Chapter Six
/
Taking off her crown, Rapunzel gave a calming sigh of relief. She looked over to her trusted friend Cassandra and handed the crown to her. Giving a sly smile, Cassandra held out her free hand and said. "You know you want too."
She knew her princess to well. Rapunzel at this point was too excited to care as she untied the ribbons of her soft slippers. Kicking them into the air, Cassandra easily caught the flying footwear. With her feet free of their binding, she wiggled her toes, and with one final girlish squeal of excitement, Rapunzel ran out of her cabin and onto the deck of the Royal Corona Navy's two-masted frigate the Dreamcatcher.
Running onto the deck, Rapunzel leapt over a crew member and after a hop off a stack of barrels she began to climb up into the rigging of the ship. She easily past one of the mercenary crew-members. "Hey Lance!"
With a tip of his head, Lance Strongbow a dark skinned six feet four inches, two hundred and forty pounds of pure muscle was glad to see Rapunzel finally cutting loose. Far below on the deck of the ship, Kristoff watched in amazing on how quickly the regal and elegant princess was climbing up to the top of the mast.
The ever easy to impress Olaf pointed up to Rapunzel with pure joy. "She is like a beautiful pink dress wearing monkey!"
"I hope she just knows what she is doing."
Reach the top of the mast, Rapunzel leaned off of it and looked about the sea to the four other ships in her fleet. She was in the only Royal Naval vessel custom built for Rapunzel with special modifications of her own design. The rest were converted merchant ships of her mercenary army she raised the moment she learned Raven's Eye was using dark magic. It was among her mercenary friends from the Snuggly Duckling, that she ever felt the pure freedom of adventure. Even after retaining her crown, her father was hard pressed stopping her from seeking out adventure, it wasn't until her marriage was she finally forced to settle down into the dull life of nobility.
Taking one rope into her hand and wrapping it around her lower arm than waist. Rapunzel ran across the narrow main-royal yard, and just as she reached the end she leapt forward. From the deck, Kristoff jaw dropped and said, "What the hell, are you suicidal!"
Rapunzel timing was perfect as well as her angle, as the rope reached tension as she was still gaining forward motion in her fall. It pulled her sharply towards the deck and right to Kristoff and Olaf. It forced both to dive to the deck as she rocketed by screaming in pure happiness.
Raising off the deck, Kristoff watched as Rapunzel reached the peak of her apex and spun herself around so she was facing the ship once again as returned to the deck. Just what she was about to fly past Kristoff again, she leapt from the rope and as it rolled off from around her body it put her into a spin, but turned her trajectory towards the water.
She reached out and grabbed one of the last lines of rigging from the upper main topsail and her weight forced her to begin to spin around the mast. After four spins she landed onto the deck in a tucked rolled and came up with her arms out stretched right in front of Kristoff. The mercenary crew that currently manned the Dreamcatcher all cheered to the acrobatics of the princess.
Rising to his feet, Kristoff still looked at Rapunzel as if she was insane. Walking past Rapunzel was a burly man with a battle axe on his back and a hook for a hand. "Sweet moves Raps, you still got it." The two shared a high five and a fist bump without him missing a step as he walked by.
"Who the hell are you?" Kristoff demanded to know as he watched as Rapunzel took a seat on the railing of the deck.
"I am just Rapunzel." She replied as she swung her feet and breathed in the cool sea air. "The girl behind the crown."
"Who kicks back with roughians and thugs?"
Giving Kristoff a look of disappointment, Rapunzel motioned to the man who just walked by. "Hook Hands is the best pianist in the entire kingdom." She looked over to another who was skinning fishes on the deck. "And Attila over there is better than my dad's royal chef."
With a skepticism, Kristoff looked the man she pointed at than back to the princess. "I think I've seen him on a wanted poster."
Princess gave a moment for Kristoff to register the annoyance in her eyes before she said, "Being a bit judgement don't you think?"
Olaf looked about to all the unique and different people on board the ship and covered his mouth with excitement. "They are all amazing! I want to meet them all."
As Olaf ran off to meet the crew, Kristoff turned back and leaned on the railing. He gave Rapunzel one more glance to see she was looked back, he did the same, to see that Corona was barely visible on the horizon. "Thank you Rapunzel." Peering once more to the princess, he smiled. "Thank you for convincing your father to help Arendelle."
Nudging Kistoff with her elbow, Rapunzel said, "No problem. All we have to do is convince the Southern Isles to let us go into their Royal Library and find a three-hundred-year old book and with it discover a way to stop Raven's Eye and their dark magic, if we don't by the time my dad with the main army catch up to us, he might turn the army back."
"That's the easy part."
The two shared a small laugh as Cassandra walked up to them and said, "Feeling better Raps?"
"Always after a good swing Cas," Rapunzel replied. "I do miss it."
Being slightly higher than Kristoff, Rapunzel patted him on the head. "I think I scared Sir Ice Master."
Brushing off Rapunzel's hand, Kristoff crossed his arm and slowly began to realize that the nicknaming and teasing was more a sign of affection for Rapunzel, than insulting. "Sorry if I can't share in everyone's joy. My homeland is engulfed in war, the love of my life could be dead for all I know, and I am on my way to meet the family of the man who tried to kill her. Technically he did kill her, for like ten seconds."
Crossing her arms, Cassandra leaned back against the ship railing. "That's nothing, Prince Eugene was dead for like twenty seconds, before Raps saved him."
"This isn't a competition Cass." Rapunzel interrupted as she gave a sympathetic look to Kristoff. "Kristoff, that is the darkness. You can't let it get to you. You have to think of the light."
"How?"
Taking Kristoff by the hands, Rapunzel pulled Kristoff away from railing and to the center of the deck between the forward and main mast. Looking back to Cassandra she gave a smirk putting two fingers in her mouth she whistled loudly. This had Rapunzel pull Kristoff down to duck, as a battle axe flew over and struck near the head of a man sitting in the chair with an accordion.
Kristoff looked over to see where the axe came from, to see hook hand was sitting at a piano. He then looked to Rapunzel spun letting her dress flow out around her. "Ah, you liking singing too."
Point to Kristoff, Rapunzel began to sing.
"We have to think of the light
It's not just love and hope forget about love and fun
From sadness, to joyful,
Let it all come out."
Relaxing himself, Kristoff simply went with the flow as he was pulled into the song. Rapunzel was showing she was just animated as Anna when it comes to her love and joy of singing. Olaf was quick to join into the dancing with the rest of the crew.
"A time of peace is when the final tear of war has dried
Will we see the last of bloodshed that has always been
I still believe we can learn to cherish every life
Why must time repeat itself and hatred rise again
Through the dark and through the pain
Now it's time to pave the way
The road ahead is long but someday we'll see tomorrow
With a smile on his face, Kristoff went over to Rapunzel and leaned on her shoulder and pointed at her and sung,
"We have to think of the light,
Remember of love, and stay strong,
From war, to Peaceful,
Let it all come out."
With Kristoff joining into the musicality of the moment, Rapunzel spun to face him as she continued to sing,
"We gotta open our hearts
Reach out in times of sorrow
Don't fear, don't threat
And Never give up hope!"
Finishing her dance with the rest of the crew, she was standing directly in front of Kristoff. He smirked as he took her hands and pulled her into a final spin and sung out.
"Let every impulse ring it in,
strike fire in the hearts of men,
for its time to begin!"
The crew cheered to the moral lifting song, and Rapunzel clapped and bowed to Kristoff for his singing talents. Though Eugene could sing, it wasn't something he did as a pastime. Feeling better about his future, Kristoff couldn't stop himself from giving Rapunzel a warm hug lifting her off the ground. After the shared embrace, he placed Rapunzel on the ground and the two while still holding each other's arms.
The two began to blush as both felt something they knew they shouldn't. Stepping away from each other, Kristoff turned his back and looked about the ship. "Going to see if the crew needs any help."
Gripping her wedding ring, Rapunzel was feeling sick to her stomach. "No problem, I have stuff to do." Without a second look, she quickly walked off the deck and into her cabin.
Closing the door, she leaned up against it and shook her head in disappointment. "That was so stupid. Why did that just happen."
Pushing off the door, she goes to her bed and picked up a small painting she had done of Prince Eugene. She stared at it longingly feeling relief that her heart was still in love with him. She barely heard her door open and close. Cassandra felt for her princess, she walked over and sat beside her placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong Rapunzel."
Falling back onto her bed, Rapunzel held the painting to her chest. "It feels like I did."
"You're pregnant Raps," Cassandra whispered. "Your body is changing and it will change everything about you. Your emotions will get the better of you. Also what is so wrong about feeling something for other people, it's normal. Kristoff is a friend."
"I should have hit Eugene with a frying pan the night he left." Rapunzel looked back on the day Eugene left to save his friend. "He was being to charming, the same way he always gets after he does something wrong."
"Or stupid, or self-centered, or dangerous." Cassandra added.
Raising her finger in agreement, Rapunzel continued. "Well the joke is on him. His little preemptive strike in making up to me for doing something stupid just got him fatherhood."
"Great payback." Cassandra replied. "Putting yourself through morning sickness, hormonal mood swings, and nine months of bloating, and back pain, all ending in you going through hours of endless and excruciating pain. You really showed him."
"I know, I totally did." Rapunzel replied.
/
/
"Queen Elsa?" A confused and hesitant palace servant said as he knocked at the door.
Opening her eyes wide, Elsa felt the warmth of the sun coming through the windows of the room. The only problem, it wasn't her room. She hesitantly looked to the other side of the bed to see it was vacant. When she slowly rose, she was forced to cover up her body as she looked about the room she was in. One look down to herself to see her lack of garments, all of last night came back to her.
"Shit..."
She quickly snapped her hand to the door freezing the lock so no one can come in. She than called out. "Everything is fine, thank you!" After looking about frantically, Elsa couldn't find her clothes and whispered to herself, "Where are they, where are they?"
"Excuse me ma'am?"
Finally seeing her clothes, a good distance from her bed, Elsa began to reach out. "Nothing! I am good, nothing is happening, you can go now!" Reaching out to far while trying to not only stay in the bed but keep the blankets covering her, she fell out slamming into the ground. Looking up and clearing her mess of a hair out of her face she rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. "I have magic dummy."
Flicking her wrist her clothes are surrounded by a mist of ice and fly into her arm, they glow bright white and meld into glowing liquid that flows under the blanket and wraps around her body. Standing the white glow faded and turned into her classic glittering blue dress. Feeling far more secure she looked to a mirror to see her hair was a total mess. Waving her hand, water vaper goes through her hair soaking it and then as ice crystals formed they brushed out the previous day's grime and combed at the same time. Finally, the ice mist braided her hair into her favorite French braid and rest it over her shoulders. They then collected at each braid and formed into little snowflakes
A great calm came over Elsa and she felt a glow around her like never before. She found a peace she hadn't felt since she last saw Anna. She looked to the balcony door, and as she walked to it, ice mist formed around the handles and opened to door for her. She breathed in the cool air and allowed the sun to warm her body and heart.
It was a night she never thought possible, and it opened up more than her eyes, but also her mind. She looked to the south, and felt her vicious storm still hammering the entire kingdom of Glowerhaven. Rising her arms, Elsa closed her eyes and focused on the storm. She felt every part of it, and was reminded of the rage she felt when she summoned it. A rage she was wrong to project upon others. Dragna was right that the storm was helping her kingdom, but it wasn't worth what it made her kingdom look like. After a long and heavy breath, Elsa drew back the storm, however she left its impact, to bring a middle ground between strategies of war, and mercy upon her enemy.
Thrusting her arms back into her with closed firsts she felt the power of the storm return to her and invigorated her spirit to have such power back. She looked down to the courtyard to see her army's officers and generals preparing for the long march ahead. Just outside the gate she knew her army was waiting. She turned and exited the balcony and as she crossed through Anna's room, her clothes began to glow once more and transform into a now mix of her crystal blue dress and her magical ice armor.
Exiting Anna's room, she gave one final look back and gave a small look of guilt. "Anna doesn't have to know."
Closing the door, she turned and made her way down the steps and outside to the courtyard. There stood her Generals and of course the head of the Scouts, Master Dragna. He barely showed any emotion as he joined his fellow soldiers in bowing to their queen.
"I have ended the storm I placed over Glowerhaven."
Everyone rose and one General stared to Elsa in disbelief. "With all due respect my Queen, but why the hell would you do that?"
"Arendelle will not be remembered as the nation that made innocent civilians suffer for the acts of their king. I will not allow fear to guide me, or my kingdom. We've walked that path once before, and never again." Everyone remained silent as Elsa walked pass them to their table that held a map of the kingdom, and metal tokens representing the battle lines and how much land has been taken in the invasion.
"We will not stoop to their level; we are better than that." Elsa declared as she looked at the map.
A second general stepped forward, "My Queen, there are no rules in war."
"I know that." Elsa stated with a smile as she turned to him. "War isn't won by breaking all the rules. They are won by the heart of the soldiers fighting it, and the heart of those that lead them."
She turned back to the table, and raised her hand and with a flick of her wrist, ice began to form and first into the skeleton, then a clear translucent body formed and feathers of a massive Eurasian eagle-owl. Rubbing her hands together, she blew on them and formed an ice crystal that glowed a bright blue. It floated into the Owl's place of a heart and the bird magically came to life. Its great wingspan was larger than six feet and it screeched with great pride.
Sitting at the table, Elsa took a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write. Dragna finally spoke as he looked over shoulder. "My majesty, what are you writing?"
"I am writing to King Rasmus, I wish to seek a seize of hostilities, so that peace and trade talks can begin."
Once more a general stepped forward. "Are you kidding me! Our people are dying our nation is dying!"
She knew the rage, and fear that her general was feeling, but would not allow such emotions to lead her heart again. "I will not allow this hatred and bloodshed be the future of our kingdom. Finishing her letter, she rolled it up and pressed her thumb over it and sealed it with the Crest of Arendelle made of ice.
Going to her ice owl, Elsa ran her hands across it's feathers and it snuggled close to its creator. Placing the note in its beak she stepped back and watched as it opened its massive wings and after a few great flaps it flew off heading south. Turning to her generals, Elsa smiled at them all. "My friends, we will not change who we are as a people, that is how we fall from the light and that path only leads us to darkness."
Placing his hand on his belt, Dragna looked to the generals before he looked to his queen. "That sentiment is true, but it is hard to stand for light when we are dead? Good intentions will not save us from this war."
A loud rumbling of something hard rolling across stone had all pause. Elsa ignored her Generals who reached for the handled of their swords and walked past them. She watched as dozens of large round stones rolled through the open gates and formed into four lines before transforming into their humanoid forms. They stood with short spears in their hands and swords on their belts.
"Trolls?" One General whispered.
Elsa looked to them in shock, she didn't recognize any of them outright, but she only really knew Grand Pabbie. Stepping forward one of the rock trolls gave a bow to the queen. When he did all of other rock trolls came to attention and saluted with their spears.
Rising from his bow, the troll spoke in a harden mature voice. "I am Geir son of Nils, we stand before you to answer your call."
"My call?" Elsa questioned.
Nodding his head, Geir replied, "The call to arms in defense of Arendelle. We the rock trolls of the Valley of the Living Rock stand ready to serve."
Kneeling before the small two-foot-tall troll, Elsa smiled, "Geir son of Nils, it would be my honor to stand alone side your as allies." Standing, Elsa turned to her Generals, make ready the army."
The Generals and Dragna bowed, and when they rose one called out. "Make ready the Queen's horse."
Holding up her hand, Elsa shook her head. "No need." She turned and began walking towards the gate. As she did, Ice and snow formed around her, and slowly she rose up, when the swirling power of magic ended, Elsa was riding on an enormous red dear made of snow with antlers made of ice.
Her Generals and Officers all mounted their horses, as well the troll's transformation back into stone and began to follow Elsa. Elsa paused at the edge of the bridge that lead to the city, coming up on horseback, Dragna looked to his queen not as a soldier, but as a man. "My Queen."
Nodding her head, Elsa moved forward, and as she entered the town she made her way to the main square, where her army stood in formation. She looked to them all to see fear and uncertainty. Smiling, Elsa rose her hand into the air and launched a burst of her magic skyward bursting into a brilliant blue burst of light. This had all of them come to attention, as their officers joined their respective regiments.
Elsa led them towards the town gates through the main road. Lined along the road, stood the mothers and daughters of her soldiers. She watched as they began to throw purple heather onto street. One little girl ran up to the queen and held out a crown wreath made of the beautiful purple with a black center flower. Graciously excepting gift, Elsa placed in on her head.
Riding slightly behind his Queen, Dragna also takes a wreath, this one however was placed around the neck. This was no celebration, and not one of the women and girls who lined the streets had a smile on their faces. Elsa saw fear, and sorrow but also pride. She was marching their husbands and sons to war, and they knew many would not be coming back.
/
/
Sheaving her sword into her scabbard on her back, Anna looked to Airi with a hesitant smile. Blushing, Airi allowed the princess the pat her on the back. It helped her calm down as she too sheaved her sword. Kneeling down Anna placed her hand over Airi's.
"You will be okay. You are not trembling as much anymore, and your color has returned to your cheeks."
"Thank you Princess," Airi replied. "This is still a crazy plan."
"Nah." Anna thought over the plan in her head and did everything she could to convince herself that what they were about to do was a great plan. "Nonsense, this is a great plan." She stood and looked over to who she knew as Ranger as he put the finishing touches on a makeshift sled. "We go sledding down the hillside towards the town, in the cover of darkness the Glowerhaven forces will not see us. We cross the bridge that they are currently using, then sneak through the town, then make our way across the fields to the forests edge. Hopefully all while not killing anyone."
"You know that will not be possible." Airi whispered as she stood to her feet. "We will have to kill people."
Nodding her head, Anna held her by the hand as they walked to the sled. "I know Airi. But, the courageous ones, are the ones who prepare for war but strive for peace."
"Well ladies." Flynn said as he presented the tightly bound logs of wood that made up the sled. "Are you all ready?"
Shouldering her crossbow, Anna pulled back its string locking it into place. Airi nodded her as she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. Flynn saw that both knew this was a dangerous plan, but it was all they could do. Anna took the lead, with Airi in the middle and Flynn in the rear and to help steer the sled. With the ladies on board, Flynn began a running push giving the sled momentum just as its speed reached faster than his feet, Flynn leapt on the sled.
Its speed was a lot faster than any of those on the sled planned for. Everyone held on tightly as Flynn desperately maneuvered the sled past trees and rock outcroppings. With speeds only increasing, Anna looked back to Flynn. "Ranger, not to be a nag but I think we are going a bit too fast!"
"You think!" Flynn screamed as he was now forced to give up on trying to break with his feet. As the flicking lights from the touches held by the soldiers near the bridge were growing, Flynn realized they were not going to stop anywhere near where they intended. He turned to a new plan, and with his weight, shifted the sled to head straight for the bridge.
"This is going to be close!"
With Anna's words, the sled hit an outcropping and launched into the air. When it landed it came into view of the Glowerhaven soldiers. The where unprepared for the sled, and ran in terror from the speeding sled. As the sled struck the cleared stone street, the sled finally began to slow from the fiction.
Anna and her company had to duck form a sword swing, by passing soldiers, and all were being narrowly missed by flying arrows. When Airi called out, Anna looked up to see a soldier with a bow directly in front of them knocking an arrow. She quickly raised her crossbow and at the last second aimed for his knee and fired.
Her aim was good enough to strike the solider in the thigh, and causing his arrow to fly off track. The sled finally slowed to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Flynn rose his crossbow and fired at an approaching soldier striking him in the chest.
Anna turned to him and glared as she was reloading her own crossbow. "What did I say Ranger!"
Letting his crossbow drop on its should harness, Flynn pulled out his sword and called out as he parried a strike. "Oh shove it Princess!"
Anna pulled Airi from the sled, as Flynn pushed his attacker to the ground. The three than ran across the bridge as fast as they could. Anna led the way and saw four soldiers running towards them. She raised her crossbow and pointed it at one's feet and fired. The bolt mark was true and it nailed one soldier's foot to the ground, as he screamed out, Anna and Airi drew their swords and charged the three remaining fighters.
True to her word, Anna's first attack was not to kill her opponent but to throw him off balance so she could kick him in the chest knocking him back to the wall of the bridge. She charged forward throwing her shoulders into him knocking him over the edge and into the river. Taking Anna's lead, Airi as well does not go for the kill, instead parries one strike than counters with a strike across the man's calf dropping him to the ground in pain. She gives a punch to his face with her hilt knocking him to the ground.
"Seriously ladies!" Flynn shouts as he fires his crossbow killing the final soldier who was behind Anna ready to kill her.
Anna turned and watched as the man fell to her feet. She had no time to question Flynn's actions as he took her by the arm forcing her to run. They reached the end of the bridge and came to a stop as there were dozens of soldiers around them. Anna sheaved her sword and raised and armed her crossbow.
Looking back to the bridge Airi saw a dozen more soldiers running to them. "Any ideas?"
Her eyes scanning ever section of the town she was in; Anna did everything not to let panic overcome her she saw what she needed. She fired and struck a lantern that overhung from a cart. Soldiers that surrounded them began laugh wondering why she would waste her shot.
A grin on Anna's face was all they got in reply. One soldier finally realized why as he looked to the cart the lantern was now burning in. It was the cart carrying the highly valuable, and destructive siege mortars and their black powder. The explosion sent a fireball nearly a hundred feet into the air as and mortar rounds blew apart the buildings around it.
With the enemy either knocked to their feet or running for cover, Anna looked to her friends and shouted, "Let's go!"
All three made their escape with only the need to punch out a couple soldiers who were recovering from the explosion. With the main road filled with soldiers, Anna turned down a side street sprinted until she saw the path blocked by more soldiers. She had no choice but to turn and leap through a window crashing onto a table and rolling off of it onto the floor. Airi and Flynn followed suit and when they rose they saw a family handled in the corner of their home scared.
Coming to their side, Anna knelt before them. "Why are you here? Why didn't you evacuate?"
The father, looked to the child that sat next to him holding dearly onto his arm. "My son is sick, he was in no condition to travel." Feeling the head of the boy, Anna grimaced to find that the boy had a fever. The man squinted his eyes and realized who he was speaking to. "Princess Anna."
"How many remained in the town?" Anna demanded.
"Hundreds of us, my lady."
Standing, Anna looked to Flynn and Airi, "We can't stay here we are endangering them."
The others had no complaints and followed the Princess through the house and out the back down a narrow side street. Just as they reached an intersection, they are ambushed by four soldiers. Once more Anna was forced to draw her sword, and parried a round of strikes, she used her own to throw the soldier off balance, and disarm him. Free of his weapon, Anna slapped him across of his head with the flat side of her sword. She turned to see Airi was handling her own attack, and Flynn was fighting the remaining two. She rose her crossbow and armed it, and just when she was about to fire it was shattered in her arms by a sword strike.
Falling to the ground, she drew her sword. As soon as she stood, she had to parry attack from two fresh soldiers who had enter the fray. She dropped low and sliced at one of her attacker's legs, when he fell to his knees she kicked him in the chest. She stood with sword at the ready, but wasn't ready for the arrow that screaked across the air, and struck her in the shoulder.
Flynn slit the throat of his final attacker and yelled out, "Anna!"
He Rushed to the Anna's side and struck down the closet Glowerhaven soldier. Her looked about to see more coming. He looked to his shoulder at Pascal and said, "I am sorry my old friend."
He and Airi stood around the wounded Princess with weapons raised ready to fight to the death. Just as the first dozen soldiers reached them one crumbled to the ground with an arrow in his chest. The rest slow their charge after a second fell to an arrow. Leaping from a roof top, a figure dressed in the cloak of an Arendelle scout lands in front of Anna with bow and arrow in hand firing and killing a third soldier. The bells of the town church began to ring and all looked to the center of the town to see a man standing on the belfry calling out, "Protect Princess Anna!
Looking back to Flynn the woman scout yelled. "Run you fools!"
Helping Anna to her feet, Airi did as she was told, with Flynn following them attacking any soldier who came close to them. Just when he thought he was to be cut off, men and woman come charging from their homes tackling the soldiers or striking them with makeshift weapons. The Arendelle Scout slowly fell back firing the last of her arrows at the advancing soldiers. When they got close she drew out her two short swords and began to cut them down without mercy.
Anna fell to her feet as the pain from her wound brought her to agony. Airi tried to bring her back to her feet but had to stop and defend herself from attack. Standing, Anna desperate to stay alive swung her sword slicing Airi's attacker across his back. She could barely stand still long, as Airi and Flynn began to pull her down the street.
When they reached the town gates, Flynn increased his speed, pulling Anna with him. Anna simply looked back to see the soldiers were overtaking the untrained and under armed townsfolk. She simply couldn't let them die. Pushing off of Airi, Anna fell to the ground when Flynn and Airi went to pick her back up, she pulled back from them. She shook her head and looked to Flynn. "Ranger, this isn't your war. Get Airi out of here. My place is with my people."
"Don't be an idiot Princess!" Flynn yelled at her.
Holding her shoulder, Anna looked back into town and gripped her sword tightly. "I said go!"
Anna charged forward with her sword at the ready. The Arendelle scout had to slide to a stop in the snow when she saw Anna run back towards the town. "Anna!" She stood to go after her, but was struck in the abdomen with an arrow. Falling to the ground, she held onto her body in pain.
Anna stumbled to all fours and stared as blood poured from her shoulder. Just as she was about to rise to her feet again she was struck in the back of the head with a frying pan. Standing over the now unconscious Princess, Flynn picked her up and placed her over his shoulder. Turning to the injured scout, Flynn called out. "Can you walk?"
Standing, the Scout broke the air shaft off and nodded her head. They three rejoined Airi and fled into the snow covered fields. When they reached a small frozen over creek, Flynn leapt over it but fell on his landing dropping Anna. Airi easily made it across, with the scout doing the same. She moaned in pain from her injury and drew out her very last arrow this one was not meant to kill and its end was wrapped in cloth and covered in black oil with a flint bladed tip. Striking the tip against a rock, she finally drew a spark that ignited the head of the arrow. Drawing it back she shot it into the creek and the surface of the water ignited into flames.
"Just a little petroleum and quicklime."
Flynn could care less, because it provided the cover they needed to flee into the woods. Even with Anna over his should and his pack on his back, Flynn ran on pure adrenalin. He and the scout had the same idea, head north, the entirely wrong direction to throw their enemies off their tracks.
With two miles of distance between them and the town of Likness, Flynn legs finally gave out and he fell into the snow dropping Anna once more. He came to her side, and went to his pack to retrieve a tunic. As he tore it apart he looked to the Scout who was leaning against a tree holding her stomach. "What is your name Scout?"
Digging into her wound, the scout hissed in pain as she pulled out the tip of the arrow. "Karina Tennfjord."
"Daughter of Oaken Tennfjord?" Flynn said in surprise.
Ripping her own clothes, Karina looked over to Flynn. "Seriously, does everyone know who my dad is."
"A small hobby of mine, knowing the wealthiest merchants of kingdoms," Flynn replied as he pulled off Anna's cloak and ripped her shirt open revealing what remained of the arrows shaft. After a few moments of examining the wound he pulled out the arrow, and began to pack the wound. "Damn it, she will not stop bleeding."
Airi came to Flynn side and with trembling hands took Anna's. "Is there anything I can do?"
Glancing to Airi, Flynn thought for a moment and knew what he needed wasn't going to be good for Anna. "I need you to start a fire, quickly!" Flynn took off his pack and continued, "I have lamp oil in my bag."
Quickly going through the pack, Airi retrieved the oil, she stood and ran around the trees looking for dead branches, knowing live wood would create smoke. After gather an arm full of wood she rushed back to the group, and began to dig out the snow until she hit the ground. Throwing the wood inside she poured in the oil onto it, with a few strikes of flint and tinder the wood flashed into burst of flames.
Going into Anna's satchel he pulled out one of her crossbow bolts and called out. "I need you to put pressure on her wound."
Airi did as she was told and Flynn took the bolt to the fire. Looking down to the unconscious Anna, Airi began to cry. "Please Anna, please don't die."
Moaning in pain Karina looked to Flynn in skepticism. "What are you doing to the Princess."
"Oh good you're still alive?" Flynn pondered out loud as he heated up the tip of the bolt.
Grabbing her bow, she drew an arrow and tried to knock it, but she could barely pull it back. "You will not harm the Princess!"
With tears in her eyes, Airi looked to Karina, "What are you talking about?"
Motioning to Airi, and Flynn she replied, "You wear the cloaks of the Raven's Eye. They are practitioners of dark magic. I've killed enough of them to know you are nothing but evil."
"So is Anna," Flynn snapped at Karina. "Is she a member of Raven's Eyes." Looking to the black cloak Anna was wearing, Karina hesitated. She watched as Flynn came back over to Anna. He moved Airi over and looked to her with the crossbow bolt with the white hot tip. "Hold her down."
"But she is unconscious," Airi said.
Pulling open Anna's wound, Flynn flinched as blood began to squirt in pulses out of the princess's superior thoracic vain. He slowly and steadily lowered the bolt. Karina yelled out, "If you screw that up you will destroy the vain, you could kill her!"
"Not helping!" Flynn shouted as he lowered the bolt closer to the wound. He looked up to Airi who had mounted on top of Anna and was holding her body down and nodded, before he pressed the bolt tip onto the wound.
Anna eyes opened wide and she began to scream in pain. When she tried to get up, Airi forced her back down. Flynn finished with two more tips of the bolt, causing Anna to scream two more times. When she was about to scream for a fourth, a clean part of her cape was stuffed in her mouth. Both Flynn and Airi looked up to see Karina holding the gag in Anna's mouth.
Finished with the bolt Flynn tossed it, and went to his pack and pulled out a needle and thread. After holding the needle in the flame for a moment, he pulled it out and threaded it. Grabbing a flask from the pack, he opened it and poured it onto Anna's wound. The Princess began to thrash about and Flynn pinned her shoulder down and smiled when he looked to Anna who wanted to scream in terror at the pain she was in.
"Don't worry Ginger." Flynn began to stich the wound. "There will never be a scar." Anna's eye narrowed and Flynn shrugged. "Mostly not a scar." As soon as he began to stich Anna reeled in pain with each needle stick. Looking over to Flynn's skill with the needle and thread, "Wow, that is really good?"
Finishing the final stich, Flynn bit off the string and covered Anna's shoulder with her torn clothes and cloak. He looked to Karina and she pulled out Anna's gag. Catching her breath, Anna looked about. "I need chocolate, or wine, yeah wine. Would it be to bold for me to maybe ask for something harder?
Seeing that Anna's quirkiness has returned, Flynn smiled and handed her the flask. Never drinking something as strong, Anna rush to dull the pain had her choke on it. Flynn was about to laugh when Karina collapsed in the snow. Giving a sigh, Flynn looked to Airi and gave a sigh.
/