A Magical Discovery

As the days passed, Iduna found herself growing more and more fond of Hans. Despite his mysterious past, he had quickly settled into life at the palace, charming everyone with his bright smile and infectious laugh. Iduna had taken to spending hours with him, playing games and listening to his stories. She had always been drawn to children, and Hans's curious nature and kind heart had won her over. But as she watched him play, Iduna couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unusual about Hans. She had noticed strange occurrences happening around him - a vase would shatter, only to reassemble itself; a book would fall off a shelf, and Hans would catch it mid-air. At first, Iduna had dismissed it as coincidence, but as the events continued to pile up, she began to suspect that something more was at play. One evening, as she was walking through the palace gardens, Iduna stumbled upon Hans sitting on a bench, staring intently at his hands. She approached him quietly, not wanting to startle him. "Hans, what are you doing?" she asked, sitting down beside him. Hans looked up, his eyes wide with wonder. "I'm trying to make this flower bloom," he said, holding up a small, wilted flower. Iduna raised an eyebrow. "By just looking at it?" Hans nodded. "I've seen it happen before. Sometimes, when I really want something to happen, it does." Iduna's eyes narrowed. She had heard stories of magical children, but she had never met one herself. Could it be that Hans was somehow...magical? As she watched, Hans's face contorted in concentration, and the flower began to stir. Its petals unfolded, and it grew taller, until it was blooming beautifully. Iduna gasped. "Hans, that's incredible!" she exclaimed. Hans looked up, a smile on his face. "I don't know how I do it," he said, "but sometimes it just happens." Iduna's mind was racing. She knew that magic was a powerful force, one that could be both a blessing and a curse. She had to get to the bottom of Hans's abilities, and fast. She called for Grand Pabbie, the wise old troll, and asked him to meet with her in the gardens. When he arrived, she explained what she had seen, and asked for his advice. Grand Pabbie listened intently, his eyes shining with interest. "I sense that Hans is under a curse," he said, when Iduna finished speaking. "A curse that has de-aged him to a five-year-old." Iduna's eyes widened. "A curse? What kind of curse?" Grand Pabbie shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure. But I sense that it is a powerful one, one that will require great effort to break." Iduna's heart went out to Hans. She knew what it was like to be trapped by circumstances beyond her control. She was determined to help him, no matter what it took. As they walked back to the palace, Iduna made a decision. She would do everything in her power to help Hans, to uncover the truth about his past and break the curse that had been placed upon him. And as she looked down at Hans, who was skipping ahead of her, his auburn hair shining in the sunlight, she knew that she had already grown to love him like a son.