[Story Cover - https//otar3000/art/1065813543 ]
Happy birthday to Felicie's grandmother , our beloved Anna Oldenburg of Arendelle today on Summer Solstice!
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While the Dock Master and Innkeeper are helping Odette and Louis to prepare, Victor and Felicie decided to go out and see the place. They refused to let them go alone of course so...
"I welcome you all to the kingdom of Arendelle or Arendal, however it suits you! My name is Singrid Oaken, an official of hospitality industry in Arendelle.
Ms Singrid was a blue eyed blonde taller than Victor but not as tall as Odette.
Singrid - I shall be your tour guide around here! You can ask me anything.
Victor – One question, do most of the people here are wearing these?
Felicie and Victor were required to wear local clothes of regular workers and residents.
Singrid – Most, yes. Unless you are of the royal line, they may have a different clothing.
Victor – Ah of course, the upper class gets the benefits.
Singrid – Ooh my, you certainly have much to learn.
Victor – And that is?
Singrid - While most of Norway did only recently adopt an official position of constitutional monarchy , the royal family has stopped practicing absolute monarchy here decades ago. People here were quite autonomous with their rulers giving them whatever help they could especially when economy didn't yet progress.
Victor – Ouh. Well that's not what I read about the monarchs from books and stories. Most of them detest idea of interacting with "lowly class" even to the point of eyeing own family members for marriage. Creepy really.
Singrid - Odins skjegg! No wonder you sounded so rude. Well I assure you, our last regent was a kind and noble figure. Also the ones governing Norway now is a coalition Sir Gerhardsen so there are no benefits, it's simply a long held tradition in reality.
She then noticed Felicie looking around the area, it looked almost exactly like that documentary opening.
The village was different from Paris, buildings were smaller too.
Not that she didn't like that. She's the type that loves open fields. Big homes sometimes make her feel surrounded.
She also liked the fountain nearby at the entrance of the village.
It had snowflakes above it.
Singrid – I see you have noticed the Vennskapsfontenen.
Felicie – I'm sorry but I don't know the Norwegian very well.
Singrid – I am aware, many who come speak English... Moving on, this is Friendship Fountain with it's upper half made of solid ice crafted by one of the deceased rulers, Elizabeth or Elsa Oldenburg.
Felicie almost jumped when she heard a group of troubadours playing a song.
~A ruler so strict and elegant was she
So cold alone and sad was she
Trapped and isolated was she
Wanting love and warmth does she~
Singrid – Don't mind them. They are just passionate to share stories with visitors as many here do.
"Speak for yourself Oaken"
Then there were two men bickering nearby at the firewood stock.
Fred – Visitors aren't always trustworthy. Some of them would like nothing more than "put you in your place". So I wouldn't get too attached if I were you. Remember the fugleskremsel by Hans the Blind.
Singrid sighs, there are some people who didn't yet overcome the traumas of the past. All is well and good so long as you don't become what you hate.
Norvald Jr. – You have other things to think about currently Mr. I think I've already told you! When stocking the firewood, the bark needs to be face-up!
Fred – Å kom igjen! Are you kidding me?! Face down is drier! How many times do we go through this!
They then began pulling the wood around and arguing.
Felicie – Uh, is that detail really important?
Singrid – Some disagreements may last generations. And some people just want to watch wood burn in it's beautiful and warm flame.
Looking at the bay , Victor found it fascinating to see the whole village was build above the water. It looked like a boat town. Then a dolphin jumped out and back into water. That made him wonder.
Victor – Wouldn't it be good of there was a whole city floating in the sea? One that no waves can flood it!?
Singrid and Felicie looked at him before looking at each other and looking back.
Singrid giggled.
Victor – Yeah sure you can laugh. They also laughed before I flew the skies Ms Singrid but just you see. Now do you have any magic stories here ? Just asking.
A bystander came up to him to whisper
"Oh many legends we have around Scandinavia , from Kraken in Trondheim to Gungnir in Nordic mounts. From bridge Trolls and ghostly Domovyk to Danish mermaids and army of snowmen. Which one do you wish to hear?"
Singrid – Try not to frighten him Aksel. Those stories are usually unattractive.
Aksel – There is still romance and curiosity in this world. One day it'll get traction I'm sure.
Felicie - ...Anything is possible... Though I'm not sure if likely. Now where should I go...
She looks at the music box in her hand.
She can try to look for watchmakers here.
Singrid – I see you struggle to decide the next destination, allow me to help you. Here this a list of places in Arendelle you may find appealing.
Felicie and Victor looking at the list or practically a map which shows different locations of service in Arendelle. And not just that but actually some interesting places they didn't yet hear about like St. Olaf's Cathedral, Ice Palace or Trolls Valley according to Futhark runes.
Victor – Aha see! There are Trolls!
Singrid – Balance your expectations, that Valley hadn't seen any Trolls in such a long time that everyone now wonders if they were real at all.
Victor rolled his eyes.
Victor – Well are wolves here at least? Not that I want them to jump at me...
Singrid sadly responded "I hope so too. But over the years, there aren't many wolves left here anymore"
Felicie found that to be sad too... nothing is more sad to anyone than seeing how everything you know is gone...
She felt pity for wolves now...
'There is nothing you can do about it. Focus on things you should learn about now... on your own family'
She then noted that pretty almost every social service in Arendelle is run by the Oakens family.
Oaken's Hostel and Sauna.
Oaken's Tourist Agency of Arendelle or "Oaken Turisme Byrå ASA"
Oaken's library of Ancient Literature.
Felicie – I see your family has a lot to do in this nation.
Singrid – My family's whole fortune is built upon hospitality and tourism. I'm glad we can help out people who may lose their path here.
Victor – Heh, you know what?... Felicie, remember I said we'd make friends here? I think we've got some now.
Felicie looks at Singrid before answering.
Felicie – Well we still have time to know each other better so... yeah. It's good to meet you.
Singrid was surprised but welcomed the idea.
Singrid – I'm sure it'll be great to know you... but you aren't just saying that because of my family right?
Her and Felicie both eyeing Victor who denied any connection.
Victor – I wanted to make friends here even before finding that out so I'm hurt.
Singrid – Ouh in that case, where do my new friends want me to accompany them?
Felicie picked one particular location at the map.
Felicie – I wanna see this museum here, Vesladk or?
Singrid – Ah Vasterlandsk Museum of Arendellian History. Off we go then!
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At the Vasterlandsk Museum
It was one of the ways from Southern Isles to make up for the invasion that Hans the Blind committed. As an apology, Hans the Blind paid for reconstruction of Arendelle. Returning the property that was taken or damaged.
Now it is used as a symbol of connection between North and South... as well as their common history.
Curator Siobhan – I appreciate you brought them here. It is always helpful to be informative.
Singrid – That's what we are good at. Being helpful I mean.
Victor – I see many statues, one of Pirates, Vikings, Knights... Now we are talking!
Siobhan – History is rich with different people. Some very brutal, but some very benevolent.
Joan of Arc was once such example and even though she was unjustly executed , her heroism is admired today.
Then she pointed at the other statue close by.
Siobhan – That one for example belongs to Jacob Holland, a sea traveller and possibly a sea monster hunter... helped uncover historical lies the European rulers were pushing.
Victor – So wait.. even books can lie...
Singrid – Yeah, I also once thought they are reliable but I learned later that they may also be incomplete.
Victor – So how can we know if this one was real?
Victor points to the old portrait of a viking warrior, titled Zephyr Haddock.
Siobhan – That's a million krone question... but some things are just lost to time. We have readings and scriptures yet to be discovered, perhaps that person never even existed the way myths stated.
Victor – That is even creepier.
Singrid – I understand your plight... I mean, sea beasts and ice queen tales? King of the jungle?
Siobhan – If there is anything we learned from this museum, it's that there's much to discover. Whether an event or a myth...
She then noticed Felicie was looking for something .
Siobhan - Felicie! Are you interested for something specific?
Felicie tries looking at the old relics, from clocks to music instruments.
Wants to see if there can be anything similar to her music box. Then again she realised that maybe this isn't gonna work, this music box may be unique...
Felicie – No... yeah?
She sighs
Felicie – Well actually, I am just looking if there's any similar music box like my own...
Singrid – Pardon me if I ask why is that?
Victor – Well part of the reason we came here, is to see if any family in Arendelle has something like that. Or if anyone here had them once.
She isn't sure she'd like strangers to know that but you don't make new friends like that.
Felicie – And maybe, find any lost relatives...
She whispered the last one out loud before facepalming.
Singrid – Wow like what happened with Anastasia Romanov not too long ago in 1926.
[Watch Disney's Anastasia]
Siobhan – If so, that is something you'll have to learn at the watchmaker shop. It isn't far from here.
Victor – Off we go again! Come on
They were already leaving when Felicie's attention was caught by a bigger portrait and statue at the centre of the Hall.
The statue of had a sword , a shield and a heavy armor.
But the portrait made her stop , the person on it was a red haired woman jumping off the cliff to the bridge with medals on her amd as the ground was cracking below her.
Her face was very familiar...
It reminded of her mother.
Felicie – Wait, who is that?
The three looked over at the statue and portrait above.
Singrid – Oh right. Victor , remember when I said our last regent was kind and noble?
Victor – So that is her?
Siobhan – That was Queen Anna Oldenburg of Arendelle, the last ruling monarch of Arendelle before constitutional monarchy was implemented. With her support too, particularly after the events of "Fugleskremsel" or "Scarecrow" as you'd say. She preferred peaceful settlement but was not hesitant to draw the blade if it came to her people.
Singrid – You can read what she said there below.
Felicie walked up to the statue where there was a line, quoting :
I'm grateful for this castle and for everything we've got
Especially my family – we've all been through a lot
I know how fragile things can be. If I lost them, I'd lose me
They're my ocean, they're my shore. I wanna give them more
They're my home
My home
Felicie – Home...
She then remembered her mother's letter, mentioning her father's research... on Arendellian Royalty.
Then again perhaps, he then found something else...
Or he was wrong?
She isn't sure what to make of this...
Victor – Uhm Felicie, are we still going?
Felicie – Sure... right.
They must see if they can find any new leads at watchmaker shop.
Before the doors closed, she gave one last glance to "Anna".
Remembering those dreams she's been having these days...
It was her face Felicie saw there...
'I now wonder... who are you...really?'
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Regent Anna = Ruler Anna
Like I said, happy B-Day to Anna.
Also some elements of story may be inspired by other stories so don't be surprised if you find familiarity.
Now some post ww2 Norwegians being traumatised by Nazi Kaiser won't be so surprising, for while Norway did recover physically... that doesn't mean they recovered mentally at the time.
Then again in my fic this mistrust of foreigners/Yankees was there even before that after what happened in prequel story of "Anna's Family"
STAY TUNED FOR MORE!