Tryggvason Garrison, Northern Arendal

Surtrsen was partaking in his morning outdoor prayers when the soldier approached him. One of the garrison's couriers, the young man had proven to be a good and loyal man towards the crusade. Still in his late teens, the lad's floppy blond hair, hazel eyes and light stubble made him look like a boy. It was for men like him Surtrsen hoped to build the new world.

"Your holiness."

"Yes soldier?"

"Lieutenant Bjuvsen sends his apologies, sir. Some of the heathens were able to escape last night, and are likely spreading word."

"Very well." Surtrsen paused and reflected, as his desire was to keep his insurrection quiet until the return of their holy champion, the Angel sent from God. But God was one to test his faithful. So despite the disappointment, he was not going to grow angry at what he knew to be a good officer. No, it was time to go truly public.

"Ralf, was it?"

"Yes sir?"

"Assemble the Company Commanders."

"If they ask for the reason, sir?"

"Simple. We reveal ourselves to the world today.

…

The Royal Palace, Arendal Proper

Elsa and Anna sat eating a late breakfast, as Anna had only recently awoken, despite Elsa having been awake for hours at this point. The two had eaten in silence up to this point, as Anna was still waking up and Elsa was gathering courage to tell Anna the hard truths she had learned the night before. It was Anna who started conversation though, after a glance at the clock.

"Didn't you have a meeting today?"

"I did actually, however a number of the ministers had to delay until tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yes. Jamesen had duties that took him east, and due to a bridge collapse he had to take a longer route. He'll be coming in tonight, and will start the meeting tomorrow morning."

"Sure, but that's one guy. What about the rest?"

Elsa chuckled, before explaining. "Well, with the exception of Minister Lundgren, the rest of the opposition does not wish to start without Jamesen. Apparently they're terrified of me."

Anna rolled her eyes at the apparent cowardice of the would-be traitors. "And Lundgren, the ogre?"

"Lundgren may be a crass and vulgar man, but he's no coward. If he had to, he'd act on himself if he felt it necessary. You know he once told Papa that if he vetoed a reform bill he drafted, he'd challenge him to a duel?"

"Holy crap, what happened?"

"Well, Papa was in one of his moods and as such told Lundgren to ready his dueling pistols. Next day, Lundgren surrendered a pair of dueling pistols to the Castle Guard, and requested a Guardsman bring it to the council meeting, 'just in case'. By the end of the meeting, the bill was passed and Lundgren was promoted to his current position."

"Damn..." Anna thought for a second, before shifting to her original upbeat point. "Anyhow, you feeling confident about tomorrow then?"

"Anna, about that." Elsa paused, trying to think of the best words to say what she felt needed saying. "Anna, they… may be right. I'm not meant to rule."

"Elsa, of course you are! You are the queenliest person I know. You are also incredibly kind and considerate. If anything, you are too considerate of others."

"Anna, that's not true. I… I hurt you."

"Yes, but that was an accident, and I'm cured now. Right?" The last bit was less of a question, and meant as a reassurance. But it left Elsa a gap she needed.

"Anna… that's not necessarily true." Elsa struggled to tell the truth, but she needed this to be in the clear. "Grandpabbie told me something. Something terrible. The curse of the frozen heart, it cannot be cured."

Anna chuckled in a dismissive fashion, as if she had just been told the sky was green. "What are you talking about, I was thawed. I'm fine."

"Anna, it's not that simple. The initial freeze was just the first part. It's some sort of evil test. Even if someone does commit an act of true love, they are still cursed until they die. If any love leaves your heart, ice will find its way in and take its place. Which is why…" Elsa feebly gestured towards the white stress streak that prominently featured itself in Anna's otherwise strawberry blonde hair.

"Elsa, no matter what, it doesn't matter! So I can't become a bitter hateful person, it doesn't matter! It was an accident!"

"Anna, Grandpabbie said otherwise. He said that the Curse cannot have been accidental, that some part of me must have wanted it, or it could not have happened."

"You wanted proof of my love for you…" Anna looked puzzled and hurt for but a moment, before she regained her determined expression of understanding. "Is that so bad? Elsa, I was convinced for quite a bit that you hated me. If subconsciously you wanted evidence of my sibling love for you, while you were overwhelmed by emotion, then so what?"

"Anna, it nearly killed you! Hell, it actually did kill you!"

"But you didn't mean it!" Anna stamped her foot down in frustration, as she tried yet again to coax her still self-hating sister into actually tolerating herself. "You didn't actually decide to hurt me! It was the back of your head, the part of us where we all think terrible things that used knowledge you didn't even know you had to test me. So I have to be a loving person for the rest of my life, I can think of worse curses."

Elsa had calmed down slightly, but she was still not in an eager mood. "Anna, if the ministers do rule against me, I will not fight it. So I ask you, will you take the throne, if you must?"

"Elsa, you are the true Queen, not me. But I am the Crown Princess. If you will not rule…" Anna sighed deeply, as she hated to say what came next. "… I will do my duty and rule."

"Thank you Anna."

"But it's not going to come to that Elsa, you'll see. Now let's stop thinking of such things and go see Rapunzel again. She leaves tomorrow and I want to see her as much as possible."

…

Valley of the living rock, Arendal.

Kristoff rolled his eyes as the horsemen behind him began yet another pointless conversation to pass the time. He understood the reason why they had come along, as the Queen- Elsa, didn't like the idea of sending Kristoff off alone with a Draugr on the loose. She had played it off this morning as a mere insurance to insure that the memory crystals were reached as planned, but he had begun to piece together that the Queen was on to him. He half expected the soldiers to lead him out to a shallow ditch and 'disappear' him, but so far they had been nothing but friendly. Too friendly.

While he actual fond of traveling, it was because the large degree of silence he was afforded and lack of human interaction. But for the entire journey these guys had simply not shut up. He was tempted to drive an ice pick into his brain, but he at last spotted the cooking fires of the trolls and sighed in relief. It was starting to get cold up in the mountains as night fell, and Anna's scarf around his neck and his woolen clothes were only going to do so much good.

"Come on, we are almost there. Now careful, trolls are shy but are ferocious when confronted. Don't do anything stupid."

"Yes sir, but is all that smoke normal?"

"Don't worry that's just-"A closer glance at the smoke told him that his initial judgement was wrong now. He had seen those fires a thousand times, and they never produced smoke like that. These were closer to a forest fire or a house fire-

Oh no.

He hopped off his sled in a heartbeat, readying both an ice pick and a hunting knife as the cavalrymen also dismounted in concern. While he didn't doubt their courage or ability, he also didn't want them rushing in guns blazing in-case he was wrong.

"One of you stay with the cart and Grandpabbie, the rest follow me. Keep alert but let's not charge in there. That sound reasonable fellows?"

"Of course, Master Bjorgman." The senior soldier spoke, before issuing a slew of instructions to the others to achieve the effects desired. Meanwhile Kristoff moved up the base of the hill, scanning to see if the trolls had left any nasty traps. A quick glance told him no.

He clumsily waved his hand forward as the small group climbed over the small crest that separated them and the clearing that served as the troll's commons, dodging hissing geysers as they went. It took them little time and little breath to make it to the top, but once they did their breath was taken away.

All before them the Valley was in smoke and flames, as the normally well-hidden hovels the trolls called home burned with a strange glow in the twilight. And to make matters worse, a number of trolls laid strewn about, deathly still. Blinded by anger and horror, Kristoff sprinted into the smoke.

"Bulda! Cliff!" His heart raced as he shouted for his adoptive family, while running about in desperation to find them. Just as the horrible feeling of loss began to sink in, he spotted a familiar site: Bulda's signature ruby red crystal necklace glowing in the smog. Relief overcame him as he ran forward, calling out his adopted mother's name.

He ran towards the glow smiling, but the joy faded from his lips as the glow changed height dramatically, far too high for a troll. Two blue lights appeared in the smoke, and a second later the uneasiness hit him hard. And that scared the shit out of him.

"You looking for someone, child?" The Draugr coyly remarked as she emerged from the smoke, her every word unnerving Kristoff immensely. "Well, the trolls are a bit preoccupied now, so I doubt they'll be of much help to you lad."

Finding anger to be his only strength, Kristoff lashed out as a way to bolster his quite tested courage. "You, YOU did all this! You killed all these people!"

"Well… yeah." She answered nonchalantly while shrugging her shoulders. "Only the ones that got in my way. After all, I'm not a monster". Despite having a steel mask covering her face, Kristoff could simply feel the evil, sarcastic grin the Draugr made after that last line. To that, Kristoff didn't have a response other than an expression of dismay and horror at how lightly she took all this.

"Wait…" The Draugr paused to look at Kristoff intently. An odd moment passed, before suddenly the Draugr recoiled in exaggerated surprise and pretended guilt. "Oh!" She then gestured about with both hands to the fire and corpses before she continued. "These, these were your family!? Well, that's just unfortunate isn't? I may have made you a double orphan!"

"How… how did you know that?"

"Eh, I can read your mind… ish. Not thoughts, but general emotional knowledge and such. Not so good on technical details or thoughts, though. Comes with the gift of madness I can bestow. But I'm sure your troll friends know all about it, not that it did them any good…"

"Why?"

"Crystals." Ásta held up the necklace of Bulda, before crushing it into dust. "Because SOMEBODY couldn't keep their stone noses out of other people's business, they hoarded secrets and knowledge. Including mine. That was their mistake. Don't want them telling you my sad sob story and discovering my weakness, do I?"

The Draugr began to pace around in a circle, cocking her head in Kristoff's direction as she continued to talk. "Now, the mistake you made is that you came here with the Queen's men. And I hate to tell you, but that means you got to die."

The hair raising rasping of a sword leaving its sheaf caused Kristoff to shake with terror, as a he cursed people for getting himself into this mess.

If I had simply stayed out of this royal business, I probably wouldn't be about to die. Then again, I wouldn't have met Anna…

A brief image of his fancied lady flashed in his head, only resolving his resolve to live. He had to see her again, no matter what. Any romantic thoughts of self-preservation were quickly interrupted though.

"You'll never see her again. All the skalds talk of the power of true love- It's all horseshit. Your desire to get laid is not going to stop my steel from going into your heart. Trust me, I know."

Kristoff was actually surprised by the level of sincerity of the final sentence from the undead monstrosity, as if she was genuinely trying to give life advice to the man she was about to kill. It was, however but for a moment.

"Oh, I believe your friends are trying to sneak up on me. That was a bad call." With a brutal burst of speed she slammed her non-sword hand into the stone, creating a burst of energy that dispelled all of the smoke and mist for 50 yards, revealing the four cavalrymen surrounding her with weapons ready. Curses and sighs of men who knew they had just been doomed.

The Draugr looked at Kristoff, emotionlessly stating her warning to him. "Don't run Sami. You'll only die tired."

Then with vicious violence of action and speed the Draugr sprang into action, as before Kristoff could blink a throwing axe flew past his head and crashed into the soldier behind him. He didn't have time to turn to see it, but based on the scream and delayed thump and rattle of gear he was certainly dead.

Now while the Draugr was fast, she wasn't too fast to not immediately receive carbine and revolver fire before she could make her next move. But while she twisted and jerked, she was in no way prevented from continuing the slaughter. She simply pivoted from her knell on the ground and propelled herself towards the next soldier, her next move telegraphed to be a downwards swing. The horse soldier tried blocking with his carbine, only for the brute strength of her attack to cleave through both the wood and steel of the weapon and the bone of his skull. Staggering and dying, the body collapsed as the Draugr drew the dying man's single action revolver and started sending lead slugs into the farthest man from her, demonstrating her understand of modern firearms quite easily.

By this point the last man alive was also the most senior, a Sergeant. Accepting his own fate but desperate to protect the VIP, he positioned himself between Kristoff and the Draugr, and shoved him away in an attempt to buy him time.

"You got to get out of here lad, or that hell spawn will kill you!"

He then took his weapon of choice out, that being a shotgun. Packed with ball bearings, he lifted and shot the spray of metal into the face of the undead horror bearing down him. But as soon as he finished, the wounded but still moving corpse was on him, driving the broad edge of her sword into his throat. The Sergeant staggered, reaching for Kristoff as arterial bleeding sprayed Kristoff from more than 10 feet away. As the Sergeant fell, Kristoff saw an opening that he instantly took.

He leapt forward and drove his ice pick into the side of her face, while driving his hunting knife into her neck, before pulling both out forcibly, in the process ripping off the war mask.

Now there was always the old adage that a mysterious monster was more frightful than a known one, and while this was true in this case, it was not by much. Her face would have been much more youthful and "alive" than Kristoff would have expected, but that was before a dozen metal balls and an ice pick was driven into it. Now her right cheek was torn with her jaw dangling, and her face was pocketed with torn flesh. But the worse was the eyes. Her physical eyes had been torn to bits, leaving a horrible bloody mess that streamed down her ripped cheeks. But two blue orbs floated freely in her eye sockets, giving the blood a purplish glow that unnerved the Ice harvester. But if the Draugr was inhibited in anyway, it was not obvious. She simply switched sword arms and jammed her own jaw bone back into its place as Kristoff witness the growing ligaments reconnect it into her head.

"You know, I've been trying to regain my original appearance, and you people simply are not helping. Still, you got balls, I'll give you that. I won't even eat your reindeer for that."

"His name is Sven, you know."

"Cute. Now do you want him to join your or not? I never understood you Sami."

Kristoff simply slumped his shoulders, as his weapons dangled from his hands as he saw no escape from the scenario. Maybe this was the universe's way of making sure that people like him stayed were they belonged.

I should have known I was too lucky with Anna. After all, a commoner marrying a princess…

"Oh, and she's above you in station too? Oh, this whole day may have been a great romantic tragedy…" She approached and with one swift motion sliced the head off of Kristoff's ice pick. Kristoff in one last attempt at survival attempt to strike with his knife and quickly regretted the move. In response the Draugr hopped back slightly and brought her sword down onto his knife hand, severing all of his fingers on his left hand, as well as the tip of his thumb.

Kristoff yelled before clenching his teeth in agony and dropping to the ground. For her part, the Draugr simply cocked her head as she looked at the wound he had sustained, before moving into finish the job. Kristoff tried to fight through the pain, as to have his last thoughts be of Anna.

Well, I wish I had more time with you feisty pants. But I guess it wasn't in the cards for a Sami to marry the queen's sister…

Seconds before her blade came down to end his life, the Draugr froze as a realization must have struck her. "Wait… No, it couldn't be…" She stepped quickly to Kristoff, before lifting him up effortlessly into the air. "Let me see something, child." She looked him up and down, while also sniffing somehow through her now shredded but healing nose. She stopped at his upper chest and neck, before tossing Kristoff back down to the ground as the corpse let off a guttural chortle made all the more horrible by her torn cheeks and mouth.

"Oh, ho ho ho! Can't be hurting you, now can I? That just simply won't do. I guess I'll leave you be, as after all, I got what I was coming for. Farewell, Kristoff. Do believe that we'll become acquainted a great deal the coming days."

With that the Draugr sheaved her sword, and simply bounded off into the smoke and falling darkness, leaving Kristoff with far more questions than answers. More than that though, a wave of relief hit him as the imminent death he was moments from facing had let him go. As he faded to black from pain, a thought struck him as exhaustion and pain took its toll for the day.

Well feisty pants, I guess I might see you again after all…

…

The town of Tryggvason, Northern Arendal

Surtrsen could only grin ear to ear as his soldiers marched into the town to adoring crowd, as thrown flowers mixed with the fading sunlight to create a beautiful image. Already, flags bearing simple crosses hung from the windows as the population had declared their allegiance. And young maidens gave quite a few of his soldiers a kiss as thanks for being liberated, and Surtrsen suspected that there would be more than kisses being given out tonight. While Surtrsen smiled at such thoughts, a fellow officer was less than pleased.

"Sir, I do hope the men do resist such sin and temptation from the women. It'd be a poor start for such a holy cause."

Surtrsen shook his head. "That's where I couldn't disagree with you more, Lieutenant. We are an army of Christ, not of the Bible or Old Testament. If our soldiers have Christ in their heart, then let them enjoy wine and pleasurable company as they will."

"But Sir, the whores will have a bad influence-"

"Lieutenant, I'd rather have in my company whores and beggars who have love for our Lord and Savior in their hearts than 'proper' men and women who merely pay lip service to God. It is time we follow the teachings of Christ, and not of the fucking Jews. But first, we must wipe out the threat to those teachings. After all, Christ was only put on the cross because non-believers existed to put him up there."

The Lieutenant shifted in his saddle uncomfortably, be Surtrsen patted him on the back. "No worries, we must all work to shed our prejudices."

At that moment a mounted courier rode up, saluting before frantically getting out his information. "Sir! A Battalion of Landwehr soldiers have been spotted heading towards us! They look to be headed towards the town square!"

"You are Captain Ralofsen's man aren't you?"

"Yes Sir?" The young soldier replied, unsure as to the nature of his senior commander's question.

"I see, report back to him and tell him to arrange his forces in the town center. And you." He turned to the number of couriers behind him. "Two of you report to both Lieutenant Bjuvsen and Captain Fenrirsen, and tell them to prepare their soldiers for battle. But all soldiers are to hold fire unless ordered to, or fired upon."

With that the couriers rode off to report, as Surtrsen and his aide de camp rode to the village's town square, and acted as the focal point for his infantry companies as they hurried into battle positions and the double quick. Being decently trained, the soldiers were set for a few minutes by the time the other battalion marched into the square, their troops arranged in a single column as compared to the staggered companies of the Crusader troops.

The tension was felt by all, as the enemy Battalion was clearly larger as they had not undergone a purge in the previous days, but was clearly more tired after a much longer march. Surtrsen was a little taken aback when he saw the white flag go up as the other Battalion Commander rode towards them with a single soldier bearing the aforementioned white flag of truce.

Biting the worm, Surtrsen also rode towards the center to meet the other officer with a bit of unease in his heart. Not only were his forces smaller, but he didn't like the idea of killing his fellow northerners in open battle, as he knew the bulk of these men were good Christians like him. But the Holy Revolution had to be defended. Reaching the center, he got a good look at the other Battalion Commander.

His name was Major Heinrich, and he commanded the Landwehr battalion to the north of Tryggvason that typically handled border security with Norway. A large set man with long red hair beset with a receding hair line, as well as a well-groomed beard complimenting a large squashed nose and squinted eyes, he was not someone that could be described as being a push-over.

Major Heinrich dismounted his horse, leading Surtrsen to do the same before the two approached each other. As they closed within talking distance, Heinrich began speaking.

"So, I heard you are leading a revolt against our precious Snow Queen to the south."

"I am. What of it."

"Well, if that's the case, I'm with you. But on two conditions. Firstly the men of my Battalion are off limits to your little inquisition. I do not care if one of my lowest privates has Mjolnir carved into his head, he will not be touched by your men."

Surtrsen wasn't pleased with the term, but he knew he needed support, and an army. So he'd be willing to entertain the terms, for now. Still, it seemed odd a man would fight to build a Christian state if he didn't want his soldiers to be cleansed as well.

"Secondly, the border region to the North is to be given independence, as to get us on the road to reunification with our brothers in Norway. The English stole our land and gave it to Arendal, and until that mistake is corrected, we will not rest."

Now it made sense. "And is this all of your troops?"

"No, about half of them are Arendalians, but nevertheless, they are loyal to me and their commanders. When this war is done, they'll make the decision where they wish to live."

"Very well. I see no issue with your terms. Welcome to the Holy Revolt, brother!"

Heinrich nodded, before clasping his hand with that of Surtrsen's as a hearty cheer rose from both sides of the square. Men from both Battalions broke ranks to close with their brothers to embrace and make merry, as today no Northern men would spill each other's blood. Surtrsen looked about the joyful scene about him, and hoped for but a second that it all would be like this. But he knew better.

Sooner or later, we will make battle with the hordes of the Witch Queen. But we will prevail. After all, we must.

…

Bit of notes:

Well, here's Chapter 10 after a surprisingly brief amount of time, a mere two weeks. I need to keep this pace up!

This chapter has been floating around in my head for a while now as I wanted to do a scene that really demonstrates what Ásta can do when she pulls out that sword. Don't worry, Kristoff will be fine. Maybe pulling a little Luke Skywalker, but fine.

As always keep reading and please review.

Sincerely,

Dragunov