Forever At Your Side ch. 2
I am pacing back and forth waiting in my throne room for Marshall to come back with Olaf. I think about to the mercenary and what she has told me about finding my son because I am not sure if she is telling me the truth. I looked into her eyes and they seem so honest… and yet I saw pain and sadness behind them. Could what she had said be true? Did she really find Olaf and tried to return him to me? I am not sure if she's telling me the truth but I do intend to find out. I am pulled out of my thoughts when the doors of the throne room slam loudly against the walls and I turn to see my son running towards me with a large smile on his face. I bend down and hold out my arms to bring him into a tight hug before peppering his forehead with kisses. The greatest fear of a mother is seeing her child in pain or not knowing where he is and I was so fear that something might have happened to Olaf. I looked at him to see that his clothes are completely different than what he was wearing yesterday and I frowned slightly. Did the mercenary and her comrade buy him this?
"I missed you, Mommy" Olaf said smiling.
"I missed you too Olaf but I was so worried about you. Never run off like that again. You could have been seriously hurt or worse" I said sternly.
"I'm sorry, Mommy. It won't happen again" Olaf said hanging his head in shame.
"But I am glad that you are safe now. Did the mercenary make you go with her? She did not hurt you, did she?" I asked running my hand through his hair.
"No Anna didn't hurt me. She and Kristoff found me and tried help me find you" Olaf said shaking her head.
"Did Anna buy you these clothes?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, she said that she didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to ourselves. Don't I look neat?" Olaf asked showing his new clothes to me.
"Yes, you do like very neat but I think it would be best if you only wore them in your room" I said smiling.
"Why?" Olaf asked titling his head to the side.
"Because they are not the clothes that a prince should be wearing in front of his subjects or other royals, do you understand?" I asked hoping that he does.
"I guess so but where are Anna and Kristoff? Are they hiding?" Olaf asked looking around for the mercenaries.
"No, they are not hiding. Kristoff is in the infirmary because he was hurt rather badly so the castle physician is taking a look at him"
"Will he be okay?" Olaf asked worried.
"I am sure that he will be fine. No need to worry" I said wanting to soothe his concern.
"Where's Anna? Is she hurt too?" Olaf asked flailing his arms up and down.
"No Anna is not hurt but she is in the dungeon. Let me talk to Marshall and I will see that she is released, alright?" I asked taking his face in my hands.
"Oh okay but Mommy, Anna isn't a bad person. I think that she's just lonely" Olaf said smiling.
"Okay, now go and play" I said kissing him on the forehead.
"Okay, I love you" Olaf said running off.
"I love you too"
I stand up to my full height as I watch my son run out of the throne room and not before motioning for a guard to trail behind him. I do not want a repeat of what happened yesterday so I have a guard or two trailing Olaf from a few feet behind him so someone is keeping an eye on him. I am glad to know what really happened that day and I have something to take care of.
Ugh, I'm so hungry. I swear that they're trying to starve me to death in this stupid cell. If I see that stupid kid, it'll be too soon. It's his fault that I'm in this fuckin dungeon and why Kristoff's laying up in an infirmary. When I get out of here and the shape-shifter out of this castle, I am getting as far as I can possibly get. The one time that I tell the truth it gets me in trouble and I really didn't kidnap what's-his-name but no I get jail time anyways. What kind of shit is that? I didn't hear the door of the dungeon open and close until I feel a presence standing outside of the cell. I look to my left to see Rufio standing outside of my cell with a confused yet guilty look on his face as he should. He's the sole reason why I'm even in here so he should be feeling guilty right now.
"What do you want, brat?" I asked glaring at him.
"Well I… I thought that you might be hungry so I snuck you a roll and chocolate chip cookie" Olaf said pulling the food out of his pocket.
"Haven't your Mom ever told you to feed the caged animals? You might get rabies" I said growling at him.
"But you're not a animal. Here" Olaf said pushing his hand through the bars.
"Leave me alone, kid. I don't need your pity" I said frowning.
"It's pity. It's a cookie. Please take it, I feel bad. You're in here because of me" Olaf said pouting.
"Well you leave me the hell alone if I take it?" I asked turning to face him.
Olaf nods and I take the roll and cookie from him before taking a bite out of the cookie. I moan at the sweet taste of the gooey chocolate melting in my mouth because it's been a long time since I last had chocolate. I look to see the Prince grinning at me like someone told him that he found the Holy Grail or something. I finished off the cookie and roll before wiping my mouth with my sleeve before leaning against the wall. Olaf sits against the wall next to my cell with his hands on his knees as he sighs audibly.
"Why are you still here? I told you'll leave me alone if I ate the food that you gave me" I said annoyed.
"I'm sorry but you're interesting and cool" Olaf said smiling.
"Interesting and cool? That's definitely a first that those words were used to describe me" I said with a light scoff.
"Why? You have a cool sword and you get to wherever you want to go with you getting worried that you'll hurt. My Mommy worries about me getting hurt a lot but I'm okay. I'm a big boy" Olaf said sticking his chest out.
I chuckled a little at this kid's theatrics. He doesn't know how lucky he is to have someone worrying about his well being and if he's okay. Not a lot of people, hell not many people are that fortunate to have that kind of love. Sometimes keeping your distance is the best way to keep your loved ones safe… even from you.
"Your Mom worries because she loves you and doesn't want to see you get hurt. When you're older, you'll understand. You're big boy but your Dad'll teach you how to be a man"
"I… I don't have a dad. I mean I used but I woke up one day and he wasn't there anymore. Mommy told me that he got very sick with something couldn't be cured and not long before passed way" Olaf said looking down with tears in his eyes.
I know what it's like to lose a parent, hell I lost both of mine and that kind of loss is painful and it never truly goes away. My heart goes out to the little guy because I wasn't much than him when I lost my parents and I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone especially a child. I reached over past the bar and place my hand on the Prince's head, ruffling his hair a little bit.
"I'm sorry for your loss but it's gonna okay. You're a strong boy Olaf an it's okay to be sad about your Dad because you love him but you can't be sad forever. You have your Mom to think and she's gonna need you to be strong. Think that you can do that?"
Olaf sniffles but nods that he understands. That's my boy. What the hell? Where the hell did that come from? Oh boy, I've been in here too long. I need to get out of here and fast. Just gotta wait until nightfall when everyone's asleep and I'm outta here. The Prince looks at me for a second before smiling up at me then the door swings up and it's Captain Asshole. He doesn't look happy but whenever this guy ever look happy about anything but he looked surprised to see Olaf sitting next to my cell before turning to glared heatedly at me.
"Paint a portrait, it'll last longer" I said smirking.
"You're lucky that the Queen found your story truthful or else I would let you rot here for the rest of your days" Marshall said opening the cell.
"Be nice Marshmallow, Anna's my friend" Olaf reprimands.
"Yeah Marshmallow, be nice to me" I said smugly.
Marshall growls at me but doesn't say anything as he takes the handcuffs off of me and I rub my sore wrists. I hate handcuffs. I grab my stuff before following the guard and Olaf up the stairs and out of the dungeons. I had to close my eyes before letting them adjust to the brightness of the corridors before the Prince takes me to the infirmary where Kristoff is and I couldn't get there fast enough. I pushed the doors to see the shape-shifter laying on one of the beds with bandages wrapped around his midsection would his wound was. He looks at me before smiling as he pulls on his shirt and I sigh in relief that he's okay. Thank Odin for his regenerative abilities or he'd really be in trouble but we can move on now.
"How are you feeling, buddy?" I asked smiling.
"I'll be better once we find Sven" Kristoff said standing.
"Heh me too. Let's get out of here" I said motioning towards the door.
"I wanna come" Olaf chimed in. I looked down at him because I forgot that he was even in the room before bending down so I'm eye level wit him. The prince looks at me with a squinty look on his face like he's constipated or something and I chuckled a little bit before ruffling his hair. He might be a pain in the ass but he's not that bad of a kid and he'll make a great king someday. I might come back someday to teach him how to spit like a real man.
"No Olaf, it'll be better if you stay here" I said smiling.
"Why? You are coming back right?" Olaf asked innocently.
I looked at Kristoff for a second and I see him before making his way over to the young Prince. Olaf looks between the two of us with a confused look on his face before it really clicked in his head that we're not coming back. We can't stay here… I can' t stay here because it'll be better for everyone involved that I wasn't around because he'll be safer that way. I ruffle his hair a little before smiling at him as I pull my hood over my head.
"Sorry Olaf but we're not coming back. Come on Kristoff" I said walking towards the door.
Kristoff follows me and pats Olaf on the head before walking out of the door. Marshall guides us out of the castle and I'm sure that he's happy that we're leaving. We passed the gates and for some reason I looked up to see the prince looking down at us from one of the windows with a teary eyed look on his face. I feel almost horrible for leaving like this but I know that he'll get over it and more than likely forget about us in a week or two. It's best that Olaf didn't get too attached to us and it will only make it more harmful when we did leave him. I turned to face the road and walk towards the inn that we were at before coming here to find the wolf familiar. The shape-shifter is silent for most of the walk towards the edge of town when he finally decides to speak up.
"Are you sure that it's a good idea to leave him like that? You could've done more harm than good, ya know" Kristoff said with his hands in his pockets.
"He'll get over it and it's more the best. If we had stayed any longer, it would've been harder to leave and hurt him even more besides he's only six. Kids bounce back" I said shrugging.
"You didn't"
"I wasn't the average six year old and can we stop talking about this"
"Even so"
"Kris, shut the hell up will ya?~ He's gonna learn about disappointment at some point in his life so why not now. Anyways, just drop it" I said glaring.
"Fine but you can't burying how you feel forever. You can't burying all your emotions because they have a way of coming out one way or another" Kristoff said patting me on the shoulder.
I wish that he would let things go and leave me alone. Even if my feelings come out, I rather not have anyone around to see them because I don't know what I might do or say. We walked halfway to the inn before we finally found Sven who's found shelter with an elderly woman who nursed him to health thinking that he was a huge dog. Kristoff thanks her profusely before we're on our merry way to the another town to find work. I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing by leaving. I hope that I know what I'm doing.
I was not expecting the mercenaries to leave as soon as they did but I guess that it is for the best. Anna did say that she was coming to return Olaf to me and there is nothing left for them to stay any longer than necessary though I do wish she… I mean they would stayed longer so I could have thanked them properly. My son on the other hand, is quite disheartened that the mercenaries are no longer around and it has seemed that he has taken a liking to them. He stares out the window at Anna's retreating back before looking up at me with a sad and hurt look on his face.
"Mommy, can't you make them come back" Olaf asked looking up at me.
"I do not think that I can, sweetie. I cannot force someone do anything that they do not want to do and I do not think that they want to come back" I said bending down to his eye level.
"But you're the Queen and everyone has to do what you say. Please Mommy, bring Anna and Kristoff back" Olaf asked with a quivering lip.
He must really like the both of them. Maybe I could… well it worth a try. I told a nearby guard to get Marshall and fetch after the mercenaries for me before turning to leave. I do know why seeing the female mercenary is making a little excited but my son is quite excited that they are coming back. I should thank them properly for returning Olaf and that is all. Not for any other reason.
"Mommy?"
"Yes sweetie"
"Can Anna teach me how to spit like a man? She promised that you would one day" Olaf said excited.
Wha? Spit like a? What in the world does that mean? She would not possibly spit on the ground like those ruffian in tavern. Is this the person that I would around my son? I do not want Olaf to acquire unsavory habits. I do not know anything about this mercenary and yet I am inviting her back to the castle to thank her. Maybe this is not a good idea. I feel a tug on my dress and look down to see that Olaf was waiting for me to answer his question before losing myself in my thoughts.
"I am sorry, Olaf. I was lost in thought but I am not think that spitting on the ground… 'like a man' is something that a prince should learn" I said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"But Mommy, Anna said that she would teach me when I'm older" Olaf pouted. "No Olaf, that is a disgusting habit to have even if you were not a prince and you are not allowed to learn" I said sternly.
"Okay Mommy" Olaf said hanging his head.
I hate being stern with Olaf but at times I need to be because he does not have his Father no longer and I have to fulfill both the roles of Father and Mother. Sometimes I wish that Jack had not passed away from illness because there is only so much that I can teach a young man. There are only lessons that a father can teach a son and I am not teach them to Olaf. I am hoping that I am doing right by my son and pray to Odin that he will become a gentle, kind yet firm king like Jack was before his health declined.
It been a day and a half since we left Arendelle and I'm standing ankle deep in snow, looking in the direction that we've just came from. Something is telling to go back, back to the castle but I'm trying to ignore it because I know that I can't go back. I shouldn't go back because the kid doesn't need me and is better off without me ruining his life because I know that he's screwed the longer that I stay. I turn around to face the open road when the wind picks up and starts pushing me backwards. Come on, seriously? We're seriously doing this? I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna do it. I'm moving onto the next town, taking the next job that I can take and taking the nearest whore up to my room. Suddenly the Queen, naked, panting and sprawled underneath me flashes behind my eyes and I feel myself becoming semi erect at the thought of moaning my name and begging for more.
I shake my head to get rid of the delicious yet perverse image out of my head. No, No! I can't be thinking of her like that! She's the Queen and the kid's mother. She could have my head on a spike for those kinds of thoughts… well what she don't know can keep me alive plus I doubt she would be interested in me. She's had a child with a man and no way that she would be interested in a woman or a freak of a one. I snap out of my thoughts when Kristoff yells my name and shakes me vigorously.
"What? Kris stop shaking me!" I said pushing his hands away.
"Sorry but you didn't answer me the first few times I called your names. You look like you were deep thought about something although I really don't want to know what it was about" Kristoff said uncomfortable.
"What are you talking?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"You mutter under breath about something before shaking your head and you um well uh" Kristoff said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Just spit it out, Kristoff" I said slightly annoyed.
"You're up" Kristoff said looking away.
"Up? What the hell does that mean? I'm standing up or I'm awake or something?" I asked confused
"Look down" Kristoff said taking a sudden interest in the ground.
What the hell is wrong with him? I look down at the ground to see that there's an obvious bulge in my pants and I sighed annoyed. This is what happens when I let my head run wild and this happens. I think of the most disgusting things in the world to get rid of my not-so-little problem. I'm down and I can't let this happen again. I open my mouth to say something when I hear the thundering of hooves coming in our direction and I turn to see a squad of maybe four or five riders. Kristoff and me move off to the side to let them pass but they didn't pass by us but stopped a few feet away. I see the leader of… whatever this is to be Captain Asshole in the flesh and he doesn't look happy at all to see me and I have to say that the feeling is mutual. Why the hell is he here? Did something happened? There has to be a reason why he's seeking me out after everything that has happened. Marshmallow gets off of high horse literally before walking towards me with a frown on his face.
"What do you want? Here to arrest me again… Marshmallow" I said in a mocking tone.
"No, Queen Elsa requests your presence at the castle immediately" Marshall said through gritted teeth.
"Why?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"I do not know but I was asked to escort you there. You will either come willingly or I will handcuff you and force you to come" Marshall said glaring at me.
"The second one is a little too kinky for my liking. What do you think, Kris?" I asked smirking.
"Very kinky. I think that he might have a thing for us, Anna" Kristoff said playing along.
"I think that he might be more of your type. I like blondes than brunettes so I'll let you have him" I said stepping aside.
"That is very kind of you, kid sir but I am more partial to redheaded woman but I guess that she'll have to do" Kristoff said shrugging his shoulders.
If looks could kill, Kristoff and me would be dead 10 times over by now but too bad for him. Marshall grinds his teeth together and his knuckles are turning white as his grip on the hilt of his sword. I know that I'm pushing with the guy but I don't like him so I'm tapping on his nerves for the fuck of it.
"Fine, we'll come with you" I said smirking.
"We will?" Kristoff asked surprised.
"It's not like they're going to let us go anywhere if we say no so we might as well go with them freely instead of in handcuffs" I replied.
"I guess that you're right"
Marshall relaxes visibly but the glare is still firmly in place but I think that it never goes away. Maybe he's back up or he needs to get laid. Probably both.
~Nicole The Dragon Rider signing off
End of ch. 2
