Anna looked at the girl in front of her and smiled warmly.
- Yes… And you are…?
- Emma – she answered, clearly excited – Emma Overland. My brother said we met when I was a baby…
- Your brother? When you were a baby? – then her eyes widened – It can´t be…! Little baby Emma, Jack's sister!?
The girl grinned widely.
- So it's true. I was starting to think Jack made that up! – she giggled – Though I'm no longer a baby-
That's when Anna's emotions went overboard and she forgot any self-restraint.
- You're sooooo cute! – she shrieked, enveloping Emma's smaller body with thin arms but a strong grip.
Emma's eyes bulged and she remained frozen, too surprised to answer in any other way.
- I can´t believe it…! You were this adorable tiny rosy thing – though you're still adorable! What about becoming my younger sister? I'd be like… the older sister you never had!
- Really? – Emma squealed in delight, recovered from the sudden outburst – That'd be so amazing! And I'd be like… half-princess!
- Princess Emma! – said Anna, easily mirroring the other girl's enthusiasm – You'd be such a cute princess!
- Thanks! – she answered, her cheeks red with glee – Wait 'till my brother hears this! I've always wanted to be a princess! To have nice dresses, live in a castle and have a fairytale like life.
Anna sobered abruptly at this.
- You know, it's not that great… - she mumbled.
Emma stopped in her tracks at this other unexpected reaction and change of behavior. But she didn´t have time to think about it as Anna's face lightened up the second after:
- Oh-oh!, we could marry princes brothers! Then we'd really be family!
- Prince? You mean like, tall and handsome and kind?
- Yes! And charming and brave!
- And funny?
Anna paused for a second, surprised.
- Well, yes. I guess that's important too. It's always nice to have a good laugh!
Emma beamed.
- Right? Jack said so too!
- He said that?
- Yeah, and since he's the funniest guy in the world and all that other stuff, I said that my prince will have to be just like him!
- Aww! So sweet!
Anna felt like hugging the girl again, more so when she blushed, embarrassed, and probably would have done it if Emma's expression hadn't turned into a sad one the moment after.
Anna looked, worried, at her:
- What's w-
- I miss him – the little girl was looking at the ground gloomily – I haven´t seen him in weeks.
- What?! He's not here?
For a moment the young princess was afraid Emma would start crying, but then she perked up before Anna could try to comfort her.
- But! He's coming back today! – the girl jumped in her place, suddenly excited and optimistic – Well… probably. But mother said there was a big chance it would be today! I mean, you're here after all! – and then she went quiet – Now that I think about it, they probably don´t know…
Anna quickly took this opportunity to ask her, as she wasn´t getting a thing:
- They who? Sorry, I don´t understand what you´re talking about… What has Jack been doing the last few weeks?
Emma gave her a confused look.
- Hm? Hunting – she answered, in a 'isn´t it obvious?' tone.
Anna's mouth dropped open.
- Hunting? Hunting as hunting?
- Well, yeah, of course. What else could it be?
- I don´t know… but, well, I mean… Jack hunting?
She couldn´t imagine the boy, her childhood friend, putting an end to lives. Even if just animal lives and only to sustain his family. She tried to picture it, but the fierce, cold tall man that came to mind wouldn´t fit with the warm, cheerful and mischievous image she had of Jack. Could he have changed that much? Or was this only a prejudice of hers?
- How old is he again…? Seventeen, wasn´t it?
Emma nodded enthusiastically.
- Yep, almost eighteen! – she said with pride in her voice – Already grown up!
A light cough was heard, and both of them turned their heads to find Martin looking at them with an amused look. Anna flushed with embarrassment, realizing she had left the kind man hanging and completely forgotten him. Emma beamed at him in greeting, unaware of Anna's awkward situation.
- I hate to interrupt, but I must ask: miss Emma, weren´t you heading somewhere?
Emma's eyes widened and she slapped her forehead.
- Right! I was going to help aunt Kaia with lunch! – she turned to Anna – Your lunch! Thanks for the reminder, uncle Martin!
Martin nodded in acknowledgement of her gratitude and Emma started to skip away, but stopped and looked at Anna hopefully:
- Please come with me, princess Anna!
She smiled:
- Right behind you, princess Emma!
- Later, uncle Martin!
- Bye, bye! – bade Anna farewell, forgetting her offense and smiling openly.
And Martin was left chuckling with himself, wondering like all old men must.
He stepped into the clearing.
The other seven were quickly packing up, with the efficiency of people that knew what they were doing and were used to work with each other.
He was feeling quite pleased, despite the distasteful task he had to do so early in the morning, since he had a little fun in mind to look forward to... Plus he'd be back that same day...
- What're ya smirking about, boy?
His lips stretched even farther.
- Oh, just the usual.
Edvin let out a hearty laugh.
- For Arendelle's sake, I swear you never stop grinning! But that's it, that's it, lad! Life is joy! – the man laughed again and patted his shoulder before returning to his task of putting out the campfire, chuckling good-naturedly all the way.
- Welcome back. How many did you get? – asked Orjan, all business.
- Four – Jack answered, handing him two large bags made of deer skin – and a fox.
- As expected – he said, nodding and peaking into each bag – Get ready, we're leaving in five minutes.
And as he turned and walked away, another one of Jack's companions seemed to materialize next to him. He wasn't startled simply out of habit.
- What took you so long? – asked Roald in his quiet voice.
Jack smirked.
- You know, just making new friends out of living prey, nothing new...
Roald looked at him deadpanned.
Then he sighed and mumbled:
- I'm not commenting.
Jack chuckled, greatly amused at his friend's typical reaction.
- So, back from picking up cute little bunnies, Jacky? – came a voice to their side. Bard's voice.
Roald glanced disapprovingly at him and Jack's smile faded, replaced by an unpleased frown.
- Hi, Bard.
- Hi, Jokul. Did you have trouble catching those dead furry small fry? I hear they're quite slippery. Not that I would know much about it, since true hunters like me prefer living large prey.
Jack suddenly grinned.
- Like bears?
Bard's wicked smirk disappeared immediately and he went quiet. He glanced around and then glared daggers at Jack, but turned his back to them without saying anything else.
Jack glanced in Roald's direction and saw his confused frown, but, as expected, his friend said nothing about the episode, just:
- But… a pity… you're quite skilled with the bow… excellent aim and sight…
Jack shrugged at that.
- I'll do what I need to do, but if I can avoid it, I will – he said, petting absent-mindedly Thor, a hairy middle-aged gray half-lurcher belonging to Roald's stepfather, that had been jumping around him for some time, clearly asking for pampering.
He was about to go lay the recollected traps on a corner of one of their two wagons, when Bard's booming voice reached him clearly from twenty steps away:
- I bet you're father would've been proud!
Having been caught out of guard, Jack tensed, a mix of emotions going through his expressive eyes.
He is, he thought, but for some reason, couldn´t say it out loud.
She didn't understand.
She didn't understand anything.
This unfair world, other people, herself...
And her feelings for a certain childhood friend.
And she didn't know what to do about it.
Normally she wouldn't think about any of this, it was better to not feel in the first place after all, but there was too much to ignore. Too much anxiety, too much sorrow, too much fear. And too much of an undefined warmth pulsing softly in her chest.
And this warmth was what confused her most.
Elsa was used to all the other feelings, too used to in fact, but this warmth was something new to her. It was similar to what she felt when reading a particularly nice book, when she found something curious or ate a rare piece of chocolate, but not quite the same. For one, it was stronger, like the tentative hope that rose in her every time Anna had knocked at her door and that she repeatedly attempted to snuff out without great success.
She sighed. It's not like she had any left now…
Then she remembered something very much similar having happened with Jack.
That's right... Four years ago she had seen him. But he hadn't seen her. And it ended with another loss of control, gloves on and everything.
She brought her hands close to her chest.
But these work, she reassured herself, and will always... It doesn't matter if I'm seeing him again... If I'm seeing him again...
She was, wasn't she? There was no way to avoid it... He lived here after all... Oh, for Arendelle, he was so close...
And she was so scared... She was so scared at the idea of meeting him and yet, when she thought about it, the warmth seemed to intensify...
She wished it. She didn't know why but it was the truth: despite all the fear, she wished to meet him again.
It really didn't make sense, so she breathed out and decided to be rational.
He was a boy she met in her childhood. She saw him six years later but that was it. Now he was a young man, having followed his father in his business with a simple life, probably having forgotten about her and maybe even started a family of his own... She was nothing to him... and he was nothing to her. Perhaps childhood friends, but that was barely different. Now she might see him, but that won't mean anything. They might exchange pleasantries, but it'll stop at that. And like everyone else, she will keep him out and at a safe distance. And that's it. End of story.
... but if that was it, why wasn't she ready to go? Why wasn't she able to get up with her mind set? Why was she so divided, so indecisive? Why didn't all those feelings and thoughts get brushed aside? Why did she suddenly feel so sad? Why it all? And why for him?
She knew she had to leave soon: there was an arranged lunch with the mayor, his family and few other attendants. It was unthinkable to not attend. Elsa was the heir princess after all.
Without realizing, she bit her lip.
But she was missing her usual assurance of having an important task to complete the sooner the better. And it came back to him. She felt she was going on circles. But the truth was that she had no assurance this time due to the fear of meeting him.
Such a coward...
The self-scolding, the confusion, the memories, the conflicting feelings, the rationalizing, the sadness, the unanswered questions, her task, her lack of assurance and courage... She was truly going on circles.
And then she decided it was better to ditch it all and simply go back to the village. But even that was part of the cycle as she wasn't able do so.
Suddenly, she felt something soft and warm brush lightly against her fingers. Breaking from her trance, she found to her surprise a white rabbit - hare actually, she corrected herself - standing on a smaller root next to hers where she had lowered her left gloved hand sometime while deep in thought.
Elsa smiled slightly. She had seen one just once and years ago! Without thinking, she raised a cautious finger and tickled the side of the hare. It was nonresponsive about it, and just kept looking up at her with its dark eyes. She felt encouraged to continue and proceeded with stroking it.
- Are you a quiet one, then? - she whispered.
It was strange to be in the company of a moving, breathing creature and still feel so at ease. For once, it didn't go through Elsa's mind the thought of being putting another being in danger. Perhaps because the hare didn't seem to feel threatened... What's certain is that she felt like a little child that just discovered something new and special, with the spirit full of innocent wonder.
And just like that, new thoughts came to her.
Was she complicating things? What was she waiting for?
- Perhaps for you, my little companion - she said while gently poking an unusual gray spot the hare had near its neck.
Then, as if suddenly hit by a wave of confidence, Elsa stood up.
- Goodbye, my friend. Safe paths for you.
She let her gaze travel along her newfound sanctuary, made a quick decision of returning and left.
Note: Thanks for the reviews :)
girl867: Thanks :) I'm sorry that my 'soon' isn´t really that early but I hope the quality makes up for it
kittydoll: Thanks for telling me :) It´s always nice to know people like what we work hard on. I can´t update much faster than I do now, but in the next holidays I'll update more (and yes, I'm saying this is long enough to reach the holidays, in case you didn´t think so)