Chapter Seven
After getting checked by the the healer, Aasta, Honeymaren returns to Elsa. She spends the remainder of the evening convincing the Fifth Spirit to allow her to accompany her on the tour. Elsa was adamant about leaving her behind, not wanting to get her involved.
Honeymaren had kept her temper and patience in check. If she wanted Elsa to let her tag along, she knew she was going to have to be more logical and reasonable. Losing her temper often got her the opposite of what she wanted, especially when it came to Elsa.
Eventually, when the sun set and the stars cast their ethereal glow over the forest, Honeymaren managed to wear her down. Elsa relented with a weary sigh and gave her permission to accompany her along with Ryder and Eret.
Now Honeymaren sits alone at a campfire, long after Elsa retired, and stares up at the flickering stars. Having lived her entire life in a magical mist, she never takes a clear sky for granted. Tonight there were so many that she swears she can make out patterns. There's two not far from each other that look like ladles. There's another that vaguely reminds her of a bow and arrow. The way some of them seem to wind into a swirl reminds her of Elsa's magic.
Elsa.
She sighs and closes her eyes.
Honeymaren feels better after their talk earlier. She hadn't been expecting Elsa to apologize, but welcomed it wholeheartedly.
Her mind wanders back to when she made Elsa promise not to sacrifice herself or do anything rash. She doesn't even know what she was expecting the outcome of the conversation to be, but she was desperate. Even now Honeymaren feels her stomach turn. Her fingers curl into the leather hide of her pants.
She remembers when Elsa and Anna arrived at the Enchanted Forest and how inseparable the sisters were. She also recalls the consistent worry and desperation in Anna's expression during their stay with the Northuldra. Honeymaren can't help but empathize with the red-head. While it's common knowledge among the Northuldra that Elsa sacrificed herself to free the forest from the mist and calm the spirits, Honeymaren knows that the woman wouldn't think twice about doing it again.
Her thoughts are interrupted when a brush against her leg startles her. She nearly falls onto her back with a gasp but catches herself on her elbows. A soft chitter sounds next to her. Honeymaren tilts her head, eyes blown wide, and relaxes when she recognizes the fire spirit.
"Oh, Bruni. It's just you," she whispers, releasing a slow breath. She pushes herself back up into a sitting position and holds out her palm.
Bruni inspects her proffered hand before climbing up her fingers and settling into her warm palm with a soft purr.
"You can't sleep either, huh?" Honeymaren murmurs.
The fire spirit tilts his head curiously, as if listening. For a moment, Honeymaren wonders if he can actually understand her. She supposes that that's a question for Elsa at a later date.
Her gut clenches again at the thought of Elsa. She hitches her shoulders up to her ears and curls the palm holding Bruni closer to her chest.
"Hey Bruni, if you can understand me, can you do me a favor?"
The salamander perks up. She swears if he had ears they would be twitching in her direction—much like the reindeer she interacts with. The thought almost makes her laugh.
"I know I can't always be with Elsa, but I know you have a connection to her that no one else does. Can you just…look out for her for me? Please?" Honeymaren whispers, voice cracking. The image of him in her hand blurs and it takes a moment for her to realize that she's crying. "I'm worried she'll do something stupid like put her entire life on the line."
Bruni stares up at her, unmoving.
Honeymaren swallows and brushes away a hot tear that's trailing down her cheek.
Then, the fire spirit licks his eyeball and stomps his feet with a sound akin to a low growl.
Honeymaren chokes out a giggle, "I'll take that as a yes. Thank you, Bruni…"
The next morning, Honeymaren meets Elsa just outside of her tent. The blonde greets her with a small yet strained smile that doesn't reach her eyes. Honeymaren mirrors it with a crooked one of her own. She then holds out a hand with a fresh and warm biscuit. Elsa's blue eyes are bright and she quirks a brow with an inquisitive look that almost makes Honeymaren melt.
"I figured you hadn't eaten yet and wanted to make sure that you had something substantial. At least for the morning. It wouldn't do to have a cranky Fifth Spirit on the tour," she explains, ending with a teasing tone.
A breathy giggle escapes Elsa as she gratefully takes the biscuit. "Thank you," she breathes in that light, raspy tone that makes Honeymaren shiver.
What's wrong with me?
She pushes the thought to the back of her mind. There were more important things happening right now, like acting as the Fifth Spirit's bodyguard while she gives the obnoxious British soldiers a tour of the Enchanted Forest.
She watches Elsa take a delicate bite of the biscuit and tries not to stare at her lips. She forces herself to avert her gaze to the edge of the forest and clears her throat.
"So, where are we meeting them and where exactly are we going?" she asks, trying to make light conversation.
Elsa finishes her breakfast before she replies, "Just outside of their camp. I figured that we can do a general stroll of the forest and show them the clearing where we herd the reindeer."
Honeymaren nods. Though, she isn't sure she's comfortable about showing them any Northuldra customs; even reindeer herding. As if Elsa can tell what she's thinking, she places a hand on Honeymaren's shoulder.
"I'm not fond of the idea either, but I have to share some things if I want to get them to understand and respect our way of life," Elsa explains. Her hand falls back to her side and she stares out into the forest. The clear blue of her eyes seem to cloud as if she's reliving a moment of her past. "Back in Arendelle, we would often have visitors from foreign countries. They would always bestow me with expensive gifts or even animals that signified the customs of their culture. I like to think that this can be similar, if only for a cause far better than trying to gain the hand of a Crown Princess or Queen."
When they make eye contact again, Honeymaren furrows her brows and frowns.
"Gain the hand…?" she trails off, unfamiliar with the lingo. "Like your hand? For what?"
Elsa flushes a pretty pink and averts her gaze shyly. "My hand in marriage."
Honeymaren's eyes widen and she feels her face heat up. "Oh," she says lamely.
The silence that grows between them is awkward and thick with an unknown tension that Honeymaren feels she's about to burst. She tightens her grip on her staff and chews on the inside of her cheek. Somehow she gets the feeling that even though Elsa is no longer Queen of Arendelle, there will still be men attempting to court her from far and wide.
The thought surprisingly nauseates her.
"Listen, Elsa—"
"There you both are! Alright, Eret and I are all set and ready for an adventure! I mean, a grand tour of the Enchanted Forest, Your Majesty," Ryder bellows from behind Honeymaren, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing tight. He bows playfully to Elsa who gives him a small smile.
Honeymaren pushes her brother off of her. He stumbles with the force but takes no offense.
"Seriously Ryder? It's too early in the morning for this," she growls at him.
"What? It's not even that early! I'm just doing my duty to make sure everyone is ready for this super important adventure, especially my grumpy sister!" Ryder cries, feigning hurt.
Eret crosses his arms and rolls his eyes at the siblings' antics, but remains quiet.
"Sure you are," Honeymaren grumbles. "Anyway, let's go. We shouldn't keep o'Lord Edward waiting."
Elsa gives her a look that she can't decipher, but it dissipates just as quickly. She turns without a word and leads the group through the forest.
Honeymaren jogs to catch up to her, leaving Ryder and Eret behind a few paces. She wants to continue their conversation from earlier but isn't sure how or if there is even enough time.
She shivers as Elsa leaves a chilly breeze behind with her brisk pace. Which isn't unusual, but Honeymaren believes she knows her friend well enough to recognize when it's not intentional. Whatever is brewing in Elsa's mind, it's likely an inner turmoil and trepidation over the tour.
Honeymaren sighs, relenting. She'll have to pin the conversation for later, it's not important right now. Supporting Elsa in the best way she can is her top priority.
It doesn't take them long to approach a small clearing that leads the way to the British camp. Honeymaren's surprised and concerned with how close it is to the Northuldra village.
She almost walks into Elsa when she doesn't realize the woman halted in front of her. She gasps and swerves next to her instead. At Elsa's inquisitive look, Honeymaren just shrugs and gives her an embarrassed smile.
Then she coughs to clear her throat while Ryder and Eret catch up to them. Ryder releases a low whistle as he takes in the camp.
"That's a lot of tents," he comments.
Eret grunts and crosses his arms.
Elsa sighs, "It looks like they're expecting to stay a while. Hopefully not permanently…"
Honeymaren frowns at the thought of having to live with a foreign military on their doorstep. It's unnerving. "There's no way that they have good intentions," she points out.
"Well, good intentions or not, I can't just brute force them out. I'll have to handle the situation delicately and diplomatically," Elsa tells them.
Honeymaren bites her lip to keep herself from correcting her on 'we' instead of 'I'. It concerns her that Elsa still thinks that she has to deal with this alone.
Part of her is willing to gather the Northuldra and drive them out, but the rational side of her knows it's a terrible idea.
It doesn't take long for Lord Edward to gather a small party of his own to greet them with.
"Good morning, Snow Queen," Edward drawls. "My men and I are intrigued to see the hidden wonders of this Enchanted Forest. I know that you won't disappoint."
Honeymaren's grip tightens on her staff when she notices the swords at their sides and the crossbows strapped to their backs. Her gaze flickers to Elsa, who shares a side-glance with her, and relaxes a little when she realizes that this information hasn't gone past Elsa either.
"I'm honored that you're intrigued," Elsa replies. She then shifts her body toward the forest and elegantly gestures with an open palm. "Shall we?"
Elsa doesn't even wait for Lord Edward and his entourage to respond before she glides into the forest. Honeymaren jogs to catch up with her. Ryder and Eret are close behind. Their unspoken formation around the Fifth Spirit helps Honeymaren to feel relieved that the foreigners won't be able to get too close to Elsa.
From the corner of her eye, she notices Bruni skittering beneath the foliage, following them. A small smile curls on Honeymaren's face and she feels a swell of affection for the fire spirit upon knowing that he's heeding her earlier request.
As the group treks through the forest, Elsa explains how important the balance between the spirits and nature are.
"Balance?" Lord Edwards scoffs. Honeymaren is surprised that he even remained quiet for longer than five minutes. "All I see are snow and trees. No spirits."
Within less than two seconds of him opening his mouth, however, Honeymaren already feels her blood boil. With a glance at Ryder and Eret, she can tell that they aren't too pleased either, if the frowns on their faces are anything to go by.
Before she can tell him off, Elsa shoots her a glance to quiet her and responds herself. "The spirits of nature don't just show themselves to anyone. The Northuldra doesn't harness their power, but rather we listen when nature speaks. We can tell when something is amiss in the Enchanted Forest based on how the spirits react. It's important to respect nature."
A small wave of murmurs roll over the soldiers. Lord Edward just laughs and nudges a soldier next to him who joins his antics.
"We'll believe it when we see it, Snow Queen. There seems to be a lack of these…magical properties you speak of. Perhaps it's all in your head, my dear?" he says to her. "I would have a higher chance of digging up gold than finding a 'spirit'."
His men chuckle in agreement, causing Honeymaren to bristle. The lack of respect they harbor for not only the Enchanted Forest and the spirits, but for Elsa, makes her wish that she can pummel them all to the ground. Instead, she digs her staff into the dirt.
A hand on her shoulder startles her and she turns to see Ryder giving her a sympathetic look. He gestures for her to breathe. In and out. Again. In and out. A little tension leaves her body, but she still glares daggers at the British soldiers.
Elsa, however, remains impassive. The only sign that she even heard Lord Edward's dismissal was how her lips thinned into a line and the twitch of an eyebrow. It's impressive how well she keeps her composure and Honeymaren can't help but admire her restraint.
"Your ignorance is unbecoming, Lord Edward. You requested a tour and I obliged, though I must inform you that the spirits of the Enchanted Forest don't tolerate a lack of respect," Elsa tells him with an arch of her brow.
Lord Edward frowns, clearly not appreciating Elsa's mildly disguised dig at his character. He steps closer to the Northuldra group—Honeymaren, Ryder, and Eret stiffen, ready to block him from Elsa if need be—and halts a few feet away.
"I apologize, Snow Queen. Please, continue the tour," he says, gesturing to Elsa with a hand.
Honeymaren is surprised that the entourage of soldiers, including Lord Edward himself, are quiet as Elsa continues the tour. No more murmuring amongst themselves and no snide comments; it's almost unnerving. The Northuldra group relaxes a little when they realize that the soldiers were smart enough to not start anything. Though, Honeymaren's quite sure that it'll be the last time they'll try anything if Elsa has anything to say about it.
After strolling for quite some time, the group finally pulls up to a clearing where the reindeer herd is peacefully grazing.
A low whistle escapes a soldier who remains by Lord Edward's side.
"Now that's a lot of reindeer," he comments.
"Prime hunting grounds, Charles," Lord Edward tells his subordinate, sending him a knowing look.
Honeymaren frowns and, for the first time since the tour began, speaks up, "They're not for hunting!" she growls.
Lord Edward turns his attention to her. "Ah, so she can speak," he sneers.
Honeymaren's face heats up as the ire bubbles in her chest. Before she does anything rash, her brother swoops in to her rescue.
"What my sister means is that we don't need to hunt the reindeer to extract what we need from them. Right Mar?" Ryder explains.
Honeymaren exhales. Her shoulders deflate the tension. "Right."
"This reindeer herd is sacred to us," Eret chimes in. "Our ancestors have been nurturing and domesticating them for hundreds of years. Our survival depends on theirs."
Elsa steps forward and nods. "That's why I decided to finish our tour here, Lord Edward. So that you can witness and understand a sacred piece of Northuldra culture."
"Intriguing!" Charles says. "Do you ride them like horses?"
Elsa's blue eyes glitter and she smiles. "We do," she replies.
Honeymaren watches the rest of the exchange in awe. Elsa is somehow getting through to these otherwise ignorant men. Is this what she always did back in Arendelle when she was hosting foreigners from all over the globe? Perhaps Honeymaren doesn't have to worry so much after all.
Lord Edward steps forward a little, staring out into the meadow. "May we get a closer look?" he asks.
Elsa nods and starts leading them through the tall grass. Honeymaren, Ryder, and Eret follow her closely, keeping a side eye on Lord Edward and his entourage. Even though he seems content and curious, that doesn't mean any of the Northuldra can trust him.
Elsa halts the group far enough away, just on the other side of a half-frozen stream, so that they won't disturb the herd. Some of the reindeer lift their heads for a moment, acknowledging their presence, before going back to grazing.
The Northuldra and the British watch on in silence for a few more moments before one of the soldiers, Charles, speaks up.
"There's snow on the ground, in the middle of Winter, what are they even eating?" he asks incredulously.
Elsa turns her head to Ryder, who is more of a reindeer expert than any of the four of them. Honeymaren's brother steps forward with a smile, excited to explain his area of expertise.
"In the Winter they mostly eat lichen, which is a type of moss. They dig holes in the snow to get to it. That's why so many of them have their noses buried beneath piles of snow. Though, sometimes Elsa will clear the meadow a little so it's easier for them to find it!" he tells them.
"You know what I noticed?" Lord Edward cuts in. He squints his eyes through the glare of the sun shining off of the snow as he searches the meadow. "Throughout this entire tour that has not been one sighting of these so called spirits you keep talking about. If they're so important then were are they?"
His speech riles up the soldiers a little, causing a ruckus of murmurs throughout the group.
Honeymaren frowns, she knew that their seeming interest and respect was too good to be true.
"The spirits of nature don't just appear when you want them to," Elsa tries to explain. "They come and go throughout the Enchanted Forest as they please and will only be seen when they want to be."
Lord Edward scoffs. "Nonsense. Summon them, Snow Queen!" he demands.
Honeymaren sees the tension in Elsa's jaw and knows her friend is restraining herself from giving this arrogant asshole a tongue-lashing. Really, it's all they deserve at this point. If she's being honest, however, she wants to see the quiet and composed queen lose her temper.
Maybe they'll never think about coming back to this forest again. Ha! Wouldn't that be something? Honeymaren thinks.
Instead, Elsa purses her lips, folds her hands, then lifts her chin. Though, Honeymaren notices the tell-tale sign of frost accumulating on her fingertips.
"My lord, unfortunately it doesn't work that way," Elsa tells him in an airy, yet defiant tone. She pauses, then gives a dramatic sigh. "But if you insist…I can see if they'll answer my call."
Lord Edward grins at this and shares an arrogant glance with his soldiers.
Elsa turns on her heels so that her back is facing the group. She closes her eyes and cups her hands around her mouth before taking a deep breath and singing.
The high-pitched kulning sends shivers down Honeymaren's spine. It's an energy that she hasn't felt before, not even when she'd (on rare occasions) sing a similar tune.
Elsa's enchanting voice echoes through the forest, the valley, and even the mountains, charged with a mysteriousness that she can't pin-point. The shivers transform into tingles which settle into the tips of her fingers and toes.
"It's beautiful," Honeymaren murmurs under her breath. As she watches Elsa with wide eyes, she realizes that she's never actually heard her call the spirits before.
When the kulning is finished, there is a silence that washes over the forest. That mystical energy leaves Honeymaren's body in waves and she finds herself wanting to chase the feeling and hold onto it.
"Well? Where are they?" One of the soldiers ask.
"Patience! I'm sure they are on their way, right Snow Queen?" says Lord Edward.
Elsa sighs and shakes her head. "They're not responding. Perhaps they have reservations about meeting you. The spirits prefer to take things at their own pace," she explains to them.
Lord Edward doesn't take this lightly. "Preposterous! Who wouldn't want to meet me?!"
Honeymaren bites her tongue to keep herself from replying with something rash. I can name many people who would prefer to have never met you, myself included.
Elsa doesn't answer, instead she moves to try one more time.
Honeymaren takes her by the wrist, effectively halting her.
Elsa turns with a quirked brow to which Honeymaren responds by shaking her head.
"There's no point," she decides to whisper. "If they didn't come the first time then what makes you think they'll show this time?"
Elsa frowns. Her shoulders tense and she looks out toward the forest. "I have to try," she replies with a sigh. "Who knows what they'll do if Gale doesn't at least answer to my call?"
Honeymaren tightens her hold on Elsa's wrist. The desperation in her friend's face sends tremors of trepidation down her spine. "Elsa, I may not fully understand why you're so insistent, but I know that you know the spirits well enough to realize that they won't come. You have to see that!"
For a moment, Elsa looks as though she's about to protest. Then, she relents with a defeated sigh.
"You're right. There's no point. I just…" Elsa whispers, trailing off with a frown.
Honeymaren lets go of her, but doesn't move away. She knows that Elsa is somehow feeling responsible; a habit that she realizes is a side-effect of the expectations she's had to meet her entire life. If only there was a way that she can convince Elsa that nothing is her fault.
After a moment of ruminating, Honeymaren decides to at least try to make her see.
"Elsa—"
A loud blast that ricochets through her body and starts a ringing in her ears, startles her.
The sound echoes throughout the clearing.
The reindeer cry out and startle into a circular stampede.
It takes Honeymaren a moment to recognize the sound as a gunshot. It's followed by a flurry of others. The sounds cause her to hunch over with her hands over her throbbing ears, trying to block it out. To her surprise, she feels a pair of arms circle around her, pulling her into a warm yet protective embrace.
"Stop!" Honeymaren hears Elsa's muffled shout. "You're startling the reindeer!"
She's thankful for the reprieve when the ear-splitting sounds of gunshots halt.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Eret hisses.
"If the spirits won't come out then we'll make them show themselves!" Lord Edward declares.
Honeymaren squeezes her eyes to fend off an oncoming headache before she pries herself from Elsa's hold. Once separated, she sends Elsa a small, yet grateful smile.
Elsa gives her a once-over, as if to make sure she is ok, before she turns to address Lord Edward and his ignorant entourage.
Honeymaren feels the temperature plummet a split second before Elsa shouts, "Put the guns down, now!"
Lord Edward ignores her. Instead, he points a gun to the sky and fires off another shot. His soldiers follow suit.
The gunfire spooks the reindeer, sending them into a more intensified stampede.
"Spirits damn them," Eret growls beside her.
Honeymaren's heart races in her chest. Between the gunshots and the thundering of hooves, she feels trapped. There's nowhere to go. "W-What do we do?!" she cries, turning to Elsa.
Ryder places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes reassuringly. "I have an idea," he says. "Elsa, can you disarm them? Eret and I will try and calm the reindeer."
"Wait! What do I do?" Honeymaren asks, heart hammering in her chest.
Ryder gives her a sympathetic look before replying, "Just try not to do anything rash, okay?"
"But I—gah!" she cries, throwing her arms in the air when Ryder and Eret leap across the stream to the reindeer. She feels helpless. She's always so helpless.
When she turns back to Elsa, the woman is already moving.
She slams her foot into the snow. Her magic spreads out across the ground and beneath the soldiers' feet, transforming the surface into thick ice. They begin to slip and slide, falling onto their backs. Some crash into the ice hard enough that they're knocked out from the impact.
Elsa blasts her magic at any soldier who manages to keep his balance, knocking the weapons out of their hands.
Honeymaren is left standing there, dumbfounded. In the two seconds it took her to regain her bearings to figure out a way to help her friend, Elsa manages to immobilize and disarm over half of the men.
It isn't until Elsa lowers her arms that Honeymaren speaks, low enough only for her friend to hear, "Okay, I guess you didn't need my help." The part of her that feels useless dissipates as admiration overpowers it.
The only sign that Elsa heard is a flicker of her blue eyes and a tiny quirk of her lips. Now, her ire is locked on to Lord Edward.
"I will say this only once: stand down," Elsa threatens, hands glowing with bright swirls of her magic.
Lord Edward narrows his eyes and steps forward, close enough that he's merely a foot away from Elsa.
"Are you threatening me?" he sneers, eyes blazing down at Elsa.
Honeymaren's gaze shifts to the the hand holding his gun, which tightens. The whites of his knuckles make her heart jump into an unsteady rhythm.
"That depends," Elsa hisses.
Lord Edward scoffs. "On what?"
The tension between the two in their battle of wills is so thick that Honeymaren can cut it with a knife. She's left standing there, hesitant and unsure of what to do. It isn't until she notices movement from the corner of her eye that she turns her head.
A soldier, the one she recognizes as Charles, holds up a crossbow. It takes her a split second to realize what he's about to do before she moves, without her realizing, and screams, "Elsa, look out!"
It's a quick enough warning that Elsa has time to raise her hands when the deadly arrow is shot.
Honeymaren's on Charles before anyone can blink. She grabs the crossbow and wrestles him to the ground.
They roll and tumble into the stream, gasping and flailing at each other. Honeymaren grabs Charles by the collar and decks him across the face. His head snaps to the side. As he's about to fall back under the tide, he pulls Honeymaren's long braid, jerking her beneath the surface with him. They kick and swim, both fighting for the edge.
She blindly reaches for the familiar feel of earth and snow to dig her nails into.
"ENOUGH!" Elsa bellows.
A shockwave of ice-cold magic permeates the air as Honeymaren struggles to pull herself back onto land, gasping for air. She forces herself to regain her bearings quick enough to assess the damage.
Lord Edward and the remaining three soldiers have their legs encased in ice. Their weapons are either half drawn or tossed aside and out of their reach, frozen to the ground.
Elsa remains behind a thick spike of ice, eyes wide with a fury that Honeymaren hasn't witnessed before.
Protruding from the icy shield is the deadly arrow. It appears that Elsa was just barely able to react in time, but even though the weapon was caught by her magic, she's holding onto her left side with an arm. The way she winces and clenches her teeth makes Honeymaren's stomach turn.
She's hurt.
Honeymaren, drenched from head to toe, scrambles to her feet. Her own teeth chatter as the cold settles deep within her bones, but Elsa is more important right now. The outcry from Lord Edward and the soldiers fall away into the background.
When she reaches Elsa, she gently pries her arm away from her side.
On the surface, it appears like a scratch—the fabric of her dress took the majority of the damage—but, Honeymaren can see that this isn't an ordinary cut. The skin is raised in an angry red and bubbling like a severe blister.
Her eyes dart to the arrow suspended by the ice before them with a frown. Without another word, she yanks the weapon out to examine it.
It isn't made of aluminum is it? If so, Lord Edward can't know about Elsa's weakness. Her grip tightens around the shaft.
She snaps her head up to glare at Lord Edward.
"You've done enough. The tour is over, leave!" she yells.
For once, Elsa doesn't intervene. Instead, she thaws the ice encasing the soldiers.
Lord Edward turns his attention from Elsa to her and frowns. He hesitates, as though a logical protest is forming in his mind, but instead he addresses Elsa.
"Snow Queen, I want to apologize for my men's outrageous behavior! They should be more…civilized," he says, shooting a glare back at his soldiers.
It takes a moment for Elsa to respond. She's slightly hunched, wincing every so often from the pain. Honeymaren notices a bead of sweat trail down her temple, but she remains impassive. "This tour is over," Elsa bites out.
With the dismissal, Honeymaren gingerly wraps an arm around Elsa's shoulders. She guides her away from Lord Edward and his entourage and in the direction of the village.
When they're far enough away and hidden by the density of the forest, Honeymaren pauses to give Elsa another once-over.
"Do you think you can make it back to the village?" she asks.
Elsa shifts her gaze to meet Honeymaren's eyes and purses her lips. She seems to hesitate and Honeymaren is about to take that as a no until she replies with a sigh, "Yes. I'm fine."
Honeymaren narrows her eyes and quirks a brow. "You're not going to collapse on the way there are you?" she says incredulously.
Elsa frowns at that. "I'm positive."
"Positive that you will collapse?"
"Positive that I won't!" Elsa retorts.
At least getting a rise out of her is a telltale sign that Elsa is feeling well enough to argue.
Honeymaren concedes. "Okay. Let's just get you back and have Aasta take a look then. Hopefully it's not too bad," she suggests.
Thankfully the village isn't too far from the reindeer clearing. Honeymaren helps Elsa the best she can without overstepping her boundaries. The entire way there her eyes dart worriedly to the other woman's side. It's then that a thought crosses her mind and her stomach drops.
"Can you still use your magic?" Honeymaren asks carefully.
Elsa pauses in her next step then halts. Her arm visibly tightens around her middle as her brows crease. It appears that it didn't occur to her either.
Honeymaren elaborates, "The last time you had a similar reaction it was painful to use your magic. Do you think that's happening again?"
Elsa lowers her head and sighs. "I hope not. Can't say that I'm too keen on finding out either."
Honeymaren frowns at that, but nods. It wouldn't do well to push Elsa right now. It was more important to get back to the village, where it's safe.
"Come on, let's keep going," she says and holds out a hand for her to take.
Elsa gives her a nod and, with a tight smile, she accepts the proffered hand. A cold, electrical tingle traces up Honeymaren's arm despite the surprising warmth of Elsa's skin. Her heart races. She bites her lip and offers Elsa a smile of her own before she leads them back onto the path toward the village.
As the Northuldra village comes into view, Honeymaren slips her hand from Elsa's. The emptiness of her palm feels cold—and perhaps, a little lonely. She pushes the thought to the back of her mind and shifts her attention to her friend. Her eyes glance down at the arm that Elsa had wrapped around her side.
"How are you feeling?" Honeymaren asks, concerned.
"I'm fine," comes Elsa's swift reply.
"A likely story," she quips. "Come on, let's look for Aasta."
It doesn't take long for Honeymaren to locate the healer. She flags her down and urges her to examine Elsa. Thankfully, Aasta doesn't question them. She accepts both women into her tent and is quick to get to work.
Elsa winces with a sharp intake of breath when Aasta cleans the scratch and applies ointment. It doesn't take long for Aasta to wrap a bandage around Elsa's waist. She gives both women specific directions on changing the bandage once a day and reapplying the ointment.
"I figure that you'll tell me what happened later, so I won't ask questions. I would also recommend to ice it once an hour for twenty minutes to sooth the irritation," she tells them.
Honeymaren thanks her and follows Elsa out. She represses the shiver that races through her body beneath her wet clothes. Soon, she tells herself, soon you can change and warm up by a fire. Right now, Elsa's more important.
Before Elsa can detour to her own tent, Honeymaren catches her by the elbow, casting a sidelong glance up at her. "Can we talk?" she asks, then adds. "Privately?"
Elsa glances around the village before pursing her lips with a nod. Neither of them say another word until they both duck into Honeymaren's abode. She makes sure Elsa is comfortable before she starts talking, not beating around the bush.
"Can you use your magic?"
Elsa doesn't answer right away. Instead, she turns her hands in her lap palm-up and stares down at them where she is sitting. Her fingers flex. Honeymaren thinks she notices a tiny shiver race up her arms, but doesn't comment. Instead, she waits patiently.
"I don't know," Elsa finally whispers with a weary sigh.
Honeymaren takes a seat next to her, but gives her space. She stares down at the ground, flexing her fingers on the edge of her bed.
"Have you tried it yet?" she asks. A stupid question, really, but this time might be different than the last. It's a larger wound, after all.
Elsa shakes her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "I admit that I'm afraid to. I…what if I try and I can't? It's not the pain I'm worried about but…" she trails off, ducking her head toward her chest.
In that split second, Honeymaren notices the sad sparkle of tears in her blue eyes before they're hidden behind the curtain of her platinum tresses.
"But what?" Honeymaren presses gently.
Elsa bites her lower lip. She tightens her fingers around her arms. She takes a deep, yet shaky intake of breath.
"If I try and can't use my magic, what then? I don't know what to do. I'm the Fifth Spirit, I'm supposed to know what to do," she whispers, exasperated.
Honeymaren shifts to face her and reaches out to pry Elsa's hands away from herself. Elsa's chin jerks up at the unexpected touch. Her blue eyes are wide and watery with such despair that it makes Honeymaren's breath catch.
"Elsa, you're not a failure. Just because you're the Fifth Spirit doesn't mean that you're supposed to know how to fix everything in the forest. And you're definitely not supposed to do it alone," Honeymaren tells her. She cups one of Elsa's hands between hers and notices that her skin is abnormally warm. "Let us help you. We're all dealing with Lord Edwhatever and his goons, why not solve it together? Besides, it's not like you can just turn him into a human ice statue without starting a world war."
That makes Elsa laugh softly through her tears and she sniffs.
"You sound like Anna."
Honeymaren raises an amused brow and holds back a laugh. "Then it sounds like you need to learn to accept help more," she suggests.
Elsa quiets and pulls her hand from between Honeymaren's.
When it's clear that Elsa has no intention of continuing the conversation, Honeymaren presses, "Elsa…we're never going to know unless you try. And we'll be better off if we know whether you have access to your magic or not."
The stretch of silence that follows makes the tension palpable. Honeymaren is about to push again when Elsa speaks.
"Okay, I'll try," she says. Her voice is soft and frail. There's a hitch in her breath that indicates she's holding back tears; and Honeymaren's heart breaks for her.
Elsa flexes her fingers as she stares down at them. Honeymaren waits with baited breath. Even though she doesn't think Elsa is using her magic yet, she swears that she feels the temperature in the room dip.
When Elsa hesitates, Honeymaren provides verbal support, "You can do it. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. Just try making a small snowflake."
Elsa's blue eyes flicker to her before she stares back down at her hand. She closes her eyes with an inhale, then exhales just as softly. When her eyes open again she twirls her wrist. A minuscule flutter of magic brightens then fizzles followed by a sharp gasp.
Honeymaren is at her side in an instant.
Elsa recoils from what Honeymaren assumes is pain and reaches out to steady her by placing her hands on her shoulders.
"Easy," she soothes. "You're okay."
Elsa trembles beneath her grip and she shakes her head. "No!" she gasps. "It's not okay! Nothing is okay. All my life I've always wondered—even wished—what it would be like if I didn't have magic. But now that I can't use it, even just temporarily, I…" she trails off. Tears now cascade down her cheeks and she hunches forward. Her face falls into her hands.
Honeymaren frowns. She squeezes Elsa's shoulder, hoping that it will be reassuring.
After a moment, she sighs and lets her hand fall away and back into her lap. She admits that she's at a loss. This is out of her expertise—out of anyone's expertise. While she is Northuldra, Honeymaren has never really been in tune with the magic of nature; only the Northuldra's elders are. Before Elsa, she spent her entire life trapped inside the mist at a time when the spirits of nature were irritable and unpredictable. Now that the forest and the spirits are free, the Northuldra have to relearn to communicate with them.
Honeymaren isn't sure if that includes Elsa, but she's just as magical and in-tune with nature as all the other spirits. Perhaps part of Elsa's job as the Fifth Spirit is to help the Northuldra live in tandem with the spirits of nature again. A job that she can't perform without her magic to guide her.
An epiphany jolts Honeymaren back to the present. She slides off the bed and kneels before Elsa, taking her pale hands into hers.
"Elsa," she calls, catching the despairing woman's attention. When Elsa lifts her blue eyes, Honeymaren continues. "I think Ahtohallan might have answers."