A/N: This chapter is supposed to take place exactly during the events of Rocky Road, and features characters who I think are clearly Assassins in the Enchanted Forest.

Chapter 5: Rocky Road

The morning sun cracked through the trees as I wiped the dew off my face. Anna lay sleeping under the trees while I hunted for our breakfast. I heard the quiet pip of a morning bird as I slipped between the trees. Eggs could be good if they were clean enough. I looked around for the bird's nest, but got something else.

A pigeon flew right up to me and perched on the branch next to me. He had a note tied to his leg. I took it from him, then it flew off.

"Master Asgeir.

The news in Arendelle has gone from bad to worse. In the past week since you and Princess Anna have been gone, Queen Elsa hasn't been able to focus on anything aside from finding you. We're doing all we can to stall her just as you asked, but sooner or later she will find out that you put us up to avoiding your search.

What's more, Prince Hans is in Arendelle now with a number of his brothers. Franz is among them, and he is looking for you. We will do what needs to happen. Only say the word."

Anna didn't know about this. If Hans wasn't dead by the time we returned, (or IF we returned. I was concerned that we would never see Arendelle again.) we'd be walking right into the hornet's nest. I didn't give the messenger's note just one word. I wrote two on the back of the note: Take them.

I jumped down from the trees just as Anna was stirring. She smiled as I put a couple logs on the fire. A successful hunt came with me.

"Morning." She said.

"Morning." I replied. "Hope you like eggs."

Anna nodded. "Sunny side up."

When the eggs were ready, I decided that the time was as good as any. Rumplestiltskin was watching us, and he may already know about the beans.

I looked around cautiously. Someone with my abilities could easily tell if someone of the Imp's abilities was watching us. We were still a three days journey from his castle.

I pulled out the pouch from my satchel, and held it out to her.

Anna looked up from her breakfast. "What's that?"

"Look in this, but don't touch the contents. And don't say their names. You know what they are."

Anna looked at the bag with suspicion, then grabbed it. She zipped it open, and peered in. Then she looked up at me.

"Is that-?"

"Exactly what you think they are. We Assassins carry them on our persons for a last resort. Now I need you to listen to me closely, Anna: He is not to be trusted. He will no doubt have the answers we seek, but you need to be really careful with him."

"You've met him?"

I nodded. "You have no idea the amount of contracts people have signed to kill him. But I've gone through enough attempts to know that he is immortal. He can't even be wounded. I tried to kill him once, and afterwards we called an uneasy truce and just decided to move on. Believe me when I say it was easier than most."

Anna shook her head. "Everything has a weakness. What's his?"

I bowed my head. "Even if I told you, which I won't, it would be pointless: he holds a Piece of Eden that gives him his powers, and he guards it with every living bone in his body. We'd never be able to get it."

The Piece he held, the Dagger, worked unlike any other I had seen before. It could work like the Apple, but with a twist: it could only control him. But it was the rewards that it yielded that could really make it different than the Apples or the Staff. He could only be killed by the Dagger stabbing him. Whoever killed him with it would gain his powers, that which could oppose even gods. All seeing, all knowing, all powerful, and never aging. I could only dream of the chance to truly match him. But to do so, I would need magic, something not worth the price.

"But this person could help us with Elsa and why our parents were on the voyage?"

"I would advise we find someone else, but yes. He can help us."

"Then what choice do we have?" She asked.

I stared at her, then sighed. "Not much."

"Why did you show me the package?" She asked, handing the beans back to me.

"It's well known by us in the Order that he plans on trying to travel to another land. One that I have been to many, many times over: A Land Without Magic. I don't know what he plans on doing there, but it must be nowhere near from good. He may be planning on unleashing an almighty evil on that realm, or start another war after they've suffered from several already. So I need you to know about this, because I am going to bury the beans."

Anna nodded. "You're going to hide them so that he can't take them from you. Good plan."

After burying the satchel, and rigging a trap for anyone else, should they try to dig them up, we set off. But I took one with me, and hid it in my boot's heel. I would need to come back for the beans, and a portal there would be vital.

"Why do you want to know about Elsa's powers?" Asked Anna.

I stopped suddenly. "What are you talking about?"

"You've got several reasons to accompany me: the Templars are after me, you're my brother who wants to spend some time with me, you can't sit still, etcetera, etcetera. You clearly have the same questions I do."

I nodded. "Yeah. And I have something to prove."

Anna looked back at me. "Who do you have to prove to?"

"The Coronian Assassin Order. They and the Arendelle Order have a close alliance since we used to be part of them. After Elsa gave us the resources, we started our own wing right in the kingdom. But ever since Ryan, they've had a hard time trying to move past it."

"But you provide the Assassins with tactical support with our spies. You send them out to throw off our enemies."

"Doesn't matter. They personally are afraid of Elsa. They aren't the only ones, and they know it."

Anna frowned. "Those guys need to grow up. Do they even know Elsa?"

"No. And they don't care. Some of us in the Order are afraid of magic. I don't have a problem with it. It all depends on the person. It's not magic that hurts people: it's who controls that magic that hurts people."

We started on our way again, doing what we could to avoid Queen Regina's Black Knights.

"Gosh." Said Anna. "This is nothing like Arendelle."

I nodded. "Welcome to one of my worlds. The queen has a bounty on my head right now."

Anna glanced down at me. "You weren't kidding, were you?"

"She has every right to put that bounty on me because of a simple reason."

Anna rolled her eyes, realizing she should have figured it: "She's a Templar."

"Every monarch of the seven kingdoms that have placed the bounties on my head are Templars. The worst of all is King George. He's tried to kill me personally many times."

"Asgeir, you really need to be spending more time home. You wouldn't be ticking off so many people if you were."

I nodded. "But I would be an Assassin before I am the Royal Spymaster, or even a prince. It's the life that I live. And people like King George need to be put down by me."

Suddenly, I heard a familiar cooing. I snatched the pigeon right out of the air before he clawed my face off. Anna looked down with interest.

"What is it?"

I looked down at the note, smiling. "Up for a little excitement?" I said to her.

I pulled back the brush to the road. My spies were right. This road would be ideal for an ambush on a target coming this way.

This message came from my Double Headers. They were a third type of contact I had in my connections with the Order. Elsa agreed to having me hire several Assassins to be spies for Arendelle, giving them the resources they needed, and I had better spies. They got their name for a simple reason: they wore the head of a spy, and an Assassin. Double Header.

The message said that a royal convoy was on the road heading right towards us, carrying over a hundred thousand Gold Pieces, and one of our big targets. Intercepting and taking out the convoy to kill the Templar could prove beneficial, especially with Anna and I out in the open with giant targets on our backs in desperate need of taking out prying eyes.

I darted back to Anna, sitting on David's old horse. "It's risky, but no doubt you and I can jump them with the right plan."

Anna slid off the steed. "What's the plan?"

"Hope it involves us!"

Anna and I jumped as I pulled my blade out. Six men in green hoods stood before us, two of them with bows. They pulled their hoods down to smiling faces.

"Thought we'd meet up again, Asgeir!"

I couldn't believe it. "Rob!"

I grabbed the blonde's hand in a shake as he approached, laughing. As soon as I let go of his hand, I felt a hundred pound force lift me up and crush my ribs.

"Ow! Okay, Little John!" I cried. "You can put me down!"

Robin laughed again. "Little John, you can put him down."

Anna snickered as John set me down. "Friends of yours, Asgeir?"

I grinned as I put my arm around Robin's shoulder. "Anna, this is legendary thief, Assassin, and Mentor to the Merry Men Wing of the Order, Robin Hood of Nottingham. Robin, my sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle."

Robin grinned at Anna. "The famous Princess Anna." He took her hand, bowed, and kissed it. "A pleasure." he said, slyly.

Anna blushed as I rolled my eyes. Always the charmer, Robin, even with his wife Marian. I only met her once, and she was just as much a fighter as her husband.

"So you got the same message I did, Robin?"

"Aye." He replied. "The caravan is transporting one of Prince John's closest allies and over a hundred thousand gold pieces."

"Prince John." I groaned. "There's something about you that makes me think you and him were destined to be each others' worst enemies in our war."

"You said it. So the caravan approaches?"

"In an hour according to my spies. They'll be crossing through on this road. I was just going to go over the plan with Anna."

Robin laughed. "No offense to your skills, Asgeir, but without us, you'd have no chance against the caravan. They just had a recent update in their armory. Those new rifles will punch holes in your armor. A two person assault wouldn't work out, and neither would six. Eight, however, is perfect. Can I count on your help?"

I was excited to be working beside Robin once more, but I knew one thing. "We both want different things out of this, Robin. You're raiding this caravan to take the gold. I'm in it for both the gold, and the Templar. Neither are escaping my reach."

"Agreed. Now I hope Anna knows something about diversionary tactics?"

Anna shook her head. "Asgeir's only been teaching me the offensive skills so far."

Robin smirked. "Indeed. Care for a crash course in Diversions 101? Alan!"

Alan-A-Dale, the minstrel of the Merry Men walked over. "Real simple, Highness." He said to Anna in his old southern accent. "Just stand by me, and hold out yer hand for coins."

I grinned. "Beggar's Sleight of Hand. A modern classic!"

Anna looked at Alan confused as he gave her an old tattered burlap hood.

"Don't let them see your sword, and don't say a word. Let me do the talkin'."

"Excellent, Alan." Said Robin. He placed his bow on his shoulder. "The rest of us, take positions in the trees. Asgeir will go first."

Right on schedule, the convoy appeared. It had four soldiers leading with their rifles in their hands, flanking a large chest being pulled on a platform carriage by two slaves. Very small boys with that look of despair in their eyes.

"We break their chains along with the gold and whoever's in that carriage, agreed?" I said.

Robin nodded. "Those lads will do fine with me."

There were four other soldiers on horseback flanking the carriage. The hubcaps on it's wheels bore the Red Cross of the Templars. They just couldn't resist showing off, could they?

Alan and Anna stepped out onto the road as Alan started playing his song.

"Just a couple peasants on their way into the village/oo de lally oo de lally/ golly what a day." He sang.

Anna held out her hands, the hood covering her head, but her braids were sticking out. I was worried it would blow our cover.

"Alms..." She murmured. "Alms for the poor."

That was my cue. I jumped down from the tree behind the convoy as it stopped. The back of the convoy was taken by two more guards on horseback. I flicked my wrists, the Rope Blades pulling them off as their heads fell into the muck. Then I stuck my swords into them to make sure they didn't get back up.

"What's this?!" Cried a snooty voice from the carriage. "Who dares stop the convoy!"

The coachman looked down into the carriage window. "Pardon sir. But it's beggars."

"I don't care!" Cried the voice. "We cannot spare a piece to them. Don't even consider it. Carry on!"

Anna didn't move, and neither did Alan. They both held their hands out, silently pleading for kindness from them. Anna knew what I knew: that voice sounded familiar.

The guard at the front of the convoy glanced at them. I couldn't see what expression covered his face from the back, but judging what he did next, it wasn't sympathetic. He loudly spat towards Anna and Alan.

Anna dropped her hands in shock. I glanced over at Robin, who was silently taking out one of the rear guards. He waved his signal to me just as I did the same.

I stuck my blade in between the carriage's door and the frame, and snapped it open. Then I slipped in, pulling my flintlock out.

"Hello, mate!" I called out as the passenger shrieked like a little girl.

He had light gray hair and a matching mustache, with little glasses on his nose that seemed to magnify his eyes to the size of bowling balls. He wore a black coat with a red sash. I smiled at the pleasant surprise of the identity of my target.

"The Duke of Weasel Town! A pleasure!" I smirked as the Merry Men emerged from the trees to get the guards.

"How many times must I say it: it's Wesleton!" He cried out. "Show some respect, Assassin."

Robin stomped loudly on the roof of the carriage as he stood up on top of it. "Alright, lads! We're taking everything they have! Asgeir! You have our target?"

I looked up towards the roof. "Right here. He's not going anywhere. Anna!" I called for my sister.

Anna ran over, and her eyes widened at the sight of the Duke. "He's one of them?" She exclaimed.

I nodded. "Knew about him for a good four years now. He's not really a member as much as a sniveling moron in the lower ranks."

The Duke stared hard at me and Anna. "It's so like you to keep to the company of monsters, Princess Anna. How is your sister by the way?"

Anna glared at him, ready to jump him. I held my hand over to cut her off.

"Not until Robin and the others have all their gold. Then you can punch him."

Anna nodded as she backed off.

I leaned forward, my flintlock dangerously close to the Duke's head. "I'm only going to ask you this once, Duke. So you better answer me truthfully: King George. What is he planning?"

The Duke nodded as he quivered. It looked like he regretted his choice of words from what he said last. "He's been scouring the kingdoms. He needs a bride for his son to ensure their bankruptcy is finished."

I scowled. Prince James was the carefree son of Prince George. While I had never seen James, or a portrait of him, I knew that his father was teaching him the ways of the Templars. George was my head target to kill once I had eliminated enough of his influence over the realms. Ezio had Cesare, Connor had his father, and I had George and Elias.

Robin appeared in the door of the carriage. "All the gold is in our satchels." He glanced at the Duke. "You will feed Nottingham well, Your Grace. You should be proud of your generosity."

Anna leaned over, socking the Duke in the jaw. He cried out, almost ready to bawl his eyes out like a little kid. Anna laughed as she got out of the carriage.

"You're not coming?" She said to me.

"He's still a Templar, Anna. I need to do this."

Suddenly, the Duke stepped over and punched me in the throat. I fell over onto the floor of the carriage, my head hanging over the stairs in the door of the carriage, while the Duke started screaming.

"Help!" He cried. "Move the carriage! Move!"

I heard a "hiyah!" And felt the carriage jerk as it shot off. Robin hadn't bothered to remove the coachman like I had thought he did. Anna yelled for me, but I was so shook by that very hard punch, I couldn't respond.

Robin and the Merry Men sprang into action, jumping onto a few of the horses that were part of the convoy. Anna joined Robin on his horse as they gained on the carriage. The rest were taken by the unarmed guards as they headed off to protect their lord.

The Duke held me by the collar of my hood. "You could have shown true greatness, Assassin! Joined us instead of continuing the damned legacy of your father!"

I bared my teeth and head butted him. "Don't talk about my father like that!" I cried out as he staggered back, his nose bleeding. "He ate rats like you for breakfast!"

"Asgeir!"

I looked out the open carriage door as Anna and Robin rode up. Robin stared at me with certainty.

"Do what you do best, Asgeir." He said.

I nodded, and pulled my bow off my shoulder. I nocked an arrow, but as I pulled the string back, I looked up to see only an open door on the other side. Did the Duke bail?

I looked out the door to see him literally squawking like a parrot at me as one of his guards had him on horseback. All the rest had their pistols trained on me or the other Merry Men.

I climbed up onto the top of the carriage. The coachman was up there, and he was ready for me. He swung at me with a rifle's broken bayonet, trying to knock me off. I then pulled a quick movement to avoid the coachman, and take out one of the guards.

I jumped, falling straight downwards to the edge of the carriage. I grabbed the ledge with my right hand, spun left with precise speed on a pivot, and open fired on the guards with the flintlock in my left hand. The coachman had tried to swing at me so hard, he fell off as I grabbed the edge, and ended up on the ground as the guard I shot fell.

"Get him!" Cried the Duke. "He's a monster!"

That asshole really liked to use that word for my family. I furiously vaulted up to the carriage roof, formulating the end of the scheme. The Merry Men had their gold, the guards had most of their weapons taken, and now all that really remained was killing the Duke. I knew just how to do it, too.

Quick as Robin taught me, I took out my bow and pierced three guards on the horsebacks, one by one. Each flew off his horse as the arrows shoved them off into the dirt.

"Stop him!" Yelled the Duke. "He must not escape!"

But I wasn't trying to escape. I pulled out my air rifle. I often thought of Shay Cormac and how he used it whenever I looked at it. The only thing I truly respected him for was that his use of it forced us to put our focus into perfecting stealth weaponry like the rope dart and going back to old fashioned weapons like the bow. I also had a grenade launcher attached to the rifle, just as he had.

Keif was always trying to test new types of projectiles for our weapons, and this was a recent invention. A cratering grenade. It was exactly what I needed. As it sounded, the explosive would cause a massive crater to form in the ground, potentially stopping any big threats. Soldiers in the Land Without Magic used these to combat tanks. It would be too obvious to try and shoot at the Duke. He would anticipate something like that, and I only had one shot. I had a better idea.

I took the reins of the carriage, and picked up speed. "Hiyah!" I cried out. The horses picked up speed to a blur. The forest off the road seemed to fade into a dark green canvas with patches of light from the sun cutting through the trees.

The Duke and his men followed suit, gaining on me. I watched them, but not to give them a death stare. I was brushing up on my physics.

Anna, Robin, and the Merry Men were right behind the guards. Little John pulled out his bow, readying to shoot.

"No, Little John!" Called out Robin. "Let Asgeir do this. I think he has a plan."

Indeed I did. But I would need to tap into all my abilities from the Assassins. Could I pull it off? I didn't want to think about calculating the odds of reaching this, but my chances seemed very low. But I wasn't calculating odds. I was calculating velocity.

As soon as I knew I was at the right speed, I did it. I unhooked the horses, and pulled the right rein, making them move right to get out of the carriage's way. It was going so fast, it rocketed past the horses. I pulled out my rifle, and shot the cratering grenade. The carriage couldn't slow down nearly enough for what happened next.

I jumped to the back of the carriage as it hit the crater, turning the symbol on my blade. The speed of the carriage along with the force of it crashing into the crater slammed me into the air a good twenty feet above the ground with the carriage acting like a makeshift catapult, with me as the projectile itself. I lost my breath, my hearing, and my heartbeat in less than a whole second, but I just did what I could right then. I looked off to the right, spotting the tree I needed to get. I shot the Rope Blade out, the rope latching me onto the tree like a tether ball as I curved around the tree with the speed of an eagle as it dove for it's prey. I flew from the carriage, to the right of it, was yanked towards the forest, just barely brushed up against the bark of the oak beyond the tree I was hooked to that nearly became my murderer, and slingshot right back around towards the road. I flew. I really knew what it felt to fly. Ezio had Davinci's machine, but I felt the thrill of truly flying like an eagle.

The Duke's last words were "where did he go?!" as he stopped the horse. Then came his scream as I shot towards him, the rat helpless to stop the eagle.

"What kind of sorcery was that?!" He cried as he clutched the two puncture wounds on his chest.

"No sorcery, weasel." I said proudly. "Physics. Where Elsa has her ice, I have my steel. And I am below only a few in the art of assassinations."

The Duke spat blood at me. "You're nothing but a monster. And so was your aunt!" He fell back, leaving me flabbergasted.

"What did you say?!" I cried out as I grabbed him by the collar. "What are you talking about?! Tell me!"

But it was no use. Death was a one way door: one way in, no way out.

Anna stood above me, her mouth open in amazement. "What was that?!" She cried happily. "I mean, that was obvious something bad." She looked down at the Duke. "But I mean, what was that?! How did you do that?!"

I just looked up to the tree I had used. She hadn't heard what the duke had said. "I have no idea. It just came out of instinct. I had the cratering grenade, and a Rope Blade. Had to use them both however I could."

I kneeled down on the Duke's body, taking the glove off his hand. I yanked his Templar ring off, murmuring "May the Father of Understanding forgive your failure..."

"That was truly spectacular, Asgeir." Said Robin as he grabbed my hand in a shake. "Not even I could have done such a feat."

Anna then gasped. "We left David's horse behind!"

I shrugged. "We should let it be." I said. "Now he can run free as he wishes."

Robin reached into his pack, and pulled out a burlap sack that could fit in my hand. "I know it's not much, but I think that you at least deserve a cut of the gold. The rest will go to the people in these villages."

Anna smiled at Robin. "If you ever need help, Arendelle is a true safe haven for Assassins. Elsa, Asgeir and I will welcome you with open arms and Olaf will with a warm hug!"

I sniggered at the thought of Robin being hugged by that snowman. What a sight that would be.

"What about those guards?" I asked, glancing at the men on the ground with their hands to their heads, the Merry Men with their steel pointed at them.

"We will deal with them. Is there anything else you require?" He asked.

"We need to find Rump-"

"His castle." I interrupted Anna before she did something she would regret.

Robin's expression changed to cautious. "Are you sure? Things haven't really improved since you last went there, Asgeir. He may have gotten worse."

"It's not me, Rob. It's Anna's quest. I'm just a guide."

Robin pointed off through the trees. "His castle is at the base of the mountains that way. You won't miss it. A good day's journey from here"

Anna curtsied as we headed off. Before we were out of sight, we turned to the Merry Men, placing our fists over our hearts. "Nothing is True..." We called out.

The Merry Men followed suit. "Everything is Permitted!" They replied as Anna and I went off.

An hour later, Anna started sighing. "I'm bored!" She groaned. "Are we there yet?"

I rolled my eyes. "There is a game I can teach you to pass the time." I said.

Anna glanced at me. "Oh yeah?"

I carefully looked around the forest. "I Spy with my eagle eye..." I began.

That night Anna and I camped at the base of a giant redwood tree, a fire between us. I watched across the fire at Anna as I played my harmonica. Quite possibly the only thing I carried on me that wasn't a weapon, Anna always loved hearing me play it, since she was the one who gave it to me. She smiled, lying down on the ground as I played. I played a melody I heard a long time ago in another land. One that when I heard it, reminded me so much of the songs of Old Arendelle from many years ago.

"Asgeir?" Said Anna, looking up at the stars.

I stopped playing. "Yes, Anna?"

"You've seen many sights throughout the lands. Tell me a story."

I smiled. "What kind would you like to hear?"

"Tell me one from the Order. You say that there are true legends that live on in you and the other Assassins. Tell me a story of an Assassin."

I smirked. "I know just the one to tell you."

Anna turned over a bit to watch me. I continued playing while stopping every once in a while to tell the story.

"Once upon a time, in a land without magic, there was a boy. He lived in a time almost five hundred years ago. A time where his world had just recovered from a plague. This land was one that held history for as long as those from there could even remember. His country was one called Italia."

"What was his name?" Said Anna.

"Ezio." I replied. "Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He lived life similar to you Anna, and yet very different. He lived like a prince, with a wealthy family, and all the comforts he could wish. He had two brothers, and one sister, a mother, and a father. His life was one that some of us can only wish for."

Anna stared. "This is going where I think it is, right?"

I nodded. "His father kept secrets from him. Secrets that cost Ezio his father and brothers. The Templars hung them on false charges, and Ezio fled his city to his uncle who lived in another town. Ezio's father had left behind a heritage for Ezio: he was an Assassin. Ezio began a crusade across his country searching for revenge. But as he fought, he found a better path, and he brought something to us that we will never forget."

"What was that?"

"By that time in every land, our order was fractured. It still is today, but the Templars had shattered us to splinters so much, it seemed unlikely that we could put the Order back together, much less defeat the Templars. But Ezio rediscovered our purpose. It's the purpose that drives all of us."

Anna smiled. "Love."

I nodded again. "Fraternal love. Love one another, and learn to accept each other as brothers and sisters. Love for people, and of cultures. 'Fight together to preserve that which drives hope, and you will win back your people' Ezio said. He said that the day before he passed away. It was those words that served as the final piece which reignited the sparks of our Order."

I sat up. "Anna, the life of an Assassin is no easy path. I saw that look in your eyes. It's clear to me that you would consider joining the Order. But it's also not the path I see that you were meant for. All I ask is that you see what it truly means before we return home. If you truly think that a family with two Assassins, one who has been one for all his life, and the other who think it the best life for her, then I will not stop you."

Anna shook her head. "You're right. It isn't the life truly meant for me. I only wish to see what it means to support a cause which claims one thing, but does another. To lead an order based on love, but handles affairs spilling blood at every turn. I know Elsa asks the same thing every day, ever since we met you. You're right, Asgeir: it's a rough life. But please just try to understand the decision. I'm my own person, and I want to make a true difference."

I nodded, then went back to my flute. Anna lay back, looking up at the stars once more, before turning over on her side.

"What about Connor? You clearly are a fan of his work if you used his name for an alias."

I smiled. "You are inquisitive."

Anna grinned. "It's who I am."

I went back to playing as Anna pulled out her sword, finally getting a better look at it. The blade had a slight curve to it, much like my own cutlasses, but not as dramatically. It was also thinner than my own, and had a small bit of Rosemaling carving lacing the base of the blade to the hilt.

"All the best swords have names." I said. "What are you going to name yours?"

Anna smiled. "Pick. Like an ice pick."

"We just love our ice in this family." I sighed, laughing.

"While we're on that subject, what are your swords' names?"

"Talon and Wing. In my opinion the most important tools of an eagle." I replied instantly.

Anna smiled. Then I remembered my souvenirs in the past days: The Templar rings I had taken from the Duke and Bo Peep. I pulled them out, and my chain. It was a chain necklace with a huge number of rings.

Anna stared at it in awe. "Are those...?"

"Templar rings." I finished. "I am part of one of the few Assassin Orders that practices this hobby. Every time I kill or defeat a Templar, I take their ring and add it to my chain."

"I count at least ten on that chain there. But that doesn't seem like much."

I grinned. "Some of us need more chains. I have taken a good sixty, plus the fifteen on this chain." I looped the two new rings through the chain. "Now seventeen."

"Why wouldn't their father forgive them?"

I shook my head. "The Father of Understanding is their false god that they worship. We say 'Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted'. The Templars say 'May the Father of Understanding guide us'. But if a Templar is killed, or defeated by me, then I take their ring to signify that they have nothing but to hope that the Father of Understanding may forgive their failure to him."

"A trophy, essentially."

I tapped my nose. "Right."

After Anna dozed off I climbed up into the trees. I expected it would be coming any minute now, and sure enough, I received a response from the letter I sent this morning. The pigeon was waiting for me as I climbed up.

"Master Asgeir.

One could say that the deed was almost done, but something came up.

Hans sought an enchanted urn to take over the kingdom. It was said that it could trap magical people, meaning he meant to use it on Queen Elsa. But the urn wasn't empty when he found it in the cave it was hidden. It held another inside. One with the same powers as Elsa. She claims to be your aunt Ingrid through Gerda, her sister. She froze Hans and took the body, and is now living in the castle with Elsa. How do we proceed?"

I shook my head in disbelief. Everything I read was too much to handle. Someone beat the Assassins to the target? There was another who had Elsa's magic? Was this the aunt that the Duke knew of? What was going on?!

Then I remembered it. I read the story from the Land Without Magic when I was first using the magic beans. I was seventeen. It was a fairy tale written by another man named Hans. It told of an evil witch with snow powers that took a young boy from his home, and the girl he loved. I always believed Elsa was this world's version of that queen, but not with the evil mirror magic or abducting boys. Now we had another, and that didn't mean good news. It meant she could be just as nasty as the one from the story.

"Keep your eyes trained on her, but do not engage. We need to find out what she's after." I wrote back.

It always took a few minutes to write messages. We used a special cypher to ensure the Templars never intercepted our orders and stopped us. With that, I threw the bird up into the air as he made his way back to Arendelle.

An aunt, huh? There were some questions I had to ask Matthew since he admitted to me that there were things that he had kept from me for my own safety. Was this one of those secrets? Who was this woman, this Snow Queen?