Holy goldfish, Batman! 10 chapters?
Thanks, again, to xXNorwegianAssassinXx for editing my work.
Disclaimer: Egads, Batman! Rjcolo still doesn't own Assassin's Creed or Frozen!
After Patrick finally convinced Vinjar to trust Anna, the princess led them to the castle and brought out three horses from the stables. Vinjar clumsily attempted to climb on to one with Astrid in his arms. Patrick had to take Astrid from his arms so he could saddle up awkwardly by himself. Patrick followed suit on another horse as Princess Anna mounted hers. While the princess and assassin grew up learning how to ride, Vinjar had no such experience, so Patrick had to carry Astrid for the struggling boy until they reached their destination.
Princess Anna led them to this "Valley of the Living Rock." They departed as the sun was reaching its lowest point on the horizon, which, according to the princess, was perfect timing. Patrick personally found it odd they would have to go at night, but he didn't question the blue blood. They rode through the forest for quite awhile before the landscape began changing. The horses' shoes started to clop on stone and trees were traded for large boulders.
As the group of travelers approached the stony valley, Patrick could feel that they weren't alone. He changed to his "Eagle Vision" to observe the area around him. He immediately noticed the entirety of small boulders before him were glowing blue, signifying something was different about them. He was a little put off by this and prepared himself with whatever was to come.
His sixth sense dulled his hearing, but he could see Princess Anna had dismounted and began talking to what seemed to be the rocks. He reverted back to his normal vision and noticed her actually greeting and addressing the motionless, moss covered stones and boulders, with names and questions. He looked on with Vinjar in utterly confused horror. Patrick realized the princess was of a different stock, but this was just insane. They dismounted and warily approached the princess, still shocked by her actions.
"Vinjar," Patrick whispered to his younger companion whilst handing the girl to him.
"Yeah?"
"Take your sister, and head back to Arendelle as fast as you can. Go to the castle and tell the queen that her sister has gone compl–." Patrick never got to finish as a rolling boulder tripped him from behind. Vinjar couldn't help but laugh. The two males looked up to find hundreds of rocks rolling to the center of the clearing surrounding the princess. The rocks all abruptly halted before Anna and suddenly sprouted; Arms, legs, and heads grew out of nowhere. Their "robes" were made of moss and lichen, their hair seemed like dry, stalky grass and every one of them was adorned with shining crystals of red, blue, yellow, and every other color one could imagine. They all cheered at the princess's presence.
"Anna's here!" the creatures shouted in merry unison. They began firing questions at her about the kingdom, her sister, and Kristoff, her lover. She giggled and attempted to answer as many questions as possible.
"Trolls," Vinjar muttered. Patrick stared at him with doubt.
"What did you say?"
"They're trolls," Vinjar answered distantly, "the ones in the stories my mother used to tell us. She said they use magic to lure children lost in the forest and eat them."
"They don't look too dangerous to me," Patrick joked, hoping to ease the tension. Just then, Anna looked up to find Vinjar and Patrick dumbfounded by the trolls before them. Both remained motionless until the creatures became silent and shifted their attention towards the two strangers. Their sudden gazes made the duo jump back in caution, with Patrick arming his hidden blades. The trolls all marveled at this sight, letting out a unified, "Oooooooo," while their big, round eyes grew wide at the shining weapons. Anna herself seemed surprised but more cautious than curious of Patrick's weapons.
"And who might these two be?" one finally asked.
"These are my new friends, Patrick and Vinjar," Anna answered, trying her best not to laugh at the scene before her.
"Y-Yes. I'm Vinjar," Vinjar spluttered. "This is Patrick," he gestured to Patrick.
"Who's that in your arms?" another troll asked, sounding curious. Vinjar's face quickly became somber.
"This is my sister, Astrid. She's very sick and Princess Anna brought me here claiming that I could seek help. I'm not much of a believer in magic or fairytales, but I'm desperate at this point. I just want my sister back." With his despairing plea, a slightly larger boulder rolled to Vinjar's feet and sprung to life. This one's lichen robes and grassy hair were longer than the other trolls and was adorned with more crystals, shining yellow beneath the mossy cape.
"I believe I can help," the troll said in a raspy, older voice. "Call me Pabbie. Please young man, bring your sister forth." As Vinjar knelt before Pabbie, the troll shaman's expression turned into one of great fear and concern. "She's ice cold," he observed, "How long has she been like this?"
"For about a year now," Vinjar answered, taking note of Pabbie's expression.
"So, since Queen Elsa's magical outburst?" Pabbie asked, more to himself than the teenager. "It's strange that she's been able to stay alive for so long. Describe to me the time you first discovered this."
Vinjar took a deep breath, trying to stay composed in the retelling of his sister's ailment. "It all started when the eternal winter began. The snow started falling and she desperately wanted to go play. She joined some friends but then something went wrong. We became worried when her friends rushed to us and said something happened to her. I found Astrid in the snow, shivering next to some rocks in the forest. Her hair turned white, and her eyes turned blue. I rushed her to the hearth back home. My mother and I thought she would be fine soon after, but she was still cold and pale. She would always complain how cold she was. My mother couldn't afford a doctor to see Astrid, but she soon fell ill herself. I've been caring for Astrid since my mother died. She keeps getting colder and colder with each day. I'm just as surprised as you that she's held out this long. to be honest."
"Well, she is strong in spirit, and you have much love for her," Pabbie replied, giving Vinjar an encouraging smile. Vinjar only gave half-smile in return. Pabbie then placed his hand on Astrid's head and spoke some magical words. After a few moments of heavy silence in the valley, Pabbie slowly opened his old eyes and looked into Vinjar's.
"It seems your sister's condition is directly related to the queen's magic. I suggest you go to her majesty and see what she can do."
"So you think Elsa's magic somehow got inside Astrid?" Anna piped up.
"Yes," Pabbie answered, "She wasn't directly struck by the magic like you were, your highness. True love is not needed to thaw her, but some magic must still be involved."
"So let's go right now!" Vinjar stood up quickly, looking at Anna with determination. Anna looked back at Vinjar. Patrick's eyes darted back and forth between his two companions, analyzing the situation. The wellbeing of the people was as much a part of Princess Anna's job as it was Queen Elsa's. Anna eventually sighed and gave in to the boy's demand. "Very well."
Vinjar rushed back and mounted his horse with the help of Patrick, still tightly cradling his sister. Patrick, who had been silent for the whole affair, suddenly felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down to see the shaman troll trying to get his attention.
"What can I do for you?" Patrick hesitantly asked, not sure how to properly address the…thing.
"Are you the boy's father?" the troll asked with slight irritation in his voice.
"Oh, no! I just met these two a week ago," Patrick quickly answered.
"Mph. Well, take good care of them both. They're good-hearted children. You on the other hand," Pabbie paused, but then looked up into Patrick eyes, narrowing his. "There's something about you that I can't seem to put my finger on."
"What do you mean?" Patrick asked with more caution than curiosity.
"Some kind of strange aura you possess. You are very human, and yet not at the same time." Patrick became perturbed by the shaman's analysis. Does it have something to do with my Eagle Vision? he wondered. It was something he had his entire life. He read about multiple assassins – including greats like Ezio Auditore – possessing the same trait and he even met another person who shared this sort of sixth sense: Connor.
"Is it a cause for concern?" Patrick asked after pondering the old troll's observation.
"As of right now, I'd say not. It's more of a curiosity for me than anything else," he replied with a chuckle. Patrick smiled back uncomfortably and mounted his horse. The trio thanked the rocky creatures for their help and rode fast, back to Arendelle to see if Elsa could do something about the ailing Astrid.
It was starting to get late when Anna bombarded into her sister's study. The sudden crash of the doors jolted Elsa from her work and half-sleepiness. She turned quickly, annoyed by Anna's rude entrance.
"Can I help you, Anna?" Elsa asked calmly, keeping her irritated expression.
"Someone needs your help, Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, unaffected by her sister's glare. Anna's look of hasty concern let Elsa know something was indeed terribly wrong. Without even asking, she rushed out of her study, following Anna through the castle. They entered the library, where a roaring fire had been made despite the warm evening, and two men stood beside it. One had his back turned, with neatly kept hair and a fine outfit of a white shirt with a black vest. His waist was adorned with a sword and pistol similar to the one Carter carried. Elsa almost mistook the man for Carter, but she realized he was shorter than the southerner.
The other across from dapper fellow was a young man with a small girl wrapped in blankets on his lap, peacefully asleep. Both men turned at the sisters' entrance. Elsa glanced at Patrick, who slightly nodded in greeting, a solemn look on his face. She looked to other man with the girl in his arms. He was taller than Patrick, but lankier and younger. His brown mane was very shaggy and unkempt, his clothes looking much more raggedy than everyone else in the room, with patches of whiskers growing on his face. She looked into his golden eyes, glowing in the firelight.
"What seems to be the issue?" Elsa asked with sincere worry towards the boy. He shook out of an apparent trance and approached his queen.
"Your majesty," he began, "I am Vinjar Irenson and this is my sister, Astrid. We have been homeless and penniless for a year since our mother died. My sister has been very sick and gets worse everyday. Your sister here brought us to the trolls of the Valley of Living Rock. Their shaman advised us to come to you to cure my sister from her ailment."
Elsa stared in shock at the bundled girl. Have my powers caused this? she thought, growing more upset with each passing moment. She thought she had finally reined in control of her powers. She thought she was finally free from causing any more pain. But what could she do? She had no idea how to fix something like this, and the last time someone froze from the inside, it took a sacrifice of life in order to undo her magic.
She impulsively placed a hand on Astrid's face. What happened next surprised everyone in the room. Elsa's hand began involuntarily glowing along with Astrid herself. A bright flash shined from the girl and there was a short moment of blindness for Elsa.
She awoke to her face on the rug of the library, her vision blurry as her sister knelt beside her, frantically calling her name.
"Elsa! Elsa! Are you alright?!" Elsa blinked her eyesight back and slowly sat up. She noticed the two men in the room were not staring at her, but at the floor before her. Elsa followed their gaze to find the same girl as before, but with bright, golden hair in place of the snowy white. She was motionless on the floor, and nobody seemed to know what to do. Slowly, the boy knelt down to the girl and gently rested his hand on a cheek. His face lit up brighter than the fire.
"She's starting to warm up!" he exclaimed with joy.
"Are you serious?" Patrick muttered, seeming dumbfounded by what just happened.
"What happened?" Elsa asked.
"Well when you touched Astrid," Anna began, "You two started glowing like a blinding light. Next thing we know, we see the both of you passed out on the floor."
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Only for a minute or two." Elsa smiled at her sister, and then directed her gaze back to the girl on the floor. She started to become concerned. She was getting warm, but she was still asleep.
"Is she going to be alright?" Elsa asked. All of a sudden, a tiny yawn erupted from the girl in answer to Elsa's question. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. They were the same yellow Vinjar's eyes possessed. She looked up at her brother.
"Vinnie?" she asked in a dazed and tired tone.
"Astrid!" Vinjar cried and wrapped her in a tight hug. He then rose and held her up whilst spinning in a circle. Astrid giggled and squealed with absolute joy. After a few spins, Vinjar embraced Astrid again, and Astrid returned the favor.
"I'm so happy you're better, Astrid," he whimpered through a watery voice.
"Me too, Vinnie!" she excitedly agreed. The insurmountable happiness the girl had absolutely melted Elsa's heart, whose eyes began to water as well. When Vinjar finally released his sister, he looked at Elsa.
"You see this woman here?" he croaked. Astrid looked at Elsa now and nodded, fascinated by the beautiful lady sprawled before her.
"She cured you." A wide smile and a hearty giggle rose from Astrid as she rushed over to Elsa and gave the queen a tight hug around the neck. Elsa was taken aback at first but quickly returned the embrace.
"Thank you," Astrid said, melting Elsa all the more. She looked at Vinjar, who was smiling brightly at the scene. She shifted her gaze to Anna, who was fighting with all her might the need to let out an "aw" at the picture before her. Elsa then looked over to the standing Patrick who gave her a smirk and a wink. She couldn't help but blush and smile sheepishly at his gesture. Astrid finally released Elsa from her grasp and went on to thank everyone else in the room.
"I guess we should be heading home, then?" Patrick said after Astrid finished expressing her never faltering gratitude.
"Wait," Elsa called to her departing guests, "Vinjar, Astrid, where will you two go?"
"They have a deal worked out with Erik at The Snowman's Cot," Patrick spoke for them, placing a comforting hand on Vinjar's shoulder. Elsa's face changed to a look at relief. Erik's kindness never seems to run out, she thought, still looking at Patrick though. It was odd that she felt elated to see him again, even under a dire circumstance this time around. I just might have to visit the town more often, she then thought, still looking at Patrick, a smile beginning to grow on her face at the thought of spending a whole day with him.
"Well, we should be going," Vinjar interrupted the flirtatious gazing between the queen and Patrick, "it is past Astrid's bedtime you know."
"I'm not tired, though!" Astrid protested.
"That'll change quickly, and you know it," Vinjar retorted, tickling his sister. Her giggle delighted Elsa and Anna couldn't help but chuckle as well. With that, the younger pair of siblings exited the library with Patrick following close behind. The royal sisters joined them as escorts to the gates. As they walked, Anna, Vinjar and Astrid seemed to move farther ahead, giving Patrick and Elsa some privacy. Both noticed exactly what they (more like Anna) were doing and blushed, looking away from each other. After an uncomfortable silence, Patrick finally spoke up.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Elsa meekly replied.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but have you had to do this before?"
"No, actually. I'm just as confused and surprised as you are about what happened."
"Interesting," Patrick answered. His face became pensive, seeming like he was trying to peace together an answer to his question. "You don't feel any different?" Elsa had to think on it for a moment. After she recovered from her faint, she didn't really feel off or strange.
"Not at all," Elsa said.
"Hmph," was all Patrick said. His lips thinned, still pondering on the recent events. "Can I ask you a completely unrelated question?"
"An abrupt change in subject, but go ahead," she quipped. Patrick brushed it off with a goofy grin.
"I was wondering if I could have access to your library."
"And why would you need my library?"
"Well, it'll have records of your kingdom and your surrounding lands. I'd like to learn about the history and mythology of the general area."
"I thought you are a merchant, Patrick?" Elsa asked, growing suspicious of the American's request.
"I am," Patrick quickly replied, "but I'm also interested in ancient artifacts and I think your library may have the knowledge I'm looking for. A collector of sorts, if you will."
"Very well then," Elsa answered after pondering a moment again. "Only if I get to join you," she impulsively blurted. Patrick looked over in surprise and a playful smirk grew on his face.
"I could use the company," he replied then gave Elsa a wink that sent her heart into uncontrollable flutters.
They shortly arrived to the castle gates, where Elsa gave Patrick a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Let me know when you want to see the library, Mr. O'Hare," she whispered in a husky voice.
Vinjar raised his eyebrow and smirked with playful curiosity. Astrid giggled at the blossoming romance before her. Anna smiled and started bopping up and down on the balls of her feet, barley containing her excitement. Elsa looked up at Patrick, both faces redder than Anna's hair, while he tried to avoid Elsa's gaze.
"Well, then," he said after regaining his composure, "farewell ladies and thank you for all of your service." The odd trio walked off across the stone bridge before the gates. Elsa smiled back, never taking her eyes off of Patrick. She felt a nudge and looked at her sister.
"Who knew you fancied Americans, huh?" the redhead quipped. All Elsa could muster was a pouty sneer in response.
On the bridge, Patrick walked slightly ahead of the children to conceal his still red face. He was full of so many emotions. When she kissed him for the second time, the shocking sensation from before was only magnified, especially at how close her lips were to his. But he was also a little more excited than delirious, and strode with a pride he hadn't felt in years.
"So, what's going on between you and the queen?" Vinjar asked impishly.
"Nothing you should worry about, Vinnie." Patrick looked back and noticed Vinjar's face went red with embarrassment, and his sister was pointing and laughing. The three headed back to The Snowman's Cot, both men throwing verbal jabs at each other the whole trip, Astrid giggling at each quip.
A dark figure watched from one of the castle's towers. His eyes were fixed upon the assassin who escorted the two children from the castle. The sight of his sworn enemies actually leaving the castle in a casual fashion worried him. They had to act fast in order to get the Queen of Arendelle to sway in the order's favor. He quickly turned to inform his master of the situation and set a plan in motion.
Ten down, an unforeseen number of chapters to go.
So, per usual just R.R.F.F. (rate, review, fav, follow) or whatever if you liked it. If you didn't like it and want to let me know, be mature, composed, and constructive in your criticism, per favore.
Toodles!
-rjcolo