Chapter 24

~ Adventure time! ~

Diana POV:

I and Elsa are walking side by side, I would've tried to go behind to look... But as she said, time for games is over, for now.

"This Rosa woman is the one you worked for before, right?"

"She is indeed the one... And the only"

"The only? What do you mean by saying that?"

"Well, you'll understand once you'll see her, pretty sure Princess Anna would've had a bigger reaction if I wasn't in the way"

"Anna has met her?"

"Yes, right before your coronation, I and Rosa were making way inside the castle, while the Princess was... Running and singing around"

"So, being Anna?"

"I didn't want to say anything, but yes. So anyway, because of my head being in some inconvenient pain due to the Queen's tremendously miiiiighty power, hwaa~"

"Right..."

"I didn't really notice where and how I was walking, so I and the Princess bumped into each other, falling to the ground, well I would've if Rosa didn't balance me, so the Princess just so happened to be the one on the ground after our little colliding, obviously Rosa should've tried to help the Princess instead of me, but things happened and that's that. Anyways, the Princess did stare at the beast that Rosa is for a moment, but her attention quickly jumped to my hair, because it was the first time she saw it. So I stole the spotlight from Rosa"

"Hmm... Now I want to meet this Rosa... But should you really describe a person you care about as a 'beast'?"

"For sure, she's the beastliest of the beasts, even actual beasts are less beastly than the beast Rosa. And if anybody but me called her like that, they would also experience the beastliness"

"Uh... Alright?" Elsa says confused.

"Beasty" I say fast and yet somehow mysteriously.

"Anyway, why do you think you're being summoned, didn't you go and meet up with her only a week ago when you asked for a free day?"

"Indeed I have, so I am stumped, I have no idea, but if she did ask for me, then it's definitely at least somewhat important"

"Only 'somewhat'?"

"Uh-huh, let's say this in a scale kind of scenario. Let's do 10/10, the Queen is still with me on this?"

"Obviously..."

"Great, so I expect this to be like a 4/10 up to a 6/10"

"And why is that?"

"Well, anything less than that and I wouldn't be needed, she'd just mention it when we meet up or something. And why it's not higher? Well for the sole reason of sending a messenger instead of coming herself"

"I suppose that makes sense" Elsa agrees with my flawless logic "This is the room where the sent person is resting, well, I will go, then" Elsa says and turns around to start walking away.

"Oh? Does the Queen have something important to do?"

"No, not in particuliar... Since the meetings with some specific people have been... A non-existent affair, due to somebody's actions a few days ago" Elsa comments stopping in her movement.

"The maid is happy to be of service, now, let's go inside with me and hear about this together"

"Why...?"

"For fun? To not get bored without me and my spectacular company?"

There's a brief silence and the Queen resumes walking without saying anything...

"You also might get the chance to meet the one and only Rosa"

Elsa stops... Turns around and walks past me and opens the door to the room... The Queen seems to like a stranger more than me, much wow.

I follow the Queen inside the room and we see Julie sitting in a comfy-looking sofa chair, drinking tea and looking around. Of course, her eyes snap in the direction of the door as soon as they were opened, so she quickly scrambles out of the seat to greet the Queen.

"No need, just continue sitting and relax" Elsa says quickly, it seems she's already getting bored with all of the mannerisms... Only three more years to go... Yaaay!

Julie does exactly as the Queen said and sits back down, but she's not as relaxed as she was, for she doesn't pick the cup of tea again. I roll my eyes, might as well break the tension... By adding even more of it.

"So, Julie, how is your lovely girlfriend doing these days? Have you taken her innocence yet?"

Julie chokes on her saliva and rapidly in quick succession looks between me and the Queen. While the Queen just puts her head on her palm, shaking at the same time and right after walks to take a sit of her own, trying to ignore my presence.

"So, your name is Julie, don't mind her, what is it that you needed from... I wanted to say, lady... But she's the furthest thing from one" Elsa comments while addressing Julie.

Julie stills looks between the standing me and the sitting Queen speechless.

"Don't worry about the Queen, she already knows that I only have the eye for the exquisite and fairer genders of females... Sometimes with an added bonus below, but still. Let's say... I told her when I came here for the job, it wouldn't do me good to lie to a Queen, so I just came out with it. But as she's so amazing, she let me work here without any difficulties... Mostly"

"What Diana said... But most of the difficulties are on me, she just seems to take everything in stride" Elsa throws shade on me while barely looking at me.

"Okay...? Anywa-" Julie starts still slightly confused.

"No 'anyways', my question was serious, did you do it with your girlfriend or not" I interrupt her with a raised eyebrow... And she's getting red from embarrassment... weak.

"Diana, knock that off, you're making her uncomfortable" Elsa reprimands me.

"No, I am not... Normally she speaks of her amazing and scandalous experiences which she over the years with me in secret... Oh, right, it's because the Queen is here, that's why you're silent"

Elsa opens her mouth to say something, but for it to only shut straight back up and her eyes instead to look between me and Julie, who's trying to hide... It seems I am not the best friend in these times... Oh well.

"Ahem... Leave your... Nightly adventures between yourselves, why don't we get to business" Elsa says after an awkward silence.

"Fine... Well, Julie, why did Rosa send you here?" I ask, positioning myself to the side of the table, I am still a maid, after all, no way am I going to sit down, when the Queen might need something. And Elsa has given up trying to make me sit down it seems, she got used to me standing around.

"Y-yes, anyway, here's a sealed letter, I don't really know what are the contents of it" Julie hands me a letter from her small bag that's around her waist, I take it. And open it slowly, so there'd be no tearings, or at least try to... Because the very next second half of the opening is on the floor, I look at the two women who are watching me...

"My hand slipped?"

"Sure..." Elsa adds.

I quickly bend over and pick up the torn-off paper from the ground, straightening back right after, and then I take out the actual letter from what's left of the envelope.

"Ahem..." I ready myself to read it out loud, cause why not "Hi Darling, this is not that important, but there's some... Competition in a need of a reality check, how about the Scarlet Angel shows up and puts them back in their place, hmm? Of course, it's not that necessary, but I am pretty sure that you're going to appreciate me calling you over for one very interesting and specific thing... What that is? Well, I could tell you, but you know me... Well, actually this is more of your thing... You will see it yourself. Bye, bye, Rosa"

I finish reading... And pull out an annoyed grimace/smile "Cheeky devil... I hate it when people blue ball me and she still did it, knowing that"

"Blue ball you?" Elsa asks me.

"Don't mind my ramblings, Queen, I speak nonsense" I wouldn't mind explaining it, but, not in front of an audience, even if it's only one person.

"Right... So, what are you going to do?" Elsa asks me right after.

"Hmm... Julie?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know anything that's happening? From what I understand one of the few competing establishments that are left, have done something 'outstanding', so you have to know something"

"Oh, wait, Rosa also said to read the back of the letter" Says Julie instead of answering.

"Okay... Let's see" I turn over the letter and my eye instantly twitches in irritation, I drop the letter on the table without reading it out loud. Elsa looks at me puzzled and then takes the dropped letter into her own hands and reads it.

"Oh and don't ask the messenger, she was bribed to not tell you anything" Elsa finishes and can't stop herself from letting out a few mocking giggles at me.

"Sorry, Dia" Julie apologizes.

"It's fine... Did she at least bribe you with something amazing?"

"Oh you can't even imagine"

"What, what is it? Don't hide that at least, there's nothing in the letter saying that you can't tell me"

"Rosa, the great boss that she is, gave me a week off and paid for that week because of me being with my girlfriend for half a year is coming up, it was a gift... I mean a bribe"

"Damn... You go girl, totally worth it, screw your teammates, colleagues and any form of friendships if you can get in a lady's dress"

"I've done that already" Julie brags subconsciously, only after she realizes what she just said, she quickly looks at the Queen, who's staring back at her with a blank face "I-I, SORRY!" She says bowing her head, almost hitting the table.

"Diana" Elsa says.

"Yes?"

"By any chance, did you corrupt your previous workplace?"

"... Would you believe me if I said no?"

"I wouldn't"

"Then, yes"

"Haaah..." Elsa shakes her head facepalming "It's okay, Julie... No need to apologize"

"O-okay" She says back awkwardly.

"Don't blame me, it just happened... Besides Julie is the only one that knows that I like women, along with Rosa obviously, but that's it"

"Save your excuses for those that will listen" Elsa says back not taking any of what I say at face value.

"But that's nobody, besides Olaf probably"

"Well, whose fault is that?"

"... Definitely not mine"

Elsa only throws a 'really?' look in return... "Okay, there might be a low percentage of it being my fault, but that's about it"

"Okay, okay, let's stop talking about this and go back to the topic at hand. What are you going to do with that letter?"

"Hmm... Well, she wants to bait me into coming to her, but I think I can one-up her"

"How are you going to do that?" Julie asks.

"By sending a letter of my own and you being a messenger for a little bit more time"

"What are you going to write?" Elsa asks me.

"You see, Queen, there's one thing that I talked with her about during my free day... And that is a deal of sorts, most of it can't be achieved, because she wanted to see Marshmallow"

"Oh... What's the other part of this deal?"

"My 'one day' come back as the Scarlet Angel, the Crimson Rose for old times sake, basically I have the upper hand in this and I will also sprinkle in some 'ideas' about other things and that will be it. We will have to wait for a few hours before she shows up"

"Will that work?"

"1000%"

"Mhm, well go ahead then"

"Right" I agree and pull a random paper out of one of my pockets.

"How many things do you have in those things and are you not ashamed of sending this... thing that barely passes as a paper?" Elsa asks seeing the torn and somewhat dirty paper.

I look at it... "Nah, it's perfect" I say smiling and start writing with a pencil and I finish it after some time, reread it once more and it's perfect.

"There we go, I am done"

"Dia, if you want me to bring it back to Rosa... I will need something..." Julie says slowly.

"Oh? So now we are taking bribes, are we? You do realize that taking such things in front of the Queen isn't a smart idea?"

"... Uh..."

"It's fine, in fact, I order you to bribe her" Elsa says out of nowhere.

"... Well, alrighty then, just as the Queen ordered, I might have just the thing for you, just a moment"

As I start walking out of the room to get the bribe, I whisper to the Queen "It's because of the paper, isn't it?" As I walk past her, only hearing an agreeing hum.

I leave the room in search of a very special object... Hehe. Now... Where would I be, if I were an unexplainable living snowman...

Aha, of course, with Anna and the Princess is most likely in her room right now, so let's make my way there.

After a few minutes of walking, I am standing in front of Anna's room, so I just knock lightly and wait.

Some seconds later, the door opens and I see Anna and also spot a little bit of a carrot sticking out on the bed.

"Diana? Shouldn't you be teaching other maids right now?" Anna asks me slightly confused about why I am here.

"Hello, Princess, normally that would be the case, but something came up, so the Queen took me out of that dreadful activity, but anyways, have you seen Olaf?"

"Olaf? Yeah, he's right here" Anna moves out of the way, I obviously saw him, but had to ask anyway "Why do you need him? Oh and Olaf, come here" She asks me before turning to the snowman and calling him.

He quickly makes his way to the entrance "Hi, Elsa's maid"

"Hello, Olaf" I greet him, then put my attention to the princess "I thought of asking him if he wanted to do something... very amazing"

"Amazing? What's that?"

"Yeah, yeah, what's that?" Olaf asks right after Anna.

"Well, little guy, it's an adventure of course"

"Oooh, adventure, I want to go"

"Great. Well, Princess, can he go?"

"I mean, yeah, if he wants to. But where is he going?"

"Secret"

"Hmm..."

"Can Anna come with me?" Olaf asks me.

"Uuuh... Well she could, but I don't think she will find it all that interesting, but she can take you midway if you want to"

"Why wouldn't she find it interesting?"

"Well... Because this adventure is only fit for snowmen like you, nobody else, even I can't succeed"

"Aaaah, now I really want to do it, can I? Anna?"

"Oh, yeah, of course, have fun, Olaf"

"I will!" He says leaving the room and stepping close to me. I pick him up and he quickly allows me to do so.

"Anyways, Princess if you want to, you can come with and meet my old boss, remember that big woman that was with me when you bumped into me? She will come here soon for some things"

"I wouldn't mind... But is Elsa going to be there also?"

"Uh... Yeah, why?"

"N-nothing, well, it seems that I have something else to do after all. Well... Bye, bye" Anna says her farewells and quickly closes the door... That was weird... Well, a problem for later. Now, hehe, time to sell a snowman... Can it be considered trafficking if it's a snowman? Hmm... Questions for later.

I make my way back to the room where Elsa and Julie were left to sit. But before I enter, I whisper to Olaf "Be as quiet as you can, before I show you to the people inside" He nods holding his sticks over his mouth for emphasis. And I open the door to enter the room... Which is completely silent, it seems that without me, Julie was too awkward to try and speak with the Queen.

"I am back and I have your bribe"

"What is it?" Julie asks me.

"Well, you will really like it" I say and pull out Olaf from behind my back "It's this friendly and neighborly talking snowman, for a full day, he is yours, take him on adventures around Arendelle"

"Wait, wait" Elsa says seeing Olaf holding his stick hands over his mouth "You can't give Olaf away"

I fake gasp at the Queen "You really think so little of me? I would never do such a thing as to give him away, he's gonna go adventuring and he agreed, right, Olaf? You can speak now, by the way" I ask Olaf.

"Indeed Elsa, I want to go on an adventure"

"That... Fine, there's no need for a bribe anymore" Elsa quickly says.

"Oh? But you will hurt this poor snowman's little icy heart if you refuse him, I mean look at him, you wouldn't do that... Would you?" I stretch him out to be closer to Elsa, so she'd look at him.

"Uh..." Elsa looks at Olaf's innocent eyes "Uh..." She looks at me, then back at Olaf "No, of course not, he can go for an adventure"

"Great, did you hear that Olaf? Elsa agreed on letting you go"

"Thank you, Elsa"

"Yes, yes..." The Queen sighs.

"Now, Adventurer Olaf, meet your guide, the Bribe-Lover Julie"

"Hello, Bribe-Lover Julie, I am Olaf"

"Um... Hello, Olaf" Julie says back awkwardly.

"Here, Julie, take him into your hands and lead him on his path to success to achieve a fun time of adventuring and come back tomorrow"

"Tomorrow?" Elsa asks "How about just until she gives the letter to Rosa and he comes back with her?"

"Fine..." I hand him over to Julie, who takes him "Now, Olaf, listen very closely, this mission is very important"

"Very important?"

"Immensely important"

"Ooooh, what is it?"

"You see this? It's a valuable document, ignore that it's just a paper, that's for secrecy purposes"

"I understand, nobody would suspect it"

"Indeed, now, I want you to keep it safe, guard it against anybody and everybody, but one single person"

"I will do that"

"I know you will, the person who you'll give it to is very, very noticeable and her name is Rosa. If you by chance don't see her, that's what your guide is for"

"Roger that"

I hand the small paper to the snowman's hands, he takes it and holds it tightly.

"And after you do that, you are to safely return to the castle and back to Elsa, that's the most important part of the mission, there may be unknown dangers up ahead, tread carefully. Now go! Accomplish your mission and make me proud"

"Yes, Elsa's maid" And just like that Olaf jumps out of Julie's arms and starts walking out the room.

"Psst, Julie, here, take this" Julie sees another paper, the real letter in my hands, and takes it while nodding "Now get outta here and follow Olaf, Bribe-Lover"

"Please don't make that name a thing..."

"Too late"

"Ugh..." Julie groans "How is this a bribe anyways?" I hear her mutter to herself as she walks out of the room.

I turn around to face the silent Queen... "What?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing"

"No, really, what is it?"

"Not only did you send Olaf on an 'adventure', but you also gave him a fake 'letter'... I didn't think I'd say this. But I am disappointed in you"

"Well, I hope that disappointment quickly disperses, because both of those letters are the same, completely identical, to the letter... Except for the 'quality' of the paper, one's quite dirty, the other one is less so"

"How... Did you manage that?"

"Oh, while walking back, I put the paper on Olaf's back, while I held him in my hands and I wrote it there"

"Okay, that does make me feel a little bit better, he will be fine, right?"

"I promise that, Rosa would protect him with her own life if she had to, she is quite fond of cute and precious individuals"

"What about on the way to her?"

"He was fine in the mountains before the Princess and Kristoff found him... I am sure he will be fine with people that like the little guy, besides he's just having fun exploring this new world. For us, it's easy to do things that we are accustomed to and we barely notice the small details of the world... But to him? It's a whole new world"

"Yeah, okay, that's actually a thoughtful notion from you"

"Thank you, now... Well, we just wait until Rosa shows up..."

"Yep..."

Silence...

Silence...

"Hot chocolate?" I ask the Queen.

"I'd love some"

"Coming right up!" I say, running out of the room.

~ End of Chapter 24 ~