Jellicle's Creed
Frozen Memories
Sequence 3
Memory 5 A Snowflake Within a Snowflake part 1
18 May 2051
Oslo Norway
CIA Travel Bus
Enroute to Oslo
Dawn
The massive motorohome, a luxury class A RV by Tiffin Motorhomes rumbled along the road towards Oslo. The man at the wheel was Stevens, a CIA advance agent based in Oslo directly. He knew these roads more than any of those within the RV, well, almost everyone. They had a woman, soaking wet with freezing ice cold water, laying on the bed hooked up to the dreamshare device, who was a native to the area they were in. "Alright I see a spot we can stop not far ahead from here" Stevens said.
"Good, sooner you stop we can start this dreamshare" said Marcus. The leader of the team from America differed only to Stevens for local info and directions and left all driving needs to Steven and his men. Stevens smiled, he never really did like working with Americans, but these men were after someone in Norway, at an apparent kingdom called Arendelle. Which was south of the North Mountain, just about a few miles or a day south of the North Pole directly.
Stevens had to wonder how they had come across that cabin so easily on the poorly kept roads. The woman that was inside, tied up on the bed, asleep dead to the world. Was none other than the queen of Arendelle, yet none of the CIA agents knew it at the time. They just thought she was a model of some form. After all that dress was to be extrenely expensive for sure, all those crystals woven in the cloth. Clearly custom designed job for sure.
None of the team wanted to get too close to the extremely cold to the touch woman. It was as if they were scared of her. The icicles and snowflakes on her body and dress, that smooth beautiful untarnished flawless skin. It made Steven slightly nervous, just being near the woman as steam rose off her body, snowflakes drifting off her as well. It made him more than a little nervous. He'd heard stories of a powerful sorceress in the nothern parts of Norway. For all he knew, this woman on his bed was her! And he for one, wanted her to be treated with respect.
But thankfully, Elsa was helpless, asleep, dead to the world. Hooked up to the dreamshare device as well. Which allowed for the team to hook up and ready for some dreamsharing.; they needed only five minutes. Longer if they were lucky. Steven pulled the massive motorhome into a motor lodge resort and parked, stepping out briefly he registered for a two night stay and then moved the RV to that location. Once parked he hooked up the RV with the help of a teammate and then set up the place, the slidouts set up and slid soundlessly and locked into place, the automatic leveling jacks activated and settled the massive rig perfectly level on the site.
Stevens turned towards Marcus "We're clear." He said, while closing the windowshades and dimming the lights. The cable was hooked up to the dreamshare. He turned the TV on "Everything you guys see in the dreamshare will be on this screen for us all to see. Let me know when you want to start to come up, and I'll hit the music for you."
"Right, lets get under and see what our lovely guest is dreaming about shall we ?" All four men got to their places, one laid in the back closet on the drop down bed, two were at the table, and the last was on the sofa, the woman on the bed, still soaking wet at that, was also hooked up to the machine. A brief test was done with a scanner showing that the woman was knocked out due to a sleeper dart to the back. And the type of sleeper dust as they called it had clocked her cold for four days or ninety six hours. Which was more than enough time to dreamshare.
Stevens waited until the team was settled before hitting the power key. Two seconds later all four team members were in the whiteroom loading zone. Their guest, who slept on the bed, was already in the dream world. It was only time for the team to join her dream.
Within the Dream
Part 1
Arendelle Docks
2 May 1979
Elsa felt boyant, and for brief moments wondered of why as she woke up, it was her bed. Waking up at the sound of her mothers voice at her door she got up from the bed and went to the door, upon opening it she saw her mother standing outside it and about to knock. "Mother ? Is something wrong ?" Elsa asked. She still had to get ready, why did her mother look so pretty ? What day was that day ?
"The painter is running late, he wants to take what he calls a 'snapshot' of some sort of us to use as a refernce image toi work from for our family protrait." Idun replied, "He's running a little bit late and your father is getting more than a bit nervous about said lateness. So, What I want you to do is to get ready and find Anna, she might be in the courtyard or markpet place. Your father wants this to be good as possible but not perfect as this is only a reference the painter is getting to work from."
Elsa smiled and nodded, "Don't worry mother, I'll find Anna and meet you and father in the throne room ?" That was the plan right ?
Idun smiled. "Your father said he wanted to originally have the painting done in the throne room, but it is too brightly lit for the painters needs. Just get ready and meet me in the dining room after you find Anna. Oh, and you are packed right ? I can have Gerda load your bags onto the ship."
So that was it, the painter was running late, which meant it was going to be a rushed job for the refrence pose image for the painter to work with while they were on their cruise. Great. Elsa nodded and closed the door. Time to get ready she thought. She knew her father wanted the family protrait to be perfect. And therefore it meant her best possible dress. So with that thought in mind as she did her hair, her dress shifted slightly as crystals of ice flowed across its surface. The teal green skirt became a brighter silvery green and quickly meshed with her top and sleeves that ended on her wrists and backs of her hans. In all, her dress felt lighter. Now to find Anna.
After a brief look in the mirror to make sure her hair was perfect for the painter, Elsa smiled, it was time to go. As she went to the door she held it open for Gerda who entered with two other servants. Without a word Elsa slipped past Gerda into the hall
Ever since that accident nearly fifiteen years before, Elsa had learned through her sisters love for her to control her icey powers, it got to the point where she could remake her clothing on a mere thought! Just think of a design or shape, and it worked out fine. Better than hoped actually at times. In fact it sometimes terrified her father, and yet lately he seemed to look forwards to social gatherings more than he used to. But sometimes Elsa worried for her father.
She passed a few guards; none of whom she really cared about at the time. Stepping down the stairs she passed the dining room and library. Coming to a fast halt had she not seen her father pacing. Again. Pacing and muttering to himself confused about something. The painter was there however she recognised the man instantly upon entering the room. Insofar as not to be trusted, something about the mans eyes made her slightly nervous as he seemed to watch her every move.
"Father" Elsa said, upon seeing the man turn to her "Is everything alright ?"
"Ah, Elsa, Has your mother spoken with you ?" Her father said, Elsa nodded "Good, have you found Anna ? Is she packed and ready ? We are to do the painting upon the ship. Sooner we find Anna, the sooner we can be off." It was a family trip that their mother wanted them all to go on, to get them away from Arendelle for a few days to a week or more. Just to relax for once. Being in charge of a massive kingdom made Christophe work too hard many days recently and Idun wanted her husband to relax and her girls to have fun. So she organised a trip with Kai for them to take.
"Yes, mother informed me, I was just about to fetch Anna and meet you and mother at the docks to get aboard." Elsa replied. She couldn't wait for the cruise, her first cruise in her entire life, a Disney Norwegian Fjord Tour. So much fun to be had!
"Good good. See to Anna, I have a few things to finish here. I'll meet you and your sister on the dock with your mother. Our luggage should be loaded aboard by now. So go get your sister." Christophe said, He gave Elsa a brief hug, he hadmired her icey blue dress she had made for herself. Almost six dozen of the things of various shades of blue and silver. And green. Along with white ice. Glasslike in fact. His daughter had come a long way. "Now, see to your sister, I'll catch up with you two." Elsa nodded and left the library, all the while the painters eyes never left her.
Ten minutes later and she was out in the marketplace district looking for Anna, who was actually waiting for her at the time just inside the marketplace. Elsa could see her sister was axious about something, but she was unable to see exactly what her sister was worried about. "There you are!" Elsa said upon catching up to Anna. "I was looking for you."
"Looking for me ? Why ? Is something wrong ?" Anna asked.
"Are you packed ? Mother wants us to meet her and Father at the docks before we board the ship." Elsa said, Anna nodded at the question. Anna was excited, that was why she was in the marketplace so early, she was axious to get aboard but had to wait for the others to join her and then meet up at the dock as planned, a brief yet useful thing indeed.
"Come on, I'm packed, I had Kai send my things to the ship already. Are you packed ?" Anna asked, giving Elsa a look, her elder sister nodded, At nineteen Elsa was a knockout, dressed in a beautiful silvery green ballgown of sorts, Elsa looked every bit the Princess. Elsa in some ways made Anna slightly jealous, after all Elsa had awesome icey powers to worry about too. Well, not as much as she used to. Not after that accident, Grand Pabbie had helped with some advice to Elsa, love will thaw. That was all she had to remember. And she soon mastered her icey powers.
"Lead the way" Elsa said, Anna did just that, taking her sister by the hand she all but dragged her sister through the market to the docks where a massive cruise ship waited. Their parents were also just arriving. Giving her mother a quick hug, Elsa spoke up "We're ready. Is there anything else we need ?"
Her father shook his head, "No, the painter is already aboard with what he needs for the painting, we're to meet with him tonight for the family protrait." He said, he handed his daughters their passports and the four went aboard, once scanning in with their passports and keys they were lead abaord by a crewman. Who identified himself as James. Elsa didn't like the look of him as he took a long look directly at her.
"Right this way please. Our captain is overseeing the final preperations before departure. We depart in exactly twenty minutes. We still have a few families to join us." The crewman lead them to their stateroom, a massive yet beautifully crafted room. "Ah here we are. Your keys do not have your stateroom number listed on them, for security reasons. So please, feel free to explore the ship, at exactly 5 PM we hold a lifeboat drill, everyone is required to attend." The man then bowed and left. Allowing the four to explore their room further. Anna liked what she saw. Elsa did too.
Idun went to the doorwall and opened it, looking back at their castle in beyond the market. They were finally going on a cruise. It was about time. And it was to relax. Not to meet up with other nobles or similar people, just to have fun with their daughters. Elsa watched as her father went and stood beside her mother. The two of them together. It made her smile at the thought. Seeing them together just made her happy inside.
After exploring the two bedroom Royal Suite as it was called by the cruise ship company, Elsa announced she wanted to explore the ship and find something on board to eat. There was sure to be a resturant aboard somewhere. There were in fact, three resturants. And her mother had made reservations for just her and Christophe, allowing the girls to either eat in one of the dining rooms that evening, or with Kai in his stateroom next door.
Elsa at that moment merely wanted to explore the vast ship. Standing up from the sofa, which was remarkably soft and very comfortable, Elsa announced she'd meet up with Anna in time for dinner before exiting the room, taking her room key with her. As she left her father spoke up, causing her to halt "They hold the life boat drill shortly, we'll meet up there before seperating." Elsa nodded, she had forgotten the crewman had mentioned the lifeboat drill. She left the stateroom then and headed through the vast ship to explore.
Three hours later
Elsa stepped into their reserved room, Her parents had mentioned the time and place to meet back up for the royal painting to begin. It took but mere moments she was told, but it made her nervous. Never the less, she went into the room and found herself the first one there. Shortly joined by her father, but until he arrived she was alone and able to explore the vast gallery of paintings in the room.
She reccgnised her grandmother, Ingrid, and also her ancestor, Marissa, her great grandmothers great grandmother in fact. She was surprised to learn that her ancestor Marissa had married an Arabian merchant named Joseph. A man from the countries to the far and mystical south.
Her father soon joined her in the gallery. "I thought I'd find you here" He said upon arriving, seeing Elsa going through the family tree book made him smile. But it was her question that made that smile falter slightly.
"Who is this ?" She pointed out a young woman, it looked similar to herself, but the year was nearly three thousand years before! "Why does she look like me ?" Elsa asked.
"Elsa, there is something you need to know." Christophe said, he then explained to her the family tree and how it worked. He pointed out the first queen, Flowerfeet, her granddaughter Elena. Christophe even pointed out the remarkable similarity between Elsa and Queen Marissa herself. But what confused Elsa was the fact that her father was not even in the book to begin with. Unlike back at home, the royal historians were always ontop of things.
"So this book only goes as far as Mother, Anna and I are not in it, nor are you ?" Elsa said thoughtfully.
"That is correct, you see, the cruise line company has yet to get the revised history book. Which they should get when our painting sitting is completed." Christophe replied. Elsa closed the book and set it on the table in the gallery as her father offered a hand to her. She took it and stood. The two of them then headed for the painting room where the painter, the one Elsa was more familiar with, was waiting. A few moments later and her mother and sister joined them.
It was a brief matter then of placement, Elsa was to be seated on the throne chair. Christophe originally wanted to stand to the side like he normally did, but Elsa insisted that he stand next to her with her mother and Anna on her other side, After all, the painting was orginased by her mother for her birthday to begin with.
Elsa wanted her father to stand next to her while she sat on the chair, his hand on her soulder, her hand on his. She looked up to her father, love in her eyes. Christophe nodded to Elsa at her request. After all it was for her birthday. And stood next to her, his hand on her shoulder. He smiled broadly when her hand touched his and she looked to him, and he looked down to her, love shining brightly in his own eyes.
For exactly the time needed the family posed in that exact pose. They'd have the results by the end of the cruise. They soon parted for dinner, Anna and Elsa meeting up with Kai for room service while they parents went to the dining room far above known as Palo.
The next morning
Elsa wandered the ship again, this time in the bright morning unshine. She felt eyes on her and pretended not to notice. It was hard to not exactly be noticed, she knew that to be sure. All sorts of people, nobles, commoners, even touriests seeking to visit their vast kingdom were commonplace aboard the massive vessel. She was spoken to by several people but never referred to as the queen, it was always Princess. A few paid her common curtisy and made way to let her pass.
But she felt eyes on her, focused on her. She didn't feel safe. Looking off the stern of the ship she briefly thought she saw waves moving unnaturally so. As she stood at the stern and looked out to sea behind the Magic; she could not help but notice the movement of the waves within the fjord. Impossible! She thought.
"Enjoying the view ?" A mans voice asked, a man she was not familiar with but thought she recognised when she glanced his way briefly, the painter from the castle ? He was aboard as well ? "Most unnatural, Those waves. Not the least of what I am used to seeing on otherwise calm fjords."
Elsa saw what he meant, it was indeed confusing. "Yes, the fjords are normally quite calm, what is causing that I wonder ?" Elsa looked to the man next to her, "Do I know you by any chance ? You look familiar. Are you one of Marks brothers in his order ?" She did not know it then, but she gave a brief bit of important info
Marcus took that chance to introducing himself, with a mock bow he said "My name is Marcus Greely. I and my brothers came on this trip because my youngest brother organised it for the lot of us. And I am quite glad he did. You see, I have a liking of history and other cultures. Visiting the fjords so far from home, It gives a sense of otherworldness to me." He said, He leaned on the rail "The beauty of it all." He said, meaning mostly her though it was hard not to stare at the beautiful teen before him. Marcus could not guess the blonde Princess's age right, but he assumed her under twenty one.
Elsa smiled, turning from the rail she said "Walk with me." Marcus smiled and walked with her, he kept his hands behind his back, clasped together as they walked throughtfully from the rear of the ship towards the upper levels. Niether of them were aware of the creature coming from the depths behind them.
"I must admit" Elsa said as they walked to the upper most level of the ship and stood at the rail. "I feel as if I have seen you before. Were you a the castle talking with my father, the King of Arendelle ?" Elsa asked Marcus
Marcus smiled, and lied clearly yet Elsa was unable to decern the lie properly. "Who ? You're the princess of the kingdom ?" He faked it so well as he said to her "I have to admit I merely thought you were just another tourist on the fjord tour through the cruise line company."
Elsa looked him over and finally nodded, he told her the truth. For the moment at least. Marcus saw that she wanted some time to herself so he excused himself and went one level lower. For a long moment Elsa just watched the sides of the vast fjord going by.
Suddenly the ship gave a great lurch that sent everyone to the ground and nearly sent Elsa off the rail to the deck two decks below! Clinging to it she climbed back onto the outlook deck and looked around confused. What in the world ?
Down on the lower deck of the upper levels of the vase cruiseliner Barnabas looked around confused as did James. "Mother Benny's fried chicken, what the fuck just happened ?" Elsa could just barely make out the words and had to stare at the man below as he swore openly as he did.
"Musta hit a reef or one of the shoals below the ship, some of these fjords are not as deep as some think they should be." Said a crewman on the ship as he helped an elderly fellow to his feet.
The ship gave another lurch before a crewman was plucked off the ship. When the man was held into the air screaming loudly the crew panicked, calling out "KRAKEN!" Elsa watched the bedlam and wondered if her family was safe in their room, then she remembered the legend, No! This can't be happening! It just can't be! She thought franticly as huge tenticles snaked their way up the sides of the massive cruiseliner. Slowly yet surely turning the cruiseliner onto its side, tipping it over as people fell into the deadly waters of the ice cold fjord.
Elsa kept her grip tightly on the rail of the topmost deck as the ship tilted only so far. Finally she thought it safer to jump for her life and swim to shore rather than get eaten by a nightmare, so she dove off the side as the rail acted as a perfect diving board. She hit the water cleanly and stared through the deadly crystal clear water at the massive creature as it pulled the massive cruiseliner under. Going to the surface Elsa climbed onto a overturned table floating on the water and laid on it for a long moment before blacking out.
Royal Cabin aboard the Disney Wonder
Just past midnight, Arendelle time
3 May 1979
Elsa snapped awake and sat bolt upright in her bed, looking around wildly she saw that she was still in her family's royal stateroom. Looking around she heard her sisters loud snore and smiled. Well, that was all the truth she needed, she looked at the clock and saw easily that it was just past midnight, just a bad dream, nothing more. Elsa laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. Hopefully she'd dream a better dream. And forget about her nightmare.
In the wakeful world
CIA RV, in movement
21 May 2051
Dusk
"That was eventful" Stevens said thoughtfully as Marcus woke up and sat bolt upright. "You OK ?" He asked looking back to the man from where he sat, the RV was on the road again, they were in the dream a good full day and night. But sadly unable to learn anything needed. Yet.
"I'm fine!" Marcus grumbled as he got stock of his surroundings. RV, check, movement, uh... check ? "We were so close to getting the information we needed from the woman on Michaels. But then that thing had to show up right when I was about to get what I sought. What was the fuckin' thing anyhow ?"
"What ? You mean the Kraken ?" Stevens said, He chuckled. "It is from an old seagoing legend. One you should have thought about, its native to this area. Much like the princess herself on the bed back there." The other CIA members were waking up, one of them jumping clean up from his location in the closet and nearly breaking his own neck in doing so.
Marcus disconnected himself from the machine and got up, going to the TV he went over the recording "I hit the music as soon as the ship was hit by the thing. I moved it a bit faster than normal in order to pull you guys out at the right time. I think I got everyone, well, everyone but her. She's still out" Stevens explained.
"Whatever those louts at that cabin hit her with sent her into a very deep sleep. We wont be able to get near her if we try again so soon" Marcus said thoughtfully, he shut down the dreamshare device. Taking a brief look into the bedroom as Barnabas stepped from the closet holding his head in his hands.
"I think she is that one that the stories spoke about." Stevens said, he said it in a respectful tone.
Marcus turned towards Stevens, a doubtful look to his face, "What ? You mean to tell me you believe in those stories ? Obviously the womans got hypothermia, or similar." Marcus replied, he took a quick look at the woman on the bed, Elsa was still asleep, and snowflakes flaked off her still soaking wet body and clothing. "Didn't you dry her off ? I thought I told you to dry her off."
"Are you kidding me ?" Stevens asked, "If I so much as touch her she'd kill me!" It was clear the Oslo native took the local legends seriously. Possibly too seriously. "Besides, If that woman is indeed the one the local legends speak about, then there is no way in hell I'm going to touch her body. Even to dry her off." He said.
"Is that out of fear or something else ?" Marcus asked darkly as Barnabas stepped from the rear bedroom closet to the front living space area, opening the fridge he got himself a drink to wake up.
"Respect" Stevens replied calmly. Marcus gave Stevens a dirty look, his hand going for his gun. Stevens smiled at Marcus' actions. "Don't think you can do this without me, when she wakes up, if she wakes up, she'll need someone she can understand and trust, and you need a man that knows the area like I do, so I am afraid you are stuck with me either way." he said, stating a fact.
For a long moment Marcus said nothing as Barnabas, his second in command just watched the two as the RV was in motion. "Alright, what do you suggest ?" He asked.
"Right now I suggest getting yourself something to eat, maybe go over what you managed to get so far. There could be clues in the woodowork you could use." Stevens said as Marcus came and sat next to him, Steven turned onto the main road from the campground. "The woman's out for another day, maybe two, I think waiting until tonight or tomorrow morning to get into her next dream might be safest."
"She did not recognise James or Barnabas, but she did recognise me as the painter in her families castle." Marcus said as he reviewed the files they'd managed to get, "She kept mentioning a man named Mark for some odd reason. However. I do not know of such a fellow. Even if I did. How does she know of such a man ?"
"Mark ? Did she give a last name ?" Stevens asked
"Yeah, her sister mentioned a guy named Wolfe. Know him ?" Barnabas replied. As he had spoken briefly with Anna on the ship in the dream.
"Sure do, there was a CIA advance agent named Mark Wolfe, worked out of Cairo." Stevens said, Marcus nodded
"Hey I know him." Marcus replied, He brought the information onto his iPad. "Names Mark Wolfe, born in nineteen sixty one. One brother, Stillborn at birth from complications of underdeveloped lungs and heart. Parents both deceased, taken in at seven years old to the Elisar family, keeping the surename of Wole, Mark soon joined Egyptian Univeristy in Cairo. Joined the CIA at twenty six, trackrecord is cleanest and all one hundred percent compared even to us." Marcus said.
"I thought I recognised the name." Steven said, he he'd pulled to a gas station to get some fuel, once he told the attendent what was required, he brought out a phonebook. "This is the local phonebook, Let me see here... aha, Wolfe, Mark, Port of Arendelle."
"Did you say Arendelle ?" Marcus asked
"Yeah why ?" Steven said "Something important about the name or location or what ?"
"Because the woman on the bed in the dream mentioned her father, the iKing/i of Arendelle" Marcus replied, gears of thought already turning in her head. "We're going back into the dream, now, I want to find out more, Barnabas, she's yet to meet you, I want you to find and speak with her this time around. See if you can meet with her father, sure he'll merely be a projection and might not speak, but try and get a look of him."
Barnabas nodded and went to take his seat nest to the dreamshare device, Marcus continued "Save everything from the first dream, I want to review it later." Steven got the RV rolling again, once again on the empty road. It was time to haull ass home to Oslo.
He just hoped he could explain to their guest soaking wet on the bed what was going on when she woke up. He'd honestly thought that the woman on the bed, soaking wet, yet untouched by the cold, was indeed a powerful woman of some kind. He hoped he could explain to her what was going on. Maybe even drop her off back at her home ?
"Passpro ?" Barnabas asked, short for password protect. Normally they locked everything down.
"No, just save it standard passpro disabled." Marcus said "I want to freely access the files as needed and maybe ask her certain things as well when reviewing." He turned back to the front just as a massive bird aimed for them not too far ahead. "Steven, watch out!" WHAM! Ulnaus made contact with the front windshield of the massive RV.
Steven struggled to keep the RV undercontrol as the massive black eagle feathers pretty much covered the entire front window of the RV. Marcus screamed something uninteligble and Barnabas spoke of the dreamshare device reactivating and ready to go; Marcus swore and went to check, struiggling to keep his balance as the RV swrvered a few times before steadying out.
With the attention of the driver and his side passenger on the massive bird on the front window. None within the massive RV saw that a black Humvee was pulling up in bedhind them perfectly timed with speed for speed.
Kai kept the humvee on a proper path and disgorged his passengers onto the rear of the RV, the four climbed up the ladder, Blackmane gave a wave and made a motion of a phone to her ear and mouth, saying simply, 'Will call when stopped' kai nodded and the humvee slowed, gaining distence between the massive RV and the smaller Arendelle Assassins rig.
Climbing swiftly towards the bathroom skylight Mark slid it open without a sound as the RV slowed to a halt, sliently dropping into the bathroom he tased the only man inside that was awake and cuffed the man with his own cuffs.
He poked his head out the door as Ulanus made a mess of the front windscreen, Nodding as Snowfeather dropped silently next to him He never saw her disapepar from sight and head towards the front as he checked the closet. It was empty. Mark turned and helped Blackmane into the RV's massive rear bathroom as Matthew dropped down without a sound in a swirl of snowflakes.
Mark nodded to the silent commands but they all turned their gaze towards the front when they heard a mans voice scream out "You! Ya crazy bitch! The hell are you doing in my RV ?!"
"The same thing you are. Getting information." Snowfeather replied with a smirk.
"Getting information, for fucks sake woman! You're tresspassing!" Marcus replied, venom in his tone.
"Yeah, well, you're kidnapping a dear friend of mine. I got better reason to be here than you do." Snowfeather replied, she held a gun on the man as her twin sister stepped into view, tazer ready. Easily spiking the thing into Marcus neck the man sank to the RV floor in a heap as Stevens turned around, panic clear in his eyes as Blackmane sat next to him.
"Keep driving; keep us steady, at the first campground, pull off and set up. We have a woman to save, and you are a respectful sort of man so you'll live." Blackmane said softly, Stevens nodded and continued driving as Blackmane activated the last two strings of the dreamshare device, unlocking them as Matthew and Mark stepped around sleeping men still hooked up to the thing.
"I take it you know her then ?" Stevens said, makiing something of small talk
"Depends on know her. If you mean the woman you kidnapped from our targets, then yes, we know her quite well. In fact, how do you know her ?" Snowfeather said to Stevens.
"Local legens mostly." He replied, explaining what he knew.
"Why didn't you dry her off ?" Snowfeather asked him.
"You kidding ? I dare not touch her!" It was clear that Stevens respected both the local legends and myths, but also respected Elsa to the point of not even drying her off out of fear of what she'd do to him.
"Understandable" Snowfeather said. "I will handle that part of things."
"What ? You mean touch her ? Are you out of your mind ? She'll kill you!" Stevens said, clearly horrified at what might happen if the woman on the bed were touched.
"Shut up and keep driving" growled Blackmane, who stood at the dreamshare device, Stevens did so.
At their respective seats Mark nodded off as Blackmane activated the dreamshare; Matthew as well. Both men soon fast asleep within Elsa's latest dream.
Within the Dream
Part 2
Traialine Fjord
One day off Carona
23 May 1979
Aboard the Silversparrow
Both Mark and Matthew woke up, so to speak, in their repsective locations. Mark in the captains cabin of a massive black ship with dark sails. Ah yes, he thought. Captain of his own ship for once! He rolled out of bed and saw that everything he also wanted in the dream was present, he put it all on. And then sent off Ulnaus to track down Elsa's last known location. Using his compass to track the massive eagle
Stepping out of his cabin he was halted almost instantly by his second in command, Matthew looked quite good in that outfit, Mark mused. "Not quite according to plan" Matthew said.
"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome." Matthew replied smugly.
"I mean the accomodations..." Matthew replied softly to Mark. "Being on a pirate ship in Elsas dream, That is not what I was planning on."
"Same here," Mark replied just as softly. "It is not my fault if Elsa dreams of a certain man coming to her rescue as the captain of a crew of pirates." Mark replied, he then started walking, he had a cloth in his hands, "The fact that we're going up against a cruiseliner of all things..."
"So you got what you went for then ?" Matthew asked getting into character.
"Mhm" He flicked up the cloth to show Matthew the folded item briefly. Turning around the Mainmast he halted fast and stared as his 'crew' stared back at him.
"Captain, I think the crew. Meaning me as well, were hoping for something a little more... shiny... what with the Ilsa Delamutra being claimed by the sea and the treasure with it."
"And the royal navy chasing us around the Atlantic!" Said another crewman. Mark smiled.
For a long moment he said nothing, finally he said to Matthew, "Shiny ?"
"Aye, shiny" Matthew replied, giving Mark a look that said 'we'd better do this right or the projections will waken us!'
Mark turned to the crewmen, "is that how you're all feeling then ? That perhaps dear old Mark is not serving your best interests as captain ?"
Out of the blue a voice rang out, a birds voice "Walk the plank!" The crewman put a hand to the birds beak to shut it up.
Mark whipped out his pistol, "What did the bird say ?" He asked
"Do not blame the bird" Said a crewman, "Show us what is on that piece of cloth there." It was then that a body fell between them and spooked Marak into shooting it, the dead man stood up, grabbed the cloth and started running along the deck, Mark grabbed the pistol off Matthew and fired. Knocking the piece of cloth from the dead mans hand.
"You know that wont do any good" Matthew grumbled taking back his pistol.
"It does me" Said Mark in reply.
One of the crewmen went over and picked up the cloth from where it fell, looking at it he spoke aloud "Its a necklace"
"No" Mark said, "better", He took the cloth and held it out for everyone to see, "it is a dawring, of a necklace." The men just stepped closer, Matthew included, Mark sighed and asked "Gentlemen, what to necklaces do ?"
"Necklaces... unlock things." Said one crewman, the same one that wanted to see what was on the cloth to begin with.
MattNoew nodded in agreement, "and whatever this necklace unlocks, inside there is something valuable. So we're setting out to find whatever this necklace unlocks!"
"No" Mark replied, Matthew was confused as were the rest of the crew, but Mark explained, "If we don't have the necklace, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, Which we don't have, without first finding the necklace what unlocks it ?"
"So... we're going after the necklace!" Matthew replied.
Mark just looked at him, only in a dream could Matthew be that dumb, "You're not making any sense at all." Mark said. He looked to the rest of the crew as Matthew gave him a dirty look, "any more questions ?"
"So" Said the one that had originally picked up the dropped cloth image, "Do we have a heading ?"
"Ah! A heading... yes!" Mark replied, he took out his compass, he'd dreamed it up when he sent off Ulnaus only moments before. Opening it he said. "Set sail in a..." He said, the compass spun and moved in different directions briefly as Ulaus was trying to pin piont where Elsa last was. "... general..." his finger pointed all over the place before first pointing to his right then finally nearly nailing Matthew in the nose he said "That way, direction!"
Matthew was confused, "Captain ?"
"Come on snap to, make sail you know how this works, Oi, oi, oi!" At those words from Mark giving the orders the crew got into their stations and got things ready for use. It was going to take some doing but at least they were moving.
A crewman went to the rail as Matthew stood next to it. "Have you noticed the captain seems to have been acting a bit strange... er ?"
Matthew had to agree "setting sail without knowing his own heading. I'll have to talk to him and find out whats up." Turning from the rail Matthew headed towards the captains cabin.
Once inside he shut the door behind him and made sure it was properly locked up. "Alright Mark, give it to me straight" He said in Arabic, a langauge the projections of the crew were unable to understand, "How is it that you're the captain and I'm your second in command ?"
"Honestly I don't know, but apparently the crew believes I'm compentent enough to lead them so lets get this to where we should be and be off." Mark looked briefly at his compass. Mhm, they were headed the right way.
"Yeah, well, why are you the captain and not me ? that's what I wanna know" Matthew said, giving Mark a stern look
Mark thought a brief second and said "I've a bird. that's proof enough"
"And the helmsman also has a bird, why isn't HE captain, then ?" Matthew retorted.
Mark didn't even blink as he replied "My bird's bigger."
Matthew just raised an eyebrow "Your bird, is not a bird, its a frickin' Ford Probe!"
"Your point ?" Mark said, he shook his head and with a wave of his hand to dismiss the last topic he said "we're on track yes ?"
"As far as we should be, what good is it though ?" Matthew asked
"Ulnaus is tracking Elsas last known location" Mark replied, he picked up and twriled his compass on a finger, "I've a means to track him, the necklace unlocks her from the dream, in this dream she wears it herself, once I get it off her I can wake us all up. And may be get her dried off in the RV too."
"How do you plan to wake her up ?" Matthew asked.
"I've been thinking about that. I'll have to go into port alone and hope she falls off a cliff into the fjord, rescue her, and then procceed off that. Somehow." Mark replied, he was already getting things into gear. "We reviewed her last dream, with the CIA team, in this dream the CIA are still quite active in it. I'll go on ahead alone and interact with a few projections of Elsas mind, the Arendelle army has soldiers guarding ships there." Mark said, he plotted out with Matthew on the plan "You'll act as captain in my stead of the Bluesparrow, I'll go on ahead and hopefully save Elsa from a grim fate. She wont wake up, not right away, still has six six days at most at this rate in this world at least."
"Alright, as long as you know what you're doing we should be OK." Matthew said.
"As far as I am aware, Elsas latest dream was disturbed by the movement of the RV, the waters will be rough the closer we get to Arendelle in this dream world. Warn the crew of rough water ahead and to be ready to tie themselves to the masts when required. We make for Gellianhead; I'll procure a ship there and move on for Arendelle ahead of you, give me half a day speed over you though. Thencome in guns blazing. Aim at the castle and I'll personally maroon my own crew and dream up a new one."
"So what do we do ?" Matthew asked.
Mark went to the table, there was a map of Arendelle on it, "The night I arrive, I will be sure to arrive early in the day, hopefully be able to rescue Elsa. And then from there get taken to their cells which look to the guard towers here, here, and here" Mark pointed out three of the nine guard towers surrounding the harbor. "Have the crew target only these five guard towers, and this dock area." Mark pointed out five realtively usless guard towers and a mostly cargo dock.
"Alright I'll have the men ready..." Matthew started to say before being cut off.
"Wait" Mark said raising a hand, Matthew then noticed a half glazed look on his face. "Don't bother. I think Ulnaus found Elsa. She's not at Arendelle. On a ship somewhere at sea in the fjords on a private yacht"
"What ? Where ?" Matthew asked.
"Shut it!" Mark said raising a hand. "Whoa"
Matthew glared at Mark "What ?"
"Why have I not seen that dress before ? Its beautiful!" Mark continued, he activcated a floating screen out of nothing, a digital screen appeared; showing Elsa, her mother and father, and a seamstress and dress maker inside a room aboard a private royal owned vessel named the Tealsparrow. Matthew even stared briefly at what he was seeing. Elsa trying on a new dress. Unlike what he expected in all honesty.
"How far ?"
"Half a day." Mark replied, "Have the ship go full sail, full canvas. I want spotteres on prow, port and starboard, and midship port and starboard to watch for the Tealsparrow. We'll fly the Arendelle colors to get through the fjords. I do not want to risk the Arendelle Royal Navy finding us."
"Right. Anything else ?"
"Yes, I see two of the CIA team onboard the Tealsparrow, the Silversparrow is the fastest ship on the seas. Full canvas Mr Michaels" Mark said. Matthew nodded and left the cabin giving the order loudly as he exited the room. Mark went back to the image of Elsa in a beautiful new dress. He focused on something around her neck.
The necklace he sought.
The path out of the dream was around the Crown Princess of Arendelles own neck!
At that same moment aboard the Tealsparrow
"What do you suppose that is ?" Asked the King, Christoph of Arendelle.
"One of ours apparently your highness." Replied Jack, one of the CIA team still in the dream. "Never seen the craft before, so it must be new. She's flying your flag." He passed the spyglass over.
"So she is. Appears to be a newer vessel, she is moving quickly," Christophe lowered the spyglass. "Double the watch, I want updated every twenty minutes. If they're closer, same distance, anything." he handed back the spyglass
"Yes sir" Came the reply as the spyglass was returned to its proper place.
Christophe went into the main cabin where the dressmaker, his lovely wife Idun, and his elder daughter, Elsa, were. Elsa was trying on a new dress. It happened almost weekly of the dressmaker coming to the castle to begin work, taking measurements. This latest dress however, Christophe had to stare. That shade of green, so dark and forboding. It felt... wrong to him.
Thankfully Elsa spoke the same thoughts he was thinking. "Oh mother, its beautiful, but I fear it is a bit too dark. You know I mastered my ice. Why can it not be in bright colors ?" Christophe marveled at what a young woman his eldest daughter had become. For two years he'd kept his girls seperated, but it broke his wifes heart.
So at Idun and Annas insistence he went in search of a man, or woman, anyone really, who could help teach his daughter. After a week away on the trip he returned home. He'd found no help. But his family was happy. They were together, that was what counted. He'd spoken with the trolls, and Pabbie had said that the key to controlling Elsas magic was to let her freely explore them. And so he did. And Elsa had grown in her magic, loving it, embracing it. She was just plain wonderful with it.
Idun smiled "Sweetie, you know we set this one up. After all, its for the ball next week. If we went with something too light, it might not look proper. Though. I am curious. You do like the design, you said so yourself. But why not the color ?"
"That's right, I really like the design, the color they had at the shop was beautiful." Elsa said in reply to her mother. "But this shade of green, and the black, it feels too dark. Almost as if I am mourning the loss of someone at a funeral. If it were lighter though then it'd be perfect."
"What do you have in mind, Elsa ?" Her father said voicing his thought, he nodded to her when she was speaking her mind on the dress. He liked it when his daughters gave their personal opinion on their clothing as they got older. He even noticed how Elsa more and more often wore her hair in a beautiful thick braid.
Elsa thought for a moment, she desperately wanted to see if she could make clothing out of premade stuff with her magic. "Can I try something ?" She asked, her father nodded. Elsa raised her right hand, and cast a snowflake off it. Taking a deep breath she willed the snowflake to spin, it span freely and quickly, it suddenly exploded into many more of itself and tralved up her right arm. Changing the dark black faberic into a beautiful nearly sheer teal green.
The ice magic traveled up her right arm and down her body, transforming the gown, corset and all, into a beautiful teal green hue. It kept most of the design, but the dressmaker was in awe. She had never seen such beautiful faberic before in her life! Within moments it was done, Elsa looked to her parents.
Her father was nodding, he approved of the dress, Sheer beauty. Her mother smiled. Elsa asked them "Well, how do I look ?" Did she even have to ask her parents that question ? Her fathere smiled as her mother hugged her.
Then all their attention was taken by the sudden sight of one of the crew falling past the window into the icey fjord. What the hell ?
Elsas mother gave a sharp cry and ran to the window. Elsa though saw the shadow of a large bird pass the window and she could hear the wings. She wanted to see that bird, so as her parents went to the window she went out to the main deck and looked among the sails as the crew scampered around trying to find what caused one of their number to fall over board.
Elsa moved towards the front of the ship; The massive royal vessel was crewed by the Arendelle Navy's finest sailors. Only a few of them paid heed to the Princess in their midst as they scurried around. Some were calling out of a ship hailing them. Others were frantically trying to fish out their fellow crewman from the fjorrd, and a few were seemingly scared of something.
Elsa climbed up to the Prow Deck and looked off the front of the ship. The lavatories were directly below, but she saw something that caught her vision clearly. The same time she saw it, the rest of those on the ship saw it. Which now meant that the other ship, the smaller faster ship, the Silversparrow. Had pulled up silently along side.
Ulnaus had distracted everyone. And had Elsas full attention as he preened at the very point of the bowspirite of the Tealsaprrow. Elsa wanted to get closer. Since she was almost always barefoot even at the castle, on the ship it was just as fun, if not more fun to pad around without shoes that hurt her feet. She climbed onto the bowspirite and using one of the guideropes to keep her balance she went out to the massive beautiful bird.
Seeing the bird one of the crew of the Tealsparrow readied a rifle. He took aim over Elsas right shoulder as she reached Ulnaus.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Called out a mans voice. In all the confusion and focus on the massive bird on the prow of the Tealsparrow, nobody had noticed the Silversparrow pull up along side, the man whipped towards the owner of the voice as Mark stood on the rail of the Tealsparrow. Happy that he had the mans attention Mark said. "You see, he's not eaten yet, and right now quite moody, shooting at him might do something that the royal family might not like." Mark said as he dropped from the rail onto the deck
Soldiers turned towards him, weapons ready. But it was one man that was more focused on him as Chrstophe stepped into view. "Who are you ?"
"A friend of your daughter." Came the answer. "If I were you I'd not worry, Ulnaus is quite calm, but shooting him will rile him up as I had said. Besides, he's taken a liking to your daughter, you should be proud." Mark smiled.
With everyone now focused on the sudden arrival of the pirate ship, the Silversparrow, Elsa kept her attention on the massive beautiful Eagle on the point of the bowspirite. Ulnaus, she heard the name once before, where did she know it ? Was he with Mark ? Wait, was that Marks voice ? Elsa whipped her head around, Mark was there ?!
Moving quickly she scampered back down the Bowspirite and onto the prowdeck, soon as her feet touched the prowdeck she called out his name "Mark ?!"
Her father and also Mark turned towards her as she neared the group. The sailors spread away as she neared and all but tackled the pirate into a hug. OK, here was the part that Mark knew was going to hurt. He needed to isolate Elsa, and find the CIA team within her dream before he could properly waken her.
"Easy Princess, I'm still getting my sealegs back" Mark said, he hated lying to Elsa, but he was more doing it in his own need to do so because the projections in her dream might kill him. She eased back on the hug.
"Where were you ? I wanted to tell you I was going to be away, but you came out all this way ?" Elsa asked him. Apparently she was the Princess, not the Queen. Seeing her father was there. Which meant that Mark had to play it safe, he barely spotted Matthew take down two CIA team members, two down, two to go.
"Is there a place we can talk alone, Princess ?" Elsa nodded and all but dragged Mark into her cabin on the lower deck as her father dissmissed the soldiers. None had any idea, aside from Mark and Matthew, that two men had just been woken up from the dream.
In the wakeful world
Blackmane activated the music and placed the headphones on Marks head as Matthew sought out the remaining two CIA team members within Elsas dream. Two seconds later and all four were woken rather rudely and tazed almost instantly upon waking up. Once the last of the four were tazed out; Snowfeather placed a pair of headphones on Matthews head. Slow music was playing. Slow in the sense of, they had an hour to go.
In the dream
Upon entering Elsas stateroom, Mark sat down when bid to do so as Elsa sat across from him. Anna wasn't in the dream, Ulnaus had only found Elsa aboard the ship. He heard the soft musical tones of the wake up music. Thankully Elsa did not. He saw the necklace around her neck. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Soon as he was home, he told himself, he was going to draw that same design. He ingrained it into his head carefully. Comitting the necklace to memory.
Finally he said "That is a beautiful necklace, Princess. I wonder, what does it unlock ? Did anyone tell you ?"
Elsa shook her head "No, Mother said it fell into my crib the day I was born. They kept it hanging over my dresser until I was old enough to wear it." In the dreamworld the necklace, any necklace, was a key of some kind, and the necklace Elsa wore was the only way to wake her up.
Mark nodded, "I see." He said thoughtfully. A smile graced his face then, "Would you like to see what it unlocks ? See what is... outside ?"
Elsa looked at him. He friend from childhood; shortly after she had mastered her ice and snow she had met the boy in the market, the two had become great friends. Mark noticed something on her hand however as he reached out a hand to take the necklace as Elsa removed it from her neck. "All these years, and I never found out, what does it unlock ?" She smiled and nodded, handing it over with her right hand she said
"Yes. I want to see what this unlocks."
Mark smiled, taking the necklace he held it up, there! He heard an audible click and the world went completely black as the dream was unlocked.
MEMORY SYNC COMPLETED; SEQUENCE 3 COMPLETE