The Quest For Hope

The Battle: Chapter Ten

Elsa tossed in her sleep as the visions of fog became more and more clear. Her nose and eyebrows wrinkled as she felt the mist on her face. No fear plagued her as she walked through the soft white shadows. With each step, she moved deliberately towards a figure in green.

The figure stayed out of reach, beyond this tree, then behind another, giving Elsa a direction to follow, but no help. They danced around the trees for what seemed to be hours, until she found herself at the mouth of a dark cave.

Before she could react, she heard a soft whisper floating in the breeze. A gentle soothing voice, singing in the wind, whispered her name. "Elsa, sweet Elsa. Come see. This is where you'll need to be."

Elsa glided forward. The dirt was soft and the air clammy and cool against her skin. Her heart beat faster the closer she got to the cave. The bravery she had felt disappeared and trepidation took its place. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and stepped into darkness. 

"You must come here," the voice said, echoing off into the walls. "You must come here."

Princess Elsa startled awake, sweat beading on her face, heart pounding. Wiping her arm over her forehead, she closed her eyes, trying to sort out what was real and what was a dream. It took her moment to register that she had been moved back to her old room in the castle. The soft blue blankets were crumpled together at the foot of her bed, evidence of her restless night. She didn't use this room very often anymore, preferring the tower, but tonight, it was comfortable.

Her head spun. A message from her mother, Troll powers, dragons-what had her mother known? And what was she getting herself into?

She needed to find answers. One thing was certain: she was not going to find them sleeping. She sat up and rolled out of bed.

The brisk air cooled her face as she made her way through the quiet corridors toward the library. Her slippered feet made soft taps on the stone floor. She turned the corner, surprised to see the candles burning already. Some else had gotten the same idea. Curious, she crept to the door, peeking around the corner to see if she wanted the company or should get to her father's study instead. 

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the robed troll hunched over the table. One hand traced the designs on his parchment; the other rubbed his temples. Feeling her eyes on him, Pabbie sat up and turned to look.

"Hello, Princess," he said with a smile, stopping his work and waving her in. "I'm glad you're up and feeling better."

"Yes, thank you," Elsa replied with a shy smile. She walked into the library. "Yesterday was an interesting day," she said, approaching the table. "what are you doing up at this time?"She asked, thinking of her own reasons for being up so early.

"This is the best time of day for me," Pabbie said. "Most people are still asleep, the sun is waiting to make its appearance, and the silence in the air is a welcome calm that helps get me through the chaos that comes later." He paused for a moment in reflection. "It gives me a moment to myself, to recharge, focus, and grow before the weight of the day."

Elsa sat down across from him at the table and rested her elbows on top. "So, tell me, when you made your choice, what was it like?"

Pabbie smiled and leaned forward with a whisper. "It was magic," he said. "For me, it was wonderful. It gave meaning and focus to my life that I had never felt before. It was as if that missing piece of me had been found and put into place. That feeling, that knowing that you're where you're supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing..." he said in wonder. He looked at her, but her eyes turned down, and she was biting her lower lip.

"Then, the hard works began," Pabbie said, gauging what she needed to hear. Elsa smiled. "just as you learn from your tutors, wizards and trolls learn from their elders. We may have gifts, but they still must be trained and developed. The magic training grounds here in the castle were below the grand hall, where the new dungeon is. Back then, they were filled with excitement, danger, exotic smells, and spices. It was a hall of learning, divining, and teaching. There was so much to study. There still is. Not a day goes by without a moment of learning and growth. Those are the cornerstones of wizard's, and trolls, life-teaching, learning and mystifying. Sometimes that last part is the most fun."

"Are all troll's and wizard's magical then? Those that choose that path?" She asked.

"No, not all. That choice simply means that you accept the special gift. How far you choose to develop it depends on you. The gift could be divining premonition, or something else; it all depends on what interests you, what natural skills stand out," Pabbie said, hoping to put her more at ease. "Since you are already past the initial stage, you might have already sensed something new."

Princess Elsa rested her head in her hands, thinking about her nightmares. "It seems like every day there is something new. It just feels like there is so much to learn, a whole new world that I didn't even know I was a part of. Like this,"  she pointed down at his parchment. "What does this mean?" She asked, pointing to a symbol on the maps in the shape of an arch. "I've seen them all over professor Milo's maps, but he doesn't know what they mean. They look like the Dragon's Gate arch."

Pabbie looked down, "Oh yes," he said. "They have a special meaning. Those mark the gateways to magic and marvels."

Elsa looked at him wither her own smirk. "Pabbie, please."

Pabbie grinned back. "those are the markings of the openings of the ancient tunnels that were built for direct travel between regions. They were used by the trolls and wizards for communication with others without arousing suspicion." Pabbie reached over the table and held Elsa's hand in his. "Elsa, I would be honoured to help instruct you and guide you. Will make sense of it together."

Elsa looked at their hands and saw the love in his eyes. She nodded. "I would like that, Pabbie."

The sun peeked in through the window. Beautiful rays of crimson and orange shone down on the parchment.

"Time to welcome the day," he said, rising and collecting his papers.