Chapter 26

~ Art preparations, part 1 ~

Narrator POV:

Elsa and Diana are standing in one of the several halls that the castle has available, in silence, waiting for Kai to bring in the person that Rosa hired for this 'job'.

Of course, the silence is shortly broken by the Queen and her out loud thoughts to herself "How did it come to this?" Which the maid heard.

Ah, Diana can remember as if it happened just yesterday, well it did happen in six 'yesterdays'. So she gets Elsa's attention by speaking to her "Cheer up, Queen, this isn't so bad"

"Standing still in one place for hours doesn't sound so appealing or anything to be 'cheerful' about, even if it's far less than it'd be normally," Elsa says back.

"I suppose so, but it's going to be fun" Diana says back with a smile.

"How exactly?"

"Well, normally this would be a hassle, but with your help, this will be done quite effortlessly"

Elsa hums at that while making a few snowflakes and ice particles come out of her hand "This idea of yours, it's quite efficient, to say the least, I am still trying to wrap my head around your... plans in all of this"

"Is it that odd to see me do this?" Diana asks Elsa interested in knowing.

"Mhm, it's a surprise, a pleasant one"

"Well, I am just full of surprises" The maid can't help but boast.

"That, you are, that, you are..." Elsa trails off to her mind again to think about what went down, yet again, she can't get over how different Diana seemed while strategizing with Rosa.

Almost a week ago, in the meeting between the three women.

"So, Diana, could you explain to me about this 'posing'?" The Queen asks her maid.

"Certainly, these dolls of me, they are on the smaller scale... We are going to go BIG and how do we do that? Well obviously, paintings, works of art, masterpieces and we'll be posing for them"

"Paintings? Won't it take too long to make them? And why am I posing for them with you exactly?"

"No, timewise, it will be just perfect for what I have in mind, and why pose with the Queen? Well to show everybody that Scarlet Angel is taken and is working as the Queen's Maid, not only destroying the various rumors of what I am doing in the process, but it will get most of the men to back off away from me, not wanting to incur the Queen's wrath. Oh and before you think that I'm 'using' the Queen's name for my own benefits... Well, okay, it is for me, but it's also for Rosa, our plans and there is one thing you get out of it, Queen"

"Well, I'm glad that you're at least self-aware about what you're doing... What's this 'one' thing?"

"Well, of cour-"

"You'd better not say that I get to show the people of Arendelle that I 'own' you or something, is that 'one' thing" Elsa interrupts the Maid.

"Oh... No, that intention is an added bonus and hopefully a fact in the future, those same people of Arendelle, really like you, Queen Elsa, you're a hit with them especially with the younger folk, so these paintings, that they could get, could increase your... 'Populiarity', that's not the best word to describe it, but it's more or less the truth... Imagine, how happy little Timmy would be if he were to get a portrait of a Queen he already admires and it just so happens to have me in there too"

"Well... It's not the worst thing in the world... Who's little Timmy though?"

"A nobody, he doesn't exist... I mean, I am sure there are children named Timmys out there, but this particular one? Just a metaphor"

"Right..."

"Darling, you want to make a lottery out of your and Queens' paintings? Won't that take a very long time to do? Even if you want to do just one pose for multiple paintings of the same caliber, re-painting the same art piece, it's going to take a long time, not to mention the effort to actually keep on standing in one place" Rosa finally says something on the matter.

"Well, we could either do it that way and tire ourselves out... Oooor, if the Queen doesn't mind, I have a perfectly valid plan for it all, if she'd be so kind to lend me some of her magic"

"...I'm listening"

"Great, I might as well just tell my whole plan, or at least most of it. Sometimes plans need a little bit of improvisation since not all of them work out, so I left some parts for interpretation. First: Rosa"

"Yes, ma'am" the big woman shouts out comically.

"Ugh" The maid cringes.

"What? Don't like it anymore?" Rosa asks slightly dejected, they used to do this to one another back in the day.

"That's not it... It's just that I've got myself a class full of newbie and veteran maids, so I got to teach them and hearing, not only ladies as young as me, but older ones call me that, it just felt wrong. With you, it was more of a 'joke', but with them, I had to tell them to not call me that, it just didn't feel right"

"Wait, wait, wait... You are a teacher now?"

"Yes... You can thank the Queen for that"

"Thank you Elsa" And so Rosa does just that.

"You're welcome?" Elsa answers back with a question.

"I didn't mean for you to do it literally" Diana points out.

"Why'd you make her a teacher?" Rosa, however, ignores Diana and asks Queen a question instead.

"I am sure that it was because of how awesomely ultra amazing I am at my job, so she wanted for more ladies to be like me!" Diana comments before the Queen had the ability to answer the question.

"Yeah? And I think it's because she wanted some peace and quiet once a while" Rosa remarks with a theory of her own.

"Pfft, no way"

"It was both actually" Elsa answers after seeing a good moment to jump into the duos' bickering.

"Diana is really good at her job, as she said... Though I wouldn't describe it as extremely as she did. And she can get a little bit too much at times. The part about other ladies being like you... I don't see that happening even as a possibility" The Queen continues with her answer.

"Well of course! I am one of a kind" Diana puffs out her chest, practically only hearing Elsa's words as compliments.

"However, weren't we talking about something else?" The Queen also says after she and Rosa both ignore Diana for the dozenth time.

"Oh, right, the plan, we went off-topic quite fast" States Rosa.

"Back to it then, First: Rosa" Diana restarts the plan 'introduction' and this rime Rosa only nods, staying silent.

"You mentioned that it'd take a lot of time to paint and re-paint the same piece multiple times, while, that's definitely true, we won't be painting one piece" Diana subtly grins to herself, at mentioning One Piece, but it disappears quickly as she remembers that she'll never see it finished "We'll be making at least five whole different portraits and then we're going to re-paint them... Well obviously, we're not the ones that are going to do the painting, this is where the first part of the plan comes in and your part"

"Hmm... If I've learned anything while working with you, I am supposed to go and find a bunch of artists, painters, and such?"

"That'd be correct, doesn't matter if they are 'popular' or 'famous' or even the supposed 'best', find as many as you can, however, the expertise cap should be at least 'decent', I don't need complete amateurs. But I do have one specific request, find the same person that painted the portrait of Queen Iduna and King Agnarr"

"Why do you need that person specifically?" Elsa asks Diana.

"Because at the same time, you could get a portrait done with your sister, as the Queen and Princess of Arendelle, not only will it be a good time for you and your sister, you'll have a 'Queenly' painting"

"That sounds pretty great" The Queen smiles at the idea.

"Second: Queen Elsa, this is where you'll shine, by using your powers, you'll make many different poses of us together in ice, we'll pick some that we like, then we will simply allow one painter to paint the ice statues in all of the colors that we'll have on us to make it look 'human' and that's where the multitude of artists come in, they will all re-paint that statue on portraits, that way we won't be 'standing' in place for hours, tiring ourselves out"

"It's a good plan, but didn't you mention something about not 'using' the Queen for her powers" Rosa points out.

"Now that you mention it, she did ask me about it as well" The Queen adds.

"This and that are different"

"How so?" Rosa inquires.

"Well, first of all, she doesn't need to do it whatsoever, of course then we will be standing in place a lot, but she can choose that if the Queen so pleases, second of all, the Queen can see it as early 'training' and third of all, I am not 'demanding' it of her and not 'asking' for her to use her powers, but if she'd LIKE to use them to help us, I am not going like" The maid fake coughs to get in character.

"Ahem... Ey, YO, Queen Elsy" Diana half-rhymes and throws random hand motions around "How 'bout your Magnificence throw some dust around here?! Make it snow rain, Ya get me?! Show some god damn ice! I'd appreciate it, gosh darn it!" The Maid fake coughs again and gets out of character.

"See? I am not going like that" Diana states in her normal voice.

The other two are looking at the maid in bewildered silence... Well, Rosa is looking at her only in silence, she's somewhat used to it, on the other hand, the Queen thought she was used to her maids' random antics, but it seems she was wrong.

"Still up with the dramatics, I see" Rosa comments.

"Indeed, I am"

"Did... you just call me Elsy?" The Queen throws a question the Maid's way.

"I seem to have done that, yes"

"... You know, just go ahead and keep explaining the plan, I already agreed to help out anyway, so it doesn't matter... Just don't do that again"

"Do what again? Throw my hands around like I don't know where to put them? Speak in a nonsensical rhyming accent? Say 'Ya get me'? Or call you 'Elsy'?"

"All of it"

"Awww" Diana lets out sadly.

"I'm not going to believe that obviously fake-sounding sound"

"Ah... Well, I tried. Anyways, part three of the plan, with how many painters we'll have, obviously not all of the art pieces will be the 'same', some will have differences in them, exactly what we need, as long as the 'initial' painting has the same premise, that's perfect, especially for a lottery, we'll decide which ones will have 'more' value that way and why I wanted that specific person who painted the late Queen and King, is simply for the reason of drawing one portrait that will be this one big prize that everybody should pine for, you need something grand for a lottery after all. And that should be it"

"Hmm... Okay, pretty simple as plans go, I will need to see the portrait of Queen Iduna and King Agnarr so I could find the one that painted it and I guess the two of you will just have to wait for your parts... Wait I and Elsa have parts in this plan, I have to find people, Elsa has to make ice statues, eventually... But, what's your part in all of this?" Rosa ponders a question into existence.

"Well obviously, I am the woman with the plan" Diana points and touches her temple with her index finger "Besides, the only thing that I will be doing is... Nothing actually, just being there, I guess you can call me moral support? Oh and I can do the talking if you want me to, you know, with the artists? Once you find them, of course"

"So, does that mean we are finished with this, at least for now?" The Queen asks the two.

"I think so" Rosa answers first.

"Yep! Unless I am forgetting something... No, I don't think I am, we are done here" The Maid claps her hands together a few times and goes pick up the tray which is still on the table from Elsa snacking before.

"Well, Queen, Rosa, it was a beautiful time to be here with you, now, if you'll excuse me" And she starts walking towards the door, she grabs the handle and tries to open the door, but it seems to be stuck, she tries again...

"Queen"

"Yes?"

"Would you be so kind to unfreeze the handle?"

"Oh, it's frozen? My bad, I meant to freeze the entire door, not only the handle" And just like that ice quickly covers the door.

"Real funny" Diana comments while turning around.

"Actually, I think it's pretty cool"

"Ha-ha" The Maid lets out slow sarcastic laughs.

"Now, Lady Rosa, you shall have that promised hour with this 'naughty' maid"

"Thank you, Queen Elsa"

"Oh, come on, I don't wanna, Rosa's lectures are boooooooooooo-uh-boring" Diana whines.

"Yeah? Why don't you add a few more 'Os' to that? Maybe that will make me change my mind" The Queen states with a raised eyebrow.

"Fiiine, what am I going to do with this tray then?"

"Why don-" Elsa goes to say that she'll do it.

"No" But Diana quickly shuts her down.

"Then leave it for now and carry it back later, after this hour, nobody will miss it anyways"

"Okay, what's the Queen going to do in the meantime? You know, while I'll be falling asleep out of boredom"

"I don't know... I suppose I'll go to see Anna and bring the news of the idea of us posing for a portrait together, which you suggested"

"Sweet, well good luck with that, oh and have fun" The maid says while setting the tray back on the table, with that the Queen stood up and started stepping towards the door.

"Have fun with what? The announcement?"

"With whatever, anything can be fun as long as you put your mind to it"

"Right... Rosa, it was a pleasure to meet you, and don't worry, you made a great first impression, farewell" The Queen says smiling towards the elder and bigger woman.

"The feeling is mutual, Elsa, farewell" And so does Rosa, smile back that is, at a younger and smaller woman.

Elsa softly nods and exits the room unfreezing the door beforehand. There's only silence to be heard after the Queen has left. Diana finally sits down on the opposite side of Rosa.

"So... My lectures are boring?"

"Of course and you know it"

"Yeah, you're right, but you're still going to hear it"

"Okay, but keep it to a minimum, not the full 'hour' that the Queen gave you, I want to talk about business... Private business"

"Oh? As a matter of fact, I do as well"

"Really? I wonder if it's the same 'business' then"

"Why don't we find out? After I lecture you, of course"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it"

"What did I tell you about using other people's names as a joke to get something done?"

"... To not do it" Diana can't keep herself from eye-rolling whilst she says that.

"What did I tell you about 'joking' about other peoples' establishments"

"That it's a 'bad' omen" Diana boredly answers, but slightly pipes up right after "Pretty sure that one makes no sense since my entire existence should be a 'bad' omen"

"How many times will you answer like that when I ask you about it?"

"How many? Probably every single time"

"Of course..." Rosa facepalms "Anyways, let's continue, when will you start using proper 'letters' and not dirty and random papers out of your pocket for messages?"

And this continued for a while, with Rosa trying to 'knock' some sense into Diana for about the fifth time... And on Diana's side, it only went to one ear and out the other, so it doesn't work whatsoever as it wouldn't with a Child in a similar situation.

~ End of Chapter 26 ~