The Quest For Hope

The Battle: Chapter Eight

A buzz of anticipation hung in the air the week before the fall festival. Farmers rushed to ensure their final harvest schedules were aligned. Flowers and Autumn bouquets hung from the shop windows, tempting the visitors. Bakeries filled the streets with the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries to tease every sense.

The best apart, Princess Elsa believed, was the harvest break. Studying and training always paused for several weeks to allow students, apprentices, and workers to help with the final harvest and preparations for winter.  The young knights assist edge as well, their normal training dudes cut in half. That freed up time for Elsa and Jack to spend together.

The interior of the courtyard ran out with laughter as the children made off with all the sweets they could take. Loaves of bread and stems of flowers littered the streets behind the streams of giggling little ones.  A few knights apprentices were in the corner showing young boys how to sword fight with sticks, jumping in and around the hay bales.

Having been released soon after King Agnarr and Pabbie returned from the tower', Kristoff and his family sat on the sidelines, watching the courtyard with wide eyes. Kristoff tried it figure out how he might join in.

Princess Elsa basked in the sun.  The weather had begun to change, and the air felt chilly whenever a breeze swept through the courtyard.  But when the air stilled, the sun shone through he red velvet dress. Bluebirds chirped in the fountain beside her, enjoying an afternoon of splashing.

For a moment, they looked like a happy group. Princess Elsa leaned back into Jack's chest. Anna and Prince Hiccup were standing nearby, their hands close together, laughing at the frolicking birds.  All was well until Hiccup brought up Elsa's studies and their argument began.

"I still don't see your point, Hiccup," Elsa sighed.  "If we're at war and you have your men lined up, do you attack or wait?" She sat up straight and crossed her arms.

They had been arguing for weeks.

Hiccup shook his head. "Elsa, I think you're taking your lessons too seriously," he said. "If the other castle were surrounded there are a couple of options. The King can demand a one-on-one duel to decide the outcome, the arms can attack, or you can wait it out. In fall or winter, we'd wait it out. It's much tougher for the attackers to survive on the outside than for us to get by on the inside."

"But-" she protested, rubbing her temples.

"Elsa," Jack jumped in. "It's much too nice of a day to worry about such things. That is what the Knights are for, and we're always training for new situations."

Elsa pouted. "I understand that, but it doesn't feel like that's the right answer. I feel like my dreams are saying something different, like something new needs to be tired," she said, hands on her hips, eyebrows scrunched up. 

"This is about dreams?" Hiccup asked, annoyance clear in his voice. "What kind of dreams?"

"Bad ones," Elsa said, looking up at her brother. "I've been having them for months now, ever since the summer. They feel so real..."  Her voice trailed off.  "They're more than just dreams."
Jack took her hand in his and rubbed his strong arms over hers in reassurance.

"It always starts the same way.  I'm surrounded by white fog. I can see anything, and yet I feel safe. I don't feel alone...sometimes I wonder, trying to find a way out, and at other times I'm guarded.  One thing is always the same, though we have been attacked. As hard as it is to believe, in every dream, we have been attacked and I have to react. It doesn't seem like these options we have been talking about will work. They're certainly to easing my mind. We've been learning about these battle strategies, and I'm just trying to find a way to solve my dream. I know it's silly."
"Well," Anna chimed in, "what's silly is working about this.  It's just a dream. We all have bad dreams sometimes.  There's nothing to worry about. As you've always pointed out, King Agnarr is a wonderful leader. He'll know how to act.  He has a team of scholars at his right hand to create new strategies, the most gifted and loyal Knights in the world, a kingdom of supporters, and a brave and charming prince." She smiled at Hiccup, who winked back.  "Bravery and courage are in abundance. If anything, it is your lack of confidence that we should concern ourselves with."