Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs- Oh, wait, you can't hug me from behind a screen, and...I can't really hug the screen either can I? Oh well, we met the Lord of Stone earlier. Looks like a nice guy, but he doesn't really smile alot does he? Oh well, I'm sure he'll smile plenty with Elsa, Anna and Sven- I mean Kristoff on the case. I wish you could've met him yourselves, the Lord of Stone that is, not Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. Actually have you met them yet? I wish you could, they're very nice-
Hey! Get back on set. I'm the one narrating this. Anyway, hello people, and welcome back to Frozen: Lords of Storm and Stone. I promised I would be on top of this more often, and I am a man of my word, so let's get on with the show.
Review Response: So you like Sigmund EcoSeeker? Well, to paraphrase Captain Jack Sparrow: "Uh, I believe there should be a "Lord" in there somewhere". Anyway, like I said, there's plenty more to see from His Lordship, so you and everyone else who became fans of his will have your fair share.
After the group got their provisions...and Kristoff said good night to Sven, they went back into Sigmund's fortress, and he was waiting for them in his throne room. He then straightened up when the group arrived.
"Welcome back Your Majesty." He said.
"Good to be back Lord Sigmund." Anna said.
"I think you will be pleased to hear that the statues I have overseeing my fortress have been at work preparing for your return." Sigmund said.
"How so?" Anna asked as Sigmund got up and motioned to the door.
"Follow me. I will show you myself where my guests stay." He said.
"You actually have rooms in this fortress specifically for others to live in?" Kristoff asked.
"Not at first, but overtime it occurred to me that others will have to live with me, if not for a while. Like now for example." Sigmund said.
"Did you modify this fortress while we were away?" Elsa asked before they followed Sigmund down another hallway.
"Not at all. Like I said, I have created no less than six fortresses, five before this one, and I have became quite adept in their construction." Sigmund said.
"It must have taken quite some time to make six of them." Anna said.
"Believe it or not, the designs were the hard part." Sigmund said.
"Are there any differences between this one and the other ones?" Kristoff asked.
"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it." Sigmund said, and then put his hand on a wall at the end of a hallway. The wall then trembled violently yet briefly, and a staircase opened in the floor. He then looked at the curious group, and led them down the stairs. He then led them to a cavern with a half-broken pathway on the side, pounded his fist against the wall and a bridge extends out of the wall itself, and Sigmund led them across it.
"This is some fortress you built." Anna said, and Sigmund looked at her instead of ahead for once.
"This place wasn't just made by me, it was also made for me." He said.
"Just how long did making this fortress take?" Anna asked.
"Several hours, not including the planning phase." Sigmund said.
"Where are we going?" Elsa asked.
"Your rooms of course." Sigmund said.
"But...we're going underground." Anna said.
"Technically this is a detour." Sigmund said.
"To?" Anna asked.
"The tunnel network under the city. No less than a mile of tunnels and hidden entrances line the underground of the city. Quite handy for when an attack happens and I need or want to do something that requires me to think outside the box." Sigmund said.
"You have a point there..." Anna said.
"You should also be pleased to know I even managed to locate a series of hot springs not far from here, and I made a network of tunnels that channel the water to this fortress, should any of you desire it." Sigmund said.
"I'm sorry, did you just say...hot springs?" Anna asked.
"You heard right." Sigmund said as simply as ever.
"O.k...that is just unreal. You actually managed to make a network of tunnels that moved the waters...of a hot spring." Anna said.
"It wasn't that easy. It took me no less than ten tries to get it right, even then, I had to undo and remake the environment to compensate for the damage I did. Not the easiest thing to do." Sigmund said.
"Oh...that makes sense, I guess." Anna said, then Sigmund opened a passage and then closed it when everyone was through.
"May I ask where Olaf is?" He asked.
"We left him with Sven. He's not bad, but he can be quite a handful sometimes, so it's best we leave him where he won't be in anyone's hair." Anna said.
"Wise decision." Sigmund said.
"So...where are we now?" Kristoff asked.
"In the heart of my fortress. What you saw earlier was the outer fortress which is what people are supposed to see, and then there's the inner fortress which contains...what I don't want others to know about. Yes you can enter both sections without my aid, but it will be far easier with me at your side, this particular place being the one exception." Sigmund said.
"Good to know. Getting in and out of this fortress shouldn't be too difficult." Elsa said.
"My sentiment exactly. Now, is there anything else you would like to ask?" Sigmund asked.
"This...Absalom. You said he doesn't control storms, then why does he have his title?" Elsa asked.
"Because he controls lightning itself, which many people logically associate with storms." Sigmund said.
"Great..." Kristoff groaned.
"I share your sentiment. Lightning magic is quite possibly the deadliest type of magic there is, however..he does have a weakness. As devastating as lightning magic is, Absalom himself requires a moment to build up his power before releasing it. Regardless, if there's nothing between him and you when he does release his power...you will get hit." Sigmund said.
"Good thing we have these charms..." Kristoff said.
"Speaking of which, may I ask how you got them?" Sigmund asked.
"That depends. Are you familiar with magical beings?" Kristoff asked, then Sigmund started thinking.
"In a word: yes." He said.
"Then we got them from rock trolls." Kristoff said and Sigmund stopped walking and looked directly at them.
"Rock trolls? You have actual rock trolls in Arendelle?" He asked in awe...which was uncharacteristic of the normally-under-control Lord of Stone.
"Yes...we do...do you know of them?" Elsa asked.
"Not personally, but I know of them." Sigmund said.
"I myself was actually raised by a colony of them." Kristoff said and Sigmund actually smirked, closed his eyes, and huffed in amusement.
"You never cease to surprise me. I have never seen one before, yet you've seen them countless times..." He said.
"They...also sent us here. Well, technically they let us know about the storms' nature, then told us about you, then we came here to help you, and get some information about them." Anna said.
"Unfortunately, I have no information as to what the storms' cause is, but there is no question that Absalom has a hand in their purpose. As for coming here to aid me in this war, you all have my thanks, so leading you to where you can stay in my home is a given, as is the trip the good Prince Consort here requested to my fiefdom's ice harvesting operation." Sigmund said.
"Thanks, but please, you don't have to be so formal." Kristoff said.
"With any of us." Anna said.
"Very well." Sigmund said before continuing to walk down the hallway with the group following.
"May I ask what the deal is with these torches?" Kristoff asked.
"Their radiance is due to the same magic that courses through me, that is all I'm comfortable saying." Sigmund said.
"O...k..." Kristoff said.
"Sigmund, I couldn't help but notice that nothing in your war room is made of wood. Is everything in this fortress made of stone or metal?" Anna asked.
"Not everything, but I made as much as I could myself." Sigmund said.
"That makes sense..." Kristoff said.
"You also said you encountered magical creatures before. May I ask what kind?" Anna asked.
"With all due respect Anna, that is a story for another time." Sigmund said.
"Fair enough..." Anna said as they continued walking down the hall, until they got to a hallways that had a dead end...but there were no less than a dozen doors along the walls.
"We're here. Take whichever room you wish." Sigmund said, and the group looked through each room. Each was was just a simple assortment of beds, fabrics, and furniture, which was somewhat underwhelming.
"You...haven't taken alot of time to decorate have you?" Anna asked.
"No, and I do apologize for that. I was not expecting to have a royal family in my fortress. But the good news is that we can all take care of that problem before sundown, even if I give you a tour of not only the ice harvesting operation, but the rest of my fiefdom itself. Although, Captain Lars is more qualified for the area around the barracks than I am, especially since the troops there would likely request, and likely require my presence." Sigmund said.
"Let me guess: to boost their morale?" Anna asked.
"Naturally." Sigmund said.
"May I ask why there aren't any windows?" Anna asked.
"My apologies. I prioritized safety for my guests so heavily that I neglected to think about the feeling of waking up and seeing the sun. For what it's worth however, there are small but effective tunnels in certain parts of each room, so fresh air shouldn't be a problem. There is also a lift that can take you to the roof of the fortress, or at least a room not far from my war room, which in turn, isn't far from my own bedroom." Sigmund said.
"Good to know." Anna said.
"There are also oil lamps for you to use in case you need them, but of course, we will need to fetch them.
"You really planned this fortress out well didn't you?" Elsa said.
"I do what I can, and I do what I must. Now, would any of you like to do what we planned to do in a specific order?" Sigmund asked.
The next thing they knew, Sigmund was giving them a tour of the city, from the main residence, where more of his people lived, to a hill overlooking a decent number of orchards, to the marketplace, where goods of all sorts were being imported and exported. As it turned out, the war was a great opportunity to obtain merchandise, and turn a profit, either through his skirmishers looting from his enemies, or demanding them from outside sources. One of the handful of ways war was actually of benefit...
Sigmund also apparently had outside sources, including a vineyard where his personal wine collection was made. There were also mines and quarries which...while somewhat redundant considering his control over earth itself, was still important in it's own right. Sigmund couldn't be everywhere at once, other people needed to have things to do, and most importantly, they had to know not to rely on him, and what better way to bring that point across than having them sharpen their earth-working skills? On top of that, multiple citizens had multiple tasks they were good at, or were great at one task and learning others, which of course made the working class more and more diverse, and less prone to relying on certain people in the long run.
The woods themselves were ideal for lumberjacking and hunting animals, especially rabbits, boar, and even the occasional bear. The latter was mostly hunted for the hides; yes bear meat can be consumed, but undercooking it is about as risky as consuming undercooked boar meat. Luckily, there was a monastery not far from the fiefdom, and the monks there had a habit of creating medicines to treat whatever sicknesses they could, but even if they weren't doing that, the people made pilgrimages there, or the monks made pilgrimages to the fiefdom to spread the good word.
Last but certainly not least, the fiefdom had it's fair share of farmland for growing fruits and veggies of all types, as well as raising livestock, including sheep. Which led them to a weaver's place that had a stock full of cloth for use. The middle-age woman sitting up front spotted the group right away and straightened up when they approached.
"Oh, good morning My Liege." The weaver said.
"Good morning Hulda. Are the refurbishments I asked for ready yet?" Sigmund asked.
"Not all of them, but we made more than enough for three rooms." Hulda said.
"Two is all we need." Anna said.
"Then two is what you shall receive." Hulda said before leading them to the back, and the group looked around and picked out the blankets, pillows, and other miscellaneous pieces of cloth, like a carpet, for their rooms.
When they got the refurbishments to their rooms, they set them up with Sigmund of course giving Elsa aid, while Kristoff and Anna set up their own room. When they were done they regrouped in the hallway.
"Kristoff? How about you take that trip to the ice harvesters' place with Sigmund?" Anna asked.
"Alright, but what about you two?" Kristoff asked.
"We'll...stay here and look at these rooms some more." Anna said, and Kristoff smirked.
"I'm sure you will." He said before Anna came up to kiss him.
"I love you." She said softly.
"I love you too..." Kristoff said.
"We will return before long good ladies. Until then, do enjoy yourselves." Sigmund said.
"We'll do our best." Anna said, and Sigmund motioned down the way they came and Kristoff followed him...and took one last look at his wife and sister-in-law, the former of which waved at him.
"So...which room would you like?" Elsa asked.
"One of these by the entrance. They all look the same afterall, and in case we need to leave quickly, I don't want to waste any time." Anna said.
"Smart." Elsa said before they went into one of the rooms, and Anna laid down on the bed.
"These beds are just like the ones we have back in Arendelle." She said as she tossed and turned, with Elsa taking a moment to think.
"So...what do you think of Lord Sigmund?" She asked.
"I don't know. He's definitely a good man, and his people love him as much as Arendelle loves us, but...he doesn't seem very happy." Anna said.
"No...no he doesn't. Although it does make sense given what was going on for all this time." Elsa said.
"Good thing we're here to give him a hand." Anna said.
"Yes...yes it is..." Elsa trailed off.
"Are you o.k.?" Anna asked.
"No I'm not o.k. Before I became the Fifth Spirit, I never thought I would encounter another person with magic...now there's not one, but multiple out there...and Sigmund is likely to be the only good one." Elsa said, and Anna hummed in acknowledgement.
"Good point..." She said.
"Don't get me wrong, I know I'm not alone, at least not truly, but...it's still nice to know there are others like me. Even if I'm the only one who uses ice, instead of earth, fire, or...storms." Elsa said.
"I can imagine." Anna said, and Elsa walked over to her, sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her as she leaned her head on her older sister's shoulder. The two then sat there simply relaxing in each other's presence.
"Can't imagine the look on Kristoff's face when he sees his fellow ice harvesters." Elsa said.
"I'm sure he'll have quite a story for us." Anna said.
Meanwhile, Sigmund was leading Kristoff through the woods, which were all colors thanks to the autumn season, and some were bare thanks to the coming winter.
"This place reminds me of the Enchanted Forest. The trees here are just like they are there." Kristoff said.
"I doubt they had any ice harvests there." Sigmund said.
"That they did not have." Kristoff said.
"Well, the one we have here is just where I said it would be: down this trail, and through the pass at the end." Sigmund said and Kristoff stopped sight-seeing and looked at Sigmund...who was looking forward the entire time.
"How are you not interested in the leaves?" Kristoff asked.
"I'm used to this. The Valley of Stone may be a wondrous place, but nevertheless, it no longer has an impact on me." Sigmund said.
"I see..." Kristoff trailed off.
"Although in hindsight...it would likely regain it's impact were I not here so often." Sigmund said.
"Often?" Kristoff asked.
"I told you before, I returned from a skirmish with Absalom's forces before you arrived, and skirmishes like that are normal nowadays." Sigmund said.
"Sigmund...have you been to the Enchanted Forest?" Kristoff asked.
"I cannot say I have, but I knew of it's existence for some time now." Sigmund said.
"How much time?" Kristoff asked.
"About a year, give or take a few months; I don't recall exactly." Sigmund said.
"Did you encounter any strange sightings a year ago?" Kristoff asked.
"The only strange sightings I've seen recently are those storms Absalom is invested in. Why do you ask?" Sigmund asked.
"Because...well, how should I put this? It turns out some spirits live there, and they kicked us out of our own kingdom." Kristoff said and Sigmund stopped walking and looked at him.
"What? How?" He asked.
"One spirit used the wind to literally push us out, and there are other spirits that control the other three elements. One of them even set a part of the forest on fire, and would have killed us if Elsa didn't stop it. A group of earth spirits tried to kill us too; I even had to save Anna from them once." Kristoff said.
"Why would they do any of that?" Sigmund asked.
"It turns out a former king of Arendelle took advantage of the people living there, and made the spirits...pretty upset with us to say the least. I'm not the one to talk to about this since I wasn't there for most of what happened, but Anna told me a thing or two." Kristoff said.
"I take it these spirits are quelled now?" Sigmund asked.
"Yes. Thanks to us, they won't bother anyone again." Kristoff said.
"So you have someone who uses ice magic, and is involved with a group of spirits that have control over the elements...interesting." Sigmund said before continuing to walk away, with Kristoff following.
"I was just wondering if maybe the Enchanted Forest and the Valley of Stone were connected in some way." Kristoff said.
"If they are, I don't know about it. I also don't think they are...but of course, I could be wrong." Sigmund said.
"Then if there is a connection, maybe we'll find out during out stay here." Kristoff said.
"Possibly." Sigmund said.
"May I ask what you know about rock trolls?" He asked.
"Aside from they're a strange people that use even stranger magic, not a great deal." Sigmund said.
"That's...actually pretty accurate." Kristoff said.
"But like I said before, I never met any before, but if you really were raised by them, then I believe you." Sigmund said.
"Do you think your powers work on them? I mean, your magic lets you control earth, and they are made of rock." Kristoff said.
"I do not know, but rest assured, I have no intention of using my powers on them, especially not violently." Sigmund said.
"I would hope so. They have moments where they can be a handful, but they aren't bad." Kristoff said.
"I too would hope so, especially if they raised you, which in itself is quite benevolent. May I ask why they raised you in the first place?" Sigmund asked.
"They're all I had. I never knew my parents, and I grew up surrounded by ice harvesters, and Sven." Kristoff said.
"Sven?" Sigmund asked.
"The reindeer that came with us." Kristoff said, and Sigmund hummed in acknowledgement.
"And now you're with me, about to repeat history, since you're married to a queen." He said.
"I have checked in with the ice harvesters over the course of this year, but Anna has a throne to sit on, and so do I." Kristoff said and Sigmund looked away.
"I see..." He trailed off, and Kristoff looked at him curiously.
"Is something wrong?" He asked.
"No, but..." Sigmund trailed off and Kristoff stopped walking.
"I can tell something's bothering you, so please speak up." He said and Sigmund took a moment to compose himself, then turned to look at Kristoff.
"Before I say this, I want you to know I mean no disrespect. I can tell you and Anna mean a great deal to each other; the way you kissed her before says it all, and I do believe what she said when she told me she and the rest of you have experience in...matters like this, and you obviously survived, and most likely succeeded at every turn." He said.
"She wasn't wrong either. Wait...where are you going with this?" Kristoff asked
"I was going to say that... well...just how much does she mean to you?" Sigmund asked.
"Everything. She changed my life in more ways than one. Me becoming Prince Consort is only one thing; she brought out the best in me, the most in me...and made it better. She showed me what else life had to offer than what I knew...and I can't even think about what else." Kristoff said.
"Then it is only fair to warn you: bringing her with you was a double-edged sword." He said.
"She insisted on coming with her sister, and I wasn't about to say no to her." Kristoff said.
"Understandable, and I've seen cases where being close to someone led to a much more powerful synergy, but it also increases the risk." Sigmund said.
"Risk?" Kristoff asked.
"Yes. Kristoff...during your ventures with her, did you ever come close to losing her?" Sigmund asked...and Kristoff thought back. He saw Anna freeze solid right in front of him, the Fire Spirit set the entire section of the Enchanted Forest they were in at the time on fire, which filled the air with smoke, and endangered everyone...and she was clearly crushed by an Earth Spirit's foot, and risked her life on the dam. But those were just the ones he recalled...
"More times than I can count." Kristoff trailed off.
"I can tell; I could see how hard you were thinking about it just now, and there's more to warn you about: there is no pain greater than losing someone close to you, and although I can tell you are more than willing and able to keep her out of harm's way, even at your own risk, this is not something you should trick yourself into thinking is impossible." Sigmund said.
"That doesn't mean I can't do my best." Kristoff said seriously.
"Of course not, and I am of course willing to give you and her as many skills as I myself learned over the years, although I'm sure that you and Anna will have use for whatever personal experiences you have aside from that. There's also the fact that...your ice witch friend..." Sigmund trailed off.
"Elsa?" Kristoff asked.
"Elsa, must also have her fair share of skills, aside from what she demonstrated. All that being said, I have yet to find any training method that prepares you for the pain of loss, aside from detaching yourself from the person you lost in the first place." Sigmund said and Kristoff recoiled.
"I...I can't do that..." He breathed out.
"Of course, no one expects you to. I'm only telling you this so you can be prepared, or at least find a way to be prepared. It's far better this way, believe me I've been there." Sigmund said.
"Alright..." Kristoff whispered.
"On the other hand, being with someone close to you...it's more than a small boon. I've heard someone say that those who are willing to jump into a fire for someone else is the best kind of ally. It could have been worded better, but nevertheless, they were correct...and still are." Sigmund said.
"O...k..." Kristoff said.
"I meant that in spite of everything I said against you and Anna being here together, it's also a good thing for all intents and purposes." Sigmund said.
"I can protect her you know." Kristoff said seriously.
"I haven't forgotten, but what I told you had to be addressed. Not dwelled on, let alone feared, but still addressed. The risk of losing someone is always there during war, all you can really do is lower the risk. But for what it's worth...I do hope it never comes to that." Sigmund said.
"Thanks." Kristoff said, and Sigmund watched him compose himself; they did just discuss a mentally taxing subject afterall.
"Come, let's go see the ice harvesters before sundown." Sigmund said and the wisdom he shared lingered in Kristoff's mind as they continued walking through the woods. Kristoff even recalled the time he continuously failed to propose to Anna, and sang Lost in the Woods...
Meanwhile, Anna and Elsa went down to the village, and checked out the barracks, which had recruits who were either practicing with different weapons, trying on different types of armor, or getting some tips from the veterans. All the while some musicians were playing drums, lutes, or flutes to inspire the troops.
"There must be hundreds of troops here." Anna said.
"Sigmund did say they were at war, and I'm pretty sure having all those statues isn't enough." Elsa said.
"Or maybe these men just wanted to join up." Anna said, and the next thing they knew, a man walked out of a large tent. He must have been in his late 20's, or early 30's, with an officer's uniform, and short dark brown hair, and a beard. He was also backed up by some junior officers talking with them, but neither of the sisters could hear them.
"He must be Captain Lars." Elsa said.
"Yep, the insignia on his chest says it all." Anna said and Elsa looked at the insignia.
"You're right..." She said.
"Should we go talk to him?" Anna asked.
"Sigmund did point him out, so once he's done we could talk to him. Anything you want to know?" Elsa asked and Anna took a moment to think.
"Maybe his thoughts on Sigmund as a person, or even as a lord." She said.
"That settles that." Elsa said simply before approaching Lars, who was now sitting down as the two men he was talking to left. Once the two ladies approached, he looked them over.
"Are you Captain Lars?" Anna asked.
"Who wants to know?" Lars asked.
"Anna and Elsa, of Arendelle." Anna said.
"Ah...so my lord did send word of our struggle out unto the world, but we weren't expecting help this soon." Lars said.
"We had an audience with him a few hours ago actually, and he actually pointed us in your direction, maybe to get some more insight on what's been happening, from your point of view." Elsa said.
"In that case, I can't deny my lord's direction anymore than you can." Lars said.
"Alright so, first things first, how has he been doing since becoming the Lord of Stone?" Anna asked and Lars smiled.
"My good lady, we could not wish for a better lord. He's been our first line of defense for about a year and a half, and don't get me started on how vigorously he's trained his powers ever since he got them, or how much use he's put his swordsmanship to use, and especially how he's combined them." Lars said.
"Really?" Elsa asked.
"Oh yes, it's far more appropriate if you hear it from him personally, but I've know him probably longer than anyone here has." Lars said.
"How is he as an actual ruler?" Anna asked.
"Very well; thanks to all the statues he's built around this place, there's next to no crime, and every time we're attacked, these statues come to life and put the attackers in their places faster than you can say your names." Lars said.
"Have there...been any deaths?" Elsa asked.
"Quite a few. We're at war, so it shouldn't be a surprise, but that doesn't make things easier in the long run does it? All this power, all these years of training and discipline...it only gets you so far." Lars said.
"We're sorry." Elsa said softly.
"Well, at least they went to God, and most of the deaths here happened to Absalom's thugs rather than our troops." Lars said.
"Still, losing people is not something to make light of." Elsa said.
"You could not be more right my good lady. Lord Sigmund himself has actually buried people we lost with his magic." Lars said.
"He did?" Anna asked.
"Yes, he did." Lars said.
"Wow..." Anna breathed out.
"I have to give him credit though, I don't think most of us would have it in us to do so. He didn't even seek revenge for it either, in fact, during the entire five years I've known him, I have never seen him lose control of his temper." Lars said.
"Not even once?" Elsa asked.
"Not even once." Lars said.
"That's...rather impressive." Elsa said.
"You have no idea." Lars said.
"So...what about you?" Anna asked.
"Me? I happen to be the one His Lordship put in charge of the non-statue troops in this region. Speaking of whom, most of the men here were trained by either myself or Lord Sigmund himself, and the results are...quite a shocker to say the least." Lars said.
"How do you train them?" Anna asked.
"First off, most of the officers here bring me the latest intel, like most chains of command, but they also personally weed out the ones who aren't fit for military life. As for how we approach getting ready for fights...well, I don't know how Absalom gets his troops ready, but I guarantee it's not like how we do it." Lars said.
"So how do you do it?" Elsa asked.
"Well, unlike alot of troops myself and Lord Sigmund saw back in the day, we don't work our troops up like one would normally; we don't even think about our enemy, we just think about ourselves, and our fellow soldiers. As long as we keep ourselves together, it doesn't matter who we fight, and it shows too." Lars said.
"Really?" Elsa asked.
"Very much so. We do everything in our power to give emotion as little attention as possible, because God help you if you let anger or fear get to you in the middle of an intense battle." Lars said.
"It can't be that easy." Anna said.
"You have no idea. I myself actually had a moment where I picked up a severed arm, that turned out to be from one of my fellow soldiers, and it was over a dozen meters from the rest of his corpse..." Lars said seriously.
"That's horrible..." Anna breathed out.
"Yes it is, and was I mad? Very much so. I was mad that someone had the audacity to do that, I was concerned for the people that soldier was close to, I was scared it would happen to me, and of course, I wanted revenge. But instead, I took a moment to tell myself, o.k...this happened, and there's no sense wishing otherwise. Then I refocused myself before I got back in the fight, because if you let your emotions get to you at the wrong time, you're next." Lars said, and Elsa took a moment to think.
"Is that why he's so..." She trailed off.
"In control? Most likely." Lars said.
"How is he when it comes to fear?" Elsa asked and Lars smirked.
"Let's just say you've got a better chance making him charge at his foes than making him run from them." He said.
"That's...quite something." Elsa said.
"How is he in a fight?" Anna asked, and Lars sucked in a breath and shook his head.
"His fighting style isn't even human; I've seen him do things with a sword I didn't even think were humanly possible, with or without magic, and his enemies found out how lethal those tricks were the hardest way possible." Lars said.
"Really?" Elsa asked.
"Oh yes. I've seen whole groups of marauders get riled up, out of anger, hopes of glory, or even because they were too scared to leave him there to fight another day, charge at him with reckless abandon and every time was the same: they attack him by wildly swinging their weapons like madmen, trying to crush him with brute force, and each of them thinks they're going to be a hero...but it doesn't work that way; they wound up dead." Lars said.
"To think the man we were making friends with killed so many people..." Elsa breathed out.
"Don't even start that. There hasn't been a single case for either him or myself where we thought what we were doing was wrong. Some people might think killing in war is murder...but it's not murder." Lars said seriously.
"How can you be so sure about it?" Anna asked.
"Lord Sigmund can explain better than I can, but if you ask me, the people who attack us bring it on themselves; they force our hand, and they pay the price. The only way that's going to change, is if they decide to back off, because Hell will freeze over before anyone here rolls over for Absalom." Lars said, and Elsa looked away and sighed; what on Earth did they get themselves into...?
"Well, Sigmund will be back with my husband before long, until then, where else do you recommend we go?" Anna asked.
"You can either stay here and watch the troops train, you can go find our resident bard Askel, and watch or ask him to perform, or go watch the farm animals...or you can go find His Lordship and travel with him. As far as I'm concerned, it's all up to you." Lars said.
"Much appreciated, but I...think we should wait for him." Elsa said, and Anna looked at her curiously; her older sister's tone had a suspicious undertone to it.
"Alright then, happy to be of service." Lars said and Elsa walked away with Anna close behind.
"What's wrong?" She whispered.
"It's just...I knew that this would be a dark time but, to think it got this bad..." Elsa trailed off, and Anna took her hand.
"Well, now we're here to put a stop to it." She said seriously, and Elsa deflated.
"Right." She whispered.
"Elsa! Anna! We're back!" Kristoff exclaimed as he rushed towards the two ladies with Sigmund behind him.
"How was it?" Anna asked, and Kristoff smiled.
"...and it was just like how it was when I was a kid. I even got to show Sigmund how it was done, with a saw he himself made." He said as they made their way to the fortress.
"He made you a saw? That was nice of him." Anna said.
"Best one I ever used too. Not too heavy, just sharp enough to tear through the ice, but not so much that I don't feel the ice..." Kristoff said.
"I have had my powers for over a year, and I've spent every waking moment perfecting and expanding upon them." Sigmund said...and Elsa reflected on what Captain Lars said, before looking at the setting sun.
"It looks like it's almost bedtime." She said.
"It feels like it too." Anna said.
"Was this day that tiring?" Sigmund asked.
"There was alot to do, and alot to get used to, plus we haven't slept on an actual bed in days." Anna said.
"Fair enough, well you know where your beds are, by default, so let me waste no more of your time." Sigmund said.
"Good night Sigmund." Kristoff said and Sigmund nodded at the group before entering his throne room. Elsa then shared a look with Anna before following Sigmund into his war room, but kept her distance.
"I know you're back there." Sigmund said simply...and Elsa recoiled in surprise.
"I...I just wanted to ask you some things, now that it's just you and me." She said as she approached while Sigmund was looking over some papers.
"Because we both have magic?" He asked as simply as ever.
"How did you know?" Elsa asked.
"Elsa, you don't get as far as I have without picking things up, and you coming to me about that is reasonably predictable, although you're doing so sooner than I thought." Sigmund said while continuing to go over the papers he had one by one.
"I see...well, I was talking to Anna about...all of this, and Captain Lars told us things as well." Elsa said.
"So, you talked to him afterall?" Sigmund said before finally looking back to her.
"Yes...and he told us about you." Elsa said.
"I cannot say I'm surprised. What did he say?" Sigmund asked before walking over to the balcony on the side.
"That you have great control over your anger, as well as your powers, despite having them for about a year and a half." Elsa said.
"18 and a half months to be precise. What else did you learn?" Sigmund asked.
"That you buried people you lost with your earth magic...and that you're the first line of defense." Elsa said.
"He speaks the truth as always. I've fought our enemies countless times, and in that time, hundreds of their number died at my hand. As such, my name is beloved by those who live under me, and feared by those who mean us harm, and either case is appropriate." Sigmund said as he leaned over the balcony.
"You're o.k. with being feared?" Elsa asked seriously while approaching him, then Sigmund pointed at the village beneath them.
"You see all those people? They all look to me for protection, and as the Lord of Stone, I am sworn to keep them all safe...no matter the cost..." He said.
"Sigmund..." Elsa breathed out.
"I do not seek to wage this war, but I refuse to ignore the price of not doing so. Yes I have ended hundreds of lives, but I have never enjoyed it, quite the opposite in fact; I hate it. The idea of someone no longer being able to influence our world, and share the joys it has to offer makes me sick to my stomach, but the alternative is that I watch my home, my people, my honor, everything get erased from the world, all before fading myself." Sigmund said.
"Captain Lars said that he doesn't view ending lives in battle as murder." Elsa said and Sigmund looked right at her.
"Nor do I; ending a life, in the end, is just that. Killing on the battlefield is simply how war works. Murder however is selfish, and it might debatably be selfish for not wanting our home to be destroyed, but how is defending my home worse than others wanting it destroyed? Muse on that before thinking of me as a monster..." Sigmund said and Elsa looked away.
"Monster...that's what people used to call me, when my kingdom first noticed my powers." She said.
"That's ridiculous. I can't imagine why anyone would take one look at someone with magic and label them without either being prejudiced, foolish, or blinded by hatred." Sigmund said.
"It's probably all of those things; only my sister saw past what I was hiding, which still amazes me. Despite our...less-than-desirable childhood, she still loved me as fiercely as ever." Elsa said.
"Tell me...have you killed anyone with your powers?" Sigmund asked...and Elsa recalled the times she hit Anna'a forehead, and the time Anna froze solid.
"I almost did..." She breathed out.
"And I for one have no faith you would do so on purpose, especially not with what you just now discovered about the nature of war." Sigmund said.
"Sigmund...the person I nearly killed was Anna, and it happened twice. As for war, this is not the only time I've been exposed to it's effects; the Enchanted Forest itself was effected by war, long before we showed up." Elsa said.
"My apologies...I assumed too much." Sigmund said.
"It's alright...the past is in the past..." Elsa said.
"That mindset only gets you so far." Sigmund said.
"Maybe..." Elsa trailed off.
"I promise you, it does..." Sigmund said.
"Have you ever killed someone by accident?" Elsa asked, and Sigmund started thinking.
"I...don't know. I never lost control of them, nor did I forget that using my powers has consequences. Nevertheless...I don't think I ever ended someone's life without meaning to." Sigmund said.
"I see..." Elsa said.
"Tell me something else...during our duel, were you holding back?" Sigmund asked.
"Very much so. You may have magic too, but I learned the hard way not to get too carried away with my magic." Elsa said seriously.
"I guess that makes sense; I asked you to show me what you can do...and you have. Although, I would like to do that again at some point." Sigmund said.
"Maybe..." Elsa said.
"Now, is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Sigmund asked.
"May I ask if you ever feared your powers?" Elsa asked and Sigmund flexed his fingers, making a piece of the mountain beneath them break off and then made it float towards him in mid-air and start spinning around.
"Like I said, this was given to me because I was deemed worthy of it, and some of the requirements were my bravery, discipline, and how much I value honor and wisdom as concepts, so no... I do not fear my powers." He said while crushing the rock in his hand and watching the pebbles fly away with the wind.
"I was...for over a decade. So much so, that me and Anna were separate for that long, and my parents...they actually encouraged me to keep away from her, and to conceal my powers." Elsa said and Sigmund deeply sighed, tensed up, and looked away. "Sigmund?"
"Look...I will say nothing against your parents themselves, but that is the single most irresponsible thing I have ever heard of." Sigmund said seriously.
"They just didn't know better." Elsa said.
"That excuses nothing. They may have had their hearts in the right place, but their minds were everywhere else. This could have gone hideously wrong, and they would have been at fault for it." Sigmund said.
"Things did go wrong, Sigmund. I froze all of Arendelle without even trying to because of my lack of control." Elsa said and Sigmund recoiled and stared at her.
"You...you froze..all of Arendelle?" He asked seriously.
"Yes..." Elsa said.
"O.k...I do mean it when I say it's impressive that Arendelle still stands and that all of you made it out of...whatever happened there in one piece, but what else have you done since discovering your powers?" Sigmund asked.
"I...I created multiple snow creatures, I caused quite a few blizzards, I created a palace-" Sigmund cuts her off.
"You made your own palace? How long did it take?" He asked.
"I...didn't keep track, but it couldn't have been more than a minute." Elsa said...and Sigmund kept staring at her in awe. It took him hours to make his fortress, and she made hers in about a minute...and did other things as well. How strong was this lady?
"Well...for what it's worth, your will probably surpasses my own, given how your sanity remains intact despite how much you went through." Sigmund said.
"But fear kept me in chains beforehand." Elsa said.
"No, ignorance kept you in chains. I may not have been there, but I tell that you would never endanger your kingdom for the sake of it, and you said love restored your control right? How sharp was the contrast?" Sigmund asked.
"Sharp enough to cut through a stone..." Elsa said...and Sigmund actually started snickering.
"I never thought I'd see the day where a total stranger amuses me with a pun on my title." He said.
"That wasn't the intention." Elsa said.
"It still speaks for itself, but...this leaves one question unanswered." Sigmund said.
"Which is?" Elsa asked.
"Are you willing to use your magic to protect yourself and others, even if lives must be lost in the process?" Sigmund asked.
"I don't know..." Elsa breathed out.
"Well, either way, I have no problem showing you the tricks I've picked up over the last few months if need be." Sigmund said.
"I couldn't help but notice you were in the air alot longer than normal...why is that?" Elsa asked.
"Oh...that. My control over the earth is so potent that I can actually fly while I wear this armor, and I discovered that using my magic, as well as my muscles leads to increased strength, speed, what have you. Hence the time I punched the wall I raised and sent the pieces flying." Sigmund said.
"I've never done anything like that..." Elsa said.
"It's not too late to test it, when you feel you're ready." Sigmund said.
"Captain Lars also said your sword skills are...unusual." Elsa said, and Sigmund smirked, walked over to the cabinet on the far side of his war room...then grabbed a three-and-a-half-foot-long broadsword, and removed it from the sheath before holding it out to the side.
"How many hand-and-a-half swords have you seen?" He asked.
"Not many." Elsa said.
"Well, believe it or not, this one was forged specifically for me; I only had a small hand in it's creation, despite how many modifications I had to make." Sigmund said.
"What sort of modifications?" Elsa asked.
"I added more steel to it to make it denser for one thing." Sigmund said.
"You can do that?" Elsa asked, and Sigmund made a piece of stone remove itself from the wall, and then it grew and shrunk repeatedly.
"I can do many things with the earth, from shrinking and growing it like you see here, but I can also make it denser, or even multiply it." Sigmund said.
"Multiply?" Elsa asked.
"Is that so hard to believe? You can make ice appear out of nowhere, despite the fact that there's no water, and with seemingly no effort as well." Sigmund said before reattaching the stone to the wall.
"Is that how you modified your sword?" Elsa asked.
"Yes. Outside of the design, it was too light to be effective, at least at first. Overtime, I discovered that like my armor, my sword is under my control as well...like so." Sigmund said before letting his sword go...and it floated in mid-air. He then started drawing lines in the air with his finger, and his sword moved around accordingly. Elsa then watched the sword move around at varying speeds, and at various angles until Sigmund pulled the sword back and made it sheath itself.
"That was incredible..." Elsa breathed out.
"Yes it is, and that skill served me quite well in battle. It is not easy to fight someone when you cannot reach them, when they in turn can reach you. And in case you're wondering, I do have a helmet, but I rarely use it since it impairs my vision to a degree. Granted it isn't much, but any little advantage can make a gigantic difference on the battlefield." Sigmund said.
"I can imagine. So...you can control your armor and any weapon you use, interesting..." Elsa said.
"If you cover yourself in ice, or other things in ice, you could probably do the same, although I should let you know, that's going to take some practice." Sigmund said.
"I'll manage." Elsa said before looking at the setting sun, with Sigmund doing the same.
"And with that, I wish you a good night Elsa." He said.
"Good night...Lord Sigmund." Elsa said before Sigmund put his sword away and walking to a door on the wall of the war room and Elsa watches him leave before she went to bed herself.
Meanwhile, Dietrich and Adriana made it to the quarry, which was abandoned for the day. Adriana even confiscated a sleeping roll and took it as Dietrich left the quarry to stake out Sigmund's fortress.
"Rest easy while you can Sigmund. Soon I will reveal myself to you...soon I will have revenge..." He whispered.
You know, I really have to pat myself on the back: Sigmund JUST met the group, and he's being pretty damn civil to them, as is the case with a lord who's around people who technically outrank him, what with Anna being a queen, Elsa a former queen/a spirit, and Kristoff being Prince Consort. Although, even if they didn't outrank him, they still deserve his respect, in more ways than one too. Also...I REALLY have to commend Sigmund for not tripping over his own tongue when talking to Elsa since...look at her.
And no, I'm not going to have them get romantically involved, especially not at the level Kristoff and Anna are at. If any of you want to ship them because you like their synergy then by all means do that, but regardless, I have no plans on giving them any seriously romantic moments.
Anyway...what could Dietrich be talking about? What could the great Lord of Stone have done to inspire someone's wrath? Well, I guess you'll have to Rate, Review, Share, and of course, have a Merry Christmas while you wait, so stay tuned.
Fun fact: one of my favorite computer games, Stronghold 2, helped me ALOT with laying out Sigmund's fiefdom.
Edit: I kept track of the time it took for Elsa to make her ice palace during the Let It Go scene...it took her no more than 30 seconds. 30...FREAKING...SECONDS!
So Sigmund made a whole complex of tunnels, rooms, and who knows what else, in the span of several hours, and Elsa pulled a colossal ice palace out of her ass in half a minute. Ever get the feeling you're out of your league?