The harsh winds were making the forest a very uncomfortable place. When a group of almost twenty people are going through the forest with two prisoners they have to keep close, the harsh wind is the last thing they need. The thunder was striking above the forest during the night, making the journey back to Arendelle even more uncomfortable.
Yet, Robin didn't complained, and neither did the rest in the company. They had no reason to. The worst was now behind them. The sons of Aron, the graug and his cave, the Kingslayer's company. Robin really didn't think they are going to meet anything else that is going to disturb their journey. If something does jump out of the bush now, I will tell the whole Israel that I am a man of bad luck. The only thing Robin would complain about are his back. Almost a week passed since the graug threw him, but his back still hurt him. Not the whole time, very rarely. But when they did-it was a hell.
The one thing Robin was sorry about was that Lomer got lost. Lomer, his loyal horse. He ran with the others when they ended up in the cave with the graug. Lomer was with Robin for very long years. Robin couldn't understand how that brave horse could have run. He felt Lyonel tickling him from behind. At least he didn't run away.
They were now a day or two, maybe three days away from Arendelle. But the latter was unlikely. They all wanted to get back to the capital as quickly as possible. They all had enough of this small journey. Robin was especially sick of it. These were the greatest troubles he ever placed himself in with this travel. It was almost two weeks ago when Robin went to chase the sons of the Red Snake, but to him it looked like two months have passed. Who knows? Maybe it is two months and I just lost the count in all that time.
But Robin didn't regrett it. He saved Anna, his half-sis...no, his sister from their mad uncle and that was enough to him.
Thank You, Lord, that this all ended well.
"Are there any elves or dwarves left?" Mari asked Ratbag. The whole time during their journey back, Ratbag served as an entertainer with his stories and knowledge of the orcs and the old world. Robin, from his words, saw that orcs maybe weren't so evil and violent creatures like they were portrayed in the tales. They had a tragedy. They were elves once, but they were tortured by the devil into these awful things, before his powers were taken away from him. It was not their own fault.
"No." Ratbag shook his head. "Not at least that I know of. Both of them were gone long before you Yakub-Bur came to Canaan. The Tarks were the last people who remembered the before you came with your Twelve Tribes."
Whenever he would say Tark, Ratbag would give Minardil and Benjen an ill look. He didn't seem to love them since he heard where they are coming from.
"What happened to them?" Mari asked. Ratbag was moving his hands in his typical way.
"About the dwarves we know. There were very little dwarf-women and very few dwarf-men who wanted to marry. The dwarves always liked mountains, quarrying, precious gems and, you know, other kinds of shinies. They also loved their axes and our blood on them even more." he said that last one strangely bluntly. Then he rubbed his neck.
"But the elves? Or as we orcs call them the Karanzol? No one knows what happened. The Karanzol didn't have many children, three or four were the maximum number, but there were enough of them to stay for thousands of years. They even became better with us after some time. We didn't still love each other as races, but we, ya know, we could have gotten along. But one day, they just disappeared. I don't suppose any of you ever saw elves?"
"No, no we didn't." everyone answered, except of Vilgar. Now Robin felt even a little sorry for Vilgar. Vilgar liked Anna when he saw her and he tried to talk with her all the time in the journey until they met Kristoff on the way. If Kristoff was not there, Vilgar would probably say that Anna is as beautiful as elves from the tales, but he didn't. He stopped after they met Kristoff. Vilgar did irritate Robin with that, but still...
The pain now hit him. Robin fell to the ground and started touching his back and wincing in pain. His upper back were hurting the most. Anna and Kenan then ran to him to help him. The pain soon stopped. Robin breathed in relief.
"Are you alright?" Anna asked him.
"I will be fine." he felt a little hurt in the back at that moment and put his hand there, but it wasn't much. Robin felt like he is three times older. When he was hurt, Anna told him that the pain is going to be gone after three weeks. Maybe a little more. Robin couldn't believe he will have to survive this for two weeks or even more. Everyone then came to normal.
"Well," Kristoff said "I can't say that I have seen the elves, but I have some friends who say they did. Though I wouldn't place my trust in them." everyone chuckled at that, and so did Robin. Of course, everyone except Eylir and his friend, Diman.
"And so, you orcs are the only thing remaining of the elves?" Anna said, referring to the origin of the orcs.
"Yeah, basically. Well, not that I am sorry there is no longer any of them, I glad there aren't and my head is still on my neck because they are dead. Both elves and dwarves. I imagine you humans are pretty sad they didn't survive."
"Yes we are." Robin answered. "We all heard stories about them since we were children and we are sorry they didn't."
"I am especially sad about the dwarves." Andal said. "When I was little, I pretended I had a dwarf for a friend, a child's imaginary friend. His name was Durin, and he once 'saved' me from a pack of orcs. No offense, Ratbag."
"Not at all." Ratbag answered. "You don't even know how terrible a pack of evil orcs can be. First they cut off your head, then they start piercing your body with swords, and then they take out your offa...Oh, sorry." he said after noticing their terrified looks on their faces. Anna and Mari placed their hands on their mouths.
"You orcs really know how to torture people." Abel said.
"No, no, no, not all of us do that!" Ratbag said. "I said evil and angry orcs. And even those who do those things with the body, they don't torture you, they do it after they killed you. I mean, when they are in group, you know. Some orcs individually like to torture and..."
"Ratbag. We get it." Robin said to him.
"Good. I thought I am going to need to explain everything." Robin just rolled his eyes. This orc obviously thought that they are all dumb in comparison to him. The funny thing is that Robin, honestly, thought the same about Ratbag from time to time.
"How many other orcs are there?" Minardil asked. Robin glanced at Minardil. Looks like the others were right. Minardil did look similar to him, but what really made Robin feel uncomfortable is that even his voice sounded alike. As if the two of them are some close kin.
"Oh, there is a fair good lot of us." Ratbag said. "There are not too many of us, but for a people that is hiding from humans, yes there are...Wait? Was this safe for me to tell?" Robin rolled his eyes again.
"Ratbag, relax. We won't share anything about your people, that is of no use to us. And you don't give us too many details and it will be alright."
"Oh. Well I am happy that is the case." Ratbag said. "It will be good if my head will remain on my neck."
"How do you orcs usually look like?" Benjen asked. Robin thought it was not a very good question, but, this was an orc, a race they thought was dead for thousands of years.
"Oh, we vary. You see there are actually three kinds of orcs. There are usual orcs, you humans used to call them Goblins. They are just a little taller than five feet and their skin is always greyish or they are swarthy. They are not particularly strong, but they are capable enough, but they just cannot stand the sunlight, they don't just hate it, it makes them weaker. Oh, they also have pointy ears. Then there are Ologs. They are large. They have big, muscled hands and their heads are big as well, bigger than any human's or orc's head. They also have small ears, similar to you humans, but they seem so small in comparison to their head that you can barely notice them. They are usually just an inch or two shorter than ten feet, but some of them can even be eleven feet tall. Sometimes, but very rarely, they can be twelve feet tall. Unlike usual orcs, they can resist the sunlight. Oh and they vary in color, obviously. Then, there are Uruks. Now, Uruks are taller, stronger and faster than Goblins, usually around the size of you humans, but sometimes even taller. They are also resistant to sunlight, just like Ologs." then Ratbag looked up into the sun. "Though, they still hate it." he said angry and looked into all of them. "You all have an honor to be talking to an Uruk."
"So you are an Uruk." Flynn said. "That is...good to know."
"Are there orc-women?" Anna asked him. Ratbag them looked into her confused for a second.
"What? Ooooh, yes, orc-women. I mean, of course there are orc-women. Every race has females in it. Even though the only orc-woman I ever saw in my entire life was my own mother, but yes, they exist. It's just that, you humans probably wouldn't notice the difference between orc-men and orc-women easily. I believe you humans would have to pay close attention to see if an orc was a man or a woman."
At that, everyone stopped walking and they looked into each other, everyone feeling uncomfortable. Robin just shook his head. I hope I wouldn't need to pay a very close attention.
"There are also lesser of them than men..."
"Fewer." Robin said to Ratbag's confusion.
"Sorry?" Robin sighed.
"You said 'lesser', but it is said fewer, not less."
"And why so?" Ratbag asked. Robin then moved his hands explaining him.
"You know, it's..." he waved with his hand "never mind, it's not important, no one is going to kill you for that. We have walked long enough, let's stay here to take a small rest."
"I won't complain." Flynn said.
"Yup, I think we would need one." Mari said.
"We should relax a little, Arendelle is very close, nothing is going to attack us." Halfdan said and everyone agreed with the three of them and they all placed their things on the ground. Eylir and Diman they placed to sit under a tree. Robin was suprised. The two of them were silent throghout the whole journey, not talking or complaining about anything. Diman didn't curse Kristoff for his wounded hand anymore.
Robin looked at Eylir. This was the Kingslayer, the man from common folk, yet the man who killed his grandfather, king Arnold. Robin was supposed to feel wrath and anger at that, but he didn't. He felt guilty a little because of that, but he never met his grandfather. He never saw him.
What was strange however, was that Anna didn't looked troubled by the Kingslayer's presence, though he would try to hide his sight away from hers. But Anna didn't even look at him. To her, it was as if he didn't exist at all.
"Anna." he said quietly to her. "Do you know who that man is?" he asked her bluntly. Maybe I shouldn't have, but go on with it.
"Of course I do, Robin." she said, putting her sword to the ground. In all this time, she didn't used it. He was happy she didn't.
"And you don't feel anything?" Robin asked her, and Anna just gave a silent look and gazed for a while at Eylir. She sighed.
"I am really, really sorry, because it's not me, but...no, I don't. I didn't love grandfather. He was always bad to Elsa. He was better than Aron, that's for sure, but...he was not good. I, I really wanted to love him, Robin, but for hurting Elsa, I couldn't. Robin, can I tell you something?"
"Of course." she then looked around them.
"Alone." she said. Robin nodded. Then they glanced at everyone and moved a little away from the rest. Anna placed a hand on her chin, still looking at the rest for some time, until finally breathing deeply and speaking.
"When I was in the company of Aron's sons, I saw two men in it. Two sailors I know from before." Robin nodded at this.
"Robin, those sailors I saw on the day when father and mother went away on their ship. Those sailors entered the ship together with them." Robin's eyes widened.
"Are you sure, Anna?"
"I am! I didn't forget their faces Robin! They were on that ship!" Robin shook his head.
"Anna, maybe they just look alike..."
"No Robin, they don't look alike. It's them!"
"Anna look at me and that boy, Minardil Gondor." Robin tried to ease her. "He and I look very much alike, yet we are not even a distant kin." he shrugged. "Anna, some people simply look like each other."
"No Robin, they told me that it's them." Robin raised his eyebrow.
"They told you?" Anna looked around again.
"When I asked them out of curiosity did I met them before, one of them said I didn't, but the other one looked at me threateningly and told me to eat my soup. It's them." Robin swallowed.
"Are you completely sure?" Anna rolled her eyes.
"Yes Robin, how many times I need to say it. I am!" she then took his hands, to his surprise. "Robin, Aron did it. I know he did. I was just a little girl, but I remember how he hated our father. He wanted him dead. I remember. Robin, he did it. He killed both of them, he destroyed their ship. It wasn't a storm or some natural disaster, it was Aron! He attacked their ship."
Robin didn't know what to think of this. If this was true, that would mean that the uncle he heard so many evil stories about was not just a kinslayer once, but twice. That would mean that the reason Robin never had the chance to know his father better is because Aron killed him. Aron would be the one who stole that from him and this even filled Robin with an inner anger, but he didn't want to show it to Anna. Besides, nothing was certain.
"We will tell Elsa about this." Robin said. Anna nodded.
"We sure will." then the pain hit Robin again. Not strong, but still pain. Anna tried to help him.
"I'll be fine."
When the night came, they were still in the forest, and before them were standing huge stones.
"Wait, I know this place?" Anna said and smiled. "Kristoff, I know you remember as well." she said to him and Kristoff's eyes were hit by realization.
"Oh yes, I do." then they both turned to everyone of them present.
"Now, listen guys, we are going to visit some very, very, very good people. My family that raised me." Kristoff said. Anna then coughed and continued in his stead.
"They are one of the best people out there you will ever see. However, they do know how to be a little bit...annoying." Kristoff's face twisted with slight anger. "Sorry Kristoff, but you know them yourself." Kristoff then massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Alright guys, let's go."
"Wait, Kristoff." Anna grabbed him by the shoulder. "Maybe not everyone of them should go." Kristoff scratched his hair.
"You are probably right. But who will?"
"Let me decide?" Anna said and started rubbing her chin and started glancing at all of them. Robin felt really stupid.
"Alright." Anna said. "Robin, Flynn, Mari and Abel. You four can come with us."
"I want to go as well." Ratbag raised his hand. "I demand for bringing you here all this way." Robin rolled his eyes. He thought they could have found the way even without him. Anna and Kristoff looked into each other.
"Alright, you can too, Ratbag." Kristoff said after a sigh. Ratbag smiled.
What is happening here? Robin noticed how awkwardly the two were behaving and he walked closer to Anna.
"Anna, and who are Kristoff's family?" Anna just chuckled sweetly at that.
"You'll meet them. Come on, let's go!" she grabbed him by the hand and led him into the stones.
When they passed by these giant stones, they were all now present in a small canyon of stones, some of them covered in moss. Robin, just like the rest, was glancing around, looking for any men or women who were there. Kristoff must have had a family of men and women-did he? Kristoff then started greeting some names in the air. Robin was now questioning Kristoff's sanity. He leaned closer to Anna's ear.
"And, where is his...family?" Anna again chuckled, covering her mouth.
"Just wait and see." Robin shook his head at that and just looked around again. He now questioned whether his sister was mad.
At that moment, the ground started to shake, and the small stones started to roll into their direction. When the stones gathered in a circle around them, the stones rose into some small, stony creatures, with strange faces like stone and eyes and clothes and hair of moss, and they were but a foot tall.
Robin, Abel and Flynn immediately took out their swords in instinct, but Anna and Kristoff stopped them, while Mari was just looking at the small creatures.
"No, no, Robin it's okay, they're friends, they won't hurt us."
"Kristoff!" the creatures were jumping at Kristoff and also at Anna, obviously happy that she is found. Mari somehow got to talk with these...things. But Robin, Flynn and Abel were standing just confused. But Ratbag didn't.
"Stone-people!" Ratbag said, as if hiding. "They are stone people, oh shrakh." then everyone of those creatures looked at Ratbag, not believing what they were seeing.
"An orc!" someone of them said and a panic started. Kristoff and Anna tried to calm them, while Robin was still glancing at them.
"Trolls." he finally said. "They are trolls."
"What is happening here?" a voice said and another stone rolled into their direction and rose into a troll. This troll looked older than the rest, and he had a small crown of leafs on his head. The old troll looked at Ratbag, and then at Anna and Kristoff.
"I won't ask the two of you what is an orc doing here, I already know, though I still wish he wasn't here." the old troll said. He and Ratbag didn't hide their displeasure of each other.
"Grand Pabbie." Kristoff said. "We came to see you."
"To see me? What, like a visit? Anna, dear, come here." Anna approached him and he took her hands. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am. It could have been worse," then she looked into Robin and the three standing beside him. "if it weren't for these three. Especially this one." she then run to Robin and hugged him. Robin was surprised, but he still smiled and returned the hug. Then Anna first presented Ratbag (whom the trolls didn't want to know) then Abel, then Flynn and then Robin last.
"This is my big brother. Robin." Anna said. Robin chuckled at that. Anna was very staunch in that "big brother" name.
"You two are in a very dangerous storm." the Grand Pabbie said. "Aron is not going to waste his time. He is going to come to Arendelle at any day. You came in the worst hour."
"If he comes, we will wait for him." Anna said, full of confidence.
"I am afraid you won't think the same when you see him, Anna." Grand Pabbie said. "Aron is not an ordinary man. He is powerful. He has sided himself with powers far darker and more powerful than you can imagine or even dare to imagine. I still don't know what powers those are, but they are not a joke. Elsa will need as much help as she can get. I am afraid that she is Aron's main target."
"Target?" Robin repeated. His son did say he wants all three of us. "What does he want with her? With all three of us?"
"I am afraid I don't know." Grand Pabbie said with sadness. "But I will give my all to find out. You can defeat the enemy only if you know what he wants."
That is what lord Arvid likes to say.
"We will do everything to protect Elsa." Anna said. "I won't let anything happen to her."
"And neither will I." Robin added.
"None of us will, neither." Flynn said, thinking of everyone in the company probably.
"I," Ratbag said. "have no idea who Elsa is, but if you two want to help her, I will help her as well." Everyone chuckled at that, even trolls.
"We have to go then. To Arendelle. Elsa will need all of us." Anna said. "Thank you Grand Pabbie."
"It is my honor to help, Anna. And may the Lord Himself help us as well. He is always on the side of those who are right. Even if there is much suffering, the good always win in the end."
"I wholeheartedly agree with that. Let's go now!" and the six people went, but Robin stayed just for a few moments behind them. He will join them soon. But he had to know if he can. All the other trolls left as well. Grand Pabbie was the only one who was there.
"Tell me," Robin said, reluctant at first, but went on "is it true that the trolls can...'see' some things."
"Only some things, Robin. And I know what you want to ask, but I will have to tell you: I am sorry. I don't know who your mother is." Robin then sighed at that.
"Still, thank you." he turned to leave.
"Robin." Grand Pabbie said and Robin turned to listen. "Stay beside your sisters. You need them. And they need you. That is the only way Aron will be defeated." Robin nodded at that and left.
What did he mean by that? His back hurt him again.
