Frozen Memories

by Xeir Zith

"It used to be when people spoke about magic we laughed them off, or locked them up, sometimes both, but we never took them seriously. Maybe we should have. But I am getting ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning, with Elsa. The Templars have the upper hand. Who will protect the Heart of the Mountain, it all boils down to them, Elsa & Mark, they have brought us to the end"

28. Sequence 7 Memory 2

Jellicle's Creed

Frozen Memories

Seqeunce 7

Memory 2: New Bird in Town

12 Febuary 2052

Arendelle Castle

Courtyard

Mid morning

"We work in the dark to serve the Light"

Assassin motto

It was an hour since Mike had arrived and Anna was formerly introduced to the butler of a rather important nobleman who had, oddly it seemed, come to aid Mark and Elsa in getting to safety some weeks before. However it was the information the man had for Mark that sent Anna's brain in all directions. An hour of listening and soaking it in, she needed to think, and thinking normally wasnt exactly her strongest suit yet sometimes, with the right person or two, it came easier. As Anna stumbled away from the small group back into the castle, Blackmane stepped out. Knowledge was power, and she could tell Anna had soaked in a bit too much. Blackmane headed for her sister, and her nephew, and another man she had yet to meet.

"The creatures you saw" Mike said thoughtfully, as if painting a picture with words. "They carried a weapon yes ?" Once Mark had detailed what exactly he'd seen in the vision he'd received after gathering clues, Mike went thoughtful and detailed all sorts of things before focusing directly on the creatures themselves. "Dark shadowy creatures, possibly Kobolds... maybe. I've not seen any of those things since the historybooks were first written down for the history of Arendelle ages ago" and by ages ago Mike meant upwards of three maybe four million years ago when the First Ones and his father, Jarius first walked the earth and Arendelle was founded in somewhere around three million BCE by Flowerfist the Fair and her best and trusted friend Second Wolfe. who became more then her bodyguard, Second Wolfe had become Flowerfists most and only trusted advisor she could trust with her life and that of her family

"These weapon these creatures carried, a cannon of a sort ?" Mike was acting as if putting a puzzle together. "A woman held the door closed, was shot with the weapon, yes ?" Mike finally looked solidly at Mark, "What did the woman look like ?"

Mark nodded slowly, and met the man's gaze when it fell on him. For a split second, Mike didn't see Mark, but Second, before his vision realigned and he saw Mark. "She wore a dress similar to Elsa's but it was..." Mark closed his eyes and let the vision wash over him again. "Silver...looked like silver, and her hair...pure white." He looked back to Mike with a stern gaze.

"Would you know who that was?" He asked calmly.

"Possibly, silver dress, like the Queen,... White ha... eye color most likely silver... Yeah, she'll be fine, maybe bad headache at worse. the dark magic in the weapon used merely threw her through a wall, anyone else, unless its the queen, they'd been blasted to bits on the spot" Mike said tapping his chin thoughtfully. He nodded. "The two creatures carrying the weapon were indeed Kobolds from how you describe them. Kobolds I've not seen in ages"

Well, that explained a lot

"But you've seen them? Kobolds I know don't work on their own so ... coordinated. They always work with or for someone. Any guesses as to who would have power over these...massive Kobolds?" Mark asked as his eyes caught sight of Kai's favorite bird flying in, it's brilliant feathers radiating in the sunlight as it flew over him, and landed on the hilt of his sword with a small squawk.

"Kobolds have a leader, even an underling under the leader to oversee and make sure the kobolds do as ordered. you mentioned someone spoke to the woman before she slammed the door in their faces and got shot out of the room like a roman candle on steroids" Mike said thoughtfully, "What did the guy look like ? The Kobolds only carried the weapon and fired it, they had a leader with them, two kobolds is bad enough without a leader, they make too much of a mess on their own"

The woman in silver however had his attentive memory. Where had he seen such a pretty lady recently ?

"I don't remember, to be perfectly honest with you." he said in regards to the man the Kobolds were following. "The angle at which I percieved the vision didn't give me the best view of him before the woman slammed the door shut. And the vision ended just after the cannon fired." he explained carefully.

Idly, Mark looked up to the sky. Ulnaus would be arriving at Troll Valley to see Kristoff any minute now, and Elsa should be finishing up breakfast.

Mike nodded; "But it was a male voice you heard ?" at Marks nod Mike nodded again. "I am sure the Master wont mind it any if you wish to peruse his library, it is quite expansive mind you. there may be certain areas he wont want you to access pertaining to certain lores. So it'd be best if you let him or I know that you wish to look and we can guide you accordingly. Agreed ?" Mike said. his mind already working exactly who spoke, and why that moment.

"What else was in the room that could be found ?"

"Aside from the damage from the blast, nothing that I could note. Of course...I haven't looked over the room too much." Mark replied. "But if you wish to peruse the room and other rooms around the damage, the reparation begins later today. I'll give you permission to enter the Manor." He said calmly.

"I'd rather you be there when I or the Master pay a visit" Mike replied, he smiled "you can rest assured however that, in regards to the weapon, the woman, only thing she'll get is a mild headache, if that. Considering she wears silver, looks like the queen, white hair... yeah, mild headache, at worse, a really deadly case of period, but we wont go into that right now. Its bad enough I gotta clean the stables tonight as it is" Mike said holding out his hand to shake

Mark chuckled and shook Mike's hand firmly. "I'll be there after lunch to inspect; about...two o' clock." he said before smiling and nodding hsi head as Mike turned and left with a small bow, heading back to Jarius' home. Mark sighed softly and shifted his weight to his left leg and hip before turning his head to Blackmane, nodding in greeting he smiled. "Mentor...something you need?" He asked.

"Who was he ?" Blackmane asked. "none too important I do hope ?" He looked familar to her when it clicked, "Wait... was that Mike ?" At Marks nod Blackmane let out a soft whistle "He hasnt changed a bit since I last saw him" which was about seven hundred or so years before.

"Only thing I need is to inform you that the Trolls say hello, Ulnaus nearly nailed me with some bird crap on his way back..." At those words Blackmane smirked towards the massive eagle. "It didnt take him long to find them, apparently he found Kristoff first. according to the note; he should be back in time for dinner tonight. Also" Blackmane reached into her sleeve much like Snowfeather did when letters came "This was to be given to you, the person who gave it to me never said their name. I couldnt even tell who they were by voice either" It was a letter of some form. from apparently England. it only had his name on it in silver and green outlined in bronze

Mark was silent through Blackmane's words, though he did smile at the notion of Ulnaus almost nailing her. At the sight of the letter, however, and seeing that it was from London, he paused, and very gently took it from her examining it with slightly cloudy eyes. He smiled and nodded, tucking it into a jacket pocket quickly.

Seeing Elsa arrive from the castle and sidestep a pile of bird crap on the ground Blackmane smiled. "Good luck, you'll need it. Serena took a nasty whack or two from Elsa this morning" She said, she had a den to keep so she shortly left as Snowfeather had pretty much disappeared

Elsa stepped up to Mark, seeing him looking a bit thoughtful, or lost in thought, one of the two. "You OK ? Anna said you seemed distraught during breakfast, what she told you seemed to perk you up a bit right ? I mean she said she had some words with you about something and she somehow made you happy and you helped her get in touch with Kristoff I hear ?" Elsa's dress shined a beautiful pale red, it was darker then the last few weeks, but it wasn't too dark, it still sparkled brightly in the sunlight.

Mark blinked and smiled as Elsa came into his view. "Yea, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about now." he assured her calmly. With a blink, his distractions left his mind and he gestured to the rack of wooden sparring swords. "I do believe I owe you a round of sparring?"

"Unless..." his right hand slowly reached up to his Duradaeden hilt. "You'd rather go full contact?" He slowly unsheathed the sword, the darkened metal glimmering in the morning sunlight along with his armor, which looked strikingly better in the light than his sword; though that was due to a small augmentation to it he'd done while forging his armor. By adding newer Duradaeden his old sword, previously given to him by Snowfeather as a gift when he became a full fledged Assassin, he made the existing Duradaeden stronger, and with the fusing of the two, made the sword almost black in color.

"What say you, my dear Queen of Arendelle?" he smiled, lowering the point of his sword towards her.

"Both options are good..." Elsa began thoughtfully before smiling, it had been a while since she had made a ice sword. Possibly too long actually. "I think, full contact was it ? is best" As she spoke ice formed in her hands shaping out of the air into a pair of possibly frail useless swords, yet, made of her ice, they were far from useless. These things, in the hands of a master, were deadly weapons. They appeared to be made of glass with a faint vinelike tracery along the flats of the blades, snowflakes and Elsas personal most recognised snowflake formed the crossguard location, yet it quickly faded as the hilts formed in her hands, elegant smooth, beautiful weapons.

She settled into a relaxed pose, the blades pointed downwards. "Ready ?" She asked. She herself seemed more or less relaxed, in truth she had butterflies her stomach, she'd been wanting to spar with Mark, but not full contact, but then again with his armor, not even the new Templar weapons, called pistols and rifles, could get past his armor, her own part of their necklace was made of the same materials and had stopped a Templar from killing her a few weeks before for that matter.

She wanted Mark to make the first move. Most of the time it was her that made the first move, and he'd teach her from there. But with him making the first move, maybe she could turn the tables ?

Was that even possible with Mark ?

As Elsa's swords took form, he spun into his own stance, legs deep with his left hand out in challenge while his sword was pointed towards his enemy. The reason Templars called him The Scorpion. After a few seconds, Mark realized that Elsa wanted him to move first. But he waited just a bit longer, a small crowd of trainees was gathering.

Mark's grip on his sword tightened, and he stepped forward with his front leg. His arm jutted forward as it aimed a stab right for Elsa's chest. This was followed up by an incoming kick to her legs. He wasn't worried about his legs being cut; he'd weaved the Duradaeden around his grieves and even into his boots. The kick was followed up by a slash with his free hand and its claws, and with a slash in the opposite direction from his blade. He breathed out sharply with each movement, making a distinct "Shh" sound.

As Mark made the opening strikes Elsa parried with her left hand, a clear sound of steel on steel rang out as her ice connected with that of the steel that Mark used to upgrade the sword. As it were her ice left no marks, nor did his sword leave any marks on her ice. Sparks exploded from the hits as she side stepped quickly to avoid getting hit in the legs before all but slamming the pommel of her right sword up to push up Marks hand as the claws of the gauntlet went upwards.

For a good minute or two the pair traded fast strikes. A flurry of light snow began to fall around the pair of fighters as they fought. Howeever not one snowflake hit the ground in the area their blades reached, while in a perfect circle around them the snow, light and fluffy flakes of snow, made a light dusting on the tile of the cortyard. It was not long before the fight got a bit quicker and the two were trading strikes and parries with speed as if taught by masters

Which they kind of were. In a way of speaking at least. Elsa was still new to swordfighting, much less sparring and using her ice to make weapons. More and jmore since Matthew had returned, and subsequently left after Mark arrived did her skill with making weapons begin making sense. If that.

Within a moment or so further the pair were moving too quickly for the naked eye to follow, it was as if they werent moving at all and stood still, when in reality for the two they were moving quite quickly, their feet a dance. seemingly of death, but it was a duel between friends then anything else.

Finally they locked weapons. Elsa's left hand was locked against Marks gauntlet, stuck between the claws, as her right sword barely stopped his sword from getting her in the back. She was breathing, oddly, not as hard as she had thought she should have been. Wait was that the noon meal bell already ?

How long had they sparred ?

Mark's breathing quickly slowed during the blade lock. His claws gently tapped on the back of Elsa's hand as he let his fingers relax, and he used that distraction as Elsa turned her eyes to sneak a kiss to her forehead before hopping back with a snicker, landing a few feet back in his trademark stance.

He ignored the bell for the meal; a smile spread across his face as he slowly switched his feet, putting his sword hand first as his hand switched the grip to a reverse grip, and he lowered his stance further into a more defensive one. Now it was time for Elsa to make the first move.

"If you want to eat; strike me. Not glancing or on my armor. Strike me."

He kissed her. Elsa stared, Did he just... He did, it was on her forehead, but still, he kissed her! They broke apart, it allowed her a brief respite long enough to step back and catch her breath, she quickly examined her swords for damage, the amount of time they had sparred didnt even leave a scratch on either blade. She held up her left blade first, her right blade against her arm

His kiss was unexpected to be sure, but now he wanted her to strike him ? Deliberatly with her swords ? Or her fist ? Elsa looked at him, clearly confused, "Did we sparr too long or did you miss breakfast completely ?" She asked. She could do this, she had a strike in mind, something she figured she could do right off the bat to begin with. But she had to get close enough to land the strike.

She shot her left blade forwards towards Mark, aiming towards his right hand, but it was a fient as her right sword seemed to crack along its edge as she swung it, her ice was unique as she wanted it to look like it was failing. After all it was a fient too.

Mark said nothing, but narrowed his eyes at her movements, watching her shoulders and the rest of her body he completely ignored her intial feint, and moved his right hand out to block her other sword. His ear heard the small crack in its composition, and he angled his sword to land right where the crack should have formed. Meanwhile he was slowly bringing back his leg so he could use his left arm and gauntlet to block any incoming strikes.

The crack held, the ice however spread locking the swords together as Elsa let go of the blade and with her right sword hand free she reached her hand out towards Marks face fast as she could, her left sword flipping about and holding at the gauntlet to keep her face from getting cut as she went in and made her strike.

Dead on his lips, with hers

Mark was half-way through a back-step when Elsa's lips met his, and he stopped, his eyes slowly closed half-way. His left arm batted away her sword rather roughly before curling around her hips and lifting her up gently. He let his sword disspate before his other hand went around Elsa's body and aided in picking her up; he deepened the kiss for a moment before breaking it and letting down on her feet again.

"I suppose...that'll have to count...shall we eat?" He said with an amused tone to his voice as she stared at him, her lips just inches from his.

Elsa nodded; her stomach growled, she hugged him as he spoke and hugged her as well. She smiled, softly asking "You 'struck' me, remember ?" An eye for an eye, or in this case, a kiss for a kiss. It was justified, or was it ? She nodded again. "Yes, can we ? I also want to try and find Mothers journal, the one I currently have mentiuoned some things I cant figure out for the life of me without any others" The only other place a Journal could be hidden is somewhere in the Wolfe District, they had seen it on the map the Piece made in her mothers private study.

Though Elsa nioticed a questioning look. "What is it ?" She had no idea he wondered about the Ring of Eden she had taken from the dead Templar that tried to kill Kristoff in the dining room a few years before.

Arendelle

Unknown District

At that same moment

CRACK It had been five to seven weeks since the fight, the failure of the figtht. And just now the healing began in the most painful way. Nasty howled in pain as her arm was put back into its socket, and properly put backtogether after being broken in six different places during the fight. It took five weeks to get their Father there, and another two weeks to explain their situation to him without getting him pissed off. But thanks to mere mention of a brass dragon and their father had gone off the handle and for a week Nasty was out cold from the intense pain. But now her father was healing her, and none too gently either.

At least her arm was first; it was afterwards when her sister, Taris peeked in at all the screaming clearly confused, "They're here too ?" She said meaning the twins, Sutri and Nasty were to get the money to found their finding of their mother, and also their drunken bum of a brother, Brutus

At Nastys dark look Taris ducked back into the hall of the house and went to her own bedroom. Taris had hoped it was just her and Jr, ah yes, Jr, her brother, they were assigned... more like forced, to work together, even though they hated each others guts.

Draco stood in front of his injured daughters, arms crossed as tendrils came from his body, holding them up and forcing their bones back into place, each one a loud CRACK and a scream of pain before he shut that down with a snarl. "The more you scream the less I care; remember? I raised you to win; not to be bested by an old man and a half-dead Silver!" he back-handed Nasty in particular with his last statement, her cheek turning red immediately.

Jr. Looked over Taris' shoulder; for once he was too curious as to what was going on to be pestering her. "Looks like it...Father's pissed too..." he said softly.

Sutri panted currently; her ribs still needed to be healed from her sister slamming into her; and her pelvis from landing hard on the corner of the sewer walk-way. Sweat dripped down her brow before Draco turned to look at her. "A or B?" he asked.

"W-wha-"

"A or B?!"

"What do you me-" She screamed in pain as her pelvis was shoved back together properly, more of a crunching sound radiatin from it.

"You chose C instead...stubborn child." Draco growled softly.

Taris looked sick from the other room and did not answer her brother., at least Brutus wasnt there, they couldnt find him to save their own skin.

Nasty hit the floor in a heap, at least she was healed...for the most part. There was still areas her shadows could work and heal over time. But some critical areas, like her stomach, dead down her breastbone, and across her back her fathers magic could heal. But her arm was the worst of her injuries. She caught her breath and did not reply to her father, out of both love and respect, and fear, she kept her mouth shut as best she could when he turned to her twin, she winced but said nothing as Sutri screamed. Yeah, Papa was pissed for sure

Draco sighed and then slowly, painfully healed each of Sutri's broken ribs; she wasn't as bad as Nasty; hense her being healed second. He then looked to Nasty as she laid on the floor like that. "Stand and show me your chest, child; I need to see the damage that..." He spat to the side. "...Child did to you." he said.

The Claw marks that Mark had left on Nasty's torso went from her right shoulder, across the upper chest in a downward ark, and stopped half-way into her left breast. The claws had dug straight down to the bone in some spots, like her torso and upper ribs above her right breast.

Draco growled lightly at that, the blood had already caked. Tendrils went to work immeidately, filling in the marks and clearing away the blood. "You need rest for two weeks; no arguments. The Shadowlings will bring you food and water; you are to eat what they serve you or go hungry and stay in bed longer as you starve."

Draco gripped her chin roughly and forced her to look him in the eye. "Am I clear?"

As much as she was ashamed to show her father her injuries Nasty did as instructed, she said nothing at first, and stared striaght at her father as he spoke, she knew better then to argue with her father. Hell, she'd much rather argue with her mother in all honesty. For a long moment she did not speak until her father said 'am I clear ?' With her head held in his hand, she couldnt not, but she said truthfully, "Yes Papa. As you say." She was truly ashamed to show her father the wounds that not only Mark gave her, but the hard whack Jarius did too. Plus whatever marks she'd gotten landing in the sewer crap. And the cold, the unbearable cold they had to fight in

Draco grunted. "Cover up and head to bed." he said, releasing her chin before turning to Sutri and. "Anything else you want dear old dad to heal?" He growled; while he was indeed a harbinger of darkness, one couldn't put him past a sadistic dad-joke.

"I know it ain't your mother's kisses; but if SOMEBODY would get off their asses and find her, we wouldn't have this problem!" He knew Jr. and Taris were watching, but didn't turn his head. Draco's eyes narrowed as Sutri gulped.

"Just...normal scrapes, Papa...From sliding on the concrete." Draco rolled his eyes and sighed as he looked while Sutri showed him.

"I never had these problems with Brutus; he either completed his task or didn't come home becase he was drunk." Draco snarled under his breath as he healed Sutri. "One week minimum bedrest with your sister. Same rules apply to eating and drinking. Understand?"

"Intimately, papa."

"Then go; start resting."

When they were mentioned Taris gulped, all but nailing Jr in the ribs she whimpered softly "I think Papa wants you"

"Stuff it stupid if he wants me he wants you too!" it was clear they were in for it, but they couldnt exactly search for Momma when they were told to wait for further orders... or find Brutus,of course mentuion of the drunken bum made Taris wonder briefly where he was

Hearing the orders their father gave their sisters, Taris mumbled, "Soooooo next district to look for mom ?"

"Next district, dun wanna make Dad madder then he is now" Maybe doing their task before killing each other could work out ?

Taris nodded and took all but one step and stopped dead in her tracks because... well, when a dead wolf thing is right at your nose, what do you do ? Sing ? "Lizardshit" Taris mumbledi n Draconian seeing the ghostly wolf. Oh she hated those things! She was freaked out by them!

Draco was standing above the two youngest children and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have districts to search?" He said. He sighed. "Eat first; then go. Your mother will kill me if I send you out without feeding you first." he said. He snarled at the whispy wolf loudly before narrowing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows.

"What the hell do you want, Wolf Queen?" He asked the wolf as he walked towards it.

While Ingrid herself did not appear, her words were heard howerver. "I sense power unlike our own. Its strength growing." The wolf itself seemed to speak. Ingrid was back in her tomb, making more undead soldiers. This was going to be fun!

Taris nodded, "Yes!" She squeaked in answer to her fathers question of the searching, "We were just... ahemhmetgr" taris all but shrieked then cleared her throat and spoke again "Yes Papa, We were just about to go begin searching the Talz district, there was a weird explosion out there and we wanted to check it out" Jr however covered her mouth with a hand

"Thank you Papa, we will eat and then go search for clues to Mother's wherebouts!" He said

The whsipy wolf creature seemed to smirk at the two teenager appearing siblings. This was one not exactly happy family but it did the job.

Arendelle

Wolfe Manor

Just after lunch

Mike waited in a Muledeer drawn carrige bus of a sort for Mark to arrive at the expected time. the clock in the kingdom gonged twice. Well, it was two in the afternoon, which meant that Mark was along any moment; the plan was to investigate fiurther why Marks sisters room had been... recently remodeled without knowledge to Mark. and also if anything had been taken

Mike smiled seeing Mark stepping into view. Stepping from the muledeer carrige Mike waved to him as Jarius, the Master Mike had mentioned, also stepped from the carrige. "Ah Master Wolfe! right on time!" Mike called out as Mark neared them. "Master Wolfe I'd like you to meet the Master" Meeting Jarius in person was easier said then done, Jarius gave Kalda a hard look as if to act as if they had never met before holding out a hand to shake with Mark

Kalda would not recieve such a message as Mark smiled and shook Jarius hand again. "Good to see you again, Jarius." he said calmly, leaving Mike corrected, though he took it in stride. Not the first time it's happened apparently. Mark smiled and gestured to the Manor.

"Well...it's not exactly humble but...welcome to my abode, or...well, my Family's abode." He said calmly.

The Outside of the Manor looked as grand now as it did before the incident; which was the same as it did when it was first built. Mark had made sure of that over the course of its restoration.

Jarius smiled and shook Marks hand, Mike kept his mouth shut and like the gentlemans gentleman he went to the door and held it open for both his Master, and the Assassin. Jarius spoke as they walked into the massive Manor."Mike told me everything, I managed to piece together a few clues of my own you may want to hear" Jarius explained, they acended the steps to the second floor landing. it was there that Jarius briefly stopped. "The last time anyone had seen such Kobolds was a generation before your birth. And it was not here in Arendelle either, but west of here, on the Greenland Sea I think it is called. Those two we faced, I think they're those kobolds masters, but I could be wrong." Jarius said, holding up a finger at the words 'could be wrong'

"Now" Jarius continued as they started walking again, stepping around some workmen at the same time. "Mike said the woman you had seen wore silver, with white hair ?" at Marks nod Jarius nodded, "Havent seen her in ages!" Jarius mused

They came upon the place the workmen were setting stacks of timber to rebuild beams and the floorjoists below, having to step around a few groups of workmen busy stacking lumber, pulling up rotting floorboards, twice they passed groups of workmen escorting a squatter or two. There were still windows to replace on the first floor. Jarius remembered the first time he was in that house, As they neared Marions bedroom he saw a brief vision of Mark as a boy, and his younger sister playing tag and running up the hall towards the room they were headed for.

Mark raised an eyebrow at Jarius's proclamation of seeing her in ages. "You've seen the woman I speak of?" He asked as they stopped at the door, or lack thereof, to Marion's room. All the clues were still exactly as they left it; the clean up crew wasn't due for another few hours.

Jarius nodded, "Sure! Even painted a painting for her, taught her to fight too. considering how she acted according to what you saw, yeah, her remembering what I taught to be quick on her feet and ready to improvise when it comes to it. Ah here we are!" Jarius stepped int othe room, taking care to remain away from the rotted floorboards. Mike stood by the door like a bodyguard. Jarius stepped around into the room, for the moment he did not see the rotted matress covering paintings, the rotted rug, broken floor tiles, broken windows and wall, and rotted flooring, instead he saw a woman putting her daughter to sleep in a four poster bed of white and grey.

Out of the blue Jarius asked "If she were here, with us right now, how old would she be ?" He meant Marion, Marks sister, and then there was the letter adressed to Mark. Jarius went to the ruined wall and looked out, whatever ice was left on it was long gone, long once again part of Tiris dress and hair. He chuckled."When I said make an exit I didnt mean it like this Zith" He mumbled to himself Sometimes Xeir Zith really did improvise in battle

Mark looked quizzically at the elder Dragon before shrugging; he wasn't going to try and question the man's memory and knowledge. He knew better. "Strange...but okay." he said calmly. He let him look around the room and watched calmly. He blinked at Jarius' random question though.

"She'd be...23 or so by now...why?" he asked calmly, his stance changing subtly.

For a long moment Jarius was lost in memories. "Mike! Bed!" He called at long last. He turned to Mark as Mike stepped in to move the mattress. "Three people you saw in this room, why this room ?" As the mattress was lifted he saw why, there were two stacks of paintings. All on canvas. And well kept due to their age. Jarius nodded. Bending down he picked up the top most painting. Marks parents on their wedding day. He handed it to Mark and lifted the next one. This one of a infant in his mothers arms. Jarius smiled, he remembered painting it. He went through the other paintings one by one.

But he never found the one painting that was missing. The one of his own mother, Light.

"Three women were in this room. A painting is missing. But which I cannot tell. Though judging by the damage made to the door and wall, they made a hasty exit from unexpected guests." He said standing upright. Mike had carefully taken each painting into the hall

Mark stared at the painting he'd been handed for a good long minute, not saying a word. He walked up to Jarius and stared at the others. One of just him and his sister as children. He and his father, Marion and their father. One with his mother Marion as an infant in her arms. Solo shots of them all. Finally, one of Mark and Marion's father with the gauntlet Mark normally wore on his left arm. Back when he was head of the Wolfe Clan...

Mark sighed and then set the painting down, swallowing hard as he fought back the emotions, memories flooding his mind again before he sighed and put his hands on his hips; he needed a moment. After that moment he sighed and turned to Jarius again. "Whatever they were looking for I guess they found...but I doubt they'd take the painting far...one of the three was dressed as an Assassin; and practically everyone in this branch of the order knows how much this building and everything in it is to me." he said calmly.

"I'm sure it'll turn up soon...for now...I want these hung along the main corridors."

"I think at this moment, it is not who took the painting, but why they took it. Also not where they took it, I feel for now you can trust the judgement of those that took that painting and none of the others in both stacks. After all many if not all of these paintings, so well kept, could be worth a pretty penny" Jarius mused. He saw the pain in Marks eyes, the memories unwanted. "I am sorry. Sooner or later you will have to face those memories head on. Pushing them away only makes them stronger. Come, lets get these hung where they belong and let the workmen to their duties here." Jarius said with a firm clap on Marks left shoulder before gently picking up the painting of Mark holding Marion who was an infant at the time of the painting.

It took about two hours to hang each painting where they belonged, or felt right along the main hall and main living room. but with Jarius and Mike helping, it was soon taken careful and the three men, or rather, two dragons and one man, parted ways, Jarius stepped into the muledeer carriage with Mike following as Mark headed to the castle, he had a date no doubt.

Arendelle

Wolfe District

Wolfe Manor

A few hours later

Finally out of the castle without anyone stopping her Anna went straight to the brothel, she wanted to talk to someone, anyone to get information. Thankfully the girl on duty at the desk upon entry told her thjat who she sought was in the Wolfe District doing work there as part of the rebuilding of the Wolfe Manor. Anna was curious of the Manor as a whole and what the place was and why it was so important and went there. She came across two people on her way

One of them she recgonised right away as Georgina. thje other woman she did not fully see her face. But her eyes glittered as if with magic of some form. A magical woman like her sister maybe ? It didnt matter fully to her how it worked only that it worked out. But as she neared Georgina spoke "Your highness, what brings you to Wolfe Manor ?" Georgina had been taked with cleaning up the yards and planting fresh flowers in the many flower guardens and flowerbeds in the vast yard.

In truth however Mark wanted her there to find more vaults or possible locations of vauit entries. So far they had found one, inside the front main foyer; though Mark knew there were more

The other woman, Marion disguised as Diana, bowed her head to Anna. "Highness." She greeted. It felt...oddly invigorating to be on the grounds of the Wolfe Manor. Whenever she was there, she felt safe; revitalized...Home. She smiled underneath the mask that covered the lower half of her face.

"I'm afraid Master Wolfe won't let anyone in yet, or at least last I heard. But I'm sure that if you asked him he'd let you; you are the Queen's sister after all." She said calmly. And with an added giggle "And we all know how well they get along~"

"Even though they'd not been together since the incident over twenty years ago, she still teased her brother. Heck, they didn't really grow up together and she teased him. The best (or worst for Mark's point of view) part about it was that he didn't know she was there! Though...that was more of a neutral thing, since it was paramount that he not know.

"Have you come to inspect the grounds? Or are you just out and about?" She asked politely.

"I am actually looking for someone" Anna said, "The woman in charge of the Brothel, Elsa was edgy this morning and I wanted to know why, so over lunch I snuck out. I was told the woman was here. So here I am" Anna smiled as she spoke. She seemed calm, but it was also clear she was excited about something important, something so important that she came all the way out of the Castle itself to find out more.

Hence was the value of information. Anna didnt trust the servants with it. For the moment.

"Well" Georgina said after casting a glance to Diana. "I'm not sure of who else is where, we just got here ourselves" A white lie, but partly true as Georgina did just get there, she had no idea how long Diana was there before the two met up for their duties. "I'm not sureif either Mentor would be here ?" She had an idea of who ran the Brothel, but she didnt want tro reveal it. Tiri had made it clear not to mention herself to anyone until Tiri decided to do it herself.

"Though Elsa being edgy... that is a scary thought indeed." Georgina mused thoughtfully, Elsa had saved her, and recruited her, a year after her son had died. "Did Elsa say why ?" Anna shook her head

"Wouldnt go into detail, but I think it concerns Mark, he was edgy too. But I told him not to worry and he brightened up!" Anna said

'Diana' tilted her head at that; Mark on edge? Elsa on edge? The Brothel? "I have ties with the brothel...if I remember correctly Master Wolfe went in for information. Word travels around quick; I heard he didn't find out much." She said calmly before turning her head; the quizical looks on their faces making her bite the inside of her cheek. "What? I don't work as one of the girls. God no. I teach them to steal money while they work; and document any info they find."

Well...she wasn't completely lying.

"I was going to say..." Georgina mused briefly, Anna nodded, she knew that Blackmane had rebuilt the Brothel as an Assassin front.

Anna nodded, "Mark said exactly that, he went for info, but what he got was less then he wanted, more like not what he was wanting ?" Like Anna had mentioned, she did not know the details of the whole meeting Mark had, only that it made Elsa rather edgy about the whole thing, then the news Blackmane dumped on them at breakfast made Mark take a hike outside to clear his head. Of which news Anna detailed what she knew. Finally asking simply, "I was hoping to find Blackmane, or Snowfeather, they might know more then they're letting on." The two Mentors were twins, identical in every way execept clothing.

"Havent seen either of them since last night" Georgina said As she took a seat on a bench near the fountain and statue of Second Wolfe. The statue needed heavy duty cleaning. And soon.

Anna stepped to the statue and looked closely at it, "Who is this guy ?" She asked

"Second Wolfe; the co-founder of Arendelle, and Flowerfist the Fair's closest friend and advisor...Mark's oldest ancestor." Diana said before gesturing to the plaque. She squinted though as she took a step back. TIlting her head she moved to the side; trying to see something that otherwise wasn't there.

"There's ...something beneath the dirt... Georgina...right behind you; well, behind the plaque... can you scrape that dirt and stuff off? I...I think I see something." She was using her eagle-vision of course.

"Huh ?" Georgina said as she relaxed, she stretched, and stoped as she heard a sudden CLUNK noise. "What was that ?"

Anna heard it too. However her focus was on Diana as the Assassin moved as she did, "Are you alright ?" She had no idea her sister had the ability to see with the Eagle Vision

Georgina sat back up, as she did so she heard another CLUNK and stood as the bench rattled. Did they just find another vault ? Mark had mentioned a whole bunch hidden across Arendelle they were to look for in addition to their normal duties.

Diana narrowed her eyes and stepped back again, onto a bench. "It's...a puzzle..." she said. "Looks like you have to get all the pieces together...feel around, Georgina; see if you can find all of them." After about half an hour of guiding her hands, and then another half hour of fiddling with the out of place sliding stones, they all clicked together and sunk into the statue of Second.

Then there was nothing.

"Well that was disa-" Another click and and a sudden Swoosh of stale air later and Marion was rolling down a set of stairs heading directly under the satue of Second Wolfe while yelling to "Get off this crazy ride!"

"Weirdest puzzle I have ever seen" Anna mumbled, she helped Georgina find each piece on the statue. About thirty minutes later and Georgina was mumbling about solutuins to puzzle.

"Sometimes I sit back and think, or lean on something and thin..." Georgina leaned on the last piece, and as Diana said something Georgina felt something under her hand go CLICK and push in, looking at it she failed to see Diana fall. but then heard her screaming to get off the ride. "The solution presents itself!" She smiled and gave Anna a gentle pat on the shoulder and pointed towards a nearby torch, they might need light. "Come on, lets get Diana off the stairs. I hear an echo"

Anna grabbed the torch and tossed it to Georgina her effortlessly caught it and pretty much hopped into the hole the puzzle formed after Diana, "Cannonball!" She called out as she hopped downwards onto the steps. Anna followed close behind. As they decneded, the fountain reformed above them, leaving them, briefly, in darkness. While up above on the Manor grounds the fountian went back into motion as if nothing happened

Eventually they'd reach the end of the stairs, and Diana had only a few seconds to fix her hood and mask before the two caught up to her. She did so and stood, rubbing at her rear-end; having landed on that the hardest. She leaned back, cracking her back and stretching out a bit before dropping her jaw.

"Whoa..."

The Vault was split up into two huge seconds, three, technically. On one side, were dozens of old beds and bedframes with small walls built around them for privacy. Discarded curtains hung in front of them, most having been pulled down by time. Beyond that was a huge mess-hall and bar stocked with Who knows how old alcohol and food. On the other side of the vault was racks upon racks of armor, swords, axes, spears, harpoons, knives, clothing, and even a stray flintlock pistol or two. There were cannons further down, huge cannons on wheels.

"What was this place?" She asked. As she stepped forward, the walls began to light up a bright, vibrant blue.

"Uh... Wow" Anna said upon seeing the room the stairs landed in.

"Guess we dont need the torch" Georgina said staring at the blue lit walls, what lit this place ?

Anna stepped over to the weapons rack filled with knives and axes, aside from a thick layer of dust that she blew off the metal shined bright and new. "These are new. Or at least, never used, I dont see any rust on them" She said.

Georgina's eyes went to the deacades old, yet still sealed alcohol, oh man how she wanted to have some, but no, she promised herself she'd stop drinking, or at least cut back on her drinking habits. Drunken assassins were never a good thing.

"Looks like something out of the castle barracks the troops stay in" Anna said pointing out the beds, steel frames that lacked proper bed supplies, the matteresses rotted out with disuse, the weapons racks nearby the beds seemed to assign each bed a weapon set of a sort.

Georgina picked up a sword from the floor, it glimmered a pale silver under the dust, "If it is a barracks, who stayed here ?"

Trailing her finger across a dusty table at the eating area Diana shrugged. "I don't know...but if you keep an army down here, or at least a batallion...how do they answer the Call to Arms?"

It was with that phrase that another hiss of stale air erupted as a square of glowing light lit up the room from the wall behind the bar-counter in between the racks of alcohol and food respectively. Diana stared softly before looking to the other women with her, nodding her head towards it.

She lifted the entrance to the bar the hinges surprisingly in good condition dispite their disuse. Gesturing for the other two to help her, she began to push against the wall; even with the other two, it didn't budge.

"Maybe there's another phrase ?" She asked, scratching the back of her head.

"Like what ?" the hinges were recently oiled, or made of a metal that was designed that manner exactly. But why ? "You already said Call to Arms, what next ? Taps ? Whoa!" the wall moved, nearly sending Georgina to the dusty floor as Anna started sneezing from the kicked up dust. Man was it hard to see. The door, if that is what it was, locked... Ok, so, Call to Arms unlocked it, what opened it ?

Arendelle Castle

Elsa's bedroom-Castle vaults

With a vist to the Telo district

At at that same moment

Mark walked down the corridor and stopped at Elsa's door, knocking on it and opening the door with a small smile. Though behind the smile he was thinking one thing: "Please don't be naked." he wasn't sure if he was ready to see that yet. He entered Elsa's bedroom and lowered his hood. "Elsa?" he called out calmly.

Thankfully Mark did not have to worry of Elsa not wearing anything, lately her ice formed her clothing without her even thinking about it, of course her dress and sheer cape were still red, and daily seemingly getting darker, but it sparkled beautifully in the light. At that moment, Elsa was at her desk, reading through her mothers journal, trying to find the information in it, within reach was her mothers Piece of Eden that had been hidden in her mothers private study. Elsa was looking for something. Something that had been nagging at her for some time "Over here, Mark" She called as Mark stepped in after nocking, always the gentleman!

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Mark gently trailed his fingertips across her upper back before sitting on the edge of her desk. "Any clues yet?" He asked her while he gazed at the journal, his fingers playing the her hair gently, idly. He didn't even notice he was doing it. His eyes scanned the page out of habit, and there was a small smile across his lips.

Elsa smiled and briefly shivered at his touched before showing him the page. "Mother wrote that she named a ship, the Whitesparrow, before she and Father left for Carona when I was younger." She sighed, "I looked through the ship legders on each vessel in the navy. None of them are named Whitesparrow. Mother also mentioned the other journals too. So I got the piece to try and pinpoint the other journals, I think I found one not far from Wolfe Manor" She said, saying nothing of him playing with her hair, for once she didnt braid it, She looked to him. "What is it ?" She sawsomething of unwanted pain in his stature. He was oddly calmer then normal

He tilted his head softly before smiling. The Wolfe Manor; of course there'd be one nearby. What intrigued him was the name. Whitesparrow. The Assassins named their ships with the word sparrow...How...His eyes narrowed. Idly he wondered what kind of ship it was, though he reasoned it probably wasn't very impressive since he'd not heard of it or seen it by now. Though...with the plans and papers not easilly found, he could be wrong. He drew his hand away from her hair and patted her shoulder.

"Shall we go find it then?" He asked, smiling. At her question he frowned a bit.

"It... Nothing really, just some old memories resurfacing." he said. He patted her back with a smile and leaned in to kiss her forehead before standing. "Let's go."

Elsa smiled and nodded, "One of the history books noted construction of a ship, saying all sorts of runes went into the construction. Mother named the ship. but it was never used" She said, she stood up then. "Ready to hunt for a journal ?" She had no idea how hard searching for it would be, only they'd be on rooftops and doing a lot of climbing. After all they had to see the area the book could be in and see if there was anything under it.

Elsa blushed a brief second when he kissed her forehead. It was something her mother did nightly not scared of her magic either. Hopefully finding her mothers hidden journals could help her close the gap, slowly let the feeling, the need of wanting her mother, fade into memory. But, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted her mother there. Elsa did not want to be Queen, it was too much work.

Sadly their first stop was a tavern called, The Broken Arm, where it might have been a bit too seedy even for Mark to find information in. The Broken Arm when compared to Roughwater Tavern or even The Mended Trumpet in the Wolfe District, was reputable, but the Broken Arm was reputeable in the sense of disreputable. The customers there had a rough hewn respectablity, sure they might murder each other in an easygoing way, as if between equals. But they wouldnt do it vindictively, hell a child could go in for some lemonade and all he'd get is a whack in the head for his recently expanded vocabulary. And when he was sure no Templars were around the landlord even put fresh meat on the bar.

But what none were expecting at that day or time, especially at the Broken Arm. Was the Queen herself, and her now publicly known bodyguard. Known in the kingdom as the Jade Assassin. Though the higher ranking Templars knew Mark as his trademark stance, The Scorpion.

Having put up his hood before leaving the Palace, and summoned his armor and sword to his person, Mark opened the door to the tavern and waved away the eyes of the people who stared longer than he wanted to. "Welcome, my Queen, to the most wretched hive of scum and villainy in the kingdom." He said softly so only she could hear. There were already a few patrons passed out upon the counter, which Mark frowned at, but ignored for the sake of keeping an eye on the Queen.

Light knows what these men would do to her if they could.

"Barkeep! Your finest ale for me, and a smooth wine for your Queen." Mark said as he walked up to the counter, shoving an unconscious patron off of his stool to take his spot. The man plopped onto the floor and continued to lay there, only now he was snoring.

The keeper glanced at Mark briefly before nodding, yeah he could do that. He also recognised him, at least, his eyes. Where had he seen Eyes like that ? Finally it clicked, "It cant be!" the barkeep, and owner of the tavern said all but hopping the bar and taking Mark into a bearhug. "Dont tell me the son of Marcus is alive and well!" Clearly the man was not as in the know as they had hoped. But he remembered Mark ? Elsa just raised an eyebrow towards the sleeping drunk on the floor, Roughwater she had been too, Mended Trumpet a few times as well.

The barkeep nodded at Marks reqeust again, "Yes, yes! Anything for the son of Marcus, Ah! Your Highness! I must apologise profusely as I do not have any wines, but I do have a stout ale perhap ?" Little did either Mark or the Barkeep know, Elsa was not one to hold her alchol well

"It is alright" Elsa said at long last as Mark helped her sit at the bar, she glanced to Mark, they could trust this guy ? It turned out they actually could, the barkeepwas actually related as a distant presumed dead relative of Marks mother. His uncle.

His uncle, named Arm. Who owned a tavern known for its brutality and nightly barfights

"Uncle Arm. Good to see you again." He said as he sat on the barstool. "Good to see you don't share the same namesake as your bar." he said, rapping his claws on the counter gently as the man put the ale in front of Mark.

Glancing to Elsa as he drank, he set the mug down and leaned forward. "We're looking for something; perhaps you could help us find it?" He asked calmly.

Arm smiled, Setting a smaller glass of ale, the really weak yet still stout ale, nothing to get Elsa loaded on, at least, right away. "Certainly, what can I do for you Nephew ?" The last Arm had seen of Mark was when the painting was done, the painting of Mark holding his infant sister in his arms. "I can give directions, information, items, black market access, but I cant do assassinations of political means or fence paintings. if your mother were here she'd break my arm for trying either one. However depending on the painting I can point you to somebody." He meant a fellow named Jarius in the Scalia District

Arm set the jar aside and looked to Mark and Elsa. "So, what do you need ?"

Elsa glanced at Mark before producing the map. "Do you know if there is anything buried or recently removed from this location ? A book or small chest of some kind ?" Arm looked the map over carefully.

Mark was quiet for the most part as he drank his ale, but he kept his eyes dead on Arm and his facial expressions and body language. Though it's been years, Mark knew there was a reason why he wasn't allowed near the Wolfe Manor for so long. Arm could have easilly started the restoration immediately after the incident, but he didn't; either out of choice or because Mark's father, or his mother, more likely, had banned him from the premisis.

Mark's eyes narrowed. "And I wouldn't bother trying to fool anyone, Uncle. I'll be able to tell." He said calmly as he set the mug down and wiped his face a bit.

"Relax, Mom and I had a falling out shortly after Marion was born. Charri and I thought up a means for me to still be around but dead" Arm went on to explain, in brief, how he and Charity had faked his death in a barrom brawl, of which the original owner had been slain. Arm became the owner of the Broken Arm Tavern, which then was originally called, Bent Fist Pub. He could be close to his sister and her children too, but also out of sight.

"Weekly Charri and I'd meet up for lunch somewhere in Arendelle at random, catch up on life, then go our seperate ways for a week, then all of a a sudden Charri shows up, here, where you are seated now, in the tavern, with her a girl of about three or so in her arms, the child is crying a river, Charri's got a look of horror on her face, wont tell me a thing whatsoever and only wants out of Arendelle fast as possible. What do you expect me to do there ?" Arm smiled, "I did the only thing I could do. Get my sister and her daughter to safety." He sobered up a bit. his face faded from its bright smile. "That was the last I saw her..." He rubbed his chin a bit

Finally after a moment of thought, Arm nodded. "Yes, I remember, a young woman about your age m'Lady, She came in here, she had a book, a chest actually containing a book in it, she needed a place to hide it she told me. 'I have sources who say I can trust you with my life' she says to me. 'Yes madam, your sources are correct' says I, 'Good, there are men following me, unsavery men. they may wish to do me harm.' Says she, 'Allow me,' Says I as I lead her to the kitchen before the men followed her in, I called for a round on the house, everyone in here at the time swarmed the bar, and before anyone knew what happened, a barfight occured, it kept the men busy long enough for the lady to make her escape in safety."

"Why tell us this ?" Elsa asked.

Arm didnt smile, he merely nodded towards the doorway. "Because those are the men in question." He said. a full troop of Templar soldiers had arrived while he was explaining how they could trust him. Arm put his elbows on the countertop and bent close to Mark and Elsa. "The woman that came in here, it was shortly after Charri came to me for passage out of Arendelle. She carried herself like a royal. Correct me if I am wrong, but, was your mother dark haired with hazel eyes and liked dark dresses ?" Elsa stared at him.

"Mother came here to you for help ?" was all she asked. It was all she could ask.. She went through her memory carefully, Remembering then that her mother did mention a man that was trustworthy named Arn, not Arm. Maybe she had intentionally miswrote his name in her journal ?

Mark didn't turn his head as Arm gestured to the Templars who entered. However they noticed him. A faint murmering among them all as they began to immediately formulate an attack plan. Mark smiled at what he heard, and took one last swig of his ale, leaving a small bit of ale left. "Care for some liquid courage, my queen?" he asked her quietly.

The Templars were huddled together around a table, some standing, some sitting while they talked, occasionally shooting glances to Mark and Elsa. "The fuck is he doing here?"

"Well...aren't we close to his house?"

"Can't we just go fuck that up? I mean why do we have to be near him?"

"Pissing yourself won't help any, grow a pair."

Their commander silenced them all with a knock on the table. "Listen...when I give the signal we'll all char-" Thunk! Mark's mug of ale bounced off his helmet.

"Whoops; didn't see you there...but then again...who pays attention to shit anymore?" Mark asked as he stood, his fingers hooking the stool he sat on and lifting it slowly before resting it on his shoulder while he faced the Templars. "How's about we do this nice and Adult like? No blades, no guns." Mark said as he flicked his hand out, a throwing knife darting for one Templar's hands, bouncing off of the pistol he was pulling off and scaring him enough to drop the gun; making it misfire and shoot his comrade in the foot.

Mark tilted his head. "That works too." he said before another shot rang out and hit him square in the chest, bouncing off his armor and falling to the floor. Mark watched as the bullet fell and he sighed. "Now you fucked up." He said before one Templar charged him with a yell. Mark merely slammed the stool across the man's face, breaking the wooden stool in the process, as well as the man's skull.

"That it?"

When the first shot rang out Elsa's first thought was to defend herself, she raised some ice, but it wasnt needed. Or rather it was. A third shot rang out, but it wasnt the normal BANG or POW or CRACK of a gun going off. not even a simple PSST of a silincer, instead of such noises it was a simple, TWANG. The sound a crossbow makes. Oddly the bolt, traveling about the third of a speed of a bullet at best, charoomed off Elsa's ice shield and slammed dead into the mug of a Templar, the guy, in his death throes, thrashed and slammed into another complete stranger and bar patron, who in turn took his plate and broke it over another guy, within half a minute everyone in the bar was gonna leave with more then a few teeth and brain cells missing. Everyone was in on it for something, get out, away, or even.

Everyone, that is, execept Arm, before he could grab Mark however he did manage to duck for safety, and also nail the guy that tried to kill the queen, another Templar, with a well aimed butchers knife to the groin. But there was little else he could do as Elsa swung into action as a Templar tried to grab her, she nailed the man with her bare foot dead between the legs, the sudden pained shriek of the man sinking to the ground reaching for the jewelsack made fourty seven pairs of eyes water in brief sympathy before going back at it

Arm reached out and pulled Elsa behind the counter, they ducked when a stool went sailing in their direction as Mark got busy with the Templar patrol."When your mother was here I let her out through the kitchen, I saw her go out of the door to the left. She gave me this before she left and hoped someone who followed instructions found me and there for this. Remember, through the backdoor, to the left, hopefully what your mother carried can be found. Good luck!"

Arm stood up, "Oy! DRINKS ON THE HOUSE!" he screamed out, half the fighters ran for the bar, giving Mark the perfect time to get out as most of the Templar squad were trashed by then. Not many of the men in the place liked the way the Templars were looking at the queen to begin with and some of them decided to take their frustrations out on the Templars, literally, two Templars went down like sacks of salt

Mark had a Templar by the throat, his claws having dug in when Arm interfered. He let go of his bleeding opponent and hopped over the crowd of people crowding the bar, playing a tricky game of drunken leapfrog with them before he rolled to his feet out the bar and into the kitchen with Elsa. "Pity, I was having fun." he said calmly before wiping the blood off of his claws on a towel. "Now then...where to?" he asked calmly.

Of course the first words out of Elsas mouth were "I like your family; its fun!" That of course was an understatement, it was insane. She pulled out the item Arm had given her, it was from her mother, it had her mothers crest on it."Arm gave me this. Said that when Mother left here, she took a left out that door. and then she gave him this before she left." Elsa opened the cloth bag and pulled out a key of odd make. It looked like it plugged into the end of abox or the like

Mark shrugged. "Been a while since I seen the rest of them." he said simply before looking at the key. "Must go to the box..." he said before looking around, eyes flashing bronze as he used his eagle vision to search the area. "You see anything? Remember to look beyond." he said before he started to climb the wall next to them.

Once they were on the rooftop Elsa did as instructed, A few bricks seemed to shine brighter then therest. She blinked, Somehow she saw her mother putting something there. At the back edge of the rooftop of the Broken Arm Tavern, some tiles looked moved. She pointed, "There, There's something there" Elsa said. A moment later and they had a chest no larger then a loaf of bread, it was still sealed. A minute more and they had it unlocked. Elsa brushed the dust off the journal, her mothers crest glittered as if newly painted. her hands trembled as she gently opened the book

Her heart stopped when her eyes rested on the title of the first entry.

It was adressed not to her, but to "a Wolfe" As if her mother hoped one from the Wolfe Clan where to find the journal. After all, the journal mentioned another vault.

Mark smiled. "Very good." he praised her as he followed her to the location. He let his eyes rest for a second before opening them, his eagle vision disipating as he looked at the journal. He was silent for a second as she opened it, but then his hand slowly went into her vision; open and waiting. He was a Wolfe...the only officially known Wolfe in Arendelle. It was adressed to him.

Without thinking it, she handed the journal to him. "I think it is for you" Elsa said, "Its mothers writing. but, addressed to 'A Wolfe' Like, you or, your mother or father or someone, surely not Snowfeather right ?" It was true, Snowfeather's last name was Elisar. So it couldnt be her. and Mark did have a sister at one point when living in Arendelle.

The good news was, there was yet another vault in Arendelle, however it was not located in any common district. No, it was someplace quiet public. Yet completely unassuming.

The bad news was, Elsa was drunk. It didnt take much, infact it took nothing whatsoever to get her loaded. There was an incch of snow, not cold, just fluffy stuff like dandruff. all around them.

The confusing news was; What was a Whitesparrow ?

Mark closed the book and was quiet for a bit, wiping some snow off of his shoulder before looking to Elsa as she flopped onto her side giggling. He rolled his eyes. Poor girl couldn't handle her liquer. There was no time to waste though. He'd get her sobered up quick then decipher the location of the vault while she rested. He put the book in one of many pockets and then picked up Elsa over his shoulder fire-man style. He opened a transport array on the ground behind him, and simply stepped back, falling into the array.

Merely a second later

Elsa's bedroom

Arendelle Palace

Mark appeared with a hop in the center of the room, Elsa on his shoulder still before he sort of let her flop onto her bed. Praying she was still conscious enough to keep her clothing on, he rung one of the bells for Kai. When the man arrived, Mark insisted upon a cup of black coffee to sober up Elsa, and soon it was brought. "I need you to cooperate with me here." He said to Elsa as he managed to get her to drink.

Drunk, and not for the first time. Elsa was infact easier to make sober, just the mere smell of coffee... and salt... But coffee worked just as good. After a few moments of getting sobered up by Mark she realised they were not on the rooftop anymore. And she was on her bed ? "How did I get here ?" She asked, then seeing Mark holding a coffee mug with Kai nearby making sure everything was alright, Elsa said "Why are we in my room ? Ohh... my head" her hands went to her head. "What did I drink ?"

Kai merely smiled, with a slight bow he said "Master Wolfe rang for me when he required my aid concerning yourself current state Madam." he said. "Given this has happened before I came prepared." By that point Elsa had drunk down the coffee completely, it seemed to wake her mind up a bit more properly.

"Well that is good I guess. Why my room though ?" She asked. she looked to Mark. "No, let me guess, it was the safest place you could think of at short notice. right ?"

Mark shook his head. "This is close to where the vault is...I need a few more minutes to decipher it...mind if I use your desk?" he asked, already sitting at it and drawing on a map he'd withdrawn from one of his pockets. There were multiple scribbles on there, X's where there confirmed vaults, circles where there were suspected ones, and a question mark here or there indicating an anomoly that Mark had noticed in his searches. One was over the statue of Second, inside of a circle.

It only took a few minutes of manic muttering to himself as Mark's fingers drew across the page before he circled the fountain in the Palace Courtyard. "That's where it should be...you may need to unfreeze it when we get there." he said calmly, tapping his clawed finger on the map.

Elsa nodded, thankfully for both her and Mark, she was not the type to remove clothing when drunk.. instead it snowed, a lot. She finished the coffee and handed the mug to Kai, thanking him she dismissed him, though she did request towels prepared in her bathroom as well as the guest bathroom for Mark. Something nagged at her to be ready.

She got up off the bed and briefly unsteady she found her balance and went over to Mark at her desk. she saw the circle over the statue location, with a questuion mark over it. "Isnt that the statue at your house ?" Puplic place location. When he pointed out the Icerink Courtyard fountain she wondered what he meant, seeing the question mark. Well it was pretty public. She nodded. "Ok, shall we ?"

It was then she heard a odd grumbling noise and felt a slight rumble underfoot, not from Mark or anything else, it was as if something turned on ? "You feel that ?"

Mark looked aorund as he heard the rumbling as well. "Yes... let's go." He said, and he stood. He set another transport array and stepped through it, appearing in the ice rink court yard, Elsa appearing shortly after. He had lowered his hood by now, and was shooing away birds as he circled the courtyard with his Eagle Vision, mutterint to himself. He took a glance at his map, squinted, then readjusted his position before nodding, and proceeding with his manic circling of the courtyard looking for a clue.

After a few minutes he found it, five finger holes on a pillar opposite of the main door of the Palace. "So then...I suppose the stairs to the palace drop down?" he muttered to himself as he scraped away the ice easilly enough, and inserted his left hand's figners into the holes, with his gauntlet on of course. He rotated his arm slowly, the spot where the finger-holes was rotating with him before locking in place at a ninety degree angle.

A loud hiss erupted from the fountain, but the ice prevented it from moving. That and Ulnaus. After shooing away the bird, Mark looked to Elsa, and nodded to the fountatin, an unspoken request to unfreeze it.

Elsa nodded, hearing gears working, and seeing Ulnaus freak out when shooed away, she went up to the fountain and gently touched it, some of the soldiers, Assassin's all of them, stopped and looked Marks way when he wandered the rink muttering like a madman. Honestly even Elsa had to smile at what she saw of what Mark was doing and how he was acting.

She touched her hand to the ice, it receeded from Ulnaus perch point downwards, as if being sucked into her hand directly. It cracked and broke apart, shrinking and collapsing into her hand, very quickly reforming into a model of her ice palace. though bigger then the one Mark had seen when she was sneaking behind him that one night a year or so before.

The ice receeded, Ulanus witrhout his perch slammed into the fountain water below as the water flowed freely, and began to drain ?

What the hell ?

The fountain stopped doing its work as the water ceased and was drained away to somewhere. Suddenly a loud HISS was heard as cracks appeared and then sudden stairs formed out of the smooth bottom of the fountain. Down into darkness. though Elsa could have sworn there was light down below, the sounds of machinery grinding was heard much louder

Mark smirked as the hiss echoed throughout the air. He stared directly at the other soldiers, and motioned for them to stay put and say nothing. They all snapped to attention, and nodded before Mark released the trigger in the wall,and it began to slowly slide back into place. He walked over to the fountain and without hesitation, hopped in and began down the stairs, eyes blazing bronze the whole time to make up for the lack of light. His armor glowed slightly as well, and he had no doubt Elsa was right behind him. He kept one hand against the wall of the spiral staircase as it headed straight down beneath the darkest dungeons of the palace.

Soon the wall broke away and was replaced by a intricately carved stone railing. Light flooded the area as Mark then rushed down the rest of the stairs, giggling like a school-girl.

A massive cavern met their eyes; lit up by the same lights Marion and co. found earlier along the walls and ceilings. Bar counters, weapon racks, shops, and entire forges and armories were strewn about the cavern with its arching ceiling. In the center of it all was a massive pool of water that stopped at the far wall, which, based on the roaring outside, led to the Fjord's of Arendelle. In the pool? Mark dropped to his knees in awe.

The Largest wooden ship ever built by any navy be it American, Britsh, etc. The largest wooden ship in the world, and the largest, most powerful ship in the Arendellian navy: A Man O' War with five rows of cannons not including the main deck guns. Chase cannons and morters aligned her bow and Stern. Massive masts holding great sails stood proud and unwavering. She was painted in Arendelle's royal colors with a ring of Bronze running straight through the middle. The Wolfe's had a hand in this...this was a Wolfe Vault. On the Stern above the windows of the Captains cabin, in huge, bold, Bronze letters, lay the name:

WHITESPARROW

"She's gorgeous." Mark bit his bottom lip softly before standing. "Isn't she gorgeous?" He asked; talking to himself, forgetting that Elsa was there. "She's got to have...easilly..." he counted softly. "...500 guns...no...530..." he went closer, and looked harder. "And all 12 pounders...My god..."

As the stairs opened into a massiuve cavern Elsa stopped and stared as Mark went closer to the ship. it was the largest vessel Elsa had ever seen in her life. Already she felt its power and energy. the runework; she felt the raw energy that went into the runework, it briefly made her sick, it was as if the ship was protecting itself from the elements. Curious she flicked out her wrist then, on the mainmast the largest sail unfurled through her magic.

Her heart pounded at what appeared.

There, adorned with the Arendelle colors, her mothers colors, was her mothers crest, but that was not all, a massive bronze A like symbol, that of the Assassin Order of Arendelle, was under her mothers crest. A tear slid from her eye. Her mother's last ship.

She heard vioices however, that was not good ? Wait, why did the voices sound female ?

Arendelle Vaults

On the other side of the Locked Door

At that same moment

There came a soft rumble. "Did you hear something ?" Anna asked

Niether of the others with her heard her as she spoke. Georgina was trying other commands, finally at her wits end she said "OK, we tried everything from Call to Arms to Taps and nothing worked. What have we not tried ? Roll Call ? To stations ?" WHOA!" At the words "to Stations" the door they were trying to open dropped flat without a sound, sending Gorgina sprawling into a long hallway four men wide, light was seen further down it.

All three women stared. Finally Anna spoke. "Ok... so... who wants to go down the creepy hallway first ?" they all looked into it, finally Anna assked "Do I hear water ?"

Marion popped up. "I hear voices..." she said, her natural curiosity getting the better of her as she scurried down the hallway quickly. This turned out to be a mistake as a throwing knife whizzed right past her nose and lodged itself into the wall beside her as she stopped just in time to see the massive warship. "Who-what the fuck!?" She fell on her ass before looking to Mark, who had thrown the knife as soon as he heard something out of reflex.

Restraining her urge to scream at Mark for that she shook her head. "Master Wolfe!" she stood, under the guise of Diana again.

"What are you doing here, Diana? How...where was the other entrance? The statue of Second Wolfe? How'd you undo the lock? Start speaking." Mark was confused and then very rapid fire with his questions, advancing towards her before the main mast sail dropped and he turned to look. His jaw dropped again and he shifted his attention once more to the massive ship as a gangplank lowered while Elsa's hand lowered. He nudged it before stepping on it and walking up the gangplank to the ship's main deck.

It wasn't until then that the power of the runes hit him, and he grabbed at his stomach uncomfortably. Diana's hand went to her mouth as the runes made her sick to her stomach before she swallowed it back down.

The sheer sight of the vessel was enough to make Georgina pass clean out. Which she did upon sight of the massive vessel, her eyes rolled into her head and she hit the dock, hard.

Anna simply stared at the name. Saying what was on pretty much everyones mind as she pointed at the massive warship dumbly saying "Boat" Then she saw their mothers crest, "Is that ?'"

"It is" Elsa said stepping onto the ship, parts of it seemed to light up at her mere touch. there was no dust on it whatsoever. As if the runes kept it clean. The air was fresh as if it were on the fjords at the docks outside. but Elsa knew in her heart the Port and even the Royal Dock itself ewas too small to even let this massive vessel drop anchor anywhere near the docks or Port districts

It was then that Elsa noticed Diana when Anna noticed Mark's grabbing for his stomach. the runes seemed to recognise the royal family, and briefly didnt recognise Mark due to his armor. but as brief as it was, it recognised Diana as a Wolfe and recceeded in power towards her, Georgina it recognised as a family friend apparently, some of the runes were written by her. Yet the poor Assassin never knew what those runes were gonna be used for, or on for that matter.

Anna went right to Marks side and helped him to the rail, at the last second she turned aside as Mark emptied his stomach into the water below before he felt better. Maybe without his armor active when he got on the vessel it would not make him so ill ? "Are you alright ?"

At that same moment Elsa was helping Diana stand and asking the same question as Georgina slowly woke up.

"Well... we know what opens that door" Anna mumbled...

Uh oh, what door ?

Mark's armor vanished as he hurled over the side, the runes actually repelling it all into the water and not letting a single drop onto the wood or paint. He smiled, immediately feeling better. He put a hand gently on Anna's shoulder, and smiled as he wiped his lips. "Fine...hungry now, but fine." He said calmly with a blink and a shake of his head.

His eyes narrowed however at 'Diana'. Why wasn't she sick? She wasn't a friend of the royal family nor was she a Wolfe. "Why aren't you sick?" he called out; having noticed the trend quickly. His eyes began to slowly glow a mixture of Bronze and Silver as Kalda involved himself, stirring from the runes of the Whitesparrow. But all he saw was white light. He let out a huff; a feral huff before his eyes returned to normal and he turned away from her, setting about to explore the ship, running his hand along the railing, the helm, the cannons. He looked to Anna with a smirk before opening the captain's quarters, his gauntlet having stayed on his body when his armor vanished, his gauntlet providing him with acess to wherever he wanted apparently.

Anna could tell something was wrong by the way Mark reacted, his eyes were oddly natural, but that huiff ? She shook it off and with Mark explored the rest of the ship while Elsa tended to Diana and Georgina who sat up, rubbed her eyes, and stared at the ship. She felt the protective power of the runes, many of which she had written years before as part of a contract for someone. She was never given the name, but she could feel the protective rune power clearly, it recognised her.

She felt safe.

Elsa turned to Diana, "You sure you are OK ?" Diana looked ready to throw up just like Mark had, but she didnt, why ? Wait, Georgina passed out, Elsa just felt safer then normal, and Anna... it didnt even seem to phase Anna the emense power of the countless Runes Elsa then saw. On the edges of the cannoade covers were little marks and runes. Protective shielding runes, perserving runes, and she sxaw at the edges of the sail she had unfurled with her magic, speed runes ? perhaps aid runes ?

Inside the Whitesparrow's captains cabin was locked. Only the front meeting room was accessible until Anna tried the door, it opened without a problem. Well that made sense. the protective runes seemed to recognise through bloodline that Anna was aollowed to open the captain cabin doorway, while the gauntlet only went so far.. the room was massive and reminded Anna of her own bedroom. Fully furnished, bed, bathroom, dresser, wardrom you name it it was there. there was also two cannons at the back looking sternwards. And there the runes of protectiveness were strongest.

Diana nodded, shaking her head softly. "Y-yea I'm alright...I just need a minute to sit...there a chair anywhere?" She asked calmly; upon finding one, or something to sit and lean against she plopped down quite heavily, and then gestured to Elsa to go explore the ship. "I'll be fine, your Majesty, go have fun."

Mark followed Anna into the actual cabin for the Captain. He smiled and looked around. "Wow...this is beautiful...they didn't leave a single thing out..." he said, mostly to himself. "I wonder...if only you could access this room...does that mean that the Captain has to be one of the Royal Family? Or...would the ship recognize those given permission to serve upon her?" Mark asked calmly. There was a great book through another door; a private library; on a ship. Marvelous. He immediately went over to the book; it was a chronical of most of Arendelle's history. He'd read a brief history...but this was something different. He'd have to come back for sure and read more.

One of the history sections the book was actually opened to was the christening of the ship, the Whitesparrow. And her proposed crew, the proposed captain at the time was intended to be Queen idun herself, hence her crest upon the mainsail itself instead of a flag. A full crew of three hundred men and women were to crew the vessel. Each man and woman crosstrained in their skills. if one man was wounded, say the cook, everyone else knew how to cook so anyone could step in to cover while the cook healed.

"I'm not sure, I think so, I mean if I could open it, so can Elsa. But, this is like my bedroom ? But on a boat. who would build such a thing. Its like Mother designed it" Idun had indeded had a strong part of the production of the vessel itself. the colors of the vessel were not the normal colors one would find on a ship either. In todays standards, it'd be a lawbreaker pure and simple, at least maritime law.

Elsa stepped into the room and stopped, "This ship is incredible." She breathed softly, her voice though echoed in the room however. It felt so safe in there, like her own bed. Anna went to the windows to the stern, looking out at the huge wall not far away.

"For a ship so big. How does it leave this place ? I dont see any fjords or anything to get to from here" Anna said. She had a point. But it idid/i sound like a waterfall outside. though the castle itselfr was built on an island up high, the dungeons right below it in three levels.

Outside the ship Georgina finally got her brain working. Then she saw the knife, the bronze and gray knife Mark had thrown, at his sister, yet... Georgina wondered why Diana was pulling it so smoothly from the ... white marbled wall... what the fuck ? Georgina got to her feet and went to the wall, light glowed off its surface, the wall location itself shifted color as she inspected it to a dull gray. Strange designs floated, like a hologram in London just off the wall surface. it detailed things like weather, time, and otherwise, all in Arendelle Runes too, the thing was, it was all written in eons old Kudzul! Georgina then went to her friend's side as the knife was removed from the wall. a hair from nailing Diana in the nose dead on. "Are you alright ?"

Diana pulled the knife from the grey rockwall as it pulsed with life, "Yeah, I'm alright." She said softly; steamed beyond measure at her brother for nearly taking her out with a knife, a cowards way for sure!

"Best keep it between us, when Mark asks, we were under orders, his orders, to find this vault anyhow to begin with." Georgina said, Diana nodded spotting Mark on the main deck of the massive vessel, "He's coming this way isnt he ?" Georgina asked as Diana watched Mark stalk down the gangplank looking directly at them

"And giving us the stink-eye too" Diana murmured softly before holding the weapon hilt first for Mark to take as he stepped up to the two, Georgina smirked as she heard Marks thudding boots on the dock and steel decking before turning towards him as he came up to them, her smirk faded as she turned to look his way, he did not look happy either; possibly because Diana did not get ill like he had ?

First words out of Marks mouth were directly to Diana "Alright, out with it, you're not ill, you didnt upchuck" Mark said to her as he briefly looked to the knife in her hand, tempted right then and there to slit her throat with it, but something, not even Kalda could sense it, kept him from even thinking evil towards Diana, after all, he and Elsa had saved her life the months before. "Well, out with it woman, whats making you not ill but me upchucking like fuck ?" Yeah Mark was mad.

"We were following your orders Master Wolfe" Georgina spoke up as Mark gently took the knife from Diana before she could say anything witty to further anger Mark. it sparkled between them briefly, he never saw her face, her eyes seemed to glitter however. Almost a diamond blue. Mark shook it off mentally as he turned to Georgina nodding. it was his orders to find any more vaults. "Under Second as assumed was indeed a vault entry point. as ordered we found the puzzle, Diana aided us. As you know some of us dont have easy access to Eagle Vision like yourself, Diana however does, not as strong as yourself mind, but strong enough to help us figure out the puzzle, Princess Anna was looking for the woman who made you edgey to try and get more information from them that you sought but didnt get this morning"

Mark nodded, "I see, very well, you found the vault as ordered, good. Anything else ?" Mark looked to Diana, expecting her to speak, "What is inside ? What is the puzzle ? Command words ?"

"The puzzle is the statue itself" Diana replied calmly, she stood ramrod still at her brothers penetrating gaze, oh how she wanted to tackle the man in a tight hug right then and there. but no as she had to fake it. She hated lying to her brother, but for the moment it was justified, but only so far. "Like Georgina said, Princess Anna joined us while looking for the Mistress of the Brothel to try and get more information to help you and Elsa, She said you were both edgey this morning and she wanted to help you guys out."

Mark smiled, Yes, Anna was a good soul, if she wanted to help them out, then so be it, besides, who was he to order her or Elsa around anyhow ? "Alright, anything else ? Whats in the vault, and command words to activate anything ?"

Diana nodded, "Yes, The vault looks to have barracks for a small platoon or a half legion of soldiers, most likely sailers, each bed has a desk next to it, like a hotel room, two large bathrooms as well." Diana explained what they found in the room. there were enough triple bunk beds in the room, each had a desk level with it as well, all anchored to the walls, no mattreeses. Yet it looked ready to move in the soldiers when required. "There was also a bar, which opened to a door, the words "Call To Arms" unlocked it, but the words "Roll Call" opened it into this hallway to here."

Mark nodded, good, it was good, they did as he had requested, orders was too strong a word. "Good, now," He gave a pointed look at Diana, "Why didnt you get sick ? Are you Royal? A friend of the Royal Family, perhaps? Or, ... and I dare you to test me on this one... A Wolfe?" he growled out that middle part with a narrowing of his eyes.

If he was trying to jar Diana into revealing who she was it didnt work, she was somehow expecting it, She shook her head "No I am not a member of the Wolfe family, I am an Assassin of the Arendelle Branch, taught by Georgina, I stay with her and work with her. At sight of the ship I did feel sick, but I guess I have better control or am too far away for anything to harm me ?" It was true, at that point when Elsa and Anna rejoined the three some in debate they had explored the ship carefully, Elsa had another book in her hands, a third journal.

There was not much Mark could say to that, it was true the distance from the ship made him feel better. Heck without his armor he felt better. perhaps it was because of his asrmor the ship did not recognise him ? Like it was sentient ? "Very well, I will accept the excuse for now" Georgina had to smirk behind Mark, it was like an old bucket, it held water, it did the job.

Diana however saw Elsa, and the new Journal, it was more of a legder looking book, yet there was something more about it. Diana felt as if the book was important, she pointed at it "what is that ?"

Elsa smiled, "Another of Mothers journals, it details the construction of the ship, the runes used, everything" she said, it also detailed the location of a fourth journal. But it also had some darker details, but Elsa couldnt pull herself from the book at all, it sucked her in tightly. Like a flytrap. it had stuff Elsa did not want to think about. She turned to them all; "So, did you find what Mark sought ?" Mark had left the ship quiet quickly muttering about why Diana wasnt ill like he had been and how they got down there, Anna had explained only scant details.

They all nodded, "yes, everything is set, now where does this come out ? It isnt easy to hider a ship this big, so prestine condition too!" Mark said, he went along the dock, the wothers followed him briefly, Diana keeping her distance and watching their backs. Was her job actually to do such thing.

As the group walked along the dockline looking for the inlet control door, Mark began muttering to himself again as his eyes blazed bronze once more. He stared up and down at the walls for a switch or a hidden word. He growled in frustration upon finding anything. However he let out a whistle of admiration when he saw the sheer size of the chains that held the anchor for the ship. Even the chains and anchor it looked like had runes on them.

Mark scurried back to the Ship and examined the chain, nudging it with his foot a few times before trying to lift it. "I wonder...how many men you reckon would be enough to Weigh Anchor?"

The face of the rock in front of the White Sparrow cracked straight down the middle and hissed as fresh sea air poured into the chamber. Slowly the anchor's chain began to rise from the water, the liquid simply slipping right off. Rust resistance and Hydrophobic runes...interesting. And no sea smell either! Suddenly the entire cavern shook, and the wall in front of the Whitesparrow's bow began to split apart.

When Mark scampered back to the ship the others traded looks, what the hell ? "Better we join him before he goes somewhere without us" Georgina said. The rest agreed and barely were on the ship's main deck when the gangplank began folding up into the hull of the ship. Oh no; the lines holding the vessel to the dock however remained tightly locked down. That was good, for the moment.

At the sudden rumble, of which they did not feel anything above ground, or those aboard the ship, the wall towards the bow cracked open and sunlight streamed through, filtered by water; ho yes of course! There was the water fall on that side of the castle! naturally occuring too! It started in the garden in the back of the castle, wait, did someone in the past design it ?

It didnt matter, soon the Whitesparrow would be seeing daylight!

Arendelle Castle

Ice Rink Courtyard

At that same moment

With a loud CLANK the stairs returned to being a fountain bottom as water once more flowed into the fountain and its many streams. the ice palace model however also acted, Elsa had seen how Ulnaus loved to perch upon the ice at thqat particular fountain. So, as the fountain reformed and filled once again with fresh water, the ice palace model broke apart and refroze into the form of Ulanus favorite perch. Allowing the massive eagle to preen in the sunlight and watch over the Ice Rink courtyard. There was a new bird in town, and he was staying put, His name was Ulnaus, and his family meal Templar, raw. Preferably in bad shape or about to die. but at this moment the massive Eagle preened, as if nothing had happened moments before.