The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 12 : Winter Days And Warm Fires

IDUNA

I settled myself in my usual armchair by the warm flickering fire and opened the book I'd borrowed from the Castle library - the one about myths and legends and magical creatures.

Arendelle didn't seem to know much about magic I realised - if the stories I'd been told when I was younger were anything to go by.

I'd been told similar tales but of course Arendelle itself had no magic and seemed as normal as you could get, so their understanding was bound to be morphed and twisted while mine came from first hand association with spirits.

Though, despite this, I was still rather enjoying the book and even wondered if I could dare try to find the healing trolls as they were apparently native to Arendelle, when I turned the page and read the title: Northuldra.

I could have found it funny how little they knew about our culture, considering they'd been studying us for the last four years while they built that dam, if I wasn't so concerned by the jerking amount of utter fiction and lies that poisoned the pages.

This false knowledge was in stark contrast to the small fraction of information that was actually extremely true; which was what worried me the most.

I didn't know what to make of it, but fortunately Halima entered the room then with a tray of cookies and fruit, and two steaming brews that filled the air with their sweet aroma.

She set one mug down on the arm of my chair, then put the tray on the low table in front of us and sat opposite me.

"What are you reading, Sweetheart?" she asked, curiously.

I took a sip from the mug and wrapped my hands around it to feel it's warmth before answering, "It's a book about myths - like magical plants and mystical creatures."

"Ah. Agnarr used to love that book too. Caught him reading it the day of the Tragedy." she chuckled before a sad look entered her eyes.

My eyes flitted down at her mention of that event too.

"Speaking of Agnarr, how has your afternoon been? I haven't seen either of you since lunch."

"It's been a lovely day, hectic but lovely." I admitted, "I spent an hour or so with Arianna in her room after lunch. She asked me about last night and then for some reason we decided to try on her many dresses. That had us in stitches until she pulled one out, held it against me thoughtfully and told me it'd suit me! Of course I was stunned but she left me with little choice but to change. Then she told me I was gorgeous and the boys wouldn't know what to do with themselves. We had to test that theory obviously and soon found them taking advantage of the warm sun, as it probably won't last much longer, and then we spent the rest of the afternoon playing a game Nuru-Baako calls 'Chase'."

"Certainly sounds crazy to me." Halima smiled.

"How's your day been?"

"Oh, same as always, except I haven't really seen any of you all day!"

"Sorry about that." I grinned sheepishly.

Halima chuckled, "Don't be silly Iduna. It's lovely to hear Agnarr was just acting his age all day. He doesn't get to do that much, he didn't even when he was a child."

"He actually had a meeting, so I haven't seen him since he left for that."

Her smile faltered and she shook her head, "Of course, I should've known. Colden won't let that boy have a break." she sighed deeply, "Atleast Arianna, Frederic and Nuru-Baako did."

I shrugged in fairness. It had been refreshing to see the young Royals act without a care in the world. Not even I, an open minded person, had ever pictured Royals as the kinds of people willing to get their clothes dirty. I felt guilty as I knew they were thought to act a certain way but actually, at the end of the day, they were just kids!