Chapter 1 - Protect yourself.
Elsa concentrated deeply on the target in front of her. Come on. Come. On! You can do this. You survived Nokk's wrath, Gales tricks and even Bruni's temper tantrums! You can take her!
"Gahhhhh!" Elsa charged the young woman before her in a frontal assault. Honeymaren raised her hands in defense and stood her ground. Elsa threw a punch at the girl who casually blocked and in return, flipped the snow queen over her shoulder and onto the grass below. Elsa felt the wind leave her lungs for what must have been the eighteenth time.
"Owwww." Elsa hissed through her teeth. She opened her eyes to see the dark-haired girl staring down at her.
"Sorry Princess. You know I'm bad at holding back." She offered Elsa a cocky grin causing the blond to blush.
"Oh no it's alright." Elsa allowed Honeymaren to help her stand. "One more time Maren. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." Determination swelled within her. Her eyes beamed with confidence and strength. Honeymaren placed a hand on her hip and examined the taller yet thinner girl. Hair plastid to her face from sweat. Her clothes dirtied. Her skin was cut and bruised. Honeymaren could tell she was exhausted.
"Listen Elsa. I think we should call it a day. It is getting late." Honeymaren, although not as rough in appearance as Elsa, was beginning to feel her own fatigue. When she had agreed to help Elsa with combat training, she had not expected the woman to be able to keep up with her all day.
She understood the girl had great magical power but had seen how easy it was for her to get winded in the beginning if she over did it. Honeymaren had assumed Elsa's normal physical strength could not have been nearly as advanced as hers. She couldn't have been more wrong. She rubbed the bruise that began to from under her eye where Elsa had landed a blow in one of their previous bouts.
Honeymaren observed Elsa's body from head to toe. Her soft hands where now calloused from her time in the woods. She wore her simple white leggings and undershirt but had a light northuldra tunic over it. A gift from Yelena. Elsa was also usually barefoot but was wearing matching boots to her tunic. Honeymaren enjoyed seeing her in her peoples' clothes. She enjoyed anything she wore. Elsa's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Please Maren. I want to keep going." Elsa pleaded trying hard not to sound desperate. Honeymaren rolled her eyes.
"Fine. One more match. But if we are late for dinner, you owe me." Honeymaren said sternly. Elsa gave a wide grin but it quickly disappeared when the dark-haired girl tackled her to the ground. "I won." Honeymaren pinned Elsa's hands above her head while straddling the former queen's waist. Elsa stared up at her wide eyed.
"That… that wasn't…. that wasn't fair." Elsa felt very awkward at the close proximity of the two. "That wasn't even the defense move you were teaching me! You just tackled me to the ground!" She struggled to free herself from Honeymaren's grip on her wrists.
"You know, you could just use your magic to free yourself." Honeymaren taunted her. Elsa stopped struggling and gave Honeymaren a serious look.
"No. You won Maren." She surrendered. Honeymaren raised a questioning eyebrow. And stood helping Elsa up again.
"Not to bad today Princess." Honeymaren shoved her shoulder playfully. And received a small smile. The two made their way back to the camp. Elsa didn't talk and was slowly dragging behind. Honeymaren slowed her stride to allow her friend to catch up with her. "Are you… sulking?" She asked amused. Elsa stopped and gave her friend a blank stare. Concerned replaced Honeymaren's amusement. "Hey? Are you alright?" She asked gently.
"I would struggle If I didn't have my powers, wouldn't I?" Elsa asked. The question was blunt and caught Honeymaren off guard.
You've come a long way Elsa. You are observant and strategic. You learn quick and you are fast. You are adapting." She smiled and tapped at the bruising under her eye. She was rewarded with another shy smile.
"Thank you, Maren. Thank you for teaching me." She took Maren's hand in hers and looked up at her. Maren swallowed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"H-Hey what's up with you today?" Maren asked confused with Elsa's behavior. Elsa gave a small laugh and poked Honeymaren in the nose forming a small snowflake. Honeymaren stared crossed eyed at the tiny creation. Elsa began laughing.
"You look like Bruni!" She laughed harder. Honeymaren waved the snowflake off her nose and blushed furiously.
"Knock it off you dork." Honeymaren gave her another playful shove. Elsa smiled widely.
"Ok. Ok. Let's head back." She waved for Maren to follow. Honeymaren waked by her side, the two happily chatting about their day. Honeymaren couldn't help but marvel on how different Elsa was from the first day she met her. The two entered the camp to see Yelena by a fire. The tribe leader motioned for the two girls to join her.
"Out all day again you two?" She observed the disheveled clothes and the mischievous look the two friends exchanged with each other. "Honeymaren, it is best you remember that you and your brother have hunting duty tomorrow." Her voice was stern yet kind. Honeymaren took her place next to the elder letting out a long yawn. Elsa joined her.
"Of course, Grandmother." She excepted two warm bowls of broth from Yelena. She handed one to Elsa who gave her a quiet thanks.
Elsa had finished her third spoon full of warm broth when she caught Honeymaren eagerly gulping her own stew straight form the bowl. She finished with a long slurp. Halfway through wiping her mouth on her sleeve, she caught Elsa staring at her from the corner of her eye. She placed her bowl down.
"Was that too unroyally your highness." She teased, her cocky smile returning to her face. Elsa puffed her cheeks out at the jab. Placing her spoon down beside her, Elsa tried her best to suck down her stew straight from her bowl much to Honeymaren's amusement. Elsa was just about finished when Ryder came crashing into her from behind. The remaining stew now covered her face. It was too much. Honeymaren began laughing. Hard. Elsa on the other hand sat frozen and mortified with burning cheeks. Yelena raised an annoyed eyebrow as ice slowly crept from Elsa's feet towards the fire threatening to douse the flames. She gave Maren a quick thump to the back of the head causing the girl to silent her laughter.
"Enough. What is wrong with you Ryder? You are as clumsy as a new born fawn and Elsa, ice." Yelena pointed towards the fire snapping Elsa out of her embarrassed state and leaving Honeymaren to wonder why she was the one who got hit.
"Sorry!" Both Ryder and Elsa squeaked in union. Ryder took his place next to Elsa while the platinum blond dismissed her ice.
"I'm sorry Elsa." Ryder gave her a sheepish grin. "Bruni tried to set me on fire…. Again."
"It's okay Ryder. I am glad you are uninjured." She said softly. Honeymaren offered her a cloth for her face which she gratefully took.
"Real smooth little brother." Honeymaren mocked.
"what did you do to anger the fire spirit now Ryder?" Yelena asked refiling her bowl.
"Nothing Grandmother I swear. I was just eating some of that sweet stuff Anna gave me and he was upset I wouldn't give him any!" He rambled on with his story as Honeymaren leaned in close to Elsa.
"I told you that Bruni had a problem." Her breath tickled Elsa's ear causing a shiver to run down the fifth spirit's spine.
"I – I'm sorry. I didn't realize he would love chocolate as much as Anna and I." As if on cue, Bruni Jumped from the fire pit and onto Maren's head. He stared intently at Ryder. Honeymaren froze praying silently that the little fire spirit would not scorch her hair. Ryder squealed and held out his last piece of chocolate. "Please all mighty fire spirit! I am not worthy!" He pleaded. Bruni jumped from Honeymaren's head and into Elsa's hands. He stared at Ryder, cocked his head and then licked his eyeball. Elsa sighed and produced snow flakes for Bruni's entertainment. He chirped happily and ran circles in her palms.
"Bruni. That was a no no." She scolded. The little spirit clicked as if to apologized. Elsa shook her head disapprovingly. "I mean it. Leave Ryder alone or I will never give you a treat again." She ignored Honeymaren's snickering.
"Aren't you the doting mother." Honeymaren whispered. Elsa rolled her eyes but didn't look at her friend. Honeymaren leaned back to look at her brother. "He'll be back for you." She taunted with and evil grin causing Ryder to pale. Yelena hit her in the back of the head again. "Ow! Grandmother stop that!" She complained.
"Then stop acting like a child. Get going. All of you." Yelena scolded. Honeymaren mumbled something under her breath and the trio made their way to their tents, Bruni scurrying on his way into the forest. The siblings had insisted that Elsa had her tent made near theirs. Elsa turned to Ryder.
"Sorry again Ryder. Bruni will leave you alone. Gale will keep an eye on him." She gave the boy a reassuring smile.
"Thanks Elsa. Sorry again. I'm going to head to bed now. Long day tomorrow." He stretched and made his way to his own tent. "Good night guys!"
"Good night Ryder." Elsa gave a small wave.
"Night little brother." Honeymaren called as Ryder disappeared into his tent. She turned and sat by the trio's own tiny fire pit and started a small blaze.
"Are you not going to bed?" Elsa asked sitting beside the girl.
"Not really tired." She yawned covering her mouth. Elsa chuckled.
"Is that so? Care to tell me what's on your mind?" Elsa pressed. Honeymaren shrugged.
"I had fun today." Honeymaren poked the fire with a stick.
"Ya, me to. I've been having fun every day." Elsa smiled and placed a hand on Honeymaren's leg. "But that's not what you are thinking about." She felt Honeymaren tense under the touch.
"No, it's not. I've just been thinking." She placed her hand on top of Elsa's and gave her a reassuring smile. "can I ask you a question?" She asked hesitantly. Elsa nodded growing worried.
"I'm listening Maren. Ask." Elsa squeezed her hand.
"Ok. Well, I just want to know why you are so determined to master hand to hand combat. I understand wanting to defend yourself but with your powers." Honeymaren began.
"I do not want to use my magic on humans." Elsa didn't let her finish. The blunt response swiftly shut Honeymaren down leaving the two to sit in silence by the fire.
"Not even to defend yourself?" Honeymaren asked in a hushed tone. Elsa shook her head.
"Not even to defend myself." Elsa repeated staring into the fire.
"Why?" Honeymaren asked confused but never taking her eyes off her friend.
"Because last time I did, and I do not mean when I simply made all of you slip on ice the first time we met, I almost killed two men. On purpose." Elsa avoided eye contact. When she didn't continue, Honeymaren released her hand and placed it gently on her shoulder.
"Why were they attacking you?" She asked in a gentle tone. Elsa looked at her.
"What makes you think they attacked me?" She asked. It was a curious tone. Honeymaren smiled.
"Because it took you three months to skin a fish without your hands shaking. It's hard for me to believe you could use your powers to purposely harm someone out of spite." She winked. Elsa gave a sad smile.
"You would think, wouldn't you?" She said sadly. Honeymaren's play full smirk disappeared.
"Tell me what happened Elsa." She handed her the poker. Elsa took it and started teasing the fire. Honeymaren found that giving Elsa something to do while she was trying to convey something about her self somehow made it easier for the older girl.
"OK. If that's what you want." Elsa mumbled. "It happened the day of my coronation. Anna and I got into a …. disagreement and I exposed my powers. Of course, as you probably heard from Olaf's lovely attempts at retelling my isolated life, not even Anna knew I had magic. So." She frowned.
"People were scared." Honeymaren finished. Elsa glanced at her from the side before turning her attention back on poking a small log.
"Yes. People were scared. I panicked and ran. They followed. My sister came to search for me but I refused to go back with her. After some… choice words to each other I made her leave so she wasn't there when they showed up to … assassinate me." Elsa scowled.
"Who were they?" Honeymaren pressed.
"Men from a trading nation who depended greatly on Arendelle's resources. Men who had ill intentions from the very beginning. No doubt the death of my sister and I would cause Arendelle to have no choice but to succumb to other nations. They could have possibly gained access to all of our resources and more." She explained.
"That… does that usually happen at coronations? Anna's seemed rather peaceful." Honeymaren pointed out. Elsa let out a halfhearted laugh.
"The nations did not know me during my coronation. They do now. I do not think anyone would try to hurt my sister knowing who she's related to." Elsa gave a sly smile. Honeymaren laughed.
"Oooo scary." She said sarcastically wiggling her eyebrows. "So, the men, what happened to them?" She took back the poker from Elsa and set it aside.
"Well." Elsa leaned back and placed her hands on the ground behind her staring up at the star lit sky. "I pinned one to the wall with icicles and tried to push the other one off the balcony of my ice palace"
"Ice… Palace?" Honeymaren questioned. Elsa shrugged.
"Long story. Anyway. In the end, Anna's ex-boyfriend showed up and told me to stop. He said Don't be the monster they want you to be. So, I stopped and they lived." She rolled her eyes. "Then he tried to kill both Anna and I for our throne. The end." She lazily turned her head towards Honeymaren. The woman next to her stared at her wide eyed.
"Wow. That's rough buddy." She received a play full punch in the shoulder. Both girls started laughing. "No but seriously. That was a shitty day."
"Ya I slept for 12 hours after that day. Anna said she had to keep making sure I was breathing." Elsa smiled at the memory.
"So, in the end, you were just protecting yourself like you should have been." Honeymaren stretched her arms over her head. Elsa let out a loud sigh and laid down on the soft grass.
"That's what it sounds like, from a narrative point of view." She placed her arms behind her head and watched a shooting star race trough the sky. Honeymaren laid next to her on her side resting her head on the palm of her hand.
"The story continues." She smirked. Elsa slowly turned her head towards Honeymaren. A serious look in her dark blue eyes.
"I wanted to kill them." She said. Honeymaren stayed silent. "I wanted them to feel the pain, the fear, the… anger I had held in my whole life. I wanted to be that monster everyone thought I was and that scared the shit out of me Maren." Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Honeymaren stayed silent. She felt a pain in her chest when she saw a tear stream down Elsa's face. She sighed sitting up.
"So, you think you're a monster because you felt emotion?" She questioned. Elsa sat up beside her and wiped the stray tear away on her sleeve not saying a word. Honeymaren wrapped an arm around Elsa and pulled her close. Elsa didn't resist and rested her head on Honeymaren's shoulder.
"What do you think?" Elsa asked.
"I think, that when my parents were killed by a stray wolf while trying to protect Ryder and I, I didn't think twice to drive my father's spear through it's neck when it turned it's attention to my brother." She explained. Elsa's head shot up and looked at Honeymaren with surprise and slight horror.
"I didn't know. I'm so sorry." Elsa felt horrible. Honeymaren just smiled.
"I didn't tell you that for pity, I told you that because I also felt anger and fear. I wanted it dead and I wanted it to suffer. Ryder actually pulled me off of it." She groaned. "The worst part? I looked up with blood-soaked hands to see a tiny wolf pup staring at us. It was comical. Its mother killed my parents because her pup was starving. The world is cruel Elsa. Feeling does not make you a monster. It makes you human."
"What happened to the pup?" Elsa asked clearly regretting it. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."
"I left food out for her for as long as I could." Honeymaren explained. "She grew and she left. Haven't seen her in years. Elsa stared at her in wonder.
"Maren. Your amazing." She said. Honeymaren scoffed.
"I don't really know what to say to that Princess." Honeymaren gazed up at the stars. Elsa followed her gaze.
"You don't have to." She whispered and pointed to a clutter of stars in the distant. "Lupis" she whispered. Honeymaren followed her finger.
"What?" She asked.
"It's a constellation. Latin for wolf." Elsa traced the pattern of stars with her finger. Honeymaren's eyes widened in wonder as ice formed in the air before them. It came alive and a small wolf pup jumped from the air and ran around the duo before disappearing into the late night in a burst of snowflakes. Honeymaren looked at Elsa, breathless.
"And you say I'm amazing." Honeymaren gasped staring at the blond who watched her reaction intensely. "Your magic is beautiful"
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning struck over the horizon connecting with the ground only miles from the camp. The forest shimmered blue before darkness fell again. The two woman jumped to their feet in utter surprise.
"What the hell was that!" Honeymaren yelled frantically looking around.
"Over there!" Elsa yelled pointing to the smoke rising from the tree tops.
"W – waz goin on." Ryder peaked out half asleep. Bruni, who had clearly snuck into Ryder's tent, stood alert on the boy's head. The little fire spirit chirped and sprinted from the boy's scalp and into Elsa's hands.
"Woah! Bruni! What's wrong!?" Elsa asked as the little salamander as he crawled under her tunic and began to shiver.
"Well that's reassuring." Honeymaren mumbled before turning to her brother. "Ryder! Gather Yelena and the others! I have a bad feeing!" Just then a large shock wave erupted from the forest knocking all three backwards. Gale appeared to cushion the three young adults from hitting the ground. The wind spirit gently placed them on their feet as Nokk appeared before Elsa frantically bobbing his head up and down.
"Uh Elsa? What's happening?" Ryder asked in a panicked voice. Elsa placed her forehead gently on the water spirit's snout and closed her eyes. She turned to her friends.
"They want me to go towards the smoke." She told them.
"Woah settle down." Honeymaren waver her hands. "What are you thinking Elsa? You are not going alone. We talked about this."
"She's afraid of Anna." Ryder whispered to Elsa. He was rewarded with a punch in the stomach from his older sibling. Elsa shook her head and jumped onto the Nokk's back. She sat tall and gave her friends a serious look.
"Well hurry up and grab the others. I will go on ahead." She gave Nokk a command and the two were off leaving the siblings behind.
"Garr! Damn her! Ryder let's go!" Honeymaren yelled.
"Uh right!" He ran after his sister.