I woke up to my annoying alarm sounding, and let out a groan, my eyes barely opening.
Today was when morning practices for the ballet started, to get in the most amount of practice as possible.
Getting up, I picked out a dance outfit, not caring how much I looked like I was from the Isle.
Pulling on the tight little shorts and breathable long sleeve, throwing my hair up into a bun.
Not even bothering to do makeup, I grabbed my dance bag, walking out of the room.
My bare feet padded against the floor, seeming loud against the early morning quiet.
I was getting used to the route to the studio, so it did not take me too long to get there, enjoying how there were so few people.
Walking through the door, I saw Clarence and Nucka already there, as well as Owen.
"Hey Nina," said Clarence, giving me a friendly smile.
"Yeah yeah I get it morning person," I grumbled, sitting down to put on my pointe shoes.
He started to laugh, and Nucka sat down to tie her shoes as well.
"Don't really like getting up early?" He asked, and I rolled my eyes.
"Not particularly. It's not like it's taught on the Isle," I replied, starting to stretch.
"What do you mean?" Nucka asked, curiosity in her warm brown eyes.
"Even at school, more class points if you are late. They were teaching us to be villains. And villains hate mornings," I said, before standing.
"That's interesting. I didn't know that," Clarence said, before we all headed to the barre.
We quickly worked through positions to warm up, before splitting up into the two groups.
We were all picking up on the choreography very quickly, which absolutely thrilled Odette.
"You all are doing so well! Now, remember to stretch before going to your classes," she said at the end of the practice, and we all moved to the floor to do some stretches.
"You are doing really good Nina," said Clarence, and I smiled at him, pulling off my pointe shoes.
"You sound surprised," I replied, starting to stretch.
"Well, you pick up on things much faster than Audrey does," he added, and I let out a snort.
Finishing stretching, I waved at them before walking out.
Jay was waiting outside, leaning against the wall.
He stood up straight when I walked out, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What do you want?" I asked, and he started to walk with me.
"I just, I want to know why you have to push me away. Why whenever I help you, you get mad at me," he asked, and I stared at him.
"I already answered that," I replied, walking rather quickly.
"Yeah well I want a real answer," he replied, and I rolled my eyes.
"A real answer hey? That's what you want?" I asked with sarcasm, getting closer to my dorm.
"Yes. I want to know why," Jay said, his brown eyes soft in the early morning light.
"Yeah don't we all," I replied, grabbing the key for my dorm and unlocking it.
He stepped in with me, once again pushing me against the door.
"Be honest with me. Just once."
"When we were on the Isle, you were the only thing I had. The only person who cared about me. And then you left. You never even said goodbye to me Jay. How do you think that felt?" I asked, bitterness filling my voice.
"How do you think it felt, to crawl up to your window one day , only to find that you had left. You never tried to talk to me, or bring me here. No. You forgot about me, and here you are, flirting with as many girls as you want. As if I never mattered to you," I said, pushing him off of me.
I dropped my dance bag to the floor, and walked to my closet, picking out an outfit.
"How can you just say something like that with no expression?" He asked, and I shrugged.
"Well you see, it just doesn't matter anymore. You learn to let things go. Emotions cloud judgment, and I need that," I replied, smirking softly.
Closing the door on the bathroom, I started to get dressed.
I pulled on the plain black off the shoulder top, along with the black leather mini skirt, and smirked, quickly doing my makeup.
It didn't take me long to be finished, and I saw Jay sitting on my bed.
"You're still here are you," I said, grabbing my school bag.
"What did you mean, with that comment about the girls I was flirting with?" He asked, following me into the hallway.
"It doesn't matter," I replied, and he grabbed my hand.
"Hands off," I snapped, freezing his hands.
He quietly cursed, but let me go as I found my way to my class.
Not paying attention, I ran into Carlos, and we both fell on impact.
"Man you walk so fast," he said with a chuckle, standing up quite quickly.
He offered me a hand, and I took it, before he let out a yelp.
"Ouch that's cold," he said, pulling his hand back quickly.
I looked down at my hands, and saw the snowflakes coming from them, and looked back at him quickly.
"Carlos, that wasn't intentional," I said, and he glanced at me, as if finally noticing the irritation.
"Hey what's wrong?" He asked, watching my expression carefully.
"Your idiot best friend won't leave me alone," I snapped, continuing to my locker.
"He's just trying to help Nina," Carlos said gently, and I turned to look at him.
"When will all of you realize that I really don't want help," I replied, opening my locker.
"Nina, you don't have to be alone-"
"I want to be. I want to just be alone. Alone does not mean lonely," I said finally, all of the bitterness gone.
"Just leave me alone."
***
After school, I went quickly to my dorm, changing into the riding outfit that Ben had given me.
I could hear the other VK's in the hallway, and locked my door, sneaking out the window.
Jogging down a set of ice stairs, I worked my way over to the stables, where I saw Macee in her purple.
"Hey Nina. Would you like to ride Kenneth again?" She asked nicely, and and I nodded.
"That would be wonderful," I replied, and she smiled.
"Well, how about you catch him, and I'll grab his tack and help you put it on. Who knows, maybe next time you'll be able to do it by yourself," she said, and I paused.
"I would be trusted to?" I asked, and she looked at me with a strange expression.
"Well yeah. You've been working really well with him, as well as picking up on things really well," she said, putting the smile back on her face.
The trust that happened here was so strange, although I suppose that they always wanted to do what was right.
"There isn't a lot of trust on the Isle," I said softly as she was leaving to grab tack, and she nodded.
"I know. But you should always have the opportunity to show that you deserve to be trusted."
I grabbed the halter that was outside of the stall, and stepped in.
He lifted his head, stepping over to me.
I gently put it on, doing up the buckle.
He nuzzled up to me, and I chuckled, tucking my arms around his head.
I kissed the top of his head, my hands stroking his jaw.
"You know, how you treat animals is a great tell on what kind of person you are," Macee said softly, and I glanced up at her holding a saddle and hackamore.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
Instead, I just lead him out to her.
"I've been hearing lots about you lately. I know you don't really talk about your emotions, but the horses I find are always good listeners," she said, handing me the blanket to put on him.
"When I get too involved in my emotions, I tend to lose control," I replied, seeming strangely at ease with her.
"With your magic?" She asked, and I nodded.
"Well, take yourself somewhere where it wouldn't matter. If you let yourself go, maybe you would feel better after," she suggested as she helped me with the saddle, and I nodded.
"Perhaps," I replied, before we moved onto the hackamore.
"So if you just wrap the lead rope around his neck, there you go, then put your right hand with the top of the hackamore in between his ears. Then lower it to stick his nose in, and there you go. Now just buckle the jaw strap." She said, and soon it was on all proper.
"Okay, let's go back to the arena for a bit, and then maybe I'll take out on the trails," she said, and I nodded.
Kenneth lead sweetly, following me easily to the arena.
"Okay. Now, I want you to show me how you can get on while holding the reins," she said, and I carefully arranged my hands, before putting my foot in the stirrup.
"Good good. Now pull yourself up."
"No, don't hold the saddle, hold his mane," she corrected, and I moved my left hand, gripping his mane before pulling myself up.
"There you go good form," she said, and I moved my hands on my reins.
"You really are a natural," she commented, and I smiled.
"I did always like the horse books," I replied, before nudging him forward.
We walked for a little bit, before I nudged him into a trot, doing the rising thing that Macee taught me last time.
I eased him into an easy canter, keeping my back straight as we went around the arena.
"You look happy up there," said Agnarr from the side of the arena, holding Astrid who was tacked up.
Gently slowing down Kenneth, I paused at the fence.
"Are you following me now?" I asked, and he smiled.
"You sure are paranoid," he commented, and I glared.
"Says the one who talks about rivers in the middle of the ocean," I replied, and he chuckled.
"Point taken. Hey, I'm sorry for dumping all of that on you. Why don't you come for a ride with me, and I can give you a better explanation." He asked, and Macee watched over.
"You guys know each other now?" She asked, and we glanced at each other.
"Not really," I replied, and Kenneth stepped forward, reaching out to Astrid over the fence, who nuzzled him.
"Well, you are doing great. If you want to ride with Agnarr, you are free to go," she said, and I paused, before nodding.
"Sounds good," I replied, and she smiled, following me over to the gate to open it.
He had hopped on by the time I made it over to him, and he smiled.
"Follow me Isle girl," he said trotting off towards the forest.
We followed him, and when we got far enough into it, he slowed down, turning to me.
"You may pretend like you don't believe me, but I know that you see the truth in it. Gale has been visiting you, on top of hearing the river calling you," he said, and I chuckled.
"Well aren't you blunt. How are you so sure of yourself?" I asked, just as Gale came through, ruffling our hair.
Kenneth and Astrid raised their heads, softly nickering at her.
"Because of that," he replied, and I nodded.
"Guilty as charged. Now, why does this matter so much to you?" I asked, and he looked over at me, the horses still stopped.
"You said you were an orphan right? Abandoned at birth?" He asked, and I nodded.
"Around the time I was born, so was a cousin of mine. A daughter of Elsa. Her name was Iduna. Named after our grandmother. Shortly after she was born, she was stolen. They looked for her everywhere, and Aunt Elsa even tried to go to Ahtohallan for answers. It locked her out." Agnarr said, and I nudged Kenneth forward, and he followed.
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, and he smiled.
"If Ahtohallan is calling you, you must be her."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Iduna's middle name was Nina. The Northuldra people, who your father was part of, always called you that, because they lost the first Iduna."
For the second time today, I couldn't say anything.
The family that I desperately craved, could be here.
"No no no no no no no," I muttered, closing my eyes.
"Nina, please just listen. You could have a family," he said softly and I opened my eyes, staring at him.
"It's not true. I'm not your lost princess. I was cursed to have this magic, to not be able to control it." I said, the leather reins frosting in my hands.
I paused, focusing on the trees around me instead of the horses.
The leaves all froze, as well as the trunks.
"Nina, you need to calm down. Whether its true or not, Ahtohallan wants to tell you something, you need to go."
"I don't need to do anything. You can't tell me what to do," I snapped, glaring at him.
I nudged Kenneth forward, getting him into a gallop.
Leaning forward, I wanted to get far away quickly.
"Nina!" Agnarr called, but I put up a huge ice wall to keep him from coming after me.
"Keep running," I whispered, letting the feeling of the wind calm me down.
He helped me control my powers quickly, but that didn't stop the feeling of how crazy the idea made me.
There was a fallen tree coming up, and I slowed him down, but he stayed at a canter, jumping over it easily.
And I fell off.
I fell right on one of the branches of the tree, scraping my elbow and hitting my head.
"Ow," I mumbled, lying on the ground.
Kenneth came over, nudging my ribs.
"Hey buddy," I said softly, reaching out to pet him.
I sat up, checking on my elbow which had been cut open and was getting blood everywhere.
"It wasn't your fault," I told him, when I saw the guilty look on his face.
"I guess I have to learn how to jump hey?" I asked, chuckling.
"Nina? Nina are you okay?" Asked Jay, pulling earbuds out of his ears.
He was in running clothes, and knelt beside me.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine just stupid," I replied, and he watched me carefully.
"Your head is bleeding, I wouldn't say that is fine." He replied, and I touched my head, my fingers coming back red.
"I'm fine. Just a little scrape," I replied, standing up.
I felt a little lightheaded, but kept focusing.
"Why did you think you could do that?" Jay asked, and I gathered Kenneth's reins.
"I was going too fast. He slowed down enough to jump safely, but I fell," I replied, checking him for any signs of damage.
However he looked clean.
"I'm sorry buddy," I said softly, petting his neck.
"Being reckless I see," he said, and I turned to him.
"When am I not?" I replied, and he watched me carefully.
"Why do you keep baiting me?" He asked as I pulled myself back up, a strong headache forming.
"Why do you keep trying to be close to me?" I replied, trying to keep my eyes focused on him.
"You look drunk, are you sure that your head is okay?" Jay asked, and I nudged Kenneth forward.
"Take me back," I whispered, the reins loose as I leaned on him.
He started walking away, and Jay quickly followed.
"Nina, you need to go to a doctor," Jay said, and I shook my head.
"No, I'll figure it out. I always do. I've had worst," I replied, my hands pushed against Kenneth's neck.
"What worse?" Jay asked, as we turned down a different path, headed back towards the school.
"We are not going through this right now Jay Jay," I replied, using the nickname from when we were kids.
"Jay Jay? I haven't heard that for years," he said softly, walking beside us.
"I want to go back to that. I was staying with Maleficent, and the Evil Queen. Everything went downhill after that," I replied, my eyes starting to focus more.
"I had you Jay. And I had somewhat parents who somewhat cared. And I was allowed to do whatever. I didn't have to pretend to be something I wasn't." I added, glancing down at him.
"But look at where we are now Nina. We are in the world of opportunity. We can be anybody we want here," he comforted, and I shook my head.
"I'm getting called by a block of ice I wouldn't say that's normal," I replied, having a huge headache that was probably making me say things I would regret.
"What?"
"You know the story of Elsa? Ice block, spirits, Anna became queen," I replied, and he nodded.
"Kind of. The people over there keep things pretty much to themselves." He said, and I nodded.
"Well Mr Princey Agnarr seems to think it's calling me because I'm his long lost cuz," I said, and he looked shocked.
"He thinks that you are the lost Princess of Arendelle?" He asked, and I nodded.
Gale made that moment to flutter about, chirping at me.
"Hello Gale," I said softly, as she lifted me up so that I was sitting straight.
"Spirits hey?" Jay asked, looking around as Gale played with his hoodie strings.
"Coming to Auradon has been much more eventful then you thought hey?" Jay said softly, smiling as we came back to the stable.
"Oh yeah."