Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise; the elements taken from Frozen are obvious, and while this version of Zorro is taken mainly from Mask and Legend, I've incorporated elements of his history from other adaptations. Even the original idea for this fic was inspired by the artwork of shishyoukai on DeviantArt, although I have created my own narrative for it; the artwork only inspired the idea of a certain sister becoming Zorro.

Feedback: Always appreciated

AN: Our return to California, to tackle the final stage of Anna's journey to fulfil her destiny in this strange new world; hope everyone finds it interesting.

The Frozen Fox

Anna only realised how much mental energy she had committed to her training when she was told that the doctor had urgent news about her mother.

It wasn't as though she had ever forgotten that her mother wasn't well, but for the most part Iduna had been very supportive of her daughter's focus on training to become a new Zorro, even explicitly telling Anna not to worry about her. She had never neglected her mother on purpose, but when some of Alejandro and Joachim's lessons had involved actually taking her out to practice horse-riding and other 'fieldwork', it was almost disturbing for Anna to realise how long it had been since she'd just dropped by to visit her mother.

"Hi, Mom," she said as she walked into her mother's room, trying to hide her sorrow as she looked at the frail figure that Iduna had become. According to Elena, her mother's condition was relatively stable now, but that only meant that it was possible for her to talk with others if she didn't exert herself.

"My girl…" her mother whispered, raising a weak hand towards Anna with a tender smile. "It's… good to see you…"

"…You too," Anna said, cursing the stupidity of that statement as soon as she'd spoken. Nobody had been able to tell Anna or the de la Vegas exactly what was wrong with Anna's mother, but the doctors speculated that she had contracted it while working with some of the more hazardous construction projects she'd been assisting with in town. Some of the material used for building those houses had come from mines that were later found to have been contaminated by their past use as disposal sites for dead bodies, and a few other families had reported similar sicknesses.

She got this ill because she helped so many people, Anna thought bitterly, even as she forced that thought down; it wasn't fair to anyone.

"No need to lie, dear," her mother said, still smiling at her despite the painful-looking lesions on her jaw. "Not long left for me…"

"Mother-"

"You're going to be Zorro," Iduna grinned at her. "Face the facts…"

"Even when I hate them and they have nothing to do with what I'll face while I'm out there?"

"Even then," Iduna said, her tone solemn before she fell into a coughing fit. Anna moved to help her, but Iduna held up a hand to keep her back for a few moments before she finished coughing and continued to speak. "You must be strong… when you go to Arendelle."

"You can't just- why aren't you- I should have been here for you!" Anna said, any thoughts of self-control forgotten as she looked at her dying mother in frustrated fear. "I was always off training and preparing and learning and now you're going to-!"

"I wanted you to learn," Iduna cut her off, her voice strong despite her recent cough. "Your Zorro will be needed."

"In Arendelle?" Anna looked at her mother incredulously, lost for how that could still be important to the dying woman. "I- Mother, King Runeard and the Knights of Aragon are a problem, but if people-"

"He must be stopped," Iduna said, her tone firm as she seemed to glare at her daughter. "Be a friend in public, but an enemy in secret; Arendelle needs you."

"But… how can I?" Anna waved her hands at her mother, not sure if she should say this. "If I can… I just neglected you for-"

"You neglected nothing," Iduna shook her head, sitting up from the bed to turn and look at Anna. "I always want you to be your best."

"Which means… being Zorro?" Anna allowed herself a cautious smile as her mother reached up to touch her face.

"You have dreamed of wearing that mask on some level since you knew it was an option," the older woman grinned affectionately at Anna, her dark hair standing out against her pale skin. "Be your own Zorro, but know that we all believe you can live up to the legacy."

"I will," Anna nodded, smiling tearfully at her mother. She and the de la Vegas had already been making plans for how she would best enter Arendelle when the time came, but hearing her mother affirm it like this somehow made it all seem more real. "And… what about my father? Should I-?"

"No."

"Mother?" Anna looked at her mother in surprise at the intensity in that statement. Her father had always felt like a topic she was never entirely sure about bringing up, particularly when Alejandro had always been a good equivalent to her, but if she was going back to Arendelle-

"There is… no point," her mother said, the strength that had allowed her to give Anna the earlier assurances apparently fading even as Anna looked at her, her mother lying back in bed even as she kept her gaze fixed on Anna. "Your father… made his choice… he never looked…"

"How do you know-?"

"Local contacts…" Iduna said grimly, shaking her head as though cursing her weakness. "They kept in touch as much as they could… and there was no sign anyone wanted me back…"

"You mean… my father doesn't care?" Anna looked at her mother, suddenly unsure if she wanted to hear the answer to this question.

"Nobody does," Iduna shook her head sadly, before she looked urgently at Anna. "But there are good people in Arendelle… who don't deserve King Runeard to be in charge…"

Anna waited for a moment to see if her mother would say anything else, but when Iduna looked at her with a particularly pointed stare she realised what she meant.

"I… I'll stop him," she said at last.

"I know you will," Iduna smiled softly, reaching over to gently touch Anna's face again. "Be brave… my dear little fox…"

As her mother's hand lowered back to rest by her side, Anna could only blink back her own tears as she turned and left the room, even as a part of her knew that this would be the last conversation she would have with her mother. She knew her mother well enough to understand that she wouldn't want Anna to actually see her final moments, and Anna was human enough to admit that she wasn't sure she could cope with being here when it… happened… but suddenly the thought that this was it… that she was never going to see her mother again…

I can't stay here.


The next few moments were a blur of fear, sorrow and loss as Anna ran, barely even aware what she was doing, until she found herself on the back of her horse and riding through the plains outside the de la Vega mansion. She and Alejandro had trained in these areas for some time while they were practicing their skills in the field, from simple horseriding to using their weapons while on the move, but right now Anna just wanted to get away from it all for a few hours, and anyone seeing her riding Zorro's horse would raise far too many questions.

Maybe running away from grief wasn't what a Zorro should do, but Anna doubted anyone would criticise her for having trouble coping with the idea that she was about to lose the only parent she had ever known. The de la Vegas were there, so Anna knew that her mother wouldn't die alone, but she wasn't sure she was emotionally ready to actually face that moment herself…

She came to a halt on the edge of a high ridge and looked back the way she had come, the sun setting behind the mansion where she and her mother had lived with their dear friends for so long. The brilliant orange sun gave the fields around the mansion a warm atmosphere, as though the world was sunbathing, but for Anna she was suddenly struck by the thought that the sun was setting on her mother's life just as it was setting on her time in California.

I knew that it would be hard to leave, but I always thought she would be coming with me… always thought that she would be there to support me when I was truly Zorro

Her mother had always been aware of her training, but obviously most of the time she could only watch it from the platform above, even if she had offered her compliments of Anna's results. From the moment Anna had begun her training to be a new Zorro in earnest, it had been a particular surprise to find how Alejandro had increased his efforts, acting as a firmer instructor than ever before. She had believed that he was taking her training seriously before that moment, but with her official decision to become a new Zorro, her now-official mentor had stepped up his efforts considerably. Whether it was testing her endurance over hot flames to taking her out for practice rides on a new horse, to say nothing of the occasions where she had to duel both de la Vegas simultaneously…

Anna could always see the merit in each lesson, but it was somewhat disturbing to realise how much she'd taken for granted that most of Zorro's reputation was just based around being good with a sword and a whip. As Alejandro had mentioned before, the key to being Zorro was to use the weapons in a manner that would create the most dramatic impact but with the minimal amount of actual damage, save for when she was dealing with truly deserving targets. He admitted that he still wasn't entirely comfortable with including guns in their arsenal, but recognised the necessity as the weapons became easier to use, so long as Joachim and Anna took care when using them. Anna was slightly disturbed to find that she was the better shot of the three of them, but Alejandro and Joachim had assured her that wasn't a bad thing. Since it was a simple fact that she would be physically weaker than either of them in any kind of fight, it would actually be an asset if she could do something to end fights without needing to engage in duels when faced with superior numbers. Anna prided herself on how her training had focused on non-lethal attacks such as shots to the arms or legs, which should allow her to stop any such fights without too much of a risk of long-term injuries if she didn't have to inflict such damage, but she still felt more like a true Zorro when she was using her other weapons.

But the idea that her mother wouldn't be there to see her put those skills into action…

Even amid everything else Anna had covered with the de la Vegas, she had always assumed that her mother would be there when she truly became Zorro, and now…

Struck by the thought of losing her mother all over again, Anna bent over and wept into her horse's neck, the strong black steed bearing her tears with the steadfast determination that had inspired her to claim this horse in the first place. For the next few moments, it felt as though she was being crushed under the weight of her grief and loss, as though every moment of emotional pain she'd ever felt was striking her all at once…

You're going to be Zorro.

The memory of her mother's words struck her all over again, prompting Anna to sit up and look anxiously around herself. For a moment, the orange sunlight seemed to become a brilliant white as the sun reached the horizon, and then Anna was struck by a sense that this was the final sun her mother had ever seen…

It was in that moment that Anna knew what she had to do now.

Anna Menzela could mourn her mother as much as she wanted whenever she wanted to do so, but at this point in history, Anna Menzela was not what the people of Arendelle needed.

As hard as it would be to move on, she had to become something more than Anna Menzela to truly help people, and that meant truly becoming something more… hiding the worst parts of herself behind the mask of the legend who could do so many things…


As she leapt off her horse's back and led him to his stable, Anna was struck by how unusually calm and controlled she was for what she was about to do. It had been an unspoken understanding that while Anna could prepare the clothes she was about to put on, she could only wear the full ensemble when all concerned agreed that she was ready, and even if a part of Anna told herself to wait, the rest of her felt ready in a way that she couldn't explain. Walking over to the cupboard that held her ensemble, Anna opened the doors and began to don her attire for the first time.

Obviously if she was going to create the illusion that she was essentially the original Zorro (or at least not do anything to suggest that she was an 'impostor'), she had to dress like a man, but Anna was comfortable enough in trousers after working the fields that this wasn't a problem. The high leather boots were a little awkward but Anna would get used to them with a bit of practice, and the cape was at least simple enough to walk in. As for her shirt, while Anna was slightly put out at how small she was compared to some of the women she knew, right now it helped to reinforce the illusion she was trying to create. The bindings she wore on her chest were sometimes uncomfortable, but with a suitably loose shirt she didn't have to worry about anyone noticing that she wasn't a man, even before the shadows of her cape made it hard to see her upper body properly.

With the whip around her waist, her sword by her side, and her two pistols hidden in dark holsters under her arms, Anna's last few steps were to ensure that her hair was tied up in a bunch before tying her mask over the front of her face, followed by the wide-brimmed hat to complete the ensemble.

Looking in the mirror, Anna smiled at the image she created; she might work on finding something more comfortable to do with her hair once she was away from anyone who had seen the original Zorro in action, but for now, the look would work. Satisfied with her work, she turned and walked up the stairs, emerging into the hall to find the de la Vegas sitting around the fire. All three looked at her in surprise as she emerged from the fireplace, but Anna was relieved to see their expressions shift to understanding approval. Without saying a word, all four of them understood that Iduna Menzela was no more, but right now another matter was more important.

"It's time," Anna said, making her voice deeper and emphasising her accent as she looked at the three who had done so much for her.

"You're sure?" Elena looked anxiously at her.

"Arendelle needs Zorro, and there is no reason for me to remain here any more," Anna said, looking around the room with a small smile, even as she knew the other three could see the pain in her eyes. "I appreciate everything you have done for me, but this is… it's time to go back."

In response, Alejandro walked over to stand in front of her, the second Zorro looking her over before he extended his hand to her with a solemn expression on his face.

"Be the Zorro that Arendelle needs… Anna de la Vega," he said solemnly.

"I will… Father," Anna replied, accepting the name in the spirit that it was intended.

She would carry her mother's name in her heart, but she would return to Arendelle as a de la Vega, carrying the benefits of her adoptive family's public reputation and the knowledge of their secret legacy as she mounted her campaign against the corrupt king of a kingdom that needed the kind of help only Zorro could bring it.


AN 2: If anyone's interested, Iduna died of coccidioidomycosis, contracted from exposure to certain fungi while she was helping with construction projects in the city. The disease was officially named in 1892, but it's not impossible to make Iduna an early victim of it, particularly if we assume that Iduna's childhood in Northuldra left her with a weaker immune system as the spirits protected her people most of the time.

Anyway, with that done, the next chapter will see this story's conflict begin in earnest as Anna returns to her mother's kingdom, all while unaware of her real ties to the man she has come here to depose…