November 26

It took the two travelers another week to make it out of the valley. During the snowstorm, Anna and Eugene had unwittingly been moving in the wrong direction; making up that distance cost them valuable time. And even when the skies were clear, navigating the area was a difficult task. Anna found it easy to hunt and provide food without a blizzard in her way, but neither she nor Eugene was very familiar with the area.

But eventually they found one of the coveted mountain passes. Weary but still healthy, the two warriors emerged into northern Arendelle. Eugene's education as a Prince served them well here; though he had never been required to study the layout of the valley, his tutors had impressed upon him the need to understand the geography of Corona's closest ally.

Within two days, Anna and Eugene arrived in a large village known as Limmat.

\

November 28

They were seated in the corner of the room, their backs to the crowd of patrons behind them. Anna had never been recognized as a face on the kingdom's wanted posters, but it never hurt to be too careful. The two travelers had quickly made their way to the town's inn, purchased a room for the night to avoid the snowfall that had begun outside, and ordered a large hot meal.

"We still have three weeks to make it to the Castle," Eugene was saying. "Even on foot, it's only ten days from here. Three if we risk buying horses. But when we get there, well, I doubt the Faithful sent all of their mages to attack the trolls."

And there was the crux of the issue. It had always been the crux of the issue. The Goddess's opponents had achieved several impossible victories: returning Anna's memories, retrieving information from Drell, and surviving vicious assaults from the enemy's forces. Yet all of that paled to the difficulty they would face in actually fighting the Goddess herself.

Nothing they had accomplished or sacrificed would mean anything if they couldn't think of a way to assault the Castle. Even with Anna alive and in possession of her powers, their mission remained as desperate as it had ever been.

Even weakened, Elsa's powers alone would almost certainly be enough to overwhelm Anna. That magic would be supplemented by a force of hostile mages and a massive garrison of Arendelle's soldiers, none of whom would question their Queen's orders. Anna knew that a hundred thousand men could have attacked that Palace, and a hundred thousand would have been repelled.

The impossibility of storming the Castle had been easier to avoid thinking about when they had been fighting for their lives. When Anna had been reeling from regaining her memories, sneaking through Arendelle's most secure prison, or battling a horde of mages on the mountainside, her final confrontation with Elsa and the Faithful had always seemed too far off to be real. Now it was upon them, and the weight of hopelessness had settled on both of their shoulders.

She was fighting against a platoon of mages, an army of trained soldiers, and a Goddess in human form. And a prophecy that even the Faithful's staunchest opponents believed in pre-ordained her failure. Anna had nothing but a fool's hope.

It was the only thing she'd ever had.

Anna sighed. "Our best option is stealth. Make our way in and get to Elsa before they even notice us. Problem is...they're almost certainly expecting that, and Evangeline knows the Castle better than I ever will. We only have one advantage, and I just don't see how it can get us in-"

CRACK!

The sound of glass exploding filled Anna's ears. But it was only when she became aware of the cold, fluid liquid running down her neck, that Anna realized that the bottle had shattered against the back of her head.

Anna whipped around, reflexively drawing her sword as she did so. Next to her, Eugene copied the movement. The two warriors immediately found themselves staring at a crowd whose merriment had long died. Each and every patron was staring at Anna with a look of pure venom.

"It's her!"

"The killer!"

"I'm going to gut her and piss on the corpse!"

The crowd drew what weapons they had, and more than a dozen swords and knives appeared before Anna. Then the men were scrambling towards her, brandishing their weapons with incredible zeal but zero skill.

Anna shoved Eugene behind her and moved to meet the onslaught alone. She deflected each and every attack with contemptuous ease, striking back only to deal light wounds. Many of the blades arrayed against her were so frail that they shattered immediately after contact with her sword of ice. Shoving back the nearest attackers, the Knight raised her weapon high and allowed its cold aura to wash over the men.

Stunned by Anna's prowess and the rapidly dropping temperature, they began to pace back away from her.

Despite not having faced a true threat during the entire assault, Anna's mind was in turmoil. How had these men recognized her, and why now? What was making them so angry, and just who had she supposedly killed?

"Let's go, Anna." Eugene lashed out with his sword, shattering the window behind them. Then they were leaping through the opening and running through town, heading for the stables as fast as the Prince's legs could carry him.

They were already spotted. There was no longer any reason to avoid stealing a pair of the best horses that could be found.

\

Only a single man was brave enough to mount up after them and attempt a pursuit. He was a skilled rider, but the chase did not last long. Using the sole knife in her possession (one that had been included in the trolls' supplies), Anna had reluctantly thrown it into his mare's eye. The beast died instantly, but her rider fell to the ground with survivable injuries.

A few hours' ride brought them to the town of Skien. By then it was well after dark, and any further pursuit would prove impossible thanks to the moderate snowfall. After tying their horses in the trees and concealing their faces as well as possible, Anna and Eugene made their way into the town.

"We have to get to the town wall," Eugene said. Anna nodded brusquely. Every one of Arendelle's settlements had a large canvas where both the government and residents could post relevant information. The large thick tarp that typically sheltered the structure, protecting any writing from adverse weather, testified to its importance. Large sections were reserved for the kingdom's news and information on wanted criminals, and it was there that they would discover what had enticed the attackers in Limmat.

Thankfully, the wall was deserted in the middle of the night. Eugene stepped forward to look first. Anna, both fully aware of her mediocre reading abilities and nervous at the prospect of what they might find, was perfectly happy to stand back and let the Prince scan the canvas.

Only thirty seconds had elapsed before a sharp gasp had erupted from his throat. Anna involuntarily stepped forward, noticing that he was standing next to the largest poster on the wall. Its design was rather simple: a significant amount of writing posted under a large picture of Anna's face. The artwork was decidedly unflattering, depicting her with a rather uncharacteristic scowl, but it was nevertheless a chillingly accurate depiction.

"Read it to me," Anna said. The writing wasn't overly small, but she didn't entirely trust her eyes in the little amount of light that they had.

Eugene hesitated. "Anna, I-"

"I've seen far worse than a piece of paper, Eugene," the Knight reminded him. Her terror at what she would find was rapidly increasing, but she had to stay strong. The entire world demanded it.

A shaky sigh erupted from the Prince's lips. Again, he hesitated. Out of patience, Anna forced herself to take another step forward and squint at the document. Her eyes proved to be sufficient to the task, but Anna took little pride in the thought.

To All Citizens of Arendelle:

The kingdom has been struck by an thinkable tragedy. On November 18, during the seventh year of the Fellnight cycle, the town of Elverum was host to perhaps the most appalling crime in living memory. Fourteen elementary students, all between the ages of six and eight, were struck down by a brutal killer. One of the two teachers tasked with supervising the class met the same fate. The other, having survived his serious wounds, has given the kingdom's law enforcement agents a detailed description of the events.

"It was midday when she arrived. The door to the classroom slammed open just as we were beginning the day's history session. She walked in calmly, a look of complete dispassion in her eyes. When my partner went forward to confront her, the intruder unsheathed a small knife and...my partner fell to the floor. The children cried out as a pool of blood fell across the floor, and that was when the woman went to them. I- the lucky ones were simply stabbed in the heart. Others met the same fate as my partner. Some received a knife thrust in each eye. Why anyone would...I don't know. Then she turned to me, and I asked her. 'Your kingdom must be punished for its arrogance, and this is just the beginning,' was her response. Then she darted out with her knife, and the next thing I knew I was in the hospital with the physicians surrounding me."

The testimony of teacher West, aged 33, and others who witnessed the woman's departure has allowed the kingdom's authorities to identify the killer with virtually complete confidence. The descriptions of these men have led Arendelle's law enforcement to believe that the attacker is none other than the woman known as Anna, who most citizens will remember for her attempt to insinuate herself into the confidence of the Queen before being exposed as an agent of the Southern Isles, sent to undermine Arendelle's actions.

"It is impossible to say what her motive may have been," stated Evangeline Black, the kingdom of Arendelle's official spymaster. "I can only suspect that the Southern Isles intends to spread panic and grief among our people for some unknown purpose. I ask all of our citizens to be vigilant and assist my colleagues in bringing this killer to justice. There is only one thing I know with an absolute certainty. If she is not found, this tragedy will be repeated."

All citizens of kingdom are encouraged to remain strong and alert in these difficult times. Any relevant information should be sent immediately to Lady Evangeline, who has taken up residence in Elverum while conducting her investigations.

A complete list of the victims and their families is included below.

"No..." Anna whispered, her body shaking as she stepped back. "No no no no. This can't be real. All of those kids...the entire thing has to be a hoax. Evangeline could get these papers to say whatever she wanted! It's all a trick."

Eugene wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I...I think it is real. Why wouldn't she have killed those children herself? It would be risky forcing an entire town to conform to a lie that she created. By actually committing those murders, she can use the residents' genuine grief to spread the news faster. All she'd have to do is bribe or threaten two or three 'witnesses' to sell the story.

He was right, and the fact sickened her. Even after all Anna had seen and been through, the thought that any human could wantonly commit such a vile act was difficult for the Knight to comprehend.

"And she thinks people will believe this?"

The Prince dipped his head. "She knows they will. Elsa was a good Queen, and now it's biting us in the ass. She was fair in her judgments and didn't print out propaganda to glorify herself or the kingdom. So when her reign says something like this, it's taken at face value."

"But why? What's the point of all this?" Anna demanded. "Evangeline has to know that the regular people of Arendelle can't stop me, even if I refuse to seriously hurt them. Is she just killing kids for the fun of it?"

Eugene stepped back and stared deep into her eyes. "No. She's trying to lure you in, Anna. That entire letter was a message to you. 'If she is not found, this tragedy will be repeated.' Anna, Evangeline is telling us that if you don't go after her, she's going to do this again. That's why the report also mentions where Evangeline is staying."

"So if I don't go and confront her at Elverum, she'll...no. Another group of kids?! How could anyone... We have to stop her, Eugene. I don't care if it's stupid or reckless or whatever. I won't let her butcher another batch of schoolchildren if I can prevent it," Anna declared. "It's already been over a week; she might attack again any minute now."

To her relief, the Prince nodded. "On the surface, it's a...difficult call," he admitted. "The entire world is at stake here. I just...I need to know, Anna. Do you think you could beat her? Evangeline isn't superhumanly strong or fast but she could teleport all around you. And she's a skilled fighter even without that."

"It could go either way," Anna admitted. "She wouldn't be able to teleport forever. Using magic tires out any human mage given enough time. That's how I beat the one during the attack who could manipulate time. After a while, he couldn't keep it up. I'm different. My power comes from a Goddess; it doesn't drain me when I use it. I should be able to outlast her."

Eugene frowned thoughtfully. "Of course, she could escape the fight any time she wanted," he noted. "Even you couldn't keep up a chase after her if she just teleported away. But I don't think she will. They want you dead too badly, Anna. Evangeline will stay and fight until the very end. If you could tire her out to the point where she couldn't use her magic, we might be able to capture and interrogate her. It could be our chance to find a way to get into the Castle. It could be our only chance."

"You think she would tell us anything?" Anna questioned doubtfully.

"After enough pain, maybe. I don't regret doing whatever I have to in order to get information out of her. The entire world is at stake, and after what she's done, I don't think there's anything she doesn't deserve," Eugene said firmly. "Make no mistake; this is a terrible plan. We're counting on a lot of things going right, and if we lose, it's game over. But it's better odds for us than if we just charge at the Palace blindly."

Anna nodded grimly. "The Goddess doesn't know it yet, but she's given us an opportunity. I'm going to make her pay for it," she promised.

"That's one thing that concerns me," Eugene noted. "Why would she make Evangeline vulnerable like this? The Goddess has to know that Evangeline has information that we can use. If anyone knows a secret way to get into the Palace, it's her."

The Knight shrugged. "She's probably confident that her most loyal servant would never give away information that would threaten her. Maybe she's right. But no matter what, we're going to find out. There's no way in hell I'm standing by while she butchers children."

\

November 29

They made camp in the forest, about an hour's ride away from Elverum. It had taken a full day for them to travel from Limmat, and they had arrived in the middle of the night. As eager as Anna was to confront Evangeline as soon as possible, she knew it would be foolish to face the spymaster's abilities under the shroud of darkness.

Situated around their small fire, the two warriors made their plans.

"We can't play her game," Eugene said firmly. "Stealth and ambush are her expertise. Evangeline knows we're coming. If we try to get the drop on her, we'll be the ones who end up with knives in our backs."

Anna nodded. "You're right, an open approach is for the best," she agreed. "But, you know, there's one more thing I've been thinking of. And you're not going to like it. I know how I would feel if I, well, you know..."

"I can't come," Eugene said for her. "Evangeline could kill me instantly, teleporting right behind my back and striking out faster than I could hope to stop her. You're going to need to put all your focus on brining her down, and you can't be distracted worrying about- or mourning -me."

The Knight's eyes widened. "How did you know that was what I was going to say?"

Eugene sighed. "Because I've been spending the entire ride here trying to think of a way to beat those arguments. Do you think I like waiting behind while a friend fights one of the most dangerous mages on earth? But if I come with you, we'll both die. The only way you'll have a chance is if you go it alone."

\

November 30

Anna walked through Elverum's town square calmly, her hand resting inches away from the hilt of her sword. Also on her waist was a new belt of knives that Eugene had managed to purchase for her in Limmat. In this fight, Anna would need every advantage she would get.

It was already noon, and so there were small groups of citizens milling about all around her. It was only a matter of time until-

"Oh my gods, it's her!" Dozens of heads turned to face her. Mere moments passed before she was drawing her sword and blocking attacks from the few civilians who happened to be armed. Then the division of guards on duty was joining in, and Anna became a calm island surrounded by a sea of hate.

Twenty men attacked her. Careful kicks and punches, all thrown with only a small fraction of her true strength, were sufficient to knock most of them to the ground. Light cuts from her sword did the rest. Any strike that came her way was dodged with the utmost ease. She was the consort of a goddess, and her speed and reflexes were so great that the entire mob might as well have been moving in slow motion.

It took around a minute. Every man who had attacked her was strung out on the ground, unconscious or nursing his wounds. The civilians who had not joined in were backing away fearfully, too awed by the spectacle to simply tear away and run.

There was no sign of Evangeline, which was fortunate. Anna wanted to fight her alone, without any complications in the way.

"I'm here for Spymaster Evangeline!" Anna shouted loudly. "I'll be waiting for her in the forest north of the village. Tell her. Anyone else who follows me, man, woman, or child, will die. Fetch her quickly; I don't like to be kept waiting."

All empty threats, of course. But as she took off running towards the forest, Anna reminded herself that nothing mattered but capturing Evangeline. If making these civilians hate and fear her would help accomplish that task, then Anna would do it gladly.

\

There was a slightly snowfall, adding to the three-inch high blanket of white currently on the ground. That was good. If Anna ran out of knives and needed projectiles, snow would do. In her hands, a snowball could be as deadly as a boulder.

She took a deep breath, trying and failing to calm herself. Would Evangeline teleport in and attempt to strike her down immediately, or would the spymaster attempt a more measured approach?

The only thing that was certain of was that Evangeline would come. Eugene had said it best. "They're proud, and they hate us. That's their weakness. Evangeline won't be able to resist if you give her a challenge; there's nothing she would love more than to kill you herself."

And as Anna stood in the snow, doing her best to ignore the heart pounding against her chest, a cloud of black mist appeared before her.

"So good to see you, Anna," Evangeline greeted, smiling as she stepped out of the smoke. "I'm surprised it took you so long to come here. Did it take the news of a second massacre of brats for you to finally get the message, or were you really trapped in the valley for that long?"

No! Anna's face turned as white as the snow falling around her. "Second?!" she sputtered.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Evangeline mocked, her eyes glinting with malicious delight. "I slaughtered another classroom three days ago. Apparently, the news didn't get out as fast as I hoped. But you're here now, and I suppose that's what truly matters. I'm genuinely curious. As you still obsessed with playing the hero? Or are you just here for some classic vengeance?"

The Knight's grip on her sword tightened. "I'm here to free the woman I love, and stop the abomination possessing her body from destroying civilization. I'm here because I want to make sure you never touch another child again! So make your move. Either fight me, or run back to the Castle like the craven witch you really are."

Evangeline nodded. "Still trying to be the Knight in shining armor, I see. Or are you? I hate you, Anna. We both know that. But I can't shake the suspicion that you hate me even more," she said, offering Anna a light smile. "Of course, you don't know everything I've done to you, so maybe you don't despise me as much as you should."

"I know more than enough," Anna declared.

"Then let's go over it, shall we?" the spymaster offered, leaning back against one of the countless trees that surrounded them. "You had it all, remember? A beautiful Queen on your arm, an invitation to join a loving family of royals, and a future of peace and comfort. I bet you already had it all planned out, didn't you? It was all set in your mind: a passionate honeymoon, walking the streets of Arendelle as a beloved Queen of the people, and- a few years down the line -a couple of royal brats rolling around on the floor. It really was possible, you know. Elsa did love you, and the country had grown to accept your position."

Anna said nothing, doing her best not to reveal the pain flaring in her chest. Every word from Evangeline seemed to drive a stake through her heart, each more agonizing then the last. That was exactly the future that Anna had been imagining.

"That was before I took the woman you loved more than anything else in the world and turned her into everything that you despise. Of course, that was hardly the first time I ruined her life. Did you know that I was the one who had her parents killed? That broke something within her that even you were unable to truly fix," Evangeline noted. "In the years that followed, I spent more than one lovely afternoon watching that little girl cry in the library. She'd sit at the chess table for hours, staring at the other chair as if her mommy and daddy would suddenly-"

Anna charged forward, leaping at Evangeline and angling her sword right for the other woman's neck. A moment before contact, the spymaster dissolved into a familiar cloud of dark mist. The Knight spun around, ready for a counterattack, but her eyes immediately zeroed in on the spymaster simply leaning against yet another tree. Her blades were not yet drawn.

"I'm looking forward to this as much as you are, Anna. I assure you of that. But please, allow me the courtesy of finishing my thoughts," she requested calmly. When Anna remained frozen in place, the spymaster continued. "Excellent. Now, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if you've surmised that I was the one who planned your torture in Lucrania. That x on your cheek is as disfiguring as ever, by the way. I suppose it allowed Elsa to prove that her attraction to you wasn't merely physical. Of course, anyone who witnessed the two of you together could tell that she truly loved you. That look you brought to her eyes…I'd never seen her so happy. It made her transformation all the more enjoyable, so I thank you."

The Knight had never felt angrier. But even that was nothing compared to how strongly Anna simply missed Elsa in that moment. I want her back. And I'll never manage it if I let this witch here rile me up. That's the only reason she's been standing here and twirling her mustache for so long.

"I enjoyed that moment more than any other," the spymaster continued to drone on. "With the possible exception, perhaps, of Drell's death."

Anna's blood ran cold.

Evangeline released a genuine laugh. "Weren't expecting that, were you? While I'm at it, I might as well inform you that the maid you knew as Gerda is dead as well. The Goddess killed her personally, driving an icicle through the old woman's throat."

No. I... And now Anna couldn't stop the tears from flowing. One by one, they rolled down her cheeks to make tiny indents in the blanket of snow. The Knight drew upon her rage now, used it to maintain her focus on the monster before her. Evangeline might have appeared relaxed at the moment, but Anna had no doubt that lowering her guard meant a virtually instant death.

"How do you expect to bring back Elsa when she never was meant to exist in the first place? The Goddess possesses that body now, a body that is rightfully hers, and uses it to kill Elsa's loved ones without even the smallest hint of resistance. Your attempt at using True Love's Kiss to break the supposed curse failed miserably. There is only one way to truly free her. So, Anna, are you going to murder the woman you love?"

Anna stepped forward, brandishing her sword.

"As if you would even have the chance," Evangeline scoffed. "The Goddess, even weakened as she is, remains far more powerful than either of us. If you somehow manage to face her in combat, the end result is inevitable: you, laying on a sheet of ice, staring up into her eyes as your blood spills onto the floor. In a way, you'll be lucky. Those who undergo the journey of death and reach the Realm Beyond cannot be returned to this earth even by a Goddess. Of course, if you aren't quick-"

A cloud of dark mist consumed Evangeline! Anna whipped around, meeting the re-materializing spymaster and instinctively blocking the two long knives that seemed to leap into her hands. Shoving backward with all her strength, the Knight easily overpowered her opponent's blades and swiped at her body.

Her sword met only smoke.

"You don't realize it, yet," taunted Evangeline, now perched on a tree branch high above Anna. "But you've already lost. You've bought into our game from the beginning, and now it's too late. But I promised my Goddess that I would bring her your head, so...shall we begin?"

/

Not Anna...

A/N: Apologize for any typos; finishing this at night. Feel free to review/PM me if you find any. I thought the last line of Evangeline was fitting considering…

Responses:

Andilite: Here it is!

Amateraszu: They're definitely two distinct personalities.

Vidgamelords: Get some sleep! And no spoilers!

Guest 1: You never know!

Danymah: That was the reaction I was hoping for from this chapter. Thanks!

CoolNicNack7112: That was also a reaction I was hoping for!

Thorneux: I've missed her too.

PenguinVuelve: Lol. That's happened to me more than once.

Frost108: Enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, stamina, and durability.

ASnowQueen: This was certainly intended to show Anna's development. She started off a self-conscious peasant girl. In many ways, she's hardened and gained confidence. It came at the cost of her innocence, but she's still the kind young woman we know.

OrangeGalen: No, not yet.

StillSlightlyFrozen: Thank you!

Moosdrool: Wait until the ending.

Guest 2: No spoilers, but I'm sure you can guess.

ClaireCooper: Well, there's some happiness right? At least, last chapter.

DVINM: Wow, that was beautiful. And so on point. Can't really put my reaction into words. Well done!

Spooths: She started doing that shortly after possessing Elsa's body. Chapter 65-67 I believe.

TheChronicle: Thanks for pointing out the contrast between Elsa and Anna. Couldn't have put it better myself. Evangeline couldn't be certain that the news would get to Anna, but it was her best option and (from her perspective) had no downside.

WinterWolfDragon: Thanks! Here it is!

Coincidencless: Am I?

ObsessiveImaginings: Anna overcame her doubts. Now she must overcome a Goddess.

MimicoFrodo: Thanks for all the commentary; I love all long reviews even if blunt and sleep deprived. Keep in mind that while Elsa has been through hell being possessed, it's nothing new at this point. She wouldn't be crying hysterically for over a year straight. And she was very happy to see Anna.

NarutoUchiha999: It will be bittersweet for me, finishing what has been such a big part of my life and thoughts for years now.

Keanen765: Thanks a lot! I enjoyed a glimpse of Elsa very much as well.

DimensionalLover: There is always hope. Hopefully.

VelascoAnna: Again, hopefully.

Guest 3: Here!

Crazykrew616: Thanks! It's been a long ride, hasn't it?

Guest 4: Doing the best I can! It won't go longer than a month.