Author Note: Sorry for taking so long. Between work, school and trying to keep with the mood of the story I haven't had a lot of time.

Chapter 2

The Price of Failure

Elsa woke up groggily sunlight streaming in from outside. She sighed sitting upright. She clutched her side feeling a little pain but for the most part she felt fine.

Kai walked into her room immediately "I'm sorry your majesty but something is happening you should be aware of right now!"

Elsa sighed rising "What is it Kai?"

"The citizens are demanding that Van Helsing leave immediately."

She rose up and walked toward her balcony and immediately snapped awake. People stood with pitchforks and torches. She sighed then turned to Kai.

"Summon Van Helsing to me."

"That's just it your Majesty. He vanished after dropping you off. He said he went to check on Princess Anna and Lord Kristoff."

Elsa sighed a little bit "With her child I am glad that she is safe."

"But he fears this battle could be much worst. He spat at a few council men that decided to confront him making sure they knew full well what was at stake here."

Elsa shook her head sitting on the bed "Anything else?"

"Yes a witchhunter is being summoned."

Elsa immediately turned to him shocked "Who ordered!"

"Lormer's orders. He's also having the guards searching for Van Helsing."

Elsa rose up "Contact my brother in law Kristoff immediately. I want this sorted out immediately. Also assemble the council men. It's time that we meet again."

(Van Helsing P.O.V.)

I woke up to someone shaking me. I looked up to see the Mountain Man before me. He sat down across from me.

"So what happened?"

I sighed looking out the window "I took out a few werewolves, encountered a vampire along with some of those witches you spoke of. They were quite interesting in your daughter."

He leaned back and sighed "Everyone is these days."

"Who is allowed near her?"

The mountain man turned to me then looked out the window "Only the palace servants Elsa has stationed here to keep Anna comforted for a long time. Why does that matter?"

I rose up looking around "They threatened your child claiming it would die the second of childbirth."

He rose immediately "What?! Why didn't you tell me last night instead of coming in and walking through my house slowly."

I eyed him carefully "Because witches are crafty and so are the vampires. None of them are to be taken lightly. They could easily have already been in and I had to act immediately."

The Mountain man stared at me for a moment then sighed "I guess that makes sense. But why would they want the child?"

"Halloween or some other Sabbath they have when they need the blood of a child to make an offering to whatever entity they believe is out there giving them strength."

The mountain man looked out of the window scowling slightly "If they even try to hurt her."

"Don't do anything foolish." I said calmly "I've already got them angry at me. No need to make them furious at the royal family."

He shot up immediately "They want my daughters blood!" He shouted "I won't let them take what I love from me!"

I rose up slowly. I met his eyes then looked out the window. I turned entering the main hall putting on my hat and cloak.

The Mountain man came into the hall "I won't let them take our child from us."

I looked at him then at the door where a cross sat. I pointed to it.

"This may block the magic from afar and allow your child a little bit more time."

I turned to leave when I heard a scream which made both of us turn. The man ran up the steps much faster than I did reaching the door mere moments before I did. A woman stood in front blocking our entrance.

I watched him carefully as he began pacing furiously Princess Anna screaming her head off. I turned to the woman. She appeared to be a simple serving girl barely twenty I believe.

"What is happening?"

The woman smiled "Anna is bearing a child and perhaps heir to the kingdom."

I merely nodded. The Mountain man was nervous and should be. I've heard and seen women who went into labor only to have died during the event with the child a stillborn.

It was usually a witch when I was called but once and a while it was just nature nothing more. I walked up to the man.

"I believe you could use some mead. Come let's leave downstairs to wait for this to end."

He nodded as I helped him down the steps as Anna's screams pierced the air. I walked to the kitchen and found the ale. I took out two small shot glasses which surprised me a little but then again he had married the princess. They could afford such luxuries that the average man could not.

I set down the glasses and filled them. I watched as he took his glass drinking it down in the single gulp shaking his head.

"So explain to me how you and Anna met."

The Mountain Man sighed "Well to be honest it's a long story."

I pulled up a stool and sat down "We've got time. I think this may help your nerves more than just drinking this ale."

I poured him another glass and set the bottle down downing mine before looking at him.

"So just how did you and Princess Anna meet?"

He leaned back "Well the Princess and I met a long time ago. Six wonderful years. I was an Ice Harvester working in the mountain with others bringing ice down to those that sold fish so their goods would last longer and bars that liked to keep their drinks cold and seem a little more classy."

Anna screamed pierced the air. The Mountain Man rose but I merely placed a hand on his shoulder.

I nodded "She's going to be alright. Just be patient my friend."

He sat down on his chair then sighed "I had finished a deliver and was taking care of Sven sharing a carrot."

He stopped looking at me carefully as I poured myself another glass. I looked up at him.

"Carry on."

He gained a puzzled look for a moment then shrugged "Well Anna had just been allowed out of the castle and hadn't been paying attention. She bumped into me by mistake and we had an awkward first impression. At the time I thought she was clumsy and rude. Never in my life had I planned to marry a princess."

I looked out the window "Plans never are just as they seem."

I turned to him "Believe me life is strange in many ways my friend."

"The name is Kristoff."

I smiled a bit taking another drink of the ale "So was that it or is there more to this tale you have to tell. I can't believe that nothing happened or I wouldn't be sitting in this house speaking with you at this moment."

He nodded "Yes I had gone into the mountain to gather more ice to harvest so I could sell it. A major blizzard happened a few moments after caused by a freak event."

I raised my finger "I do believe that her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle wouldn't want you calling her a freak of nature."

He looked at me surprised. I smiled leaning back slightly.

"I know more then you think I do. Elsa was at one point watched very closely by my employers. Now though we couldn't care less."

He nodded "So anyway I went to a trading post in search of supplies. I was running low and I had no choice because of the storm. When I entered I gathered my supplies and walked past Anna again. We still weren't on good terms. But I was focusing on trying to get my supplies. The trader was overcharging to take advantage and things didn't work out."

"Tossed out of a trading post?"

He nodded smirking slightly "Had that ever happen?"

I shook my head taking another drink "No I was thrown out of Parliament after killing the vampire of Queen Elizabeth. Not a pretty picture to have happen."

He looked at me surprised. I merely put the glass down.

"Care to continue?"

He sighed putting his glass down half full still of ale "I stayed the night in a barn nearby. It was warm and out of the wind. That was all I needed. She came in moments after all of the goods purchased and made a deal."

I raised an eyebrow "Were you sweet on her? I mean you'd have made more money by doing your work rather then helping her?"

Kristoff leaned forward "Listen at that time I wasn't really in love. I felt something but I wasn't sure what."

I merely smiled "I shall not interrupt your tale again."

He looked at me and smiled "It took some persuading on her part but she managed to get me up from the barn that night and head up the north mountain. It was dangerous enough during the day and a nightmare at night. But Anna was bent on speaking with her sister that nothing could stop her."

"I have a feeling things didn't go as planned?"

He nodded with a smile "In many ways they went wrong. Not long after we had set out we were attacked by a pack of wolves."

Wait a minute. Attacked by a pack of wolves? I leaned forward looking at him.

"Did these wolves appear odd? Odd in any manner at all?"

He was about to answer when he paused thinking about it. He met my eyes.

"Now that I think about it. They're eyes weren't right. They had a wild savage look to them. Almost like they only wanted to kill."

I rubbed my chin leaning back "I wonder?"

I rose up from the stool and looked out the north window to the mountains. I scowled slightly as I took a swallow of ale. The witches must have stakes this place out for their master. I just hope it was not Dracula. This time I wouldn't have the cure and be a werewolf forever.

A scream made me turn. Kristoff looked up the stairs as the screams died. I walked up slowly hearing the cry of an infant. He rose up immediately a smile spreading across his face.

He immediately ran to the stairs vanishing from sight. I smiled slightly shaking my head. I poured out another glass and raised it.

"Many happy returns." I whispered silently before taking the slug myself. The door opened immediately and Her Majesty came in wearing her ice dress.

I walked toward her slowly "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"This is my sister's home." Elsa answered calmly "I came here to see my sister."

She eyed me carefully "And why are you here?"

"I came to keep an eye on them in case the witches came calling during the night. I wasn't about to let them get a hold of her or her child."

Elsa looked at me then up the stairs as the mid-wife came down. She looked at us then toward the ground. Elsa immediately paled two shades whiter then I thought possible with her pale skin. She ran up immediately while I merely walked.

I heard a slight sobbing from above. I scowled slightly walking toward the door frame. I looked into find Kristoff holding Princess Anna's hand. Elsa held a young child in her arms as Kristoff knelt before his wife crying. I walked in slightly then turned to a servant. I motioned her outside and she came. I looked inside then turned to her.

"What is happening?"

"Princess Anna is weak, too weak." The serving girl said "We're not sure if she will survive. To be honest I don't think she deserves to die."

I looked inside "It's not for us to choose who remains and who will die."

"She is a kind woman who loves her sister and husband more than anything in the entire world."

I looked at the four in the room "Yes but sometimes not even love is enough."

I turned to her "You may return to what you were doing."

She walked back inside the silent room and began cleaning. I looked at Kristoff as he held Anna's hand crying slightly scared of what may happen.

I walked over to the window as silently as I could. I opened the curtain slightly and immediately caught sight of a woman dressed in black speaking with the mid-wife.

I turned back to Anna moving from her to the child. I looked back out for a moment seeing the glint of gold. I shot off out of the room drawing my revolvers making everyone turn as I ran off breaking the somber tone.

I opened the door scowling. I saw the woman in black and mid-wife still speaking. I moved forward checking the bullets before putting them into their holsters. If this was one of the witches then it would be an interesting conversation.

The woman in black looked up and immediately shouted something but I was out of ear shot. The mid-wife turned and they both stepped back before running.

Dang it!

I shot after them racing to catch them before they vanishing into Arendelle and the crowds which would hide them from me.

I raised one of my revolvers "Stop!"

The witch hissed something and the mid-wife nodded. She turned drawing a dagger charging at me. I blocked with my free hand using one of my blades. She recoiled as I stood there solid. She hissed then began circling me. I scowled looking at her as we moved in a circle.

"What did you do!"

"You don't understand outsider! You don't know what is happening here in Arendelle!"

"Enlighten me then." I said calmly "I'm willing to listen."

The mid-wife looked at me coldly "All you need to know is that this was happening long before and will be happening forever."

I moved forward ready to grab her so she'd answer but she beat me to the punch. She slit her own throat cutting it halfway through.

I ran up as she collapsed to the ground blood pouring out of her throat and mouth dying her clothes slowly red. I tried pressing on he wound.

"Damn it woman! I would have let you live!"

She smiled then began wheezing. It took me a moment to realize it but she was laughing! She was finding this funny for some reason.

Her eyes slowly rolled back in her head as blood poured out onto the ground. I stared there looking at her body then rose up. I looked back toward the house then at the mid-wife's dead body.

I looked toward the city carefully. Who were these people? They weren't simply a coven. No there was much more at work and I would find out what it was.