Chapter Twenty-Five: Mending of Bridges

It was around noon when Eugene finally got out of bed, every inch of his body aching. Just before bed, the ex-thief had read up on Hodr's notes about Baldr's invulnerability and had uncovered something none of the stories or poetry had spoken of: the price. All magic, no matter how small or simple, required something to anchor it. In the case of the unspeakably powerful enchantment that Frigga, Baldr's mother, had woven to make it happen, the price was actually fairly simple.

Phantom pains.

Echoes of the impacts and injuries that should have assailed Eugene where seething from the surface of his skin to the marrow in his bones. It wasn't crippling, but it was unpleasant. And it made the simple thought of moving almost unbearable. Eugene flexed his left hand, the one he would forever remember being healed by Rapunzel, and wished she could do the same for his entire body. It might not work (apparently magic was pretty picky about the whole "price" thing), but it was worth a shot.

Finally, just before noon, Eugene couldn't take staying in bed any longer. Sure, he gave off the whole "lazy cat" vibe, but at heart he couldn't stand being bedridden. He wanted, needed, to move, to stretch his muscles and push his limits. It was one of the things that had made him a great thief, that innate desire to move.

Gritting his teeth against the aches, Eugene rolled out of bed with a hissing groan and gingerly dressed himself. He grit his teeth and strode through the castle with as much of his usual swagger as he could muster, face set in a faint scowl against his discomfort. After several minutes of walking, he slowly realized that it was helping his condition, if only a little. With that thought, he redoubled his efforts to find any of the royals in the castle (preferably Rapunzel.)

Finally, Eugene found Anna and Kristoff in one of the gardens, quietly discussing something. Upon his approach, which he made no attempt to hide, the stopped and smiled at him.

"Everything okay?" Eugene asked with a quizzical look. The couple glanced at each other and both smiled.

"Yeah," Anna said, "I think so. Y'know, if nothing else comes along." As soon as the words left her mouth, she shrieked at the sight of a whirl of blue flames that rose in the center of the garden. The flames receded as fast as they had come, leaving Rapunzel, Elsa, Alphonse, and an unknown woman in a circle of faintly-charred grass.

Anna's eyebrows shot up at the sight of a woman (who was not Elsa) hiding her face in Alphonse's chest, even if the mage seemed uncomfortable. The princess's gaze was drawn down by a faint sigh to see a small figure of blue light bobbing above the ground. The woman, looking away from her "hiding place", gave a watery smile and scooped up the creature in delicate hands.

"Thank you," she whispered. The wisp sighed again and disappeared.

"Why are you here, Viola?" Alphonse asked, his tone carrying a hint of sharpness. The woman, Viola, turned and regarded Alphonse with surprise. Before she could answer, Anna hissed in pain. She looked down to find Kristoff clutching her hand in a deathgrip, his face pale and jaw set in muted rage.

"Get out," Kristoff growled. Viola gulped and took a step back, hands clutched to her chest in a display that seemed almost too innocent. Kristoff slammed his hammer to the ground, causing a slight tremor. "I said get out, you little-!" He was cut off from violence by both Anna and Alphonse holding him back.

"Kristoff, what's gotten into you?" Anna asked. She had never seen her husband react like this, and if she were perfectly honest it was scaring her a little. Kristoff stopped struggling and picked up his hammer; he didn't swing it, but he clutched it so hard the veins in his wrists protruded.

"She's an Ulda," Kristoff spat. "A harlot of the forest that lures men into the woods never to be seen again." The anger drained from Kristoff's gaze, and sorrow seemed to wash over him. "I can't count how many of my friends have been taken away by these … things." He spat the last word like a curse.

"That's enough," Alphonse said, his tone harder than stone. He looked to Viola with an uncompromising glare. "Viola, you know what to do." The girl gulped and sighed before opening her mouth wide, her tongue out. Alphonse cupped her chin and examined her closely before letting her go. "Your clean," he determined. The sound of Elsa clearing her throat drew the mage's attention.

"Care to tell us about your friend?" Elsa asked, derision all but dripping from her tone. Alphonse lifted an eyebrow in surprise at Elsa's remark, but let it pass for the moment.

"She's a huldra," Alphonse explained, "a spirit of the forest. They can be … pretty free with their desires, and they have a reputation for attracting travellers and those who work in the woods; it's not hard to think that some would target ice harvesters." He glanced at Viola. "No offense," he offered.

"None taken," Viola replied with a shrug.

"All Ashlander creatures can fall prey to what I call 'corruption'", Alphonse continued. "They become malevolent and begin to prey on humans without consequence. When huldra fall, they become 'skogsra', and their tongue and mouth take on a brown discoloration." He glanced at the group, who were all either looking at them or, in Kristoff's case, watching Viola. "What the Sami people call 'Ulda' are really skogsra."

After his explanations, the group seemed to have mixed feelings about Viola's presence. Kristoff was clearly still mistrustful, his eyes narrowed at the huldra. Anna seemed supportive of her husband, though open to compromise. Eugene seemed to be hiding a grin (for whatever reason), and Rapunzel looked pensive. Elsa just seemed irritated by the whole situation, a fact the still confused him.

The tension was broken by the sudden arrival of Kai. "Your majesties," he greeted, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief, "thank goodness. The aldermen have assembled and are requesting your presence, Elsa." Kai and Gerda had taken care of Elsa and Anna since they were born, and had long-since grown beyond titles apart from formal occasions.

Elsa sighed and straightened her dress before motioning for Kai to lead the way. No doubt the aldermen, heads of the Arendelle community elected to act as mediaries between the townspeople and the crown, were wondering about Elsa disappearing in a whirl of clearly-supernatural fire.

On instinct, Alphonse moved to follow, but Elsa stopped him with a dark glare, halting him in his tracks. The message was clear: this is not your business. With an elegant huff, she followed her majordomo to address the aldermen. As he watched her leave, Alphonse could only wrack his brain for what he could have done to so quickly sour Elsa's good mood. He was jerked from his thoughts by eugene clapping his arm on the mage's shoulder.

"You're hopeless, you know that?" he asked. Ordinarily, Alphonse would have delivered a glare that would make monsters sol their loincloths, but he sensed no teasing in Eugene's words. Only an unspoken offer for help, to which he nodded. Eugene turned to address Rapunzel.

"Think you three can talk to this Viola chick and figure out her story?" he asked. Rapunzel nodded with a smile and gently took Viola by the arm, leading her away with Anna and a reluctant Kristoff trailing behind. Finally, the Coronan prince fixed Alphonse with a knowing grin.

"So, Alphonse my man, let's see if we can hash out your love troubles," he said cheerily.

After a few minutes of walking, Rapunzel was fairly certain that they were alone and turned to address their new "guest", Anna and Kristoff backing her up.

"First things first" Rapunzel said decisively, "What did you do to that guardsman?" Viola's cheeks turned pink and she looked to her feet in shame, wringing her cow-tail in her hands. She took a moment before answering, during which something seemed to happen to her. It was like a light had been cut off, her skin seeming to turn from golden-brown to a faint grey, her hair from a full, chocolatey brown to a more drab color. She was still pretty, but lacked the stunning quality from before.

"Like all Ashlanders, huldra have a natural link to magic," she explained. "All of them show it differently. For huldra, among other ways, we have the power of glamour. It's like a second skin of magic that makes makes us seem more alluring; a defense mechanism against those who would want to hurt us. "It also leaves humans, men specifically, more open to suggestion." She looked up to Rapunzel, the feeling of Kristoff's bitter glare seeming to burn into her skin, hoping that the princess would understand what was going on.

"Okay, time out," Anna said, her hands held up in a "T", "what about one of the guardsmen?" Rapunzel briefly explained about the guardsman she had healed. "I'm assuming your 'glamour' had something to do with that?" she asked neutrally. After all, he had been escorting her through the crowd. Viola nodded sadly and settled her back against a tree, her tail hidden in her dress.

"With the Trickster's return, peoples of the Ashlands have been pressured to choose sides. Many have gone over to him, those who desire power or wealth. Even those who only want a change have gone to fight for him." Viola gave a shuddering sigh, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears before cleared her throat and continued. "Others are choosing to fight against him, such as the huldra and the wisps." A wisp appeared in their path, as if confirming, before flickering away.

"When the trees began whispering of a great horror reborn," she continued, "we knew it had to be Loki, just as the fragments of the Great Tree had told us." Huldra, as denizens of the woods and forests, could commune with the trees. The wisest of them could commune with the Scions of Yggdrasil, which had warned them of this day. "And when I realized that, I did what I could to learn about his forces; I knew only one person could save us. It had to be … Alphonse." She smiled as she said his name.

"Okay, hold up!" Anna said forcefully, locking her gaze with the huldra's. "Were you and Al a 'thing' or something, because I know Elsa and she's gonna jump right to the worst possible wrong conclusion." Anna moved forward until her nose was an inch from Viola's. "So tell me right now," she growled, "are you here to make trouble for my sister?"

Viola was silent for several moments. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as if listening. Her lower lips began to tremble, a single tear escaping her eye. "He's happy …" she whispered with a watery smile and she opened her eyes to look dead into Anna's gaze. "Alphonse was always hurting before, like his heart had been ripped from his chest even as he still lived. But that woman, your sister … she has saved him." The force of her glamour returned in her joy. "Alphonse was my best friend, and I wouldn't ruin this if my life depended on it!" she laughed.

"Well that's nice of you," Kristoff interrupted dryly. Clearly he still didn't trust this woman. A faint idea flickered across his mind before he brushed it away to consider later. "But, um, you said 'learn what you could about his forces'?" Viola nodded. "What exactly did you see?"

As Rapunzel, Anna, and Kristoff went to "interrogate" Viola, Eugene took the liberty of escorting Alphonse, forcefully by the shoulder, to the library. It took all of the mage's concentration to resist the instinctive urge to flip the prince over his shoulder, years of habit being difficult to break.

They finally arrived, and Eugene sat Alphonse down on the sofa and looked down at him like a child. And despite his long career of facing death and injury against all manner of horrors, Alphonse couldn't bring himself to look into those piercing brown eyes that seemed to know so much that he didn't. Was this what it was like looking at himself?

"I hope you realize exactly how deep in trouble you are right now," Eugene said. Alphonse winced at his serious tone, so different from the usual dry snark he had come to know of Eugene in the last few days. And it didn't help that, yes, he knew he was in way over his head. This wasn't fighting or teaching, this was … romance. The one thing he hadn't learned anything about growing up.

Eugene sighed and sat in a chair before Alphonse. "Ah, don't worry about it," he said lightly with a wave of his hand. "Sure, you may not know the first thing about women, but before I met Rapunzel, I knew … well, a heck of a lot. And I still remember most of it." He put a hand to his chin as he studied Alphonse. "Is there anything that struck you as odd since the whole 'fiery teleporting' thing?"

Alphonse tried to explain what little he had noticed, namely the sudden fall of Elsa's mood. "It's like- like-" Alphonse sighed and slammed his head into his hands, unable to come up with the words necessary. Some god of poetry he was reborn from.

"Like a candle snuffed?" Eugene supplied. Alphonse's head shot up at the perfect analogy, drawing a grin from Eugene. He had come to respect the mage in the short time they had known each other (both because and in spite of the fact that he went on these long exposition speeches). It was refreshing to see the man, younger than him, learning the ropes. And Eugene was more than happy to help.

"Look," Eugene said seriously, "do you want a short answer or a long one?" he asked. Frankly, he thought it was a coin toss as to which he would answer. Alphonse seemed like a scholar, a man who wanted to know everything in intimate detail; on the other hand, he also seemed practical enough to want the short version. So which would it be?

"Summarize it in one word," Alphonse asked, forcefully.

"Jealousy," Eugene said. Alphonse's eyes widened and he actually leaned back as if struck. Eugene watched intently as the mage's eyes narrowed, his eyes darting from side to side as he processed this information. The prince-consort could almost see the gears turning in his head, like an intricate clock. Finally, he looked back to Eugene.

"No, seriously," he said.

"Seriously," Eugene parroted, his face the picture of stoicism. Alphonse winced and rubbed his temple, as if warding off a headache. "Look, Al," Eugene said, grabbing his attention with the nickname, "Elsa is great and all, but no matter what, she's still human. And a woman, at that. And like all women unused to relationships, she's going to be threatened at some point."

"Threatened by what, exactly?" Alphonse asked with exasperation. "I haven't done anything!" Eugene sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You haven't - but this Viola chick did!" Alphonse's face scrunched into a look of utter confusion. Eugene tsked and tried to explain. "Look, Alphonse, if I hadn't known any better, I would have thought you two were 'together' with the way you arrived in the garden; her all snuggled up against your chest, you clearly protective."

"She's my friend," Alphonse defended, and he'd had very few of those growing up, "it's not like I'd push her away."

"Fair enough, but Elsa doesn't know that," Eugene pointed out. "For all she knows, this random, magic chick walks up all teary-eyed and you just swoop in and comfort her while ignoring Elsa. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense," he added, "but since when do emotions make much sense, if any?" Alphonse seriously considered that question and nodded to concede the point.

"So what do I do?" Alphonse asked, his voice cracking. Damn it all, he would beg on his knees to know how to fix this! Lucky for him, Eugene had learned to be compassionate over the years.

"First thing you need to know is the two kinds of female jealousy. The first kind is the hot, clingy, screamy type." He winced at the memories of those types, clinging to arms and screaming questions and accusations like 'who is she?' and 'you pig!' He shook it off and continued. "The other kind, Elsa's kind, is 'surprise, surprise', the cold kind. They clam up and give you the cold shoulder." He winced, both at the appropriateness and the pun. "They shut you out," also appropriate, given her childhood, "and refuse to talk to you. And frankly, those are harder to deal with."

"But what do I do?" Alphonse repeated, clearly getting frustrated. Wow, he really did want to fix this.

"Well, before I met Rapunzel I just cut my losses and ditched the chick," Eugene commented, grinning internally at Alphonse's rapidly reddening face, eyes growing angry. Good that he's showing some emotion instead of that passive facade, but maybe not good that it's directed at him. "But, since I met her and found a girl that I absolutely couldn't do that to, I learned the real way. Communication." Eugene stood and placed his hands on Alphonse's shoulders. "Find Elsa and, no matter what she does, explain to her that this Viola girl is just a friend. Heck," he backtracked, "don't mention her at all. Just find Elsa and tell her how you really feel about her."

Alphonse considered this for a split second before darting, not for the door, but jumping clean through the window! Eugene sat stunned for a second before a servant crashed into the library, staring with horror at the window before turning to Eugene.

"He did it," Eugene said.

As Elsa finished her rounds throughout the town, assuring the people that she was fine and they weren't under attack (again), Elsa was stopped by a young boy and girl. Elsa, recognising the first little girl to approach Alphonse, knelt to address them, putting on a warm smile.

"Is Mr. Alphonse with you?" the boy asked. Elsa fought the urge to frown and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, he had … other things to worry about," she explained. Elsa flinched as she thought of this "Viola" woman, who was clearly close to the mage. What, exactly, were they to each other? She thought Alphonse cared for her, but was she the only one? Elsa was self-aware enough to know she had next to no answers and practical enough to know that two days before a cataclysmic battle was not a good time for doubts. All the same, she couldn't shake it off.

"Hey, he's done with the other things!" the girl said, looking past Elsa. The queen turned to find Alphonse Shifting back to normal, breathing heavily.

"Elsa, we need to talk," he said bluntly. Elsa narrowed her eyes, her frustration returning, and turned to walk away. She flinched at the feel of his hand on her arm, holding her in place.

"Alphonse," she said dangerously, "let go of me."

"No," he replied evenly, "not until we talk." Elsa looked back at him and saw only determination in his eyes; determination that was rapidly cracking into fear. Fear that she would brush him off. That trace of vulnerability brought a sigh to her lips and she relented as they said goodbye to the children and he led her to a small cafe. Both were silent as they avoided eye contact, uncertainty leaving them awkward.

"Elsa-" "Alphonse-" Both cut off and offered for the other to speak first, their words overlapping again. And again. Ana again, until both began to giggle, clearing the tension from the air.

"Elsa," Alphonse started, "you should know by now that I don't care for subtlety. So I'm just going to say it." He took her hands in his and stared into her eyes. "I care for you, Elsa, in a way I have never felt for anyone else. And I mean not anyone." Eugene had said not to mention Viola, so he did his best. Elsa bit her lip before replying.

"What about your 'friend'?" she asked.

"That's all she is," he answered earnestly, "and it's all she will ever will be. Elsa, you have to know that I would never hurt you, not if I could help it." He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "And now that I have, I hate myself for it." Elsa tightened her grip on his hands.

"Don't you ever say that!" she demanded. "You don't deserve that; I was the one who overreacted. If anyone should take the blame for this, it's me!"

"Elsa, I should have talked to you!"

"I should have let you!"

"It's my fault!"

"No, it's mine!"

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is!"

A heavy hand slapping the table broken them out of their argument, both looking up to find Eugene, wearing a wide grin. "As much as I'd love to watch you two bicker about the other being right all evening," he held up a wisp, "this little guy just popped up and told us to head to the western gate in Anna's voice." The wisp vanished, its message delivered.

Elsa and Alphonse glanced to each other, their cheeks reddening in unison as they realized how tightly they were holding each other's hands. Alphonse cleared his throat and stood, bringing Elsa up with him. "Shall we, your majesty," he grinned. She smiled in turn.

"Of course, good sir." With that, Elsa summoned an ice-hawk and allowed Alphonse and Eugene to board before taking off toward the western gate, the sun falling toward the horizon.

As the sun sank toward the horizon, the formation of the clan crested a final rise that separated them from the Kingdom of the Crocus. The Elder held up a fist, signaling a momentary halt. The Elder took a breath and, as easy as closing his hand, opened himself to the flow of magic around them.

The Elder's eyes shone with faint violet light as the environment brightened, his sight moving forward to pierce the distance. His mind's eye settled on an unusual group to say the least.

A large man with a warhammer, northern lights shimmering over his skin. A young woman who glowed with magical power, a bronze sword at her hip. Another young woman who shone with sunlight, a large shield on her back. And finally a huldra, young and unblemished.

The Elder grunted and motioned for them to keep moving. It was time to meet with these strange peoples.

In regards to Elsa's behavior: Alphonse isn't the only one who's inexperienced. Since Elsa never went through these stages as a teen, she's feeling them now.

Sorry if the jealously seems unrealistic; I don't have much personal experience with that.

Leave a review, guys! It makes my day when they come in!