A/N: I showed this to an IRL friend of mine and he pointed out similarities between my OC, Noctis, and characters in the game Dishonored- I hadn't even heard of it, so any coincidences are, well, coincidences. Hopefully awesome ones, though!

Steel and Shadows

Chapter 2: Progress, one step at a time.

Well, arriving in the midst of a storm isn't the best experience, but I've had worst first impressions of a town. Hauling my sodden self to the nearest guardhouse along the bridge to the castle, I'm not surprised to see the guardsmen huddled just inside around a small fire. They looked up at my approach, and they had a small conversation with just body language; neither wanted to get wet again. I watched this 'argument' with mild amusement; I was used to the wet and cold, so I could wait. Finally, the younger of the two inside the guardhouse stands and approaches me, a long standing look of boredom and annoyance plastered across his face.

"Hello good sir. I'm afraid I must inform you that the castle is closed to the public, and will not be opening in the near future I'm afraid; may I direct you to the nearest inn for some lodging and food?"

Smiling politely, I pull out the letter from my pouch and hand it over to him to inspect. "Well, I happen to have something here that might just change your mind about letting me into the castle."

The letter had the Arendelle royal seal on it; only the King or Queen had the signet rings to emboss it, and the seal was still intact. The paper not too aged; this meant it was current, and the guard knew it. It was addressed to one 'Majordomo Kai' on behalf of the bearer. To put it in perspective, my name not being visible brought the importance of the letter up a few levels, and for the letter to be addressed to the leader of the castle's staff?

Well, the guards blanch and sudden rise to attention might have been warranted.

"Sarge, I think you need to see this, now!" Turning to address me, he waves me inside as he speaks. "Sorry sir, but until I can verify that this letter is, in fact, real I need to keep you here. As soon as its authenticity is verified- the sarge over there can do that- I'll take you inside. Is that alright?"

I was familiar with the procedure; I had used it to my advantage in a job, before. "Yes, yes, no problem at all. I know that you have to be careful; I'll wait as long as you need."

The guard's posture relaxed; he probably expected me to be a stuck-up dignitary or something. Ah well, all the better; when people like you, things usually go smoother than they would otherwise. A minute later, the older guard stood up from where he had been comparing the wax seal with a book of examples and walked over, a solemn look on his face.

"Yes, this is indeed a legitimate document. Only thing is, the seal was the most recent in the record; issued only days before the King and Queen shipped out on their last voyage." Resting his hand on the pommel of his sword, he looks me in the eye, the remains of his congenial manner sloughing off to reveal tense anger.

"This means that you were there; yet, I know you weren't' one of the guards that came back. That only leaves that odd man that they say disappeared. You have an explanation, boy?"

Crap, I wasn't expecting this. I WOULD get the intelligent guard who actually uses logic; my luck sucks. Putting my hands in plain view, I answer calmly. "Yes, I do, and it's inside that letter. I will stay here under guard while you deliver it, if you wish. I mean no harm to anyone here at the castle, royal or pheasant. I know you only have my word, but I ask that you accept it."

As I spoke, I could see his grip tighten on his sword as he listened. I must have made some sort of impression, because he relaxed his grip as I finished speaking- although he didn't let go. Sensible man; world could sure use more like him.

Taking a breath, he scowls at me as he answers. "Bah, I don't like it, but I'll do it. Just know that if there's any funny business, I'll enjoy watching your head make a trip from your shoulders."

Could do without the hostility, though. Snatching the letter up from where he had been inspecting it, he calls over three more guards to the post and heads into the castle. I settle in for a wait, ignoring the hostile stares and whispers of the men surrounding me. I pass the time by inspecting the room and mapping out all the ways I could escape without using my powers or killing anyone. The guards weren't too numerous, but they did take their jobs seriously; they had fewer gaps in their defense than most. Because of this, I only saw three escape routes that were viable, while if I was in Corona I would have seen dozens.

Frying pans are an interesting improvised weapon, but they don't stop men who can flip off of walls and rafters like a monkey.

I waited and analyzed for around an hour, the little bit of light the clouds let through waning steadily; must be around dinner time, I think. Finally, I saw the familiar silhouette of 'sarge' coming down the main bridge, followed closely by a portly man in fancier clothes. My eyebrow went up; this must be Majordomo Kai. Bracing myself for flight, just in case, my tenseness was noticed by my watchers. The most experienced of them loosened their swords in their scabbards; not an overtly hostile move, but a practical one that also served as a warning. I was looking forward to- hopefully- working with these professionals.

The duo arrived, and as I took in the odd look on their faces- confusion mixed with sympathy and a bit of guarded respect- I had to wonder; exactly what did that letter say?

I was about to find out.

They entered the guardhouse, the sergeant dismissing the added guards back to their normal posts. He and Kai took seats, both studying my face as they did so. Then, Kai surprised me by handing me the letter, now opened. I looked down and read it quickly, as though re-familiarizing myself with its contents. Reading it, though, almost made me lose control of my facial expressions- almost. I have one hell of a poker face if I need, but the contents of the letter almost broke my self-control.

Kai, our most faithful servant-

The man who bears this letter is more important than you would believe, but it is his secret, not ours to tell. What we must detail now, however, is what he has been sent to Arendelle for, and the circumstances that led to it. We met him when our ship was attacked by pirated; he expressed incredible combat skill; …

At this point, it led into a greatly detailed description of my battle, although it left out my supernatural abilities; before the storm, the King and Queen had forbidden the sailors to speak of it or report it, and it looks like they adhered to their own command; this relieved me greatly. What followed the details of the battle, though, was what almost broke my self-control.

… And as such, I believe that the attack was intentional, meant to end our lives with great prejudice. As such, we fear for the lives of Elsa and Anna. If we were targeted in such a way, they might be as well. And so, as he has protected us, we have given him the option to be the bodyguard of Elsa and Anna, our daughters. He is supremely qualified, even more so than is written here. Also, and if we know you like we think we do, Kai, you will be shocked to hear that he is to be allowed access to Elsa's room. We hereby nullify the decree towards non-entry to her quarters to the bearer of this document. We know this is a great risk, but we don't believe that the man would let this document fall into the wrong hands. In addition, he is hereby given the sole authority to completely dissolve the castle's isolation if he feels fit to do so. This authority is, however, to expire when Elsa comes upon her 21st birthday and comes of age to be Queen. Then, the authority shall be hers, as shall all others.

In order to carry out his duties, the letter bearer shall be assigned to the room across from Elsa's. It is to be readied for him as quickly as is feasible, so he may begin his duties at once. As for pay, we believe that he will find an equivalent salary to that of the guard Captain's amenable. (My eyes almost popped out here- that's a lot.)

We know that these are odd orders, Kai, and we only ask that you remember the hiring of yourself, and the third day of your service to see this is indeed genuine. We know we are in danger, so there is a possibility that this shall reach you if we are deceased; hopefully, though, we shall be able to introduce this young man ourselves, and this letter shall not be needed.

Signed and sealed;

King Agdar of Arendelle and Queen Idun of Arendelle

…

Holy shit. The king and queen had essentially given me access to the entirety of the royal family, and the authority to isolate them for a good three years or expose them the day I arrived. Either the king and queen were naive fools, or they saw something in me I didn't, and still don't. I guess I'll have to live up to their expectations.

An internal grin spread- I love a challenge.

All this went through my mind in a heartbeat- I process information very quickly- and I look back up to Kai, meeting his gaze.

Offering my hand, I introduce myself, using my real name for the first time aloud in years. "Noctis Caelum, at your service. I hope that I can live up to the late king and queen's expectations."

He takes my hand, a ghost of a smile on his portly face. "Kai, majordomo of Arendelle castle, at yours. If that account is even remotely close to being accurate, you are quite welcome here. Please, follow me to the castle; we shall get you settled in, and I will introduce you to Princess Anna tomorrow, and maybe even Princess Elsa, if you wish."

Nodding, I rise from the table, followed by the guard and Kai. Offering my hand to the guard, startling him, I offer him a sardonic smirk. "I look forward to working with you, sir. I take no offence at your actions; they were in keeping with a guardsman who keeps his wits about him, and too few of them are about. I hope to see you soon- I need to spar with someone. Three months without practice, I might be a bit rusty!"

He laughs, a genuine belly laugh and clasps my arm- not a handshake, but a clasp of comradeship. "Ha, I look forward to it! The king was always an excellent judge of character; if he trusted you with that much authority, you must be something special indeed. Tomorrow, then?"

Releasing his hand, I turn and follow Kai to the castle gate, tossing my parting comment over my shoulder with a wave. "I look forward to it!"

Walking up the bridge with Kai, I get my first real look at the castle; it's an enormous thing, at least four double stories high- if it was a normal roof height, it would be counted at least ten, not counting the towers and fortified walls. Beautiful white stone is what it's made of, and even in the dreary rain it looks regal and proud. Kai looks back and chuckles a bit at my gaping mouth. "I had the same first impression, only I tripped! Now come along, I don't want to stay out in the rain any longer than I have to!"

Hurrying a bit now, we rush to the main gates, Kai knocking an elaborate rhythm on the gate before a guardsman opens it just enough for us to come in. Looking at their nervous faces, even this doesn't happen often. I have to wonder, was Elsa's gift so powerful or damaging that this level of secrecy was truly needed?

I guess I'll find out. I was broken out of my thoughts by Kai speaking again. "The room mentioned is actually being used as a study for Elsa, should she need it. To move the required supplies and fixtures will take around a day or so, so if you would like to-"

I cut him off, here; a private study would be great with helping Elsa control her power, whatever it is, so I could stand another room; it's not like I really cared where I would sleep, except it being near the princesses' room, lest she need help during the night.

"Kai, a private study is a private study; no need to tear it apart for me. Is there another room on the same floor, perhaps the same hallway that would be useable? I would prefer to sleep close, just in case."

Kai thinks for a moment, muttering to himself as he thinks. Finally, his face lights up and he hurries off, gesturing for me to follow. "Indeed there is, and it is already set up for a guest! No-one has used it, of course, so everything should be in order." We pass by a few doors, and stop one door down from a doorframe decorated with blue snowflakes.

"This is to be your room, sir! And, just for reference, the room next to yours, the one with the snowflakes painted onto the doorway? That is Princess Elsa's room- you couldn't be closer if you tried. Anna's is across the way and one down." Now he looks me over, taking in my single bag with a raised eyebrow. "Is that all you have with you? I had assumed you would carry more clothes and essentials with you…"

I grimace; I had forgotten about that. "Ah, sorry Kai. I hadn't thought of that, and on a sea voyage of three months I had little time for laundry. I'll see towards getting some better clothes tomorrow. I have a suitable set of clothes in the bag, so tomorrow won't be an issue."

Nodding, he opens the door and hands me the key. "Well, so long as you don't look too much like a drunken sailor, I have no qualm. Now, do you need to eat something? Dinner will be served in a few minutes. I can have something brought up to you, if you wish."

Shaking my head, I refuse. "No, I think I'll come to dinner. Good time to meet the staff and the princesses, eh?"

Kai's smile at my agreement to dine in the main hall crumples a bit at my following words. "Ah, well, Anna will be there, certainly; Elsa, however, always takes her meals in her room, so she won't be joining us, I'm afraid."

That brought a frown to my face. She had the option to eat with the others; as far as I could infer, that wasn't forbidden. So why didn't she?

Oh lord, what a mystery.

I hate mysteries.

Refocusing, I nod to Kai. "Well, I'll introduce myself tomorrow then! Still, I have to get ready for dinner. I remember the way to the main entry hall; how do I get to the dining hall from there?"

After a few moments I have the directions memorized. Bidding goodbye to Kai, I enter my new room. It's simple, smaller than the others on the hall due to being on the corner, but I'm not too picky. The furniture is nice, simple and understated but of good quality. I could get used to this!

Laying my duffel down, I unseal it and remove my assassin's gear. Looking around, I see no place to covertly stash it, so after removing my small armory from my bag, I replace the gear in it, re-seal it and simply shove it under the bed. Simple; I just hope nobody gets the smart idea to go through my stuff. Not looking forward to explaining that!

Arranging my large repository of knives, wire, daggers and bolts on the main table, I take inventory, keeping the two short-sword length cases on the bed for right now.

Three pouches of throwing knives, twenty each. Three rolls of matte black, monofilament copper wire- check. Wrist mounted bow? Check, needs a new re-cocking gear for the mechanism though. I have a spare here somewhere… Aha! There it is; I'll fix it later, when I get back to my room. Thirty standard bolts, fifteen specials- ten explosive, five poison, and my vial of antitoxin. My armored vest was a part of my assassin's outfit, so I'll have to make a replacement. Not too much of a problem.

Finally, I turn to the bed, looking over the two cases laid there. I open them one at a time, revealing the contents.

Each one contains a gauntlet of some sort of metallic substance, a matte-black that I have yet to encounter again after finding these. Harder than steel, but weighing around the same as light leather, these forearm guards are some of my best tools. They have a spring loaded blade along the edge opposite the thumb, the serrated blade springing out to be parallel to my arm and locking in place with just a button press. The left gauntlet has leather straps around it to attach my wrist-bow to it, anchored outside the blade's extension area

These were my best and favorite weapons, and I hadn't worn them in a long time; in assassinations, sometimes you have to dump everything you're carrying to have a chance of escape, and even with supernatural powers I've had to do the same. I didn't want to lose these, so I had stopped carrying them on jobs.

Bah, too much time spent on my weapons; not enough time to dry off normally, now. Ah well, my magic can take care of that.

Focusing, I bring the comforting feel of my magic to the surface, focusing on my clothes and body. One modified 'blink' spell later, I'm dry and across the room while a small puddle of water is on the floor where I was standing. Cracking my neck, I focus once again, but this time only on my clothes. Instead of bending the world, I pull the fabric of shadows across me, pulling the blackness free of its own world and molding it. By using my clothes as a base, I weave the shadows into reality, and they jolt into familiar forms, gaining color and definition. An odd way to make myself some formalwear for the dinner, but the result is quite nice.

I now have on what looks to be a set of black trousers, tailored to perfection. Ankle-high boots adorn my feet, military styled for comfort and utility, the toe reinforced like most others. My torso is covered in a dark grey long-sleeved shirt, tight against my chest but loose in the sleeves, just enough to hide my bracers of I remove the finger and wrist sections. On top of that, I have a jet black leather jacket to go on top. Inspecting this, I'm exasperated by my power- I thought I was over this quirk. The jacket isn't solid black like I thought; as I move, I spy small flashes of white and light, icy blue spots evenly spaced along the jacket. I look like I'm wearing the night sky; matches my name, at least.

Muttering to myself, I adjust my jacket on my shoulders. "Well, at least I'll be interesting!"

Time to go. Pausing only to strap the gauntlets- now bracers- and a few knives to myself, I brush open the door and head down the hall, never noticing the slightly open door that a single, curious blue eye peers out of.

I arrive in the dining hall just on time- and I draw quite a bit of attention. With no new visitors for quite a while, my appearance is quite a shock, let alone my unusual coat. Kai sees me and ushers me over to the main table, seating me next to the only empty place other than mine. As I sit, a small but polite barrage of questions descends upon me- Who are you, how are you doing, what's your business in the castle and so forth. Nothing too prying, just slightly lonely people wanting something new in their lives. I answer politely, joking a bit here and there, the warm, familial atmosphere comforting. Before too long, however, I notice no-one's eating- indeed, the food isn't out yet. Sending a curious look over to Kai, he leans over and whispers into my ear.

"We're waiting on Princess Anna, Noctis. She's the only one left, and we don't like to be rude and start without her- she's a lonely girl, without Elsa around her anymore."

I grimace in sympathy; it would suck to be separated like that. I just have to wonder if it was a good idea to close off the castle and the princesses like this!

I was broken from my thoughts by a loud bang and a youthful voice shouting as a redheaded girl burst through the main entrance. Looking up, I saw the resemblance to the late king and queen.

"Sorry, sorry everyone! I heard that someone new was here in the castle and I went looking and lost track of time… Sorry!"

This had to be Princess Anna- who was apparently my neighbor at the table, and upon seeing me she ground to a halt, a blush that she tried to hide creeping up her cheeks.

Kai stood, pulling out her chair, and she broke from her stupor and sat, Kai sliding her in. She sat for a moment there, sneaking looks at me as though I would disappear. Letting out an amused chuckle, I turn to her, offering my hand.

"Well, you found me! Noctis Caelum, at your service milady."

She took my hand and shook it, her blush of embarrassment subsiding a bit.

"W- well, my name's Anna. Nice to meet you! So, are you here to stay? Oh! Why did you come, anyway? And what's up with your coat?"

I blinked. Wow, she got over her embarrassment fast!

Shaking my head, I respond. "Well, to answer your questions in order, yes I am, to be your and your sister's bodyguard, and my coat is a mystery."

She just blinked at me as my answers sunk in. "Oh! Someone new, finally! No offense Cael, but it gets a bit boring here. And seriously, what IS up with your coat? It looks like the night sky!"

Shaking my head, I lean back a bit to better allow the server who had just arrived better access to the table.

"None taken; I can certainly imagine it would. Also, Cael? I don't mind, but most people don't give nicknames to people they just met. And as to my coat, think of what my name means and you might get a hint."

A bit too close to revealing my powers, but I bet they'll go for the impression that it was made for me because of my name.

She blinks. "What about your name? It's in a different language, but I don't know it…"

Kai gives her a grumpy look; apparently he's her Latin tutor, if I had to guess. "In Latin, my name directly translates to 'Night Sky'. So, my coat is just like my name, I guess."

Her eyes light up at the connection. "Oh, did you get it made like that? Where did you get it?"

I can't help but burst into full bodied belly laughter at her perky attitude, drawing many curious looks my way. After a few moments, I regain control of myself and address a puzzled Anna.

"Well, to answer your first question, I didn't have it made. For the second…" I let my voice trail off and let a sly smile appear on my face as I gesture to her to lean in closer.

She does, and I whisper in her ear…

"It's a secret!"

Her indignant squawk and huff brings laughter out across the table, and soon her scowl melts into a smile. She elbows me in the ribs, a false grumble in her voice. "I'll get you for this, you know!"

Giving her a cheeky grin, I reply; "I look forward to it!"

The rest of the meal passes in good cheer, talk of events and similar filtering in through the servants who live outside the castle. I was questioned on my origins a few times, but I always managed to deflect the conversation away; I didn't want to deal with that now. The meal slowly came to a close, the final highlight being when the chocolate cake was served; Anna let out a pleased shriek so loud my ears hurt, and I couldn't help but snark a bit.

"Anna, if you shriek like that again, we might be up to our armpits in dogs!" The incredulous look she gave me over stuffing cake into her mouth was enough to make my ribs hurt due to laughing; it was a great way to end the day. As we filtered out if the dining room, I catch Kai on his way out.

"Excuse me, Kai, but what time would be good to introduce myself to Elsa? I should ask, really, what time does she usually use her study- that's when I would like to speak to her, if possible."

He gives me this odd look, like I was crazy for wanting to disturb Elsa, but shrugs and replies. "Well, she is always in the study around noon; we always deliver lunch to her in there, so that would be a sure time to catch her there."

I think on it, weighing the pros and cons of approaching her in there; it was a private place for her, yes, but less so than her room. It was possibly the best place to approach her, so I made my decision.

"Well, it looks like I will be taking lunch with Elsa, if she'll have me. Thanks, Kai. I'll be skipping breakfast; I have errands to run, so I'll eat out or not at all. Thanks!"

I go to head to my room, but he stops me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. Nevertheless, I have to withhold my instinct to remove his hand from his arm; in fact, the only time I hadn't had to fight my combat instincts was when I was conversing with Anna. Hmm.

He caught my tenseness and respectfully dropped his hand as I turned around.

"Well, if you plan to have lunch with her, come to the dining hall around eleven tomorrow; I'll have trays made for you both, and you can take them up together. She doesn't open the door except to take food or to leave to her room, so this may be for the best."

The behavior he was describing was ringing alarm bells in my head, and I was seriously concerned. Not for the people of the castle- I believed they were safe enough; nothing had happened to them so far. No, I was worried about the Queen-to-be. This was excessively introverted behavior, and from the stories the servants told around the table earlier, it was very out of character for Elsa, regardless how long she had been up there.

Rubbing my forehead, I nod to Kai, my dark thoughts preventing me from answering verbally. Sensing my discomfort, he nods back and shuffles out. I head up to my room, feeling more than seeing Anna following me at a distance. She may be clumsy, but she knows the castle very well and can use it to her advantage. Feeling playful again, I turn a corner and merge into the shadow of the wall just before Anna reaches the intersection. She comes through, heading towards the next hall upon not seeing me. I pop out of the shadow and walk up behind her, footsteps as silent as only a master of stealth can make them. She was hesitating at the intersection, probably wondering which way I went.

Grin fully plastered on my face, I walk up and say in a low, whispered tone, "I believe he went to the left."

Without thinking, she responds; "Thanks!" … Then it sinks in and she turns and sees me standing there, shit-eating grin plastered on my face unashamedly. "WHA-!"

She jumps back, flailing into the hallway, tripping on the edge of the rug. I see where she's going to fall, and I blanch. The suit of armor there is holding a battle-axe- at just the right angle to cut her arm open good if she falls the way she's going to. Without much of an option, I flex my power just a bit, blipping forward a few feet to grab her arm, halting her inches away from the sharp blade.

"How- wha… How did you catch me?! I mean thanks, but you must have been too far away! How did you-?"

I just hold my hand up, forestalling her comments. "Anna, I'm just fast; that's all. Anyway, I'm glad you're alright. I was just trying to prank you for following me; sorry it turned out so badly. I'll leave you to your sleep."

I walk off, but she quickly catches up to me, babbling.

"No, no it's fine- I'm clumsy anyway. Really- thanks for helping me, ok? But still- how did you catch me following you? I was careful, and I didn't even see you look backwards!"

She was right- I hadn't. If I wasn't used to listening for the tiniest sounds possible, I wouldn't have noticed her. But still…

"Anna, I AM supposed to be your and Elsa's bodyguard- that IS why I came here, you know. Well, that and one other thing, but I digress. I'm very good at my job, and a good bodyguard has to see danger coming from miles away."

We walked and talked, she trying to elicit just what gave her away from me, and I was trying not to tell her- just to tease her. Finally, just as we came to her door, she unleashed her puppy-dog eyes.

"ALRIGHT! Ok, ok! Anna, I found you by listening for footsteps. I have trained myself so unless I concentrate, mine make no sound, so yours were the only other ones around. Now seriously- we should get to bed. Goodnight, Anna, and sweet dreams!"

She gives me a smile and waves back. "Goodnight Cael!"

I enter my room, stash my weapons and put one of my daggers under the pillow before changing out of my clothes and turning out the lamp- I'm out like a light the instant my head hits the pillow.

Steel and Shadows

Waking up in a luxurious bed after an awesome day was a new experience for me; I was often asleep in a hay loft or tree, it being too risky to stay in an inn after a job. Yet another thing I was appreciating. I listen for the quiet tick of the grandfather clock in my room for a moment, not really wanting to move before raising myself out of bed to look at the clock.

Six thirty in the morning. I blink to myself; really? Normally my internal clock wakes me just after five, but I wasn't complaining. Cracking my neck, I go about my morning exercise routine- pushups, sit-ups, handstands and the like. I do around two hundred reps of each before I grab my gauntlets and slide them on and start my katas with them. I ignore the throwing knives; no targets to practice with for them or the wrist bow.

Oh! The wrist bow; I still need to fix it. After finishing my morning exertions, I sit myself down and pull out a small toolkit and begin disassembling the most complicated item I own. The bow is a repeater; a small crank puts pressure on a spring that is used to re-cock the limbs of the bow after every shot, the pull-back stripping another bolt from the 'bandoleer' that runs underneath it. The gear that needs replacing is the one that governs the auto-reloading process; the bow would still work if it broke, but would need manually reloaded. Not too big an issue, but still a concern. Replacing it after taking apart the assembly and looking for other wear and tear, I pronounce it fit for use and prime the spring. It's good for forty-five consecutive shots before needing re-cranked, and I haven't fired it since the last reload, so it's still under tension; I release and re-crank it, just to be sure.

My gear all together, I step into the bathroom and clean myself off, rinsing the sweat from my exertions off before re-donning my outfit from last night. Heading to the door, I strap my bracers on, adding my repaired bow to my left wrist, it folding out of sight for now. I stow a few throwing knives on each arm again, five on my right and three on my left, with more in my belt and at my ankles. Strapping a small, utilitarian dagger to my waist mostly for show or emergencies, I judge myself ready to face the day. I head out of the castle, taking the path I used yesterday to come in. I'm not worried about getting locked out; I can just 'blink' inside if I need to. I exit the front gates and head into the market, looking for a blacksmith that might make what I need. I look for around three hours, the marketplace filling up as I look. Finally, after visiting three smiths and finding that they don't do leather-work, I come across one that might work. Heading in, the heat from the forge smacks me in the face like a hammer. Weathering it, I call out to the owner.

"Hello! Anyone available? I'm here to ask about custom work. Can you help me?"

A gruff voice sounds off in the back. "Yeah, just a minute- gotta finish with this casting here."

Settling in to wait, I stand there for around five minutes- not a bad wait considering- before a large man lumbers out of the back.

"Names Kel, I do the work here. Whaddaya need, son?"

Not batting an eyelash at his treatment- I like the straight down to business type- I tell him. "I need an armored vest, hardened leather with steel plates inside to stop light projectiles, front and back. Cloak as well, same armor around the neck and cowl, hardened to prevent choking. Also, a set of full-arm sleeves for the vest, if possible, also with the steel plates inlaid, possibly thicker at the shoulder. On those, no armor needed at the fore-arm or wrist, just softer leather suitable to meet skin for long periods of time. I can pay, no worries."

His gob-smacked stare is worth my frank description. After a moment, he lets out a belly laugh, holding out his arm. "Sounds like a CHALLENGE! Getting leather an' steel to work like that without being obvious its armor? I like your style, boy. It'll be done in two weeks, and the price is gonna be around five hundred. Sound fair?"

I blink- five hundred is a steal. He must have seen the look on my face, because he answered my thoughts straight out. "I said it was a challenge, and I LIKE challenges. Plus, my brother works with the guard and described you last night- he's the young-un you met at the guard house. He heard the whole story."

Emerging from my stupor, I grin and shake his hand. "Deal. Sounds like I might need to some here some more!"

With another deep laugh, he waves me off. I leave the sweltering smithy and head back to the castle, seeing as it's around ten now. Might as well get that spar in, huh?

After a walk through the main hall, I ask a passing maid where the guard barracks are; she directs me towards a courtyard opposite the main entrance. I emerge into the sun to the sounds of men sparring, clashing swords and the metallic drone of whetstones. I look around and soon spot the 'sarge'- he's dressing down tow surly looking men for, and I cock an ear as I walk up to him, apparently not listening to him about how to fight; they seem to think he doesn't know what he's doing. 'Sarge'- I really need to learn his name- sees me approaching, and I see an evil smirk come upon his face- and I think I like what he's cooking up, if I'm right. He waves me over, staring down the two burly brawlers the whole time.

As I arrive, they look at me, evaluate me and immediately dismiss me. I mentally scoff; amateurs.

I greet sarge with an arm clasp. "Hey sarge- What is your name, anyway? I didn't get it yesterday."

He just laughs. "Sarge is close enough- it's actually Sergei and 'Sarge" stuck when I hit that rank. Anyway, these two idiots think that being burly will let 'em win every time. Wanna prove them wrong for me?"

I look them over and look back at him. "I thought I was supposed to spar with you, not beat up two meat-heads."

The two meat-heads took offense; cracking knuckles and looming. I just stare at them, supremely uninterested in their posturing as Sergei replies.

"Well, I though you could use a warm-up; I'm good to go, got my exercise done an hour ago. So, you in?"

Looking back at Brick #1 and Brick #2, I shrug. "Yeah, sure. Rules?"

He looks me over and a truly malicious smile comes over his face. "Yep- weapons allowed, to first blood only. You can take what you've got on, they can grab a sword or shield off the rack."

I like this guy; he saw my armament and set the meat-heads up for humiliation. They thought they got the better deal, and grunted and nodded, each grabbing a bastard sword from the rack.

I crack my neck and jump in the ring, vaulting the fence like it's nothing. The big guys lumber in, and I can see that more than half the yard's watching this.

Good.

"Well Sergei, I'm good to go. Just say the word!" I call out, not even bothering to draw my dagger. The two slabs of meat just grin and heft their swords.

Sergei just waves his hand, all lackadaisical. "Well, get it over with!"

The brutes charged at the same time. Rolling my eyes, I duck forward, coming up behind the arcs of their swords as they swing them. Poking them both in the ribs, legs and over the kidneys, I roll back before they could do anything. They laugh at me, and speak for the first time where I could hear them.

"What, you think poking us is gonna take us out pansy?"

I just smirk. "No, but think for a moment. If I had my knife drawn and hit you two where I poked you, what do you think would have happened?"

Their faces go red as they realize I just taunted them. Roaring, they charge again, this time one swinging horizontally while the other watched me.

Interesting; they CAN learn, but not the lesson that Sergei wants them to. So, drawing my knife, I duck the first swing, going almost flat to the ground, and the swing from the second guy I roll away from, his sword sticking in the packed dirt. I jump up, drawing my dagger along the first man's arm where the wrist is, enough to split the skin but nothing else. I hear him growl in frustration as I duck the other guy's second swing, before I dart in and, in a show of agility, use his buddy as a springboard in a jump-kick that lands squarely on his temple, knocking him cold. His comrade, still not twigging to the fact that I blooded him, yells and swings again, and I just sidestep, turn and slap him upside the head and yell.

"Hey, idiot! Look at your wrist; spar's over, I won!"

Finally, he glances down to see she thin lines of blood running down his hand and onto the sword. I jump out of the ring and make my way to Sergei, him giving me an appraising look. I reach him just as the meat-heads approach, the one having woken up just then with one hell of a headache. Predictably, they shout at me.

"What the hell! Pansy- you cheated! No way would that little cut on my wrist win a fight!"

The other just keeps silent; he knows he lost, and why- he's the one who stood back to watch for my reaction to the first guy's attack. I'm about to tear him a new one, complete with plumbing when Sergei beats me to it.

"You COMPLETE MORON! HE PULLED THE BLOW SO HE DIDN'T TAKE YOUR GODDAMN HAND OFF! If he sliced you like that in a REAL fight, you would have lost a hand and then your life! Hey, show him what you got packing so he can see how much he fucked up!"

I oblige, whipping out my array of throwing knives, popping the blades on my bracers- that scared them, I could have just backhanded them and jut them open but good-and their faces when I showed them my crossbow?

Well, if they got any whiter, snow would look dirty. To save them a bit of a tongue-lashing, I address them before Sergei gets to it.

"The point that Sergei is making, boys, is that you need to fight smarter, not harder. Sure, brute force can be very helpful- in fact, it's a great thing to have on your side. But all that muscle is useless if a guy can simply duck in and stab you before you can hit him. If each of you used a smaller sword alongside a shield, I would have a hard time getting you with my bow or daggers, and you would be able to swing at me faster. That way, you could wear me down; keep me out of that close range vulnerability I used with the wrist slice and jump-kick. So, lesson learned?"

The guy holding his head still looks pained, but he nods and I see the gears turning in his head- he gets it. The other guy just looks sullen- only time will tell with him.

Sergei just waves them off, looking over at me with amusement. "I only spotted those bracers- nice pieces of work, by the way. Still, you look to be taking your job mighty serious, and you are not rusty in the least- at least, not in a way a spar with me would help with. I recommend you get some target practice in with the daggers and bow; it'll help you more than swingin' around a sword, as it seems you don't use one."

I smirk and head to the bow range, but not before tossing off a comment to him as I leave; "Oh, I use a sword, just not one like any of these!"

I get to the range, finding one setup to be fairly far away for throwing knives and one next to it at a good distance for my wrist-bow. Settling into my stance, I block out the men watching to flow into my throws. Whipping my arms across each other, I grab two knives from each arm before completing the motion, sending them to THUNK into the wooden target, side-by-side in the bull's-eye. The pair remaining in my hands I throw on the back-stroke, making a square out of the knives on the target before drawing one last one and sending it whizzing through the air to land, perfectly, in the center of the square I drew with the knives. Coming back to reality after my three-second drop into combat-time, I leave them there for the moment and move on to the bow area, cocking the action on the bow, even though I don't need to; it just adds a bit of extra force to the arrow.

This time, I take a knee and sight along my arm before, without warning, triggering the release twice in quick succession…

Both bolts ending up side by side in the bulls-eye.

Taking a breath, I stand and turn away, walking a few paces to the left, hiding the target behind half of the bale of hay used as a partition. Without warning, I drop into a combat roll, coming up on my knee, arm sighted, and fire six shots- the remaining regular bolts in the bandoleer I had attached- at the target. I was a bit off due to the sudden aiming and the increased distance –I had rolled further away before turning- but the grouping was still within the bull's-eye, with only two just outside it. Standing all the way up, I re-crank the mechanism on my wrist-bow the requisite amount of turns and go to retrieve my bolts and daggers, ignoring the astonished faces of those behind me. I was just happy that I could still do that as well as I used to. Collecting and re-arming with my bolts- the hay target kept them intact and re-usable, I grab my knives next, only to see that two had bent and weren't quite up to my standards any more. Shrugging and stowing them so I could hone and straighten the lot of them, I restock my arm-holsters from my pouch, and head inside, my exercises done. The crowd parted for me, still in awe of what I had done; I paid them no mind, I was thinking on what was happening next.

Time to meet the other Princess.

I swing by my room to quickly rinse off the grime from my brief bout and tumble, using my little trick to dry myself before heading down to the kitchens to grab the lunch trays for Elsa and I. Kai was there, waiting for me even though I was still a few minutes early. I grabbed the trays and was on my way out when he stopped me.

"Noctis, I don't know why the late king and queen trusted you so much, but please- help Elsa. We don't know why she sequesters herself, and she won't tell us, but still."

He looks up at me and places a pleading hand on my arm.

"Help her, please."

I give him a firm nod and a smile before heading up the stairs and down the hallway.

Time to see what I can do.

Sure enough, I see a moving shadow under the looser-fitted door to the study, indicating that someone is in there currently. Gently knocking, I speak softly through the door.

"Your highness, your lunch is here."

I detect a small sigh, and the scrape of a chair being pushed out. The clicking of the lock being disengaged confuses me; why lock the door? The whole castle will respect your privacy…

I shake off the thoughts, keeping a poker face on as the door opens. I was prepared for many things, from a person made of fire to a stereotypical hag woman boiling a hapless amphibian in her pot, but not this.

She was beautiful; her platinum blonde hair, although done up in a severe bun accentuated her glacial, ice-blue eyes perfectly, and I could feel my heart skip a beat. Her dress, although more drab than I would have expected, was simple and accentuated her curves marvelously. Anna was pretty, yes, and could draw many looks on her own but I thought that Elsa here was far surpassing her in almost every way.

I'm not sure how I managed to keep my frank admiration off my face, but I managed it somehow.

She opened the door just wide enough for me to come in before closing it behind me. She seemed to shy away from me, like she feared physical contact; odd. I also noted that the ambient temperature of the room was cooler than the rest of the castle; how, I don't know, but it was. I set the tray down, and only then did she notice that there were two platters there. She looked up at me quizzically, not saying a word, so I took the initiative. Giving her a smile, I spoke.

"Hello, Princess Elsa, my name is Noctis Caelum, and I am here to be your bodyguard and tutor."

Her completely blank look was a bit disheartening, I admit. Still, I forged on.

"I thought to introduce myself during lunch, and I hope you don't mind that presumption. I noticed you are uncomfortable with touch, and I assure you, I will stay as far away as makes you comfortable."

Her eyes widen at my admission, and I hear her voice for the first time; it's sweet and melodious, perfectly suited for singing and I had to fight to keep my emotion off my face again.

"Well, Noctis, was it? Thank you for the lunch, but I'm afraid I don't need a tutor or bodyguard; I stay in my chambers or here, nowhere else, and I learn just fine from these books." As she mentioned her learning, she sweeps her hand out to indicate the shelves of books and scrolls adorning the room; this wasn't a study, it was a library!

I can't keep my comment to myself, it just slipped out. "That is a LOT of books."

Somehow, this earned a small giggle from her, and I couldn't help but smile at her- it was a beautiful sound. Still, I had to explain just why I was here.

"Well, Princess Elsa, I can understand why a bodyguard might be a bit superfluous and you wouldn't need a tutor for these subjects, but…"

I broke off here- I was not looking forward to bringing this up, but I had to. "Well, Elsa, I was with your mother and father when they sailed out. I'm sure you heard of the pirate attack, just before the… Well, you know."

She nods, a frown forming on her face as the room temperature dipped again- okay, not a coincidence. Still, I have to keep going. Taking a deep breath, I look her in the eyes and get the rest out all at once.

"Well, there was more to the pirate attack than was reported. The pirates were more skilled at sea combat than the guardsmen, and were wiping them out. I was…" Here I smirked- here goes nothing!

"Well, I was a stow-away, and I heard the fighting. I decided to help, so I came on deck. Elsa, the reason I'm here is because your mother and father saw me wipe out the pirates with something they were shocked to see."

Focusing, I pull on my own shadow, bringing it up into my hand, forming it into a ball that hovered just above my palm.

Elsa's eyes were very, very wide and the room temperature took a nosedive- I could see my breath. Still, I continued on, dropping the shadow back down.

"I've had this power since I was a baby- born with it, I guess, didn't know my parents so I can't say for sure. I had a whole lot of trouble controlling it for the longest time; I would get angry and tendrils would attack what I was mad at, afraid and the room would go black to everyone but me. People were afraid- Hell, I was afraid; I tried to conceal it, not let them know, but bottling my emotions just made it worse in the long run. But slowly I practiced with it, finding and ironing out the kinks, forging a system so it did what I wanted, not what it wanted. Now, I can do so much with it- even things that aren't to do with shadow or night. I believe you can learn the same control, too."

"After I helped rid the ship of the pirates, your mother and father invited me to dinner, and they offered me a job- to tutor you in controlling your gift. They didn't tell me what your ability was; they just gave me a letter of employment just in case. I assume that they meant me to find out from them closer to when I met you."

I let out a sigh. "The storm hit the day after the pirate attack; I was in the hold, and a wave knocked me into a crate, knocking me out. I awoke to being pulled into a lifeboat."

Clasping my hands in front of me, I just sit there for a moment, head bowed, before I spoke again, not lifting my head; I was opening up about what I really felt about something- not an everyday event, especially for me.

"I want to help you, Elsa. Please let me. I'm not doing this for pay, or out of responsibility. I'm doing it because nobody should live shut in like this. I'm doing it because it was your mother and father's last request, in my eyes. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do. But most importantly?"

I look up, meeting her still wide eyes- she was breathing quickly, like she was scared of something.

Softly, I speak to her.

"I want to do this because you deserve a life."

She locks gazes with me, neither of us blinking. Slowly, she starts to calm down, the temperature warming to the previous level slowly as her breathing goes back to normal. Finally, she speaks to me in a hushed, worried tone.

"You really think you can help me? You're not afraid of me hurting you?

I stand up and walk over to her, just out of arm's reach, and crouch down, meeting her eyes as she stays seated.

"I do. And you won't hurt me; all you need is practice, and I can help you with that. Remember, bottling it doesn't work; trapped ice shatters the container."

I hold out a hand, and she looks at it fearfully; I finally understand why touch freaks her out; the chair is frosted over. She must be afraid of hurting someone. So, I pull my power along my arm, coating it in shadows, pulling them out of the black, making them into fabric. Elsa watches, fascinated, as a soft glove appears on my hand. Reaching out, she takes my hand, and I smile.

"Progress, one step at a time."