AN: Welcome back to another chapter.

Review responses:

Theother1 . gater: It seems that I need to space your name, otherwise will think it's a website link

shiningmoonslayer: I'm doing well-ish. University is burning up my creativity and energy to do pretty much anything that doesn't regard it, and even stuff that actually regards it. It helped that I've been writing this thing for over four years (Has it really been so long? I'll be damned), and have also written it in a nonlinear way. So I have a lot of material that helps me keep rolling updates when I haven't written anything (and for this story, I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't written anything new since April, only revised it). Besides, since I haven't focused only on this story, I have other stories I can focus on when I hit a writer's block here, and vice-versa. On the overall, I was very inspired at the beginning, so I wrote a lot, and now that I have little time to write, it's being a bit harder to keep working on this one. But I'll finish it no matter what. And having readers like you wanting to see with me the end of this story motivates my creativity to write more. So thank you for caring.

NPwall: Thanks. Here is the new chap.

Guest: Well, after a month update, which is what I expected to end up happening.

Arthanos: I read your nick, and for some reason, it reminded me of Artemis. In any case, I have to torture some of my readers. Admit it, you like the angst here.

Saberius Prime: I think you should have held your touché for this chapter.

thearizona: Indeed. One of the most fearless dragons can feel fear in the end. And oh well, I guess I'll rank you a youngling then :P

Without further ado:

"Tell me what you did to him!" Her voice was harsh, and for the first time in his life, Windwalker felt scared. Obviously, the ice surrounding them, glowing, colour shifting between amber and purple only scared him more.

'We tried his idea,' he whimpered. 'I warned him that I had no idea of what could happen, that it could even not work, but he was determined to find out. When we were done he simply fell unconscious, and hasn't woken since.' She was so caught up that her headache didn't even register.

Her anger died down, and with it, the ice, as her mind somehow registered the deep remorse laced in his words. She staggered backward as dread filled inside her. "Will he wake up?" she fearfully asked.

He seemed unsure. 'I feel his mind recovering, so he isn't too gone. His body seems to be alright, so I'd wager that yes, he will wake up. I'm not sure when, however.'

Elsa bit her lower lip in an attempt to keep her from breaking down. My inner feelings were right. I should have pushed more him, should have tried harder convincing him that this was a bad idea. She shook her head, determined to stop thinking about 'what if's, as they would not change the current situation. "What should we do?"

'Someone has to feed him, and I'm sure that you realise that this someone is you.'

Elsa paled at hearing this. "I-I can't leave. My parents will think I ran away, or that I was kidnapped, and will send all our military after me. That'll only endanger all of you, and him. There must be something else I can do."

They all looked at the boy, seemingly so serene and peaceful. Had she not noticed Toothless' intense glare directed at Windwalker she would have thought that he was simply asleep. An idea popped on her head, one that was almost just as dangerous as leaving to the place in the mountains that he used to stay during the day. "I could bring him to my room."

She took a step back as both dragons sharply looked at her. "Think about it: I'll have food available to give to him, he'll have a comfortable place to stay. No one enters my room without my permission, and those that do are aware of my powers, so maybe I can come up with an excuse as to why I want to be alone, and they'll hopefully buy it."

They shared a glance. As silence fell, Elsa became acutely aware of a pounding headache she suddenly had. She grimaced and held her head with both hands. Windwalker seemed to hesitate, as she noticed her pain. 'We feel there is a but,' he shortly said.

She gritted her teeth as her headache intensified, and was grateful that he kept his words short. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, hoping that this would at least make the pain more bearable. "Yes, there is," she said before feeling that she could look at them without feeling like they were crushing her head with their weight. "Neither of you can stay. You'll leave footprints on the floor, not to mention your odour will stain the room. Even though there is room there for you, I can't risk it. I hope that you'll understand it, and will trust me."

She looked at her unconscious friend and walked toward him so she could kneel before him. She was tempted to stroke his hair, so her hand hovered above him. However, ultimately years of isolation won over her, as she lowered her hand. "Please," she mumbled, not taking her eyes off him.

Toothless and his cousin shared a worried, grief-filled glance. 'Let Toothless bring him there at least.' Despite her headache, Elsa couldn't keep from feeling overjoyed that they were trusting her so much.

She only wished that such a display of trust would have come under a different scenario.

For a dragon carrying a subconscious teenager, Elsa had to admit that, not only Toothless was nimble, but also eerily quiet. "I see now why his people held you in high regard." She thought about her words for a second. "I mean, well, why they feared you so much."

Toothless crooned, sounding only half-heartedly happy at being praised. "I'll do my best to keep him well, I promise." She threw a glance over her shoulder, to where the dragon carrying said boy was dutifully following her. "I can't lose him."

He crooned as if repeating her words.

Once they arrived inside her room, Elsa realised a big flaw in her plan: she had not considered where she would keep him. "Damn," she mumbled, her etiquette briefly falling.

She considered her options, which were more than she initially thought: she could arrange a bed on her floor with her blankets so he could sleep there. She could do the same, but for her, and lay him on her bed. She could build a makeshift bed by the window, as there was enough room there for him to lie down, or she could put him in her bed and still sleep there.

She blushed heavily as her last idea registered inside her mind. "If Mama or Papa ever see me doing that I'd probably be thrown into the dungeons," she whispered.

It would technically be the most comfortable option for both of them, but there was a different matter for Elsa: her nightmares. She was aware that sometimes her powers would escape during her nightmares. Should she let him on the bed with her there was the chance that her powers could affect him, or even hit him. "Put him on the bed Toothless. I'll think of something."

Toothless cooed bemusedly, as for him the bed seemed a good place like no other. However he still dutifully carried out her orders, and then quietly left the room. Elsa closed the door and sighed as she put her lantern on the table.

There was enough room on her bed for both of them to sleep comfortably, and still have enough room separating them. Her biggest worry still remained her nightmares. She didn't know if freezing her blankets could worsen his current state.

She sat down by the bed and looked at the asleep boy. She wanted to keep an eye on him before falling asleep, but also not risk him. "I guess I'll stay by the window then," she whispered, deciding that this was the best course of action.

If only he could direct her. If he could direct you then you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, her mind harshly reminded her. As she stood up she realised another flaw: she sent Toothless away. A groan left her lips as she looked down at her hands. How could she bring him to the window if she was still afraid of touching him? And could she even lift him? He may be skinny, but she probably was the weakest girl of her age in the entire world.

Arranging the blankets by the window was easy. The place she used to curl up and gaze longingly at the town was large enough even for her.

Falling asleep, however, proved to be a far more arduous task.

When she woke in the morning a part of her briefly hoped that Hadrian would be awake by then. As she opened her eyes, however, she found him as quiet and still as he had been the prior night. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt a tingling sensation of disappointment.

No use in mulling over what did not happen, she thought as she slowly rose from her makeshift bed. The sun was already up, although its rays were not the reason she woke up. At least being so close to the window isn't waking me up.

Her weak optimism was all that was keeping her from staring mindlessly at him, hoping each second that he would wake up. She couldn't imagine life without her friend, not after everything they went through, and not after the trust she had placed on him. She looked down at her hands and wondered if this somehow happened because of her powers or if it was by chance that he fell into a coma briefly after acknowledging her powers.

Of course, it's not your fault. Windwalker said himself that he strained Hadrian's mind. But . . . perhaps he did so in order for you to reveal him sooner, so he could help you control it. She shook her head. Dwelling into 'what if's would do her no good, especially in ones similar to the one she just thought of.

Despite knowing that he was comatose, Elsa still went behind the dressing screen to dress up for her day, maybe out of habit, or maybe out of an irrational fear that he'd wake up exactly while she was dressing up.

After she dressed up in her usual dark blue dress she sat down by the bed and gazed longingly at him. Oh, how she wished she could do something, anything to wake him up. She was probably the most powerful being in the world, yet she was powerless to help him.

No. She shook her head. You are helping him by taking care of him, by keeping an eye on him, her rational side thought. However, it didn't have a strong presence, and even though it was right it couldn't banish the heavy feeling of helplessness that she felt.

A knock echoed across the room, startling her. Ice came from under her hand and spread across her bed in no more than a foot radius. Still, it was enough to make her feel awful and grow desperation inside her. How can I take care of him when even a knock almost makes me freeze him?

She didn't have much time to dwell on thoughts of this sort as Gerda's voice reached her ears. "Miss Elsa, I have brought breakfast. Would you like that me to leave the tray by your door?" Gerda had witnessed enough times that Elsa didn't touch her breakfast, which led her to start asking that question. On one way, she believed it encouraged Elsa to eat, even if only a small portion of the food. On another way, whenever Elsa insisted that she was not hungry, it also helped Gerda avoid having to walk to her room again, as the maid knew that leaving the tray by the door would be pointless.

"Yes," she answered, her voice sounding thick and strained. Gods I hope she didn't notice. The last thing I need is Mama worrying over me. Unfortunately, she received no signs of this, as she only heard the sound of retreating footsteps.

Quickly she brought the tray inside and made sure that she locked her door. Gerda would not enter her room without her explicit permission, but her mother might. As soon as she parked the tray by her bed she realised she had yet another issue.

Hadrian was lying down, and she could vaguely remember her mother saying that she shouldn't lie down after eating. Guess the same applies to when I'm eating. Considering that, she realised that she'd have to sit him.

Unfortunately, it led her to the same dilemma she faced the day before. How can I make him sit when I was afraid of touching him yesterday? The question plagued her mind as she looked down at her hands and flexed them.

Sadly, unlike yesterday, I can't brush this aside. What if something happens because I gave him food while he is lying down? She bit her lower lip as she felt her heart rate increase.

She inhaled deeply. He once feared Toothless, and faced him nonetheless, even if it was dangerous. So maybe I should face my fear as well. Slowly she walked toward Hadrian's side of the bed. Just drag him back to lean his back against the wall.

Her hands were shaking as she was overly conscious of her every action. As she lightly grabbed him, ice spread out over him.

Updated on June 3rd, 2018

Revised on July 5th, 2018. I'd like to thank V01dsw0rd for pointing out some mistakes.