(Author's notes: by public demand, I am continuing this fanfiction. Though this isn't the same story in Frozen, okay?
Also, since Hic and Jack have different 'fathers' or father figure, in Jack's case, I have found a snug solution to what their King father her looks like. North and Stoick are pretty much similar, and North had brown hair when he was younger, like Stoick's. They have the same build and stuff, so they may look similar as well in a younger age. If you wanna know what the King would look like, search pictures of young Nicholas St. North.)
Three years later.
"…milord?"
"…yeah?" he yawned, shifting his blanket comfortably around him.
"…sorry to wake you-"
"No, no, no! I've been up for hours!" Hiccup lied, eyelids heavy as he forced himself to sit up. A book clattered to the floor. Fallen asleep while reading, again.
Rubbing his eyes, he swung his legs off the bed, "Who is it!?" he called out drowsily.
"It's Gobber, sir. The gates will open soon, time to get ready." Replied his manservant outside his door.
"Yeah, yeah, sure…" Hiccup stumbled out of his covers, brown hair in a mess, "…ready for what, exactly?"
"Er…your brother's coronation, milord?"
Hiccup's eyes snapped open, sight landing on the royal outfit laid out for him on a mannequin at the end of his room, basked in the light of mid-morning. A tailored array of green and black. A fine coat, handsome trousers and a new set of boots. His sword lay polished atop the dresser (that may have been because he never did use it much, anyways).
"Oh, it's that day," he said quietly.
He did not exactly know how to feel about it. Nothing much would change except for titles, that is. His royal brother would be crowned king, though he practically already was for three years. He never had the gift of the gab, which he supposed was a disadvantage around people, but, it sure was rare to have anyone over. It's Jack's day, though and he and his brother were practically just acquaintances now that anything. He gets a crown, so?
Hiccup couldn't care less…but wait!
"It's coronation day…" he said slowly as if he had just been told.
"Indeed, sir." Gobber affirmed outside the door.
A beam descended on Hiccup's face, all traces of sleep gone, "IT'S CORONATION DAY!"
That means…
The gates will be open.
The guests will be welcomed in. Ambassadors from far and wide would come and see.
The palace wouldn't be quiet, no, not for long. The gates…will be open.
"Milord? Are yeh alright in there?"
"Gobber, make sure everything's prepared!" Hiccup said with a regal air as he crossed his room, "We're going to have a party, after all…"
"…yeh kno'ow, he's quite excited today, milord," said Maudy as she cleaned up at the table.
"Is he?" Jack said quietly as he peered out his window, seeing the throngs of people gathered by the docks outside the gates. Noble lords and ladies intermingling with commoners, everyone dressed in their finest array. And ships were still coming over the water. Sails cast in the wind, bright flags at the tops of their masts.
The kingdom was as bright as it ever was. From the royal study, he could hear the muffled merrymaking in the village square and all the busy hubbub downstairs as the palace staff prepared for the occasion.
"Oh, yes, the young prince is very…" the stout old maid said, stopping to look for the right word, "…motivated."
"Ah," Jack said with a small nod, turning to her, "That's quite…something, isn't it?"
Not that Hiccup never had incentive. But Jack knew that air that always hung about his brother. Pessimism. Perhaps from being cooped up in the palace? Most likely. It showed most especially when he would make sarcastic or snarky remarks in the few instances they saw eachother, whether in duel or crossing eachother's path in the halls.
"…oh, yeah. Pain. LOVE it," Hiccup once said with a roll of his eyes when he arrived late to swordplay lessons, clothes obviously donned in a hurry.
Unmotivated. That was one way to put him.
"Oh, the little lord never has any company, after all, sire," Maudy said, plucking up the breakfast tray from the table, "Must be just glad to have people over."
Jack gave a small grin, glancing out the window again.
He couldn't say the same for himself, though…
"Why, he seemed fascinated by the plates bein' laid out in the Great Hall!" Maudy laughed as she gathered and empty teacup and began to move towards the door, "…then he stuffed himself with chocolates out of nerve."
Jack fidgeted with his gloved hands as he stood by the window. If he hadn't gotten used to his nerves on his own, he's be stuffing his face with chocolates, as well.
"Anything else, Your Grace?"
"No, Maudy, that would be all."
The maid bowed out and closed the door behind her. The click of the lock made Jack let out a sigh of relief, crossing the room. His red cape trailed behind him, the folds having an air of royalty about them. That's the only real difference between nobles and peasants, after all. The illusion of looks.
The coronation was today. He just has to get through it and…the rest of his days, after that. Shouldn't be a big deal.
"This is going to be difficult," he huffed to himself, casting an upwards gaze at the portrait of the late king during his own coronation. An imposing figure. Kind yet fierce, in his hands the ceremonial sceptre and globe.
Jack slid off his gloves and picked up a candleholder and a sweets-box from the table below, holding it up in the same manner his father held the royal symbols in the painting.
His bare skin touched the metal surfaces, a frost rising to cloud their shine.
"…stop it...stop it…" he scolded himself under his breath. But the frost grew.
From the dainty floral forms to jagged layers of ice.
"One wrong move, Jackson," he reminded himself, putting them down hurriedly, "…and everyone will know."
He stared down at his pale hands as he always had whenever he was nervous.
Which was all the time, these days.
"…hold it together," he breathed, slipping on the cursed gloves again before he could touch anything else, "It's only for today."
He had to keep it together. He brought this on himself.
Oh, yes, Jack remembered. The very reason why his skin was cursed in wintry chill, casting anything he came into contact with in deathly cold. That's what they called it. A curse. But his parents chose to forget. Everyone did.
One of them forgetting without a choice.
But he never did. It loomed inside his head, clear as day. If only…
Brushing the thoughts aside, he opened his doors.
"Tell the guards to open up the gates."
Darkness…that was the first thing he feared.
Not the cold or snow or ice. It was the darkness.
And shadows he did remember, like nightmares that did not cease even when one woke up. They were always there, rooted in Jack's mind. And the darkness made every other happy memory before it dim.
It had been years. Ages beyond the measure of count in the mind of youth. Or beyond the care of the heart to recall. Back when the world was a lovely place embraced in the light of childhood, where death did not exist and laughter mingled with madness in a fond dance each and every day.
"…we have to be careful!" whispered little Hiccup as he drew his coat about him.
"We will!" Jack chuckled, holding on to his brother's hands as they crept out of their chambers in the middle of the night.
"Where are we going, Jack?" Hiccup asked, holding on to him as they ran along the corridors. There was a small hint of worry in his voice, but his green eyes shone with excitement and wonder of a child.
"Shh…" Jack said, holding up a finger to his lips, scanning the area, "Just follow me, okay?"
"Okay," Hiccup beamed in full confidence.
Jack pulled his brown woollen cloak about him, trying to keep the chilly air from his skin. Their pale cheeks were rosy in the low temperatures, freckles rising to the surface.
The elder brother ran his hand through his brown hair, an identical shade to the little one, a mischievous grin on his face. He's snuck out of the castle a hundred times before. Jack was sure Hiccup would find it a delight, as well.
"Keep yourself warm, now," Jack told him, wrapping a green scarf around Hiccup's neck. The thick warm cloth covered half his little round face as he held on to Jack's arm.
They snuck out the back doors of the castle, usually used by servants on errands and delivery. Jack pried open the door a crack and they slipped out. Two children going unspotted in the crisp December night, across the blanket of snow, under the sky dancing with auroras.
"What if someone sees us?" Hiccup breathed, looking about as Jack closed the door behind him.
"…they'll send us back in," Hiccup said, getting rather jittery.
"Nah, we'll do fine," Jack told him and swiped a shepherd's crook standing idly by the stables.
From atop the watchtowers, perhaps a guard saw them or didn't. But if they did, they would only see a two stablehands out in the night for an errand or two. Nothing unusual.
"Got them?" Jack suddenly asked as they wound their way down the courtyards illuminated by lantern-light.
"Yeah," Hiccup nodded, patting the bag by his side.
"Good."
"What's in this, Jack?"
"A surprise."
Instead of heading out into the more common parts of town like the square or the docks, Jack led his brother away from the streets. Away from the amber warmth of the lanterns and into the gloom of the far end of the palace.
Plunging into the darkened halls, Jack found the all-too familiar door to the north dock.
Moonlight poured in as the door swung open, the winter winds blowing at their faces as the expanse of the frozen sea lay beyond the grounds of the castle, a concrete dock stretching out with a deserted watchtower at the end of it. The silhouette of the mountains and the treeline loomed in the distance, alluring as the shimmering surface of pure ice.
"Wow…" Hiccup gaped, his green eyes wide.
"You've never been out this part, huh?" Jack smiled.
"No," Hiccup affirmed gladly.
"Good, now come on!"
Hiccup truly was curious on what Jack meant to do out in the docks. Usually when they stole out in the night, they just played in the courtyards where snow had accumulated enough to have fun in. Snowball fights, making snowmen, sometimes taking out a sled and sliding up and down the wide space.
Once, Jack made a snow form of one of Hiccup's drawings. A crude little dragon with a rounded snout instead of the terrifying ones in their storybooks.
"…he doesn't have any teeth," Hiccup chuckled then when Jack packed down the last bit of snow for the dragon's stubby paws.
"…that makes him toothless, then."
But they did not make snow-dragons that night.
He watched notefully as Jack took the bag from him and pulled out a pair of skates, putting them on, shivering as he took off his boots.
"We're…going down there?" Hiccup said as he peered over the edge of the dock.
"It's not too far, really," Jack told him and helped him with his own skates, "I'll help you down."
As soon as he said it, he jumped down. Hiccup gasped, clapping his mitted hands over his mouth.
"Look down!" Jack called from below.
It wasn't much of a height from the top to the frozen water below, but to a child. It was a long way down.
"I can't go down there!" Hiccup stammered.
"Just jump!" Jack said in a reassuring manner, holding up his hands for him, "I'll catch you!"
"…promise?"
"Promise."
Hiccup held his breath and leapt down, fear gripping him as he broke through the cold air. But Jack caught him, and soon he opened his eye, staring transfixed at the solid ground of ice underneath his skates.
They played as children would, Jack helping his little brother learn how to stand on his own on the skates and spun him about laughing. And although Hiccup did not fully master it, the small boy no older than a toddler held his own.
"…wibbly…wobbly…" he muttered to himself as he flailed his arms slowly like a bird.
"Just pretend you're on a slippery floor," Jack told him, chuckling, the shepherd's crook lying discarded nearby, "Here, take my hand."
"No, I don't want to be swung again, I'll slip," Hiccup scrunched his nose.
"I won't, I'll help,"
"You promise?"
"That's the second time, of course, I promise, silly!"
Hiccup took Jack's hand, and without warning, the elder brother swung him out across the ice.
"Woah! Woah! Jaaaack!" Hiccup screeched as he struggled to keep his balance as he slid along the frozen expanse, scarf gambolling as he fell victim to spinning circles of his own weight.
"I'm gonna get you Jack!" he yelled.
Jack chuckled, skating leisurely after him as Hiccup slid off, still on his own two feet.
"You're doing amazing!" Jack smiled, "See!? You're skating!"
"I am?!"
Hiccup's jaw hung open as he slowed down, staring at his own two feet, holding him up despite the teetering of his skates.
"I did it!" he squealed in joy when he came to a stop.
"You did it!" Jack echoed as he came near, "I told you-"
Crack.
Jack stopped in his tracks.
"…the ice," Hiccup whispered, trembling as he lifted his gaze to him.
The elder prince looked from him to the ice below.
"Calm down…d-don't move…" he said, holding up his hands, trying to keep Hiccup from panicking.
The ice was supposed to be thick. It always was that time of year. But now it…
"We've wandered too far," Hiccup suddenly said, making Jack glance over his shoulder.
Yes, the dock was further off. The ice must have gotten thinner farther from the shore. Jack felt a pang in chest, he shouldn't have flung Hiccup out into the ice.
Crack!
"Help!" Hiccup called out to him.
"Stay still," Jack said and slipped off his skates, crouching down low and edged closer to his brother, the ice stinging his bare skin lightly, "It's okay, don't look down, just look at me…"
Hiccup couldn't help but stare down, starting to shake as he imagined the black water below. The white cracks in the ice spread right under him. They knew how the stories went…how fragile the ice was. The waters don't stay frozen around the palace as they do in the mountains.
"Jack?" he whimpered, "…I'm scared."
It was then that Jack saw how terrified Hiccup was. He was such a little boy still…
"I know, I know," he reassured, slowly straightening up and taking one careful step forwards.
A spider web crack bloomed under his foot.
"Um…" Jack began, losing words and his breath, heart hammering, "But you're gonna be alright, you're not gonna fall in."
He kept his smile on, masking his own fear.
"We're gonna have a little fun, instead!" he declared.
"No, we're not!" Hiccup snapped up at him, not moving from his spot.
"Would I trick you, Hic?" Jack scoffed.
"Yes!" Hiccup replied, "You always play tricks! You just tossed me out here! You break your promises!"
Jack chuckled nervously, "Well not-not-not this time…" he said, stuttering, "I promise, I promise you're gonna be…you're gonna be fine."
He took in a deep breath, trying to keep Hiccup distracted as he reached out for the crook.
"You have to believe in me."
"How do I look?" Jack said as he stood at the balcony overlooking the Entrance Hall.
He had unconsciously been glancing at his reflection in the mirrors whilst in the chambers. Not for the looks but for the mere disbelief of that moment. This was happening…he wish it wasn't. Soon there would be a crown over his snow-white locks of hair.
…the same shade that marred Hiccup's.
Maudy the elderly maid smiled, "Like a king, Your Grace."
Jack let out a small breath as the sounds of the gates heaving open reached the halls of the palace.
He braced himself. He can handle this. It's only for today.
"…you have to believe in yourself."
