Jellicle's Creed
Frozen Memories
Seqeunce 4
Memory 2: A Snowflake within a Snowflake part 2
21 May 2051
Arendelle Outskirts
Greensky District
Noon
As the RV came to a halt Elsa still had no control of her body and so she asked Mark, "Mark, can you do me a favor ?"
"Of course, what is it ?" Mark asked, already trying not to smile as she said to him.
"Can you get me off this bed ? To home ? To safety ? To my own bed ?" Elsa asked, she wanted to be home, she wanted to be in her own bed. Safe, dry, in her own bedroom. But how ? She was helpless. Unless Mark was going to carry her, Elsa was going nowhere. And she hated that.
"As you wish" Mark replied, He stood up and moved over to Elsa on the bed and picked her up, bridal style, her arms he placed around his neck, she just barely managed on her own to interlock her fingers around his neck as her head lolled a against his shoulder and he gently opened the bedroom door and stepped out as the RV halted. He overheard the driver speaking as he exited the room
"We're here" Stevens said pulling to a halt. "This is as close as I can get you to the city before the roads are too narrow for me to move or turn." Stevens was worried over what might happen to him as Snowfeather remained seated in the passenger side the entire trip back to Arendelle. But now only Stevens had seen it. Or the very northern most outskrts of the kingdom. Greensky District was a farming area, it was vast and mostly hills and woodland. But the roads were stupidly narrow and very hard to navigate. Everyone in Arendelle used muledeer to get around, sometimes small rigs like gold carts since the arrival of Snowfeather and some technology to get around the kingdom. But after The transportation arrays were set up, things rolled smoother than normal.
The entire drive Matthew sat beside a printer, printing everything down on paper as Elsa wanted to know as much as she dreamed about, saving everything to hard disc as well, The dreamshare technology allowed for dreams to be captured, and then extrapolated into an audiovisual format for later reviewing. In this case Elsa said she was after something important that meant a lot to her, Something she knew that in her life, if her mother were still alive, she'd approve of what she wantd to have done. Matthew printed everything of conversation that Elsa had with the CIA members she met up with. The chats she had with her parents, her sister, heck even with Mark, and rescuing Georgina from the Templars the year before!
But that never made Stevens nervous, the thing that made him nervous was Snowfeather sitting next to him, a gun of unknown type aimed at him; which made him nervous. It was not the typical taser either. Which meant that there was trouble afoot. He stared when he saw Mark exit the bedroom, Elsa in his arms in a bridal style. "How is it possible that you can move her without worry ?"
"Simple" Came the curt reply, Elsa, in Marks arms, had her head against his left shoulder; Mark moved in such a way that she could see the man without worry of hurting herself as she could not move her head. "I trust him with my life." She told Stevens, So she spoke to him, man did her voice ring clear. Ice flaked off her soaking form, vaproating before it touched the floor as Mark moved to the door of the RV to let them outside. Blackmane was waiting, an active transport array already set up to Elsas bedroom for Mark to go through. Followed quickly by Matthew.
As soon as they were gone Blackmane had also disappeared into the array transported elsewhere, the burning marks on the ground fading away allowing her marks to be unseen as being used. One moment they were there, the next, they were gone.
But Stevens was left with Snowfeather, and that other woman, Georgina, of all those that were on the RV with him, Snowfeather was the most dangerous. He had no idea of what Georgina could do, or would do to him should he try anything wrong. But when Snowfeather motioned to get the rig into gear again he did so while asking. "Where to ?"
"Oslo, where you were headed, there is a campground just within the Oslo city limits, you are to park there." Snowfeather replied calmly. The man nodded, he could do that easy.
Ten hours later and Snowfeather tasered the man, knocking him out as well, then she and Georgina went into the city, they had a contract to finish, and that was fuck with the CIA a little bit to get them out of Arendelle to leave Elsa alone.
Arendelle Castle
Elsas bedroom
Moments later
Ah home. Blackmane came through first and helped get Elsa dried off. Since Elsa was unable to really move, or control herself, she was unable to actually let go of Marks neck as he laid her in the bed, which had a comoical situation arise briefly as Blackmane came up and gently unlocked Elsas fingers to let her lay comfortably in her own bed for once. "Finally home!" Elsa said softly, her body still limp, she had very tiny feeling in her fingers and palms, but that was it so far. Now that she was home, safe, unhurt, she asked to both Mark and Matthew, as well as Blackmane, "Alright, spill it, what happend while I was... away ?" She knew Hans was in town; so there had to be news on him
Mark smiled at her question. "Nothing we haven't already told you, My Queen." He said, straightening his back and lowering his hood, brushing his hair to the side as it hung in his face currently. He made sure to use his right hand to brush his hair away; as his left arm was, as usual, covered by his Duradaeden Gauntlet; complete with nerely silent joints in the elbow, wrist, and fingers. The menacing claws at the tips of the fingers were supremely sharp, and he made sure not to let them get past Elsa's dress while he was carrying her.
"A firefight or two between Hans' goons and the CIA, you getting tossed into that RV; hooked up to a dreamshare device. Then we came in and commondeered the RV, I woke you up from that dream, it was all kind of a blur, really." He joked with her, smiling softly as he rolled his fingers a few times, rejuvinating them in case Elsa wanted him to carry her anywhere else. While he spoke he also absently adjusted the gauntlet around his arm; which really was more of a glove made of Duradaeden with joints.
"Anything to add to that?" Mark turned his head to face him, his eyes also going to Blackmane for a second, his fingers still rolling in and out in a wave-like motion. I'll need to fine-tune the joints soon... he thought to himself.
"Only that Georgina showed up at Anna's insisting. And that I brought along the dreamshare to finish the reviewing." Matthew said, he turned to Elsa, "Whatever you dreamed up to keep the CIA out of your head worked, they were unable to do anything to your mind while they were in there." He told her, turning his gaze briefly to Mark he said, "What do you feed that bird anyhow ?"
"You mean the Kraken ?" Elsa asked, she hadn't really dreamed it up per sei, she really just wanted that one guy, that CIA guy she was not told, out of her view. That was when the kraken struck, and she woke up inside her bed on the ship... but it was all a dream ? Matthew nodded, still going through the info; "Well, I wanted the guy gone, he made me nervous, I guess I... might have just dreamed it all"
Blackmane caught Marks brief eyeshot and a barely decernible shake of her head was given to him, She'd speak to him in a second, once they left Elsa to get some much needed rest. But it was Elsa who got their attention again when she asked about a certain painting in her dream that included Anna and their parents, with her and Anna as adults
Blackmanes gaze went from drying her friend off carefully with some towels to Marks hand, back to Elsa, her thinknig pattern paced it all out and then hopefully recognised Marks unasked question, Her eyes sought his, and when they connected she shook her head again, just barely if at all decernible to even Matthew or Elsa at that moment, No, Mark hadn't damaged Elsas dress, otherwise Elsa would be complaining of the damage.
Mark caught the faint shake of Blackmane's head and nodded, looking away to look back to Elsa. When his eyes met Blackmane's again, he once again caught the shake of her head, and after a second longer of rolling his fingers, he stopped, letting his arm drop and hang loosely at his side as he relaxed, reaching up his right hand to once again brush his hair from his head. i'I'll also need to get a hair-cut.../i he thought, an amused smirk tugging at his lips once more before gave a slight bow to Elsa and took a few steps away, towards the door; waiting for Blackmane and Matthew; or at least Blackmane, to go out so he could follow them.
While Blackmane was drying off Elsa, Mark quickly found himself bored, so with another small bow, he left the room and proceeded to amuse himself by humming a tune he'd known since he was a child. He could never remember where he learned it from, but he was always humming it; occasionally singing a few words here and there. He also looked at one of the tapestries on the wall, his hands behind his back.
As Mark left her bedroom Elsas eyes watched him, for the moment ignoring Blackmane as the man she trusted with her life stepped from her room. He even bowed. How many times had she told him not to bother with the bowing ? Every time, but he still did it, it annoyed her a little bit, but not enough to be too annoying if much at this point; Matthew gave her a look, since she couldn't move or not she simply looked at Matthew, then to her door, as if telling him he could leave. Matthew nodded, and with the dreamshare device, which he promised to have everything for her when she was back on her feet, in tow, he followed silently after Mark
Arendelle Portrait Gallery Hall
Moments later
Matthew found Mark a few moments later, in the painting gallery hall. Admiring one of the many paintings as he stepped up to his friend and fellow Assassin, for a long moment nothing was said, finally Matthew said, "Blackmane told me about your adventure on the Bluesparrow; how in the world you got the sailors to send Snowfeather over the rail into the water I will never know. I take it Snowfeather never found out ?" He had a slight smile on his face as he held out a plain brown envelope. "This is what Elsa was speaking about. the painting she dreamed commissioned; I think it would be wise to at least have it painted for her to see outside the dreamworld. Dont you think ?"
Matthew then saw the painting that Mark had stopped at, A year after becoming queen Elsa had ordereed the black cloth removed from her parents painting. Having it hung where everyone could see it when visiting the castle, commonors and staff alike. For a long moment he wondered why Mark had stopped at that painting before saying. "The King and Queen of Arendelle, Elsa's bloodline runs through her mother, not through her father as most believe. You read their histories yet ?"
Mark felt Matthew's presence, but did not act upon it; he knew the man's intent from the feel of the room. As he spoke of his little adventure on the Bluesparrow, Mark chuckled, his head bowing slightly. "How? Simple; I told the crew to do it; told 'em it'd be hilarious." He explained. "It was, in case you were wondering." He chuckled again. Ah, yes, how he remembered that. Spoke Nordic to the crew, too! Poor Snowfeather had no clue about it; in fact, he'd done it as a spur of the moment thing, too.
He took the envelope and opened it, taking the picture out and looking at it, a small smile on his face, and he nodded in agreement. "I agree, we should have it painted for her...her and Anna both." He smiled, putting it back into the envelope and handing it back to Matthew, letting out a deep breath before turning back to the painting of Elsa's parents, a small smile on his face as well.
"Of course I read their histories... The bloodline is mostly female; and it is always the daughter that is given the power; the Prince moves off to another Kingdom for marriage." He explained, recalling the history of the lineage of Arendelle from the books he'd frequently been found with in his lap as he had passed out in the Castle Library; stacks of books piled high on the table. Often he was either found by Kai, or by Elsa, who was looking for him. Occasionally Snowfeather found him and woke him up with a few smacks to the face or a good slug to the gut.
With the humming of his deep, soothing voice continuing, he moved over to the next painting, just taking a moment to admire its beauty before turning to Matthew. "How are we going to make sure the CIA Doesn't screw with us? I know Snowfeather and Georgina are probably taking care of it now as they're not here, but still. What if they only slow down the CIA? We can't fight a two front war; you know that. We're spread too thin as it is; not many wish to join our cause, it seems." He sighed shaking his head.
"Snowfeather and Georgina are currently screwing with them now, they're after me, and now you. They never met them, but they will now. Snowfeather according to their databases in Egypt is considered deceased, not worth going after, but when they find her alive and knowing Georgina, nothing will be left alive, if they can help it they'll completely ransack the building, take all the data into one of Snowfeathers discs, and then ruin the servers there before activating a transport array and returning here." Matthew said, he sighed, Elsa had managed, in only one year, to recruit only Georgina. Who rose up the ranks quickly. A native of Arendelle Georgina had lost her son to the Templars a year before Elsa saved her and Georgina joined their cause, she prooved a wonderful student, and good friend.
"Elsa's birthday is on the Winter Solstice, just over six months from now, I want you to consider this task as a contract, find a painter who can paint this the same size as that painting, of their parens. Exactly like this image from her dream. If Elsa requests to have it done, say you will look into it, because doubtless it will be begun as soon as we part ways here." Matthew explained, he held the evelope to Mark, for the man to take.
Matthew then smild, "Tell me again why you were captain in the dream and I was not ? Was that planned, or something the dream came up with directly ?" Matthew then asked out of the blue, "And don't say it was because your Ford Probe of a Eagle that made you the captain. It was through Ulnaus, yes, that we were able to track Elsa's location in the dreamworld" And Matthew did not know it, but Mark had pretty much imprinted Elas's dress in that dream into his mind for something later, "But that does not explain the why."
"As of this moment I want you to worry of two things, just like I was to worry of two things. Elsa, and liberating districts. The Templars remaining have grown bolder, in a few of the templar dens they have not only roughpapered the tower walls, but also greased it, and in two cases, had that grease coiled with firerope. If Elsa gos up any of those towers barefoot..." Matthew did not have to say what Firerope could do to Elsa, it pretty much negated, and reversed her ice magic, and then directly harmed her. Thankfully it did not harm her when Hans had her tied up in that cabin. "I will worry about the CIA, agreed ?.. Of course once you begin this contract, consider it a... passive contract, check it once a week, it must be ready in time for the Queens birthday."
Mark turned his head as Matthew mentioned Elsa's birthday. He knew how Snowfeather and Georgina would work together to ruin the CIA in Oslo. He took the envelope once more and placed it in a pocket on the inside of his coat, nodding in agreement with Matthew's orders to him about the picture. "It would be a pleasure to have it painted for her Highness. I'd say that after what she's been through recently, she deserves it as early as next week; but her Birthday will do just fine." He said, smiling.
Mark then smirked as Matthew asked about his being captain and laughed. "That? That was planned." he smirked. "After all; I have to have a little fun here and there." He chuckled, patting Matthew on the shoulder. "Oh, and in answer to your question as to what I feed him; Only the finest Templar soldiers that make me break a sweat in combat." He laughed again, before becoming serious about his mission to otherwise protect Elsa and Liberate Districts.
"Their boldness in defending those signal towers concerns me greatly. The last one I liberated I almost fell from; had it not been for the claws of my guantlet, I'd have never gotten up that wall." he opened his palm, the claws shining in the lightcoming through the window. "Unfortunately...they couldn't let me save her from that fall..." He turned away, closing that menacing hand into a tight fist as he sighed with a frown on his face.
"I will see to it that another district is liberated tomorrow, and that a painter starts work immediately on the painting." Mark said, turning to face the painting again.
"Once struck with the dart, there was nothing that you could have done to keep her from falling nearly two miles into the fjord below her ice palace. If I were you at that time I'd have jumped after her." Matthew said thoughtfully, Mark had a good sense there to follow Anna's advice of the cold, it never bothered Elsa, and as far as anyone, even Matthew could see, Elsa was completlty unharmed at that moment. "We will have to think up new ways to light those signal fires." He then said.
"Good, Let me worry about the CIA, We dont want them here in Arendelle; its bad enough they found her ice palace as it is." Matthew replied, he gave a look at Mark concerning his plans in Elsas dreams. "The good thing is, I reviewed everything, Elsa's mind defended itself against intrusions by the CIA, the Krakan is native to Norse legends; as a means to protect herself the dreamworld made the Kraken appear. Though how it can destroy a cruiseliner as big as the Disney Magic is beyond me" He said
"Ensure that the firerope is removed, or better, have someone or several someones with crossbows ready to fire to make a ladder for Elsa or you to climb up once the Templar Den Captain is killed. Or, think of a way to ensure that the towers are undefended, no grease, or firerope, or anything of the sort on it. Do it secretly, unexpectedly. They douse the towers at the changing of the guards. Catch them before they change guards and replace their ranks with some of our own to ensure the next district to liberate is defenses down. And let Elsa set the signal fire."
It was then that Blackmane arrived; as she did Matthew smiled and nodded to Mark concerning the painting, mouthing the words 'do not tell anyone of this contract gift for Elsa and her sister' As Blackmane stepped into earshot Matthew said. "I'll see to the CIA, plot a way to keep them from entering Arendelle." With that he turned and left the hall of paintings. Leaving Blackmane with Mark.
Which spelled trouble.
There was no way to keep secrets from Blackmane, from Snowfeather maybe, but Blackmane, never!
Mark listened to Matthew's instructions and nodded in agreement. "Some of our men are spread too thin as it is. I will have to use my birds." He said. Ulnaus is large and strong enough to carry me to the top of any tower in Arendelle." He spoke with an air of pride about Ulnaus; his pet, his friend... his creation. At the mention of Elsa lighting the next signal fire, he shook his head. "No...if she's anything like a normal woman, she's going to be extremely sore as her feeling returns to her body." He said calmly. "Trust me...I know; I've had a few run ins with friendly fire during my time with the CIA." He sighed, tilting his head from side to side; his neck popping loudly as he sighs contentedly, seemingly relaxed by it.
As Blackmane arrived, Mark's head turned and he smiled, nodding to her in greeting. As Matthew left the room, Mark nodded. "Sounds great, I will see about those towers." He said, nodding as he exited before returning his gaze to Blackmane.
"What is it?" he asked respectfully, raising his eyebrows with the question and placing his hands behind his back.
Blackmane had heard the tail end of the arguement, "That dart was not CIA issue, they dont deal in four day, only one day or at best, two day. This was a custom job" She held the dart in her hands. "She'll have pins and needles feeling soon, so if it starts snowing tonight, dont panic, that's why." Blackmane said, Elsa had regained only scant feeling in her fingertips. The robed woman stood tall, her long black hair mostly loose yet kept from her face.
She knew that Mark was beating himself up over things. "There was nothing you could do, The fact we were able to get her out of that RV the CIA had is good enough for her, and she thanked you for it herself, remember ?" Blackmane had the hearing, and sight, of a cat, which allowed for much. But even in a castle like that of Arendelle was not really possible to hear everything. And as far as Blackmane was concerned, Elsa's thanking Mark, and Mark carrying her to safety pretty much said that there was nothing to forgive or get mad over whatsoever between them.
"As soon as Elsa in on her feet again, there is something I want you to teach her, that is, if you still know how to activate a transportation array ?" Blackmane said, transport arrays were designs cast as a mandela type spell of sorts upon the ground, like runes of sorts. Activating a secure path to another location. Most of the time it was the first thing an Assassin learned under Blackmane and Snowfeather. heck it was one of the reasons the Assassin Dens in Egypt did not even have doors to begin with! It was very easy to teach, and each array was unique to the person activating it. Transport Arrays could transport goods, or people, great distances.
Mark blinked slowly as Blackmane explained the sleeper dart. "Even so; I'd rather her not be climbing any buildings for a few days afterwards; sleeperdarts do have a bit of a habit of not fully going away for a while." he said; speaking from past experience again. He remembered a few days after being hit with a day-long sleeper dart, that his fingers gave out on him while a routine training exercise, causing him to fall and fracture his arm.
He pushed that thought from his mind and sighed, holding up a hand and stopping Blackmane from speaking more about it. "It's fine. I'll get over it with time..." He said, smiling softly. "I'll take her thanks for now, and move on." He added calmly. Mark found himself lucky that Elsa was no ordinary human; a fall from that height would kill someone on impact with the water, and if not, the cold would definitely kill someone within minutes. With that in mind, he could feel as though he never betrayed Elsa's trust of him with her life.
Transportation array? Oh right! "Of course I still remember. I may be a bit rusty... let's see... open it by ..." his eyebrows furrowed. "No...I don't remember." He said. "I' haven't needed to use them for a while by myself as I've been always within walking distance or with either you or Snowfeather, or someone else who knows how to use them." He admitted. This may come as a surprise to Blackmane; Mark hardly admitted that he didn't know something; and if he didn't, he would usually study it intensely for a few days. But admit that he doesn't know? Or that he forgot? Never!...
Until now, it seems.
Blackmane didn't even smile when he raised his hand to her in order to ask for quiet, "You are thinking of the dream you joined aren't you ?" She didn't even have to ask, seeing Elsa in that other dress, she could see Marks reaction, after all she was watching the feed herself as he was sleeping in the dream. "Relax, its alright. She will be alright. Though... she did ask for you not to worry" Blackmane recounted the brief dialog she and Elsa shared before she left Elsa to regain her strength. not knowing that thanks to her ice magic her strength in her body was going to easily return without a problem; Soon though Blackmane knew the CIA would be back.
Just thinking of the CIA made her chuckle then. "I wonder how they are doing in Oslo right now." She said, meaning her twin sister Snowfeather, and Georgina, Elsas first recruit to the Brotherhood. She got serious, knowing her sister, the CIA had no chances to get anything saved after this contract for some time.
Her gaze then went to the painting on the wall, it showed the Queen, Idun, with Elsa, her daughter, a newborn, in bed. Mother and child some called it. And that got her thinking of something important. Or rather someone. Looking below the picture at the wall Blackmane saw, briefly, barely, marks of ice, a letter of sorts, written on a snowflake or two, letters from Elsa, to her mother. Rather then inspect them, Blackmane chose to let them be.
She sighed and flicked her wrist, as she did so red marks formed on the wood floor. Speaking as she did so "Think of where you want to go. in this case, Elsa wants you, to speak to you. about something in her dream;" Matthew had left the dreamshare device itself in her room, but had taken th hardrive of it for the time being, to give Mark the picture to get painted. "So this transport array leads to her door, just out side it, she said to knock twice then come in. Make sure you lock it behind you." Blackmane then pushed the cart holding the dreamshare device, complete with drives and all, into the transport array, where it disappeared to outside Elsas bedroom door.
"Oh, and you do the motion, like this" She showed Mark, again, how to do the motion with her right hand, either hand can cast it. But it had to be on the ground, even if the ground was unlevel.
Mark was mostly silent as Blackmane talked to him, occasionally nodding to show that he was paying attention. As she showed him how to make the array, he smacked his forehead with his palm, the metal of his gauntlet thunking against his head as he sighed in both pain and agitation that he forgot something so simple. As Blackmane showed him the motion again he mirrorred her, and nodded. Once more he thought of his destination: Elsa's door, and then focused his energy, flicking his wrist out to his side; a deep Bronze set of runes appearing on the ground. A color that he had a deep affection for, but couldn't remember why.
Arendelle Castle
Elsas Bedroom
Moments later
With a smile he stepped through the array, appearing in front of Elsa's door. He glanced to the dreamshare device and placed a hand on the cart before knocking twice and entering, pulling the cart with him as his back was turned to Elsa. "You wanted to speak with me, my Queen?" he asked, sure there was no one else in the room, but still being more cautious around those who could be listening right down the hall. He locked the door behind him and pushed the cart over to the bed slightly before moving towards it himself and sitting on the side, turned so he could face Elsa.
Elsa smiled she didn't even have to ask him to come in when he knocked, Blackmane had found him no doubt. She sat on her bed, a half dozen pillows supporting her, her feet felt weird. As Mark came him, she smiled, well, tried to. She could just barely control her facial expressions, but she could blink and speak ok. Barely any feeling in her toes or fingers, and her fingers actually ihurt/i "Yes actually," Elsa said, Blackmane had somehow managed to locate enough pillows to keep her from falling over. Her eyes brightened at sight of the dreamshare device on the cart "Oh good! You brought it" She'd have clapped happy, but she couldn't move still.
She didn't even blush when he sat on the bed and turned towards her. When he said 'my Queen' she tried to glare at him, which ended up just furring her eyebrows, barely so, "Uh Mark, its Elsa, when its just you and me, or even Blackman or my sister or anyone like that, Its Elsa, remember ?" She said to him "How mant times do I have to tell you that ?" It made her somewhat annoyed at times, but then she was trying to get used to it, thankfully Kai got it down, then again Kai was too used to calling her 'Princess' when she was growing up
He smiled and chuckled softly as she scolded him to call her Elsa. "Sorry, Elsa...it's a habit." He said softly to her, placing his hand on hers gently. "Now then... what is you wanted to speak about?" He asked calmly, smiling gently. Oh, how he loved these quiet moments alone with her; time seemed to slow down around them; made it feel like a wonderful eternity.
"How you feeling? Any feeling at all yet?" He asked suddenly, his thumb gently passing over her knuckles a few times, his smooth skin brushing over hers gently, soothingly even. Of course, he mainly did this without noticing it, but when he remembered that he was doing it, he only smiled, chuckling softly.
"My feet feel weird" Came the reply, it was true, it felt like they were on fire, that pins and needles feeling. It would soon pass yes, but until then, it felt really weird! But it was her fingers that actually hurt from that strange pins and needles feeling. "My fingers hurt, like they're being pricked by something. I can't move, I'm helpless in bed. How do you think I feel ?" At least she was dry!
Finally she seemed to focus past her current predictament, "Matthew said there was a device, the thing I... was hooked up to was it ?... Anyway, Matthew said there was a way to... review... what I dreamed ?" She was looking for something, her parents, her father mostly, she had no paintings of her and him together, just him and her mother, then her and Anna as kids with their parents before that unfortunate accident when she was seven. The dreamshare device was hooked up to a laptop, thanks to the modern technology, at least, 1990s era technology, the kingdom did have electricity... to a point, no more gaslamps. But Elsa still used candles in her bedroom and library
Mark chuckled as she spoke about her feet. "Are you sure it's not because you're always barefoot?" He joked with her, patting her hand gently, being sure to not hurt her. "Ah, yes, the needles in your fingers. I would say to rub where you feel the tingle to make the blood flow faster and help you no longer be numb...but that may end up hurting you more, and you're still unable to move in general." He smiled. He then looked at her beautiful eyes and nodded as she mentioned the dreamshare device.
"Yes, you can. Here...let me set it up for you." He then set to work setting it up so that she could easilly could watch her own dreams comfortably. Mark was right by her side, and he stopped the playback where and when she wanted it so she could see her father. He chuckled at his bantering back and forth with Matthew, at at Ulnaus's inability to seemingly care that he was huge and being stared at the entire time. Half the time he was watching the dreams with Elsa, and the other time, he was watching her; her reactions; just to see the emotion in her eyes was enough for him; to know that she was happy.
As she saw her dream, what she had dreamed, all of it. that other world, her mother and father, seeing her father a tear came from her eye. She missed him, she also missed her mother each day. There some things that scared her of that dream, the painter for one she saw had his eyes on her at all times. As if he were sizing her up for something. Then the ship, seeing it again. And then once more, her parents and sister. But before that point she spoke "There" She said, she wanted to point, but couln't, the screen showed her father entering the gallery on the cruiseliner, where she was reading a history book; The way her father was dressed, how he looked. "Is there a way to... save it to paper ?"
It later turned out she wanted more than a single painting done, she wanted several actually, her and her mother was the first one, she had Mark pause the playback and print the scene or whatever it was to get it to paper so she could get it to the royal painter later, then came Her and Anna in the marketplace before heading to the ship, then all four of them briefly before boarding. And then finally, her and her father. Seeing it all. made her want to go back to sleep and see them again, see her parents.
She was happy, happier than she had been in weeks!
Then came the second dream. The banter between Matthew and Mark was enough to make her smile "The helmsman has a bird, why isn't he captain ?" "Mines bigger" "Your bird isn't a bird, its a frickin' Ford Probe!" "Your point ?" A soft giggle escaped her lips. Georgina was right, Mark had saved Elsa in the dreamworld, dressed as a pirate, and survived. She had Mark pause it again, this time of a shot of herself, changing her dress, the snow and ice traveling up her arm changing the very fibres of the cloth of the dress. Asking if she could do it beforehand; which she knew could make her mother smile if she were alive. All in all, seven paintings were desired at that point. One of them was of Ulnaus and her reaching to the massive bird on the prow of the ship.
Mark happily paused and printed out each scene for Elsa, doing so without any hesitation or question. Her happiness was all that concerned him; and if he had to have the entire damn dream painted to make her happy, he'd make it happen. He wouldn't really know how, but he'd make it happen. Of course, there was still that isecret/i painting he'd have commisioned for her in private; no one but the painter, Matthew, and himself would know about it. Maybe Blackmane if she asked...or if she'd snooped around.
As they played through Mark and Matthew's bickering about being captain, Mark chuckled silently, closing his eyes and looking down in mild embarrassment. But then he heard her giggle...oh, what music to his ears! He had made her laugh! Of course, he'd done that plenty of times, but now he knew he could make her laugh even if she's not technically present! Oh, happy days indeed! As he paused the last picture, he chuckled at how nonchalant Ulnaus was while preening his feathers amongst the chaos.
"Crazy bird...he just doesn't care." Mark laughed, printing out the picture for Elsa as requested. After they had finished reviewing the dreams, Mark turned to face Elsa again. "Now then...anything else you require of me, Elsa? Or shall I have the royal painter begin work on these pictures at once?" He asked her, smiling as he again patted her hand, which would be able to move at the wrist by this point at least.
She barely had feeling in her hand, but its strength was there as she suddenly grabbed his hand as he stood. She smiled. "There is one thing" She said softly; her bright sapphire eyes watched him carefully. "After you see to the painter to begin work; tell him to use the best possible paints we have, or send out for better if he must do so. Even if I dreamed of it happening, I want to see it hanging on the wall." She meant the painting she and her family posed for, with her looking up to her father, her hand on his, and his hand on her shoulder and him looking to her. She swallowed as her stomach started to feel weird, at lease her skin did at that point. "After you see to the painter. Can you join me for dinner, in here, tonight ? Just you and I ?"
At this moment, Matthew was busy, which left Mark; well, not just Mark, a sudden WHAM was heard outside her window, her eyes jerked in the direction and saw Ulnaus spread eagle on the window, trying to get in "Oh, and open the window would you ?" Not only did Elsa want fresh air in the room, but Ulnaus too!
At the sudden feeling of Elsa's hand closing around his, Mark blinked; almost blushing if it weren't for his smile. "As you wish, Elsa. I'll look into getting the best paints in the kingdom." He said, smiling. At her invitation to dinner with her alone in her room, he finally did blush softly, luckily his long hair and trimmed beard hid it well enough. "I...it would be an honor to join you for dinner, Elsa." He smiled softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as he let go and began to turn towards the door.
At the loud crash against the window he sighed, laughing with his head bowed. "Damn bird... gonna get himself killed one day I swear." He muttered, heading over to the window and opening it. Ulnaus stepped through rather awkwardly, and with a few clicks of Mark's tongue, screeched quietly and began to preen himself again. He then turned to Elsa, a smile on his face. "Ulnaus would be more than happy to keep you company while I'm away getting the painter ready to do his job." He said, which prompted a look from Ulnaus that made Mark huff authoritatively and click his tongue again, making the bird go back to preening himself.
Mark walked over to Elsa, and took her hand in his once more, giving the back of it a gentle kiss before setting it down and patting it again. "I shall return soon, Elsa." He smiled, turning and leaving her room without so much as another noise except the opening and closing of her door.
From her place on her bed, unable to move, Elsa giggled at how Mark and Ulanus 'talked' with each other "I didn't know you could do that!" She said, there was a strong sense of renewed adoring for Mark in her tone. And when he came back and kissed her hand she smiled faintly, she still had no control of her body yet, so she'd need help in eating, and that was one of the reasons she wanted Mark with her. She couldn't nod, but her expresison said it all; allowing him to go as he set her hand gently on her bed as Ulanus kept within her eyesight. As the door closed and Mark left Elssa spoke softly, "Please hurry" She already missed him, Her eyes fluttered closed, and with Ulnaus standing guard at her bedside, Elsa fell into a dreamless sleep.
21 May 2051
Oslo Norway
Oslo CIA Branch Headquaters
At that very moment
As Elsa returned to peaceful unhindered slumber, Oslo was just waking up. A nightlife town. Two women, dressed in garments that in some time periods, would be considered outlandiish, or even exotic, but to that day and age, Oslo's nightlife, all sorts of weirdos wandered. Inside an alleypath a transport array of brilliant icy gold sparked into life on the pavement as two women appeared.
"You may want your hood off for this venture, we want them to see us, to send them a message, to leave Elsa alone." Snowfeather said, Georgina nodded. The two stepped into the CIA building across the street. As they walked up to several agents, Georgina struck silently, stepping right up, and stabbing two pairs with her hidden blades, as Snowfeather did the same, the men sinking to the ground in heaps as they moved into the complex.
They stepped through the front door, brazenly so. Security saw them and stalked forwards, hands to their weapons as a dart struck one in the neck, a berzerker poison dart, lethal after about half a minute of crazy dancing. Two gunshots went off as the guard died, striking one of the other security guards, but alerting the entire complex.
Snowfeather smiled. As did Georgina, the latter of whom withdrew her crossbow and locked in a small explosive dart into it and aimed down the side hallway and fired, an explosion rocked the building. There was a half kilo of contact explosive on each tip of the explosive bolts. And Georgina had dozens of the things. Georgina was a walking time bomb.
"Code Red! We're under attack! This is not a drill! Two females by the main entrance, everyone to their stations!" A voice practically screamed over the PA System in the CIA Headquarters. Men in suits and riot gear ran down the hall towards Snowfeather and Georgina, guns and batons out and ready to fire or beat when they got close enough. Currently two men in full riot gear, shields and everything, rushed the two females, shields and batons raised, ready to smash and bash, as they prefered to call it. Bash with the shields, smash with the batons. A simple tactic that almost always worked.
Almost always.
By that point both women had made their way straight to the reception desk. Snowfeather easily vaulted it as Georgina took on the two riot ready CIA agents on duty, setting aside her crossbow on the counter as Snowfeather easily knifed down two more CIA agents. They were going to ruin this building from top to bottom. Maybe leave a few survivors, but once they got what they were after they'd leave. While Snowfeather searched for a floormap of the building. Georgina lured the two riot ready agents into a narrow hall, broke the armor of one, and then shattered the shield of the other before catching one of the Batons in her hand and using the mans weight against him, sending him to the floor in a battered heap, his arm broken both men out of the fight; thankfully not dead
"How we doing ?" Georgina asked in Nordic as she policed both men of their weapons, she then dropped the weapons in a nearby wastebasket
"Got it! Top floor, take the vents, password is the guys name" Snowfeather replied
"what a Genius, what's the louts name ?" Georgina replied
"Marcus Gray" Came the reply, Georgina darted for the vent shaft and started up the inside of the wall very quickly and quietly. this was going to be fun!
As Snowfeather spoke to Georgina, at least eight more goons burst into the room, all chargring at her, three with batons, two with knives, two unarmed, and one with a pistol drawn and ready to fire once he had a clear shot. The three with batons went first, all swinging at different area's of her body in intervals so small they were difficult for the normal person to calculate.
Heh...normal...
the two with knives teamed up with the unarmed two, all slashing at, stabbing for, or throwing punches and kicks at Snowfeather almost all simultaneously. Meanwhile the goon with the gun stayed still at the door, his eyes peeled and his finger on the trigger; just waiting for a clear shot.
Kicking out the chair Snowfeather caught the first baton filled fist, then kocked aisde the second, letting the third almost reach its mark before kicking up and hard with her right foot. Sending the baton flying, she dove forwards then between two of the baton armed men and slid briefly on the floor, kicking out at one of the knife weilders as the phone started ringing. Getting back to her feet she backtracked, blocking and parrying knives, fists and feet Before grabbing up the phone, "Thank you for calling the CIA Oslo branch, can I help you ?" A man with a baton was aiming for her she held the phone to him, causing him to stop, "Its for you"
"Oh, thank you" The man took the phone while setting the baton on the desk "Hello ?" He said into the phone
"Good bye!" Snowfeather said, cracking the baton on the guys head; knocking him out, ducking quickly as the other knife weilder came back at her again she flipped up some papers and swan dove over another desk as she spotted a guy trying to take aim with his own gun. Where was her crossbow ? She gained herself some time; albiet very little. She took out her crossbow and slid a bolt into it. And fired at the light controls. Oslo was a nightlife town. So this building was going to go dark!
That and she needed to get that gunman down too.
The gunman stayed calm as the lights went out, merely moving his gun back and forth much like a sentry turret would do, waiting for the slightest sign of movement. "Come out, come out, wherever you are..." He taunted calmly. "Surely a pretty lady like yourself knows she's not smart? Attacking a CIA building like this..." his taunt continued.
From behind the desk Snowfeather heard the gunmans voice as the other men scrambled searching, some reaching for flashlights to get some light. Focusing her sight she opened her gaze, taking in everything in her Eagle Vision. Perfect. briefly lifting her gaze over the desk in the dark she spotted who she sought. But there were four other men in her way. At least those still standing. She threaded a bolt into here hand crossbow. A deep breath later and she also picked up a stapler.
A distraction.
With a flick of her wrist she sent it flying towards the window wall to her right, beyond the desks with a clatter in the dark; and also clocking one of the already downed CIA agents dead in the face. who suddenly screamed out a loud "Ow!"
Silent as a cat Snowfeather stepped deeper into the darkness and with her eagle vision still active she took aim with the crossbow and fired at the gunman, Smacking her hand at the same time against a door and then ducking away from it as brilliant light enamated from it in the form of strange designs spinning weirdly. Another destraction ?
With each noise the gunman turned his head quickly, pointing the gun with it. He heard a smack on the door and turned, but by then he'd been hit in the shoulder with... a crossbow bolt? "The fuck?" He growled, pained obviously, but apparently having a higher tolerance for it than most of his comrades. His attention was now fully on his shoulder, hissing in pain repeatedly, and cursing obcenties beyond belief under his breath as he tried to carefully remove the bolt from his shoulder without damaging it further.
Good I think I got him, he sounds like he's hit. Snowfeather thought as she moved quietly forwards. Without a sound striking down CIA agents in the dark, able to see them clearly with her eagle vision active. Striking out with her fingers, she stabbed one in the eyes then clocked him solid to knock him out. Another she tripped into his fellow and they both slammed onto a desk, not only knocking themselves out, but destroying the desk too. Homewreckers, the lot of you! She thought
Now it was just her and the gunman. But by then she was closer than point blank range, and she had been shot before at that range. Heck she was possibly on her 8th or 7th life as it was! Then again she wasn't exactly normal to begin with. After all her sister saved Queen Marissa's life six generations before in Arendelle from an Templar plot!
Silently she snuck behind the guy and tapped him on the right shoulder "Looking for me ?" She asked into his left ear, quick as a snake she lashed out at the gun hand and aimed it up. Towards a hanging light fixture cable. But the gunman was quicker than Snowfeather had originally figured. The two danced, seemingly so, at one point the gun was aimed directly at her forehead, however she managed to angle it back up, barely in time as she forced his hand to hit the trigger. A shot rang out. And glass shattered as the light fixture came down and nailed the gunman dad on the top of the head with a smash, Snowfeathe let go of him as he slumped over. With her crossbow put away she dusted off her hands. "Well, that's that!" She said, darting for the back area. It was time to wreck a few more folks
CIA Oslo Headquarters
At that very moment
Georgina stepped into the office, nobody was around but the lights were on. Perfect. She went to the phone and dialed a cell number. She did not have to wait more then a few rings. Finally her intended target answered. "Marcus Gray" Two seconds later she turned off the recorder.
"How's the tazer burns ?" Georgina asked him on speaker phone, looking through the desk drawers, even accessing the computer station.
"Tazer burns ? Are you in this RV ?" Came the answer, a confused question
"If I were in that RV we wouldn't be on this conversation." Georgina replied
"Very funny" Marcus grumbled
"Where are you now ?"
Apparently Marcus thought lying could work. It didn't "I'm in my office."
"I doubt that" Georgina replied.
"Why do you doubt it ?" Maracus asked
"Because if you were in your office right now, we'd be having this conversation face to face" The line died and Marcus swore when he found his quarry gone. He got back on his phone and dialed an aid he'd left in the Oslo HQ, only to get a busy signal.
At that same time Georgina went to the safe and activated it, using the recording to unlock it. Opening it she smiled seeing what she sought; two stacks, both of them of papers and files. Countless papers in fact, pulling out one stack she opened it, she growled under her breath seeing the pictures were almost completely of herelf, Elsa or Elsas sister Anna. This wasn't good. Quickly sticking the stack of files and images into her backpack she went for the second stack and went through it. Aha, this stack had the shots of Matthew, Mark and Blackmane. And what looked like some digital shots of paintings of Elsas ancenstor Marissa. Snowfeather will want to see this, Mark too. But she was at a loss then, should she tell Elsa what she found ?
For a long moment she stood in front of the now empty safe, then nodded, She'd tell Elsa first, then Snowfeather and Mark; After all, Elsa did recruit her. She then left the office, taking the stairs down to the lower level and peeking out. Ok. why were the police on the scene ? Ducking out of the stairwell she rejoined with Snowfeather, who was picking through a pile of either knocked out, or in this case actually quite dead, CIA agents bodieies, taking two pistols, and all their ammo. "Shall we get out of here ?" Snowfeather asked
"I agree! Lets!" Georgina replied taking one of the pistols, though Snowfeather could have easily used her crossbow. They had to get to another alley, away from the CIA building, in order to make another transportation array to get out of there.
Arendelle
Marketplace District Den
At that same Moment
The door to the Den opened and Mark entered, lowering his hood and smiling as he took a deep breath of the familiar air. The scented candles, the old papers and books, everything brought him joy. He took only a second to find where the painter was, entering the gallery in which the painter performed his art in silence, a pedastal in the center of the room marked where a model would stand and pose for him; and paintings lined the walls from ceiling to floor.
Mark took a minute to admire the painter's work, whistling in admirance of the works of art before him before turning to the painter himself. "Good day, I have a secret contract that must be fulfilled by the Queen's birthday. Should you choose to accept this; you will be payed handsomely, and have the Queen's, and the Brotherhood's, thanks." He said, offering the envelope with the picture to the painter.
"What say you, my dear painter?" Mark's tone was calm, yet had a sense of... playfulness to it? It was difficult to be sure, but it made him sound trustworthy.
A tall man was the painter, thin yet strong. Brilliant green eyes stared at the world, or in some cases a model that was posing. "Ah Master Wolfe! So I am requested by the Queen herself ey ?" He asked, he had his own hint of playfulness in his tone as he spoke. Oh, or not, a birthday gift for the Queen herself, ok that made things just a little more complicated. "I see, a gift for the Queen's birthday. But it is still May, the queens birthday is not until December, nine months away..." He said, he had four paintbrushes in his hair, one tucked behind his ear, another stuck in the ponytail of his hair, a third was pretty much stuck up his nose, and another was holding his shirt together like a tie
He went quiet then as Mark handed him a plain envelope. Upon removing the picture inside, of Elsa and her family, from her dream he took in in carefully. "Ah... So the Queen had a vision and wants me to paint it ?" Little did he know the rest of the pictures Mark carried should he take the job contained more pictures of Elsa and her family.
He put the picture back into its envelope. "Alright, a contract is a contract. Since the queen wont be here for posing, I doubt even her mother or father will be for that matter. I can work with this. Doubtless since it is for the Queen, and as you say Master Wolfe, a secret gift for her birthday as well... Consider it done. Payment wont be needed or worried about at this moment. My first task will be finding a proper sized canvas." He started pacing, "I could go to the... no that is in view of the Castle itself... Maybe if I went to the... no that wont work either... hmmm... Jarius has some canvas I think he'd like to get rid of, perfect size for what I am envisioning even now!"
Mark nodded as the painter asked if it was from a vision. "Something like that, yea." He smiled. As the painter continued, Mark's smile slowly grew, and as he mentioned getting the perfect size of canvas, Mark chuckled. "Thank you, my friend. The Queen will be extremely pleased, I think, when she recieves this on her birthday, so make sure it is perfect! Use the best paints you have, if not, better!" he said. With that, and a bow, he turned and left the room.
With a flick of his wrist, his bronze Transport Array was activated, and he was taken direcly to Elsa's room, where he closed the array and knocked on the door twice before entering. Ulnaus screeched a bit loudly, flapping his wings in greetings of his good friend and master, and Mark clicked his tongue loudly, heading direcly for Elsa's bed side, and sitting on the edge of her bed, taking her hand in his gently and lightly nudging her in case that huge bird hadn't woken her up yet.
Elsa slept like a rock, if it weren't for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, she'd be seen and thought of as if dead. And yet she was sleeping. As Mark took her hand in his and gave her a brief nudge to waken the door opened and Kai came in with dinner, both the feeling of Mark holding her hand, and the smell of the horsemeat that Kai had ordered cooked, brought her back to reality. With a soft moan she slowly woke up. Felling Marks hand holding her ownshe opened her sapphire eyes towards him. "Mark... did you speak to the Painter ?"
Then her nose caught scent of what Kai brought in as requested. "Kai ?" Elsa turned her eyes, and just barely managed to turn her head towards her head butler. "Is that... ?"
"Yes your majesty, it is. As requested; to the degress of medium well." Kai replied
"Good, Kai, please bring it over here. I can't move still" Elsa said, Kai smiled and dutifully brought the cart of food closer to the bed. The dreamshare device was stored away through Blackmane after Mark had left moments before while Elsa slept. She had a little bit more feeling back, but she couldn't lift either of her arms nor could she turn her head. But she was able to eat, it'd be full dark by the time she had her strength back properly.
He nodded at her question. "I did, and instructed him to use only the best canvas and paints he can find." he said, smiling before looking to Kai, sniffing the air. "Something smells good." he mumbled, his eyes flashing a bright bronze as Ulnaus suddenly vanished from view. He cleared his throat and gently released Elsa's hand, reaching up to his upper arm and brushing his finger along it for a second before returning his hand to that of Elsa's.
He then figured she'd like to see what would happen next, so he held out his arm for her to easilly see as it started to glow a deep bronze, slowly and beautifully collapsing in on itself from either end like the scales of a snake flaking off into a bright gold point in the middle of his upper arm. This lasted for a good 15 seconds, and when it was done, only Marks' normal arm, covered of course by his Assassin cloak, was left. His hand was revealed, wearing a silk glove, which he removed and placed in one of many pockets on the inside of his jacket.
"I suppose you'll need some help, Elsa?" He teased her softly, lightly taking a plate that Kai handed over to him, served already for her, and placing it on her nightstand next to her bed. With that he stood and thought a moment. "Hmm...how to do this...do I grab a chair and awkwardly reach over the bed to help you? or do I cradle your head in my lap and feed you that way?" He asked, serious, yet also playful and teasing. "Your choice, my dear Queen." He smirked, knowing it'd annoy her a little.
Elsa smiled, hearing that the Painter was going to do the best he could. She had no idea what Mark truly had planned concerning the painting of her family she wanted. Apprently Matthew and Mark both went ahead in secret to have it painted for her, but as a gift. For a second she didn't want his hand from hers. After all he had saved her life. He'd woken her up from the dream. She stared, she had seen that gaunlet before, but never what it was doing right then. She watched, never taking her eyes off of it as it shifted, the glasslike metal folding in on itself into something under his coat sleeve. "Beautiful" She said softly. Not meaning the glove either.
She gave him a sidelong glance. "I think the option of you supporting me would do fine" Not that she wouln't mind being fed with her head in his lap. But if Anna were to come in, what would happen then ? How would Anna react ? Of course Anna had taken care of her older sister before when she had gotten ill. But Elsa was not ill, she was... unable to so much as roll over in bed she was that helpless. So she needed help to eat, or drink. And thankfully Gerda, her head maid was on hand to help her with other more personal needs.
At his hesitation Elsa smiled, "How about this" She said, "Sit on the bed next to me, and once Kai sets the pillows back up to support me, I'll be sitting up and you can help me eat then ?" She suggested. Sometimes it was times like this she missed her mother dearly. It was then she also noticed that Blackmane was gone. And that Snowfeather nor Georgina were even home; something felt weird with them gone. "Did Snowfeather and Georgina come back with us ?"
Mark smiled at her suggestion of Kai setting her up with a bunch of pillows, and nodded. "As you wish." he said, waiting as Kai set her up with the pillows before sitting next to her, facing her as best as he could, which meant propping one leg up on the bed and on his other leg. He took her plate and cut everythign up into bite-sized peices, and then smiled, steadilly holding the plate over her body while feeding her the food gently with a fork.
"Snowfeather and Georgina? No, they did not. They were going to go and tie up some loose ends, I believe." He said calmly to her while helping her eat her food. "I'm sure they'll be back soon, and when they are, you can ask them where they were and what they were doing." he smiled softly. It occured to him that if Anna walked in on them as they currently were, she'd begin to spread rumers about the Queen being in love with one of the Assassin boys, and a light blush came to his face as he chuckled to himself, silencing any questions Elsa might have by giving her another delectable slice of Horsemeat; the smell of which filled the room and made his own mouth water, something that normally doesn't happen when it came to food.
As soon as she was sitting up against some more pillows And Mark sitting next to her to help her eat, She quietly ate with his help, the meat was perfect. She listened as Mark explained what was going on; Seeing his sudden blush however she looked at him confused, raising an eyebrow in a thoughtful yet clearly confused manner, but instead of saying anything she took the slice of horsemeat from the fork without a word. A little sauce nearly got her dress, yet a snowflake had caught it, just barely in time as well. "Mm, that's wonderful! Kai, please tell the cook that how this was prepared is exactly how I want it next time I ask for it."
"Yes your majesty; by your leave" Kai bowed and left the room as Elsa continued eating with Marks help. There was another plate, one for him no doubt. As Elsa did ask for his help to eat dinner that night. By full dark she;d have her strength back, and full control of her body as well. But for now she was content, food with a dear friend. That, for the moment, was all she wanted.