Where Magic Flows
M. Lauren
Part One: In the Air
"I know how ridiculous this must seem to you, but look, I am fine."
Seated center to the bed, Anna watched as Kristoff paced the width of their bedroom. He refused her his eyes. His expression was determined, brows low and forehead wrinkled. He was a man on a mission, but also fearful to witness.
"My color is back. My head feels fine, and look," Anna rose to stand. "See, I am not dizzy!"
"Anna, sit down, please." Kristoff scolded, and Anna did as she was told.
Everything she had said was true, however, Kristoff no longer had the patience for it.
"The doctor is on his way. There are no ifs, ands, nor buts about it! Mattias has already sent for him, so you might as well sit back, relax, and wait with me."
His tone was sharp, but Anna didn't take it to heart. Her husband was frightened, and frightened in a way she'd never seen on him before. Kristoff appeared puzzled in his pacing. He was searching for answers regarding things he knew very little about. Because, if Anna was sick, there were no answers on how to make her better, and knowing this; Anna decidedly let him fret.
"I know you are worried, but look at the bright side- whatever is bothering me, it comes and goes. This is not the same as what we have seen in the children! My stomach is fine, a little queasy at times, but I am not getting sick, and that's a good start!"
"You were feeling queasy?" Kristoff's angered face suddenly appeared at her side.
"You missed all the positive things I'd said, and jumped right onto that one…" Anna grumbled with a slight roll of her eyes.
Ignoring her frustrations, Kristoff climbed onto the bed. He pulled Anna's arms away from her chest, and held her hands in his.
"I'm sorry. I know I am driving you crazy." Her brows lifted knowingly, but Kristoff went on. "-and maybe exaggerating things a bit, but Anna, please, for my own peace of mind, as well as for your own, just be honest with the doctor. Let us help you figure this out..."
She stared at Kristoff for a long moment. Anna's eyes searched his face until finally, she released a sigh.
"Okay," she promised, and she meant it.
The heat of the summer sun was at new high when Elsa left her hut midmorning. Her conversation with Ryder had brightened her spirits, and Elsa felt refreshed and ready to continue her search.
Apologizing to Honeymaren took precedence, though. Their last conversation had left her feeling uneasy. Seeing that far-off look in her brown eyes, and the almost impersonal smile that Honeymaren put on for her; Elsa couldn't understand it. Yet, regardless of understanding, the interaction weighed heavy on her heart. Elsa thought it better to face Honeymaren head-on, so then she might enjoy her newfound motivation.
Elsa located Honeymaren tending to the crops to the east of the village. Their supply had, luckily, fared well during Bruni's rebellion. They lost a section of wheat plants, and a handful of corn, but the rest remained unscathed.
Honeymaren was busy working alongside the other women when Elsa approached. Elsa always thought it humorous when Honeymaren was assigned to harvest duty. Her fearless, strong-minded friend never looked as if she belonged in the farmlands. And today was no different. Honeymaren's efforts were jaded. Her thoughts were elsewhere, and she aggressively tended to the cabbage in front of her.
If she sensed Elsa behind her, Honeymaren did not look up. She was on her knees, welling out dirt, when Elsa lowered at her side.
"Hi," She greeted. A small smile tugged at Elsa's lips.
"Hello," Honeymaren echoed. Her attention held to the task at hand.
"May I borrow you for a moment?"
Eyes briefly closing, Honeymaren fought a sigh. When they reopened, she wiped her hands along the tops of her pants, and then turned to find Elsa. Immediately, Honeymaren wished she hadn't. Elsa lingered a few centimeters too close to her face. Her bottom lip sank beneath her teeth, and seeing that drove Honeymaren's eyes wide.
She swiftly pulled back from her, moving quickly toward the next plant. "I'm expected to finish the harvest before midday..." Honeymaren whispered.
"This will only take a second."
Defeated, Honeymaren's gaze swept through the crowd of women around her. They were all preoccupied in their own work. No one would notice if she disappeared for a short while, however, the idea of being alone with Elsa had Honeymaren perturbed. She didn't have her emotions in check. She was angry, and knew she was lacking the right to be.
"Fine," Honeymaren huffed and rose to her feet. "-but only for a second."
Unwilling to waste that second, Elsa led Honeymaren to the recesses of the clearing. It bordered the forest, but was far enough away for anyone to hear what she had to say.
When they came to a stop, Elsa's hands fought to her waist. She had her eyes on them, watching as her fingers twisted together.
"Well?" Honeymaren asked. Her hands splayed over her hips.
Elsa's eyes rose to her tentatively, surprised by the offputting nature of Honeymaren's tone. "I wanted to apologize to you again- for being rude to you yesterday. You didn't deserve it, and I know you were only looking to help me."
"Is that all?" Her response was sharp. Honeymaren's head tilt to the side.
Elsa blinked. "Well, yes. I mean, I'm not one for excuses, but I have had a lot on my mind between the spirits leaving and Arendelle, and I should not have taken my frustrations out on you."
Silence reigned between them. Honeymaren's stare was strict and unwavering. Elsa could almost sense the way the woman's teeth grit behind her lips.
"So, you've said." she finally replied. "-and as I have said, it is fine. Now, are we done here?"
Honeymaren's back was on Elsa before she could respond. Nevertheless, Elsa was not so quickly defeated. She reached out, snatching Honeymaren's hand, and held her still. Elsa then came to face her. She circled around Honeymaren's waist and met her eyes with a small frown.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "I am sensing, quite loudly, that you may still be angry with me..."
Elsa released Honeymaren's hand. Her brow arched and her lips pulled coyly to the side. Unappreciative of Elsa's teasing, Honeymaren crossed her arms.
"I am not angry." she feigned. "I am tired and there is a lot of work to be done around here."
Once again, she did not wait for Elsa's reply. With her arms crossed and movements quick, Honeymaren set back for the field.
Elsa watched her stomping away. "You are angry with me!" she announced, almost as if she had solved a new riddle. "Please, tell me, what did I do to upset you?"
Honeymaren shook her head. She could hear Elsa's feet hurrying after her, and she refused to slow.
"I'm not upset!" she shouted, but the tone gave her away.
Flustered, Honeymaren came to a stop. Her eyes flickered between women watching her from the other side of the field.
"Look, if you are needing someone to talk to right now, perhaps Ryder would be a better fit for you?"
"Ryder?" Elsa came to a halt, a mere foot from where Honeymaren stood. Her shoulders pulled up in confusion, and she shook her head. "I don't understand... I am trying to talk to you!"
"But I don't want to talk!" Honeymaren defended, and she spun back to Elsa with a fierce growl. "I don't want to talk to you, or anyone else for that matter! Besides, you don't have to lie to me, or spare my feelings in any way. I know you know now, Elsa!"
The pained expression Honeymaren bore was perplexing. Elsa's frown deepened in response. "What do I know? I'm afraid I don't understand what's going on here?"
Honeymaren rolled her eyes. Acid returned to her tongue. "Ryder has feelings for you! That's why you've come here, correct? Not to apologize, or to ask me how my morning is going, but to tell me what happened between you and my brother last night!"
"Last night…" Elsa's confusion only thickened until her eyes suddenly struck wide. "Oh! That? But wait- Ryder has feelings for me?"
The air punched from Elsa's lungs.
"Yes!" Honeymaren nearly bellowed. "-and please, drop this act... I know you have feelings for him, too!"
"I hope you don't mind me asking your husband to leave?"
Doctor Laugen smirked as his thumb dug toward the door.
"Oh, no…" Anna blushed. She stood from the bed and came to face him. "Kristoff means well, he does, but sometimes… he can get a bit carried away…"
"He cares about you." Doctor Laugen shrugged. "There is nothing wrong with that."
Nodding, Anna's eyes drifted toward the floor. She pulled idly at her fingers, and swayed uneasily on the balls of her feet.
"So, what brings me here today, your majesty?" Anna's attention was directed back to the man's face. "Lieutenant Mattias has stated that this meeting bears absolute confidentiality, which I will admit, had me feeling a tad anxious. However, looking at you, you appear alright! Your complexions fine. I typically happen upon a much different scenario when I am directed to a patient's bed chamber..."
"Right…" Anna's cheeks further darkened. "As I said, Kristoff can take things to the extreme faster than I realize it is happening."
"Tell me, then." Doctor Laugen came to sit on the trunk at the foot of the bed. He patted the space beside him, motioning for Anna to join. "Why is your husband going to extremes?"
Instead of sitting, Anna came to lean against one of the posts. Her attention diverted to her hands. "Well, you see, Doctor… Kristoff is nervous, and I suppose it would be truthful to say that I am feeling nervous, too; but we're afraid I may have contracted this illness that's spreading through Arendelle…"
Her eyes rose towards his hesitantly.
"-and what has you believing this?" Doctor Laugen's head turned. His hand waved over Anna's height. "You appear healthy. Your face is bright with good color, as are your eyes. You know as well as I do that these are not the same symptoms we have seen in the children down in the clinic."
"I know, I know…" Anna assured him. "-but, there is something not quite right here…"
"Go on," he encouraged her, flashing Anna a small grin.
Needing space, Anna wandered away from where Doctor Laugen sat. She began to pace the floor at the side of her bed.
"You see, I have these dizzy spells, and then there's the headaches, not to mention the nausea and just downright awful feeling that takes over sometimes, especially in my chest, well breasts- and the spells never seem to last long! No, never more than an hour or two at most, but they, um, do appear to get worse each day. So, I might not be sick with the bad sick, no, but I do think there's something wrong with me…"
"I see," Doctor Laugen hummed. "-and for how long have you been experiencing these symptoms?"
Anna shrugged as she finally came to a halt in front of him. "I am not certain, maybe a week, maybe two? I have been trying to ignore it…"
Doctor Laugen nodded. "Hmm, well, not exactly the timeline we have been facing down in the clinic." He briefly touched his chin. "-and there has been no stomach pain nor vomiting?"
"No, not yet, anyway," Anna shook her head. "- and that has to be a good thing, right? You wouldn't have me still standing here if you thought I contracted that illness..."
The doctor chuckled. "No, your majesty, I do not believe you have the illness. I do, however, believe that you may be in need of a different type of specialist."
Anna's eyes widened. Her head tilt to the side as it shook. "What do you mean? What kind of specialist?"
Doctor Laugen stood with his hands held tight in his pockets. "Your majesty, when was your last menstrual cycle?"
"My last- what?" Anna's brows touched to her hairline. Her heart suddenly sped up beneath her ribs. "Oh. Oh holy-"
Anna's words fell away. She sunk against the bed. Very tentatively, she met the doctors gaze and he smiled at her.
Elsa wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry, but more than anything, she wanted to run away.
Talking about Ryder, and in front of his sister- talking about attraction regarding Ryder in any capacity was enough to make her flee. But this…
"Honeymaren, I don't know what you think you know, but I most certainly do not have feelings for your brother!" Elsa's voice was low and hoarse. Her cheeks tinged pink as her eyes rolled in their sockets.
She had never felt so emotionally vulnerable before, and she wasn't quite sure what had brought it on. Her entire life was spent experiencing fear. However, this was different than that. This was uncomfortable; unchartered territory even. To be accused of having feelings for someone else- it was so seemingly normal that Elsa could not believe she was the target.
"Why can't you just admit it? I was there, and I saw you both!"
Honeymaren was now fully facing Elsa, wearing a wicked glare. It was intimidating, like nothing Elsa had seen from the woman before. Honeymaren was frightening when angry, and Elsa knew she should be afraid. But whether it was the humor or the uncertainty of the situation, Elsa found herself more entertained than anything else. Regardless, she knew this was no longer the time nor the place. Worried that Honeymaren may cause a scene, Elsa started to back away.
"Look, Honeymaren, this is not what I came here for. We can deal with your accusations later!" Her hands rose at her sides and she spun around.
Honeymaren charged after her. "Avoidance is as good as a passive yes, so what I am saying must be true!" she jested.
"No," Elsa nearly snorted. "You could not be further from the truth..."
Honeymaren's laughter rang in from over her shoulder, but Elsa kept walking. Down through the lower field, and over the embankment, Elsa drove them towards the woods.
"You wanted to talk, and now suddenly you are no longer interested?" Honeymaren huffed, blowing the fallen hairs from her face. "Why don't you just tell me what the two of you talked about, then? Or is it something so deeply personal that I'm not at liberty to know?"
Elsa came to a dramatic halt. She spun on her heels with her finger raised. "What is going on here? What am I missing?" Her face flashed between emotions. "You know, I would tell you what we talked about if that was really what you wanted to hear, but you and I both know that you are fishing for something else; something that did not actually happen, and I don't know why you are doing it!"
Crossing her arms, Honeymaren stepped in closer. "Funny, how am I the one fishing, when you're the one parading around as bait?"
Jaw wavering, eyes erratically wide; Elsa's thoughts fluttered from conscious. Her expression turned bored and she shook her head.
"I am not even going to touch that one." Her voice came at a deadpan before walking away once more.
Elsa had made it no more than two feet before anger drove back through her chest. Whatever was happening here, it was ridiculous. And the worst part was, Elsa didn't understand it at all. She had come to Honeymaren to apologize, and was now being forced to listen to her outrageous accusations. None of it made any sense.
She tried to dig through the years of novels she read in a matter of seconds. Why did events like these happen in books? Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, and instead her anger continued to grow.
Quite suddenly, she was spiralling back toward Honeymaren. Her frustrations had reached their hilt, and they released in a burst of unwarranted laughter.
"Do you want to know what your brother said to me last night?" Elsa didn't wait for Honeymaren to respond. "I went to Ryder to apologize for the burn, and he told me that it wasn't my fault. He did not tell me he had feelings for me- and thank you for that by the way; that should certainly make things comfortable around here for a while- but I went to Ryder as a friend, and he treated me like a friend. Now, please, can we stop with these dramatics?"
Honeymaren could only stare, and Elsa stared right on back. Behind brown eyes, the anger was fading, but something else remained. What she could read there, it had Elsa feeling confused. Her brows tucked together and she swung her head to the side.
"Wait," Elsa stopped. Her hand fluttered between them. "Why do you even care?"
"What?" The question was forced from Honeymaren's lungs. She balked at Elsa behind wide eyes.
"Why do you care how Ryder feels about me? And what does it matter to you how I respond?" She shook her head, blonde hair curtaining her face. "It makes no sense..."
Honeymaren rolled her eyes. Tight fists drew in at her side. "I don't care! You've got this all wrong-"
"Do I?" Elsa's brow arched. "Is this jealousy?" A small smirk lifted to her lips and a light lit behind her eyes. "It is, isn't it? Because, if I didn't know any better, all of this anger and deflection; it's stemming from some place else… I think you are jealous, Honeymaren!"
"H-hey now.. Will you wait just a second here!" Honeymaren stammered through words.
"No, you are! Aren't you? I can't believe it!" Elsa cheered.
It felt as if she'd put the puzzle back together. It was rewarding! Honeymaren was jealous!
"But, wait… jealous of what?" Elsa's grin faded quick. "I don't understand, of your brother? No, that doesn't make sense…"
Across from her, Elsa watched Honeymaren grow incredibly small. Her arms wrapped protectively around her waist. Her shoulders rolled up into her neck. Elsa had never seen Honeymaren appearing so caught off guard. Her cheeks were pink, and she almost looked… embarrassed...
"Wait…" Elsa hummed again. Her head turned slowly to each side. "-before, when you brought up Ryder… you said, that he was a better fit for me than…"
Elsa's voice began to trail off. Honeymaren was no longer looking at her. She had taken two shakey steps back. Her cheeks were buried into the collar of her tunic, and her skin had gone from pink to flushed.
"Oh…" Alarm suddenly filled Elsa's brain. Her skin grew warm, and her chest… very heavy.
"...a better fit for me than...you?"
It took a full minute for Honeymaren's eyes to meet Elsa's wide ones.
The way she bit her lip, and the fog of guilt laced over her expression; what Elsa had guessed was true.
Ryder was not the only Nattura who had feelings for her.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, or in this case - hell hath no fury like a woman who is jealous of her dorky, reindeer-loving brother making moves on her fifth spirit...
Cheers,
-M.