Chapter 1 – Frozen in Time
Steam rose from his mug as he lifted it to his lips and tilted the hot water into his mouth. He set the mug down and leaned back. Sir Arden's Glaceon jumped up onto the table and sniffed the mug. A moment later it stuck its head into the mug. It jumped back in shock from the heat of the liquid inside. Tauren chuckled from across the table as Glaceon shoved its nose into a pile of snow that had accumulated on a nearby window. Arden got up and went over to Glaceon. He picked it up and grabbed a small jar of salve from a satchel attached to his belt. He opened the jar and got some of the salve onto his fingers.
"The little one is a mite feisty eh? Where'd you get one with such a shiny coat," Tauren asked him.
"Yeah, he's a bit of a jester, Tauren. I found him on the Kalos front. Best I could tell he was wild, not to mention scared. He nearly scratched my eye out when I first approached him," Arden replied as he rubbed salve onto Glaceon's nose. Glaceon pulled its head back and turned its nose in protest of what it considered stinky, slimy, goop on its nose.
"Easy, it's alright Glaceon. I know it doesn't smell good but it'll help that burn," Arden said to it soothingly as he continued to massage the salve onto its nose.
"Heh, this reminds me of the first time I had to use that stuff on Watchog. It sniffed it, reeled back, and immediately started trying to lick that stuff off, next thing I knew it was spitting and sputtering up and down this here tower. I suppose that stuff must taste as bad as it smells," Tauren said as he chuckled at the memory. Arden smacked his face with his hand.
"Tauren, you know you're like a brother to me. But by all that is good I don't know how you can possibly get amusement out of that," Arden said as he set Glaceon down and returned to his seat.
"Come now lad, it's not that I enjoy seeing anything or anyone in pain. But the reactions Pokémon have sometimes is just downright funny," Tauren said. Arden shook his head.
"Well I suppose the little ones are rather cute about it all," Arden said as he gazed at Glaceon. Tauren nodded.
"Well lad, you said you had some news for me," Tauren asked. Arden nodded.
"I thought you should be the first to know. We took the Eastern Kalos front. Fighting is now taking place in Central Kalos. There is more I'd like to tell you, but some of it I simply can't until I meet with the lord of this city," Arden said. Tauren watched him intently as he spoke and nodded when he finished.
"Ah my friend, I understand, so that is why you are here," Tauren said.
"Yes, that and I have been released from service on the front unless the tide turns against us again. Until then, I am not required," Arden replied.
"Well good, because we could use you around here, and your lands just aren't the same without you. So I'll write out an order for you to pass the city gate. And you're in luck because the path was recently cleared by order of the city's lord so you'll be able to use that easy path instead of the winding road to the opposite gate," Tauren said as he grabbed a bright blue feather and a small sheet of parchment. Arden raised an eyebrow.
"That's an interesting quill Tauren. Seems like I'm not the only one with something new today," Arden said. Tauren nodded his head as he completed his signature on the bottom of the document that would grant Arden passage into the city. He handed the document over to him.
"Yes, it is a strange quill. That's why I kept them when I found them. There's some more in that wooden box by the door if you want one. I found several the other morning," he said with a gesture towards the door. Arden looked over at the box. Glaceon was already over there, shoving it open with its nose. It leapt into the box and hopped back out with a feather in its mouth and trotted over to him. He reached down and took the feather from Glaceon. He patted Glaceon on the head as he examined the feather. It was cold to the touch. He found himself mesmerized by the feather as he twirled it between his fingers. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
"If you stare at it all day you'll never make it to the city before the sun sets, Arden," Tauren said. Arden gasped, startled by the unexpected commentary of his friend.
"Heh, a mite taken with that feather are you, lad? Don't feel too embarrassed. I was much the same when I first admired this beauty," Tauren said as he held up his quill. Arden stared at him for a moment. Despite Tauren's insistence that he not be embarrassed, he was.
"Well, thank you for your hospitality Tauren. It has been good to talk to you again. I will talk to you more on the morrow," Arden said as he stood up and turned to the door.
"Arden, wait," Tauren said. Arden stopped and turned to look at him. Tauren walked up to him.
"Arden I've been meaning to say this since you showed up at my door. You know I'm a hard man, but for you I'll make an exception. I can't imagine what you've been through up in Kalos, nor would I want to. But you've actually lived it. To see life taken or to take it yourself doesn't make a mite of difference when you have to survive, it's only after when the gravity of it truly hits you and you realize not only what you've done, but what's been done to you. But now I'd like something to be done for you, so my door is open both here and in town whenever you need it to be alright," Tauren said to him. Tauren watched as his friend lowered his head. He had a smile on his face but tears streamed down his cheeks.
"Tauren, I don't think you truly grasp how deeply you have touched me. But you're wrong about something. I don't know what it feels like to take life, because when I took life, I didn't feel, when I saw life taken before me I didn't feel. For these three long years I haven't cried for sadness or for joy. I haven't rejoiced in victory or mourned in defeat. The reason and the only reason the fearless warrior might truly be fearless is because he is numb. That is truth on the front," Arden said over his tears. He wiped them from his face before he looked up at his friend again.
"Thanks Tauren. It's good to know that I can count on you when I need a friend to lend an ear," Arden said as Glaceon jumped up onto his shoulder. Tauren nodded as Arden prepared to leave. Arden tucked the document Tauren had given him into his belt and turned to the door. He opened the door and a pile of snow fell down in front of the door. Again Tauren was laughing. Tauren was nothing if not easily amused, though it came as no surprise to Arden that he was. One would have to be easily entertained to be a guardsman in this city, which was one of the safest in the kingdom during the winter.
"Just kick it lad. If there's anything I've learned this winter it's to just kick it when that snow piles up," Tauren said. Arden chuckled.
"Kick it, punch it, ram it, and demolish it. That's your answer to everything Tauren," Arden said to him over his shoulder.
"Only because it works lad. Take care," Tauren said. Arden smiled at him, kicked over the snow pile, then stepped out and closed the door behind him. He made his way down the path to the gate of the city. A guard stopped him as he approached.
"Halt stranger. You have entered the domain of Lord Falnor of the Frozen Wastes. How am I to let you into the city so heavily armed," the guard asked him.
"I come here bearing news from the Kalos front. I am Sir Arden of the Frozen Wastes," Arden said. The guard started laughing.
"You, Sir Arden the juggernaut?! You soil the name with your cheap charade as our local hero. Away with you, knave," the guard mocked. Arden wasn't one for hasty reactions, but he didn't have the time to deal with this fool's ignorance. In a flash he launched his Doublade at the guard. Doublade wrapped the cloths on its hilts around the guard and held him fast. The guard couldn't move. Arden walked up to him.
"I haven't the time for your nonsense cur. I have my clearance and I have orders to deliver my report to Lord Falnor upon my return. I know how to open this gate, just as you do. Will you open it for me or will I have to do it myself," Arden asked threateningly.
"I'll let you in, just call it off," The guard pleaded with him. Arden stared him in the eyes for a moment then he motioned to Doublade, who released him promptly. A guard behind the gate was laughing as he opened it.
"He sure showed you eh? You really didn't recognize Sir Arden when you saw him," the guard asked as he took Arden's document. The guard rolled his eyes as he tore the bottom off the bottom portion of the document and handed it back to him.
"You undoubtedly know this already but I have to tell you anyways. Keep this document with you at all times while you are in the city, it is your identification. If you leave the city, you will have to get a new one before you come back in and you will need this to leave. If something happens to it visit the grand hall. To get a new one visit a local watchtower," the guard said to him. It was painfully obvious that the guard couldn't care less about what he was saying. He took the stub and tucked it into his belt. The guard saluted him and he went on his way. He was not looking forward to seeing Lord Falnor again, but he didn't really have much of a choice. He swallowed his pride and stepped onto the road that would take him to the grand hall of Lord Falnor and began preparing in his head for his meeting. Glaceon sat on his shoulder and let out a small cry. Arden chuckled and scratched its ear.
"Oh how can I be glum when I have you? You just make everything better don't you," he said adoringly as they walked on.