Queen of Winter

Chapter 12 - Reading

I woke up abruptly. I sat up and looked out of the window, where the sun was shining. I laid down again and rubbed my eyes as I thought of the nightmares I had dreamed - a blur of Rapunzel, Hans, mysterious trolls, darkness and fear. I quickly got out of the bed and got dressed. I could hear the maids outside so it was early. I didn't want to stay alone in my room so I went out to the small library where a servant was cleaning the fireplace. The servant looked up at me, exclaiming, "Your majesty, I didn't know you were aw...".
"No, it's okay, I couldn't sleep so I went here", I replied. "You can return to your duties".
The servant nodded and I went in to the room. I glanced at the big grandfather clock at the other side of the room. It said 7.40 am. Just enough time to do some research about the trolls. I was really concerned about Kristoff - could he really trust the trolls? My parents went there because it was an emergency, and nothing's more suspicious than trolls. I went up to a book chase and scanned the covers. I was familiar with almost every book because I had spent much time in this library, mostly in the nights when I could sneak out of my room to read a book or two. I pulled out an old book written in runes, called "Runes of knowledge". I easily paged through the book until I reached the page about trolls, which only included a weird text about healing powers, old trolls and magic. I looked in another book about fae creatures instead. Many names of things stood there - mermaids, goblins, fairies, elves and finally - trolls.

In the deep dark forests in the north the trolls live. They are mysterious creatures who live together inside mountains and valleys, separated from humans. Their lives are actually not so different from ours, even if they grow very old. But in some places some trolls can be thieving and steal everything they find. Unfortunately food and drink isn't the only thing that they steal.

I hadn't finished reading when the door opened and a maid came in. "Breakfast is served, Your Majesty", she said sleepily. I closed the book and went up to her and said "Can you take this book to my office, please", as I handed her the book. "Thank you". I smiled, "And be sure to rest a bit afterwards".
"Okay", she yawned and walked away.

At breakfast I was deep in to my thoughts again when I felt a tap on my arm. I flinched and looked up into a pair of big oceanic eyes. Anna weirdly grinned at me and I gave her a questioning look. "Are you thinking of someone?", Anna giggled, wiggling her eyebrows at 'someone'. I stared at her. "You have that 'dreamy' look on your face", Anna continued. I nervously laughed. "No... no... I was just thinking about the ball and Rapunzel".
"You've met Punzie?", Anna excitedly said, and I nodded.
"I think I'm going to invite her for dinner today before she leaves".
Anna shone up. "Can Kristoff come too?"
"Of course. We are kind of a family now, right?", I said and Anna answered with a "Mmhm!".
A while later I sat down in my office. I looked around. It was a medium sized room, with wooden floor and purple coloured walls. On the same wall as the door there was a desk, and on the other side of the room there was a large window and two chairs stood next to it. At the side wall there was a book chase. I sat down and continued reading about trolls.

Unfortunately food and drink isn't the only thing that they steal, sometimes the humans also can be in danger. It happens that people disappear into the woods; they have been taken by trolls. If you find yourself taken it's important not to eat the food trolls offer you. This is a way for trolls to keep you forever. The trolls often kidnap children and raise them as their own.

'Kidnaping children?'. I quickly opened a big folder that laid in a drawer and searched for a special document - a list of newborn, dead, missing... anything. A while later I read a list from over ten years ago when I found what I was looking for - Kristoff Bjorgman, disappeared into the forest at the age of eight.