Ex: Okay guys real talk. I'm sure you probably noticed that chapters 6-8 have gone missing(Unless you started reading this story after this chapter gets posted, in which case, ignore this). After almost two years sitting and thinking on chapter 8, as well as the chapters that preceded it, I finally realized what the problem was. The story has too much going on. I feel like i've been trying so hard to add to the story to make it longer, that I've gotten derailed from the main point. Back in the day when I first started this story, I didn't really have anything planned out beyond the premise. After the setup, I was honestly winging it, and it turned out okay. Update times were regular, and I didn't feel this weird creeping pressure of all the directions I was being pulled in creatively. And all of that came to a head with the last 3 chapters. Adding characters and ideas that have nowhere to go or are just holding the story back. So, consider the original versions of chapters 6-8 retconned. Starting now, we're moving forward the way I did in the first place. This is the first(And hopefully last) major rewrite that I've ever done on this story. Also, songs are still being cut/ put on hiatus, as I said in the original chapter 8 heading. The story has to come first. I hope you guys understand why I'm doing this, because for once, my mind is made up and won't be swayed. Now, this has gone on long enough, welcome to the new chapter 6, on with the show!
After a few more days of small preparations, Elsa was having a final discussion with those she was leaving in charge. Namely her council. It was no small task to prepare a kingdom to live without it's queen, particularly with her being so active in the day to day of her Arendelle's affairs. It wasn't that she didn't trust her council's abilities. They had primarily run the kingdom prior to her coming of age after all. Nevertheless, she took every measure to make sure things would continue to run smoothly in her absence..
"We shouldn't be gone for more than a few weeks, but in the event we are delayed, I'll be sure to send a message to make you aware."
"Of course, your majesty." Wallis replied."We'll take care of things here during your absence." Elsa nodded before adding." I leave my kingdom in capable hands. I won't keep you further."
"And I should let you on your journey. Be well and safe on your journey queen Elsa." Wallis and the others headed back for the castle while Elsa went to the carriage she and Mathias would be traveling in. Mathias and guard captain Reynard turned to her as she approached."Are we ready to depart your highness?" Reynard asked.
"Yes captain. All final preparations have been completed." The captain nodded and mounted his nearby horse, moving to lead the front of the small caravan. Mathias opened the door to the carriage and offered Elsa a hand to help her inside. Elsa took his hand and began to climb into the carriage, returning the wave she received from Anna as she climbed into her own carriage she and Kristoff would be following in. Elsa entered the carriage and sat down, Mathias joining her and taking a seat on the opposite side. "Off we go on our next grand adventure." Mathias said as the carriage began to move. Elsa smiled as she looked out the window. They exited the gates and moved swiftly through the town, people waving as they passed. They remained silent until they reached the edge of the city, until a thought occurred to Elsa. "It's strange to think, but I've never left this city. Well, I've gone into the mountains and forests. But I've never gone this way before, or as far as we're going."
"I'd travelled a little before I came here but never this far north."
"You've never told me about travelling anywhere outside of Tonitrus." Mathias shrugged."It was never far, and nothing interesting ever happened. Still, I remember truly going far from home for the first time can be a little daunting."
"Well I'm glad I don't have to do it alone." They were silent for a while when Elsa noticed he appeared to be deep in thought. "Is something wrong?"
"No. It's just...it's going to be a little strange to be back in Tonitrus."
"Do you miss it?"
"Some things. I've grown fond of the snow here, but I do miss the rain some days. The natural rain, that is."
"That doesn't answer my question. Do you miss it? I mean, are you really happy we're going there?"
"I don't know. I mean I'll be glad to see my father. And you'll get to meet my other much less foolish brother."
"What can you tell me about Oliver?"
"Not much. We weren't close growing up, but he kept Alan off my back, and never treated me as though our mothers were different." Elsa smiled gladly knowing Mathias had someone to watch his back growing up. "I'll be glad to meet him then. You said you miss the rain, and you've mentioned before how often it rains."
"Most days, yes. At the very least, it's cloudy."
"It'll be nice to get away from this snow for a while at least."
"I thought the cold didn't bother you?"
"Maybe, but the change of scenery will be nice."
Their journey to Tonitrus was uneventful, only stopping as necessary to rest. After six days they found themselves on the country's northern border, about a day of travel left. Deciding to stop for the night. As Elsa stepped out of the carriage she looked at the forest around her. They stopped just outside of a town surrounded by trees, and as beautiful as Arendelle was, she couldn't help but admire the green around her.
"Does the whole country look like this?" She asked Mathias.
"It gets a little brown further south, during the winter anyway. Here though…" He reached out to a nearby tree branch and plucked the leaf from the stem. "It's green year round."
"It's beautiful." Anna said as she and Kristoff approached."I don't think I've ever seen so much green in my entire life!" They made their way into the village, the people greeting them as they passed. Many headed in the same direction as them toward the center of the village. "Where are all of these people going?" Anna asked.
"The winter hunt isn't restricted just to our capital." Mathias replied. "It's a national tradition, everyone celebrates it. The larger parts of the festivities are probably in the center of the city." they entered the village square, with the majority of the people gathered around or entering the doors to a large inn. Though it was early evening, the village square was alive with people buying wares or gathered around seasoned hunters telling their tales of past glories. "It doesn't look like much actual hunting has gotten done." Elsa observed, noticing the lack of fresh animal materials and carcasses.
"The hunt doesn't officially begin for another three days. All of this is just a preemptive celebration, and time for those who'll participate to brag to those they bested last time."
"Sounds serious."
"Not really. It's all in good fun. For most of them anyway." They approached the entrance to the inn. Before entering, Anna pointed towards the side of the inn. "It looks like we aren't the only nobility here." the others looked where she pointed and saw several carriages parked near the side of the inn, with another arriving as they watched. They were each guarded by soldiers in various colors and armor.
"Seems they had the same idea we did. I wonder if it's anyone we know" Elsa replied.
"One way to find out, should we head inside?" Mathias asked.
"You two go on ahead. Kristoff and I are gonna go explore more of the town." Anna replied. They waved before departing and Elsa and Mathias went inside. Though many of those passing through the town were gathered near the inn, the building itself was fairly quiet and empty when compared to the city streets. "Not very lively here." Elsa observed.
"And it looks like no one noteworthy is here either." Mathias added. "Probably outside, if not staying in their carriages." They found a table in a secluded area near a corner and watched a few of the other patrons near the bar, seemingly in an argument. "I'm telling you, I saw it!" One of the men said.
"No ye didn't. Yer eyes are just playin tricks on ya." his friend replied irritably.
"No they aren't, I know what I saw. It ran right in front of my horse on the way into town, It's fur dark as night!"
"It's dark out there, all foxes look like that at night."
"Not with eyes like this one. Eyes, black and red like a burning ember. Looked me right in the eye, let out an awful cry, and ran off into the woods."
"Aww yer a drunk old fool." Elsa looked back and forth between the arguing men before turning to Mathias and saying, "What are they talking about?"
"If I had to wager a guess, I'd say the black fox."
"What's the black fox?"
"One of oldest legends of the winter hunt. In all of Tonitrus in fact"
"But what is it?"
"According to legends, a fox with fur black as a starless night and eyes that glow like the embers in a dying fire lives in the forests of Tonitrus."
"What does this black fox do?"
"Most of the time, it swoops into homes at night and steals away children who disobey their parents." Elsa gave Mathias a skeptical look. "Really?"
"It's just a legend, used to scare kids into behaving. I can't tell you the number of times I heard a parent say, 'If you keep that up, the black fox will come and take you away to his dark den never to return.' " Elsa flashed an amused smile before asking, "Okay, but what does that have to do with the hunt?"
"Supposedly, every winter hunt, the black fox crawls from its den and goes to the hunting gatherings all across Tonitrus to plague the hunters with misfortune or to give them his blessing. To hear his call and see his eye will curse your hunt till the day you die. As the old saying goes."
"I see. So that hunter over there believes he's been cursed."
"Yep, Apparently he's stared into the eyes of the great black fox." Mathias says melodramatically, causing Elsa to laugh before asking, "So do you believe in such tales?"
"Hard to say. It's most often told as a way to scare children into behaving." Mathias responds with a laugh of his own. "Though after what we've seen and been through the last few months, I suppose anything's possible."
"Knowing our luck, the black fox will be waiting outside as soon as we leave." Elsa jokingly replied before they both turned and watched the two old hunters continue to argue.
King Simon continued to walk with his advisors and other important members of his planning team in the town square. The Decennial winter hunt was just a few days away, and they were a bit behind schedule. It wasn't unexpected, but Simon wanted to make sure all went well this festival. He had always made it a goal for this particular event to be a rousing success, but this time was just a little more special to him.
He had received word a few days prior that Mathias and Elsa had accepted the invitation. He'd truly only sent an invitation as a formality. Arendelle was an ally nation, and his son would soon have some hand in ruling it. It wasn't as though he didn't want them there, rather that he truly didn't expect them to come. But they were coming, and he would do everything he could to put the best foot forward. If only for one reason to help rebuild what was still at times a difficult relationship with his youngest son.
The king adjusted the cloak he wore around himself and the advisor to his left notably shivered. It was cold particularly for winter in Tonitrus. A cold rain was usually all that came from this time of year in his country, but this year the mountains had already seen snow.
"Chilly father?" A voice behind him spoke. Simon turned to see his eldest son and heir Oliver approaching the group. The king smiled and replied, "Most of us here aren't used to such harsh winter conditions."
"Perhaps Mathias' blushing bride can do something about these temperatures?" Oliver said with a laugh. "You're right though, we haven't had a winter like this since I was a child." Simon nodded, it was a winter he remembered all too well. Oliver was eleven, it had been his first snow. It was one of the few events of that year he wished to remember. He was pulled from his thoughts when Oliver continued, "Perhaps you should retire for the night father, you seem tired."
"There is still much to be done here."
"It will keep till the morning." The king nodded, it had been a very long week, and the preparations would be better done with a mind not bogged down with tiredness.
Simon and Oliver began heading out of the square back to the castle, the advisors following behind. As they neared the edge of the square, the sound of a long pained shriek turned all of their attention back across the square. From one of the smaller streets leading into the square a man stumbled and fell to the street, letting out another shriek before he began babbling unintelligibly. The guards around the square began to approach the man's position, the one nearest kneeling in front of the man. "Sir, what's wrong, what's happened to you?"
"It's… It's… It's coming!"
"What's coming?"
"No Escape! The dark… the cold!" By this point Simon had arrived at the man's side along with Oliver and a few more guards. The man continued to ramble while the guards struggled to get any useful answers from him. "They're horrible…they… they tear at your soul."
"What are you on about man?!" The bewildered guard replied. As Oliver continued to watch he noticed the man holding his left side, struggling with each word. The blood was dry but it was there, and a wound that bled like that wouldn't heal on its own.
Before the guard could pester the man any further, Oliver interjected, "Enough, this man needs a doctor. We can find out what happened to him later." The guard nodded before he and another guard helped the man to his feet. He seemed to calm down for a moment before he looked to king Simon and his eyes grew wide again. "You! You've seen them! You've seen the eyes!"
Simons breath caught in his throat as he remembered those words. It had been that same winter he'd remembered just minutes before that night. A group of soldiers returning from a task he'd given them to search the mountains. Most were fine, but one had gotten separated from the others. He'd disappeared for a few minutes before the others heard him scream and found him. He was attacked by something, what they didn't know. He was wounded, but what frightened the soldiers most wasn't the bleeding gash in his side, but the haunting words he screamed. About the eyes, the horrible, haunting green eyes.
"Father?" Olivers words pulled Simon from his thoughts. "Do you know what he's talking about?"
"I might," Simon replied, watching as the guards finally disappeared from sight. "But I hope I'm wrong."
Ex: So as I'm sure many of you noticed, most if this chapter has remained the same. I just changed the ending to cut out story elements that had nowhere to go and added on what was originally part of chapter 7. Anyway, moving forward will be my biggest focus from now on. And the only way I seem to be able to do that is to venture a bit more blindly.
Elsa: That's a little bit irresponsible, but if it gets this story finished, I'll take it.
Ex: Some of the future is planned out, but it's only a skeleton graph at best. Anyhow, review, follow, possibly favorite? I learned a long time ago not to make promises, but with luck this massive change will help the story move forward.
Elsa: be sure to let us know what you think, reviews are the lifeblood of this story. See you guys next time!