The eerie twilight of the winter evenings made moving safely in the forest a difficult task. Out of nowhere, or so it seemed, low hanging branches appeared just in the right height to hit you over the head or inexperienced roamers oversaw the rabbit hole on the next hill, making them stumble and fall hart on the frozen ground.

But not Yelena!

Her whole life she had spent here, in the land of her ancestors, and as she walked through the woods of her present, the sweet sound of Linga's wind chimes following her every step, she felt like traveling back in time, nearly seeing her childhood self, playing wild games with her friends, getting into trouble more often than she could count, chasing after the spirits that had been their allies at that time.

Such a carefree time, in which she only seemed to worry about when was the next time she could steal her favorite bread from the hearth of her mother, her only duty to obey her elders and betters, a task she did not take too seriously back then, for Yelena had always been stubborn and headstrong, even in her younger years, driving her parents crazy at times.

She had been the only child of the Sternic family, her parents, both gentle to the point of shyness, had little in common with their wild daughter.
Mother and father had been great cabinetmakers, their woodwork highly regarded by everyone, had been a bit worried as their daughter showed no interest in the family profession, or for anything else that they considered proper, preferring to sneak into the woods, swimming with Nokk in the nearest pond, climbing an Earth Giant or race Gale until her legs could not carry her anymore, slumping down wherever the stood, may it be under a tree or in the soft grass of a meadow, falling asleep as soon she hit the ground and no matter how cold it was she always felt warm when she woke up, the ground beneath her plastered with little lizard tracks.

When she was not doing that she had rough play fights with much older kids, she won most of the time, earning respect from her peers.
But their worries soon turned into pride as their daughter showed high potential in the fighting lessons, soon picked for advanced training, the first warrior in the family, an unyielding protector of the Northuldra.

Her years as a young warrior with her comrades at her side, on the back of Leder, her first reindeer, had been a time full of adventure. She had felt strong, ready to defend her people against all odds.

Even after all this time she remembered like it was yesterday, the wind in her, then dark brown hair as she rode along the border, the long hours of standing guard or the days of tracking a lynx or a wolf pack that came to close to the herd or the campsite.

There were good times and as Yelena rose in the ranks, soon considered the next in line, life remained good, even with all the added responsibilities, in big part thanks to Johtaja Lethia, the beloved leader that came before her.

His face was still fresh in her mind, his high cheekbones, big nose and eyes with the ever-present glint of good humor in them. Sometimes she missed his calming presence and sound advice more than she could tell.
He had been a good teacher, able to tame her wild side, and much later, as she, long after she became his successor, had decided to marry his eldest son Hyv, he was the best father in law one could wish for.

Hyv had looked nothing like his father, who had been tall and thin, while the young man had been only half a head taller than Yelena herself, and always remained on the chubbier side but he made Yelena laugh so much that tears would run down her face, and he was kind and good and had the most mesmerizing green eyes, so unusual for a Nothuldra, that would reflect the moonlight in the most enticing way whenever they would sneak out alone to talk and sometimes not to talk at all, and so after spending yet another night gazing at the stars, she surprised them both as she asked him unceremoniously, without flowers or reindeers to marry her, breaking all tradition but he seemed not to care at all.

Thinking back was enough to make her heart flutter again! As he had said yes, his eyes were so full of love and happiness that it had took Yelena's breath away.
As they announced their engagement their friends and family were happy for them, but also surprised, the whole tribe wondering how two so different people could end up together and gossiping about how the shy and sweet Hyv had managed to win over the powerful warrior that was Yelena.
The moment as Hyv told his father at dinner, were Yelena was a constant guest at that point, that he would marry his successor, was one of the few times she ever saw her leader at a loss for words, surprised but proud of his son and immensely pleased with the prospect of Yelena becoming a part of the family.

But Yelena had more surprises for her people, by taking Hyv's name, even as it would have been traditional for him to take hers, with Yelena being next in line for leadership, but her adolescence as Yelena Sternic had been less than pleasing.
The loss of her parents, when she turned sixteen, had been hard, and being an orphan at this age meant that she was young enough to feel lost and lonely but already old enough, to let her pride rule her and live alone, not excepting help from willing families that wanted to take her in. So she hoped for a better life as Yelena Lethia and Hyv gave her every reason to be hopeful.

They married when Yelena was twenty-two, on a gorgeous summer day and the whole tribe celebrated wildly but the two of them had soon retreated, of to a small campsite Hyv had prepared, weeks before the ceremony. It was a beautiful spot, far off from the tribe and well-hidden, a creek flowing close by and many white flowers growing there, a perfect place to spend their first days as a married couple.

He was a good husband, the care and the effort he had shown in preparing their honeymoon shined through in everything he did, always remaining understanding when she had to spend hours at Johtaja's side, slugging through council meetings, traveling to the other tribes, tending to alliances or spending long nights on patrol duty, not to mention the countless hours she trained herself or taught others in the art of fighting.

Yelena always hoped she was also a good wife to him, trying her best, not minding the effort it took to stay focused when he talked endlessly about the best respite for bread or the next cake he had invented, knowing he did the same whenever she told him about the newest fighting move she pulled of or how far she was able to shoot with her bow, forgetting her tired muscles when she saw his smile when she brought him his favorite flowers or the hazelnuts he so skillfully backed with and tried to be mindful about the many anniversaries he loved to celebrate like the day their first kissed or the day they're met, a thing that she, apart from their wedding day, had no head for.
But the way his beautiful eyes light up whenever she brought him a gift on one of these days where he insisted to celebrate the most silliest things, made the tedious task of remembering them all, so, so worth it.

Yelena's hopes to be happier with her new last name were more than fulfilled. Not only Hyv at her side and Johtaja treating her like a daughter made life wonderful, but the whole Lethia-family had taken her in, treating her like one of their own, and Yelena who had missed out on feasts that were traditionally for close kin, threw herself into family life, never too tired for one of Hyv's relatives coming over or watching a nice when the exhausted parents needed a break, quickly rising in popularity of the children among the family thanks to her dry wit and welcoming nature.

There was only one could at her horizon, small at first but growing with every year of their marriage.
After two years Yelena got nervous, dreading every month, hoping her circle would sit out, but every time, without fail it came, mocking her with its steadiness.
She knew it was stupid and no one gave her a hard time about it, but she felt bad that she did not become pregnant, for it was Hyv's biggest wish to become a father and even though she could not know it, she felt in her heart that it was her fault somehow.
Johtaja was a great support in this time, where she punished herself and withdrew a little from her husband, even though he had given her absolutely no reason too.

'Give it time Yelena. Nature will take its course when it wants to.' he had said as he shared her worries with him, his eyes soft and full of understanding.

Yet she still felt like she had failed.
Oh, how naive she had been, thinking she knew anything about failure back then.

King Runeard showed her what it was like to truly fail. He came to the forest, charmed her tribe, including herself, all deceived by the king of kind words for Runeard knew how to talk, to look like he meant well while following his dark intentions.
Only after he build his dam, the Northuldra got suspicious as they saw the negative effect it had on nature but it was too late by then.

Johtaja tried anyway, hoping that it was a simple mistake by a well-meaning friend, only to be rewarded by a sword in his back.
The fight that followed had been brutal but not as unforgiving as Yelena was to herself after the battle had died down, all realizing that they were cut off from the outside world and finding their leader slain.
She blamed herself for not being more observant, more on alert.
Why did she let Johtaja go alone to meet Runeard? Why had she not noticed anything? Why had she not seen the signs of treachery sooner?

So many whys, every single one a stab in Yelena's heart
She had failed! Failed her leader, failed her husband, failed her whole tribe…she should have known, but she did not, she had trusted the King, thinking of him as harmless.
Oh, how wrong she had been!

But Yelena had to learn that self-pity and doubt was a luxury she could not afford any longer!
Angry spirits, which made certain areas of their already shrunken territory certain death traps, combined with the Arendellian soldiers and natural predators, like wolves and bears, who fought more fiercely for every scrap, now that their hunting grounds were limited too, all that made surviving harder than ever before, but Yelena pushed through, managing to turn the pain over her loss and failure into a relentless drive that let her overcome any problem, any obstacle with the wisdom and cunning of someone much older and soon the whole tribe trusted her word blindly.
Yelena managed to negotiate a fragile peace with Mattias and after some time the Northuldra found themselves prosper again, the reward for their resilience and adaptability.

Never was she so thankful for the lessons Jothaja had given her and one early morning, as she made her usual round through the camp she could see that her people handled the situation admirably.
It was not perfect by any means, there were many things that were not pleasant but they all had to live with, like a certain amount of guarding and supervision that cut into the personal freedoms of the individual. Yelena tried to keep these measures to a bare minimum but they were necessary to ensure the survival of the tribe as a whole.
And it worked, all were healthy, well-fed and many children were born, a whole generation that may never have seen a clear sky but were strong and happy as they could be, true Northuldra to the very last.

Among them was Honeymaren, born on a stormy autumn day, nearly eleven years after the mist had first clouded the sky, and as she grew, Yelena finally understood what Johtaja had meant as she had asked him what seemed several lifetimes ago, what had made him so sure that she should be his successor.

The prospect of choosing the next leader had made Yelena more nervous than any other of her future duties.
What if she made a mistake? Picked someone to soft-hearted for the task or someone that turned cold like ice or greedy, exploiting nature to the point of no repair?
But Johtaja had only smiled, his eyebrows raised knowingly at her.

'You will know.' he had stated simply, ignoring further probing of his successor, laughing lightly as desperate attempts to get more advice out of him.
But with Honeymaren there was no doubt! She was the one, the next in line, strong and kind enough to lead the Northuldra when she was no more.

Rarely had her heart and mind spoken so loud and clear on a matter!

Life was good, in a way, her people made it so, refusing to give in to the disappear that the lack of freedom brought, doing their best with what they had, and even though she did not share it with anyone, not even with her husband, so no false hope could cloud their judgment, she believed firmly that being imprisoned forever was not the destiny of her people.

This nearly blind faith in this feeling was reassured, that after so many years, at a point where she already had accepted her fate to never have a child of her own, she became pregnant, the words of her mentor proven right.

'Nature will take its course when it's want to.'

It would be the same with the mist, when nature wanted to, she would free them, Yelena was sure of that.

Yelena had reached her destination as the night fell fully on the forest, the basket in her hand tinkled pleasantly in the soft, yet cold breeze, as she stepped on a beautiful clearing were in spring, many kinds of buttercups grew and the delightful rushing of a brook filled your ears, that had many big flat rocks in it that made it easy to cross.
The simple but pretty flowers were said to be a favorite among the Huldreds, so she hoped that this one was no exception and that even snow-covered the clearing now, the memory of its beauty in spring was enough to draw the nymph here.

Heading to the brook she braced herself for the cold as she took off her shoes rolling up her sleeves and her trousers she got to work.
Even in the dark Yelena had no problem to find what she needed, the full moon giving her enough light to work with as she collected some smooth pebbles of all shapes and sizes and began to build them on top of each other, balancing them to a high structure, that stood in the flowing water, something beautiful to catch the magical creatures eye.

She stoically ignored the coldness of the water as she worked, letting her mind wandered back to the time of her pregnancy and smile grazed her lips as he thought of how nervous she had been.
For her first birth she was quite old and she feared that something could go wrong.
Bearing a child was always a risk even for a younger and fitter body than hers; there was no way to deny that.
But with Rue's help, nature gifted her with a beautiful and healthy daughter, coming in looks after her father, but much more wily and louder in her firsts moments on this earth than he had been in his whole life as she clenched her little fists in a feisty manner, taking her first breath and greeting the world with loud wailing.

They called her Iloh, after her grandmother, the late wife of Johtaja who had passed a few months prior, leaving Hyv heartbroken and made the birth of his daughter a very bittersweet experience.

Iloh was a wild little thing even in her younger years. No warrior by any means, but fierce like one. She was also kind, smart and eager to learn, but always full of mischief and soon she had a reputation, that she loved to uphold as it seems.
None of her pranks were dangerous or really harmful and so Yelena only tried to appear strict with her daughter more to appease the last victim of her misdeeds, her heart never really into the scolding she gave her.
Her daughter had her wrapped around her little finger, a fact Hyv chided her for but Yelena could not help herself, barely able to hide her pride when she watched her girl running through the camp, among many of her peers, her laugh, mingled with the jubilation of the others, rising up to the misty sky, a loud and carefree sound, that gave her hope and made it impossible for the normally stern leader to stay that way.

In moments like these she just knew that one day she would see the stars again, with Hyv and Iloh by her side, the moon like a big round jewel in the sky, teaching her daughter all the constellations she remembered, making all this worth it.

But it was not meant to be.
Hyv's heart chooses a warm summer night to stop beating, his beautiful eyes closed in eternal sleep, to never see the stars again. Rue could not find any sign of a sickness or anything else that could have caused his death, sadly stating that for some the end came sooner than others.
He had been not young anymore but not so old that Yelena would have expected his death in the near future and it had hit her hard, a blow she had not seen coming.

The pain Yelena felt was nearly unbearable, so much so that she wondered sometimes what she would have become of her when she did not had Iloh to take care of.
The poor girl had just turned elven a few weeks before her father's death, so young and already forced deal with so much, first the mist and now this.

It was the first time that Yelena had seen her daughter truly forlorn, lost and it broke her heart, nearly making her forget her own pain, pushing her to move forward, making sure their child had a future like Hyv would have wanted her to!

Luckily time is a great healer, and bringer of many joys, like watching her daughter grow into a spirited young woman, finding her calling as a healer in training, witnessing how Maren grew into her role more and more every day, how all the children that had been born under her reign turned into responsible adults, many now with families of their own, how the elders of the tribe were happy and taken care of and the many, many celebrations that the Northuldra loved to have.

There were hard times too, losses to be mourned for no one lived forever but as year 35 of living under the mist came closer, Yelena had made her peace with the fact that she would not see the clear sky again, never ride freely on the plains, the wind in her hair, thankful of what she had been granted in life, hoping that at least her daughter would have the chance to be truly free one day.

And then Elsa and Anna came to the forest, and out of all people in the world, it were Runeard's granddaughters that fulfilled that wish, gifting her daughter the sky, the sun, the stars!
And as Elsa revealed herself to be the fifth spirit Yelena could only marvel at the winding paths nature took sometimes.
The first night free of the mist brought Yelena and Iloh together without any of them planning to, their steps leading them to a cliff that provided a perfect view on the clear sky, mother and daughter looking up to the stars and after a long pause, Yelena pointed at the first constellation she recognized.

'This is the rabbit' she had said and her daughter had tilted her head and squeezed her eyes as if to see better.
At this moment she had looked so much like her father that Yelena's chest felt tight all of a sudden.

'How can you see a rabbit in this?'

'It takes some time and practice. Luckily you have all the time in the world to become good at this.'

Iloh's green eyes that shined even in the light of the stars glistened a little, her smile had turned somewhat bittersweet as she leaned into her, burying her head into the crock of her neck, her arms around Yelena, holding on tight something that she had not since she was a child.
There was silence for a while, not an uncomfortable one, but loaded with a feeling Yelena was sure she shared with her daughter.

'I wish he were here now.'

Yelena had not to ask who Iloh meant for she too wished it would be so.

'But I am happy that you are still here. Thank you for your strength mother.'

The wise leader had not seen this one coming, strong emotions rising in her, a wild mix of sadness, joy but mostly gratitude and love for the strong woman her sweet girl had grown into and that she had been there to witness it.

'Anytime' she had managed to say, even though her voice nearly failed her, and she meant it, ready to face all these hardships again if it meant she could end up here again, with her daughter at her side and the stars above her.

It was remarkable how fast her people had accustomed to the new life, enjoying the freedoms it brought and were mindful of the dangers that appeared, the tribe flourishing more and more with every day and all made possible by Elsa and Anna and if anyone had told her that she would love the granddaughters of the man that had killed her beloved mentor, like there were her own she would have declared this poor soul crazy.

Anna found her way easily into her heart, being brave and determent, reminding her so much of Iloh at times.
She enjoyed writing her letters that soon did not only contain matters of the state but turned into a weekly back and forth that was most enjoyable. She was a strong ally, smart and resourceful and a good friend on top.

Elsa was friendly and brave like her sister but to really warm up to her took longer.
The young woman was much more reserved, able to hide her true feelings better than her younger sister and even though Yelena was just as polite to her as to anyone else, she could not help herself but feel a bit wary at first, Runeard's ability to hide his intentions and the dire consequences his treachery had brought still prominent in her mind even after all these years, and what if his granddaughter was made of the same stuff?

But nature had spoken, by making her the fifth spirit and time was not only a good healer but also a reveler of truth, and soon she saw Elsa for who she truly was, a kind-hearted, considered, somewhat awkward young woman, who had bravely faced her destiny, nearly sacrificing herself to fulfill her promise of freeing them.
And day by day she learned more about the fifth spirit as she taught Elsa how to read and write Northuldran, helping her adjust as much as she could, watching her as she build friendships she had so long do without, witnessing the blossoming relationship with Maren, and all that brought Yelena more joy then she thought ever possible.

And now there were all in danger. Her daughter, Maren, Anna, her whole tribe and Elsa in particular, the report brought by the scout that Fara and Lakris sent had been more than concerning.
Their visitor spoke little among themselves, the forest unnerving them as far the scouts could tell, but what they said…
'Taking care of the witch' was the most polite thing they ushered in low whispers.
And additionally the Northuldra had somehow managed to anger a magical being that worked against them as it seemed.

All this and more shoot through Yelena's head as she placed the final touches to her structure, knowing that something so unusual would please the Huldred immensely and combined with the basket full of treats hopefully draw her attention long enough to talk to her.
She left the basket on one of the flat stones in the middle of the brook, stepped out of the water, wincing slightly had the cold snow at her feet and put on her shoes quickly, straighten her clothes, facing the brook before bowing her head respectfully, her voice sounding loud and clear across the clearing.

"I am Yelena Lethia, leader of the Northuldra and I have come to ask for your forgiveness, nymph of the forest, for one of us must have done something to anger you. Please accept our humble gifts and our apology."

The feeling of being watched crept up on Yelena, the air around her almost sizzling with magic as it got darker, the light of the moon dimming down significantly and as she looked up again she saw a shadowy figure standing in the river, the outlines of the Huldred barely visible, her hair moving in the air like there were underwater, her eyes gleaming red in the darkness as they fixated her with an intense look.

A lesser woman would have shrunken at this almost terrifying demonstration of power but not Yelena.
She had not excepted that the nymph would show herself so quickly, almost like she had been waiting for her, but all the better, she thought as she bowed again, speaking to her respectfully, hoping to call at least a truce with the magical creature until their guests were gone, but to her surprise a sound she had heard only once, long ago when she had been a child, something that sounded like a mix of softly rustling leaves and the sound of the reeds when the wind blew through them.

Laughter?

The Huldred was laughing at her!?
And as Yelena raised her head again she found herself directly in front of these hauntingly beautiful eyes, black hair swirling around her face, and before she could do more than draw in a sharp breath the Huldred leaned even closer and Yelena closed her eyes instinctively, only a blink, thinking for a crazy second that the nymph was going to kiss her but as she opened them again the darkness was gone, the moon shining brightly again and the Huldred stood close to her little sculpture the basket in one hand, smiling sweetly and as Yelena blinked again, she found herself alone, only the rushing of the water for company.

'What was that?' Yelena thought, rubbing her forehead without noticing it, slightly disappointed with this outcome as she turned around to make her way back to camp. She did not know if she had been successful, she could only hope that she had gained the forgiveness of the nymph, for she sure had looked pleased before she had vanished….

'Four out of six? This just gets better and better….' the Huldred thought as she lounged on a tree close to camp, eating another one of these tasty cakes the sly Yelena had brought her.
She had barely believed her luck as one of her desired targets had come to her willingly, even bringing her a gift. She giggled to herself as she thought of the funny face the woman had made after she had received her mark, not releasing what had truly happened to her.

For the mortal it had only been a blink of an eye but in truth it had been much longer.
As soon the lips of the nymph had touched the forehead of her chosen one, sly Yelena had fallen into a trance-like state, her eyes still closed, the mark of her magic giving the Huldred power over the silver-haired woman that send a pleasant tingle through her as he circled the older woman, pleased with her choice.
Now she only needed the talented girl, Linga and of course the crown jewel of her collection, Honeymaren.

'This is going to be so much fun!' she thought, before leisurely picking another one of the cakes.
There were really good! Maybe she would get Issun too…..oh she could see the face of the white spirit already!

'No more cakes for you!'

Her laugh was loud and pleased, full of spiteful joy and anticipation!

Elsa jolted awake, not sure what had woken her, but she was sure she had heard something, a strong gust of wind shaking the trees perhaps?
'Gale?' she asked the wind spirit, and reassurance flowed through her, as Gale offered to look around camp, and after a swift search could find nothing out of the ordinary.

Elsa laid still for a moment, listening intensely so she may catch whatever had woken her in the first place but it was quiet outside, only the hooting of an owl disturbed the tranquility of the night.

Elsa reminded herself that Maren had set up a tight net of guards all in and around camp, well-hidden and on high alert, the whole tribe ready to defend themselves, and combined with Gale keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble, Elsa felt safe, ready to take on anything that might lurk in the shadows.

She lay on her side, draped on fur blankets, the soft material of the blankets pleasant against her bare skin, looking behind her as the firm body, that was pressed into her back, shifted slightly.
A strong arm held her in place, woven protectively around her waist, yet its grip still loose enough so Elsa could turn around fully, facing her companion.
Maren slept peacefully, her bare chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm that soothed Elsa, yet a mere look at her slightly parted lips and exposed skin was enough to reignite that fire that had burned the spirt only a few hours ago in the most pleasant way.

Not able to resit she leaned forward, so their foreheads were touching softly, her hands carefully cupping Maren's face, hoping that the tender caresses of her thumbs were enough to wake the warrior.

She found her wishes fulfilled as brown eyes met hers, blinking in quick succession, still unfocused and clouded with sleep but as Elsa let her hands wander, gracing Maren's neck, her sides, leaning down and placing a longing kiss on her collarbone the snow queen found her need mirrored, eager hands founding the most pleasurable places with ease as Maren flipped them over so she was on top, her mouth crashing down on Elsa's and for a second the fifth spirit felt embarrassed for not being able to control her neediness, waking Maren up in the middle of the night even though she needed to be rested for tomorrow.

But she could not help herself, the new world Maren had shown her too good to not spend time in any opportunity she got, now that she knew how it felt to revel in it, a world of softness and intimacy but also of bruised lips and teeth that left marks on tender flesh, a world Elsa could not get enough of.

All thoughts of embarrassment were washed away as Maren put an arm under her, easily lifted her up and pulled her in her lap, shifting them both so she could intertwine their legs.
Elsa, suddenly understanding what Maren was doing, eagerly helped her and as their centers touched and it was the most amazing feeling.

Then Maren started moving against her and all Elsa could do was to wrap her arms around Maren, clinging to her like a lifeline and answer the slow, yet desperate rhythm the other set, her whole world narrowing down to the woman that made her feel like no one did before and the connection between them.

With the steady pace and the soft bits she received it did not take Elsa long to reach her edge, her high sneaking up on her and Maren did not stop, continuing her movements, slow and steady without missing a beat, stretching out the amazing feeling for Elsa, holding her as she trembled in pure bliss.

A low growl was Elsa's reward as she too started to move her hips forward again, already feeling the familiar tightness growing anew as she encouraged the warrior by kissing every inch of tan skin she could reach.

Griping Elsa's hips, Maren picked up the pace, both seeking the same thing, and as Elsa came the second time, it was nearly painful, her blood pulsing through her, and without thinking she let her fingernails rake over Maren's back, so strong that it must have hurt, and after a few desperate thrusts, she felt Maren's body shaking against her.
After they calmed down, they remained intertwined like this, breathing hard, so close to each other that a younger Elsa had never thought possible and this was enough the spark of desire in her again and even so she was bone-tired she rolled her hips forward again, wanting, needing only to hear Maren hiss in…pain?

"Ah, ah….careful, careful!" Maren spoke through clenched teeth, quickly but tenderly freeing herself, unraveling their legs and laying them down on the furs again, one arm around Elsa, holding her to her side and the other draped over her forehead, heaving.

"Elsa…..I can't again….give me a minute…" she said between labored breaths.

Reassured by the way Maren held her close, she leaned into her, allowing her pale fingers to draw soothing patterns over the lean muscles on the warrior's stomach.

"Are you alright?"

"What? Ah yes…It's just… you know, too sensitive for anything right now."

Elsa tried, she really tried to not let her disappointment show, but as always, Maren caught on.
The warrior's eyebrows nearly vanished behind her bangs, a mirthful smile in her face.

"You are actually disappointed! Aren't you?"

"I am not…" even in her own ears that sounded unconvincing and as she meets Maren's eyes she knew the truth was written all over her face, so strongly that the warrior could guess her true feelings even in the dark.
And sure enough Maren burst out laughing, her whole body shaking as she tried to keep it down so her neighbors were not disturbed further.

"Stop laughing!" Elsa said, her brows furred as she tried to get out of the other's arms, feeling ashamed of herself, but before she could get away Maren pulled her back in and held her closer.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to laugh, but Elsa! It was your third this night, are you never satisfied?" she teased her slightly, kissing Elsa tenderly on her forehead, her hands stroking her back and even though Maren's words annoyed her somewhat she could not resist the pull of these soft caresses, craving the other woman's touch to ridicules extend.

"I…I just…" she tried to explain herself, stumbling over her words, not really knowing what to say so Maren understood, really understood what their closeness, their connection meant to her.

"Hey, it's fine. I was just teasing you. It is actually very flattering, really." Maren spoke softly, now all jesting gone from her voice and as Elsa looked in her eyes again she saw love there, and she knew that Maren understood what she had tried to say.

Suddenly there was a concerned tint to Maren's gaze and as she opened her mouth to speak Elsa wondered what had the smaller woman so worried all of the sudden.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"Uh? No." Elsa answered, surprised by the question while Maren seemed clearly surprised by her answer.

"Really?" the warrior looked unconvinced, one eyebrow raised as she looked at her closely, probably trying to see if she was hiding something.

"Yes. Sure, what Gale as told us about the nymph and our guest's sounds not very promising and the prospect of fifty armed warriors, who all seemed to share the believe that I am an actual witch, are coming for a visit is not very good one but I am not afraid.
I have you, and the tribe and if it gets really dire, I have my magic."

Maren smile was like the sun, warm and full and Elsa happily welcomed her kiss.

"You have me." The warrior confirmed, after leaning back.

"But Elsa, please let your magic be the last resort, only when there is no other option left! Promise me that."

Maren sounded so serious all of a sudden, her words so urgent so that Elsa hurried to answer.

"I promise. But why? Do you think I am not strong enough to send them packing?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood again, but Maren's eyes remained full of worry as she spoke.

"No, I know you could probably defeat trice as much if you really wanted to but…" she sighed deeply: "- you would have to kill if just half is true what Yelena told me about the tribes. They will not back down easily and I really want to prevent a lifelong feud when there is a possibility for peace."

"Should I hide my magic?"

"No, you stick out no matter what. When they see you they will know who you are. It would be like me trying to hide my right hand, it would severe no purpose and would only make me look silly in the end.
Use your magic like you always do, just skip the ice-spikes for now."

Elsa could not stop the giggle as she nodded, happy that the warrior did not seem so troubled anymore.

"Just be yourself so they can see that you are not someone that they have to fear. Make them see….you, the real you, so they could look past their bias like most people in Arendelle were able too. If we managed that I am sure there is nothing to worry about."

Love flowed through Elsa at Maren's words, strong and sure, before a thought hit Elsa suddenly.

"How was the relationship with the other tribes and Arendelle back then?"

"Well, from what Yelena told me we were the first to make contact with your grandfather and the other tribes were very wary of him. They decided to wait and see how our alliance would turn out and well…you know the rest."

Elsa frowned, displeased with her grandfather's legacy yet again. She had to give herself a little push to come back in the here and now.

"Then we can count ourselves lucky that Anna is not here right now."

"You can say that again! The queen of Arendelle, accompanied by her future husband who talks for his reindeer and a walking, talking snowmen! By the spirits, that would be something….."

Both laughed lightly at that, and suddenly Elsa felt how tired she was and she moved closer to Maren, snuggling into her, relishing how Maren shifted so she could lay more comfortable, loving the easy comfort it brought and the soft shaking of Maren's body…wait? Why was her body shaking? Was she…?

"Why are you laughing?" she said, her tone low but Maren did not seem to notice or care that she had entered dangerous territory.
The warrior tried to catch herself, taking a deep breath, pushing her laughter down.

"Here I was thinking you are worried, scared even and that's why you threw yourself at me but it turns out you were just gagging for me!"

Hands that were much colder then usual poked the unprotected sides of the warrior, making Maren shriek and laugh at the same time.

It was nearly noon, nearly time. Yelena had sent a messenger to Lakris and Fara, giving her go to lead the guests into camp.
All were ready but tense. Elsa could see Issun's hand shaking as he tried to work by the hearth, as usual, and Ryder who kindly took the knife from him to take over cutting vegetables, receiving a grateful smile in return before Issun looked for a task that did not require a steady hand.

Issun was not the only one that was on edge. Some of the younger warriors looked grim, barely able to stop their bodies from shaking, their older comrades acting extra calm to ease their nerves.

Venling, Alvor and all parents of the tribe had ushered their kids together, seeing to it that they stayed in the side of the camp closest to the reindeer, guarded by a group of handpicked warriors, so a quick escape was possible and it was a relief knowing that Gelwa was among them, probably playing with Linga and Fen.

Venling only stayed with them under protest, wanting to be at Trad's side and only her partner's plea and Yelena's stern reminder that she had a third child to think of, made her give in.
Alvor had taken her place next to Rue but Iloh and Flippan did not leave Elsa's side, looking nervously around, making for two very adorable bodyguards.
Yelena and Maren looked relaxed, almost unfazed by the tense situation, but Elsa saw the small line between Maren's eyes, that only appeared when she was worried and Yelena tried to keep her face even more stoic than usual to hide her true feelings.
It was a weird experience for Elsa to see the two fret but she herself felt…not at ease, no….but prepared. She knew what was at stake but she trusted these two women, confident in their abilities and solve the situation peacefully.
She searched Maren's eyes, smiling reassuringly at her, and a thankful gleam could be seen in the warrior's gaze.

Then the sound of rustling leaves, a reindeer running at full speed and a voice shouting made everyone jolt. The voice was encouraging the animal to go even faster, it was voice Elsa would always recognize.

"Anna?" she said out loud and everyone around turned their heads to Elsa only to jolt again as Sven crashed into camp, dragging the sled behind him full speed, Anna on reins, while Kristoff and Olaf held on to the vehicle for dear life. Some of the tribe had to jump aside to avoid being run over, screams of surprise could be heard everywhere.

"Elsa!" Anna jumped from the sled and into Elsa's arms.

"You are okay! I was so worried! Gale did not answer me, and she always does and I thought ….I thought…were you expecting us?"

If the situation was not so serious Elsa nearly would have laughed but as she saw how Yelena settled everyone down again, how quickly Ryder and Issun took care of Sven while three bulky warriors pushed the sled somewhere out of sight and how Maren talked fast to Kristoff, the face of her future brother in law scrunched up in concern, she quickly turned to her sister, the arrival of a much larger group reaching her ears.

"Listen, stay close to me and follow my lead. I explain everything later." she said as she gestured Olaf to stand behind her.

She smiled reassuringly at Anna, griping her hand and squeezing it tightly.

For a moment there was only confusion in Anna's eyes but then something steeled in their depths and as the sounds of many reindeer and horses came closer and closer, both sisters turned to face whatever was coming for them - hand in hand and ready!