work, and a fresh cloud of must wafted into her nose. She sneezed.

"A ha ha ha ha ha!"

Elsa stiffened at the laugh that pealed close by. I wasn't alone? Her heart thrummed fast and furious, and she automatically inched back as far as could.

The laughter tapered off, and Elsa suddenly realized that it had been feminine, high and delicately toned, like bells clear and pure. Whoever was with her was a woman, and despite everything Elsa couldn't help the curl of curiosity that sparked in her chest. There were very few female pirates, but the one most notorious in this area was...

Light flooded her vision as the sack was yanked off, and immediately she was greeted by large teal eyes, glinting with merriment and a wide, crooked smile. The pirate that had taken her was a young, petite woman with blazing red hair tamed to cute twin plaits and smooth tan skin and the cutest smattering of freckles stretched across the bridge of her nose.

Elsa gaped.

The pirate (the Captain, her mind hazily supplied) pulled back a bit, sheepishly scratching at her cheek. "So, um, I'm Captain Anna. Nice to meet you!" Her hand thrust out.

Elsa stared.

Captain Anna blushed hard, a dark rosy hue sweeping over her fair features as she hastily retracted her hand, rubbing nervously at the back of her head. "Oh! Right! You're kind of tied up. Sorry."

Elsa was flabbergasted. Although the other woman made no move to untie her, she nonetheless looked apologetic. Earnestly so. Elsa swallowed the bubble of hysteria that threatened erupt. Who on earth was this woman pirate, who stormed her ship and abducted her, yet was warm and sunny and cutely rueful of previous said actions?

"Sooooo, I'm really sorry about all this."

Elsa was a noblewoman, sole heir to the house of Isfalle, she was raised with poise and grace and humility. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?! YOU ABDUCTED ME!"

She had also had a very trying month.

Anna winced at her yell, eyes round with regret. She fiddled her fingers, gaze straying abashedly to the side. "Um, yeah. I really am sorry. But..."

Those beautiful blue-green orbs (Wait, what? Who cares if they were beautiful!) returned to her, determination once again filling her gaze. "...I had to warn you."

Elsa blinked, all ire whooshing out of her at that unexpected admission. "...Warn me? About what?"

At that Anna was suddenly close again, staring urgently at her, serious mien replacing her previous nonchalance. "Westergard! Hans!"

My fiancé? Elsa wondered. Anna straightened, pacing frenetically in front of her. Strangely, this just served to relax Elsa further, feeling no danger from the slim pirate. Even as she started gesturing in agitation, arms sweeping jerkily through the air.

"Yes! Your fiancé!" Anna whirled, pointing a finger accusingly at her before realizing that motion probably wasn't warranted, and instead pointed to the far wall. Elsa assumed it was to the south.

"He's bad news! You definitely shouldn't marry him!"

Well, Elsa wasn't sure about his character, but she could whole-heartedly agree with not marrying him. She nodded along thoughtfully to Anna's (and just when did she become just "Anna?") ranting, carefully absorbing the variety of heinous crimes the young Lord Westergard was guilty of.

It was a very damning report. Acts of seedy revelry, extortion, general douchebaggery...Elsa wished she could say she was surprised, but this sort of behavior was increasingly rampant amongst the young male nobles of late - bolstered by the safety net money and position bought them. And if Captain Anna had indeed had first hand experience with such poor conduct, it was exceedingly conscientious of her to seek Elsa out and alert her of it. Although...

"It is very kind of you to try and warn me of my...betrothed's...true character, but..."

Anna stopped her raving, staring hopefully at her. It was cute.

"...Exactly what does abducting me have anything to do with this?"

Wow, Elsa marveled. She didn't think it was possible for a person to actually grow so red as their hair. And it was still cute. Elsa thought she might be perilously close to Stockholm Syndrome if she continued to find her pirate captor so darling.

Anna was shuffling her feet, eyes pointed firmly to the floor in a show of guilty shame, not unlike a child caught with her hand in the Kringle box. She mumbled, and Elsa strained to hear, shifting forward until she could hang her legs over the edge of the bed. "What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."

Hands nervously tugged at auburn braids, and teal eyes flit from Elsa's own azure gaze to the floor to the side to...her lips?

Was Anna staring at my lips?

"...Uh, I didn't actually mean to take you, honest. I just wanted to talk. It's just I saw you across the deck and you're so beautiful and your hair is like white gold in the sunlight and your eyes are so blue I could see them from so far away and and your skin shines like pearls and I wanted you and before I knew it I told Kristoff to go get you."

Elsa figured it was safe to assume that Anna had indeed been staring at her lips. Elsa knew she was pretty. Even without the constant simpering praises from the various yes-men who trailed after her father or the backhanded tittering compliments of the noble court Elsa knew she had inherited the best features of her mother - her tall, willowy frame, her large blue eyes. Her sculpted cheekbones and sleek, shiny hair.

But Elsa had never felt so flattered in all her life than by this stuttering, awkward pirate coming to warn her of danger only to steal her away in a fit of covetous awe.

"Can you untie me?"

Anna snapped to, still red in her face, and hurriedly nodded, clambering to her side and immediately setting to the knots. Elsa could feel the slight trembling her fingers as the fought with undo her bonds, and the rush of warmth and fondness she felt for this paradoxical pirate woman left her almost breathless. Her wrists tugged free, and Anna stepped back, embarrassed smile on her lips.

"Really, I'm so sorry about all this. We'll drop you off in Corona and find you safe passage home."

Elsa frowned. She did not particularly want to go home. There was nothing there but the stiff snobbery of the noble class, the distant father who couldn't be more delighted to trade her for even more affluence. And there was nothing before her, at the Southern Isles, where a conniving cheat and philanderer waited to claim her like so much livestock.

But here...Captain Anna squirmed in front of her, face open and honest and kind, risking life and limb to just warn her of her future husband's unsavory ways.

It was perhaps the nicest and most selfless thing anyone had ever done for Elsa since her mother died.

Well, kidnapping aside.

Still, the land at her back and the land to her front would bring her nothing but a life of misery and dead emotions. The sea under feet and the woman at her side offered her life, and maybe, just maybe, a chance at love. Elsa smiled, wide and happy and free, the first in so many years.

"I think, perhaps, if you would allow it, I could make this my new home."

Red hair flailed as Anna's head jerked up, mouth stretching into a wide, disbelieving grin. Aqua eyes twinkled with joy and her slim chest expanded with pride. "You...you want to stay?"

Elsa nodded.

"On this ship? With me?"

"If you would have me."

Anna practically vibrated in place, before launching herself into Elsa's arms, knocking them both onto the bed. Warm breath ghosted across her collarbones, and Elsa shivered at the arms wrapped snug around her waist. Yes, this could be home. She hugged Anna tightly, burying her nose to those bright auburn locks and breathing in deep. One last squeeze and Anna jimmied loose, raising up on her hands and knees to hover over her, smile soft and eyes softer. Elsa watched entranced, and unbidden her eyes fell to pink lips as the opened to speak.

"So...do you like chocolate?"