Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise; the elements taken from Frozen are obvious, and while this version of Zorro is taken mainly from Mask and Legend, I've incorporated elements of his history from other adaptations. Even the original idea for this fic was inspired by the artwork of shishyoukai on DeviantArt, although I have created my own narrative for it; the artwork only inspired the idea of a certain sister becoming Zorro.

Feedback: Always appreciated

AN: This chapter will primarily be a flashback looking at certain key events, but I think it will start to clear up some of the questions about what happened back in Arendelle in this chain of events…

Also, a few details here are taken from the Frozen prequel novel Dangerous Secrets, which looks at Iduna and Agnar's lives between Northuldra being sealed off and their own deaths; it has a few interesting ideas about the cultures of their respective countries and gives them each some good character development

The Frozen Fox

When she heard the news of her daughter's discovery from Elena, the only thing that truly surprised Iduna Menzela was that this hadn't happened before.

She appreciated that Alejandro de la Vega had gone to considerable efforts to hide his identity, particularly after what had happened during that mess with the Pinkertons forcing Elena to assist in their investigation just before the civil war, but Anna had always been a lively and inquisitive child who had enjoyed practically free reign on the estate since she could walk. She was proud of her little girl's honest curiosity and good heart, but Anna was so energetic Iduna sometimes wondered how she could keep up with her daughter; if anyone was going to discover the secrets of the de la Vegas without actively looking for them, it was her daughter.

Frankly, the heat of California just made it harder for her to keep up with the little girl. Anna had grown up in this heat and had become used to it years ago, but Iduna still sometimes felt far too hot for comfort. It had never been as bad as it was when she had first come to the country, but travelling thousands of miles by wagon while pregnant had left her with a bad impression of the temperature in America, and she'd never been as comfortable travelling far even after she gave birth and the war died down.

She had always recognised why she had to make that journey in the first place, and she would never regret the friends she had made out here once she arrived in California, but there were days when she missed the cool, soothing breezes of Arendelle and Northuldra, even as she was also reminded of why she had left the kingdom in the first place…

It was a strange sensation to be a queen and be afraid of her own kingdom.

Iduna appreciated that she wasn't actually the queen in the sense that she held the title officially, but when Agnar's mother had vanished so many years ago, she was at least the closest thing the country had to a queen ever since her marriage to Prince Agnar. Of all the twists and turns that had occurred in her life since she left Northuldra and came to Arendelle as part of the diplomatic exchange, finding herself part of the royal family had been the most unexpected development of them all.

The decision to relocate to Arendelle had been a purely practical one at first; with her own immediate family dead of illness and no close friends among her new tribe, the idea of relocating as part of the new alliance between Arendelle and Northuldra had appealed to Iduna in particular from the start. She and a few others had been officially set up as members of the court, but Iduna had started apprenticing under Johan, a young inventor seeking to harness wind power as a fuel source, and from there others had followed her example, starting small businesses such as public houses or various food shops. Even Iduna wasn't sure how she had become the 'leader' of their strange delegation, but she had become a regular at the castle as they discussed matters, receiving news from their friends at home and making arrangements for others to come and visit, as well as how their new businesses were working out.

At the time, she hadn't thought much about the fact that none of the original group were ever given the offer to go back to Northuldra, even for a brief visit, particularly when she kept spending time with Prince Agnar as they grew older. Eventually, when the time came for Agnar to marry, even his father had accepted his son's choice of bride, observing that it was good to see Arendelle and Northuldra develop stronger ties to each other. Johan had been disappointed to lose her, but he seemed to accept the situation, and Iduna had been truly fond of Agnar even if she hadn't been sure how to define those feelings herself.

That all changed after Elsa- beautiful, fair-haired Elsa- froze the mobile above her crib just days after her birth. Iduna had been able to convince Agnar to keep that particular discovery from the king for a time, but over the last few years, even as Elsa gained better control of her gift, Iduna had long feared the possibility of what Runeard would do if he learned the truth. Runeard might not have made his hatred of magic open to the public, simply presenting his efforts in Northuldra as encouraging the people to find new ways to do things, but whenever it was just him and his family, once that came to include her, he kept on making various subtle comments that she only realised the full implications of when she looked back on their talks.

All those words as Runeard reflected on the dangers of power that couldn't be controlled, concerns about forces outside the natural order of things, the way he praised science over the old ways… never anything to be worried about on its own, but added all together it raised more than a few points of concern about what he was doing to her own people. She had thought about bringing it up to the king more than once, but whenever the chance came she always stumbled at the thought of confronting him on the matter directly, and had ultimately ended up saying nothing. She could tell herself that she had no clear idea how to take that particular argument further, but whenever she thought about how Runeard might take it out on the rest of the Northuldrans…

When she had learned a few days ago that Agnar had told his father about Elsa's powers, after the little girl froze part of a chair in her room, the worst part of the discovery was that Iduna hadn't been entirely surprised at that particular discovery. Runeard had always demanded a great deal of respect and authority in his household in particular, but Iduna had always hoped that her husband respected her wishes enough to keep a few things secret from him.

The fact that she couldn't trust her husband to keep his word… Iduna appreciated that she might have been at fault herself for not talking with him about her own knowledge of magic, beyond just acknowledging that her people worked with the spirits, but with all the hatred and propaganda his father had preached over the years Iduna had never been sure how to bring the topic up on her own. She had been so content that Agnar accepted their daughter that it had always seemed as though her wider knowledge of magic was something she could bring up later, and then everything had gone wrong before she could do it properly…

The only comfort was that Agnar had assured his father that Elsa's gift was under control and he would raise her to ensure that it would have no impact on her future decisions when she took the throne herself, which seemed to satisfy the king for the moment. In a dark part of her mind, Iduna had wondered if Runeard only accepted Elsa's magic because her status as his sole heir meant that he didn't have any real choice right now, but since a few days ago, when she had learnt that she was carrying another child, she had immediately begun to consider the possible consequences of this new turn of events.

Frankly, she didn't know what possibility could be worse; the idea that she might have another child with abilities who would earn the ire of its grandfather, or that she would have a normal child and Runeard would turn on Elsa more openly…

No.

The worst thing about that situation was the fact that she had to think about that kind of risk in the first place.

Her husband was a good man, but Agnar was never going to be more than a crown prince as long as Runeard was determined to pursue his vendetta against magic, and despite his age, the king was a strong, dedicated, stubborn old man who was never going to allow himself to be forced out of power until he'd done what he set out to do. Iduna didn't even know if it was possible for him to actually purge magic from the lands, but as she watched Runeard continue his work, even when kept apart from his efforts 'for her own safety', she was darkly impressed at the extent of his ambition even as she feared how it would play out.

She was ashamed to admit that she had basically shut down after learning of Runeard's knowledge of Elsa's magic, but after taking a few days to herself, sleeping in another wing of the palace that was normally used only when Agnar was out on tour with his father, Iduna had finally set out to find someone she could talk to about her fears. Obviously Runeard was out, she had already shared as much of her concerns with Agnar as she was willing to at this moment, and the matter was so complex that she didn't feel entirely comfortable sharing it with her friends from Arendelle or Northuldra. She believed in the good that could be accomplished from the continued alliance between the two kingdoms, but if the full extent of Runeard's ambition became public…

As with the possible future of her second child, Iduna could foresee a few possibilities, and none of them brought her great comfort.

It was only when she looked out of her window and saw the sunlight shining off the church in the town that Iduna chose who she would talk to. The kind of religion practiced in Arendelle was obviously different from Northuldran worship of the elemental spirits, and Iduna was never going to fully convert to the local religion even if she attended the services to keep Runeard content, but there was something comforting about the notion of some higher power, guiding a person through their darkest times…

If she couldn't communicate with the spirits and the elders of her home land, this was the next best thing to offer her the insight she needed. She went to the church in disguise, wrapped up in a dark cloak and with her head bent down so that nobody could see her face, and kept walking until she had reached the church.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned," she said, sitting solemnly in the confession booth. "It has been… I don't know how long since my last confession."

"There is no need to be concerned about the times, my child," the voice of the priest on the other side of the box said, a reassuring tone to his voice. "Simply explain how you have sinned and we will discuss penance."

"I… I fear my family."

"Your family?" the priest repeated curiously. "Do you mean your parents?"

"I mean my husband and his father, Father," Iduna replied; she wasn't sure how much attention the priest was paying to her face through the inner window, but if she phrased everything right she might manage to get some useful insight without losing her anonymity. "My husband is a good man, but his father… I find his ambition dangerous, and I fear for the future if he continues on his path."

"Loyalty to a husband-"

"I want to be loyal to my husband, but his loyalty to his father… I worry about it. I believe that what my father-in-law plans is wrong, but I cannot tell my husband why I feel this way without… there are too many secrets and things I haven't told him because I was never sure how to bring it up, and by now it's all become so complicated…"

For a moment Iduna bent over, hands pressed to her face as she tried to collect herself, but eventually she sat up and looked apologetically at the window. "I… I am sorry, Father; I don't mean to-"

"You are under no obligation to apologise when dealing with a difficult topic, my dear," the priest said reassuringly. "You have tried to be a good wife in what I can tell are difficult circumstances; there is regret in that, but no shame can be attached to you."

"I do care for my husband, but our courtship was…" Iduna began before she shook her head. "It is not that we do not have great affection for each other, but circumstances required us to marry for reasons beyond the personal, and in doing so…"

"I understand," the priest nodded, a disappointed tone to his voice even as Iduna didn't get the impression it was her he was disappointed in. "Politics and marriage do not always mix well."

"I want to love my husband, for he is a good man who I know seeks only the best for his kingdom and his people, but his father has done many terrible things to others…"

"What has he done?"

For a moment Iduna wondered if she should say more; when Runeard so often talked about not suffering witches to live amid all his other declarations against magic, could she honestly trust that what she was about to say wouldn't get her in trouble…?

In the end, the need for someone to talk to was greater than her fear of what would happen if she chose the wrong person. For the moment, she was meant to be in a safe place, but she would still need to ask a few key questions to assure herself of what she was about to do next.

"If I were to ask you a… controversial question, would you answer me honestly?"

"In what way would your question be controversial?"

"Father…" Iduna began, taking another moment to think on what she was about to say before she continued. "I was raised in a culture different from this one, and I must confess that I do not actively share your religion, but while I remain true to my own faith I also recognise and admire the compassion and tolerance preached by your own… even if…"

"Even if those who follow it do not always practise what is preached?" the priest finished for her, sounding as though he was smiling at the other side of the booth. "My dear, even those of us who choose this path recognise that the Word of God will be… creatively interpreted by others. For my part, I choose to judge my fellow beings based on whether they uphold the compassion and understanding that God Himself decrees of us all; so long as they tolerate me, I shall tolerate them."

"So… when you hear of the king's increasingly restrictive decrees on magic…"

"I will not act openly against our king, but I will never participate in his actions," the priest said firmly. "I do not understand how Northulda possesses what it terms magic, or how others may manifest or control such abilities themselves, but I do not have to understand how it fits into God's plan to appreciate its wonder and beauty. Doctrine must be willing to adapt to the new discoveries we make about the world, or we shall lose what makes our world beautiful in the name of forcing it to fit our own truth while denying others. So long as those who possess such powers do not use them to hurt others, I judge them on their own merits and all will be well."

The simple passion in the priest's words meant more to Iduna than if he had proclaimed it to her face. Just as she had wanted when she came into this church, she was talking to a good man who would listen to her concerns…

"Would I be right in assuming that the king's decrees are linked to the reason that you are here, Your Highness?"

Iduna was still so unused to her title that she took a moment to realise that she was the one being addressed, and looked sharply up in shock when she took it in to see the priest looking solemnly at her from the other side of the booth.

"You… do not have to call me that," she said at last; if her identity was known, there was no point trying to pretend any longer. "My husband is only crown prince, and I… I may as well hold no title, with how little power my husband and I possess…."

"You are both beloved by the people-"

"In public, yes, but I worry about how the king will treat us in the future," Iduna said, reaching down to touch her stomach. "I… the princess… my daughter is… different…"

"And you fear how the king will react to such a child?"

"He already knows that particular secret, and… and for the moment, he tolerates it," Iduna explained, hating her hesitation; she didn't want to give the impression that she was ashamed of her own daughter. "What I truly fear is how he will react when I give birth to his second heir."

"Ah," the priest nodded in understanding. "He will accept one and reject the other?"

"And I don't know which it will be or what he will do to the other."

The priest sat in silence for a moment while Iduna simply clasped her hands in front of her, wishing that she could feel justified praying for aid in the manner that so many of those who believed did in these circumstances; confession from a man of religion was one thing, but actively praying to a God she didn't entirely believe in…

"I… may be able to offer you some aid, your Highness," the priest said at last, a cautious tone in his voice as he spoke. "It will be a… difficult task, but if you are careful, I believe I know a way to keep your child safe."

"What?"

"I have a brother who is first mate on a merchant ship that often travels to America, and he sometimes passes on messages for me from a childhood friend of mine who now lives in California. My friend has written to me on occasion of a remarkable family who live in his part of the world, who have dedicated themselves to protecting others from those who would abuse those they perceive as lesser and justify it in the name of their own power."

"A 'remarkable family'?" Iduna repeated sceptically. "You mean that they just buy people off to help those they like-"

"This is not simply using their own power and money to 'buy others off'," the priest interjected. "For the better part of fifty years, members of this family have made an active effort to fight for justice against the powerful and corrupt, both publically and secretly supporting the common man against those who would use the lower social classes as slaves at best. If you go to them, you will have significant allies and true friends who will do all in their power to protect both and your child, even if your father-in-law finds you."

"They would defy a king?"

"They have defied many powerful men for many years; a king is a new kind of challenge, but a challenge that I am sure they would be willing to face," the priest nodded. "This family has protected its citizens from considerable forms of danger over the years; from what I have heard from my friend, you and your child could have no safer guardians."

"But… would they protect a stranger?"

"Every day of their lives, this family are prepared to risk their lives for those they may never meet directly; you would simply require more personal protection," the priest affirmed. "I can write a letter to explain the situation to the family further when you make contact, and my brother and friend will be happy to facilitate your transportation, but you will obviously require some finances of your own to cover this journey…"

It was a mark of how grim the situation facing her was that Iduna realised that she was truly giving this idea consideration. She disliked the idea of running from her problems, even without the fact that by doing so she would be essentially abandoning her country and her daughter…

But would that be so bad?

From what she recalled about the rules of marriage in Arendelle, a royal marriage such as hers was a serious matter, even if her emotional uncertainties about the actual relationship, and her ties to Northuldra would actually make the matter even more complex. As much as Iduna feared for Runeard's plans for her people, for the moment he was still required to honour their ways and not act against them too blatantly, which came together to almost guarantee that Agnar's marriage to her had to be preserved without exceptional circumstances to justify it being annulled.

With Northuldran tradition binding souls together in marriage, even attempting to get a divorce would anger the Northuldrans that Runeard at least needed to publically appease, particularly if she wasn't present to participate in the ritual cleansing needed to legitimise such a divorce and made it clear that she hadn't simply killed herself. If she vanished in a manner that at least left it possible for her to still be alive, Agnar couldn't get a proper divorce in either Arendelle or Northuldra, and any child he might have with a future mistress would be immediately illegitimate in every way that mattered. As a result, Elsa would be Runeard's solo possible heir, which would at least grant her a degree of protection from her grandfather's prejudices against magic if he ever decided to act on it.

And my current child would be safe… Runeard would not even have any knowledge of it… I haven't even started to show yet…

It might be selfish to leave Elsa with Agnar and Runeard, but as far as Iduna could see, it was the best way to keep her safe in the current circumstances. Agnar was a good father and Runeard wouldn't harm his heir, which would leave her free to focus on protecting her second child in her new life…

"How long would it take to make these arrangements?"

"Iduna?" Elena's voice broke into her reminiscences.

"Mmm?" Iduna looked up to see her friend standing in the doorway, looking at her with a warm smile.

"Pleasant thoughts, I hope?"

"…Comforting ones, at least," Iduna nodded as she stood up. "I assume that your family is ready to talk with Anna?"

"With that girl's enthusiasm, I am not sure Alejandro will ever be ready to talk with her about this topic," Elena smiled. "But he feels that he is ready, which is an important step in this situation."

"Thank you," Iduna nodded at her friend as she stood up. "I… I know that this is a great burden to ask you to share…"

"It is no burden at all, Iduna," Elena said, with a brief smile. "If nothing else, I feel that Joachim and Alejandro has been preparing for this for some time…"

The enigmatic smile on the older woman's face told Iduna that she wouldn't get a more detailed answer, but the possibilities raised by those words were actually of great interest to her.

If she was interpreting Elena's words correctly… there would be a certain irony if Anna returned to confront Runeard in such a manner…