Arendelle City Spaceport
Arendelle
Crucis March
Federated Commonwealth
May 09 – 3053
Anna fought to keep her composure as she walked through the glass doors into a thunderstorm of noise and light. The noise was the brass band off to the side, shockingly loud as they thumped out 'Hail to the Prince' with great gusto, Anna feeling the noise and trying not to flinch from the thunder of the all too enthusiastic base drummer. The light was made up of dozens of cameras exploding into action a couple of dozen meters away backstopped by bright TV floodlights above them that almost made her wilt under their focus, until she shifted her gaze upwards over the lights to clear her eyes.
She almost wished she hadn't.
They had entered onto the ground floor of a large open atrium, with tastefully placed greenery running up and down the walls making it feel half indoors half outdoors. The bright green and purple flags of Arendelle hung vertically from the ceiling and walls with equal taste, but it was the ten or so stories of the building above her that had caused her to be taken aback. Behind thick glass walls on every floor were hundreds, perhaps thousands of ordinary people looking down at the reception committee and press pack crowding the floor here. Even through the glass and even over the thunder of the music, she could hear the distant cheers and see their waves and almost on instinct, she shyly waved back, generating yet louder cheers and more enthusiastic gesturing.
It was almost as if the people of her world were welcoming her home and the sheer impact of the sounds and lights and people almost made her freeze up and collapse upon herself..
Thankfully, Victor didn't break his stride as he moved forward, clearly a man with vastly more practice at these events than she had and Anna followed his lead as he gently led her towards the reception committee, working to keep a shy smile on her face as she returned her gaze down to try and pick out the people waiting for them through the blaze of lights, hey eyes working overtime to adjust from the dark tunnel...
Then the music stopped as if a switch had been thrown, Victor coming to a halt at the exact same moment. Anna followed suit, leaving only the distant cheering that also quickly faded until only the mechanical clattering of cameras continued unabated.
"Presenting His Highness, the Lord of the Crucis March, Prince Victor Ian Steiner-Davion" a voice bellowed into the sudden silence with authority and gusto, amplified by speakers across this part of the spaceport. "Accompanied by our Beloved Daughter of Arendelle, the Lady Anna Jorgensson, Lord Kai Allard Liao of Saint Ives and Komondant Galen Cox of the 10th Lyran Guards".
I got introduced second! Anna mentally squeed, having to really fight the urge to gleefully jump at the honour.
Granted it was probably entirely because she was on Victors arm, but she'd take what she got, given that the other members of this group were the Heir to the Capellan Confederation and Hero of the Federated Commonwealth and surely eventually someone would notice that she really didn't belong in such august company.
"My Lords, My Lady" the voice continued grandly after a moment, "in the name of Regent Sir Roger Landers and the Lady Elsa Jorgensson, I welcome you all to Arendelle".
Blinking away the spots on her eyes as some of the lights thankfully shut down so she was not half blinded, Anna finally got a good look at the man standing a few meters in front of them.
Her eyes widened as she focused in on the older man's face smiling at her–
Before she even realized what she was doing, Anna had detached herself from Victor and all but leapt across the distance to slam into the man and throw her arms around him.
"Kai!" she exclaimed –nearly squealed- in surprise and affection, feeling the others arms gently yet firmly wrap themselves around her in turn as he chuckled deeply, relishing the feeling. Kai was one of the very few adult friends she had had, the man having been in service with her parents as the head of staff of the family Palace since …forever… along with Gerda, his deputy. They were as eternal to the place as the very foundations of the place in her mind; far more a close uncle and aunt than a pair of servants.
Even disregarding the fact that Kai had generally been the one tapped to rescue her from this or that 'situation' as she had grown up.
Be it when she had gotten stuck up a tree at seven years old (trying to climb up to Elsas window) and found herself too frightened to get back down.
Or when she had a year later tried to sneak out of the palace (trying to 'walk' to her sister's new house) and gotton lost in the extensive forests their estate backed onto within half an hour.
Or when she had continually crashed her bike into predictably expensive objects at nine – until her parents had firmly told her to not ride it inside.
All the way to the days where she had simply found herself sad and lonely; he had stayed with her, taken her to sneak some chocolate from the kitchen to the eternal fury of the head cook and brightened her day back up.
Whatever the situation, he had always been there for her.
It wasn't that her parents hadn't been there of course, but they were busy people with an entire planet to run. Kai and Gerda had as much as anyone else, helped to raise her right up until the day her sister had shipped her off to Corona…
"Oh my dear Anna. It has been far, far too long. Welcome Home".
Anna felt her spirits sore yet higher at the familiar voice. It was at once instantly familiar to her and that feeling that she was home yet again grew inside her as countless memories associated with it flared inside her, taking just one more squeeze of the other before, reluctantly, letting go and stepping back shyly.
"The HPG messages your Aunt sent me were clearly not exaggerating what a beautiful young woman you have grown into" Kai continued with a gentle smile as he studied her quite closely, causing a blush to break out across her face. "I can see that if anything, she understated it".
"Oh, I'm just still the same old Anna" she demurred shyly, always slightly uncomfortable with people admiring her in such a fashion, before she beamed up at him. "I've really missed you".
"We've missed you too Princess" he smiled and Anna again blushed at the title, a pet name she had been given by Elsa. It had stuck after she had named her Sister the future Queen, back before Anna had quite understood the nuances of neo-feudal nobility and that just because her parents ruled a world, they were not a King and Queen like in all the fairy tales their mother had read them.
In fact the Federated Suns didn't have a noble rank of 'Princess' except at the very highest level of the Davion family itself. And even then the ultimate ruler of the Federated Suns regardless of sex was always known as the First Prince, a title Victor would take -
Victor!
Her eyes bulged and she whirled around in a blur to face the Archon-Prince designate, feeling her entire body cringe as she realized she had just kept arguably the most powerful –or soon to be most powerful- man in the Inner Sphere waiting while she had jumped ahead like a child to nearly tackle the welcoming party…
But as she turned to face Victor, she just saw Victor, his fist held in front of his face … trying to hide a huge grin. With Galen and Kai not even trying to hide theirs one bit.
"Uh, sorry" she apologised awkwardly, wringing her hands slightly as she stepped back a bit. "I just-"
"My Lady Jorgensson, what did I say about apologising for being you?" the Archon-Prince designate interrupted her as he stepped forward, his expression turning playfully arch.
"Um … not to?" she hazarded, feeling a blush forming on her face … as the cameras behind her cheerfully flashed away with their frantic pace.
"Indeed" he agreed with a slight smirk, reaching up to touch her upper arm lightly for a moment. "Remember that" he added in a way that said that he was neither insulted before his eyes traced past her and, taking the hint, she turned back to gesture to the older man patiently waiting next to her as she cleared her throat and at least tried for a formal sort of tone.
"Prince Victor, may I introduce the Chief of Staff to the Jorgensson family, Kai Brevik" she gestured, the older man stepping forward and offering Victor a formal bow of respect.
"A true pleasure My Lord" Kai said to the other as he straightened. "While I am sure that Anna has already welcomed you to Arendelle with her usual … enthusiasm …" he stated, glancing at her with a somehow knowing look and causing Anna's blush to deepen to the point it was starting to rival her hair colour and a distinct snicker to come from one (or both) of the men behind Victor. "It is none the less my pleasure to also welcome you to our world".
"My thanks Mister Brevik" Victor inclined his head slightly, offering his hand. "Yes Anna and I ... ran into each other in the VIP passage" Victor smiled as Kai took his hand and shook it firmly, the smile twitching furiously again as Annas eyes shot him a look, before he let go and turned to gesture forward the two men next to him. "May I present Kai Allard Liao of the Capellen Confederation?"
"My Lord, your reputation precedes you. You are most welcome; it is our great honour to have you here for this investment" Kai said to Kai, offering another short but dignified bow.
"It is my pleasure to be here. Your family clearly had impeccable taste in names Mister Brevik" the young Mechwarrior quipped with a grin as he returned the bow, shallower as their respective ranks dictated, but given with a casual ease and grace that spoke pointedly about Capellan heritage before he offered his hand.
"As do yours My Lord" the other Kai smiled as he took it briefly before Victor now gestured towards Galen.
"And finally, my aide Komondant Galen Cox of the 10th Lyran Guards".
"Komondant, a true pleasure to have the 10th visit our world" Kai nodded.
"We're pleased to be here" Galen nodded while firming shaking the others offered hand, his eyes tracking around to re-focus on her with a grin moments later. "I take it that you've known Anna for some time then?"
"All my life" the other nodded, turning to give her an almost wistful smile. "The family residence has been far too quiet since Anna moved away to Corona, but we are all looking forward to having her back now. Anna" he turned back slightly to look at her, "as I'm sure you're aware, you'll be staying in a hotel tonight before moving back in tomorrow. I presume this is still satisfactory?"
"Very much so – this whole day has been a bit … overwhelming" she admitted.
"Very good. As it so happens, you have a suit at the Grand Arendelle, the same hotel the Prince is staying at" Kai nodded at Victor, who inclined his head with a pleased look at that news. "Your sisters personal VTOL is waiting on the pad, I would be more than happy to give you a lift to-"
"My thanks for your efforts Mister Brevik" Victor cut in smoothly as he interjected himself into the conversation. "But Anna has most graciously volunteered to show us some of her city personally before we get down to business. I will, of course, make sure she is dropped off at the hotel before I head on to the meeting with the Regent this afternoon, to sign the paperwork formally terminating his regency".
Victor was clearly not asking permission of Kai – but as he distinctly outranked everyone for seventy four light years in any direction, he didn't exactly need to either.
"I … am pleased to hear that" the other said after a surprised pause, recovering quickly from the unexpected news and taking a moment to shoot her a slightly questioning expression that asked if this was indeed the case, which mutated into a respectful nod when she bashfully nodded at him. "Then indeed … I can think of no better hands to leave you in" he concluded before shooting a somewhat apologetic look at the stoic figure of Agent Curaitis hovering off to the side of the group. "My apologies Agent Curaitis; Anna has … a way, shall we say, of disrupting the most carefully laid plans on the spur of the moment that I should have warned you about".
"I have a feeling I'll get used to it" the other said dryly, his face none the less as expressionless as it had been since she had met him. "She certainly seems to be living up to her mother's legendary reputation at any rate".
Anna decided that there would probably be a better time to confess to Kai that she had almost sent the Archon-Prince designate flying onto his backside not five minutes ago.
Later.
Next week perhaps? Or next month?
No need to rush talking about such a minor issue…
So she ignored the raised eyebrow from the older man at Curaitis's cryptic statement and instead stepped forward to hug him tightly one more time. A final verbal confirmation that she would see him tomorrow at the investment and he stepped back, bowing to Victor. And with a 'by your leave' and nod from the March Lord, he was off, Anna watching him walk away and leaving them alone in the vast atrium, Kai himself seeming to have been the entirety of the reception committee...
But it meant that now she was standing alone in front of the hundred or so cameramen behind the velvet rope and police officers making sure they stayed there. She was slightly surprised that none of them were shouting questions at them like she would have expected from past experience, but she supposed there were different rules to these kind of events when dealing with the very top level of the Federated Suns - nae Commonwealth - nobility.
Anna started to turn away, but paused for a moment to look up. And on an impulse, she shyly waved again at the packed higher levels, earning an instant response of distant cheering muted by the armoured glass walls, accompanied by enthusiastic waving. Before she realized it Victor was standing next to her and waving just as cheerfully, earning yet more cheers and enthusiastic jostling from the crowds. Then Kai and Galen joined them; Anna following their lead in simply ignoring the press pack that once again exploded with camera flashes like a firing line, smiling and waving to acknowledge her people who had come out to welcome them. Hundreds of cameras in the hands on the spectators flashed too, butshe offered her best smile to them, freely.
She didn't kid herself that many –if any- of them had come to see her specifically so much as Prince Victor … but she at least hoped some of them might have.
But this was much bigger than her. This was about the people of her world putting their best foot forward by taking time out of their day to be here and welcome the Prince, who she now knew had surprised them all on such short notice with his unheralded arrival.
And on an impulse she couldn't explain, she felt a sudden need to thank them and so-
"Thank you, all of you, for coming out to welcome Prince Victor and his friends to Arendelle" she suddenly yelled out, not knowing if there was any kind of microphone or broadcasting of her words, but desperately wanting them to hear her thanks to them as she swept her gaze up and down and left to right. She had no clue if she was violating any number of protocols about these events, but found herself unable to stop herself. "It means a lot to me – and I know it'll mean a lot to my Sister as well- that you all showed him such a warm welcome! It's great to be home again!"
A half second passed and then a thunderous roar of noise rolled over her, even through the glass, as the crowd exploded with applause and approving cheers. Giving a final wave, she stepped back as Victor gave a subtle hand signal and the party collapsed in on itself, moving briskly towards the exit and pulling Anna along with them. Her face fell slightly as they were hustled out by the bodyguards double time, and she wondered if she had made some kind of fux pass with her impulsive actions.
Again.
"I'm … I'm sorry if I was out of line-"
"Anna" Victor cut her off with a look as Curaitis marched everyone forward and down the private exit to the secure VIP parking garage where their vehicles were waiting, issuing curt commands over his radio to be ready to roll in ninety seconds or answer to him personally. "Why is it that every time you do something wonderful that makes people around you genuinely happy, you want to apologise for it?"
"Uh … I would suggest Tourette syndrome, but my parents had me checked. Twice".
Victors face rippled as he fought back the explosion laughter that wanted to come out, managing to limit it to a kind of choked off snort and mostly keep his dignity.
"Oh Anna …" he shook his head in amusement. "Don't ever change".
The blush that had finally just about faded away returned in full force at the Dukes amusement and for once, she just kept her mouth shut as they approached the automatic doors that slid open to grant them entry to the private VIP garage-
And she skidded to a halt a few meters later, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply the air of Arendelle as Victor, Kai and the main body of guards walked past her.
Granted, she knew ever since the dropship doors had been opened that she had been breathing the air of her planet, but that was filtered through the climate controlled air conditioning of the spaceport.
And her face frowned and her nose crinkled as the overpowering odor of a great many ICE powered vehicles idling washed over her.
Opening her eyes again, she glanced around … and then froze as she saw what was waiting for them ten meters away that Victor and Kai were happily jumping into.
"Is that …" she managed to try and get out as she pointed, Galen halting next to her curiously before he followed her arm and chuckled.
"Ah, yes. An Excelsior Model fifty one" the taller man confirmed with a glance at the huge, yet sleek black hovercraft waiting patiently for them. Half again the length of any normal Hoverlimo, it really couldn't be anything else but one of the legendary luxury craft. Only a dozen of them had been made a few years ago on Tharkad and they were exclusively held for the use of the most senior members of the Davion and Steiner family lines. Clearly it had been flown in specifically for Victors use, it wasn't the sort of thing that would just be sitting in a warehouse on this planet.
"Bit more leg room than your normal limos" Galen smiled. "And most normal limos don't include Ferro-Fibrous armour plating, ECM suits or the best communications gear NAIS can build as standard options either".
Nodding vaguely as the Mechwarrior happily rattled off its military specs, Anna tore her gaze away from the vehicle that looked to have been so polished laser fire would likely just bounce off, taking in the flurry of activity around her in the rest of the loading dock come garage come staging point. Federal Agents and local police were hurrying about everywhere, getting into vehicles of every shape and size from police motorcycles to what she could only think of as tanks on wheels from the number of guns sticking out of them, all of which were starting to roll out and form up outside in a chaotic ballet. It again struck her, just how big the 'V' in VIP was with these people and how absurdly out of her 'proper' place she was…
"Well come on then" Galen poked her in the back, snapping her attention back and causing her muscles to unfreeze and start her legs moving again, Galen guiding her towards the Limos back door. "We've had nothing but standard AFFC jumpship ration packs the last few weeks. For some bizarre reason, Victor seems to want to have the authentic road trip experience - right down to the military rations we've been eating the last few weeks instead of the real food he could have arranged with about five seconds of waving his enormous authority around".
"I heard that!" the Princes voice came out from the cavernous interior of the Limo, causing Galen to roll his eyes.
"You were supposed to!" Galen retorted before he started to turn back to her with a grin on his face … only to yelp as he found Agent Curaitis had materialized right next to him without a sound or hint of warning, jumping back half a step on reflex and glaring at the other.
"Damnit Curaitis, don't do that!"
"My apologies Komondant" the other said with an utterly unphased look on his face before turning to face Anna. "Miss Jorgensson, I take it you know the address of where we are going on this little tour of your city?"
"Oh yes, of course" she confirmed quickly.
She did know the address of the top of her head, having spent more than a bit of time there over the years when her parents had let her out of the palace, often with Kai or Gerda – even if they had clearly disapproved of her spending too much time there…
"It's two three nine Main Street, right on the intersection of Main and Davion parade" she supplied, and the other nodded, tapping the information into a Noteputer he was holding and starting to turn away. "Oh and…" Anna added on impulse, causing the other to turn back with a slightly raised eyebrow and causing her to at once second guess herself as she was subject to the full strength glower of the ISB agent.
"Yes?"
"I, uh" she verbally fumbled, the icy gaze the other was directing her way causing her to wilt slightly before she just plunged ahead. "I just wanted to apologise. You know, for throwing all your plans into chaos with this whole detour…thing…"
The other simply stared at her for several long seconds, and Anna felt herself collapsing in under that uncompromising gaze. But then ISB Agent did something Anna thought he never would.
He smiled, if only for a moment and only barely, as he gave her another nod and walked away.
"Huh. You know, I think he likes you" Galen observed with a raised eyebrow, before shaking his head and earning a yelp from her as he throw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards the limo with him. "Now, back to critical issues; you were saying something about chocolate …"