Ahtohallan's Lullaby

9. Believe in Magic

"You're telling me that you built that castle ?!"

Elsa could not help laughing at my disbelief. In front of us was standing an amazing ice palace built on the mountain flank, which had as the only access an ice staircase crossing a high gorge. The highness of the point where we were standing was immense but all my attention was actually focused on the building. 

Since we had left Arendelle, we had walked for almost an hour not talking much but I had spent most of that time admiring strange plants and flowers I did not know, trying to catch sight of the fishes hidden in a beautiful lake of salted water as the castle of Arendelle was bit by bit drawing away. Then we had started to climb on a mountain flank, the path being sloping but that was not a problem for me since I was used to climbing. The amazing landcapes we met on our way had helped me to forget my inner panic and focus on the right moment, savouring at each step the new view I had on the realm of Arendelle. As we were almost at the top of the mountain, she had then guided me on a smaller path covered by everlasting snow. And by following the snow, we had finally reach this extraordinary building of ice hanging onto the cliff, like glittering in the dark of the night slowly setting down.

"I needed to experience my magic", she explained as I still was scanning the top of the castle, mouth wide open, amazed by the details of the carved ice. "...and since I had for the first time no one to potentially hurt around me, I...experienced quite strongly"

"Didn't know were such an architect too...", I added with a teasing smile.

I turned to her as she shrugged amusingly, but I could see in her eyes a hint of sadness as she was looking into the void, lost in her thoughts. I slightly frowned before rolling my eyes, placing my both hands on my hips.

"I could try to experience too, It will never give the same rendering, miss fifth spirit", I mocked her as she came back to reality.

She laughed again, that special laugh that had a gift for making me smile blissfully. The thing was that I was so weak in front of her that I found myself being dumb for not noticing my feelings for her before. The inner struggle between my heart and my mind was from then on pacified, so everything seemed to be clearer somehow. And it was quite clear that I was crazy in love with the special girl standing beside me.

I looked away to admire the horizon and the landcapes around that our high position was giving us, and also to hide my face becoming red, as each time I was thinking about Elsa, which meant almost every two minutes. I patted the ethereal snow with the end of my shoe, shivering at the contact when I accidentally threw some snowflakes against my bare calf by shaking my foot restlessly.

"Why did you come this far from Arendelle anyway ?", I asked, nervously rubbing my elbow, not looking in her direction.

I saw her shrug as I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She was looking in the distance, as if she was miles away. Then she slowly pushed back her blond hair before folding her arms on her chest.

"It was quite a pulsional reaction...", she answered in a low voice while thinking, "I needed to be alone, to be free..., so I ran until I felt like I truly was...Come this way"

On those words she slipped her fingers between mine to take my hand and guide me inside the castle. I remained quiet, just looking all around me as we entered the palace hall. Her words were turning over and over in my head. I walked towards the stairs, glancing up to the end of the ice steps leading to an inside balcony opening probably on another room.

"Is being alone being free ?", I wondered, pensively running my fingers on the finely carved handrail, obversing all the details of the ice work.

Then I turned to her as she came closer and gently put her hand on the rail next to mine, climbing on the first step.