Frozen Past

Chapter 2 - Part 9

#FrozenPastff

If I'd give titles to each parts of the story, this one would be called "explore the island with Iduna" lol ✨

Narrator's P.O.V.

     Agnarr and Iduna were still sitting inside the tipi. Agnarr hadn't changed the clothes because he didn't see his parents after the breakfast and he still wanted to make them proud.
     But maybe if he can talk with them about this vacation trip, he could ask them if he can wear the comfortable clothes.

     "So, since you know my name, can I know yours?" Agnarr finally asked her.
     "I'm Iduna." She said and smiled.
     "Iduna. What a beautiful name." He said and couldn't stop starring at her smile. "Where does it come from? I've never heard of it though."
     "I don't know. You've gotta ask my parents that. But it's quite common that we have here unique names that no one ever heard of." She explained.
     "Okay, sure, I'll ask them. Where are they?" Agnarr asked.
     "Why, you really want to ask them about my name?"
     "Yeah, well, back in Arendelle I'm learning a lot about names. We have a whole library with books about just names."
     "Sounds really boring." She laughed.
     "Oh, but it isn't actually. My parents think that it's important as a king to know the definition of names because then you can judge other rulers before you met them." He explained.
     "Judge them before a meeting? Seriously? That is not right. You shouldn't ever make a picture of someone that you have never met. Even if you saw them already, never make an opinion when you don't know the whole story." She stated seriously.
     "I've never thought about it this way. You're right."
     "Promise me you'll never judge someone before you actually get to know them." She looked him deep into his eyes, which was a bit intimidating.
     "I promise." Agnarr said quiet but serious.
     "Cross your heart", Iduna added.
     "What? How?" Agnarr was confused. He never heard of this tradition or saying.
     "Make a cross with your finger on your heart, then put your hand up like this", she showed him with her hand, "and swear that you will promise."
     Agnarr did exactly that and then said: "I promise that I will never judge someone before I met them."

     Iduna started laughing. Agnarr didn't know what so funny was but it was catching so he started to laugh too.
     "I have to go now, but it was nice hanging out with you." She said then and walked to the round door of the tipi.
     "Where? Can I come with?" Agnarr asked and stood up too.
     "To my job as a Gardener. I don't know though if you can come."
     "A Gardener? What do you do?" Agnarr asked curious.
     "You really don't know that?" Iduna laughed.
     "No, I fear not. In our castle the guards are doing everything. There is no specific job; they are doing literally everything. Only if you are the personal guard of someone, you are basically just following them everywhere and protecting them, while the others are doing the dirty work."
     "The dirty work, huh? That's what you call being together with nature and listening to their spirits? No wonder that they don't like you very much." Iduna thought loudly.
     "Can you show me the nature here then? I want to learn more from your world."
     "Okay, I guess if that's the case, my grandma will for sure allow it."

     Iduna went along and Agnarr followed her. They walked through the village and then came across a bridge. Agnarr wasn't at this part of the island before so he asked her.
     "Basically we don't need the bridge because the river isn't that deep, you can easily walk through. But there was a legend once that says that behind the river there was the negative part of the island. Monsters would hide in the forest and in the mountains, waiting for the humans to cross the river and eat them alive. But that changed when a monster fell in love with a human and couldn't eat it. He broke the rules and was abandoned from his home. He wanted to go to the village with the human but when the other villagers saw him, they killed him immediately. The person couldn't live with that, as she loved him and killed herself too. They both died in the same night at the river. Their blood sunk in the water and at the next full moon night, their spirits emerged into the sky. They watched their home from above and decided that things need to change, so they built that bridge, which lead to peace of both species."
     "Monsters? Eating humans alive? Blood in the water?" Agnarr quoted Iduna and became a little afraid. That was a bit too much for him.
     "Are you afraid?" She laughed. "But don't worry, there is nothing bad on the other side anymore. In fact, there are the most beautiful places of this island. And, the legend also used to say that, whoever crosses the bridge for the first time, even after knowing the story, will find true love."
     "True love?" Agnarr thought. "Do you believe in that legend?"
     "Well, they do say that legends aren't always true because they've been passed on from generation to generation, which can lead to different versions. But I do think that it is cute how one thinks of the bridge. Who knows. Maybe it is true. If you believe in something, it is possible, no matter what."
     "In which version do you believe?"
     "I do believe that there must've been some kind of war a lotta time ago. In fact, some villagers still fear the other side and always feel a different energy when they go there than they feel here. But I believe it's probably because they don't often go there. Also there are a lot of magical places in which some people are not allowed to go there."
     "Who for example?" Agnarr asked.
     "Kids are for example not allowed to go to the qernertoq woods. It is only for us gardener as there are some herbs that might be poisonous. And generally visitors should not go to the holy places because you saw how the spirits react to that."
     "Oh, okay, understood. I will always go with you then." He promised and smiled.

     While Agnarr and Iduna were talking, Agnarr didn't notice how they already crossed the bridge and were in the middle of the forest.
     "How is this forest called again?"
     "This forest in which we are standing right now is called Qorsuk. But I think you probably meant the other woods I was talking about earlier, right? They are called qernertoq woods. But we're not going there."
     "Qor... what?" Agnarr asked, as he didn't catch the name.
     "Qorsuk. It means 'green'. Because here are a lot of herbs that you can mix for a healing soup when you are ill. Here are also very kind spirits and animals that play with you, when you know where to spot them." Iduna explained.
     "Can you show me?"
     "Maybe tomorrow. It's already late and I still need to go and do my job."
     "Tomorrow it is then. I can't wait." Agnarr said excited.
     "I said maybe", Iduna laughed because she found it cute. "I don't know if we will, but I try, okay?"
     Agnarr nodded and smiled.

     The rest of their walk they didn't talk much as it wasn't so far anymore. When they've reached the end of the forest, Agnarr saw other villagers, which were picking up some flowers and herbs.

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Because I'm not a native speaker, my English may come off bad and I'm sorry for that. If you noticed any mistakes, please tell me right away so that I can correct them!!