Chapter 3
It was dark, he could not breathe or see because everything around him was black; his body felt as if knives were piercing his body, he shook his head frantically feeling his body submerged in bitter ice cold water. He closed his eyes and once opened his saw shattered ice above him only letting the single amount of light coming from the sun, he kicked his legs and stroked his arms; every time he got close to the surface it seemed to pull away from him. His lungs were burning needing oxygen, he swam upwards faster but he felt the force of something grabbing his leg, his green eyes examined near his leg but nothing was there; he looked back up still not giving up, his green eyes widen feeling as if his arms were being restrained. His eyes glanced side to side of him but nothing was there pulling him down to the deep darkness.
Nathan's green eyes flashed open, taking rapid deep inhales and exhales, he raised his upper body, running his hands from his chin through his sweat drenched hair. He saw his hands frantically shaking, he clenched them into two perfect fists; the shaking ceased, he looked at his drenched pillow. He saw something drop from the ceiling it was a droplet snow, he eyes the small gaping hole in his ceiling. He groaned in frustration at the thought of repairing his roof today, he removed his black hooded cloak from his body. Stepping out of bed, he took his cloak and tied the string; he lifted his nose in the air and could smell something being cooked, he exited out of his room. He stepped lightly going down the stairs, seeing a stranger with a brunette in his house cooking his food; he quickly finished going down the stairs. Nate pulled a string and popped open a secret compartment, he reached inside taking out a black leather scabbard; with Nate's right hand gripped the wood wrapped in high-grade leather hilt that capped above a round pommel to provide a secure and balanced hold. He drew out the thirty-six-inch high carbon polished steel that was razor sharp, he inched closer to the intruder; he brought up the sword ready to strike when the intruder turned around to show gray eyes his friend Todd.
"God Dammit Todd!" Nathan brought down the point of the sword slamming it into the ground.
"Morning," Todd said without a care in the world, with a plate of biscuits and scrambled eggs in his hands.
"Don't morning me." Nate swiped Todd's plate of food. "What the hell are you doing here? Also, why are you eating my food?" Nate screamed at Todd.
"What I came to see how you were doing, haven't seen you in two days." Todd then just noticed the sword stabbed in the wooden floor of the farmhouse. "If I was an intruder were you going to kill me, Knight Mikaelson." Nate picked the sword out of the floor and placed it underneath Todd's chin. Todd seeing the pent up anger in his friends emerald eyes.
"Don't. Ever. Call me that. I am no knight of valor." Nathan lowered his voice, Todd reached for his food of plate but failed as Nate backed up his hand.
"No, more like a knight of vengeance." Todd stepped away from the blade and retook his plate of food from his friends hand over to the table, he took a seat in the old wood chair; taking a bite out of the biscuit.
"I'm not a knight, never was."
Nate placed the sword back in its sheath, walking over to the food he quickly placed one biscuit and some scrambled eggs on the plate. He carried both sword and his plate of food over to the table, leaning the sword against the side; Nate took a seat as well across from his old friend.
"No, but you were a knight in training."
"I know, I was the one who told you that." Nate scooped up some eggs with his hand and shoved them in his mouth, he grabbed a gray metallic water pitcher and poured it into a tin cup. Placing the pitcher on the wooden table, Nate scooped up the tin cup placing it to his chapped lips.
"Wouldn't that make such a great story to tell to that girlfriend of yours."
Nathan choked on his water, coughing violently he pounded his chest with a closed fist; taking another sip of water and letting his passageway clear. Clearing his throat.
"No," Nate said in acrimony.
"No, why no? I mean it's like you're going to tell her, your whole life story."
"I don't want her to feel pity or bad for me." Nate thought of being a knight in training with his father Finnick in the castle training arena.
Flashback….
Twelve-year-old Nathan Mikaelson held in both of his soiled hands a broadsword, circulating around Finnick his father who was taller than his twelve-year-old son . Nate could barely focus as the rest of the soldiers were watching a father duel his son, the soldiers were corrupted doing whatever the royal family said and it was to beat up upon the innocence. But his father took no part in the corrupted kingdoms way, he was an honest man.
"Get on with it, teach this lowly pup." Came a disembodied voice that Nate knew too well, it was Prince Markos of Corgan.
Nate twirled around his blade lazily, never taking his green eyes off of his father's hazel eyes; trying to read his movement. Nathan's heart rate went rapidly pounding against his chest feeling as if it might break through his rib cage.
"Come on let's get this over with!" Finnick yelled towards his son.
"Okay."
Nate said timidly, Nathan lunged forward, his father slashed downwards diagonally; Nathan halted blocking the attack half-way. Finnick gripped the collar of his sons swordsman shirt and tossed him back. Nathan took a deep breath in and out afraid to get hit from the blade of these swords, but he buried the fear deep inside him. Nathan did the same logic again, he lunged towards his father with the blade point sticking out; Finnick twirled to the side of the incoming attack; bringing up his knee into Nate's already bruised ribs. Nate felt the air escape him with a full force he fell to his knees on the grass filled ground, drool fell from his mouth trying to get some air in his lungs. He felt the cold steel tip of the sword and Nate eyed his father .
"Do you surrender just because I knocked the breath out of you."
Nate gripped his hand on the hilt of the broadsword tighter, with his free hand he pushed his father's blade away from him, Nate tumbled underneath the incoming slash of Finnick's sword. While still on his knees he pushed away from the ground lunging toward his father, Finnick twirled to the left dodging the incoming blow. He thrusted his blade down tearing through the swordsman shirt of his son; Nathan screamed in pain as the blade entered his left shoulder. Falling off the blade to the ground, holding his right hand against his shoulder, feeling the hot ooze of blood staining his hand and the rest drizzling down his chest and arm. Nathan stared up at his father with anger in his eyes but it soon disappeared when he saw his father shake his head in disappointment, walking away from his injured son.
Nate stood to his feet his eyes downcasting along with his head disappointed in himself, knowing he could do better. His ears caught the sound of hysterical laugh along with a slow clapping of hands coming from behind him, he clenched his left hand into a fist forgetting about; his eyebrows narrowed knowing that laugh anywhere; turning to see the young Corgan Prince.
"Markos." He said with hatred.
"That's prince Markos to you, lowly dog; look at you, you're pathetic, God your father and mother must regret ever having you. What kind of knight are you if you can't even live up to your father, the general." Markos went up to Nathan still smiling at him, staring deep into his eyes seeing the hatred within the green orbs. "What you want to hit me? Do it. Do it." Markos taunting the young knight, Nathan was holding back considering it was a crime to hurt royalty and the penalty would be imprisonment and wait for a decision on what they decide on punishment. "Do It!"
"Forgive me, your majesty, I know one thing that you want most?"
"What would that be?"
"To leave this palace and be able to roam around your future kingdom, at least, I get to leave this place and be happy but as for you, you are just stuck here." Nathan had a cocky grin on his face, Markos nodded his head surprising Nathan with a left hook to his jaw sending him to the ground, he had caught himself by placing one arm in front of him crouching on the balls of his feet.
"Like I ever want to leave this palace, to mingle with dirt like you."
"Then why would hit me, if I was right." Nathan stood right back up rubbing his jaw. "Also, thought I was a lowly dog." Markos just squinted his eyes in annoyance of the knight in training to be his loyal dog. Nathan picked up the sword and sheathed it in his frog, Markos saw the open stab wound still bleeding he chuckled at the wound.
"Goodbye, your highness." Nathan turned his back to the prince and walked away still holding his shoulder.
Markos rubbed his chin taking in consideration on what the dog said, and smiled getting an idea in his mind.
"Hope you have nice evening Nathan, it'll be your last."
Nathan returned home to see his mother at the stove stirring something inside a black steel pot, he climbed the stairs quietly so she wouldn't notice his bleeding shoulder. He opened the door to his small bedroom that he shared with his little sister Fiona who asleep in her bed, Nathan removed his shirt sitting on the bed. Rolling the shirt into a small rectangle and placing it on his wound establishing pressure, he heard heavy footsteps come through the door to see his father holding a bottle of whiskey, two pieces of cloth, needle, thread and a stick. Finnick went over to his son placing down the items, first placing the thread in the hole of the crescent-shaped needle, removing the clothing Nathan was using as a bandage.
"Do you and mom regret having me as a son?" Nathan said with no emotion in his voice, Finnick was opening the bottle of whiskey.
"What? No of course not, bite down on this."
Finnick gave Nathan the stick, biting down on the middle. He tipped the bottle and let the alcohol of the whiskey hit the wound, Nathan crunched the stick in his mouth trying not to wail in pain. Placing the cloth on the bleeding wound and dabbing it dry, he took the crescent-shaped needle; sticking the needle through the skin near the wound and began stitching it up. Once he was down he took the bottle again and poured more alcohol over the know stitched up the wound, Nathan bit down more on the stick; Finnick covered the wound with the other piece of cloth. Finnick sat down on the bed with his son.
"Listen, Nathaniel, I love you and so does your mother. Yes, I was disappointed about today, but I was also proud of you, for standing your ground and your maneuvers. It is completely natural to not learn it in two weeks, but you show progress; also there is an old saying."
"What would that be?"
"Rome was not built in a day. It takes time, day after day, month after month, year after year you will soon complete it and you will, just don't give up. Okay." Nathan nodded his head. Finnick nodded his head, standing from the bed he went over to the door. "Mom's making dinner and it's almost ready, so wake Fiona, wash up, you get dressed and come down to dinner." Finnick left the open doorway, Nate's eyes went to his sleeping nine-year-old sister; he smiled rolling his eyes at his sister's laziness; going over to her bed and shaking her shoulder.
"Wake up."
Fiona's eyes opened to reveal them to be hazel and stared up at her brother.
End of Flashback…
"Hellooo…" Todd waved his hand in front of his friends eyes to get his attention, seeing tears start to well up in them. Nate blinked quickly rubbing the tears from his eyes. "You were thinking about the day when your family was killed. You don't have to tell her that story."
"I know buts it the only day that I can recall of being a knight. Plus I don't want her to know that I was a knight or planning to become one." Nathan stood from his table placing on his cloak's hood. "Come on."
"What?"
"You're going to help me fix my roof."
"What, why?"
"You eat my food, your going to help me work. So you are going to help me fix my damn roof." Nathan pointed out.
"Ah." Todd stood up groaning.
Anna was the courtyard gardens with the snow queen helping her out picking out the floral arrangements for Anna's wedding in four months time, since Kristoff refused to do so. Anna looked at her sister who was staring at the flower in deep thought caressing the flower with her hand; Anna ceased looking at the lilies and went over to Elsa.
"Elsa?" She said gently seeing her sister's hand frost the flower, not hearing her sister and continued to stare at the red rose. "Elsa?" Anna poked her shoulder, Elsa snapped out of her thought giving her attention to the strawberry blonde.
"What?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Actually, I was just thinking."
"About Nate." Anna finished her sentence smiling at the queen, Elsa's cheeks turned to a pink-red.
"No, I was thinking about…" Elsa saw her sister raise her brow and placed a hand on her hip. "Okay, fine. I was thinking about him." Elsa admitted it in defeat, Anna giggled.
"Wow, after one dance and date, he's got you hooked." Anna then saw her sister give her a look that said look-who's-talking.
"You tried to marry a man you just met the next day."
"Hey, I was young." Anna said in defense.
"You met Kristoff the next day."
"Younger." Anna slurred her, r, "So is he coming to the wedding as your date?" Anna inquired, Elsa strolled away gazing at the different kinds of flowers.
"I don't know, we haven't seen each other since yesterday."
"What?" Anna said thinking about yesterday. "Oh, well; I guess you really couldn't ask since I interrupted you two." Anna thought again about yesterday and what happened. "Your faces sure were flustered that day." Anna caught sight of Elsa's darted glances. "Did you two, kiss?"
"No."
"What? You two were alone when I barged in and both of your faces were red with embarrassment." Anna's brain worked for a moment and realized what she said. "Oh, right I barged in. Where you two about too?"
"Yes, we were."
"Sorry."
"It's all right, I wasn't ready; just caught up in the moment." Anna took hold of her sister's hand.
"Sometimes the moment is all you need."
"Anna-"
"We should go find him and ask him to attend my wedding." Anna cutting off her sister.
"We?"
"Yes, we. I want to see where he lives, so let's get going!" Anna let go of her sister's hand and strolled off.
"Anna." She said too late as her sister was already gone, Elsa quickly followed behind catching up. "I don't even know where he lives."
"Then will ask people, come on."
In the town where all the markets where Elsa and Anna walked around asking people if they were he Nate lived. Most of the townsfolk never heard of him until they finally came up to the old shop manager, who was standing outside his shop.
"Excuse me?" Anna asked coming up to him.
"Your majesties." He bowed to the monarchs.
"Hi, um, we were hoping we could ask you something?" Anna asked.
"Yes, what can I do you two today?"
"Well, we're looking for a man named Nathan; and we where you knew where he may live?"
"No idea," He began, Anna and Elsa looked disappointed "but I know who could."roger, come here!" The old shopkeep yelled.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Roger yelled.
"He'll be right with you." The old shopkeeper went back inside.
A tall lean man with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes came out of the shop, taken aback seeing the queen and the princess here; Roger groaned.
"What do you want?" Roger said rudely crossing his arms across his chest.
"Okay, do you know where Nathan lives?" Elsa asked, Roger snickered shaking his head.
"What if I do? Why do you care? What do you want with him?"
"It would be of great help." Elsa said.
"You didn't answer any of my questions."
"We want to invite to my wedding and my sister cares because that her boyfriend." Anna gave Roger an attitude.
"No." Roger scoffed, smiling at them.
"No, why?" Elsa inquired.
"Because Nathan would never date a royal."
"Why, would that be?" Anna was getting ready to hit the guy if he didn't knock off his attitude.
"Royals ruined his and not to mention my life."
"What happened to him?" Elsa inquired on what he meant.
"That is for him, me, and very few people to know; and for you to find out."
Elsa was about to speak before her sister held up her hand.
"Elsa, hold on. Could you please tell us where he lives."
"No."
"Why you-" Anna went up to him with her face in his.
"I am not scared of you princess."
"Roger, did you tell them where your friend lives?" His boss came back out only to see the princess in his employees face. "Is something wrong here?"
"No," Roger said with a grin on his face. "He lives about 3 miles away from town in a farm house, off the west side. The only house out there and if you excuse me, I have to get back to work." He turned away and walked back inside.
"Jeez, he was rude." Anna turned towards Elsa who just staring into to space shocked at what Roger said about royalty. "Elsa?" Anna was worried.
"What did he mean when he said that royals ruined their lives?"
"Don't know but we could always ask Nathan."
"You're right, we should go."
Elsa and Anna made their leave back to the castle to grab a horse since her sister didn't know how to ride one; she was in the back of Anna. They smiled at each other before gallivanting off towards Nathan's house.
