The Jellicle's Creed
IV
Frozen Memories
Sequence 02
Memory 01: Tender Reunion
29 June 2050
Arendell Castle
Dining Room
Evening
Matthew sat at the table, admiring the sword Elsa created, clean of ice and dirt, the bodies of the slain Templar soldiers were cleared away before they could freeze to the ice rink surface. "You've learned much, Elsa. More than I had thought. Given my brief time here so long ago." He said.
He and Elsa had requested a few minutes alone before dinner, Matthew took Elsa to the dining room, just the two of them, he wanted her to show him her skills she had learned over time since he'd been away. Elsa recreated her ice sword, a majestic blade of pure ice and beauty. Matthew inspected the weapon carefully. Noting that Elsa had made the weapon out of the core of herself, the weapon was herself, nomatter when she drew it or called it forth, Matthew saw, the sword was to remain the same as she first created it.
He then created his own blade, the design similar to her own, yet more elegant, more skillfully made, yet no less beautiful in appearance. Its edge sharper than a normal swords edge. "What else can you make ?" He asked her.
Elsa thought for a moment before speaking, "Well, I made myself somewhere to live at the North Mountain. My Ice Palace." She created a model of the ice palace for Matthew to see. "Before I created it though I made Olaf. Then after I created it I made Marshmellow." She made a brief snowflake image of the snowmen she had made.
Dismissing his sword as Elsa dismissed the models and her own weapon, Matthew stood and went to the window. "This may not be the best time for this, but. I made a promise to your father while on the ship."
"I know you went with mother and father, you promised me you'd return. But you never did, until today, why did you take so long ?" Elsa asked him.
"It is best I start at the beginning. The day after we left port, we lost your mother." Matthew said, Elsa's sadness exploded from her in a small burst of snowfall at Matthew. "During the night your parents stayed on deck watching the stars overhead. On the second night, your father and I were speaking when we heard a splashing sound. Now; don't look at me like I took your mothers life. She left a note. Or at least someone had in her writing." He withdrew from a sleeve a letter ageworn yet still readable. He handed it to Elsa
"I read the letter at your fathers insisting I do so. We found your mother two days later. Dead. Shot through with a crossbow bolt." He withdrew the bolt, he carried it on him always since they'd found her body, floating on the surface of the Aevon sea. "Your father knew of something to help you control your powers, but he wanted to continue on. I knew of what was coming, a fierce storm unlike anything anyone had ever seen sprang up."
Elsa read the note, icicles fell from her eyes as she read her mothers words. Apparently, the queen, Elsas mother, did not like how they had split up Anna and her sister. It felt wrong each day. But Idun trusted Christophe's judgement, but it felt wrong. Elsa set the note on the table. Sitting weakly in a chair she said softly. "Oh mother. Why did you not say anything ?" Elsa hated the memories as they came flooding back, thawing out as Matthew spoke.
"Your father and I spoke long into the night the night we found your mothers body." Matthew said, "He said that he wanted to continue his quest, he wanted to finish what he'd started, to help you and your sister get back together. I tried to warn him about the storm, but he told me, and I quote directly 'iWhatever happens, on my own head be it/i'" Matthew sighed then.
"He said what he had done for you and Anna so long ago was wrong, seperating the two of you. Isolating you, closing the castle gates. He let Arendelle fall into ruin, and the Templars took over bit by bit. I explained to him of the storm we were headed for, he'd hear nothing of it. Insisting we find what we left Arenedelle for. I left him for a while, with your mothers body on deck as he'd mourn her passing. He found me later that night; wanting to talk to me, about you and Anna, and all of Arendelle and how he'd been lax in his duty as King. He wanted to make up for it. For you and your sister."
"But why ?" Elsa asked confused. Snow had collected under her chair as Matthew told his tale. "Father did what he thought best for us. But it was the trolls that took any memory of my magic from Anna's memory.. The trolls are the ones that did it."
"No, your father explained to me that what he did he did in your best interests, but it was wrong now that he looked back on it, keeping his two daughters from seeing each other. Pabbie could have simply removed the memory of your magic striking your sister in the head as it had. But no, he removed any memory of your magic. Until you showed it off on your Day of Crowning."
Elsa was at a loss. "But why ? Why not just remove the memory of my magic hitting Anna as you said ? Why did he have to remove all memory of my powers ?"
"Why indeed." Matthew replied. "Fact of the matter, Pabbie tried to tell you that if you control your emotions, you control your gift. Sure you scared a few folks. I heard the Duke of ... Weaseltown was it ?" Elsa giggled at that mention, "Was rather scared of your gift. He even called you a monster. But you never were such a thing. You alone, isolated, scared. I can understand such things as I too had to live through it."
He raised his arm then and covered his face as Elsa lashed out at him. "Don't you dare bring up that thought. I am not a monster! I am merely... different, like you." Icicles and snowflakes stabbed into his left arm as he covered his face, no blood was drawn, yet the icicles were soon melted as Elsa relaised what she had just done. Jumping up from her seat in shock she ran to Matthew and started pulling out the ice and snow from his arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean... Here let me..." Elsa was clearly not going too well, nearly attacked, finding out that evil lurked in her very castle, now she'd just attacked her own teacher! What the heck was going on.
"It is alright, please, Elsa, be seated, what I am about to tell you I also wish to inform your sister of. But at a later date. It is true that I am one of those of that legend; your fathe told me about it. I thought it a good tale to tell the children. Give them something they can lean on as they grow older. Sending that dagger, in ice. Got it straight to me. I of course recognised the ice signature, your snowflake design." He plucked one of the many snowflakes out of his arm. Holding it up he smiled. "Had you not infused the ice with these snowflakes, I would have never known you were still here. Waiting for me to return."
"But why didn't you ? Why did I assume you were dead ? You promised me you'd come back!" Elsa said, all but grilling Matthew where he sat. It was true, he had promised her and her words for the moment stung him slightly as she asked him her questions. All but accusing him of breaking his promise.
"I tried to come back, but I am getting ahead of myself" Matthew said, he bade Elsa to take her seat once more before continuing his tale. "The morning of the storm your father spoke with me, He asked me to promise him something, He knew of my promise to you, that I'd come back and finish teaching you control over your magic. Your father asked me to protect you, and your sister. After I had explained to him of the Templars, and what they wanted, and that it was possible they had come to Arendelle. He wanted me to protect you, teach you how to defend yourself, even arm yourself if and when needed."
"But why did you take so long in coming back ? I thought you were dead! When we got word the ship was lost I locked myself in my room, never coming out for three years!" Elsa was at a loss once more for words or thoughts and instead just made a snowflake and toyed with it as Matthew continued his story.
"Your father and I were the only survivors, of the fifty that went on that ill fated trip, your father and I surivied the cold thanks to my magic. I kept your father warm, but he could not bear to be without his wife Idun, your mother. He made me promise him on his dying breath in the hospital in the care of doctors, that I'd protect you to the last drop of my frozen blood. And by God, I will do it." Matthew said.
He withdrew a small item, setting it on the table he activated it. "Within an hour of your fathers passing, he rests peacefully as does your mother, I managed to secure her body when the wreckage of the ship was found. I sent them both here. I hear you buried them somewhere outside the city ?" Elsa nodded, a tear streaked down her face. "About a day after I sent your parents bodies back here with all honors possible, I was captured by the government, put on ICE, what they call, Icarcerate, Cannot Execute. I was dangerous, but they wanted to study me, my powers. I ended up creating a massive bilzzard that killed the power in the building they held me, I escaped into the snow. Since by then I had mastered my power it was easier for me to do then say... yourself. If you were captured, what would occur ? How would you get free ?"
Elsa had no answer for that, her gaze was locked on the snowflake that Matthew was creating. It looked similar to hers, with a few rounder edges and a lot more detail, then she realised she was looking at two snowflakes within one. A snowflake within a snowflake. As if to demostrate, Matthew tossed the snowflake, it exploded like a small blizzard against the nearby wall. Covering the floor in half an ince of snow for a brief few moments
Matthew continued. "It took me less then a week to gain the attention of Blackmane and her Brotherhood. They knew my skills, as before your father hired me to teach you. I worked with Blackmane's Assassins on many missions and tasks. Slowly gaining ranks within the brotherhood myself. I'm a Den Master personally, I oversee a den of Assassins. I must be honest. It was the work put before me as Den Master that kept me from coming back to you sooner." Matthew sighed "It was not until your snowflake in the ice crate that I picked up at the CIA post office did I realise my foolishness at not dropping everything and coming directly to here."
"Let me get this right, when you and father survived, father survived long enough for you to promise him you'd protect me and Anna ? Right ?" Matthew nodded as Elsa wanted to make sure she was following correctly. "Instead of getting back here to do just that you instead are captured and imporisoned, you get yourself free later on, and then enlisted by Blackmane ?"
"That is correct. I wish to speak also with Pabbie, as what I wish to speak to him about concerns Anna, something that Blackmane's sister found out I must make sure to fix." Matthew said.
"What do you mean ?" Elsa asked.
"When Pabbie removed all knowledge of your magic from Anna after your accident long ago, he removed something vital, too vital. If Anna and Kristoff are ever to wed, as they seem to want to. Pabbie will have to fix what he had... accidently screwed up. However I am told that Olaf was helpful in fixing that slight problem." Matthew said thoughtfully, he stood from his chair and went to the window. Looking out he looked down to the ice rink below.
"What did the troll do on accident ? Last I knew, he did things with a purpose. Even though it hurt." Elsa replied.
"From what I hear tell, Anna thought a Templar man loved her, she was wrong. Prince Hans' father, King Drake. Had sent his son here to Arendelle in order to procure one thing. Anna got in the way. He figured that by her pushing you into revealing your power to everyone that he could have you the target of every soldier in the country. He was wrong. Thanks to a certain Ice Harvesters son, and a Snowman, Anna was able to figure out what true love really was."
"Love will thaw..." Elsa said softly, in thought. She made her own snowflake explode into many smaller ones.
"That bond between you and her never broke, it was strained yes, but it never broke. Pabbie saw to it that you still had your fun before her accident. But he went about it the wrong way. What is done is done. Olaf had helped your sister, but I want to be sure everything is set to rights. I wont be able to do it right away however, there are still things to worry about here at Arendelle"
"What do you mean ?" Elsa asked, she had told Matthew the entire story of the other guy that tried to take down Kristoff only to get spiked by her. "You mean there's more of them ?"
"Plenty more, what we took down this afternoon in the ice yard outside, those were just some of their simple footmen, their soldiers. And one commander. Though he did not tell much if at all to us of his plans." Matthew said turning back to Elsa from looking out the window. "Just by taking down Illitain, and his troops that we could see, we may have drawn the Templars directly here."
"Wait" Elsa raised a hand then to halt Matthew's movments as she asked. "So that tower you lit the signal fire for. What was that exactly ?"
"That was a capured Assassin Den, Arendelle is divided into several districts, each district has a Assassin Den somewhere within it. With the main HQ den hidden somewhere in the city, considered the hardest to gain entry to. By lighting that signal fire after killing a Templar soldier captain, I notify all Templars within the district to clear out. They may be lousy people, but they make decent tennants. It also allows me to reopen closed shops within the district liberated. You have no idea how much work it is to clear out a city's districts, we're still trying to clear out Lansing as it is." Matthew explained. Elsa nodded.
"Alright, that makes sense, what about your ... missions was it ? Did Blackmane have anything for you to focus on while you're here ?" Elsa asked.
"Just two things, liberate Arendelle, and protect you and Anna as best possible." Matthew replied.
"Librate Arendelle ?" Elsa asked, clearly confused a the terms Matthew was using.
"That flag on the tower signal you saw me unfurl over at the docks. I librated that zone from Templar control, reopened a few shops, around two dozen I think, there were many tailors and art merchant shops there that were closed for some time." Matthew replied. "From what I understand there are templar zones in each district, I saw another templar control district also at the docks area, I plan to librate and control the docks, which then connect to the marketplace proper. Which is free of Templar influence thanks to you and and your sister." Matthew said.
"I see. So you plan to help me regain complete control of Arendelle, no Templar influence in the city proper. What about the nighboring kingdoms ?" Weselton for example, was a thorn in her side for many years. And recently tried cutting off their trade routes by attacking their merchant vessels.
"At this moment, we only have access and control here in Arendelle, Blackmane showed me a map of the region. Weselton is heavily under Templar control. Along with Arendal and Oslo. Barcelona, London, among other places. Even Stockholm is under Templar influence. Yet the closest templar controlled city is Weselton. Where I am sure the Duke is planning something, my ship was nearly attacked on the way here had we not gone into the storm at sea to keep our pace." Matthew said.
When he was finished speaking Elsa was strangely quiet, carefully thinking before speaking her mind, finally she said. "I gave leave to Blackmane to rebuild as needed in certain locations. And she gave you the contract as you call it, to reclaim and rebuild Arendelle. Spending money to make money in a manner of speaking. Yet outside the kingdom, there are other places, Weasltown for example. We cut off trade with them after their duke wronged me."
"So I hear tell." Matthew replied calmly. "For such a small man, he's long winded, and rather loud." That made Elsa snicker at those words. Nearly breaking down into laughter in fact. "However, we have another problem. The Templars are the primary threat yes, and Hans family has ties to the Templars directly, only two of his brothers, his eldest brothers I might add, aid our cause in their own provinces of Denmark to the south."
"That is a problem yes. But how will it affect us ? Weaseltown is to the east, towards sunrise. Not to the south." Elsa said. Matthew nodded.
"My goal is to keep you safe whatever the cost. When others of my order arrive, they'll aid me in that task allowing me to do other contracts as needed. And also to speak with Pabbie about some things important to me." Matthew never voiced it, but he wanted to speak to Pabbie about the fear he had instilled within Elsa, at some point, Elsa was going to have to face her fear, and freezing her sisters heart was only a tiny portion of that fear. But like all moment of truths, when Elsa was to face it, she'd face it alone.
"How many more of your order are coming ? Your brotherhood was it ?" Elsa asked, Matthew nodded, counting a few times he then shruged his shoulders, he had no idea how many were to arrive, or when. But he did know that some of Tiri's girls were to arrive soon and use that faction building he'd just renoed for the Bordelo Girls. "So in relation to the Templars, what is our other problem ? Besides Hans and his ... goons." Elsa asked.
"The CIA." Matthew replied. At her confused look he explained "Central Inlligence Agency. A spy program similar to the Templars and Assassins. Only more well known throughout the world. In this case, when you sent out that dagger, it went to them, their post office, I went in and stole it from there in order to get the summons to Blackmane as per the creedo statement." Matthew explained. "Most likely, they'll be coming for me." He said.
"And before they get here, you rebuild Arendelle as much as you can, and get people to trade and sell here as when my grandparents had done, and also keep myself and Anna safe from harm. Right ?" Elsa said. Matthew nodded. "The only thing I do not understand is. Why now ?"
"I wish I could answer that. But alas I cannot. Not at this time at least." Matthew said thoughtfully. "Illitain told us nothing, even in his final moments of his death, yet he told us plenty that we have to figure out. There are many Templars, and just as many districts of Arendelle as there are Templar Towers. The more Towers I destroy and unfurl the Arendelle Assassins flag upon, the more we can rebuild the kingdom to its former glory. But to do so, will take a lot more work than we think."
"You said it yourself, The Marketplace District, and now the Arendelle Port are under Assassin control. You are doing something for the people at the very least." Elsa said. A smile on her face. Matthew nodded. "You will need founds I think, I can have Kai draw up an account for you. You'll get discounts for your brotherhood when it comes to buying items at places you renovate. I will let you worry of the percentage when the time comes, in the mean time, I'm starting to wonder what is keeping dinner.."
Kai came in shortly along with Anna, Kristoff and Olaf, Sven being a reindeer, was not typically allowed within the castle itself, yet Elsa tolorated both Kristoff and Sven, heck if a Snowman could wander the castle, let the Reindeer wander it with him. Worst thing that could happen, Elsa mused at the time to the guard who complained, was that all they had to worry about was stepping in reindeer poop. That comment alone made Elsa snicker at the time. The guard, Illitan, was not the least bit amused.
Dinner was brought out shortly after an account was created, Matthew figured a fifteen percent deduction on renovations in all the districts of the Kingdom of Arendelle, which included all outlaying villiages within the Kingdoms banner reach. Only renovated stores could give the discount, Matthew insisted upon that. Stores premade and still open were not to worry of a discount of any kind. Elsa agreed, Anna liked the idea of rebuilding Arendelle to its former glory and the idea of Oakens maybe moving into the city proper.
"Is he still selling as he wanders the wilderness ?" Matthew asked, Anna and Kristoff both nodded. Yes, he was indeed still selling his goods as he wandered, never settling a permament shop location either.
Arendelle Castle
The Next Morning, just after midnight
30 June 2050
Matthew had been invited the night before to stay within the castle at his old room, which even though Elsas abilites had been mostly rebuilt into a beautiful ice room of sorts. Matthew however was simply inclined to remain in the old room even though it was damaged slightly by water and the blizzard of seven years before. He did not mind it. He went over notes he'd brought along. Elsa was acting every bit the queen she was meant to be. Yet thrust into it so soon with the loss of her parents. It was something to worry about indeed.
And yet. Matthew mused on things carefully. Taking all angles into consideration before making any choices of direction for him to take. For the moment, he decided, he'd sleep in his own bed for once rather then within an Assassin Den pillow room filled with incense.
A knock came to his door. He recognised it. "Come in." He said, he stood at the window, looking out towards mostly nothing. Yet thinknig at the same time. Elsa stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Something troubles you Elsa, might I be so bold as to ask what it is ?"
"You explained to me why you took so long to get back to me here. And when you defended Anna and I at the market yesterday. I did not get the time to properly thank you for saving our lives." Elsa said, but there was something else. Matthew felt it.
"What truly troubles you Elsa, please, tell me everything." Matthew then listened carefully as Elsa told him the entire story. From the death of her parents the news of which reaching her as a teen, the thought of losing even him. Forgetting everything she had learned up to that point and then three years later becoming queen, trying to conceal her fears and keep her powers in check unseen. Until Anna pushed a bit too far. But Elsa did not blame Anna, she blamed herself. None else took the blame for what she had done. Anna merely was part of something greater than herself.
Elsa then explained the freezing of the kingdom, how it lasted almost a tenday before she thawed it all out and made the ice rink good and proper. She explained Hans dirty dealings and his plans at the time, kill her, take control of Arendelle. Kill her sister. All of it.
She then explained how Anna sacrficed herself to save her life as well as her own. Matthew smiled at that. "What Pabbie said was true. At the time he was trying to tell you that fear, your fears, were to be your greatest enemy. And yet, you overcame them. To an extent." Matthew never could explain it, but he knew in his heart that Elsa still had to face her fears.
He turned from the window and crafted up a chair for himself and Elsa to sit within as Elsa continued her sad tale up until six weeks before when she detailed carefully, not missing out anything for Matthew to take it in completely, she had left out a minor detail.
She held out something. It was not a snowflake, but Matthew recognised it as a piece of Eden of some form. Matthew took it in his hand, Examining it carefully he spoke. "Amazing they can be so small."
"What ?" Elsa asked, comeplete confused at what Matthew was saying. "What can be so small ?"
"This is a Piece of Eden. One of many, scattered across the world in fact. Apparently this one is designed primarily for something important. A key of some form I think." Matthew explained. He pointed out intricate lines on the thing. "You see these lines, they make up a codec of sorts. I will have to let Blackmane or Taku see this. See what they can make of it. Where did you find it ?"
Elsa smiled thinly and said "When Blackmane asked to see the man that tried to hurt Kristoff, those were his belongings. I... wanted to show it first to you, not to her. I well, Blackmane has yet to show me that I can trust her like I trust you."
"I see, so instead of trusting the legend as it told to do so. You instead held out, and let her see only so much. Keeping secrets anyone can do, but do it right and there are somethings that not even the Trolls can find out about you." Matthew said. The time was just aftermidnight and he could see clearly that Elsa had pretty much zero sleep that night since the attack in the Market. Matthew stood up. "I think it is time that you get some rest. You deserve it, I wont sleep tonight, I will stand directly outside your door to ward off trouble." He said, He took Elsa by the hand and helped her stand. He then went with her to her room and made sure she was comfortable in bed before exiting and placing a snowlock on the door before taking up a proper post in front of the door.
Matthew did not have to wait long for trouble to begin however, because shortly after the third hour did footsteps sound in the hall, the changing of the guard, he shifted his vision and disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes. Hiding within a suit of armor standing not far away he easily saw what occurred. Two men arrived, both of them dressed in Templar robes. Ha, these were not simple footmen either. He listened to their conversation carefully as they passed by. Speaking of what occurred the afternoon before in the courtyard ice rink. It was most interesting to these men to hear of it. Both men were concerned, and yet both wanted to pledge allegience to Elsa, but at three in the morning ?
Not gonna happen. Both men were trying to pick the frozen lock on the Queens bedroom door when Matthew acted as if he were wandering off for a cup of coffee. "Oh hello Gents, something I can help you with ?" Matthew acted as if he just came on the scene and was barely even awake. So he acted the part well enough by asking "Ya mind standin' still ? I see six of you."
The two Templars looked at each other then nodded, "You must have missed the kitchen." One said, pointing in the direction of the dining hall, "Its that way, I think the cook is awake, if not one of the many servents should have something for your sleepwalking."
Matthew thanked the two and ambled off in a sleepy stumble, bonking into random objects as he moved along. Making it as believeable as possible. The more these dorks believed he was wandering in his sleep, the better off he was as a whole.
However he had not rounded the corner before both men fell dead to the floor, frozen solid from Elsas own ice power from inside the door. Two ice spikes withdrew themselves back into the door and faded away as both men were dead. Allowing Matthew to examine both bodies and gain items.
There was a rather important letter on one of the two men. Matthew cracked its seal and read it carefully. It was a bounty. He read it carefully.
"As instructed; you are to eliminate Queen Elsa by any means necessary. The payment has been given, No qustions were asked. Somebody with power, wants this poor fool dead. Failure is not an option.
The Duke"
Matthew smiled, he'd teach Elsa, not just how to control her powers, but how to use her powers as a means to regain her Kingdom once and for all. With that thought he frost the note solid. It shattered into tiny snowflakes that he made then fade away in the wind. Morning was soon to arrive, and when it did arrive, Matthew would be ready.
Arendelle Castle
Daybreak
Dawn broke, Matthew had unlocked Elsas door to allow her to exit when needed, placing snowflakes at locations in the hall and around her windows allowed him to keep tabs on who entered her bedroom at any given time. He knew his limits and never imposed on Elsa to bug her bedroom with the snowflakes. Knowing full well that she herself could protect herself within her own room. That and he felt like a peeping tom if he tried to lay out a few snowflakes in her bedroom.
But at that moment it did not matter, Matthew was walking along a paraphet outside the main castle when a curier came up to him. "Sir, this is for you, it is most important." He handed a letter to Matthew and then took his leave. Matthew opened it.
"Matthew,
I sent this letter to you in the hopes that you will know before Blackmane that her sister, Snowfeather, is now enroute to Arendelle. She left the day after you get this letter. Activate a transportation array when you get this letter to send back a reply. Upon completion of the reply Snowfeather will depart for Arendelle by ship.
Munkustrap Graymane, Mentor"
Matthew nodded, and folded the letter, he went to a secluded place and activated a transportation array unseen, he wrote up his reply and sent it before closing the transport array and leaving the turret for a brief morning walk. Munkus wanted to warn him that Snowfeather was coming, what about Blackmane ? Why was he warned and not her ? Was Snowfeather and Munkus plotting something ? So many questions flooded Matthews mind as he walked in thought along the castle grounds. Passing many soldiers he paid them little heed. Even though some of them he knew were watching him carefully.
Matthew knew he'd need to be careful the next few days to a tenday. It was not a fast trip to Arendelle by any means to be sure. However. Matthew knew some tricks to not being seen, so he figured he could work on liberating and recruiting Assassins within the city.
And his first task was to completely liberate the docks. Which meant to liberate the port before Snowfeather arrived. He headed in that direction, he had work to do.