Frozen Memories – 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past - Back Cover
"Have you managed to make progress against the Shadows ?" DiT asked as Nara stood nearby seemingly quite bored.
"With Xinxins help, yes." Nara replied nochalantly
"So sending them was more helpful than a hinderance. Damned Council miscreants. How they managed to intigrate I will never know." DiT mumbled
"Then when we're done here, our alliance is at an end, is it not ?" Nara asked
"As agreed, I will not betray you." DiT said. Nara said nothing more, and disappeared into smoke. Though DiT knew, that if she was to be betrayed, even by Nara, it wouldnt be the first time.
Elsa Eight Days
The Last Day
2 July 1986
Arendelle
Evening
Castle of Arendelle
Royal Residental Wing
The mood in Mareis bedroom was a somber one as she requested only her two girls, Tiri and Idun, to be with her for a few moments, that meant even no guards within earshot of her bedroom door for ten minutes. Just before seeing their mother, Tiri had repaired her silver dress carefully; the design of the dress was easy enough to repair of any damage from the Shadowlings she had fought with. And pretty much chrushed under her sheer ice cold weight. but never the less, Marei wanted to see them alone, just the three of them together.
Possibly for the very last time
Idun sat next to her mother as Tiri stood by the window looking southeast, thinking on what Idun had told her about the two girls, where they could be, and also what that dark one had said to her of who could save her mother. There was a cure, but where ? Who was to do it ? It did not matter at this point, to Tiri all that mattered was her mother back on her feet! So now she had bested those that hurt her mother. All she had to do was continue to fight them, hunt them if she had to until her mother was out of bed once more.
As Idun closed the bedroom door to ensure it was just the three of them, Tiri quickly cast a isilence/i spell on the door and the room as a whole, nothing said could be heard by anyone. Marei had been sat up in bed, nice and comfortable. But Tiri did not tell her mother what had occurred, Marei merely thought it food posioning, an undercooked meal. When Idun had sat back next to her mother Marei spoke up softly. "My child, there is a otherworldly twinkle in your eyes today. What is it ? What has you this happy, this hopeful ?"
Idun thought carefully on her words, finally saying "I think I know where my missing daughters are, Mother; I want to go find them myself. I've disbanded the council for twenty one days in order to go myself and find them, and bring them home. Though I fear trouble may occur while I am gone."
"Why do you fear for trouble, Idun ?" Marei asked her daughter. "Do not let my illness turn you from your path that you have set for yourself. You have spent the last seventeen years searching for your children, my granddaughters. If I am to die soon, I want to see them before I do; I will not pass away until I have seen them at least a full day" Idun tried to smile. So her mother had given permission to go on this venture ?
That was all well and good, but there was another important issue. "But what about Adairon ? He wont let me leave the castle, even to go to the couryard!" Idun said, clearly distrought on what to do, on how to do it.
Marei smiled, gently patting her daughter on the shoulder. "You lave him to me. You are to go with Tiri; go, find your children, bring them home." Marei said, Idun just stared at her mother, was she joking ? Simple answer: No. "Your husband, Adairon is king in title only, he holds no power, not over you, not over me, not over anyone but a few soldiers under his command. you know this. yet you listen to his words and stay within the castle, never even venturing to the courtyard." Marei said thoughtfully, Idun just nodded, yes that was true.
Tiri smiled, at last their mother spoke sense! Idun always listened to them both. "Dont worry mother, Captain Rain knows of a cure and has gone to recover it." tiri hated lying, but this was a dream world within a computer, for all she knew she could lie through her teeth and then not worry over if the computer could decern her truths or not.
Idun seemed to falter before speaking "I will have to so in secret; in the dead of night; if he finds out I plan to leave, he will lock me away" Idun said softly, clearly worried she might not be able to escape her husband.
Tiri smirked, energy and needles dancing on her hand. "Then I'll break the lock, nothing that he can lock can remain so when I'm around, unless he knows some spells that I am not aware of. Besides, what Mother says goes. What iyou/i say goes. Adairon cannot go against your word." Tiri said speaking up before her mother could. Though Marei nodded in approval. If Idun was jailed for trying to leave the kingdom, Tiri was more then welcomed to break her sister free.
"Even so, we will have to sneak out, tonight. Warforge is a day from here to the southeast. We leave at full dark, we get there at dawn or just after." Idun said, Marei smiled, finally her daughters were taking charge, the way they should.
"OK, that works for me, what do we tell Adairon ?" Tiri asked. Marei quietly raised an eyebrow as Idun gave her sister a sour look, as if Tiri hit a sour note.
For a long moment Idun said nothing. finally she said "Nothing. The later he finds out, the better. Do you still have that sword you found in the gardens ?" Tiri nodded "Good, leave it in the throne room, tomorrow morning Adairon will find it there, and he'll know where it came from. Where it was forged. I know dragonsteel when I see it. and that sword is made of the stuff. Though so very old its magic is what holds it still together." The ghostblade, in its prime, was the best steel of the land. But this sword was different and Tiri planned on a different method to figure out something important. Emisary had mentioned that the iDuradaeden/i had chosen, and that the one it chose also had a key. "The only place that could have forged that sword is Scala ad Caelum"
"So we're going to Scala ad Caelum, tonight. I am not so sure about this, I dont know how quickly we can find who we seek, Scala ad Caelum is a bunch of city islands interconnected by boat and cable car" Tiri said thoughtfully as she briefly paced the room. She snickered "Adairon wont be happy when he finds you sneaking out; the second you so much as get up to go to the bathroom or get a drink or call a servant he's got eyes on you." she pointed out
Idun smirked "Now who said I am going to be staying in bed with him tonight ? Mother is ill remember ? We're caring for her, as far as he knows, we're sleeping in this room with Mother"
"You have a point" Tiri said, Marei smiled, if Adairon came to her asking where Idun went, it'd be too late. They'd be in Scala ad Caelum before Adairon found out. The ghostblade in the throne room. Though Tiri had a plan for the actual blade.
"When Adairon finds you both gone, he will come to me to ask where you went, I will direct him to search the the throne room; worst comes to worse, I will use my dragon magic to fend him off, or distract him." Marei said, She reached and took Idun's hand with one hand, and Tiri's in the other "I want you both to find my granddaughters. Find our future queens and bring them home safely" She gave their hands a gentle squeeze and both women hugged their mother close before parting. Tiri to pack, Idun to see to Adairon and inform him of her plan to stay close to her mother due to her mothers recent illness.
Scala ad Caelum
Coastal City Island
Full Dark
An hour later
The wagon containing one unsold sword, and two sleeping swordsellers lead by a older mature adult Brass Dragon Kobold male came to a slow halt outside Jarius' house, it was well past dark at that point and tourches were lit everywhere. Jarius' home was always brightly lit day or night, inside and out. As the wagon slowed Xeir became aware of the waking world, the soft snow under her, the movement of the wagon. She slowly woke up and rolled over with a soft sleepy sounding grunt. Not knowing that as she did so, that the snowblanket she had created to sleep under earlier that day had fused to her dress corset along the back just above the corsets hemline
A deep, tired grunt was heard from next to Elsa as she rolled over; her brother Mark still pretty much fast asleep, using a rolled up sleeping-bag for a pillow as he let out a long, slow breath which sounded more like half a growl than a exhale, but what did he care? He was asleep! With another grunt he rolled onto his back, his head flopping to the side while the cart began to slow down as it headed towards Jarius' home as the sounds of water met their sleeping ears as the wagon clacked on a dock then settled on a ship the rest of rthe way.
It was another twenty or so minutes of gentle rocking as the boat took the wagon and its sleeping passengers and driver to the city the two resided. Another clacking noise of a wagon upon the dock before it became the wagon on dry land of the city island.
Finally the cart came to a slow halt as it went pu the well paved pathway to Jarius' massive home, Xeir rolled over in her sleep, laying against the back of the wagon at that point. Drakkus, the Brass Kobold controlling the muledeer halted them a few moments later. The jerking halt of the cart suddenly stopping had its back door fall open which then sent Xent dead to the pavement with a soft thud and pluf of snow, followed by a confused sleepy sounding "Are we there yet ?" Her feet tangled in the blanket... or what should have been the blanket
Mark groaned and flopped onto his side, bringing his knees to his chest like a child. "Oi where's the blanket ?" he asked rather drunkenly with sleep heavy in his deep voice as he jerked upwards looking about before falling limply back onto the makeshift bed. He'd pretty much slept the entire ride home, and to top it off, he didn't really move a lot, either. He slept like a dead coal in a forge that could still be lit. Possibly... Maybe...
Anywho, Mark eventually opened his eyes slowly, groaning again as he once more sat up, rubbing his eyes in order to adjust them to the different light levels around him. He held up a hand and said simply. "Ok self checkdeown" He counted off things. "Lets see, I am Tired; check, hungry; check, and stiff, yeah I'm never sleeping on a cart again, too damn bumpy." He grumbled as he all but fell off the back of the wagon, stretching out his legs.
When Mark stepped out of the cart, he stepped dead on the snow, and Xeirs dress. and also the blanket, well what had been the blanket, "Mmm... Mark ? Are we there yet ? Why is there stuff stacked on my feet ?" Xeir rolled over in the snow on the paving stones of Jarius' little 'driveway/patio' thing as she was fighting to wake up. However when she rolled over, Mark toppled ontop of her because what he was standing on was tangled around her legs at the time, and that woke her up "Erk... Mark, get off me, please; Listen, I know your not a morning person but still, get off me. You're crushing my legs!"
"I see you made it home in one piece" Broke in another voice, that of their sister Diamond, Marion with her, they'd been waiting pretty much all day, Diamond nearly having to strangle Marion to keep quiet at the sight of cuteness that was Xeir falling out of the cart still asleep and not waking up at the time until Mark stepped on her
Mark looked down at his feet as Xeir rolled and he snagged her, blinking a few times before sighing and lifting each foot respectively to let his sister free before turning his head towards the voice he heard, smiling. "Diamond! Marion! Dear sisters!" He called happily, opening his arm wide as he slowly, sleepily walked towards them. After giving them a huge hug, lifting them and spinning a few times without any effort at all, he set them down and gave them another squeezing hug before finally releasing them.
"You didn't let my forge get cold, did you?" He asked. There wasn't much he cared about more than that dang forge of his; those few things being his weapons, armor, and family. His weapons he had, his armor he wore, and he had been reunited with his family. So, naturally, he asked about his forge. Crazy fuck.
Diamond shook her head "Last I knew, Momma was there all the time you were gone, until we got Xeir note, we were in there too working it. More orders came in for swords, arrowheads, and something called bullets, little lead balls. Papa had all three forges going, yours, Xeirs' and ours, plus all the smelters too" She told him as she stared at Xeir who by that point had gotten to her feet, her dress looked rather more elegeant now with that cape... "Uh... Xeir... wow, you look... different"
"What ?" Was all Xeir asked, clearly confused. the ice blanket she had made had become part of her dress, fusing with the top hemline of the corset below her shoulderblades. It felt oddly right. "You mean this ? Its just the... wait oh muledeer shit it happened again!" Sometimes she felt as if her magic was going out of her control, first with the blizzard six months before, She started to remember things; iI had lost my temper that day, I went outside stark naked mad at pretty much everything, and when I came back in the house ten minutes later, my temper had cooled, and I had my ice blue dress, but I never made it a cape. And then this morning, today,/i she thought,iI had made the blanket for me and Mark to sleep under in the back of the cart, but, how did that become part of my dress ? The pattern matches my snowflake! How ? Why is this happening ?/i
Mark put a hand to his chin, nodding softly. "Hmm. Bullets, where else have I heard that word before.." he mused to himself as he shook his head. He'd have to research it later for sure. "Any clue who ordered them?" He asked Diamond, looking back to her with a small smile. Whether or not he got an answer, he'd begin unpacking the cart, carrying his and Xeir's things back into the Wolfe home, setting it down in the entrance to of course greet their Mother and Father, who practically slammed into him.
Mark of course somehow kept his feet as his parents enveloped him in a hell of a hug. "Whoa, whoa! Where's the fire?" Mark asked as he hugged his mother tightly, smiling to his father.
"In the forge." Marcus replied sarcastically, patting his son's shoulder before heading outside as well.
"Dunno dont care" Diamond replied to the question of bullets, "Those lead balls the guy wants are the majority of the order to begin with. Wont say why either, he just wants as many as possible, they're pretty much worthless balls of lead really" Diamond was confused why someone would want so many useless lead balls no larger then her pinky fingernail. By that point Xeir gave up on trying to figure out how the blanket became part of her dress as it was attached along the hemline of the corset low on her back. But like Diamond said it made her look different.
"Its not bad, is it ?" Xeir asked as their parents came out of the house as Mark returned with them, Xeir grabbed a pouch from the cart, the profits that Jarius required were for him, and the rest for them, but he did say he'd pay in gemstones for the job done, so that worked perfectly fine for Xeir
"You look different, its not a bad different, its a good different!" Diamond said quickly, Yes Xeir looked different, but it actually wasn't that bad if at all. For all intents and purposes, Xeir's dress had been missing something, and apparently it was a cape of some form. The fact that the design of it took on her nine pointed snowflake pattern...
Marion then came forward to Xeir, the note in her hand. "Mind telling us what this was about? We were all worried for one reason or another." she explained calmly, her voice gentle, but almost urging at the same time. Mark looked to Xeir with a confused look, an eyebrow raised as he continued to unload the cart quickly and effeciantly.
"What is that, Xeir ?" Marcus asked calmly, looking to the note then to Xeir. "Is that the reason of why your sisters kept your mother up all night worrying about why they left through the window?" His tone was stern, but he was actually more worried over angered.
Oh muledeer shit she was in trouble. Oh boy, how to explain ithis/i one and still keep her dignity intact. She took a deep breath and tried to keep calm while lifting up her locket with the cloth that helped her sleep at night. "We were selling the swords as Jarius wanted." She said softly, "then there were... soldiers. A whole bunch of them, they all had this design on their uniforms; We had two swords left the sell, one of them I remember selling to a guy earlier that day, we have one left." She was stalling. But it was clear she was scared, something of the soldiers.
Mark came back as she finished explaining, and he sighed. He knew it'd come up eventually, he just didn't expect it this early. Oh well "I kept the soldiers busy while she escaped; they took me to their queen, she asked me some questions, I answered them, theatened to have Scala ad Caelum cut off trade with Arendelle because I was almost assaulted by the soldiers. In all though, I think it was actually a fun day." He said. At the stern look from his father, Mark cleared his throat and got back to work unpacking everything.
Marcus gave Mark a careful once over. T5he younger man reacting somewhat embrassaed by his fathers actions. "You weren't hurt were you?" Marcus asked, taking the words out of Marion's mouth.
Mark shook his head "No, she only wanted to talk. Was actually quite, enlighting of a conversation to tellthe truth" Mark said when his farther finally relented
At that point Xeir had snagged a small glass of water from Mik as he arrived with some drinks, when Mark mentioned threatening to cut off trade with Arendelle she spat out dead into Marion's face the water she had drank and had yet to swallow; looking quickly to their father she shook her head at his unasked question. "He did not tell me that on the way home! I did not know about that threat." She said truthfully. She shook her head again at her fathers question. "Hurt ? By the Arendelle soldiers ? No, scared out of my wits by them, hell yes. My question, Why ? Did we do something wrong, why did they come after us and take Mark away ?"
"Does this by any chance have anything to do with that order we have been working on in your absence ? The guy came out of nowhere, he looked like the guy you did the order for a few days ago." Charity spoke up as she arrived on the scene. "Ordered all sorts of weapons, this time rather mundane, no enchantments or the like" She said, taking a close look at Xeir and Mark she nodded, "Did you do something with your dress ?" Xeir just raised an eyebrow at her mother but said nothihng, was she going to have to explain her confusion again like she had when she first made the thing in that snowstorm six months before ?
Marion let out a cry of disgust as she was literally spit on, looking down at her now stained clothing while wiping her face as well, groaning and complaining about how she just washed the clothes she was wearing while she tried in vain to wipe off the water from the fabric.
Xeir jerked about at Marions cry, Shit! She thought seeing her younger sister with a fine spray of ice cold water on her face and clothing "Uh... Sorry." Xeir gave an apologietic look to her sister, clearly pointing at Mark as if saying "HE DID IT!" It was true, Xeir had no idea that Mark had threatened to cutoff trade with Arendelle and she had done a spit take in reaction to that news.
Charity however gave a stern look to her son "But you. Did not. Go through with the threat. Did you, son ?" She asked him calmly. trust Momma to come out with the blunt questions
Marion merely glared between Elsa and Mark while Mark looked to his mother and shook his head. "No; I was never fully assaulted by the queen but I did fight off a few guards before turning myself in, my goal was to distract and not really harm anyone, so I didn't have to go through with the threat. Besides; Arendelle's one of our biggest partners in trade, we'd have to start making more than weapons if we wanted to survive." He said. Sccala ad Caelum was a flexible city; they could sell clothing as good as anyone else, or armor. But in times of desperate need, they've resorted to faar less favorable trades, the details of which are almost always erased from written documents immediately upon discovery to keep Scala ad Caelums name pure and trustworty.
"That is a good thing" Xeir spoke up before her mother or father could, "Mark said that the queen only wanted to talk to him, us. But I had run off, I was scared the soldiers all had this on their uniform and I thought they'd take it from me" She showed her mother the cloth in the locket, the pattern on it. "I was scared they'd want it or try to take it from me, and the fact they." Uh oh. To tell them or not ? Elsa was suddenly quiet, Unsure if she should tell her parents, and sisters about the poster the guards also had. A poster with her face on it
"What is it, Xeir ? You can tell us. In fact, you have to tell us, if we're to help protect you, if you need to tell us everything." Marcus said calmly, soothingly as he stepped forward, placing his hand on her upper arm gently.
It was now or never. Xeir took a deep breath before speaking "The soldiers had a poster... with my face on it." Xeir said softly to her parents, "They were going vendor to vendor; asking each if they had seen me or knew of me. I took the sword we did not sell and ran for somewhere to hide. Later after I wrote and sent off that note, I heard some of the soldiers guarding where I was hiding that they were to find me or arrest anyone coming out of where I was hiding and take them to the queen. When I saw the poster the soldiers carried. I thought of you guys, my family I was scared. If they were looking for me, and found me, what would happen to you ?" It was clear she was scared of something, but the fact that she put her family first and the swords second, she had taken the unsold blades along with her own and took off for safety.
"Well. That explains a lot, or rather, not very much. Maybe Jarius can be of help ?" Diamond said, after all, Xeir had sent her and Marion to the old guy in the first place. Sadly, unknown to all of them, Jarius was actually not at home. Only Mik was there, the shorter man, literaly half their height, answered the questions of where Jarius had gone, and when he'd be back. thankfully he was not going to be gone too long and was expcted back in just a few hours in time for lunch, and that he expected to see everyone when Xeir and Mark had returned from their venture, after all he still had to pay them for the job
Arendelle
Whitehall Parkgate
Ten minutes later
A man in the shadows observed the two women, one of them the Queen of Arendelle, Idun, and her elder twin sister, Tiri, as they made there way under full darkness through the Royal Burial Grounds. As they stepped past gravestones and markers Tiri took it all in. Stopping briefly at their uncles marker she knelt to one knee. "When you said you wanted to sneak out, Idun, I never thought we'd have to go out of Arendelle through the Royal Burial Vault" Tiri murmured softly
"It is the only way" Idun said "for us to sneak by any guards without getting seen, this was the only way to go." The only way out of Arendelle unseen as they had hoped, was through the Royal Burial Grounds.
"Yes, but did we ihave/i to come this way. You know how I am over the loss of Uncle Dava..." Tiri said, her voice breaking as she spoke, Tiri took the loss rather hard six years before when their Uncle and in a way older brother had been revealed to them by their mother having been slain in a freak fight on the road towards a town called Yadaruil, Adairon didn't take to him, but Tiri and Idun loved him, and he doted on the Crown Princess and the young Queen since they were children.
"I'm sorry, Tiri, but it was the only way to get out of Arendelle without the guards noticing us leaving" Idun said softly, giving her sister a hug, the death of Uncle Dava truly hit home for Tiri, and yet, Idun as well felt the loss just as badly, and being queen did not alow for long mourning, besides, she was focused on finding her missing girls. "Tell you what, when we get back, I will see to it that the flowers are properly planted here as you wanted at the funeral. Ok ?" Tiri nodded, she liked that idea. They headed from Arendelle then, on foot, and moving quickly southeast, towards Warforge.
The man in the shadows continued to watch the two women leave. when they were out of eyesight the man went to a low building and got to work. Quickly writing up a letter. 'iThe Queen of Arendelle, and her sister the Princess, have left the kingdom in the dead of night. I will follow as far as Westpeak Valley, they have no guards, yet Tiri is skilled in combat. Be advised, they seek the Queens missing daughters still. They believe the missing Princesses reside in Scala ad Caelum. Best to advise everyone on what to expect./i' the letter was unsigned and sent swiftly by messenger bird.
Six hours later
Just past midnight
3 July 1987
A half day from Arendelle
Still on foot, the two sisters went into the ever deepening darkness, Tiri used her magic to light them a path as they walked, they found in places some ice seemingly growing on the trees, possibly because of the cold, but possibly not because of the cold. Idun knew that her elder daughter had ice magic, so it was possibly Xeirs magic they were coming across, but she did not dare voice it until they came upon a campsite that had been used at least a day before or so.
There was ice in some areas around a firepit, possibly marking the firepit location for that matter, Tiri went up to it and felt it "Whoa that's cold!" She jerked her hand away from the firepit ring. "Yeah, that might be her magic that made it" Tiri said
Idun nodded "I agree, they must have stayed here for the night. This area makes a nice camping location for one moving quickly" She said thoughtfully
"Yeah, it is pretty isin't it ?" Said another voice, a male almost childish voice. "Could use some white though. Maybe silver ? Or yellow... no wait yellow and white, no go!" The owner of the voice soon made himself known as Idun and Tiri stared at each other, a snowman half their height stepped between them with a giggle asking "Am I right ?"
Idun freaked out and kicked his head clean off his body into Tiri's arms, seeing who held him the snowman said to the woman cheerfull "hi!"
"You're creepy!" Tiri said, tossing the head back to Idun
"I dont want it!" Idun said tossing it back
"Niether do I, its just a head" Tiri said tossing it back
"I dont want it!" Idun repeated, all but chucking the head at her sister
Through all this the poor snowman was begging. "I think we got off to a bad start, please dont drop me!"
Finally Idun had the head and saw the body chasinging back and forth between the two trying to get its head back, "oh yeek! The body!" idun chucked the head at the body then, it fell over with a pluff of snow
"Whoa, headrush!" The snowman said getting to his feet, everything upside down, he looked confused "Wait, what am I looking at ? Why are two hanging off the earth like bats ?" Tiri snickered as Idun got herself calmed down and knelt next to the snowman and turned his head back upright
"There; now you look proper" she said softly, she remembered her daughters making such creatures out of snow before. But none of them came to life like this guy. And she had no idea of the many Snowgies Xeir had made over the last seventeen years when ill
"Are you kidding ? I look and feel wonderful!" The snowman said
Idun snickered, "well almost, I dont have a carrot for your nose. Maybe when we get to where we're going though..." She quieted as the snowman spoke again
"Ok lets try this again, Hello, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!" Olaf said formally introducing himself to the two women before him.
Idun went thoughtfully quiet as Tiri raised an eyebrow, where had they heard that name before ? "Olaf ?... that's right! Olaf!"
Olaf stood there, stick arms out wide as if ready to hug, he leaned towards Idun, repeating himself, "And you are ?"
"Oh, I'm Idun, and this is Tiri" it finally clicked in the Queens mind. "Olaf, did Xeir build you ?" If he said yes, then her hopes were indeed centered on the truth and not a rumor; after all, before her girls went missing they had made a snowman together with their cousin, naming him Olaf
"Yeah, why ?" Olaf replied, completely oblivious to why Idun wanted to know and also to the fact that Tiri took off one of his arms, Idun's heart soared
"Do you know where she is right now ?" Idun asked
Olaf nodded without a care in the world "Yeah why ?"
It was then that Tiri bent Olaf's arm, like a human arm, and it sprung back to straight and unbent "How in the world ? Ow! Hey!" She let go of Olafs arm as he smacked her and grabbed his arm and stuck it back on himself.
"Stop it Tiri, try and focus here" he turned back to Idun, "Yeah, why ?" He repeated
"I'll tell you why" Tiri spoke up. Olaf turned to her "Idun wants to find her missing girls, Xeir is the elder, Diamond the younger, if you know where Elsa is, can you take us to her ?"
"Sure!" Olaf said, he scampered towards the direction of Scala ad Caelum, "Lets go!"
Tiri rubbed her nose where Olaf smacked her, it was more like a bruised ego at that point for the Princess, but she at this point, didn't care, she was going to see her Nieces again! Turning to her sister she asked softlty "We're getting help from your daughters snowman ? This is not exactly what I was planning on" Like it ever was, if this was DiT's way of including certain people connected to the sleepers, so be it
"Relax Tiri, he's harmless, the worst he can do is fall apart on us" Idun said getting to her feet
"Alright, fine, but if I find him anywhere near me when I'm sleeping or waking up, I wont be happy" Tiri grumbled. It wasn't that she missed Elsa too, but she had no idea the young Princesses' magic had gotten that enchanted! Honestly, it kinda creeped her out. Boy was she in for a surprise when she saw a few snowgies.
Idun snickered and the two followed after the happliy scampering ahead of them snowman who was starting to really ramble
Scala ad Caelum
Wolfe Family Compound
At that same moment
Xeir laid in bed staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep she conjured up a snowflake and let it dance on her fingers lazily. She was scared, worried for her family, her brother and sister, Mark and Marion mostly, she had grown up with them all her life! As long as she could remember she was an orphan and Marks parents took her and Diamond in. Those soldiers had her face on a poster they were showing to people. And the looks they had on their faces. Every time she closed her eyes she saw those two men reaching for her before she took off for the city sewer network to hide.
She was unsure if her brother was asleep next to her as she laid in bed, playing with a snowflake, one hand clutching tightly the cloth locket her brother had made for her. If it were up to her, she'd stay with her brother and Marion, and their parents. Her family, this was her place. This was her home.
She had listened quietly when her parents debated on what to do, to protect her as best they could from the Queen of Arendelle, who was no doubt wanting something from Xeir or even Diamond. And the only thing they could think of was to ground Xeir, no sparring sessions, just forge work, to be safe, not even in the front of the shop. Always with Marcus or Mark, maybe Marion. Never alone in the city of Scala ad Caelum. That suited Xeir just fine. If she could be with Mark or Marion, or even her father when this Queen showed up, she'd be safe.
But at that moment, even though she knew she was safe from harm of any kind, Xeir couldn't sleep again, Lazily playing with a huge snowflake about the size of a Snowgie, she batted the floating thing around bored. Unable to sleep a wink. Soon would come something, even if she tried to avoid it, she knew in her heart, she iknew/i that some how, some way, she'd meet this Queen in the forge.
And it was that thought that scared her.
But Mark said all the queen did with him was talk ? Still tlightly clutching her locket with the Crocus flower pattern embroidered on it, she drifted into a fitful sleep.
Scala ad Caelum
Jarius' home
At that same moment
Jarius stepped into view as he watched Xeir head for home, he took a deep breath, now or never. He spoke as he walked to the remaining adults, Marion and her parents. "Tomorrow morning you are going to have visitors and wether you like it or not. It is imperative that our guests be given the utmost respect, one of them is a Queen. The other a Princess. They are the leaders of one of our best trading partners." He said
"Who is coming ? Why ?" Charity asked thoughtfully, if a Queen was coming, and also a Princess, a mother and daughter ?
"Queen Idun, and her sister, Princess Tiri, of Arendelle. They have with them a unexepected guide." Jarius said, "Tell me, when your daughter, Xeir, was growing up. How strong was her magic ? Could she creat living things out of snow ?" He meant the snowgies, and more besides. If Xeir had made more then the snowgies at least, every winter there were snowmen made by the children, along with snowforts and whatnot as well. Then it was possible that trouble was indeed coming.
"Just the snowgies. And only when she gets sick. Every sneeze produces up to I think last count was nine or ten at once" Charity said thoughtfully
"When you needed to find Elsa, did you send one of the Snowgies to find her ? To lead you to her ?" Jarius asked thoughtfully. Both parents nodded. Sometimes it was the only way to find Xeir, follow the snowgies.
Well, they did use the Snowgies sometimes to find Xeir, twice that was in the middle of winter when she went off by herself to think and be alone in the snow. With the Snowgies they had easily found her. "Wait. You dont mean... Who did they find ?" Charity faltered in her questions
"The guide they met up with, is a snowman. Come to life. There is but one person who has such powerful magic. Your daughter, Xeir. Therefore no matter what happens; no matter where you hide her, that snowman will lead those with him directly to her. It is natural for such things truly, and yet, this is a wonder. Her magic able to create such a creature. One that has gained complete sentience." Jarius explained oddly calm of the whole thing.
A few meters off, at the fencepost to the grounds of Jarius, Diamond stood, looking thoughtful as she watched her sister disappear into their own home after being pretty much grounded to the forges for the next few days over what happened in Arendelle, or was it about to happen there too ? Completely confused Anna turned to Marion "What is going to happen now ? If Xeir is grounded to the forges, what are we going to do about our 'hostage rescue' session tomorrow ?" They'd been planning it for the last month or so, Marion, Mark, Xeir and Diamond, all four of them had planned it out with the other kids their age, sure they were all adults now, but still their age group worked like a team unlike any other. With Xeir grounded for the unforseeable future, that put their sessions on hold again.
"It will still happen, though you might have todo it without Xeir" Marcus said simply
"Not to break up a family meeting but I think I have a plan. It may seem that your daughter could be the hostage, trapped in her own forge" Jarius spoke up thoughtfully, the others with him nodded, it was a solid plan. But would it work ?
The next few days were going to be interesting indeed.
Scala ad Caelum
A few hours later
Midnight
Xeir and Marks room
After tossing and turning for about four hours Xeir sat up in bed in the darkness. Unable to sleep she stared at the cloth locket in her hands. Brief flashes of the soldiers at Arendelle flashed across her vision, the pattern she held she focused on, each one had it on their uniform, and their hat, as well as their gloves! But Xeir was scared, they had her face on a poster!
But what did the Queen want ? It was out of fear she hid herself away, fear that had her parents ground her to the forges, not allowed to go outside alone unless with Mark or Marion. Even unable to do sessions outside! It wasn't possible to do sessions in the Forge, it was too small, not unlike when they were kids at least. Xeir turned the cloth locket over in her hands, the soft silk cloth glittered and never lost its luster or color with age. "Does she really just want to talk to me ?" Xeir mused softly, her voice filled with fear and worry.
Mark shifted next to her, groaning; unable to really sleep from the fitful tossing of his sister. "That's what she said. But hey, don't worry; I won't let anything happen to you. Neither will Marion, and definitely not Father." He said reassuringly, his voice gentle and soft, but also a bit agitated from lack of sleep as he turned over and sat up, facing Elsa and giving her a hug. "You'll be fine, sis. Trust me." He said before laying back down and sighing, trying to let sleep take him away already.
It was then that she remembered something. "Oh no, great. Just great. Why did I make that ?" She meant the snowman, Out of boredom the night before she had made a snowman, when wide awake under the stars. "I mean, sure I was bored, but. If the snowgies could find me, that thing will too!" Oh this wasn't good! If the Queen of Arendelle had found that snowman, she could be lead directly to whereever Xeir was in Scala ad Caelum! Even to the forge itself while she worked it! Snowflakes danced in the air out of her worry and fear. She was well and truly scared about something. Even though she knew in her heart this was her family, they could keep her safe. She was still scared.
Mark merely turned his head and looked at his sister. "I told you not to worry about it, Xeir, we're not gonna let anything happen to you, so just relax and get some sleep." He grumbled to her. It was at this point that he considered buying some earplugs, but that wouldn't really help with ther tossing and turning and shaking the whole dang bed, so he just sighed again and closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to just fall asleep.
"I can't relax, Mark you remember that snowman we made when we were little ? About a week after Diamond and I were adopted ?" She meant that snowman, the one they named Olaf as kids, it didn't come to life at the time, but the snowgies had because they were smaller. "I made it again, two nights ago, under the stars. Mom tracked me down before with the Snowgies, they found me easily. If the snowgies can find me, that snowman can too." At this point her magic was truly enchanted with life giving power. Therefore, that snowman they had made as kids, it came to life. "I named it Olaf."
Mark sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning, nodding along as Xeir spoke. Little by little his expression went from "please go to bed before I kill you on accident" to "oh holy fuck." and he was left speechless, blinking for a few seconds before he shook himself back into reality. His mouth opened to speak, but all that came out where jumbled words and phrases that made absolutely no sense at all.
This was going to be an interesting day when they woke up.
Indeed it was going to be, it was past midnight, Xeir was freaking out, the room was not exactly colder but there were snowflakes flickering around her. She merely nodded as Mark spoke Sleepenese or just pure screwed up unable to form proper words. She started to get out of bed then. "I got it, if the Queen wants to speak with me, why dont I just go to her directly right now and get it over with ?" Wait no that wouldn't work, she'd get killed by her own parents for breaking curfew. The only place she could really go was the Forge, and even then she needed someone with her at the time.
Mark sputtered for a few more seconds before grabbing Xeir's arm, keeping her in the bed. "If you leave this room, Mother will kill you, you know that, right ? The last thing I need is a half dead half stressed all to hell sister, and did I mention dead ?" He said calmly as he finally got his own bloodpressure under control. "Now, do yourself a favor and lay down, and at least,try to sleep, even if you're really only just resting your eyes. You'll need it for tomorrow morning; later today, whatever the fuck it is." Mark grumbled, laying his head down on the pillow again.
"Urk!" Xeir chirped out as Mark pulled her back into bed. Snowflakes swirled crazily for a brief moment. She listened to his words, He was right. She knew it, if she so much as tried to get out of the room to go to the bathroom their mother would come down on her like a broken apart forge!
Xeir wanted this over with, see what the Queen wanted, but her brother was right. She was grounded to the Forges until further notice. So that meant she'd have to go with it until she could make a break, or at least get something to make sense. She slowly nodded. "You're right." She said softly, laying in bed, it was not going to be easy though to try and sleep. "But if the Queen only wanted to talk to me. Why did she have my face on a poster her guards were carrying ?" She laid down, using her brothers left arm and chest as a pillow at the time. They were siblings, and they slept in the weirdest of poses at all times
Mark sighed as his sister snuggled up to him, his hearbeat proud and strong and soothing as he closed his eyes, finally feeling the embrace of sleep beginning to make his limbs heavy as it took him. His breathing began to slow, as did his heartbeat; and soon he was out, with his head tilted to the side, facing Xeir.
The sound of her brothers heartbeat calmed her own heart, the steady breathing, the protective embrace. Sleep finally took them both into its darkness of peaceful rest. For once in a very day, Xeir slept like a rock. She need not worry, Her brother was right, her parents could ensure that nothing could happen to her, but she could not help but wonder as sleep took her, what did the Queen of Arendelle want with her ?
-8-8-8-
Mark sat up in bed, the night was a strange one, the dream again, only it felt more real and struck him in the heart at many points. A woman dying, the mother of two others who were going to Scala ad Caelum ? Did he miss something ?
And why the hell was it so quiet ? Mark got up and started getting dressed, the family cat wasnt even in his room either. "Mora ?" Mark called out as he tied up his hair, when there was no answer, normally she came running when he called her name, she was the family steward after all. "Mora ?! Godamnit woman where are..." Mark went to the door and pulled the frenchdoors opened and stared at nothing but a blank hallway, streams of light and energy scrolling past. "You ?"
"Its about time you woke up." Came a calm voice, Mark twirled around, there stood Xiaoden in his room. "Sorry about the silence, but orders are orders. You ready to wake up yet, Master Wolfe ?"
Mark just stared at the black robed woman. "The fuck are you talking about ?"
"Alright fine we'll do it the hard way. This world, Scala ad Caelum, the dreams you've been having. They're all the same thing, dreams. The only way to get off Scala ad Caelum is to wake up" Xiaoden said
Mark looked at her dumbly. "How can I wake up when I am already awake ?" it was her silent smile that made him wish he never asked that question.
-8-8-8-
An hour later and Mark was standing in the main foyer of the Wolfe Manor in the heart of the Wolfe District of Arendelle's massive kingdom. One minute they were in his bedroom, then they were there. The memories of the place washed over him like water on rocks.
Standing in the middle of the empty structure as it slowly filled with servants, residents, and others, going about their business as Mark was unseen with Xiaoden. Mark watched the ghosts of his memories. Seeing briefly a little boy and his little sister chasing each other around with a white tiger no larger than a common dog.
"Why did you bring me here ?" Mark asked to the Star Councile woman.
"Because it is the only means to waking you up" Xiaoden said
"How the hell am I to wake up when I am already awake ?" Mark asked her
"Have you answered Havershams questions ?" Xiaoden asked him. Mark did not answer her right away. "I thought so" she sighed.
"My heart is set, it wants me to leave Scala ad Caelum, but as for who I am, I am Mark Wolfe, I am the son of Marcus and Charity Wolfe." Mark finally said. "My sisters are Elsa, Anna and Marion"
Xiaoden held up a hand and shook her head. "And it seems you still are dreaming then" She said
"Whats that supposed to mean ?" He asked with a dark look
"You have one sister, not three" She corrected. Mark stared at her, the memories once more assulting him rapidly, one after the other. "Now, have you answered Havershams questions ?"
Mark stared at her, then said "My name is Mark Wolfe, the son of Maarcus and Charity Wolfe, my sister is Marion." He looked around the packed and very active Wolfe Manor. "This is my home." He then looked at Xiaoden. "Why does this feel like a dream ?"
"It is not a dream, it is memories struggling to resurface" Xiaoden said, around them the memory shifted rapidly to show a huge fight. Bodies stacking in the foyer as a woman fought alongside Marks father to repel the invaders. Mark hated the past, but he could not turn away.
"You have a choice, Master Wolfe, you can wake up, return here." Xiaoden said as the memory shifted to a desolate empty yet well kept structure. "Or you can go back to Scala ad Caelum and continue to dream of leaving it."
Mark stared at her for long moments before finally speaking. "Xiaoden" He gave her a careful look as she looked his way. "I am ready to wake up" He said. Xiaoden smiled. Marks world went entirely white.
-8-8-8-
Marion stood alone in the wolfe garden of the wolfe compound "Lady Tiri, is it true, is it really impossible to get off this city island ? In the end, I am unable to outrun the destiny of being stuck on this city island."
"Is there something on your mind ?" Came a concerned yet still cheerful voice. That of a guy she did not recognise. Tall and wearing a black coat with a hood that was down, the green eyed man smiled at the woman calmly as she turned to him.
Marion stared at the man dumbly for a few seconds before grabbing at her swords, "Who are you ? Why do you look so familiar to me ?" She screamed she drew a sword and pounced the man.
Xendras easily caught the blade and fended the woman off easily. "Hey take it easy! I'm Xendras, nice to re-meet you." He said, Marion calmed a little bit. "Whats bugging you ?" When she at first did not answer and only sheathed her sword, Xendras spoke. "When I was your age, I did not have these kinds of concerns"
"Is this my destiny ? To be stuck on this city island for all my life ?" Marion asked him
Xendras smirked, "Infront of destiny, no matter how much you think. Your final decision may not turn out to be the correct one" he gave a hard look. "Just follow your heart"
Marion smiled, "Thank you for that advice" Normally she was not one to thank for such advice. But somehow she felt she should at least thank this man. "Why are you dressed like someone I saw recently ?"
Xendras took a deep breath, then sighed. "Marion, I just received word that Lady Tiri is locked away in Arendelle"
"She got locked up ? Why" Marion asked
"According to the public she defied her brother in law, but truly he wants something from her, something of yours" Xendras said
Marion was confused. "What do you mean ? What could I possibly have that he would want ? I never even met the guy"
"Yup" Xendras said, he stepped around her, the two started walking within the garden. "For a long time his majesty sought a missing piece of his puzzle. A star map of some form. No one has ever seen what it looks like, or know of how to obtain it. He always figured he could use the star map, if that is truly what it is to solidify his hold and defeat the Shadows once and for all. So over the last year. Everyone has been looking for it."
"So where do I come in ?" Marion asked
"If you and your siblings do not give him what he wants, I dont think he will ever let her free" Xendras said
"She is the Crown Princess is she not ?" Marion asked
"Something like that." Xendras said. They came to the gate, the street was oddly quiet. "Tell you what" He turned towards her. He could tell she was trying to place him from somewhere. "You have questions that need answers. I will do my best to answer them"
That was all Marion needed to know. "Why do you look like someone I saw a few nights ago ?" It had been about a month at best since the dreams started hadnt it ? No only a week.
"Depends, what did you see ?" Xendras said in reply
"I saw a man, it had to be a man, using the most unique weapon I had ever seen and taking on a dozen, I guess they were shadows. When each one fell to his weapon, they turend into harmless smoke" She explained. "When morning came the next day I searched the road and even spoke with the patrol guard. I never could find him."
"Why ask me this ?" Xendras asked her
"Because you look like him" Marion said
"Fair point" Xendras said as the gate opened to an empty street. "I was not him. But I can see the resemblence"
"All of this for a dream ?" Marion asked at first not noticing the street empty and the house behind her devolving into points of a plexus pattern.
"Is it worth it for a star formation ?" Xendras asked her as he turned to her, "is it worth it to forget what was most important to you ?"
"Forget ?" Marion asked him, memories and thoughts had flooded her mind recently since meeting Tiri that first time. "What could I forget ?"
"Well I think it is time for two important questions" Xendras said
"Two questions ?" Marion asked
"Yup, the first one is easy, Who are you ?" Xendras replied
Marion at first did not know what to say to that. Then she said "My name is Marion Wolfe, I'm the daughter of Marcus and Charity Wolfe, Mark is my brother" She said nothing of Anna or Elsa, it was as if she never recalled either of them as family.
Xendras smiled, the plexus pattern danced around them execept for the solid ground they stood on "One down, one to go" he said. He turned to her. Tapping on the side of her head as he spoke "That is all well and good, up here. What does it say, in here" he then tapped her chest, directly over her heart. Marion normally would have deep fried anyone who would dare try to touch her body, let alone directly between her breasts like this man did. But something about him told her he was not a person to trey to screw up.
But she somnehow knew what he meant, he was asking her of what did her heart tell her. What did her heart say ? Well, it said simply to wake up. Marion sighed and smiled. "Xendras, I am ready to wake up" She told him
Xendras smiled. "Happy trails, Diamond" Then he too disappeared into a plexus portal without another word as Marions world went completely white.
-8-8-8-
In the whiteness a voice spoke. It was almost a whisper and yet it was also quite loud in the whiteness: Marion ?
Marion could see her self as she was, surrounded by points of light, panes of glass dancing and shifting around her. Twirling around she called out "Who's there ?"
There came a soft chuckle: It is alright Marion, I am your heart, and you are my heart
"My heart ?" Marion asked, She found herself standing on something, stained glass swirled underfoot as pieces of white tile broke apart into birds and flew away. There was no more plexus pattern. And beyond the edge of the structure she stood upon, was naught but darkness.
Again the voice spoke: Yes, our heart. You are my heart, I am yours
"How is this possible ?" Marion asked out into the darkness.
A woman formed behind her. "Because I am you, and you are me"
Turning around Marion stared, at not herself as she had at first expected but someone else, someone she was quite close to. "Diamond ?"
The woman was dressed in beautiful white robes over a armored corest of a dress, scales were seen briefly forming a belt and long thigh high boots that glittered with dragon scales were seen on her feet. Long white hair was on her head, with bright pink eyes. "You remember yourself ?" Diamond asked her
"Is that my heart talking, or you talking ?" Marion asked, a sly smile on her face
"I've been asleep the last year, you'd think I would remember this" Diamond told her. Marion smiled again.
"So, I guess summer is over huh ?" Marion said with a chuckle
"Ready to wake up ?" Diamond smirked
Marion nodded: Ready when you are.
As Marion faded into Diamonds heart Diamond spoke. "All we have to do now is unlock the door that locks us in sleep." She said, holding out a hand, one of her twin swords formed in her hand, but it had a keylike end to it. She used it as if unlocking a padlock, or a door lock.
The world of the Heart went black as the darkness of sleep began to lift and Diamond woke up
-8-8-8-
Mark hit the ground in a heap. "When I said I was ready to wake up, I didnt mean slam my head into a wall at mach stupid" He grumbled where he laid on the ground at the base of a broken pillar.
"Sometimes pain is a good way to wake another up" Came the oddly cheerful voice of not Xiaoden, but of Haversham. "Besides, the only way to ensure you still have it in you is to do it this way."
Using the pillar as a support, Mark got to his feet as the old man spoke, his hand going to his neck and rubbing a sore spot. "How do you mean ?" He asked as he used the broken pillar as something akin to a chair and tried to relax upon it as Haversham did his best to explain.
"Well, We got close quarters work ahead of us along with long ranged work. For now, we'll focus on the close quarters" Haversham said calmly, he handed Mark a bow, it was a composit weapon. And it had a handguard on it for punching down targets "For now we'll start with this. I know you're used to guns, but trust me we'll get to those later. For now, we stick to bows."
"Its been a long time since I last used a bow of any kind." Mark said taking the weapon in his hands. It at first felt weird tohandle sucvh a weapon, too used to guns, and a sword. "This is weird." Mark grumbled as he tried to hold the bow in hand
"Relax, using a gun is alright, but sometimes, you just dont got the ammo for it, arrows are plentiful." Haversham said before giving brief instructioins to the still struggling how to hold a bow properly Mark"Let the bow settle in your hand, dont force it" Mark then nodded and gave it a try, letting the bow settle neatly and solidly in his hand, the knuckle guard was solid and could be used to punch out the targets ahead of him if needed. Mark fired, after setting the arrow to rest on his hand instead of off his fingers. It barely hit the target. "Whoa. You need to work on your aim" Haversham smirked
Mark gave him a dirty look and tried again. Lining up another arrow "I really dont get the point of this" He said calmly. He let the arrow fly, it glanced off the target and slammed into a wall, breaking the arrow apart.
Haversham chuckled at Mark then "I can fire two shots a second" He said as Mark tried a third target and cleanly missed, taking out what had to be a log stacked against a fence.
"You used to, in your current condition, and current lack of fingers, I'd say that time is long past" Mark retorted, this time catching the corner of a target with an arrow, it stuck there.
"Really ?" Haverasham asked him as they came to the final target.
"Really" Mark said gicing the old man a dark look.
Haversham smiled as Mark lined up a shot and missed. "Try again, only this time thread the arrow on the other side." Mark did so. It nicked the target but still stuck into it. "Again, shooting off the right side of a bow saves you two seconds reload." Finally the target came apart.
Mark sighed. "I dont get it, Shooting fast is one thing, but aiming is another"
"As soon as you can envision in your minds eye where your arrowhead lands, you can shoot with your eyes closed in a sandstorm" Haversham said calmly
Mark turned to him. "I'm awake now arent I ? Why am I doing this ?"
"Easy answer, because it will help you in the long run. Not so easy answer, because it will help them in the long run" Haversham said in reply.
"Them ?" Mark asked, Haversham chuckled calmly and it made Mark nervous. Haversham was a combat veteran, and Mark now realised why Haversham had chosen him out of anyone else. Mark had indeed tried to save his son. But was too late to do so.
-8-8-8-
Anna stared at the ceiling from her bed. It felt hauntingly familiar yet also scary to be so familiar as if it was not her home she was within, not her own bed for that matter. Anna got out of bed and got dressed, somehow finding herself already dressed as she got out of bed. Something felt odd, stranger in a manner of speaking really.
Leaving the room she found the compound oddly empty then remermbered there was a Session, it was their last day of summer, and there was a rather simple, easy Session that morning. "Oh shit, they're waiting for me!" Anna then took off from the compound and ran for all she was worth to the Session location. The streets were oddly empty that time of day, and it was not because of the heat.
Anna gave it no heed as she stepped into the Session area and found her siblings, she couldnt see Elsa, but Mark and Marion were therehaving some sort of rather animated conversation that she couldnt here. "Sorry I'm late guys, have you seen Elsa ?" She made to tap Mark on the shoulder when he didnt turn her way. Her hand going right through him. "What the ?"
"Look who has woken up" Came a calm male voice. Anna tiurn and spotted a black coated man standing nearby. "I was starting to wonder if you would ever make it out of bed"
"Who are you ?"
"My name is Xendras, and before you ask, Tiri and I had a mission, and we're doing it, unfortunately Tiri cant be here just yet, unless you want to go back into the dream world" Xendras said. He leaned against the wall near the door Anna had walked through. All of a sudden Markand Marions ghosts, seemingly so, ran past her, Marion running right through her, exploding into points of light before reforming seconds later. "If you follow them, I'd be shocked if you can manage to get into where they're going. Or do you not want to wake up ? I can tell you have questions"
"I do have questions" Anna said to him
"Ask away" Xendras told her.
"Tiri mentioned she had been looking for us for a year, what did she mean exactly by that ?" Anna asked
"Easy, she met you a year ago before you and the others disappeared. I must say, Elsa leaving such a capable council in her stead while she was gone on a sabatical trip was a smart move." Xendras explained. "Shame though, everyone forgot her, and you, and the others. Rtheir leaders. Always thought the Council was indeed leading things." Xendras mused. "At least until they sent Tiri to find you."
"I see" Anna said simply
"Now, I have two questions for you, Diamond has already answered them properly, but now it is time for you to answer them. If dont want to you can join in on that Session through that door" Xendras said standing from wehere he leaned against a wall and stepping over to Anna. As he did so the ground broke apart around them, the walls collapsing into points of light and vanishing into a plexus pattern. A door still stood however, if Anna wanted to go through it, she could, and never wake up.
"What happens now ?" Anna asked as darkness swirled and danced around them. It was like the dream was colapsing and she was right in the middle of it. But around her the plexus danced, and on the sufrace a strange road of a sort.
"Well, that's somewhat easy. The thing is, how hard do you want it to be ?" Xendras said simply looking at her, the silver haired man had a half smirk on his face.
"You are speaking in riddles" Anna warned
"Do you not like riddles ?" Xendras asked
"What do you think ? I like puzzles, but not riddles" Anna retorted
"Riddles are puzzles in their own way, very well. No more riddles. Just two questions. And if you can answer them, you can wake up." Xendras said
"Two questions ? And you are sure they are not riddles ?" Anna asked
Xendras smirked again. "As much as I'd hope those were your two questions, they arent" He told her. "The questions are easy, but also quite hard."
"In other words, they're riddles" Anna reeplied
"Well, yes and no" Xendras explained
"What ? What do you mean yes and no ? Just give me a straight answer" Anna said
"Easy there Princess. Easy" Xendras said raisnig his hands in a 'dont hurt me' stance before relaxing and trying to calm Anna down. "Its not exactly something that is easy to explain. Asking the questions is the easy part on its own" He told her
"Alright. What are the questions ?" Anna asked him
"Who are you ?" Xendras said
"What ?" Anna stared at him dumbly.
"I'm serious, the first question is that. 'Who are you ?'" He replied
It was an easy question. "I am Anna, my sister is Elsa, our parents are dead, lost at sea. Elsa is Queen and I am a Princess" Anna replied, well that was easy. She felt a strong feeling of family towards Mark and Marion, but it faded rather quickly. Mark was her brother in law. But she only recognised Diana, or was it Diamond ?
"Good, now that we got that out of the way we can go right to the next question" Xendras said
"Who I am is the first question, so what is the second question ? Why these questions anyhow ?" Anna asked him
"Easy, the questions are there because they need to be answered in a certain way. Just like now" He smiled towards her. Then he nodded. "Ready for the next question, Princess ?"
"I am ready. Ask it" Anna replied
Xendras smiled "The next question is also an easy one to ask, but it might be harder to answer.' He then looked at her carefully and said "Where is your heart leading you ?"
Anna stared at Xendras, he was right. The first question was easier to answer, the second one was easier to ask, but now. Now it was next to impossible to answer the second question. So why was it not asked first ? Where was her heart leading her ? Did that matter ?
She felt a strong longing to wake up in bed in the castle of Arendelle rather than a weird hotel in the Americas, what was left of them at least. But he did ask where her heart was leading her, was it leading her ?
If it was, where was she going ? Where was her heart taking her ? Then she realised it, her heart wanted her to return t oArendelle, to return home. She looked to Xendras. "I think I need to wake up" And it was not because of where her heart wanted her to be, but because she had to pee rather badly.
Xendras hald smiled. "Happy Trails, Princess Anna" he said, before fading into a plexus pattern and disappearing as Anna's world with black as she woke up.
-8-8-8-
Falling out of the pod she found herself Mark was right there "Anna!" He called out as she hit the ground, spitting up bile that was in her throat, she hadnt rested so soundly. "Are you alright ?" Mark asked as he helped her to her feet.
Anna took in Marks style of dress, he looked different, not bad different but different. "Mark ? What are you doing here ?"
"Lets just say I am doing my job." Mark told her as he helped her to a chair. "Take it easy, sleeping this long in that thing one can lose blood flow to their legs" he said, Anna thanked him and tried to regain her strength in the chair he took her to. Thankfully she was dressed in her normal Arendelle clothing. Nothing like what they wore on Scala ad Caelum.
"Do you think it was real ?" She asked him then, meaning the dream they had lived the last year.
"It sure damn well felt like it was real" Mark said. "I even looked the place up. There is indeed a city made of dozens of islands, called Scala ad Caelum. But getting to it is not easy. Getting off it was even harder." Mark mused, he was finally free of the dream. Which meant that he was off Scala ad Caelum. He felt like he had lived his entire life there. And oddly he was not treatring Anna as a sibling like he had in the dream state.
"You think the others are awake yet ?" Anna asked him.
"I think so, my job is to help you I think" Mark replied, he then explained at her confused look of what he knew. "We went on a year long sabbatical according to some friends, Elsa left a council of her most trusted advisors to run Arendelle in her stead for one year. However, over the course of that year we, well, might have forgotten them."
"Mark, you know I hate riddles" Anna told him
"You and me both" He replied, "Fact of the matter is, its complicated. We have to return to Arendelle, but its possible that nobody will allow Elsa to retake her throne. We might have to fight for it"
"And that could be a problem, how is it complicated ? I recall Xercine being a very trustworthy man for a guy I only met once" Anna said. Xercine was a p[art of the Star Council. Not a high ranked member, but still a member.
"I trust Xercine because he and I workled together several times, and he never told me wrong on anything." Mark, having Xercine run Arendelle with a council appointed by Elsa directly for a year was possibly the smartest plan possible, but even then Xercine was a young man and more fcocused on logistics over actual leadership. So it was very possible that the other council members, in forgetting Elsa and Anna as their Queen and Princess, had begun steadily working to ensure they lead Arendelle entirely
"So even with Xercine ini charge, he's not in charge of the soldiers, the food, we might be in trouble if we go back with out Elsa" Anna said. Mark was nodding. "I dont like it, can we somehow send word to Xercine ?"
"I did already, he should be here soon as possible. Knowing the Star Council it might as well be in the next five minutes of him showing up. Get presentable and I'll go see if he's here" Mark said before leaving the room, the door closing softly without a sound behind him.
Anna stood from the chair as the strength returned to her legs and body, a few more minutes and she'd be alright, disorientation was common after a long sleep, the body adjusting to waking up and being active was a natural thing that happened daily. Anna shook her head, the memories of her dream, growing up in Scala ad Caelum, the ship at sea before being adopted was thankfully nothing more than a dream. But it felt so real.
Anna finally regained her strength and left the white walled room. Finding herself in a well designed high tech hallway she followed it towards a stairway leading up. Finally coming to a ruined library, the rotted desk and piles of random junk littered the room.
She heard voices beyond a door. Mark and another who had to be Xercine. "The soldiers do not recognise my commands anymore, they listen to the High Priests orders only, the Secret Soldiers you created however do not answer to him and only answer to a woman called Sapphire until further notice. I'm afraid not even the High Priest even answers to my commands anymore."
Mark did not look happy as Xercine removed his hood, the white black haired dreadlocked man had a sharply set face. A scar on his left ear reaching down to his neck and disappearing under his coat. "Like you mentioned, its complicated"
"You have your work cut out for you, had we known the four of you slept here, we would have worked to wake you sooner. But we did not begin to feel the pressure of your return to the kingdom until a few days ago" Xercine explained. "Turns out half the council wants to rebel openly and not accept Elsas return as legitimate. I cannot appease them, The High Priest I fear is the reason for this move"
"Dont worry about it, I will think of something" Mark said as Anna stepped into view of the younger man. Xercine bowed to Anna in greeting.
RESTORATION AT 97%