(a/n: Wow, new chapter already? well please enjoy and review!)
Ch.14: The Dungeon
Hiccup and the others gathered around Katherine and the fallen Nightlight.
Rapunzel was crouched down by the guardian with her heart over the bloody wound on his chest. Katherine nodded "Do it".
Rapunzel began singing her song and her hair began to glow bright gold like the sun.
Hiccup, Astrid, Katherine and the others watched and hoped that Nightlight will recover. It had been several minutes since Pitch and Jack took Merida. Hiccup and the others recovered and they discovered that Nightlight had been impaled by Pitch.
Quickly, Rapunzel came to Nightlight's aid. To their amazement, they saw the wound seal itself up instantly.
Rapunzel finished her song and her hair stopped glowing. Nightlight didn't move. He laid there in Katherine's arms, silent and unmoving.
They waited for several moments they waited for something to happen. Still nothing.
Hiccup muttered, "Come on…please be ok". Several more minutes passed, still nothing.
Katherine shook Nightlight "Come on, get up. Please wake up" but Nightlight didn't. Nightlight was dead.
Katherine began to weep. Hiccup and the others consoled her.
Later, the group walked a short distance away from Katherine so she could mourn for her friend.
Hiccup and the Vikings began talking about the battle. When the subject of Merida came up, Snotlout asked, "Where are they taking her?"
"Isn't it obvious?" said a voice. Everyone turned and saw the Huntsman.
He was standing there with the Pied Piper, looking extremely angry "They're taking her to Rumpelstiltskin"
"So why are you still here?" asked Hiccup "You were hunting her too, aren't you guys on the same team?"
"We were" growled the Huntsman "Until the little dwarf decided to cut us loose"
the Piper played a few notes on his flute and the Huntsman translated "And without pay".
Hiccup's eyes widened and he said, "This is bad. We got to save her"
"We do?" said Astrid and the other Vikings.
Hiccup turned to his friends "Yes, we do" "No offense, but why should we?" said Ruffnut.
Hiccup frowned and he asked "Have you guys forgotten what Rumpelstiltskin has done to anyone he has captured? Do you know what he will do to Merida?"None of the Vikings answered. For several moments, nobody spoke. They all knew that anyone who was captured by the dwarf was never seen again.
Hiccup pleaded "Come on, we need to save her. Are we going to let Rumpelstiltskin kill an innocent girl?"
None of them answered. They all avoided Hiccup's gaze for several moments.
Finally, Astrid sighed "No". The others mumbled in agreement.
Snotlout mumbled, "Fine, we'll help you save your girlfriend"
"S-she's not my girlfriend" sputtered Hiccup.
Hiccup turned to Katherine. She heard parts of the conversation but she knew what they were talking about. She nodded.
The Viking turned to the Huntsman and the Piper. The Huntsman frowned "What?" "You want to come along?" asked Hiccup.
The hunter's yellow eyes narrowed "Why would I?"
"Well…I thought you would like to take revenge on Rumpelstiltskin" said Hiccup "considering that he betrayed you and didn't even pay you".
The Huntsman's yellow eyes bore into Hiccups and he eventually sighed "Fine". Hiccup smiled "Great, now lets go save Merida"
"Hold on a moment!" said a new voice. Everyone turned and saw Genevieve and Victor climbing up the hill.
The blind witch spoke "I couldn't help but notice that there are three flaws in that plan"
"What flaws?" asked Hiccup.
Genevieve listed them "First, Rumpel's castle is heavily guarded, not only by witches but also by an army of highly trained knights. Second, Rumpel's castle is very far away and we won't make it on time. Lastly, There are only about a dozen of us, against several thousand soldiers and thousands of witches".
Hiccup frowned "Oh, right".
The blind witch smiled "However, we have three things that work to our advantage"
"Really?" said Victor in surprise.
Genevieve nodded "First, Rumpel will take his time with getting rid of your friend. He has a massive ego and will throw a huge celebration, which would give us some extra time to get there. Second, there are rumors of a rebel army fighting against the dwarf as we speak and will gladly assist anyone fighting him. And lastly…" The witch smiled "You have me".
Astrid asked "What about you?" "She's the queen of all witches" said Victor. The Vikings stared at Genevieve in shock.
The Huntsman cut in "Even if the dwarf was throwing a celebration, we're still too far to travel on foot. By the time we arrive, we will be too late"
"Yes I suppose" said the witch nodding a little "However, I believe I have an idea for that".
Everyone stared at the witch in confusion and she whistled a single, high note that echoed for miles. The group waited there for a few minutes when suddenly a large black shape descended from the sky and landed right beside the witch.
Hiccup cried happily "Toothless!" he ran over and hugged his dragon.
Genevieve smiled "He had been following us in the hopes of catching up to you. I planned on using him to escape but I decided not to when help came in another form".
She stepped aside, revealing four tiny shapes. Hiccup squinted and he realized that they were cats. One was an adult cat with black fur, wearing boots and a mask. The rest were kittens with ginger fur, green eyes and they were dressed as musketeers.
Ruffnut raised an eyebrow "Cats?"
"Not just any cats" said Genevieve "This is Kitty Soft Paws and the three diablos"
"Hola" said Kitty in a female voice.
The Vikings looked at the cat in shock "S-she can talk?" breathed Astrid. The witch nodded "Yes, she can".
The Huntsman rolled his eyes saying, "Ok, we know she can talk. Now onto more important things" everyone turned to face the Huntsman and he continued "What is our plan of attack?"
Nobody said anything. Pretty soon everyone's eyes went straight to Hiccup.
Hiccup swallowed hard but said nothing. The Huntsman groaned, "Oh that's just great…"
"Richard" Genevieve chided gently "let the boy think".
Hiccup thought hard and finally said, "Ok…here's what we do" everyone gathered around the young Viking and he explained his plan.
The darkness around them vanished and Merida found herself standing in the middle of a grand throne room.
Hanging from the high ceiling was a crystal chandelier. The walls were covered in gorgeous artworks with a single work of art dominating the collection, an enormous painting of Rumpelstiltskin standing heroically on a mound of defeated enemies.
Pitch pulled her by the arm towards the throne at the far end of the throne room. Merida tried to dig in her heels but they just slid on the polished marble floors. Sitting on the throne was the dwarf himself. He wore white robes that were trimmed with gold. Atop his head was a golden crown decorated with sparkling jewels.
The dwarf drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne in a bored fashion.
When he saw Pitch, Jack and Merida, he jumped off of his throne exclaiming "You did it!"
"As promised" said Pitch. He shoved Merida forward. She stumbled and tripped then fell to the cold marble floor.
Rumpelstiltskin giggled "Perfect" he looked up at Pitch "Thank you"
"You're welcome" said Pitch casually "besides I needed something to pass the time…now that the Guardians are all gone". Rumpelstiltskin nodded in agreement.
Merida got up and she glared at Rumpelstiltskin. The dwarf smiled "Hello Merida, long time no see"
"Rumpelstiltskin" spat Merida "What do you want?"
"To make sure that you don't destroy my paradise" answered Rumpelstiltskin.
He turned and walked over to a pair of heavy, red curtains. The dwarf snapped his fingers and a pair of maids rushed into the room and drew back the curtains, letting in pale moonlight. Rumepelstiltskin snapped his fingers again and the maids rushed over to Merida and they dragged her over to the window.
Rumpelstiltskin gestured out the window "Behold, my kingdom"
Merida looked and she recognized it. It was the kingdom from her nightmare, when she first encountered Pitch. In her nightmare, it was grand and thriving but now it was in disarray. Homes were in ruin. Those that weren't mounds of rubble were shoddily rebuilt. Dotting the city were small fires and Merida could see shapes of people, shambling aimlessly through the streets dressed in rags.
Merida looked at Rumpelstiltskin in shock "This…this is horrible"
"I know" said the dwarf "And it's all thanks to you"
"Me?" said Merida in disbelief.
Rumpelstiltskin nodded "Yep. All because of your deal" he turned and he began walking back to his throne.
He explained "I see the world like a house of cards, take away one important card and the whole thing comes crumbling down"
When he reached his throne, the dwarf turned to face Merida and he said "And that is what I did. I took out an essential card and the house crumbled away. A new house was built in its place, in the process I shaped it to my liking as best I could".
Merida scowled "What are you talking about?"
Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes "Its simple" he held up a hand and began counting off "First, you weren't born. In that long time gap, your parents made a deal with me then shunned me. So, I gathered up my army and destroyed them. Their destruction sent a message to the other kingdoms. I am a force to be reckoned with"
"You murdered them!" snarled Merida.
Rumeplstiltskin shook his head "No, no, I was merely collecting my payment for the deal. They refused to pay me and I rightfully took something else for payment" the dwarf shook his head "Anyway. My reputation grew and everyone knew that I always made good on my threats and deals. People started lining up for a deal. First, was this fine young lad" he pointed to Jack.
Merida looked over to the winter spirit and saw him looking down at his feet.
Rumpelstiltskin continued "He asked to be able to interact with humans without the red tape, so I granted his wish in exchange for his most prized possession" the dwarf held up a gold locket "His memories"
"Give them back!" demanded Jack "I did what you asked and you promised to return them"
Rumepstiltskin grinned "Of course. I always keep my promises" he tossed the locket to Jack.
Jack caught it and he a look of guilt appeared on his face. He looked to Merida saying, "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. I need my memories."
Merida said nothing. She just glared at him. Pitch patted Jack on the shoulder.
Rumpelstiltskin resumed "Second was an old woman named Gothel. She used a magical flower to occasionally restore her youth but that flower was grounded up and fed to the very ill queen of this very kingdom. The power of that flower passed on to her daughter, Rapunzel"
Merida's eyes widened in shock. "I stole that baby and gave her to the old woman" said the dwarf.
He inspected his perfectly manicured nails saying, "Rapunzel's parents searched and searched but couldn't find her. Eventually they burned up all their wealth in search of their daughter. The search also took a toll on the kingdom's economy. In the end they turned to me. I gave the king the ability to produce gold at the slightest touch. Later, he refused to pay up because somebody found out that I took his daughter. Magical law clearly states that refusal to pay for your bargain, then the dealer has every right to take any action to fulfill payment"
"So you took his kingdom?" said Merida.
Rumpelstiltskin nodded "Yep".
He smiled "So you see Merida? Without you, I wouldn't be king of my own little kingdom. I would still be a lonely magical vagabond, wondering the muddy roads of some backwater country and dealing with brain dead yokels"
"You tricked me!" hissed Merida.
Rumpelstiltskin opened his mouth but his mouth closed and he nodded "I guess I did but hey, don't beat yourself up" he smirked "After all, its not entirely your fault that you pretty much obliterated thousands of lives and altered the course of history for your own selfish reasons"
The dwarf began cackling madly and Pitch joined in.
Merida clenched her fist and before anyone could react, she punched Rumpelstiltskin in the face and she attacked him.
The dwarf struggled to get away but Merida had him pinned to the floor and she began raining blows on him. She managed to get a few good punches before a giant, black sand golem plucked her off of the dwarf.
The two maids rushed to Rupmelstiltskin's side and they helped him up.
The dwarf's nose was bleeding and his face was covered in bruises.
He spat "Take her to the dungeon! I have to make preparations for the ceremony" his eyes narrowed and he said menacingly "I am going to enjoy watching you suffer, you repugnant little brat!"
The golem nodded and lumbered out of the throne room, carrying Merida in one hand. Pitch turned and he followed after the golem.
As the golem carried Merida towards the dungeon, Merida saw that Rumpel's castle was lavishly decorated with the finest furniture, artwork and other items.
They passed an open room where a bunch of women in black where drinking and feasting like there was no tomorrow.
When they passed a few servants, they bowed low and waited until the golem and Pitch were gone. The golem descended a long, grand staircase then through some corridors until it came to a wooden door.
Pitch opened the door and the golem lumbered through.
Merida realized that they were in a dungeon. Scattered torches faintly illuminated the long, dark corridor of cells. As they passed some cells, Merida peered inside each of them and saw that they were occupied. Men occupied some, women occupied some and various magical creatures like elves, gnomes and trolls occupied a few others.
The golem came to a stop at a cell and Pitch opened it. The golem tossed Merida inside and Pitch slammed the door.
Merida glared at the nightmare king and she demanded, "What are you going to do with me?"
"Rumpelstiltskin has something…special in store for you" said Pitch in a knowing tone.
Suddenly a loud, bloodcurdling roar echoed from somewhere inside the dungeon. Merida's heart skipped a beat and she asked, "What was that?"
"That…would be your surprise" said Pitch.
He grinned, "I'll give you a hint" he leaned closer to the bars and whispered "Your father fought him before. He was the one who took the king's leg and he is now craving your flesh"
Merida's eyes widened in horror "Mor'du"
Pitch nodded "Correct" he backed away from the bars and he chuckled "Goodbye and pleasant dreams" the nightmare king and the golem melted into the shadows and were gone.
Several minutes after Pitch departed, Merida tried to escape.
She tried kicking the door open, she tried slipping through the bars, she even tried to pick the lock but nothing worked.
Mor'du roared loudly and there were loud clangs. The demon bear was probably trying to break free so he could find and rip Merida to pieces.
As the bear roared some more, somebody yelled a woman "Hey, Roman!"
"What?" said a voice
"Tell Jeffery to shut the bear up" yelled the woman over Mor'du's roars.
The man named Roman was silent for a few moments then he yelled, "Ok, he's ready!"
When there was a break between Mor'du's howls, Merida heard a string instrument play a gentle tune followed by a voice singing a sorrowful song in a language she didn't recognize. Surprisingly, Mor'du went silent a minute after the song started and she heard a loud thud. The demon bear was asleep.
The singer stopped and there was a round of soft applause. Merida heard a voice behind her sigh "Finally".
Merida turned and saw a man dressed in shabby clothes sitting in the corner of the cell. He had long brown hair and a beard. He also looked to be in his early twenties.
The man said, "That bear has really gotten crazier than usual"
"What just happened?" asked Merida.
The man smiled "Jeffery sang him to sleep. He's good at that, considering he's an elf and all. Their music has amazing effects on animals and people".
The man looked at Merida and asked, "So…what'd you do to earn a special spot in Rumpel's dungeon?"
"Made a dealt with him" mumbled Merida.
The man nodded "Yeah, well I stole some of his silverware and sold it. I'm down here for life".
Merida walked over and she sat down by the man. The man held out a hand "Nice to meet you"
"I'm Merida" said Merida.
The man smiled "I'm Flynn, Flynn Rider"
"He's name's Eugene Fitzherbert!" A woman piped up.
Eugene scowled and he hissed "Mind your own business Nina!"
Merida grinned, "That's a nice name".
After the introductions, Flynn, or Eugene, asked "So…Tell me about yourself Merida, it's been a while since anyone new came down here. My old cellmate wasn't so chatty, even when they took him out and hung him."
Merida took a deep breath and told him.
Meanwhile, Jack sat on the roof of one of the castle's towers looking down at the locket in his hand. He had finally got his memories back from Rumpelstiltskin.
For years Pitch had promised to help Jack get his memories, all in exchange for his unquestioning loyalty and obedience. Jack had followed Pitch's orders to the letter, spying on his enemies and defeating the Guardians. Jack would occasionally bring up the subject of his memories and Pitch would just drop hints of Jack's old life. Not much, but enough to keep Jack in line.
Now, hundreds of years later, he finally got what he wanted.
However, the winter spirit couldn't shake this feeling in his gut. Jack didn't know what it was but it made him feel horrible.
The winter spirit looked up at the moon and he began to wonder if he had made a horrible mistake.
End of chapter.
(a/n: So, what do you think? sorry if its short, but whatever. Kitty Soft Paws is from 'Puss in Boots' the three diablos are from the short with the same name. Please review!)