Disclaimer I do not own Frozen nor Spice and Wolf.

Chapter 22

At the pier, Elsa pulled out the map and showed it to Naeil. "Whatever Cristian is planning, I think it has to do with this."

Naeil looked at the map, "Hmm, it would seem that they've been noting the winds for the last couple of days...to give to the invasion fleet perhaps? I know winds can affect gunnery. But these other things seem to be...time entries."

Elsa shook her head, "Maybe, but I think it may have to do with all these dots they have scattered across the city. If we can figure out what the dots represent, we might be able to figure out what their plan is."

Naeil looked at the map, "Well, according to this, one of those dots isn't too far from here, maybe all we have to do is take a look." The Wolf Prince turned to the two Wulfen, "Go update Kai, Ragnar, and Horwitz."

Reisha growled, "Captain, with all due respect, I really think you and the Queen should return to the palace and let us check this out. They've already attacked you once already."

Naeil looked at Elsa with a cocked eyebrow, "Absolutely not." Elsa stated. "Besides, they attacked us when we were separated, and we still handled ourselves. If they try again while we're together...I think they're in for a rude surprise."

Thorin spoke up this time, "At least let one of us accompany you. Your Highness, you know the oaths we're bound to."

Naeil shook his head, "We'll be fine, Thorin. Besides, we're just going a few blocks from here. If luck is on our side, we'll find out what these marks represent and be back to the palace to coordinate a response within the hour."

Reisha sighed, "And if luck isn't on our side?"

Naeil shrugged, "Then we should all be thankful I have an intelligent and powerful woman at my side."

Elsa blushed and smiled, but Reisha nodded thoughtfully, "You're right." She turned to the Snow Queen, "Your Majesty, I really think you should let us handle this investigation."

Elsa broke out in laughter, "Sorry Reisha, but I'm seeing this one through to the end."

The Wulfen growled, "Stubborn as mules, the both of you. It's actually kind of sweet if a bit irritating. I'm going to look forward to seeing your children drive you mad when they pull this on you."

Elsa and Naeil both paused, "Reisha," came the simultaneous rebuke.

In the Infirmary, Anna clutched Kristoff's hand. He smiled weakly at her and squeezed her fingers. "I'll be fine," he rasped. "You should go get some rest."

Anna shook her head, "I'm not leaving your side, so you better just relax and get used to the idea."

The townspeople occasionally stopped and stared at the pair in grayish/white cloaks moving quickly through the streets, apparently being followed by the enchanted snowman. Although Olaf was not a totally unknown sight in the town, the Wulfen Guard's presence was something new. They marked something nebulous between being dangerous and being helpful. Beneath her cloak's hood, Elsa marveled at the various reactions.

"I might have to travel incognito more often," she said.

This had been part of the plan hashed out to appease Reisha's concerns for their safety. Elsa and Reisha had swapped cloaks aboard the Windraker. Reisha and Thorin then made a fairly public exit via the royal coach while Naeil and Elsa slipped quietly away to investigate the markings on the map. Naeil grunted in amusement, "It worked for Henry the Fifth."

Elsa smiled and peered at the map before looking around.

"It should be in that alley, over there," she noted, pointing.

Naeil nodded and paused for a moment, "Alright, so far I'm not sensing anything really out of the ordinary, but please, keep on your toes."

Elsa grabbed his arm, "What are you sensing?"

Naeil looked at her, a smiled softly, "Fear, mostly. Which, with all that is happening, is completely understandable."

Elsa took a deep breath, before nodding. "Okay, my love, lead on."

The two walked towards the alley, Elsa doing her best to match Naeil's stride and keep in step with him. Pausing briefly at the entrance, they pushed into the dimly lit corridor slowly. Elsa crinkled her nose at the smell of garbage and moldy dampness. Naeil suddenly stopped, and let out a low growl.

"Be ready, I don't think we're alone back here."

Elsa noticed that Naeil had drawn one of the two swords he carried, and she readied herself to turn the alley into a frozen hell if need be. Walking forward, Naeil strained his senses to their limits. He heard water dripping from somewhere ahead, and detected what he believed was the slow shuffle of someone trying to move as quietly as possible. He smelled the dampness and the stink of rot, along with the faint odors of perspiration, mixed with a combination of fear and anger. As they proceeded along the narrow pathway, he realized that we was picking it up now from behind them as well, although when he turned back to look, he couldn't see anyone there either. Even Olaf apparently had decided not to follow them here, although Naeil silently hoped that was all that was keeping the little snowman.

"They're hugging the walls," he whispered. "Ducking into the back doorways as much as possible."

Elsa nodded and struggled to fight down her rising anxiety. Naeil reached down and gently took and squeezed her hand. "We can probably make it back the way we came in, if we leave now."

She shook her head firmly, "No, we need to find out what they're doing here."

Naeil nodded and moved forward again, "I think that's what we're looking for."

Elsa looked past him and spotted a trio of casks placed neatly against a wall. Frowning she looked out towards the ends of the alley, and thought she saw movement faintly silhouetted against the daylight beyond.

"Naeil," she whispered.

He nodded barely, "I know, my love. We're going to be fighting our way out of here, anyways."

Elsa took a deep breath and looked at the casks. "Why hide Wolf's Bane all over the town, it doesn't really make sense."

Naeil sniffed slightly, "I don't think that's Wolf's Bane, at least, not just Wolf's Bane." He suddenly stiffened, "Elsa, if you get a chance, get out of here. There are two behind us, one in front of us. I'll take him out first and hold off the other two while you escape. Find Olaf and get back to the palace."

Elsa frowned, "I'm not leaving you to fight alone."

Naeil growled in irritation, "I'm a warrior, Elsa, I'm trained to do this!" he hissed.

Elsa was just about to make her rebuke when a friendly, naïve voice echoed down the alley. "Hey guys? Where'd you go? I got caught up looking at these amazing paintings..."

Elsa shouted out without thought. "Olaf! Run! Get help!"

Olaf's eyes widened in shock as a large figure moved swiftly from the wall and grabbed him. His lower body disconnected and attempted to flee on it's own, but was grabbed by a second, thinner figure. Elsa raised her hands angrily, blue energy swirling around them only to hear a voice call from behind her, "I wouldn't do that your Majesty, not unless you want more innocents to die."

Elsa's eyes widened in shock, "That voice," she muttered.

"Captain Cristian, I presume," snarled the Wolf Prince.

The man stepped forward, lighting a torch as he did so and gave a mocking bow, "And you must be Prince Naeil of Yoitsu. The wolf-man who has managed to thaw the Queen's own frozen heart. I must admit it's a bit of a shock. Nobody realized the Queen was into that sort of thing..."

Elsa continued to stare down the two men holding Olaf, her hands raised threateningly, "What do you want? Why did you poison the town?"

Cristian tsked, "First things first, your Majesty. I really do insist you drop your hands, that is, unless you think you or your pet can stop me from lighting this fuse and detonating 200 lbs of gunpowder."

Elsa gasped, and slowly dropped her hands, clenching them into fists, before turning around and recognizing the face that went along with the voice. "You! What in the hell are you doing here?!"

The Windraker's captain chuckled, his carefully trimmed beard not fooling the Snow Queen, "Isn't it obvious, Elsa. I'm getting my revenge for you and your sister ruining my life!"

Naeil had kept his sword raised at the man, "Elsa, do you know him?"

The Queen slowly nodded, "Sadly yes. Only I know him as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

Hans glowered, "FORMERLY PRINCE! My family disowned me and stripped me of what little I did have. I lost EVERYTHNG thanks to you and your sister!" He turned his hate-filled eyes onto Naeil's blade, "Now, drop the sword, wolf-boy, or I'll blow us all to Kingdom Come."

Naeil grimaced and snarled, his ears and tail bristling, but Hans moved the torch closer to the wall, and Naeil could see the fuse running towards the casks. He grunted as he recognized he was out of reach and dropped the sword to the ground, kicking it towards the disgraced Prince.

"Much obliged," sneered Hans.

"Answer the Queen's questions, Why did you poison the town?"

Hans chuckled, "Terror, and the opportunity to possibly to kill the Queen herself. How is Anna, by the way?"

Elsa glared into the man's eyes, her face twisting in anger, "Your clumsy assassination attempt failed, again. Anna didn't even bite into one of your apples, and Doctor Raehn managed to find an antidote to the poison for those who did. Although you still managed to murder 27 innocents, you bastard."

Hans frowned, "Well, it was a gamble. Although I actually had little expectation of actually killing either of you, I had expected more civilian casualties, but then again, your friends' arrival was a complete surprise. I guess it's both a blessing and a curse that they're so sensitive to Wolf's Bane."

Naeil growled, "We found the apples, which you weren't expecting, but couldn't smell the gunpowder you were smuggling into the town."

Hans bowed mockingly again. "Now, shall we discuss what's going to happen next."

Elsa grimaced, "Okay then, Hans. What do you want?"

Hans chuckled, "Well, I guess I should be honest, as he can detect if I'm lying, correct. I'm going to bind Elsa with leather straps that have been blessed with the ability to dispel her magic. I will then kill the Wolf Prince, and take Elsa to the Duke aboard his flagship, and then come back, kill Anna and assume my place as military governor of Arenedelle." He shivered, "Oh, that was surprisingly liberating, not having to lie and make assurances of keeping people alive that I don't intend to keep."

Elsa snorted, "And just what makes you think I'll be so easy to capture."

Hans laughed, "My dear, you are going to willingly surrender yourself to me. Perhaps I didn't emphasize this enough, I have nothing left to lose and everything to gain. You can come with me, or you can die with me when I light this fuse, I really don't give a damn."

Naeil snorted, his vampiric half struggling to let loose. "Your plan doesn't seem to take me into account, other than your intention to kill me. However, since I know both you and your goons are out of reach, and I would have heard any sort of ranged weapon being readied, my suspicion is that you intend to blow this alley regardless."

Hans smiled, but shrugged, "No, actually. In fact, I swear that if the Queen surrenders, my men won't set off any of the bombs. Again, you would know if I was lying..."

Naeil narrowed his eyes, and Elsa looked at him, "Is he?"

"No."

Hans moved the torch even closer to the fuse, "Quickly now, your Majesty."

Elsa sighed, looked into Naeil's eyes, before straightening up. "Very well, but first, I request that you release Olaf."

Hans frowned, and then shrugged, "Whatever, that cursed snowman is irrelevant anyways."

The goons let go of their respective handfuls, as Hans motioned them forward. "Bring her to me."

Olaf got himself back together, and then raced towards his friends. "No! Elsa, you can't..."

Naeil put his hand on the back of the little snowman's head. "Shh, it's going to be okay, Olaf."

Elsa and Naeil gazed worriedly into each other's eyes, but doing their best to smile reassuringly at each other as the goons wrapped her wrists with a leather strap, engraved with runic symbols. Elsa gasped in shock as the power that she'd always felt flowing within her suddenly subsided, still there but significantly lessened. The goons pulled her forward and brought her face to face with Hans, who grinned triumphantly.

"My my, your Majesty, what is this?" he sneered, ripping the blue vial from her throat. "Hmm, I seem to remember a story I once heard, about the legendary Wolf Kind being bound to totems that hung from their necks." He looked at Naeil, "And you gave her yours, a token of your affection, no doubt. Literally placing your life in her hands..." He chuckled, "And it feels cold to the touch, I have to wonder what is in here."

Naeil and Elsa both stiffened, "Hans!" Elsa cried out. "Please, let him go! You have me, but let them go!"

Hans continued to hold the torch threateningly close to fuse, and looked between the Wolf Prince and the Snow Queen, thumbing the lid off with his fingers. "As I recall the legends, if your totem is destroyed..."

Naeil glowered at the other man. "If you're going to do it, then be done with it..."

Elsa struggled against her captors, "Hans! Please, I beg of you!"

He paused, as if thinking and then sneered, "Hmmm, no." In one fluid motion, he swung the torch around and dumped the contents of the vial into the flame.

Elsa desperately tried to conjure any sort of spell, but only a few small flakes appeared around her, and she felt a burning sensation along the strap. As the snow poured into the flame, it flickered as snow and fire fought their everlasting battle, but the flame of the torch was stronger and the snow melted and vanished. Naeil suddenly fell to his knees, clutching a hand to his chest, growling in pain. He looked up at Elsa and for a second, through the tears filling her eyes, she could have sworn there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Elsa!" he gasped, "Remember what I told you..." and then he vanished in a burst of snowflakes.

"Naeil?" gasped Elsa in shock, and then she screamed in agony, "Naeil!" Hans backhanded her, knocking her senseless. Looking down at the trembling snowman, he tossed the empty vial at his feet.

"Take that back to Anna, and let them know that if they make any attempt to recover the Queen, I will kill her and detonate the bombs as well."

Olaf watched helplessly as the four figures moved back along the alley, towards a waiting cart. He felt a strange urge to go after them, a sense telling him that he needed to stay as close as he could to the Queen, but he slowly reached down and picked up the empty vial and began waddling as fast as he in the opposite direction, tears filling his eyes.