Chapter 16
The next day the trio made their way through the forest on a path by feet. Hans carried Donny above his shoulders with his head facing the back and the hind legs laying above the front of the shoulders.
„Do you by coincidence recognize this route?" Questioned Hans hearing Anna comment. „I meant Donny,"
„I think we passed here once," Commented Donny. „I'm not sure, but I feel like I can smell on the ground myself,"
„This sounds good," Spoke Hans. „This means we're going the right way,"
„You really think so?" Questioned Anna unsure about the thought. „We've been walking a pretty long while. We've both carried Donny for perhaps an hour because of his hurting feet,"
„I don't think we've been walking around in circles. We have followed this path. This will have to lead us somewhere," Mentioned Hans, then twitched his head and moved Donny away from himself annoyed. „Donny, please don't lick me there,"
„You tested after fish on the neck," Spoke Donny making Hans confused.
„It's been two or three days since I ate fish,"
„I still could taste it," Spoke Donny, then Hans looked at Donny hanging on his hands looking at the ground and got put down by the farmer.
„Donny, do you think you can use your nose to figure out if that's really your scent?" Asked the farmer watching the dog lean his nose on the path to sniff it.
The princess and the farmer observed the dog check the ground under his paws, then raised up his nose continuing to use it.
„I've picked up something stronger coming from somewhere," Mentioned Donny beginning to wag his tail. „I think there's a village somewhere," Commented Donny departing racing along the path leaving the two adults back. The two looked at each other, afterward ran behind the teenager along the path keeping up with him, which was further away from the two.
„What did he find?" Questioned the princess making Hans shrug his arms.
„I don't know, but I hope it's something good,"
„Same, we can't afford another tragedy like the ones with the pirates. You know, losing time or getting lost,"
„We're already taking more time by feet. It's not the same as before with the horses," Mentioned Hans.
At the end of the path, they saw Donny turn aside, later on, the duo arrived at the end of the road to see another path leading aside the forest and the other one showed Donny head towards a road with small houses beside it. Hans smiled, then looked at Anna, which was glad that the two had been going the right way the entire time and she glimpsed at the man.
„Great, we found a village," Spoke the princess, then Hans signaled her to move on the path leading to the village, where Donny had disappeared.
„I don't remember having seen the village from here," Mentioned the farmer. „I wonder if I have actually passed here or around it,"
„Have you recited any of the names, when you were on your way to the castle the other week?" Questioned Princess Anna making Hans shake his head.
„No, I just went with the map. I saved up the largest cities to make sure we're going the right direction," Responded the brunette man. „But eventually we can look up on the map, which city is closer to the village," Hans suggested taking out the map from his overall's pocket to take a look at it and sought for the board with the name of their village.
„We're here," Mentioned Hans showing the map to Anna. „Göteborg is way up here and we luckily are further in front than I have expected,"
„That's great," Commented Anna watching Hans move his finger along the coast of Sweden until he was down at the end, where Falsterbo was located.
„We will have at least two days until we get to Malmö, then half a day to Falsterbo," Calculated Hans. „Depending on how long we walk and how many breaks,"
„You know, now that we're here. We could take a break and rest our legs.," Princess Anna suggested making Hans nod.
„Of course. As well we could see if there's something, that could help us go faster like a taxi ride or anything," Added Hans, then his stomach began to growl making Anna grin amused by the noise and watched Hans place his hand over his belly. „While we're here, a lunch break would really help us out well,"
„Yeah," Answered Anna and watched Donny walk backward carrying in his mouth a piece of sausage, which he placed down to chew on it. „And I think we already found our spot to eat," Pointed Anna watching along with the farmer the young dog nibbling on the sausage.
Queen Elsa, Gerda, and the two princes stood in front of an orphanage waiting for the door to be opened by the inside.
„And how exactly are we going to move on?" Questioned Prince Hugo looking at the queen.
„We announce our visit, tell what we're up to and we talk with the children around the orphanage," The queen spoke. „Prince Rollan suggested me this idea yesterday as he talked with two vendors at the market yesterday,"
„People got to talk with you about one specific thing?" Questioned Hugo making Rollan shrug his shoulders.
„I thought it would be good," Answered Rollan, then the group heard the door unlock and a woman, which was around the forties held the door up in surprise to see the ruler of Arendelle stay in front of her door along with the young princes.
„Your majesty," Greeted the woman grabbing the side of her dress to bow down at the woman, which smiled and greeted the woman back.
„Good day Mrs. Nilsen. We came here to you and the children to get to know each of you closer. We'd like to get to see the condition of this place, see if there's eventual a thing or two we could change or improve in order to give the children here a better life," Queen Elsa explained waking the curiosity of the orphanage headmaster.
„For real?" Questioned Mrs. Nilsen. „This sounds fantastic, shall I offer you a tea before I show you around or…..,"
„We're fine," Responded Elsa making the woman nod, then move her hand out for the group to enter.
„I actually was kind of thirsty," Whispered Hugo to Gerda, which shrugged her shoulder and followed the majesty into the living room, which consisted of three old couches, a fireplace, and at the corner stood an ironing board with a bunch of clothing on top of it.
„The clothing belongs to the children from here," Explained Mrs. Nilsen. „They were hanging out on the outside to dry, afterward each of the children will look for the ones, that belong to them and process it on their own,"
„Okay and who does the laundry?" Questioned Queen Elsa then the master walked the group along the living room to the corridor into the kitchen, where there was a long table with place for 12 people and showed at a wall a blackboard hanging with the to-do list of the entire week listen with various names of the orphans.
„None of the orphans learns to cook?" Questioned Hugo curious making Mrs. Nilsen shake her head.
„They do, but I'll let them wait until they're 14 or 15 years old. They'll be cooking at least three times a week, depending on how many at the moment are around that age,"
„Great," Commented the prince, then the master led the group to the kitchen, which was rather small.
„The kitchen could use a little change," Commented Gerda looking at the edge, where the washing area was right beside a table, where the preparations were meant to be made. „Have a more logical order in here,"
„I perhaps would add an additional table here or change the current one with a longer one," Suggested the Belgian prince making Elsa nod and look at Gerda, which had in her arms a book.
„I think you can add this to our list," Mentioned the queen making Gerda nod, which wrote the option down.
„Okay, I wrote eventually replace or buy a table," Said the dark-blonde girl, afterward Mrs. Nilsen guided the group back into the corridor to go upstairs.
„Upstairs we've got the rooms of the children. The entire left side is the hall where the beds are. The wardrobe is located there as well and there's a corner, where the kids are meant to play,"
„How large is the room exactly?" Questioned Prince Rollan following the woman into the bedroom to see on each side beds, each of it had in front of the board a chest for the clothing. „Do the children keep their clothing in there?" Questioned the Spaniard making Mrs. Nilsen nod.
„Also other belongings of them like a plush or a favorite book. It depends on the kid. Above their beds is a canvas, which they have drawn their name on it to show, which their bed is. We have parts of the days, where we do something all together and this was part of one time,"
„Is one chest per kid enough?" Questioned Prince Hugo making Rollan shrug his shoulder.
„It's been alright for them all so far I know. The winter clothing we keep them in the basement inside a closet. When they're needed we'll get them up and they're hanged up at the entrance on the hook," Told Mrs. Nilsen, then Gerda put in brackets on her book an optional need of storage.
„Are the kids still at the school at the moment?" Questioned Gerda watching the headmaster look at the clock on the wall, then nodded.
„Around this time they should leave school. They're about ten minutes away from here. If you're okay with waiting until their arrival, feel free,"
„Sure or look, we've got a few other orphanages in front of us to see I could leave Gerda here and…..Prince Hugo. I will go along with Prince Rollan to the orphanage near the bakery," Queen Elsa added watching Gerda exchange looks with the blonde, which shrugged his shoulders.
„Sure, but I've got one problem, I only got this book to take notes," Mentioned Gerda, then the Spaniard lifted his hand up.
„I've got one in my horse's bag. I could use it on the visit instead," Suggested Rollan making Elsa smile.
„Thank you, Rollan," Responded Elsa, then looked at Gerda. „We will be going, if you two don't mind," Commented Elsa earning a nod from her friend, afterward Elsa moved her arm offering Rollan to move in front of her and left along with the prince the room heading to the exit.
Princess Anna, Hans, and Donny had left the village to continue their path. While on it, Hans had open his map to help himself orientate, then stopped followed by Anna and the dog.
„Alright, I think this is the avenue, we're supposed to pass by if we see it. Afterward, we will walk the road down and encounter a train station, which will lead us across the country to Helsingborg. I know from there, there are freight locomotives that go towards Malmö and from there we can walk or look for a ride to Falsterbo. A quite bit more simple, but if we don't get interrupted in one way or another, we'll make it there without any problem," Hans said showing the way down to their destination making Anna nod.
„That's reassuring," Spoke Anna making Hans nod. „I think if we arrive tomorrow we can sustain ourselves with a brunch or anything else and see how we will go on from that day,"
„I'm not sure how long we will really take. At the village, I got told by the farmer, that they usually take up to three hours of traveling time. It would eventually take longer due to it stopping at three locations I think to reload the boxes inside the wagons,"
„Alright, that doesn't matter to me," Commented Anna. „Most important, is that we're going the right way,"
„Exactly," Agreed Hans folding the map together, then noticed Anna wore behind her back a black-colored back with a bow and several arrows inside of it. „Hey I had no idea you've got the arrows and the bows as well,"
„I thought we could really use it in the future," Answered Anna. „Not for the fishing, but as well to use for self-defense,"
„In that case, I would need to practice. I have never used it that way. For sword fights, I'm more useful,"
„Oh I thought you were aware of how to use it in self-defense,"
„No, I used it when I learned about objects. Perhaps I'm able to hit someone from the far, but close up on self-defense…..that's another story,"
„Yes I think you're right," Said Princess Anna. „I find I still should be able on how to handle at least one weapon in case of an emergency. I don't want to have to depend on somebody to protect me, when I can do it on my own,"
„This is what my father Gustav told me the one day he taught me how to use a sword. Mostly if we live alone, it would be a good thing to be able to protect ourselves or others around us,"
„Indeed," Agreed Anna, then heard give out a bark and the two looked down at the husky, which adjusted his ears to listen to a suspicious noise.
„What did you hear, boy?" Asked Hans going down to have eye contact with the dog, which looked aside beginning to pick up a smell.
„It's as if something was burning, Like the fire you created every night," Commented the dog watching Hans and Anna glance at each other, wondering why the husky could smell a fire of a fireplace.
„From where is it coming, Don?" Questioned the farmer, then Donny tracked down the scent of the fire as the two humans followed him.
„I think he could be tracking down a locomotive. Could this be possible?" Questioned the princess making Hans nod.
„On the map, the railway is not so far," Commented Hans, then Donny moved to the left, followed by the two adults keeping their pace.
„Donny, can you track and at the same time run?" Questioned the farmer. „If we're lucky, we can pick up the train right by the railway," Asked Hans, then Donny raced farther surprising the two at the dog's velocity by using all his four paws.
„Woah I didn't see that coming," Commented Anna, then along with Hans pursued the dog along the grass field and Anna pointed at a smoke at the end of the field, which was coming out of a black chimney. „That must be the train!"
„Good and it's going into our direction, move it, we have time to make it!" Warned Hans keeping up with the others passing over the field approaching the rail and meeting up with the vehicle at the line. The trio stopped looking at the train pass by, thereafter they began to pursue it from the side watching for a way to get into it. Anna noticed a couple of wagons had the door slid aside, then had an idea and touched Hans on the shoulder to mention it.
„Slow down! There's an open door at the wagon!" Anna announced watching Hans look back and nod at the woman, then picked up the dog making it yelp, then slowed down.
„Don't worry Donny, you go first," Promised Hans getting closer to the wagon, where the open door was. „Can you jump into there?"
„Yes," Answered the dog, then Hans reached Donny nearer to the gap and watched him leap, then climb immediately into it.
„Great, now stay away from the door, we're next," Announced the farmer, then Anna jumped against the door, holding herself on the edge of the door and Donny returned to pull her by the arm.
„Wait!" Warned Hans placing his hands on Anna's feet to push her up, afterward she moved her right foot up and managed to pull herself up onto the wagon. Donny got beside her, then tried to pull her back by her coat.
„I'm fine, Donny," Commented Anna getting on her knees, followed by Donny getting under her arm to hold her back. „I have to help Hans," Stated Anna looking at Hans about to jump against the wagon, but he was pulled down at the ground, shrieking Anna, which looked out to see, he had stumbled over a small, hole on the ground. „No!" Cried Anna from seeing his trip, then Hans frowned and went up on his feet to continue following the wagon his friends had gotten into.
„I'm almost there! Don't worry," Hans commented reassuring them of his well-being.
„I'll help you!" The princess offered holding out her hand watching the man get closer to the woman on board stretching out his arm as well, so she could grab him. Both adults managed to only touch themselves with their fingertips, making Anna bite her lips as both weren't able to grab each other. „Watch out for your feet, Hans,"
„I am," Warned Hans looking down at the ground to see the ground would get uneven Hans frowned and stepped aside as he continued running, afterward he ran against the open gap to clam himself on the side of the wagon, hanging out with his legs. Hans tried to pull himself up followed by Anna grabbing him by the hands to pull him up.
„Hold on, I can do that," Commented Anna while he tried to use one of his legs to get up on the train, therefore he got one foot up and Princess Anna made it to get the man into the wagon falling down on her back with Hans dropping on top of her hitting his forehead on hers.
„Whoa watch it," Complained Anna watching Hans shake his head from the hit, then Anna dropped her mouth as she looked at Hans lying on top of her.
„Thank you," Responded Hans noticing Anna's bluebell eyes stare into his seafoam-green eyes, then he gazed into hers as well. A silent moment later, before something happened a strange voice whistled shrieking the two, which had closed their eyes approaching each other's faces and looked aside to see a strange passenger sitting next to a load of boxes looking at the two with a smirk.
„You two are far away from home aren't you?" Questioned the passenger, making Hans and Anna look at each other, then both grinned embarrassed and Hans sat up beside her followed by the princess which looked away hiding her red face.
„We've gone astray" Stated Hans. „We saw this train would take our route and tried to get up on it,"
„You two are on a…..honeymoon or a trip?" Questioned the man looking at the bunch of sheets he had on top of a box.
„Actually, we're heading home," Corrected Hans making the man nod. „You seem to be in one or is it just my impression?"
„I'm on a trip around the Scandinavian peninsula. I want to get to know these places better and I write down to my brother, what I saw and how it was,"
„Oh cool, this now reminds me I was meant to write a letter about two days ago," Mentioned Hans watching the man throw his pencil towards Hans, shrieking him, which used his hands to caught it, but it felt down on the ground. „uH thanks," Responded Hans.
„If you want you can work on the letter now. I'll only send them when I'm back at Helsingborg," The man announced making Hans nod, then look at Anna, which watched Donny approach her and nudge his head on her arm, making her smile, then pass her hand over his head.
„I think I'll write it down now. I will make this my last letter and give you the pencil back," Said Hans making the man smile.
„The name's Gunnar," Introduced the man making Hans smile.
„This is Anna, the dog's name is Donny and I'm Hans," Added Hans being mirrored back by the passenger, then Hans took out from his pocket the wanted poster and began to write on the blank page, in the meanwhile the princess sat with Donny looking at the farmer making up the text for the prince.
Queen Elsa sat along with Prince Rollan on a bed together with an orphan, interviewing for their task.
„If your future depends on this orphanage only, what would you like to have around here?" Questioned Queen Elsa waiting for the young girl to answer them.
„Maybe more books to read," Suggested the girl as Rollan noticed down her words.
„What kind of books?" Questioned the prince looking at the girl.
„I think various sorts of books would be adequate. Adventures, drama, humor or fantasy for example,"
„Alright," Responded Rollan adding notes on their book, then looked back at the girl wondering, if she had any more idea.
„A play or two for us all to play together in a group, maybe," Added the girl. „We only have draughts and backgammon as our only game here. Otherwise, we play hide and seek or tag game with each other…..oh and we have a ball and we play with it as well,"
„There sure are other games out there made of wood. At least I can recall about three of them," Commented Rollan writing the next clue down, making Elsa nod. „Well, she was our last kid here,"
„That's good. We now will have to wait for Gerda and Prince Hugo to return and we go together to our last place. I think we've still got a bit of time," Mentioned Elsa looking up at a clock attached at the wall of the bedroom the trio was in. „I think the others will be okay with it as well,"
„I believe so," Agreed Rollan standing up along with the woman, then looked down at the child, which got up as well.
„Thank you for your time, little girl," Said Elsa. „I wish you further one the best and hope you will find a family, who's worth having such a sweet little lady as you," Commented Elsa placing her hand beside the girl's cheek making her smile. „We will see each other again very soon,"
„Goodbye, Queen Elsa," Said the girl placing her arms around the majesty making her a little uncomfortable at the surprising hug. Elsa smiled a little afterward, then caressed the girl on her head and looked at Rollan, which stood there looking at the two.
The two left the sleeping hall of the orphans heading along the corridor to the exit together, after having finished another task of their list.
„She's a really sweet girl. I'm really surprised how no one came to the conclusion to adopt her yet," Commented Rollan making the blonde woman nod.
„Most of the people nowadays found their own family on their own. The ones who mainly go for adoptions, at least according to Mrs. Nilsen and Mrs. Larsson are people, who couldn't have their own,"
„Well, that's true. That one kid from before, the one with dark-brown hair, very short...His mother had passed away while giving birth…..he already was born an orphan. His dad had passed away a few months ago and she was going to be a single mom raising him, but it never came to that,"
„Oh yes that was a really sad story," Admitted the queen. „Almost similar to what happened to you, you say?"
„Besides my father was alive. My mom suffered a lot of blood lose during her being on labor and lost her life and also her baby girl. Also, I felt so devastated on that day and so was my father. I began to notice with the time, that he drastically changed after this," Rollan explained. „When your parents disappeared in the shipwreck, you sure noticed the world around you change, right?" Questioned the prince opening the door waiting for the queen to leave first, which thought about what to answer.
„I don't remember exactly. I do remember the day of their funeral I stood back in my bedroom for the entire day and my younger sister Anna was the only one to have gone there. Without me…..She even came before to my bedroom asking me to come along, but I didn't respond back to her. I didn't feel like going there. I was afraid of not being able to control my feelings and turn the funeral into a…..disaster," Stated Elsa while Rollan closed the door behind them and looked at the queen.
„A funeral can't be possibly a disaster. It's a funeral. It's understandable if the daughters are crying...well….perhaps the other issue would be, that seeing a royal crying is a point of weakness. I think my father said something like that once. I don't remember when exactly I cried about my mother on the day of her funeral. I believe I was lying in my bed going to sleep. I do remember the day she passed away I had cried half of the day and I was dry and unable to when I felt terrible,"
„That sure really was a hard time for you,"Commented the Norwegian making Rollan nod with a little smile.
„You sure didn't have it easier either. You were the future queen here and I don't think it was easy to get through schooling while grieving,"
„It wasn't," Admitted the queen. „And with Anna gone and her curse….."
„You will see her again. We have to stay positive," Commented Rollan making Elsa snort.
„The only good thing at the moment is, that I know she's out of that tower. The only question now is who got her out of there and where did she go now," Commented Elsa making Prince Rollan nod.
Prince Hugo came along with Gerda by feet from another corner, then approached the other two and Gerda held out her book at the queen.
„This orphanage could need more of a renovation, rather than anything else," Commented Gerda showing the blonde the list making Elsa raise her left eyebrow up.
„Their roof is leaking?" Questioned Elsa making Gerda nod.
„There are about five buckets around the house, which are meant to save up the water that comes while it rains," Hugo mentioned. „They say it's not bad, bad is it, when it rains or when it gets colder on the outside like in winter,"
„Well fixing the roof will be the first priority there I see," Mentioned the Arendellian queen watching Gerda draw an exclamation mark beside it.
„How is actually the rooms of the other orphanages?" Questioned Prince Rollan. „I didn't actually take a better look at them if the built was good or damaged,"
„I don't think they looked so bad," Remembered Gerda making Rollan shrug his shoulders.
„In the end of the day, all could use a renovation. The important factor is, that what we can do for them is inside our budget," Commented the Belgian prince earning a nod from the queen.
„Yes and the calculation of everything here is important. As before I mentioned to Rollan, we could also do a second visit and this time have a better look at the construction," Added the queen, then watched Gerda and Hugo turn their head backs as they heard the noise of hooves on the stone-made ground seeing a guard arrive, stopping by the group.
„Queen Elsa" Addressed the guard. „News about Princess Anna, she was seen last time in Halmstad lunching along with an auburn-haired farmer. He seemed to be around her age and they seemed to have a friendship with another,"
„That's amazing. When was that?"
„About 2 hours ago. They were seen leaving along with a Siberian husky into a forest, probably heading to the region of Malmö if that's their destination in some extent," Foretold the guard making Elsa nod.
„Anything about their clothing? What were they wearing?"
„Your princess had been wearing a dark coat with brown boots. I think she already was before. I think you had got informed by another guard by her exchange of dress?" Questioned the guard seeing the queen nod. „Good and the farmer and the dog are the same from the first description. An overall with a white shirt and black boots, a black-and-white colored dog,"
„Okay and do you think there's a chance to figure out, what their exact destination is?" Questioned Elsa making the guard shake his head.
„It's not known," Commented the guard. „One suggestion would be the surroundings of Malmö. It could also be another place,"
„How high is the chance for us to get there and catch them up?" Questioned Elsa watching the guard think about her question.
„Eventually there could be a chance if you could take an airship?" Suggested the guard. „The southern Isles, Weselton, and Storebo have one or two to my knowledge,"
„Alright, is there a chance we can organize one until tonight?" Questioned the queen making the guard nod.
„There sure is a good chance, that one of them can lend their help, majesty," Commented the guard making Elsa nod.
„Alright, tell a few of your men to get ready and meet me at the castle," Ordered the woman making the man salute, then move away with the horse and she looked back at the trio, which was together.
„Do you need help?" Questioned Prince Hugo making Elsa nod.
„It's alright. My guards come along, we're just going to get to Anna. I'll be safe,"
„This route could also be good for us three," Suggested Prince Rollan looking at the queen, which heard his offer, then shook his head. „I assumed as one of us might be the future king, this could be another opportunity for both of us to show ourselves in this role…..this is just an idea….I just thought it could interest you,"
„It's okay, don't worry. I won't be back for so long. During my absence, you'll be free to be around here and if there are any questions, Gerda is here for the two of you," Elsa stated and the princes looked at the girl, which nodded a little abashed. „I'll leave now for me to get ready for the trip, you can either continue along with Gerda to the last orphanage or continue tomorrow,"
„Yes, your majesty," Answered the Spaniard, then looked at the two blondes and approached them. „Shall we continue then?"
„I assume it's better to finish it today. It's easier to question the kids, which are all now at home, right?" The blonde boy asked earning a nod from Gerda and Rollan.
„You two are right, shall we go?" Asked Gerda placing her hands on the shoulder of both princes, which nodded and walked in the opposite direction as queen Elsa, which made her way back to the castle.
