Chapter 9: A Risk Worth Taking
Elsa closed the door to her room, making her way down the stairs to the lower levels of the castle. She had made sure to leave extra time in her schedule for today as well as getting plenty of rest, she would need all of her strength. Arriving on the ground floor she went to the courtyard, spotting Aldren with his back to her, hands clasped behind him as he watched over the guardsmen training.
She took a moment to observe her future army as she approached, noticing that many of them no longer wore simple uniforms but armor. Steel mixed with light cloth and leather that matched Arendelle's banner, plates to protect their chests, forearms, shins and shoulders. The helmets were a simple design that encompassed the whole head in one solid shape save for the face which was open, two small horns curved upward from the forehead while the Crocus sigil was etched in just below them in the center. The shields were hexagonal with the two lateral sides longer than the other four, the face was solid except for the crocus engraving in the center. The top and bottom ended in dull points for shield attacks with leather straps that allowed them to be held horizontal or lateral while one end bore a small indent for aligning a spear or other polearm.
Along with their shield, each of them wielded a spear and whatever other weapon they chose at their side or on their back. The majority had chosen swords or hand axes, though some wielded battle axes, warhammers, great swords, maces or picks. She also noticed, or at least she thought she did, improvement in the combat form of the guardsmen despite it having only been a week and half. Some trained with their melee weapons, others were target practicing with a bow or sparring with hand to hand techniques. She was starting to see that they were no longer guardsmen patrolling the streets of Arendelle for drunken brawls or petty thievery... they were soldiers preparing for war.
She turned her attention back to Aldren who was now facing towards her, he smiled, "I hope that their progress is pleasing to her majesty."
She walked up to him and nodded, "Yes, it seems that under your guidance they've already made a few great strides."
He nodded, a small smile gave away the smallest hint of pride at his work. She watched his face a moment with a smile, then cleared her throat, "But if I remember correctly you wanted to train me as well, yes?"
He turned back to her, "I haven't forgotten, I already have everything prepared." he gestured inside the castle, "Shall we?" she nodded and the two headed indoors.
OoO
Aldren led the way to a room that had been cleared of any furniture or anything breakable, the only things that stood was an armor rack containing Elsa's training gear and a rope that suspended a set of naga armor from the ceiling. He looked over his shoulder and noticed the queen glancing at the naga armor with narrowed eyes. He smiled, "Don't worry, I'll let you have a go at that in due time."
She quickly looked at him and smiled back, "That would actually be...nice."
He turned around and put his hands on his hips, "I see you have some...animosity towards the naga."
"Can you blame me?"
"No, I suppose not."
"It's just...I want them gone, their presence here more than sets me on edge...It makes me enraged." Her hands wrenched like talons and her face became rife with distress.
He gave her an empathetic look, and hesitantly reached for one of her hands, "I understand...I know what that's like to feel that kind of unbridled anger...losing control of yourself and-"
"Lashing out." She squeezed his hand as she remembered; she had nearly killed the two duke's thugs when they attacked her at the ice castle in the northern mountain, the first time she had felt true hatred...nearly losing herself in it.
Aldren could see on her face that she was somewhere else in her mind...somewhere dark. He also realized that he was still holding her hand: a serious break in etiquette anywhere else, though she didn't seem to notice. He broke the contact and shook his head, "But enough about that, it's time to see what you're made of with steel in hand."
She looked over at what she assumed would be her new armor, "You want me to wear that then?"
"No, I want you to make that."
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he continued, "As I understand: you can create just about anything with your powers, including well... attire." he pointed to her glittering, icy dress.
She smiled, "Very well."
He couldn't help but watch with amazement and some envy as she waved her hands and the snow and ice transformed her elegant dress into an exact copy of the armor, every detail made perfect, intricate and elegant with her own touches of personality added in. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders as she adjusted to its weight and feel, looking over herself she smiled and admired her work. She looked back at him, putting her hands on her hips, shifting them slightly, "Well?" She asked with a grin.
He blinked, stunned at the sight of her, "It's...beautiful." he saw her blush slightly, his eyes widened as he realized what he'd said and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I mean I don't-not that you don't look Beautiful- I just- I meant that it-...It's very impressive your grace."
She gave him a coy look, "Yeah?"
He sighed, berating himself for his lack of composure in that moment before laughing slightly, "Must be useful...being able to create whatever you want out of ice and snow."
She shrugged, "Well it can be...but the power...it has it's downsides."
"Such as?"
"Well...let's just say that over a year ago I froze the entire kingdom because I was afraid and stressed."
His eyes widened, "The...whole kingdom?"
"The Castle, the Fjord, the forests and rivers. All the way to the north mountain and back was covered in ice and snow."
Aldren's leaned in inquisitively, "And why isn't it anymore?"
"Well, I finally realized how I could melt it... 'Love will thaw.'" She said, seeming to remember some fond memory.
He cocked his head, "Pardon?"
She shook her head and replied with hints of grief and regret in her tone, "Someone once told my sister that only an act of true love could thaw a frozen heart. Anna, my sister...I froze her heart, I almost killed her...and yet she sacrificed herself to save me from someone who wanted to kill me... and it was that act of true love that had thawed the ice in her heart...and in mine. I let go of the fear that had imprisoned me for so long; fear of my powers, fear of what others would think of me...and the fear of hurting the people I loved. I lifted the curse from the land, the ice and snow melted away, summer returned to our kingdom and I had learned control over my powers." she finished with an air of pride and relief.
Aldren rubbed his chin to ask something he had wondered since he first saw her use her powers, "Then...you're able to rid yourself of the ice you leave behind?"
She was perplexed by the begrudging tone of his question, "Yes...Why?"
He frowned and held out his hand an orange glow rising from beneath his skin, small orange flames licking at the air, "I can create the fire, manipulate it, control it..." He slowly clenched his fist and the flame grew higher and more intense, "But I can't dispel it." He looked up at her and held his hand out to her, silently asking for assistance.
She smiled and to his surprise: rather than simply send ice out to extinguish the flame she walked towards him and placed an ice encased hand over his, her cool fingers extinguishing the fire. Even as the small blaze died she allowed her hand to linger on his awhile longer. As she drew away he opened his palm and looked upon the sparkling snow dotting his skin, allowing the feeling of the cold and flakes of snow to endure until his natural body heat caused them to melt and turn to droplets of water. He looked back to her; crimson, red eyes locked with icy, blue ones in a short moment of intimacy.
Aldren looked towards the floor and broke the lock, Elsa smiled sympathetically and put a hand on his shoulder, "Are you sure you've even tried?"
He nodded, his voice steady and cold yet with the faintest hints of emotion cracking through, "It's not that I haven't tried...I create and sustain small fires when I'm calm, but...my power only reaches peak when I'm angry or fearful, these fuel it... that's when I lose control of the fire." He tapped his fingers against his chest, his voice momentarily swelling with woe, "It comes from here, it comes from-...and it's broken...That night when the naga attacked us, when I used my power to defeat them if I...if I had failed to direct it correctly...I could have killed you too..."
His face was neutral and stony but still Elsa could see the pain in his eyes, something haunted him. She had her suspicions... but it wouldn't be right to ask now, she would eventually work her way into it, for now she thought of a way for him to take those first few steps. "Aldren, I think I may have another...proposition."
He sighed, recovering his poise and folding his arms, "And what might that be?"
She folded her own arms and smiled, "I know that you wish to remain inconspicuous while here, but since you insist on training me, I'm going to insist that I train you to control your powers." His eyes widened, he looked off to the side, his expression conflicted and cautious.
She took his hand in her own, again taking him by surprise, he looked back at her as she spoke softly, "Aldren, more than anything I want there to be trust between us if you're going to continue staying to help me. After all, I've trusted you with my guards, my home, my family's safety and my own. Now please, will you trust me with your gift...will you at least give me the opportunity to try and help you..."
He was silent for a moment before shaking his head in uncertainty, "Even if I agreed to this...what makes you think you could ever help me...How could you?"
She looked down at his hand and then back up, "I don't know for certain but...maybe in a similar way someone helped me once."
He wanted to trust her, but she didn't know the whole of his past-and she didn't need to...but this was a chance, perhaps his last chance. And if anyone deserved the chance, it was not him. But this truly noble woman was giving him that...and she deserved the opportunity.
He smiled halfheartedly, "Very well...I shall submit myself to your teachings, your grace."
She smiled at him, her teeth showing while his face became a grim frown, "You should know, it won't be easy...it might be impossible-dangerous even. It has been a few years since I've used my powers regularly...there's a risk that I could hurt somebody, you or-"
She silenced him by squeezing his hand and putting her other hand on his shoulder, "That is a risk I'm willing to take, for someone like me and especially for someone who risked their life for me...I will risk myself for a friend...you understand?"
"I do..."
She smiled, "Good, oh and one more condition: You're going to start referring to me by my name-which is Elsa by the way, not 'your majesty' or 'your grace', is that understood?" she said, poking his nose playfully.
He smirked and nodded, "Very well...Elsa."
There was something incredibly pleasant about his voice saying her name, she couldn't describe it but then again...she didn't need to. Elsa then used her powers to create a helmet for herself and drew the sword from its scabbard on the rack, "Now why don't you show me how to properly swing this thing."
He shook his head and smiled, "First I want to see how you fare without your powers, understand?"
She nodded, "Understood."
Aldren reached behind, drawing his sword from his back and gripped it in one hand with the tip pointed forward while his other remained at his side, an encouraging yet smug look on his face.
Elsa's eyes widened, she looked both ways then back, "You mean...you want to start sparring...now?"
He grinned, "Yes, now. We need to assess your strength, speed and stamina, this is the same way I train the guardsmen...would you expect any different for you?"
She shook her head, "No-no of course not..." She took the sword in both hands and held it forehand.
Aldren could see her hesitating to attack, not because she was afraid of getting hurt but rather of hurting him, "Don't worry, you won't hurt me...I promise. Let's see what you can do."
She looked less nervous and took a superficial swing at him, He blocked the blade easily. She grunted and pushed against him. He smiled as she managed to make him budge slightly, "You have strength that rivals that of most beginners...that rivals that of most men, if I'm being plain."
He pressed forward and shoved her back, she was momentarily stunned but then a look of determination crossed her face, he twirled his sword in hand, "Again."
Elsa lunged forward, swinging with rapid strikes while Aldren parried away the attacks and dodged her more powerful strikes. She thrust towards his stomach, he swung downward at her sword, jerking her body to the left and nearly knocking it from her hands. When she looked up, she saw the end of Aldren's weapon in front her nose and his smug grin. Defiantly she struck and knocked it out of her face and struck down, he blocked the strike and the two locked blades again. Aldren started to push back and overpower her, acting out of instinct she drove her knee into his side. Caught off guard he doubled over as she slipped away behind him and caught her own breath, she didn't want to hurt him, but she did want to do well and meet expectations...whatever they may be.
Coughing a few times, he straightened up and rolled his shoulders, he turned around to face her, waving a finger at her and grinning, "Ooh, that was good."
Panting, lightly smiling she replied, "Just...showing you what I'm made of."
He chuckled, "Indeed...Indeed, now we'll see how you perform under greater pressure." he whipped around and settled in a fighting stance "Ready?"
Elsa swallowed, exhaling she raised her sword up in both hands and nodded. He began spinning the sword rapidly in front of him, the end lightly scraping the floor. Elsa's eyes widened and she started backing up as he slowly walked forward...She was afraid, she could give up, tell him she'd had enough and he would stop...but she wouldn't.
Elsa swung as hard as she possibly could, her sword connecting with Aldren's. Immediately he shrugged the blade off and began pressing attack, she did her best to block the rapid, nearly unpredictable varying strikes which mostly seemed to be aimed at her blade...luckily, though she was occasionally tapped on the shoulder or the side of her helm with the flat of his blade. Aldren parried the blade downward, and kicked it out of her hands. He then proceeded to sweep her legs out from under her and she landed onto the floor, shaking her head she leaped to recover her weapon. But just before she could reach it, Aldren's foot kicked it into the air and into his hand. Elsa was met with Both swords on either side of her throat, she breathed heavily as she frowned; she felt like she had failed to meet expectations...
However, to her surprise, Aldren instead smiled, sheathed his sword and held his hand out to her. She smiled back, grasping his hand and he helped her to stand.
"Very good Elsa, very good."
She looked at him in surprise. "I...I was?"
He held the sword out to her, "You far exceeded my expectations."
She took the handle of the sword, creating a sheath at her side to slide it into. Aldren put his hand on her shoulder, "You were afraid but you didn't give up, you wanted to succeed and you had hope that you could...even though you couldn't. Of course that's the benefit of training; you get to try again tomorrow. With time and patience you will become a powerful warrior, you have a natural ability, but we must hone it. You aren't a match for me yet but in due time you may be more than I could have ever hoped for, are you up to the challenge of refining your martial talents?"
She nodded, "Yes. I am." she stated with confidence.
He smiled, wider than she had seen before, there was a brief moment of silence before he spoke again, "Well, I can see you're weary after this exercise and I mainly wanted to test your first response to combat. I imagine you have other matters to attend to anyway...such as a nap."
She was saddened by the idea of them parting but she knew it was true, "Yes-that sounds right, thank you and... I will see you later then?"
He grinned, "Oh don't worry Elsa, your trials have only just begun."
He then bowed to her and she nodded, "Farewell Aldren."
She turned heel whilst laying down the sword and turning the ice armor back into her original dress, looking over shoulder at him one last time and smiled before leaving the room. As she left Aldren realized that the staff on his back was humming ever so slightly, his brow furrowed, he drew it and willed one of its blades to appear and looked upon the foreign rune in its surface. A soft blue glow emanated from the symbol that slowly faded as Elsa disappeared from sight. It eventually ceased all together, his mouth held slightly agape as he stared at the weapon...he knew what this meant.
He looked it over and rubbed his hand across it's intricate, smooth surface. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily, he couldn't help but dread what would come in due time, the spear held great personal meaning for him. But whether he was ready or not, the time would come and he would do what the weapon demanded...and what honor demanded of him. He sheathed the staff and rubbed his head in exhaustion as he left the room, deciding that perhaps he needed some sleep as well...
OoO
Anna ducked behind a pillar when the door opened and remained unnoticed as Aldren walked right past her. She stepped out, grinning and tapping her finger against her lip. Maybe it was wrong to eavesdrop, it was her sister she was concerned about, but now...she leaned against the pillar and sighed happily, she adored the idea that her sister could have love like the kind that she had with Kristoff. She had seen how close they were already becoming and Anna knew they would only grow closer as time went on, but obviously there was risk to it: Aldren himself had admitted that much but she had belief in her Elsa, that she would keep herself safe.
A lot of things were happening in their lives right now, snake people were trying to kill them, they might even be at war, another person with dangerous powers had walked into their world... and her sister might just be falling in love. A lot of things...but for now she walked away while humming a happy tune and enjoyed the last of those things she had listed...she didn't know much about Aldren yet but she liked him...she'd have to get to know him better.
