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Snow fell over Arendelle as a queen ran to her solitary confinement. On the other side of the mountain, winter preceded her. A solitary man trekked the brewing snowstorm paying no attention to the cold, nor the ice that started to cling to his clothes and eyebrows. His focus was solely finding shelter. The bundle he carried in his arms was as important, if not more. It made no noise, but shivered against his body. The heavy cloak wasn't going to be warm for long enough. He sang lullabies to it, trying to keep it calm, but also to remind him to keep going. He finished one tune and was about to start a new one when the wind carried a voice to him. He reached for his sword, but paused. It was beautiful. Who would be out in this weather at all? He decided to follow it, and happened on a regal looking woman in a blue and black dress.
He never got close enough to see her face, but instead noted a purple cape floating in the wind. He manipulated it enough to catch it and wrap the bundle with an extra layer. The only response was a green reptilian orb looking at him with a worried look.
"We'll find shelter soon, little one." He said. He then replaced the bundle in his cloak, looking over and seeing the woman now erecting is that- an ice castle? He shook the thought out of his head as he tried to look for any sort of shelter. He started having thoughts of approaching the castle when the storm broke.
Dawn crept over the horizon, revealing a cave. He looked at the castle again but decided on the cave. He didn't want to impose on someone who seemed to exhibit prowess with magic. He entered the cave, and saw that it was empty. He thanked his luck and went about building a fire. He didn't realize how the weather had effected him until he found himself in a coughing fit. He reached in his pack to grab a flask, and drank. Thankfully, the alcohol hadn't frozen, and it warmed his insides, or so he liked to think.
He then turned to where the beginnings of a fire was. The embers were weak, so he chose to speed up the process. A few sparks shot out of his hand before a flame roared into the heart of his kindling. Once the fire was warm enough, he moved the bundle over and began unwrapping it slowly. The little wyrmling was greatful to stretch out it's limbs, aknowledging the sentiment by nipping affectionately at his hand.
"I love you too," he chuckled and looked outside.. "Dinner, or now breakfast as it seems to be, will be along shortly." He prepared a few pieces of ham, but as he did so, his thoughts drifted to that voice. There was only one other time he heard a voice that pretty, and it was gone now. The wyrmling picked up on his apprehension, leaning it's neck in to comfort him. He gave it a few pieces that he had thawed out from the pan over the fire, wondering what Arendelle held for them. After all, not everyone had the unfortunate blessing of raising a dragon.
After sharing his meal with his scaley little friend, he then stood up, causing it to look at him quizzically. "I have to go into the town. I have a one-time contact to try to get some more lore to help us." It stepped toward him, and he shook his head. "I can't take you with me this time, little one. I can tell the region is already in chaos due to the sudden snows, and I don't want to add to it." The wyrmling chirped plaintively. "I'll be back soon, and maybe this time I'll actually find you a good name."
Without another word, he left the wyrmling, stepping back into the cold. His body ached in protest. He was pushing himself, but he could sleep when this was over. He started his way to the town, using his walking stick for balance. He couldn't help but hear him self humming words that stuck in his head last night: "Let it go, Let it go..."
The man arrived at the gates, passing by. The guards seemed busy, so they hurried him through, thinking that a lone wanderer wouldn't pose a threat. He chuckled knowing that they were quite wrong, but slowly made his way through the streets taking in the sight. He had been to many places and seen many things in his short life so far, but Arendelle's capital was already up in the most intriguing. It was one of the few places he walked through the streets without having judgemental eyes over him, and he was thankful for that. More than a few residents were outright inviting. He made his way to a stable, where he met a stout, balding man.
"You're the one who contacted me?" He asked. He seemed stressed, but he hid his emotions well.
"I am." The wanderer pulled a pouch of gold and handed it to him.
"I am also supposed to ask you to show it." The man continued. The taller man was about to protest, but the man insisted. Sighing, the wanderer pulled a blade from his left hip, about longsword-sized. He then pulled a slightly smaller blade from over his shoulder and locked it into the hilt of the first blade, creating a glaive-like weapon. The man's eyes widened slightly. That was enough to convice him.
"Satisfied?" the stout man nodded, and the wanderer seperated the blades, and replaced them from where he produced them.
"If the guards were to see this, we both would hang." He looked around nervously. The name is Kai by the way. At your service, Master?"
The wanderer paused. He was hoping that this would have gone without the exchanging of names. "I would rather this happen without names. That way you aren't implicated by knowing my name."
"If you insist, sir." Kai lead the wanderer through the alleys. The traveler's steel-colored eyes scanned the area, as he was led into the castle via a secret passege. I will make sure that the proverbial coast is clear." Judging by the stature and the clothing, Kai was proabably the butler or something. There was a knock on the secret door, signaling for the wanderer to come out. From there it was a quick walk to the study.
As soon as the room was opened to him. He dashed past the butler, and disappeared among the stacks. He soon got a quick idea of the organization, but the lore he was after was in the farthest section. As he went to the back of the library, he could tell the books were starting to get more and more dusty. So many tales lost in history, not enough time to read them all. He soon found a red leather- bound book with a dragon eye on it. He pulled it out and sat on the floor, reading.
He was there for some time before Kai interrupted his research. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but will you be much longer?"
"I think I've found all I've had the time to gather." The wanderer looked up and saw that it was dusk. He had lost track of time again. He closed the page, but not before a name stuck out to him: Esmerelle. He smiled and replaced the book. "Now, just lead me to the courtyard, I can-" the gold from earlier was shoved back into his hands.
"I need you to do a task for me. Worth more than the gold you gave me. The princess has gone missing. Find her, keep her safe." He opened a window, exposing the rooftops.
"I'm sorry what?" The wanderer was stunned.
"Last night was the coronation of Queen Elsa." Beautiful name, he mused. "Princess Anna and the queen had a fight, and Elsa ran off. Where, we do not know. Anna has just left to find her sister." The wanderer looked out the window, seeing the horse run away. "Please help us, master-"
The wanderer shook his head. "You know what I am, then you know I can't intervene. Too risky." Kai started to protest. We stand on the precepice of change. If I can rebuild history, then there's no telling what would become of the world. I can't do that from the dungeon of your fair castle."
The wanderer left the gold on the table. "Save it, you might need it." Kai turned to pick it up, but when he looked back, the wanderer was gone.
He made his way back to the cave. The little wyrmling was waiting for him, tending the fire. When it noticed him, it chirped excitedly, and in his mind he saw images of wolves chasing a sleigh, and then...was that blood? "Your first hunt?" The wyrmling bobbed it's head confirming the answer. "I'm proud." He sat down near the fire, and the wyrmling came over and rested it's head in his lap. "I will be fine. Hey, I actually found a name that fit. I found it in the book at the castle. How do you feel about Esmerelle?"
The wyrmling thought about it, then made a confirmation sound. "You approve? Good. That's a relief." He sighed, and looked over the notes he took. "Looks like Corona is our next stop. That is after some much-needed rest." He spread out a bedroll, and closed his eyes.
He woke up to Esmerelle prodding her with his nose. "What? What's goin on?" He looked out to the sound of people, and he put the fire out with a spell. He grabbed his weapons and waited. The longsword was the first to appear in his right hand, his left in a ready position, fingers tracing the hilt of a throwing knife. A man turned the corner. He had Weaselton garb on, and his stunned expression at the sight of a wyrmling was met with a knife buried deep into his windpipe. The man behind him shouted, but when he turned around, his eyes fixed on the steel orbs that belonged to the cause of his demise.
The wanderer looked around, and saw another group coming. He sprung to action, easily outmatching those that looked to capture him. When he finished, there was a circle of blood around him. He noticed a group taking the same woman from earlier back towards Arendelle. He thought to spring into action, but instead sheathed his weapons and tailed the group. He then looked over to Esmerelle. "Stay here. I've got to help" The only response he got was an annoyed look. It wasn't the first he'd receive, and it wouldn't be the last.
He followed the group into the city, and even got a glimpse of the girl in chains. Her blue eyes were the saddest sight he had ever seen. He watched them go into the castle, then started looking around. He found the secret passage, and snuck into the castle. A plan was already formulating in his head. He couldn't believe his luck. The good bit was that he didn't get caught by any of the guards. The bad luck was that the guards were all foreign.
Someone's performing a nice little coup. The thought rattled around in his head for a moment then he smiled. I think it's time to put a chink in their plans. Someone that beautiful can't be that bad of a ruler. He snuck down to the dungeons, and found her cell. He cursed under his breath. Damn fjord is on the other side.
"Who's there?" The woman's voice came from inside the cell, and it shook him out of his planning. Their eyes connected, and she just looked at him, helpless. He didn't know it, but she was wondering about his eyes. She had never seen eyes like his. Who did they belong to? Why where they here?
"I'm here to help. Start freezing your chains." The man replied.
"How do you know?" Hope was starting to creep back into his voice.
"About your power? I've seen it before. I'll see you on the other side" He dashed away, not looking back. He made his way through the castle, getting lost once or twice. There was a commotion. He looked out the front gate to see a girl whom he had guessed was the princess being brought back to the castle. He noted that she didn't look so good when a shout caught his attention. He had been found.
This guard was from the Southern Isles. He already had noteriety there, and he could tell the guard knew it. "Blimey. I didn't think you were real." He looked back down the hall "Dra-" his voice was cut off by a knife buried in his throat. The wanderer sped by the guard and pulled the knife out, throwing it at a fresh one who turned the corner. He then drew his blades, exploding through a window onto a rooftop. A couple guards tried to follow, but their armor proved too bulky to keep up with him, and he soon was out of their reach.
He jumped off the wall, a hail of arrows flying at where he jumped from, none of them hitting their marks. He didn't anticipate landing right on the fjord, however, for as his legs touched the ice, he tired to roll, and instead felt a pop in his knee.
"Bloody hell." He looked down and tried to move it. It functioned, but not without eliciting new waves of pain. He stood, and fought through it, making to the wall. He found a piece of driftwood and cut a few sections. After a few minutes, the man bound his leg in a splint, and limped over to the wall of the castle. Replacing the hood, he grabbed some snow and started packing. He knew which wall he was aiming for, and threw it in. Her blue eyes peered over. They looked worse than before, almost utterly defeated.
"Watch yourself. Get to the wall" He waited until she cleared out. What came next was a blast through the wall, as an ice ball blew through and exploded against the door.
The woman climbed out, and turned to face her savior. A look of concern crossed her face when she saw the splint. "No time. I have to get you out of here. Besides, a pretty thing like you shouldn't worry about a wretch like me."
"You don't want to help me. I-I'm dangerous." she replied.
"How do you think I blew through that wall?" She could only see the smirk on his face.
"Who are you?" She reached for the hood and pushed it back, studying his face.
"Just a wanderer, returning a favor." He then started hobbling "we need to move."
Despite his hobbling, and being on ice, he moved faster than she did, and the snow was picking up. He guessed why she thought her own powers were dangerous, but when he looked back, he couldn't see her. He couldn't even see where he was going. He saw an outline of something big, and found a ship. He peered around, hearing voices. Then all at once, the snow blew away and stopped. He saw a well-groomed, well-dressed man, standing over the woman, who was crying. He also saw the sword. He started to analyze the situation, when he saw another girl rush in, stopping the blow. He was stunned, as was everyone else who watched the situation. The other girl turned into ice.
The wanderer started limping to the shore, but then something caught his eye. The ice was melting. He hobbled over to the shore, and barely made it as the fjord returned to it's normal state. He disappeared into the townsfolk, now seeing the two women happy. He soon found out that the blonde was the queen, and that the now-redhead was the princess. He pondered things for a moment, before he noticed a pair of blue eyes focusing on him. He nodded, raised his hood and disappeared. Corvino Al'Draco had gotten involved enough for one adventure. His road took him elsewhere.
Elsa.
She looked around for her mystery man, and found him. His steel eyes were pensive. Almost sad. She had seen that look in her reflection way too many times. She wanted desperately to help him, but he took notice of her. He just nodded, raised his hood, and slipped into the crowd. She looked down. Who was he? Why did he help me? What did he mean by returning a favor?
"Elsa?" Anna looked at her sister. "You ok?"
"Never better," Elsa smiled. She was getting her best friend back, and she wasn't gonna let some mystery man keep her from that. Even if he was cute.
(A/N. Wanted to set the scene for the two characters I'll focus mainly on, but in order to do that, I had to establish Corvino. Yes, I realize he went against what he said he was going to do, it will tie in later.)