Lux In Tenebris
Book II
Winters Darkness
Chapter One:
The Princess watched, in anger, frustration and horror as the small port town of Slavahelm burned to the ground. What drove her over the edge was her guilt. She was still alive, yet hundreds others have died that day. Her emotions swelled and she lost her strength to stand, falling to her knees she began to silently cry.
"Now is not the time to give up Princess." A strong and confident voice said from behind her.
The young woman did not respond, she wept for her people that needlessly died. Kneeling beside the Princess, a figure cloaked in a black hood placed his hand on her shoulder. "You have plenty of time to morn, but right now we have to get moving."
After a long breath, the Princess clenched her fist. She glanced over to the mysterious man beside her, and saw the grip of his sheaved sword. She quickly lunged for it, and grabbed hold of it with both hands. The man was surprised by her quickness and stepped back as the maiden with fiery red hair drew his sword upon him.
"Why should I trust you?" The Princess demanded. "As far as I know you are the enemy; you are dressed the same as those who tried to kill me.!"
Crossing his arms, the man was older than the Princess by almost ten years. His appearance was disarming however with his devilish good looks, raggedy brown hair and a light stubble around his jaw. "Last time I checked I saved you Princess pigtails."
The sword was heavier than what she was used too, and the Princess had to focus on keeping the blade pointed at the man's chest. His comments were obviously directed to her hair styling with twin braids resting on both her shoulders. "You were with them. They called out your name, Ranger. I think it was Ranger, or Rigger." Pausing rethinking the chaotic day, the Princess finally settled on, "Ranger!"
The man rose a finger to correct her, but paused and after some thought, decided it was best that he didn't. "So, what if they knew me, doesn't mean I am with them."
"What kind of name is Ranger?" The Princess questioned wondering how truly threatening she looked seeing how Ranger stood with no care that he was being held at sword point. "I, I order you to tell me your real name!"
Rubbing his chin, the man gave a sarcastic look of thought, before he replied, "Umm, How about no."
Stepping closer the Princess placed the tip of the sword onto the leather armor vest of Ranger. "My kingdom was just attacked, hundreds of my people have died, I am in no mood for games. I am Princess Anna of Arendelle, I order you to tell me who you are, and what you are doing in my kingdom!"
Ranger gave a sympathetic look, he honestly wished he could give his real name, or at least one of his other names. However, both those names could possibly cause harm to those he cared about. It was best she could deny any involvement with him as well. Clearing his throat, Ranger gave a charming smile. "Look, Anna. Mind if I call you Anna?"
"Yes."
Ignoring the redhead's response, Ranger continued, "Anna, for a princess you really got to know your priorities. Arendelle, your kingdom just to remind you, is under attack. What is more important, knowing the name of the good looking guy who saved you, or protecting your kingdom?"
Biting her lip, Anna glanced back to the fires that were consuming Slavahelm, and lighting up the night sky. Lowering the sword, Anna was hesitant to return the weapon. "Why should I trust you?"
Crossing his arms, Ranger stared intently into Anna's blue eyes. "Besides the fact that you have no other choice?" Before Anna could answer, Ranger continued. "Because despite your reputation in poor judgement, you have seen in my eyes something you've seen in your own eyes."
Staring into Ranger's light brown eyes, she realized he was right. She couldn't explain it, but it was there. Tossing the sword to the ground, Anna stared intently at the man. "Why does it feel like we have met before?"
Picking up his sword and placing it back in his scabbard, Ranger replied. "I just have one of those faces." Going to his pack, Ranger pulled out a worn old cloak and placed it over the Princess. Pulling the hood up, Ranger tucked the woman's long red twin ponytails into the clock. "You're the most well-known ginger in the all the lands. Best to keep your lovely locks hidden. Glowerhaven could have scouts and spies all throughout your kingdom."
The girl simply glared at Ranger, but didn't stop him from touching her hair. She watched silently as Ranger slung his pack over his shoulder and began to walk deeper into the woods they stood in. Following, Anna gave one last look back to Slavahelm before it disappeared from her view. Looking to Ranger, Anna found herself trying very hard not to trust him. Even though he hasn't given her a reason not to. Since he saved her from those thugs that tried to kill her, and from the Glowerhaven soldiers that stormed the town, he has done everything to protect her.
Her mind wondered to her sister, it wouldn't be long before word of the attack would reach her, and she had no way of telling her she was okay. Her and Kristoff needed to be focusing on Arendelle's defense, not her. It was her own fault she was even here, she simply had to prove herself, even though she didn't have too.
"Anna, this isn't the time." Elsa stated with great patience.
Resting her head on her sister's shoulder, Anna gave a sigh of contentment. "But I want to help."
Patting her sister's head, Elsa stared down to the dozens of scrolls and parchments that rested on her desk. "I am sure you have plenty to do Anna."
Standing in slight frustration, Anna walked around to the front of the large Nordic Oak desk. Finely polished, the wood was cut from a thousand-year-old tree and has been in the Arendele royal family since its inception over three hundred years ago. "I mean I want to help the kingdom. We are a team sis."
"I am the Queen." Elsa replied, "Some things a Queen must do."
Doing her best to stay positive, Anna took a seat and leaned forward. "You are a Queen that is over worked. Most Kingdoms set up a court to handle all this stuff. Since you don't have one." Anna's tried to smile through a forced smile, to hide her frustration. "Despite my efforts to form one, you are stuck with just me." Picking up a scroll Anna twilled it in her hand. "It can't be that hard."
"Anna." Elsa loved her sister but even if it was a few years since their relationship blossomed again, she was still getting used to the constant presence. "I really don't have time to go over all of this with you."
The constant rejections were frustrating Anna. "What is so wrong with me trying to help?"
Looking up from a scroll, Elsa spoke without thinking, "Because it is not your place?"
Anna's eyes quickly narrowed. "Not my place?"
Putting down the scroll, Elsa knew she miss spoke, but it wasn't all her fault, as Anna wasn't letting her work. "You know what I mean."
"Oh, I am sorry Elsa?" Anna stated as she stood back up. "I mean my Queen."
A frown grew on Elsa's face as she stared at Anna. "Really Anna."
"Will you stop treating me like the spare!" Anna said, with a hint of anger in her voice.
Dropping the scroll on to the desk, Elsa began to run her hands through her hair. She then started to rubbing her temples, and responded "Not this again."
"I am not part of the town, I am not the queen, just somebody hopelessly in between."
Snapping her fingers, a spark of her magic discharged from her hand and Anna immediately leapt in the air. She franticly reached behind her back to find the ice her sister just put down her blouse. When Anna saw a smirk appear on Elsa' face, she shouted, "Not funny Elsa!"
"You're being dramatic Anna." Elsa said, as she stood up and watched as her sister finally removed the sliver of ice from her clothes. Taking the scroll, she was reading, Elsa waited until Anna calmed down before she said, "You want to help so badly, why don't you tell me what you think of this."
Fully composed and taking a serious poise, Anna took the scroll opened it, and looked at it. It took a moment before she realized it was upside down. Righting it, and eyeing Elsa who chuckled, Anna began to read the scroll. "To her Majesty, of the Honorable House Fairhair, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. I write to you, two years from last we met. It was a confusing times of fear and confusion, one of which both of us took action out of fear, not sensibility. Since this time, you have promised to always leave your gates open, except to us. I hope time has thawed our troubles and that you have room to open up the doors to your kingdom once more." Anna pause, and skipped the rest of the letter as she looked down to the singer of the scroll. She looked over to Elsa and said, "Absolutely not."
Leaning back, Elsa crossed her arms. "Why not?"
"The Duke of Wesel town!" Anna declared as she pointed at the signature to the document. "He tried to kill you!"
Shrugging, her shoulders Elsa replied, "Technically it was his bodyguards."
"Under his order!" Anna countered.
Standing, Elsa walked over to a map of the known world. "Anna, where is Weselton?"
Rolling her eyes, Anna walked over to the map and crossed her arms and began to stare at it. Yet try as she might, she could not find Weselton on the map. "Well obviously it is somewhere in…" Anna pointed at the entire map. "Here somewhere."
With a raised eyebrow, Elsa was beginning to feel justified. "Weselton is not a sovereign duchy; it is merely a fiefdom of a much larger kingdom. In fact, it is the largest kingdom of the Cimbrian Peninsula." Elsa watched as Anna squinted at the map. "Jutland." Elsa stated as a second hint. Anna stared even more at the map with a hint of panic building. "It is east of the Kingdom of Chillon." Anna began to stare in the entirely wrong place. Rolling her eyes, Elsa flicked her wrist and a shard of ice darted into the location of the map she was talking about.
Looking up to the location, Anna cursed herself wishing she paid more attention during her studies. "Glowerhaven."
"Glowerhaven, the largest kingdom of the Danes," Elsa stated. "It has one of the largest economies in the region. Its monarchy goes back long before the Kalmar Union."
"I know that one!" Anna said with exuberance. She pointed to the Cimbrian Peninsula and Scandinavian Peninsula. "We were all once, one big kingdom. The Treaty of Kalmar allied all the kingdoms, just before the Era Darkness."
Elsa wasn't that impressed, as it had nothing to do with what Anna needed to know. "Glowerhaven, current king is?"
"King Anders?" Anna quested going with one of the most common male name of Danish culture.
"His Majesty Rasmus the Third." Elsa stated, as she walked back to her desk. Taking her seat, she continued. "Older brother to Asger of Weselton, also known as the Duke of Weselton."
Humbly walking back to her sister, Anna looked down to the scroll she was reading. Picking it up she silently finished it. "The King of Glowerhaven will be sending representatives to negotiate the reopening of trade."
Taking a seat Anna thought for a moment. "You knew that you could only stop trade with Weselton for so long."
"Long enough to get my message." Going into her desk, Elsa pulled out a letter written on fine paper, she opened it and held it out to Anna. "King Rasmus personally wrote to me. I feel it would be in Arendelle's best interest to reopen trade with Weselton. They already instigated a trade war over this, one we cannot win."
As Anna read the letter she could feel the confidence and power the King had through the elegant and decisive wording of the letter. "Elsa." Anna paused she bit her lip and after making up her mind she finally spoke. "Elsa, I want to lead the delegation to reopen trade talks with Weselton. They are threatening to seize Arendelle ships, we have to protect out people."
Elsa wasn't sure if Anna understood the meaning behind the King's words, but she at least understood its seriousness. She also recognized the look Anna had in her eyes. She had learned her lesson five years ago. Elsa was never going to reject her sister outright when she had such a look in her eyes.
Elsa's delay in her response, had Anna lean forward and say, "It would be best that if I was the one to negotiate this. It will show that we respect Glowerhavan and take them seriously. Please Elsa, you can trust me."
"Let me think about it." Elsa said at nearly a whisper. Her voice was filled with concern, as if she was holding back from something. "Now please Anna, can I get back to work?"
Princess Anna and the mysterious Ranger had been traveling in silence for hours, navigating the rough and hilly terrain of the most Eastern Provence of Arendalle. Anna was used to it, but her endurance was reaching its limit. When Anna yawned, Ranger looked back to her and smiled, "Don't tell me you're getting tired."
"Of course not." Anna swiftly replied, hiding the pain she was in.
Looking about his surroundings, Ranger was thankful for the Northern Lights to provide him with enough light to see a good distance around him. Seeing a small outcropping of rocks, Ranger pointed over to it. "We can rest over there."
When Anna reached the rocks, she took a seat on the ground and gave a small sigh of relief of being off her feet. After placing his pack on the ground, Ranger took a seat leaned back against the rocks. Anna studied Ranger's face in the shadowed light, squinting her eyes Anna could of swore he looked like someone she had met before. Her thoughts began to drift back to the victims of Slavahelm, and her heart began to waver.
"Don't." Ranger declared with authority, Anna looked up confused by the comment. "There is nothing you could have done to change what happened to that town."
"Those people were innocent." Anna declared. "They did not deserve to be attacked! They had nothing to do with the feud between Glowerhaven and Arendelle." Reaching for her twin ponytails, Anna began to pull on them as the guilt built up within her. "None of this had to happen."
"So it is true." Ranger said as he stared deep into Anna's eyes. "You were planning on opening trade back up with Weselton, give into their demands?"
Pulling her legs up to her chest, but still assuring her long gray dress trimmed with brightly colored roseling kept them covered, Anna rested her head on her knees. "My first diplomatic mission and it ends in a war. I am worthless."
Leaning forward, Ranger smirked. "In all honestly I don't think Glowerhavan, or Weselton would of cared one way or another. There are dark forces even more powerful than them at work here. I also don't think the Snow Queen would send you here if she thought you were worthless."
"Don't call her that!" Anna ordered looking up to meet Ranger's gaze in anger.
"Whoa, calm down their Princess hothead." Ranger replied. "She blanketed the entire northern hemisphere in snow for three days, I think she has earned the title."
"That was an accident!" Anna explained.
"Nuance." Ranger replied.
Crossing her arms, Anna looked away in frustration. "You would never understand."
"Is it a requirement for princesses to be so emotional?" Ranger wondered.
The comment was uncalled for and angered Anna. "I just watched a town filled with innocent people get burned to the ground! How am I supposed to feel?"
Going into his pack, Ranger pulled out an object covered by purple and gold trimmed folded cloth, he tossed it to Anna and said with a smile. "This will help."
Unfolding the cloth, Anna's eyes let up when she saw a chocolate bar the size of her hand within. "Chocolate!" Lifting the bar to her nose, Anna sighed as she took in the sweet aroma. "This is Mecklenburg Chocolate." Anna derived just from the smell.
"You can tell just by the smell?" Ranger wondered in amazement.
Breaking off a piece of the chocolate Anna folded the remainder in the purple cloth. "That and its dark color. Nordic chocolate is lighter, and have a slightly sweeter aroma. My sister and I are quite the chocolate connoisseurs."
Watching as Anna ate the chocolate, he saw the tension leave her face. Looking up to the night sky, Ranger found the moon and frowned. "It will be dawn in a few hours, and we didn't put enough distance between us and Glowerhaven's forces."
"We are at least four days from Arendelle, by foot." Anna stated as she finished the chocolate in her hand. She wanted to devourer the rest, but they had a long journey ahead of them. So she tossed the folded cloth back to Ranger.
As Ranger was putting it back, Anna froze as a chill ran up her spine. Everything seemed to fall silent, Anna tried to calm her breaths as she felt the deadly presence of a person behind her. She looked about her feet without moving her head for something to defend herself with. At the moment she could feel the breath of the person on the back of her neck, Ranger quickly spun around with a light crossbow in hand and fired.
Anna never once blinked as the bolt released from the weapon and headed right for her head. It was at that moment she knew she had to trust Ranger unconditionally, as the arrow wisped by her head the feathers of the bolt brushing against her, before it struck. Rolling to the side, Anna looked back as a man with an identical black hooded cloaked as Ranger armed with a long black knife fell to the ground where she once sat.
Before Anna could process what just happened, Ranger grabbed Anna by her hand and forced her to begin running with him. Now sprinting, Anna pulled her hand free and shouted out. "How about you give me a weapon?"
Wrapping his arms around Anna's waist, Ranger pulled her to the ground just as three crossbow bolts strike a tree beside them. Standing her back up Ranger said, "Now isn't the time to teach you how to fight Princess!"
With both running again, Anna shouted, "You don't have to teach me anything!"
Running out into a field, Ranger slid to the ground while reloading his crossbow, just as he came up to a kneeling position he fired back at his pursuers. As Anna ran by him, he threw his crossbow to the ground and drew his sword out just as a black cloaked man leapt out from the forests with his sword coming down upon Ranger.
After a swift parry, Ranger dropped back and readied his sword for a counter attack. Before he could deliver the blow a second attack came running from the forest with a sword swinging to strike him. This attacker was much smaller than the first, Ranger easily parried the weaker attack and punched the cloaked figure in the face with the hilt of his sword. Just as he turned to face the larger man, Ranger was forced to roll backwards to dodge a swing of a sword.
Coming out of his roll, Ranger was forced to parry a furry of sword strikes before he could counter with his own. Dropping back once more, Ranger shouted, "I don't want to kill you Gisle!"
Moving forward with a thrust the large man shouted, "You should of thought of that before you betrayed Raven's Eye!"
After a quick parry, Ranger saw that his other opponent was charging from his flank, he easily side stepped the less skilled attacker. Grabbing the hood as he kicked, Ranger revealed his second attacker. "Airi!"
The teenage girl stood and with her sword at the read charged Ranger. He parried the blow, and before he could attempt any counter, he was forced to duck an attack from Gisle. He wasn't able to stop his kick, and Ranger fell back. As both began to attack him, he parried and dodged each swing. Overwhelmed, Ranger was struck, not by a sword, but with a punch to the face from Gisle.
Seeing Ranger's nose bleeding, Gisle sneered. "About time someone ruined that perfect face of yours!"
Raising his sword, Ranger readied himself for combat. "Not everyone can be born as ugly as you Gisle."
"You still have the annoying mouth," Gisle replied. "But you've gone soft! Not one attack you have made so far would have been a killing blow."
"I know neither of you want this! You are under its control," Ranger responded! "Besides, if I wanted to kill you." Ranger said with a smirk. "You would be dead already. I haven't gone soft. I just discovered something you would never understand."
"What is that?" Gisle growled.
"My true love!" Ranger shouted as he charged forward.
His attacks were quick but Gisle was ready for it. With the young girl constantly trying to flank and attack him, Ranger couldn't keep up his attacks and was back on the defensive. Once more overwhelmed, Ranger was struck with a kick to the knee, than a punch to the face. As he rose his sword, Gisle kicked it out of his hands, he then punched him in the throat knocking Ranger to the ground gasping for air.
Laughing, Gisle's pointed his sword at Ranger. "So much for love!" Raising his sword above his head, Gisle was ready to bring down a killing blow, but as the sword came down it was blocked by Ranger's sword. Looking down in astonishment, Gisle saw the Princess of Arendelle standing in front of Ranger. Pushing Gisle's sword back with her own, Anna kicked him in the groin, she than turned to the female assassin.
Airi swirled the sword in her hand and narrowed her eyes. "You want to pretend to be a hero dear princess?"
With gritted teeth, Anna rose her weapon and said with unleashed rage behind her words, "Who said anything about pretend." Charging forward, Anna easily countered the younger girls first attack, she moved swiftly over taking the girl's sloppy footwork and struck down on her sword knocking it out of her hand. She than back fisted the girl in the head taking her to the ground. She turned sharply to Gisle and parried his strike cleanly. Shifting her position, Anna used her size and speed to dodge and parry Gisle's powerful attacks by using that very power against him.
Once she moved herself to Airi's sword she kicked it up with her foot. Now with two swords, Anna charged forward, forcing Gisle's to counter a sword technique he has never seen before. Anna landed her first blow slicing Gisle's bicep on his dominate arm. She than lands her second cutting across the thigh of his dominate leg. She ended her attack kicking Gisle in the knee taking him to the ground. Just as he rage was subsiding Airi jumped onto her back with a dagger ready to plunge into her heart. Anna dropped one of the swords to take hold of the girl's hand before it brought down its deadly blow.
Struggling to get the girl off of her, Anna began to shake back and forth. Just before Anna lost her grip on the girl's arm, she head-butted her. The blow dazed the girl long enough for Anna to throw her over her shoulders and onto the ground. Kicking the dagger from Airi's hand Anna was about to lower her guard when she saw Gisle charging at her. Turning quickly, she gripped her remaining swords with both hands and yelled out. "Don't!" With his arm and leg weakened he was just slow enough for Anna to raise up her sword to counter her attacker with a single strike, a fatal one. Blinded with rage Gisle never saw it until it was too late.
Anna watched as her sword blade punched through the man's body sliding down to the hilt. Gisle stumbled forward as his eyes went cold. He stared down to the Princess and gave her what looked like a look of relief. Anna stared back at him, she watched as her sword slowly pulled out as his body, at it fell to the ground lifeless. Looking down to her blood soaked sword Anna felt as if a part of her heart was just ripped out of her chest. However just as she thought she was to be overcome with sorrow and guilt, a fire began to consume her, it felt like it invaded her body from all around her. A fire and anger that she had never felt before.
With unquenched rage, it was as if she lost all control of who she was. Anna turned to the youngest attacker who was attempting to crawl away. Marching over to her, Anna kicked her in the chest. "Why! Why are you trying to kill me!" The girl moaned from her injury, but that would not stop what was to come. Anna kicked the girl once more, this time in the back of the head. "Why did Glowerhaven attack my kingdom! Why did you have to kill all those innocent people! They did nothing to you!"
Grapping the girl by her hair, Anna put her blood soaked sword against her prisoner's neck. "Tell me!"
Anna couldn't see the fear in the teenager's face, or the tears flowing from her eyes. She felt possessed, as she threw the girl back to the ground. She was screaming in her mind for herself to stop but she couldn't she brought her sword up to kill all that represented her suffering.
Airi rose her hands in absolute terror as she closed her eyes not wishing to see the sword drop, but it never did. All she heard was a loud bang of metal and something falling to the ground. Opening her eyes, Airi saw Ranger standing over her, and on the ground next to her complete unconscious was Princess Anna. She than looked back to Ranger at what he held in his hand.
Out of breath, and in pain, he smiled at Airi as he said, "It is a very, very long story."