The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 6 : He's Not Just Royalty

IDUNA

The delicious, sweet smell of freshly cooked bread filled the kitchen as I opened the oven door and took the steaming loaf from its depths. I sniffed the top of the crust and, satisfied, set it down on the stove to cool down, along with the cloth I'd used to remove it.

I wiped my hands on my pinafore and stirred the soup that I was cooking on top of the stove before sipping a little from the wooden spoon and deciding it needed a little more salt.

Just as I had sprinkled a pinch of the tiny white crystals across the surface of the dark orange mixture, I heard the sound of something dragging across the carpet by the door, felt a draught on the back of my legs, and smiled - Halima was home.

"Welcome back." I greeted, spinning around and grinning broadly.

Halima smiled in response, before sniffing the air, "Mmm, smells nice in here, what's been cooking?"

"Just some freshly cooked bread and tomato soup for dinner." I said, "And some gingerbread cookies that I was just about to ice."

She widened her eyes in delighted approval.

"Care to join me?" I asked, spreading my arms towards the wooden table in the middle of the kitchen where the rack of cookies sat, ready to be decorated.

"Of course!"

We took a seat across from each other and began to ice the cookies, but this enjoyable act swiftly transitioned into a competitive game that ended with us throwing clouds of icing sugar at each other while clutching our sides from laughing so much.

I couldn't have hoped for a better home. I still missed the Forest and my family very dearly, but Halima was here for me and I wasn't alone and depressed any more.

Well, I still sometimes felt alone when Halima went to the Castle. The wind spirit had kept me company the first couple days in Arendelle, but ever since Halima had found me, I hadn't sensed their presence even in the slightest breeze that tickled me. I wondered if that was to keep me safe, so that no one would suspect me as Northuldran. Everyone here hated Northuldra, and they made that very clear, so if anyone was to to find out I was ...

However, despite trying to keep this low profile, I did almost blow my cover a couple days in, when the weather was particularly cold and Halima had decided to light a fire:

"So that's how you do it." I had said under my breath, as I curiously watched Halima strike a flint rock and piece of metal together to produce a flame.

"How you do what sweetie?" she had asked, turning to me.

"Oh nothing." I'd said quickly, straightening and smiling innocently, "Just never seen a fire being made before, that's all."

She had looked at me for a long moment, her expression calculating, but she had seemed to accept my excuse in the end.

I'd made extra care after that incident to not make any comments that could suggest an ulterior upbringing. I was sure, on occasion, I'd still accidently said the wrong thing, but I hoped Halima put it down to the ignorance of youth.

Fortunately, I had also learnt a lot more about Arendellian culture, and, more specifically, the Royal family. The members seemed to be like second family to Halima; not a day went by that she didn't mention what King Agnarr and Princess Arianna had got up to. I had to admit it was extremely amusing to hear about their antics and it was interesting to learn more about the boy I had saved.

I'd also learnt about a certain Lieutenant, Destin Mattias, and his budding relationship with my guardian, which had abruptly ended in tragedy when he got trapped in the Forest.