Chapter 8:
They landed in a small, open space on the mountain. It didn't seem unusual, except for the fact that it was full of round rocks. Maelstrom sniffed at them; why did they smell so strange? He continued to investigate while Elsa called out for someone.
She seemed a bit nervous. He wondered why. He'd gotten them through the storm, he liked his new name, he even liked the saddle she'd made (it was a little cold, but that was nothing he couldn't handle).
His train of thought was lost when the rocks started moving. They all rolled forward, stopping in front of Elsa…then unfolded. They weren't rocks at all, but small creatures with big noses, big ears, and glowing rocks around their necks. He tensed; were these creatures going to hurt her?
"Elsa!" They all cheered, and several of them came forward to hug her or talk to her. He calmed down. They weren't going to hurt her. And from the look on her face, she was as fond of them as they were of her.
"Momma! Momma, look!" A smaller creature shouted. It was pointing at him. He felt uncomfortable, and wondered if he should be afraid. How did these creatures feel about his kind?
"It's a dragon!" Someone shouted. Then suddenly, everyone was shouting in…joy? "A DRAGON!"
Next thing he knew, Maelstrom was being hugged by several creatures at once, and pet by several more. He didn't know what to think at first, then someone started to scratch his ear…and they hit that spot.
He couldn't help it; he slumped to the ground. Now several more creatures were scratching him, and someone was rubbing his belly. He heard Elsa laughing as she walked over.
"Everyone," she said, "this is Maelstrom. Maelstrom, meet the Trolls!"
He warbled happily in response. The Trolls were definitely alright in his book.
Elsa watched as her dragon was assaulted by hugs and scratches. Maelstrom was clearly enjoying himself, and her fears of the Trolls hating dragons vanished. She might have stood there for hours, watching the adorable scene, had someone not rolled up to her.
"I see you've made a new friend." She turned, smiling at the familiar voice.
"Grand Pabbie."
"Never a dull moment with you or your sister." He responded. "First you summon an eternal winter, then you free the Enchanted Forest, and now you've befriended a Night Fury."
"Night Fury?"
"That's what Maelstrom is. A Night Fury is a type of dragon, and a very powerful one. In the land of the Vikings, they are feared above all others."
"Vikings? There haven't been Vikings in our seas in years."
"Neither have there been dragons." He sent some magic into the air. "Watch."
She watched as the magic coalesced into a picture. She saw a large, bearded man with an ax and a horned helmet, and next to him a creature that looked a lot like Maelstrom. Both were staring at each other with hatred.
"Long ago, when the first Arendellians chased the dragons away, several clans of Vikings followed them. Those clans have stayed in the same archipelago for generations, hunting dragons."
"Why?"
"They believe that the dragons are merciless beasts, and kill them out of fear and hatred. In truth, many dragons are harmless in nature, wanting only to survive. If you earn a dragon's trust, it can be a loyal companion. Though I see you've already discovered that."
He pointed behind her, and she looked to see Maelstrom walking around, with ten Troll children riding in his saddle. They both smiled at the sight before returning to the conversation.
"Grand Pabbie, I want Maelstrom to stay with me in the Forest. I know he won't hurt anyone; he clearly loves the Forest, and the other Spirits all like him. But I'm worried about how Arendelle and the Northuldra will react."
"Elsa, you are a Guardian of the Enchanted Forest, and the former Queen of Arendelle. The Northuldra have every reason to trust you. And you've done so much for your kingdom that no one would dare question your judgment. If you show them that Maelstrom is harmless, they'll believe you."
"Thank you, Grand Pabbie." She felt much better after getting his counsel.
"Speaking of Arendelle, isn't your sister throwing a party in your honor tomorrow?"
She turned bright red. With all that had happened over the last few days, she'd completely forgotten that tomorrow was the winter solstice. And her birthday. She'd promised Anna that she'd be there. Hopefully she wouldn't mind if Elsa brought a plus-one…
Grand Pabbie chuckled, having read her mind. "Maelstrom needs to meet your family sooner or later. Tomorrow is as good a day as any. Say hello to Kristoff and my future daughter-in-law for me."
Just as Maelstrom was starting to get worn out from giving everyone piggyback rides, Elsa told him that it was time to leave. This time, he took her advice and flew around any dangerous-looking clouds. He was a little worn out, and wanted to get back to the Forest as soon as possible.
Besides, Elsa said that they were going to a party tomorrow.