Chapter Text
The sun rises over the horizon, illuminating the tallest peaks of the mountains, the verdant forest, and the sprawling landscape in the cozy glow of morning sunshine. The blinding glow of the sun although is a facade, as winter falls over the city of Trollberg and plunges the city into frigid temperatures. Paralyzing cold of winter doesn’t stop Trollberg’s most fearless girl from venturing out into the unknown.
“Boots, check. Scarf, check..” Hilda checked herself, wanting to make sure she was in tip-top shape before going on her next adventure.. And of course to not take one step out the house looking like a mess. While analyzing herself, she can’t help but feel something was missing.
As if right on cue, Twig ran into the room. The Deer-Fox already knew by the sound of Hilda’s voice that it was adventure-o’-clock. He stood by her side. Hilda crouched down, her face curled into a warm smile.
“Best friend forever, Twig, check.” She pet him on the head. Twig leaned into the affection.
But just as fast as she started petting Twig, she yielded and dashed toward the door and past her mother, Johanna, who looked like she was preparing some sort of scrumptious breakfast, and past Alfur and Tontu, the two non-human beings playing some sort of conspicuous board game. She had never seen it, but of course, she had no time to assess it, adventure was calling! Hilda stopped at the door to wave goodbye to them.
“Bye you guys! I’ll see you later!” Hilda announced to everyone in the room. Tontu and Alfur waved goodbye, still slightly ingrossed in their session. Johanna smiled.
“Ok Hilda. Just remember to be back before sundown; you know the rule!”
Hilda nodded enthusiastically, and sprinted out the door, Twig followed not too far behind him.
“Well great.. now I just have extra breakfast now.” Johanna said, scratching her head in confusion of what to do.
“Guess that just means more for us!” Tontu announced.
Johanna smiled and placed the breakfast plates on the table, one comedically small for Alfur to enjoy as well. “Don’t eat too much extra. And don’t keep my plate in your strange Nisse space for a week this time.” She chuckled, which prompted the two to join in as well.
Back to Hilda. Even as she runs down the sidewalk toward the city wall, she couldn’t shake off the thought that she’d already explored everything and left no stone unturned. But she eventually pushed those thoughts down.
There was always something to be discovered.
The two ran past the gates of the wall, passing the threshold of the familiar town they call home, and the wilderness of the unknown that was practically begging to be explored. She had a feeling in her gut that she’d see something special today.
She ran into and inspected the forest near Trollberg. Just a few Tailed Butterflies, nothing out of the ordinary. She ran deeper, and as she did, the temperatures drop, not too much to have an impact on Hilda, but it made Twig shiver and quiver in the cold. She gently picked Twig up and started to walk away from the strangely colder area. He whined in her arms.
“It’s okay, boy. We don’t need to go this way.” She said with understanding in her voice.
The Huldrawood soon started to show more swamp like properties as she started walking back the way she came. Odd. It wasn’t like that before.
“The Huldrawood looks more like a swamp.. I don’t remember walking through a swamp..” The voice that was once cheerful was now fully of mystery, suspicion, and a bit of excitement in what she would stumble upon next. Hilda hated to admit that she hadn’t seen any new creatures on her quest recently, and this could be the key.
And then she saw it.
It was a glowing light in the distance. It was a cerulean shine that reminded her of her own blue shaded hair. It was enchanting, mesmerizing, hypnotic, even more familiar than the sunlight in the morning that greeted her every day. Beat out by this captivating.. thing that looked like it outshined the North Star.
They had no choice to but to walk towards it, like a hand was pulling them. Twig jumped out of Hilda’s arms to pursue the being as well. Was it a lantern? A ghost? A spirit? It didn’t matter to them right now. What truly mattered was going towards it. Touching it. It whispered things into their minds.
“Come. Follow me.” “Come on.” “I’ll show you something special.”
Hilda and Twig followed them for what felt like days, weeks, months. The two eventually reached an area where it felt like they could no longer move their legs. The spirits that had been luring them laughed, or what resembled one, and the fire was snuffed out. The two finally snapped back to their senses, feeling worn out from their walk, feeling like they lost time. Twig jumped back into Hilda’s arms as the as the girl tried to recollect her thoughts before she blacked out.
“What?” She said. It was the only thing she could mutter for a while, as no sound came out her mouth from the state of shock she was in.
“I.. Saw a light.. And I.. I can’t remember.” Hilda was confused beyond words by the experience she went through, she decided to think about it when she got home and decided to try and find the way back. Except when she moved her legs, they didn’t budge.
Thinking it was a fluke, she struggled again, and again, and again. She eventually looked down and realized she was ankle deep in thick mud. It stuck to her boots like quicksand, but thankfully none had clung onto her legs. By then, escape would likely be impossible without assistance. Even if Twig tried to help, the Deer-Fox would be dragged into as well. With quick thinking, she threw Twig onto solid ground and started to focus on getting herself free.
“Hmmph! C’mon!” She put all her strength into trying to pull her feet from the stuff.
She looked up to make sure Twig was still there, but to her horror, he was being lured away by another one of those malevolent, glowing spirits. She desperately needed to get out before she drowned in this mud.. And who knows what would happen to him if she let those take Twig.
“NO!”
Hilda made the decision. She coiled like a spring for a moment, and sprung upwards, out of the patch of uneven ground and out of her boots, leaving her leggings as the only barrier between her and the harsh nature. She grabbed Twig from the grasp of the spirits. Twig clawed at her arm, still in a trance state, but Hilda didn’t budge. She was determined to escape this living nightmare with her life. And if that means leaving her boots for the time being, then so be it.
She had her eyes covered for most of the journey as she headed back to what she thought was north back to Trollberg, only uncovering her eyes when she felt like there was a obstacle or animal to not fall under the effects of those… Things again and being dragged to her doom.
After what felt like years, she made it out the swamp and back to the Huldrawood. Before she knew it, she was out of that neck of the woods (literally) too. It was already dusk, sun dipping slightly into the horizon, and behind the trees. She made a mad dash home, feeling absolutely exhausted from the fear and adrenaline that had coursed through her.
Hilda got back home, swinging the door open and going to her room. Alfur and Tontu were still playing that board game, but at the sound of Hilda reentering the establishment, the said their ‘welcome backs’ but no response came of Hilda. She just wanted to hit the hay after her experience. Hilda pulled her pajamas from the drawer-
“Hilda! Did you not hear Alfur and Tontu greeting you?” Johanna opened the door, seeming a bit irritated by her daughter’s bad mannerism, although she paused her onslaught of words and nagging once she saw the condition of her dear Hilda: Her eyes seemed to have bags even though she got good sleep, her hair was messier than usual, and probably the most damning evidence, Hilda’s lack of boots and extremely grimy leggings that she didn’t even bother to wipe off outside or with the doormat.
“What have you been doing? Where are your boots?” She asked.
“I dunno.. I can’t remember what happened.” She said, and adverted her eyes. Hilda didn’t want to tell her mum the full truth, fearful of repercussions or restrictions on adventure if she told her about the life-threatening encounter Hilda experienced.
Johanna sighed. She’s known Hilda for over 13 years and can obviously tell when she is lying.
“Hilda.. You’re avoiding eye contact. That’s how I can tell when you’re lying, you know.” She said softly, sighing again. Hilda’s face turned red with embarrassment, her mum saw right through her bare lie like spotless glass. Johanna wasn’t angry or sad, more.. Disappointed.
“Look, you’re not in trouble. But you’re not allowed to leave the house without your shoes-“
“But mum!” Hilda interrupted her briefly, before shutting her mouth and stuffing it.
“So I’m grounded?” Hilda asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
“I never said that. I said no shoes, no leaving. It’s a common rule, especially if you plan to go to the forest. It’s weird.”
“Well, I like being weird!” Hilda rebukes.
Johanna crossed her arms over her chest. Hilda did the same, kinda mirroring her pose. Hilda knew she couldn’t argue against her mum. It was pointless, she always won in the end. She was her mum after all, she was always right. Hilda eventually turned away from her, looking at Twig on her bed, who watched the whole thing silently. Johanna closed the door on Hilda, leaving her to change into her pajamas.
Hilda gets into her pajamas, throwing the slimy, grimy leggings onto the floor and changing into her sleep clothes. She turned off the lights and immediately went to sleep once her head hit the pillow. She still couldn’t shake off the though of not being allowed to leave. What if she never found her boots and needed to wait next week until her mum had the money to get new ones? Would they be the same?
Well, only time would tell.