Chapter 1 1
Throughout the day the ship flew above the ocean with Prince Peter standing on the steering wheel guiding the airship. Alfida and Kai stood together on the side of the ship watching the sea together, which was very calm.
"You know. I have the sensation the airship here is slightly faster than mine was," Commented Alfida watching Kai shrug his shoulders.
"Probably. To be honest, I can't feel the difference. Might be from not being always on board of one as you or Rollan are," Commented Kai looking at the Spaniard, which leaned with his arms over the railing to look at the area. "He's smiling. He might be thinking about Gerda. How much do you want to bet?" Questioned the raven-haired boy making Alfida chuckle.
"We're going home. We've been through several things the past few days. He's got a lot to tell at home," Commented Alfida making Kai nod.
"Well, Gerda and maybe our parents. He doesn't have his mother here," Commented Kai.
"At the point, Rollan will reunite with his mother again there will be a lot of talking. Not necessarily the part with the wishing stone, but a lot he had experienced in his four years here. What he has seen, who he has met, how he and Gerda got closer, us….." Counted Alfida making Kai nod. "His current friendship with the future brother-in-law," Added Alfida making Kai frown.
"We're still working on it, don't worry," Kai said. "And I could do a little filing right now," Added the boyfriend walking towards the Spaniard making Alfida laugh.
Kai got beside Rollan to check on him, then watched Rollan look at the younger man and smiled.
"You're good?" Questioned Kai making Rollan nod. "I've seen you smiling the whole time and assumed, you were quite happy…..," Kai began unsure about, where to go with the conversation.
"I've been lost in my thoughts," Responded Rollan. "I'm just glad, we're making it back home safe,"
"Yeah, just without a treasure. We lost it because of the storm," Commented Kai making Rollan nod.
"We'll get more money. Not this week. Maybe not this month, but later on. Perhaps it's a good time for me to go look out for something different,"
"Do you have in mind, what you're going to look for?" Questioned Kai watching Rollan shrug his shoulders.
"Helping people would be something I love or be a sort of guard. If I'm not able to find something there I keep looking for something else. I just want to be financially stable and be able to move on into the new life with Gerda,"
"It's a good start," Confessed Kai. "She's going to be happy to know, you're going to stick around town for a job and not go out on the sea with Alfida. Although there are other men, that go on sea for fishing…..what if this was your only choice?"
"I don't know, what I should answer here. I think I'd rather go a few times with Alfida on a treasure hunt, than leaving the harbor every day to go fishing. I know fishers don't leave on a bad weather, but how many times do you have bad luck and meet waves during the trip?"
"More I assume," Responded Kai making Rollan nod. "If you fear landing in a similar situation as last time with our crew, just skip that and follow another path. There are other jobs waiting for you to put your hands on," Commented Kai making Rollan smile pleased by the boy's words.
"You're cool Kai," Commented Rollan placing his hand on the friend's shoulder.
"You too," Commented Kai, then both heard a caw of a bird and looked further to see a brown common swift with a yellow ribbon attached to its feet carrying a sheet tied to it making Kai wide his eyes and recognizing its origin. "Hey isn't that from King Harald?"
"Si, he's the only one I know to have a yellow ribbon," Responded the Spaniard watching the bird land on the bow of their airship. Kai removed the sheet from the bird's leg and opened it to look at it.
"We need help. Our village has been attacked by ice creatures and frozen. Getting help from Gerda's family was hopeless. They have been caught by the creatures. Anyone who managed to help us will be highly paid and honored by King Harald personally or Prince Anders," Kai read and exchanged with Rollan worried looks. "Gerda's frozen?" Questioned Kai watching Rollan swallow hard and look at Alfida, which approached the two men.
"What's in the letter?" Questioned Alfida, then Kai showed it to his girlfriend.
"King Harald's place was attacked and Gerda seemed to be frozen in the process," Answered Kai making Rollan nod.
"Can we move there? I'm sure we can help her out," Rollan asked packing Alfida on one of her arms making the woman frown and pull out her knife to point at Rollan's face.
"Get your hands off. I know, that you two want to find her first," Alfida spit out watching Rollan take his arms down to watch the pirate wipe down the dust of her cloak. "We just ask pretty boy over there, if he's okay with carrying us there," Commented the raven-haired girl earning a nod from the boys, afterward she made her way to the prince leaving the two men back. Rollan sank his head down saddened by the notice, then Kai feeling the same way as the Spaniard pondered on how to make themselves feel better.
"I'm sure Gerda is fine," Commented Kai placing his hand on Rollan's shoulder. "The Snow Queen never was capable to freeze her heart. I'm sure she's fine and this is all a misunderstanding,"
The trolls and the team of Gerda sat inside the sled heading towards the next village, that from afar was frozen as well. Gerda sat on the back looking unimpressed out of the sled, then rolled her eyes at the center to see Orm telling a story to the triplets, which listened carefully to it. Gerda smiled at seeing the trolls there, then imagined on Orm's place Rollan sitting there with the book telling the history instead. Gerda sighed enamored at her imagination and lied her arms over the railing of the sled to look at the snow squirting from the wheels out of the path.
Irma sat at the front with a few trolls looking at the path, they were crossing through the ride. The brunette looked back to see how the others were doing, including Gerda, that was looking out of the sled. Irma got up to approach the troll kids to see them listening to Orm's story, then sat down as well to listen to the story.
"The two had one of the most legendary duel the world could never see with their own eyes. The battle doesn't have an end nor a winner, but….one thing did our dear protagonist learn from it and so did the villain. He admitted, that the troll he had in front of him wasn't the one he knew from before and assured him, that both would meet each other in the future once again. Our troll Tapper commented, that he would keep fighting for his life, whenever needed. Now that he began to understand how important it is to cheer the one life he's got. With that the grim reaper vanished, leaving Tapper back," Orm finished the story, then watched the cubs cheer for the end of the story. Irma clapped as well, despite not having caught the entire plot and watched one of the trolls use his hand as a sword to battle one of the siblings, then ran around the sled together. Orm chuckled, then looked at Gerda, which had glimpsed into the ship as the cubs had been running.
"What is that one legend you told your cousins about?" Asked Gerda watching Orm get up to sit next to the friend.
"Was actually a play I have seen last week on my holidays. It's actually pretty good," Commented Orm making Gerda nod.
"Your majesty! There's a human by the entrance of the village running in our direction," Warned one of the troll soldiers watching Arrog get up to go check it out. Gerda as well got up to go to the front to see, if she could recognize the person.
"I don't know, but I'm going to pick him up before any of the spirits appear to take him," Commented Gerda transforming into her dragon appearance and took off in the air to pursue the person. Upon approaching the person, Gerda widened her eyes to see it was her mother and stretched out her arms.
"Mom! Give me your hands!" Asked Gerda loud reaching down at the woman to grab her with both hands, afterward turned around to return to the sled. "You're alright? Are the spirits still around?" Questioned Gerda, then heard a laughter and looked back to see a spirit come towards them, making Gerda widen her eyes and try to get faster to reach the sled.
"King Arrog! The spirits are coming!" Warned Gerda watching the king along with two trolls prepare the ice canon with frozen ice balls. Gerda moved aside to give them space to aim, then placed her mother inside the sled and pecked her on the cheek. "Did someone else besides you get out of there?"
"Your dad stood back with other magicians, so the rest could escape. But almost all of us got hit," Commented Una, then placed her hands on Gerda's face. "I'm so happy to be able to see your real face,"
"Is there something?" Questioned Gerda about Una's sentence, then noticed the spirit get closer and dodge one of the cannonballs, then she saw the spirit had the exact same face as her younger brother Kai, making Gerda tilt her head. "Kai?" Asked Gerda watching another ball miss the spirit. Afterward, the spirit moved closer to the sled, then got hit by a large ice breeze, causing the spirit to freeze and get overdriven by the sled, which broke the frozen creature.
"Good job, Irma," Complimented Gerda watching Irma give a thumb up, while lying on her knees, then felt King Arrog pet the girl on the shoulder.
"Irma? The name sounds familiar," Confessed Una making Gerda nod.
"She's the girl I saved from the Snow Queen years ago," Responded Gerda watching the brunette hold out her hand at Gerda's mom.
"Hello," Greeted the teenager making Una smile.
"I'm Una, Gerda's mother," Una introduced herself making Irma smile, then she looked at the back of the cannon to see the Snow Queen look at their direction. "Good evening," Greeted Gerda's mother.
"Why did the spirit have Kai's face?" Questioned Gerda making the Snow Queen shrug her shoulders.
"I don't know that. Most of the spirits are considered as the polar opposite of current existing humans. There are versions of you two somewhere out or inside Gao. You don't have to worry, no matter how realistic they copy your brother or boyfriend, they're not them," Commented the Snow Queen making Gerda nod.
"Kai's one seemed pretty realistic," Commented Gerda looking at her mother, which nodded in agreement.
"Well, he does look quite better as a spirit…."Commented the Snow Queen making one of the troll soldiers chuckle and earn a glare from the Snow Queen, which shrieked the troll, that looked around for a occupation, then began to polish the cannon making the Snow Queen cackle.
"Is it possible, that other villagers fell into the trap of when the spirits copy someone's face?" Questioned Gerda watching Snow Queen shake her head.
"They don't copy. They exist already. Each person, that has somehow got in contact with anything from lake Gao has a part of the DNA imprinted in it. The Snow King has find itself a way to get himself a shape and with each of the new DNA he found inside the Gao he ate it to produce these ice spirits. Similar like tadpoles they are hatched and with time, they grow into….that," Explained the Snow Queen moving her staff to launch an ice blast towards an upcoming spirit, which had gotten frozen and moments later their sled broke the frozen spirit in pieces.
"Okay, that sounds weird," Confessed Gerda watching Orm nod, then the group upon passing through the village noticed the frozen villagers, which made Gerda feel sad.
"Those were the last ones I watched getting frozen," Stated Una making Gerda nod. "Your dad….I have no idea, where he is now,"
"We will get him back too," Promised Gerda caressing her mother on the shoulder, thereafter looked at the entire location spotting the frozen palace of their king. "Harald sure has gained a mistrust again towards the magicians again…...or the Snow Queen," Commented Gerda, followed by the Snow Queen approaching the front to look at the castle.
"Last time he assumed all magicians were demons. I wouldn't be surprised about it," Added the Snow Queen, then Gerda shook her head about their comments.
"Okay, maybe I'm going too far. I'm sure, he knows it's a misunderstanding," Commented Gerda walking back with her mother making the Snow Queen roll her eyes amused by the positivism of the blonde.
At night, a staff member of the Larsson clan took the lead of the airship, so Prince Larsson could take a break. The break he happened to spend with Rollan, that sat on the side of the ship awake. Peter along with Rollan gazed at Kai and Alfida, which lied together against the walls with their heads against each other sleeping.
"How exactly did these two end up together?" Questioned Peter. "They're very different from each other,"
"They were together when I met them or at least in romantic terms. I actually have no idea, to be honest," Responded Rollan making Peter nod.
"How long do you know them?" Questioned Peter watching Rollan shrug his shoulders.
"I met them on the same day I met Gerda. I got to know them closer, when Gerda and I began to get along after one incident with the wishing stone," Commented Rollan making Peter nod.
"You're lucky she forgave you. The story sounds pretty crazy for me to hear someone forgive you,"
"I agree with you. Gerda…...she's just a wonderful person. She always sees the good in everybody and believes they can show it,"
"And the same she did with you," Added Peter watching Rollan shrug his shoulders.
"I think so. She didn't know the real me before and assumed I was a bad guy. In the end, she got to know me better and I accepted how things were now. I will never be able to change, what happened in the past, but I can be someone better in the present," Announced Rollan making Peter nod. "You haven't told your girl about your dad's choices, right'" Questioned Rollan watching the prince shake his head.
"I haven't stepped my kingdom since this morning as we left,"
"Alright, I thought at least something,"
"No, sadly not," Responded Peter, then heard the sailor whistle to call his attention and Peter got up to walk towards the man. Rollan looked at the front, then noticed in the far a red-yellow colored airship with the face of a king on it, making Rollan wide his eyes curious at recognizing the vehicle.
"That's King Harald's fleet," Spoke Rollan walking to the front, then heard the horn of the ship and Rollan looked back to see Peter stand next to the steering wheel holding on a rope. Rollan looked at the upcoming ship responding with a similar horn and he spotted at the front of the ship a taller, young teenage boy stand at the bow along with another soldier, which watched the area. Rollan waved at the duo, then watched the ship he was in turn with the side of the airship against the foreign fleet and he moved to the middle of the ship to encounter Prince Peter, which moved to the exit.
"Good evening. I'm Prince Peter, son of King Erik Larsson. We had a meeting with King Harald a few days ago. Perhaps anyone of you remembers," Spoke the Prince watching the head guard of the guards approach the exit of his own ship as well.
"We're in great danger, my young prince. I have no idea, where you're heading, but avoid coming to our land. Mystical ice creatures have frozen our kingdom and its village around. We were sent to get help," Explained the gray-haired guard.
"Uh that's where we're going to actually," Commented Peter, then Rollan got beside the prince, so he could be able to speak to the general.
"General, I'm Rollan. I'm the one, who helped Gerda come to defeat King Harald's weird robot head thing. Our friends are here, we can take it with these spirits. We just need to know, where they are and…...we figure out, what to do and solve the issue," Rollan said making the general nod.
"I can't help you, but warn you, that you don't have a chance with using swords, guns or anything else. We…..our team tried our best and failed. We had the order to look for help and hide Prince Anders from these creatures. That's what we're doing,"
"We can help," Announced Rollan. "We can go out and look for the Snow Queen or even other magicians for that matter. Peter here…...he's a magician as well…..he….what can you do again?" Questioned Rollan looking at Prince Peter, which pondered about the exact name.
"Well, I'm able to control any animal I'm sitting on their mind and do, what I want. If for example, a horse doesn't want to race around the castle, I could then sit on him embrace him with my arms and focus so long, until the telepathy between us is active and…...yeah, the rest you can imagine," Explained Peter, making Rollan feel unsure, if the powers could be useful.
"Okay, that's probably not the best in this situation, but…...it's a good thing!" Assured Rollan, then watched Prince Anders come along with the soldier to look at the duo of the other ship.
"Why don't we get Gerda's help?" Questioned Anders with a deep voice, making Rollan wide his eyes surprised at his vocal change.
"You're going through your…..pubescencia?" Questioned Rollan making Anders look confused at the Spaniard.
"We haven't heard anything of Gerda. She might have fallen as well. It's up to us to look for help. We're already keeping you away from there to protect you," Explained the general making the boy sigh at the order.
"We're the right people. We dealt with exceptional situations before. Trust me," Asked Rollan holding out his hand at the general, which exchanged looks with the soldier, then spotted Kai and Alfida stand behind Rollan to look at the men.
"Besides us three, we also have my pirate crew," Commented Alfida, then Peter approached the pirate captain.
"If you're all going. I think I'm going to board with Harald's fleet and lead them to my kingdom. From there, they can see, what they can do," Offered Peter making Alfida smile and held out her hand, so the prince could shake to seal the deal.
"Alright, get up here." Ordered the general. "I will return to the steering wheel," Announced the general leaving the exit, now the soldier came to the front to lean Peter a hand to help him cross carefully. In the meanwhile. Prince Anders looked at the group distracted at the older prince and he climbed on top of the railing to hop into the Larsson's airship, then sneaked carefully towards the cabin leaving the area.