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elsanna-shenanigans · 3 years

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December Contest Submission #15: Arthur

Words: ca. 5,500 Setting: modern AU Lemon: No Content: Language

^^^^

St. Olaf was a quiet town in the far reaches of the snowy northern realm known as Minnesota. The snow only melted for a few short months, and every year the town celebrated with an onslaught of festivals, gatherings, and celebrations.

One such festival has become a yearly tradition since its inception in 1965. Nothing got this tranquil piece of forested township up in a frenzy of excitement like the unique scented concoction of dirt, gasoline, and horse shit. Cheap satin and heavy brocade flew off shelves. The ground swelled with the excessive irrigation of beer, ale, and mead.

Welcome to the St. Olaf Viking Renaissance Fair.

It was an entire week filled with eating, dancing, horse riding, and plays aplenty that culminated into a singular spectacular event at the heart of the expansive ranch-turned-medieval-village. A contest put on by the high school to determine the year’s undisputed champion who then got the privilege of a seat next to, and a dance with, Freya at the festival ball.

Cheers filled the air from the central fixture. A coliseum constructed with expert craftsmanship by the Minnesota Log Cutters Association. Ornate carvings of horses and ships looked down upon the makeshift aluminum bleachers hidden behind a façade of colorful banners depicting the logos of local businesses and Target.

The battle in its heart would begin shortly, but not before another battle ensued in the private chambers of this years’ chosen Freya.

“This sucks. I hate the Ren Fair!”

“Elsa, you used to love the Ren Fair.”

Elsa Rúnarsson paced anxiously in the cramped space of the trailer. Her arms were crossed and her shoulders were tense and her mother feared for the stitching in the heirloom blue dress that looked less Renaissance and more 1986.

“Yes. When I was a child. When everything was dragons and fairies. Not when I’m seventeen and everything is jocks and testosterone.”

Iduna Rúnarsson felt her daughter’s anxiety and wanted nothing more than to alleviate it. She wanted to place a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder but found it difficult to catch an opening.

“Come now, it’ll be fun! You can’t keep yourself locked in your room all summer. It’s your senior year, you’re supposed to get out there and have fun with your friends.”

Elsa barely heard her mother’s plea through her frustration as she continued venting. “What even is a Viking Renaissance? It doesn’t make sense. Those are two completely different periods of history.”

She snatched the program, printed in Old English font. “And have you seen some of these names that the boys have chosen for themselves? King Arthur? Hercules? Those have nothing to do with either Vikings or the Renaissance. And what the hell is a Nuktuk?”

Iduna shook her head but with a grin of amusement. “They are just trying to be creative, sweetie. And poor Artie, what else is he supposed to choose? His name is Arthur.”

“What about Hans then? He literally signed up as ‘Hans’. Because he’s the quarterback and he speaks in the third person. That’s not creative. That’s being a douche.”

Iduna gasped at her daughter’s blunt words. “Elsa! I know he’s a bit… self-absorbed but be nice. He is the favorite to win this year you know.”

“I don’t even know why Artie is competing. He’s like eighty-five pounds. He doesn’t even reach my shoulders. Hans is gonna kill him.”

Elsa had finally stopped pacing and Iduna jumped at her chance to massage the tense shoulders (and relieve the poor seams). She had wrapped Elsa’s French braid in a tight bun to better fit the tiara and so her fingers had clear access to work some soothing magic into her daughter.

“I know. But he’s always had the cutest crush on you. Hopefully, the other boys go easy on him. And look—” She turned Elsa around so that they could look into the near-identical mirrors of sapphire irises that mother and daughter shared. “If you really don’t want to do it, I won’t force you. This is supposed to be fun! If it really bothers you, I’m sure that Mandy will be more than willing to fill in.”

Elsa’s eyebrow twitched at the sound of her academic and social rival and she looked away from the discerning gaze of her mother to try and hide the reaction that she knew her mother wanted.

Mandy was seemingly perfect at everything. Elsa was constantly compared to her in grades, arts, drama, even the way they braided their blonde hair was treated as a competition.

“She’s had that Rapunzel dress made years in advance for this Ren Fair. If it means she doesn’t get to be Freya then I’ll do it.”

Iduna smiled but kept her brows knotted with concern. “While I question your motivations, honey, I think you’re making the right choice. I know you’ll have fun. And who knows, you might enjoy yourself more than you expect. You know, this is how your father and I—”

Elsa groaned as loud as she could before finishing her mother’s story. “—met when you were Freya and he was champion ‘Agnar the Red’. Yes. You tell the story every year. And I can assure you, I will not be finding true love out in that dirt today. I don’t need a bunch of sweaty boys fighting over me. It’s dumb and barbaric and it’s the twenty-first century for God’s sake.”

Iduna gave her daughter a final once over, straightened out the creases, and fluffed the ruffles.

“I just want you to have fun, honey.” Elsa’s rage had given way to a newly formed void in her core that manifested into a look of sadness on her face that she could not hide from anyone, much less her mother.

“…I wish Anna were here…”

Her mother stopped fussing and instead placed her finger under Elsa’s chin to return her affectionate gaze when she said “I know sweetie. When your sister gets back from her game in Chicago we’ll have lots to tell her. And I’m sure she’ll have lots to tell us. Hopefully with a championship trophy in her hands.”

The sound of horns through an aged speaker system popped its way into their trailer.

“It sounds like the games are starting. Are you ready Elsa?”

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and filled her thoughts with the image of her sister beaming in her own arena, leading her team from between the goalposts and exuding confidence. She breathed in just a fraction of that confidence before exhaling and opening her eyes.

“I’m ready.”

^^^^

Queen echoed through the arena. “We Will Rock You” to be specific.

Elsa sat in her throne of uncomfortably ornate carved mahogany. Her arms were crossed and her face was annoyed as she barely registered the announcer list off the competitors.

“Let’s give it up for KIIIIING ARRRRRRRTHUUURR!!”

The cheer was polite but mixed with unfortunately audible laughter as the scrawny figure, dressed head to toe in cardboard armor, stumbled out into the arena. His medieval-style helmet sat big on his head with the visor covering almost the entirety of his face, probably making it incredibly hard to see. He raised his wooden sword and nearly tripped over his own feet in the process.

“Poor Artie…” Elsa thought to herself. They were next-door neighbors. The sandy blonde boy was cursed with brothers who were all built like mountains and a father who often forgot he had a third son.

“Next we have the Hero of the South! …Uh… Nuknuk?”

“IT’S NUKTUK!”

The familiar voice prompted Elsa to reach for her forehead in embarrassment. Kris was her sister’s best friend and always hung out at their house.

A few more names came and went through the speakers. Hercules, Thor, Lionheart, Darth Ravenous.

Then the main event.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s all rise for your hometown hero. The undefeated champion. The all-star quarterback. The Mauler of Minneapolis. The Scourge of St. Paul. A true knight and gentleman. The pride of St. Olaf!”

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Elsa was ready to go back to the generator and pull the plug on the entire stadium just to get it over with.

“Here he is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! HAAAAAAANNNNNSSSS!!!!!!”

The crowd went wild. Chants of “HANS” filled the air. Banners with his name inexplicably fell from the highest points. A crop duster plane appeared trailing his name behind it. Elsa half expected jets and a full fireworks display.

Hans appeared, obviously on a horse, in glittering armor made from real steel (an unfair advantage). He waved to the crowd like a prince with a smug smile to match. Star of the dressage team, he performed his way around the circumference of the arena a few times before he stopped right below Elsa sitting atop her central dais.

He pulled a rose from his armor and tossed it up to her. She didn’t bother catching it. He smiled at her, bowed, and trotted back to the lineup of would-be suitors.

A line of twelve boys faced Elsa from the opposite side of the arena. She couldn’t help but feel a swell of emotion from the sight. An emotion of helplessness and fear that told every fiber of her being to hide behind her chair from the onlooking desires of twelve boys all hopped up on hormones and hell-bent to get a chance to be within her proximity.

It disgusted her.

“The first match. Hercules versus King Arthur!”

Elsa swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Jeez Artie… I can’t look.”

Tate Apostasi, son of Greek immigrants who opened up a grocery store in St. Olaf, was the star linebacker for the football team. He was built like Mr. Universe, and posed like it constantly. His hair was impeccably quaffed and his teeth impeccably white. He wore a facsimile of Greek armor that showed off his biceps, his thighs, and his vanity.

He towered over Arthur like a buff gorilla standing over an insect.

Elsa, indeed, couldn’t watch. So she missed the five seconds it took for the insect to bring down the gorilla.

The arena was silent. It was stunned. It was confused and perplexed and outright unbelieving. Elsa only opened her eyes when she realized that she hadn’t, in fact, gone deaf but that everyone was dumbfounded mute at the sight of a stick of a boy standing five foot five inches above the mass of muscle that lay prone with his face in the dirt and his perfect hair perfectly caked with dirt, hay, and shit.

The stumbling, quivering boy-next-door found some kind of hidden confidence and raised his wooden sword high in the air. He didn’t look toward Elsa but instead faced the other ten competitors. He silently stepped off the unconscious demi-god and walked back to the waiting area where the other boys sat in complete shock.

A few more matches proceeded. Elsa couldn’t even feign interest as each one was more boring to her than the next. She found it difficult to wrangle her thoughts away from the first match. She had closed her eyes. She didn’t see how he did it. She had known Arthur her entire life and he never demonstrated any hidden talents. He never took martial arts. He never did sports. As far as she knew, he spent most of his time on his computer playing online role-playing games. She didn’t realize it, but she spent most of the contest staring into the bench where the boys sat waiting their turn. Arthur sat motionless, not talking with anyone else. And most curious of all was that he never looked in her direction. All of these guys were supposed to be fighting for her yet he had not once acknowledged her presence. She knew he was always shy around her. Maybe he didn’t want to jinx his unbelievable luck. She wasn’t sure but she knew one thing.

She would not look away from the next match.

“Next we have King Arthur versus….. Stoiccccccc the Vaaaaaast!!”

Gerard Haddock was the nose tackle of the team. What does that mean, Elsa had no idea other than it meant that he was the widest player. Less muscle than Tate but enough girth to generate his own gravity. His beard sprouted seemingly before he could spell his own name. Elsa couldn’t even see Arthur standing in front of the truck of a man.

He carried no weapon, relying entirely on his mass to stampede over the unfortunate opponents. His balding head was fastened with a stereotypical horned helmet.

He scratched his feet in the dirt like a bull preparing his charge. Arthur, armed only with his wooden sword, stood his ground. He positioned his body angled to the side so that his chest faced the bleachers and his head looked over his shoulder at his opponent.

Stoic bellowed and began his run. His stump-like feet seemingly shook the ground. He was surprisingly slow for an athlete. He put his head down and aimed his impressive wingspan, giving Arthur no room to escape.

Arthur didn’t need to escape.

He stood motionless until Stoic was within the reach of his wooden sword. He waited, and watched, and timed his attack perfectly. As soon as Stoics left foot hit the ground, one step away from his shoulder barreling into the frail body, Arther swung his sword into the soft, squishy spot of the unprotected knee between the kneecap and shin.

Stoic ended up in the air. Arthur’s swing spun him around and he rolled his diminutive form underneath the vast body as it entered orbit above his head. The horned helmet ended up in the ground and stoic landed on his back. Arther exited his spin standing, looking away from his fallen foe with his sword at the ready.

This time there was no silence.

The crowd went wild.

Hans, who did not sit with the other contestants but in his private booth, looked on with growing anger at the supposed weakling that garnered massive applause from his crowd.

Elsa was amazed. She watched as Arthur raised his sword again, not to her, not to anyone in particular. He turned back to the bench, again without even glancing in her direction.

She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Annoyed? Frustrated? She hated this whole antiquated practice. She didn’t want any of these guys fighting for her like some damsel in a tower who has her husband chosen for her instead of by her. Then why did Arthur’s seeming indifference bother her so much?

She decided to find out.

More matches continued, but Elsa didn’t care. She left her private viewing box and made her way through the concession areas to the other side of the arena.

She entered the “backstage” hallway, at first being barred by one out of five of the local sheriff’s department. She flashed her “Freya Badge” which got her access to pretty much everything in the festival.

When she reached the waiting area, really just a wooden bench in a dugout, the first person she encountered was Kris.

“Elsa! What are you doing here?!”

“Hey, Kris. I wanna talk to Artie.”

Kris seemed a little preoccupied with himself to register her request. “Did you see my fight? It was pretty cool, huh. I vanquished the god of thunder!” He made a vain attempt at a hero pose, flexing his surprisingly substantial muscle for one of the few contestants not on the football team. He wore no shirt. Instead, relying on a fur shawl that was draped over his shoulders.

Elsa was not impressed.

“Ya, ya, sure. Can you get out of my way? I need to talk to Artie.”

“Oh. Uh, ya but he’s like in the zone, you know? He’s not talking to any of us. Frankly, he’s got the other guys kinda scared. Or pissed. Or both.”

Having lost her patience, Elsa shoved Kris out of her way and found Arthur sitting on the bench farther down the dugout. As she approached him, she gave the most sincere smile she could muster.

“Hey, Artie. How’s it goin?”

Arthur turned his helmeted head and looked at Elsa. He was like an animatronic, barely moving any muscle except the ones in his neck to turn and look at her without saying a word. Elsa began to feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable when he continued to not say anything.

Finally, a muffled voice found its way out of his boxy helmet.

“Why are you here?”

Elsa took the vocal acknowledgment as an invitation to sit next to him. It was the first time the entire day that Arthur had registered Elsa was even there.

“You’re doing really good out there. I had no idea you could fight.”

Arthur turned his helmet back toward the center of the arena. In a cold voice, he simply said “video games.”

Elsa felt her eyebrow twitch at his indifference.

“Look, Artie, I’m sure you know, I… everyone expected Hans to win this. And I was prepared to tell him off because, you know, he’s an ass. But… you’re my friend. And, honestly, it looks like you might actually have a chance. So I wanted to let you know, face to face, that I’m not interested in the whole ‘prize’ thing. I don’t intend on dancing with any—”

Arthur cut her off. “—I’m not doing this for you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t care about the prize. Or the dance. Or you. I’m doing this for me. I don’t care what you do. So go back to your tower and leave me alone.”

Elsa was flabbergasted. Arthur had never spoken that way to her before. He could barely get out two words through his bashfulness whenever she was near.

She tried to get a read on him, but it was difficult with the helmet muffling his voice and the thick layers of cardboard duck taped around his body. It was again as if she didn’t exist.

And that pissed her off.

She rose from the bench and without another word, spun on her heel and left Arthur in her wake.

“Yo, did Artie tell yo—” Elsa brushed past Kris, nearly knocking him over with her shoulder. She stormed all the way back to ‘Asgard’ or the ‘Freya Box’.

Once she got back onto her throne she fumed at the indignation. Sure, she didn’t like the idea of all the boys fighting for her. But she was now pissed off at the idea of this one boy thinking that she was insignificant. She didn’t want to be fought over but she didn’t want the winner to make it all about him. What she wanted was… what she really wanted to do…

“I want to get down there.”

^^^^

“Alright ladies and gentlemen, it’s come down to this. Two fighters left standing. The undefeated champ, HAAANNSS!”

Cheers and cheers and more cheers.

“And the unexpected tiny terror.. King Arrrrthuuuuuurrr!!”

The cheers erupted louder than even for Hans which sent no small amount of visible annoyance over his chiseled face and preposterous sideburns.

“It’s all come down to this, vikings and shield maidens. The final match. Last one standing is this year’s champion and will be graced with a sacred dance from our lovely Freya!”

“Fuck you,” Elsa muttered under her breath.

The fighters squared off. They each had wooden swords held ‘en Garde’. Hans was as cool and relaxed as if he was playing golf. Arthur… just stood there. He gave away nothing. His helmet covered all expressions and his posture was firm and confident.

It was difficult for her to see, but Elsa did hear a *crack* as wood struck wood. Then a *clang* as wood struck metal. And then the *cracks* grew louder and more frequent.

Hans was captain of the fencing team as well as the quarterback. He moved with expert precision. Arthur was clearly outmatched but held his ground. Pieces of cardboard had been sheared from their adhesion to his clothes and littered the dirt around them. Hans’ steel armor had dents and scratches but was all superficial.

The duel raged on. The *cracks* of their wooden swords filled the silence of the spectators as they were transfixed by the match.

Finally, Elsa could make out a voice.

“You have no chance, Artie. Give up and it will all be over. Stop hurting yourself.”

If Arthur gave a response, Elsa couldn’t hear it through the muffling of the helmet. But it quickly became apparent that Arthur indeed said something because it sent Hans into an offensive blitz.

Hans swung and parried and knocked Arthur’s sword to the side just long enough to send a quick swipe across Arthur’s face. The boy backed away in the knick of time to avoid a solid blow to his temple, but not without Hans’s sword knocking a chunk of cardboard clean off from around his jaw.

That’s when Elsa saw it. A glint in her eye. A tiny, almost imperceptible sparkle from the tip of Hans’s sword.

“That asshole…!”

She had enough.

She left her throne and ran down to the entrance of the arena. As she made her quick journey she heard more *cracks* but this time they started to take on an unnatural *ring* to them. As she reached the gate, flashing her ‘Freya Badge’ once more, she heard a final *CRACK* that was louder than all the rest. She made it to the dirt, walked out into the arena, and saw Arthur’s sword split in half, Arthur on his backside looking up at Hans who stood over him with his wooden sword.

His wooden sword that had split revealing shiny metal underneath.

Everyone could see it and the referee started to approach but Hans shot him a death stare. And he stopped cold.

This was Hans’ arena. It didn’t matter that metal weapons weren’t allowed. Everyone accepted his behavior because he was the local hero. The undefeated champion. The fucking quarterback.

Everyone except Elsa.

She walked over to the wall, grabbed one of the decorative round wooden shields, and ripped it off with her bare hands. Then she tore the skirt of her dress (somewhere in the crowd Iduna feinted) and kicked her heels off, leaving her bare feet in the dirt.

She made a sprint toward the fighters, neither being aware of the new presence in their midst. As she got within a step of Hans, she clenched one end of the shield with both hands, brought her arms across her body, and swung the shield with all her strength onto the only unarmored part of his body. His face.

He collapsed on the ground in a heap of metal. His nose bled and his eyes darted around in a daze. His teeth seethed with the words “What the fuck!”

Arthur shot up from the ground, just as shocked. “Elsa?! What are you doing?!” Without the piece of cardboard covering his mouth, his voice somehow sounded odder to Elsa. Something about the adrenaline of the fight and his newfound confidence, she wasn’t sure.

She decided to go for showmanship. “Hans. I, Freya, have deemed you unworthy. You have lied and cheated your way through this contest. I hereby disqualify you.”

The crowd gasped, as did Arthur behind her.

“Are you insane?” he said.

“Back off Artie. I’ve got this.”

“You shouldn’t be doing this. I can handle him. Don’t worry, I won’t let him win.”

Hans finally got to his feet. He was angry and shouting but his words carried no weight. Elsa didn’t even register them. All she heard was Arthur as he positioned himself between her and the angry quarterback.

“I told you, I don’t need a couple of boys fighting over the chance to touch me,” Elsa said as she cut in front of Arthur just in time to deflect the oncoming blow.

As the sword bounced into the air, Arthur came around Elsa’s body and planted his palms as hard as he could into Hans’ chest, sending him stumbling backward. “That’s why I’m doing this! So that you don’t have to—”

He stopped his words just as Elsa deflected another swing with her shield. “So that I don’t have to what? What do you mean?”

“I…” Arthur hesitated. Elsa glanced in his direction for a split second to see he was trembling. Was it the fight? Was it Hans, as he was rapidly boiling over with rage?

Or was it because of her?

“I thought you said that you weren’t doing this for me.”

She quickly realized that Arthur had become immobilized with fear. That confidence that carried him through the tournament to unlikely victories had vanished as he seemed now focused on trying to simply find the words to say to her.

“I… I lied. I entered the fight because… because I couldn’t stand the thought of you being forced to spend a night with someone like him. When I heard that you were chosen to be Freya I just… I…”

Hans brought Arthur back into the fight. He was practically foaming at the mouth with a slew of slurs and juvenile locker-room insults that neither of his opponents even cared to hear. He shoved Elsa back just enough steps to take a cheap swing at the boy seemingly paralyzed. Arthur brought his broken stick of a sword up just in time to catch the heavier metal blade in the guard causing the shift in momentum to carry it into the dirt.

Elsa came back with a bare foot square in Hans’ breastplate, the cool steel felt refreshing against her sole. “You entered the tournament so that no one would win the prize?”

“…Yes.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because—!”

This time, Elsa froze with confusion as her focus shifted to Arthur. He kicked Hans’ sword away, causing it to land in the dirt beyond. Hans’ breathing was haggard, the weight of his armor and the length of the fight finally having their toll on the quarterback. He slumped to his knees between Elsa and Arthur, his eyes slowly rolling into the back of his head, having lost the will to stay forward.

His body fell to the ground, leaving only the two of them in each other’s vision.

“Because I have a crush on you, OK!?”

Elsa shouldn’t have been surprised. The whole school knew that Arthur had a crush on her. But something was off. Something was wrong. Something didn’t seem… real. But before she had a chance to figure it out something unexpected happened.

“For the Dark Side!!!”

Darth Ravenous, defeated in an earlier match by Hans, entered the arena with a glowing beam of red light in his hands. A facsimile of neon energy, trapped in a tube of glass and jammed into the plastic hilt of a toy lightsaber.

He ran toward them, screaming and swinging his neon light like a madman desperate for one final burst of attention. The poor deputy was hot on his heels.

He tripped.

Neon flew through the air.

It shattered against the wall. Gas and faulty wiring sparked with cheap battery acid to ignite against the wooden structure.

The cheers turned to screams combined with the disembodied voice saying “—alright, everyone. Stay calm and proceed to your nearest exits—”

The bleachers rapidly emptied as the flames rapidly encircled the arena.

Elsa looked toward the exit where the deputy was shoving Ravenous through the door in handcuffs. She started to follow when she heard “Hans is still unconscious!”

She spun on her heel and ran toward Arthur who was hurriedly trying to unbuckle all of the pieces of expensive armor. They each flung an arm over their shoulders and ran toward the exit. Smoke began to fill the cavity of the coliseum, entering their lungs and burning their eyes.

They reached the exit where the deputy ran out to meet them. He took Hans and left, with Elsa and Arthur close behind.

Then a flaming banner fell between them. A massive letter ‘H’ engulfed in flame blocked their exit.

“Shit, what do we do now?!” Arthur coughed with his panic.

Elsa scanned the arena and found a gap in the wall not yet in flames. They ran toward it and she realized that it was where she had torn the shield from.

Elsa tried to get Arthur through but his armor made him too bulky to fit. She started ripping off the remaining pieces of cardboard. The pauldrons from his shoulders, the grieves from his shins. Finally the boxy helmet—

As she grasped the helmet with both hands, Arthur stopped her. His fingers wrapped tightly around her wrists. “That’s good, I can fit!” he insisted. But something came over Elsa. Something she didn’t expect. A realization that was nagging at the back of her mind through the entire day that finally compelled her to a single act of desperation.

She placed her lips against his.

She felt the shock through their touch but no resistance. A layer of charcoal mixed with salt from their sweat and sweet honey from Burts’ Bees chap-stick.

It lasted for a single second. A single moment where everything was allowed to burn as hot and intense as the flames around them. Where nothing was hidden any longer.

The second was over.

Arthur squeezed through the gap with Elsa right on top of him. They were under the bleachers, a maze of scaffolding blocked their path. They navigated the web of pipes as the air around them became thick with smoke. Tears, sweat, and makeup stung her eyes, blurring her vision.

She thought she saw a sliver of light in the wood paneling. Her coughing became intense and her throat hoarse. Air refused to fill her lungs where smoke occupied all space.

Black filled her vision and pain erupted in her temple as her head smacked against the floor.

^^^^

She awoke on a bench near the parking lot.

She gasped as much fresh air in her lungs as they would allow.

She was alone.

Panic struck as she looked back toward the coliseum, still engulfed in flame. She began to rise from the bench when her hand knocked something to the ground. She looked down and picked the object up.

The cardboard helmet. Torn, dented, burned. And unoccupied.

^^^^

Elsa sat in her mother’s car, her dress charred and torn, her makeup runny with sweat, and a singed cardboard helmet in her lap.

“Well, that was something, huh dear? I’m so glad no one was hurt! I’m sure the festival com—”

Her words trailed off through Elsa’s eardrums. Her heart still raced and her thoughts were wholly consumed by what she had done.

As their house entered view, her mother finally said something that she could hear. Something that, despite Iduna’s reaction, did not surprise Elsa at all.

“Is that your father’s car? They’re back from Chicago already? I wonder if the game was postponed.”

Iduna parked her Camry next to her husband’s SUV in the driveway. Elsa’s head was still swimming in confusion as she made her way through the car door, helmet in hand.

“Don’t forget to return that helmet. It looks like he put a lot of work into that costume.”

Elsa’s voice caught in her throat and she barely wheezed out a “yes, mother…” through her smoke encrusted esophagus.

When she entered the house, the first thing she saw was a pair of feet dangling over the edge of the couch.

“Anna sweetie! You’re home so early.” Iduna said as she quickly made her way toward the kitchen.

“Hi, mom. Hey, Els.”

Elsa found herself next to the couch, looking down at her younger sister with her face buried in her Switch. Her normally vibrant ginger hair was wrapped in a towel and she smelled like Garnier-Fructis-Curl-Nourish shampoo.

“Soooo. How was the Ren Fair?”

“It burned to the ground.”

“Come again?”

Despite the somewhat shocking admission of a flaming end, Anna did not look away from her screen.

“We’ll… talk about it later. I need to shower.”

Anna didn’t respond. She seemed to barely register her sister’s presence. Elsa turned away from the couch potato and walked down the hallway.

She started to enter her room, but suddenly felt compelled to spin around and enter the room on the opposite side. She opened the door and walked toward the bed.

She hesitated.

Her fingers clenched, the corrugation of cardboard slightly crunching under the weight. She held her breath, somewhat difficultly, and then resolved herself.

What happens next, she had no idea. All that mattered at this moment was that she returned the helmet to its rightful owner, regardless of the consequences.

She placed it gently on the bedspread.

She left the room light on her feet, a weight suddenly having been lifted from her shoulders. Finally, she let out her breath as she closed the door…

with the letters “A-N-N-A” left to linger on the surface.

A/N:

The first names are taken from the character’s respective voice actors. Tate Donovan - Hercules Gerard Butler - Stoic Mandy Moore - Rapunzel

Last Names are random. Apostasi means distance in Greek Haddock is Hiccups last name

St. Olaf is the fictional town in Minnesota where Betty White’s character, Rose, is from in the Golden Girls. We love you Betty.

#elsanna #december 2021 contest #prompt: traditions

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mirkwoodshewolf · 4 years

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The first sign; Jack Kline x reader

*Author’s note*

Hey guys well it’s been awhile since I updated my Rock angel series and for good reason too because here is where things get DARK!! As you’ll see in the taglist below I’ve started putting trigger warnings cause in this part it involves stalking, dog attacks (some people fear dogs so I wanted to be respectful). Now the next chapter after this will REALLY be insane so I hope you all buckle up cause you’re in for one hell of a ride.

Also face cast for Steve I put the gif for Joe Keery, and for the Rock Angel’s manager just look up actor James Woods (aka Hades from Hercules).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@queendeakyy

@queen-paladin

@queensdivas

@wormzteef

@geek-and-proud

@starswin

@onebigfangirlworld

@dj-lowkey

@naturalswifty89

@isabella-bby

@bohemiansweede

@5sos-wdw

@labessieisallama

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Everyone thinks it won’t happen to me, that I’m immune to such evil. No one thinks they’ll ever experience such a thing but you’d sadly be lying, or in complete denial. At least everyone goes through this type of evil at one point in their lives. And for celebrities, it’s a living hell because the world will only watch with a bucket of popcorn and enjoy your pain and suffering.

The only ones you can depend on are your family. And don’t ever say they wouldn’t understand because they will. Had I not told my family about what was going on—you know what fuck it they were forced into this. But even so if they didn’t know what was going on, this part of my story would’ve ended very, very, very, very differently.

*2 months after the tribute concert*

I hadn’t slept in a week. I was exhausted with trying to put the final touches on my tribute album for Freddie. My manager James Woods was really putting the heat on me with trying to get this album up so that I could ring in the money for him. Wait first let me backup just a tick and explain some things first.

When I first transferred out of EMI and went to Hollywood Records, my manager at the time was a man known as Desmond Roberts. He was a generous, kind man who saw my potential as a female musician and like Miami, pushed me to do my best. He was a family man as well; at the time he had become a grandfather for the first time at the age of 52.

But earlier this year he had to retire because it was by law of the company that all representatives must retire by the age of 65. With that my new manager was his young and vibrant VP James Woods. James is—well let’s just say he’d make a better car salesman than a recording manager.

A man born and bred in the heart of Boston, he’s the kind of man who sees his own vision and wants other people to execute it for him. Hell he’s even been pressuring me to go more into Pop music as that is the rising fame of music now. Artists like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, rising star Christina Aguilera, and Mariah Carey. He wanted to push me to going in their direction.

But I reminded him of my original contract that I signed on between Miami and Desmond. That my image was to never, ever, ever under any circumstances be changed. Yes he even tried to make me change my stage name into the Spicy Angel (yeah that didn’t sit right with me).

To put it frank—my current manager is a stubborn, two-headed, forked-tongue, snake in the grass. Sleezy, and can make some vulgar comments either towards me or some of my roadies.

But the one step he took too far was when he hired his own nephew to be my PA (he claimed that he was trying to help out his sister). At first I was against it but with that pleading and begging persuasionistic tone of his, for some reason I ended up agreeing and his nephew Steve Harrison became my new PA.

Steve Harrison. He was the same age as Jack, had deep brown eyes, a fairly handsome face, but his crown jewel was his hair. He always bragged and fussed about his hair. Brown and fluffed up beyond anything, like cotton candy. Silky and moosed to no end. Wow and I thought I was bad when it came to doing my air before a show.

Now Steve definitely knew his way around the recording station. Made sure that every song I recorded sounded to perfection, always sought to my every need, ensured that for upcoming tours I was given updates on the schedule, and he even took my calls and wrote them down for me. He kept his work profession throughout all of 1991.

But when the summer of 92 came around, things began to change.

As I said before, I hadn’t slept a week. The Freddie Mercury tribute album was taking longer than the company expected. That’s because I wanted to make sure every song, especially the cover ones that Fred had given me legal rights to do, were perfect.

I was at the controls listening to my version of Somebody to love when the door opened behind me.

“I would’ve thought her royal highness would’ve gone home?”

“Perfectionists never stop. I learned that from the best group of men I know.” He took the empty seat next to me and presented me with a cup of coffee. I softly thanked him and went back to listening to my song.

When the last vibrato rang out on the word ‘love’, Steve sighed and said.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It’s shit!” I complained. “God why did he give me such responsibility to do these songs I-I-I—not I’m even worthy to do his songs. At least not without him.”

“This version is the best. Better than I’ve ever heard it been played. In fact……I think you’re better than Freddie Mercury.” I snapped my head towards him.

“Freddie Mercury was and will always be a genius. His voice is unlike any other performer’s and his style of writing will forever go down in music history as the best damn thing the world will ever know! So don’t you ever say that someone is better than him. Especially me!” I shot up from the chair, it rolled back and slammed against the wall and I turned towards the wall with my arms crossed over my chest, and breathed heavily trying to calm down.

“I—I’m sorry. I was just speaking my opinion. I—didn’t know how much you cared about him. He…..must’ve really meant something to you.” He spoke softly.

“More than you’ll ever know.” I muttered as I fingered the bracelet Fred gave me as a birthday gift. “And I’m sorry Steve I—I didn’t mean to shout. I’m……just exhausted and stressed. With your uncle—”

“Hey, I get it. Uncle James can be a real pain in the ass at times.” I turned towards him and saw him standing a few inches away from me. “Hell one time when I was 16, I had asked him if I could take his mustang for a test drive and he told me ‘kid you so much as even leave a fingerprint you’re as dead as a doornail and I don’t care if you’re my nephew’.” The two of us laughed at his uncle’s impersonation.

“And I thought I was the only one with a douche uncle.”

“Oh trust me, you think he’s demanding at work? You should see him round the holidays.” I softly laughed. That’s when I felt his finger slightly graze against the back of my palm.

My heart stopped and that’s when I noticed that he had gotten a little closer to me. Closer and closer his face came but I quickly got out of his way and said.

“Excuse me, I gotta sign off this track and ship it off by tomorrow morning.” I grabbed Steve’s chair and went straight back into my work. As I was fiddling around with the switches and buttons, I could feel that he was standing right there beside me. I tried to ignore him and focus on my work but his lingering presence grew too much.

Like a moth to the flame. Silent but fluttering around too close.

I turned to say something to him, that’s when his lips suddenly crashed with mine. My eyes widened and my body froze for a moment before my brain snapped back into reality.

I pushed him away and slapped him across the face. Standing up and my chest heaving in so many mixed emotions, but the one main emotion going out about me was anger.

“What the fuck Steve!? Why did you do that!? You know I’m happily married and have children!”

“I—I’m sorry I just…..I’ve always been a fan of yours and I just….I’m sorry. Please don’t tell my uncle. You know as well as I do what he’s like. He’ll beat me to a pulp if he finds out. Please Angel I beg of you, don’t tell him.” His eyes going fearful and tears shined at the corner of his eyes.

I wish I could say that I told him that I was going to rat him out, have him fired even but—I didn’t. He’s right I did know what it was like to have an abusive uncle. Now while my uncle never really touched my physical, he did have his temper and would throw things at me just barely missing me (that mostly happened when he was on the bottle).

“Only if you promise me you won’t do shit like that again. And never speak of this to anyone.”

“I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die.” He said as he crossed his heart with his finger. I narrowed my eyes at him and grabbed my purse.

“Take the day off tomorrow. Then come back on Monday to work. Professionally.” I emphasized the last word and he nodded and I walked out without another word.

I wish I could take it all back. That I had fired him right then and there, if I had then what would eventually come, wouldn’t have happened. Or at least not gotten to the scale that it did get to.

*3 weeks after the kiss*

I was on the Late Show with David Letterman doing a television interview about the upcoming album as well as my tour coming later in the year.

“So Rock Angel your upcoming album ‘Fly High Mercury’ is said to be unlike your previous albums is that right? It also was the one that also took you the longest to make correct?”

“Yes it is.”

“Care to explain?”

“Well as you can tell by the title this is a tribute album to Freddie Mercury.” The audience applauded. I nodded and swallowed a lump in my throat. “Some of the songs are what I’ve written but another half of them are Queen songs that Freddie himself gave me legal rights to make a cover to. In fact they were some of my favorites.”

“Now how long did it take you to make this album?” David asked me.

“Well the songs I did, took roughly a couple of months but when—Freddie passed away I took a few months off to grieve and then as you all may have seen I was a part of the tribute concert so in total almost ten months.”

“Wow ten months.” I nodded. “And you said Freddie gave you the rights to some of Queen’s songs to cover?”

“Yes.”

“How did it feel to have that kind of pressure on you?”

“I’ll be honest it was tough. How-how do you compete with someone like Freddie Mercury? His voice and musical talents were unlike anything anyone’s ever seen or will ever see most likely. And when he asked me to do some of Queen’s works, particularly the songs he himself had written, I felt like I was going up against goliath and I was David. But—Fred has his reasons for why he does what he does, and—he must’ve felt like I could help embrace his memory further by introducing a new audience to some of Queen’s work, especially their earliest songs.” The crowd applauded.

“Well said, well said. Freddie will truly be forever missed. When we come back we have Kurt Russel joining us and then after that the Rock Angel will perform one of her hit songs from her recent album Fly High Mercury which is now available in stores. The Rock Angel (Y/n) Kline everybody!” the crowd applauded and David and I shook hands with each other as his theme song played us out on the commercial break.

I went backstage to change out from my black sequin interview dress and into some regular but dressy performance clothes. A black leather jacket, a white blouse, tight jeans, and some high-heeled black boots.

“Oh angel.” I internally groaned. Speak of the devil. James Woods soon came into my dressing room without a single care in the world (he’s lucky I’ve learned to do quick changes otherwise we’d have a problem). “Now darling please remind me again why you’ve declined Donald Trump’s hotel gig? He’s offered plenty of money for your performance especially since it’s his son’s birthday that day.”

“When I went to talk to him he also made me an offer I simply had to refuse.” I shuddered. “He’s a pig and an upright asshole with no respect for anyone but himself and his precious hotel business. God help us if he ever becomes President.”

“Fine. Instead of adding to the profit we would’ve gotten from this, we’ll take it out of your next pay how bout that?” I glared at him.

“You really wanna go toe to toe with me regarding money? Go ahead. Just know I’ve got the best lawyers in all of London on my side and they’ve been good to me for 10 years. So you better pucker your lips and do some serious arse kissing to the judge because they’ve won every. Single. Case I’ve ever had to do. From false stories to paparazzi stalking.” I stared him down even though I only came up to his chest.

Even through those cold, greedy eyes of his, I saw that he was afraid.

“Ahh court cases are a waste of time and a waste of profit. Now go on out there and give them a show baby cakes.”

“Never call me baby cakes.” I trudged out of my dressing room with my red special in hand and headed back towards the stage to sing my song.

After the show ended, I was back in my hotel room in Manhattan. I had just gotten done with my shower and soon coming into the room was Jack with some late night takeout.

“Chinatown special for the Rock Angel.” I smiled and splayed myself across the bed as he came toward me with the food.

“Mmm room service and a cute delivery boy. I am one lucky girl.”

“Well then Mrs. Kline, do I get a special tip for my services?” Jack played along with a grin. I smirked and placed my hand on the back of his head and brought his lips towards mine. His hands soon came to my waist as we separated but I kissed him again. Jack hummed in surprise. “A double tip? Well then, guess I need to be the delivery boy more often.” I giggled and took my food out of the bag.

“But serious babe, thanks for getting the food.”

“Hey no problem, anything for my beautiful rock star. I know that with your schedule firing back up, you don’t have time for a normal meal like we did before.”

“Did you call your mom about the kids?”

“Yep. Kids are safe and healthy. Well Little Jack had a slight fever but he was better within a day thanks to mama’s secret chicken noodle soup. I know that thing saved my life as a kid.”

“Well then she better……” a knock was soon heard at the door. Jack and I looked at each other confused. He stood up from the bed and answered the door. I held my robe tighter around me and soon I heard the door slam shut and Jack soon came in with a bouquet of a dozen roses. “Did you order those?”

“Nope. But I’ve got a feeling who did.” He turned as he glared to the room opposite of our suite.

Well of course I told Jack about the kiss. I know what it’s like to have been cheated on so there was no way in fucking hell I was gonna keep this a secret from Jack. As you can see he has not taken it well, in fact he’s grown very angry and jealous when Steve gets mentioned.

“Let me see the card.” He tossed the bouquet down on the bed. I sent him a glare and went to pick the card out and I opened it up. And low and behold it was from Steve. Even though it didn’t have his name on it, I recognized his handwriting anywhere. He wrote.

Fabulous performance (as always). A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Your secret admirer and #1 fan

“You should’ve fired him.”

“Oh so you’re saying this is my fault!?” I snapped.

“No that’s not what I’m saying!” Jack snapped back at me. “I just…..” he exhaled deeply trying to release his anger. “I don’t trust him anymore. Not after what he did. In fact ever since he’s kissed you he’s been sending you a lot of stuff. The flowers, your favorite German chocolates, he even gave a teddy bear to our daughter! I’m telling you something about him now is just……” I walked up to him and embraced him.

“I know love, I know. I don’t feel comfortable around him too. But—he is James’ nephew and unfortunately he wants his sister to get off his back with this favor.”

“That shouldn’t matter! If he makes you uncomfortable you should just fire him and not even worry about what that sales talker of a manager tells you.” He is right. It shouldn’t have to go on like this but unfortunately the business world isn’t on my side when it comes to choosing my PA’s, I was thankful enough to keep my touring roadies and not get some rookies or 40 year old perverts who get high or drunk.

“The likes of a woman in a men’s workforce. I wish I could Jack but I can’t. Legally anyways. Look I’m exhausted right now can we please just go to bed?”

“Alright. But we will come back to this. (Y/n) I’m only stressed about this because I don’t want to lose you. What if—”

“Hey!” I put my finger of his lips. “Don’t you dare think like that. I know celebrities are always the first to die when it comes to crazed fans. But I swear to you Jack Kline, I will not be one of those singers to die at the hands of a so called ‘fan’. I’m your lioness.”

“And no one can break you down.” We pressed our forehead together and just stayed like that for a good long moment. I then softly kissed him and went to change out of my robe into my nightdress. Jack stripped down to his boxers and we put our takeout in the mini-fridge by the bed and turned off the lights before cuddling close together.

*September 8th, 1992*

It was Kelly’s first day of 1st grade. Jack and I couldn’t believe that our little girl was on her way to 1st grade. Of course to me it was the first day of primary school but still it was a big day for her. So Jack and I were sure to be there to see her off but sadly both of us had a long day today so we couldn’t go pick her up.

I was busy prepping for my upcoming tour while Jack got backed up with the car dealership. But thankfully Jack’s cousin Jared (who was working a case at the time) volunteered to go pick Kelly up after school. Now this school was at the top with their security, only those who were approved by the Parent or Guardian could pick up the child (which was good with us).

So Jack and I made sure to list the family members down in order so we went from Kelly Kline, Misha Kline, Roger Taylor, Brian May, John Deacon, and Jared and Jensen Walker as the adults to pick Kelly Kline up from school should Jack and I not be available.

It was late in the afternoon, around 3:30ish and I was talking with my tour manager Phillipe about where each performance was gonna take place when the phone suddenly rang. One of the assistants answered it and she said.

“Hollywood Records how may I help you?” there was a pause and suddenly her voice went frantic. “Whoa, whoa, whoa wait a minute slow down. Slow down who are you wanting to talk to?” I turned to her confused. “Okay hold on I’ll get her,” she turned to me and said as she held the phone close to her breast, “Mrs. Kline someone wants to speak to you. Says his name is Jared Walker.” I immediately shot up and took the phone and said frantically.

“Jared what’s happened?”

‘I-I-I-I went to pick Kelly up like I said I would, but when I got there they had said you had already sent approval of someone else to come get her!’

My heart stopped. They say it’s every parent’s worse nightmare come true, but it’s never fully real until it happens to you.

I dropped the phone as Jared’s voice echoed through the speakers calling out my name.

“CALL THE POLICE! CALL JACK! CALL KELLY’S SCHOOL! CALL ANYONE!!” I screamed frantically.

The search for my daughter was—one of the worst things I ever had to go through. Just who in the hell would know where exactly her school was? Not only that but who got my approval to sign off for her release?

I was frantic to the bone. I kept pacing with anxiety as every fiber of my being was buzzing with all kinds of emotions. Jack and Jared tried their best to calm me down but I wasn’t going to be calm till I had my baby in my arms.

After an hour and a half grueling search, the home phone suddenly rang. I went up to the phone and answered it.

“Hello?!” there was silence at the end of it for awhile till finally his voice came up.

‘Lose your little cub?’ my eyes narrowed and now only rage filled my body.

“Where is she Steve?” I sneered.

‘Just meet me by the spot where the first action sequence of Terminator 2 was shot.’ Then the line went dead. I hung up the phone, grabbed my keys and dragged Jared by the arm towards my car and we raced down the highway.

When we arrived at Bull Creek, I told Jared to stay in the car while I handled Steve. I got out of the car and right there at the very track where the first action chase scene of the film took place at.

Just ahead of me was a blue Ferrari leaning against it was Steve Harrison. And through the windows I could see Kelly playing with her favorite doll that she took with her to school, without a care in the world.

“So glad you finally made it Angel. Didn’t think I’d expect to see you to take my advice so quick.”

“Open the door.” I sneered.

“Gee not even a thank you?” he joked.

“I don’t have time for bullocks right now Harrison! Now open your bloody car door and give me back my baby!” he went over and opened the door and once Kelly saw me, her smile on her face grew wider.

“Mummy!” she cheered as she got out and raced towards me. I immediately knelt down and picked her up in my arms.

“Oh my baby girl. Oh thank god you’re safe! Are you okay? Look at me. We were all so worried about you.” I said as I kept kissing all over her face. She groaned and tried to get me to stop.

“I’m fine mum! Mum stop it stop kissing me! Mr. Steve said you changed your mind about uncle Jared coming to pick me up.” I glared over to Steve and said.

“Honey go in mummy’s car and wait there with Uncle Jared.” I kissed her one last time and she did as I asked her to. I walked closer to Steve as he kept talking.

“Lovely reunion. See I knew you’d appreciate what I’d done. After all as your personal—” I sucker punched him hard across the face sending him down to the ground. Blood even dripped down his nose. “Wow. Wow!” he scoffed. “I-I-I-I know that girls could punch but that…..that was—”

“What the fuck is wrong with you!?” I snapped at him.

“You should be grateful. I did you a favor. I picked up your daughter from her first day of school.” He tried to reason with me.

“You had no legal right too! You kidnapped her!”

“Kidnapped?! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa wait time out!” he stood up and wiped his bloody nose. “Wow head rush. Okay hang on a minute. You were incredibly business with the tour manager so I knew you wouldn’t be able to pick her up. And of course Jack……” he sneered out Jack’s name with anger and jealousy. “He works now right? I mean about damn time too, can’t be the house husband forever right?” My glare deepened, “Anyways, so no one else was there to pick up sweet, little Kelly so I volunteered myself to pick her up. Didn’t want her staying at the school all by herself, now did we?”

“She wasn’t going to be alone we arranged for Jared to pick her up!” at that Steve’s face turned to shock as he said.

“Oh. Well—this is awkward.” Oh he was an incredible actor I’ll give him that.

“What is wrong with you Steve? What were you trying to accomplish here?” that’s when his eyes darkened and grew cold. His voice even changed to a possessive tone as he walked closer to me.

“Jack doesn’t deserve you. A farm boy like that? No you need a real man at your side. Someone who gets the business, someone who is always by your side. I know who you are (Y/n) Kline.”

He tried to grab my chin but I clenched his hand in mine and dug my nails into his skin. My hand shaking with rage as I stared him down.

“Is that what you think? You think by doing all this you actually believe I would leave Jack for you? You’re even more delusional than Jack painted you. Now I see it for myself.” I threw his hand down and backed away from him. “A wise man once said to another slime like yourself, ‘you just see what you want to see’. Next time you even touch or go near any of my kids, I swear to you there won’t be a courthouse that your uncle can bride with what I’ll charge you for.” I turned and walked back to the car and took Kelly home.

Of course I wish I could say that was the last time I ever saw Steve’s face again. But due to lack of evidence in the fact that Steve had given a false document allowing him to take Kelly, he wasn’t charged with kidnapping.

Plus his uncle got involved and swindled with his business talk saying that I was under a lot of pressure with the upcoming tour and that police action at the time of Kelly’s disappearance wasn’t necessary. He also emphasized that Kelly wasn’t harmed in anyway so it’s not like his nephew was an evil person. So the police believed James’ story and no charges were filed and Steve was a free man to do as he pleased.

Jack and I reinforced the school and even gave them Steve’s picture saying that if he ever came into the school again asking for Kelly again, they were to call the police because Steve Harrison does not have access to take Kelly out of school.

Little did I know that things were only going to get worse after that day.

*October 3rd, 1992. Jack’s POV*

It first began with the constant phone calls to the house. The phone was constantly ringing and everytime I picked it up, there was no one there. Just heavy breathing and then they’d hang up. It happened for hours on end, even at some odd hours in the night.

Soon enough I had had enough and decided to unplug all the house phones and I got me my first cellphone. If anyone in the family wanted to reach me, I told them to call by my new cellphone and that’s where I was talking to my Angel at.

‘Have the phone calls kept coming?’

“Unfortunately yes they did. But I unplugged the house phone so hopefully whoever it is gets the point and drops these crank calls and finds someone else to torment.”

‘I don’t know Jack. Maybe I should just come back and forget this tour.’

“No, no. Look, you nearly missed out the Angel-Queen tour back when we first met, I won’t let you cancel this tour either. Besides the world needs their Angel right now.” I assured her.

‘Yeah but—’

“What would he say right now?” I interrupted her. I heard her softly scoff and I knew she was smiling on the other end.

‘He’d tell me ‘Angel darling stop being so dramatic. There’s only room in this partnership for one hysterical Queen. Plus you’ll get early wrinkles’.’ We both laughed. ‘God I miss him so much. I can’t believe it’ll almost be a year come November.’

“I know. Have you talked to the guys at all since the concert?”

‘Not really. Figure I’d give them some space. They know my team’s number if they want to talk to me.’ I nodded and hummed in understandment so that she knew I was still listening.

“So you made it to Phoenix in one piece?”

‘Yeah thankfully. I’ll give you a call right after the show. Give the kids a kiss and cuddle for me.’

“Oh you know I will.” I said with a smile.

‘I love you Jack Kline; you know that right?’

“Of course I do. And I love you to the moon and back. Have a good show baby.”

‘I will. I love you.’

“I love you infinity times infinity there. Now you can’t say you love me more.” I heard her giggle. “Knock ‘em dead Angel.”

‘I will, bye.’

“Bye.” We both hung up and I deeply sighed.

“Daddy?” I looked up and there was Kelly in her nightdress holding her stuffed lion that her godfather gifted her.

“Hey baby girl, why are you awake?” I asked concerned. She walked up to me and sat down in my lap and said.

“I couldn’t sleep. Can you tell me a bedtime story? You know how like uncle Freddie used to tell me?” I stroked down her hair and said.

“Well, I’m not as extravagant or detailed as he used to make it but—I’ll do my best. C’mon I’ll make you some warm milk and tuck you back into bed, sound good?” she nodded. I picked her up, set her on the kitchen counter and prepared her some warm milk.

After that I carried her back to her bed and tucked her back under her covers and she took a sip of her milk.

“Okay so, what shall it be tonight? Do you want a story about—fairies?” she shook her head. “Unicorns?” again she shook her head. “Oh how about the story of a beautiful princess who gets saved by a knight in shining armor?”

“No daddy. Do you know the story of the lioness Queen?”

“The lioness Queen?”

“Uncle Freddie once told me a story about the lioness Queen who was raised by evil wolves but soon came on top as Queen of her own pride. He was gonna finish the story of how she would find herself a king but then—” she trailed off and I could see the tears prickling in her eyes. Oh that Freddie, of course he would tell our story like we were two lions.

“I think I know that story. Now again I may not be as good of a storyteller as Uncle Freddie was but I’ll do my best.” I sat down by her bedside and she cuddled up into her pillow, her stuffed lion in her arms. “Now let’s see……the Lioness Queen had reached the height of her reign. Everyone loved her because of her kindness and loyalty, but she was very much lonely. Sure she had the support of her new family but she still longed for someone she could love more than the family love she had from her new pride. So one day when she was out hunting, she was suddenly ambushed by the no good jackal. Now this jackal had particularly taken an interest in our brave Lioness Queen but she knew to not take any of his bullying. However he had brought his entire pack and they ganged up on the poor lioness.”

“Daddy don’t make it too scary.”

“Right, right, right I’m sorry angel. But the lioness Queen didn’t have to fear anymore. Because leaping from over the tall savannah grass was a dashing, handsome and powerful lion. He beat the jackals away and told the head jackal to leave and never bother the lioness again. Soon the jackal tucked his tail in like a frightened dog and fled the savannah and was never seen again. The lioness Queen was in debt to the young lion that saved her so she asked him if they could go to the watering hole together to talk and get to know each other more.”

I continued on to tell her mine and (Y/n)’s story of the day we met and fell in love with each other. Then about midway through the story I looked down and saw Kelly was finally back asleep. I smiled and kissed her forehead.

“Sleep tight my little lioness cub.” I walked out of her room and shut her door and walked back downstairs.

I walked towards the kitchen and I saw Sammy lying asleep on his doggie bed and Bucky asleep on his. But as soon as I came in, the two of them looked up at me.

“Hey Buck, Sammy.” Buck grunted as he sat up and came up towards me and sat down. I ruffled the top of his head. “Okay so what do you say last quick trip outside then time for you guys to get in your pin?” Sammy’s tail wagged as he immediately went towards the backdoor. I opened it up and he immediately went outside. “Alright Buck come on outside go out and go potty.”

But Bucky seemed tense. He lowly growled before racing towards the front door.

“Bucky? Buck!” Bucky went over to the front door and suddenly began barking aggressively and very loudly. “Buck! Buck shh! Quiet!” but he refused to listen to me. He kept barking and barking and barking. His fangs were out as he raced from the door to the windows. Growls came out of him and I noticed that his fur was on end.

Okay maybe it’s another dog or a raccoon or something, he tends to do that and we’re trying to break him of that habit. I grabbed his leash and when he was finally still I got it hooked to his collar and forced him towards his pin.

“Get in your pin now!” he snapped at him. I got him in his pin and as soon as I shut the door he started whimpering frantically, pacing around his pin letting out bark after bark. “Shhhh! You’re gonna wake the kids Buck now quiet!” I looked towards the front door and sighed heavily. Might as well just see just what’s out there.

I grabbed a flashlight and quickly stepped outside. I shined the light in every corner of darkness but I didn’t see a thing. No stray dog, nor a racoon, a cat not even a squirrel.

“That Buck is crazy sometimes.” It was then I noticed that our trashcan had somehow gone out to the side of the road. “I thought I brought that in when I came in this afternoon? Damn pranksters.” I left the front gate that surrounded our house and walked out to the curb to grab our trashcan and bring it back towards the side of the garage.

That’s when a loud purr of an engine roared through the quiet streets and bright headlights flashed right towards me. I heard the screeching of tires coming right towards me and without even thinking I ducked right up towards my driveway and I heard the sound of our garbage can being hit and tossed across the road.

The car’s lights soon turned off and sped off down the street. I panted heavily, my adrenaline now starting to collapse as I began to realize what could’ve happened just now.

Someone was trying to run me over and kill me. I knew that couldn’t be a mechanical problem cause why would the headlights suddenly come on and then accelerate straight towards me before driving normally down the road?

Only one person came across my mind as to who would go so far as to get rid of me. Steve.

I called up Jared and using his lawyer expertise he asked me various questions but unfortunately since I couldn’t identify the model of the car clear enough and couldn’t read the license plate in time there was no way for me to truly say it was him unless I could physically prove it.

But after that night I didn’t see Steve again, and I hoped that was the end of it. Until Halloween came around.

*Halloween night, 1992. 8:30pm*

I had just brought the kids in from our night of trick or treating. You know I’m glad we decided to allow the kids some time to know the American holidays cause I had to explain this to the guys as well as (Y/n) just what Halloween really was (since they don’t really celebrate it there in jolly old England).

I dressed the boys up as little lions while Kelly went as a witch this year. We all came in carrying our bags of candy.

“Candy!” Georgie exclaimed.

“That’s right buddy. We got candy, lots and lots of candy.” I told him as I got them out of their little red wagon.

“Daddy, daddy can we eat all the candy tonight please?” Kelly begged.

“You know your mother will kill me if she finds out I let you eat sweets before bedtime.” She whined before giving me her mother’s puppy dog face.

“Please daddy. Not even one itty bitty, teeny tiny bite?” I playfully placed my hands over her face which made her exclaim and shoo away my hand.

“You can have just one. Piece. But that’s it okay?” she cheered and quickly went through her bag and got out a blueberry flavored lollipop.

“Hey daddy? How come we can’t do trick or treating back where uncle Brian, uncle Deacy and papa Roger live?”

“Well sweetie, sometimes other countries don’t do the things we do. And sadly Halloween is just another day for them.”

“They should. Maybe next year papa Roger and I can be Star wars characters together.” I chuckled.

“I think your uncle Brian would enjoy that more than papa Roger.”

“But I wanted papa Roger and I to be Han and Princess Leia. Uncle Brian can be Chewie.”

“And uhh—who-who did you have in mind to be Luke?” I said brushing my fingers through my hair.

“Mommy! Cause she’s brave and strong just like Luke is! Georgie and Jackson can be R2.”

“And just who will uncle Deacy and I be?”

“Well uncle Deacy can be Obi-Wan and you’re C3-PO.” Wow she gives me the nagging droid.

“Oh so you think I’m a mindless philosopher ehh!? Come here you!” I quickly grabbed her and began tickling her which made her shriek and squirm. “Have me be Luke Skywalker or the tickling continues your highness!” I mimicked Darth Vader’s voice.

“Ne-nevheherererer!” she said through her laughter. I proceeded with the tickling till I heard the sound of a car engine coming down the street.

My mind suddenly went back to that night when I nearly got ran over. I set Kelly down on the floor and peeked through the curtains and could see someone standing right beside a familiar shape of a car that I knew well.

“Daddy? Is……everything okay?” I looked down at Kelly before quickly looking back towards the window.

“Kelly I need you to listen to me very carefully sweetheart. I want you to take your brothers and go to mommy and daddy’s room and hide in the closet. And no matter what happens do not come out till I come and get you, okay?”

“But why daddy? What’s going on?”

“Just!” I snapped but clenched my hand tightly and said as I knelt down to her height. “Please Kelly, do as your father tells you. Remember not a word or even let me see you till I tell you it’s safe, promise?”

“I promise.” I hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss and told her to go get her brothers and get upstairs. I glared at the door and opened it up before closing it. I walked towards the front gate and that’s when I heard his voice say.

“Well, well, well, Jack Kline I’ll be damned. Still around eh?”

“Yeah, yeah it’s me don’t cream your pants.” I sassed bluntly at him.

“Saw that you and the kiddies were doing a little trick or treating. That’s nice of you but umm…..what are you supposed to be? A new kid on the block?” I scoffed.

“What do you want Harrison?”

“What can’t a PA come up to check on his superstar?”

“I don’t know what world you live in but (Y/n) fired you last week.”

“Yeah, you see that-that-that’s…..that’s another reason why I came here. See, I personally am the best and most qualified PA that the Rock Angel could ever have. But while we were in Pittsburg, I get a notice saying that I’ve been fired. Now she never told me why so I thought who is more jealous of me and brainwashing the Rock Angel, than her own husband? So—care to explain?”

“Guess you were dropped as a child one too many times.” I walked closer to the front gate and said in Steve’s face. “She got tired of your advancements towards her. My wife isn’t like all other rock stars cause she’s been on the end of the cheating stick. And she knows to not put me or our kids through something like that.”

“Really lives up to her angel name huh?” he smart mouthed me. “Let me tell you though buddy boy. We have fucked with each other, and boy is she a freak in the sheets.” Bullshit I know he’s lying. “We’ve even fucked with each other here at your own house when you were away on business. I mean—who can say no to this?” he gestured to himself.

“You are even worse than we thought. Now do yourself a favor and fuck off Steve before I call the cops.”

“One problem with that amigo.”

“And what’s that? Amigo.” Suddenly I was grabbed by my shirt and a punch went straight through my stomach. I collapsed to the ground and the gate opened up. Steve stood over me and he sneered down.

“The cops are working for me.” I was then kicked in the ribs and I watched in horror as Steve kicked the door in and walked right on in the house.

*3rd Person POV*

As Steve entered the Kline residence, a place he had actually been inside a lot with his uncle on the meetings with (Y/n) to discuss further progress with her albums, brandings, etc. He walked up the stairs and went straight for the master bedroom where Jack and (Y/n) slept.

He looked around as he slowly walked around the bedroom before seeing the closet at the corner of his eyes. He turned towards it and walked right up to it before slowly reaching for the door. With a quick flick, the door was opened but no one was there. He then saw some of (Y/n)’s stuff like her hats and scarves.

He took a red scarf and inhaled it before pocketing it into his back pocket. That’s when he suddenly heard a thump from the corner of the room. That’s when his attention went to the wardrobe. A smirk spread across his face and as he opened it there he saw Kelly, Georgie and Jackson all huddled together.

“Hey kids, whatcha doin in here?”

“Go away! Mommy and daddy don’t like you anymore and neither do we!” Steve laughed at Kelly’s empty demand.

“Kids today. Guess I’m gonna have to teach you some manners little missy.” Suddenly he was turned around and a hard punch sent him down to the ground.

“Daddy!” Kelly cheered.

“Daddy! Daddy!” the boys repeated.

*Jack’s POV*

Like hell I was gonna just sit there and allow Steve to take whatever the hell he wants or worse find the kids. Spitting out some blood I staggered towards the house and walked up the stairs. That’s when I heard Kelly’s voice cry out.

“Mommy and daddy don’t like you anymore and neither do we!”

“Kids today. Guess I’m gonna have to teach you some manners little missy.” Like hell you will! I raced as Steve was talking and immediately grabbed him by the shoulder of his jacket, turned him around and sucker punched him across the face. My kids cried out for me while Steve staggered to stand up.

He soon began laughing before letting out a hoot. His nose bleeding from the punch I just gave him as well as his mouth.

“Looks like I underestimated you farm boy! I took you for a pushover but now I see just what that bitch sees in you! Lion King Jack she likes to call you!”

“Get. Out.” I demanded. Steve chuckled icily and said.

“And what if I don’t?” he spat blood in my face. I then let out a whistle and said two commands.

“Sick. Em.” Soon running past my right leg Sammy attacked Steve at his ankles tripping him over. Sammy maybe all sweet and innocent but when he needs to be (especially since Steve’s been around) he knows when someone needs to get bit.

Steve fell right onto his back as Sammy continued to bite and tear at his pants.

“YOU DAMN DOG!! LET GO!”

“You gonna surrender now?”

“FUCK. YOU!” I let out another whistle and soon barking in aggressively was Bucky. And being a German shepherd he was not holding back. Sammy released Steve’s leg for a moment and allowed his brother to take over.

Bucky bit Steve’s shoulder and tackled him to the ground and I knew he was biting down harder cause Steve’s screams got louder and more painful.

“Boys come!” the boys came back and stood guard of the wardrobe growling and protectively standing guard over my kids. “You wanna test me again or shall I give them a second chance at a new chew toy?”

Even with multiple dog bites, Steve managed to somehow stand up and he glared with pure hatred at me.

“I’ll—I’ll see to it……that those mutts are put down for attacking me. My uncle will hear about this! And I’ll be sure that you’re put away for a long, long time. I know you guys have no cameras in or outside of this house, so no cameras, no proof.” His sick twisting smirk widened across his face.

He staggered out of the bedroom but I heard the sound of him collapsing down to the ground. The dogs immediately went towards him but I didn’t hear any snarling or growling, instead I heard happy whimpering.

“Stay here kids.” I told them as I quickly I came out and I was shocked to see standing before Steve with a baseball bat in her hand was my wife, (Y/n). She panted softly as she dropped the bat and then took out one of our large kitchen knives.

Bucky and Sammy stood guard of the stairs to ensure that Steve didn’t even try to escape and that’s when (Y/n) sneered down at Steve.

“From now on you are no never come near me or my family again. I don’t care what kind of connections you have; we’ve got enough evidence with you in this house without consent and a struggle going on in my very bedroom.”

“Screw you…….bitch.” Steve murmured. Then I witnessed with my own eyes as my wife took that large 7in knife and slam it right down to the floor, very close to Steve’s dick. Any further up and she would’ve removed his very identity as a man.

“SAY YOU UNDERSTAND! Say it. SAY IT!!!” She roared down at him.

“I understand.” He muttered quietly.

“You what?!”

“I understand.” He said a bit louder. Her eyes steaming with hatred and fierce mother instincts stared Steve down as she removed the knife and she looked up to me and simply told me. “Call the police.”

Within minutes the police arrived and Steve was finally arrested. The police took our testimonies and a trial date was set for the 1st of December.

Now as I’m sure my wife as explained I wish we could say that was the last time we’d ever see Steve Harrison in our lives but we underestimated just how fucked up the legal system was here in California.

Thanks to his smooth, fast talking Uncle in trying to bride the judges and the jury, Steve didn’t serve any jail time. Only that he would have a restraining order set against him. By law he wasn’t to get anywhere within 50ft of (Y/n) or our family.

Steve Harrison was once again a free man.

By the start of 1993, my wife was once again trying to contact the judge, police, and any other law enforcement about taking Steve’s advances seriously. But all the same they kept turning her down saying there’s nothing else they can do.

That the restraining order will protect her, and if Steve does violate that then and only then could they talk serious jail time for him.

“Well then I want you guys to do one thing for me, the next time you bastards come to this house will be when my body is dead on the ground with a message in blood saying I told you so!” she hung up the phone and sobbed into her hands.

I slowly walked towards her and hesitantly sat down beside her. God I hate seeing her like this, she’s been worrying herself sick over this while still going on with the tour which will resume after this week.

“I—I don’t know what else to do Jack. I……” I refused to allow her to speak again. I embraced her as tightly as I could and she wept hysterically into my arms. Bucky and Sammy whimpering at our feet with Sammy licking her feet and Bucky nuzzling his head into her lap.

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