Chapter 7: Family reunion
A.N. Sorry for the long wait. Again. This is sort of an inbetween chapter leading up to the big confrontation, but I hope you guys still enjoy it!
Aidan and I continue our traveling and training for another two days. The combination of both the journey on foot and the hours of practicing my magic against Aidan's make my muscles churn in pain whenever I move. Bruises cover my knees from whenever I fall down and gave in to fatigue, and scratches from shrubs and thorns mark my arms from whenever we worked our way through thick undergrowth.
And the most frustrating thing is that Aidan remains quiet and controlled. He doesn't curse, he doesn't complain, he voices nothing of what goes on in his head.
It's infuriating. While I strife for the same calmness and control, he makes it seem so easy. I want to yell at him and scream and voice my frustrations in some way. But I cannot, since he remains so still and calm, so I simply grit my teeth and push on.
At the end of our fourth day of travelling, I sit down with a heavy sigh when Aidan finally announces that its time to rest for the night.
"What, is our little ice queen a little tired?" he jokes, while I groan softly. "Want me to rub your feet? Give you a nice massage?"
"Shut up, Aidan. Do you think I like being so out of my element?" I snap back.
Aidan chuckles. "I suppose not. Yet it's amusing to see royalty trudging through mud and bushes. It's not something you see every day."
I grumble softly as I take to my sore feet again.
"Where are you going?" Aidan asks, slightly surprised to see me on my feet again.
"I am going to find a nice shrub, and I am going to pee royally on it!" I snicker slightly. "You can come along if you want. I bet it's not every day that you see a royal peeing on a shrub," I add as taunt.
My taunt has immediate effect as Aidan's surprised look is priceless. He starts muttering and awkwardly scratches behind his head while declining my offer. I chuckle and leave the clearing that we've settled in, and take my time to remember the way back to it.
I listen closely for any noise. Not that I expect Aidan to follow me and spy on me. He's got that honour thing going on that prevents him from sneaky stuff like that. Yet I cannot shake the feeling that there is more to the darkness of the forest than a royal looking for a shrub.
A loud crack overhead makes me jump a little, but immediately take on the stance that Aidan has drilled into my brain the past few days.
I only find myself in that stance for a few seconds, before someone, or something, tackles me from behind. A hand quickly locks over my lips before I can let out a scream, and a strong body pins me to the forest floor.
I immediately begin to struggle, digging my nails into my assailants body and getting ready to freeze him or her to the bone. My attacker growls softly in pain as my nails find skin, then proceeds to whisper to me with a hiss.
"Elsa! Stop that! It's me! It's me!" Aidan hisses into my ear, releasing his hand from over my body.
"Aidan?! What the hell are you doing?!" I hiss back.
"There's someone out there." He whispers again, flinching as he touches his neck where I dug my nails into his flesh. To my content I can see that I drew blood. Serves him right. "Someone not very skilled in being silent was sneaking around our camp, before leaving in your direction. So excuse me for coming after you," he growls softly.
"Well, you could have been a little more subtle and simply alerted me instead of tackling me!" I snap back.
"Be silent, woman! We don't know who we are dealing with here!" He snaps back just as firmly.
I am about to retaliate with more than just words, when a rustling comes nearer and nearer. Aidan protectively wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me deeper into the shadows of the brush. I give him my foulest glare, but do not move in fear of discovery.
The rustling is accompanied with hushed voices.
"… was a camp back there! Even a smouldering fire! They have to be near," a kind woman's voice sounds.
"And since when are you looking out to meet complete strangers? Are you over the whole 'men with pointy teeth' thing, eh? Ruffians? Thugs?" A charismatic male voice answers.
"I never believed that for a second, Eugene! Don't give me that look!"
"What, you don't like my smoulder?!"
"I broke it once, and I will break it again!" The woman snickers and laughs. Both voices seem to move slightly left of our position.
Aidan murmurs for me to stay put and almost reluctantly unwraps his arm from around my waist. I am about to retort that I am not staying behind, before putting up a meek expression and nodding. Aidan eyes me suspiciously in the darkness, but then slowly moves from our hiding place.
I watch Aidan circle silently through the trees left of the voices, and when he is out of sight, I try to match his noiseless step and start to circle around to the right.
Under the cover of darkness both Aidan and I remain undetected by the man and woman as they continue to move North.
"We should probably make camp somewhere," the female voice suggests.
"Already? I mean, sure, I wouldn't be able to resist spooning with me either," the male voice answers.
"Hey, you are the one that always wants to be the small spoon, so don't you suggest that I'm the only one-"
The female voice cuts off her words with a soft shriek, and simultaneously the forest lights up and is bathed in an orange glow. With a soft curse, I jump up from my crouch and sprint towards the source of the glow.
The scene before me is slightly mind boggling. Aidan stands in the middle of a small clearing with his right arm tightly wrapped around a slim woman's neck. His other arm is extended in front of her, a ball of fire twinkling and lapping in the palm of his hand.
Across from them stands a man with brown hair swept back and a small goatee on his chin, stunned as he gazes at Aidan and the woman. His hand is resting on his belt, where, strangely, a pan dangles besides a dagger.
The most disturbing thing, however, in that scene, is Aidan's face. It stands cautiously, yet mercilessly as he gazes at the man and keeps the woman firmly in his grip. It's the face of a hunter ready to defend himself at all costs. I suppress a shiver and let my gaze move to the woman. She seems, vaguely familiar..
Her garb is fine, yet practical, and that short, spiky brown hair frames a pair of frightened, green eyes. Those green eyes look quite a bit like.. auntie's..
"Rapunzel?!" I step forward from the treeline, my eyes focussed on the woman that I perceive as my cousin. Those green eyes widen and blink a few times in confusion, then recognition. With a surge of energy, she tries to break Aidan's grip and escape his hold, but Aidan holds on to her tightly.
"Elsa?! What.. what are you doing here? Do you know him?" she gazes hesitantly at Aidan who's expression is now dominated by confusion as well.
"Aidan, release her!" I command, surprisingly firmly. Aidan loosens his grip a little, but not enough to release Rapunzel. He nearly releases her, when the man next to me pulls his dagger and sprints at Aidan.
"Not so fast!" Aidan growls and readjusts his grip on Rapunzel, bringing the fire in his palm closer to his face.
"Oi, tell your boyfriend here to let her go before he scorches her already so short hair!" the one named Eugene calls out, his dagger still raised cautiously in front of him.
"Hey! You said you liked my hair short!" Rapunzel retorts.
"Enough!" Aidan growls. "Who are you and why are you following us?"
"Release her, Aidan," I command calmly. "They are no threat."
"How can you be sure?" Aidan replies just as calmly, yet his voice is edged with suspicion.
"She's my cousin." I state simply with a slight snicker, and it immediately changes Aidan's expression. Sudden embarrassment and surprise wash over his face and the fire in his palm fades out. A soft gasp of surprise indicates that Rapunzel has been released from Aidan's grasp. After a few long seconds, Aidan once again lights the fire in his palm, once more illuminating the clearing in a soft, golden light.
Eugene has his arms locked around Rapunzel and is checking her over and over, while she insists that she is fine. After she has convinced him that she is indeed fine, he starts to glare at Aidan.
"My apologies," Aidan offers slightly hesitantly, and adds a slight bow, recognizing Rapunzel's royal status. "I was simply trying to keep Elsa safe."
"You don't protect me by holding every other woman hostage that comes in our near vicinity, Aidan! You can't just-" I burst out and Eugene immediately joins in.
"Yeah, what do you think you're doing?! That's no way to treat a lady!"
Aidan flushes a little, and lowers his eyes in slight embarrassment, but Rapunzel comes to his aid.
"Eugene, stop that. Aidan here was just being cautious, and I wasn't hurt, so no harm done. Also, Elsa, don't be so hard on your companion here. Obviously he has the best intentions to protect you. You should applaud his caution, not try to correct it," Rapunzel speaks happily.
I give her a small nod after a moment of contemplation, then open my arms to welcome her. She locks her arms around me almost giddily.
"It's so good to see you again, Rapunzel. Our last meeting ended a bit.. icy, did it not?"
Rapunzel half breaks our hug to gaze at me with worried eyes. "I'm so sorry for what happened during the coronation, Elsa. We were caught in the throng of people when you ran. I felt so helpless.."
"It is behind us, dear cousin. I was afraid and uncertain. Fleeing seemed the best option at that point," I mutter softly.
"Please, let me introduce Eugene, my husband. He was a bit too occupied with the jewels on display to be introduced earlier," Rapunzel grasps my hand and leads me towards her companion, who makes an deep bow.
"Your Majesty, it is an honour. I swear I did not steal your jewels. Those days are far behind me, but I still know how to appreciate true beauty." Eugene's eyes flicker at Rapunzel as he says 'true beauty' and flashes a wide smile.
"It is a pleasure, Eugene. My cousin is lucky to have you beside her," I reply politely, feeling a slight pang of jealousy at his devoted gaze when it fell on Rapunzel.
Apparently I did not do much of a job of disguising that pang of jealousy, because Eugene takes a step closer and whispers softly: "Oh, but you are lucky too, your Majesty. You have only yet to realise it."
His words invoke an immediate blush on my cheeks as I force myself not to gaze back at Aidan, who has kept himself on the background.
"Please, let me introduce to you Aidan of the Ashen Mountains. He's helping me.. control my powers."
"Ah yes, since he's got the whole fire thing going on, I suppose," Eugene interjects.
Aidan bows again. "Once more my apologies. I would have never been so hasty had I known your relation to my Queen."
"Elsa, where is your sister? The last thing we heard before we left Arendelle was that she came after you.." Rapunzel says.
"Sit yourself down, for that is a long story," I manage to say with a deep sigh. I throw a glance at Aidan, who is about to retreat into the tree-line. "Aidan? Where are you going?"
"To fetch some firewood, your Majesty. It seems we shall reside here for a little while."
"You could stay. Help me tell the story," I try. "Besides, you do not need firewood for a fire," I add, remembering the fire he had created before, without needing fuel.
"I wouldn't dare impose myself on you and your family, your Majesty." And without another word, Aidan turns around and disappears into the forest.
Review and all that jazz, please!