AGNARR
It was finally the day I had been waiting for!
Four years ago, the Northuldra people had come to offer my father, King Runeard, their friendship and peace. In honour of this, my father had built them a mighty dam to strengthen their waters, and in just a few hours we would be visiting them in their Enchanted Forest where the elements thrived and helped them in everyday life.
I had sprung out of bed and changed barely before the sunrise and was waiting anxiously in the library, my hands gripping tightly to an old book on Northuldran culture as I sat curled on the floor and lent against the shelves.
It wasn't until Halima came in to sweep that I was pulled away from the magical place, which thrilled me to my very core every time I read about it.
"Prince Agnarr!" the woman cried in surprise, "Good heavens, you gave me a right scare, Your Highness. What are you doing here?"
I myself jumped too and I turned my head to look at her, "I'm sorry Halima. I've been up for hours. I'm just so excited for this afternoon." I grinned sheepishly.
"I'm sure you are." She looked amused as she began to sweep the nearest bookshelf.
I sprang up and put the book back in its place.
Halima was the only person apart from my personal guard, Destin Mattias, and sister, Arianna, to treat me like an actual person instead of some Prince. I liked them both very much (loving my sister obviously) and had been ecstatic when Destin became my personal guard. Sometimes he would treat me with a little more respect, but I liked to think that was because of his duties rather than him believing in the superiority nonsense and that he did genuinely like me as a person.
I hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is breakfast ready yet? I wouldn't want to be late, my father hates it when I'm late."
Halima smiled gently at me, "Don't worry Your Highness, everything's fine. You've got a little more time until breakfast will be served, but I'd run along now if I were you."
I grinned again and began to run from the library.
"Oh and Prince Agnarr!" she called.
I stopped in the doorway and turned to her.
"Say hello to Destin when you see him later, won't you?"
My grin stretched even further, this time knowing; the two had been courting each other for years! "Will do Halima."
I raced down the corridors, and burst into the Great Hall.
Fortunately, my father was not there and the kind-faced, blonde-haired Elisabeth was only just setting the table.
"Good morning Your Highness." she curtsied politely.
"Oh there's no need for that Elisabeth." I told her, smiling awkwardly, "But good morning to you."
The 17-year-old was so startled with this formality that she dropped the goblet in her hands and turned pink.
I stepped forwards to pick it up, but she did the same and we bumped heads.
"I'm so sorry Your Highness!" she fumbled, and bolted upright, forgetting the goblet which had tumbled from her hand once again as we made contact.
I hid my amused laugh behind my hand, stood, and handed her the goblet, "No worries."
She looked rather flustered by now, and as she took it our hands brushed. She hurried away to put it on the table, one hand jumping from her hair to her apron to her sleeve and back again.
I averted my eyes to save her any further embarrassment and made my way over to the silver cart that she had used to bring the cutlery and plates through from the kitchen. I picked up the pile of plates and began to help her.
She looked astonished as I placed them between her neatly arranged cutlery.
"With all due respect Your Highness, what are you doing?"
I looked up, pretending to be clueless, "I'm helping you put out the breakfast things."
"Well I can do that." she said, before hastily adding, "Your highness." and knotting her apron around her fingers.
I huffed and slumped into my chair grumpily; I bet my mother wouldn't have hesitated to help, or been criticised for it for that matter. She had been such a loving woman. But she had died two years ago from a heart disease. My father was left devastated, and so was Arianna and I. Not a day went by that I didn't wish she was still here to give me some advice.
"Are you alright Your -"
I held a hand to silence her, "Please, stop calling me that. I appreciate it, I really do. But it gets a little boring don't you think?" I attempted a grin, "Just call me Agnarr."
To say she was startled was an understatement, she stared at me as if I had just announced I was dead.
I sighed and put my head in my hand. One day perhaps, one day I won't be treated with so much respect.
People in the town would often just wave to me, but any attempt at conversation would result in them worrying over what to say to a royal. And servants in the Palace bowed or curtsied if you so much as looked at them. It got rather frustrating after a while - you just want to be treated like everybody else.
She didn't take much longer to set the table and hurriedly left the room, covering her face.
My father entered a few moments later and breakfast was served.
Arianna had gone to visit Corona again as she enjoyed travelling and our neighboring Kingdom was her favorite place to go. She was old enough to venture out on her own too, being only a year younger than me at 15. My father and I had stayed behind, however, for our visit to the Enchanted Forest and the Northuldra people.
"So." I said awkwardly, hoping to start a conversation - my father could be rather distant at times.
He looked up at me over the rim of his morning wine glass, "Yes son?"
Boosted with confidence at his acknowledgment, I continued, "Looking forward to this afternoon?" I took a bite out of my marmalade-spread toast.
He put the glass down and looked at me thoughtfully, before saying, "I suppose so. It's what must be done."
I furrowed my brow, "What do you mean?" Something sounded off about his statement. Something ... ominous.
He shrugged and smiled at me, "To keep the peace, we must make the effort to visit their home. Perhaps one day they'll come to ours."
I lit up at that, "Really?"
"Why not?"
I grinned, and turned back to my toast.
"Now. Let's turn our minds to more important things my boy."
I looked up again, "Like what, father?"
He gestured with an arm, "You know. Union. Yours. Marriage."
I almost choked on my water at that. I wiped my mouth and looked at him, "Marriage?!"
"It's about time you settled down. I've picked out some suitable ladies for you to meet -"
"I'm fifteen!"
"And what better time to start looking for options? You'll be King before you know it."
I almost laughed at that prospect, "It's not like you're going to die anytime soon!"
His face suddenly fell serious and he cleared his throat, "Agnarr. Son. One can never predict when another will die. Its time you started taking more responsibility around here. I keep hearing you flit off to the village every other day just to get away. And that you help these people. What do you think to gain from this? You'll be too busy to help them later on; they'll expect too much of you."
"Sorry about that father." I didn't meet his eyes - he was very much set on 'every man for himself', which was an ironic ideal for a King.
"Now I know your sister does the same, but she's not going to be Queen of Arendelle. She'll be Queen if she gets married, but that's another story. I've organised for her to meet some nice young men when we hold you a ball."
I slumped in my chair, annoyed that he assumed I'd need a Queen to rule my Kingdom. And besides, I wanted to marry for love, not for the benefit of Kingdoms, and I had no doubt Arianna would want the same.
Once we had finished breakfast, my father left for a meeting with the Royal guard and I made my way down to the stables where I knew I'd find -
"Destin!" I jumped up onto the wooden gate of the paddock and looked out over the large, green field.
"Prince Agnarr." Destin replied, his horse, Raven, trotting over to me, "How are you?"
"I'm good thank you, how are you?"
He nodded, smiling.
"Oh by the way, a certain feather duster said hi." I grinned.
He began fumbling with his reigns like the lovesick fool I knew him to be. "Did she really? You mean it? You're not just playing with me Agnarr?"
I laughed, "Of course she did. Why wouldn't she?"
He stared straight ahead, "Oh wow. Well that is - something. When you see her, tell her I said hello back."
"Will do Lieutenant." I saluted.
"Stop that." he grinned and jumped off his horse. I stepped backwards, slipped slightly in the mud, and pulled open the gate for him to pass.
"Excited for this afternoon?"
"I can't wait, I've been up for hours." I answered, excitedly.
He looked away again, "Why did I expect anything otherwise?"
I shrugged merrily, and followed him, "What do you think the forest will be like?"
"I really don't know Prince Agnarr. I really don't know, I guess we'll see."
"I bet it'll be beautiful!" I sighed, clinging to a wooden beam supporting the stable.
"I bet you do, you've always had a weakness for pretty things."
I frowned, then turned my nose up as I attempted to climb the beam, "I do not I'll have you know."
"Of course you don't." Destin said as he shut the door on his pretty, black mare.
"I just so happen to appreciate," I looked at him with wide eyes as I said the word, before turning away again, "pretty things."
He laughed and patted the beam, causing me to slide back down.
"I'm sure. Come on, it's time we get you back up to the castle."
I rolled my eyes, "Can't we atleast go through the village on the way back?"
"Trying to get away from your father?"
"You know how he is." I said, jumping up onto the low stone wall, "He wants me to take more responsibility and stop my nonsense of actually helping people. I don't understand it, I mean, he doesn't tell Arianna this and why shouldn't I help people? I've got power,"
"For some reason."
"I need to use it."
"I couldn't agree more Sire."
"He just doesn't understand. Mother would."
He caught my suddenly mournful tone, "Your mother was a wonderful woman. And don't you worry, she's still with you."
I looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"
"Just like my father's still with me, your mother is still with you. I see her in you everyday."
I stared at him a moment, before turning my face away.
"I know it's hard to accept," Destin continued, "but you are the Prince of Arendelle, soon to be King! Certain things are expected of you, and waltzing around the village every time you want to get away is not what your father, your people and I have in mind for you."
I pressed my lips together and furrowed my brow, but refused to look at him.
Destin sighed deeply, "Your mother always knew how to talk to you. Just don't let what your father keeps telling you ruin the day you've been waiting for for so long."
"I won't." my lips twitched in a smile, and I held my head high again, abruptly changing the subject to drive my mind to other things, "And everyone in the Castle treats me with this overwhelming respect. They fumble and stutter at the sight of me, except you, Halima, Arianna and my father. I actually told Elisabeth she could simply call me Agnarr as her constant 'Your Highness' was getting on my nerves; she stared at me like I'd just admitted I was a troll."
Destin laughed, "But Elisabeth adores you!" he batted his eyelids teasingly.
"She does not!"
"Are you sure about that?"
I looked at my personal guard, "So who's trying to set me up now? I don't need a wife to rule a kingdom. It's simply not fair."
"Yeah, who'd want to marry you?"
"When I said I don't want that much respect, I didn't mean no respect."
We laughed again, and continued to do so until we reached the castle.
I didn't see my father at all, for the rest of the morning, until it was time to go and he personally came to fetch me from my room.
The door creaked open and his head peered in, "Are you ready my son?"
I lit up and threw my book down on my bed to bound after him.
After a long carriage ride to the edge of the Forest, I could hardly contain myself any longer, as I walked along beside Destin.
I looked about at the beautiful, sloping landscape; the spindly birch trees, the winding river, the variety of sweet smelling flowers, the range of colours. The chirrups of the birds and the rustling of leaves filled my ears with an unfamiliar but pleasant symphony.
Arianna would surely be jealous once I told her about this place!
I only wished my mother was here, but upon looking sideways at the Lieutenant, I smiled - knowing that in some way, she knew I was here and was enjoying it too.
Then my father's finger was tapping my chin, bringing me back down to Earth. "Stand tall Agnarr."
I straightened immediately and made a face, which caused him to chuckle before he walked forwards.
I grinned at Destin and strode after him, head high and arms swinging proudly.
The Northuldra people led us deeper into their forest - where Reindeer roamed the land, the grass crunched beneath my feet, and some trees were in full bloom while others were simply bare branches.
The place enchanted me, it was amazing and completely magical.
We soon arrived at their campsite, which was embedded in the crook of a mountain and surrounded by luscious trees.
For hours they performed native dances and tricks on their reindeer, shared their fruits and delectable soups, and showed off the magic of the elements: rocks flew through the air and made statues of creatures like the reindeer, a purple-red flame bounced around the trees and rocks, and our people stood on the water as it pulled them along and playfully splashed them.
I was grinning stupidly when all of a sudden I heard a sweet sounding whistle in my ear.
As if being pulled by a rope, I turned to see a current of wind pulling along a few autumn leaves.
The musical sound rang out again and lured me away from the ring of people and towards a small clearing where I heard blithe laughter. It was the laughter of a girl. I saw she was actually flying in the wind; dancing on air.
I couldn't help but be drawn to her; with wide eyes full of wonder and a subconscious smile, I slowly tred forwards amongst the leafless trees.
I had just figured out what I'd say when ... CLANG!
I heard a new sound. It was the sound of metal on wood.
Startled, I turned back and saw that war was breaking out.
What had happened?
"Get behind me." a voice said suddenly as a hand appeared on my shoulder; it was Destin and he leapt defensively in front of me, his sword and shield forcing back those who attacked him.
A growing feeling of terror rose inside me, gnawing at my insides and making me feel sick.
What was going to happen?
Why were they attacking us?
But these were questions which caught in my throat with fear and shock.
Nearly everyone was fighting, the Northuldra with their wooden staffs and weapons, us with our swords and shields. Metal clashed on wood and stone; there were explosions of sparks and people of both sides were falling to the ground.
Some Arendellians were actually trying to escape; running in terror towards the carriages that hadn't already left due to the horses getting spooked. Unfortunately, their paths were blocked by the chaos and each other.
My desperate eyes then fell on my father, who was fighting an already lost battle.
Despite Destin's frantic command for me to stay behind him, I raced towards my father, blinded by the fear of losing him too.
But I was too late.
I called and reached out as he tumbled over the cliff, pulling with him the Northuldran Chief.
The world suddenly slowed down. My breathing hitched and came in quick stabs of pain.
A flury of different emotions engulfed me but I was too numb to really feel any of them.
It wasn't possible.
He couldn't be gone.
There was no way.
But I was left with no time to accept this impossibility, as out of nowhere a huge flame exploded through the trees, water shot out in long, hard jets, the force of the wind became much stronger, and large boulders began raining down on us.
One of them slammed into the ground very close to me and the force threw me backwards. I hit my head on a jagged, cold surface; excruciating pain shot through my entire body and everything suddenly went blurry.
However, amidst the insistent and thundering sounds of fighting, shouting, screaming, and crying, I heard a clear and distinctive voice.
She sung a melody, four notes, and I inexplicably knew I was going to be alright.
I felt myself rising from the ground, but that's when it all went black and I don't remember anything else.