Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past – Back Cover
Ingrid – Meet Again/Kiyori's Last Stand
Chapter 2: Island of Memories
22 December 2057
Arendelle Clock Tower District
Clock Tower Tavern
Mark had to smile, Anna was, for all intents, suffering from two things. Severe bedhead of the most insane degree. As well as one hell of a headache. "I was told you had an issue last night. Do you sleep walk by chance ?"
"Not that I recall, why ?" Anna replied to him thoughtfully
"A few people, Sapphire included, thought you had been sleepwalking and collapsed outside, so you had to be carried in here." Mark told her
I was actually talking a late night walk because I couldnt sleep" Anna replied. She recounted what she could remember. "I was trying to figure out who would kill those serverts last month. They were newer people, of course people I had never met." Trust Anna to be hung up on a month old open and shut murder case.
"Wherever those servants were, my cousins are in the castle right now spying on the High Priest" Mark told Anna, Topaz and her older brother Lazul had been spying on the high priest in the desguise of Xercine and Kaedrieans adopted cats
"One thing that bothers me" Anna mused from where she laid in bed.
"That is ?" Mark asked her
"Why my room ?" Anna asked him. Mark had no idea how to answer. Instead he went to the window and looked out. "I mean sure the servants die or get fired, but why dump the bodies in my bedroom ?"
"I agree it does not make sense." Mark replied, Spike was due back any moment with the crystal of the days updates from the castle. Through his aunts help, Spike and her family had transported a very large colony of stray cats, also some feral cats from the Arko district out of fear of the future. "Spike should be back with a datacrystal any minute. You get some rest, a injury like that will take time to heal." He said to Anna
She smirked. "I'll be fine, I've taken ice to the heart, ice to the head, what else is there ?" Anna asked him. He then remembered who he was talking to. Anna had been through all sorts of hell.
But rules were rules, if Elsa was alive she'd insist, so that thought in his mind Mark said. "No, As your brother in law, and also as King" Mark started to say only to get cut off by Anna
"Former king" She corrected, she tried to smirk, but it came more as a grimace
Mark sighed, "Alright, fine. Whateverthefuck I used to be" Mark corrected himself, much to Annas amusement at his tone. "Point is, you're staying in bed, if I gotta have Sapphire sit on you to make sure you do so. In the mean time I will speak with Spike, and we will make our plans accordingly." Mark told her.
Anna sighed, "fine, I'll stay here." She finally said. Mark merely nodded, That's a good girl. He thought as he then left. He had to meet up with Spike.
But instead he found his aunt, Blackmane speaking with Sapphire, as Nara looked a bit bedallzed or drunk, considering what Nara was, drunk was the proper guess from the expression of the glazed out Force Dragon's face.
"Aunt Blackmane ?" Mark said upon sight of the woman in the black almost latex like gown. Blackmanes magic made the skintight outfit look like latex, when it was really a mix of cotton and silk. It was snug to the body and perfect for what Blackmane normally did on a daily basis.
Mark also could see various areas that were still damaged from both magical and non magical means. "Was not expecting you to be here this morning ? Something on your mind ?" Mark asked to her
"One of the reasons I am here yes. Your shard, I am going to Oslo, apparently Vaeyuko insists there is one there." Blackmane said
"Did she give an address ?" Mark asked her
"Yes, a general location. I'll know it when I get there." Blackmane told him
"Portal or hovertrain ?" Mark then asked. She gave him a dirty look. "What, I ask because I'm gonna be needing the train for basemovements in tracking the High Priests holdings and soldiers." Mark explained
"I plan to take a hovertrain yes, but not that one, your hovertrain is on its own loop track that crosses and crisscrosses the kingdom at random points." Blackmane explained, "Vaeyukos dream showed a shard of a star, so she knows there's another one out there and Irie confirmed it."
"Yeah that's a given" Mark replied thoughtfully. "Whats your plan ?"
"I plan to recover it and bring it back here" Blackmane said simply, Mark stared at her. A blank look on his face. She smirked, "That's the same reaction I got from Sapphire the last ten minutes." She told him.
Mark sighed, "So aside from giving me a heart attack at the thought of another ultra powerful item in our possession. How long do you plan on being gone for ?"
"Dont wait up" Blackmane replied as she turned and started off. "Dont worry, we have contacts in Oslo, they'll help me out where need and hopefully with me gone the high priests thugs will leave you and Irie alone for once." Blackmane said as she passed by Nara, giving the dragon a smile, he smiled back at her, and not in the longing way either, but more in a friendly greeting as if Nara had been clobbered senseless and Blackmane was just helping him out of it. In which case it was Blackmane and Nara who had a brief mental match and he was run in circles in his own brain.
Only Diamond could get him out of it.
Hovertrain to Oslo
Moments later
It was normally a ten hour drive to Oslo from Arendelle. But the Hovertrains made it half that time. So a five hour train ride was all Blackmane needed to get things in order. The Brotherhood had contacts in Oslo, along with the NCI and CIA and Interpol and Scotland Yard. Blackmane brieflyu thought about contacting her contact in Division Six out of London but thought better of it.
Blackmane stared briefly at the list of contacts before her, only two were in the place she was really aiming for inside the city limits of Oslo itself. Which allowed for her to focus on a few critical things related to her mission.
For one, Vaeyuko had dreamed of finding a star shard in Oslo, down to the very last detail of the street front of the structure the shard was kept inside of.
For another, Spike was worried about the kittens and was relieved to see that when Blackmane had brought the basket of happy kittens and their mother to Spikes current residenence in Arendelle that the kittens were infact quiet healthy and the one Spike had named Ghost had climbed up Spikes legs to her lap and nested in the crook of Spikes arm and fell asleep
Which then reminded Blackmane very briefly on the trainride of her own daughter, Asami. Blackmane remembered then her daughter, Asami, and one of her brothers, in this case Kaezin, otherwise known as Kade were her two contacts in Oslo at that moment in time.
Jade was with the third brother, Taikhio, who somehow ended up becoming a huge pop start in another country somehow so Blackmane kept in touch with him and somehow the family received a lot of attention when they went to Japan
Of course Blackmane never questioned it, neither did Martin, Jade of all their kids ended up being who they hoped he would be. Jade was a gentleman of a Tigris and ensured his family had a well set home. To the point it drove Kaezin crazy.
Now Asami was an issue only to the point the woman showed too much skin, then again in their family, so did the men who could blame her ? Blackmane just didnt give two fucks on how her daughter wanted to dress, nor did Martin. But what was troublesome was the new movie deal Asami had been presented with, and eventually took. Something about a Pink Panther.
One thing was for sure however, Kaezin and Asami were both in Oslo, and both were waiting for her to arrive. So since she had five hours to kill, Blackmane napped, Asami, she knew, had focused on her training as an Assassin, as too did Kaezin, but there was also the fact of something weird going on in the sky above at night.
So when Blackmane sat back in her chair she started to drift off to sleep. She had five hours to kill. So aside from sleeping for five hours on a train ride from Arendelle to Oslo, what could she do ?
Then she had it, five hours was only one way. So it gave her some time to plan, and to think. So she began with the planning and figured out only one facet to work from. Normally she had backup plan on backup plan, but for now she didnt care much if at all for those plans at the moment, instead she was much more focused on a few other things.
The first of which was how Irie had confirmed Vaeyukos story and dream that the older woman had the night before. Irie of course had one of the Star Shards, so did Mark, but where Mark kept his Blackmane never could figure out. But somehow Irie and her mother, Vaeyuko. Had both insisted Blackmane was the one to get this shard. And the quicker the better, it only made things easier for the woman to get going.
Without breakfast.
The hovertrain was packed with people, the conductors took food orders as the train moved smoothly along the hovertrain line. Smoother than a normal train ride, Blackmane barely felt the movement of the hovertrain. It was a long structure. Single floored in the main seating areas, while doublefloored in the eating and sleeping areas.
Blackmane hadnt eaten yet, so she ordered eggs with some meat. Also a odd drink request. Pepsi. Who drank pepsi with breakfast ? A lot of people apparently. However the conductors were confused at the drink request but they filled it. So as Blackmane also requested a newspaper from Oslo she had something to read while eating.
A good hour passed before Blackmane had finished her bacon, but the eggs were gone within seconds of receiving them. The Pepsi took its sweet time to disappear, a few refills occurred however but the conductors seemed ready for that part of the deal.
Another hour into the trip and Blackmane was allowed to be given a berth to take a catnap in. She made sure the door was locked and curled up in her Panther form upon the sofa, soon asleep.
She had no idea a unseen pair of eyes were watching her. Two of the Ovservors, those above even the Star Council were watching her every move and reporting them back to the rest of their own council.
Blackmane slept like a rock for a good three and a half hours and came awake as the train began to slow down. Blackmane sat up, stretched, and got to her feet, transforming as she did so into a human woman as she walked along. First her feet shifted from Panther paws to human feet, which she slid into a pair of leather high helled boots. The rest of her body followed suit, properly clothed even when as a Panther the woman looked as human as anyone else could be.
What had just seconds before had been a sleeping Panther, was once more a rather beautiful black haired woman in a black almost wedding gown like dress. Blackmane left the berth and headed for the passenger car to disembark at that location.
A good twenty minutes later and the announcement of their arrival was sounded allowing the passengers to cheer their arrival. It always happened, but nobody questioned it as Blackmane simply waited at the door for the train to halt and the doors to slide open.
The train doors slid open allowing Blackmane to exit, she had no luggage and therefor she easily sidestepped the luggage lines and headed for the walkway leading to the exit.
It was one in the afternoon in Oslo, and everywhere Blackmane looked, the place was still quite busy. Which allowed for her to get to and from where she needed to go without too much if any, trouble..
She found the diner she was to meet her daughter in, and was not the least bit surprised to find Asami drinking a Pepsi at the table when she arrived. Seeing her mother enter, Asami was easy to spot as she called out, "Mom, over here" Blackmane spotted the green dressed, greenhaired woman and went to her table.
Oslo Diner
At that same Moment
Blackmane sat down at the table. "Glad you could make it, Mom" Asami said to her. Blackmane smiled.
"I am too, where are your brothers ?" She asked in reply
"Kaezin is somewhere here in the area. We were able to get jobs through the Brotherhood here, he's head of security, I'm an assistant CFO for the same location. Aunt Vaeyuko said something about you coming to pick up something at our place of employment ?"
"That's right, did she tell you what I am here for ?" Blackmane replied in turn as she then ordered a Pepsi. Motioning to her daughters meal that arrived. "I'll have the same" She tolde the waiter, the man nodded and headed for the kitchen.
"No, Aunt Vae was more insistant Kaezin and I help you where ever you need us. She said it was mission critical you not be hindered by anyone. I guess it must be pretty important for you to come all the way down here to Oslo from Arendelle. Are things really that bad up there ?" Asami said. She then wondered what things were going on since they had been gone a year or so.
"Yes; its really that bad." Blackmane said, she did not want to start a fistfight in the diner, she was not there for that. And she was really hungry as she had skipped lunch and had a late breakfast. "What are you doing in Oslo ? I thought you were in China with your aunt and cousins ?"
"I was, up until Georginas mother asked half of us return to the Brotherhood locations we already control, too many of us at once in one place will turn the wrong kinds of attention towards the Imperial Palace." Asami replied
"It is bad enough they have Templars there to begin with" Blackmane mumbled as the waiter brought the cheese and meat platter out for Bllackmane to chow down on. "What am I up against inside ? Vae only told me the item was here, not what I was up against to get it."
"No idea, all I know is, Kaezin is head of security, and I'm the assistant of the head moneylender here, a Templar too." Asami said, that made Blackmane chuckle, two assassins, working undercover in the Templar held areas.
"Let me guess" Blackmane mused aloud. "What I want is in your bosses personal possession ?"
"More then likely in one of his vaults in the building, but yeah, in his possession, so to speak." Asami replied. "Do you have a plan or do you want to know more about the place first ?"
"I think I can come up with something while I eat, detail the lout, and the buildings internal structure, when we find your brother he can fill in the rest." Blackmane said to her daughrer, Asami nodded and leaned forwards and began t ospeak, explaining what she knew of her templar boss, his connections, and certain items he kept in the vault.
Finally as Blackmane finished up, Asami said, "I dont know what you're up against inside the vault, if anyone is in there or otherwise, its just that it more then likely would be dangerous. I've never been inside the vault. I dont even know what the ara looks like or who else he has working for him." Asami explained to her mother. It made Blackmane smile slightly.
"That is alright dear, Kaezin can fill in the rest. Come on, I think we might have overstayed our welcome." Blackmane said, the two women paid their bills respectively and left.
A few moments later and they were walking through the building that Asami and Kaezin both worked within. "Kaezin's office is on the third floor" Asami said as they walked to the elevators. Asami hit the button to call an elevator to the lobby level. But then Blackmane saw the stairs. Asami smirked and traded looks with her mother. The two women took the stairs.
Kaezin was a tall man, very slender, built like his mother more then his father, long black hair framed an angular face. His tone betrayed very little if at all of his true meanings and intentions, yet he was a security officer for the company. Which allowed him to know everything that was required for the location.
In this case it meant he could help his own mother on a task that his aunt had dreamed up. "Mom" He said upon seeing his sister letting in their mother to his office. The two hugged briefly
"Kaezinlazion, you look good." Blackmane said to him as he broke their hug. He smiled.
"And you've looked better" He replied, meaning her condition, mostly her dress. It looked ripped in places and not just because of her magic either. Blackmane did not try to correct him.
Instead she asked "Asami was only able to tell me so much, and said you could fill in the rest"
"What did she not tell you ?" Kaezin asked her. Once Blackmane had explained he smirked. "Alright, I'll keep it simple, the vault room is patrolled by two guards, both of them are Assassins, I made sure of that. The vault itself is a meter thick steel and cement ten by twenty meters. Stacked with mostly gemstones and otherwise." Me said to her.
"The good news is, the guards in there know me and I told them what you look like, just not the condition you're in. Their job is simple, one is at a table like desk the other is wandering the vaults ensuring everything is proeprly secured. Basic patrol stuff." Kaezin explained. "Once they see you they'll know who you are once you introduce yourself. After that they'll leave you alone and only focus on a marked patrol route away from wherever you end up."
Finally he asked after all the explaining was done. "Mom, whats's this all about anyhow ? What did Aunt Vaeyuko send you here for ?"
Blackmane sighned, "Asami, make sure nobody is at the door" She said, when Asami was able to ensure that nobody was outside the door, Blackmane spoke, using some magic she formed a model of the star shard Irie had. "Your cousin had one of these, its called a Star Shard, her mother had a dream of me recovering a similar one here in this building. I'll know it when I see it or sense it. According to Mark, there are six of them in total, Irie, Diana, and Mark each have one, and someone else has one as well. I find the one here in this building, and that marks five of them found"
"So you're looking for six star shards, whose the person with the one ?" Kaezin asked.
"That's for me to know, and Mark to find out." Blackmane replied, it made Kaezin smirk at his mothers words.
"You always were a tease with Dad too, Mom" He said while giving her another hug. "Good luck, Mom. If you need anything, take this" He handed her a radio that could easily hide in her ear, or where she put it, in her hair. It looked like a common hairpiece and very nice too.
"If anything goes down, you know what to do" Blackmane said
"Get the fuck out of dodge ?" Asami asked as a joke, which made Blackmane smile. "No seriously, I made sure my boss is out of town for this, he left on the train you came in on. Going to Sweden as we speak. By the time he gets back, you'll be long gone with the Star Shard."
A few moments later and Blackmane entered the vault, speaking briefly with the two Assassin soldiers on duty. Within moments she was left to herself and she looked around the many safes and hallways filled with important security boxes.
Alone in the massive underground vault allowed Blackmane to explore and follow her senses. She thought out of the corner of her eye that she saw something glittery as if throwing off light. So she followed it to a door, which slid open as she neared.
Once inside the smaller room she spotted several side rooms and what looked to be a stack of safe deposit boxes. Buty there was no glow or anything she could see as she wenty through the numbers on the sdafe deposit boxes. Was she lead to that room only to find a dead end ? She wondered briefly, she sighed and turned from the stack of safe deposit boxes and found another stack of them across the way.
One of those safe deposit boxes was glowing a silver hue in the dim light. Blackmane smiled, Found you, she thought. She pressed the unlock button, her magic unlocked the box and the thing slid open soundlessly. Inside was a silver long box. She took it out and went to one of the client rooms nearby.
Ensuring the hallway was empty she closed the door, it slid shut without a sound and then she magically locked it as she removed her black cloak and laid it to the side.
Time for some fun. She mused. She opened the silver box.
She stared briefly at the contents of the box, inside it, in addition to the shard itself, were several stacks of letters, a few stacks of an old form of money from what used to be America and also London. But it was the letters which took her complete attention first.
They were addressed to a man named Hima Alo, from another man named Starmaster. Another letter was more of a folder titled "Notes on the Star Formation" under it was another folder "Notes on the Shards"
A third folder, in red, was labled "Letters from The Mysterious Tower". Blackmane set them all aside and took the money bundles, stuffing them into her belt as it magically appeared about her waist.
There was nothing left in the box but the shard.
She picked it up. It shined, a loud humming noise rang out as she touched it, her attention was drawn and soon firmly locked onto the item. The piercing hum rang and began to hurt her ears. She was briefly thankful nobody else could hear it, just herself.
Soon the light began to get really bright, the humming quickly became earsplitting and yet only she saw the light, and heard the humming.
Finally the light was just too damn bright and the humming actually hurt to the point of Blackmane ready to cry out in pain but instead the bright silver light engulfed her body making it harder for her to see, or even be seen before she simply blacked out within the client room.
She was in there for some time too.
Island of Memories
Time Unknown
Blackmane Elisar
What ? Whose there ?
Boy, you've sure been busy havent you ?
Whose there ? Where am I ?
Seven years ago you were working on Egypt with your sisters, fighting the Templars, using your magic to keep people safe from those autocrats. In the time since then you've been really busy.
Of course I am busy, I am an Assassin, a mystical Tigris as well.
You are a Source of magic, naturally occuring, someone strong with magic, but naturally so. Unlike the other Mystics whjo rely on relics. You are different, you are stronger.
But you have been busy in the last year alone havent you ?
I have ?
That's right, one moment your nephew, his wife the queen, his sister in law Princess and an Assassin to be the bodyguard of the Princess left your front door for a year. Then everything went to shit.
I forgot them.
The world forgot them.
Oh good fuck, whats happening to me ?!
A brief explosion of memories swirled past in a plexus of images and sounds before it all stopped.
And Blackmane blinked.
The humming had stopped, and so had the extreme light. So where was she ? Blackmane blinked again, she was in something of darkness. Swirls of light and energy danced not far away as she stood seemingly on nothing and yet felt solid ground underneath her feet.
For a brief moment there was nothing around her, nothing she could really see or visibly be aware of at the time as she looked around. Blackmane noticed pylons seemingly growing from nothing, or at least something. While in the other direction she saw an island forming around her.
She blinked again. Blackmane had then stare at what she saw around her. It was as if she was in a negative sone, no colors worked or looked right. Looking down at her dress she saw it more glowlike and neon as if inverted or in a film negative instead of its normal black. It also looked entirely new as if she had just bought it
Where the hell am I ?
Blackmane looked down at her hands, no shard. Great, did I lose it already ? She patted herself down before noticing movement out of the corner of her eye. What ? She started towards the movement then.
Wandering through the island she found herself on, she walked along the beach. Searching for the silver shard she had found. Not knowing she still held it in the real world.
As she walked a figure formed from a plexus of movement. "Walk right past me why dont you" The figure mumbled as Blackmane twirled around, magic at the ready before she saw who it was.
"Starmaster ?" Blackmane blanched at the sight of the man, long black hair, a beaklike nose, slightly sharply chisled chin. And something of a spark in his eyes.
"What ? They didnt tell you about me ?" The man replied to her in mock anger. Then he smirked as she recognised him. Or at least who he was supposed to be
"Hima ?! Where are we ?" Blackmane asked
"I might be Hima, but I also might not be Hima" Hima replied to her, in the form of a riddle.
"What is this place ?" Blackmane asked, it was the first question on her mind and it had everything to do with the jagged crystals poking out of the sky and out of the ground around them, even Hima sat upon one.
"Beautiful isnt it ?" Hima asked her. She just stared at him "We're in the guts of a Star, all of this is inside a shard of a star. The original core." Hima turned and waved at everything around them. "No memories here, just basic physics, and weather." He said to her.
Blackmane had to chuckle at Himas antics then as he waved his arms frantically, "Hello world!" he said
He turned to her, "I take it you're alone out there right ? More then likely where you found the star was some private rooms to open a safe deposit box or long held secret ?" Hima said
"Yes actually I am alone, two Assassins however are patrolling to ensure I am left alone" She replied to him.
"Good you're lucky that you found me" Hima said, then he corrected himself, "Or at least found the shard. More then likely saved someone elses life." Hima told her
"What ?" Blackmane asked, how could she be in the core of a star shard ? "Was that the humming and white light ?"
"Blinding huh ? Force of habit to be flashy like that, Starmaster didnt always agree with my liking the bright lights and loud noises, called it too showy." Hima replied, "He was always so humble."
He lead Blackmane to a gate, the same gate she was headed for. "There" He pointed at it as he sat down on a crystal, "That is your way out"
"What ?" She looked at him confused. First she found the shard, then she found herself inside it ?
"Through that gate you can find your way out of the shard, you'll have to explore a few things, mostly your memories, my memories, somebodies memories." Hima explained,
"You're screwing with me" She said to him.
"Here's the thing, the longer your body holds that shard out there, your brain is hash – Too many ghosts in here" He tapped Blackmane on the head, "too many voices, so how do you fix that ?" She stared at him. "Simple, you claw your way through the shards data. Find its unfinished memories, crack them open. Finish what you started. Until the star has nothing left to show you. The partition gets created. No more memories to see, no more connection needed and the star shard can safely spit you back into your body as if you never left it" Hima said
"My body could be laying on the floor right now." Blackmane mumbled
"Its not, no, your body is still seated on a chair, as if you fell asleep. It will feel like a few weeks or a few months within this shard to you, but it will only be maybe ten minutes or so to your body. Basically look at it this way, Blackmane. Your body is finally getting a very much needed sleep." Hima told her.
"How do you know all this ?" Blackmane asked him
"Because it happened to me. But my body is not out there in the real world, it never was, when the Star was shattered, I used a portal to transport myself to safety inside one of the shards. What would be my luck but for you to find me instead of someone else ? After all, four other shards were found. I dont know who found them, but I just know they're found"
"Yes, three of those have been found by my niece, and Nephew, and a member of the Assassin Brotherhood, a woman named Diana Elisar." Blackmane replied
"That's three, so who has the fourth ?" Hima asked her. She just stared at him with out an answer to the question. "I thought so. Like I said, I do not know who has which shard, only that the shard had been found." Hima said
He looked at the gate. "A word of warning" He said to her as he stood up. "When you go through that gate, everything changes. Nothing feels... normal but you are still in control, and it is up to you to find your way out."
"Right, thanks" Blackmane mumbled, turning back to the gate she sighed, and stepped trough.
Arendelle
Twenty years before birth of Elsa
A Tuesday
Blackmane found herself stepping out of a doorway, looking back at the gateway she saw it transform into a common door in Arendelle. Great, Now where do I go ? She briefly wondered before noticing the time period. She remembered visiting Arendelle with her older sister Redmane just ten years after world war two. Looking around she saw that the kingdom was benefitting greatly from certain things and angles for information and otherwise. At this point however things just fell into place.
The kingdom she saw was under very strong Assassin control, that much was clear to see. Stepping down a flight of steps, Blackmane spotted, herself, and her older sister. She had to smile, back then they were braver then most, brash really in what they did. So she fell into step and actually was partly surprised to find that everyone within the star shards memory system she did not interfere with or affect in any manner.
What was she looking for ?
She tried walking in one direction, only to halt and stare at the imposing plexus barrier form directly before her, shifting shattered memories around in a wall like state.
The fuck ?
Blackmane walked to the left a few paces, then to the right. The barrier was still there. Without thinkikng it she activated her armor that Irie had made for her and brought up the local map.
"Huh" Blackmane mumbled. She turned and followed the path towards the castle. She was not the least bit surprised then that the city unfolded before her and allowed her to explore it within limits.
Once again she hit the strange barrier, but as she did so the vision around her jerked and went static like a bad TV screen that was unstable. A brief wash of energy tingled over her arms as she backed away from the barrier, so much for hiding in that alley.
She turned towards the castle gates, the doors were wide open, which was nice truth be told. She stepped throug hthe gate and headed up a flight of stairs. Not many people knew the area like she did. Even though she had only been there once, she remembered where the Bishops chambers were kept, now the High Priest would remember her for sure. And she in turn would know why he wanted her so much in the first place.
Stepping into the hallway that lead through the castle, Blackmane didnt bother to watch her own back. She felt as if she had to go that way and what was more., the barrier kept her from certain rooms, an example of which was the room Elsa would soon have to be her own, as well as the room that would become Princess Annas bedroom. The servants were busy, there were many of them too, were bustling about her. Paying no heed to the literal ghost in their midst.
At the door she found no barrier blocking she found herself in the castle kitchen. "Are you ready for the anniversdary ball tomorrow night ?" Came a question, one of the servants asking the cook the question
"No, and I doubt I will ever be." The man replied, It was clear he was at his wits end, that was why, Blackmane remembered, they had visited there, the Brotherhood needed help, the Templars were planning an attack on the Royal Family, and the only way to stop it was to help the Wolfe family in preventing it.
"What happened to the two new guys you hired last night ?" The servant asked
"I havent seen hide nor hair of them two asses" The cook replied with a snarl. "If ya see James, let him know his son could be of aid tomorrow" James Wallace Jr, Blackmane mused, so that was how he got into working the pub circuit in Arendelle.
Blackmane moved on, back into the main hallway she turned a corner, the council room that Elsa normally used was to her left, the door directly ahead went into the chaple. And the door directly across from the council chambers was sealed by the same strange barrier.
Blackmane went through the door into the chaple and found another scene before her. The two people standing there looked like ghosts and were seemingly mostly broken. As Blackmane watched, with the powers the Star Shard gave her, she could rewind or progress time around her to see events.
So she replayed the conversation between the Bishop, and a certian Templar.
"You are absolutely sure everything is set up for tomorrow night ?" The Bishop asked the soldier as they walked through the chaple. "The Queen and her husband will arrive here first before going to the ballroom."
"The assassination attempt on their life will not happen in the chaple, it is holy ground, you said so yourself" The soldier replied, Blackmane followed the ghosts as they spoke of their plan. She remembered it.
The ghosts walked along the pews a few paces. "Fine" The ghost of the bishop, Kiyori said, "I want you to find me a bodyguard. I have my eyes on a few different gentlemen I would like you or your boss to take a look at. My choice will be final and he will be allowed."
"You are the grand master after all" The soldier replied
"Do not worry too much on that. Tomorrow morning after the Queenand her husband leave the chaple, I want Duke to come here, we will have the ceremony here. He will become the Grand Master of the Northern Rite."
Blackmane then saw the office as the two ghosts shattered before her. So there was a Templar influence even when the Assassin's had eliminated them all ? It did not make a lot of sense to her.
She remembered the assassination attempts as well, the Wolfe Family guarded the doors to the ballroom, but they did not guard until after the king and queen had arrived at the site of the ball. From what Blackmane remembered, things had occurred in such a manner enough to be an issue.
Infact, the Wolfe Guards were not expecting Blackmane nor Redmane to identify key ballgoers as potential enemies. Marcus was most pleased to be rendered their aid, much to Charitys dismay. Of course Marcus was a good man, his brother Nathan and his wife Aretha were acting as members attending the ball while Marcus and Charity were acting as guards.
A woman named Athena was also present along with her husband Galen. The two women prowled among the ball attendees to find the marked men and women who had managed to bring weapons past the doors before the Wolfes had arrived.
Blkackmane watched the memory, unsure of where she was to go. But then she remembered, there was still one more room she could enter freely. And that was the council chamber.
The silver shard glittered over the table in the then throne room. The structure of course made things interesting, a crystal item as big as a small truck floated wieghtlessly in the center of the throneroom.
Blackmane reached forwards, and blackness took her.
Present Day Oslo
Vault Safety Deposit Client Room 1C
"What the hell ?" Blackmane shook her head, she felt no other voices, no other sounds, she stared at the shard, silver in color, quiet, no bright lights, no loud noises. No pain ?
Had she just imagined the pain in her ears ?
She set the shard on the desk and stood up. Looking at her wristphone she noted the time. Only ten minutes, just like Hima Alo had said. Only ten minutes had passed for her while she spent two days inside the memories of the star shard.
Impossible!
But the star shard had also given her some new abilities. Time manipulation was an incredibly dangerous thing. And yet, even the knowledge of using that kind of magic was fading from her own memory. Then she realsed something. Time based magic only worked when within the star shards. Or when cohntrolling the Star Formation itself!
So as Blackmane tried to use time on the desk to make the wood rot, which did not work whatsoeverever nomatter what she tried, she used her own magic to repair the damage she had given to the structure before turning back to the desk itself, and the items on it.
She picked up her black cloak and draped it over her shoulders, the hood would soon be needed as she took in the items on the desk
Stacks of money from various countries, there was about half a million dollars worth. The information on the shards. And the information about Hima Alo. All of it stuff she needed to take back home. She put everything back into the safe deposit box and then opened the client room.
Looking both ways she half expected a plexus barrier to block her path but instead she was relived to see the two guards still on duty.
"You got what you sought ?" Asked the one on patrol as he escorted her, her arm in his, t othe main door.
"I did yes, You wont miss this box would you ?" Blackmane asked, meaning the safe deposit box in her hand.
"Not at all." The guard replied, "Anything for a Brotherhood mentor." The man said, soon Blackmane was on her way towards a set of stairs.
Outside the building, she was given a taxi as Asami spoke with her. The green haired woman had been waiting for her at the check in desk "The vault never triggered, did you manage to get what you came for ?" Blackmane smirked at her daughters question.
Holding up the box she said. "Tell Kaezin that you and him are coming home to Cairo on the first Hovertrain to Arendelle, tomorrow. You understand ?" She told her.
"What about the job ?" Asami asked, meaning the job the Brotherhood had given her and her brother Kaezin to work for the templar finacial officer to bankrupt and if possible shipon money elsewhere.
"Its done, what was guarded here by the Brotherhood is safely in our hands now." Blackmane said, once more knocking on the case in her hand. "Soon as you and Kaezin get home to Arendelle, I'll have some missions for you. We need everything we have if we're going to take down the High Priest."
"What did Mark do this time, Mom ?" Asami asked her, confusion in her voice.
"For just this once it wasnt Mark" Blackmane answered the question, gaining a confused expression from Asami. "Just ensure you and Kaezin are enroute to home on the first train to Arendelle, agreed ?"
"Sort of, first you said Egypt, now you're saying Arendelle ?" Asami said, she hailed her mother a cab. "Which is it ? Home or Arendelle ?"
"Look, we need you in Arendelle, have Kaezin pack tonight, no doubt you can pack within an hour. Its a five hour shot by hovertrain to Arendelle from here. I will see you two at lunch. Hopefully we can have everyone back in time for Christmas or one hell of a new years party."
The taxi pulled up. Blackmane ducked into it and asked for the hovertrain international terminal. As the driver made ready to head off. Blackmane handed Asami an item. "There's still one thing left I want you to do for me. Make sure this gets to the post office. A friend of ours in Southton, the Southern Isles. Will have need of it." She said.
The blocklike key was the item that Athena Hawkthorn was going to need to unlock her daughters storage box in the southern isles.
"See you tomorrow mom." Asami said, she knocked on the cabbies doorframe as the man looked at the greenhaired woman she said to him. "Make sure your passenger makes it safely to the hovertrain terminal. Take the fastest, safest route you can, even if you have to portal." She told the man.
The cabbie nodded, peeling out as Asami stepped back onto the sidewalk. Kaezin stepped into view. "How much of that did you hear ?" She asked her older brother. The man had a smirk on his face that said it all.
"All of it, Mom wants us home yesterday, but we go tomorrow. This is going to be fun. I'll go home and pack, you hold down the fort here, I just sent the others home, see you in an hour ?"
"See you in an hour" Asami said, "With luck, we can be packed and on a train, tonight" She said. Forget showing up for lunch the next day, if shit was as bad as their mother said it was, they were needed, much much sooner then before.
Hovertrain
Enroute to Arendelle
"Mark its me" Blackmane said as she activated her wristphone
"I was starting to wonder when you'd call" Mark replied
"Miss me already ?" Blackmane asked as she ensured the door was sealed, using her magic she also soundproofed the berth she was once more given.
"Might say that, the High Priests goons came by, asked for you. But Aunt Vaeyuko said you were indeposed and couldnt be disturbed. Irie got involved. Did you know she is really brutal when it comes to using broken ceramic as a weapon ?" Mark asked
Blackmane chuckled. "Brutal indeed, similar to Miao. Speaking of which, how is your cousin faring with Sapphire ?"
"That was something I wanted to ask you about. Aunt Blackie, Miao mentioned something of a guy capturing her, six months before the attack happened, Vaeyuko even saw how she reared up in fear when she produced the same persons torn uniform." Mark had detailed it all to his aunt at the time
"Yes I rembmer, Miao said she was scared out of her wits. Until Vaeyuko put the scrap of cloth away, Miao was too freaked out to do anything more." Blackmane remembered everything Vaeyuko had explained of the event. "Whats the question ?"
"Who tauight Miao how to fight ? I know it wasnt me, nor was it Spike, according to Spike, Talak had her drugged daily and the poor girl could barely stand let alone groom herself" Mark said
Well, that wasnt very good, but it was interesting to find out such news. "I see, alright, I'm on the train home, I should be there in about five hours. Where is Miao right now ?"
"She's with Sapphire, why ?" Mark replied
"Alright, go find them and have them stay at the den until I get back. Asami and Kaezin are also coming home to help take on the High Priest." Blackmane told him, "see you in five hours"
"See you then, Aunty." Mark replied, Blackmane hung up then and curled up to sleep. The Star shard safely in the box beside her.
Arendelle
At that same moment
Mark hung up his wristphone, Aunt Blackmane oddly sounded very persistent to have Miao at the den and not with Sapphire or her adoptive mother Aretha. But with him at the main Den in the Marketplace. With no explaining of the why, just an explination of get it done, and before she returned to Arendelle.
Looking at the clock, Mark saw it was going to take about five hours for his aunt to get through customs at Arendelle, but so between now and then, he figured he had some time on his hands and wanted so despreately to take a nap right then and there.
But instead he turned and went to the door as he heard a knock. The shadow beyond the window made sense. It was not the High Priests minions but someone else. Someone he had been visiting with for several hours. Infact he was supposed to go to Haversham for more training in bowehand combat that afternoon. So why was Haversham coming to him ?
Opening the front door, Mark said simply. "You're not the normal pizza boy"
Haversham chuckled, "Is this a bad time ?"
Mark smiled and held the door open, stepping out of Havershams way. "Not at all, come on in." He said, Haversham did so, removing his hat from his head as he stepped into the house asnbd saw Vaeyuko doing a soduku puzzle. As Mark closed the door behind Haversham he asked. "What brings you all the way here to the Marketplace from the Dojo ?"
"A rather important matter." Haversham replied. Mark already knew that Xiaoden had to leave to keep someone else really busy on a mission or task from her boss in the Star Council, at least according to Xendras.
"I see." Mark replied
"Is there a place we can talk without prying ears ?" Haversham asked. Mark nodded and bade for Haversham to follow him. Going up a flight of stairs, Mark took a right into his bedroom.
"Please ignore the mess, but this is the only place I know of that is private" he said, not realising that the TV set Irie installed was recording. However when Irie saw who Mark was talking to she indeed had stopped the recording for an hour, allowing Mark total privacy.
Mark never knew the device even was recording his actions to begin with.
Haversham reached into his pocket and retreived the letter from Miygai. "I was recommended to give this to you. I was told it is quite important." Haversham said as he held out the letter to Mark. "I was hoping to give it to you when you came to the dojo today, but you never showed up for the normal session."
Mark took the letter and opened it. "Who is Miyagi, I have never heard of the fellow before." Mark asked
"A good friend of mine, more then likely a good friend of your aunts as well, but he insisted on me getting this to you, he wants to talk to you. About what, he wouldnt say." Haversham explained then what Miyagi looked like. A Chinese fellow, who worked with various companies and governments in secret. He was an Assassin to be sure.
"I see, he also says to bring the shard, how does he know I have a Star Shard ?" Mark asked while reading the letter.
"He has magical abilities, and is connected to a place he calls the Mythic Realm, which I think is how he gets most of his magical abilities from" Haversham said.
Mark set the letter on the desk. "Like where all Tigris and Dragons come from." He mused aloud. It was not that he did not trust this new player on the board. Was Miyagi a foe, a friend ? A spy or a infiltrator ? Did he work with Light or Sazhori ? Where was Spike ?
Haversham smirked. "Like I said, Miyagi is an old friend of mine, we have worked together quite a few times, you'll like him."
Mark noticed something in Havershams words. "There is something is bothering you, isnt there ?" He then asked.
Haversham sighed. "I was hoping it would not be noticed" he said
"So whats wrong ?" Mark asked as he offered his only chair in the room for Haversham to sit on as he leaned against his dresser.
"Across from the dojo is another dojo, were some women, mostly teenagers and older ladies go for self defense classes." Haversham said, "occasionally a big guy goes there, alone, no soldiers with him. But he does not go there to train himself, but to help the owner, a young lady" Once more Haversham described Atert.
"Atert is the only person living and working at that Dojo, She has long brown hair, bright green eyes, a looker for sure." The way Haversham described her made Mark smile, He knew a few women built similar, one of them a old actress who still sounded great for a hundred and seven years old. Atert, by the way that Haversham described her, was a much much younger version of the same actress.
"So what is the issue ?" Mark asked.
"I fear for Atert's life, if the High Priest finds out his own bodyguard goes there to help teach other women, or is romatically involved with Atert, which I think might be the case, he almost always brings flowers and fish with him when he sees her. Last time he brought roses, and kippers" The way Haversham explained that made sense to Mark.
"He wants to propose, but he is worried about what the High Priest might do to her to keep him as his bodyguard" He said thoughtfully
"Exactly." Haversham said, "the High Priest doesnt care about old coots like myself and Stubinz, but he might give an ear, or worse, a model to the fair lady Atert in order to keep his big bodyguard under his thumb."
"Why tell me ?" Mark then asked. "What good would I be for Atert ? I mean if she's got the hots for this bodyguard guy. Why tell me about it ?"
"For one, you asked. Second, its possible that you have the means of keeping Atert from being trapped in a model. Maybe could outfit her with some armor. The bodyguard too. I feel the guy can be trusted, I've only heard his name once" Mark looked at him as Haversham seemed to think a moment. "Manfredd. I believe that is his name. Atert referred to him once as Manny."
"You think he could be turned to our side ?" Mark asked, he started planning right then and there.
"A strong poissiblity, but I wouldnt put it past him. He's a gentlemans gentleman, loyal to a fault, but smart enough to do as told without questioning the orders given. To the point that sometimes I hear it infuriates the high priest." Haversham said, that made Mark chuckle.
"I think I have an idea" Mark said with a smirk
"What kind of idea ?" haversham asked, already thinknig it better to shut up as it was.
"See if you can get the attention of Atert to have the guy come to your dojo for some advice on a few things, If I can speak with him tomorrow, or the day after, we can easily lock in a inside source of information, find the High Priests weakness, through his own bodyguard of all people." Mark said
Haversham looked a bit doubtful but it then made sense. "I think it will work." He said then, "But you are going to need help. And not justs from those in this Den either. Speak to Miyagi first. See what advice he has, and we will go from there" Haversham's plan was a sound one and Mark agreed. Opening up his door the two men left Marks bedroom. Irie saw them leave and without the two men noticing her, she easily turned back on his TV sets internal recorder. She had recorded nothing of his conversation whatsoever.
The two men went down the stairs and Mark opened the front door just as Spike was about to knock. "Ah, you're not the normal pizza guy either. Come in" Mark said allowing Spike to duck inside she did not recognise Haversham
"I best be off, see you after breakfast as planned then ?" He said to Mark as Spike went right fgor the kitchen like she normally did with the crystal delivery.
"Yeah, after breakfast, see you then." Mark said to Haversham, the old tom headed off into the Marketplace and quickly disappeared into the crowd as Mark shut the front door.
Mark then went back to the kitchen and found Spike munching on a stick of salami. "Little late on the update time I see ?" Mark asked her
"Yeah, I got more info that I cold record without getting noticed, ther sun is starting to come up later again. But I was able to get a few more things" She said to him, flexing her wings as she withdrew a crystal the size of hrt thumb and as long as her middle finger. "This is everything, even the stuff from Topaz and Lazul. We might have to move them soon, I think the High Pest is starting to get suspicious about them both."
Mark started snickering, but Vaeyuko heard what Spike said clearly and imediantly started laughing loudly. "Was it something I said ?"
"No actually we all think of the fuck as a pest." Mark replied calmly. But with a soft snicker in his tone. He activated the crystal, seeing everything, including a roadmap for an invasion force for attack Oslo and a very brief conversation with a robed woman whose face was in shadow from a large cowl. "Well that's not good, he's planning an invasion on Oslo ?"
"According to the latest army emcampment readout and numbers of soldiers he's recurited so far across the globe. Yeah." Spike replied as she finished the meat and tossed the stick into the trash. "Apparently he is after something, and had some form of mystic helping him out.
"Yeah, that woman, I think it is Emisary, she is something of a seer." Mark replied.
"Maybe. He's possibly trying to devine a means of getting what he wants, either through invasion, or stealth." Spike said, her wings spread briefly as she took a seat at the table and pured herself a drink.
"Apparently the fucker is still after the Star Shards, he kidnapped Kiyomori and from what I understand was really pissed off when she had been saved by some friends of ours." Mark said, he then explained what Sapphire had told him the dayt before. And the attack on Anna if that was what it was.
Spike was thoughtfu,, her eyes were a deep brown of a thinking planner type of woman. "Huh."
"What ?" Mark looked at her, he knew that look, he'd seen the exact same look on his aunt Blackmane countless times, and a green version of it on his cousins face too" "I know that look"
"What look ?" Spike asked him, faking being innocent while thinking up an idea
Mark sighed. "What's the plan that is growing in your head ?" He asked her
"Right now, no plan, just a question" Spike replied
"Yes ?" Mark asked her, sort of dreading what the question might mean.
"What do you think the High Pest wants ?" Spike asked him as she used her wings to support her body as she leaned backwards, as if reclining in a recliner.
Mark sighed, he might as well show the shard to Spike, she trusted his aunt Blackmane and his aunt Shadowmane with so many kittens lives a month before, so Mark found that he could trust her. After all he even trusted her with his cousins lives. And she treated them with the utmost care.
He took the hard out of his coat. "This and more like it" he said, the shard glittered a deep blue in his hand, the color filled the room briefly with a blue wash before it faded and regained the natural daylight. "If he gets his hands on these, he could become the most powerful person in the world" he said
"And that wont be good, for anyone, not even Vitas can match that kind of power" Spike said, briefly flinching from the raw energies the Shard was producing. It actually made her scared of the thing. Mark saw her reaction to it and put it back into his coat's inner pocket. Spike visible let lose the breath she briefly held. "It scares me to think of it further"
"Its why Topaz and Lazul are in the castle, nobody expects a pair of royal cats to search for such things, now do they ?" Mark smirked
"No, but I fear the pest is starting to wise up, Lazul was late this morning, and yesterday morning." Spike reported. "Its like they gotta dodge staffers and the thugs on duty to get to the new skylight that is now open for us to use." Ever since the bodies found in Annas old bedroom, they had to find a new room to open the window of without getting noticed.
Mark sighed, "Great, alright, tomorrow morning when you get the info from them.." he started to say, but Spike cut him off.
"I told them that tonight I'd be picking them up. Lazul cut it really close, so they're making plans with the leader guy, Xercine and the medical lady, Kaedrian, to leave the castle tonight. I'm going to pick them up from the skylight, and Kaedrian will make sure its closed." Spike said to him.
Mark nodded then, remembering the original plans. He had remembered that should the Priest begin to suspect anything, they would have to high tail it out, and fast. And that meant that Spike could do it under cover of darkness. hich was the plan. "Alright, that makes sense, sunset is in two hours, can you get them to your house safely ? I can meet you there with them for the last report they can give in person" Mark said to her
Spike nodded. "Consider it done, you know where the place is already. Try not to spook the kittens, Misty already is on edge as it is" Spike told him, Mark smirked, trust Spike to name Ghosts mother, Mistyra.
"Agreed" He said to her. Then he saw her worry. "Did you ask my aunt Blackmane or Aunt Vaeyuko about Ghost yet ?"
"I havent, but I'm worried, Misty is worried when Ghost isnt in the litter, but shes not worried when Ghost is with me. Ghost tends to snuggle with me more then any of the others in the bunch." Spike replied.
"Do you have her with you now ?" Mark asked
"No" Spike replied, she was too worried of Mistyra going berzerk if Spike took Ghost out of the house.
"I see" Mark replied calmly in thought. "Tell you what. You get Topaz and Lazul back to your house this evening, and I'll bring Aunt Vaeyuko over. But I need to be back here by seven, Aunt Blackmane comes back around then from her visit to Oslo. Hopefully she got what she went for."
"I do not mind waiting until Blackmane gets back, but Vaeyuko coming over can be of help too, even Shadowmane could be of help I think." Spike said, she sighed then. Clearly worried
"Alright, whats bugging you ?" Mark asked her
"I think Misty and her kittens, Ghost included, are really Tigris, just in their cat forms. At least, Misty acts like a Tigris, Ghost is really clingly and sticks by me more then her siblings. But I think they're Tigris, but I am not entirely sure." Spike explained how big Mitsyra was compared to other house cats, and how Ghost was exploring and apparently magical as she was able to seemingly blend in with Spikes white blankets on the bed or even when snuggled up with Spike to begin with.
"I see. Alright, perhaps Aunt Vaeyuko can join you back to your house now then ?" Mark said, Spike looked at him. "I have someone I need to speak to elsewhere. I am not sure how long I will be."
"Alright, that works, I will talk to Vaeyuko then." Spike then stood from the table. She stretched her wings briefly, gave Mark a hug, at the same time she gave him a faceful of boob, but he did not complain, or did he ? Spike would never know that briefly, Mark enjoyed the hug and did his best to return it. They were after all almost the same height, Spike only taller by a bit.
In Arendelle they were infact quite average.
Mark then headed off from the den as Spike easily jumped the railing to the lower level to talk with Vaeyuko, Mark never heard what Spike started to ask his aunt as the front door closed behind him. It had begun to naturally snow once again that day as Mark headed for the district Miyagi was going to wait for him in, the Galata District.
Galata District Mall
A few moments later.
Just past lunchtime found Mark wandering in the massive maze of a mall known as the Galata District Mall what had been the scene of a huge battle of some kind, was every bit as evident that it never had happened, or had it occurred in the first place ? Mark was not able to really find out much more concerning the events in the Assassin control district.
He spotted a few brotherhood members, Jem among them as they calmly patrolled the district. As if nothing was wrong. Fact of the matter was, Mark enjoyed for once not having to worry of the High Prest's thugs coming after him. But he was also starting to snicker again at thinking of the High Priest as the High Pest. It made him smile, and begin to snicker madly at how Spike referred to the man.
For all he knew, Spike was right, he was a pest. And a high pest at that. But that was not why he was in the District, no, he was in the district to find and meet with Miyagi, he was not expecting to find his distant cousin Altan in the district mall, the woman was shopping.
There was no missing the womans black and white tabby patterned hair either. Mark got a good long look at Altan, the woman was tall, strong, clearly Mongolian in her stlye of hair, but she was also very beautiful and, Mark had to remember, she was married to Sharka, the leader of the Kopekh, the Mongolian branch of the Wolfe family.
And that made Mark happy, he had more members of the family that he could rely on. His uncle was right, they could return the Wolf Family back to its massive size, and he could not do it alone.
Mark had talked with Sharka some time ago, about a week after saving his ass from the Arena Dstrict and had offered him the East Wing of the Wolfe Manor to house the Kopekh as he saw fit.
But Sharka had insisted on remaining in their district. Known as the Taelieion District, a massive covered warehouse of three different levels and packed with many structures inside of structures. A maze really. Something that could make a puzzle master like his aunt have a fun time just making a map of the structure in full three dimensional models on its own.
Sharkas wife, Altan was a Tigris, and thanks to the Horny Chief, Mark was able to seasily spot the tabby facial pattern the woman had. Sharka himself was a solid black cat pattern, and Altan, her sister Altun, and Altuns husband Taichar were all tabbies of some form, Taichar was a tiger tabby pattern, orange, black and white. While Altun was a brown and black tabby to match her sister.
The more Mark thoughht about it the more he felt he would not be the least bit surprised if the Wolfe Clan was infact started by a pair of cats who couldnt keep it in their pants.
Fact of the matter was, that was indeed just the case. Second Wolfe was infact a Tigirs, and so was his wife. And all their kids, and for a long time they were strictly a Tigris family, until some humans started marrying into the family too.
Which was why Mark was a mutt of a man, Part Silver Dragon, part Human, part Eagle, and part Tigris. In this case the Tigris for him was a Snow Leopard.. briefly his mind wandered to Irie, he shook himself mentally, no, he could not get distracted. But briefly Horny Chief woke up. He shook himself again, no, he could not get distiracted by his cousin. Not then, not ever
Try as he might though, his thoughts lingered a bit more on his cousin and the brief fight he had witnessed when his aunt was gone that day. He'd really hate to piss off Irie. She was nasty when it came to dirty fighting like that.
Altan, her sister Altun, and her brother in law Taichar were housecats, much like like his cousins, Mark mused, Topaz and Lazul could turn into two beautiful housecat sized Tigris in their cat forms. But Altan let her cat side show with her hair pattern, Altun as well with the beads braided into her hair.
Mark of course was not there for Altan, nor was he there to speak with her, but he briefly saw her and she at first did not recognise him as he neared her. "Ah, Master Wolfe." Altan said to him
"Lady Altan" he replied. "I was not expecting to see you, but someone else here." He said, meaning Miyagi, "nervertheless, it is good to see family in the kingdom again" He had a point, it was good ot see family again. Moresos then what had once been ni the kingdom as a whole the last few decades.
Since the fall of the Wolfe Clan in numbers, during the reign of Elas mother Queen Iduna, the Templar order had grown in the kingdom, closing pretty much everything, ruining the kingdom moneywise.
At least until Mark returned to the kingdom after twenty years away. At that point things changed, Blackmane had begun reopening districts. It was as if a pandemic had shut things down,
and in a way a pandemic, a pandemic of control, of autocratic men and women wanting nothing but total control over the easily led people of Arendelle, had indeed shut the kingdom down internally, focusing its treasury and taxes to gaining more and more for their soldiers to grow and soon put a Templar queen in power.
But it didnt work
Mark had ruined their plans.
"Who were you expecting ?" Altan asked, she was not offended by Marks words, but was greatful he was truthful.
"A fellow by name of Miyagi, he said to meet him him, to bring a certain item as well, I'd have brought my cousin along, but she was busy in the bathtub after a fight this morning so I didnt disturb her" Mark explained
Altan smirked, trust Mark to be brief when ii came to dirty fighting. At least Mark did not go into detail of Irie cleaning the blood off herself. That was just simply comon sense afterall.