Away with the Fairies

*°•○Part Eighteen○•°*

The snow kept falling gently all night and when the group of travellers woke up in the morning, both the plain and the lake were buried under a new layer of white fluff, firm ground and frozen water dangerously indistinguishable. However, they did not have to wait for too long before it stopped snowing suddenly, and the birds and their hungry and cold passengers could continue on their journey above the perfectly white flatlands towards the seashore.

It was dark when they soared down the tall cliffs, and found their way towards the Wild Swans' cave, where the rest of the creatures who they had freed from the Snow Queen's icy prison were awaiting their arrival.

The tiny Mushroom Elves had created a comfortable refuge here with their magic-- the large cavern was dry, warm and bright thanks to several small fires burning in well-chosen spots, and there was enough room to sleep and food to eat for everyone.

"What do you want to do next, Princess?" one of the swallows asked Rosalind after dinner, when she, Hans, Louise, all the birds who had carried them from the Snow Queen's castle, and even Blue-- who was not much help as he still remembered nothing, but trailed after Rosalind wherever she moved-- sat around one of the fires to plan the next part of their voyage.

Rosalind looked thoughtfully around the large room, her gaze skipping from one sleeping creature to another.

"I was going to beg you to take us across the sea because it will be days before the Wilds Swans return to this coast. We can not wait here until the next night of the full moon, it would be too late... " The fairy glanced from Blue, hanging on her every word, to Hans, who pretended not to hear her at all. The Human Boy would be back in Odense, alone, by then, and he didn't want to be reminded about it.

"Very well. Let us rest tomorrow, Princess. Then, if the weather is clement enough, we will take you and your three friends home. We will leave the rest of them here," the swallow said, indicating the sleeping elves and animals with its gracious black wing, "to wait for the swans. They are safe and comfortable enough..."

"Yes, it seems like the best thing we can do. Thank you all. We could never do this without your help," Rosalind said, and the three friends and Blue stood up and walked to the corner of the cavern where the Mushroom Elves had prepared their place to sleep.

"You remind me of someone, Princess Rosalind... but it can't be... she could do magic... and her dress... the colour..." Blue muttered as he laid down next to Rosalind and pulled a blanket over her shoulders.

Hans and Louise exchanged a pained look in the semi-darkness that filled the cave after most fires had been banked for the night, as the two of them settled down to sleep nearby, on a nest of blankets spread thickly on the cool, rocky floor.

"Hans, I decided. I will come back home with you," Louise whispered the moment she was sure that Rosalind and Blue were asleep and could not hear her.

"No, you won't, you must stay here, you know that as well as I do!" Hans whispered back decisively, not leaving space for argument.

"Then... stay here with me..." Louise begged, shifting closer to him. She stared in his eyes through the tenebrosity filled with soft breathing of all the resting creatures and the low crackling and hissing of the only fire left burning for a long moment, imploringly, then put the palm of her hand on his cheek. How was she to ever part from him...

Hans didn't want anything more than to stay with her. But he knew that it was impossible. "Louise... " he said finally, leaning into her caress and closing his eyes, "you heard Berenice. If I don't leave this place, Rosalind will never get her magic back, even if Blue remembers her on time. I... we can't do that to her. And there are our parents to think about, too..."