The sun was rising over the group as they made their way along the winding trails between the hills and mountains. Leading the way behind Olaf, who was riding Sven, Anna was engaged in a serious discussion with Kristoff, her expression grave as she took her role as queen very seriously. Throughout the night, she had barely spoken to her sister, who walked slightly behind, accompanied by Aodhan.
Elsa was lost in thought, her gaze distant and her brows furrowed. She could hear the inhabitants talking animatedly behind her. The rumor of their destination had reached them, and they couldn't hide their concern. Aodhan approached the young blonde, who let out a sigh, forming a cloud of condensation in the crisp morning air.
"I can't help but feel responsible for all of this," she began, finally breaking the silence between them. "I brought so much trouble to Arendelle as queen. I thought everything would be better now that Anna had taken my place."
She glanced at her sister, who continued to talk with her fiancé, without Elsa being able to understand what they were saying. She eventually turned her attention back to the young man next to her, who looked at her with sympathy.
"First, I plunged the kingdom into eternal winter," she continued, her voice trembling. "Then I woke the spirits of the Enchanted Forest, causing Arendelle to be evacuated in case the kingdom was engulfed by the destruction of the dam. And now, even after handing the crown to my sister, a demonic man invades the kingdom with creatures of darkness, forcing us to evacuate once again. All because I have powers."
She turned to face Aodhan, her gaze misty and a sad smile on her face.
"I am a poor excuse for a queen."
"Don't say that," Aodhan replied vehemently. "None of this is your fault. None of us could predict what would happen. And it's thanks to you and your powers that Arendelle has always remained safe."
He hesitated, then placed a hand on her shoulder with an encouraging smile.
"And you're not alone. Look at all these people behind us! They are all with you, just like the Northuldras will be, I'm sure, from what you've told me about them. Not to mention Kristoff, Olaf, and Anna. A queen stands by your side, that's not nothing!" he concluded with a small laugh.
"And you too, Aodhan," added Elsa, placing her hand on his, responding to his smile. "That's not nothing either."
He exchanged a surprised look with her, a small silence settling between them. Then a big smile spread across his face.
"And me too," he repeated, nodding. "I haven't lived in Arendelle for very long, I don't have the same ties as you and the others (he nodded towards Anna and Kristoff), but these past few weeks, for the first time, I felt at home."
Elsa responded with a look of gratitude, a sense of recognition replacing the burden in her eyes. Her lips trembled slightly, ready to form words of thanks, but she ultimately just nodded gently, letting the silence express everything she felt.
The next day, in the early afternoon, the group finally arrived at the Enchanted Forest. The song of birds and forest creatures enveloped them in a peaceful and mystical atmosphere, as if nature itself were welcoming them.
The entrance to the forest was marked by a clearing in the center of which stood four majestic stone pillars, each representing the four spirits of the Enchanted Forest: fire, air, water, and earth. With relief, Elsa and Anna spotted the familiar faces of the Northuldras, standing in a circle around the pillars. Clad in traditional attire adorned with nature-inspired motifs, they approached the newcomers with welcoming smiles.
Leading the Northuldras, an old woman walked towards them, looking concerned, accompanied by a young brunette who, on the contrary, struggled to hide her smile. At the sight of her, Elsa rushed to meet her.
"Honeymaren!" she exclaimed with a wide smile. "Were you expecting us?"
"Elsa! It was hard to ignore the racket you were making as you approached. At first, we thought it was the earth giants shaking the ground!"
Honeymaren chuckled with Elsa, but they paused when Anna and Yelena, the leader of the Northuldras, joined them.
"What's going on?" asked the old woman. "Who are all these people?"
She gestured towards the people of Arendelle around whom the Northuldras had gathered, already trying to help them as best they could.
"Arendelle has been invaded," Anna declared. "A man dressed in black, named Roderick, used some sort of dark fog from which strange creatures emerged. One of them attacked my sister! If it hadn't been for Aodhan..."
She glanced at the young man, who was trying to help his people as best as he could alongside the Northuldras.
"Roderick?" repeated Yelena. "Dark fog and creatures? It makes no sense..."
"We were forced to evacuate the city," Anna continued. "The Northuldras are our closest allies, so I was thinking... Well, I was wondering if you would accept..."
Anna fidgeted with her hands, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. It was the first time she found herself in such a direct negotiating situation as the queen of Arendelle. Suddenly, she felt a hand take hers. She turned to find Elsa approaching beside her, gently tightening her grip as she gave her an encouraging smile.
"Arendelle seeks asylum with the Northuldras," she completed for her.
Anna responded to her smile with relief and turned back to Yelena. Their quarrel seemed distant and futile in her eyes now.
The old lady raised her eyebrows, but a slight smile lit up her stern face as she surveyed the people of Arendelle.
"I'm not sure if we can help everyone," she declared. "But we will do our best."
"We'll also help you find out who Roderick is and how to retake your kingdom," added Honeymaren.
Yelena stepped forward to face the people of Arendelle, who quickly fell silent as they watched her.
"People of Arendelle, the Northuldras offer you asylum," she declared in a loud voice. "Let us not let our past differences interfere with the present. We will help set up a camp for everyone. Families with young children will settle in tents closest to the campfires, for safety. As for the others, you may choose a location where you feel comfortable. But do not stray too far from the Northuldra camp."
Murmurs of approval rose among the refugees, who followed the locals into the forest towards their camp. Then, Yelena turned to Elsa and Anna, who stood side by side where she had left them.
"As for the royal family and their friends," she continued, looking at Olaf and Kristoff, "I suggest you settle near my tent, a little away from the camp."
Anna showered her with thanks, but Elsa interrupted her by taking a step forward.
"Thank you, Yelena. But there is someone else with us."
"The one called Aodhan?" asked Honeymaren.
"Exactly."
She searched for the young man for a few seconds before finding him. He was about to follow the refugees into the forest.
"Aodhan!" she called out. "Come over here, please!"
The man obeyed and joined them, looking visibly confused. He greeted Yelena and Honeymaren with respect as he introduced himself.
"Aodhan is with us," Elsa continued. "He saved my life during the invasion of the kingdom, and... (she hesitated) And he has powers, just like me," she added finally, lowering her voice.
The two Northuldras struggled to hide their astonishment, which once again brought a smile to Elsa's face. Anna, however, frowned, her eyes fixed on the young man. Fortunately, Yelena and Honeymaren didn't notice, nor did the discreet elbow Kristoff gave her to warn her that her eyes were shooting daggers.
"Could you have anything to do with Elsa disappearing from the forest for two weeks without telling us?" Honeymaren asked Aodhan teasingly.
"In all honesty, yes," Elsa confessed before Aodhan had a chance to respond. "But we'll discuss it once everyone is settled."
Everyone agreed, and the group followed the refugees towards the Northuldra camp, deep in the heart of the Enchanted Forest.
The night had fallen for an hour as the refugees finished setting up their camp with the help of the Northuldras. Makeshift tents had been quickly erected thanks to the forest people's know-how, while campfires crackled here and there, casting a warm glow over the grove that sheltered them. Exhausted but grateful to finally be safe, the refugees gathered around the fires, finding welcome comfort in the dark night.
Meanwhile, Mattias approached Aodhan and led him aside. Fatigue left its mark on the captain's features, but a faint smile lit up his dark-skinned face. In his hand, he held a sword in a dark leather sheath.
"Boy," he began. "You showed courage facing that creature."
"I didn't really think about it," Aodhan admitted with a small laugh. "I was only thinking about protecting Elsa."
"And thanks to you, our former queen is alive. You seem to know how to handle a sword, but next time, try not to take mine," Mattias added, laughing in turn.
"I didn't have much choice," the blond apologized.
"That's why I decided to give you this."
He handed over the sword he held in his hand and offered it to the young man.
"It's the sword given to all members of the royal guard of Arendelle. You're not officially part of it, but I trust you to protect the queen, her sister, and their friends," he said solemnly.
"I will do anything to protect them, you have my word," Aodhan replied in an even more serious tone.
He attached the weapon to his own belt, adjusted it a bit, and thanked Mattias. He was about to take his leave when the captain placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, Aodhan. I believe Elsa and Anna were looking for you earlier. They must be waiting for you in front of Yelena's tent."
At the mention of the leader of the Northuldras, Aodhan thought he saw a hint of mischief in the captain's eyes, so quickly that he thought he might have imagined it. He thanked him again and headed in the direction he had indicated.
Around a campfire, where Olaf was being chased by laughing children, who narrowly missed bumping into him, Aodhan emerged into a smaller encampment. Yelena's tent stood majestically, flanked by those of Honeymaren and Anna and Kristoff to her left, and Elsa and Aodhan to her right. They all lined up in a semicircle around another campfire lazily burning in the middle of the night. Sitting around the fire, the owners of said tents waited for Aodhan and looked up at him as he entered the flickering light of the flames.
"So, here's your protege, Elsa," smiled Yelena. "Please, have a seat."
Intimidated, Aodhan nodded and timidly sat down on the tree trunk next to Elsa. She must have told them about their meeting and his training over the past two weeks, judging by the way the two women looked at him. The young blonde, however, gave him a reassuring smile.
"Elsa told us everything," Yelena continued, confirming his suspicions. "We discussed a lot, and we came to the conclusion that you are not a danger. The Northuldras will help you train in magic alongside Elsa. We have also agreed with Mattias to train you in swordsmanship, if you have no objection. We made these decisions... by majority."
She glanced at Anna, who blushed slightly when the group's attention suddenly turned to her. She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.
"I maintain that it's not a coincidence. Elsa finds a stranger who can do magic, and suddenly, Arendelle is attacked two weeks later?" she exclaimed, hands on her hips.
She stared at Aodhan as if she were expecting confessions from him. The young man just rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable, but held her gaze. A heavy silence fell, only disturbed by the crackling of the fire dancing between them.
"I don't know how to prove my innocence to you, Queen Anna," he finally declared. "I know that nothing I could say will change anything, and I don't like making promises. It's far too easy to utter empty words. But instead of a promise, I would rather ask you for time to show you that you can trust me."
Anna looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. Apparently, she didn't expect this response. After another, shorter silence, she crossed her arms again, her demeanor less sharp than before.
"Very well," she replied soberly.
He couldn't help but notice that her shoulders seemed to relax, as if a weight had just been lifted off them.
The atmosphere around the campfire seemed to relax, and Yelena continued:
"Good, now that everything seems settled, we can move on to the main subject, which, as Anna put it, is the invasion of Arendelle."
"I first saw a strange black fog floating above the sea to the south," explained Anna. "The way it moved was strange, it almost seemed alive."
"I think that was Roderick controlling it," Elsa reflected aloud. "He forced us to evacuate the city with that fog, and when it settled in Arendelle, he created those creatures. Who knows what they're doing to the city while we speak?"
"And he knew you, is that it?" Honeymaren, speaking for the first time, asked. "Have you seen him somewhere before?"
"He only knew Elsa," Anna replied, her expression dark. "And from the way he emerged from the fog and floated in the air..."
"You think he also possesses magical powers?" Kristoff asked, looking worried.
"Exactly."
Everyone exchanged grave looks. If this man indeed possessed powers, Aodhan understood better Anna's doubts about him. She seemed to imagine that he was complicit with Roderick and aspired to the destruction of Arendelle, which was obviously far from the truth.
"Roderick," murmured Yelena, breaking the silence. "That name rings a bell."
Everyone looked up at her, surprised.
"Don't look at me like that, my memory isn't very clear anymore. But that name resonates like a story I would have been told a long time ago. A story I would have forgotten, and that has resurfaced. However, I don't know all the details."
The others sighed, their eyes lost in the flickering flames of the campfire. They had no leads, no way of knowing where Roderick came from, who he really was, or how to defeat him. The situation seemed hopeless, and each one felt desperate.
Everyone, except Elsa, who wore a small smile.
"Do you have an idea, Elsa?" her sister asked.
"Perhaps, indeed," the interested replied. "If even the Northuldras have heard of Roderick, it means there's a chance he came here, to the Enchanted Forest, in the past."
They exchanged doubtful looks, not quite understanding where she was going with this. Then Anna suddenly jumped to her feet with a surprised exclamation, startling everyone.
"Don't tell me you're thinking what I think you're thinking?" she asked, her voice high with excitement.
Elsa exchanged a knowing look with her sister.
"If Roderick did come here at some point in his life, then Ahtohallan holds the answers to our questions."
