Chapter 9 Band of Misfits
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A.N. An update, A La Mode. Slightly lighter, this is mostly setting the scene for some other things I'd like to cover. Fluffiness galore for all that enjoy that kind of stuff. Slightly less Merida and Jack, but I assure you that they will have their spotlight in the next chapter.
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Eugene's ideal start to the day would be simple; wake up on his own time, in a nice warm bed, on an island that he owned. Not in the middle of a forest, on the cold hard ground, with a demented horse pulling on his boot in a game of tug of war with a viking and a Scot. But, this was not his ideal day.
The initial awakening was not a problem. Rapunzel had crawled over and was lying next to him, and the thief had no complaints. A heavenly smell filled the air, like smoked meat. Looking up, Merida was poking something on a spit roast. Come to think of it, that looked a lot like the rabbit they had encountered earlier. Hiccup was up in his tree, picking his nails with a knife. And Elsa... Eugene was not expecting that.
Her hair was in every direction, the princess was in a snoring, drooling heap. Toothless looked amused, and Merida caught his gaze.
She snorted, "No' th' picture o' perfection no' is she?"
Hiccup glared, and she smiled to herself. "Tho' I'm no' much bette'. An' neithe' is 'iccup, when e' actually sleeps."
Eugene groaned, and reclined back onto the ground. Little notice was given to the suddenly quiet environment. No birds gave their morning calls. No animals scurried through the underbrush. Even Toothless was silent, the dragon was peering warily into the brush. For a skilled woodsman, this could be used to identify the presence of an apex predator. Hiccup and Merida were already on their feet, weapons in hand. But Eugene was not a skilled woodsman.
Almost immediately, the thief was drifting off. Until a fierce roar filled the air and a furious panting began, just above him. Retreating from his fetal position, he looked up. And saw that, indeed, the demon of the underworld had returned.
...
Internally, Eugene was screaming. But the morning air had erased all caution.
Smiling smugly, he ignored the dripping wet stallion. "Well, I hope your're here to apologize."
Almost immediately, the animal snarled and Eugene felt his body leave the ground. Pulled along, Eugene's beautiful face was subject to pebbles, stones and gravel. He was too pretty for this.
Almost immediately, it stopped. Strong arms wrapped around his waist. Slender hands met his. Soon, a furious game of tug of war erupted.
...
The game traversed around the campsite. Eugene was dragged through the fire, resulting in a frail screaming that awoke Rapunzel. The horse wrenched slightly, sending Hiccup flying into a tree. A tree which happened to house a sleeping Jack. While he floated down last night, that grace went out the metaphorical window. As they neared a startled Elsa, Toothless finally made his move.
SCREECH!
...
The horse stopped dead in its tracks, and Merida was all too happy for their brief struggle to be over. Something crawled in her hair, most likely Pasquelle. Whatever the reason, she gave the stallion a stern look.
"Put 'im down."
The horses eyes widened, but he didn't let go. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hiccup untangling himself from the fallen branches and a very confused Jack. It was almost funny.
Pasquelle caught the stallions eyes, giving Hiccup the opportunity he needed. Wrapping his arms around Merida's waist, they pulled in unison, wrenching Eugene from his snagged boot. Placing herself between her friends and the now enraged horse, she raised her hands in a placating manner.
"Eas'i. Eas'i."
The horse glared, and moved around in an attempt to get at Eugene, but she blocked his path.
Pasquelle, who had hung on by a literal hair, was doing something on her head. Glancing between her and the little lizard, the horse finally settled, although the fierce glare toward Eugene made her all to happy.
"Eas'i... Maximus?" Merida said, glancing at his breastplate.
The horse whinnied happily, eager to be recognized. And the princess's heart clenched, he was a reminder of Angus.
The Clydesdale was in the last years of its lifetime. She had raised it from a colt when she was just a girl. And now, one of her oldest friends...
Maximus noticed her gaze. With a snort, the horse nudged the Scottish princess. She smiled, before reaching into her belt. Merida always had a store of apples with her at any time. And with friends, she was all to eager to share them.
Holding one out, Merida was surprised with the friendly behavior. Had it really been so furious just moments ago?
Grasping the snout and rubbing gently, she glanced back. Her friends expressions were priceless. Hiccup's hatchet clattered to the ground. Eugene sputtered, and the horse glared. Another thing Merida like about the horse; a shared loathing of the thief.
Rapunzel smiled, "Oh, he's nothing but a big softie!"
She walked forwards, a grin on her face. Maximus seemed to be enjoying the attention, judging from the wagging tale. While this wasn't normal horse behavior, any form of normalcy had long since ended in Merida's life.
Eugene was gasping, much like a fish out of water. "How?"
The horse snarled and tried to move forwards again, but Merida held firm. "'ey."
Finally, Hiccup cleared his throat. "This is weird."
...
Slowly, but surely, Merida smiled.
"So... ye've bin' chasin' tha' bad man, haven' yeh?"
The horse whined, nodding furiously. Hiccup was right; this horse was intelligent.
She grinned, and glanced slyly at Eugene, "Ah can see why."
The thief gasped indignantly, and the pair glared. It was in sync, and oh so intimidating.
She was beginning to like this horse. But if this noble stallion was after Eugene, then they would never make it out of this clearing. They required a guide.
"Look, we need 'im. Ah no e's no' the mos' respectable man, bu' we canno' reach Corona on our own."
The horse immediately took on a look of betrayal. It made Merida's heart wrench, but it was a necessary pain.
"If yeh could be eve' so kind, jus' let 'im take us aroun' the city fer today, and then yeh can go back teh chasin im."
Eugene was flabbergasted, "Don't I get a say in this."
The Scottish princess gave a signature death glare, silencing any protest.
The horse seemed to be mulling it over, until Rapunzel stepped forwards.
"And uh, just so you know... it is my birthday."
That effectively settled any argument. Begrudgingly, the horse shoved Eugene into the smoldering embers of their campfire, before walking down the path with a chuckling Merida at his side.
...
Eugene's face was covered in soot, belittling his reputation even further. Not that there was a reputation left. Accepting a hand from Hiccup, the thief hauled himself up. Elsa walked over and handed him a rag, something to wipe the charred remains from his pretty face.
"That horse is scaring me." Eugene muttered.
Hiccup snorted and Elsa smiled.
"Just imagine Merida riding it." the princess giggled.
And from then on out, Eugene became uncharacteristically quiet.
...
The path to Corona was short and sweet, a final stretch of just under a mile. With the bird songs echoing through the glade and Elsa beside him, Hiccup's day was already excellent. Merida had since taken to "Maximus," and the pair lead their party, chattering. It reminded the viking of him and Toothless.
Speak of the dragon, the Night Fury was certain to draw attention. He would have to stay in the woods. And while Hiccup was reluctant to leave his best friend in the woods with a kidnapping hag, it would be preferred towards having to deal with the armies of Corona. Not that they couldn't handle it; the flying duo had taken out an entire pirate fleet of seven ships in under an hour on their journey to Arendelle. In their defense, the marauders had fired first.
Either way, confrontation was to be avoided. And against Gothel, Toothless would win, hands down.
"Sorry bud, but you have to stay here."
The dragon obviously knew that this moment was coming, but that look said it all.
Elsa laughed, "Is someone jealous?"
Toothless was glaring at Maximus. The horse sneered, and Hiccup had to hold the dragon back.
Turning to look at Hiccup, the night fury raised an eyebrow.
'You're taking that horse over me?'
...
With some frantic pushes and a promise of fish, the peeved dragon retreated into the underbrush.
And Hiccup could finally take in the splendor of Corona.
A breathtaking view greeted the group. A beautiful, spiraling village dotted the slopes of a massive hill. Cobblestone streets and lamp posts showed an exceptional amount of wealth. From this distance, Hiccup could even see the Fjord. Calm waters and ships unlike any viking longboat dotted the harbor. Including a very familiar trading boat.
A long walk stretched along the coastline, made of brick. Lampposts remained unlit, and a stone barrier completed the look. It was magnificent.
Small cafes dotted the waters edge, and Hiccup's stomach rumbled. It seemed like midday, and the rabbit Merida had caught for their morning meal was currently in the clearing, covered in dirt.
Fingering his pocket, Hiccup made sure that his coin purse was secured under his breast plate.
Over the years, he had completed a variety of odd jobs. And his talent did not go unnoticed. In fact, the viking had created the current scepter that the King of Arendelle currently held in ceremony. The irony was not lost on Hiccup; the man who had isolated his best friend was carrying his work. And now he was travelling with the mans daughter. Using a payment of over 160,000 gold coins.
Currency was measured in bronze, silver and gold. Bronze coins were worth a single point of value, silver coins were worth a tithe and Gold was worth a hundred. Hiccup's current inventory was a fortune, a retirement fund. No one knew about it, and Hiccup hoped to build on it. Perhaps, someday, he could retire with Elsa. Odin's beard, that would be nice. But where?
Either way, the rest of the group had already begun to descend the sloped paved path leading into the kingdom.
...
The horse was getting on Eugene's nerves.
"Maximus" was glaring at him. The thief had just spotted a wanted poster detailing his face. Albeit, without the nose. Why couldn't they get the nose right?
If they were going into town, Eugene would need to keep his head down. Crumpling the leather paper, the thief ignored the glaring animal, before promptly stuffing it in the horses maw. The thief smirked; a little retaliation for his morning wake up. The horse, however, refused to be undone. Spitting the poster out, the world was suddenly dark.
Shaking the poster off, Eugene pushed the horse. Only for it to be returned ten fold. Soon, a fight began, until Merida arrived.
Shoving both of them aside, she smiled at the horse, before glaring fiercely and her guide. "Shut yer gob; yer drawin' attenti'n."
Sure enough, people were staring at the thief. But they didn't recognize him, despite the thousands of wanted posters littering the kingdom. And while Eugene was happy to travel without issue, it did sting; he had worked hard to earn such a reputation.
The horse looked smug at Eugene before trotting ahead. And Eugene swore that he would get his revenge.
...
Almost immediately, Rapunzel was tripping. And Eugene finally decided to address something that was digging at him.
"Okay, that's it. We need to get you some shoes. And something needs to be done about the hair."
Jack casually floated down, startling Eugene. "Yeah, shoes are overrated, so..."
Eugene glared, "But unlike you, she can't float. And your hair isn't dragging on the ground."
Jack nodded, "I can see that. So what are we going to do about it."
Rapunzel was still stumbling around. Wagons were traversing the streets, and those beautiful golden locks were snagging on every single crevice and crack imaginable. While it hadn't been much of a problem in the forest, it was certainly noticeable now. Eugene began to gather up her hair. Why couldn't she be a brunette?
Trying to think of a plan, he saw three little girls fixing their pigtails. Bingo.
Whistling, he caught their attention immediately. Their expressions were almost comical upon see the length of hair. With that settled, Eugene sighed.
"Now where are we going to get her shoes?"
Turning back, he could see a leather salesman talking with Hiccup. Merida had all but dragged Elsa towards a weapon stall and seemed attempting to persuade the princess to purchase a dagger. No offense, but the thief could not imagine Elsa carrying a weapon like that. Those powers were frightening enough.
Jack was wandering around, mostly making mischief for mischief's sake. Tapping things leisurely with his staff, the boy's namesake was covering random fountains and doors. He was drawing looks, but no one could see him. Stifling a laugh, Eugene walked up to Hiccup.
"Yeah, that's perfect."
The salesman was still trying to glance at whatever was causing the frost. And, of so subtly, Hiccup reached into his chestplate and pulled out a gold coin. A gold coin... did Eugene just see that right?
In total, the thief had stolen enough of those things to know that their production was rare and valuable. So what was a wandering viking doing with such a commodity. Handing the valuable coin to a stunned shopkeeper, who obviously wasn't expecting such a payment. After all, the viking was walking off with only a thin sheet of leather. Something that should have been a lot less expensive.
Adjusting his armor, Hiccup slid the material into his vest, before turning to face Eugene.
With a raised eyebrow, Eugene chuckled, "What's that for?"
Hiccup smiled sheepishly, "Experiment."
Eugene grinned, "Just saying a little something about most women; if you have a lot of money, and they find it, things are going to be spent."
Hiccup reddened, "I'm not rich."
Fine, so that's how the boy wanted to play it. Slowly, the thief used every skill in the book, and it worked like a charm. A thin silk sack in his hand, Eugene's mouth dropped.
Hundreds of gold coins, stacked in neat little rows. It was enough to buy a castle.
Hiccup snatched the bag back, growling. "That's not your's."
Eugene grinned savagely, "Oh, your're in trouble now. That's going to be gone in a week."
They turned back to Merida, who was carrying what appeared to be an assortment of daggers, arrows and other tools of combat in her arms. An assortment that would cost a fortune.
Hiccup shook his head, "Let's just get some shoes for Rapunzel."
And Eugene was all too happy to follow. With a Scot arming her self for war, it was wise to avoid her. Especially, when the horse was waiting outside.
...
"Aw com' on!" Merida whined.
A hundred weapons, imported directly from Scottish lands, were in her hands. Elsa was shaking her head.
"No. We don't have the money, and you know that."
The princess grumbled. "Ye ken, thes're important t'our survival. An' yeh're stoppin' us from protectin' us; is tha' wha' yeh want?"
The princess shook her head, but she was smiling. "Merida, we don't have the money. And to be honest, I don't think Hiccup could ever figure out a way to carry all of those at once, even on Toothless."
Sighing, Merida deposited the remaining tools of destruction at their various intervals on the racks, before sighing loudly.
...
Hiccup's day was decent. They had just purchased some nice shoes for Rapunzel, ones that Eugene had insisted on. And to be honest, it wasn't that expensive. Even if they were the nicest model.
And if they were going to shop, Hiccup was going to make the most of it. On Berk, the majority of their wealth came from bartering what was needed. So a currency was a welcome introduction. A familiar smell wafted through the air, and a plan formed in the viking's mind.
Chocolate.
...
Upon their return, Hiccup's arms were aching with the weight of the delightful sweet. It wasn't his favorite, of the fruits of the south it was obviously strawberries. They had been imported from the America's alongside chocolate. And while Hiccup's experience with those colonies was limited per se, he wasn't completely in the dark. Elsa would like these, that much was sure.
Eugene was brandishing a new flintlock pistol. The last thing the viking wanted to buy. But with Rapunzel carrying the frying pan, the thief had insisted. And there was little break in the fortune the viking had amassed. Their friends would be in for a surprise upon their return.
...
Merida instantly noticed a pause in Elsa's step. It was rare, that look. One of utter bliss. A peculiar, but favorable smell filled the air. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious. Apparently, Rapunzel had picked up on it too.
"What is that?"
Elsa sighed dreamily, drawing everyone's attention. "Chocolate."
And when Hiccup and Eugene stumbled into view, carrying a multitude of different things, the Scottish princess knew something was up.
...
"Why are we carrying chocolate?" Eugene asked, fiddling with the various shells in his new flintlock.
Hiccup looked at the thing with distaste, before turning back. "It's Elsa's favorite. I thought she might enjoy it."
Shrugging, the thief smiled. "Women."
Hiccup actually chuckled. "The one thing I will never be able to figure out."
Eugene smirked, "You seem to be doing quite well with a certain princess of Arendelle."
The viking sputtered, and the thief mentally sighed; how oblivious could someone be?
"Me? And Elsa? Heh." The boy airily waved a hand, before adjusting his baggage.
He paused. "Is it really that obvious?"
Eugene stopped and rubbed his face in exaggeration. "Have you seen the way she looks at you? And your're supposed to be the smart one."
Hiccup glared, rising to his full height in a mock expression of anger. The boy was taller then Eugene, but the thief was not deterred.
Until Hiccup played his trump card, "Okay, fine. I like her a lot. But at least I've got the guts to admit it; you've been dancing around Rapunzel the entire trip."
And that effectively silenced Eugene for the rest of their tirade through town, for the thief could not think of a response. Had it really been that obvious?
...
"Wha' are yeh doin?" Merida asked as the two men stumbled into the courtyard.
A baffled Eugene quickly glanced at Hiccup, before grinning triumphantly. "Did you know that your friend is rich?"
Silence engulfed everyone, as the gaze shifted to Hiccup. The viking was doing everything he could to simply unpack the various bags of sweets and chocolate.
Jack, ignoring everyone else, snatched a random box, and tentatively placed a piece of chocolate in his mouth. Finding it satisfactory, the winter spirit proceeded to down three more canisters.
"Where did you get this stuff?"
...
"Wow."
Eugene smiled as Rapunzel admired her boots. While he didn't say anything, the thief had chipped in a bit of his own coin to buy those boots.
Mind set up, Merida stood up and socked Hiccup across the jaw.
"Ow! Why would you do that?" the viking whined, while the three girls chatted with Rapunzel. Apparently, they liked the boots.
"Where were yeh when ah wanted ta' buy tha' new sword?"
Rubbing his nose, Hiccup glared. "Toothless is already carrying three people. And besides, we need to use it sparingly."
Eugene snorted, "When you've got that amount of cash, sparingly is not something to be focused on."
Elsa, still eyeing the chocolate, held out her hand. And despite a bit of hesitation, Hiccup looked down and handed her the bag.
When her eyes widened, Merida kicked the viking in the shin; if a formerly wealthy princess was in shock, then that meant this was completely justifiable.
...
With his money gone, Hiccup relinquished Merida a small pouch.
"Stop hitting me; this is your entitled share."
Still glaring, the Scottish princess opened the sack, before sharply turning on her heel and stalking off to the weapons store. Women.
Elsa was shaking her head, "When were you going to tell me about this... And where did you get all this?"
Shrugging sheepishly, Hiccup wasn't sure about what to say. "I've been saving it, for... stuff."
Elsa raised an eyebrow, "Stuff?"
Hiccup began to blush furiously. "If, we were, you know... ever going to... I don't know... settle down."
Rubbing his head, the viking was biting his tongue; what if she didn't want to settle down? What if she hated his guts... What if she wanted him to leave?
The seconds ticked by, and everything seemed to seep away.
The viking was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice the cupping hand under his chin. But he certainly did notice the peck on his cheek.
Elsa smiled shyly, albeit under a furious blush. "I wouldn't mind settling down... but what about Merida?"
She looked happy, very happy, but pained. And it broke Hiccup's heart. He couldn't let her push him away, not after that whole debacle.
Turning back to the weapons store, where the cashier was struggling to run through all the merchandise Merida had carried to the counter, Hiccup smiled.
"We'll help her out; she's already burning through her share."
And all was right in the world, save the following horror.
...
"Excuse me?" A small, shy voice called up to Hiccup. Someone was tugging on his leg. It was one of the girls.
"I was wondering if..." She turned to her friends and giggled furiously.
Hiccup began to fill with dread. If they were here to braid hair, and they had finished Rapunzel's.
A quick glance confirmed that the blonde princess was indeed chatting it up with Eugene and Jack, the later of which was still stuffing his cheeks with chocolate; the boy loved the stuff. Rapunze''s hair was nice; a decoration of flowers and various feathers made is a beautiful sight to behold, and the locks was hanging above the ground in a thick braid.
But then... why were they talking to... Oh no.
Elsa was struggling in an attempt to hide her laughter.
Turning back to the downright chortling girl, his eyes widened as he heard those dreaded words.
"Can we braid your hair?"
...
A short time later, Eugene glanced back, and behold, comedy gold greeted him. Merida had since joined them, holding a leather bag of quite a few weapons. Where she intended to put them was beyond the thief's understanding, but so long as they were nowhere near him, it was fine.
The horse was breathing over his shoulder, but for the most part their afternoon was relaxed.
So when they observed Hiccup's peeved expression as a bantering girl created little braids just above his sideburns, Eugene began to laugh furiously. A glare that promised pain after this humiliation was on the viking's face, but Eugene didn't care.
Elsa was having her hair done as well. The other two girls had removed her bun and were now styling something entirely new. It was nice. A French braid looped over her shoulder, Elsa did a twirl, earning a reluctant smile from Hiccup. Odds were, he was still miffed about his hair; Elsa must have talked him into it. But the thief was willing to bet that he was blushing on the inside.
Merida was snorting, and Jack had all but fallen off his staff, a thin layer of chocolate gracing his face.
This day was going well.
...
With that horror done, Hiccup admired the braids. To be honest, they weren't half bad. His Dad had worn braids, maybe they could serve as a reminder. to whatever extent, that man was probably happy to have a village without the constant mishaps.
Elsa fingered one slowly, as the girls began to run home; the sky was slowly dimming. It was late in the day, it would be a while before the lantern ceremony.
Waving at their new friends, Elsa led Hiccup back to their little group.
Eugene smirked, "Hey Hiccup... would you like me to do your hair?"
Jack laughed, but it was silenced when Rapunzel shrieked.
Almost immediately, she began to speak with three men; musicians. Soon, they began a lively tune, and the unknowing princess began to draw random bystanders into the slowly growing circle of dancers.
Hiccup sighed, "I can't dance."
Jack smiled, "That hasn't stopped me from trying."
Almost immediately, Jack joined the circle, albeit without a partner. The boy seemed crestfallen but he tried to enjoy himself.
Merida sighed, before giving a questioning glance at Maximus. The horse seemed uncharacteristically quiet, but gave no protest when a bag of weaponry was heaved onto his broad shoulders. Odds were, the horse was thinking of ways to kill Eugene. Slowly. The weapons only served as an invitation to do so. Taking the boy's hands, the Scottish princess was being completely out of character. Instead of a bravado filled expression, she seemed almost... kind.
Gobber's silken undies, this day was odd.
...
Glancing at Hiccup, Eugene sighed. "The lantern festival doesn't begin for a while. If we dance now, we can have some supper before watching the lights."
Elsa and Hiccup glanced at each other. Sighing, Hiccup looked into the crowd. "Like I said before; I do not dance."
Elsa seemed just as cautious, gripping her hands tightly. Those gloves, never once had she taken them off.
But, they apparently didn't have a choice. Almost immediately, someone grasped Hiccup's hand and pulled him into the crowd. It looked like Merida.
Leaving Eugene and Elsa.
...
"So... you have ice powers."
Elsa glanced at him, before looking down. "Yeah."
The sounds of a joyous crowd failed to relieve them of silence. Eugene sighed in exasperation, "So what's the big deal?"
Elsa looked at him oddly. "My powers can hurt people; I've hurt people."
Eugene pinched the bridge of his nose. "And that's your fault. In a way, yes. But what's stopping you from taking control?"
Elsa didn't meet his eye.
"I told you this before; I could never control them. I can't settle down with Hiccup. I-I can't hurt him as well."
Only now did Eugene finish registering the princess's words; 13 years of isolation. Who knows about the side effects from that ordeal. And a new found respect for the girl filled the thieves chest.
But she still wasn't seeing it. And now, Eugene could see why Hiccup was so cautious around her. He loved her, and he wanted to stay; he didn't want to be pushed out. If they were ever going to work, Elsa would need to become confident in herself. While he wasn't a love expert like those friends of Kristoff, a friend from his various misdemeanors, he knew love when he saw. Hiccup would owe him for this.
"Look, like it or not, Hiccup's going to stick around. I wouldn't be surprised if he gave his right leg to make sure you were happy. And judging from the way you look at him, you would be willing to do the same. If you keep saying you can't control these powers, your're not going to be able to do so. If you knew the power of a negative thought, you would never have one again."
Elsa paused, before staring at Hiccup. The viking was stumbling around, switching between various partners. While his footwork was terrible, he seemed to be having a good time. They made eye contact, before smiling. It was so mushy, it made the insides of Eugene shudder. He would have to do something manly to compensate for this. Maybe he could borrow that hatchet from Hiccup, cutting some firewood could help reestablish his dignity.
Almost uncertainly, Elsa looked at him. "When did you become so wise?"
Eugene glared, "Why does everyone think I'm incompetent? I'm perfectly capable of giving an educated statement."
Smiling, Elsa did the last thing Eugene would suspect. A hug. It was odd, scandalous some would say at this time. But in this merry mood, the pure, unadulterated friendship said it all.
She smiled, before walking into the crowd, attempting to find Hiccup.
...
Eugene did not realize that he had been staring. Rapunzel was beautiful, exceptional in the fading light.
In fact, the only reason he stopped staring, was Maximus. Instead of a fierce, cruel shove, it was a gentle nudge.
The horse smiled knowingly, and Eugene could see that the horse had acknowledged his attraction.
It was official; he was infatuated with Rapunzel. Obviously, he wasn't going to do anything rash, but this entire journey had brought them close together. Perhaps, given time, something could happen.
Shaking his head, he glared at the stallion. Who began to laugh. This horse had some weird quirks.
And when he was shoved into the crowd by the steed, Eugene was cursing all the way.
...
Exhausted and tired, the group finally decided to retire for the night.
Hiccup had walked down the shoreline, Elsa at his side. Jack was balancing on the stone walk, ever quiet.
Rapunzel and Eugene were at the front, whispering.
Leaving the viking and the princess to bring up the rear.
...
It was nice, the cafe.
They dined on whatever they wished, and Hiccup had all the currency to pay for the job. And a generous tip ensured a warm welcome at a later date.
Jack had discovered the joys of milk; in fact, Eugene was nice enough to show him a thing or two in the way of expelling it from the nose. Merida had shown excellent table manners, and no one could miss that moment where the chameleon tried to steal some of Hiccup's strawberries. But in the end, this was just foreplay to the main event.
Hiccup's plan was simple. Jack wanted to explore the city with Merida. Obviously, racing through the streets with Maximus was a popular idea. The horse was hesitant to let the thief out of his sight, but if Rapunzel was going to accompany him, then the stallion would allow it. Said princess wanted to view the lights from the water. And Elsa... she requested that they return to Toothless.
The sky was dark now, and it would be perfect camoflage. Once the lights started, they would have a perfect view from the air. So the viking followed without complaint.
After buying only the most choicest of fish, to Toothless's delight, Hiccup and Elsa took off.
...
Doing a lap of the harbor, Hiccup was finally able to take a closer look at the castle. A towering, almost awe-inspiring structure with hundreds of rooms. Plenty of walkways lead off in various directions. It was truly a masterpiece. And at the center of it all, in the flowing courtyard, stood King Harold and Queen Lilith. Elsa's aunt and Uncle, on her Mother's side. Which lead to an interesting thought.
"You know, I just realized something."
Elsa was still gazing at the calmed waters. There, below them, in a small wooden gondola, Rapunzel and Eugene waited.
"Yes Hiccup?"
Hiccup adjusted the flight path, just to pull in to a glide, in order to ease Toothless's tired form. From what Hiccup could tell, the dragon had spent most of his day tormenting Gothel. Which was fine by him.
"If Rapunzel really is the lost princess, then that would make her your cousin."
Elsa tensed. "That's true."
Hiccup smiled, "And your Mother's sister, Queen Elinor wasn't it?"
Elsa smiled knowingly, "Making me Merida's cousin."
Hiccup chuckled, "Life is full of surprises."
...
From their view, Eugene could see Hiccup and Elsa. Faintly, to the point in which Rapunzel had to point it out. But it was nothing short of magnificent. What a view, that would be.
But at this moment, Eugene Fitzherbert would have been nowhere else, given the choice.
Rapunzel's hair practically glowed in the moonlight. She seemed beautiful. And Eugene's infatuation grew.
But that frown...
"What's shaking?"
Rapunzel sighed worriedly. It was not Rapunzel tone.
"What if they're not all I wanted them to be?"
Eugene smiled. "Remember that crown?"
Rapunzel nodded warily.
Eugene pulled out his satchel, earning a surprised look from the princess with too much hair.
"This isn't everything I wanted."
Before he could say anymore, a cheering erupted from the shore, and silence took form. Utter, unadulterated, silence. And yet that pure smile said it all.
Slowly, the first lights came into view.
...
Galloping the the streets was something Merida found entertaining. Maximus was all to willing to comply. And despite her grief for Angus, the pure freedom of riding was just to much to give up. Leaping over a barrier, the streets were practically empty. But when the lights started, everything stalled.
...
Slowly, those first few lights floated into the air. And the view was nothing short of magnificent. It was as if the entire kingdom had started to glow; thousands of lanterns took flight. Elsa gasped.
Toothless was slightly less optimistic. The lanterns were beginning to scare him.
As soon as the first one reached their current elevation, Toothless gave a weak spark. With a sharp drop, the beautiful piece of engineering plummeted downwards. It was amusing. But something distracted the viking.
A pair of slender arms wrapped around his abdomen, and a head rested on his shoulder. A contented sigh shortly followed. Elsa... was leaning on him.
Yeah, this was nice.
...
The lights were slowly surrounding Merida, and it was nothing short of spectacular. They were stunning, glowing, like the wisps of old. Jack slowly floated down next to him.
"This is amazing."
The Scot could only nod. But when she turned towards the winter spirit, his eyes caught her attention immediately.
They twinkled, like freshly fallen snow. A small snowflake rested in them, not completely opposite of Elsa's gaze. But his eyes...
Elsa's were full of pain. Hidden sorrow; maturity. Jack's eyes... they were full of innocence, joy, excitement. Fun.
Merida's heart soared when he looked at her, it was almost inexplicable. But her heart fluttered, as if she had eaten caterpillars. And in her earlier years, the princess had indeed done so.
What was this feeling?
...
If this was love, Hiccup wanted it to stay this way forever. With Toothless beneath him and Elsa beside him, everything perfect. But as always, just as a dream meant sleep, reality meant awakening.
An almost nonexistent snap echoed from Toothless's tail fin. And soon, the sky began to blur, as the wind whistled by.
...
No. No, this couldn't be happening. The Stabbingtons were waiting on the coast. And they had truly seen Rapunzel. And if there was one thing the Stabbingtons were good at... it was revenge. With Hiccup and Elsa out of sight and the demon horse on leave... this was not going to end well.
He would have to confront them. Tell them that Rapunzel was just a nobody; give them the crown and everyone could go their separate ways. This had to work.
Landing on the beach head, Eugene smiled at a surprised Rapunzel, "Would you, um... excuse me for a moment? I've, uh, got something to take care of."
Rapunzel looked surprised, but she seemed faithful. All the more reason to do this.
Giving an overly cheery salute, Eugene hopped off the boat and walked towards the Stabbingtons.
...
Merida reclined in an empty chair at the cafe, nursing a cup of ale. While Hiccup and Elsa were against all forms of liquor, she knew for a fact that he could hold his own in any contest. Her Father had taught her the necessities of drinking. It was a necessity to pass on the traits to another trustworthy party. Namely Jack. And from what Merida observed, the winter spirit could not become intoxicated. And while it was fun and all, being able to taste the drink her Father was famous for, the Scottish princess was beginning to worry.
It had been a while since that light show ended; where did everybody go?
...
They were sharpening their swords, but if being around Rapunzel had taught Eugene anything, it was to look at the positives.
Smiling happily, Eugene held out the satchel. "Hey guys, oh I've been searching everywhere since we got separated back there and hey, those sideburns are coming in nicely!"
They didn't spare him a glance. Forget the positives; find the happy place.
Coughing in an attempt to fill the silence, Eugene continued. "Anyways... just wanted to say, I've had a change of heart; crown is all yours! And you know what? You can have my slice of the dough! How's that sound?"
One of the men, Brutus, finally acknowledged the thief. "Holding out on us again, eh Rider?"
Eugene's mind went blank again. What could he be holding out on- oh no.
The second brother, Cato, stalked up behind, just as Eugene's hand moved for his new Flintlock. With his arms clamped behind his back, he was helpless. Where was that dragon when you needed him?
"Truth is Flynn, we've found something slightly more valuable then that crown."
Finally reaching the thief, Brutus smiled with breath that could curl toenails. "We want her."
...
While free falling was fun and all, uncontrollable plummeting was not a pastime that Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third enjoyed. Almost immediately, their screams ceased, and the crashing of wood filled the air.
They had landed in a stable, on a soft bed of hay. A plus, certainly.
But with startled armed guards and a particularly hung over captain that had previously tried to kill the viking approaching, this situation could not get any worse.
The guards were getting closer, and Toothless was in no mood to travel. The dragon was fine physically, but completely out of it. Dazed, Toothless was attempting to rise, but it wouldn't help anything. Despite his status as a Night Fury, Toothless's ferocity had abandoned him.
Elsa was not looking well. She was covered in hay, dirt and other grimy particles. All and all an utter catastrophe. But the brief rise and fall of her chest assured Hiccup that she was alive. And with both of them alive, that made everything better.
The guards had surrounded them, and Hiccup raised his hands.
The captain from earlier raised his sword. "Who-who are you?"
That hidden fear was almost palpable, and yet highly unlikely. Where did Hiccup the Useless go?
Nevertheless.
"We're just travelers, here to see the lantern festival. My dragon, er..."
If he said crashed, and even in that state Toothless could hear him, the Night Fury would never forgive him.
"Fell... We had a malfunction. Look, we're peaceful. Can we just go out and forget about all this? I'll repair the damages and-"
"Your majesty?"
Oh no.
One of the sober guards had recognized Elsa. Meaning that things had become a lot more complicated.
"You... You're the one that kidnapped her, aren't you?"
Mutely, Hiccup nodded, "I'm not sure that kidnapped is the correct ter-"
The Captain bellowed. "Seize them!"
And in an instant, Hiccup saw stars.
...
Rapunzel's day had been the best day of her life. The best. So when Eugene requested a moment, Rapunzel felt that he would come back.
Now, she wasn't so sure.
But when that familiar stocky, muscular outline emerged from the underbrush, a weight seemed to have been lifted off her chest.
"Oh thank goodness, I thought you had left me-"
The "one" outline became two, as the Stabbingtons came into view.
Rapunzel's hopes were dashed, as they seized her hands.
"Let me go! Let me go!"
Almost immediately, the grip slackened, as a sickening slick floated eerily through the air. Two bodies fell to the ground. Those holes, those big, gaping holes... No.
And her "savior" gave an weary gasp.
Mother had returned.
...
A.N. So... here we are. (If anyone can guess that reference, I'll send them internet cookies.)
An especially long update. And things have not ended well. Next chapter will be significantly darker. And we'll delve into the characters themselves.
Jack and Merida are a pain to write, but next chapter will feature them predominantly. I have no clue when I'll update again, so I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
-Ipods-And-Buds-1239
