The Quest For Hope

The Battle

The Battle 

"Iduna, you have to choose."

"Why? Please tell me why?" Iduna's big blue eyes pleaded with him.

He frowned, sighing and straightening his beard. His voice softened. "You've seen the mirror. You know what's at stake."

"That's not fair. That's not a choice." 

"You have a choice; there's always a choice. It's just not always an easy one to make." He looked down at her quivering lips and lifted her chin. "The fate of the kingdom rests on your shoulders. Your tiny little shoulders." He sighed.

"But I don't know him, and I don't love him."

"My dear child," he said, "you will know him. Agnarr is a great man and a good king. But it is your decision." He stepped away, dropping his arms.

"I want to see the mirror once more before I decide," she demanded, fire in her eyes.

"Of course, whatever will help you," he agreed, leading her from the room.

A small contingent of trolls led Iduna to the mirror, a crescent-shaped pond secluded in the mountains east of the kingdom and guarded by a grove trees. It took three days of hard riding to reach the secret location, giving Iduna ample time to recall her first visit there a few weeks earlier.

The images played over and over in her mind. Her father's closets friend had taken her there to help her decide by giving her a glimpse of the future. Sitting on the shore's edge with her legs tucked underneath her, she had dipped fingertips into the cool water and asked to see her path. The ripples had grown. 

Her first vision appeared, a memory of her family picnicking in the forest. Her parents smiled as she ran by with bouquets of spring blossoms, the soft petals blowing in the wind as she picked them off one by one. That was before the accident that took their lives, leaving her in the hands of her father's adviser and old friend of the family. The water shifted to show her the upcoming royal ball. She was dancing with a man, the young king. Her eyes twinkled, and she laughed as they twirled. The last grouping of images filled her with dread. In her arms, she felt the weight of her children: twins, a boy and a girl. They were both beautiful, one had inherited her piercing blue eyes, as the other had inherited their father's bewitching brown eyes. In their eyes loomed a silver dragon. The image faded to black.

that was it. A grouping of three visions to decide her future. Her adviser reminded her it was her choice, but he was pushing for a decision. She was only fifteen, hardly a grown women. she wasn't sure what she wanted. But the royal balls was approaching.

At last, they arrived. Iduna stopped her companions at the edge of the trees. The visions were hers alone.

Making her way quickly and quietly to the lake's edge, Iduna knelt as before, her soft gown tucked under her knees as her hands sipped into the cool water. A chill ran through her body as the water dripped off her fingertips. She took a deep breath, feeling a moment of peace amidst her anticipation. The trees rustled as she waited. Then, "I'm ready." the wind blew her hair back as her reflection began to ripple. A soft ringing made her sit up straight.

"Are you ready?" She heard whispered back in the wind.

Iduna jumped. Her heart started to pounding, as she glanced around, making sure no one had followed her. No one was there. Just herself, the trees, the rocks, and the lake. She looked back at the mirror.

"You can speak?" She asked, leaning forward, her voice shaking.

"I can do all," it whispered.

"You haven't talked before," she countered. 

"No one has doubted before." The water stilled. "I showed you a path already. Here is another."

Colours and images appeared on the smooth surface, beginning the same way as before. The sweet memory of her family picnic came first, and then the ball. She didn't dance with the king, but stood off to the side, watching as he twirled with another girl.

The image faded and a new one formed. Flames, destruction, and terror burned in the waters before her. People she recognised faded off the lake's surface as she stared in agony.

"No. No!" She yelled. The pictured continues, clearer than she wanted to see, more terrifying than she wanted to believe. "Make it stop," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Her companions heard her cries for help through the trees and darted out to meet her.

"Take me back. I must see my adviser," she ordered with a quivering jaw and tear-stained eyes. The men led her back to her horse, and they rode as fast as they could back to the kingdom.

She found her adviser sitting quietly on her bed. Iduna ran into his open arms and sobbed.

"Have you decided?" He asked at last.

"I have," she replied, wiping the final tears away with the back of her hand. "I will do it. I will become the queen."

"I found this for you, among your mother's things," he said, holding out a beautiful light blue silk gown, with silver embroidery and pearl accents.

Iduna smiled as she held the soft silk. "It's beautiful but blue?"

"Yes," he chuckled at her. "It's will match your eyes," he said, pointing to her eyes.

"Yes, Pabbie," she whispered. "Thank you."

"Our kingdom thanks you,"Pabbie said, turning to walk out of her room.