Winter's Echo

Chapter Three - Rest and Recover

The queen walked for about five minutes in a random direction until the light of the encampment faded into the darkness. She came to a stop at a large tree and leaned against it, running a hand along the smooth bark. Elsa sighed softly and stared up at the crescent moon through a clear spot in the trees, letting her mind wander. Eventually, inevitably, her thoughts turned to her sister and the proud queen could hold her head up no longer. Both her emotional and physical strength began to leave her, the spirit and her tears slowly falling to the ground in tandem.

Elsa hugged her knees to her chest with her back pressed against the trunk of the tree. The blonde tried valiantly to gain control of her emotions once more before she eventually buried her face against her knees and sobbed, finally defeated. She cringed when she felt more than saw the snow begin to fall around her. It reminded her of all the times she had cried in her room, her heart in agony whenever she would hear her sister through the impenetrable barrier of her door. That thought made the crumpled woman cry even harder. Though her cries were quiet, the distraught queen's body shook visibly from the force of her tears.

Elsa's tortured sobs went on for several moments with no signs of stopping before an ominous snapping of a branch nearby made her gasp, her tear-stained face whipping up to observe her surroundings. The spirit held her breath as she glanced nervously about the dark forest, the snow stopping now that she was hyper focused. She couldn't see anything more than 10 yards or so from where she sat, still as death. She jumped to her feet and pressed as close to the tree as she could when she heard the rustle of foliage, much closer to her this time. Slowly, she craned her neck around the side of the tree, trying to see as far as she could in the direction the noise was coming from while staying hidden. The rustling was coming ever closer and was now accompanied by a new sound.

Breathing.

Sniffing.

Hunting.

By something very large.

Elsa swallowed thickly and tried to control her breathing. She would be so much less frightened if she could just see where the creature was, sure her magic could take care of anything she came up against. Then again, she realized with a sudden dose of reality, who knew what magical beings roamed this forest. The Gods knew that Elsa had yet to have a magical entity's existence disproven at this point. She squinted into the darkness, trying desperately to locate the hunting creature before it found her.

A sudden, very slight rustling from directly in front of her made her whip her head back around. She opened her mouth to scream but was silenced by a warm, distinctly feminine hand clamped firmly over her mouth, her head pinned against the trunk of the tree she was hiding behind. Terrified blue eyes looked into serious, calm chocolate as Honeymaren silently lifted a finger to her lips, allowing realization to sink into the blonde's addled mind before slowly removing her hand from her mouth.

Warm hands cupped her face, thumbs wiping away the new and old tears they found there as Honeymaren regarded the queen, sadness flickering in her doe eyes. She lifted her dark, furrowed brows in silent askance, continuing to gently caress the shaking woman's tear-stained face. Elsa covered Honeymaren's hands with her own, nodding quickly and giving her a tiny, token smile to let her know that she was alright. The brunette nodded before something behind the queen made her brown eyes go wide. Immediately, she put her hands on Elsa's shoulders and pushed her down, following closely behind as the two women huddled behind the tree. Honeymaren wrapped one arm protectively around Elsa's shoulders, using a small, slow gesture to point behind her. Carefully, Elsa turned in her crouched position, Honeymaren helping to keep her steady, and peered cautiously around the tree.

A giant brown bear stood no more than fifteen feet from their hiding spot, snuffling around in the bushes nearby, scrounging for food. The beast was huge; it would have been at least twice Elsa's height had she had the misfortune to meet it. Elsa had never seen a live bear up close before and couldn't help but to look upon it with awe. A small, high pitched grunting noise came from a short way behind the behemoth. Seconds later, a tiny cub bowled through the bushes, trailing clumsily after what was surely it's mother. Though her fear of the great beast and its proximity was very real, the sweet scene of the tiny family brought a small smile to her lips.

Finally, the pair of furry beasts wandered off into the woods and out of sight. Elsa made to stand, but Honeymaren held her down and shook her head, once more indicating that she should remain quiet. The Northuldran's large, doe eyes were serious and full of solemn duty. "Stay here, Elsa. Be very still," she spoke in barely a whisper before standing noiselessly and moving toward the direction the bears had just gone. Elsa reached out and grabbed her hand, wide blue eyes frantically asking what in the world she was doing. Honeymaren smiled reassuringly and covered Elsa's hand with her own, giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling from her grasp. She made a 'stay' motion with her hands and crept away, stealthily disappearing into the darkness of the forest and leaving Elsa alone again.

Despite her order to remain still, the blonde stood up as quietly as she could, leaning against the tree as she peered worriedly into the darkness in the direction the bears and the Northuldran had gone. She fidgeted anxiously for several moments, her concern growing every second there was no sign of her friend. Just as she was about to throw caution to the wind and run after the woman, Honeymaren appeared from the shadows and smiled, jogging over to her.

The wintery spirit nearly fell back against the tree, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Now that she had the brunette safely in front of her, however, Elsa's ire quickly rose. "What were you thinking, chasing after bears?! Are you crazy? You could have been killed!" she whisper-yelled at the woman, gesturing to the dark path she had just emerged from. Honeymaren raised a single eyebrow, placing her hands on her cocked hips and staring at the queen expectantly.

To her credit, Elsa had the decency to look abashed as red bloomed in her cheeks and she lowered her head in apology. "I...I-I'm sorry," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her own waist defensively. "I was...just so scared something was going to happen to you," she muttered apologetically. Honeymaren smiled at the royal's apology before speaking. "I heard the bear wandering around earlier and followed it to make sure it wouldn't come into the camp. That's why I had to track them a bit further, to make sure they weren't going to circle back," Honeymaren explained. "A mother bear with a cub nearby is not something one wants to encounter, especially in the middle of the night," she added with a pointed, albeit playful look. Elsa simply nodded, not lifting her head from it's guilty staring contest with the forest floor.

Warm, tan hands once more found cool, pale cheeks as the brunette guided Elsa's face up to look at her. "Now," she started quietly, searching watery blue eyes. "What's got you out here waiting to be bear food, hm?" The compassion in the Northuldran's eyes began to reopen the flood gates within the frazzled blonde. Elsa closed her eyes and dropped her head slightly in Honeymaren's grasp to cut off the flow, but a few tears managed to escape anyway.

Honeymaren made a small noise of sympathy as she delicately wiped away the freshly falling tears. After a brief moment of deliberating, she gently tugged the queen forward into a warm hug. Something inside the queen seemed to break in that moment of tender affection. The fur that had been wrapped around the spirit's shoulders fell to the ground as she nearly flung herself into the embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around Honeymaren. Her tears started anew as she buried her face in her shoulder and it was all she could do to keep from completely breaking down.

The Northuldran, while taken aback at the ferocity of the blonde's emotions, was not surprised by this reaction. Now sure of her course, Honeymaren returned the tight embrace protectively, holding the distraught Arendellian queen close. She let the wintery spirit cry herself out on her shoulder, alternating between rubbing small circles into her back and cradling her head against her, murmuring soothingly to her all the while. When it seemed Elsa's tears were finally spent, she pulled back to look into red-rimmed, glassy blue eyes. She playfully bumped her forehead against the spirit's, bringing the tiniest of smiles to Elsa's lips. "Come on," she said gently, grasping one of the blonde's hands. "You're staying with me tonight," she stated with finality as she led the queen from the darkness of the forest toward the welcoming light of the encampment. Elsa offered no argument and allowed herself to be lead through the trees, her free arm wrapped around her middle and her gaze locked on her feet.

Honeymaren paused when she saw a few of the early risers around the camp already beginning to stir. "This way," she said before she changed course slightly to lead them around the outside of the settlement. Elsa's glassy eyes shone with gratitude at the brunette's back - she was not ready to face anyone in her state and she was thankful Honeymaren was courteous enough to be aware of that. Come to think of it, the Northuldran seemed to be awfully attentive to her needs. She wasn't just accommodating to the wintery spirit - she was...very in tune with her, in a sense. From their first meeting, it seemed the brunette had a natural and very well-honed gift for reading people.

Normally, she wouldn't have given this a second thought had she not prided herself on a similar gift. From a very young age, Elsa had quickly learned the ins and outs of the political arena; as queen of Arendelle, she was quite adept at figuring out who was a true player or simply a pawn in national politics. Her talent for being able to see through fake personas to a person's true motives had helped her make Arendelle as prosperous as it was. Perhaps, she thought wryly, the reason Honeymaren's astute talent seemed so impressive to her was because she used it to make the lives of those around her better rather than to manipulate and control a political game board.

Checking that the coast was clear, Honeymaren tugged Elsa beyond the tree line and out of her cynical musings. She opened the flap of her lavvo, ushering the blonde inside. The queen gave her a small smile of thanks before stepping in.

"I'll be right back," she said gently. "Go ahead and get comfortable." She gave the uncertain woman a small 'go ahead' gesture before she disappeared from sight, leaving the queen to herself. Elsa stayed rooted where she was, observing the inside of the brunette's abode. It was quite similar to the one that had been made for Elsa, except the bed was without a frame. A thicker, more extensive pile of furs lined the bedroll and Elsa couldn't help but think it looked quite inviting. Several handmade trinkets hung from various woven ropes that lined the walls of the structure. She reached out to delicately finger a beautifully intricate sculpture of a horse with a wispy mane and tail that reminded her of Nokk.

The realized the dwelling was indeed made for two people as she had originally guessed as she spied a second bedroll on the other side of the larger structure. She noted curiously that it appeared to not have been disturbed by sleep and wondered who the empathic woman shared it with. A sudden, surprising pang of an emotion she couldn't quite describe made her heart clench slightly. She hadn't considered that Honeymaren may have a partner, a lover, even a husband. She frowned at the thought as she stared at the other bedroll; she really didn't like that thought. She blushed lightly, realizing she liked what her aversion to the idea implied even less.

Because it was larger, the brunette's lavvo was able to accommodate a small log near the fire rather than the chair that was in hers. Elsa moved to sit in front of the log with her back against it in front of the fire. She huddled into herself and stared into the crackling flames, allowing her consciousness to be swallowed by their intricate dance. So lost in thought was she that the brunette was able to enter the tent right in front of her, a wooden bowl full of a steaming broth in her hands. Honeymaren simply observed the wintery spirit for a long moment, taking the opportunity to read the queen's unguarded face.

Honeymaren had been mulling over her theories as she fetched and warmed the broth she held in her hands. It was quite clear to the observant woman that Elsa was an enigma locked away behind many walls. Every playful or affectionate touch she gave the ambiguous woman gave her more clues she needed to break those walls down so she could get to know the true beauty inside. Despite her calm, regal facade, the Northuldran could immediately sense the true despair and utter destruction that had wreaked itself upon the reserved queen. It was almost as if she had been completely shattered and then reassembled correctly, but hastily. She was sure that if she pushed Elsa too far, the pieces would come crashing down again. Her eyes turned sad as she stared at the achingly beautiful woman entranced by the fire. Honeymaren's only hope was that when she finally, inevitably shattered, Elsa would allow her close enough to restore her to the happiness and confidence she deserved.

Finally, Elsa's addled brain sensed more than saw the other presence in the tent and blue eyes flicked up to meet the Northuldran's. The blonde tried at a small smile, but only partially succeeded. Honeymaren gazed in caring concern at the queen before speaking quietly. "When was the last time you ate something, Elsa? Or even slept, for that matter?" Elsa simply shrugged, looking back at the fire as Honeymaren came to sit on the log next to where the despondent queen was curled up on the ground. "I'm not hungry," she murmured quietly.

Honeymaren placed a warm hand on Elsa's knee, encouraging the woman to look up at her. "Your mind may not be hungry, but your body is. I'm fairly certain the last time you ate was the night you first came here. That means you've been going on 3 days since you ate anything. Probably longer without sleeping." The brunette moved her hand from the queen's knee to gently grasp one of the Elsa's hands. She tugged lightly to uncurl it from its defensive position around the spirit's waist and placed the warm bowl of broth in it, helping to keep it steady until Elsa's other hand followed to cup it herself.

Elsa stared at her reflection in the bowl blankly and Honeymaren gave a small, sad sigh. She gently brushed white gold locks behind the queen's ear, lightly running her tan fingers through their silky tresses. "Try for me, please?" she asked gently. After a moment, Elsa obediently lifted the bowl to her lips to take a small sip. She closed her eyes as the warmth travelled down her throat and blossomed in her chest. The broth had a full, meaty taste but was still light and flavorful. It was delicious and Elsa savored both the taste and the warmth, as well as the company that delivered it.

Honeymaren smiled when the blonde took another small sip followed shortly by a longer, deeper drink. "Slowly, Elsa," she warned gently as she heard the tell-tale, greedy growl of a neglected stomach. The queen blushed prettily at the noise, peeking up at the brunette from the corner of her eye to gauge her reaction. The Northuldran only grinned at her and gestured for her to continue drinking. After a short moment, Honeymaren decided to press her luck in her winter spirit clue-gathering, curious to see Elsa's reaction to what she was about to do.

Without a word, she swung a leg over the log, scootching behind the blonde before swinging it back over. Elsa blinked and lowered the bowl, tilting her head back almost comically to try to follow the woman's movements behind her. Icy blue eyes closed in satisfaction as sure hands began to diligently run through silky blonde hair, gently working through wind tousled knots as she found them. Since she and Anna had reunited three years ago, Elsa had discovered that she absolutely loved having her hair played with or touched in any way. The queen was often plagued with persistent headaches, most likely from the constant stress she was under, and nothing quite soothed the tense queen like the feel of fingers running through her hair or nails on her sensitive scalp. Honeymaren's instincts were, once again, eerily accurate when it came to her silent needs. Elsa gave her a small, grateful smile along with a whispered 'thank you', and worked on finishing the broth more slowly, despite her stomach's angry protests.

The two women sat in companionable silence for several long moments as Elsa finally polished off the broth with a satisfied sigh. Honeymaren smiled and reached over Elsa's shoulder to retrieve the empty wooden bowl, placing it behind her and out of the way to be dealt with later before resuming her ministrations. She began to quietly hum as she worked her fingers through white-gold tresses. Elsa didn't recognize the tune, but the Northuldran's voice was a sweet, soothing balm to her frazzled nerves. Elsa wasn't sure when she had closed her eyes, but she was roused from a near sleep with a small gasp when Honeymaren's hand on her shoulder gently caught her when she began to pitch forward.

The Northuldran chuckled softly at the drowsy blonde and stood, moving in front of her before reaching down to help her up. "Come, sweet spirit. It's time for bed. We will see about getting something more solid in you after you've slept." Elsa could only nod as the brunette practically lifted her from the floor for all the strength the spent woman had. The queen stumbled slightly when she tried to leave the lavvo, only for Honeymaren to slip an arm around her trim waist and guide her carefully toward the thick pile of furs Elsa had noticed when she first stepped inside. She looked at Honeymaren questioningly, who only smiled at the adorable expression of confusion on Elsa's tired, beautiful features. "You're going to stay with me for a couple of days until you settle in," she informed the queen. "Lie down," she instructed as she helped the exhausted woman lower herself to the furs.

Elsa knelt on the surprisingly thick and comfortable bedroll as Honeymaren arranged blankets and pillows against the back of the lavvo. "I don't want to impose on you and whoever else lives here with you," she said quietly, gesturing to the other bedroll. Honeymaren turned her head to regard Elsa questioningly before smiling after seeing where the assumption came from. "It's just me here, don't worry," she reassured her before turning to sit on the bedroll facing the fire, her back leaned up against the pile of pillows. "Ryder used to stay with me, but he's old enough now to be part of what we call the siiddat, which is the group of us who take care of the reindeer," she explained. Elsa was too tired to curb the small smile that tugged at her lips at the fact that Honeymaren slept alone, let alone analyze why that made her happy in the first place.

"Come," the brunette said, patting her lap to indicate the queen should lay her head there. Elsa blushed hotly and looked uncertainly between Honeymaren's admittedly inviting lap and her calm brown eyes - eyes that twinkled in mirth currently. "I promise I don't bite, spirit," she teased. "But you were halfway asleep in minutes from me playing with your hair. I'm pretty sure what you are actually craving isn't just sleep, but closeness." Honeymaren watched closely to gauge the reserved queen's reaction to the conclusion her experiments and observations had led her to. Elsa looked skeptical, but Honeymaren just chuckled. "I see this a lot as the noaide. Trust me," she said with a reassuring smile.

The queen tilted her head curiously at yet another new word. "Noaide?" she parroted. The observant woman smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Come lie down and I will tell you, Your Majesty," she bargained. Elsa bit her lip, pondering uncertainly before deciding to obey the Northuldran's request, crawling over to the brunette and laying her head in her warm lap, much to Honeymaren's delight. She couldn't help the deep sigh of contentment that escaped her lips as Honeymaren draped a particularly heavy fur over her and the soothing scent of the woman completely enveloped her. Elsa's eyes instantly closed as she took one deep, relaxing breath after another, letting the magic that was Honeymaren wash over her troubled existence.

Honeymaren chuckled, toying idly with the hair at the blonde's temple. "That's better," she whispered gently. Elsa hummed in agreement, but lifted her head slightly to look up at the woman who was pampering her so. "We had a deal," she said with a weak smile. The brunette laughed lightly, nodding in agreement. "That we did, spirit, that we did." Elsa smiled more genuinely and laid her head back on the Northuldran's thigh, staring into the fire. Honeymaren took a moment to collect her thoughts, tan fingers never ceasing their path through rivers of white-gold.

"I am what my people call the noaide," she began. "The people of Arendelle might call me a shaman for our tribe, but my role, and the duties that accompany it, run much deeper than that." She looked down to admire the way the firelight flickered across tired, icy blue eyes for a moment before trailing her fingers in a featherlight touch down the blonde's face and across long lashes, bidding the queen to close her eyes. She smiled at the small sigh of contentment the touch drew from the queen and continued her soothing strokes through silky tresses, willing the exhausted blonde to rest. Honeymaren greatly enjoyed the affectionate freedom the normally very private queen was allowing her. She was even more thrilled that Elsa now seemed to be craving said affections, for two reasons. The first, and most important, being that she was correct in that the absence of physical contact had been a huge weight on the queen's soul that the noaide was desperate the relieve her of. The second being that her constant desire to reach out and touch the enigmatic woman, to make a tangible connection was now something she no longer need fret about...for now. Honeymaren knew well how such desires were often quite difficult to quell entirely. She cleared her throat, shaking herself from such...distracting thoughts to answer her queen's request.

"A long, long time ago, before Arendelle came into existence, the Northuldra that roamed these fjords were the only people on this side of the mountains. Among these ancient Northuldrans was a beautiful woman named Noaide. Noaide was a great healer and leader among her people, as well as a devout follower of the spirits. Our legends tell us that one night, a great and terrible storm came from the Dark Sea, bringing a wave so immense and mighty that it would wipe out our ancestors and remove their very memory from the forests. Noaide pleaded with the spirits, begging them to spare her people and offered devout servitude from them as repayment for their mercy."

Honeymaren paused as she felt Elsa moving, looking down at the queen as she twisted around in her lap, situating herself to stare up at the Northuldran with crystalline eyes that were now more awake than they were moments ago. She smiled, brown eyes laughing as she brushed Elsa's bangs affectionately from her face. "You're supposed to be trying to sleep," she chided gently. "What happened? Did she survive?" Elsa asked, ignoring Honeymaren's comment. Honeymaren chuckled, adjusting her leg to make the queen more comfortable and fixing the fur blanketing her before continuing.

"The spirits accepted her bargain and spared our ancestors in exchange for mortal companionship. As a reward for her bravery, the spirits imbued Noaide with pieces of their essence so that she may better serve them and her people. These gifted attributes made her brave and wise in ways beyond simple logic. Noaide could now more clearly see pain caused by wounds that lay below the surface in the hearts and minds of her people - wounds that they themselves often didn't know existed. She was able to understand how they felt and sense the best way to help them through their darkest nights. She became her people's revered spiritual leader. She was the doctor for their bodies, the protector of their existence, and now the savior of their hearts and souls. Since then, every hundred years or so a noaide is borne to the Northuldra.The noaide's job is to care for the members of their tribe through troubled times, whatever that may entail."

Honeymaren looked back down at the blonde, surprised to find the queen staring up at her with a look she hadn't seen before. A flash of understanding sparked there, as though a question she had been pondering had answered itself, but there was something else, as well. Something deeper, something important and unique to the winter spirit. "That's a lot of responsibility for one person," Elsa finally said quietly. Doe brown eyes smiled down at the wintery spirit as the noaide, true to her calling, recognized the emotion she had seen.

Camaraderie. Kinship. Connection.

Honeymaren was beyond thrilled, sensing that the lonely woman finally felt that someone truly understood how it felt to be like her. Destined for what she had earlier described as being 'other', preordained into monumental responsibility.

Trapped.

"You, more than anyone in this camp understands what that's like," she confirmed before continuing lightheartedly. "But, there's never a dull day. From making sure bears don't wander into the camp to trying to get stubborn queens to sleep," she grinned playfully. "It's my job." Elsa didn't smile at the joke, however, instead staring past Honeymaren and into space, already lost in her own thoughts.

The brunette gently brushed her fingers across Elsa's cheek to get her attention. "Care to share your thoughts?" she asked gently. She wanted to unlock the secrets of the wintery spirit's quixotic mind, and was pretty damn proud of her progress thus far, but she knew she wouldn't get anywhere further by pressuring her. Elsa stared into her eyes, searching; for what, Honeymaren didn't know, but she let the blonde look all she wanted, hoping she would find what she was looking for. "How do you deal with it?" Honeymaren tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to clarify the queen's question. Elsa sighed and bit her lip, searching for the words. "I'm not sure. You just always seem so...sure of yourself. All the time. How are you sure of anything when so many people rely on you so heavily?"

Honeymaren nodded in understanding and closed her eyes in thought, giving Elsa's question the careful consideration it deserved. The topic was clearly important to her and she wanted to do what she could to put her at ease. "I suppose my answer would have to be...'hope'," she replied, opening her eyes to gauge the queen's reaction. Elsa's brow furrowed. "I'm afraid I don't understand," she admitted. The Northuldran smiled and lightly pressed her thumb against Elsa's cool forehead to begin rubbing the furrow in slow circles, smoothing away the tension there and willing the queen to close her eyes once more. "The way I see it," she continued lowly, "is that hope is what guides not only me, but everything and everyone. Worrying has never changed the outcome of a situation - only actions can do that. But, not all actions involve movement. Some of the most important actions we will ever take in our lives are the choices we make based on hope."

"Like what?" Elsa mumbled quietly, Honeymaren's gentle ministrations lulling her back to relaxation and ever closer to sleep. The noaide lowered her voice to a soft, soothing timbre. "We do it all the time, sweet spirit. Every night we go to sleep with plans for the next day without the promise of waking. What a wonderful thought that is...that some of the best moments of our lives haven't even happened yet." Elsa opened her eyes, the empathic woman's wise words bringing a small sparkle of what looked remarkably like hope in their crystalline depths. "Our people have a saying. 'Fear can keep us up all night, but Faith makes a fine pillow.'" Elsa smiled gently at that. She surprised Honeymaren by turning inward and snuggling into the brunette. The noaide smiled and went back to playing idly with the monarch's hair, her job complete for the night as, finally, the queen surrendered the the merciful arms of sleep. "I will help you keep your fears at bay, winter spirit," she promised quietly, caressing the unguarded, innocent features of the slumbering queen.

Now, more than ever, she was quite sure of her purpose in this life - and she was sleeping soundly against her. She was meant to be the noaide, to be here when the fifth spirit awakened. If Elsa was destined to be the bridge, then Honeymaren was destined to watch over her and keep her strong. She smiled happily at her faithful thought before leaning back against the pillows and closing her eyes, her contented smile following her to into her dreams.