(a/n: Sorry for the long wait but here you go, the conclusion of the Frozen part of this story. Enjoy!)
Ch.5: Cold Hearted pt.3
Arendelle years ago…
Once the girls were tucked in, Jack went to the library where his parents were waiting. The king stood by the fireplace, gazing into the crackling flames while his wife was mending Jack's traveling cloak.
Once Jack entered the library, the king looked up at him from the fireplace "Well?"
"Fast asleep" reported Jack with a smile "and by my reckoning, Elsa has a good grasp on her powers".
The king nodded solemnly "Good" "Really wonderful girls" said Jack as he plopped down into a cushy armchair.
The king smiled a little. He turned to his 'son' and said "It's a shame that you're leaving"
"I know" admitted Jack with a sigh "But the life of a guardian is a busy one"
"Where are you going?" asked the queen, looking up from the traveling cloak she worked on.
Jack shrugged "I'm not sure, all I know is that I'm needed somewhere in the south. I'll meet with a friend at the port town of Storm Haven several miles to the south and we'll travel to our next assignment".
The queen nodded, her expression remained calm but a hint of sadness was in her eyes. The last year or so had been rather enjoyable with Jack helping Elsa. With him around, the stress and anxiety seemed to dissolve for everyone. He made everything seem lighter and helped Elsa have fun with her powers.
But a message had arrived merely hours after Jack's return, saying that his presence was required at a developing problem in a foreign kingdom to the south.
It was going to be a little nerve wracking without Jack around to help supervise Elsa but they trusted that his teachings were enough to help Elsa maintain control of her gifts. If not, then they would have to resort to the fall back plan.
The king asked Jack "When can we expect your return?"
"Within few weeks" said Jack "This trip may be nothing at all. I may be back earlier, but if Sandy sent the letter then…" he trailed off. Worry showed on his face for an instant then he put on a warm smile "Don't worry, I can handle myself"
"I know" said the king.
"There we go!" announced the queen. She rose from her seat and she held up the finished traveling cloak. Jack saw that the hole in the cloak was now gone. His smile broadened "Thank you" "Its nothing" said the queen "Thought I could mend your cloak before you leave us" She walked over and threw the cloak over Jack's shoulders. The two royals escorted Jack to the stables and where a horse waited for him.
Jack is normally accustomed to other means of travel but he had to maintain his image by departing like a typical royal.
The queen gave Jack a hug and told him "Stay safe and be careful out there" "I will" assured Jack.
The king nodded "Good luck and travel safely" "Thank you" Jack mounted his horse and he bid them farewell. He took off at a full gallop out of the stables and out the gates. He rode across the bridge and galloped off into the night.
The castle and the houses soon vanished behind him into the night and Jack continued down the dirt road, heading south. He sighed deeply. Jack was definitely going to miss them. The moon shed some pale light on the dark road and it helped Jack see the shadowy silhouette step out into the road.
Jack managed to pull the reins and his horse came to a skidding halt. The figure stood there only a few feet away, silent and unmoving.
Jack's eyes narrowed to slits "Who are you? What do you want?" the figure said nothing and remained still.
After a few long moments of silence, Jack was starting to feel very uncomfortable and he repeated the question but with a little more authority in his voice. Again there was nothing and Jack was starting to get a little jittery.
He cleared his throat and said, "I will only ask once more…what do you want? Who are you?"
The figure moved, reaching up slowly and removing the hood that shielded the stranger's identity.
Once the hood was gone, Jack's eyes widened in shock. "Y-You? H-how?".
The next morning, the king and queen of Arendelle were horrified to see Jack's horse trot back to the castle, without a rider.
They searched for weeks but to no avail. Jack was long gone, never to be seen again.
Arendelle, North Mountains, Now…
Elsa sat alone in her palace of ice watching the sunrise filter in through the crystal walls, giving a light blue-purple glow. She constructed her new home effortlessly with her powers and was settled in. However despite being free and in control of everything, Elsa couldn't help but feel horrible.
It was as if a dark shadow hung over her constantly like a raven was circling a corpse. She drummed her fingers on the arm of her crystal throne.
Even though she was free from everything and was alone on the mountain, she couldn't help but feel unease. She felt a twinge of guilt for what happened in Arendelle that night. She didn't mean for James to get hurt, let alone for Aunt Genevieve to be poisoned.
Although she wasn't responsible for the poisoning, Elsa still felt that she was somehow responsible in some strange way.
Elsa looked up and she let out a yelp of fright. Standing there, their faces almost nose to nose, was Harriman. The ghoulish young man was still clad in his black cloak and doublet. An inquisitive look was fixed on his pale face.
"Troubles I take it?" asked Harriman.
Elsa immediately recoiled, trying to crawl away from the intruder "How…how on earth…?"
"Front door was open," answered Harriman blithely. He stepped away from Elsa and he rotated around slowly, taking in the beautiful icy throne room.
Harriman whistled appreciatively "Marvelous, absolutely beautiful!"
"What do you want?" asked Elsa, staring at the ghoulish young man warily.
Harriman shrugged "I thought you might need some help, so I have come to offer my services once more" he turned to Elsa "The offer still stands. Say the word and I can take you to my employer and this will nightmare will be over".
Elsa scowled and her tone became dangerous "I had already given you my answer. No."
Harriman shrugged "I suppose you can't blame a man for trying."
Elsa hissed "Leave me" she turned and started walking away.
Harriman bowed mockingly at the departing queen "As you wish, Your Highness. You are most wise. However…" Elsa stopped and glanced back at Harriman. The ghoulish young man walked over and he plopped down on Elsa's throne.
An eerie smile appeared on his pale face "A word of warning: Don't come crying to me when the angry villagers come knocking on your door with torches and pitchforks"
Elsa frowned in confusion "What are you talking about?"
"Usually at this point, after a bit of chaos and pandemonium, the scared little townspeople will soon grow restless. As the powered individual's abilities grow, so does the fear and ire of the boring little peasants" Harriman's eyes gleamed maliciously "Than suddenly, it all explodes! The villagers rally together and march on their powerful neighbor. They then kick in the door and drag said neighbor out by the hair, kicking and screaming".
Elsa's eyes widened a little. She remembered Harriman's story of what happened to those with powers. Her thoughts then went to the ball and to the horrified guests. The way they looked at her, the way they reacted. Elsa could see the terror written on their faces.
Elsa turned and she saw that Harriman was no longer sitting in her throne.
Instead, the ghoulish young man was standing out on the balcony, looking out at the wintery landscape below. He threw a glance at her from over his shoulder "It appears that your highness is quite popular today. You have more visitors".
Elsa went out to the balcony and looked down. Harriman pointed at a part further down the mountain. Down at least a fair distance was a small collection of dots ascending up the mountains, weaving their way through the field of ice spikes that she conjured up to discourage unexpected guests.
Elsa glanced sideways to Harriman who just stood there with a knowing smile on his face.
He bowed his head a little "I'll leave you alone, my queen" he backed away a little than turned away.
As the man in black sauntered away, Elsa could hear him humming. Her heart stopped. That tune…it sounded very familiar.
She heard him sing softly "…And now the rains weep o'er his hall, with not a soul to hear…".
The queen spun around to question Harriman about that tune but she saw that he was gone.
The top of the North Mountain grew closer and closer with each passing hour. Guided by Olaf, Anna, Kristoff, Merida, Hiccup and James climbed higher up the cold, lonesome mountain.
As they made their ascent, Olaf chattered on nonstop. Most didn't mind but James felt ready to drive a dagger into the little snowman's throat to silence him but he doubted that could stop the snowman's unending chatter.
Another thing staying the thief's hand was the fact that the snowman was guiding them up the mountain safely. As they weaved their way through a field of fearsome ice spikes, Kristoff raised a few fair points in the general discussion.
"How do you even know that she wants to see you?"
"What do you mean?" asked Anna
"People come to the mountains to be alone" said Kristoff "I don't think your sister wants to see anyone". He ducked to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding getting an ice spike in his eye.
Anna scoffed "Oh please. Nobody wants to be alone. Besides, Elsa's my sister…she won't mind us"
"I don't know" said James, slowly "I think we still have to be careful" "Why?" asked Anna "We're not in any danger with Elsa"
"Yeah!" chimed Olaf, trotting along without seeing where he was going "Besides, she might just be the nicest, gentlest, warmest person we'll meet". James was about to point some things out but he saw that Olaf's had walked right into an ice spike, impaling where a heart should be.
Olaf's lower half walked for a few more feet until it stumbled and fell to the ground. Olaf paused and looked down at his severed body.
He chuckled and looked up at the travelers "Well what do you know, I've been impaled." Anna cracked a smile and she pulled Olaf off of the ice spike.
James wasn't a very superstitious lad, but after all the things he's seen in his life, that almost seemed like a foreboding omen of events to come.
Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and the Royal Guard of Arendelle stepped out, into the cold wintery landscape.
Despite the layers, the ice-cold wind chilled him to the bone.
Things weren't bad at first. A few flakes of snow and a slight drop in temperature but as morning came and as the days went along, it got colder and colder. Snow just kept coming in blankets, burying the entire landscape in white. People were growing cold and desperate to stay warm. Which is why he was here.
Hans and the guards arrived at the square with extra blankets and began distributing to the freezing citizens.
"Take as many as you need" Hans told them as the freezing citizens lined up to receive their blankets "There are more up at the castle and hot grog for everyone".
A woman received her blanket and bowed her head to the prince "Thank you sire, bless you".
Hans smiled "You're welcome ma'am". The Duke of Weselton complained to the young prince that Hans was wasting time and should go after Elsa, saying that the queen was responsible for not only the poisoning of Queen Genevieve but also the accursed winter that now threatened to destroy them. Hans brushed his complaints aside and told him that his duty was to care for the people of Arendelle and until they hear back from Princess Anna, they were to do nothing but to dig in and try and outlast this bizarre winter.
A loud whinny echoed through the wintery air. Everyone turned and saw a trio of rider less horses galloping through the snow towards the village square. Hans and the guards rushed over and stopped the horses. The horses reared back on their hind legs and whinnied frantically and thrashed about.
After they managed to calm the horses down, Hans studied each of the horses and realized that they belonged to Anna and her companions. He also noticed that one of them was carrying a rider. Lying on the back of one of the saddleless horses was a pitiful, trembling figure, holding on for dear life.
The guards carefully removed the figure off the horse and wrapped him up in a blanket. Hans knelt down and studied the figure. It was a young man close to his age, dressed in peasant clothes and was rather plain. His features were pale and his skin was covered in a thin layer of ice. He trembled violently from the cold and he gazed at each of them sluggishly with dark eyes.
"He's probably frostbitten" observed one of the soldiers.
Hans spoke "Hello? Are you ok?"
The trembling young man shook his head slowly and stuttered "N-n-no! T-t-they're coming!"
"Who?" asked Hans. The young man slowly turned and gazed up at the North Mountain "A-a-all around us….t-t-too many of t-t-them…"
"Who?" demanded Hans "What happened to Princess Anna?" "G-g-gone" answered the young man. There were some gasps from some of the commoners standing nearby and some horrified chatter began to start but Hans silenced them.
"How?" asked Hans. The young man managed to stop shaking for a moment and explained "They rode up to my father's home…asking for supplies. Then, out of nowhere…monsters came out of the snow. Princess Anna and her escort were captured by t-t-the snow beasts and I took the horses and fled"
"You abandoned the princess?" said one of the soldiers incredulously
"I had no choice!" snapped the young man "There were too many of them! They slaughtered my family and t-t-took the princess and, and, and…"
Hans held up a hand "Calm down, and continue".
The young man took a few deep breaths and managed to sputter out "T-t-they dragged the princess and her escort up to towards the summit of the North Mountain to their master"
"Master?" said Hans.
The young man swallowed "Q-Queen Elsa".
Suddenly the mood in the square matched the weather, cold and foreboding. The citizens, who were close enough to hear, began chattering nervously. Hans rose to his feet and looked around at the frightened citizens then he looked up to the North Mountain. The mountain loomed far off in the distance like the solitary tower of snow and ice.
The prince then announced, "Princess Anna is in trouble! I am going after her. Are there any volunteers?" suddenly, several hands shot up and several more voices volunteered.
The Duke of Weselton appeared at Hans' elbow "My men will accompany you, your highness".
Hans nodded "Excellent". He then turned and left with the captain of the guard and the two began making preparations to scale the mountain to rescue the princess. When the prince was out of earshot, the duke turned to his two bodyguards and whispered "Remember men, we need to put an end to this winter. When you get a clear shot…take it". The two guards nodded, understanding their assignment and accepting it.
As all the planning and preparations were taking place, they all failed to notice that the frightened peasant, who gave them the terrible news about the queen, had vanished mysteriously.
Merida stood in awe at what lay ahead of the group of travelers. Ahead of them was a smooth, gleaming stairway that bridged their side of a wide chasm with the other end that stood dozens of feet above them.
The stairway was very impressive, but what impressed Merida was what was at the other end of the stairway. On the other side was a shining palace made entirely of ice. The walls were smooth and clear and shone like glass. The main structure was composed of a great tower with flying buttresses, arches and spires.
Merida was impressed at the craftsmanship and design of the structure and noted that it didn't look hand made, but rather it arose naturally out of the icy landscape and was a part of the mountain.
It looked like they reached their destination.
One by one, each of the group ascended the crystal stairway until they reached the front steps of the palace. James whistled in approval at the huge icy castle. "I must say, your sister sure has a good grip on her powers" said James, studying the smooth walls.
Kristoff nodded in agreement "Yeah, this is…amazing!"
Anna didn't pay the two much attention. She went up to the tall front doors and pushed it open. The door swung open silently into a vast entry hall. Kristoff's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw the beautiful foyer inside.
"In we go then" said Hiccup but Anna held up a hand. "I think you should all wait outside" said Anna "It might be a little overwhelming for Elsa to have all of us show up like this"
"True" agreed James, folding his arms.
Kristoff's shoulder's slumped "But…ice is my life" "I know but just wait her for a minute" said Anna "Then you can come in after me".
The ice harvester sighed "Alright. Just be careful in there".
Anna smiled and she turned and entered the castle. Kristoff plopped down on the front steps with Olaf and the two quietly counted down the seconds.
Merida stepped onto the stairway and inspected it more closely. The stairs were perfect, smooth and looked sturdy enough to last through a good summer. Far down below the stairs, Merida could a thin white line that represented snow.
"Watch your step" said a voice.
Merida jumped and she immediately clung to the handrail of the stairs. She snapped her head to the source of the voice and saw James standing there.
She scowled "Don't do that! You almost made me jump out of my skin" "Sorry" apologized the thief "I didn't realize that you were scared of heights".
Merida snorted and mumbled something that resembled a curse under her breath. The two looked out at the vast wintery landscape down below. All around was nothing but pure white snow. The sky above had adopted a deep shade of pink from the sun, slowly sinking beyond the horizon. Merida wrapped the traveling cloak around her tightly and shuddered. It seems as though it was getting colder by the second.
James noticed and he nodded "You're right".
"Hm?" Merida turned to him.
The thief nodded "I noticed that you look cold and from the look on your face that your wondering if it is getting colder and it has been, for quiet a while now".
Merida frowned at him "Why?" "Probably the curse that Queen Elsa accidentally placed on this land" guessed James, still looking out at the landscape below "She probably doesn't have full control over her abilities and now its running wild."
He shook his head in dismay "Terrible thing, magic. Especially elemental magic"
"I don't think it's that bad" said Merida.
The thief rolled his eyes "Oh please…" he trailed off for a few moments then said "magic isn't all what its cracked up to be". He turned to Merida "Magic does make life more interesting and maybe a little bit easier but it is costly. It always comes at a price."
His expression turned melancholy "Trust me when I say…magic is a cruel, cruel thing".
Merida stared at the thief and wondered just what he had endured to have that view on magic.
She wasn't exactly a huge supporter of magic herself but it can't be that horrible. Could it?
Unbeknownst to the two, Harriman clung to the underside of the stairs like a spider. He was enshrouded in his glamour spell that easily hid him from the gaze of the dull minded ice harvester, the bumbling snowman, the feeble dragon rider and the two fools that were chatting above him.
The young man in black listened intently for anything that could be of use to him and his master. So far, it was nothing but dull chatter.
The joy he had received from fooling the buffoonish prince and the slippery little duke had already worn off.
After he had clung to the bridge/stairway for a good several minutes, he had was ready to let go and let himself plummet back to earth to put an end to his boredom. However, when he cast a quick glance at the wintery forest down below, his dark eyes spotted some animals moving around the dense snow covered forest looking lost and confused. A nasty smile appeared on his face and an unpleasant idea popped into his mind.
Perfect, thought Harriman Just what I need.
As her traveling companions waited patiently outside, Anna was busy trying to talk her sister down.
Almost as soon as she entered the castle, Anna saw her sister at the top of a long and elegant staircase, looking completely different then before. She wore a blue and white dress and her hair was no longer done up but was braided differently.
Elsa, at first, greeted her warmly but stayed at the top of the stairs and urged her to leave. Anna carefully approached her sister and tried to put her at ease but Olaf came in and tried to befriend Elsa.
At first, Anna thought that it would work but Elsa had the opposite reaction. She retreated back up the stairs and urged Anna to leave her alone. Anna refused and gave chase. The two ended up at the top most room in her palace.
Anna did her best to reason with her sister but Elsa was adamant that she was to be left alone.
"I can't go back" said Elsa "You mean well, but please leave me be. Yes I'm alone but I'm alone and free. Just…just stay away and you won't get hurt…unlike…"
"Oh, you mean James?" said Anna "He's fine. In fact he's-" she continued speaking but her sister didn't seem to be listening.
Instead, Elsa seemed distant and lost in her thoughts. To Elsa, Harriman's words echoed through her mind and drowned out Anna's. The pain and the fear of others who had powers had experienced. She resolved to never hurt anyone or let anyone hurt her, ever again.
James stood alone out in the cold. Once Kristoff and Olaf's little countdown had finished, the two snuck into the ice palace. Hiccup and Merida decided to join them and explore the beautiful palace.
James decided he wanted to stay outside and keep watch. It was an odd request but they let him be.
The thief didn't feel overly comfortable about the icy structure but he felt even more uncomfortable about meeting Elsa again. He knew that she wasn't a bad person but from past experience around magic, her powers could make her very unstable and seeing him again could trigger something dangerous. The thief wasn't eager on becoming a pincushion again.
James sat outside on the steps and waited for his companions to reemerge.
In the quiet and solitude, he could hear voices, some loud ones. He could hear the faint echoes of a discussion but it was too far distant for him to discern what was going on. James felt like he should go up there and help but decided against it. It could be a little overwhelming to have so many people up there.
Who knows how Elsa is reacting and how her powers are acting.
James rose to his feet and suddenly he felt a presence near by that made him shudder. He looked about and his eyes landed on a dark, solitary figure standing on the other side of the stairway.
The figure was clad in black and had flesh like a corpse. James wasn't finely attuned to magic, unlike some people he knew, but he could feel a very dark aura coming off of that figure. It was unlike any he had ever felt in his life, although it was just as dark, maybe a little darker than at least two different auras that the thief had felt before. James shuddered at the memory and silently hoped to never meet them again.
The thief kept a hand on the pommel of his weapon as he approached the stairway. The figure kept still, standing at the other end of the stairway.
As James approached, the figure raised a hand and waived "Yoohoo!" called out the figure in black "Hello Jamie!"
James paused. Jamie? Nobody calls him that. Nobody has called him that in a long time and the only one who did…
"Who are you?" asked James, keeping his hand on his weapon "Forgive me if I don't remember you, but have we met?"
"No, we have not" responded the creature that stood at least a few yards away.
"Funny" said James "I don't seem to know your name, yet you know mine. Or at least you know what my mother used to call me by".
James squinted in the deepening twilight and recognized that the figure was a young man, around his age, probably…he couldn't tell at this distance and there seemed to be something messing up his vision.
"Indeed" agreed the figure "But you need not concern yourself with my name. I came to give you a piece of advice"
"Oh?" said James raising an eyebrow "What's that?"
"Back off" said the dark figure plainly. His tone didn't seem very threatening but there was something behind it that made James feel a little uneasy.
"Leave the Queen to me and my employer and you forget about this little encounter" said the dark figure.
James snorted, "Now, why would I do that?" "For the sake of your mother" stated the stranger.
The thief felt his blood turn as cold as the landscape around him. The stranger continued, "You may not care what happens to you, but I know how much you care for your dear, sweet mother. But we both know that she's a little under the weather at the moment and it would be a true shame to see something happen. Say, her condition worsening or even worse".
James' grip tightened on his weapon. "You son of a…" snarled James but the words died in his throat.
The stranger slowly glided up the stairs until he was only a few feet away. James could make out the strangers features. Dark hair, dark eyes and grey flesh, other than that, the rest of the figure's features were blurred out by a glamour spell.
"Jamie, Jamie, Jamie" said the stranger sadly "You and I both know that this whole thing is none of your concern. You're a thief, not a nanny. You don't have to hold their hands any longer. You can leave and carry on like normal. If you leave now, then I may be able to help your mother."
The thief stood there and considered the strangers words. The stranger was right. James wasn't a nanny, it's not his job to help and take care of people. His only job is to look out for himself. He could easily walk away from this and nothing would change. After all, he had to think of her.
James didn't like this strange creature but he couldn't ignore his offer. But something nagged at the thief that was too powerful to ignore.
Finally, James shook his head saying, "I can't. Sorry, but I have a job to do and I'm going to follow through with it" his gaze grew cold "However…" in a blur of motion, James drew his sword and swung for the stranger's head.
The sword ended up slicing cold air. He looked around and he spun to see the stranger standing far behind him.
The stranger shook his head sadly "I'm sorry to hear that…such a shame". James scrambled off of the stairs and charged at the stranger like a wild beast.
He swung and sliced at the creature but the stranger dodged with an inhuman grace and speed. James's muttered a spell under his breath and he managed to swing a lot faster. The figure leapt back and looked down. A part of his cloak was slashed.
The thief snarled "Don't you dare threaten my mother"
"Oooh" cooed the stranger with an eerie smile appearing on his face "If you feel so strongly, than you have to catch me!" he turned and took off like a rabbit.
The thief, overcome by anger and the thrill of destroying an enemy, took off after him.
The thief weaved through close trees, giving chase to the figure in black that was cackling madly. It was relatively easy to see the mad man but James had difficulty catching up. Whoever he was, the stranger was very fast. James sprinted through the snow, cold air biting at his face.
In a matter of moments, the thief came to a complete stop and looked around the forest of white.
The stranger had vanished.
James paused and looked around. There were no footprints, no tracks or anything that could reveal where the stranger had gone.
James remained still and tried to listen but he heard nothing.
The thief held his breath and waited in silence for some sort of sign. After a few heartbeats, there was a loud snap and James spun around with his weapon at the ready and suddenly his vision became cloudy.
James stumbled back a little and wiped his eyes and blinked furiously. The thief blinked a few times and everything came back into focus.
When it did, the thief found himself no longer in the cold forest, but instead, he found himself back in the worst time of his life.
A vast muddy field that was still soaked from the recent rainfall and the bloodshed replaced the forest. James's eyes widened in horror as memories and emotions came flooding back. The thief looked around, hopefully trying to find a way to escape or some sign that he was dreaming.
To his left, James saw him, the man who destroyed his life.
He sat astride a large, black warhorse, carrying the tattered banner of his House. His cloak was shredded and spattered with mud and blood. His armor was dented and pierced and his back was riddled with a dozen arrow shafts. His cold lifeless blue eyes met James's and the thief immediately turned and ran.
As he ran, James could hear the clang of metal against metal, the gurgling screams of men he once knew and the horrible last words of the man he had once called his friend. Thunderous hoof beats echoed through the vast field, growing closer and closer to James.
The thief raced across the wet muddy field, trying to escape this hellish nightmare but no matter how far and how fast he ran, the screams and the yelling just got louder and louder.
Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet cracked like glass and shattered. James fell, the world around him crumbled and disintegrated.
As the world faded, the last thing James saw was a beautiful young woman with hair red as blood dressed in blue stood before him.
The thief's heart almost stopped. The corner of her lips spread into a warm smile and she laughed. That melodic laughter…it hasn't changed. It still could be heard in James's darkest nightmares. The world crumbled and faded as he fell into darkness, everything else faded into silence…everything except her mocking, melodic laughter.
Harriman sat perched on the edge of the cliff and looked down at where the thief now lay. He had seen the whole thing.
The lousy little thief had taken a face full of black sand, panicked after seeing his worst memories come to life and took a little tumble over the cliff. He now lay in the snow a long way down unconscious and unmoving.
Harriman smiled and he glanced at the half empty bottle of nightmare sand appreciatively. He had to admit, this dream sand stuff is quite handy.
Pocketing the bottle, Harriman rose to his feet when suddenly he heard a deep, thunderous roar. "Run!" cried the voice of the thickheaded ice harvester.
Harriman frowned. Running ahead of schedule. Not usually a bad thing but it didn't really give him enough time to dispose of the thief. He let out a low angry growl and decided to dispose of the thief another time.
The young man in black wrapped his cloak around him tightly and vanished into the shadows of the trees around him. He vanished just as the ice harvester, the princess, the dragon rider and the archer burst through the tree line and made a beeline for the cliff with a large snow golem hot on their heels.
James floated in darkness what seemed like forever. He didn't feel pain or agony. He didn't hear the screams, the voices or the laughter. He just floated in oblivion for a long, long time.
During his time in darkness, James reflected on the various parts of his life an then after an eternity, James's eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring up at least a dozen sets of eyes staring down at him. He sat up and looked around.
He was surrounded by dozens of tiny, round stony creatures covered in moss and fungi. Looking around, he saw Merida, Hiccup, Kristoff and Anna.
Though Anna looked a worse than he felt. One of the small, grey creatures declared, "There we are! Good as new!"
James glanced at the one who spoke. He looked a lot older and was covered in more moss and fungi then the rest of his people. The thief stared at the elderly creature for a few good moments then realized what they were.
They were trolls. Rock trolls by the looks of them and that was a good sign. Most of the trolls that the thief had encountered in his lifetime were darker and more bloodthirsty than the ones surrounding him.
"Thank you grand pabbie" said Kristoff.
James looked around him in confusion and asked, "What is going on? What happened?"
Merida sighed deeply, looking very exhausted and relieved. "A lot" said Hiccup plainly.
James glanced to Anna and saw that her hair was now almost white as snow. "I have missed a lot" observed James.
Back up the mountain, Elsa watched in horror as the small-armed force arrived. It wasn't exactly an army but it was a large group of men, more than she would've expected. Soldiers, to be exact. All them were armed and didn't look like they were there for a nice cup of tea.
The Queen stood on the balcony and watched them dismount and drew their weapons. She felt a wave of panic and terror rush through her. The very scenario she feared was now coming to life.
"My, what a turn out!" exclaimed a voice in surprise.
Elsa looked to her left and saw Harriman standing beside her, watching the small army make their way up the stairway, armed with spears and swords. She would've been surprised at his reappearance but something deep down told her that Harriman would return at some point.
"What are you doing here?" asked Elsa "I thought I made it clear, leave me alone!"
Harriman shrugged "I thought that I would extend that offer again. Just say the word and I can save you the shame of being dragged out of your own castle by your own subjects".
Elsa scowled at him "No. I don't need your help".
Harriman shrugged again "Alright then". He inhaled deeply and he smiled "Just smell that, the fear, the anxiety. Its just so…" he trailed off. The young man in black turned and he walked away. "Have fun!" he said cheerfully.
As he walked away, Elsa felt a twinge of regret and wanted desperately to escape from all this. Maybe Harriman can help her… but she remained firm to her decision. Down below, her protector emerged and began to battle the army that besieged her palace.
Hours passed by and the night deepened with the cold. A trio of figures clad in snow-white cloaks and hoods carefully wended their way through the snow-covered forest towards the capitol of the kingdom of Arendelle.
The three had traveled far in the span of a short time and were growing tired of chasing their prey but they were very close.
The tallest of the three held up a gloved hand. His companions stopped. He then gestured to the trees and the three moved quickly.
Spreading out to either side of the path they currently were on, they melted into their surroundings and vanished from sight. A few moments after they hid themselves, a young man in a grey traveling cloak rode past on a majestic white stallion with a column of soldiers riding closely behind.
Draped across the back of one of the horses, bound in chains and cuffs, was a white haired young woman who was unconscious. The three hidden figures watched curiously as the precession rode past by completely unaware of the three hidden beings.
Once the precession of soldiers had ridden past them, the figures emerged from among the trees, each with their weapons drawn.
The tallest of the three carried an elegant sword that gleamed like starlight, the second tallest carried a pair of long, curved daggers and the third of their group carried a beautiful, elegant bow with an arrow nocked and ready to be released.
The three returned their weapons back to their proper places.
The leader of the trio then motioned for them to follow the soldiers but with great care. The soldiers could be useful in finding their prey. After all, the demented creature in black claimed that their target was in Arendelle.
Merida, Hiccup and James quickly made their way back down the North Mountain down a shortcut that the trolls had shown them. The sky was slowly turning into predawn. Merida and Hiccup took turns getting James caught up on what happened.
Then they asked what had happened to him and why he was found at the bottom of a cliff.
James explained that he had encountered the being from Merida's dream and he gave chase and suddenly he found himself reliving a nightmare.
"It was the worst thing I have experienced in my entire life" said James, with a shiver "Almost made me quit and go home but I didn't, not yet. Not until I get my gold"
"Of course" muttered Hiccup under his breath.
James ignored him. Merida and her companions trudged down a steep path back down the mountain as quickly as they could without slipping on the slick ice.
Kristoff had raced off back to the castle with Anna on Sven so she can be cured, by receiving a kiss from her true love, Prince Hans.
When the princess and the ice harvester gone, James voiced what was on Merida's mind. "What do we do now?" the thief asked.
Merida didn't have a clue. She came all this way to ask Genevieve's help and now she's now bedridden and cannot help anyone. However, the leader of the trolls had suggested that although he couldn't help Anna, he may be able to help the witch queen but it all depends on the witch's condition, which meant that time is of the essence.
After a few hours of descending from the mountain via narrow and rather hazardous paths and trudging through thick snow, Merida and her companions decided to rest for a few minutes. The three gulped down cold air greedily and felt their limbs burn from the hasty descent.
James carefully surveyed their position and saw that the castle and the town was still quite a ways off in the distance.
He groaned and shook his head "There's no way we'll get down there and back fast enough. By the time we get down there…Genevieve might…" he trailed off.
Merida sighed and started to feel anger bubbling within her but then a thought came to her. She turned to Hiccup "I have an idea!"
Hiccup stared at her for a moment then he realized what Merida was talking about.
Toothless soared through the cold wintery sky with effort, carrying all three of his passengers. The dragon stayed down near Arendelle when they first arrived and they were fortunate that he was hunting for food in the mountains, near enough to hear Hiccup's call.
Though the dragon had grown, he had to exert more energy to carry Hiccup, Merida and James. The princess and the dragon rider rode on the dragon's back, while the thief hung on for dear life by Toothless' talons.
Even though the cold wind was howling in their ears, Merida could hear James shouting, "Set us down! Set us down outside the town! We don't want to cause the townsfolk to panic!"
"Right!" shouted Hiccup.
Hiccup nudged Toothless and the dragon dived out of the sky and glided to a safe, soft landing on the edge of town in a small meadow.
Hiccup and Merida slid off of Toothless and thanked him and took off running for the castle. James' legs were wobbly and he stumbled and fell to the ground.
Toothless snickered at the thief's fall.
James, leaning on a tree for support, managed to rise to his feet. He shot a glare at the dragon and grumbled "Ha, ha, ha! Very funny!" he felt his stomach churn and the world spin.
After a few seconds of trying to stay still, James regained his footing and he took off running after his companions.
Merida and Hiccup managed to gain access into the castle thanks to their connection to Genevieve.
One of the servants led them through the front gate and into the castle.
Elsa awoke with a start and looked around her. Her vision was blurry and made her feel confused as to where she was. But as her eyes began to focus, Elsa realized that she was lying in a prison cell. She arose and looked towards the main source of light, a narrow window on the wall to her right.
The queen stood and tried to go to the window but was instantly pulled back. Elsa looked down and saw that she was wearing a pair of iron cuffs that covered her hands completely and they were connected to the floor by a short iron chain.
The queen's heart instantly sped up and she felt a wave of pure terror wash through her.
"Well…this is quite a set up you have here," observed a familiar, nasally voice "Better than most dungeons that I've seen".
Elsa turned and saw, to her dismay, Harriman sitting comfortably on the iced over bench she was laying on. He looked around the cell "I must say, this isn't a bad place to spend your last day on earth"
"Why are you here?" demanded Elsa "I told you a dozen times, leave me alone!"
The young man in black held up his hands "Calm down your majesty, I'll get going. Just thought I'd try one last time"
"And the answer is still no" snapped Elsa.
"You sure?" asked Harriman, eyeing to the queen's shackles "Because it looks like the townspeople are ready to burn you at the stake to keep themselves warm on this pleasant morning".
Elsa scowled at him and scrambled "I...I…they would not-"
"Wouldn't they?" asked Harriman, rising from the bench "Are you so sure that your people are still loyal? Even now as you await the death sentence in this cold, dank cell?"
"I'm their Queen" said Elsa.
Harriman rolled his eyes "They stormed your ice palace and tried to kill you. It is only by the good graces of the thickhead from the Southern Isles that you're still alive but not for the reason you may think."
He shook his head "Anyway, I'm here to offer you an escape, one last time. As we speak, they are debating on which manner of execution they're going use."
Elsa listened to his words and saw the logic in them. Harriman extended a hand and his expression was almost pleading for her to accept. However, something didn't sit right. Just like before, there was something wrong here and she could feel that Harriman isn't being entirely honest. In the end, she decided to take her chances.
The monarch shook her head "I can take care of myself. Thank you for the offer anyways".
Harriman sighed deeply and shrugged "Oh well". He turned and strolled towards the door.
The young man in black stopped and glanced over his shoulder to Elsa "Nice knowing you". He waved goodbye and he walked right through the door like it wasn't there.
Elsa shivered and wondered what manner of creature Harriman was, just as there was a jingling metal and a loud click.
The door swung open and Prince Hans walked in, still in his formal attire from the coronation party. The grim look on his face spoke volumes and suddenly, the young queen was starting to think that she had made the wrong choice.
Merida and her friends were a little turned around. After gaining access to the castle, the servant pointed them down one corridor and gave some vague directions then rushed off to attend to duties elsewhere.
Minutes later, the princess, the Viking and the thief came to a stop at an intersection of corridors that branched off into two different directions, while the path they were following continued straight onwards.
Merida looked left than right and frowned "Where to now?" she wondered aloud.
Hiccup shrugged and James scratched his head. "Left?" suggested James "I think…"
"You think?" repeated Hiccup, giving his companion a questioning look.
The thief shrugged "How should I know? I was only here for only a few hours. If I had been here for a little longer, than I probably would have a better idea of the layout of the castle".
Merida tapped her chin and thought for a moment then suggested "We split up!" she pointed off to the left "James can go that way"
then pointed right "Hiccup can go that way" and then pointed forward "and I can continue on that way".
Hiccup nodded "That sounds reasonable".
The three split up and went their ways.
Merida was almost running down the corridor. She searched through every door she passed but didn't find Genevieve's room.
After closing the latest door she searched, Merida growled in frustration. This castle was starting to be a pain in the neck. She just wanted to pull her hair out and give up but after noticing some ice crackling and spontaneously sprouting through a crack in the ceiling, Merida realized that she had to hurry.
The princess picked up the pace and continued her search. She reached the end of the corridor that turned off to an adjacent corridor.
The princess rounded the corner and she stopped dead. Standing at the other end of the hall was the young man in black. The one who took Jack.
He stood there, clad in a flowing black cloak over a dark doublet and trousers. His grey face had a malicious grin permanently frozen in place. She saw a web of frost starting to form at his feet and began to spread out, as if he were the source of this strange winter.
The dark figure chuckled "So…you finally came. Good! I was getting really bored waiting for you".
Instantly, Merida pulled her bow from her back, drew an arrow nocked it. She took aim at the dark figure.
"Who are you and what have you done with Jack?" demanded the princess.
The stranger frowned in confusion and tapped his chin as if he were in thought. "Jack….Jack….Jack. Do I know a Jack?" mumbled the stranger thoughtfully. After a few moments, the stranger just shrugged.
Merida growled angrily and loosed her arrow. The arrow flew at an incredible speed toward the dark figure…and immediately stopped an inch away from his face. The stranger stared at the arrow as it hung suspended in mid air before him.
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at Merida. "My, what a temper" purred the figure in black. The wooden shaft of the arrow cracked and shattered into a million little pieces and the arrowhead dropped to the floor.
Merida gritted her teeth and drew another arrow. The figure in black giggled "Catch me if you can!" he turned and he took off like a shot down the corridor to his left, cackling madly.
Merida snarled and gave chase.
James raced down the corridor and searched through each of the doors and found nothing but empty rooms. He found a room where a group of servants huddled around a wood-burning stove, shaking uncontrollably.
The thief eventually ran out of doors and he silently cursed. Where was the guest room?
He went around the corner ahead of him and came to a dead halt.
Standing at the other end of the hall was a phantom from his past. It was a figure who stood tall and proud, clad in a snow-white cloak, elegant leather body armor and carrying a sword with a curved, elegant blade in his hands.
James's heart stopped for a few beats. Despite the hood that cast a shadow over the figure's features, the thief immediately recognized him.
Even after all these years, the armed being was still as terrifying as he was when they met. The thief turned to retreat back the way he came but he discovered that his path was blocked by another figure.
Dressed in similar armor and cloak, armed with a pair of sharp, curved daggers that gleamed in the grey sunlight. James recognized this figure as well. The thief used every curse in his vocabulary and felt the horrible grip of dread take hold.
Why now? Why here, of all places, James thought frantically. He figured that this day would come, sooner or later but he didn't think it would be now.
"Hey fellas" said James as pleasantly as he could. "W-what can I do for you on this fine winter morning?" He put on his best smile and prayed silently that they would respond. Luckily they did.
The one wielding the sword spoke, his voice was soft and smooth as silk but carried tone as sharp as the sword in his hands. "You can do nothing for us, thief" replied the swordsman coldly "After what you have done…you shall pay for your heinous crimes"
James blinked "My crimes? I didn't do anything! Honestly, I'm innocent!"
"That's what they all say," said the one wielding the twin daggers "before the end".
Suddenly, James's senses flared and he immediately sidestepped as an arrow embedded itself in the floor where he stood a second ago. He looked up and saw another white-cloaked figure, wielding a bow that was made of a fine, dark wood, hanging from the ceiling like a bat by her enchanted boots.
James's heart began to race and adrenaline began to kick in. "What the hell!" exclaimed James "I thought you're supposed to take people in for breaking the law?"
"Oh yes" said the dagger wielding man, standing behind him "But nobody said that you had to be in one piece".
The archer hanging from the ceiling released her hold and landed gracefully beside James, with his arrow aimed at the thief's head. He backed away as the three, armed figures advanced with their weapons leveled at the thief.
Thoughts raced through the thief's head and he managed to piece together a plan of action.
James held his hands up saying, "I'm sorry my friends, but this is where I say goodbye". He quickly uttered a spell and snapped his fingers. A blast of white light exploded in their faces, causing all three to draw back and shield themselves.
A few seconds later, the light died and the three figures discovered that their prey was gone. They saw that the tall window that was behind the thief was shattered, allowing cold wintery winds and snowflakes tumbling in.
The leader lowered scowled and gazed out of the huge hole in the window. Far down below, the wretched form of that pitiful thief was limping away through the flurry of snow, trying to escape.
But he wasn't going to escape. Not this time.
Hiccup descended the winding staircase and tried the last door, only to find himself walking out in to the cold. The Viking chief blinked and looked around. He was standing on what looked like a shore near a small frozen dock.
A short distance away, Hiccup saw all the ships that had arrived for the coronation, trapped in the ice and completely blanketed in ice and snow.
The wind blew gently, sending flakes of snow skirling across the iced over ocean. He sighed in frustration. This obviously wasn't the witch's room, so he must've taken a wrong turn or something. He turned to go back inside but suddenly the wind began to pick up and everything grew much darker.
The Viking tried to open the door but oddly enough, the door was stuck. He noticed that there was already a layer of ice that sealed the door to the doorframe.
Hiccup scowled. This strange winter was only getting stranger. Then again, isn't that what he signed up for; Witches, magical winters, bizarre dreams, trolls, it all made his head spin. The dragon rider sighed and decided to search for another way.
The wind began to howl in his ears and the temperature seemed to steadily decline. Hiccup drew his fur cloak about him to keep warm but it did little good.
Snow began to cloud his vision to the point where he couldn't see clearly further than at least a few meters ahead.
Looks like a blizzard, noted Hiccup in his mind.
The dragon rider looked about him but didn't see any other doors and eventually decided he'll try and circle around via the frozen water. Hiccup carefully tested if the ice was strong enough to support him and once he was satisfied, the dragon rider began his trek across the ice and through the blizzard that had begun around him.
The wind howled and almost knocked him back a few times. Hiccup's face was completely numb and he silently hoped he wasn't getting frostbite. After what seemed like an eternity of walking forward blindly, Hiccup stopped and looked about him.
He couldn't see anything. All around him was completely grey and white.
The dragon rider internally groaned and was unsure of what to do now. He could keep going forward but he might end up walking out to sea, or he could reach the castle. This whole situation was tricky but he figured that he could at least try and make his way back and try and wait out the storm.
Hiccup turned and began trudging back the way he came but he came to a sudden stop. Over the howling of the wind, he could almost hear what sounded like a voice. The Viking frowned and his eyes scanned the swirling grey around him. His eyes landed on a dark shape that looked like a person. There was another sound and Hiccup was more certain that it was a voice.
The Viking approached the figure and as he got closer, he saw that it was Merida. She had her bow in hand and had her arrow nocked and she looked ready to shoot somebody.
"Merida?" said Hiccup loudly, so he could be heard over the wind. She spun around and was about to shoot but she stopped when she saw Hiccup. Relieved, Merida lowered her bow said, "I'm glad to see you".
"What are you doing out here?" asked Hiccup.
Merida looked around "I saw the man from my dream. He has Jack and I chased him all the way out here" she frowned "Which is a foolish thing to do, now that I think about it".
Hiccup nodded a little "Yeah. The weather out here is insane. We need to head back to the castle or else we'll freeze to death" Merida nodded in agreement.
The two were ready to head back but suddenly a dark shape blurred past them. Merida raised her weapon and suddenly the dark shape blurred past them again. She spun around and tried to follow it but it was moving to fast and was hidden in the snow flying around them.
"What is it?" asked Hiccup, looking around him, trying to see what the blur was.
"It's him!" cried Merida.
Hiccup drew his sword and the blade ignited into a plume of orange flames. A blur of black raced towards Hiccup. The Viking raised his weapon and slashed at the shape. The blade passed through the shadowy form and the shape passed right through him like a phantom.
An eerie chill filled the Viking from head to toe, which then quickly blossomed into fear and despair then faded in an instant. Hiccup spun around to try and catch a glimpse of their foe but it was gone.
Suddenly the wind screamed in their ears and the snow began to swirl around them like a powerful maelstrom.
Before them, a dark sinister shape took form. It took on a form that resembled a man but soon stretched and grew until it was at least twelve feet tall. The dark shape flickered in the snowy maelstrom like flames but the inhuman, pale face and coal black eyes were solid and clear.
A soft and sinister voice carried on the wind and seemed to surround them.
"Beware, foolish girl...you play with forces you don't even comprehend" whispered the voice. The flickering shape leaned towards them and the tone in its voice grew sharp "This will be your only warning: Leave now or suffer greatly. If you leave, we will allow you to live out what is left of your life in peace. Continue down this path and you will never see neither your friend nor the light of the sun ever again".
Just as quickly as it appeared, the shape withdrew and faded into the howling cold and grey.
The moment the shape vanished; the wind instantly came to a stop. The grey vanished and revealed the wintry landscape around them. The Viking and the princess were standing in the middle of the frozen harbor and the castle was a fair distance behind them.
Merida and Hiccup looked around them and saw that the shadowy figure was long gone.
James was relieved that the blizzard stopped. After his little vanishing act, the thief found his way out into the blizzard and was stuck out on the ice. He hoped that the snow and wind could hide him from those ruthless rangers but his hopes faded instantly when he saw three shapes emerge from the wall of grey and white.
Armed with nothing but his wits and a few drops of magic he managed to save up on the journey back down the mountain, James made his stand.
All three came at him from various sides. He managed to blast two of them with two blasts from a concussive spell, that sent them flying back but the leader of the pack was quicker on his feet.
He ducked and attacked James by swinging his sword a few times, trying to take his arms and legs off.
James managed to push himself back and avoided the ranger's swipes without slipping on the ice. The thief hurled another spell at the swordsman but the ranger swatted away the burst of blue light with his blade.
Noticing that the other two were up and looked ready to rip him into pieces, James realized that he needed a plan. A thought came to mind and he grasped it.
The thief uttered his spell as fast as he could and before the rangers react, he dropped to his knees and placed his hands on the ice. The ice glowed brightly and the ice beneath the rangers vanished and the cold, dark sea beneath them then swallowed up the three. James murmured the second half of the spell and the ice reformed, covering the three rangers.
The thief hoped that would hold them but knowing his pursuers, his little trick is only going to make them very angry.
The winds died and everything became still. James was relieved that the blizzard was all over with, until he turned and saw what was happening.
Prince Hans lying on the ground, Anna a frozen statue and Elsa sobbing.
A fair distance away from where he stood, James saw Merida and Hiccup. The two of them looked spooked. He wondered what had happened to them and was about to go to them but he stopped himself. James looked toward where Anna, Elsa and Kristoff were and felt an odd sensation that he hadn't felt in a long time: sympathy.
He didn't know what to do, he wanted to help but from what the trolls had said, that a frozen heart can only be thawed out by an act of true love.
James snorted. True love, in his opinion, was a joke. There was no such thing, it was just something out of fables his mother told him when he was younger.
However, to his surprise, Anna suddenly thawed out.
The thief was confused for a moment but then he realized that true love didn't always mean romantic love, but it could also be love for a sibling. But despite what he saw, James still didn't believe in the idea of true love.
The girl from his nightmare reappeared in his mind, still beautiful and still laughing.
James quickly shoved that memory aside and he turned to make a silent get away but he hesitated.
Suddenly he felt a little bit of warmth on his face and he looked down at his feet. The ice was slowly starting to melt away. The thief swore aloud and he made a beeline for the castle but when he was only several meters away from the shore, the ice was gone and the thief plunged into the thawed out sea.
A distance away, on a shore opposite of the Arendelle castle, three rangers in white cloaks emerged from the seawater and stomped ashore.
Soaked and furious, the youngest of their group, the archer, tore off her cloak and tossed it aside. Her companions shed their cloaks as well.
All three were fair skinned, had striking, gifted with unnatural beauty, long hair and pointed ears.
The swordsman, the captain of the rangers known as Ayduin, wrung out his wet cloak and threw it back over his shoulders. His sharp, green eyes were trained on the other side of the harbor.
In the distance, he could see the thief being pulled out of the water by a red haired young woman in green and a young man dressed in Nordic armor.
Who were they? Accomplices? Allies? Or were they merely just unaware of the thief and the abominable crimes? It didn't matter.
Ayduin will not rest until that thief is brought to stand trial or is rotting in a grave. But for now, the elven rangers could only watch and wait.
End of Chapter
(a/n: So, what did you think? Sorry, again, for the long wait. Hoped you enjoyed it, tell me what you think and all that in your review. See ya next time!)