The Adventures of Princess Alvida

9. Miss Ildrid

 "Wake up," Alvida felt someone touching her arm but was still in blissful dreamland. She was not ready to leave just yet.

"Come on, Hugin is back. We need to leave," Galder's muffled voice was heard in the distance.

Alvida uttered a groan. "Five more minutes."

"The faster we get going the faster we'll be free of this," Galder raised his hand, automatically raising Alvida's.

She opened her eyes. Which wasn't easy. For the first time since she had left the castle, she had slept through the whole night.

In a groggy haze Alvida followed Galder around mindlessly, and then fell asleep again in the back of the carriage.

The trio arrived in Nidavellir town an hour later, and Alvida was again forced out of a wonderful dream. But she quickly awakened once she got out and looked around. She had never been to a town before.

They walked on cobblestone, past small houses with snow covered roofs. People in ordinary clothes walked back and fort. Nodding and smiling at them as they walked by. A lot of "Good mornings."

"Good morning," Alvida smiled back. She was fascinated.

Small shops were placed along the main road. A bookstore, shoes, a pharmacy. Alvida felt her mouth water as they passed a store only selling chocolate.

"Look," she laughed and pointed at one with funny hats.

Galder couldn't help but smile. "Shopping isn't really my thing."

Laughter was heard from a small diner. Alvida looked in the windows. All the table's were full of happy-looking people. Eating waffles and burgers and cheering in hot chocolate. It looked so warm and cozy.

And Galder had been right. No one payed any special attention to her. No one even seemed to notice they were linked together.

"In here," Galder said and steered here toward a building with a black, metal sign that said "Smithy".

Alvida looked over her shoulder before they went in. Seemed like Hugin had disappeared again.

A middle-aged man with a balding head looked up from his work and burst into a rough laughter. 

"Galder! What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"We - " Galders started.

"No. Don't tell me. I don't want to know." The smith came over to them and pulled down his glasses which was sitting on top of his head. 

Alvida and Galder held out their hands. The smith studied the cuffs. He felt the metal.

"Mhm... yes.. looks like carbon steel... yes," he mumbled to himself. 

"Can you cut through it?" Galder asked.

"No need. I can just unlock it with my key." The smith walked over to a small cabinet hanging on the wall and opened it. It contained three rows of small pegs with lots of different keys hanging on them.

Galder looked suspiciously at him. 

"This should do the trick." The smith hummed a happy tune as he walked back to them. He placed the key in the lock, and 'click'. It opened. Galder removed the handcuffs from Alvida's hand and his own, and put them in his pocket.

"Do you have a key for every occasion?" Galder asked.

"No... not every," the smith smiled. 

Galder left it at that. "How much?"

"Don't worry about it. You can buy me a beer sometime Galder. Now you two have a lovely day. I need to get back to my work."