Hey guys, I'm sorry for the late update this week. I'm not going to rage on about excuses just I've been busy. This is like a fill in chapter with a little bit of general background and it's not my best plus no beta means my own read-through sometimes isn't enough. The whole story will come another time (when I have it). Yes, I promise all questions will be answered in future chapters don't worry. I also have to apologize to you faithful followers, my updates are going to be pushed back a little. The one week may turn into 2 weeks from here. Sorry guys, forgive me.
Helping Hand of A Friend?…or Foe?
The afternoon sky was covered by dark heavy clouds and the snowfall that began at midday built up quickly on the ground, walls and every other available surface. By the time Irena had somehow convinced her brother to leave the sanctuary of the gardens for their warmer ship, the snow was two feet thick and their walk back was that much harder. The Princess kept a steady hand on his arm to secure he didn't fall over from his near emotionless state and absence of mind. He was almost a dead man walking as he placed one foot in front of another, repeating the process without care of the snow or his growing shivers. Irena really couldn't bring herself to say anything about the situation her brother had himself in. He knew from the beginning falling for the girl was going to be challenging especially with their difference in status. But he didn't care. When it came time for Anna and her father to start their travels again, distance and time would pull them apart in some way. Again he didn't care. Then her disappearance came via messenger and Irena had to watch her brother's heart shatter into a thousand pieces that no one could fix.
The resemblance of the two states now was uncanny and the Princess hoped he wouldn't do anything reckless. The cobblestone path wasn't faring better against the snow than the gardens but it seemed to be lighter the further they got from the castle. Before they hit the port a man stepped out from an alley to block their path.
"My boss wishes to have a word with you…" his voice was ruff and very deep. Irena didn't like him.
"You shall return to your employer and inform him we are returning to our ship for the evening. My brother is not well and he requires rest" when she turned round to go back the way they came she found another man at their exit.
"He insists to speak with you"
"Look sirs but my brother is unwell and he must be treated as quickly as possible. I ask you to stand aside"
"We know about his loss in the dual Princess. That is one thing our boss wishes to discuss. He will be waiting for you both on his ship at dusk. Do not be late" after saying his piece, both men left quickly without another glance. Irena didn't know what to make of being ordered around by shady men but she couldn't worry about them at the moment, her brother was still in a daze and she had to get him to their physician quickly. The princess wasn't to be insulted, she saw the insignia those men wore on their uniforms. Weselton. .
"He is physically fine your highness. Any injury he sustained during the dual is superficial at best. His bruises will heal nicely and his exhaustion will pass with plenty of rest" the man spoke softly as he finished the examination of the Prince. Hans was changed into clean clothes as he lay on his bed; still unresponsive to any attempts to get his attention.
"I can see that doctor but what about his mind? He's been like this since the match…"
"I'm afraid he is deeply traumatised over something, perhaps the match itself? Or something could've caused him to freeze…Did the Queen use her magic on him?" Irena was silent for a moment
"Making the one you love bleed would be enough…" dark brown eyes looked at her.
"It is possible"
"Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to have Hans rest for the night and call for you in the morning if he is not better"
"Of course your highness" he bowed before collecting his things and left the cabin, closing the door behind him. Releasing a sigh Irena took the chair beside her brother's bed. After returning to their docked ship, the siblings locked themselves up in a cabin wanting no disturbances until the physician checked over the Prince. Finding a man in the town available to check over a visiting Royal aboard a ship was difficult but managed by the time it was sunset.
"How did you get yourself into this mess Hans? You've seen Anna bleed before. Plenty of times after her many accidents; what has you like this?" Irena spoke in little more than a whisper.
"I caused her pain…" she looked up surprised he'd said a word. "…her hand. I cut her hand, I caused her injury. Why did she catch the sword? Why did she do it?" his voice was whispered and aloof; almost like he didn't believe himself conscious. His eyes were hazed and unfocused.
"I don't know Hans. Because maybe she really does love the Queen…"
"I won't accept that" he sat up to look at her. "She can't. It isn't right. That is not the Anna I fell in love with. She's not the real Anna" Irena was starting to really worry for him now. Letting him go into these thoughts wouldn't solve anything. Speaking to her brother bluntly was the only proven method to set his mind back into its usual order. Logical.
"She has to be Anna. I doubt she could be anyone else Hans. I thought you said so before, no one can change Anna"
"And you would be right your highness, but circumstances change" both sets of green eyes snapped to the door where a short old man stood with the same two large men they saw earlier. "Forgive me for intruding but you missed our scheduled time and I thought it more convenient for me to aboard your ship. My men can wait outside of course" with no indication the two large men stepped out to once again close the door. Irena stared down the tiny man.
"You dare to invite yourself onto our ship; into our cabins. You, Duke are bordering on insult to the Southern Isles"
"I apologize well in advance my lady but I feel it is at the utmost importance that I speak to you both on the circumstance of this kingdom. I believe you do not know how that…wretched woman came to power, am I correct?" the Duke was too forthcoming and Irena didn't like the way he held himself before them. They were royalty, he was but a Duke.
He was a short man with grey hair and a puffy moustache; a very obvious toupee sat upon his head and his noble outfit was perfectly ordered to make him appear more regal than he actually was. The Duke of Weselton was known as a trading man. He was well vised in economy and never denied any chance to make his land or himself, richer.
"Speak before I have you thrown from this ship. I have no time for your petty games Duke" Hans didn't bother to look at the intrusive man as he sat himself at the edge of the bed right next to his sister. He was growing a headache from his exhaustion and complicated thoughts of what happened earlier.
"I am not here for games, nor gain on my part. I wish to be of service to you like I was the late King of Arendelle" this got their attention quickly.
"You were associate's with the King…?"
"Yes Princess. I knew him well. We were trade partners for many years. He trusted my judgement as I did his. I was here at the time of that witch's strike too"
"Tell us everything Duke of Weselton" Hans was staring at him intently.
It was five summers ago that our late King met his end. During what was known at the Summer Hall; a coalition of ships massed in the Arendelle ports for a week of trading. Arendelle was a rich land of invaluable resources; their farming was rich because the land was moist; the water clean from the North Mountain's rivers and fishing was expansive from the open seas. The King also had a deep mine drafted well within the base of the mountain to haul endless amounts of jewels and riches which he sold to other less fortunate provinces. He was a very generous and intelligent King, unfortunately not even he could stop the storm that came out of nowhere.
Sailing into the fjord on a small boat was that blasted white haired witch. With a flick of her wrist a mighty blizzard appeared. It hailed down ice cannons upon the houses and thunder rolled between the darkening clouds. No one could stop the destruction; no one could hide from the merciless force that came upon them. The town was at her mercy and she gave them none.
Soon she turned her eyes to the castle where the guards set up the best defence they could to defend their ruler. Sadly it was no good. Their gate fell within instants of her blasting it with her magic. Soldiers died at her feet like they were nothing more than lifeless dolls she didn't want to play with any longer. King Nicholas prided himself on his morals and met her at his throne. He tried to plead, bribe and reason with her to turn back and let his people live. She laughed as she gave no mercy, killing him without any guilt. His majesty knew he was to die and did so believing he allowed time for others to escape. My ship along with a few others escaped her wrath as she tore through Arendelle like a rabid wolf in a chicken pen. We left with all we could get aboard but sadly that wasn't many lives.
"Since that day, Arendelle has been under her control. The townspeople are living in fear of her magic and that ever present cold. They have no choice but to bend to her will or they'll die" the Duke sighed with a heavy heart as the royal siblings continued to stare.
"She took the kingdom…in one day?" Irena didn't know if she found that admirable or horrifying. The old man nodded his head to confirm her wonder. Hans was looking more furious than concerned. A fire was now burning in his eyes.
"She took over a kingdom that meant nothing to her? Why would she do that? Tell me! What's for her to gain from this?"
"I cannot dare to speak the thoughts of that woman your highness. All I can assume is she wants what the King had. The wealth; the power this kingdom held over its surrounding countries and perhaps more. I'm not sure sir all I know is that she has it after taking the King's life"
"But what about Anna?" Irena had to voice the intense question much to her gut wrenching feelings.
"Yes! How does Anna fit into this? She didn't know the Queen before she arrived. And that was only two years ago with her father."
"That reddish haired girl? I do not know her your majesty's. My informants only tell me that she has been with the queen for a while. That ruffian of a man has been close in hand to the new crown, perhaps he is the reason the lady is tightly in the witch's grasp. The ice walls appeared about this 'time' you say the girl arrived…" Hans got to his feet to advance on the tiny man.
"You want us to believe that woman took Arendelle for its gold before killing the only monarch, chasing off nearly all its nobles before cutting off all contact with that wall after she got Anna?" Hans didn't know if he should laugh in the man's face or spit in it. It wasn't believable, it wasn't a clean cut story nor did it sound like anything that woman would do. She was intelligent, sneaky, conspiring and viscous. She wouldn't run in head first into anything without knowing evert detail, every escape route, every involved life. The prince wouldn't accept that the Queen was stupid as this old man appeared to be. Voicing such a thing would only hurt his pride further so he stayed quiet.
"Like my brother, I don't believe your entire story Duke. There are too many factors we know the Queen would not risk for such stakes; even if those stakes were gold and power. She couldn't take over a kingdom so easily. The army would rebel against her…" Irena replied.
"And what if they still are?" sleazy blue eyes bore into those of unbelieving. Twitching his moustache with a smirk the Duke looked between the two. "I didn't say all those guards died now did I?"
"How many are you referring to Duke?" Hans looked at him with barely seen intrigue.
"An army's worth Prince Hans. All hidden away up in that mountain" Irena was starting to think this tiny man was sprouting lies for the sake of it. "Don't believe me again? I am wounded from such thoughts of your majesty's. Those mountains are vast, treacherous and unforgiving to any untrained adventurer. However, I did say there were mines in the base of that mountain and they could go on for miles"
"Even if there was a horde of soldiers out there, why have they waited this long? They could've attacked sooner to over-power her" Irena argued.
"They have. They've attacked times before, on the castle, in the town square. Each time they have done little that would harbour that woman's attention. Each time her own forces of dark clothed men on reindeer would fight them off without her lifting a finger. She's using the Arendelle citizens as part of her own personal army to fight for her" the Duke spoke with conviction as he stopped his quick pacing. Irena looked to her brother and saw that deep thought on his face. 'He couldn't possibly be amusing the thoughts this man was giving him right?' she thought silently but that glaze towards her was half the answer.
"Suppose we trust you on this. What is your gain here Duke of Weselton? You survived her first attack, why did you return?"
"I came because she sent an invitation just like she did you. I was to come here for one week's trade. I intend to find out all I can about her while I have that chance. My old friend deserves revenge for what happened and I will not see his kingdom be run by that bitch" Hans actually smiled at his last words. Seems they had something to agree upon.
"Yet you bring very little forces with you. She has more power here than any of us, what makes you think you can get your vengeance?"
"Oh I won't need any forces. The rebels will do that for me" Duke brushed it off.
"What? Rebels? They're attacking?" Irena spoke.
"At dawn. My spies informed me that they've accumulated enough weapons and resources for a strike on the castle. They plan to do it as the guards change over on the wall so there will be some surprise. If they fail there, I have caught word they will attack the town. Take anything they can steal for themselves in preparation for another attack"
"And you assume she will let this happen?"
"She hasn't done anything before now. My sources tell me she doesn't act against any rebels" he smiled while Hans froze.
'That is a lie' Hans had seen what she does to rebels. He witnessed it first hand when she showed no mercy in turning a man into her newest ice sculpture for her decorative garden. She may not be forward when it came to the kingdom but she did retaliate against those fools. In her own personal way she dealt with them, by killing for enjoyment.
"And if what you say is true, then a army of men come running from that mountain and into the town. You expect them to ignore us and go straight to her? I don't know how well your sources are Duke. But no man is foolish enough to believe the words of wars when it's said they'll leave you at peace"
"I would rather believe those words than have that witch rule this kingdom. She has done nothing for the people except lead them to a slow, painful, cold death in this endless winter. I have spoken my piece. What your highnesses wish to believe it up to yourselves but I hope that you will find no enemy in me. I only wish to have her reign of terror end and quickly as possible then return home on my ship. I also wish you luck with that girl of yours" that got green eyes locked on him fiercely. "I know she means something to you both; I hope she doesn't get hurt in this. She lives within that castle and its possible the rebels will succeed…in any case I shall leave you both for this night. Thank you for your time. M'lord and Lady" with that the Duke of Weselton bowed before making his exit, the footsteps of his guards behind him as they left the ship.
Irena turned to her brother finding him in deep thoughts.
"Hans, you can't believe everything he said…?"
"I don't. The Duke of Weselton is known for his spy work but there is more going on here. At least now we have a little insight to the activities in Arendelle. Those Rebels will cause trouble for all of us, no matter what side we're on"
"What I'm worried for is Anna, Hans. She's more in the centre of this because of the Queen and that is the target!" Irena said in a pitch breaking voice.
"Didn't you hear what he just said? Those guards of hers will defend the castle like they did before. That oaf cousin of hers will protect her…got her into this mess I'm sure. I want to know is why Anna is so intent on staying with that woman! I could care less if Arendelle fell to anyone; I want Anna out of this country and back home where she will be safe and comfortable" he replied without a second thought. Irena folded her arms as she stood before him.
"And what do you intend to do about this Hans. She won't talk to you, not after today. I doubt they will let you into the castle…"
"I will go to see her. Anna is the most kind and forgiving woman there is. I'll ask for her forgiveness and it will all pass behind us. Then she can tell me what's really been happening and everything about that snow witch as well. Let the fools battle outside the walls, I indeed to find out what's happening within them"
Thank you to everyone who has been following and reviewing my chapters. You guys are awesome. Again I'm really sorry for the delay. I've been busy volunteering for the local emergency services here and stuff just gets put off. I still intend to finish this story and I will get through each and every chapter, but the gaps between the updates may increase, they also may decrease so bear with me on it. Also, I know my previous chapter wasn't that great with the action and whatnot. I'll develop my skills and may go back to redo it. I'll let you know. Reviews really are great and appreciated!