Iduna of the Northuldra (Agnarr x Iduna)

Chapter 4

"I couldn't tell because your eyes look Arendellian, and your face looks Arendellian. But....everything else..." He laughs. "I feel so stupid. I should've known from the minute I saw you.

I look away from him, the pace of my heart speeding. I don't know why the clothes didn't tip him off before, but he knows now. Why did you tell him all that stuff? He knows exactly who and what you are now.

He's not going to want to be your friend anymore. He's going to tell you to leave. Either that, or he's going to make you leave. He's going to get the guards to throw you out of Arendelle, forever. You're going to lose your friend.

"I-I should go. I'm sorry, Agnarr."

"Wait! No! Iduna!"

I run from the yard, through the courtyard, and toward the front of the castle's gates. He tries to grab my hand, but I don't let him. I feel terrible. I didn't know why the people in my tribe talked about Arendelle this way, but the way he was talking just now...

I knew why, I just didn't want to believe it. Not about him.

I run down the road, through the shops and the houses and the crowd. I bump into a few people, and they shoot me dirty looks. I end up tripping  on a stone and falling, the same way he did when we first met.

He runs to me, and stops to catch his breath. Then he extends his hand to me, and after thinking about it for a moment, I let him help me up.

Tears run down my face, and I wipe them away, feeling really embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. I came here to find information about my father, and then I met you. I never meant for us to be friends."

"What do you mean?"

"I came to find information about my father. He wouldn't tell me anything about this place. I'm not even allowed to be here right now. But now I know why. Arendellians don't like Northuldrans. I don't know why, but that's what seems to be the case. I didn't correct you, hoping you'd be friends with me if you thought I was one of you. But, well, I can't anymore. You know now, and this... this isn't even what I came here for..." I bite my lip. "I'm sorry, Agnarr, but I can't stay."

"But you didn't even get to stay one night. I thought we could have a sleepover."

I give him a look. "Do you really think anyone in there wants me to spend the night?"

He shrugs. "I don't know what everyone else wants, but I know what I want."

My eyes widen, and his face burns bright red. "Oh my God, why did I say it like that....?" he mutters to himself.

"I was greeted with stares when I first came here. The soldier that opened the door for us earlier today was judging me. A lady threw a stick at me. I'm...not wanted here."

He gives me a look of understanding. "I get it. Not everyone here is very... accepting. But, one guy gave you a blanket - a really nice, expensive blanket when you first came here, remember?"

"Yeah..."

"And then there's Mrs. Andersen, who gave you that whole thing of truffles - which is still sitting in the yard....and we should probably grab it before the ants get it, yeah?"

"Oh, spirits! Yeah, we should get that."

We continue to talk as we head back toward the castle. He reassures me, and gives me a smile that makes everything else seem trivial.

"I'm really sorry you were treated that way. And I'm sorry if I did anything to make you doubt our friendship. Whether you were from here, the woods, or from a jungle I'd still be your friend. And I'm sure that there are other people who will feel the same way once they meet you."

I smile. "Thanks, Agnarr."

He beams back at me. "Of course. So, will you stay?"

I nod. "I'll stay for the night, but I'm going to have to go home in the morning. My parents are probably really worried about me."

"Okay. I understand."

There is a beat of silence.

"What are your parents like, Iduna? See, my mom's, uh, dead, and my dad's...my dad. What's it like to have both of your parents?"

"Well, my parents' relationship is pretty cliche. They love each other, a lot, even after being together all these years. And when people like that have a kid, they love that kid more than anything else in the world."

"Wow. Must be nice."

We both laugh.

"You said you came here to learn about your father. Is he...from here?"

I nod. "Yeah. I wasn't sure if he had relatives or if there were records of him being here in the castle."

"Is that...why you became friends with me?"

I shake my head rapidly. "No. I had no idea who you were when we met. I only thought about it when you asked if I wanted to stay here."

"Oh okay. Maybe I can help you. I know where everything is, I would just have to convince my father to let me access it."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

He smiles. "Of course. We're friends, aren't we? Besides, I've always had a thing for history, and I'm sure it'd be cool to learn about yours."

"Great! When do you want to start?"

"We should start now. That way when you leave in the morning you have a small piece of him to take with you."

We go inside, and we walk through the foyer. Agnarr is greeted by some soldiers, while those same soldiers stare me down. Despite this, I try to be polite and wave at them.

He takes me to a large door with stained glass windows scaling up it. I look to Agnarr and his eyes seem to be filled with fear.

"Are you okay?" I say.

He nods, apparently snapping out of it, and he knocks on the door. It opens, and a large, burly man sticks his head out, and looks down toward us. We're so much shorter than him it's not even funny.

He clears his throat. "Agnarr. To what do I owe this pleasure? You almost never come to see me." He looks to me, and cocks his head to the side, furrowing his brows. I subconsciously hold my breath. "And who is this?"