Love can see the good

12. Farewell and dispute

The sun kissed the bay and town's edge into a golden shimmer, while the hills around still slept in the morning shadows.

A soft knock at the window made Anna's eyes flutter. Too early. Who would want her to rise already? Again, the soft knock. But it was not the sound of finger knuckles. It was that of a soft stroking against the window's glass. A sound belonging to autumn, of leaves dancing and courting the royal chamber's balcony. Gale!

Anna sat up and manoeuvred herself out of bed, stumbling to the balcony door. What a greeting! She opened the great window, and the wind-spirit swirled its way into the room, kissing Anna's cheek and fiddling her hair in the so familiar and enchanting way.

"Good morning Gale!" Anna chirped laughing, "how good to see you! Are you coming to see how we are doing" Gale swooped up and down and all around. A jovial dance. Anna giggled and brushed her fingers through the leaves, just to hop off towards the little desk in the corner to write down a note.

"Oh please, Gale, would you mind? I'd like to send Elsa a short message. That we are all fine and that Ryder and Honeymaren will set off for home tomorrow."

Gale hummed her delight and embraced the letter within the leaves and swirled out into the cool air. Anna followed to watch her flight. The wind-spirit would roam the courtyard, just to greet anyone she'd be meeting along the way.

Kristoff had just stepped down the front stairs when Gale came back, just to give her friend a playful nudge and swept him off towards the stables.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, good morning to you! Well, I call that a nice surprise! How are you Gale?" The spirit giggled and swirled him around once. "Okay, I got that." Kristoff laughed. He had just reached the stable door and opened it to call Ryder and the animals, "Hey buddies, check out who's here!"

Sven and Frederoc peered out and when the leaves came to dance around their antlers, they were all bouncing joy. Olaf came waddling, still sleepy. Spotting the scene, he got all excited, "Gale is here! Oh, how good to see you!" Gale did not wait long and lifted the little snowman up like a feather and danced him across the courtyard, just to lower him gently down unto Sven's back again.

Ryder laughed and greeted the spirit friendly and still with a certain respect. But he was happy. How good it was, to have this connection between their people and lands.

Gale made her way back over the marketplace and then off, over the fjord.

That had been pleasant, everyone agreed. The two men set off for breakfast.

Meanwhile Anna had got dressed and was about to comb her hair, when Honeymaren knocked and peered through the door. "Good morning, Anna. Thought of paying you a visit."

Anna smiled and mumbled something unintelligible, three hairpins stuck between her lips. Honeymaren laughed and stepped closer to assist her friend. She was excited, Gale had visited her, too. That felt good.

Anna would ask her friends to join in for an important meeting following breakfast. It meant a lot to her, for them having their share in this.

***

The men meeting in the library knew each other from a time long gone by.

Mathias approached the older man, who was sitting at the table near the window, arranging his drawing papers and pens. When he looked up, he smiled, put a hand to his chest and got up a bit too fast, tipping his chair backwards.

"Lieutenant Mathias! Ho good to see you well and safe. Welcome home. Welcome home!" Erik Olsen reached out and shook Mathias' hand with genuine enthusiastic. The old sculptor had been invited and felt very privileged to be part of this mysterious gathering. Mathias agreed and exchanged some words with the friendly neighbour of past time.