Author's Note: Short chapter ahead, but I think it does the job. Enjoy! -Foxinstrazt


Part III: Chapter 28

-What Is Right-

The Council Chambers, Arendelle Castle

Three Months after Knight's Fall

Kristoff let out a weary sigh as he shuffled through the reports in his hand. It had been only a few hours since the harbor just outside the castle had been attacked, and dozens of the guards stationed there slaughtered. For the last two months, the ambushed patrols and men lost had merely been an indication that the mountain folk were resisting any encroachment upon their land. And yet, he had continued sending good men to their deaths, because Queen Anna had fled in that direction. Today, he learned that it was worse than he had suspected.

Anna had not simply ran to the Fjallafólk, she had recruited them, and begun a rebellion against the Regent-Lord appointed by King Everard after the coup. Against him. By all accounts, she had sworn to her people that his days were now numbered, and he was in no position to refute that. The rebels had struck hard, they had struck fast, and they had disappeared into the hills as quickly as they had come. Folding the report on which ship had been commandeered, he slid the entire handful into the pocket of his cloak, nearing the door to the chamber where his council of advisers had assembled.

He stopped when he heard them already talking within, leaning against the wall and listening. "-one we captured may be able to tell us where the rest of the rebels are hiding." It was a voice that carried a sneer in its very tone, and he knew without having to look that it belonged to the recently returned adviser, Lord Meeran.

"She is in the dungeons as we speak, two of my men are personally seeing to it that we get what information she may have before she expires." A level voice with perfect pronunciation, but bearing the indication of an accent not native to this northern land. That was Lord Diroc, the man who Everard had appointed to his council. His brother's spy to make sure he was following the King's instructions to the letter.

But torture was something Kristoff could not abide, as he threw open the door and marched into the chamber, glaring down at his seated advisers. "Ah, Regent-Lord Kristoff, we have been waiting-"

"Quiet, Meeran." He let his eyes fall on the man he had heard admit that they were torturing the prisoner for information, an older nobleman with a carefully groomed mane of black and hair and brown eyes filled with a dangerous aura of intellect. "Lord Diroc, why was I not informed that we had captured a rebel?"

"My Prince, I simply assumed that you had more important matters to attend to." The condescending tone of the other man made his lips twist into a grimace as he leaned forward on the large, round table. "Besides, I have already seen to it that it will be handled appropriately."

"With torture?" He did not miss the nervous glances that were thrown about the room by the rest of the Lords, all but Diroc, who only smiled and grinned. The dismissive way the older man acknowledged it only caused his anger to grow, and he slammed a fist down into the wooden surface of the table. "I will not have that happening in my kingdom!"

"Your kingdom, my liege?" If the man was at all perturbed by his outburst, he did not show it. Diroc retained his calm appearance as he spoke, but the tone of his voice changed to one more threatening. "I believe you are simply the Regent, for the one true King, yes?"

"Exactly, I am the Regent, not you. And I will not justify Anna's cause against me by torturing the rebels." Kristoff gripped the edge of the table hard enough it turned his knuckles white as he glared at the other man.

"She is being held, and tortured, by the express order of your brother. It is his standing orders of how any rebellion is to be dealt with, as well as the laws of your own country." Even as he matched Diroc's gaze, the older man let a smile cross over his lips, believing he had won.

It was quiet as Kristoff cast his eyes over each of the assembled Lords. Aside from the one he now argued with, each of them was native to Arendelle, and clearly unsure of who to side with in this conflict. Setting his sights upon Diroc again, he let out a long sigh before speaking again. "The loss of Everard's arm has severely effect his ability to fight and wield his power, as it was his dominant hand. My other brother, Prince Hans, has not been heard of since he sailed for Corona. Who do you think holds the power in my family now, Lord Diroc? Even if Everard cared for your life, he is several weeks away if he set sail at this very moment, and the soldiers follow my orders. I could have you put to death on whim."

There was utter silence in the wake of his words, and even the usually collected Lord he stared at was holding his breath, aware that it could very well be one of his last. After letting them absorb what he said, Kristoff continued. "You would all do well to remember that, and know that my orders, not my brother's are to be followed. This is my kingdom. Are we clear on that?" He waited until a chorus of agreement rang throughout the chamber before adding what he wished on top of it all. "Then I will have her released, now. I will deliver her to Anna personally, and apologize for such actions."

As he turned to take his leave, Meeran's voice came from behind him. "My liege-"

"Enough!" Kristoff rounded on them all, glaring at the man who had dared try to stop him. "My word is final, in this council, and out. You are all dismissed!"


Vayl had endured enough pain to fill the lifetimes of two regular citizens of Arendelle. From wild beasts to the heated sparring sessions of her people, her body carried the scars of a dozen wounds, and her soul bore the worst of it all. It was only by the pains of the past that she was now able to endure the agony of the present, the heated metal and jagged blades that burned and cut at her flesh as she hung suspended in the middle of a dungeon cell. The two men who had entered an hour ago spoke, asking questions of the rebellion, of where her brethren would be, but she gave no true answer.

The only noises she did make were the growls and snarls when one of them injured her, thrashing and kicking at her tormentors. Her efforts brought only laughs from the two as they backed away, proudly observing their work. "Careful now, this one is more animal than woman, ain't she?"

It was not long until the pain dulled away into normalcy, as she slumped in her bonds and let her mind retreat from the world. They continued to ask questions, continued to torture, but she refused to acknowledge it with more than a tightening of her jaw each time. "Let her down!" The new voice brought her eyes upward, finding the muscles required for holding her head up weakened by the tortured. It took an effort to focus her gaze, to see the blond man who was yelling words she could not understand at the two, until they both moved to unshackle her wrists.

Vayl unceremoniously crumpled to the ground, her hands moving to clutch at her bruised and bleeding stomach as footsteps departed from her cell. In the back of her mind, she knew that still she was not alone. A hand touched her shoulder, and her fighting instinct returned in a tide, causing her to scramble away from the man, growling at him threateningly. Instead of following, he remained where he had crouched down to touch her, his blue eyes holding a downcast look of sympathy and regret. "I am sorry, I never wanted anything like this to happen."

From what Anna had described of the man who had become their target, she was able to surmise that this was Kristoff, the appointed Regent in place of the former Queen. As such, she found it necessary to throw the words back at him. "You knew what your brothers were planning, do not act guiltless."

Kristoff gave her a nod in return for her insult. "I know, you are right. But I am doing what I can to correct my mistakes.. Please, allow me to help you up, I am releasing you back to Anna."

Tilting her head, she did not dare to hope against release from this torment. She fully expected to die in this place, and would gladly do it if it meant the rebellion would continue. "Why?"

The man surprised her by laughing, throwing back his head and letting the sound fill the air. "Because I am trapped between a Queen that will kill me in pursuit of vengeance for her dead sister, and a King that will kill me if I allow this rebellion to succeed." Despite the mirth in his voice, the blond leveled his gaze upon her. "I need to speak with Anna, I need a way out of this."

"You may as well kill me, because she will not spare you."

A sigh came from the man, as well as a nod. "Very well."


It was nearly a day after being wounded that Anna awoke for the second time. Unlike the first, she did not awake with a sudden scream of pain, or thrashing on the bedding that had been laid down for her in the temporary camp. It came with a slow opening of her eyes, and a sigh as she was witness to the waking world yet again, no longer subject to the light filled fever dream where she had seen Elsa. Strange of her, she thought, to truly miss what had never been real. To miss it enough that she wished it would cover what was real like a blanket, hiding it away and letting her live in a fantasy, a delusion.

But it was not to be, as the hand that had awoken was accompanied by a voice. "Forgive me, Anna, but there are two riders approaching. One of them bears a white flag."

Glancing up to Kairi's face, she gave a slow nod. The healers had done what they could for the tear in her chest, but it was stubbornly refusing to close quickly, leaving her weakened and barely able to sit up on her own. "I wish to meet them, help me up."

"Are you sure?"

She moved to stand anyway, and the second she did a hand braced on her shoulder, while the other pulled her forward so that she could be lifted to her feet. Letting out a quiet whimper, she dismissed the concern of the Knight supporting her by jerking her head in the direction of where the riders had been spotted. They had not moved far into the forests outside of the Arendelle harbor, only far enough that they could hide if needed, and it seemed that someone knew they were in the hills, that they were watching.

Nearing the edge of the pass where the horses would come through, it was Anna who saw them before any of the others, speaking a single word, quiet and weak. "There."

With her arm around Kairi, she was turned as the Knight moved to get a better look. The other redhead spoke quickly, a level of excitement entering her voice as she did. "One of them is Vayl! And the other.."

Anna did not need the other to be identified, having seen him numerous times during the Solstice Celebration, even having spent an evening with him. "Kristoff." As if aware that he had been made, the usurper lowered his white flag and steered both horses into their path, bringing him closer and closer to his own death.

The blond man shouted when he was near enough. "Anna, I only wish to-"

"What you wish is of no consequence! You are the one who made all this possible, your life is forfeit!" She struggled against the hand her Knight placed on her chest to keep her from falling as she screamed at the man, wanting nothing more than to seize a weapon and take the debt owed to her from his worthless hide. But what he did is what truly caused her to calm, as he stopped his horse, dropping the flag he had raised to get this far.

Kristoff did not try to run, nor did he draw the sword at his hip, he simply raised both hands and gave a nod, accepting her judgment as the horse bearing Vayl rode forward into the pass. It was intercepted by two of the Fjallafólk, who helped the Huntress down from her saddle. As Anna turned her gaze back toward the man who had been introduced to her as a Prince, she spat out the words she desperately wanted not to say. "Leave."

Opening his eyes, and wearing an expression of shock, Kristoff did not question her decision. He turned his horse to leave, but paused before moving, looking back in her direction. "I am sorry for the role I played!"

Growling so harshly that Kairi's grip tightened on her, Anna leaned forward, looking down on the man and speaking with a conviction that was hard to muster in her current state. "When I take back my castle, I will not spare you."

"I know." With that, the blond man kicked his heels into the flanks of his mount, taking off the way he had come.

Even as he did, the Fjallafólk nearest to where she stood drew back an arrow. "Do I kill him?"

Locking eyes with the warrior, Anna shook her head. "No. He has earned his life, for tonight."


Author's Note: It's strange how the times I go out of the outline I have wrote can make what follows much more powerful. In the outline, Anna spared Kristoff here. She was not wounded, she did not see Elsa, she did it purely because he returned Vayl. Now, with what I wrote in the last chapter, she let him live because of how her more "good" side reprimanded her for her fury and anger. I dunno if that makes much sense, but I liked out it turned out! Let me know how you are feeling about the direction the story is taking in review form, and as always, continue being awesome readers! -Fox

UnsightlyViewings: I love writing the battle scenes, so I'm glad they turn out decent! That whole last chapter made me pretty giddy too, until the last part. It was just fun to have Anna get up and announce her rebellion against Kristoff! And.. yeah, I can understand needing to read something happy. Doom and gloom only goes so far.

Kibawriter: I'm not crying, it's just raining in here! I mean, I was cutting onions.. Yeah, onions! Thank you for your review, I appreciate knowing that I am doing a good job and that people are loving what I post. So for you guys(and my friend who originally started me on the path this story has taken) I will continue to do the best I can!