Pulling myself up from the ground, the world was a different place. The Arendellian guards were fighting with the Northuldra.
Doing what I could to avoid attention, hoping, praying for this to end. I couldn't see my mother, only a battle. Clutching to my mother's scarf, I was grateful to have had it.
The sound of a swords clashing drew my attention, turning to the sound, I saw at that moment the King stumbling with my my uncle our leader going over a cliff fallowed by a shout.
"Father!"The prince called.
I watched him as he ran towards the cliff, just than, a sudden booming sound, echoed, the wind, earth, fire, and water spirits expressed wrath on us both.
Frantically looking around in my hiding place, in all the chaos, a huge bolder came flying across the sky landing near seconds away from the prince. The boy was thrown off his feat, hitting his head against another big rock, immediately knocked out. Without hesitation I ran to his side, all the guards as well as everyone else were in a panic, no one saw me.
I didn't know what to do. Perhaps, due to habit, I called for help. Whenever I was in real danger or scared, and alone, I'd sing a melody to indicated to the Wind Spirit I was in trouble and needed help.
I wasn't sure if the Wind Spirit herd my call or would help, as it clearly raged against the soldiers moments ago.
The Wind Spirit did. however answer. Without further instructions it helped me pick the boy up and carried us into one of the wagons, the guards had brought with.
After placing the prince down, I could hear voices coming, no doubt coming for their wagons, I had no time to run, in a panic I used a cloth or blanket to hide myself.
Before I knew it, we were moving. I could hear a guard's voice command the another to go faster. Stating to others the Prince was with them, and that was it.
I was scared, I didn't know what to do?! I decided to stay hidden until they were all asleep and maybe I could sneak out, and make my way back to the Northuldra. I know the forest, and have traveled with them many times, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Opening my eyes, I realized I had fallen asleep, but seeing that the cloth was still over me, it seems no one still knew I was there.
A little while later, voices sounded all around, the wagon proceeded to go a bit faster.
I than heard a guard's voice called out "Close the gates."
"Gates? What?" I thought.
Concerned on how this was going to play out. Soon I could feel the prince who was still out of it being lifted and taken away while I sat deadly still, holding my breathe, praying they wouldn't catch me.
Again the wagon moved, only to be stopped a little ways from wherever we just were. I could hear the driver get out, unhitch the horses, and leave. With the closing of doors, there was no more sound. The world was quiet.
After waiting just a bit, I peeked out to find myself in a barn of some sort. Hay was everywhere, with wagon parked next to the wall, getting out was easy. I could hear the sound of horses a little a ways. But clearly we were all alone in here.
I decided to get out, see if I could find a some food. My plan was already set in my mind. I'll wait for night than sneak out.
"What time was it though, I thought. "Was it already night? Was it morning, or noon?"
Standing at a loss in the middle of the barn the door ahead of me all of a sudden swung open.
In the doorway was a guard with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and hair skin. He looked shocked, and equally stunned, as me. We both knew who I was. I was Northuldra and I've been caught.
After a moment, he snapped out of his shock, shaking his head. His eyes was full of confusion, and concern.
Staring at me, perhaps wondering if this was really happening, he finally started to look to be calming down. Taking a deep breathe, he started looking around, before stepping in and closing the door. Putting his hands out in front of him gesturing, assuring me he wasn't going to hurt me. With a kind but still concerned smile, he finally began to speak.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." He said.
"I didn't mean to!" I sputtered.
"Shh!" He said putting a figure to his lips.
Looking behind him as if to make sure no one heard us, before continuing.
"You're just a kid, don't worry." He said.
Giving a heavy sigh, looking at me, before going back into his mind, he was clearly thinking on how to get out of this mess.
"I may not know what's going on, exactly, but this solider is easy to read, thankfully." I thought to myself.
"Okay", the guard said.
Breaking me out of my own thoughts. Now scratching the side of his head that wasn't topped by his hat, he must have been struggling on what to make of this.
"I am going to see if I can find you some clothes, you can stay with me and my wife for the night. And we'll see about getting you home without anyone knowing, okay?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Okay, stay here, I'll be back with some clothes for you, and sneak you out, okay?" He said.
Walking out, looking around before stepping completely out, without looking back at me, he left.
I than found a good spot within a pile of hay to hide in, while I wait. Soon I was bored and hungry with a stomach, not caring that it needed to be quiet. It seemed like forever before the guard finally returned. It's funny though. Only when he returned I was than flooded with doubts, and suspicion.
"Why was he helping me? Was he lying to me? We're there guards on the other side ready to arrest me?" I thought nervously.
He than set down a bag in front of him, he pulled out a dress and shoes. He told me to change in these.
I looked at him than to the bag, than down to myself. I was hesitant.
"I'm going to get my clothes back, right?" I said.
"We'll put your clothes in the same bag and give them back once we get you back home."He said.
"He really was helping me, but why?" I thought. Than it struck me. "I helped the prince without a thought, maybe he was doing the same", I figured.
Going along with the plan, he soon led me away from the front door. I was at first confused, I thought we'd go out of that door. Instead we went deeper into the barn, to find a back door. Coming out the streets were lit with tall street lamps.
The Northuldra elders talked about them when they left along with my uncle to visit the King on terms negotiation of peace.
Despite it being empty, the guard now holding my hand lead me down a back road, keeping aware of his surroundings.
Finally not yet at the end of the street, we turned in between two houses, and into a side door of one of them.
Once opening the door we were greeted by a warm light. Blinded at first, an image of a woman cooking at an oven stove greeted ya. I've heard of stoves, but never thought I'd see one. It looked intimidating, but with a dainty woman at it, it must not be too bad.
Now turning to us, she showed no sign of surprise, or confusion. She must have been expecting us, or expecting me to be exact.
"So this is the child."She said in a curious but excited tone.
A fair skinned, blue eyes, golden haired lady, she looked like a princess.
Hesitantly, take cautious steps towards me, she said in a more calm voice.
"I've made dinner for you, would you like to join us?" She said.
"Y-yes." I said.
With that she smiled sweetly, and turned the stove. The guard was now at the table with his hat off. Pulling out a chair for me to sit.
We made small talk, eat our dinner. Once I was finished, I asked if we could leave in the morning, but the two exchanged grave looks to each other only made me prepare for the worst.
The guard than took my hand and began to explain.
"After leaving the forest a sudden dense mist came down and blocked the entrance to the forest. Reports have come back stating that no one could get in or out. That some of the guards didn't make it out. As well as the Northuldra are now trapped inside. Also that the spirits seemed to have vanished as well", he said.
"The spirits? How can they just vanish? That's not possible", I thought. "What about the wind spirit?."
I tried to hold back my tears but I couldn't. I wasn't going to be able to see my family, my friends, or the wind spirit ever again! The couple understood my tears, and tried to comfort me, but I just couldn't stop crying. Eventually, I cried myself to sleep.
Waking up, I was at a loss of where I was at first. Now in a night gown, I looked around the room to remember what's happened. The sun wasn't up yet, but I jumped out of my bed, out the room, down the hall, down the stairs, I saw in the kitchen the bag with my clothes in it. Quickly, I grabbed the bag and pulled out what was really important, my Mother's shawl. It has been in my family for generations, and it wasn't going to stop here.
I ran back up the stairs and into my room, closing the door behind me, and hopped back into bed. Snuggling my shawl, for the first time sense the battle in the forest, I felt peace.
It may have been an hour or two before I was reawaken by the knocking of the door, quickly I stuffed my shawl into the blanket.
"Come in." I said.
The pretty lady from last night opened the door. Her name was Della, and she was the guards wife. She stayed at the door, now giving me a tentative warm smile.
"Good morning Iduna, come down for some breakfast?" She said sweetly.
I didn't know what to say or react.
"It's Saturday, and Kye has gone to work, he won't be back for hours. The Kingdom is in a buzz, today. So, I think you should stay inside for a while, until we figure how to bring you into our community."She said.
With that she made her way down the hall to, I assume to make breakfast.
I slowly got up, making sure my shawl was hidden, before dressing, and made my way down.
Coming down the stairs, looking over the wailing I immediately noticed the bag that was once on the kitchen table, was gone. Relief raised up within me, knowing full well I had gotten my shawl back in time.
Once I sat down, Della explained that my clothes had to be taken away, in order to protect me.
Della and I eat breakfast. We spent the day sawing, and reading for the day.
It was hard, I couldn't stand sitting there, while I could hear kids and others outside on this beautiful day, it was practically torture. Outside was a beehive full of people, talking about the new king of Arendelle, and the incidents that took part in the enchanted forest.
Later, that evening Kye and Della sat me down to talk.
"Arendelle was attacked by the Northuldra first". Kye started.
Upon hearing this I was shocked.
"What?!" I shouted
Jumping from my seat, I looked at them with disgust.
"We'd never attack first." I protested."That isn't our way."I said.
"Neither did we." Kye retorted.
As if to say I was wrong, as if I didn't know any better than him.
At this Della grabbed his arm, signaling me with a look, Kye calmed started to calm down.
Shocked and confused, I wasn't going to take this, I stormed up to my now room without saying another word.
I've never been the type to close my temper, but I wasn't going to stand there and be told that we the Northdula attacked first, when we'd never do that.
"Why would we? What have we to gain?" I thought angrily to myself.
Now sitting on my bed, arms crossed, still pretty steamed, there was knock at the door.
"Iduna?" Della's voice came from the door. "Please, may I come in?"
I sighed before answering her to come in.
"I am sorry for what's been done." She started.
Making her way across the room.
"I don't know what happened, no one really does. Please try to be more understanding. We're all a bit shaken up on this matter."She said.
Still not looking at her, I felt my body losen, before giving a final sigh of defeat. She was right. Who's to blame wasn't going to solve anything. As mother would have said. Who I was is now our secret, and my secret to keep if I'm going to survive this.
I don't know how, or why, but I know it was at that moment, something inside me changed forever.