The Past: Chapter I

Halvdan

He stood there, beaming. He walked with his shoulders back and his head high, allowing his hair to do that annoying bouncy thing it did when he walked with his nose in the air. Today was the day that started his whole life; he, Halvdan, son of the glove maker, was becoming an Arendelle Guard. Sure, he was but five years old and only three feet in height, but he made sure to make every stride with his tiny feet mean something from this day until his last. He was going to protect the King and Queen of Arendelle! Fighting bandits. Tackling monsters. Bringing justice. Dressing in the green Arendelle guard , he could hardly contain his excitement.

His father, however, looked grim.

"Now son, you know...you know the recruiters pick a lot of kids every year-"

"Nah-uh Dad. They pick only seven every year."

"Well, I mean...son, there's always next year."

"Dad, most guards go in this year."

"Yes, but...but just because you can run doesn't mean-"

"Dad, I was first pick for my age. I'm fast and I'm smart."

"You're right! You are fast and you are smart! But don't you think there's a better use for your skills than...I mean, if you like running, we can put you in cross country or...or...you are smart, so...why not be a doctor or, or an accountant?"

"Dad, I want to be a guard. There's no doubt about it." His father sighed, clenching Halvdan's hand tightly as they reached the castle. Suddenly, his father turned around and kneeled before him, holding both of his hands.

"Halvdan, once you go, you can't get out of it. You can't change your mind later on. You have so many interests and talents-" Many boys gathered at the palace stairs at this time, sons hugging their mothers and fathers goodbye. Since Halvdan only had his father, he already stood out from amongst the crowd of twenty-so kids and their families, not counting this conversation's escalation.

"Dad-"

"You love math! Why don't you do something-"

"I don't want to-"

"How about science, son? That's a great-"

"Dad, I don't-"

"What about-"

"DAD!" His father went silent. "Dad, you're embarrassing me in front of the guards! Please...this is what I want to do. I'm positive. I wanna do this." His father sighed again, his eyes falling to the ground.

"...you can't come home...for any reason…"

"I know Dad-"

"Yeah, well what if you get home sick, huh? You're just a boy! What if-" Suddenly, something red and juicy hit the back of Halvdan's head. "Halvdan! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," grumbled Halvdan, looking around with his father for the culprit who ruined his only nice dress shirt. The boys around him laughed while their parents, holding back giggles themselves, told their children to stop. Halvdan turned red. Oh God, the humiliation!

Suddenly, another red, juicy object hit another boy, this time straight in the face. More red, juicy objects flew at other boys, and what was a laughing matter became a scene of panic as boys ducked and dodged the flying fruit. Halvdan overheard muffled laughter as the chaos grew.

"What is going on here?" All the boys stopped in their tracks. It was Captain Alexander of the Arendelle Guard, a man who deserved the utmost respect for his fifty years of service to the force. That respect was only given by the recruits, however. One of the fruits hit Captain Alexander straight in the chest. Alexander slowly looked at the fruit dripping off his chest, scooping some of it onto his index finger, and licked it. "...tomato? How did they-" he asked, falling to his knees.

"Alex, what the hell, man?" asked Commander Border, running to him.

"It's...it's...tomato…"

"Dammit Alex, I told you to stop eating tomatoes. You're allergic, you dumb shit." More muffled laughter filled the air, so much so that Halvdan could detect where it was coming from. He slowly walked over to a stack of crates near the dock.

"'It's...it's...tomato!'" Giggled a little boy behind the boxes.

"Is that why you grabbed tomato, Sid?"

"It's Sam."

"Hey Sid, can I shoot a tomato? Right in the Captain's eye?"

"It's Sam, idiot."

"Hey, I'm not the idiot-" Halvdan looked behind the boxes, catching three surprised faces and one bored expression looking back at him.

"You're the ones who hit the Captain," Halvdan scoffed, observing all four of them.

"Wow, you're a real sluth for figuring that one out," the bored one said dryly. "What was it that gave us away? The slingshot or these idiots boasting about my aim?"

"We're not idiots-"

"You prove my point every time you speak. Shut up and listen to pretty boy here. He obviously feels important with his fancy shirt and splattered tomato, so we must obey his every command."

"That's not why you need to listen to me!" The bored one let its eyes roll as Halvdan continued. " I'm becoming an Arendelle Guard! That's one of the highest honors-"

"Boy, before you can become a soldier, you must understand the beauty of sarcasm and irony."

"I'm not a boy!"

"You're a male, correct? Males are usually given the title of 'boy'."

"I'm becoming a guard!"

"Oh, how very brave for a boy who probably doesn't know how to tie his own shoes. Yes, I wish to depend on your services to keep us, citizens of Arendelle, as well as the royal family, safe." Halvdan shook his head, livid, while the bored one sat with a straight face throughout the conversation.

"Well...well, I'm putting you under arrest for attacking a member of the guard!" The other three boys stared at Halvdan as he puffed his chest out, taking the role of the soldier he was to become. The bored one continued to watch Halvdan, unfazed.

"You need to be in the guard to arrest someone. Stupid." The bored one stood up as the boys watched in disbelief.

"I, I'm not letting you get away with this," Halvdan said, trying to be brave. The bored one looked over the crates at him, as though to mock him.

"Oh? And who's going to stop me?"

"I am!"

"You? You and what army?"

"Sid, stop! He's going to get you!"

"Idiot, you're being arrested too. Why aren't you running, fugitive of Arendelle?" The three boys looked at each other and, after a moment's hesitation, rammed Halvdan and ran for it. Halvdan fell on the dock as the boys trampled over him in an attempt to get home. "Well, great heroine? Go get them."

"They didn't throw the tomatoes. They were asking you for a turn...Sam."

"Oh, how proud your father must be of his little detective. However, you haven't discovered where I acquired the tomatoes from-"

"I don't care!" Sam stepped out of Halvdan's way as he lunged. Halvdan crawled back onto his feet as Sam watched the guards run in their direction.

"Well, it was lovely talking to you, oh brave warrior, but I must be going."

"No you're-" but Sam was gone, sprinting down the dock towards the royal fleet...right at the guards. The guards, surprised, stopped as Sam ran closer. As they reached out of grab Sam, Sam ran right in between then, knocking a good quarter of them down and tripping up the rest. Halvdan sprinted after Sam, using his long legs to keep Sam in sight. But he couldn't catch up, Sam was just as fast if not faster than he was! He watched as Sam flew past the royal castle and onto the stone wall surrounding it. The guards ran to grab the criminal, but Sam was experienced in this kind of work; Sam would run most of the time, but moments of walking to trip the guards was also used. When the guards were close to grabbing Sam, the criminal ducked down into a crouch or went into a plank position and lowered till the stone wall touched Sam's chest. Once the guard close to grabbing Sam failed, the criminal pushed off its palms into a sprint, using the momentum to get Sam back onto the balls of the criminal's feet. This ensued for a good five minutes until Sam crouched down, observed the crowd of green, faked left, sprinted a few feet to the right, leaped off the wall, and, after hitting the ground and rolling, went to sprint towards the sea. Sam reached the dock and, with no hesitation, went from sprinting into a perfect dive into the water, evading the guards.

"Catch that urchin" ordered Commander Border. All the guards, as custom, saluted him. "Stop saluting and catch that child!" By the time the guards were focused on their target once more, Halvdan was in the water, swimming after Sam. The coldness of the fuord seeped into his skin, but he fought it like any soldier should and kept swimming. Honestly, he was scared; he wasn't a very strong swimmer and Sam felt yards away. But he was a soldier! He had to do this. For Captain Alexander. For Arendelle. For Justice.

Sam heard flopping, splashing noises coming from behind the criminal. Sam allowed the eyes to roll once more, slowing down the pace, knowing pretty boy couldn't swim from the sounds of his struggle.

Halvdan smiled, seeing that he was gaining on Sam. He was so tired, but he had to bring this urchin in. His body ached with every stroke, but he pushed on, telling himself that he was almost to his goal. Then, finally-

"You're...under...arrest."

"And how do you plan on taking me in?" Halvdan treaded water, gasping. He hadn't thought that through, really. He was so exhausted, he honestly didn't think he could make it back to shore. "Go home, boy, and be like one of your dream guards," Sam spat, swimming away.

"Wait," Halvdan screamed, following suit. Halvdan watched Sam drift away from his sight as the freezing water filled his mouth and nose. "Wait...wait, stop! In...in the…" Halvdan was barely audible at this point due to the water engulfing any sound he made. Darkness filled him and, suddenly, he sank. Drifting down into the abyss, water holding him within its grasp. He fought as hard as any young soldier would, but the more he struggled, the deeper he sank. This is the end, he thought while his limbs slowed. He couldn't breathe and he honestly didn't care anymore. He accepted the darkness, the water, the sinking. He closed his eyes and sighed. The last bubbles of air drifted miles and miles above his head the the lighted surface. There was no more light down where he was. Only sweet, delicious darkness.

Someone stopped his fate from for filling. He had no strength to fight the antagonist. He felt the villain tearing him from the sweet warmth of death and forcing him to the brutal chill of the surface. Suddenly he was thrown onto something hard, rough, solid and he felt multiple strong, forced, pressured pushes against his chest. Slick hands opened his mouth, allowing wet lips and warm air to fill his throat and lungs. What is happening to me? What do they want? Who is they? Is something wrong? He then remembered the darkness, the water, his fight to survive. How he stopped breathing. Another gush of warm air fills him, giving him the push he needed to roll to his side and release all of the foreign water his lungs were containing.

"What the hell were you thinking? You can't swim!" He coughed harder than he ever had before, trying to eject the fjord from his body.

"How...how did you know...that I...couldn't-"

"Your dad is in hysterics. He has been calling for you since you got into the water. He helped me pull you out." He opened his eyes. Sam filled his view.

"Why you save me?"

"Morals. Unfortunately. I should have let natural selection take its toll." Sam smiled out of the corner of her lips. And then Sam was gone. He prompted himself on his shoulder but his father put his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Halvdan! Are you alright? What were you think-"

"Sam..." He pushed his father out of the way and watched the child, not far from his age, being dragged away. But Sam didn't fight. Sam smiled at him. Just smiled. Doesn't he know he's gonna be killed? Halvdan asked himself as he rose to his feet. He's just a kid! And he saved my life! I can't let them do this.

"Halv, what are you doing? Son...HALVDAN!" But he was already gone. He couldn't sprint, but he could surely gallop oddly. He didn't care. He had to stop this. He just had to.

Sam was brought to the staircase at the front of the castle where Captain Alexander stood, glaring in fury. It was quite a funny site seeing a puffy man squint his eyes more than his face was already doing for him, but nevertheless he stood his ground, placing one over-sized hand on his hilt, his sausage fingers gripped around the handle. Sam couldn't help but smile wolfishly at him.

"Darling, you look fabulous-"

"Enough from you, urchin."

"Urchin? Widening your lexicon, are we? I'm very proud of you."

"Shut it. You're not getting away from me this time-"

" Oh, I think I will just to help you grow. The next time you catch me, you'll have to find a new name to call me." Alexander pulled his trusty blade Maxwell out of its seith.

"It's time I silenced that tongue of yours, heathen."

"See? Now you have another word. I think our mutual agreement is going along well." The blade shimmered in the sunlight as the Captain raised Maxwell above his head, walking down the steps. "And, technically, cutting out my tongue wouldn't silence it. You would be removing it. Also, tongues don't make that much noise. It just helps your vocals-"

"I sentence hoy to death for your crimes against Arendelle."

"I didn't hurt Arendelle. I only hurt you and you don't like to be embarrassed."

"Are those your last words?" Sam grinned once more, smiling at the steps the child was thrusted upon.

"Even in death, I will have many more words to say." The sound of dragging feet on cobblestone echoed behind Sam. "What the hell do you want, boy?"

Huffing, Halvdan answered, "You...cannot...punish...Sam..."

"Boy, stay out of this!" The Captain growled, preparing to swing Maxwell.

"I'm not a boy!" Halvdan hobbled hurriedly up the steps, protecting Sam.

"You are the worst excuse for a protector I've ever seen."

"Shut up Sam. Don't make me change my mind."

"Oh, I'm hoping you do. Please leave." Halvdan glared at the blond youth, who only shrugged. "I'm not a liar and I'm exceptionally blunt. Those are my best attributes, actually."

"Move, son. This isn't the time or place-"

"This is the perfect time and place. This kid saved my life and all he did to you was throw a tomato at you. Where is it stated in Arendelle law that throwing tomatoes was punnishble-"

"Punishable."

"Thank you-by death?"

"The boy is right, Alexander." The Captain lowered Maxwell, turned, and kneeled to the man behind him. Tall, bright-eyes, lean, dressed in royal regalia, the King of Arendelle strode down from his castle to observe the scene. He took long, hard looks at every face, unchanging, unfazed until he saw Sam. His blue eyes narrowed and he stalled his pace. "Although I don't think I would mind letting you remove this disaster from my life."

Sam looked up at the King, sparkles twinkling in those emerald eyes. "Nice seeing you too, darling."

"You, you know the King of Arendelle?"

"Yes Halvdan. We know each other quite well." Halvdan stared at Sam in complete horror. What have I done? I'm protecting someone the King hates! "So, are you gonna-"

"No. No, I will not let you back. Nor will I-" Sam widened her grin, going from charming to manipulative. "-unfortunately-let them kill you."

"You know I won't stop, John." The King straightened. "It's your fault, really. You put us in this situation and now I can't leave. I can't. And you know it." The glare the King gave her deepened. "So what are you going to do about it hot shot?"

"You can't talk to the King like that!"

"The boy is right, Sam." The King started smiling. Sam watched The King carefully. "Boy, what is your name?"

"My name is-"

"Oh, Your Majesty, he's not a boy. He's been saying so all evening." Halvdan, mortified, turned from Sam to the King.

"Sire, no, I mean, Your Majesty-"

"It's alright. Your name?"

"Halvdan, sir, and I want to be a Guard."

"Good. I want you to watch Sam." Both children stared at the King in shock.
"What?"

"John, be reasonable-"

"You said yourself Sam. I made this mistake and I have to fix it. I'm going to put this man in charge of you-"

"The only person in charge of me, rich boy, is myself. Me. I. Moi. Screw you and anyone else you put 'in charge' of me."

"If you want to be around here and not live in the trees begging people for handouts I suggest you take the offer. The Guard pays well enough and it gives you something to do in the mean time. As for you young man, watching after Sam is no easy task. I can only ask that you do you best. Think of it as a private mission given to you by the King himself."

"Trust me Halvdan, that's no great honor." The King, with a cocky smile, walked past Halvdan to raise Alexander to his feet.

"Let the child go and make these two both Guards. And...don't let that one, " the King pointed to the blond being released, "out of your sight. Understand? And give that one no special treatment. Hell, if it's possible, make it harder for Sam. Give that one something to do." Sticking out a pink tongue, Sam glared at the regal. With a wink, the King left, and Halvdan's troubles with Sam began.