Content warnings: violence, blood and gore, discussion of slavery.
Dalaran
The sisters and Kristoff found themselves back in Runeweaver Square, Sven already waiting impatiently outside the building.
"What's gotten into him?" Kristoff complained. "He's never done anything like this as long as I've had him!"
"Err… just how long have you had him, Kristoff?" Elsa wondered aloud. Despite his confidence when they first met, she realized quickly that he was almost as much of a novice in the jungle as they were. Certainly his hunting skills were… average.
"Like… a month?"
Both sisters looked at each other, then gave Kristoff a long, mildly disapproving look.
Sven nuzzled up against Elsa as they began their walk to the infirmary. "Is he always this friendly?" Elsa asked. The stag seemed to nudge her repeatedly with his snout, as though he were trying to communicate something.
Kristoff shook his head. "No, usually he really doesn't like other people. He really seems to have taken a liking to you," he sighed, a tinge of jealousy in his voice. "Here, give him a carrot," he offered, grabbing one out of his saddle bag.
Elsa gingerly took the carrot and put it near the stag's mouth, expecting him to take a bite out of it. Instead, he grabbed it with his teeth and flung it into the street gutter, nearly clobbering her with his antlers. "Uh… I don't think he likes carrots, Kristoff," Elsa muttered.
Archmage Elandra was waiting for the group at the infirmary, having sensed the teleportation. "Ah, my apprentice. I trust your quest was successful?"
Elsa bowed to her master as Anna took the herbs over to Oliserra and began explaining what the Pabbie the troll had told them. "Yes, Archmage. We ran into a troll who gave us some guidance after we saved his life."
"How fortuitous! I am pleased it worked out. And who are your companions?" she said, looking at Kristoff briefly before staring intently at Sven.
"I'm Kristoff, and this is my pet, Sven," he said, patting Sven on the rump. "We're hunters."
"Are you now?" Elandra murmured, closing her eyes briefly and reaching out with her magic. "Your pet is cursed, afflicted with dark magic of some kind. Apprentice Jansen, this is a teaching moment. Close your eyes and reach out towards Sven with your mind."
Elsa followed her teacher's instructions, sensing a dark aura of some kind around Sven, like black chains around his body. "What- what is that?"
Elandra wove her hands in the air. "It is a curse of some kind, perhaps a hex. If you were dealing with trolls, it's entirely possible a witch doctor hexed this poor creature, though to what end, I do not know." Sven nuzzled insistently against both Elsa and Elandra. "Watch carefully, Apprentice Jansen, as I decurse this creature. See the steps in your mind."
Elandra cast the spell, a small burst of violet light rushing from her fingers. Elsa could see the violet light settle like snow on Sven, the black chains beginning to break. Suddenly, the curse collapsed like glass shattering, the pieces of dark magic falling away…
… and Sven was no longer a stag, but a tall Night Elf standing before them.
Kristoff stood in shock, slack-jawed.
"Thank Elune!" the tall, muscular Night Elf shouted gleefully. "I've been trapped in travel form for over a month!" He shook Elandra's hand vigorously. "I can't thank you both enough. I was foraging for some rare herbs near Zul'Gurub when one of those blasted trolls stumbled upon me. Witch doctor, as you said," he nodded to Elandra, "and before I knew it, I was in stag form - and couldn't escape. Next thing I knew, this human hunter claimed to 'tame' me, which I used as an excuse to get away from the area with someone who I could outrun if the trolls came back to finish me off."
Sven turned to Kristoff. "And YOU, hunter boy. I know you meant no harm, but by Elune, I can't possibly eat any more fucking carrots!" the druid swore at Kristoff. "Stag and deer eat more than just carrots! What in the world were you thinking? Don't you actually know anything about animals, being a hunter?"
Kristoff swallowed hard. "Uh… my family grows a lot of carrots on our farm in Redridge? Sorry," he shrugged. "Hey, at least you didn't starve or get roasted for dinner."
Sven took a deep breath, settled his emotions, and clapped his hands together. "Now that that's out of the way… my people's culture requires me to repay my debt to you, Elsa, for finding and rescuing me from this curse. So until I have done so, I am at your disposal."
Elsa squirmed slightly at the formality and gravity of Sven's proclamation. "You're welcome. And… umm… is Sven even your name?"
The Night Elf smirked. "Not even close. My name is Talriel Kharen'dil Bladesong of the House Thundercrest. As you no doubt surmised based on my quest, I am a druid of the Cenarion Circle," he bowed deeply.
Kristoff, recovered from his shock, hesitantly asked, "Uh… can I still call you Sven? Also I'm really sorry about patting you on the ass so much when you were a deer."
Talriel pointed at him, opening and closing his mouth silently before regaining his composure. "Just Talriel is fine. And… forget about the rest, though I will break your hands if you touch me there again, since you know who I am. Now, this poison you went in search of… it was used by an assassin?"
Elsa nodded as Anna dug the herbs out of her satchel. Talriel examined the herbs carefully. "So the troll told you two parts of this herb to one part of the others. I recognize the wildvine and the swifthistle. This third herb… it is something rare, something unfamiliar. What did you say it was doing?"
Oliserra pointed to Iduna's sleeping body. "Whatever it is, it has slowed her healing and prevented her from waking. I have attempted to give her draughts of cinderbloom to no effect to wake her and stimulate her blood." Iduna lay peacefully, a slight green hue still coloring her skin.
The sisters both stood by Iduna's bed, each cradling a hand. "She's still so warm, Elsa," Anna said, tracing the lines on her mother's worn, calloused hands.
Elsa nodded. "She is, but hopefully Oliserra can prepare an antidote, now that she has the herbs and the formula." Elsa took her mother's hand and one of Anna's hands and held them together on her mother's stomach. A few long moments passed as the druid and healer conferred.
Talriel shook his head. "No… this can't be what I think it is. Bloodvine has been extinct for generations… unless the Gurubashi managed to keep some alive, hidden within their city. This is… quite remarkable. And there are berries! Oh, how wondrous!" he exclaimed, dancing in a circle. "With these, we might be able to regrow this long-lost herb outside of Stranglethorn Vale! I must get these back to my people soon."
Oliserra looked at the herbs piled on the table. "This would make quite a potent poison, easily capable of killing someone in just a few moments. What do you suppose happened, that the assassin who attacked Iduna did not kill her?" the High Elf mused. "It almost seems intentional; the dagger in her back should have been a heart or kidney shot, instead of into the muscle, and the poison didn't kill her, though by rights it should have been almost instantly lethal."
"It was clearly intentional, Master Oliserra," a gnome's voice spoke up, causing everyone to turn their heads. Pathstalker Gilen wandered back into the infirmary. "I must thank you, my adventuring friends, for solving a mystery that has vexed the various rogue orders for some time. Such a rare and deadly poison was known to us long ago, but thanks to you, we know it once more. We are in your debt as well," Gilen smiled. "With your permission, Archmage, may I take this blade back into the custody of the Pathstalker order?"
Elandra nodded in assent. "Apprentice Jansen, assuming you feel up to you, and with the assistance of your friends, you may wish to find the owner of this knife and determine their intent. There is more than meets the eye here, with long-lost troll poisons, curiously inept assassins, and cursed druids." She pulled out another parchment and inscribed her orders on it. "By order of the Kirin Tor, you are authorized to investigate this mystery and bring back any knowledge you find. You may teleport to and from Dalaran and Westfall as you require, including transporting people and materials." She handed the scroll to Elsa, who bowed and tucked it into her robes. "Do you wish for me to assign you a more experienced mage to accompany you?"
Elsa looked at her sister, who shook her head. "No thank you, Archmage Elandra," Anna said confidently. "We'll stop by my company at Sentinel Hill and I'll ask Marshal Stoutmantle to assign us a platoon. If it's an official Kirin Tor mission, I'm sure he can spare a couple of knights."
"Very well, Miss Jansen. Good hunting," Elandra nodded, as the motley crew waited for Elsa to finish casting a portal to Westfall.
Westfall
"I'm sorry, I can't spare anyone at the moment, Knight-Cadet Jansen," Knight-Captain Danuvin said to Anna as he looked up from his desk inside the Sentinel Hill tower. "Though we value our allies in the Kirin Tor, all our troops are either in the field or recovering. These constant skirmishes with the Horde are depleting us severely, especially with King Anduin ordering every outpost on high alert."
Anna saluted meekly and walked out of the tower, finding Elsa, Kristoff, and Talriel waiting at the bottom of the battlement. She grimaced. "Stormwind doesn't have any troops to spare because of the war against the Horde," she sighed. "I guess… well, I guess we could try going it alone?"
"Uh, exactly what are we going up against?" Kristoff asked, pulling at his collar nervously.
"Just some bandits in the hills nearby. Nothing major," Anna said, putting on a brave smile. "We can handle a few bandits, especially with your hunting skills and Elsa's magic. And… Talriel, you said you're a druid?"
The Night Elf nodded. "I am a full druid of the Cenarion Circle, and my skills are mostly in healing and rare herbs. If you plan to wage war, even against petty thieves, I am honored to assist you as repayment of my debt of honor."
Anna smiled. "Okay, I'll get my gear and we can head out. If I remember correctly, most of the bandits in the area used to hang out in Moonbrook, so we'll start there."
A half hour later, Elsa was leaning up against the side of the barracks, idly tracing lines of snow in the air when Anna emerged.
Anna strode out of the barracks dressed in heavy plate armor, her sword and shield pristine as her blue Stormwind tabard fluttered in the light breeze. She was every part the fierce, bold warrior she'd trained to be, and Elsa nearly fell over gawking at her sister's beauty.
"You… you look amazing, Anna. I- I don't think I've ever seen you dressed in your full armor like this. You're truly my knight in shining armor" she said, tracing a finger over the shining steel, a thin layer of frost creeping over it to keep her sister cool.
Anna laughed. "You look pretty delectable yourself, Miss Ice Queen." She hugged her sister gently, trying to avoid pressing any of the sharper edges of her armor and bruising Elsa, then stole a quick kiss before finding the rest of their group near the Inn.
"All right, everyone got everything they need?" Heads nodded, and their party set out for Moonbrook.
Elsa sidled up to her sister along the walk as Kristoff and Talriel scouted ahead. "Do you think we're going to run into much trouble?" she asked, worried. After the skirmish that injured Iduna, Elsa struggled to keep her fears contained.
Anna shook her head. "I'm sure it's going to be fine, Elsa. What's a few bandits against a group of bold adventurers like us?" she grinned, rubbing her sister's forearm. "Not that we're invincible or legendary warriors or anything, but we know what we're doing. Kristoff's an okay shot, I'm ready to be the Red Dervish, you've got your magic, and Talriel can patch us up if things don't go well."
Ahead, Kristoff and Talriel took cover behind a broken-down wagon on the side of the road just on the edge of the abandoned town of Moonbrook. The sisters joined them, crouching down. "What is it?" Anna asked, straining to look around the edge.
"Red bandannas," Kristoff whispered. "That makes them Defias Brotherhood. We had big trouble with them in Redridge a few years back. They're bad news. Do you think… if we go back to Sentinel Hill, do you think they'll take it more seriously if we tell them what we're up against?"
Anna shook her head. "We're it. Knight-Captain Danuvin said they had no one to spare, not even other cadets. How many did you see?"
"I uh… I'm not sure," Kristoff muttered. A sigh of frustration sounded behind him, and Talriel shapeshifted into a giant black panther, creeping towards the ruined settlement.
"He's still mad at me," Kristoff said, watching the druid walk the length of the compound.
"How much time did you spend groping his butt?" Anna giggled quietly.
"Hey! I didn't know he wasn't a deer!"
Elsa shushed them both, though she herself struggled to contain her mirth. Leave it to her sister to not only pick up a stray hunter, but a stray hunter with a pet that turned out to be an elf.
A few minutes later, Talriel returned, shapeshifting back into his Night Elf form. "I counted approximately twenty bandits in three buildings. I suspect the ones we want are in the building with the bell tower. They appear to be the leaders, or at least the ones giving the orders. The packs in the outer buildings appear to be mostly foot soldiers."
"Four against twenty?" Kristoff gasped. "Those are shitty odds, Anna. Maybe we should call it off, find some other way to get help. We could go back to Dalaran and ask for the Archmage's help after all?"
Anna shook her head again. "We're already here, and I don't want them to get away. We need a distraction of some kind so we can slowly pick them off, rather than fight that many all at once."
"Kristoff, hand me your pistol," Elsa said. The hunter handed a small, worn single shot flintlock pistol to her. She looked at the settlement and blinked to the side of one of the buildings, then carefully cocked the pistol and laid it on the ground, pointing it at the building. Once set, she blinked back to the group. "Okay, I'm going to cast a small fire spell on your pistol to set it off. That should get a few of them running here, behind the building, and we can take them down."
"You're a damn genius, sis," Anna grinned broadly.
"Everyone ready?" All heads nodded, and Elsa tossed a small firebolt at the pistol, discharging it with a loud crack.
In seconds, not one or three but eighteen bandits came running out of the buildings to investigate. "Shit!" Elsa cursed, readying her magic, while Kristoff took aim and Sven's hands glowed green, readying healing spells. "All right… let's try to stay to the left side, and-"
"Let's do this! ANNNNNNNA JAAAAAANSENNNNN!" her sister ran out, shield braced, sword raised high. Before the bandits could react, she whirled like a dervish, felling four of them in a deadly dance of steel.
Kristoff looked on in shock. "Did she…?"
Elsa nodded grimly. "She did." The mage began flinging ice and frost at the attackers.
The hunter stood up from behind the wagon and opened fire, picking off three bandits that attempted to flank Anna, as Talriel cast spell after spell on Anna to ensure she didn't suffer any serious harm, healing and regrowth spells binding any wounds instantly.
Despite their speed, the remaining eleven attackers had Anna surrounded, and were circling her with heavy arms ready. No matter which way she turned, she'd be jumped from behind and almost certainly overwhelmed and killed.
Elsa watched in horror as Anna found herself outnumbered and outmatched. Time slowed again, and her fear sank into her stomach. Conceal, don't feel… don't… her father's voice echoed in her mind. Control your powers or you could end up hurting someone, his memory whispered to her.
What if… I need to hurt someone? she wondered, looking at the bandits surrounding Anna, everyone frozen in time. One was about to lurch forward and attack. What if I need my fear, my emotions, to protect my love? Fear melted like a late spring snowfall, draining away as it thawed. Runes danced in her mind, swirling like snow until they fit together like puzzle pieces, and she suddenly felt the urge to let her magic out, to let it go.
Elsa smirked, regarding the bandits as little more than nuisances, and reached into the air with her hands, magic pouring from her.
Anna froze.
Literally.
An ice block encased Anna, and the sky darkened above her.
Giant shards of ice the size of swords fell from the clouds and gusty winds surrounded her, freezing the bandits in place. The storm intensified, and within moments every bandit had been felled, many cut to pieces by the ice.
Elsa lowered her hands, dispelling the ice block around Anna, and collapsed against the side of the wagon, completely exhausted.
Anna looked around in shock - first at being encased in ice and being unable to move for what seemed like forever, and then seeing all her foes undone. She ran back to the wagon as soon as the ice faded to find her sister laying on the ground, exhausted from the effort.
"Elsa!" she cradled her sister's unconscious form, tears flowing from her eyes. "Talriel, is she hurt? What happened?"
The druid shook his head, gently smiling. "She's unharmed, Anna. She simply expended too much magic all at once. We all have a connection to the ether, to the magic force known as mana, and using it requires our own energy. She chose to save you by overextending herself. She'll recover shortly, though it may take some time before she can cast a larger spell again."
A few moments later, Elsa regained consciousness and struggled to sit up. "I… I'm all right. I'll be all right," she gasped. Talriel handed her a small vial of blue liquid which she drank readily. As soon as she finished it, color returned to her cheeks.
Anna choked back a sob of happiness and grabbed Elsa's head, kissing her fully and deeply, threading her fingers through her sister's hair. "I thought I'd lost you, sis," she cried, hugging her so tightly that Elsa struggled for breath while Kristoff looked on, horrified.
He whispered to Talriel, "Uh, Sven, aren't they… sisters?"
The druid rolled his eyes. "It's Talriel, hunter boy, and yes, they're sisters. What of it?"
"They're SISTERS!" Kristoff sputtered, "They shouldn't… be doing that… should they? Do Night Elves do that?"
"You humans are so short-sighted. Of course we do that. Until the fall of the world tree Nordrassil a few years ago, we were immortal. Our society is so old and storied that relationships among blood are quite common, boy," the druid scoffed. "When you live forever, you eventually date everyone. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand."
Talriel cleared his throat loudly. "All that remains are the leaders in the main building. Your diversion brought out everyone else," the druid chuckled, as the sisters remembered they weren't alone. "Let us finish this business."
The party ventured into the main building, expecting to find heavy resistance from the leaders, but heard nothing. They ascended the rickety wooden stairs until they reached what looked to be a large assembly room, like a church or town hall.
At the front, instead of two leaders ready to fight, stood a man with a red bandanna over his face, holding a knife to the throat of a woman with the same red bandanna covering. Elsa regarded the situation carefully; the man was clearly angry at the woman and was threatening her. She could barely make out the words, from the hoarseness of his shouting and the echoing from the wooden walls.
"I told you, bitch! This is all your fault! If you had killed those farmers like you were supposed to, none of this would be happening!" the man screamed.
"It's not my fault, Hans! I followed your orders! I did everything you asked of me!" cried the woman.
The man pressed the woman against the wall, the blade beginning to bite against her neck. "I'm going to finish you, and then finish the job myself! I'll throw your body with what's left of your boy," he sneered, then pulled back the hand with the knife in it to plunge it into her heart…
… and it froze. His entire forearm turned icy blue, then shattered as the sound of Kristoff's rifle echoed in the room, shearing off the man's hand and leaving an icy blue stump where the hand was. For a moment, he stupidly stared at what was left of his arm, and then he fell to the ground, dead, a dagger in his heart. Dark green veins spread over the rictus of his face, the poison on the dagger rapidly spreading throughout his body.
The woman stared in shock at the body of her former leader laying on the ground, at what she'd done to him with her dagger. Blood slowly dripped from the cut on her throat where the Defias leader had attacked her.
Anna carefully approached her, shield raised, sword aimed at her. "In the name of Stormwind and King Wrynn, I declare you our prisoner of war," she continued. "Your cooperation will be rewarded. Escape or resistance will be punished," she recited from memory, the warning given by all of Stormwind's troops for prisoners of war.
"I surrender. I yield. Please don't hurt me!" she cried, lifting her hands in the air.
Anna looked closely at the woman. Something about her seemed familiar. In a moment of impulse, she sheathed her sword and pulled gently on the bandanna, revealing the mysterious woman at the Sentinel Hill tavern. "You! Uh… Katal! That was what he called you, wasn't it?" she exclaimed, pointing at the corpse on the ground.
The woman nodded before falling to her knees. "Please, spare my life! I… I know I've done terrible things, committed terrible crimes, but I had no choice! Please, I beg for mercy in King Wrynn's name, don't execute me!"
Anna looked at her sister, who gave a silent nod, then knelt down next to the woman, shield in front of her just in case. "Explain yourself, and we will see, Katal."
"That- that isn't my name," she sniffled. "My name… my name in Common is Honeymaren. My people are descended from the vrykul of Northrend." She clutched at her throat, her wound making her wince.
Anna gestured to Talriel. "Would you mind? Since she's now a prisoner of war, she's entitled to humane treatment under Alliance laws." The druid gave a small smile and cast regrowth on Honeymaren, her wounds sealing up instantly.
"Now, explain yourself," asked Elsa, firmly but quietly.
Honeymaren took a deep breath. "I grew up as a hunter in my people's village. We are called the children of the fog, because of our abilities to vanish and stay hidden. That was my special talent and skill. Five years ago, pirates raided our village, killing our men and capturing the women and children, like me and my young son, Ryder. They brought us to Booty Bay, where we were sold off or bartered. That's how I found myself in the service of the Defias Brotherhood. This…", she kicked the corpse of their leader, "was Hans Ashvane. He's a prince of some kind from some southern isle - Kul Tiras, I think. He bought me and Ryder and pressed me into service."
Tears began to fall from her dark brown eyes. "Early on, I tried to escape with him, but Ashvane threatened to kill my son if I did, so I stayed and obeyed him. I kept trying to find a way out, but… I never did." She began to sob. "My boy… died… two days ago, worked to death in the Deadmines. This was going to be the last job, the last mission, and then I was going to get us out one way or another, even if the Defias put a price on my head. Even though…"
"You have no place to go. That's why you didn't kill our mother or the other farmers," Elsa murmured.
Honeymaren shook her head as she curled up into herself, hugging her knees. "I- I used the least amount of poison I could, so that it would stun instead of kill, and I made sure to avoid anything crippling or killing. I had to make it look convincing, otherwise Ashvane would have had me killed too. But I… I couldn't destroy any more families like Ashvane destroyed mine."
"Thank you," Elsa murmured, pulling Honeymaren into a gentle hug. "You chose mercy when you didn't have to. Is… is there an antidote to the poison?"
"There is," Honeymaren nodded. "Mageroyal will speed healing back up, and lichbloom from my homeland will counteract the healing dampening of the bloodvine."
Elsa stood up, lifting Honeymaren to her feet. "All right. We need to get back to Dalaran to get the antidote for our mother. You're coming with us, and we'll figure out what to do after Mama is healed."
Honeymaren shrugged listlessly, the adrenaline rush having faded. "I have nothing left to live for now, so… it doesn't really matter what happens to me. I would rather spend my years in a Stormwind prison than looking over my shoulder for the Defias to fulfill a vendetta against me for… this," she sighed, gesturing at the carnage.
Kristoff cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh… listen, this has been fun and all but… I'm, uh… I'm going to just find my way back to Redridge now. I'm glad we were able to find the antidote and everything so… yeah." The hunter awkwardly walked out of the building, nearly falling down the stairs.
Elsa quirked an eyebrow at her sister, who ran after him outside.
"Hey! Hey, Kristoff! What gives?"
Kristoff looked slightly green. "Uh… look. During the… the battle? When you came back and your sister was out cold? You uh… you kind of really kissed her. Like… romantic kissed her. That's really- I mean, that's, umm… that made me uncomfortable," he said, staring at his feet. "So I'm just… gonna go, okay? It's been… yeah."
Anna shrugged. "I get it. It's… we're a little unconventional. I'm sorry if that made you feel bad. Well, thank you for your help with everything." She handed him a small coin pouch filled with silver and a few gold coins that she'd taken off the fallen Defias. "For your help," she said with a smile.
"Thanks. I'll definitely make use of it, maybe to buy an actual hunting companion instead of… a druid…" he blushed, embarrassed. "A druid who… yeah. I guess I did pat him on the rump an awful lot."
Anna snickered and gave him an awkward hug. "Good luck, Kristoff." She headed back inside the building as the hunter walked down the dusty road. Inside, Elsa had cast a portal back to Dalaran, and Anna clasped hands with her sister as they jumped through.
Author's Notes
Hans always dies :)
For those who don't play World of Warcraft, the part where Anna screams her own name is a nod to a famous meme from the game early on, the Leeroy Jenkins meme, in which a player runs recklessly into a dungeon shouting his own name, only to cause complete chaos and wipe his party. Fortunately, Anna's effort was more successful.
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