The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 16 : A Christmas Surprise

IDUNA

I gave a shiver and wrapped the woolly shawl Halima had made me tighter around my shoulders.

It was so cold now that I could see my breath steam in front of me like mini clouds, my cheeks stung and my toes curled even in the thick socks I wore.

Many people were shuffling around in all sorts of similar, warm attire, with rosy cheeks, frozen breaths and pink noses.

The cobbled street was covered with a thin blanket of snow and frost, but with all the people trampling it, the white had turned to a muddy brown which was not so pleasant to look at. At least the snow that rested on the rooftops remained untouched.

I remembered winter in the Forest fondly, with frost spiralling along the trunks of trees and the fire spirit jumping around playfully, cooling itself down. The wind spirit would blow a little colder everyday, and yet still try to warm me up with a game of hide and seek. The lakes and rivers would freeze over and my friends and I would often go ice-skating, sometimes I'd even bring Embla, and we would enjoy the afternoons fooling around on the ice. Everything from steaming bowls of porridge to the company was perfect in the Forest.

But at least Arendelle had ways of making winter just as beautiful here; they had their own little quirks, like putting small bunches of mistletoe and red and white berries in the doorways and keeping up the Winter Festival decorations along with new, homemade ones.

Halima and I had spent a few happy afternoons in the last week since the Festival making our own decorations. This included red, white and green bunting, our own bunch of mistletoe, and a specially knitted stocking, one each to make a pair, which was a unique tradition to Halima's family.

Walking along to the sweet shop to pick up some sweet treats and chocolate for the winter months, I noticed that a lot of Arendellians had their own traditions; including hanging a straw star from the door, carving an angel out of ice to put on the window sill, or making an intricate pattern in the window out of holly leaves, firtree spindles and berries of different colours.

A smile formed on my lips and I felt warmth creep into my bones at all the wonderful festivities and life that Winter in Arendelle brought. Christmas, I do believe, is the word they use for it.

When I opened the door to the sweet shop, a merry bell chimed over my head. I stamped my feet against the scratchy, straw mat placed at the threshold and pulled off my mittens to reveal red tipped fingers.

Every aroma imaginable greeted me - from chocolate to strawberries to caramel to vanilla to cinnamon to oranges to cookies to fudge and back again.

"Wow, Mr Henriksir," I said in awe, "smells awfully nice today."

"I've been busy." the bushy-bearded man smiled at me, rubbing his hands on his apron as he stepped away from a mixing bowl, "Demand for candy in the Winter months is high."

I grinned and walked into the shop with a bounce in my step, before stopping and leaning forwards to study the display of fudge near the counter.

"Ah, fudge's always a favourite this time o' year." Mr Henriksir observed, coming over to me, "Try a piece."

I lifted my cold-stained hand and took a small cube of salted-caramel fudge from the sample tray.

"Mm." I nodded in agreement as the taste exploded in my mouth, "This is really good! How much?"

He tapped the small card propped up beside the display.

"I'd like some if I may."

He smiled, his mustache twitching as he did so, and he put some pieces in a red and white striped bag, before twisting the corners and holding it out for me.