My Little Guardian

Chapter 7 - The Spring Comes Early

During the following days, weeks and months Elsa was always expecting the nightfall. His stories of the outside world were everything to her. And she couldn't push aside the fact that she had been healthier thanks to him.

However spring was coming, the flowers were beginning to bloom and the maids kept her windows tightly shut due to pollen. Still he always managed to yank the window open. 

During the days she kept staring at his handkerchief to remind herself that he was indeed real and not her imaginary friend. Especially now when the nights were getting shorter and he might leave any day now.

"What's the matter? We are trying to learn about the history of our dear Dukedom," Elsa's mother asked and raised her head from the book that she had been teaching to her daughter now that she was well enough to take part in her lessons again.

"Oh, nothing mama," Elsa said in her thoughts and didn't notice the Duchess's faint smile when her daughter finally called her mother again.

"There must be something on your mind? You keep either staring at the handkerchief or the window. I would like to continue with our studies about the arrangement with my land and the Dukedom of Arendelle… but first you need to tell me what's on your mind," Duchess Iduna said firmly and closed the book. Her eyes met with her daughters.

"I was just thinking… if someone leaves for a long time. What if they forget about you and you don't forget about them?" Elsa wondered.

Duchess Iduna hummed for a moment. This question brought back some memories. She had first met Agnarr when their lands negotiated trades and peace. She was just few years older than Elsa and she bonded with someone from another Dukedom, not knowing if they would see each other again.

"Ribbon," she whispered and frowned.

"Ribbon?" Elsa asked curiously from The Duchess who was in her thoughts.

"Oh, umm… I gave your father my ribbon, I think we were just 13 and 15 around that time. Later we found out that we were engaged to be wed around the time when we first met. It was due to the negotiations between Northuldran and Arendelle. But yes, since we didn't know if we would meet again or not, I gave him my hair ribbon to remember me by", Duchess  Iduna smiled and brushed her hand through her daughter's hair.

"Really? Why?" Elsa asked again.

"Well because we grew to be good friends. I taught him a thing or two about our culture and he… well he was just…hmm.." Iduna smiled and pinched her daughter's cheek. "I think this is enough."

"A hair ribbon? What would he do with one?" Elsa sighed and shook her head.

"Well I tied it around his wrist and I think he still has the same ribbon tied on the sheath of his sword," Duchess said and let out a well refined laugh, "-and now I can just kiss his cheek when he leaves for a journey."

Duchess Iduna smacked a kiss on Elsa's confused cheek.

"Eww, a kiss? Can't it be a book?" Elsa said and giggled.

"Depends, it depends,  my sweetheart," Duchess Iduna hummed and placed her scarf on Elsa's shoulders. She took a moment to look at the scarf that her mother had made.

The scarf was her favorite purple color and embroidered with some Northuldran mythology. 

"Time to go to bed. Would you like anything to eat?" She asked Elsa who shook her tiny head.

She helped Elsa to get in bed. Iduna brushed Elsa's hair and made sure that she was all set for bed. After thinking that Elsa had fallen asleep, she left the room and went to spend time with Anna. Elsa went to bed before their youngest and The Duchess and Duke always thought that it was due to sickness and Elsa being tired of it.