Gothel raced up the stairs, destroying them as she passed. She burst into the living room. Noticing the window was open, she ran forward to close it, but abruptly, Hiccup and Toothless glided in and took a defensive position. Frightened, Gothel ran towards the stairs, but Merida stepped out of Rapunzel's room, her bow pointed at Gothel. Now she was terrified, and her only escape was through the kitchen. Jack stepped out of the shadows, blocking her way. She gulped. With a light thump, Rapunzel slid down her hair landed in front of Gothel, an angry expression on her face.
"Now, dear, don't do anything foolish…" Gothel began.
"Foolish?" Rapunzel said, laughing mercilessly. "Stealing me from the orphanage wasn't foolish? Locking me in a tower wasn't foolish? Tell me, did you know I was the princess? Did you and Hattie work together to smuggle me out?"
Gothel didn't say anything, but she looked guiltily at the floor.
"Oh," Hiccup said. "So you did know."
"Yes," she said carelessly. "the three of us knew, although we didn't work together. That part was kept secret from us until she had escaped Arendelle."
"Who planned it all out?" Merida asked.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because," Jack said coldly. "You are being tried for high treason and kidnapping, and if you tell us now, it will make things a whole lot easier for you later."
"I'm not going to court."
"Oh?" Hiccup asked.
"Yes," she said. "Because I'm not going to be captured."
Jack laughed outright at that.
"You've gotta be kidding me," Hiccup said. Merida stared at her in disbelief.
"Hate to tell you this Gothel," Rapunzel said. "But your surrounded, and Pitch is dead. No one can help you now, your trapped. Face it, you've slipped up, and now you're paying the price." She advanced boldly and stopped inches from Gothel's frightened face. "Your time is over."
Gothel stopped looking scared and…smiled. Jack watched her suspiciously as her hand slid behind her back.
"No," Gothel said firmly. "YOUR time is up!"
"Rapunzel, look out!" Jack screamed.
Simultaneously, he shot at Gothel with an ice spear and she brought out a knife. The spear knocked her backward towards Hiccup, only slightly grazing Rapunzel's hand with the knife.
"I will not just stand by this time!" Jack yelled.
"Toothless!" Hiccup commanded. "Circle!"
Obediently, Toothless spun around in a tight circle, flinging Mother Gothel out the window to her death with a horrifying scream. Jack turned to where Rapunzel had collapsed on the floor.
"You ok?"
She clutched her hand tightly and sobbed. "It's witch poison," she cried. "I've felt this before but I can't heal it."
"Your scars," Merida remembered.
"Yes. But this is worse. This is much, much worse!"
She fell to the ground, feeling the energy drain out of her.
"What do we do?" Hiccup asked.
"Robert," Jack said. "Everyone get on Toothless."
"He can't carry all three of us," Hiccup said.
Jack responded by picking up Rapunzel and holding the staff in the crook of his arms. "We'll have to go like this. There's no time to explain, but Robert can help us."
He leaped out of the window into the air. "Wind, take us to Arendelle, and fast!"
Immediately a strong winter wind, like that of a blizzard, swept through the valley and blew them towards Arendelle. Rapunzel clutched Jack tightly to avoid falling, and Toothless was having difficulty maintaining a stable flight pattern. They whizzed over the forest, passed Corona, and were above the sea in minutes. The mountains surrounding the little city loomed larger and seemed to be moving on their own.
Suddenly, Rapunzel convulsed so violently that Jack nearly dropped her. He looked down at her worriedly. Only a few minutes had passed since Gothel's knife had made its mark, but Rapunzel was already looking weak, struggling to breathe.
"Jack!" Merida screamed.
Jack up and saw the castle about 20 yards in front of them. "Whoa! Slow down!" he called to the wind.
Instantly it slowed to a gentle breeze. He flew rapidly through the palace doors until he found Robert and Rue.
"What's going on?" Queen Rue exclaimed, startled by their sudden appearance.
"Robert, you have to help her," Jack said. "Gothel got to her with a knife, and she can't heal herself. You have to do something!"
"Like call off the guards," Hiccup suggested as he caught up. "They're shooting at us."
"Rue, take care of that," Robert commanded as he rushed to his daughter. "Rapunzel, can you hear me?"
"It's draining me," she whispered.
Robert looked up and pointed at Merida. "You, I can tell you're good with horses. Come with me. The rest of you, try to keep her conscious!"
Merida followed Robert obediently, casting a worried glance over her shoulder. Rue looked at her daughter worriedly.
"Fly up those stairs and go all the way down the hall to the last door on the right," she commanded. "I'll meet you there once I call off the guards."
The boys flew quickly, following Rue's directions. Gently, Jack laid her on the master bed, where Toothless promptly tried to lick her face.
"Toothless, get back!" Hiccup said, dead serious.
Toothless withdrew instantly. Rue rushed to Rapunzel's side.
"Rapunzel, baby, are you alright?" the queen cried, cradling Rapunzel's head in her lap. Rapunzel blinked, trying to focus. "Can you hear me?"
"Her eyes are glazed," Hiccup said nervously. "That's never a good sign."
"We need to keep her stimulated," Jack said. Suddenly it began snowing. "Cold is a good stimulant," he said. "Or at least it should keep her awake until Robert gets back."
"What's he going to get?" Hiccup asked.
Jack shook his head as he sat on the bed next Rapunzel and Rue. He was too worried to talk. Rapunzel shivered and arched her back as another magic blast shook her from the inside out; this time she screamed in pain.
"Hang on, Rapunzel, hang on!" Rue cried. "Daddy's coming, he's coming!"
"It's like she's not even here," Hiccup whispered.
The snow began falling more thickly as Jack looked into Rapunzel's unregistering face. Her beautiful, bright eyes were dulled and unfocused, staring into space yet shifting around the room. Jack gulped nervously.
I nearly lost her once, he thought. How can I lose her again?
Merida followed the King through the castle to a secret staircase. As they raced further and further below ground, Merida could hear little whinnies and stomping hooves. Finally, they burst out into an underground cave with a spacious meadow. Merida gasped in astonishment as nearly two dozen unicorns grazed peacefully.
"Unicorns?" she asked.
"Aye," Robert said. "Unicorn hair can do miracles, and some can even draw out poison if you can find the right one." He stopped and closed his eyes. Suddenly he opened them again. "There!" he said, pointing to a particularly fierce male. "The hairs from his mane."
Merida quickly went up to the magnificent stallion and held out her hand.
"Be careful," Robert warned. "Daystar is the strongest and could spear you in a second."
"I know," Merida said quietly. She spoke in Gaelic. "Shh, it's alright, Daystar. Ah won't hurt you. I'm a friend. And Ah need your help." Gently, Daystar put his muzzle into her hand nickered, staring straight into her eyes. "My friend is dying, and only the hairs from your mane will take away the poison. Will you let King Robert have some?"
Daystar lowered his head in submission. "Amazing," Robert whispered. "He's never this calm."
"You can take some now, he won't hurt you," Merida said.
Robert plucked several strands from the unicorn's mane. "I just pray it works. When Rue was sick all those years ago, nothing healed her but the flower. That's how Rapunzel got her magic. But if that can be disarmed..."
"Don't think about that now," Merida said sternly. "If there's any sort of chance, we'll take it. Come on, we don't have much time left!" She turned back to the mighty unicorn and stroked his muzzle gently. "Thank you, Daystar," she whispered before racing after the King.
They thundered up the stairs and took a detour to the kitchen. "Maudie, do you have any soup?" he asked urgently. "Anything!"
The cook nodded and quickly ladled out a small bowlful. Robert tossed in the unicorn hairs and handed the bowl to Merida. Just then Hiccup burst in.
"You have to hurry! She's slipping fast. I think she's unconscious now, or she will be soon."
"Can we use your dragon?" Robert asked.
"Hop on," Hiccup said. "I can't go with you, but Toothless can go on his own."
Robert gave the soup to Merida. "Don't let it spill!"
"Toothless, go to Rapunzel," Hiccup said.
The dragon nodded and bounded off, racing back through the long halls and up the giant spiral staircase. Merida struggled to keep the soup from spilling especially while leaping up the stairs.
"Robert!" Queen Rue screamed in panic as Toothless neared the room. "Robert, we're losing her!"
Even though they weren't in the room yet, Robert jumped off and took the bowl from Merida. "I'm coming!"
They burst into the room. Snow drifts and icicles were everywhere, accumulated from Jack's snow. Rapunzel was still held by Rue, struggling to breathe, and Jack held both her hands so tight it seemed as if he were the one dying.
"Fight it, Rapunzel! You have to fight! Don't close those beautiful green eyes!" Jack nearly sobbed. "Don't leave me!"
Robert nearly flew across the room and almost spilled the soup in doing so.
"Drink, Rapunzel, drink!" he cried.
He forced the liquid down her throat as her body convulsed in another spasm. In a final, desperate effort, Rapunzel gasped and her eyes flew wide open. Hiccup, completely out of breath, burst into the room and stood in shock, watching as Rapunzel's head fell back against Rue's shoulder, and her ragged breathing stopped.
"Oh no," Merida whispered. "No..." She turned into Hiccup and cried.