The Quest For Hope

The Battle: Chapter Six

Pabbie's group hurried from the mountains toward King Agnarr's castle. Clothed in their traditional moss green robes, they looked like little trees on horseback. Pabbie led them forward, his head held high, almost challenging the wind. They made a good time, travelling with only the clothes on their backs and emergency supplies. 

This was Kristoff's first time away from the mountains. A strange exhilaration ran through him as he took in the new sights and sounds of the journey.His knuckles were white from clutching the horse's mane. They had horses at home, but he had never ridden one so fast or far. His heart pounded in rhythm with the horse's hooves.  That excitement faded at the sight of the castle, and his apprehension grew.

They were on a mission to reach King Agnnar. Kristoff did not know how history-the older trolls didn't like to talk about it but he knew enough to understand that whatever was going on had to be important to break the covenant of their banishment. When he was a small child, they had left, vowing to never return. Now they were rushing toward the kingdom, into danger. He tried to push his never aside. Whatever lay ahead, he planned to enjoy these moments of wonder, in case they were his last.

The castle of Arendale was a bright beacon. Its tall towers, thick walls, and fluttering banners marked the horizon, both welcoming and warning its visitors. Slowly it grew from a speck in the distance to a monument that loomed in front of them.

Pabbie exhaled and pulled his lips tight.  Raising his arms, he motioned for his group to stop. The ground shook below them as a contingent of castle guards approached their horns blaring and their banners waving in all directions.

"Hold there!" The lead guard's voice boomed. His horse snorted, prancing in place as the reins were pulled tight. 

The other guards kept a careful eye on the trolls, pointing the tips of their swords at anyone made a sharp movement.  Whispers of treason and years of wild speculation governed the guard's thoughts.

The leader dismounted his horse and approached Pabbie, giving him a wide berth as he circled around him. 

"I didn't expect to see you again, old moss green robe," the guard sneered with contempt. "What business have you here?"

"We request an audience with the King," Pabbie said.

?"Oh, the King will want to see you," the guard said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards as he remounted his horse.

The other guards led the five trolls and Kristoff to the castle walls.  Their horse's hooves echoed off the hard cobblestones at the castle entrance, announcing their arrival. Stares greeted them.  The anger, curiosity, and fear in the people's eyes left in a heaviness on Pabbie's heart as he watched a child peeking from behind her mother's back.

You could cut this tension with a sword, Kristoff thought the square and up to the castle gates. Pabbie pressed on, keeping his head high and strong. His shoulders had always borne the weight of leadership, even in his younger years as an apprentice. His natural skills developed early and he surpassed his peers, earning at a young age. In time he became the Kings advisor. After the exile, his responsibility grew greater.

Although he had prepared for it, the reality of the scorn directed at his people felt almost unbearable. They hid their faces deep inside their green hoods hoping to escape scrutiny. Pressing forward, step by step, they made their way to the main castle square. World of their arrival had spread, and hundreds of faces crowded around them, trying to catch a glimpse of the trolls. It wasn't long before King Agnarr emerged.

His red face spoke louder than any words could.  This was not a friendly meeting. His stewards gave him plenty of space, stepping back as he bellowed his orders.

"Size them at once!" He yelled.  The sneer that appeared on his face cut deeper than the anger in his voice.  In that moment, recognising the pleasure the King took in his command, Pabbie knew he had his work cut out for him.

"Agnarr wait," Pabbie yelled, his voice strong.

King Agnarr stopped in his tracks. The crowd did not know where to look; even Pabbie's group averted their eyes.

"Guards," King Agnarr said, straining his voice to stay calm.  "Please remind these people who I am as you take them to the dungeon." 

He stepped forward to enter the castle, and the Knights closed in on the trolls and Kristoff.

Pabbie knelt and bowed his head low.  "King Agnarr, the great leader of the western lands, please hear me out." His plea hung high in the air. King Agnarr paused for a moment, then continued to walk away, not looking at him as the doors shut.

The six visitors kept their heads bowed as the Knights clamped chains around their wrists and led them away into the depths of the castle.