The Guardian

by Concolor44

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Author's Note: My apologies for not adding in my responses to your reviews (I THINK I got everyone ... if not, it wasn't for lack of trying). I can only blame it on lack of sleep, which has been my lot in life this week.

CrunchDeNumbers ...
- Yes, the Sentinels make impressive shock troops.
- Elsa was right - more than she knows - that there is more to her magic than she'd suspected.

Nitebreaker ...
- "General Stokes" had experienced CRUSHING defeat once before, which is why he is being so maniacal about this campaign against Elsa.

Guest ...
- Poisoning was impractical for a few reasons. Poisons can be devilishly tricky to control, and if the troops had begun getting sick too soon, Elsa would never have gotten into position for ... sorry, no spoilers. Conversely, if the poison hadn't begun to affect them until after ... hmm, no spoilers there, either.
- Sigurd died from the force of the geas placed on him. He got sick because he was a poor choice for his task, but the Duke's agents didn't have time to find a better candidate.

ptahaegyptus2 ...
- "In the second, it was no one Sven knew." I'm most pleased that line got the reaction I was aiming for from you.
- Kristoff has fire crystals BECAUSE he is the prophesied Guardian. That will get expanded upon later.
- Qualification to bear fire crystals has some pretty narrow parameters.
- Somehow I don't think Elsa would submit to the witch's test ...

Shawn Raven ...
- No, you REALLY don't want to get on the wrong side of a Sentinel. She didn't make them to be push-overs.
- Glad you liked the plot point that involved Sigurd and his dish-washing. My Muse just handed me that one, pretty much as you read it.

Now, on with the show!

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Chapter 13: Sources and Substance

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24 June 1841, 9:20pm

Elsa sat on a padded stool near the campfire, brooding over the events of the day. Even knowing exactly what she'd find, the collection of burned out hulks where the village of Kalaad once stood had badly depressed her.

A squad of eight men, dispatched by the Admiral six days earlier to see to burials and cleanup, had dragged the slaughtered livestock off into the woods, and had wrapped each human victim in shrouds for interment. Adam Harlsson, the priest that accompanied them, had done his best to identify each body, but in a couple of cases they just decided to bury an infant with one of the women and not worry about a separate marker. Sifting through the rubble had only netted him a handful of names anyway. The final set of burials had been completed the day before, and Father Harlsson simply waited on the Queen's party, as he had known she would want to speak with him, and didn't wish to chance missing her on the way back.

Platitudes, she thought, that's all he had to offer. Where is God's love in this tragedy? Where is anything that could be viewed as solace? How …

A mug came to hover in front of her face, cutting short her brown study. Her eyes rose to meet her sister's.

"You look like you could use some hot chocolate."

Gratefully accepting the drink, Elsa gestured, creating another stool. Anna sat, and the two of them spent a quiet minute appreciating the essential nature of the panacea that is cocoa.

The Queen broke the silence. "I don't suppose Kristoff told you anything more?"

Anna snorted. "He can't share what he doesn't know. All he can say is that he had a feeling it would work. And it did." She waved a careless hand. "It's all bound up in this whole fire-crystal-and-Earth-Elemental thing he has going. He doesn't understand it. I don't understand it. I just wish Pabbie had been more generous with a few details."

"Yeah, that would have been helpful. He's supposed to be this Guardian thing, but if he doesn't know what all he can do – or even should do – it can't help but put a crimp in how effective he-"

A throat cleared behind them. "What I'm supposed to do is keep you safe. That much I know."

Anna jerked around. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A while." He hefted the bag of stones slung at his waist. "And I hope being able to throw rocks really, really fast will be enough. With all this other weird magic going on …"

"… Yeah." The redhead caught her sister's eye, then twined their fingers together. "We have to make sure the right magic sticks around."

Captain Jorgensen approached and bowed. "Your Majesty, Your Highness. Have you time for a word?"

"Certainly, Captain. What's on your mind?"

"Ever since this morning when you told us about getting a … message? I believe that was your word. You received a message from that Sentinel that defended the village, did you not?"

"Yes. Well, sort of. More like a series of images flashing by."

"Fine, fine. I've been turning that fact over in my head all day."

Anna looked puzzled. "What for?"

"I was just wondering: Do you think it would be possible for you to initiate communication with one of them?"

Elsa sat up rather straight. "What? You mean … try to talk to one? From here?"

"Perhaps? It may not exactly be 'talk', but if you could … contact one? Perhaps be able to see what it sees?"

Elsa frowned, her mind suddenly racing furiously. "I … huh. I never have done that with Olaf or Marshmallow."

"You know, though, Sis, that Olaf always seems to know where you are."

"… Does he?"

"Don't tell me you've never noticed that!"

"… Okay, fine, I won't tell you."

Kristoff asked, "Have you ever tried to communicate with Olaf over a distance?"

"Well, no. Why would I?"

"How about giving it a try now?"

"Maybe because I don't have the least clue how to go about it!"

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

He made calming motions. "I'm just saying, it's something you might be able to do, if you can get yourself thinking in the right direction. Step one is clearing your mind from distractions, and the first step toward that is closing your eyes."

She cocked an incredulous eyebrow his way, shook her head, and let her eyelids drop shut.

"Good. Now, think about Olaf. Think about how you feel about him, about that … wasn't your word 'exhilaration'? Think about the joy you felt when you created him."

A tiny smile formed on her lips. She whispered, "Happiest I'd been in thirteen years."

"Right! Think about his carefree approach to life, about how happy he is all the time. Think about his love for flowers and summer and warm hugs and …"

[ [ Hi, Elsa! ] ]

[ [ Olaf?! ] ]

[ [ This is like the best warm hug ever! How come we haven't done this before? ] ]

Elsa's eyes flew open along with her mouth. "I can hear him."

Anna gasped, then bounced up and down and squealed, then threw her arms around Kristoff. "That's so awesome! How'd you get so smart?"

He blinked down at the Princess in his arms. "You know … I don't really know." Though neither of them could tell, under his shirt and vest, the fire crystals were glowing.

[ [ Elsa? You still there? ] ]

[ [ Yes! Olaf, is that really you? ] ]

[ [ Um … I think so? Snow and sticks and this great carrot Anna got me for my nose? My own personal flurry? Is there another snowman you made that I don't know about? Besides Marshmallow, I mean. ] ]

[ [ No, no. Well, sort of. Um, except they're … okay, they aren't people-shaped, and they're really big, and they're mostly ice instead of snow, but … I didn't tell you about my plans before we left, did I? ] ]

[ [ Nope. You've been heading up into the mountains, though. I just figured you wanted to make another ice palace somewhere. ] ]

[ [ I want to protect Arendelle from … bad people. There are bad people who have come in over the border and … and … ] ]

[ [ Oh, no! They hurt a village! ] ]

[ [ … Yes. ] ]

[ [ What can I do to help? ] ]

[ [ You're doing it, Olaf. You showed me I could talk to you like this. Now I have to talk to the others. ] ]

[ [ Oh, okay. If anybody needs a warm hug, let me know. ] ]

[ [ I'll do that. Thank you, Olaf. ] ]

Elsa looked at those around her, an expression of wonder on her face. "I guess there's a lot more to my magic than I'd thought."

Anna pulled her into a group hug with Kristoff. "You Are So Awesome!"

Captain Jorgensen said, "So I take it the experiment was a success?"

"Yes. Yes, it was."

"Does that mean you can speak with your more recent creations?"

Pulling away from the hug, Elsa stood straight and concentrated for a moment. "Now I regret naming them all Þurs."

"Can you use their positions to tell them apart?" The Captain was getting overtly excited about the prospects.

"Wait a bit, please." She stood quietly, listening to something only she could hear. Then she sighed and said, "Maybe? It's hard to know."

"Can you tell how far away they are?"

"Um … now that you mention it … sort of." She pointed roughly southwest. "The nearest one is that way, but I can't really put a figure on what 'nearest' means."

Anna asked, "So that would be the one we left about half a league back? At that decent-sized place that straddled a stream?"

Elsa nodded.

Anna made 'shooing' motions. "Well go on! Talk to it!"

Settling her mind, Elsa closed her eyes again and tried to picture the general area where she'd formed her latest creation. In but a few seconds …

[ [ My Lady Queen. Your humble servant. ] ]

[ [ Thank you, Þurs. How are you feeling? ] ]

[ [ If you mean physical sensation, My Lady, I don't really have any of that, not possessing a nervous system. ] ]

[ [ … Of course. Have you had any further interaction with the villagers? ] ]

[ [ Only the children. There are currently three of the older ones lying at length on my back. Apparently the evening is warm enough to allow such. ] ]

She couldn't quite stifle a giggle.[ [ I see. May I assume they've been pestering you ever since we left? ] ]

[ [ I don't view it as 'pestering', My Lady. I am your representative here in this place. It is a position of honor, and I thank you for creating me. ] ]

A couple of tears surprised the Queen. Surreptitiously she wiped at her eyes and answered,[ [ I'm glad I made you, too … and very glad you feel that way. ] ]

[ [ Ah. The children just left. There is no one about now. By your leave, I will begin my patrol of the area. ] ]

[ [ Oh, certainly! We may speak more later. And please don't hesitate to call for me at your need. ] ]

[ [ I will do that, My Lady Queen. A good night to you. ] ]

Their connection faded. Elsa looked at those around her, then focused on Anna … whom she swept into a tight hug. "Thank you! Thank you, Anna, so much!"

"Uh … sure. You're welcome or whatever. But … why?"

"For showing me how to love."

"Pshaw. I didn't show you anything."

"Hush, now, none of that. You are Arendelle's hero. And mine."

The Princess grinned. "I'll take it."

Captain Jorgensen cleared his throat. "May I assume that experiment was also successful?"

"Completely."

He rubbed his hands together in glee. "Excellent!"

"I take it you have an idea based on this ability?"

He quickly outlined his proposal. "So then if there is an incursion anywhere along the line …"

"Then Elsa can send all the nearby Sentinels to fight 'em!"

Tapping a finger on her lower lip, the Queen finally nodded. "That's sound. Workable. I like it."

"That does mean," put in Kristoff, "that you have a lot more Sentinels to create."

"Eh. I knew that already." She allowed a soft smile to grace her lips. "I'm also glad to know that they … well, they don't mind my having created them."

Anna gave her hand a squeeze. "You made them through love. That's why."

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Two men, one tall and lanky, one shorter and wider (and both scruffy) crouched in the thick scrub that blanketed the mountainside opposite Elsa's camp. The tall one adjusted a telescope. He was peering almost due west into the sunset, and had to get creative with how he shaded the thing while still holding it steady.

"So is it her?"

"Shut yer gob, Alex."

"Come on, Lars, lemme have a go at it."

"Like Hell. You drop this thing an' it's my skin that'll get peeled."

"My eyes are better'n yours."

"Ha-ha, funny man. You oughta play that tune f'r th' Duke."

Alex crossed his arms and huffed, "Asshole."

Lars ignored him. After another minute, he stiffened, and his companion noticed. "What? What'd ya see?"

"That's gotta be her an' 'er sister. Blonde an' a ginger, right?"

"That's what th' Gen'ral said. Lemme look!"

"Bugger off." He squinted a bit more, then put the telescope away. "Yeah, that's her. An' it explains why that patrol's so big. It ain't a patrol."

Trying to salvage some of his wounded dignity, Alex sniffed, "Guess I'll go tell th' Gen'ral."

"WE can go tell 'im. I spotted 'em first."

"Only 'cause you was ridin' too far ahead!"

"That don't signify. He wants t' know, an' it'll be pushin' midnight b'times we get back t' camp." He strode off eastward. "Let's get the horses."

Again, Alex muttered, "Asshole," and stepped quickly after Lars. Then, quite suddenly, he was staring at the point of a blade.

"I've had jist about enough outta you. Think I'm deaf?"

His larynx bobbing a few times, Alex stared down the length of the dagger and slowly shook his head.

"Just 'cause you can't do ever'thin' yourself an' grab all the glory don't mean I gotta put up with that midden heap you call a mouth. I am fuckin' tired of it. All day it's been 'asshole' this an' 'bastard' that an' 'shit-head' somethin' else, an' I'm here to tell ya it better stop. Or do you wanna pick up a new nickname? Like Noseless or Scarface or One-Eye?"

Alex shook his head again, this time a little more vigorously.

Giving the shorter man a disgusted snort, Lars sheathed his blade and stalked off. He'd only gone five paces when the throwing knife sank into the back of his neck. He hit the ground like a handful of mud.

Alex pulled the knife out and wiped it off on Lars's shirt. Then he rummaged the telescope out of the dead man's pocket, and relieved him of his purse. "Guess ya won't be needin' this," he muttered, hefting it with a sneer. Then he hefted it again, frowned, and opened it. "Well, shit. Nothin' but copper." Giving a careless shrug, he stuck it in his sack anyway, and trotted off toward the horses. "Best get on the way. The Gen'ral's gold's waitin' on my news."

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