The Jellicle's Creed
IV
Frozen Memories
sequence 01
Memory 03 Welcome to Arendelle {part 2}
29 June 2050
Arendelle Docks
dawn
A man wrote in a journal within his chamber aboard the Ancili; the craft owned by a certain friend and Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood. A page turned as the journal was written.
I had made a promise to a student that I'd return to finish her teaching. But the storm ruined my plans completely. Christoph; the King of Arendelle, and myself survived the storm and the wreck of the ship, but it may have been Idun's death that hit Christoph hard. Too hard I think for him to survive long enough without her by his side.
But it was long enough to be saved. I kept us both alive long enough for us to be taken to a medical location, He made me swear. And I made a promise to him. And by god I will keep it. I will protect the queen of Arendelle to last drop of my frozen blood shatters on the ground.
The call for land and docking to soon begin drew the man from his journal. A pale hand closed the leather bound book; what looked like slivers of ice formed on thw m ans fingertips as he made sure the seal was in place. Moving about his cabin the weapons he had brought along were put in their proper place on his arms and hip. The man then activated a comm channel and sent a databurst to home, he had arrived at his destination.
His contract was opened. First thing was first, find out of templar influence. Easy enough. The Guards at Arendelle were nice men until the dagger showed up. He was to find the Assassin Den, and help Blackmane secure the location and clear out any Templar Indluence over that part of the city. Arendelle had grown since he was last there, outvillages were growing by the dozen, from what he had managed to spy on the ship in to the dock on the fjord, he noticed more buildings being built daily. The high framed roofs atop many multilayers of cityscape. Just like London, Lansoing, and Detroit, Matthew mused softly. Not that it really mattered much.
The ship was tied securely to the dock and the gangplank was set in place. The man bid good by to the captain and the crew and headed of the ship, moving swfitly the snowflake eyed man had his hood drawn over his head covering his face, yet even then he saw everything perfectly around him.
It was not snowing, that much he could see, but he did see parts of the castle rebuilt with ice. Expertly cut and angled to replace broken wood and shingle and window. So clear and clean it was designed he saw. A smile graced the hooded mans face as he thought of Elsa; how she tried to make every ice shard and snow flake so clear and prestinely clear cut and yet soft and beautiful at the same time. iElsa, you've grown in your skills./i Matthew thought.
Matthew himself had mastered his abilies over ice and snow. To the point wherein he was called Old Man Winter, he'd make snow for his nighborhood children to play in on a excrucitating hot day in summer. You know, to cool down and have fun safely. he'd made a point to the people in his area that he was nice, sweet, and loved when the kids were happy and having fun in the snow. And when in the winter when it snowed naturally, all the kids from the area came to his house as the snow seemed to fall deepest in his yard. And yet, Michaels encuraged the children to have fun in the snow. Insofar as making it snow even more for them to enjoy not just his own yard, but their entire nighborhood as well.
A voice broke his train of thought "Welcome to Arendelle sir." the voice was that of Aaron, one of the dock keepers and a old friend of Matthews. "The queen most likely expects you, lately she has been giving orders for the last week or so that every ship that comes in, any passengers are to see her as quickly as they can. She is expecting someone important, but lately I fear she has grown disheartened."
"Then maybe I can cheer her up Aaron." Matthew said with a swift movement he removed his hood and smiled toards his old friend.
Aaron looked as he he'd seen a ghost. "Matthew ? Do my eyes lie to me ?" Aaron places his hands on his friends shoulders. "Is it really you ?"
Matthew smiled and laughed. "Yes it is me, I've finally returned. You would not believe what I had to go through. But I will say this, The King and Queen rest peacefully now." at the mention of the king and queen Aaron slightly went stiff but relaxed, nearly twenty years ago the poor souls passed away, leaving a devestated two girls in the castle with the servants. But that had all changed.
"I think you need to go see Elsa, and quickly. Just show up in the throne room, or follow the ice prints she leaves in her wake before they thaw out." Aaron said. Matthew smiled, his snowflake like eyes twinkling brightly as he patted his old friend on the shoulder. When he had first met Aaron the dockworker was learning the trade of working at the docks. It had gotten to the point wherein Aaron and Matthew worked together, even lived together at the kings insisting they do so.
Matthew turned and left the docks, shifting his vision slightly as he moved through town with his hood covering his face, he easily found Elsa's footsteps, ducking into an ally, he disappeared into a swirl of snow and ice. Disappearing from sight of the town on the ground.
Arendelle Marketplace
Late morning
Reappearing up above on the same viewpoint that Blackmane had used, he took a careful look around and disappeared again. It was time to see an old friend.
He landed not too far on a rooftop over looking the main market and eating area in the town. he'd tracked Elsa's icey footsteps that far. Now he just; there she was. And there was also some otheres he did not like the look of. Well, time to make an enterance was it not ? He smiled.
Dropping easily from the rooftop without a sound whatsoever, he landed on two guards, his hidden blades of nothing but ice driving deep into their chests, whose red doutlines marked them as Templar agents easily before he struck. He left their ice cold bodies frozen on the ground where they laid as he moved closer to Elsa as another group made their way closer to his student.
Matthew marveled at how Elsa looked, gone were the gloves she wore to contain her abilites, gone was the bun that conained her beautiful hair. Gone was the dark gowns and prim and proper princess. Matthew knew that now he was not looking at his old student; a child scared of harming others with her gift. Instead, he saw that he was looking upon someone who had regained her true focus and thus, not only did her gift make her happy, no longer scared, but also those around her were also enjyoing themselves. The castle Gates were wide open as well. And Matthew had seen many trading ships of various sizes and types at the docks. And the market he found himself in was a major hub of activity. Unlike the last time he was there, before the loss of his employers, before his student became Queen.
Matthew observed Elsa as she moved, with a small group with her, her sister Matthew noted, was right by her side, as was one of the Ice Harvestors, Matthew had no idea who Kristoff was, but the man looked ready enough to defend his friends. Matthew also saw a reindeer with the group, as well as a... snowman ? Matthew smiled, Elsas gift had grown to the point of enchantment of creations! Just like his snowcat back in Lansing that played with the nighborhood kids at his home.
Matthew saw two more men inching closer to Elsa and her group. Unnoticed to anyone the men shouldered their way through the marketplace goers. Earning in some areas, a grunt of anger, but nothing more as the men were dressed as Arendelle guards. Matthew sighed softly and moved into the crowd of an interception course that brought him dangerously close to Elsa herself as he passed her by.
Time slowed briefly as hooded vision connected briefly with extremely clear bright blue eyes for less than a heartbeat before moving on. Elsa stopped in her tracks and turned to look in Matthews direction but the man was gone. Seconds later as Anna all but pulled her sister forwards in confusion a shout went up from the guards as one fell to pieces, literally.
Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Kristoff turned around as more shouts rang out. "What is that ?" Kristoff started to asked as Elsa let ho of Annas hand ans started moving through the crowd towards the comotion. She felt for the briefist instant that she was standing in her teachers reach. Her heart hammered in her chest as she spoke up, people gave her a path forwards along with Anna and Kristoff along with Olaf and Sven. The group came to a halt at the edge of what appeared to be a fight ring of sorts as Aredelle guards were falling to pieces of ice.
One guard was giving orders. Elsa did not recognise him but she did see the ring the guard wore. Recalling what Blackmane said of the Templars Elsa shouted something and pulled Anna back and before the guard had a chance to react even to Anna Elsa herself had once against drawn forth her sword and threw it with a loud shout. "Matthew! Catch!" The sword sailed true and landed easily in the waiting open palm of the hooded man.
Moving quickly Matthew dove forwards and used Elsa's ice sword against a templar knight who was about to strike a small child, getting between the Knight and the little boy, Matthew shouted something and snow began to fall. It was not his doing, but Elsa's own. Her concern for her people was making it snow! But the movements of the hooded man; his speed and skill kept the area within reach of the beautiful sword of ice clear of any and all snowflakes until the last Templar was down.
With all the Templar soldiers, for the moment, dead or dying, Matthew swung the sword around and caught perfectly on the tip, a snowflake that Elsa crafted. Looking over the blade carefully the hooded man smiled. "You remembered." He said softly. Then without a word, Matthew flicked the snowflake up into the air were it exploded into a shower of snowfall for brief moments as he turned the sword, hilt first, towards Elsa and dropped to one knee. "Forgive your servant my lady. I made two promises, and have yet to keep either one. Forgive me. I was wrong to leave you in dispair for so long. It was never my intent." Matthew said, his head bowed.
He had, just like her parents, intended to travel to a nearby kingdom, but the storm that took their ship, and Queen Idun, and then shortly after, King Christophe. And then Matthew himself eing kept on ICE for nearly twenty years. And only just recently promoted to being in command of a Assassini Den.
Elsa was too overjoyed to say anything, she recognised his voice, knew his skill with snow and ice. Instead of speaking she took the sword of ice and handed it to Kristoff, who at first stared but then held the blade as bid to do so as Elsa grabbed Matthew and pulled the man to his feet and gave him a very tight hug. At first startled, Matthew then welcomed the hug and returned it. Hugging Elsa tightly.
He broke the hug after a moment or two, holding Elsa at arms length he smiled and let her remove his pale grey hood. His eyes, his wonderful snowflake patterned eyes, stared back at her, that sparkle of her teacher, her friend, her only friend after what had happened to her sister years before as a child. Were bright and clear, like untarnished snow. Matthew spoke. "You have changed since I last saw you, when I last saw you, you were but a student, young, scared. Worried for your parents and for your future. It was understandable I assure you. Your parents did not die in vain. Because I made a promise to your father. It is a promise I intend to keep." He wiped away a tear from Elsas face.
He looked first to the sword held by Kristoff, and then to Olaf who was chasing butterflies across the marketplace with the riendeer, Sven. "Your gift too I see has grown. you're still learning though I think. I recall I was teaching you how to make the sword. And yet, a living snowman, and I thought I made history with a living snowcat." The mention of the snowcat made Elsa snicker slightly. "Is that sadness I hear or something else ?" Matthew asked.
Elsa went quiet, without thinking it she leaned in on Matthew and the man held her close. Looking to Anna who mouthed 'She'll t ell you later. Trust me.' Matthew nodded, then spoke up asking "Have you eaten yet ? I just got off the ship and have yet to eat anything since before dawn."
"We were actually jiust about to find something to eat when these dorks showed up." Anna jerked a finger towards the dead templars. Matthew turned towards the dead, the guards uniforms were tattered and torn, and underthem the townspeople easily saw designs that they knew the Arendelle guards never wore or carried. Briefly letting go of Elsa he bent down and removed from one a chain, on the end of which was s red templar cross. It iced over as the man held it in his hand, then shattered with a loud popping sound. Within seconds ice covered the slain soldiers and afterwards the ice melted, leaving nothing, not even blood or outline of where the dead laid. Of course there was the information each carried that appeared in a stack on a few large snowflakes.
"It seems these men were under orders to take you guys out today, here in the market, amid the crowd. Seeing they planned on using poison to slowly take you down one by one, they were expecting an easy kill. Until I came in on the scene. I made a promise to two people, one of them I returned to just now, the other I have yet to fill." Matthew said, Elsa looked ready to faint because she was either tired from hunger or just overjoyed that he was finally back.
It pained him to see her that way. But one thing he knew was clearly made known to him. Elsa had mastered her gift to the point of enchantment of creations, and making of clothing. In this case, her dress was quite beautiful, strung through with snow and ice designs. It was a piece of art the young woman wore. Matthew spoke up "I have one thing I need to do, I think Blackmane told you of it ? No, well I need to report to her that I have arrived. And I will see you for dinner tonight, and that is a promise I intend to keep." He patted Elsas hands and a snowflake appeared from his own fingertips.
He leaned close to Elsa and said softly for only her to hear "I promised your parents I'd protect you until the last drop of my frozen blood shatters upon the ground. And I intend to do just that. For moments after I promised your father that I'd protect you, he breathed his last. But he rests easy, knowing you and your sister are safe."
With that, he disappeared, his snowflake in Elsa's hands remaining that he was indeed there. But where had he gone so suddenly ? Elsa looked around, confused. As did everyone else in the market, where had the hooded stranger gone so suddenly ? The snow had all but stopped at that point. And yet, it was possible, just possible, Elsa hoped, that Matthew was somewhere in the snowfall.
She was more correct than she had thought. Anna stepped up to her sister and the two hugged, Elsa mostly out of joy said exactly what Matthew had for her sister to hear, Matthew had returned, he'd returned to keep them both safe. And happy. And mother and father rested peacefully because of the promises Matthew had made to them both. Elsa's promise as a child when Matthew left with her parents, and the promise to her father to protect his daughters. Anna could not make head of tails of any of it, but she figured it had something to do with that story they were told as kids.
Finally Anna broke the silence. The snowflake fluttered around Elsa like a moth to torchlight. Like a guide or a guardian, or something. Anna could see dozens of sharp yet beautifully crafted edges on the snowflake. "Come on, I'm famished, lets find something to eat. Matthew will be at dinner. don't worry, if he's not, I'll beat him to a pulp for breaking his promise again." That made Elsa smile and nearly made Kristoff laugh.
The three then went in search of food nearby, the market vendors were glad their Queen was out and about and offered her and those with her all sorts of wonderful foods for no cost. It was strange, Elsa felt, not to worry of paying for anything out of her own pockets. And yet, the shop vendors insisted that she was the queen and if anyone were to pay for anything, it'd be them.
Arendelle
Assassin Den
Noon
"I see you found the den easy enough." Said a voice as Matthew dropped into the low two floor building from the roof. Blackmane had cleared it of dust and dirt and even refluffed the many pillows within the outer room.
"I have been here before Mentor." Michaels replied calmly. "Besides, I had something to attend to before coming here once I got off the ship."
"Yes, the town is buzzing thanks to your... show." Blackmane said, she had fired up a smithy in one corner of the den and was refining all sorts of metals and ores for weapon crafting at later periods. "I heard the Queen was there ?"
"yes; she was the target of the Templars, if it were not for me, she would have been poisoned or kidnapped, or outright slain in the market. I did not much like the look of the many guards in the area that surrounded the market either. Had to freeze a few in order to slip in." Matthew admitted to using his gifts of ice and snow to slay a few. He then detailed the fight for Blackmane; including the crafting of the ice sword from the Queen.
"Her abilites have grown to the point of enchantment upon created creatures, a snowman for example, whom she calls Olaf, or rather, I assume he calls himself by that name. An innocent creature yet. Made of snow and ice. Yet living and breathing." Matthew said thoughtfully, it was indeed similar to his own snowcat back in Lansing.
"So I hear, and have seen for myself, the snowman known as Olaf, a gentle soul to be sure, made of snow, created by Elsa herself I was told. I like him." Blackmane said then, Olaf was pure innocence, and from what Blackmane was able to observe, the innocence within Elsa made manifest within the snowman she had created. It made sense. "I have seen her sword as well, last I recall, only you could make such things out of ice and snow and use them to proper deadly effect as well."
"Yes; that is true, for a time it was only I that could do such things with ice and snow at my disposal, which might have been why the King, Elsas father, Christophe, had asked for me to teach his daughter how to control her abilites." Matthew said thoughtfully. "I like to think I had done good with what I was able to do in teaching her."
"Until the great cold set in five years later." Blackmane explained, she set a tome on the counter. She had three hookahs going, the incense pannier were burning brightly and the rooms of the den smelled sickly sweet of various scents of incense. "Apparently your student was pushed too far, as a result she fled from fear and fear alone. Her fear had taken control as a result, the city froze solid. However, there was someone close to her that knew what to do. Love thawed a frozen heart."
"And Prince Hans was carefully questioned I heard" Matthew replied.
Blackmane smiled. "That he was, his family has Templar ties, he sought to make a name for himself apparently, and therefore, in trying to take out Elsa, he'd run this place as his own. However he was not expecting the choice Anna had made, nor was he expecting the young woman to survive that long with a frozen heart either." Blackmane closed the tome. "Lansing, do me a small favor will you ? Consider it your contract while you are here."
Matthew turned towards Blackmane after making sure the weapons racks were proper and clean of dust and grime. "Name it Mentor, and I will see it done."
"Protect Queen Elsa, and her sister Anna with your life. That is your only contract here in Arendelle. With you protecting Elsa and her sister, you aid me in rebuilding our presence here in the town. I had to rebuild three shops already, and one bank as well to get some income back into the books." Blackmane sounded slightly annoyed at the fact that she was to rebuild the brotherhoods presence within Arendelle, but also renovate shops she cleared of Templar control.
"I tell you what I will do, there are many smaller outburgs here of many different levels. I will go and clear out the city of Templar influnce towers and help rebuild the city. I saw many closed buildings upon my entry, and most of them at the docks." he said. "I'll remove the Templar tower and its flag in that zone and rebuild and reopen the shops located at the docks to make it more of a trading port and try to clean it up. Elsa was at the market, which is predominately under her personal control as it is practically outside the castle gates directly."
Blackmane nodded in agreement. "Good. If you wish it, you can let Elsa see you at work in rebuilding the docks, Elsa granted me leave to rebuild and renovate as needed here at the den and otherwise."
"I am glad for that, many homes look worse for wear and some have fallen in on themselves." Matthew said, "If that is my only contract within Arendelle, you do not have any for me to be sent out of the city do you ?"
"No, I have no contracts for you outside the city aside from the rebuilding. I will keep a log of your progress here. And also at the castle; the architects there will wonder what we are up to no doubt and will want a hand in our work." Blackmane said, "Your only contract is to protect Elsa and Anna with your life. You told me of your promise to King Christophe, and I am holding you to it. You're Den Master of this den, and your sole task is to protect with your life, that of the Queen and Princess of Arendelle. Understood ?"
"Intimately." Matthew said, he nodded and then took off from the den. Climbing to the rooftop with ease as he created a ice ladder that desolved as he stepped up it without trouble. He had a dinner date to keep. He spotted his desired Templar Influence Tower and headed in that direction. The snowflakes of his eyes sparkling brightly with impish delight of the horror to come for the Templars that did not know their end was nigh!
Arendelle
Castle Ice Courtyard
Just past lunch hour
It was about an hour later that found Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven b ack at the ice rink Elsa had created ages ago, people still ice skated daily. And recently several of their skaters went to the international winter games, and twice now brought home gold and silver medals. If only the world knew how those figure skaters trained. Elsa found herself thinking. She climbed up to one of the many watch towers that her ancestors had built into the castle walls, the many turrets that jutted out over the sea to the west and north, the dock to the northeast, her left, as she stood at the paraphet of the turret. Looking out to the seas and the docks below.
Anna came up, oddly alone, as Olaf and Sven were chasing buttterflies again around the ice rink. Looking really cute while doing so. "All you could think about was 'him, how he taught you, and then your sword, you just made it and threw it to him to use as needed'." Anna said, quoting her elder sister word for word from what she said at lunch only minutes before leaving the others to wander off alone in the castle, apeparing at the turret that overlooked the docks below. The ghetto of Arendelle, some called it. There used to be a vast market there on the docks, well before Elsas own time; back when the legend was first begun.
"He came back, he showed me how to do it when he was teaching me. How the ice formed as I thought it to form. At the time I made myself a little dagger like thing, like what hangs over mother and fathers thrones" Elsa explained, she even formed it out of ice for her sister to see. The weapon faded into snowflakes that drifted off. "When mother and father died, their ship lost, I thought him gone too. But now he's here, he saved us in the market, those men that tried to kill us, they wore our guards uniforms, I want the guards to line the iceyard for inspection, all of them. Now." The last word was towards the servant that stood nearby, the man nodded and left to give the order.
Not two seconds later did a shout raise from the ghetto below near the docks as the single tower flaired to life with white and red smoke. Men were seen below fighting yet also fleeing. Conjuring up a icicle to see with, Elsa saw Matthew standing at the signal post far above the ghetto below. A smile appeared on her face when she saw Arendelle guards rushing to the scene and chasing after other men dressed in weird colors, men; Elsa saw, that wore the red cross of the Templar Order.. Her gaze then snapped back to the signal tower as Matthew was unrolling something. And her sisters voice cut into her viewing the men fleeing down below.
"What is that flag ?" Anna asked aloud, the sisters watched as a flag unfurled, it was the Arendelle crest, but done up in a very interesting A-like shape. Nothing either of them had ever seen before in their lives.
Upon taking a closer look with the icicle she held, Elsa spoke up "It looks like our crest, but, its really interesting the design of it." She held out the icicle for her sister to take a peek through, the ice did wonders at magnifying the long distances. There was no missing the snowstained gray robed man that was Matthew as he suddenly took a look around the tower before jumping off arms wide. Out into the thin air.
Only to land in a massive pile of hay below. Several templar soldiers were in a panic in that area, and had no idea what hit them when a hand snaked out and ensnared their fellows unseen into the hay. Then finally, Matthew himself stepped from the hay pile and looked up towards the turret, seemingly looking directly at Elsa and her sister before running towards the wall of the nearest building and climbing up it swiftly and skillfully. As he reached the top the man turned and gave a blown mocking kiss towards the templars trying to shoot at him before he jumped again and disappeared from sight in a flurry of snowflakes.
Matthew had another task before him, and it was to rebuild and clean some areas of the docks. He felt in his heart he was being watched and when he looked up to the castle turret, there was someone indeed watching him. Someone he knew to want to watch him as he worked to rebuild Arendelle. First thing Matthew did upon giving Elsa and her sister a show to watch was unfurl the Arendelle Assassin den flag. No doubt the two girls would have questions for him when he saw them at dinner.
One of those questions he knew to be "Where did you go ?" Since mastering his gifts of ice and snow, Matthew Michaels could use the snowflakes and icicles to teleport to other locations, limited only by his knowledge of the locations he wished to teleport to. Not that it really mattered by that point to him.
He made sure to give the Queen a good show as he lit the signal fire; the Templars down below getting into a roit with several townspeople and also some Arendelle Guards that the Queen trusted with her life. At least until a guard came running up with the notice that all Arendelle Guards were to report to the Ice Yard straight away, on penalty of stripment of station by the Queen herself. Dozens of soldiers, even those that were off duty went running for the Castle courtyard where the ice rink was located at the summons.
The Queen wanted to inspect them carefully. The enemy had infiltrated their ranks; and Elsa knew exactly what to look for. She also wanted Matthew with her along with Blackmane to ensure safety of herself and her sister; and also Kristoff and Sven during the inspection. Elsa was going to make it clear, she was no pushover. And she was done playing mind games with these Templars as well.
Matthewe followed the guards when a messenger had found him and said that Elsa wanted him and also the Den Keeper, Blackmane of the Legend of the Dagger to also be present, Matthew nodded and informed the messenger of where to go and what to say to enter the den good and proper without worry of loosing his life before renovating two banks, six tailors, five blacksmiths and nine art merchant shops. Men and woman soon bustled about with cleaning and setting to rights the former ghetto part of town.
Arendelle
Castle Ice Courtyard
Late afternoon
Elsa walked with Anna along the paraphet of the castle wall from the turret overlooking the docks. Inside of an hour her summons had gone out and almost all the Arendelle Guard were present on the Ice waiting in ordered ranks as summoned. None of the men and women in the Guard spoke to one another and they all starerd straight ahead without a sound. The many commanders of the various groups spoke with one another, curious of the summons by the Queen, it had been nearly ten generations since such a summons occurred and they were now shorthanded at many of the outer towns along the coastline.
A swirl of snowflakes interrupted the many conversations as the small seemingly blizzardlike creation flitered through the ranks of Guards present, impressing on a few, one in ten in fact, a small snowflake mark as if tapping on a shoulder, something that Elsa could easily decern as potential targets to carefully inspect. Thanks to his eagle vision, what the Jellicles called their Jellicle Vision, which decerned an outline around targets, allies were in bright blue, targets for death were in blood red, and targets to trail and keep alive were in brilliant gold, common folk that happened to be present were merely uncolored.
Matthew's snowflakes and small ice storm breezed through the assembled guard and their captains. Marking only one of the twenty three guard commanders as he passed. He spotted Elsa above on a paraphet and moved in that direction, taking careful view of those around him and of anyone else heading towards the Queen, none were. Apparently all the guard were summoned to the Ice Rink; which meant that if something were to occur at that location, it would have already.
The snowflakes drifted up to the paraphet and swirled around the two women who walked upon its surface, the death slits in the side of the wall, standard use in any castle design, were to their left. Matthew swirled around both women, a stiff yet refreshing breeze for them both before the snowflakes headed for the floor of the paraphet and begain forming walking feet behind the two girls.
Elsa, Matthew saw was deep in thought. This was going to be a long day. And since they were both focused on his show, none of them saw him as he formed from the snow behind them. With his hood down, his long silver hair shone in the sunlight. "Did you enjoy the show m'lady ?" Matthew asked calmly as he walked with them.
Jarred from her thoughts of the soldiers below, Elsa smiled and turned to Matthew. She nodded. "I was thinking myself of having that tower cleaned up. It seems you did my work for me. Thank you Matthew. The docks look much brighter now. Cleaner too. More people down there." Elsa said.
Matthew smiled "I am merely doing as I am instructed by my Mentor, Blackmane. Who should be along soon." He replied. "You have me curious however, of the summons. Yet, as I passed the men down below, I noticed one or two... oddities. I marked them, you will see it I am sure, to take closer attention to those I marked." He spoke as if giving advice, which he was, in a way.
Elsa smiled, but it was Anna who spoke up. "What happened to that tower anyhow ? That flag I recognise, its our crest, but, quite different then normal How did you design it ? Its quite lovely."
"Typical Brotherhood work I am afraid, standard design, with local colors and symbols within it. In this case, the Arendelle Crest in our own flag design. It is rather simple really." Matthew said.
"That does not matter now. What matters is you're here, and I want to inspect my troops, those men at the market wore the Arendelle Guard uniform, but they were not there to guard me, but to kill me. I want to eliminate such from my Guards as quickly as I am able. How strong are those marks you made ?"
"Strong enough to cause instant hypothermia should you require me to do such." Matthew replied, thus giving full control of the situation to Elsa herself. Heck if she wanted him to sneeze to make it look as if he were allergic to bullshit, or templars, either one worked, then all the templars present would react to the hypothermia imposed upon them from the marks they were given by Matthew.
The plan then set, and with Matthews eagerly waiting for the task to be done, the Queen headed for the stairs down to the ice below and stepped onto it. Ice exploded from her feet into the already created ice, rebuilding the ice in full with renewed color and beauty. The commanders stood at attention when Elsa neared and only a scant few of them gave curious looks towards Matthew, but almost all of them gave dirty looks towards the smoke colored hooded woman that shortly arrived just as Elsa neared the group.
"Commander Illitain ?" Elsa said, the marked commander stepped forward and bowed, "You wonder why the summons do you not ? I see many out of uniform yet in rank and file." Elsa said, regarding his group, almost all of the group was out of uniform, most likely off duty or worse, but only two of the group were marked by Matthew, Elsa easily saw the snowflakes on their foreheads.
"M'lady, most of my unit were off duty when your summons reached us. We came as ordered, regardless of appearance. Our duty is to you, not to ourselves or our appearances." Illitain replied calmly. He regarded the two robed beings, the silverhaired male and blackhaired female with careful yet stern gaze. The silverhaired male traded looks with the Queen but Illitain noticed a just barely decernible shake of the Queens head. What was going on ? "My queen, may I be so bold as to ask why you send out the summons as you had ?"
It was Anna that spoke up as she stepped forwards. "You'd better be bold to ask why. Let me ask you this instead Illitain. Where were you when we were nearly attacked at the market ? Where were you when the docks were cleansed ? Why were you lax when you should have been on duty protecting us today ?" Matthew had to put a hand on Anna to calm the princess down as Illitain looked towards Anna with a confused glance, what the hell was the princess even talking about ?
Elsa spoke up moving as she did so to the soldeirs before her, their ranks allowed her to pass among them. Matthew saw her look and made his marks glow faintly and keep the two Templars within the soldiers ranks focused on a small headache in order to not strike at Elsa as she neared them. Pretty much forcing them to remain unmoving due to the headaches they now had pounding away. "Anna is right, we were nearly attacked today at the Market Place. Had an old friend not interviened I would have been harmed, and all the blame placed upon the Arendelle Guard for growing lax in their duty."
None of the guard liked hearing such words, even from their own leader! Never had they thought of such happening. A low murmur sprang up among the soldiers present but it ended swiftly as Commander Frela of the Fjordside town of Roughwater spoke up. "My Queen. I will never stop my duty! Six weeks ago, our guard was lax at your castle, you may blame me for that disaster. Had I known something was amiss..."
"That was six weeks ago Frela, do not fret about it now. I am not worried about that event at all. What I am worried about is our soldiers. Each one of them. Some harbor doubts, others not so much. And yet, I want to be sure I can trust them." Esla turned towards Matthew, still speaking to Frela she said "I can trust our soldiers can I not ?"
It was Illitain that spoke up. Being the Arendelle Guard General, top dog so to speak, he cut off the lower captain that was Frela before the other man could speak. "My Lady, I trust these men and women with my own life!" How dare the Queen not trust him! A snowflake flickered briefly in thr air then as his voice was cut cleanly as Matthew sneezed quite loudly as Elsa raised an eyebrow with a unseen nod. Almost two dozen men and woman cried out; or at least attempted to before collapsing to the ice rink surface, freezing cold.
"I am sorry" Matthew said calmly, yet clearly heard by all present. Making a show of removing a cloth from his pocket and putting it to his nose. "But I am allergic to bullshit." Illitain snarled at that and drew his sword and tried to take one step towards Matthew to strike the silver haired man. But Elsa beat him to it. Her sword of ice slid cleanly through the former General of the Arendele Guard's heart. The man never saw it coming as he tried to take a step forwards, only to look down and see the beautiful sword sticking out of him.
Illitain turned in confusion that turned into shock as he saw it was Elsa behind him, she had created the sword of ice and thrust it through his body. She had taken his life. And the lives of every Templar present in the iceyard. "Why do you do this my queen ?" he asked through quickly freezing lips, he was having a hard time breathing.
"I do not trust you." Elsa replied. She leaned in close as time seemed to slow down around her as Illitain slowly lost his life. "You failed in your duties to the Arendelle Guard, to me and my family, to my father and mother. I do not trust you. You failed me." She withdrew the ice sword from Illitain. The man tried to take a step towards Elsa only to fall to the ground a statue, shattering upon impact with the ground.
Time slowed and Arendelle, the ice courtyard, everything save for Blackmane, Matthew, Queen Elsa and the dying general Illitain were present, it felt weird, some form of dreamstate. But Elsa held Illitain in her arms as he laid on the... ground... Elsa couldn't explain it. It felt weird. "What was your plan ? Who gave you your orders ? Why are there Arendelle Guard not of Arendelle ?"
Illitain snickered, "So many questions your highness. Yet I've no time to answer them if at all. I will tell you this. This is not over. There are more of us within this kingdom. You will have to work at your skill to bring us all down. But you wont live to see the end of the month anyway."
"What are you talking about ? What is happening at the end of the month ? Why am I a target ?!" Elsa's ice appeared under their feet as she questioned Illitain, the man laughed.
"I am sorry, were you expecting an eplination ?" With that the man breathed his last. And time caught up to them all.
Elsa noted the silence that followed, so much of it so that she sighed softly. Dismissing the sword she stepped up to the other commanders, all of them scared now for fear they may be next, Frela however showed pure admiration and respect for his queen. Elsa saw it clearly in his eyes. "Frela" Elsa said softly. The commander stepped forwards. Elsa placed a firm hand on his trembling shoulder. "I want you to lead these men and women of the Arendelle Guard, can you do that for me ? Can I trust you with that task ? Can I trust you with my life ?"
Frela smiled and slowly raised an arm, placing his careworn hand on her own on his shoulder he said simply. "Yes." Elsa smiled and hugged him, surprisng all present. Never had Elsa hugged one of the Guard before. Anna hugged Matthew, who seemlingly did not really notice the hug. Yet he did not try to hinder the Princess either.
Matthew spoke up then after a long moment or two. "There is still quite a bit to do." He said, he meant rebuilding Arendelle, and remove the remaining Templars in the city and its out villages on both sides of the Fjords.
"Yes" Elsa replied. There was still much to do indeed. She spoke up loudly and stepped onto a higher point in the ice yard, her voice carrying clear and strong. "Listen to me, everyone. The two robed people before you are here at my request, under no circomstances can any of the Arendelle Guard hinder them in any way. We are to aid them when and where possible. These two are of the Legend of the Dagger!" Murmurs once more were heard, the smoke robed woman was of the legend, most of the guards knew of the tale of a smoke robed woman saving the Queen from certain death nearly seven generations before. Elsa continued. "If I hear of anyone of the Arendelle Guard hindering or harming one of their brotherhood members when they arrive to aid us, you will answer to me here on the ice yard. Am I understood ?!"
A resounding "Yes my queen" was heard as all the soldiers present dropped to one knee and bowed low before Elsa. Finally, it was about time she had control over her future. These guards needed some serious talking to.
"Good, General Frela, Commander Arken; have someone remove the dead before they fuse to the ice rink surface. And someone sweep up Illitains shards. I want them properly buired, he was an Arendelle Guard, misguided yes, but still a Guard, we will treat him with honor." It was a weird order, yet the Guard knew the honor their fallen brothers and sisters were before being misguided from their true calling.
Matthew smiled, this was not exactly the welcome to Arendelle he was expecting. Nevertheless, he smiled. He was happy, Elsa was finally learning. But there was some learning that she still had to do, him as well. And included a certain troll.
MEMORY SYNC COMPLETE. SEQUENCE ONE COMPLETED