Chapter Eight

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Waking up to the smell of freshly cooked meat and giggling, Flynn rose to see Anna sitting beside the fire. She was tending to a hare that was roasting on a makeshift spick. After stretching, he looked to see Airi organizing their equipment they have looted and what they started with. Beside him was Karina who was awake, and giggling lightly.

"Well good morning sleepy head." Anna spoke with a sprightly voice as she looked to him brightly.

Flynn glanced up above Anna to the chimney ledge to his camouflaged partner. The willie chameleon made his arm appear and gave a thumb up to let him know his mission was successful. Smiling, Flynn looked to Anna and said, "I see someone went hunting."

Shrugging her shoulders, Anna had a deep and thoughtful look for a moment. "You know. I went out last night after we talked. My emotions have been kinda on overdrive for the past few weeks, and well I needed to work some things out. I realized something. I miss my sister, and I really miss my fiancé. I want to go home." Slowly sitting up Karina felt her wound to feel the tendinous and pain had subsided. Anna pointed to her and said, "Oh and Karina's fever broke overnight. She is feeling a lot better."

"Than what is so funny," Flynn asked?

The three girls all giggled again, and he narrowed his eyes. "You did something to me didn't you."

Running his hand through his hair, Flynn realized that they put tiny braids in his hair. As he slowly and painfully began to pull out the braids Flynn mumbled, "Raps pulls the same crap."

Pulling the hare off of the fire, Anna looked to Flynn and Karina. "Are you two hungry?"

Looking to Airi, then to Anna, Flynn did his best to look comfortable. "You're not hungry."

Airi held up a piece of bark that had bones on it. "We had the first Hare."

Pulling off a chunk of meat from the hare, Flynn smiled. "Cheers."

After a hardy meal of mountain hare and hardtack, Flynn, Anna, Airi, and Karina prepared to leave their cabin sanctuary and to make their trek out of occupied territory. When crossing back over the mountain range, they reentered the domain of Queen's Elsa's magic. It was only a light snow with almost three feet of accumulation. Karina helped lead the party through hunter and game trails to avoid any roads where they would encounter Glowerhaven, or the Raven's Eyes forces.

They made good timing, despite two members of their party being injured. They encountered no issues and reached an abandon logging camp to rest. When sitting down, Airi rubbed her head in pain. Flynn stood next to her and watched with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Still recovering from being magic free." Airi replied. "My head hurts; and it doesn't help that my legs feel numb from all this walking."

Kneeling beside, her, Flynn patted on his knee. "Numb because they are cold, or because they are sore?"

"Both I think," Airi said as she placed one of her legs on his knee.

Pulling off her boot and sock, Flynn looked for any signs of frostbite. When her feet looked fine, he touched the tips of her toes. "Do you feel that?"

Shaking her head, Airi began to worry. "No."

Rubbing his chin, Flynn pondered on the problem. He allowed Airi to put back on her sock and boot. As she did, Karina came to everyone's side. "What is wrong?"

"Her feet are numb."

Shrugging her shoulders Karina did see that as a problem. "So are mine, they are cold."

"Are you sure," Flynn asked?

She has been a Scout for two years know and has endured some of the harshest weather, and deadly cold of the northern mountains, and looked to Flynn as if insulted. "Of course I am." Just when she went to walk away she couldn't. Looking to her feet she foundthat it wouldn't move because Flynn was pressing his heel deep onto her toes.

Eyes widening, Karina yanked her foot free, and quickly sat down to pull off her boots. When she found she had no frostbite she stared at Flynn in shock. "What is going on."

"How about you Streaky?" Flynn said, as he turned to the girl who looked on curiously. "Any numbness?"

In an non exacerbated tone, Anna smiled, "We've been walking in snow for hours, we are all numb. I think you are making a big deal out of nothing."

"Come here let me check you." Flynn said as he got back onto his knees.

Rolling her eyes, Anna walked over to Flynn swung her foot onto his knee with force. "This is totally silly we've all had numb toes in the cold before. After taking off her boot and sock, Flynn put pressure on her toes and the look on Anna's face changed from cheerful to concern. "I should be able to feel that."

Still touching her feet, Karina was growing more concerned. "My toes aren't just numb; I can't move them."

This had Airi attempt to wiggle her toes in her boots but she couldn't. "I can't either." When attempting to stand, Airi legs cramped and she fell back onto the tree trunk she was sitting on. My legs! Flynn what is happening?"

Anna looked about to see Karina begin to rub her head. "My head hurts. Something is happening."

"Is it magic," Airi cried out?

Still holding Anna's foot, Flynn stared up in her panic stricken face, and saw deep in her eyes nothing. He yanked Anna's toe back hard and she cried out in pain before falling to her feet. "Hey that hurt!"

Standing, Flynn stepped back and drew his sword from his scabbard. "This isn't magic Airi, this is poison."

Putting her sock and boot back on, Anna looked to Flynn in disbelief. "I don't get it? How were we poisoned?"

Pointing his sword to Anna, Flynn eyes narrowed. "That's a good question Princess. You were the last one to make us food."

The accusation stunned Anna, she pointed to herself in disbelief by such a claim. "I ate the same food all of you did. If you are poisoned so am I."

Karina fell over in pain grabbing her leg, and when Flynn went to go to her side, he stumbled and fell to one knee. Using his sword as support, Flynn rose back up and found, Anna stood with her sword out and a smile on her face. "It is too bad you didn't kill me last night when we were kissing. Oh, yes I saw you reach for your boot knife."

"Kissing?" Flynn stared at the Princess in anger. "You kissed me, I did nothing of the sort."

"Princess?" Airi whispered as she fell off the log and onto the ground. "Please Princess, this isn't you. I know you didn't do this."

Kicking Airi onto her stomach, Anna leaned over and stared at the girl who was having trouble breathing. "I was half tempted on keeping you alive, but it would have been hard to explain why Flynn, and Karina died and we didn't."

"Princess." Karina whimpered as crawled to her feet. "Please your majesty, this can't be you, I know it."

Raising her sword to strike down Karina, Anna's eyes boiled with rage, but suddenly her entire body froze. She dropped her sword and grabbed her head in pain screaming. "No!"

"I know you can fight it Anna?" Flynn called out as he winced in pain and slowly took his crossbow off of his shoulder. "You have been fighting it for weeks now!"

Hissing, Anna looked about Karina as she was beginning to have trouble breathing. Turning to Airi she laid motionless her face staring at her blankly. Grabbing her chest, a great pain came over Anna. "It's too late! I already killed them! Killed them in cold blood!"

Tears began to pour from Anna's eyes as she watched Karina fall face first into the snow. "I didn't want to do this. I am so sorry!"

"Don't let our deaths be meaningless Anna!" Flynn said, as he fell to the side of a log when attempting to stand once more. "You are stronger than this magic!"

Shaking her head, she looked to her hands in terror. "What have I done?"

Her head twitched as she smiled, "I did what had to be done. You people are nothing! I am will become a heart forged from darkness.

"No." Anna said as she grabbed her head. "I am not a puppet to be controlled. I am Princess Anna of Arendelle, I love my sister Queen Elsa, my fiancé, Kristoff, my people, and my kingdom. I am everything the darkness is not!"

Gritting her teeth, Anna stood to her feet and stared down to the fading Flynn with hate. "Light can never win. There is far more darkness in me than light!"

A screak was heard and Flynn watched as a Raven began to fly above Anna's head. Falling to all fours, Flynn clenched his chest and whispered, "Anna, your love is pure, your heart is strong, not matter what happens you will never let the darkness win."

Screaming as she took hold of her head again, Anna felt like her entire body was being ripped apart. Just when she thought she was about to die from the sorrow from killing her friends, a green flash of light knocked her back. She fell to her knees and stared at a misshaped, disfigured form of herself, it bubbled and oozed like black watery mud.

"Now," Flynn shouted!

He rose quickly with his cross bow at the ready aimed it at the Raven and fired his bolt. Leaping up from the ground, Airi and Karnia drew out their sword with swift and deadly intentions. Both of their blades struck down upon the heart of the twisted form before them; just as Flynn's bolt struck the raven upon the heart. The screech of the shadowed was deafening as it reached out to Anna with horror and desperation. As it collapsed to the ground it exploded into a cloud of ash and soot. The Raven screeched and burst in to green flames before vanishing from sight.

Quickly reloading his crossbow, Flynn looked about for possible enemies. With the area, clear he helped Karina to her feet, and smiled at Airi as she was already brushing off the ash from her clothes. Anna coughed as all she tasted was ash in her mouth, she looked to Flynn, Karina, and Airi congratulating each other. She looked down to her body and felt sick to her stomach. Just as she went to speak she bent over and began to vomit.

Cautiously walking over to Anna, Flynn peered down to the Princess with hesitation. "Everything okay Streaky?"

Looking up to Flynn with tears in her eyes she couldn't help but freak out. "You made me think I killed you! In fact, you should be dead! I put Hemlock in your food. Why would you do that! How did you know I was being controlled by magic? I don't even remember when I was being controlled by magic. What was that thing that came out of me! Why did that raven burst into green flames! Who are you Flynn Rider, and why can't I stop talking!"

Laughing, Flynn shouldered his crossbow and knelt beside Anna. "You didn't give us Hemlock, I…" Flynn winced when a chameleon's tongue was jammed in his ear. He held up his hand and displayed his trusted comrade. "Pascal switched out the hemlock with wild carrot for me. As for when did I know? For a while. Everyone else? When you were passed out from your arrow injury?"

"You all knew," Anna gasped?

Rubbing the back of her head, Airi felt a bit guilty. "I didn't believe it at first, until I saw what you did last night. Princess Anna would never kiss a guy who wasn't her fiancé."

Covering her lips, Anna was embarrassed and ashamed of being reminded of that. "Oh, God I am a horrible person!"

Laughing, Karina helped Anna to her feet. "It wasn't you."

Reaching out for her one of her twin ponytails braids only to find it gone, Anna felt the back to her hair in the single ponytail. "The streak? Is it still there?"

Looking back to her ponytail, Flynn gave a small frown. "Yes. I figured it returned because you were being controlled by magic."

Quickly pulling her hair out of the ponytail, Anna isolated the white streak of hair and stared at it in disappointment. "Does this mean I am still under a magical spell?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Flynn wasn't sure what it meant. "All I know is that right now your mind is clear, thanks to you, we were able to destroy it."

"By making me think, I was a mass murderer!" Anna cried.

Karina helped Anna to a fallen tree trunk and sat her down. "I knew that you would find your greatest strength against the dark magic to revenge the death of the innocent."

"And it totally worked," Flynn said, before he held out his hand and Karina and him exchanged a high five.

After a heavy sigh, Anna felt exhausted she rubbed her temples and couldn't remove any of the guilt of her actions under the spell. "I really, really need chocolate, or wine, or yeah, something stronger."

Going into his cloak, Flynn pulled out a flask and handed it to Anna. This time she was able to drink it without spitting it back out.

Breathing a sigh of relief himself, Flynn sat next to Anna, he wished he could believe she was entirely cured, but as long as they could make it to safety, possibly a more permanent solution could be found. After Anna took another swig of his liquor, Flynn smirked. "If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't even a really good kiss."

As Airi and Karina began to chuckle at the comment, Anna stared at Flynn in annoyance. Anna finally smiled reluctantly, she however looked down to her feet, as she could still hear the dark whispers of evil within her heart.

/

/

Quickly rolling, two smooth round rocks navigated through the snow covered forest. When they entered a field they came to the sight of the massive camp of the Arrendelle's Army. They easily navigated and dodged around the soldiers as they go about their morning duties. They come to a stone road that took them into the town of Torhild, rolling past the citizens and soldiers that went about repairing the damages from the previous day's battle.

Reaching the town hall, they hopped up the steps, and two guards opened the doors for them, allowing them to pass. They made their way to the main hall and up to Elsa who was speaking among her Generals.

Transforming into their humanoid forms, Elsa turned and smiled to the sight of Geir and Grand Pabbie. Both gave a bow, and Elsa who was comfortably wearing her blue dress returned the bow with one of her own. "Grand Pabbie, thank you so much for coming."

Looking to his fellow troll, Grand Pabbie replied, "We will do what we can to help you, your Majesty."

Looking back to her Generals, Elsa gave her pardons and turned to the two trolls, "Please come."

They followed her as she entered the cellar. They were greeted by Dragna, who stood guard of their prisoner. The black cloaked follower of the Raven's Eye, still immobilized in an icy trap. Walking up to the man, Geir looked back to his elder, "I have never seen such dark magic Grand Pabbie."

"Is it even human?" Dragna asked as he stared at the man in disgust.

Raising his hand, Grand Pabbie closed his eyes and felt the hate and darkness emanating from the prisoner. "This is powerful magic." Stepping closer, he stared into the man's blood shot eyes. "He is a man, but I feel he is a man consumed by darkness. This is old, and despicable magic, far beyond this world, deep from within the Tempered Schism of Darkness and Light.

The prisoner grunted as he stared down at the rock troll. "So you will ignore your past troll." Stepping back, Grand Pabbie studied the man as he continued to speak. "You and I are no different. You have felt the calling. The Darkness is returning, and the Master will punish all how dare to defile the world with light."

"Who is your master," Elsa demanded?

"I serve the Raven." The man hissed, "It is pointless to resist your fate. The House of Fairhair will end, just as the trolls prophesized so many years ago."

It was a bit old fashion, but Elsa's family originated from the first King of the North, Harald Fairhair. Grand Pabbie slowly waved his hand allowing magic to shield others from the dark magic effect. "Prophesies are not set in stone; they are simply warnings of one of countless possibilities. Fate and destiny cannot control one's heart unless you let it."

Laughing, the prisoner looked to Elsa, "Was it her heart or destiny that caused her to bring about the prophecy? Not even you are set in stone, you are nothing but one possibility of many."

"It was neither." Dragna declared. "You can't change actions of the past, they are set in stone.

Willing to come to her own defense, Elsa stepped forward. "It was fear. What did this prophecy say I would do?"

"It doesn't matter." Grand Pabbie interrupted, as he looked to Elsa. "It is an old tale, that couldn't be true." Looking back to the prisoner he continued, "The original tale calls for the death of the undying, before the failing of the summer, so this Raven leader of yours is leading you with lies you will never see the Everdark."

The man slowly began to chuckle, it grew into a diabolical howl of uncontrollable laughter. Dragna rolled his eyes and looked to Elsa, "Such a dramatic performance."

The comment made Elsa snicker. "A bit melodramatic."

Calming from his laugh the Prisoner had an ear to ear smile when he said, "The daughter of Sarai is dead."

No one could mistake the fear the came over Grand Pabbie as he lowered his hand. "Gothel is dead." Turning around, Grand Pabbie found himself short of breath he finally turned back to the prisoner and demanded, "The Raven what is his name?" The man stared at him in silence, so Grand Pabbie used his magic and lashed out drawing a gash across the man's face.

"Grand Pabbie!" Elsa called out shocked by such an action.

"What is the Raven's name!" Grand Pabbie demanded.

Licking his own blood as it rolled down his face, the man smiled once more and finally answered. "Diablo."

Looking down to his hands, Grand Pabbie closed his eyes and reached out to the light within himself, to wash away the creeping darkness. After a long breath, Grand Pabbie looked to Elsa. "My Queen, the best you can do for this man is put him out of his misery, once touched by the magic within him, there is no return to the light."

When Dragna began to draw his sword, Elsa summoned a wall of ice between everyone and the prisoner. "No one is killing anyone."

Looking back to the man behind the ice wall, Grand Pabbie shock his head. "You wouldn't be killing anything; his soul has long sense past. Lost to darkness, fed to a force far beyond reason and hope."

The Queen wasn't convinced, she crossed her arms and stared down to the elder rock troll. "Who is diablo? What is this prophecy, also who is this Daughter of Sarai?"

With a small sigh, Grand Pabbie looked around the room and saw a small turned over buck. After taking a seat, he rubbed his legs and thought about what he was about to say. "You all know of the Era of Darkness, and the dark sorceress who ruled over the realm."

Leaning against the wall, Dragna crossed his arms. "Everyone knows the tales. The Old Kingdoms joined together in a grand alliance and defeated the sorceress banishing her to hell with the strike of a weapon of great magical power."

"An evil of such power, does not simply go to hell Master Dragna," Grand Pabbie replied. "She had many followers, and sadly at one point my ancestors were among them."

Hearing the truth of his heritage, had Geir look to his elder in confusion. "But the stories you teach say we never took any sides in the great darkness."

Looking to the younger Geir, Grand Pabbie remembered when he was still just a pebble. "A story I tell to hide the shame of our past. In the final days of the final winter of the final war, the dark sorceress crafted a powerful magical spell forged from a dark star that fell upon the earth. This spell would be unlocked upon the passing of prophecies. The second of which involved you my Queen. Though, when you brought the winter upon our land I did not think it had anything to do with the prophecy, because the second could not come to pass without the first.

"So I guess this is where the Daughter of Sarai, comes in." Elsa stated as she glanced back to the prisoner.

Nodding his head, Grand Pabbie leaned forward as he continued his tale. "Sarai was a handmaiden to a long forgotten queen of the one of the Old Kingdoms that allied with the Dark Sorceress during the Era of Darkness. We trolls know of it as, the Everdark, as do most creatures of magic. It is a time in which worlds die and are reborn into darkness or light.

Her allegiance granted this queen powers and she herself tinkered in the dark arts. She was a vain and wicked Queen who jealously and obsession would lead to her undoing.

She was deposed by her own stepdaughter a fair and beautiful princess, with a heart as pure as snow. She would become a great leader or her time. Sarai, who was loyal to her Queen fled from the kingdom with her daughter along with some of the queen's artifacts in black magic. Like the Queen she admired, Sarai's obsession with beauty and youth, led her down a dark and twisted road.

Before the fall of the dark times, she attempted to sacrifice her own daughter, Gothel to the Sorceress, so to gain her youth. Before she could be sacrificed however, Gothel turned on her mother and killed her in self-defense. Though Gothel lived, she also obtaining what remained of her mother's life for her own. Sadly, she also inherited her mother's obsession for beauty and youth. She like her mother searched for a way to obtain her youth for eternity, and during the dawn of the light she found it. She became known among those of magic, as Lady Gothel the Undying.

I have seen Gothel only twice in my life. Once when I was just a pebble about a hundred and fifty years ago, and she was a raven haired beauty. The last time she roamed the north, was eighty years ago and she looked just as young and beautiful as ever."

Resting her chin on her hand, Elsa couldn't help but feel sorry for Gothel, a woman's whose obsession was more of a curse than something naturally forming. At the same time, she was sure that anyone who lived as long as Gothel with such a curse, would have been lost to it.

Geir was still looking to his elder, trying to understand why he hid so much of the past from his kin. "So if Gothal is dead, and the Queen froze over summer, what is the final prophesy?"

"All of them are connected." Grand Pabbie paused trying to come up with a way to explain magic to those who don't understand it well, even Elsa. "It wasn't just that Elsa froze summer, she did so with fear, with that came the only way to continue the prophesy, a sword sacrifice."

Now Elsa was confused. "Grand Pabbie, my fear was broken when Anna scarified herself for me. Her act of true love saved her and gave me the power I needed to end that winter. No swords were involved in this."

"Hans broke a sword over Anna," Geir said as he snapped his fingers.

Rubbing his chin, Grand Pabbie felt something was missing. "The next part of the prophecy was that Love betrayed Heart. This is the problem with prophecies they hold very little meaning until they come to pass. They do not control the hands of time, or pull strings of fate."

"What about this Raven," Dragna asked as he looked to the elder rock troll. "You needed its name so badly you struck an unarmed prisoner with your magic."

"Diablo, was the name of the Dark Sorceress's most loyal of follower. It was a Raven that held just as much evil and darkness as she did. Since then, the Raven has always been the symbol of her reign, and her dark magic. Those who follow the Raven Diablo, believe they are following the spirit of the Sorceress herself." Rubbing is chin Pabbie spoke his thoughts, "Diablo's return means a struggle far greater has come to pass, I fear we are only seeing the beginning of a much greater calamity."

Smiling a bit from the absurdity of such a cult, Elsa touched her hand to her heart. "What do these people want with me? I have no relation with this evil sorceress. The House of Feirhair was part of the Kalmar Union that allied with the Old Kingdoms to end the Era of Darkness. We had very little if any direct involvement during that time."

There were far more questions than answers for Grand Pabbie's liking. "You are the first person in several generations to be born with magic Elsa."

Raising his finger, Dragna spoke to correct the statement. "Elsa is not the only one. The Lost Princess of Corona, she was born with magic. Though she had lost these powers before her return to the kingdom five years ago."

"Grand Princess Rapunzel." Elsa said as she remembered the intelligence report from her spy who was also the princess's servant. "I sent Kristoff and Olaf to speak with her. Before the invasion, her kingdom was acting as if it too was going to be invaded."

"They must realize that we are all being pulled into a much larger struggle," Grand Pabbie stated.

Dragna looked to the Queen than to the troll. "Someone from within the Raven's Eye made contact with them. But since the invasion, the Glowerhaven's blockade has prevented us from getting any news from Corona."

Not wishing to look at the prisoner any longer, Elsa motioned for her company to follower back upstairs. Once in the main hall, Elsa went to the table with all the maps and she pulled one out of the entire region and stared at the Kingdom of Corona. Biting her lip Elsa felt sad as she was reminded of why she sent Kristoff to Corona. It wasn't just for the mission. She wanted him safe, and away from danger. If Anna's trade talks failed, she would have sent her away as well, and if she would to die in the coming invasion, they could live on in exile. "I fear the missing pieces we need Princess Rapunzel has."

Nodding his head in agreement, Dragna thought about what they could do, but there was nothing. "If Kristoff learned anything from Princess Rapunzel, I am sure he is doing everything he can to make his way back to us."

Geir turned to the Queen. "Even if Glowerhaven was buried in snow and ice, ending the storm must had allowed some ships to bring supplies and reinforcements to their forces here. Within a week at the most, I am sure they will make their move against us. Their army is more than double our size, even with Marshmallow and his fellow snow giants we are outnumbered."

"We must rely on raids and skirmishes to keep them on their heels." Elsa declared. She looked up the main entrances of the hall, as did everyone else when there was a crashing sound at the door. Geir rolled over and opened it and they then watched as Elsa's eagle-owl Snowflake flew into the hall and crashed landed on the table dazed from its previous run in with the door. The bird quickly recovered and as Elsa giggled at him trying to act as if nothing happened.

Closing her eyes, Elsa sensed for her magic and focused on one of her first creations. When she located it, she looked up alarmed. Turning back to the maps, Elsa looked to her kingdom than that of Corona, and to where she felt her magic. Leaning over to Dragna, Elsa felt like it was best to double check. "You did show Kristoff where Corona was on a map?"

Realizing something was wrong, Dragna rose his hands up. "Of course I did. Why?"

"I sense Olaf, but he isn't in Corona." Elsa stated which had all look to her in shock. "He is in the Southern Isles."

/

/

Riding at full gallop, Maximus was where he always liked to be, in the head of the herd. He road with his beloved master on his back the Grand Princess Rapunzel. Desperately trying to keep up, was Kristoff and Olaf. Though they rode on the back of a Corona Andalusians, none could match the speed of Maximus. In fact, all those just behind Maximus were riders who were on the backs of Corona Andalusians. Which meant behind them were the thirteen princes of the Southern Isles.

Unlike before, the port city of Hundervan was nearly deserted as those evacuated the night before. Reaching the docks, Rapunzel did not wait for Kristoff or her Handmaiden Cassandra. She ran up the gangplank. leapt onto a rigging line and swung to the poop deck of the ship where her helmsmen stood at the wheel. "Vlad, make ready to sail!"

She looked up to the mast and called out, "Big Nose hoist the colors!"

Smiling, he gave a thumbs up and replied, "You got it Raps!"

As the remaining members of her party came on board, she frowned when she saw among them was the disgraced Prince Hans. She was glad to see that Prince Alban was also with them. She went to the railing of the poop deck and called down to them. "Any of you good at sailing?"

Hans snarled at the Princess. "We are Princes of the Southern Isles; we were born to sail the…" Out of nowhere a snowball struck Hans directly in the face knocking him to the ground.

Seeing his little brother has once again fallen victim to snowball in the face, Alban smiled and looked up to Rapunzel. "Yes Princess Rapunzel."

Grabbing onto a dangling rigging rope, Rapunzel sung down to the deck, just feet from Alban. "No time for formalities during ship to ship combat. You can just call me Raps."

Alban looked about the crew of mercenaries, and back to Rapunzel. "Okay I guess."

Looking down to Hans, Rapunzel nudged him with her foot. "This is my ship, so you follow my orders, Prince Hans. Now get up and get to work." She looked to Kristoff and Olaf. "We need you to help with ship defense go to the armory and grab a weapon."

Kicking loose a pulley, Rapunzel launched high into the rigging, she climbed and swung her way until she finally reached the crow's-nest. In the nest, Shorty stood on a barrel, with a spyglass looking out to the horizon. The ship lunged forward as it began to break from the docks. "What are we looking at?"

Shorty clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he spoke. "It's nearly all of Glowerhaven's entire damn fleet. The Thyra, and the Svanen for sure, most likely the Havfruen, Najaden, Nymfen, each leading their own battle line of frigates. They sure are going to bring hell down on us."

"Their man-of-wars are our biggest threat," Rapunzel stated. "We can't let them organize their firing lines. We have to keep this as a melee at all cost."

"Raps," Shorty said as he lowered the spyglass. "The Southern Isles only have ten warships at the ready, with our five we are still outnumbered and outgunned."

"We brought this upon these people, I will defend them at all cost." Rapunzel could still just barely see the ships on the horizon. "If we can get close enough, we will board and capture one or two of their ships. That would make them really confused."

Shorty gave a small bow as Rapnuzel leapt from the crows-nest. He pulled out a bottle of rum and opened it. "Can't go to war sober. That would be dangerous."

Landing on deck, Rapunzel saw Hook Hands was organizing the gun crews for racking fire. Coming up to Rapunzel's side was Prince Alban. "Princ… I mean Raps, my brothers have set sail."

Rapunzel nodded and quickly joined in helping her crew in preparing for battle. Coming to her side was Cassandra. "Rapunzel!"

Sliding to a stop, she looked to her handmaiden in frustration. "What?"

"You are not going into battle like that!" Grabbing her by the ear, Cassandra pulled her princess to her cabin. Once inside, Cassandra pulled out a glimmering chest plate of armor. "I ignored your recklessness when it was just you, but now there are two."

Pouting as Cassandra put on the armor, Rapunzel said, "But Cass, it's uncomfortable, and constricts my movements."

Before she tightened the armor, Cassandra went to remove the Suntear but was stopped. Rapnuzel put it back under the armor and replied, "Raven's Eye might be on those ships. This will tell me if there is any magic."

Lamenting on the necklace, Cassandra finished putting on the armor plate, and then held up a frying pan and a sword in a scabbard on a belt. Laughing, Rapunzel pointed to the sword. "Don't want to give away the Kingdoms secret weapon, to the Southern Isles."

As she secured the belt to Rapunzal, Cassandra began to feel fear creep up on her. "We've been through some pretty crazy adventures, and we faced danger, but you were always able to get us out of it. So what is your plan this time?"

Lifting Cassandra to her feet, Rapunzel pulled her into a hug. "Pray to God that my father and the rest of the fleet come early." The realization, that Rapunzel knew that the odds were stacked against, and that her plan relied on chance, had Cassandra feel even less sure of what was about to happen. When Rapunzel left the cabin, Cassandra picked up the frying pan, knowing she might have to use it.

Back on deck, Rapunzel went to the poop deck and looked out to the oncoming Glowerhaven fleet, as they were now clearly visible on the horizon. Coming to her side was Princes Alban who stood with his hands behind his back. "Have you ever been in a navy battle before?"

The statement had Rapunzel grin as she remembered one of her adventures. "There was this big misunderstanding with pirates and it kind of started a war with the Kingdom of Sarina. It was only for like ten hours. Eugene and I, with the Dreamcatcher, had to chase down the pirates and there was some skirmishes and stuff." Rapunzel nudged Alban with her elbow. "You know I still can't figure out how Pascal got that one pirate ship on top of the other." When Alban just looked at Rapunzel strangely she realized he missed part of the story. "You see Pascal is a chameleon, and he can't talk, so he can't tell us."

Side stepping a few feet away from Rapunzel, Alban wondered if he wasn't dealing with a crazy woman. Rapunzel looked to Gunther who stood at the ready with two flags. "Signal the fleet, racking fire on the man-of-war's. Before they can form up into battle lines I want the Waterhorse, and the Angry Duckling to follow us in a breaker run. Have the Bellhammer and the Comet assist the Southern Isles ships." Looking to the masts, Rapunzel called out. "Any sign of my dad?"

Calling down, Longbow said, "Sorry Raps."

Nodding her head, Rapunzel looked to Attila. "Release another set of lanterns, the winds are still coming from the north."

Hook Hand called out from the deck. "We are almost in firing range!"

"Hold your fire, until I give the command."

What sounded like small rumbles of thunder coming from the enemy fleet turned in to blooms of splashes, as the Glowerhaven ships opened fire.

The choppy and heavy seas of the North rocked the ship constantly, Alban smirked in superiority to the Glowerhaven fleet. "Those fools, do they think we are in the calm ocean, you could never hit us from such a range. The North Sea is violent on the best of days."

"We have that going for us," Rapunzel added. "Glowerhaven only faced naval warfare in the ocean, never in the turbulent North Sea."

As cannon fire harmlessly splashed around them, Rapunzel ordered her fleet to begin evasive maneuvers. She didn't flinch when one cannon shot landed so close water sprayed up onto the deck.

Coming to Rapunzel's side Kristoff was finishing placing a sword on his belt. "The Kingdom of Arendelle stands ready to defend the Kingdom of the Southern Isles."

Prince Alban nodded his head and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You are more than welcome. Let me just say, it is an honor to go into battle with both your kingdoms at our side."

"Raps! Those ships are getting awfully close." Hook Hand called out.

When a cannon shot ripped through her fore mast top sail, Rapunzel braced onto the railing as she could see the gunner crews of the Thyra reloading their cannons. She waited until they were rolling their cannons back into position, when she finally gave the order. "Open fire!"

All four of the Dreamcatcher's forward facing guns fired at once. All four cannon balls struck the Thrya, destroying the bow sprit, and figure head. Rapunzel didn't even have to give the order as her ship cut hard to starboard, and her port gun crews began to ripple fire, each aiming for the damaged bow of the ship. The attack demolished most of the forecastle, and the Thrya was turning to broadside the much smaller Dreamcatcher. This put the Thrya against the wind, and with quick order, Rapunzel turned the Dreamcatcher hard to port. The long and heavy keel of the Dreamcatcher was made for this very purpose, as they were now over taking the Thrya and cutting her off.

With her guns now pointed at the ships, water line, once more the Dreamcatcher's gun crews, ripple fired on the Thrya blasting apart the weaker bow of the ship. She was followed by the Waterhorse, and the Angry Duckling both cutting across her bow firing upon it.

With the Thrya stunned by the sweeping and swift attack, Rapunzel called out to her mercenaries. Boarding parties on the lines!"

With the starboard cannons of the Thrya unprepared, the Dreamcatcher circled past them with only taking one hit. They were now heading straight for the first frigate in the battle line. It was slightly larger than the Dreamcatcher, and was attempting to form up with the Thrya in a battle line. When the Captain of the ship realized that the Dreamcatcher wasn't going to turn away, he turned hard to Port to give its starboard guns, that were at the ready, a chance to fire. Only problem was, the Dreamcatcher stayed her course. Her custom reinforced bow easily took the first volley, and because of the two ships speed the second volley never could fire. As the Dreamcatcher came dangerously close to the ships her port gun crews once more opened fire, but this time with heavy grappling hooks.

Hans was not going to miss out on close quarters combat, and pushed Big Nose off his line and took it as his own. Right before he leapt, Olaf jumped onto his shoulders armed with two cutlasses. "Get off me, you freak of nature!"

Hitting Hans on the top of his head, Olaf countered, "I am indestructible and your insane, we would be unstoppable!"

After a moment of thought, Hans shrugged his shoulders unable to think of a reason why that didn't make sense. So, with Olaf on his shoulders, he swung over with the rest of the boarding party to the enemy ship.

Vladimir called out to Rapunzel from the wheel, "Raps, we got trouble!"

Looking forward after the successful landing of her boarding party she saw that the next two ships of the Thrya battle line were splitting off and lining up to the Dreamcatcher starboard-bow, and port-bow for a double broadside. Looking to the heavy waves, Rapunzel takes a risky gamble. "All sails Port track broad reach! Helm hard to port!"

Rapunzel swung on a rigging line to the main mast to help make the radical change in the point of sail. The Dreamcatcher shook violently as it stopped nearly all forward momentum, and banked hard to port kicking her aft from behind her just as it hit a massive wave. It lifted the ship up, and for Rapunzel she called out to Hook Hands. "Prepare to fire starboard full broadside!"

With the ship angled so sharply all the starboard gun crews could see was sky. Just when Hook Hand was about to question their fearless leaders command, their ship crested the wave and the ship swung violently to the opposite angle. A glee of bloodlust struck Hook Hand's eyes as all five starboard cannons were pointing directly at the deck of the enemy ship that was below the wave, and totally unprepared for the insanity of the Dreamcatcher's Captain.

Rising his hooked hand, he yelled out. "Fire!"

All five rounds blew complete through the unarmed deck and straight through the hall shattering the keel of the ship. The Dreamcatcher was now however, riding the wave backwards and her crew were fighting the wind to bring the point of sails back to center. Rapunzel however, wasn't counting on the final ship of the line to be pulling to port to broadside with the now backwards sailing Dreamcatcher.

"Jibe!" Rapunzel called out, throwing the sails from their furthest point on one side of the mast to the other. The timing was perfect, as they locked into the starboard side broad reach just as the ship was now face into the wind. This had the ship spin a complete three hundred and sixty degrees in less than fifty yards. The final ship opened fire and the blast ripped through the rigging, and struck the top fore mast yard bringing it down.

An explosion was heard, and all looked at the Waterhorse was just struck by a partial broadside from the now attacking Thrya. The Waterhorse lost its fore mast and most or her jibs in the assault. The benefit was that the Thrya battle line was in utter chaos, and after the Waterhorse past her, she was free from any more direct fire. The Dreamcatcher was now turning hard to come up on the rear of the ship that just broadsided her. Rapunzel swung down to the poop deck and looked to Gunther, "Signal the Angry Duckling, tell them to rake the Thrya draw them towards us!"

The mute pointed to the ship that her boarding party was one to see that it just rammed another Glowerhaven ship and her mercenaries lead by a snowman and a psychopathic prince were now boarding it. Prince Alban also witnessed this feat and looked to the Princess, "That was unexpected."

It was a blessing, the Dreamcatcher had already mortally wounded one ship which was currently sinking, and with two other ships now taken out of the Thrya squadron they now had the advantage. Coming up to the aft of their target vessel, Rapunzel ordered her four bow cannons to take out the ships rudder, and after their second volley they did. They cut to her port and began to overtake the ship. The Dreamcatcher's starboard gun stations angled forward, and opened fired in a ripple affect disabling enemy's gun ports before they can even open fire. With their aim between the top deck and the quarter deck, they compromised the haul and the deck buckled and collapsed on the port side rending her weaponless. With a turn of the sails, the Dreamcatcher slowed just enough to lay in one more nearly point blank range broadside, taking out one mast of her enemy and knocking her out of the fight.

Rapunzel wasn't done, as she ordered her ship to fire towlines onto the crippled ship. Her second boarding crew swung over. Rapunzel placed Kristoff in charge of the Dreamcatcher, as she joined this attack. The Glowerhaven seaman put up little resistance. They witnessed the Dreamcatcher pull off incredible acts of precision and maneuvers' that would go down as naval legends. It also helped that Rapunzel's Mercenaries were some of the meanest and ugliest looking lot this side of the Old Kingdoms. Hook Hands quickly organized the enemy ships cannons for a broadside. Rapunzel and Prince Alban easily seized the poop deck and helm with little resistance.

She took the wheel and synchronized her movements with the Dreamcatcher, as they headed for the Thrya. The Thrya was chasing down the Angry duckling, which was smoking from some well-aimed shots from the Thrya's bow cannons. Rapunzel's crew began to set the remaining mast of her commandeered ship on fire. She than readied to bring the ship in for a suicidal point blank broadside with the triple decked man-of-war. As soon as they began to cross, she ordered Hook Hands to hold his fire. The ship bow was being blown apart, and just when all ten guns of her ship facing the Thya's hall, they opened fire. The damage was extensive, but not crippling. She than called out to her ship and they fired their cannons, that were placed to strike the commandeered ships masts.

Wood and explosions ripped through the burning ship and her masts engulfed in flames fell onto the Thya. Rapunzel was knocked to the ground, and was about to be struck by a falling yard when Alban swooped her into his arms and ran and jumped for a rigging line. He swung across and landed onto the deck of the Dreamcatcher. Hook Hands and his boarding crew also made it back on board, and the Thrya was now hopelessly entangled with a fire ship. The Dreamcatcher cut her tow lines and pulled free of the chaos, she began to circle the Thrya coming up on her aft, she opened fire with her guns destroying her rudder. With fire and chaos on the Thrya's decks, the ship's crew was in utter confusion and as the Dreamcatcher came around on her portside. No one on the Thrya was even giving orders to prepare for a broadside.

This gave Rapunzel's crew the ability to lay into the Thrya, blasting apart her lower wale. Upon her second volley, the Dreamcatcher finally hit what they were looking for, the ships magazine. The explosion blew out the hall in all directions, the fore castle latterly was launched fifty feet into the air, the fore mast buckled and fell back into the main mast. The secondary explosion along with the already crippled bow from the Dreamcatcher's first strike ripped what remained of it off, and the entire inside of the ship was completely exposed.

Rapunzel's crew cheered, as the flagship to the Glowerhaven Royal Navy, began to go down along her keel. It twisted and broke apart and took the ship Rapunzel entangled with the beast down with her.

The victory was short lived as cannon fire erupted to the Dreamcatcher's aft. It was a perfect shot and blasted Rapunzel off of the poop deck over the railing on to the deck. Vladimir was injured and Kristoff took to the helm and pulled the Dreamcatcher away from the fire. He circled the sinking Thyra, but just when they were in the clear they came right into the line of fire of the Svanen. Slowly getting up, Rapunzel thought the Svanen the oldest of the Glowerhaven's man-of-wars would act as a rear observer, to coordinate the battle. Her commander after watching the Thyra's squadron get torn to shreds by just three frigates, rushed to crush the greatest threat.

The Dreamcatcher took the full broadside of the Svanen shattering her deck, and taking down the top half of her fore mast. Kristoff never piloted a sailing ship, but knew he was in a bad position, so cut hard on the wheel and put his ship with the wind to his back to get away from the Svanen, and to decrease his ships profile. He also once again used the sinking wreckage of the Thyra as cover. This now put them coming up on the rear of the ship that first struck them, and the Dreamcatcher opened up with her bow cannons.

Rapunzel called out to Kristoff to turn to the starboard, as a third ship of the Svanen's squadron bared down on them. With her speed reduced due to lost canvas, the Dreamcatcher took a direct hit on her bow gun battery. The enemy ship came alongside the injured Dreamcatcher, and after an exchange of broadside fire, they sent over dozens of marines to invade the Dreamcatcher.

One the deck, Rapunzel was forced to draw her sword, and defend herself from attack. Her crew could easily hold their own against a basic marine. But, when black cloaked figures began to leap from the rigging of the enemy to the Dreamcatcher, the suntear vile around Rapunzel's neck began to glow.

Realizing that there was magic upon them, she kicked the marine attacking her in the groin, then kicked him off her ship. She took hold of a rigging line and cut it sending her flying to the new threat. As soon as the first black cloak figure saw her landing on the main lower topsail, he charged to attack. Rapunzel was thankful to her husband who taught her the skills in sword play, as her opponent was one of the best she ever faced.

After parrying a furry of attacks, Rapunzel went on the offensive, and utilized her acrobatic skills to out maneuver her enemy by flipping over him on the narrow beam. Once landing behind him she kicked him off the yard. She watched as he fell onto a splintered post impaling him in the chest. When the body burst into ash and soot, Rapunzel didn't feel that bad doing what she just did.

Her break was short lived as a second black cloaked figured charged her. As she defended herself, from she was forced to swing across to the fore mast to prevent from being flanked. The sea was still chaotic, and as a wave crested above the ship beside the Dreamcatcher, Rapunzel stared in awe as a Glowerhaven frigate came over the edge of the wave and came crashing down on the bow of the ship that was latched on the Dreamcatcher's side.

This was no accident, as Rapunzel saw in disbelief at Olaf behind the helm, Hans and her Mercenaries fighting off the crew. With the attacking ship nearly split in two, the Dreamcatcher was able to break free of its boarding lines and pull away. Rapunzel couldn't see what her ship should do next; as she had to defend herself form the sinister followers of the Raven's Eye.

After vanquishing one of her attackers, she did a quick survey of the battle to see that the Svanen was maneuvering to broadside the Dreamcatcher once more. She saw that Kristoff and Alban were barely holding the poop deck and no one was at the wheel. Before she could swing down she was attacked by a third cloaked figure. Panic began to consume Rapunzel as she felt her ship get hit by the bow guns of the Svanen.

Just when she thought all hope was lost, she saw a paper lantern float by her ship. She turned behind her just as the beautiful and massive flagship of the Holy Corona Royal Navy, the Sunfire cut between the Dreamcatcher and the Svanen. Her cannons were poised and leading her was King Frederic himself. The furry of a father protecting his daughter, gave his ships gun crews the focus to make every shot true as they completely obliterated the Quarter deck of the Svanen, as well as take down both her fore and main mast in a single volley.

With the threat of pending death passing, Rapunzel returned to fighting off the followers of the Raven's eye. Just as she killed her fourth, and he denigrated into a mist of ash, her ship was struck by a volley of cannon fire. The fore mast Rapunzel was on buckled and gave way. As the mast fell, Rapunzel ran down the top yard and leapt grabbing on to what rigging she could and sung across to the main mast.

Landing, she lost her sword, and before she could get to her feet on the yard a follower of the Raven kicked her in the head, knocking her off. She fell nearly twenty feet, through the canvas cover of the center cargo waist, and smashing down onto the quarter deck. Her body lied motionless as her mind and spirit were ripped from it and transported to a void of mist and darkness.

Opening her eyes to a twinkling light, Rapunzel still felt the pain of her brutal fall. She looked about to see a twinkling light that with every pulse chimed like a bell. "What happened where am I?"

Landing on Rapunzel's knee, a young dark skinned fairy, wearing a beautiful flowing gold dress looked down upon her. They fairy radiated with a yellow and gold aura. "It has been a while Princess."

After a very dry swallow, Rapunzel looked to the fairy with slight fear. "Iridessa..."

Bowing her head, the young fairy, gave a warm yet regretful smile. "The realms are in danger; the darkness cannot seize control of yours. If they do, they could control the fate of the Aurora Regna, and bring about the Everdark."

Placing her handover her chest, Rapunzel was scared. "Please Iridessa, don't make me do it."

With a raise of her hand, the mist around her pulled away, and Rapunzel found herself floating above the sea battle. Everything was moving at a fraction of normal time. She looked below her, to see that even with Corona's Fleet, the battle was at a stalemate.

"I know you are far more than your powers Rapunzel." The light fairy said as she looked over the battle. "I wish I could tell you, that this will be easy. I know you are scared, I am scared too, but you cannot run away from this part of your life. What is in side of you is more valuable than any magic. You have the power to unite hearts of light."

Bowing her head, Rapunzel knew this moment would come in her life. "I understand."

With outstretched arms, Iridessa floated up to be level with the Suntear vile. "Have faith in the light, and rejoin your spirit to become the Nova Rampion."

Closing her eyes, Rapunzel opened them once more to find herself laying broken and bloodied on the quarter deck of her crippled ship the Dreamcatcher. She slowly removed her chest plate, and threw it off her body. Pulling out the suntear from around her neck, the fading princess unscrewed its top and watched as the brilliant glowing gold liquid floated out. Cupping the brilliant orb in her hand she eyes filled with tears as she thrusted the suntear into her heart.

The sea battle suddenly went quiet as the waters calmed instantly to a glass like surface, and the winds died to nothing. The very sound of battle was sucked out of the air, and all watched as the clouds in the sky bellowed and churned in chaotic furry. Than, a golden beam of light and energy erupted from the Dreamcatcher, it struck the cloud cover and it began a vaporize into a cascade of gold light until all the clouds across the horizon were gone. The beam went directly into the sun and all watched as a brilliant white light flicked out and down the stream of energy back down into the Dreamcatcher.

A wave of translucent gold pink, purple, and white energy discharge in all directions, as a blinding glowing gold orb rose from within the ship. As the light subsided, Rapunzel floated above her ship wearing a shimmering light pink and white dress. All above watched in awe as her hair glowed as long magical strands of light grew out. With a shattering sphere of light erupting from her body, Rapnuzel held her arms out stretched. The glowing white strands of light formed into stands of glowing golden hair.

When she opened her eyes a second sphere of energy burst from her heart, and when it struck an enemy of the light it vaporized them. The Glowerhaven's ships, crews and marines were also knocked into the air by the light. The ships were no match for such intense power as the energy turned their hauls a sunder and capsized them as the light wave struck.

As the pulsing waves of light faded, Rapunzel gently floated down to the deck of the ship. When she finally opened her eyes, she bowed her head. The familiar weight of hair pulled on her. Her crew looked around her in astonishment, and amazement. She didn't want to. She wished it was all a dream, but she knew there was no avoiding it, so she looked back. She tried to smile at the fact that at least it wasn't seventy feet long this time, it looked more like forty to fifty feet.

Coming up and taking Rapunzel into a hug, Kristoff pulled her to arm's length and with joyful excitement said, "That was amazing!"

Also coming to her was Prince Alban who still saw a faint aura of light glowing from her. "Princess… What, what happened?"

All turned when they heard a frying pan hit the deck. Battered and bruised by alive, Cassandra slowly walked up to her friend and gently ran her hands through her hair. Shimmering glowing sparks of light sparkled with each stroke of the long golden locks.

With a long and heavy sigh, Rapunzel looked to all the wounded on the deck and said, "The battle is won. Gather all the wounded, Southern Isles, Coronan and Glowerhaven."

Giving a bow, Prince Alban replied to the command, "Yes Princess."

/