Chapter 2
Over the years during growing up Hans got used to the new life in the lower class and got independent as well. Farmer Gustav and Wilma really appreciated Hans' presence which helped them out a lot in their harvesting and plantation, which for them turned into a more exhausting task due to their advanced age and frequently occuring health issues. Hans slowly began to see, that his parents wouldn't be around for much longer, then tried to convince them to reduce their time at the farm and let him do the rest of the work, which they had already reduced for a bit in order to mantain their health. Gustav, who used to go along with Hans in his younger age to the village to sell their vegetables left the farm rarely and let the task out for Hans or agreed with frequents guests to obtain it from the farm in person. A few months after Hans turned 21 he came back with exciting news, which shortly was broken after his arrival at the farm. On his return, he found out that Gustav passed away after midday, when he went to take a nap. Hans was devastated from knowing his adoptive father was now gone, his more decent father figure, the one he never had back at the Southern Isles. Hans avoided leaving the farm again, focusing now on being present for Wilma, which as well was depressed from having lost her best friend and life partner. Hans nearly locked himself out of the outside world due to his duties and including custody of his adoptive mother. His adoptive mother was really fascinated, that despite the two not being from the same blood Hans had grown to love her along with Gustav more, than eventually his own blood. Hans slowly returned into business, soon as they began to notice it wasn't getting easier by the time passing by and that he really had to go out to the village to be present and sell the veggies. Only half a year later, the faith of Wilma had knocked on the door and she passed away as well during the time Hans spent at the farm taking care of the fields and just like the time he witnessed Gustav's decease, he felt into a deep sorrow and he felt like he was all alone in this case. He didn't know how to help himself, neither he tried to ask people for help. Outside the farm, he only knew his costumers from the weekly attendings. He didn't quite build any sort of friendship with any of the customer. At least, he didn't see anyone of it as a friend. Spending half of the childhood inside a castle full of abuse led him to have difficulty into seeing people as friends, or making them. Hans remained there at the farm and shortened his fields for a little to be able to handle it on his own. At the moment he only needed to earn money for his own survival and he still had a few animals for other uses. He got used to life as a loner and didn't plan from now on to change anything about it.
One afternoon after Hans returned from the village he had untie off his horse, then led him along the path to the shrine beside it that had the door open and approached a water tank, then Hans passed his hand on it to see his horse dig his mouth into it to drink. Hans walked vice versa to the corner, which had a couple of hay cubs stapled aside the wall. Hans took down one cube, then spread the hay on the department, under the water tank andd smiled as his horse moved his head to eat. Hans passed his hand on the horse's head, then left him back in the shrine and walked to the side to look at the corner where the family had collected firewood for the upcoming cold nights and Hans pondered about the amount he had on it, then picked up the ax and returned to the shrine to take from it a wooden cartwheel, which he took with him and left his farm to make his way into the forest.
Throughout the forest, Hans walked he admired the place, while whistling around and spotted at a tree a poster hanging, which he approached to take a look at it to see the face of a wanted criminal, but half of the poster down was ripped off and the only thing he could read was the word Rider. Hans shrugged his shoulders, then moved on and stopped near a tree trunk and placed his cartwheel beside it. Hans looked around the forest at the trees, then spotted one tree, which was half cut and he smiled remembering he had started to cut it a couple of weeks ago. Hans put the ax over his shoulder, making his way towards the tree, then adjusted himself into position to prepare for the hit. Hans began to smack with his ax on the tree, until he sliced the upper part of the trunk, then shove it down on the ground and used the ax again to cut it into smaller bits.
After he was done with the trunk, he collected them onto the wheelbarrow, then Hans returned to the same tree and tried to cut closer to the roots of the trunk for a few minutes, managing to cut a long, circular piece of wood and picked it up.
„Hmm…..I could have taken a shovel here," Hans mentioned. Hans shrugged his shoulders, then dropped the wood on the cart and looked around to see, the trees, that were around and pondered about, if he should take more wood. Hans remembered something, then picked up the wheelbarrow and made his way along the forest, going deeper into it. On his way, he encountered pine trees, which had pines hanging on top of it, and on the ground, a couple of pines lied around, which had fallen down with the time. Hans collected them up at the cart, thereafter stepped farther to look for more and noticed a few trees away from him a white-colored animal. Hans got curious about it, then approached it to see, that the animal lying there was a young dog with a black coat covering his entire back along with his tail and the back head. Hans got down on his knees, then let out a whistle waking the dog up, which rolled his eyes up wide from seeing the man. The dog jumped up to reveal his height, which was rather short than a usual dog and his body was thin. Really thin. He looked famished. Hans held out his hand, scaring the dog, which walked back against the tree leaning with his back on it seeing Hans look at the dog bewildered.
„Are you lost?" Asked Hans watching the dog keep his head away from the man, then Hans wondered about how he should help the dog out and had an idea, then took out from the pocket of his overall a tissue he had folded together and opened it to show a fried apple slice, then reached it to the dog's nose. „I'm not sure if you like this, but you do really need something to eat," Mentioned Hans watching the dog sniff on it, then picked it with his front teeth, then took it into his mouth to chew it with the back teeth making Hans smile a little seeing the dog had accepted his offer. The dog sat up, then began to sniff on Hans and licked him on his hands making him smile at the dog's thanks. Hans grabbed the handle of the wheelbarrow, then saw the dog move forward to the cart and looked up at the man wagging with his tail low.
„I haven't gotten anything for you here," Mentioned Hans, then the dog approached Hans rubbing his head against the leg, making Hans sight at the dog's interest in him. „Well I assume you can stay with me for a few days," Spoke Hans. „You know I don't have any kind of food, that is adequate for you," Commented Hans, then the dog continued to glimpse at the adult while wagging his tail and Hans nodded believing the dog doesn't understand him. „Well sees like I have no choice," Spoke Hans, then moved his hand at the cart and the dog tried to jump at the cart, then began tripping with his hind legs from being unable to get up on the cart with the back and Hans shove the dog up watching him sit on it. „ I'm not sure if I need to say this, but I have a few animals at my place, I want you to give your best and leave them alone. No hunting or hurting any of them…...well… ..I hope you get this," Mentioned Hans moving the wheelbarrow along the grass heading back to the farm.
At the village inside a tavern sat two guards on a table together with a young adult looking at a block he had lied on the table.
„I can't believe it, that she didn't accept my request. I totally have suited her taste, yet she preferred to go out with Prince Linus from Karlstad," Complained the man. „ How did the last two civilians get the chance to marry into royalty? This must have worked somehow. They can't just make through it like that,"
„ Have you thought about looking for someone else?" Questioned the second guard. „There must be more princesses available. Not in our region, but farther,"
„ You know per coincidence, someone?" Questioned the young man watching the guard ponder about the question.
At the entrance got into it a dark-dressed person and walked along the corridor, then got to the counter to be greeted by the barista.
„One beer please," Ordered the person, then looked back at the table to recognize the man along with the guards.
„What about Princess Martha from Malmö?" Questioned the second guard, making the taller guard shake his head.
„ She's about to get married…..or she has already," Corrected the guard. „It's not a long while ago though,"
„ And what about the one from Kalmar?"
„Princess Juliana has gotten engaged just last week,"
The person watching the trio chat noticed the barista bring her the beer, then the person took it and sat vice versa from the young man surprising them.
„Uh who the heck are you?" Asked the man watching the person drop the mask to reveal herself as an elderly, unkempt man shrieking the man.
„Whoa! Don't come any closer!" Ordered the man making the two guards frown, before standing up and the foreign man lifted up his hand create between himself and the trio a large forcefield to prevent them to approach him.
„He's a sorcerer, Commented the second guard, then the man dropped the shield to see them look at him.
„Looks like I've got your attention," Spoke the sorcerer seeing them look at him.
„What…..how can we help you?" Asked the young man making the wizard smile.
„I thought I could help you out young Oscar," The elder man said making the man curious.
„You're making me curious. Where exactly are you offering me help?"
„You're looking for a princess," Spoke the man. „ For the sake of becoming a ruler, something you've been planning for a while,"
„Go on," Commented Oscar curious, then watched the senior shove his hand into the pocket of his coat and dropped into his beer an aquamarine-colored pill, causing the beer to change color and the wizard placed his hand in front of the class caressing it, making the trio look at each other bewildered at the deed. Afterward, the first guard dropped his mouth, then shook his head and rubbed his eyes to take a better look at it to see an illustration show a blonde princess holding a book on the hand while looking at the cover and laughed
„Princess Camille of Montpellier,"
„ Uhm can we stay a little nearer?" Questioned the young man. „If possible,"
„Oh sure, I was hoping to find all over the place Princesses, which would suit you perfectly,"
„I think I'll find that as well in the near," Commented Oscar, then the first guard looked at the glass to see the princess and shrugged his shoulders.
„She didn't look that bad," Commented the man watching the sorcerer get up to obtain a small spoon from the counter to use it to mix the beer watching the image disappear and the next image appeared showing a raven-haired princess playing tambourine on her own, while beside her sat another prince, which resembled her playing on a banjo-like guitar. „Princess Juliett from Kouvola, Finland. Oldest sister to Prince Romeo," Commented the senior making Oscar shrug his shoulders. „She's known to be very silent and timid. She opens up more the closer she is to a person she meets,"
„Hmm she's cute, but I think I'll keep looking for more," Answered Oscar watching the man move further by passing with his hand on the glass switching to another image of a raven-haired princess, which was a little muscular practicing on a large pillow on her bed with her fists.
„Princess Kari from Sandnes, Norway," Introduced the senior making the guards drop their chin from seeing her aggressive side, while Oscar immediately shook his head.
„Definitely not someone I could get along with,"
„There's then Princess Olga of….. oh wow….. ," Added the senior showing on the glass a gorgeous blonde woman brushing a white pony with a gentle smile, making Oscar smile
„Stunning," Commented Oscar watching her along with the guards, which were enchanted by her as well, afterward the woman in the image looked around and pecked the horse on the nose and got licked by it shrieking the men. „Nevermind. Next!" Ordered the dark-brunette man, making the sorcerer chuckle while swiping further to the next pages, then stopped by a blue-dressed princess, which stood on the outside with a big, enchanting smile „Look at those cheekbones," Commented the first guard seeing the magician shove the glass closer so they could see her better. A man appeared in the sight grabbing the woman's hand to give her a kiss on the hand, then moved further heading towards the stairs of a castle.
„Oh I think Princess Lumi has already someone interested in her," Pointed the second guard, then the magician snipped with his fingers remembering someone and rubbed on the glass making the trio exchange looks.
„I totally forgot about someone. Recently she was coronated into Queen and if you're interested…..." Spoke the gray-haired man showing in the image a woman wearing a crown on her platinum-blonde hair. The image showed the woman talk with a large man, which showed her a few letters, making her nod neutrally.
„What do those letters say I wonder?" Questioned Oscar making the man shrug his shoulders.
„Duty I guess," Commented. „Princess….erm I mean Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Norway. single since ever. Grew up practically alone, or quite isolated. She tends to have issues in opening up to newer people. She never had a friend outside of the family. Besides her younger sister and one of the servants of the house…..I assume that guy," Spoke the senior, then noticed the Queen walk up towards a staircase, where she encountered a younger woman around a head shorter, which waved at Elsa and held her hand out to shake. That might be the sister…..uhm I….no I don't think she would shake her sister's hand,"
„Then who the heck is she?" Questioned Oscar.
„I assume it's a person, who was employed to be a friend. I was meant to look for princesses and she is none,"
„She's a nobody then?" Commented the young man making the guards shrug their shoulders. „I'm not sure. She's quite fascinating, but…...she isn't as talkative as I assume, right?"
„I guess so,"
„Aren't there more princesses, that are more…..open?" Questioned Oscar making the senior shrug his shoulders.
„Why don't you just take her?" Questioned the first guard. „It's way easier for you to get what you want,"
„ Hmm I'd need to think about it," Commented Oscar, then watched the senior take from his coat a dark blue pill to add it into the beer and shove it towards Oscar making him tilt his head. „What?"
„Drink it,"
„Hey! I won't drink it without knowing what's that is, you put inside it," Warned Oscar making the senior nod.
„That's just a magic pill, it just makes you able to hear what you see inside the drink," Commented the senior making Oscar nod, which looked at it and grabbed it by the handle to take a small sip of it making the senior sink his head down unimpressed.
„For real?" Asked the senior making Oscar roll his eyes and swallow almost the entire beer, shrieking the senior, which took it off the hands of the man. „Careful! Too much can cause you bad or worse side effects. Also you won't be able to see the picture,"
„Why didn't you say that before?" Asked Oscar annoyed, then the senior picked the glass and moved the end up to the man, so he could see from under it the queen talking. „I can hear her talking…,"
„What is she saying?" Asked the second guard curious.
„ Three letters have arrived from potential interests in yours, Queen Elsa.
„Alright…what about the fourth one?"
„... Sigmond ," Spoke the servant making Elsa sigh.
„ About Anna, right?" Questioned Elsa making the man nod. „Alright and what does he want?"
„ Not much, just warning you, that she hasn't got much time and eventually, if you would pass your kingdom to him, he could help Anna out,"
„I'll think about it," Commented Elsa.
„You really think about doing that, majesty? What about the upcoming Princes? They're supposed to meet you in a couple of days?"
„They are?" Asked Elsa making the servant nod.
„Prince Hugo, Prince Ulrich and Prince Rollan,"
„ This is coming too much at the same time,"
„I know,"
„Where exactly is her sister?" Asked Oscar, then the senior moved the glass to himself to swipe away showing a reddish-brunette woman lying on a bed reading a book while lying on her belly. Oscar took a closer look to the woman, then watched her drop the book down on the mattress to look up at the top with a smile, making Oscar smile enchanted at seeing the younger sister of the queen.
„This book really has some astonishing sketches on it," Commented the Princess to herself and Oscar passed his hand over the glass, accidentally swiping it back to Queen Elsa.
„…..I'd rather exchange my kingdom for the sake of Anna. Who wouldn't understand that?" Commented Queen Elsa making Oscar furrow his eyebrows at her sentence.
„One minute…..I have to marry the first Princess to become King later on, right?" Questioned Oscar making the guards nod. „Theoretically, this Princess Anna is stuck somewhere and needs someone to save her…..if I bring her back, this means or….there is the possibility, that after her retrieval I may get the chance to own their kingdom, right?"
„Uh….it sounds like that," Answered the first guard. „I didn't listen to the full conversation,"
„She said just before she would change her kingdom to get Anna back and I believe we could make it work,"
„Are you sure, this is going to work?" Questioned the second guard." This doesn't make any sense,"
„Mmh….maybe… ..well the other question is, how should we know, where she's located?" Questioned Oscar making the duo nod. „Mysterious man, are you sure you can't help us out a little?" Questioned Oscar making the man ponder about it and take the glass to empty the rest of the beer over the table to show the image of a castle making the guards impressed by the artwork-like image of the castle they saw on the table.
„ Anyone of you good at sightseeing?" Questioned Oscar, then the magician pointed with his index finger at the table to release power and pull the emptied beer away from the table to form in the middle the map of the Scandinavian peninsula only and he pointed with each index finger on two different places.
„We're here and that castle is located here on an isle far away from the borders of both Sweden and Norway. About 600 kilometers more or less. I'm not quite good at distance measures,"
„It's okay and is there a reason, why she's in that castle?" Questioned Oscar making the senior shake his head.
„ Either she was kidnapped or there's something else in this case. I wish I could help you out more, but my time here is limited," Commented the senior making Oscar furrow his eyebrow up in confusion, then Oscar looked into his pocket and took out a bag filled with coins and threw it at the table.
„Something tells me you may know more to it than you make it look. Tell me it and you can keep all those coins. That would be around 80 Thaler. Enough for almost 100 glasses of beer,"
„Hmm you're a good businessman, give me 100 and I'll reveal you the secret entrance into the magic section of the library," Commented the senior.
„We have a library?" Asked one of the guards surprised making the other shrug his shoulders.
„Alright, where do I find it?" Asked Oscar taking out his second pocket before he was going to listen to the story of the senior.
Hans stood in the kitchen watching the dog he had found on the outside sniffing around the fields curiously about the new surrounding. Hans looked at the oven, where he had shoved into in a small chicken for dinner. Hans opened the door of the oven to take it out and placed it above it, then observed the dog, that had lifted up his leg on a pole to mark his territory. Hans looked at the roasted chicken and took from the side of the counter the cutlery out, so he could cut off the back of the chicken a few slices to add them into a plate. Hans took it with him and left the house to see the dog continue to investigate the farm and Hans whistled earning the dog's attention, which ran towards him and barked loud at the adult.
„Alright, alright, alright, don't worry, I brought you a bit of chicken meat," Commented Hans putting down on the ground the plate, then watched the dog quickly devour the food surprising Hans at the dog's fast metabolism. „Wow, how many days haven't you eaten anything?" Asked Hans, then heard a loud yell and Hans looked around to see from where the voice came from.
„You stupid mongrel, where did you go again?"
Hans spotted from behind the cornfield a man come along dressed with a darker overall, which Hans could recognize as a farmer, but he wasn't aware of who that man was exactly.
„Is that your dog?" Asked Hans watching the man come along the path without giving Hans an answer, which made him frown and step further to block his way. „I asked you a question. There's no need to stamp into my lot like that without any invitation or anything," Warned Hans, then got pushed away and the man followed the dog, which sank his ears along with the tail to run away from the man, which Hans noticed. „The dog fears you," Commented Hans, then the man looked back at Hans.
„He knows he messed up. He should have known as he disappeared," Commented the man approaching the dog, which ran quickly and the man ran behind the dog making Hans wide his eyes knowing the dog was in danger and he ran behind the man, packing him by the arm. „Hey! What has the dog done? Does hitting him make it better?"
„ It's none of your business. I had told him to stay on the outside and guard the chickens that were in their own field and what did he do? He played with a fox cub and while he was on it a pair of foxes took a few of my chickens. He knew he shouldn't have let it happen, but he did,"
„Then just speak to him or scold him. Slapping him or anything won't make it better for him. This is how I was taught by my parents with our horses,"
„Horses and dogs have different jobs, Donny's job is to protect and herd or that's what it will be in the future when he's grown up, but as long as he's young he's gotta learn to do it. If he doesn't take it the easy way, I'll have to give him the hard way," Commented the farmer sternly, then noticed the dog hide behind Hans' leg making the farmer angry and move his foot to kick the dog, which he missed cause the dog reacted in time to disappear and Hans packed the man by the arms.
„Leave the dog in peace!" Ordered Hans. „He's afraid of you, you're doing much more harm to him than you think,"
„I've been feeding you every day and that's how you thank me?" Questioned the farmer annoyed with the dog, which stood behind Hans in fear and Hans moved himself to the front of the farmer.
„ Look Sir, if the dog wants to stay here, he can. I may find another use for him or I'll see when the time has come. I don't even think him being a farmer dog is right,"
„I got him for free from a villager a few weeks ago. This all makes sense now. I was gifted with a useless little creature, that only causes problems," Hissed the man looking down at the dog, then he walked away leaving Hans alone with the dog.
Hans pouted, then looked back at the dog and went down on his knees to see the dog approach and lie his chin over Hans' leg to look up at him with puppy eyes.
„Don't worry…..Donny, right?" Commented Hans watching Donny wag with his tail, then Hans passed his hand over the pet's head. „We won't hurt you anymore,"
About an hour later Hans sat at the step in front of the house with Donny on the outside eating from a plate a few remains of their dinner and Hans had his eyes focused on the sky, where he could see several stars all over there. Donny was done with his meal, then looked at Hans waiting for him to have eye contact, afterward the dog approached him leaning his head up, and placed his hand on the head of the dog to pet him.
„ Well, you're still a young, little guy. What do you think about tomorrow coming with me to the village? I gotta sell vegetables and anything else. You could tag along and who knows, maybe someone would be interested in you?" Offered Hans making Donny tilt his head making Hans chuckle.
„I'm seriously getting insane ain't I?" Asked Hans watching Donny sit and pant, making Hans shrug his shoulders. „Sounds like a yes, right?" Asked Hans watching Donny stop and staring at him with a neutral face, making Hans chuckle.
„I could really use a book to learn how to understand dog," Mentioned Hans, then heard Donny yawn making Hans smile. „Well at the moment I've got no bed for you…..You would be…..nah I rather take you into the house….just in case," Commented Hans getting up along with Donny, which entered first into the house making Hans chuckle. „Well now that was easy for you to understand," Joked Hans watching the dog sniff on the stairs, which would lead to the second floor, then Hans looked down at the plate he left on the outside and took it up before he would return it back. Hans glimpsed up at the sky to see the stars, then smiled thinking about his two best friends he lost a while ago.
„I believe you send me him, mom, a friend I could eventually talk to," Spoke Hans still looking at the sky, then looked into the house to see sniff on the carpet at the entrance. „The only thing I wished he could do would be speak. That could really make life a bit easier," Commented Hans entering the farm, while above from him at the stars passed really quickly a line across it, blinking at the end of it, after disappearing.
