Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past – Back Cover
Ingrid – Meet Again/Kiyori's Last Stand
Chapter 1: Crossroads – The Wolf Queen
21 December 2057
Arendelle hilltop
Sunrise
Mark watched as the sun rose, casting a pale golden glow upon the grass that glittered against the dark monolithic headstones Elsa and Anna had built for their parents.
A third stone was also set up, one made of crystal and white stone. On it said a simple word, a name. With a small string of words following it
Elsa
Beloved sister, wife, Queen, and friend
Mark set a white rose upon the gravestone of glass and spoke. "Normally I would not do this." He said, speaking more to himself then anyone since he was alone. "But ever since I came back to Arendelle after waking up inside that strange pod. I could only think of being with you once again. But now, after three months. I fear what my aunts have said is right." Mark sighed and looked towards the sunrise.
Mark never wanted to admit it, even to himself, Elsa was dead, would always be dead. He was a widower.
The sunglasses on his face shieleded his eyes from the sunlight. He never did conclude the deaths of the servants. Men and women he never met before. But he didnt care. After three days of investigation, Vaeyuko had concluded the killer had left the kingdom and had said she knew where they were headed. At that, Topaz and Lazul continued to spy on Kiyori with Spike being their message carrier every morning.
Mark sighed, he knew he was alone. He could feel it in his heart. Elsa was gone. He turned sidelong towards the gravestone belonging to Elsa. "Happy Birthday, Elsa." He said softly before turning and walking down the hillside.
At the nearby riverside he spotted two people from the hilltop. Both of them women. One of them was Diana Elisar, a member of the Assassin Brotherhood of Arendelle, the other woman was his cousin, Sapphire, dressed in her Arendelle Assassin garb, her sword hilt in hand as she looked agitated. "Is something amiss, ladies ?" Mark asked when he neared them enough to be heard without having to speak loudly. "You both seem troubled." Mark came to a halt just within arms reach of both women.
"It concerns things at the castle, Waterlight reported weird happenings and then someone told her it was best for her to leave. Next thing we know, she opened a portal and disappeared into it" Diana said to him
Waterlight, Mark remembered the one eyed woman. Black hair, one clear blue eye, dark dresses with even nicer cloaks. She was one of the three heirs to the Kingdom. Fortunately the kingdom favored Princess Anna and a public cry had gone up concerning the womans safety. Mark had insisted she stay with the Kopekh and Sharka promised to protect her with his life. As was his duty as a member of the Wolfe extended family.
Mark raised a hand, a nod in his voice and tone. "That is indeed bad news. Anything else ?"
"Yeah, Kiyori's on the rampage again" Sapphire grumbled. Well that explained why she was present at the hillside. "He captured Kiyomori and put her in the centeral jail, the one that is part of the palace complex itself. Nobody can get to her"
"Really ?" Mark smirked. "We'll have to see about that. Do you know where in the jail Kiyo is kept ? Is she under full guard, or minimal guard ?" Mark was already starting to form a plan as he raised an arm and waved off the coming answer. "Nevermind that for now, walk with me and we can plan on the way." Mark said. The three then headed for a place to get breakfast. It was a chilly day, after all it was December the twenty first, almost christmas time. Lately it was warm in the Pond District, warm enough to go in swimtrunks and a tanktop if need be to the various magically fueled Hot Springs there.
Though it was winter, the Pond District was the warmest district in the kingdom of Arendelle. Most of the tourism to the kingdom was generated at that location to begin with.
It had been a good month since the last huge battle with Kiyori, the High Priest still had no idea he was being spied on, but according to Topaz and Lazul he was making many more models, and not just of the kingdoms main jail. Kiyori was upset that the cat colony got moved somehow under his nose. Spike was a dangerous woman to him and try as he might, he was unable to make the woman and her brothers leave the kingdom.
He never saw the woman again after her warning to him. Mark found himself agreeing with Spikes older brother Daniel, Spike should have shot the High Priest enough to wound him. But even wounding the guy, as a warning or otherwise, could be seen as an act of aggression towards leadership. To which Mark would have simply laughed off as self defense because truth be told, Kiyori was tresspassing on Spikes cat colony.
But for thirty days to pass before arresting Kiyomori ? This was odd. "What are the charges ?" He asked.
"Really flimsy stuff, the soldiers cited destruction of government property, grand theft, petty larceny, impersonating a solder" Sapphire snickered as she read out the list Diana had written down for her. "The list of false claims goes on" she said. She handed Mark the envelope "You can read it if you want"
"This will make my night reading more fun" Mark smirked, causing Diana to snicker. It took a month for Kiyori to try and arrest anyone important to Mark, and try as he might, Mark was unable to figure out more of the star shard. As the three entered an eating area and took a seat. Mark then asked. "Anything new from Spike ?" It had been rather quiet on the cat care front the last month.
Through Mark and his aunt Blackmane, Spike and her brothers had secured a property just within the limits of the kingdom along its southern edge. It allowed Spike and her brothers to care for the feral and stray cats in the kingdom, but it also kept them clear of any issues with Kiyori. The high priest however had sent various soldiers to secure a summons of Spike, but it never worked.
"Only that she has a crystal for you and expects you for dinner to retrive it" Sapphire said, Diana called for a waiter as the three took seat at a table. The open air eatery was a nice locale and it did the job nicely. It was oddly warm, even then the Pond District was the warmest district in the kingdom as a whole.
"So same old then ?" Mark said giving his cousin, by blood, a impish look. "Sapph, Cuz, Relax, I'll have Kiyo freed before you know it. For all we know Kiyori might try her and charge her with something so stupid it wont stick. Infact if it were up to me, and it is, Kiyo's time in the jail right now is nothing more then part of being a soldier, Occasional training to test the jail for weak points. I am going to presume that Kiyo is in the best space, or possibly the most packed cell ?"
"I can ask Nara to check" Diana offered
"No need, I have a friend on it" Sapphire said, she knew her cousin meant well when it came to her and her sister. The fact that Kiyomori was caught by the High Priests goons and taken to the main jail in the kingdom at the castle itself, mean that something big was going down.
"A friend ?" Diana asked, this was new. Normally Sapphire trusted her cousin with needs like getting her sister outy of jail or did it herself.
"Let me guess" Mark said, the reason Diana had gotten a five seat table for all things. "Black hooded coat, long silverwhite hair, bright green eyes. Named Xendras ?"
"Yup" Sapphire said, she looked at him, "How'd you know it was him ?" Sapphire didnt even tell anyone who was helping her.
"Because right now Naratas and Xendras are staring at us" Mark replied giving the two black coated men a calm look.
Nara ambled up to the table, Xendras in his wake. Nara tapped the chair next to Diana, "This seat taken ?" He asked. Mark shook his head. Nara plopped himself into the chair, Mark didnt notice the look Diana threw at him.
Xendras took the last seat. "I bring some upsetting news" He said as he sat down
"Is Kiyo alright ?" Sapphire asked before Xendras could get very far.
"She is safe, for now. But we have a different problem." He said. They looked at him, he sighed, he was for once thankful that the Star Council's location was infact not in the Mythic Realm, the Mortal Realm, or any realm really. It was the world between worlds. A world set apart.
Infact if he wanted to, he could take them all into it and they could all disappear into another plane of exsistence.
But that was not why he was there.
"What kind of problem ?" Mark asked, Nara seemed for the most part, subdued. And not because he was so close to Diana. Mark of course had surmrised that Diana and Nara were at least in love, or Nara was smitten by Diana, either one. What Mark did not know was that Diana and Naratas were infact married.
"Kiyori is actively hunting for something, and the Boss thinks it might be important to warn you." Xendras said, never naming Xeirn whatsoever.
"Warn us of what ?" Diana asked. As Diamond thanks to Kiyomori, she was able to generate and learn more of the Essence Flames.
"You're going to have to do something about the Star Shards, hide them again, secure them in a bank, something." Xendras said, Xeirn had been warned by DiT about a possible shift should Kiyori get his hands on the six shards.
"According to a mutual friend, the High Priest is going to go after them, all in one place, he'll find them. This is not something we can defend against or try to stop. We cant take part in it as the Council is now quite busy in other matters." Xendras explained
"Other matters ?" Mark asked him, giving him a careful look.
"The boss wants us all to pull back to home base, so to speak. From here on out, you're on your own, but like I promised Sapphire, Kiyomori is quite safe with us. If you like I can teach you how to get to her. Sadly, until the High Priest is eliminated, Kiyomori is in great danger in this kingdom." Xendreas explained as best he was able. Xeirn had made it clear not to go into details, but to enforce the fact that Kiyomori was safe with them in the Never.
"The fact that she is safe with you guys makes me feel much better." Sapphire said, "for that I thank you" Xendras smiled and nodded in acceptence of the thanks. He looked towards Mark who looked upset
"I guess that explains why Xiaoden said she would teach me once more, this afternoon, and then that was it. Now it makes sense. Whatever is coming, you do not want part of ?" Mark said then.
"Whatever is going to happen in the future, we cannot prevent, nor can we attempt to try. Whatever Kiyori has planned, we, the Star Council, are not to intervine. Even if to advise you further. However, the skills you learned from us, you can keep, who knows, when this is over we might come back."
"If Kiyori gets his mitts on the shardss, what will happen ? Do you know ?" Mark then asked, it was a loaded question that Mark wanted answered, and Xendras did mention Kiyori was after the star shards, but Mark only knew of four of them having been found, he, Diana and Irie each had one, and someone else had the fourth. There were still two shards left.
Xendras sighed. "You mentioned the shards, which means you know there are six of them, we only have three. What will happen if the high priest gets his hands on all six ?" Mark pressed.
"Its bad enough I told you he is searching for them to begin with, but very well. The Boss was told by our mutual friend, DiT of the coming disaster. According to him, DiT has seen the disaster happen twice before, both times concuring with important critical events in history. One of them were the ancient Crystal Wars, and the other, a thing called a Crown Wars" Xendras had no idea what the Crown Wars was even fought for.
"Yes, the Crystal Wars, My own ancestors fought in it" Mark said, Diana nodded. As Diamond she had fought alongside Yaeko Wolfe, and Yaekowolfes three children and grandaughter during the first Crystal Wars. "I never heard of this, what was it, Crown Wars ?"
"Yes, apparently it was an ancient battle that even predated the Crystal Wars" Xendras said in reply. He stood from the table then. "I am sorry to leave you all hanging like this. Sapphire, I will meet up with you tonight in the house that you and Kiyomori share so I can teach you how to get to her safely. Alright ?"
"That is fine, are you sure you cannot stick around for breakfast ?" Sapphire replied
"I cannot, I must take my leave. Infact I will take a rain check, thank you." Xendras said, Sapphire had to admire the mans manners. Xendras stood to leave, then stopped as he started to turn to walk away. "Oh and one more thing, one of the reasons we're pulling back is because an old enemy resurfaced. Dont worry, the Boss has some plans to keep her busy so you might see us around, if you got any issues, good luck."
"Her ?" Mark asked, not knowing who Xendras meant.
"Happy trails" Xendras said as he walked away. Disappearing through a door seemingly to the mens bathroom, where he disappeared into a Darkness Corridor.
Xendras might have been helpful, Xiaoden too, but the question he left them with however was everything but helpful. Mark asked again to his two companions. "Her ?" Who was her that he referred to ?
"No clue" Diana said simply, Sapphire simply shook her head, she had no idea what Xendras was referring to, but was happy her sister was safe somewhere out of the High Priests reach at that moment.
"So whats the plan ?" Nara then spoke up around a mouthful of breakfast. Mark had to smirk around his coffee. Nara knew how to keep things civil and fun when the time allowed.
"Right now, my plan is to eat breakfast. Then worry about the High Priest." Mark replied, it was easier said then done truth be told. Not that Mark much cared. He sipped his coffee. "What about the Kopekh ? Sharka mentioned working for Hans before Anna found them."
What good would the Kopekh be ? They were after all a very distant branch of the Wolfe Clan "Good question. Irie said something about wanting to work with them and incorporate their armor designs into her armor systems and also include the Infinity Grip system into their armor as well" Diana mused
"Have her get in touch with me, I will try and find Sharka or his wife Altan" Mark said, so far only he and Irie had really met the whole group as it was. And Mark had the luxary of fighting side by side with Sharka as well.
"Planning something, Mark ?" Diana asked him, a curious look on her face
"Indeed, something of a plan yes" Mark replied calmly, he looked at her as he speared a piece of bacon. "Why do you ask ?"
"It would not have anything to do with the fact the High Priest is actively looking for Anna and Sapphire now that Waterlight has left ?" Diana asked. In truth Waterlight had been recalled by Lights orders, and also orders of Xeir, who was somewhere in the kingdom. "There was also rumors floating in the city as well of those models."
"What about them ?" Mark asked
"Apparently whoever is letting those trapped on the models free, is incredibly strong in magic, the last model set up a few weeks ago was moved, then destroyed as those imprisoned on it were set free. According to a young witness, several people were let free from it including what looked to be a bird woman" Naratas reported as Diana turned her gaze to him. As if directing Mark to look at him.
"That could be a problem, if whoever is setting people free however, they could be considered on our side." Mark mused, as far as he knew, only his aunt, Vaeyuko, had the knowledge of how to get free from the models, and thanks to Kiyomori, they had the means to keep from getting captured to begin with.
"There is also the matter of the missing snowman, Olaf" Sapphire said simply. Mark went silent, as did Nara who continued to scarf things down. "We havent been able to find him, yet." Sapphire reported, ever since Mark put the girl on the task, she had a group with her searching the countryside for Olaf the Snowman, the only Snowman who could walk, talk and survive summer.
"I'll put it on my list, have you tried the Troll Valley ?" Mark asked
"Not yet, its possible Kristoff is there too. Maybe" Sapphire said
"Have two members of your group head there and ask around, tell them, stress to them that the trolls are friendly, even if a little eccentric. They will be more of help if treated with kindness." Mark said, he hadnt really met them yet, or had any real need to do so thanks to his aunts.
Sapphire nodded, it was as good a plan as any.
"While you do that, Diana, can you and Nara here find who set those people free from that model in the gazebo a few weeks back ?" Mark asked looking to his current second in command of the currenct amount of Assassin's in Arendelle. The woman nodded. Nara smirked. It was about time Xeir and her sister got back together
Pond District
Arendelle
Lunchtime
On the west edge of the pond district a woman sat at a low table. The eating place was quite expansive and set up in such am anner that it could make sense with both open air seating and inside and also private seating to go with many things.
The table was under a gazebo upon the property and a single woman sat at it. A tray of two bowls and a pot of something was on the table, along with a few slat scrolls and pieces of information stacked in a neat pile upon the table next to the two bowls.
The woman sat with her back to the building, overlooking the road down below. This part of the Pond District was on a hill that overlooked the Turntao, or Emo District as Mark termed it. Now once more under templar control, and worse, Kiyori's control it only made all the more sense for the woman to sit back and relax.
Four weeks ago she had met James, the guy was nice and was the owner of the eating place Xeir now was eating at. The gazebo was on his property directly and allowed her a measure of privacy. To a point at the very least.
For the moment she was alone. The last four weeks for her had been quite active, both in, around and outside Arendelle. Infact the last two hours alone she had recently just gotten back to Arendelle as it was!
Xeir had barely enough time to see herself in a mirror before James had allowed her to use the private gazebo on her own, any visitors he'd needed to know about were simple, a woman calling herself Diamond, a man called himself Nara, or any person in a black hooded coat, or anyone dressed with the colors of one of her Sparrows.
Thankfully James asked no questions as to why Xeir's body had more of her quite beautiful silver dragonscales on her arm, chest, and left side of her face. In truth it made her look much more pretty in her human form.
Infact for a brief while she was worried that she was going to reveal her dragon horns, but thankfully that never occurred. Instead, more of her silver scales had formed on her skin to protect her from an explosion of a Shard of Eden, a shard no larger than a common earring had been found by the Templars and though they tried to use it to gain information and technologies, instead, what happened was Xeir had found the place too and had to get the shard.
However, her magic connected with the artefact and the resultant explosion caused a small implosion on the site of impact, two Templar scientists instantly evaporated in the implosion.
Which left Xeir looking like a half dragon human woman. Half her face was covered in silver scales, her chest was also covered in scales and her left arm regained a few more even after healing quite a bit from the grease fire. The explosion originated at xeirs left hip, so the brunt of the scales spread on her body fro mthat point, creeping on the left side of her stomach and into the small of her back. As well as up and down her left side. Fortunately the damage was simply incredibly terrible fire and extreme heat. Enough so to make the silver scales react and form to protect the burnt skin.
However it made it very hard for her to go out in public, but people did not seem to notice, either that or they had really just given up and thought her scales were simply tatoos upon her body.
They could not have been more wrong.
Sometimes, Xeir hated the ancient Isu, the Precoursors, known to the Templars as Those Who Came Before. Mostly because their technology hated her.
"Madam" Came a voice, that of James, Xeir turned towards him. "Someone to see you, she says it is quite urgent."
"Very well, you may allow her to come here" Xeir said in reply. "Thank you, James"
The man left, a moment later and Diamond entered the gazebo area. ":Xeir ?" Came her soft voice.
"That is a voice I have not heard in a very long time" Came the reply as Xeir stood from the low chair and turned towards Diamond.
Diamond didnt care that Xeir had her scales visible from injuries recently taken. No, all she cared about was that Xeir was alive, that she was alive. "Xeir!" Diamond all but shrieked in job before darting to her older sisters arms, the two women hugged tight for long moments before breaking apart.
"I see you found her" Nara spoke up, as the two were hugging he had told James not to announce him, Xeir and Diamond both knew who he was. So when Xeir turned to look at her brother in law, so to speak, she found him seated at the low table.
"Nara, good to see you too." Xeir told him
"I take it you still need cooking lessions ?" Nara said, Xeir gave him a dirty look, he smirked. She was not going to hit him, yet. That was Diamonds job.
Xeir smirked then as Diamond took a seat as Xeir sat back down. "What brings you two looking for me after so long ?" She asked them
"Mark wanted to find whoever set James Wallace free a few weeks ago" Diamond said. She gave Xeir a curious look. "You dont know anything about that do you, sis ?" at the silver dragons impise smirk Diamond started to chuckle. "So you did have everything to do with it ?"
"Guilty as charged" Xeir replied. "But that does not explain why the two of you came here instead of Mark himself" She said to them after they enjoyed a good hearty laugh.
"Marks never met you, well, he knew your Nothing, but not you, you" Nara spoke up around a pot of coffee. Xeir looked at him when he mentioned her Nothing, but it was a look of confusion over antything else.
"Yes" She finally said, "I know of this guy, Mark Wolfe, he's the leader of the Assassin Brotherhood here in Arendelle, at least he should be. From what I am able to recall, Blackmane currently leads it with her sisters Shadowmane and Vaeyuko. From what I remember however, Mark had left his aunt and both of his cousins by blood, Sapphire and Miao, in command of the Brotherhood while he, my Nothing, her sister, and you." Xeir pointed at Diamond as she spoke, "Took a year long vacation."
"Only we didnt, we started, from what I remember on the first leg of the trip, then ended up in that old house in some sleeping pods." Diamond replied.
Nara nodded. "Is something wrong, Nara ?" Xeir asked him, seeing his expression. "If I recall correctly you were the first person I saw upon waking up in that old manor house after talking to Tiri."
"I was honestly hoping to meet up with Diamond when she woke up, but... I met up with you instead and dont worry dear I was a gentleman" Nara said at Diamonmds dirty look. Which made Xeir chuckle.
"Its true, he was kind, we sparred a bit and he showed me the current numbers of the Brotherhood." Xeir explained to her sister. Diamond then smiled.
"That is good then." Diamond said, a naughty tone to her voice. "Because if he wasnt a gentleman, I would have broken something on his body." Xeir broke out in laughter as Nara started choking on his coffee.
Xeir looked between the two of them. "Anything else you want to tell me ?" She asked them
"Yeah. Apparently today is your Nothings birthday. Huge day of importance apparently just by the appearance of the kingdom." Diamond said as Nara continued to choke. "Swallow, dear, swallow what is in your mouth" She said as Nara finally stopped choking.
A new voice broke in "Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs! Gimmie back my nose you crazy thorny spikey grass!"
"You hear something ?" Xeir asked, why did that voice sound so familiar as Diamond smiled, about time! She did not see that Olaf was suddenly at her elbow. The chair being so low however allowed for her to be eye level with him when seated in it.
"Hi Mom!" Olaf all but shrieked in her face as Xeir just stared at him. Diamond started giggling like a child. Which earned his attention. "Hi there pretty woman thing whose name I do not remember!" he said going over to Diamond while then screaming "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Diamond, while laughing, accepted a hug from Olaf, he went to give one to Nara, but stopped himself
"Did you know that too much coffee can kill ?" He asked him, Nara started choking again in laughter. Confused Olaf looked at Diamond, "Was it something I said ?"
"No, Olaf, nothing will kill Naratas, execept extreme old age" Diamond replied, only to notice Olaf staring at Xeir, "Something wrong ?"
"Why isnt she saying anything ?" Olaf asked out of the corner of his mouth to Diamond
"Who ? Xeir ?" Diamond asked him before looking at Xeir who was staring at Olaf seemingly lost in thought.
"Yeah, why isnt Mom saying anything ?" Olaf asked her, "I mean, I said hi to her, I even called her Mom too, but shes just staring at me ? Wait am I naked ?" Olaf started patting himself down, "No. Got all three coal pieces, my stick hair, nose... nope, not naked." Diamond riased an eye brow at the antics of the snowman as Xeir started to snicker.
Xeir remembered making Olaf, remembered her Nothing making Olaf while she sang a song ? It didnt make a lot of sense to her back then to make the snowman, she had no idea he came alive. But her magic, her dragon magic, brought him to life. She remembered too making Olaf, but he did not come alive, to entertain her sister Anna. At least her Nothing did. Xeir did not have a sister named Anna, she had a sister, who was named Diamond.
"If he called me, Mom... that makes you his aunt and uncle" Xeir said. Olaf was cute, a snowman, not a dragon. Then again, even as a dragon Xeir remembered her and Diamond playing in the snow inside their mothers expansive palace and they never had issues with their magic.
"Does that make me a niece and nephew ?" Olaf asked, which made all three humanlike people breakdown in laughter. Resulting in Nara choking on a chicken leg, Diamond falling to the grass from her chair she was laughing so hard, and Xeir passing out from laughing so heard she couldnt breathe at the time. "Was it something I said ?"
Arendelle
Castle District
Castle Dungeons
Two PM
Kiyori paced into the jail structure, the castle dungeons were well kept and only had little, if any accomendations for anyone, even royalty to reside within. Not that it really mattered. Coming to the cell where Kiyomori normally was to be expected, he was upset to find the cell empty. Barren save for a single person in a dark coat standing with their back to the cell bars
"I wondered when you would return" Said the hooded woman, her face unseen as her back was to him. She turned to face him, turning her head to look at him first before turning to view him entirely. "Looking for someone ?" The coated woman asked.
"I was expecting a prisoner to be in this cell, what have you done to her ?" Kiyori asked in reply
"My my my, such a temper" The coated woman said, raising her hand and giving a motion with a finger as if to tell him off. She was oddly calm as she spoke. "Relax, you have bigger fish to fry" She then said
"What do you mean ?" Kiyori asked her as he motioned the soldier to unlock the cell. If he was unable to get Kiyomori, he could at least get the woman in her place.
"Oh, you'll see, tata" The woman opened a Darkness Corridor and disappeared as the soldiers filled the cell.
Kiyori fumed. "FIND HER!" He thundered as he turned away. "Find Kiyomori and bring her straight to me! Do not bother with paperwork or keeping her here. Take her directly to me!" He had no idea that he was going to send his men on a wild guar chase.
Manny could see his boss was pissed, so as he stood at attention, the mancat simply observed. He spotted as they left the jail, Kiyomori fuming as they did so, a fellow Tigris, an older male so it appeared. Siamese, clearly asian in appearance. Heading in their direction.
"Sir" Mannfredd spoke up.
"What is it Mannfredd ?" Kiyomori asked him
"We have a vistor sir" Manny replied and nodded towards Miyagi, the old cat, an older man or so it appeared to Kiyori, stepped into both of their view.
"So it appears" Kiyori said simply. He stepped closer to Miyagi. "Do you have business with the court to be on castle grounds ?" the High Priest asked him.
"That I do, but it is not with you." Miyagi replied. He had inrternal enegies he could use to counter the effects of getting modeled by Kiyori, but he did not want to yet reveal his abilities. "However, I do have some business with you, which we can attend to now if you like"
"That depends entirely on the business you wish to conduct." Kiyori replied. "Please, do not keep me hanging"
"I am looking for a woman, she is named only as Emisary" Miyagi said, he could tell he struck a nerve, Manny looked nervous, yet Kiyori looked confused. "I was told that you would know of her, or at least of where to find her. It is rather important I speak with her and soon." the older man said. He had a regal way about him. And Kiyir could tell he could even give Manny a hard time.
"Sadly I do not know where Emisary could be, but I do know where you can start looking" Kiyori said at long last. Miyagi was given instructions. Though his attitude towards the High Priest left much to be desired, he was respectible, and yet, Kiyori might be on the low end of the respect spectrum.
Not that Kiyori much cared. He was in charge of Arendelle, nearly so. As Miyagi turned to leave, he regarded Kiyori thoughtfully. "You will find what you seek. And soon" He said. Manny had to smirk, was that meant for Kiyori or for himself ? Did Miyagi know Atert ?
Kiyori was confused by what the man had meant. But did not press Miyagi for an explination, instead he allowed Miyagi to leave and do as he liked in the kingdom while he instead went to his private gazebo behind the chapel to brood and think.
Arendelle Wilderness
Destroyed temple Gates
4 PM
Her temple stood in ruins. But she was seemingly fine with it. The structure had originally been built as a burial ground for the ancient Queen of Arendelle, known way back then as Ingrid the First, also known by the moniker of Ingrid the Wolf Queen because the portraits and armor designs she had used for her personal guard were made to depict a wolf pack.
But now her troops were dead, long dead, and their decendants destroyed as well when she herself was dethroned so long ago. But she herself, Igrid, the Wolf Queen, the Undead Queen of Arendelle, the fourth queen of Arendelle infact if one did their math skills right.
Ingrid did not give two fucks whatsoever if her troops were all slain, she herself had used foul magics and made them. They tried to procreate but it failed and their offspring was slain or their wives and husbands had died from the foul magics when they tried to screw.
The details long since lost, Ingrid stood and looked over her old tomb. She had woke up in it only scant years before. But now she was going to go back into it. She had work to do. Lots of work. A flick of the wrist brought the sound of an ancient doorway cracking open as dust was stirred up.
Ingrid stepped into the ancient structure, candles lit the many stone hallways. Some of the structre was advanced in its construction allowing light to filter in. As she walked the dust filtered and drifted around her feet as she went through the ancient halls.
Ancient statues lined the walls, soldiers with weapons, in ancient stone armor.A single undead wolf followed in her wake. This was her aid, her first in command really after Draco had went off on his own she had to make something to be an aid and pet.
Halen formed from the dust as Ingrid stalked the halls of the ancient tomb. Forming into a solid undead Wolf as she finally neared the chamber her body had been buried in,
With her dark magics she had reformed the ancient structure into a throneroom of a sort upon awakening from her millions of years of deathless sleep. Her body had rotted and slowly rebuilt. But now, she was mostly if not entirely alive. Her old body, rotted away, what was left was a hot mess of ancient rags, skin and bones. She was after a ghostly figure in appearance, a zombie in certain lights, and yet in other lights she was quite human looking and also quite beautiful.
Her magic, ancient and old, had created Draco. But Draco was a Black Dragon, her magic had made him into a Shadow Black Dragon. A powerful creature.
But still under her will.
Draco of course did not like that.
And now someone else claimed the throne of Arendelle, a priestly figure at that. With a weapon of great power within his control. So Ingrid brooded for a time upon her ancient throne as her minions wafted around, various zombie servante, ghostly figures. And also undead wolves prowled the halls of her now undead kingdom
Ingrid of course did not know what kind of weapon the High Priest had in his possession. Only that several very powerful people were vying for it on many levels. Ingrid had to smile, she recalled meeting the young woman, known as Nasty, and not because of the mess of scars upon her face. Sdhe felt familiar and yet Ingrid was unable to place how.
But she remembered how Draco reacted when she mentioned the young lady. Draco was awfully protective of the girl. A human girl ? Was the girl truly human to begin with, or did Draco have children ?
Ingrid sat upon her ancient throne, tapping her fingers of her right hand upon the armrest as if playing a piano. Playing in her mind a trail of memories. She stared at the wall to her left. An ancient Keysword hung there. It hadnt seen action or use since she had died. But it was not her original keysword either. Her original keysword was long gone. Someone else had possesion of it, or it had been destroyed. It was possible to destroy a keysword, she had done it many times.
But she did not know that her original keysword was in the hands of someone incredibly gifted and powerful and the same person drove Draco crazy when his name was mentioned.
Ingrid had to smile. She remembered creating Draco, corrupting him with her foul magics, granting him powers over shadows and other dark magics. Draco himself was in her debt now that she thought about it a good doezen years after she had corrupted him, he disappeared. But the last time she saw him, he felt as if he was not all there.
As if something was missing. He looked fuzzy, as if a projection. Then she figured it out. The raw pure magic that he had gone against had torn his soul from his body. But she could never find his body. She had no idea where his body was kept.
For long moments as the time creeped into the nine o'clock hour. Ingrid had brooded for six hours upon her throne. Lost in thoughts and memories. Finally she stood. "Halen!" She said simply
"Mistress" Came the gravel sound of a dead wolf nearby. At his name being called the undead wolf transformed into a gristly looking fellow.
"I want you to go into Arendelle, you know the roads and districts I once controlled as queen." Ingrid said, she stood from her throne and began walking to a side hall, Halen followed her.
"Of course, we once walked among the populace, selecting soldiers together at my recommendations" Halen remembered everything of exploring the centeral districts of the kingdom. Arko was long destroyed and remade into a massive memorial park filled with ruined buildings. The marketplace was the next population center however.
"There was a bank we had overseen the construction of, you remebmer, father said a centeralised bank in Arendelle was a good means of keeping the treasury safe for the kingdom to grow" Ingrid mused as she stepped into a large low ceilinged room that was long and narrow. Halen followed right behind.
"I recall working as part of the construction crew when we first met that time" Halen mused aloud. The two came to a halt at a table, which had a model of Arendelle upon it. "Aside from a memory trip, what do you need me to do ?" Halen then asked
"I want you to raid the treasury structure's main vault, and use the portal spell to transfer a certain item back here." Ingrid replied. "It should still be within the vault somewhere. At least that is my hope. It is too durable to destroy or even get damaged."
"And what, might I ask, am I collecting from the vault ?" Halen asked.
"Dracos sword" Ingrid replied calmly, a flick of her fingers and the model of Arendelle began to move with animation, as if in real time the model of the kingdom had activity that mirrored the main city itself. "The vault should be... here" She indicated a structure in the middle fo the ruins of the Arko District, an old bank.
"I recover this sword, and bring it back here. I'll be back before sunrise" Halen said.
"You will have to go as a human, going as a undead wolf would attract the wrong kind of attention, and not just from the High Priest." Ingrid said, she then smirked, "Speaking of whom. Try and get as much information as you can on the asshole too apparently he has just left the jail in quite the hurry."
Halen nodded. "Is that it Mistress ?" He asked her.
"One more thing, you are to call me by my name, or by Dear, or Honey, we were married before I became queen remember ?" Ingrid gave him a smirk.
"Of course my dear" Halen then remembered, of course after making Draco, Halen became her plaything, the guy was a total wimp truth be told, but he was smarter then most. And after millions of years of knowledge. He knew the kingdom of Arendelle like the back of his hand. From the inside. "Is there anything else ?"
"Get the sword, get the info, come back here. If you can, try and cause a rukus somewhere to draw away the soldiers. I need some entertainment in here and its been a month since anything happened." Ingrid said while giving her husband a kiss on the nose. Halen smirked and at the last second he liplocked his wife.
"Get the sword, get the info, have some fun. I can do that" Halen said before disappearing down the hall. Since it was nighttime it allowed Ingrid a moment to look towards the model of the kingdom. She remembered the section she and her subjects had, at the time only 9 districts, which at the time also included the castle district.
But as Ingrid viewed the model of Arendelle, it was absolutely huge. Generated in realtime by powerful shadow magics and otherwise, the kingdom model allowed Ingrid to plan her next move six steps ahead of her enemies. But there were issues recently. The soldiers were getting updated with new technologies to set with the world as a whole.
The kingdom had grown from nine districts to seventy one over the generations and various Queens. All of them forgetting about herself.
But she had plans and was going to change that. Ingrid smiled wickled as she watched the model. Yes, things were going to change for this fair kingdom.
And not for the best.
Arendelle
Dojo District
10 PM
"Normally the Dojo closes at nine" Came a old voice. The man on the chair before the entry to the Dojo turned to regard the man. Looking to the man who spoke the old man smiled. "It gladdens my heart you still breathe Haversham" Miyagi said
"Wont you come in Master Miyagi ?" Haversham said, "Stubinz would be here somewhere had he known you were coming."
"He does know, I spoke to him already. The new phones are quite helpful things truth be told" Miyagi replied
"How was your trip, old friend ?" Haversham asked as the two entered the grounds of the dojo that Haversham used on a daily basis to train Mark Wolfe with the help of Xiaoden.
"Evenful, did you know the High Priest's bodyguard is a Tigris, like ourselves ?" Miyagi then explained his brief meeting with Kiyori and his bodyguard, Mannfredd.
"Huh, Emisary has been missing for some time." Haversham mused, there was something of the High Priest arresting the woman some time ago.
"The High Priest insisted he did not know where she was, only where to start looking." Miyagi mused. He had a smirk on his wise face. The dark calico Tigris looked more smug then smirking. "Hoomin never learns" he mused as if he were a kitten. "Never try to con a cat"
"He did pretty well for me and Stubinz a few days back, I think its just that we are getting old quicker then we'd like" Haversham said. Stubinz had used the help of another Tigris who owned a shipping vessel to find news from the outside and inside worlds. Stubinz also had connections elsewhere, some of which he did not bring up to Haversham.
Miyagi was something of an old Mystic type of Tigris. His skills in the Assassin Brotherhood had helped him survive for a long time, and he in turn trained another in London before traveling across the cosmos of time and space. "The bodyguard appears to worry for another" Miyagi then said
"Aye, there's a girl who lives in the Dojo across the way, named Atert, huge Tigris if I ever saw one" Haversham replied, he described what Atert looked like, basically, as far as Miyagi could figure; a much younger version of Salma Hayek but just as stacked with beautiful green eyes and bright blackblue hair.
"You think it is the bodyguards wife ?" Miyagi asked then, he was trying to figure out wehere the lady Atert fit into things.
"No, I do not think the two are married, yet" Haversham replied, "Though the big guy does stop in to that dojo on occasion and visits with her for several hours on his days off. At least what counts for days off, I havent seen him in three weeks now."
"The bodyguard looked rather upset wit he man he was guarding." Miyagi mused as the two sat down on a porch of the house looking out into the garden area. "it is possible he is worried for this Atert as you called her."
"She runs the dojo for girls across the street from here. But that bodyugard hasnt been there for three weeks, she recently asked me to look into things" Haversham said in reply. "It is clear she is worried about the bodyguard."
"So the worry goes both ways" Miyagi said. An amused tone to his voice
"And now you tell me that Emisary is missing" Haversham grumbled. He and Stubinz had been in the dark for the last four days about what happened to her.
"The High Priest told me he knew where to start looking, not that he himself had her arrested for helping others." Miyagi said softly, his previous amusment gone.
"Great, whats your plan now ?" Haversham asked
"What time does your student arrive tomorrow ?" Miyagi asked
"How did you know I have a student ?" Haversham asked
"I can smell him, Tigris, human, Eagle, and something else I cannot quite place." Miyagi said to Haversham.
Haversham smiled, a nod. "Aye, I have a student, I was directed by a woman called DiT to train the man. He does not have his normal weapoons and abilities, so I have to train him in the use of a bow, bareknuckle fighting, and a few other things. He is a skilled young man as well."
"What time will he show up tomorrow morning ?" Miyagi then asked
"Normally he shows up after breakfast, last few days it was before breakfast." Haversham said, Stubinz had been teaching Mark his words, so to speak. Namely how to read certain things for their true meaning. "Why ?"
"Have him meet me here when he arrives tomorrow, I think I can be his teacher for one day." Miyagi gave Havcersham a envelope, "In side this is my current place of residence and known contact. If Mark Wolfe is indeed to take on the High Priest in some manner again. He will need my advice." Miyagi smirked then. "Oh, and tell him to bring the item, he'll know what I mean."
Miyagi then stood from the table., "It was good to see you again my old friend. Please inform Stubinz I will see him at dinner tomorrow as we planned. It will be nice to catch up properly together." With that Miyagi ambled away. Haversham watched the dark calico male amble off like an old codger selling his wares.
Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day for sure. It was after all nearly Christmas, being the twenty first of december. The old queens birthday. So tomorrow would be the twenty second, which meant that Mark would show up nearly lunchtime.
Haversham sighed. "Miyagi old friend, you're going to be waiting a while" He mused thoughtfully as he picked up the envelope in his hands, hit had his name on it. Along with thew words, Miyagis Contacts.
22 December 2057
Arendelle
Arko District
Bank Ruins
Midnight
Halen stepped into the ruined structure, long since abandoned since the massive Templar battle that occurred a few years before, he took a careful look around, the ruins were fairly recent and yet kept up enough for various reasons.
Most of the time the building was the centeral hub for the kingdoms money when Ingrid was queen and then when her daughter had taken over she had the treasury moved to the bowls of the castles basements.
A sword was kept in the ancient vaults far below the bank, and it allowed Halen some level of privacy. Shifting slightly he shimmied his way through a busted wall and ducked below a beam.
He found a stairway leading down and was not the least bit surprised to find it intact and undamaged in any manner. Truth be told however he was also not expecting a few other things about the whole place either.
Ancient technology slowly came to life as he walked along a hallway to a door. He set his hand against it, he remembmered building this place. Using his own coworkers as a source of cover for him to build the ancient vaults at Ingrids fathers request. The door broke open, countless years of dust greeted him upon the floor, at least an inch thick if not more.
Halen stepped into the ancient vault, technology activated and lights woke up as he moved through it. Ingrid wanted an ancient sword that was kept down in that vault. Going to another door it sild open as he neared it. He stepped onto a platform and pressed something on a nearby panel that glowed with etheral light.
The platform he stood on began to fall, rapidly. It never affected Halen as the air pressure changed around him.
The ancient undead wolfman smirked as the platform continued to go downwards. Finally emptying out into a massive cavern of a sort. The platform began to slow down as it neared the desired level. Finally coming to a halt at the bottom. A good two miles underground.
Halen stepped off the platform and headed down a row of seemingly endless shelves. The center of the cavern where the base of the elevator was had several counters set up for those who cared for the ancient vault.
In both north and south directions the ancient vault stretched for a kilometer in both directions, a total of two kilometers in length, and half a kiloeter in height. There were shelves that stretched for the length of it, on several levels.
Halen eignored most of the shelves as he walked the kilometer to a wall of doors towards the south. Activating a certain panel, more lights appeared as if by magic, and it allowed him to type in a command. In doing so he found what he needed and entered the last command.
The door slid open, the only item within the vault was a display case upon one narrow edge. Within the display case was an ancient sword that seemed to boil with ancient magic. Halen had asked his wife while the man was enroute to the ancient vault that if the weapon was too strong for him, he could slip it into a portal for transport.
Ingrid had agreed.
And now that Halen had a good look at the ancient weapon, he was having second thoughts of touching the ancient weapon. So he didnt even both to remove the sword from its pedestal, instead, he opened a transportation portal under it, causing the whole thing to fall into the blackness of the Never. In transport, safely out of arms reach, and also easy to call upon should he actually want to use it.
His task done he stepped from the vault and closed the door, resealing it with just a single lock instead of the entire bunch. Nobody knew of that vault anymore, and those that did were all dead or had long since forgotten about it.
Then again with the ruins up top, everyone had forgotten of the ancient vault built by those who came before. Halen then turned and went to another vault, but then he remembered he had forgotten the combination for it and instead turned to the shelf directly across from it.
He counted eight paces, and then made a right turn.
There, on that shelf, was the item Ingrid desired most. She had him hide it there. Sol only he could find it among the suits of ancient armors, weapons, gemstones and other items of extreme value kept in the vault.
He picked up the crown. And smiled, he remembered when Ingrid was wearing this when they first met. Ingrid was one of the few people who trusted him, if not the only person that trusted him with her life, now unlife. He blew the dust off the crown. He would need it carefully cleaned and polished before getting it back to his wife. But there was nobody open that late to do so. He knew a guy, but he was long dead. Hopefully however the guys back at Ingrids underground maze of caverns and tomb vaults could also be useful in that regard.
Halen took the crown and placed it also within a portal for transport, then he turned and headed for the platform to get out of the vault. He had what he needed. He had gotten what he had gone there for.
One of his objectives was finished, he now needed to do one more thing to get his wife in a happier mood. And that meant to ensure something happened in a district. It did not matter what district. But he knew he could have some fun with it at the time.
The elevator went up. Just as quickly and silently as he was taken to the bottom it took him to the top, he paid no attention to the sudden changes in air pressure. If normal humans were with him the platform would have moved much slower to allow the bodies to react to the air poressure changes.
Finally he was out of Arko and into the Marketplace district. He then went to the Docks district, a very active district. But he chose instead to head for the Clock District. Which was so named because of the clock tower in its center.
As he walked he took note of who was out and about. A beautiful young lady by the look of things. Long auburn hair, frickles on her face. Dressed regally, as if she was once royalty. Yes, she would do for his attack. A sleeper dart was perfect. It would knock the woman cold for a few hours, enough to get people upset enough to call the guards to the area.
Making sure nobody was around, Halken loaded a sleeper dart in his blowgun and set it to his lips. He fired with a soft SUFF sound from blowing a hard breath into the weapon. The needle, coated with a sleep poison, which only knocked out the desired target, in this case for the rest of the night. Was entirely harmless once it did its main effect.
Putting away the blowgun as the woman staggered he walked towards her, calling out loudly as to attract attention. "Ma'am are you alright ?" He started to move forwards faster as the woman collapsed. Fortunately other people saw her fall and rushed forwards too. Allowing the guards to get alerted and Halen ignored.
Just as planned. But Halen was smirking when he saw who it was he had just knocked out.
It was Princess Anna of Arendelle.
Halen took his leave without another word or sound, ignored by everyone, even the guards who rushed the former Princess to a nearby house at the urging of an older woman. Another woman was on the scene, with her was a man in a black coat. But Halen did not stick around to get noticed
By the time Sapphire and Nara had arrived on the scene, Halen was long gone.
Arendelle
Clock District
At that same moment
"What happened here ?" Sapphire asked a soldier, the man recognised her as a former member of the Honor Guard, but he still respected her.
"It seems the former Princess, Anna has collapsed, apparently a sleeping potion or just extreme lack of sleep did it. Couldnt find anything on her, but she is as if asleep. A kind lady asked us to take her inside and put her on a bed nearby." He indicated the nearby house. It made Sapphire smirk, she stayed in that same home for a long time too when in the Arena District.
"I see" Sapphire said, she then nodded to the soldier, he could go back to his duty. "Thank you." She jerked her head to Nara, as if to say, lets investigate the area. The two then went looking, in various areas of where Anna was standing before she collapsed.
Was Anna really just tired and needed sleep ? Or was something else at work at that moment ? Sapphgire and Nara went to every possible angle they could find for the right shot and vantage point.
But none of them worked. None of the desired angles had what they wanted. They had no idea the person who knocked out the Princess was standing only fifty meters from her out in the open. And in the gloom, she never saw it coming.
And no matter how Sapphire tried to use her Sight, that of the Assassins trained Eagle Vision, she could not acertain the direction or the projectile used to knock out the princess. With the gathering gloom and heavy fog drifting in, there was no means of finding who, or what attacked Anna.
Sapphire and Nara met up in the Clock District near where Anna had collapsed. "You think she was just tired, maybe sleep walking ?" Nara mused as Diamond soon joined them, she was on patrol and heard the ruckus from the soldiers rumors.
"I do not recall Anna sleepwalking in the dreamstate. Its possible she did as a princess" Diamond mused aloud as she overheard her husband speaking his thoughts.
"Possible" Sapphire replied, she was thoughtful at that moment. "I am not sure if the Princess suffers from sleep walking, its possible she might, but shes asleep now and nothing can wake her up."
"Where is she now ?" Diamond asked
Nara jerked his head towards the house. "In there" He said simply.
"Ahuh..." Diamond murred, she did not recognise it.
"I stayed here when I was confined to the Arena District when I had to wait for a military court to get ready to convine." Sapphire said. At Diamonds look, she explained "I got pissed off at my boss, broke his nose. He kicked me out of the Sword Corps and confined me to the Arena District until further notice, then Mark came back to Arendelle at the time and I got my job back. Promoted too"
"Only to lose it a year later when the High Fuck took over" Nara said, it made Sapphire snicker at his reference of the High Priest. Fortunately the man did nothing to close down the Arena District and all of its many pits. He turned to the two women. "So we cant find what attacked Anna, if she was attacked in the first place. Nor can we find what was used. Everything points at the possible fact of sleepwalking." He said
"I can find out in the morning, I know the owner of the place here, they'll let me into Annas room with no issue" Sapphire said, "Leave her to me" she could tell that Diamond wanted Nara, and soon.
"Alright, Anna's yours, as much as I hate to say it, I just hope Mark does not come down on either of us for this matter." Diamond said.
Nara smirked, "Diana" he said, using her fake name because Sapphire still didnt know they were married. "We got a patrol to go on." He said to her, he turned to Sapphire, "See ya in the morning, have a good sleep" The two then headed off on the remains of Diamonds patrol in the Clock District.
Arendelle
Destroyed Temple
One Hour later {2 AM}
Halen entered ther room that held the model, Ingrid had watched it all, when Anna went down she giggled like a schoolgirl. "Ah yes, you did wonderfully my beloved!" Ingrid said, for once she was happy. And seeing his wife happy made Halen happy.
"I brought back the sword, but I was too scared to touch it." Halen said, he opened the portal and called forth the ancient blade that once belonged to Draco. The pedestal it was part of cracked and broke, allowing the blade to caltter free of its display. Lodged in the ground.
"Wonderful!" Ingrid gave her husband another kiss. "I can contract Draco, and let him know his blade is recovered."
"Or, dearheart. You can wait for him to begin to search for it." Halen said, Ingrid hadnt toyed with Draco in a long time, not since she had really died.
"What do you suggest my dear ?" Ingrid asked him
"Wait for Draco to begin to gather his strength, no doubt he will grow his own army of shadows at some point as well. By the time he needs his sword, he will send shadows to search for the weapon. At this point you can hold the weapon hostage, Draco would then need your blessing to ravege his targets in any manner." Halen said to her, it was a solid backup plan, and Ingrid liked it so much she moved it from Plan B3 to Plan A5
"Yes, you are right. Wait until he seeks his own weapon, perfect!" Ingrid said She turned to her husband and regarded him carefully. A smile on her face. "You did good in targeting the woman, do you know who she was ?"
"I do not, I only know she was someone important to the kingdom" Halen replied
"You knocked out the former Princess of Arendelle, the woman, her name is Anna. You also got someone guarding her now too, or from the look of it... oh, a disgraced soldier it seems, oh this is wonderful!" Ingrid said, she had to laugh then, her loud chirpy laugh echoed in the room.
It made even Halen smile as well. It was not often that his wife just had a good laugh. "There is also something else my beloved" He said as he withdrew her old crown. "I fear I might need to have one of the jewelers carefully clean it come sunrise however."
Ingrid smiled at sight of her ancient crown she wore as a princess of Arendelle. "You kept it ?" She asked him, he nodded, she had no idea he had kept it for so long. Hidden in the ancient vault. When she was once more queen, she would wear her old crown. Halen had ensured such could happen.
Arendelle
Marketplace Den
8 Am
a knocking was what woke him up from a deep dreamless slumber. Mark stared at the ceiling for a moment or so, very briefly having no idea whatsoever where the fuck he was before he heard the knock again. Looking to his clock he saw it was eight in the morning. And of course it was still pitch dark outside. Norway was like that. In the winter they were lucky to get six hours if that of any form of daylight during the winter.
Mark grumbled and sat up. Turning on the dimmer he called out. "Come in" the door opened and Nara entered
"Ah good you're awake!" Nara said, he had a news paper in hand. "Early morning edition, here you get dressed while I read it" He said he opened it to page one and shut the door. "Woman collapses in the Clock District, onlookers baffled" he read aloud, then read the subheading,. "Onlookers rallied to the cry of someone asking if someone else was harmed as a woman collapsed in the Clock District. According to a medical offical, the woman is unharmed, merely asleep, possible conclusion, sleep walking."
Mark stared at Nara for a brief moment. "You are not a college professor, you know that right ?" He asked him.
"That I do, but there's something else, Diana and I, along with Sapphire found the woman, it was Princess Anna" Nara said in reply, that got Marks entire focus on himself. "Dont look at me like that, we searched the area to see if Anna had been attacked, but we couldnt find anything, not evne with my dragfon vision and Sapphires Eagle Vision." Nara told him.
"I see" Mark said softly. He had on a pair of pants, and was reaching for a black tanktop as Nara explained how he and Sapphire had seaarched the area where Anna had collapsed. Finally after he had a turtleneck of extreme dark green on over the tank top Mark mused aloud. "What did Anna say ?"
"Well, according to Sapphire, 'Ow' is pretty much it" Nara replied, no hint of amusement in his tone or expression
That made Mark smirk, trust Anna to say the first thing that came to her head on waking up. Finally after a snicker or two he said "Well, at least she said something coherent."
"Agreed" Nara replied with a nod.
"Anything else ?" Mark then asked as he put on his armor from Irie, then both of his wristphones. Finally he also put on his boots. He was tying up the laces when he asked then "Also, has Anna eaten breakfast yet ? I'd like to speak to her about what happened if she can remember anything"
"Let me make sure Anna is presentable first, after saying ow she asked where you were and Sapphire asked me to get you." Nara replied
"Well, you got me" Mark said as he stood up from lacing his picked up off the nearby rack his dark forest green Hood and put it on. Ensuring it was a nice tight fit and snug.
"Oh and I thought you should know, it's snowing too." Nara then said. Mark just smirked, a walk in the snow was a fun time for him. That wouldnt do anything too bad actually, it would nice walk anyhow. It had, after all, been about twenty or so some odd years that he had last walked outside in a billzard.
Not that it was a bad thing.
Little less then an hour later had Mark showing up at the Clock Tower Tavern, so named because it looked out at the Clock Tower Plaza of the Clock District. The Clock District also home to the massive clock tower that anyone sitting at the top could see out over the kingdom of Arendelle entirely.
The Clock Tower Tavern , otherwise known as CTT or the CT was a very high class form of tavern, in the sense that the soldiers actually minded their manners before punching out somebody to throw them into jail. Which made it a hell of a lot better then the Broken Arm Tavern on the other side of the kingdom wherein a soldier normally got landed on his ass outside the tavern after a heavy binge of drinking.
Not that it worried Mark too much. Mark himself knew of the CT thanks to his cousin, Sapphire had been forced to stay there for all of eight weeks while he was gone on misions in Scaremento, Crescent City, and Spain the few years before.
So that gave Mark a point in his favor thanks to his cousin. He just hoped that his cousin had informed the landowner he was not to be trifiled with. Mark was not just a common soldier, he was a Wolfe, just like Sapphire.
And that alone gave him loads more control or access then a common thug employed by the High Priest.
So as Mark and Nara entered the Clock Tower Tavern, they spotted not too far away a woman standing at the bottom of the steps. A smile on Sapphires face as Mark and Nara headed closer. "I was starting to wonder when you'd show up" Sapphire said
"No time for that doctor, where's the patient ?" Mark replied he knew that Sapphire had to be bedside nurse for Annas humdinger of a concussion upon smacking the stone walkway outside
Sapphire snickered. "Alright, you must be the new guy, Dr Windbag I presume ?" She had a snicker in her tone so Mark decided to play along.
"Well blow... him down" Mark said jerking a thumb at Nara who suddenly started choking on his morning coffee with laughter.
"Nah, he's not my type" Sapphire said, that made Mark half smile a entretained smirk. "Right come on, Annas upstairs in the room I used here when Taekito locked me in the Arena District, I was only able to come here to sleep at night" Sapphire tuirned around and went up the stairs.
Mark and Nara followed right behind her.
Once up the stairs they turned a hallway corner, Mark traded looks with Nara, "Stay here, keep watch." He said, Nara nodded and drifted to a nearby chair, coffee pot in hand the Force Dragon parked himself in the low chair and kept an eye out.
Mark followed Sapphire to a room, the door was locked from the outside, so Sapphire unlocked the slide bar and removed it, then opened the door and let Mark in first. "I'll wait out here, Nara is at the end of the hall, anyone gets past him, they have to get through me" She said, Mark nodded.
"Good idea. Scream if you need me" Mark said to her
"If I need you, the door will be busted open." Sapphire replied
"Let us hope it does not come to that" Mark replied
He turned as Sapphire shut the door behind him the room had dim lighting and it felt proper to not be so bright right from the get go.
He stepped to where Anna laid on a bed, the bedsheet was useful and provided enough comfort against the raw cold, but people in Arendelle were used to the cold.
"Good morning Mark" Came the pained voice of Anna,
"Good morning, Princess" Mark replied
"Did you manage to get the number of the truck that hit me ?" Anna asked him, Mark had no way to answer that. He saw the extent of her injuries, she had a bandage around her head, and one eye was covered by it. "Stand still will you ?" Anna said, Mark had to smile, the poor woman was seeing double.