#feat agnarr

[weavefroze]

act i. the nautiloid from hell.

elsa , eldest daughter of agnarr & iduna , was born with an extreme affinity for the arcane arts , so much so that it seemed that magic wove itself into every fiber of her being. magic followed her wherever she went , manifesting itself in the ice & snow that accompanied her presence , almost without elsa even trying. it ebbed & flowed with her emotions , as did her control over it. everything she touched would turn to solid ice beneath her hands , & frost followed her every step. to contain herself was no small feat , & as such , the duke's daughter isolated herself & took to studying as much as she could , in order to learn how to control the untamed magic she carried & protect the people she cares about , namely her younger sister , anna.

by age twelve , elsa's magic had only grown stronger & more wild , & on her birthday , her father gifted her a pair of embroidered gloves , meant to put a barrier between the world & her magic. it was a gift elsa appreciated , as it allowed her a bit of freedom from the fear of freezing everything she touched , on accident or otherwise. elsa studied her father's books on magic endlessly , & when the knowledge in her father's library was not enough , she pleaded with him to allow her to study further , & he enrolled her in blackstaff to further her knowledge of the arcane , where she met gale ( @weavesick ).

meanwhile , the magic that seemed to make up elsa's entire being was also wreaking its havoc on her physical form , having influenced her appearance from birth. her skin always seemed to be covered in a thin layer of frost , cold to the touch & worst over her hands , covered by the gloves. the weave was freezing her from the inside , & she sought answers , a means to control her magic before the worst happened.

the worst happened before elsa could control her magic , the very thing she wanted to avoid. with her magic growing more unstable by the day , it was only a matter of time before she lost control entirely , lashing out with her magic & striking her sister's heart. enshrouded in frost , elsa desperately sought a cure for her sister , willing to do or trade anything to save her.

elsa's pleading drew the attention of the being who would later be her patron , offering the ability to save her sister & control of her innate magical abilities. in exchange , elsa sold her soul to a less than metaphorical devil. her sister was saved , but in response , elsa was all but banished from her childhood home when her father found out about her warlock's pact. though she saved her sister's life , elsa was cast out of her home , & returned to her schooling in waterdeep in shame.

only a few years later came the deaths of her parents , lost in a storm that claimed the lives of several others along the swords coast. heartbroken upon hearing the news from her sister , elsa left blackstaff to handle her father's estate , only leaving a letter behind for her closest friend. she returned to schooling a year later , only to find herself being shut out , & feeling all the more miserable in the wake of her parents' deaths.

all but alone in the world , elsa disappeared once again , traversing the lands , studying what she could find & keeping as much distance between herself & others for fear of hurting them. frost has climbed over her hands & forearms , & she is rarely seen without her gloves. with the aid of her warlock pact , elsa is better able to control the wild magic woven into the very fiber of her being , albeit only marginally.

far away from her home in baldur's gate , elsa was captured by the mind flayers & infected with a tadpole , something she assumed was a death sentence from all she'd learned. but when she wasn't a mindflayer within days of the nautiloid crashing , she knew something was different. not only was she alive & herself , but her magic was different , more controlled. the ice & frost still followed her wherever she went , but it was less volatile , made her less dangerous. selfishly , elsa desired no cure for the creature in her head , but didn't approve of leaning so much into the powers it offered either.

nevertheless , when reunited with her old friend , elsa decided to follow him , trusting him enough to follow him to the ends of faerun should he decide to walk it. & if a cure for the tadpole in their heads is what he sought , elsa would lend him her power.

surely , two ticking time bombs in a single group is a good idea , right ??

#╰ * ❄️ : 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 ━━━━━ down by the river . #╰ * ❄️ : 𝑴𝑬𝑻𝑨 ━━━━━ strike for love & strike for fear . #:) #part 1 baybee !! #this is a LOT of exposition rlly. im gonna write up her list of approvals/disapprovals next :)

[sommer-girl]

Surprise Party | The Sommers

A birthday surprise goes terribly wrong.

Date: 6/22

TW: Just some not great parenting and rough family dynamics.

@vvinter-queen

ANNA

Anna had decided that it was probably just simpler if she went home unannounced. Surprised everyone. It wasn’t like they all had so much going on that they needed advanced notice, after all, Anna figured (and as someone who had grown up with everyone’s world kind of revolving around her… well, it just didn’t seem like a big deal). Everyone would be so excited to see her! And… the real reason, of course, was that if Anna came home in an unannounced, apparently spontaneous manner, maybe it would stress her out less.

She had her bags packed, her flight booked, her spot on the airport shuttle reserved. Anna was just getting settled on the Pride U-branded van when she saw she had a missed call from her father. Oh well. She’d handle that later.

And then she saw she had a text message from him. Forty minutes ago.

A selfie in front of the Pride U sign, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a goofy grin. The caption, “SURPRISE!”

Another message, “Thought we could do something fun for your birthday! Wanted to surprise you!”

Anna gulped. Apparently she was a lot more like her father than she had thought.

Of course Anna had to approach this with humor because, underneath, she was freaking out. Dad was here. In Swynlake. Looking for her. What if he ran into Devyn? Or Elsa? Or Skip?

Okay, the third one was probably lower-stakes… but STILL!

“Um!” Anna piped up. The driver grunted in acknowledgement. “Could we, erm, turn this thing around? I’m sorry, there’s an emergency back in Swynlake, and, um… please?”

The van was already well on the highway. “Like, a real emergency?” the driver repeated.

“Well, no, but like--”

“Look, we’re in a lot of traffic and there are people on here trying to catch flights. I’ll turn around once we get to the airport.”

Anna nodded and looked out the window anxiously. She could only imagine what Dad was getting up to, wandering around Swynlake by himself…

...Meanwhile, Agnarr Sommers was very, very lost. He wondered if these university campuses were intentionally designed to befuddle adults, and while he hated asking for help, it was looking like he was going to have to. How idiotic. He was the mayor of an entire city, and he couldn’t even find his daughter in a miniature one. Agnarr approached a smartly-dressed student who at least looked respectful.

“Excuse me!” he announced. The boy looked at him skeptically. Ah, Agnarr had been wrong. Why were children so disrespectful nowadays?

“Yes?”

“I’m looking for one of your classmates-- Anna Sommers? I’m her father. Here to surprise her for her birthday.”

The student nodded. “Er… I think she works at the ice cream shop? Ice Queen? I dunno if she’s on shift today but she’s always hanging around there because her sister owns the place.”

Agnarr didn’t even have time to process that revelation, all he knew was that he needed to get there and get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. Of course it was Elsa. Of course she was the one turning Anna against him and all of Arendelle-- how had he not suspected sooner. 

“Thank you!” he called over his shoulder, already on the way to the shop. He needed to have a talk with his daughter. 

ELSA

Anna was flying home to Arendelle today.

Elsa had done her very best not to hover and fuss over her sister, especially not when her birthday had gone so well the day before. Anna would be fine, Elsa knew that. Father would do anything for Anna, and she had Kai and Gerta and Mother waiting for her as well!

That didn't stop the anxious twisting in her gut. Elsa pulled out her phone again, checking for any texts from Anna or updates from the airline. But no, Anna was still on the bus and the flight was still on schedule.

"Relax," Elsa breathed to herself, slumping against her office chair and rubbing her hands over her eyes. "Don't feel. Everything will be fine."

Out in the shop, Elsa could hear the ding of the bells and sighed. Edward was working today but wouldn't be in until later in the afternoon. Wednesday mornings weren't particularly busy even now with school out. "Just a moment!" she called out as she stood, pushing her bangs back out of her eyes and pulling her braid over her shoulder. She didn't bother to pull her cardigan back on while she was working alone in the shop with no risk of someone bumping into her.

Elsa walked down the hall to the front of the shop, smoothing out her tank top against her stomach and not looking up to see who had walked in. "Welcome to the Ice Queen, did you have any questions about our special Pride men-" she began, using her warmest, kindest retail voice, only for the words to freeze and stick in her throat when she saw the familiar man standing before her.

The temperature in the building dropped noticeably as Elsa came to an abrupt stop, eyes wide with fear.

ANNA/(Agnarr???)

Dad, WHAT???!

I WAS GOING TO COME HOME TO SURPRISE YOU!!!

WAIT FOR ME ON CAMPUS I’M COMING BACK JUST HOLD ON DON’T GO ANYWHERE.

It was the first text Anna had sent her father in weeks. As Swynlake got further and further behind her (Anna considered asking the driver to pull over so Anna could hitchhike back to Swynlake-- okay, that was dramatic, she could call an Uber or something) panic rose in her chest and she could only imagine all of the disastrous things happening while she was gone…

She actually couldn’t, because Anna didn’t even know half of the story.

“Elsa,” Agnarr said in an odd, formal tone, ignoring the pinging in his pocket. Probably a colleague. He’d attend to it later. There were more important things happening in the present.

What did you say to your estranged daughter after nine years? 

What did you say to your estranged daughter after nine years, after she dropped out of school and embarrassed the family and almost killed you (Agnarr was convinced of this) with her ice magic, and now was turning your other daughter, your only other daughter, against you (the daughter who had also almost been killed by her ice magic?!). Agnarr’s mind was spiraling out of control, reasoning out different possibilities (had Elsa made Anna go to Pride U, too? Was that why Anna had been so adamant?) and for once he was on the other side of a secret.

“I can see quite a few things make much more sense now,” he said stiffly. There was much more he wanted to say. But he didn’t know where to begin, and losing his temper now would only be for the worse. Elsa was the temperamental, unreasonable one. He needed to be the calm one.

Another ping.

Anna had managed to get on a return shuttle now, and she was pushing the (increasingly-annoyed) driver to go faster. WHERE ARE YOU I’M ON MY WAY BACK PLEASE JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

But Agnarr didn’t read it. He was otherwise occupied.

ELSA

Her father looked older than she remembered.

Of course he did, it had been nine years. But it still shocked her. There were lines on his face now, exhausted bags under the bright blue eyes that the two of them shared. There was white streaked through his hair that Elsa had not put there, only time itself had.

She wondered if she looked older to him too. If he could recognize himself in her the way she did with him. Or if she was a stranger now.

There was no warmth in his eyes.

Elsa felt her broken heart answering in kind.

“Father,” she breathed, still standing completely frozen to the floor. Possibly literally; she hadn’t checked. Everything felt so numb past the rapid, frantic beating of her heart. “I… Anna’s on her way to Arendelle,” she said quietly. She finally broke free of his gaze, head bowed as she looked at the counter in front of her. Unseeing. Unfeeling. Don’t feel. Conceal. 

Don’t let it show.

She should have worn her cardigan.

“I can send you her flight details, if you go now you can probably catch her at the airport.” Her voice was quiet and meek, all of the anger she’d ever felt in the past nine years having fled. All that was left was fear and the desperate need to not cause a fuss. To do as she was told and not make any more problems for her family. 

She felt like a child.

ANNA (/Agnarr)

Agnarr felt like a fool. It was insulting. He was a grown man, mayor of a small city, responsible for thousands of people, and yet somehow his daughters had managed to deceive him. If things had gone according to Anna’s plans, he might have taken the surprise visit home the way it was intended-- as a fun surprise (well, he might have been a bit annoyed at the lack of prior notice but he would have quickly forgotten about that)-- but in light of the other revelations, Agnarr just felt lied to. 

But he had to control his temper, or he could provoke Elsa into another altercation like last time. All of the efforts to control magic in Arendelle had been based in that fear, that his daughter was more powerful than he could imagine and did have the ability to hurt him if she wanted to. Agnarr imagined she probably did. 

Well, she already had. She had taken Anna from him, the way Agnarr saw it. That felt like more of a betrayal than any dagger of ice.

“I suppose I’ll be leaving soon, then,” Agnarr responded coldly. “But first, I wanted to talk to you. Since apparently Anna is telling you things she isn’t telling me.” This was about more than the flight now. “You convinced her to go to university here, I am assuming?” He tried to keep his voice casual, but it was strained.

Meanwhile, the van was zipping back to Swynlake faster than it really should, at Anna’s insistence. She promised the driver money, free ice cream, whatever he wanted-- she needed to get back to Swynlake. As quickly as possible, before all of this blew up in her face.

Little did she know, it was already starting to.

ELSA

Elsa flinched at his words, at his tone. Not for the first time, her remarkable memory failed her, and she could recall with perfect clarity dozens of hundreds of conversations just like this. Elsa, pale and skinny, standing perfectly still with her head bowed even as her too-tight gloves pinched at her dry skin, and Agnarr, distant and cold as any mountain. Equally as unyielding.

Part of her wondered if that was why she tended to run to the mountains. They were familiar in that way.

“No, I-” she began before clenching her fingers and hearing the fine crackle of frost breaking. Her fingers were blue, the thin ice wrapped protectively around them cracking as she clutched them tighter. The floor and freezers were also covered in a layer of creeping frost, and Elsa took a sharp, deep breath. It tore at her lungs like blades. The ice stopped.

“No, Father,” she said quietly. “I hadn’t even spoken to Anna in nine years until she moved to town. I didn’t know she was coming to Pride U.” 

ANNA(/Agnarr)

Agnarr didn’t believe her. What were the odds of Anna ending up in the same town as Elsa, without any invitation or prodding from her sister? Agnarr imagined it must have sounded inviting. Maybe Anna was bored at home, and maybe he could have done a better job of encouraging her to go to the University of Oslo. But why else would she go to Swynlake, of all places, a dinky little town that was practically the poster child for more control of magic?

(And no, Agnarr didn’t even consider that Anna would have found Elsa on her own, or that she even would have sought her out. Anna was always reading, and she was very bright in that sense, but Agnarr didn’t think she was really capable of tracking Elsa down and arranging for herself to get there.)

He looked down at the ice creeping toward him and felt a twinge of fear. He didn’t want a repeat of last time. But he also didn’t want Elsa to get away with this.

“Quite the coincidence,” Agnarr scoffed. “I know it might look like it now, but I’m not a complete fool. I just thought you would have stayed out of things, after all these years. Anna’s an impressionable girl. I’ve tried to protect her from this sort of thing, but it seems you found a way. I’m warning you, though. I will not have my daughter turned against me.”

He glared at Elsa, daring her to deny it.

ELSA

‘I’m your daughter, too!’ Elsa wanted to cry. ‘I’m your baby too!’ But her heartache was quickly being frosted over as her anger began to seep back in. The gall of him to come into her home, accuse her of lying as if he hadn’t made a career off of it. To stand there like he had any authority over her now, after he’d casted her out without a second thought.

To talk to her like she wasn’t a full-grown woman, nearing her thirties. Like Anna wasn’t nearly a woman herself.

“Protect her by lying to her? Keeping the world from her?” Elsa bit out. “I have barely said a word to her about you or Arendelle because despite what you think of me, I do not spend my time thinking about you. When she comes to me with questions, I answer them. I give her facts, and all the opinions she forms are her own.”

“She’s not impressionable, she’s curious,” Elsa said, hands fisted tightly at her sides. Overhead, ice crawled along the walls and ceiling, dark and murky. “And smart. God, Anna is so smart. If she’s upset with the choices you’ve made, that’s your own bed to lie in. They were your decisions. No one put a gun to your head.”

“All I’ve done since she found me was try to do right by her. You have no right to be mad at me for that.”

ANNA(/Agnarr)

The shuttle parked and Anna didn’t even take her bag with her-- she just ran. She could deal with it later-- there was no way she could carry that and get back to her dorm that quickly. That was where she assumed he was, anyway. Anna checked her phone again. No answer.

WHERE ARE YOU??? Anna texted again. She stopped in her tracks outside her dorm, where she saw a familiar face hanging out and typing furiously on a laptop. Maybe Henry had seen something. He seemed to have a good memory.

“Henry! Did you see a guy-- oldish, gray hair, same accent as me? Probably looking for me?”

“What?” Henry looked up. “Yes, I told him to go to the ice cream shop. Why?”

Anna exploded with a string of Norwegian curse words and started running again, astonished at how Henry could create the worst possible scenario. Henry just watched in confusion and went back to working on his final paper. Weird.

Back at the shop, Agnarr sneered. “I’m sure you would love to believe that, now that you’ve gotten her on your side of this.” Maybe a leap to make, but Agnarr was so sure of the way all of this had gone now. Anna was avoiding him because of the things Elsa had told her, and now their relationship may never be the same again. “She’s an amazing kid, Elsa, and I’m very proud of her, but let’s face it. She’s got her head in the clouds, there’s no way she could have done this herself.”

Anna paused outside of the door to the shop, her hand on the handle, and didn’t open it. She had gotten the impression from their last call that Dad might not think she could handle poli sci, but…

Well, it just hurt a little bit. Maybe Anna didn’t have to go in there just yet. She pressed her ear to the door.

ELSA

Elsa didn’t even notice the figure hiding outside the front door, even though Anna was clearly visible through the glass. No, Elsa was too busy staring at her father in outraged shock.

Was this what her father had become since she left? Was this what she left Anna to face alone? 

In the coldest nights on the mountain, curled up alone in her great-uncle’s lodge, Elsa had comforted herself with the hope that with her gone, Anna might have a normal life. That at least she could have her father back, even if their mother was lost to them all.

THIS was what Elsa had comforted herself with!?

“Whatever happened to ‘Anything you put your mind to, you can accomplish’?” Elsa asked, her voice sharp. “There used to be no one in the world who believed in Anna more than you. How little do you think of her that you think she couldn’t track me down through the presents and mail I sent her? Just because you never bothered to look doesn’t mean it was impossible!”

“I know when you gave up on me, you made that crystal clear,” she hissed between grit teeth, her emotions churning in her chest like a storm. Sharp and cold and deadly. “Don’t you dare give up on her because she decided that she didn’t agree with the horrible things you’ve done to our home.”

ANNA (/Agnarr)

“I did what I had to do to protect our family!” Agnarr insisted. “Don’t act as if you know what is best for her. After everything you’ve done. I think you are the last person who should get to decide that.”

Anna gasped, straining to hear. What was Dad talking about? She had thought about going in, now that she had collected herself, but she knew that if Dad knew she was listening, he would go quiet. Anna had spent her whole life searching for the truth. She was so close. She would intervene if she really needed to, but for now, maybe a little selfishly, Anna kept eavesdropping.

“If Anna’s on her way home like you said she is, we’re going to have a conversation. She’s transferring to the University of Oslo. I’m not going to stand for this any longer.”

Outside, Anna clenched her fists, willing herself to stay quiet. There was no way that was going to happen. But first, she wanted to hear what Elsa said next. If she addressed the mysterious “everything you’ve done” that Dad brought up. 

ELSA

She wasn’t sure what hurt worse; her father’s accusations, or the fact that he had said ‘our family’. Like she was still included in that.

At least when she’d thought he’d disowned her completely, that he didn’t even consider her his daughter anymore, the pain was neater. Tidy. Once she had gathered it into a box she could put it away where it was only an ache in her chest.

Agnarr still thought of her as his daughter, and he hated and feared her anyway.

“I was a child,” Elsa whispered, her breath leaving her in a fog. “I didn’t- I-” Didn’t what? Know better? She had. Didn’t mean it? It didn’t matter. What’s done was done, and Elsa was fully aware that it was her fault. Anna should not have to suffer from that.

“I made a mistake that I will never be able to pay for,” Elsa said, “I know that. I know that what happened to Anna and Mother was because of me, and for that, I understand why you kicked me out. I know how dangerous I am,” she said, sad and cold and resigned. When she looked at her hand, her fingers were blue and frost curled up her forearm. 

It was the same hand that had sent a bolt of ice magic, wild and unformed and crafted in panic, right into her baby sister’s head. Magic that would have killed Anna in minutes were it not for their mother’s quick thinking and sacrifice.

“But it was the mistake of a child,” Elsa said, snapping her eyes up to meet her father’s. “Everything you’ve done, the lives you’ve ruined and the people you hurt, were done with intent. They were the decisions of a grown man. Because one little girl lost control of her magic one time. You say you do what you have to to protect your family? Then why did you never take Mother to Aunt Yelena!?” Her voice was rising. Cracking. “The one person who might be able to save her and you practically banished her from Arendelle out of fear!”

“You have no say over what Anna does or does not do!” she yelled as ice began to form in the corners of the room and along the ceiling; long, sharp protusions slowly growing. The glass Anna pressed her ear against was rapidly frosting over and sticking to her warm skin. “Your fear does not make her choices!”

ANNA

Anna jerked away from the door, partially because of the ice but mostly out of surprise-- suddenly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear more of this. What did Elsa mean, it was her fault?

Suddenly, Anna didn’t know who she could trust anymore. 

And she hated that feeling, because all her life she had lived with a vague feeling of distance and maybe a little distrust when it came to Elsa. Only recently had she gotten close with her, and realized that they could have a relationship. One thing sustaining her through this whole process of realizing she wasn’t sure she could trust her father anymore was that Anna knew she could trust Elsa. But now… could she trust anyone?

She backed up, staring at the door and trying to decide whether to go in or to run away. Wasn’t that always her life now? Deciding whether or not to open a door? Except this time the door was, like, a literal thing. 

Before Anna could make the choice, though, the door flew open and Anna came face-to-face with her father. 

She stared at him, her eyes red and puffy, her hair coming out of the braids she’d had it in today after all of that running. Her father stared back at her, and for a moment, nobody said anything. 

“How much did you…” Dad started. 

Anna looked around, at the anger in Elsa’s eyes and the fear in Dad’s and the entire shop frosted over. Why couldn’t her family have normal fights?

“I heard enough,” Anna said tightly, willing herself not to cry. “I’m not transferring schools, Dad.” One thing at a time. That was an easier thing to address. Relatively. “I’m not going home anymore, either. And I would really love it if people in this family would tell me things!”

Anna couldn’t help it. She was an angry crier. She turned her back to them and wiped away the tears. “Stop looking at me!”

ELSA

She would never know what her father was about to say to her because as soon as Elsa had yelled, there was movement at the door that drew her attention. She froze, teeth still bared, as her brain rapidly tried to switch gears. Was it a townie? Had someone noticed all the ice inside of the shop.

Agnarr rushed over and threw the door open and to Elsa’s horror it was so much worse.

Part of her noted that Anna looked winded. Like she had been crying or was close to it. That she looked betrayed.

But the bigger part of Elsa was suddenly frantically scrambling back, breaking herself free of the ice that had wrapped around her feet and nearly slipping. No! Nonono not now, not when her control was lost! Not when she was in the most danger!

All Elsa could see was Anna, small and cold and pale, growing colder by the moment. Curled up tiny and frail in arms that could never keep her warm. Never again.

The ice was growing inwards now, pointing at Elsa as if it couldn’t decide whether it was going to close in around her or run through her.

Eyes wide with terror, Elsa stumbled back against the wall and gasped when ice shot out from where her hands met brick. “Get her out of here!” she told their father frantically. “It’s not safe here!”

ANNA

Agnarr wasn’t thinking straight. There was so much happening now, too much, and this was why he had cut off Elsa in the first place. He couldn’t think straight when he was afraid, and now there was so much to be afraid of. Elsa’s power. Anna turning away from him. But above all, he couldn’t let Anna get hurt. Not again. This time, Iduna wouldn’t be able to save her. 

“We’re leaving,” Agnarr announced, turning his back to Elsa and gently nudging Anna to come with him. Anna shook the hand away.

“I’m not going anywhere until you explain to me what the fuck is going on!” Anna cried, whipping around to face her sister and her father again and shaking away Dad’s hand. 

“Anna, it’s not safe here,” Agnarr said in a low voice, glancing at the door to the shop. 

Anna followed his gaze and looked at Elsa. “Elsa wouldn’t hurt me,” she said defiantly, meeting Elsa’s eyes. 

“We’re not having this conversation now--” 

“Then when?!” Anna demanded. “Elsa, back me up!”

ELSA

Elsa could feel the fear in her chest, heavy and oppressive. It made her head swim, made her want to collapse and curl up in a ball.

But no. Anna needed her. She had to be the big sister right now.

Elsa took another step back, smiling weakly at Anna. "It's okay, sunshine," she said gently, her voice and hands shaking. "You're going to be fine. But you have to go back to the dorms, now."

The building groaned as Elsa's ice grew further, and she twisted to avoid the jagged points. "Please," she begged, looking at Anna with wide, frantic eyes. "We'll talk about this later I promise, but please, you have to go right now!"

ANNA

Anna looked from Elsa to Dad back to Elsa. She was tired of being told what to do, of being told that she was too young or immature (of course, Elsa hadn’t said that, but that’s how it felt to Anna). Finally, she was getting a chance at some answers, and once again she was supposed to go. 

Elsa looked desperate, though, and as the words echoed back in Anna’s mind-- 

She’s got her head in the clouds.

She’s transferring.

I know that what happened to Anna and Mother was because of me…

Anna couldn’t take this anymore. Tears pricked at her eyes again and she ran off, zigzagging through streets and houses and taking a brief detour through the park because she wanted to be anywhere but here, and she didn’t want anyone to see her crying. So much for answers. Maybe Anna didn’t want them, anyway.

Agnarr tried to follow, but by the time he had his wits about him to realize what was happening, she was already gone. He turned back to Elsa and was silent for a moment, looking around at the ice-covered structure. 

“I certainly hope you’re happy,” he said in a low voice. “You’re lucky nobody was hurt. Look at what you’ve done. You still can’t control yourself. And you expect me to believe Anna is safe here around you? It would be almost comical if it weren’t so alarming.” He sighed. “I’m going to find Anna. We’re going home. She doesn’t belong here.”

ELSA

Elsa watched Anna run with equal amounts of relief and anguish. She didn't deserve this, in no way had Anna ever deserved this.

But she was safe now. At least there was that.

She looked back at her father, eyes wide as she listened to him. Each word tore at her, ripped some old wound open or slashed open new ones. By the time he had said his piece, Elsa was only barely being held up by her ice like a marionette with all her strings cut. She had no response.

He was right. 

He'd always been right.

Elsa was dangerous. The monster that had nearly killed her baby sister and had cursed her beloved mother. Agnarr had been right to lock her away, to shut her out.

Were she in her right mind, she would have told him that it was up to Anna. That the life she'd made for herself here with her friends and with Devyn and with her research wasn't something she should be denied because of Elsa.

But instead, Elsa stayed silent. Tears hit the ice silently and rolled down the sharp edges, her bangs shielding her face from him.

"... Yes, Father."

She waited until she heard the door close behind him, then she slipped to the floor and screamed, curling around herself and letting the ice curl around her until all she could feel was the cold.

Outside, dark clouds rolled in and it began to rain.

ANNA

Eventually, Anna made it back to the Pride U dorms. She wasn’t going in her room, though. She didn’t want Ashleigh to see her like this. She didn’t really want to explain it to Devyn or Eilonwy either, and she didn’t like Skip enough to want to tell him this stuff. Anna knocked on Poppy’s door, but she didn’t answer, and finally Anna found an empty stairwell to cry in. 

It wasn’t long, though, before another friend found her and she went to vent to him. Meanwhile, Agnarr wandered the streets of Swynlake, texting Anna and cursing the rain that had started coming down harder and harder. He couldn’t help but wonder if this had something to do with Elsa, who was once again spoiling his plans. Typical. 

Eventually, he gave up and made his way back to his room at the Tipton. He didn’t plan on going home without Anna, but he knew he wasn’t getting anywhere right now. Agnarr would just have to bide his time until Anna cooled down enough and everyone could put this behind them, a failed experiment. 

#elsa #feat agnarr #surprise party #alternate title: i said do u want to fight meeee do you wanna catch these haaaaands

[true--north]

The bridge has two sides.

one side, Elsa: the bridge between the ice magic of Ahtohallan and humankind, the bridge between nature and humankind, the bridge between Arendelle and Northuldra.

other side, Anna: the bridge between Arendelle and Northuldra, the bridge between Elsa and Arendelle.

In general, the theme of the bridge is used from the very beginning of the film when Northuldra and the Arendellians walk over an artificial stone bridge built by the hand of man. It should be "a gift of peace", something that strengthens the land and their union. But later it will be destroyed because it turned out that this bridge was not made out of love but out of evil.

Instead, Elsa appears as the fruit of love between two peoples (Iduna's words in Dangerous Secrets), a bridge chosen by Ahtohallan and approved by the Spirits.

And the other side of the bridge, Anna is, who was rewarded with the Arendelle kingdom.

In the final scene, she stated: "Our lands and people now connected by love": referring to both Agnarr and Iduna and herself and her sister, who with their love and feats reunited old enemies, forming a new, true bridge: Iduna's magical firstborn who returned to where her mother came from; and the brave queen of Arendelle, the second daughter, who reflects the Arendelle period of Iduna's life.

The sisters union this is the gift of peace that strengths the two nations and the world.

#frozen 2

[bigfrozenfan]

First Line Game

feat Rules: List the first lines of the last ten (10) stories you published. Look to see any patterns you notice yourself, and see if anyone else notices any. Then tag some friends.

I didn't think I would have found a little more than 10 stories after all. However, some one-shots I only posted on Discord for an Agduna writing contest, and one I deleted, so I opted for the ones with links mostly. Thanks for the tag @loonysama

1. Both were exhausted and stopped breathing heavily. (First Love) 

2. Sometime in the near future at the famous old Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA. ... (Intermission story 1 to TBB)

3. (after an intro) The king then left Iduna with the words “My Lady, ya forgive, but unfortunately I have to take care of important government affairs for a while. You may move freely and every wish of yours shall be fulfilled.” (The Story of Agnarr & Iduna - A Frozen prequel) (i don't want to link to it here ... ignore my very first fic)

4. Iduna walked the streets of Arendelle lost in thought, it was busy as always at this time of day. (A gift under the willow tree)

5. The ship anchored outside on the fjord near the entrance to the harbour. (An unwanted guest)

6. Rita had at some point, by chance, heard about the existence of trolls and that they supposedly had the ability to take away anyone's memories who desired so. (Rita's fate) (no link, for Agduna Discord writing contest)

7. It was the last day of shooting before the Christmas holidays and the actors left the set one by one after the scene was shot with them. (Intermission story 3 (part 1) to TBB)

8. “Elsa, wake up! Today is Mama's birthday and we want to surprise her, don't we?” (Mom's Birthday) (no link, for Agduna Discord writing contest)

9. The last thing they perceived before the wet darkness enveloped them and pulled them into the depths was their intimate embrace, the everlasting love for each other and their two daughters, Elsa and Anna. (A second chance) (no link, for Agduna Discord writing contest, winning story. Will be my contribution to the "Show yourself Frozen Challenge")

10. In town, everything had returned to normal and the streets and alleys were as noisy and busy as ever. (The Broken Bridge, multichap novel)

I tag everyone who wants to join this ask game.

#frozen #ask game #first line game #writing

[hafanforever]

Split Decision

So I think what happens at the end of this particular scene in Frozen II has caused some controversy about Elsa’s actions. I’ve seen fans here on Tumblr displaying anger towards her because they believe that she was only hugging Anna, and then had Olaf join them, in an act of trickery to lure them closer to her so she would make sure that her ice boat creation would surround and hold them before she sent them away.

However, while I agree that Elsa’s move was a bit sneaky and deceptive, I understand why she did it and why she felt it was her only choice, even though she knew Anna would consequently be furious with her over it. And now that I think about it, I look at Elsa’s hug from another perspective and believe that it wasn’t merely a trick to lure Anna and Olaf into her boat trap, but her own way (though a rather forceful and indirect one) of saying goodbye to them.

Before this happens, Elsa has decided to venture to Ahtohallan alone, without Anna, saying that crossing the Dark Sea to reach Ahtohallan would be too dangerous of a trek for both of them to make. Yet Anna adamantly insists on coming to prevent anything from happening to Elsa, which she had earlier promised to Pabbie.

The thing here is, Elsa turns out to be completely right about the Dark Sea. When she tries to cross it, she gets knocked down twice by the waves, struggles to swim in the deep, choppy waters, and has to use her powers to try to overcome the obstacles to get further out and closer to Ahtohallan. Things get more complicated for Elsa when the Nokk appears; several times, it aggressively attacks her and attempts to drown her, forcing her to fight back with all of her might until she finally makes it settle down.

This whole scene reminds me of the earlier scene when Elsa decides to go to the forest and tries to discourage Anna from coming, saying that she (Elsa) has her powers to protect her, while Anna does not. But Anna stubbornly refuses to take no for an answer, given what dangerous feats she overcame on their previous adventure without the use of magical powers.

The entire scene of Elsa against the Dark Sea proves her point about her powers’ use in protecting her perfectly. She would not have been able to take care of herself by working to get past the big waves and fighting the Nokk if she had to do it with Anna, too. Maybe this sounds a little biased, and I don’t mean for it to sound that way, but it’s true that only Elsa could successfully face off against the Nokk since they are both magical beings (and as it turns out, Elsa is an elemental spirit just like it). Okay, yes, we’ve seen how Anna can do a damn great job of taking care of herself in tough situations, and I give her credit for it. I am not at all dismissing her as a weak, inept, incompetent, helpless damsel in distress, because I KNOW she isn’t. She’s tough, plucky, spunky, brave, and fearless. But Anna DOES have her limitations, and I think she sometimes overlooks or underestimates that about herself. Successfully crossing the Dark Sea and taking on the Nokk is NOT something she would have been able to do at all.

Getting back to Elsa’s reasoning that she had to go to Ahtohallan by herself, like I said, the scene of her doing so proves that she was right. Now she probably didn’t anticipate on encountering the Nokk, but I bet Elsa did think that there might be risks about which she didn’t know yet while crossing the Dark Sea, which is another reason why she refused to let Anna come along. 

Another thing here that catches my attention is how Anna doesn't seem to heed Elsa’s words about the sea being too dangerous if they both tried to go, since she immediately responds to Elsa’s statement with, “No, no. We do this together. Remember the song? ‘Go too far and you’ll be drowned’.” It is crystal clear from these words, and from her earlier scenes where she never wanted to leave her sister’s side, that Anna had a desperate desire to protect Elsa during this journey.

When she adds, "Who will stop you from going too far?", it sounds like Anna isn’t thoroughly considering that the chances of Elsa dying was much greater, and for herself as well, if they tried to pass the Dark Sea together. Anna wanted to ensure that Elsa didn’t head too far into Ahtohallan’s depths and dying, but they wouldn't have even made it to Ahtohallan without crossing the sea first. They both could have perished before getting there, and then their mission would remain incomplete. Then again, perhaps Anna did realize the possibility of them both not being able to make it across the sea, but she just didn’t want to accept or even think about it because she was far more afraid of losing her sister if Elsa went all alone.

Obviously, the fact that the two discovered moments earlier that their parents had died trying to reach Ahtohallan in search of answers to her powers is what made Elsa decide that Anna could not go with her. She guiltily felt responsible for Agnarr and Iduna’s deaths, and she didn't want to carry extra weight on her shoulders by feeling responsible for Anna’s safety and taking the chance of her dying if they went together. Since Anna is the only blood family Elsa has left, she refused to risk losing her, too.

I mean, remember: Elsa briefly lost Anna once before, and at her own hands, so she was determined not to let it happen again. Any chance of losing Anna again on this journey would no doubt be permanent, and Elsa would never forgive herself if that happened. 😔

Like the earlier scene, Anna stubbornly refuses to take no for an answer to Elsa’s decision to go to Ahtohallan alone. While she understands Anna’s fear of the chance that she (Elsa) may die on her trek, Elsa knows that she may have to take that risk just to do what is right for Arendelle and the forest. But successfully crossing the sea is something that is far beyond Anna’s control.

So having made up her mind that crossing the sea would be more dangerous if they both go, Elsa puts her foot down (by LITERALLY doing so when she creates the ice path 😆) with utmost and firm determination that Anna cannot continue the journey by coming to Ahtohallan with her. 

When Anna says that she wants to come because she can’t bear to lose Elsa, Elsa says she can’t lose Anna, either, and pulls her sister in for a hug. Like I said above, I see her hugging Anna, and Olaf, not just as a ruse to ensure that she could send them off to be safe, but to say goodbye. If Elsa thinks that she may die and thus never see them again, then she wanted to embrace them now since it may be for the last time. Despite Anna’s insistence and voicing her fear of losing Elsa, Elsa feels that her fear of losing Anna is even greater since Anna would be in much greater danger with trying to cross the sea. So she resorts to forcing her sister not to accompany her by making the ice boat and sending Anna and Olaf away to make sure that they wouldn’t and couldn’t follow her. Elsa also creates the ice path on which for the boat to slide to ensure that the two would be sent too far away for them to easily follow and catch up with her.

Additionally, I have been wondering if Elsa's desire to journey to Ahtohallan on her own wasn't just for the safety measures of her sister, but also because of her introverted nature, because of her independence and desire to do certain things alone (which she clearly demonstrated when she made up her mind to travel to the Enchanted Forest). Additionally, the fact that Elsa is another elemental spirit of the forest, the fifth spirit, means that she had to go to Ahtohallan by herself, as part of her destiny to learn her true identity. She had to be independent, as she likes to be, and discover the whole truth for herself, on her own.

While Elsa is the introvert between the two sisters, Anna is the extrovert, and with this kind of nature, I don't think she truly understands the ways of introverts. It is with this scene, and even in Frozen, when she insists to Kristoff that "nobody wants to be alone, except maybe you" as a response to him saying “Most people who disappear into the mountains want to be alone” that shows that she doesn’t entirely comprehend their ways. Maybe after three years, Anna understands Elsa and Kristoff’s introverted behaviors a little more. But when considering the big picture, I think she still believes no one ever really wants to be alone, or even do things alone, just because she doesn't want to. After all, Anna spent nearly all of those 13 years alone and isolated from the outside world, and she wants to make sure she never goes back to that life. And yet despite her tragic childhood and adolescence, Anna grew up to be kind, sweet, loving, and good-hearted, and never hesitates to help others and do what was right. However, it also seems to have made her a bit delusional and unrealistic by thinking everyone else wants to be around people like she does, or that they always need help for every situation. Anna doesn’t appear to fully understand that some people like to be independent and have to do things on their own, nor does she seem willing to accept the fact that she can’t help everyone with everything, especially Elsa. She has to learn that she can’t be by Elsa’s side all the time just to stop every bad thing that might happen. She has to learn to accept and respect the fact that Elsa feels comfortable taking on some challenges all by herself and doesn’t always need help. In the first movie, Anna’s ignorance of Elsa’s secret is part of why she didn’t understand why her sister was so distant and closed in. But even after discovering it, she still disbelieved that Elsa wanted to be alone and that it was a major reason why she ran away. And while she was right in the long run, Anna sometimes seemed to go too far with her optimism since she didn’t really listen to Elsa’s concerns that she couldn’t remove the winter curse. Likewise, when she first met Kristoff, Anna didn't understand his grumpy, rude, unfriendly behavior towards her and Oaken, or his contemptuous attitude towards people and society.

So now in this scene, Anna seems to be unable, or perhaps just far too stubborn, to comprehend the fact that Elsa MUST do this on her own as part of her destiny, and that her powers could help her through this, while the same could not be said for her (Anna). Again, the tasks of making it across the Dark Sea and simultaneously taming the Nokk are beyond Anna’s control. It would have been far more treacherous than climbing the North Mountain, surviving a frozen heart, and saving Elsa from her ex-boyfriend without powers to aid her. 😉

Moving on, when Anna and Olaf are finally out of sight, the last shot of Elsa in the scene shows her holding herself and looking unhappy at what she did. As I said in “Keep Your Hands to Yourself”, Elsa does feel guilty and unhappy over sending Anna away the way she did, knowing full well that having done so has made her sister angry at her. But right now, Elsa is far more concerned about Anna’s safety than her happiness, and she would rather send her away to be safe than let her come along for the rest of the journey just so Anna can be happy that they are still together.

So again, Anna could not come with Elsa to Ahtohallan because the perils of the Dark Sea could have killed them both. If it didn’t kill both of them, Anna would have been the more susceptible victim because she possesses no magical powers to help her, especially in dealing with the Nokk. With even one of them dead, Elsa and Anna’s mission would never be finished; as I explained in “Girls in the Mist”, they HAD to do it together.

Elsa’s decision to split her and Anna up in this scene means that for now, she has broken her promise that she and Anna would do their mission together. But when Elsa temporarily freezes to death upon going into the most dangerous part of Ahtohallan, Anna manages to lift the mist and free the forest by provoking the Giants into destroying the dam.

Because she was alive and safe like her sister wanted her to be, Anna was able to successfully finish the work Elsa started. So even though they weren’t physically together the whole time, they STILL did it together, meaning that in the end, Elsa kept her promise to Anna. 😁😄😊

#Frozen 2 analyses #Frozen analyses #Disney #Disney Frozen 2 #Disney Frozen #Frozen 2 #Frozen #Elsa #Anna #Dark Sea #Ahtohallan #decision #separation #1K #my stuff #mine

[jeffreystewart]

Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday - Brunhild

Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological character, along with a bit of story around them. This week it’s Brunhild (Brynhild, Brunhilde, Brunhildr, Brunhilda). Princess, Queen, Hero, and Valkyrie.

Her name essentially means “War Armor”, from brunia “armor” and hiltia “conflict” in old high German. Which makes sense considering her armor in the Norse and tales are often what is cursed to keep her asleep.

Brunhild’s story changes quite a bit depending on the sources. 

In one she is a Princess, in others she’s the daughter of Wotan and Erda or Bundi, and the adopted Daughter of Hiemi. In some the Sleeping Valkyrie and even Brunhild are separate people entirely.

I’ve tried to separate them a bit by source and story points, but I’m sure I’ve mixed up a few things here and there, given the tales even by source have sub sources that disagree with each other. I guess that’s one reasons why it’s always been such a go to for storytellers to make it all make sense in a single narrative. As they are all taken together, they’re the Rashomon of Norse tales so be kind if I’ve mixed them together too much for your tastes.  I really enjoyed breaking this all down and the drawings that came out of it. I’ll be posting a few more version over the next week.

In the Norse Icelandic tales, the very old Volsungs saga and shorter and newer Prose Edda, Brunhilde is the daughter of Budli, and sister to Atli. She grows up to become a Shield-maiden, a Valkyrie in the castle of King Heimir whos is married to her eldest sister  Bekkhild. 

She is tasked with deciding a fight between two kings. Instead of choosing the one Odin favours Halmgunnar, she sides with the Other Agnar, as she feels this is the more fair outcome. Odin enraged sentences her to live a mortal life alone. Cursed to perpetually sleep in a ring of fire, behind a ring of shields, in castle at the top of the alps on mount Hindarfjall. 

The hero Sigurdr Sigmundson of the Volsung had already slain the dragon Fafnir before hearing of Bruhilde in her prison by Sigurdr’s hawk friend. Surmounting all barriers he awakening her by removing her Valkyries armour and helm, which held the curse. She was essentially imprisoned in the armor and obligation she failed to uphold. At least how Odin likely would have seen it. So Sigurd proposes with his magic ring Andvaranaut that he will return and marry her, and goes out to get her Brother Atli’s blessing. 

Along the way he stops in at a castle in Burgundy. There the Queen Grimhild, a sorcerer and magician, creates a powerful potion for Sigurd to think he is in love with her daughter Gudrun. And then convinces Sigurd to help her son marry the fabled Valkrie Brunhilde. They find Atli, and he gives his blessing. Then return to the mountain. Gunnar tries several times to get past the ring of fire, but he alone or on a horse cannot pass. Sigurd transforms into Gunnar crosses the fire and marries Brunhild. Apparently it being dark when Sigurd woke up the first time and met Sigurdr. Some versions of this says that Sigurdr and Gunnar attack Atli’s castle and he only agrees to let one of them marry her to end the attack on his people. The fires gone upon her marriage, Sigurdr takes the ring from Brunhilds finger and sends Gunnar to her. Then takes the ring to Gudrun. I mean, why waste a perfectly good magical engagement ring. 

So Brunhild and Gunnar, Sigurdr and Gudrun, and Queen Grimhild and King Gjuki are all now one big extended family at the castle. Gudrun, being the jealous type and insecure about her landing Sigurdr the old potion way squabbles with Brunhild and let’s slip that Sigurdr was the one who woke her, wooed her and and rode through the fire. Brunhild as you can image was a little angry. 

She convinces Gunnar that Sigurd had taken marital advantage of her back at the ring of fire and urges Gunnar to kill him. Gunnar afraid to break an oath of brother hood he swore with Sigurd, instead calls on his other siblings, his brothers Gutthorn and Hogni to help him. Hogni was out as he’d also sworn the oath of brotherhood. But Gutthorn was apparently out of town and had made no oath. Gutthorn however was not the killing type and so Hogni and Gunnar got one of their mother potions. They gave it to Gutthorn and it caused him to fill with rage at Sigurdr. Either killing in his sleep at the castle or while out in the forest. Bruhilde then kills Sigurdr and Gudrun’s son and throws herself on Sigurdr’s funeral pyre. In some versions abandoning the daughter she had that was also Sigurdrs child. 

The Volsunga Saga frames the whole story as a tale told to a giant Gygr, in Hel as Brynhildr goes to find Sigurd there after their deaths. In the Norse Icelandic tales like the old Poetic Edda, Brynhildr is a daughter of Budli. In one verse she is distinguished from the sleeping Valkyrie Sigrdrífa / Sigrun, and in others they are one and the same. Wagner and others have interpreted this to be two tales interwoven, or even a direct generational saga because of this. 

As the same person Brynhildr is a Warrior Maiden, and Swan Sister. Valkyrie servant of Odin. Also called Hildr the Helmed. Who lived with her seven sisters all Valkyries. 

She was disobedient with Odin when she took the soul of the old Goth king Hjalmgunnar, instead of taking Agnarr to whom she was forced to side with. Agnarr kidnapped her and her seven sisters when she was twelve by stealing their Swan robes or dress. An item that gave him power over her. Some sources say in marriage, and others just in powers, as he might have worried marriage might negate her station and thus her powers. It can’t hurt to have 7 Valkyries on your side. In other tales she disobeys Odin by not marrying Hjalmgunnar because she had already sworn she would not marry a man with fear.

She was punished by Odin, placed into a preserving unending sleep. Laid under her shield, with a ring wall of shields, and fire. Only the the person who carried Fafnirs gold could pass and wake her. She’s awoken by the hero Sigurd, who crossed the flames with the gold and wakes her by freeing her of her halberd and in some versions with a fairytale kiss. 

We hear this last part in the form of a flashback with flash forwards of sorts, where a detailed prophesy of these events and more is told to Sigurd by his uncle Gripir. Outlining that he will defeat a dragon, learn to speak to birds from it’s blood, carry it’s gold, find love through birdsong, wake a Valkyrie, and find adventure, and eventual peril. With Sigurd asking lots of questions but kind of missing the bad parts. 

 In some interpretations she wakes immediately and leaves with Sigurd, and others she wakes slowly. Sigurd leaving thinking her dead, and having never seen her face under her helm. If taking the sleeping Valkrie as separate from Bryhildr then on her waking she thanks him with the gift of true wisdom, and rune knowledge, and go their separate ways. Sigurd and Brynhildr leave. Finding shelter and a foster father in King Heimi who adopts Brynhildr. They fall in love and become betrothed but unwed to each other. In the other interpretation she just kind of shows up at Heimi’s castle who takes her in as a daughter. I usually picture her waking up alone and wandering down the mountain until she finds kind shelter. 

In both versions Sigurd goes off. Sigurd becomes restless for adventure, or to prove himself, or to secure a title, and continues his travels set to return soon. Why she couldn’t go adventuring with him as she’s no longer tied to her Valkyr duties is left a mystery. One that it has been argued that makes a bit more sense if Brynhildr and the Sleeping Valkyrie are separate people. 

Finding Giuki’s kingdom, the queen Grimhild casts a spell to make him forget Brynhilder so he can marry her daughter Gudrun who has fallen in love with him. In this version Gudrun does not know of the magic being cast on him and when he awakes from the spell bear her no ill will. 

Sigurd assumes Gunnar’s form and woos Brynhildr. Likely starting with telling her of Sigurd’s new love. When they are all together and married the truth is revealed and the spell is broken. Sigurd is horrified by his part in the deception. Bryhildr not knowing of the spell convinces Gunnar that Sigurd took advantage of her in the wooing, and to satisfy the dishonor Giuki’s other sons slay Sigurd.

Bryhildr learning of the spell throws admits to everyone that Sigurd had never taken advantage of her, and her love for him returned throws herself on Sigurd’s funeral pyre to reunite with him in Hel. In some versions she blames her brother for allowing all of this to happen before she kills herself.

In the Germanic tales such as the Nibelungenlied. Brunhild is a Princess or Queen of Iceland or more likely Ironland (Isenland), and is not a Valkyrie, though she does have superhuman strength. She lives in Isenstein (Iron Stone) castle. 

Her kingdom 12 days away from Burgundy and it’s Capital of Worms, where King Gunther has heard tales of her fierceness and beauty and is determined to marry her. Siegfried the Crown Prince the kingdom of Xanten warns Gunther of doing this. He knows of her and thinks this would be a bad idea. Because she’s super strong, a warrior queen, is quite bright, and has a bit of a temper. Gunther though promises Siegfried he can marry his sister Kriemhild if her helps him succeed. Which was the reason Siefried had gone to court in the first place. Kriemhild had never married because of a prophesy that her husband would die a horrible death. The reason Siegfried is so concerned is that Brunhild vows she will not marry any man who cannot best her in feats of strength and battle. 

When they get to Isenstein Brunhild initially thinks it’s Siegfried who’s there to woo her,  but is surprised that it’s Gunther who challenges her. As she was impressed by Siegfried and is surprised this man is only a vassal of Gunther. As the challenges of battle begin, she throws a giants spear, throws a boulder, leaps over that same boulder and fights Gunther. Sigurd devising ways to beat her in the war games and combat uses his cloak Tarnkappe that gives him invisibility, shape changing, and the strength of 12 men. He already had invulnerability everywhere but the back of his neck from bathing in dragons blood. He keeps giving Gunther the advantage. Helping avoid, and in some version throw the spear, avoid the boulder and toss Gunther over it. Then helped defeat her. Ensuring she’s fooled that it was Gunther who did all of these things all along. 

She’s initially a bit suspicious of the whole thing and is hesitant to commit to marriage to Gunther. But he brings his whole army and parks it on her front porch. As an ‘escort’ back to his castle. In some sources Siegfried goes to the trouble to conquer all of Nieelungenland by himself and within a few days, just so he’ll have a nearby army to help Gunther with is ‘marriage escort’. 

So they all get married together. Siegrfried and Kriemhild, and Gunther and Brunhild. Brunhild is upset during the wedding about Kriemhild marrying a vassal instead of a Prince. On the wedding night Gunther appears to have none of the strength he showed in the challenges. So she strings him up hanging from his belt all tied up hands and feet from a cloak hook on the wall. The next day after the servants likely find Gunther and let him down, Gunther goes to Siegfried to get his help again. Siegfried uses his cloak the next night to appear as Gunther and with the strength of 12 men is able to satisfactorily prove he can subdue Brunhild to her expectations. He then goes to hang up his cloak and switches places with the real Gunther who was watching from the wings. Brunhild either through her marital bed time with Gunther, or by Siegfried taking her ring and belt, loses her strength as well. 

As time passes she has a child that they name Siegfried for some reason. We’ll call Him Little Siefried from now on. 

Brunhild never gets over the feeling that original recipe Siegfried doesn’t act or seem like a vassal. So she and Gunther invite Siegfried and Kriemhild to the castle. But things get tense between them when they start arguing about how great their husbands are. Brunhild escalates things a bit too far, and Kriemhild responds that it was Siegfried who took her on maidenhood on her second  marriage night. Showing her the ring and belt as proof. This sends Brunhild to confront Gunther about this. Gunther comes clean, and insists that Siegfried never lay with her. 

She demands Siegfried’s death, and one of Gunthers vassals Hagen (Dazs was apparently unavailable) takes it upon himself and agrees to kill him to end her grief. Hagen makes up an incoming war that Siegfried and Gunther agree to help him with. When Gunther learns of the plot, he does nothing to stop it. Hagen gets Kriemhild to mark on Siegfried where his vulnerable spot it so he can make sure it’s protected she belies. Hagen then says the wars off, let’s go hunting to celebrate! Where he catches Siegfried unawares and hits him with a spear in his weak spot for massive damage. 

Brunhild celebrates, and after Gunther dies Little Siegfried takes the throne. 

In each there’s a tale of tragic love gained and lost, magic used, vows broken, and in some, deaths with the hope of two souls eternally being together.

If you’ve read this far and are looking for a little more reward than the sentiment I ended on above, here’s a terribly punny joke for you. ‘Brunhild, after everything she’d been through, made sure her betrayer was Sieg-Free’d from his body.’

#norse mythology #valkryie #brunhilde #siegfried #sigurd #brynhild #odin #drawing #sketch #line art #Character Design #character art

[noelpinnock1]

“Into the Unknown! – Part I”

Author Noel Pinnock, B.S., M.P.A., C.A., CCC

www.noelpinnock.com

 Merriam-Webster (MW) defines “mind,” in the noun tense, as the element or complex of elements in an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and reason. Furthermore, MW defines “set” as to put, lay, or stand (something) in a specified place or position. When you concatenate these words, we arrive at mindset. This compound word is so powerful that it can drive countries as well as individuals, alike, into mass turmoil or elevate them to great prosperity. The interesting thing about mindset is that it vacillates because its nature is predicated on situations and circumstances. We all have internal processes that govern our growth and development. Some may have a fixed mindset; therefore, growth and development can be limited. While others have a learning mindset and adjustments are made along our life’s journey. Whether fixed or learning, a mindset  is a set of assumptions, methods, or notations held by one or more people or groups of people and can also be seen as arising out of a person's world view or philosophy of life. Our mindset or logic box is our collection of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and habits (KASH) that often limit our perception and acts as a restriction on objective thought and creative expression. What is in your mindset? What are your views and perspectives that have eroded some of your best intentions with unintended consequences?

In 1972, one of the best-known slogans in public-service was “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” The United Negro College Fund ran this slogan in print, radio, and television as an intentional campaign to close a persistent gap between African Americans and other groups in college completion. They understood then as we know today that in a land that is constantly going through entropy only the learned will survive. We can no longer rest on the scaffold of mediocrity and not take the leap into the unknown.

The animated movie Frozen 2 was a mega-billion dollar hit at the box office and the soundtrack was equally successful on the music charts. One song, most notably, Into the Unknown, aligns with the perspectives of this article, in huge part because we fear what we don’t know, and many don’t ever like asking questions because it will make others believe that we don’t know thus the paradox.  Check out the first to verses of the song:

“I can hear you but I won't Some look for trouble while others don't There's a thousand reasons I should go about my day And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away.

 You're not a voice, you're just a ringing in my ear And if I heard you, which I don't, I'm spoken for I fear Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls I've had my adventure, I don't need something new I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you”

 These words are very powerful for a seminal audience to comprehend but if you dissect its meaning, you will understand the humanistic nature of individuals whose mindset has been hindered or restricted because they don’t want to leave the porch, get out of the boat, or take the leap into the unknown. The unknown is scary and unpredictable. It isn’t something that we are used to. We prefer routine and certainty but as I have always told my staff, certainty is the enemy and uncertainty an ally. Our 10-year old daughter sang this song so much during the Frozen 2’s hey-day that I became so curious that I woke one early Saturday morning to watch it for myself.

The movie’s plot was rich, and it captivated me. Elsa the Snow Queen has an extraordinary gift -- the power to create ice and snow. But no matter how happy she is to be surrounded by the people of Arendelle, Elsa finds herself strangely unsettled. After hearing a mysterious voice call out to her, Elsa travels to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond her kingdom -- an adventure that soon turns into a journey of self-discovery. Synoptically, Elsa discovers that the voice calling to her was the memory of young Iduna's call; that her powers were given to her by nature because of Iduna's selfless act of saving Agnarr; and that Elsa herself is the fifth spirit who would break the water dam that would save their kingdom.

You see, the voice calling Elsa (like you and me) into the unknown was challenging her mindset and comfort zone. She was doing just fine after Frozen 1 but there was an agitation that persisted and kept her up at night, trepidatious and reluctant to escape from the comfort the has confined her perspectives. We all get comfortable and enjoy what comfort brings. Many people see comfort as an adjective, describing an attribute or something, when, in fact, comfort is a noun.

Comfort enters your home as a guest, remains as your host, and will eventually become your master. Comfort is a silent killer and has been charged with homicides in careers, families, marriages, and almost every place imaginable where growth and development are quintessential factors to success. Our limited KASH affects our ability to create or solve problems in two important ways: it heavily influences the kind of opportunities or problems that we recognize as being important enough to create (opportunities) and/or solve (problems); and it influences the analysis of the potential (opportunities) and cause (problems) and therefore the proper course of action to maximize the opportunities in life or to minimize the duplication of problems that have been solved in our past. What’s the definition of insanity? There, you got it, doing the same thing while expecting different results or better yet…being fearful of entering the unknown.  

Our mindset should be challenged. We should have a desire to grow but that’s not innate in us. Physically speaking, our bodies do this on the regular. When we are hot, our bodies don’t sit there and internally combust. No, our bodies respond to the external stimuli by sweating to ensure we don’t overheat and dehydrate in the process. If the hairs in our nose tickle a bit, we sneeze. In other words, our bodies respond to external forces and are not going to be suppressed by anything.

Like our physical nature, our psyche (not psychic) nature, which comprises of our mind, will, and emotions should, like a thermostat, adjust to the external environment to maintain the proper climate in our lives. To do this we must be committed to the foundational premise of continuous learning and development. Without challenging ourselves, we subscribe to an internal newsletter whose content never changes. Imagine that, picking up a magazine and reading the same articles over and over again. Certainly, the cure to insomnia. So, if you want to challenge your mindset and are daring to enter the unknown to discover and unlock your internal talents and gifts, you must evict comfort because comfort is the enemy of change. Not to mention, we must dismiss the notion that nobody likes “change” but a wet baby.

Apostle Paul, whose mindset was drastically change on the Damascus Road, wrote that we are not to be conformed to the ways of the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds or mindset. He realized, like we should, that transformation doesn’t end with age or experience, but it continues daily as we invent and reinvent ourselves. If you can agree with this, then you must establish parameters to keep your mind percolating and hungry for more.

Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926, on her second attempt. 19-year-old Gertrude Ederle swam 21 miles from Dover, England, to Cape Griz-Nez across the English Channel, which separates Great Britain from the northwestern tip of France. On August 6, 1926, Ederle entered the water at Cape Gris-Nez in France at 7:08 a.m. to make her second attempt at the Channel. The water was predictably cold as she started out that morning, but unusually calm. Twice that day, however–at noon and 6 p.m.–Ederle encountered squalls along her route and Burgess urged her to end the swim. Ederle’s father and sister, though, who were riding in the boat along with Burgess, agreed with Ederle that she should stay the course. Ederle’s father had promised her a new roadster at the conclusion of the swim, and for added motivation he called out to her in the water to remind her that the roadster was only hers if she finished. Ederle persevered through storms and heavy swells, and, finally, at 9:04 p.m. after 14 hours and 31 minutes in the water, she reached the English coast, becoming the sixth person and first woman to swim the Channel successfully. Furthermore, she had bettered the previous record by two hours.

Afterwards, Ederle told Alec Rutherford of The New York Times, “I knew it could be done, it had to be done, and I did it.” She went on to say that she was successful the second time around, not because of the incentives outlined by her father but because she possessed a mindset that failure was not an option. She started the journey with intentionality to reaching the English coast. It was in her mind from the beginning even though she felt like giving up and her body became fatigued. She was set on not breaking the record but breaking up the comfort in her mindset that would oftentimes tell her she wasn’t capable, or the feat was impossible.

What has kept you anchored in a position of mediocrity? What has prevented you from going to the next level? I can guarantee you this…that something would be your mind. The richest place on the planet, found in every place across the globe, is the graveyard – filled with so many people who could have, would have, and should have, but for many (not all) were scared to enter the unknown. I am inspired by these words myself, and will likely archive this article because I, like you, will no longer be afraid to enter the unknown, because when we are there, we can unlock some of our life’s greatest experiences and moments. There I say again, let’s #getatit!

[greenjacketwhitehatdocmui]

A Friendship Tested...

Okay, I’m not entirely sure where this text came from, but...here’s a little bit of young David Antonini and his best friend, Prince Agnarr.  This is a story that David would be hesitant to tell Anna and Elsa.

    David groaned as he tried to steady Agnarr.  To say that the young prince was not at his best was an understatement. He’d managed half a glass of Snakebite before yielding to his whims.

    Thankfully, Agnarr’s whims were rather tame.  He’d tried singing off-key, which did little to endear him to the patrons of the bar.  He’d even tried to approach several women of “negotiable affection” and they’d politely turned him down.  It didn’t help that he was wobbling horribly.  

    David sighed.  It was only a matter of time before Agnarr would crash right through the boundary between a joyful drunk to a maudlin one.  

    "Ish jusht youanme agains' th'world, David!" Agnarr slurred. "You--you gotcher life ahead of ya with Lily!  That--THAT'S a woman worth giving up everthin' for."

    "Yes, I am quite the lucky man," David admitted.  "But don't give up on yourself, Agnarr.  You've got a few years before you find the right girl. Maybe find a nice blonde--"

    "BLONDE?!"  The young prince mock-spat and almost lost his dinner.  "Dunno WHY you English people think blondes are so special. Turn around every--whatdoyoucallem--corner in Arendelle and you find a blonde.  Nothing special about blondes."

    "Right.  So, perhaps a redhead--"

    Agnarr stiffened.  This was quite the feat, considering his state of inebriation.

    "No gingers."

    David arched an eyebrow.  "Technically, little brother of my heart, you are a ginger."

    Agnarr fixed David with an intense look that might have burned through him, had the circumstances been different.  As it was, the look only elicited mild curiosity.

    "I. Am.  Strawberry.  Blond," he enunciated clearly.  "Do you know what a bad-tempered ginger would do to Arendelle?  No...no gingers."

    "Are you still holding a grudge over that one girl--"

    "We agreed never to--to talk about that female!"  Agnarr panted, the stiffness in his spine fading.  "I'd like a...nice brunette.  She's gotta be kind and intell--inte--smart.  And she's gotta have blue eyes you could lose yourself in."

    "If you're so lost in her eyes, how will you get anything done?"

    Any answer was forestalled by Agnarr's sudden lunge for a lamppost.  The prince clung to it as if it was his only bulwark against an unpredictable world.  He slowly sank to his knees.

    "David?"

    "Yes, Agnarr?"

    "My legs turned to jelly," Agnarr said plaintively.  "An' I don' feel so good."

    "Yes, that's what you get when you only have an appetizer before hitting the snakebite," David remarked and shook his head.  "Blimey, we can't get you to the embassy like this.  Old Wayne would have my Dad after me and your Dad--oh bloody blazes DON'T YOU DARE!"

    .....

    "Feel better now," Agnarr slurred.

    "Yes, I imagine so.  Come on, off to my place we go."

    David gently pried Agnarr from the lamppost.  With some difficulty, he managed to get the young prince on his shoulder.

    "You're my bes' frien'," Agnarr muttered.

    "And you're mine," David returned.  "And who knows?  Maybe someday, we'll be telling this story to the kids and have a hearty laugh out of it."

    "Mebbe," Agnarr muttered.  "Gon' sleep now."

    David sighed.  The things he did for his friends.

#frozen #my writing #king agnarr

[fericita-s]

The Next Right Thing

@the-spastic-fantastic and I are going to continue the story of Young Agnarr and Young Iduna and call it When All is Lost. We are obsessed with their story and keep brainstorming timelines and moments and reasons they might have done what they did. We’ll have a master list of all the stories, in chronological order, but we’ll jump around as we tell it.  We’ll (mostly) be canon compliant.  Today’s story is the first time they meet. For the Ring in the Season This Year by @the-spastic-fantastic read here. And a big thank you to her for reading and editing and generally helping me get through this story!

***

Iduna climbed a tree to better see the dam and the ceremony that was about to take place. She was supposed to be gathering berries for the feast, but to stay invisible while doing so.  The feast was for all of the Arendellian laborers and engineers, and the handful of Northuldra delegates that had already been part of the dam construction. Most of the Northuldra people would remain hidden in their villages, still suspicious of these southlanders.

There had been arguments among her people about this ceremony, as there had been about the dam all throughout its construction.  Her oldest brother thought it was just a way for the Arendellians to see Northuldra and how it could be controlled. He had been in the delegation sent to Arendelle, and warned of its military prowess of fast ships and superior weapons.  Her father thought it was a genuine offer of peace and partnership, but thought the dam ostentatious, even harmful to the rhythms of the forest and river they had come to live by. The salmon would no longer be able to make their pilgrimage upstream, the bears might stop coming to find the fish, and without their fur what of Northuldra's ability to trap and trade? He urged his son that the most prudent course of action was to befriend these neighbors, even if they did not give them their trust.

So she was supposed to gather berries for a feast she couldn't even enjoy, for a people who may or may not even be good, on a day when she would much rather climb trees and play in the wind. As she crested the topmost branches, she saw the dam in its entirety.  It was beautiful; a gleaming structure with arches and designs in the masonry. She had tagged along to help Anja mend some scrapes and smashed fingers among a work crew during construction, but now - from here, she could see it all at once. She wondered what else these people knew to make, and how she could learn about it.  She wasn't sure if they were good or bad, but they were interesting.  The soldiers from Arendelle did some marching and then stood still. Now the Arendenllian King was making a speech, but she was too far away to hear.

She climbed back down, and followed the stream looking for berries to add to her basket.   No berries, but she did find some boska growing in the crook of the stream. She pulled it up, pleased that she could give it to Anja for her medicinal stores.  Boska wasn't very useful now, but soon when the days were shorter and the weather biting at their skin, all of Northuldra would want some to ward off fevers and runny noses.   As she placed it in her basket, she heard a crunch behind her. She turned.

"Good morning, miss, my name is Prince Agnarr, and I'd very much like to find my way back to the soldiers and my father, but I got lost. Could you point me towards the dam?" He was holding on to a vine, which was attached to the neck of a sheep in a crude but effective collar. 

Iduna raised an eyebrow and looked at his strange clothes.  Lost? He was her age, maybe even 15 or 16.  How could someone practically grown get lost? And why was he holding on to a sheep? And why was he wearing a coat that looked like a dress in the back?  

He seemed to understand her expression and smiled in an abashed way. "Oh pardon me, do you speak only Northuldra? I'm still learning it, but I can try." He cleared his throat and looked up at the tree, as if the words would come from there. "Buorre idit, mu namma lea Agnarr."

Iduna cut him off. Mercifully. "Are you speaking to me or to the sheep? That sounds more like animal noises than anything else. And why are you holding on to that poor sheep?"

He laughed, relieved to be communicating, even if the questions indicated she did not think him intelligent.

"I'm rescuing it? It got away from the flock, and I saw it happen even though my father and the soldiers didn't, and I know there are bears around so I thought I better save him before he got into trouble, but now I seem to be in some trouble."

"We let the sheep wander. They see to their own meals, and we rarely lose any to bears."

"Oh." Agnarr suddenly seemed younger, unsure of himself. He adjusted his coat on his shoulders, his collar at his chin. Iduna noticed how the coattails flapped out and then back in, not  unlike the sheep’s ears as it tried to pull away. "I thought I was being helpful. My father always tells me to try to be, but I rarely find things to do that he thinks are helpful. And now he'll be upset I missed the ceremony without even a lost sheep to show for it.”

 Agnarr knelt down to untie the sheep, and gave it a scratch behind each ear. "Be gone with you then, found sheep, and may you ever stay out of the presence and stomachs of bears."

The sheep ambled off, in no great hurry to find his flock or avoid bears.  Agnarr stood and brushed his hands on his waistcoat. Iduna drew her shawl tighter as the breeze grew stronger.

"The wind here seems to have a mind of its own."

"It does! Sometimes it plays with us- like a mischievous friend.  I’ve even managed to get it to send flowers or herbs to my mother and Anja.”

“Really? Nothing like that can happen in Arendelle.  No magic at all.  We've heard rumors of trolls, but no one has seen one recently.”

Iduna wanted to show this boy, who had been so kind to a sheep, her wind spirit. She thought it would be funny to see his ridiculous coat flapping down by his head. Then the tails would really resemble ears. She sang four notes, clear and high. It was different than music Agnarr knews – haunting like a bukkehorn, but not as resonant. The sound was airy, like it was wind.

Before the last note sounded, she was up in the air, as if an invisible giant had her by the ankle.

She laughed.

“Are you alright? What's happening?”

Iduna laughed again. “It’s a game we play! She won't hurt you.”

Agnar smiled up at her, her hair brushing the top of his head from where she dangled by an unseen force.  He felt a rush of air by his feet and then - 

It was a glorious feeling, bouncing in the air, almost like flying, sometimes like falling. “What’s your name?” He had to shout to be heard over the rush of wind and leaves that swirled around them.

“Iduna!” she shouted, and he thought he had bever heard a more beautiful name. It sounded like the notes she sang. 

“I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance Lady Iduna,” he bowed towards her, a difficult feat while being tossed about by a wind spirit, and came up with leaves stuck in his hair. 

She laughed again, and there were leaves in her hair, pinecones in the air, and a feeling in his chest that meant he was quite pleased indeed.

***

That night Agnarr looked for Iduna at the feast. She wasn’t there. She wasn’t at the reindeer games the next morning either, so he set out, hoping to find the place where they had played in the wind. He might not find her, but as long as he didn’t find a bear it would be a fine trip. He tried to imitate the song she sang, but couldn’t get the notes right. No matter, he would ask her to show him how to do it. And perhaps he could show her how to do something, since so far he had not done much to impress her.  Surely he had some skill or knowledge she might be interested in? He had made it to the river below the clearing where the games were held, and was deciding if she would rather hear about the trade routes of Western Europe or the medicinal benefits of saunas when he heard a scream.

All at once, everything was on fire. A shout from hundreds, the cry of warriors meeting the clanging of metal in the distance.  A fight had broken out, he was sure of it. Branches on fire fell down around him, boulders crashed into trees, shockwaves scattered pine needles on the forest floor. Agnarr looked up towards the clearing, where the game had been just moments ago, and saw his father through the rubble of trees and strewn rocks. His father, falling through the air and then lying very still on the ground, his limbs bent into impossible shapes on the ground. Her heard Lt. Mattias shout “The King is murdered!” and he ran towards the sound, thinking it made no sense; if he could just get there he could find his father, not this foreign shape on the ground, but his father, commanding and giant once more. But as he began to sprint, a boulder slammed into the ground behind him, and he fell to the ground. Everything went black.

***

Iduna heard the screams from the river. She was still trying to obey her brother’s orders to stay hidden, and do a better job of it than yesterday when she befriended the future monarch of Arendelle.  At the sound,  she dropped her washing and ran. The fear in her felt like the wind spirit, tugging and pulling her to run and find her mother, her father, to see if her people were safe, if they were being attacked or doing the attacking. She tripped over a body and tasted dirt and blood. As she tried to right herself, she saw that it was Agnarr - with blood coming down his forehead, painting his whole face so that he too looked on fire.  She put her hand on Agnarr's chest, relieved to feel the rise and fall. The knot on his head was large, but protruding out, not inward. The blood was not stopping, so she untied her hair leather and bound it around his wound. She picked up his head and put it in her lap, brushing his hair from his forehead and away from the makeshift tourniquet. Fire was leaping from branch to trunk and boulders as big as her home continued to fall. What could have made the fire and earth act in this way? Had they been angered? 

“Help!” She shouted at no one in particular, “Help!” Then, desperate and uncertain if the Wind Spirit would come, she called out in four high notes.  The effect was immediate. A gust of wind pushed her up as she held on to Agnarr. It was hard to breathe in the smoky air, and the wind took what breath she did have out of her lungs, but she held on and urged the wind to take them somewhere  safe. Her head hit something wooden, and she looked down to see a cart with the Arendellian crest on its axel and supplies in its bed. She heaved Agnarr into the bed, wishing the wind hadn’t left before helping her with this part.  She cushioned a blanket under his head, and then, hearing soldier’s voices, took another blanket to hide under.

“The Prince! Get him out of here!” More shouts and some grunts from reindeer, and then the cart was bouncing along, making rough turns to avoid new boulders and trees thrown down onto the path. She tried to stay silent but coughed as the smell of smoke became overwhelming. Now the smoke became a mist, full of vapor and no longer tearing at her eyes and scratching her throat. She risked a look over the blanket and saw that no one was driving the cart - the reindeer ran in a frenzied state, toward the tall stones marking the Northuldra border, and then past. 

Iduna reached up for the reins, pulled as hard as she could and managed to control the reindeer, jumping down from the cart and tucking the reins under a round rock. She was desperate to get back to her family.  But as soon as she touched the mist, something strong pushed her back. “Let me in!”  She rushed again.  Again she fell back.

“Stop that! I have to go back!”  She got up and ran once more, and this time the force knocked her several feet back. She ran to the edge of the mist, and sang the four familiar notes. She had trouble making the sound, her voice so sore from smoke and emotion choking her. It sounded like Northuldra rushed at once, but why? Had they planned to attack all along? Was that why she was sent to the river to wash?  Was her family being attacked, or was her family attacking?

A low sound from the direction of the cart caught her attention, and Iduna's heart beat fast. The mound where she had so quickly stashed the reins turned and opened and stood up; she saw that it was a troll. A particularly fat troll, who seemed alarmed. 

“Who was angered the spirits? Why do they close this gate?”

Iduna knew she should feel astonished, but the surprises of this day were so complete she no longer felt any emotion except terror. “I don't know! I think my people may have attacked, or been attacked, but I must get back to find out!”

“No, no,  this is deep magic, older than even trolls.” As he made this worrisome announcement, several more trolls rolled up, a small one hopping into the cart with Agnarr and placing a crystal near his head.

The largest trolls had a low, rumbling conversation while Iduna walked back to Agnarr, watching as the smaller troll moved the crystal and muttered words she could not understand. He then turned and spoke to her. “He will heal. But he will not remember this. I can fix the wound but magical wounds can be stubborn; there will be other things he forgets.” Before she had a chance to reply, another troll began to speak.

“The spirits are angry and the forest is sealed. As much for this world’s protection as your forest’s punishment. You must take the young prince home, and find a way to live among those people. You cannot return, perhaps ever. I have not seen this magic, and it must be watched. Brave Flemmy will stay and be our guard.”

From the looks on the other troll faces, Iduna could tell this wasn't good news.

“How will I know if I can return? My family . . . everyone is still there.” Her voice was rough, and the troll the others were calling Pabbie placed a mossy hand on her cheek.

“The mist keeps you safe. It contains the magic. There may come a time when all that’s lost will again be found. There may come a time when magic will be redone by even greater magic.”

Iduna thought of so many questions at once, she didn’t know what to ask.  If the magic kept them safe, what of the people inside the mist? Had fire consumed them all? Were the spirits angry with her people, the  Arendellians, or both? She remembered the anger in her brother's voice as he'd denounced the ceremony, and shivered.  Could her family have betrayed the alliance? Iduna climbed into the cart, gave the reindeer a pat, and brought her shawl over Agnarr. 

Pabbie turned to the troll he called Flemmy.  “The life of a guardian will be lonely, but trolls care for the earth in this way. You will become one with the earth, and we will help make it so.”

 One by one, the trolls were rolling past the large troll, placing grasses on his rounded back.

"Wedged  but not forgotten" each troll whispered into the troll’s ear, solemnly placing a tuft of grass on him. The troll made a sound like a sigh, and seemed to turn into a mountain, his grasses gleaming, his fungus shiny.

Pabbie raised his arms to Iduna. "Be at peace. Go to Arendelle and you will find a home, a life, even joy again. Just do the next right thing and it will come."

It felt like a blessing, but she found herself obeying it as if it were an order.

"The next right thing.” She coughed and wiped her eyes. “ The next right thing is to take this cart back to Arendelle. To get this prince to his castle.”

Iduna felt for Agnarr's steady breath, snapped the reins, and urged the reindeer on.

#agduna #when all is lost #mama and papa arendelle #frozen #young agnarr #young iduna #frozen 2 fan fic