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The Northuldra tell tales of the Moon Spirit and his children. When a mortal with the purest of hearts dies before their time, the Moon Spirit returns them from the Netherworld to become Guardians of humanity. They take on the forms of nature’s most majestic creatures to hide their presence. Some take the forms of reindeer, some choose hummingbirds, but they can still transform back to their more human forms at will if they wish.
This is the tale of a young man who chose the form that only one would adore. In life, he was a poor boy who had fallen in love with the most beautiful princess in the lands. Despite him being poor, she loved him for who he truly was. He was kind hearted,funny and brave. His bravery cost him his life when he rescued his sister from thin ice, plunging into the icy waters in her place. The princess heard of the boy’s death and felt terrible sorrow, but she didn’t know that he had returned by the will of the Moon Spirit. When he took his first breaths into his new life, his memory brought him back to the princess he loved so dear. He remembered one time she told him her favorite animal. It was this memory that sealed the choice of which animal he shall transform into. In the moonlight, he had turned from man to wolf.
The princess sat in her room, crying her eyes out at the news that the boy she loved the most had died. However, that wasn’t the only sad news she had received. The day before, she had heard of the passing of her parents, their ship going down in the sea. The princess felt nothing but sorrow as the night faded in. With only her sister left, the very sister she was forbidden to ever see again because the princess was cursed with a strange power, a power over ice and snow. One day, the princess hurt her sister with this power and though it was an accident, it was deemed important for the two sisters to be separated.
She looked out the window at the heavy snowfall. The village across the fjord was only a vail silhouette and just dim lights in the snow curtain. The snow was her favorite, just like the boy she loved so dear. She wished he was here to share this with her like he used to. He would hold her close and they would just watch it fall until she fell asleep. She turned to go back to her bed.
Then there was a howl.
She spun around to look back out the window. She knew there was little chance of seeing the wolf in the snowfall, but she just wanted a moment of hope to see it, to give her a moment of joy. She always loved wolves, thinking them as merely large dogs. She just wanted a moment to see it.
There it was, on the bridge over the fjord. It trotted across in the snow. She opened her window to see it more clearly. She saw it come closer to the front gate then give her another howl. She sighed with content at the sound, listening as if it was soothing music.
She saw it jump its front paws on the banister of the bridge and give her a joyful bark. She chuckled at the sound, but she realized something. It was communicating with her. Clearly she didn’t understand, but she was both amazed and amused at the gesture. She heard it whimper, making her blow a kiss to the wolf. The wolf lowered its ears and gave a bashful whimper.
The wolf jumped down from the banister and began to trot away, but not before it gave her another look. She waved to it farewell before closing her window. She watched it continue away, running back off into the snow.
Three years later…
“Find her!” one of the villagers shouted with a torch in his hands.
Several men ran through the forest, hunting down the Queen. At her coronation, her powers were revealed and the people, except for her sister, had all come to fear her. She ran away, afraid to hurt anyone and wanted to go and hide in the mountains. However, many of the people, including the guards sworn to protect her, chased her into the forest. She could hear them shouting in the distance, screaming for her head.
They wanted to kill her.
She ran, ran further and further into the forest until she found herself trapped in a trench. She turned and saw some of the guards at her back, swords drawn.
“Stay away!” she pleaded. The guards said nothing, only came closer and closer. Again, she begged, “Stay away! I don’t want to hurt you!”
The guards grabbed her and began to pull her out of the trench. She struggled, trying not to release her magic. They continued to drag her along when she saw they were coming up to a large group, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and her sister’s recent fiance ahead of the group.
The two men brought her before him and she begged, “Please, just let me go. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that. You’re too dangerous.” Prince Hans looked back and asked, “Is it ready?”
One of the villagers nodded and pulled out a noose.
Elsa gasped and cried, “No! No, please! Let me go, I’ll run away! I won’t bother anyone, I swear! Please!”
“Get her ready!” Hans called out as the villager threw the noose over a tree branch. The guards shackled her and one wrapped the noose around her neck, her pleas falling on deaf ears. Hans looked back at her and proclaimed, “Queen Elsa of Arendelle, you are condemned for witchcraft, threatening your people and abandoning the throne.”
“I swear! Let me go and I won’t bother anyone ever again!” she cried.
Hans stepped closer and whispered in her ear, “The throne’s mine now.”
She gasped and looked at him. He was smirking at her. Her fear turned to anger, knowing that he riled them up to condemn her like this so he could take the throne. This was just a ploy and her people fell right into it.
Then again, if she were to somehow survive this, they wouldn’t be her people anymore. They condemned her blindly despite all that her parents worked so hard for. If she were to escape, she’d never put these fools in her mind and leave Arendelle forever, the only regret being that she’d leave her poor sister behind.
Hans raised his hand up and was ready to give the order for the men to pull, but then there was a loud snarl. All looked over to see a pair of glaring eyes peer out of the dark of the trees. There was fear in the air as the figure slowly crawled out from the shadows and revealed to be a massive timber wolf, sharp teeth bearing with the cold air fogging through them. One guard pulled out his crossbow and fired at it. He missed, but the wolf didn’t even flinch. Its eyes, filled with intent to kill, never left Hans.
It then charged towards them. Even though the villagers outnumbered it, the sheer size was enough to send everyone, except Elsa, running away. It snapped its jaws at Hans’ heels, making the prince run faster. The two ran several yards until the wolf gave up and watched everyone down the mountain.
Elsa panicked as she struggled to undo the shackles so she can remove the noose, but they were too tight. She looked up to see the wolf trotting back to her and she cried out in fear. The wolf stopped and lowered itself, ears drawing back and whimpering loudly. She was confused by its actions, like it didn’t want to scare her. It slowly started to move closer, still whimpering. She watched it as it slowly moved behind her. She felt it grab the shackles with its teeth and, to her amazement, felt it bite the metal in half. It did that with both cuffs and she heard the shackles drop into the snow at her feet. She reached up and pulled the noose off her and threw it as far away from herself as she could. She looked back down at the wolf, who looked back up at her with a cheerful look. She knelt down and softly placed her hands on both sides of its face.
“Thank you.” she tearfully smiled. The wolf licked her tears away as she giggled. When it stopped, the wolf lowered its head and snuggled into her chest. She held onto it and said, “You’re the one I saw three years ago, aren’t you? I can’t believe you stayed this close to Arendelle still.”
“I’ll never leave you, my love.”
Elsa gasped when she heard the voice. It’s a voice she had not heard in so long, but one that she’ll never forget. When she looked up, she saw that she was no longer holding onto the wolf. Instead, she was holding someone in a blue coat that had wolf pelt that caped over his shoulders. She looked higher up and she locked eyes with him. His eyes were the same mesmerising shade of blue that he bore. His skin was paler and his once brown hair was now white. But still, she knew that he was the same Jack that she fell in love with so long ago.
“J...Jack?” she gasped.
He softly wiped the tears from her eyes again and they both stood up, Jack not letting her go. He smiled and said, “I’ve waited so long to hold you like this again, my precious Elsa.”
“Jack...what-what happened? I heard you were-”
“Dead? I was. But the Moon Spirit allowed me to return...return to you.”
Elsa teared more and buried her face into his chest. He smiled and held her tighter. He let her cry for as long as she needed to. When she was done, she looked up at him again and he once again wiped her tears.
Then, he leaned down and kissed her. She gasped by the sudden action, but she couldn’t resist. She closed her eyes and pulled herself into him. There was a strange sensation in the kiss, like a cooling sensation leaving his mouth and entering hers. When they parted, a blue fog came from both their mouths.
Still exhausted from his kiss, she softly asked him, “What happened?”
Jack smiled and said, “I have shared with you my power. My power is now yours.”
She was still wary and he could tell the magic was still taking its toll on her. He lifted her up into his arms and began to carry her off into the snow covered forest. As he carried her off, snow began to softly fall and cover his tracks.
However, if anyone were to find their tracks, they’d find that once human tracks would turn to wolf tracks. Not just one wolf, but two.
Ten years later…
The forest was silent save for the sound of horses riding through the trail. The mid autumn scene gave the forest a gorgeous aura of red, orange and yellow that was unlike anything back in Arendelle. Hans, the Prince-consort to the late Queen Anna of Arendelle and now King, led a group of riders through the forest to the home of the mysterious Northuldra tribe. Ever since the mysterious death of the Queen, it seemed like the land of Arendelle was under a mysterious plague. The water began to recede back to the sea, local crops were dying out, livestock either died or vanished into the wilderness and the people were leaving in fear. Looking through the castle archives, Hans had discovered records of the Northuldra, a tribe that could tap into the magic of Nature herself. Perhaps if he could negotiate with the leader to help Arendelle, maybe then the land would return to normal.
The group arrived at the sentry point where two Northuldra guards stood. The two men eyed them all with caution with their spears pointed towards the Arendellian soldiers.
“Halt, state your business!” one of the guards called out.
Hans halted his guard and replied, “I am King Hans, ruler of Arendelle. We have come seeking your help.”
The sentries lowered their spears and exchanged glances. One walked off while the other stayed to watch the Arendellians. They waited for a few minutes until they heard the sound of a horn down the trail.
“You may pass.” the sentry called and stepped aside.
Hans led his men down the trail on their horses down through the brush. The last guard looked back at the sentry, seeing him glare them all down before turning his back to them.The guard hurried his horse next to Hans and asked, “Your Highness, do you think this is wise?”
“Our land is dying, we need the Northuldra to heal our lands.” Hans replied.
“I understand, but Arendelle doesn’t have the best history with these people.”
“I will handle it. You just do what you’re supposed to do and keep your mouth shut.”
The men looked at each other. The King was clearly iratible, but this situation stressed him out more than the death of his wife, the late Queen. Ever since they mentioned going into the forest, he became noticeably on edge. It was possible that he was fearful of the wolf that he encountered ten years ago, but some of the elders and guards tried to console him by telling him that it was possible that the wolf was either dead or too weak to attack within these past ten years. Still, he was wary of going into the forest to seek out the mysterious Northuldra.
What the guard said was true. It was many years ago when King Runeard, father of King Agnarr and the grandfather of the late Queen Anna and her sister Elsa, entered the forest and a war between the Arendellians and Northuldra broke out. Both the King and the Northuldrian leader fell and his daughter took up the leadership. King Agnarr returned to the forests in hopes of mending the relationship between the two people. The new leader Yelena told them that the war would cease if he and his men left and never returned. Hans was taking a big risk going into the forest seeking them out. If it wasn’t the wolf he feared, it was the fear of starting another war.
They were coming upon the village when they saw the tall huts. There was the smell of smoke with various foods being cooked and the sound of children playing could be heard. They exited the brush and saw the entire village, people all doing their daily duties while the children were playing with a wolf pup. The guards looked at Hans for his reaction. He didn’t pay it much attention, possibly because it’s a pup.
Leaving one of the huts was an older woman, a small entourage following close behind. He was normal height with silver hair going down past her shoulders. She gave the Arendellians and Hans a stern glare as she approached them. Hans dismounted with his men and they cautiously walked over to her.
When they were face to face, she asked, “Why are you here?”
Hans gave her a curtsy and said, “Great leader, I am King Hans of Arendelle. I come before you to ask you and your people for your assistance.”
She glanced around at the guard and asked, “Are you aware of Arendelle’s history with our people?”
“I do and I wish to make amends. I-”
“Your people had started a war and killed my father. The Northuldra will not help you.”
Hans was visibly getting irritable and his fists started to tighten. Still, the chieftess didn’t falter.
“You can get as angry as you want, we still stand by our agreement.” she told him.
“I come to you in good faith and this is how you treat us?”
“Given how your people attacked us, I think it’s warranted. Now you and your men, leave now.”
Yelena turned and walked back to her hut. Hans attempted to follow her, but one of the Northuldra warriors, a woman he heard someone call Honeymaren, pointed her spear at him. Hans was still angry, but he knew that if he had any chance of having the Northuldra, he needed to stand down.
He looked around the village again and was surprised by what he saw. The wolf pup was gone, but there was someone else that caught his attention. It was a boy, looking about eight or nine, dressed in Northuldra garb but he didn’t look Northuldra. They were all tanned with dark hair, but the boy was pale skinned with blue eyes and platinum hair. Despite being different, the children were all playing with him like he was one of them.
It was his hair and eyes that caught Hans’ attention. He instantly recognized them, seeing them in the castle for the past ten years, only recently having the portraits of the former Queen burned after his wife’s death.
He looked almost like Elsa.
He stepped forward, but Honeymaren pressed the staff of her spear against his chest. He looked down at her and began to protest.
“You don’t go near him,” she warned. “I will personally slit your throat if you do.”
“Are you threatening the King of Arendelle?” one of the guards asked, reaching for his sword.
Hans raised his hand to stop him before stepping back. Straightening his jacket, he asked, “I see no one who could mother a boy like him. Where is his mother?”
Honeymaren’s scowl grew and said, “That’s none of your business.”
“I assure you that my intentions are honorable. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“I...I think I know who his mother might be...but that would be impossible.”
Curious, Honeymaren relaxed and asked him, “How do you know?”
Hans gave a sad smile, “Because...he looks like my late wife’s sister.”
Honeymaren was apprehensive, telling him, “How would it be impossible?”
“Because she died a long time ago. She was killed by a wolf.”
Honeymaren scoffed and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Because he is the son of a wolf.”
Hans and his men were puzzled by what she said. Was this a Northuldra riddle or legend? Before anyone could ask, there was the sound of a wolf howl off in the forest. Hans became visibly nervous at the sound, straining his breath at the sound.
Honeymaren softly shook her head and told him, “You and your men better leave.”
Hans ordered his men onto their horses in haste. However, he gave Honeymaren some glances as she walked over to the boy. Though it was low, he heard her speak to the boy, saying his name.
“Marcus, your mother is calling you.”
Marcus.
Hans slowly mounted his horse and followed his men, thinking about what Honeymaren said. Marcus was called the son of a wolf and she said that his mother was calling him after a wolf howled off in the distance. What was going on?
He glanced to see Marcus running off into the forest. He was still afraid to go into the woods, but Hans needed answers. He told his commander, “Head back to Arendelle, tell them that I need to make sure of something.”
Ignoring his men’s plea, Hans dismounted and began to traverse the forest, trailing far behind Marcus. Spending years hunting in the woods of the Southern Isles, he knew how to track so catching onto Marcus’ trail wasn’t difficult. He kept a safe distance, hand on his sword should he ever need it. Marcus went deeper into the forest, trailing up the mountain near the Northuldra village. As they climbed higher, Hans got a better look at the valley as the sun began to set. The purple haze mixed with the fall scenery and nearby river gave a picturesque scene, far more beauty than he could ever imagine.
Then there was another howl, but much closer. Hans ducked behind a tree, knowing that Marcus was the one howling. It was a childish howl as one would imagine, but yet there was a response, off in the distance. This reply was that of an actual wolf. No, not one wolf. Two. Two howls echoed off in the distance. Marcus chuckled and began to run off, but then he stopped. Hans watched him stand there for a few moments, not moving at all. The boy then reached up and gave another howl. There was another moment of silence, but it ended with the sound of another howl off in the distance. Marcus nodded in reply and started to run again.
Hans was bewildered, but nonetheless he continued to follow the boy as he scaled up the mountain. The two continued on higher and higher until Hans noticed that the edge of the mountain formed into a high and steep cliff overlooking the river. Boulders had formed on the top of the cliffs, making a clearing to get a good view of the river. Marcus went to the edge of the cliff and looked out at the valley. Hans kept his distance still, amazed that the boy had the courage to stand that close, knowing that the cliff had at least a couple of hundred feet drop to the rock on the edge of the riverbank.
“You can stop hiding, I know you’re there.” Marcus called out.
Hans gasped, amazed that the boy knew he was there. Marcus turned his direction, looking at the tree Hans was hiding behind. This was the King’s chance. He gave a faux chuckle as he stepped out from behind the tree.
“I gotta admit, you’re good, kid.” Hans said, still chuckling. Slowly approaching Marcus, Hans asked him, “Did you know I was there the whole time?”
Marcus said nothing, only giving Hans a deadpan look. The look, for some odd reason, made Hans on edge. It was like he was glaring down the eyes of a wolf. But he was just a boy.
Clearing his throat, Hans said, “I, uh, I heard your name in the village. Marcus, right? What are you doing all the way up here?”
Marcus remained silent, still giving Hans that look.
Hans decided to cut to the chase, “You have your mother’s eyes. Her hair as well. Where is your mother?”
Silence.
“You know, I’m your uncle. Your Auntie, Queen Anna, was my wife. Would you like to meet your Auntie?”
Finally, Marcus spoke, “My Auntie is dead.”
Hans’ face dropped.
“And you killed her.”
Hans felt a pit form in his stomach and his heart stopped for a moment. How on Earth could this kid know any of this?
“I-I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, buddy.” Hans stammered, giving a fake and nervous smile.
“You poisoned her. You put something in her food and drinks to make her sick.” Marcus said, turning completely around to face Hans. Marcus continued, “You also tried to kill my Mom and my Dad saved her from you.”
Hans’ fake smile dropped to a scowl and he slowly reached up for his sword. Marcus noticed and finally gave a look of fear. Hans asked him, “Now where did you get that idea, buddy?”
Marcus, still fearful, told him, “It’s the Moonspirit. He told me everything.”
“Did he now? Well, I think it’s time I made sure you got home safe and sound.”
He tugged at his sword, but stopped when he heard loud snarls. Coming out from the trees came a large arctic wolf, pure white fur that contrasted in the growing darkness. Sapphire eyes glowed in the glow of the oncoming moonlight glared at the King as he drew his sword. Hans felt fear rush through him, but he dared not move. Marcus, on the other hand, smiled at the wolf. Hans’ fears grew when another wolf stalked out from the trees. But this was no other wolf, this was the same timber wolf he encountered ten years ago. It still looked the same as it did in his memories, his nightmares. This is the same wolf that chased after him all those years ago.
Hans was startled by the sudden change in environment. He noticed that the sky began to cloud and snow flurries began to fall. It was fall and far too warm for snow, what was going on?
The two wolves moved closer, the arctic wolf stood in front of Marcus in a protective manner. The timber wolf snarled at Hans, shifting its eyes between Hans’ eyes and his sword. Hans gave the arctic wolf a slow glance as it snarled. Much to his dismay, he swore he heard it say something in its snarls.
Murderer…
The clouds covered the moonlight and the spectacle before Hans filled him more with dread, but also confusion. In the shade of the moonlight, the two wolves transformed. They had turned from wolves to humans. The timber wolf turned into a young man Hans had never seen before, dressed in a blue tunic, brown pants with no shoes, silver hair glistening in the snow fall and glowing blue eyes. The arctic wolf, her form terrified Hans more than anything he had felt before.
It was Elsa.
She wore a flowing white gown with translucent capes and various diamond patterns of different colors and her hair was down and blowing in the wind. Her sapphire eyes also glowed as they glared at him.
“No...you’re dead.” Hans stammered at her. He began to back away as he continued to baulk, “You died ten years ago...The wolf killed you…”
Jack grabbed Hans by his throat and told him, “You tried to kill her.”
“And you killed my sister.” Elsa added.
Elsa turned back to look down at Marcus, who was smiling up at her.
“Mom.”
Elsa smiled and said, “Go into the woods, love. You shouldn’t see this.”
Marcus nodded and ran off into the woods. Both Jack and Elsa watched him run off before turning back to the fearful Hans, who was still in Jack’s vicious grip. They both gave him the most hateful glare.
Elsa stepped closer and told him, “I’ve waited a long time for this. I’ve thought about this ever since you wrapped that noose around my neck, but since you’ve murdered my sister, I’ll make this even more enjoyable.”
“Your actions have brought a plague upon Arendelle, ‘King’ Hans.” Jack snarled. Tightening his grip, he added, “You took the life of an innocent and stole that which did not belong to you. Because of that, the land of Arendelle has to pay the price for your choices.”
Hans said nothing, his eyes only looking back and forth between the two of them as they glared him down.
Then, the clouds moved out from in front of the moon and the light began to shine bright again. Jack and Elsa slowly transformed back, their teeth gnashing as their wolf forms pounced on him, their jaws snapping for his throat. He screamed in fear as he tried to push them off him, but their great weight was too much for him. He held his arms up to stop them, but they just chomped down and tore at his uniform, going as far as to draw blood from his arm. Finally, Elsa wrapped her jaws around his throat. Hans gagged loudly as he tried to pull her off and Jack scratched at his face with his paws. Jack jumped down onto the ground and grabbed Hans’ leg and Elsa pulled him down to the ground, tightening her grip. Hans reached out for something, anything to defend himself, forgetting completely about his sword. He found a rock and bashed Elsa in the head, making her yelp and let go. He kicked Jack in the face and Jack let him go. Knowing full well that Hans hurt Elsa, Jack gave him his loudest snarl as Hans scrambled to his feet. In his panic, Hans didn’t know he was heading right for the cliff. When he finally realized, he stopped right on the edge and tried to keep himself from falling. However, when he turned and saw Jack pounce at him. However, Jack transformed back into his human form and punched Hans across his face, making Hans stumble back over the edge of the cliff. The last thing anyone heard from Hans, he was screaming down the cliff towards the rocks below.
Jack looked down the river, panting heavily. However, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Elsa’s sobs. He quickly turned around and saw her on her knees and holding where Hans had hit her with the rock.
“Elsa!” he cried out, rushing to her side and kneeling next to her, cradling her head to see her wound. It was a deep gash with blood dripping down the side of her head. He quietly said, “Oh, love. I’m so sorry.”
“Mom!”
They both looked over to see Marcus running up to them. He reached Elsa and she pulled him into an embrace. They stayed like this until Marcus looked up at her wound. She sniffled as he looked at it and he gave her a kiss on her wound. She smiled, knowing what he was doing. With his kiss, the wound quickly began to heal, the blood flowing down her face draining back into her flesh and the gash closing. Once it was healed, he pulled back and she softly touched where her wound was. She gave Marcus a sweet smile and he hugged her again. Jack smiled and wrapped his arms around both of them, Elsa nuzzling into his embrace.
As the moonlight once again shone down on the family, turning them from human to wolf once again.