Sorry for the tardiness of this update. Between work and school, time has been a luxury I haven't been able to afford lately. Without further ado, here it is.
Elsa
The queen walked down the halls to Corvino's room. Any other day, Elsa would be full of anticipation. After what she had just witnessed, she was full of apprehension. She never thought the former assassin would actually show his past, but it had just reared it's ugly head. She saw the man's fury. Whatever pain he had when they first met had seemed to disappear, replaced by this cold being that was without remorse.
The detailed door was pristine, which was surprising given the fact that the man was covered in blood. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She gripped the tooth he had given her before the battle had started, trying to use it to give her confidence.
Enter, your grace. Be warned that he has shut me out. I do not know what awaits you behind that door.
The warning from the dragon sent a chill down the queen's spine, but she opened it. The room was empty, but there was his armor sitting on a stand, and supplies she had at least known were used to clean armor. She peered around and saw the washroom tub filled with dirty water. Time must have passed longer than it seemed while she was in her thoughts en route to the room.
Corvino exited a closet, wearing a basic tunic and pants. His steel eyes showed something she had never seen before. They were sullen. Defeated. His voice showed similar feelings. "You shouldn't be here. People will talk about the rumored torture. If it comes out that I did it, you socializing with me is not going to help your image."
"I'm the queen. I decide who I socialize with." something crept into her, perhaps some sort of unknown courage.
"Why waste your time with me?" He looked away and started cleaning his armor.
"Because Thorin's worried about you. As is Esmerelle. Even I'm-" She noticed a bottle on the table. "Is that the rum? Why is the rum gone?"
The answer came from both him and Esmerelle. "Why do you think?" Corvino continued. "There's still about a quarter of the bottle left."
The queen was silent, looking between the man and the bottle. "Finish your thought." He grabbed the bottle and took another swig.
"You have people who care for you that are worried." Her eyes pleaded for some sign of emotion out of the man. "Without your help, we would have been overrun."
The man was quiet, cleaning his gear. There was a roar in the distance, obviously Esmerelle frustrated by the situation. Elsa echoed the dragon's feelings. "Alright. This is how it's going to be. Time to stop wallowing in self-pity and focusing on mistakes. I know you. You shouldn't be doing this, you should be planning your next move."
The rant caused him to pause. He set down the armor, and lowered his head. After a few long moments, he spoke. "Already had a plan. Problem is, people are going to try to stop me."
The setting sun lowered the level of light in the room, and somehow she thought she saw a glass floating to Corvino. She realized that it was the shadows that were guiding it to him. He placed it on a table, and poured a glass of rum. Offering her to sit down, he took the seat across from her. His eyes glazed slightly as he began to speak. "I owe you a story, Elsa. This is going to be a long one." He lit a fire in the fireplace and used the smoke to create images again as he did weeks ago in Redbrooke.
"Back in Jassiney, I was a member of an organization known simply as the Shadow. To most outside Jassiney it's a story that people tell their children to scare them. Truth is the organization was very real. During my time there, I had befriended a few people. One of them being a young woman named Melina."
The smoke formed the face of a young woman. "Strikingly beautiful, long red hair, vivid green eyes. Towards the end, I fell for her, and the feelings were mutual. We were a team. We became close after an undercover mission, and despite the recommendations, we fell in love."
"Despite recommendations?" Elsa was intrigued by someone who had gotten close enough to Corvino to have him consider love.
"The members of the shadow aren't forbidden from friendships and romance, but it's discouraged due to the nature of what we did. Masters of espionage, infiltration, burglary, and assassinations. Most places in the world would kill anyone on suspicion, hence why partnerships in The Shadow were rare. Occasionally there would be a pair that would work so well that the results outweighed the risk. Regardless, the Shadow didn't give you any support. If you got caught, you were screwed.
"The fall of Jassiney is often attributed to the Draconic Knights, but it was really because I broke protocol. Marus was looking to destroy Jassiney and Melina and I had infiltrated his camp. Problem is we got caught. I tried to do the noble thing and cover her escape, but there were too many troops. I was hip-deep in troops and she still got captured. In stead of going back for her right away, which would have been suicide, I enlisted the help of my brother. We walked into the camp at the supposed grace of Marus, but truth is he wanted to turn us against our home. To try to entice me, he threatened Melina's life. When neither of us switched, he killed her. That was the day that I had completely lost myself. The first kill was Marus, and I don't know more. I don't want to know more. I killed anyone who got in my way. When it was all over there was so much blood on my hands that I didn't return home. Not until I had found out that Jassiney was under siege.
"When I went back, I only wanted to get Caylee out. Duncan gave me a stone that turned out to be Esmerelle's egg, and it made me put things back together on my terms. I didn't have to worry about Thorin, he could take care of himself. Caylee stayed with the old man." Corvino finished and took another long drink from the bottle. "No matter what I do, I can't seem to shed my past. As it turns out, I still have the instincts from The Shadow, and as fate likes to twist the knife, Melina is still alive. Just not who I remember her being."
"What do you mean?" She saw Corvino shake his head, bringing himself back to reality.
"I recently found out that she had someone nurse her back to health. She now calls herself the Witch-Queen after taking out or subjecting all the generals in Velkor."
Elsa's jaw dropped. She could only imagine what he had felt when he found out this revelation. Before she thought, she rose, walked around the table and wrapped her arms around the man to try to offer comfort. She felt her hand covered by one of his, a sign that he accepted the offer. A question slipped out. "What are you going to do?"
"Well, I know she's taking Anna and Caylee to Jassiney. She made a point to monologue at me on the battlefield." He made a face. "What is it with people feeling the need to indulge their egos?"
"This coming from the man who for the past few weeks has made multiple jokes at my expense calling himself a 'Dashing Rogue'. Little hypocritical there?" she chortled.
"You have me there. As for what I'm going to do, heading back to Jassiney is most likely a trap. Strike that. It is a trap. So the next logical step is to spring the trap." He took another drink from the bottle. "Esmerelle and I will head up there to rescue them. What with Thorin and I having visions too, there is a little bit of investigation that needs to be done."
"So your brother is going with you? What about Anna? You are trying to rescue more than just your sister." Elsa continued to ramble on, but Corvino stopped her.
"No, Thorin is not going with. This is flat-out infiltration. Thorin would be as useful as a sword in an archery contest. I will rescue both of them. I promise you that." He paused. "I will be going with Esmerelle, so I won't be alone."
"You need someone else to go with you." she pulled away and stared into his steel-colored eyes.
"Like who? I don't dare take Thorin and Kristoff due to the fact that they're bulky, and Kristoff is injured."
"Take me." More words that escaped her brain before she thought. Unlike moving to comfort Corvino however, Elsa was fully confidant of this decision.
Corvino
"Take me." He stared into the queen's blue orbs, registering the thought.
"No." He stood and moved away from the queen. He also brushed aside a protest from Esmerelle.
"When I ran off into the wild two and a half years ago, Anna went running after me. You are tracking more than your own sister here."
"Your kingdom needs you here, Elsa." He looked back at her, and she took a few steps towards him. "Half the city isn't structurally sound."
"I've got a place I can move people to." She began. "When Kristoff is conscious, he will be able to rule in my stead. With advice from your brother."
The man paused, and began to consider it. She would be easier to sneak around with than Thorin, and her magic could be useful. Am I seriously considering this? What the bloody hell is wrong with me?
You've been drinking a lot. Remember? The dragon's response was taunting. Besides, I want to see how this plays out. Many great adventures of the Draconic Knights were started by indulging the curiousities of a dragon. You told me that yourself.
"Overgrown lizard." He didn't realize he said the statement out loud, and was surprised when he elicited a laugh out of the queen. "What?"
"You're arguing with Esmerelle, aren't you?" she challenged. "What does she have to say?"
"Well, She's intrigued. I am not making that call right now, however." The day was starting to wear on him. "I should get my rest. I'm sure you're going to want me and Thorin around when you meet with the council?"
"Yes. I also would like to be around when you and Thorin see Duncan off. He mentioned something about a pyre?"
"Aye. Something reserved for great men, and Duncan was just that." He paused. "I think that he would have been happy with your attendance."
He escorted the queen to the door, and before he opened it, she stopped him. "Thank you for sharing your past. I can't imagine it was easy, or any of what you are going through. I am here for support if you need it." She proceeded to kiss his forehead. This motion confused him, but he let her out, wishing her goodnight.
When he shut the door, he rested against it and dropped to the floor. His mind wasn't processing the day, but for the first time that day, it felt peace. After a few minutes, he rose and finished cleaning his armor, digesting everything. At the end of the night, it wasn't the carnage of the day that tugged his dreams along, but a young woman with platinum blonde hair and striking blue eyes.
Elsa
The queen woke up in the middle of a nightmare. Haunted by the vision of the man she had killed, and Anna being taken. It was morning, and she had been struggling to sleep all night. Gerda helped her prepare for the morning. Breakfast was a chore, and Corvino again seemed fine, although his hangover cure was probably the reason. The two brothers spoke amongst themselves, leaving Elsa in the dark. She tried to guess what they were saying, but all she could figure out was something to do with her.
With the council meeting in the afternoon, Corvino and Thorin went right to making a pyre for Duncan. It was set up some length outside of the city, so that Corypheus and Esmerelle could attend. Elsa noticed sleight tension between Corvino and the emerald-colored dragon, but kept quiet. The body was placed in some dark-colored finery, adorned with what she could only think to be sigils from Jassiney. A sword was placed in the ground just past the feet of the body, and a pouch sat on his hands. Thorin was fumbling with the pipe.
"Before we send him off, we were going to have a smoke in his honor." The giant spoke. "At least the humans will. The dragons wouldn't be able to do much with it."
He lit the pipe, and took a few puffs to get the burn going. The smell reminded the queen of the man they were here to honor. After a while, he passed it to Corvino, who took a few puffs himself. After a minute, he passed it back to his brother and looked at the body. "Sorry, old friend. I prefer my vice in a liquid form."
Elsa passed, and Thorin reverently put the pipe next to the pouch. The brothers then grabbed unlit torches, before passing one to queen. Thorin spoke first. "What's to say about Duncan? He was a mentor, a storyteller, and a friend. He introduced me to the opportunity of a lifetime to travel with Corypheus, and elevate me to higher potentials. I will miss you." With that, the giant lit his torch, and turned to look at the queen.
"I-I wish there was a way for Arendelle to thank you. You laid down your life in my defense. When this is over, we will honor you." She raised her torch to light it off of the one held by Thorin.
Corvino cleared his throat. "You gave me a chance to be something great or something terrible and had faith in me when I could find none for myself. All you did was push me in the right direction, and I figured it out myself. For that, I owe you a debt I will never be able to repay. Not even if you had more time on this earth. Take solace in knowing that I will avenge you by taking up the mantle of your dream. Jassiney will soon be restored." The man paused before lighting his torch, choosing to cut a strip of cloth from the finery. He then tied it into his hair, which was pulled back into a thick braid.
Afterwards, he lit his using the torch borne by Elsa. The trio stepped forward, and set them at the base of the pyre, and the dragons let out a mournful howl.
Corvino
The council was buzzing. Everyone was confirming losses. Garrus was one among the many casualties from the previous day.
Elsa seemed to keep up with processing the information, before she finally spoke. "It's been established that the city isn't structurally safe. That said, rebuilding should be our top priority."
"What about the kidnapping of Princess Anna? Or the fact that you've been harboring a war criminal yourself?" It was the farming guild rep. Again.
Ugh. I may need some help not killing this guy. He knew that his dragon was already melding minds.
Remember how your snow queen reacted with your actions yesterday.
"I'm sorry, are we straining his concentration? Does he even need to be here?"
"Yes. Because I am here to tell you that I am going after them. Your Highness, may I make a recommendation?" A plan was forming in Corvino's mind, and he was going to enact it.
"Of course." the queen shot the man a look before turning her gaze on the former assassin with an inquisitive eyebrow.
Corvino stood and walked around to the man. "What is your name?"
"Mads. What's it to you?"
"Well, Mads, here's the deal. I will come clean with my past now, but I do so in good faith, hoping to earn your trust." He rested a hand on the man's shoulder, keeping his voice calm.
"I know you're a member of The Shadow. You employed torture on someone who was a prisoner of Arendelle."
"I made a mistake yesterday, but let me ask you this. If one of your loved ones were captured, wouldn't you do everything you'd know? I'm sure you'd try to take a few swings at the man yourself."
The councilman fell quiet. Corvino knew he struck a chord and continued. "I am a man with an evil past. I have come to terms with that. Because of my past, I have skills that some would deem unsavory. I am now using those skills in the best way I can to make this world a better place because of the opportunity I have. Traveling with a young dragon tends to re-focus one's morality.
"Now I understand you have every right to not trust me, but I ask you to for one simple reason. It's not just Princess Anna who has gone missing, but my own sister, Calista and her dragon Iizkulbrii. My own blood. With that as my incentive, I will bring all of them back, or lay down my life doing so."
The entire council was now enraptured with the former assassin, who took the opportunity to close. "I don't deserve this second chance I've been given, but I sure as hell am going to make things right."
After a few moments, Elsa spoke up. "I am also going with him. Anna went after me when I tried to run away a couple years ago. It's time I return the favor." Corvino expected some dissent from the statement, but instead the council seemed to support it. "In my stead, I will leave Kristoff in charge. Thorin will advise him. We will not lead until Kristoff is prepared for the task."
Mads spoke up. "We still don't know what to do with the forces from Weselton that we have captured."
"Kill the leaders, give the troops a chance to earn their lives. The leaders may have had similar training as the now deposed duke had, but there is no way that they could have the resources to train all their soldiers in telepathy." He paused. "Jassiney would use that, giving them temporary troops and when the indenture process was over, it made the troops question their loyalties."
"Even then, we need help. I will send a representative to Corona to request aid on my behalf." Elsa spoke up. "For now, we focus on rebuilding. I won't keep you all longer. Move those who can't work or defend to one of our strongholds. Thorin and Corvino will travel with the groups to aid in the defense. Any questions?"
Corvino had to admit. He liked the strong ruler Elsa, but he let the thought linger in his head a little too long, as Esmerelle took a shot at his vulnerability.
She was having similar thoughts last night when she was trying to help you unscramble your brain. The comment caused the man to choke on mouth full of water as he was in the process of taking a drink. "Sorry." Everyone stared at him.
"It's alright, Master Al'Draco. Meeting is adjourned." Everyone left the room, and Corvino went out to search for a tanner. If he was going to travel with the queen, he was going to need a new saddle for the dragon.
There it is. I will try to get it up when I can, still trying for once a week. I do have a week off and then a few weeks sprinting to the finish of the term, so bear with me. In the mean time, Twelve favs, Thanks! As always, until next time, and feel free to message and/or review.