.
~E~
A Chance Encounter
Elsa 6
Act I
~E~
Elsa would have liked to say that she waited anxiously, sitting by a window and staring off into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hiccup as soon as possible on his return. It would have been poetic in a way, and it matched her feelings accurately. She was, in fact, rather anxious.
However, this was reality, and Elsa was no fairy tale princess. She was a queen whose kingdom was in the middle of a crisis. Time during which she could sit and stare off into the distance was time she could put to better use doing something else. She worried of course, aware that the possibility of danger was always present, but had to push it off her mind and focus on her work. Focusing on Frant was a bad idea right now. She couldn't afford another breakdown. She had to be strong, now more than ever.
Progress was frustrating and slow, each step forward marred by two steps back or another confusing step to the side. The sudden loss of Frant, while not particularly damaging to the economy itself, had spread rumors and panic like wildfire. Elsa gathered the people of Arendelle in the palace's Courtyard, trying to give an accurate yet reassuring speech to cull any further panic. She explained the need for vigilance and military readiness, while reaffirming her vows to protect the kingdom and her subjects.
When that was done, she hurried back to her office, where she had to field literally dozens of correspondences, too sensitive to be handled by others. Foreign royals throughout the region, regardless of their relationship, had sent her missives with inquiries, requesting assurances, details, or other such intrusive things that she didn't really have the time to deal with right now.
After that, she was forced to take a break by Anna, who barged into her office and basically commandeered it, ordering food and beverages brought in. Elsa offered only a token resistance, feeling her exhaustion settle deep in her bones the moment she stood still for a bit. While they dined, Elsa stole looks outside the window, hoping that things were simple enough that she could spend several hours simply waiting, without having her kingdom come crashing down around her.
She must not have been as discreet as she thought.
"He'll be alright, you know."
Elsa swiveled her head to look at her sister. She didn't bother pretending she didn't know what the redhead was talking about. Instead, she released a heavy breath.
"Toothless is fast," Anna noted with a smile. "They'll be back before you know it. It's not that risky, right? The area was empty and besides, Hiccup and Toothless would wipe the floor with anyone stupid enough to attack them."
Elsa choked on her water, caught completely by surprise. She was reduced to a pathetic combination of coughing and laughing as she tapped her chest to encourage the water down the right passageway.
"Aptly put," Elsa noted once she got her breathing in order. Still the humor returned to her in bursts, eliciting short snorts and chuckles from her, while Anna guffawed openly.
Yes, Anna was probably right. There wasn't much reason to worry. That empty feeling in her stomach, that sensation of dread creeping in the back of her mind was the result of her overactive imagination and worry over the man she'd come to love, nothing more.
She stole another look out the window, but spotted nothing on the horizon.
The break wasn't to last. Soon, she had to return to her work, and Anna to her own duties. As a princess, it was also her responsibility to appear strong for their people, to talk to many as the Queen's representative and heir. Lately, Anna had stepped up to the plate, anything that might help lighten her sister's workload. Elsa was grateful.
There was another strategic meeting held that evening, though not as large as the one Hiccup had been summoned to. While waiting for the viking chief's findings, they retreated to the map room, discussing where an enemy force could be hiding. Arendelle had both mountains and forests, and wasn't too densely populated. While the soldiers were well-trained, they weren't numerous enough to cover all ground. It was possible that the enemy was inside the borders already, in numbers much higher than the few spies they knew had slipped in.
The meeting was inconclusive, as none of the people present could construct a proper image out of the scattered reports they could verify. Elsa left her office feeling like someone had poured molten lead in her skull. She barely had the presence of mind to undress and wash before crawling into her bed. She was asleep before her head had touched the pillow.
Elsa was awoken suddenly by a shaking sensation, her eyes snapping open and a gasp leaving her mouth. Feeling unknown hands on her shoulders, frost instinctively formed around her palms as she started to raise them.
"It's me, sister."
She knew that voice. Elsa squinted in the darkness of her chamber. Anna's hair glinted in the starlight coming from the balcony glass doors.
"Anna?" she mumbled, the frost sputtering before vanishing altogether. Her sister nodded. "What's going on?" Elsa slurred, feeling like she'd gone to sleep only moments ago. Perhaps she had. She didn't feel at all rested.
"Hiccup is back," Anna said. Elsa's eyes widened momentarily and she blinked, processing the information through hazy thoughts. "He's asked for you."
"Is he okay?"
A touch of hesitation. "He looked fine."
Elsa sat up in her bed, resting her back against a bundle of pillows. She brought a hand up to rub at her loose hair."What time is it?"
"Late. Or early. I'm sorry I woke you, but Hiccup insisted."
"Can't he just … wait?" Elsa just wanted to close her eyes. Couldn't everything just … wait until morning?
"I think you should see him, Elsa. It sounded like it was important."
Apparently not. Elsa groaned, running her palms through her face in a frustrated gesture she didn't often utilise. Her mind was beginning to work now, sluggish thoughts giving way to clarity as she woke up.
"Give me fifteen minutes," she mumbled. "Then send him in. I'm not getting out of my room."
Anna squeezed her shoulders. "I understand. I'm sorry. Do you want a cup of tea?"
"Yes please."
WIth one final squeeze, Anna let her go. Elsa heard her steps as she walked towards the door, pausing only long enough to ignite a lamp, bathing the room in soft light. Elsa shielded her eyes with a groan and missed Anna's exit, hearing only the door click as it closed.
A trio of servant girls came in, one carrying a small tray, giving their Queen sympathetic looks. Two of them helped Elsa wash, more or less tame her hair and get in a dress in a timely fashion, while the other prepared tea on the coffee table situated through a door on the opposite wall. The small room also had a couple of comfortable couches, small wooden chairs next to the coffee table and a great view of the outside.
It was there that Elsa sat, legs crossed, sipping her extra sweet cup of tea when Hiccup found her. Her eyes immediately fell on him as he entered the room and was illuminated by the lamps and candles.
He must have come directly to her. The first thing she noticed was that he still wore his riding gear. The next thing she noticed was that it was rather frayed, filled with soot, and smelled quite a bit like ash and burned leather, making her scrunch her nose slightly at the unpleasant smell. The third thing she noticed, the one that gave her pause, was the expression on his face.
Any word of greeting she might have been thinking of uttering died in her throat at his alarmed, nigh panicked look.
"What happened?" she ended up blurting instead as she all but jumped to her feet, poise, grace and exhaustion forgotten as she rushed to his side and took hold of his arm at the shoulder. "Are you alright?" Her eyes took him in, searching up and down for any signs of injury. Besides blackened spots here and there however, he looked fine, if troubled.
"I … yeah."
"Sit, please." She gently pushed him to a chair, sensing that he was troubled, confused, tired and maybe a bit out of it. She poured some tea into a cup and carefully put it in his hands. She took a small towel and used a nearby sink to wet it. She waited until he'd sipped a couple of times before reaching for his face with the towel, gently cleaning it from soot and ash.
Satisfied with the outcome and that he was diligently drinking his tea, she pulled her own chair a bit closer and took her own cup in her hands. She made sure not to stare at him too much, giving him time to work through his thoughts. She'd seen it in his eyes, staring vacantly ahead, not focusing on her. He was thinking of something not in this room, and he looked terrified.
Something which, the longer Elsa took to think about, was reason enough for her to start getting scared, too.
"Hiccup?" Her prod pulled him from his thoughts, focusing his eyes on her own.
"I don't know exactly what happened," he admitted, and Elsa frowned. In the short time she'd known him, nothing had stood out more than Hiccup's keen analytical mind. He was able to paint a clear picture of her capabilities and take her apart with frightening ease. He had become accustomed to Arendelle and learned to navigate its political climate in a very short span of time, not to mention his pioneering engineering skills. To have him this unsure of something he'd lived through was telling in itself.
"Take it from the beginning," she suggested.
"We reached Frant after a few hours of flight," he said. "It was empty, but it was still burning. There were still many active fires, which was weird, right? We searched the area. We didn't find any sign of dragon presence beyond the fire itself. No gas residue, no claw marks, no paw prints. I didn't notice any signs of assault or invasion. It's as if Frant just … up and burned by itself."
He paused, brow set in a frown, idly drinking his tea.
"Then I started noticing the flame. It seemed to move. I thought it was just my imagination at first, but I noticed it again. The next thing I know, me and Toothless have to escape a literal wave of flame, exploding towards us, hunting us. Flame was everywhere. It was coming from the forest, it was covering the area, trying to corner us. At some point, flame was all we could see. We barely managed to escape." He paused, taking a few shaky breaths. "We were undeniably attacked, Elsa."
Elsa kept her reaction to a mute widening of her eyes, listening to Hiccup's tale.
"What does that mean?" she said, voice lower than she perhaps wanted.
"I … I don't know. I've never seen a dragon able to do something like this. I know of a kind of dragon able to produce this much amount of flame, but they are huge and I would have seen it if one was around. I also know of a species capable of controlling flame to a much smaller extent, but I know of nothing that could do both. It almost-" He paused abruptly as he pursed his lips. He turned his troubled gaze to her, green eyes piercing into her own.
"It almost felt like fighting you," he said eventually.
Elsa's breath hitched.
"I'm sorry I woke you," Hiccup continued. He set his empty tea cup on the table as he rose to his feet. "But I couldn't wait until morning to tell you this. There is something threatening you, something neither of us expected. I don't know what it is, but it changes everything."
And he was gone, giving her a curt nod and a whispered goodbye before he retreated from the coffee lounge. Elsa heard the soft click as the doors to her quarters closed behind him.
She spent the next five minutes on that chair, trying to process what Hiccup had told her before she gave up. She was too tired, her mind too slow. She kept going around in circles. Getting some sleep was the best thing she could do right now.
'... some say the world will end in fire.'
Hopefully this would all make more sense in the morning.
~E~
The next day, it did not make any more sense.
Elsa woke up a bit later than normal. It took her a while to realise this, as she noticed no differences while getting washed and dressed. When she arrived to the breakfast room to find it empty save Anna, she began to suspect.
"What did you do?" she questioned her sister.
"I gave you something of a lie in," she replied, sticking her tongue out at Elsa with a cheeky smile. "Just a couple extra hours. Today feels like you'll need it."
Elsa let out a sigh as she sat on the table next to her. "I wish you hadn't," she said, shaking her head. She was happy for the extra rest, but the work wouldn't go away if she just ignored it.
Anna pointedly did not ask anything, instead making light chatter that successfully kept her mind away from worrying, at least for the duration of breakfast.
The rest of morning did not go as peacefully. The situation had thankfully not escalated in the few hours she had been sleeping, but it hadn't gotten better, either. Worrying reports were coming from all of her provinces. The recent military readiness she had ordered had tightened security across the kingdom, calling in reserves and increasing drilling schedule in the standing army in preparation for hostilities.
The recent increased security had resulted in a plethora of reports regarding unidentified movement within her borders. The enemy was already here. Elsa just had to find them.
She was alone in her office for most of the morning, trying her best not to claw out her hair. Only a lifetime's discipline stopped her from rash actions. She'd faces crises before, but never one of this nature or scale. On top of enemy movement, this new unknown threatened to further disrupt the peace of her people.
She didn't see Hiccup for most of the day. She was busy, she always was, but he lingered on the back of her mind. Like there was something she left unfinished, something she had to do. She relayed his report to her ministers and her council.
They didn't like the implications. The possibilities were many, and none of them good. If the Chief himself wasn't certain that the culprit was a dragon, that meant that either it was and it was a species he wasn't aware of, or it wasn't and something else and potentially worse was afoot.
That particular meeting had ended nowhere and served nothing but to frustrate everyone involved. They didn't know how to take countermeasures against this new threat, but neither could they just completely ignore it. In the end though, they were forced to resume normal operations, lacking information and a feasible to get it. They would continue as they had with trying to prepare for and repel the enemy invaders while pinpointing exactly who sent them. If the fire-starting menace showed up again, they'd see what they would do then.
Not a very likable plan, but probably the only one available right then. That didn't mean that anyone liked it.
The possibility that the Chief lied was brought up, inevitably, but Elsa crushed it down as soon as it was uttered. She had seen his expression, heard his tone. Hiccup had not lied, and she wouldn't let anyone think otherwise.
Anna all but dragged her out to lunch. Elsa had planned to have some food brought up to her office, but her sister had none of it. Kristoff also ate with them and Elsa was glad to see him. The official Ice Master might not have been a politician of any sort, but Elsa trusted him and valued his company. Watching him and Anna interact brought a smile to her face and energy to her tired limbs. She had few friends, and a third of them were family while the other third was a recent addition that had quickly proceeded to change categories again.
Trying to classify Hiccup wasn't very easy.
After dinner, Elsa took an hour to herself to rest. It wouldn't do to burn herself out. A quick nap revitalized her, while washing and braiding her hair brought a sense of calm and detachment that she would need to maintain all evening were she to function properly. She chose a blue dress, elaborate but not terribly impractical.
Court was held a bit earlier that day, and Hiccup was noticeably absent. She couldn't afford to stop Court at a time like this, not when both foreign and domestic people needed assurances. Alliances and good relations were necessary now more than ever. Even so, the empty chair reserved for the viking chief seemed to draw her eye much more than it should.
She left the throne room in the company of her guards, feeling weighed. She would have liked to stop for the day, but there was still work to be done, so she headed to her office. When she reached it, one of the guards outside the door turned to her and bowed, seeking permission to speak.
"What's wrong, trooper?"
"A message for you, my Queen."
Elsa offered her hand, palm up, and accepted a small piece of paper. She closed her hand, thanked the guard and headed into her office, closing the door behind her.
She opened the paper after sitting in her chair.
'We need to talk soon. Hiccup'
Whatever it was the Chief was doing, it probably wasn't fun or relaxing. She called one of her guards inside, instructing him to let Hiccup know that she could see him at the end of her workload, which would be sometime after nine in the evening.
Most of the evening's work was correspondence, along with various reports from the city of Arendelle and the castle itself. With the recent turmoil she hadn't had as much time to make her rounds around the castle, but she still wanted to be informed of day to day runnings, so she kept in touch with madame Gertrude's people. Perhaps not as eye-catching as the hide and seek with the foreign invaders, but no less important to Elsa's eyes.
So focused was she in her work that it took her a while to realize that someone was knocking at the door. When she raised her eyes from her desk she was surprised to see that it was dark. A servant had lit candles and lamps around the office, but the sun was well and gone outside. She'd overdone it again.
"Come in," she said, rubbing her eyes with a groan.
"Easy there, eyes are useful."
Still with eyes closed, Elsa smiled upon hearing his voice. That nasal tone was particularly suited to delivering deadpan one-liners. She removed her hand and looked at him as he entered, the door closing behind him.
Hiccup looked better. He was wearing a simple green Arendellian tunic rather than his riding gear, and he wasn't covered in burned leather or ashes. He still hadn't shaved but even though Elsa would never admit that, she thought that it rather suited him. He was giving her a smile.
"Hello Hiccup," she said, trying to discreetly stretch her back. After so many hunched hours, it was rather stiff.
"I know that look," he said, expression sympathetic. Elsa gave a hum of agreement in reply. From someone less refined, it might have even been a grunt.
It was easy to lose the rigid persona when she was alone with Hiccup, for many reasons, not the least of which was that he understood her, even though they hadn't know each other for that long.
"Are you about finished? It's getting somewhat late."
Elsa looked down at the papers she was working on. No, she wasn't finished, but she was probably done for tonight.
"We can go. Unless you'd rather we spoke here?"
"I think getting out of the office would do you good."
She accepted his reasoning and got up off the chair. As she expected her back was sore. She felt only a little undignified in stretching a bit. She and Hiccup were well past the point of keeping up appearances.
When she walked out of the office with Hiccup in tow, her guards began to fall in position around her but she waved them away.
"Take the rest of the night off. I'll be safe in the Chief's company."
The guards gave Hiccup uncertain looks.
"My Queen," one said, "the General's orders were-"
"The General answers to me," Elsa noted. "As do you. Thank you for your zeal, but you are dismissed."
"Of course, your majesty."
They bowed and left, leaving them alone except for the guards stationed outside Elsa's office at all times.
"Let us go," she said, leading Hiccup down the hallway and up. Near the living quarters there were balconies. At this time of day the view of the lit up city and harbor would be great.
Their way wasn't barred by anyone. At this time of day it wasn't too surprising that they didn't ran into anyone, but Elsa suspected that Marina might have had a hand in this. Even now, her Head Courtier followed her orders. Good. Now would be a terrible time for a scandal against her reputation.
Still, it was good to see him. To be absolutely certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was okay. That he was healthy. That the trap he'd walked into on her request hadn't hurt him. It put her mind at ease.
When they reached the balcony they leaned against the railing, rather than sit on one of the benches like other times. They were silent for a few minutes, looking down at the view. Perhaps they simply enjoyed each other's presence, perhaps they dreaded breaking the silence, fearing the conversation that would replace it. Elsa herself could not rightly tell.
Eventually, she could stall no longer. "You wanted to talk to me?"
His content expression faded, replaced slowly by a set jaw and grim eyes. He tapped his fingers on the marble railing.
"I did. It's about yesterday. About the mission to Frant."
Elsa let out a sigh. "I am truly sorry about the danger I exposed you to. If I had known-"
"That's the thing though, isn't it?" he cut her off. "You didn't know. Someone else did, though. Elsa, I was expected. Yesterday was an ambush. Someone knew I was coming."
She frowned. The thought had crossed her mind, but she didn't really want to entertain it.
A memory came to her. An insidious smile under half-crazed eyes. 'Soon, the dragon will be dealt with' he had said. 'And you'll be next'.
Elsa repressed a shiver at the memory. "Many people could have known."
Hiccup let out a noise of frustration, turning fully towards her. "Really, Elsa? That's what you're going with?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"It was his idea that sent me there, wasn't it? His plan."
"That doesn't mean he orchestrated the ambush on you!" Elsa replied, her own frustration rearing its head and mixing with her indignation.
"Oh come on!" he exclaimed, running his right hand through his hair. "What will it take for you to accept it? Will you believe it's him after I'm dead? If they manage to get me out of the picture, you're next."
Elsa brought her hands to her mouth, agape in horror. "Don't talk like that!" she scolded. "Don't ever talk like that. You're not going to die."
"We're both going to die unless you stop hiding from what's right in front of you!"
"There is no evidence that Shad is the traitor."
"Everything points to him! He's been consistently part of the few who knew everything they needed to know to arrange everything. He stands to gain the most. It's his ideas that make these situations happen. Just because we survive doesn't make them any less threatening. One of them is bound to succeed."
"Leave, then!" Elsa exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "If you're so worried about your life, if you're so against my decisions, then leave! You owe me nothing!"
He was glaring at her now, fists balled and shoulders shaking.
"I can't do that," he ground out through clenched teeth.
"Why?" Elsa challenged. She wasn't even sure herself why she was encouraging him to leave, especially after fighting to keep him here for so long. But it was like a dam had broken within her, and she wanted to know.
"I just-"
"Why, Hiccup?"
The moment happened too quickly for her to process. His hands found their way to her shoulders, gripping intensely and almost painfully, before his lips were enveloping hers. She felt the movement of his mouth on hers, and it took her a second or two to realize what was happening and react. Her arms were held so she couldn't bring her hands up, and their height difference meant that he was hunching over her. She bent her back to give him better access and soothe some of the pressure he was putting on her. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around his neck, but as it were she could only show her feelings through the kiss.
His breath tasted slightly of mint.
A few seconds later he stopped assaulting her lips, bringing his hands higher from her shoulders to her cheeks and the back of her head. He stared at her, and she could see the conflict in his eyes.
"I can't," he repeated, voice low and breathless. "I can't just leave you to die. Not after figuring it out. Not after realizing how much you mean to me and how much you've helped me accomplish."
Elsa looked at him, and found him confused. His eyes were locked on hers, searching, hoping. He was nervous.
A small, content smile found its way to her lips. She brought her hands up, slowly encasing his own and taking gentle hold of them. She placed one on her hip and the other on her shoulder blade, before taking gentle hold of his tunic and drawing him to her.
Once their lips were once again locked, this time in a slower, gentler manner, she wrapped her hands around his neck. His hand on her hip sent electricity up her spine and excitement coursing through her. She flushed herself against him, wanting as much contact between them as possible.
Somehow, she knew. She knew what Hiccup was just short of saying. It was the only thing that made sense, and it made her heart flutter like never before. Hiccup was too unsure of himself to say it, but she knew.
And it made her next decision all the easier.
There were a thousand reasons why she shouldn't do this. Because despite everything, Marina was right. This would be a mistake. She was the Queen and she had duties and responsibilities to fulfil. But this was an entirely selfish decision.
Hiccup freed her mouth and headed northward with his lips, first through her chin, then up to her left earlobe before continuing down and to her neck. Elsa's breath hitched and she let out a low moan at the sensation.
Just for once, damn her kingdom, damn the crisis encroaching on her people. Damn Marina and her lectures and damn her duties and responsibilities.
She pulled back, just enough to signal Hiccup to straighten up as well. He looked at her, askance, green eyes filled with a wild passion that no doubt was mirrored in her own blue ones.
"Come with me," she whispered. She saw confusion in his eyes for a split-second before realization dawned. He gave her a nod, and her hand found its way to his palm, fingers interlocking gently.
She guided him through the hallway, just short of running, unable to contain the energy within her. Hiccup easily matched her pace with his longer strides.
They met no one on their way to her quarters, even the guards had been cleared. Sparing no thought to that fact, Elsa wasted no time in opening the door, shoving Hiccup through and - for the first time in memory - locking it behind her.
She attacked his mouth again as he backpedalled towards the Queen-sized bed.
Just for tonight, damn everything.
~E~
When Elsa awoke she noticed several unusual facts before she even opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the feeling of being naked under the covers, something very unusual. Secondly, she noticed her weird position, one she wasn't used to.
When at last she opened her eyes, she realized the third but no less important fact; she wasn't alone.
As her head was resting on his left shoulder, Elsa could only see his chest, atop which her left hand was splayed. His own was wrapped around her shoulders, and his breathing was slow, steady, indicating that he was still asleep. Her hair, free from her usual braid, covered her shoulders and back and painted a good portion of the bed's left side platinum blond.
Elsa smiled into his shoulder as memories from last night became clearer and clearer. Idly, the fingers of her left hand began softly caressing his chest, her manicured fingernails finding and tracing the scars that she'd asked him about all that time ago in the bathhouse.
To wake up like this, disheveled and naked at his side every morning … she could get used to something like that.
She didn't know how much time passed before something changed. Eventually, she saw the rhythm of his chest shift and heard a large intake of breath just outside her vision. A few seconds later the arm that was wrapped around her moved, pulling her closer and further on top of him. Elsa went along with it with a small chuckle.
From her slightly higher position she was able to turn her head and look him in the eyes, even as her fingers continued their soft exploration of his chest. Her hair, unchecked, fell around her face, framing her in morning sunlight.
Hiccup looked peaceful. His green eyes were looking into hers, a content smile resting on his stubbled face.
Neither of them talked for what felt like a long time. Eventually, Elsa broke the silence.
"You love me." It was a statement, not a question. Now, more than ever, she was sure that she knew Hiccup. She knew that he would never do this, he would never go that far, unless he was absolutely certain.
"I do," he said with a small nod. Elsa smiled again. However sure she might have been, confirmation was always nice.
"And I love you."
"I should hope so," Hiccup said, his mouth splitting into a humorous grin. "Otherwise this would be rather awkward."
Elsa swatted his chest without any force, eliciting a laugh from him.
Silence reigned again. This time, Elsa felt it different, more weighed. There were things that should be discussed, and she didn't think she'd like the outcome of that. Nevertheless, it was a beast that should be tackled.
"What are we, Hiccup?"
She spoke softly, and combined with the time Hiccup took to reply, she was beginning to think that perhaps she had not been heard. When he did reply, his voice sounded strained.
"What can we be?"
And that was the impossible question, was it not? Never mind what they wanted to be, what could they be? All the reasons this might have been a mistake flashed through her mind; not because she regretted anything, but because the future had never looked this uncertain. She found herself clutching onto him, a sudden fear gripping her heart and making her feel what she assumed was cold. In response, Hiccup tightened his own hold around her.
"You're the smart one," she whispered. "You're the one who always has a solution ready, you're the one with the crazy ideas that always work. Can't you figure this out? Because I- … I can't."
"Come with me," he said.
She looked up at him. "What?"
"Come with me. It will be dangerous considering there's a war going on, but you can handle yourself and I would also do my best to protect you."
"Why does it have to be me? Why do you instantly assume that I am the one who should leave everything behind? Are my duties less important than yours? Is that what you think?"
"I didn't mean it like that," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry."
Elsa sighed, realizing that she was being unfair.
"Why can't you stay here?" she said instead. "Stay here, with me."
She saw the pain in his eyes and for a moment hope fluttered in her chest, only to be crushed in the next instance as he shook his head.
"There's nothing I want more than to make us two work, but I can't. This … this isn't about me, or my desires. It never has been."
Elsa could not, in good conscience, blame him for that. Was she not the same?
"Is there really no one capable to succeed you, back home?"
Hiccup considered his answer for a few seconds.
"There are some that would perhaps do well in the short-term," he allowed, "but none that could bring my dream of peace to fruition. The only one who understood and shared the full extent of my vision was Astrid, and she's gone."
Perhaps it was a sign of how much she trusted him that all she could feel about that was sorrow.
After a minute or so, she spoke.
"Anna is not ready," she said. "Truthfully, I doubt she ever will be. I'm not sure I want her to be, either. Being Queen would change her, in ways I don't ever want her to change, and there's no one else. I, too, have a duty to my people. I spurned it once, out of insecurity and fear, but never again."
Hiccup let out a heavy sigh.
"I will trust your judgement on that. This does, however, bring us back full circle to the original question. What can we be? I'm not seeing an easy answer."
Elsa bit her lip, trying to stem back the tide of disappointment and panic.
"Is there … really nothing?" she asked, voice trembling for a second before she reigned it in. "One of your ideas, perhaps? You're so creative... Is there really nothing … crazy for you to do?"
Hiccup sighed again, bringing his free hand up to rub at his eyes.
"I think you're giving me too much credit, here."
"Hiccup …"
"There's so much I need to do back home," Hiccup admitted. "I'm already straining the limits of my conscience by being away for so long. There's a three way war going on in the archipelago that I have to deal with before I can complete my vision … or think of anything else."
Elsa's eyes widened. "A three-way war?"
He nodded, face somber. "Myself and the united viking tribes are one side. The second is Drago Bludvist. A murderer, a slaver. He tortures dragons and binds them to his will, using them as nothing more than expendable tools, and would do the same to all humans and dragons in the archipelago alike if given the chance. He must be stopped."
"And the third one?"
"A densely populated dragon nest, led by a human. Nothing is known about him, but what he and his alpha dragon want is complete separation between humans and dragons. If they had their way, all of our dragon friends would be forced away." Hiccup snorted. "And to think, I was once called a traitor to my race. If ever there was one, it's this 'dragon master'."
Elsa listened to him with rapt attention. This was more information that he'd ever shared before and the picture it painted wasn't pretty, indeed.
"What will you do?" she asked.
"I will win," he said simply. "Peace and unity in the viking archipelago … I will achieve it."
He spoke softly, but his jaw was set. Elsa both saw and felt the intensity in his words. He was entirely committed to this goal, and it made her love him all the more.
She could be no less honest with him after all that.
"I'm not just being stubborn," she said, closing her eyes and letting the feel of him sear itself into her memory. Something not at all hard to do, after last night. "It's not enough. Even after all this, I can't have the Commander General arrested without concrete evidence. I am keeping him watched, though."
Hiccup sighed. She both felt and heard the rumbling in his chest as he released the heavy breath. It was a new experience for her.
"I realize now," he said, "that your fate is not in my hands. Perhaps it never was."
His tone was not bitter, just forlorn. Wistful. Elsa shared the sentiment.
"I'll be careful," she promised.
"I can strain my conscience for one more week before I have to leave to return to my people," he said. "Gods willing, I might yet be of some use in that time."
"Thank you."
She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head, and she smiled. Just for a while, for a night and a bit of morning, all was well.
~E~
It was not to last, of course. The dream eventually stops when reality comes knocking. Elsa had to prepare for her duties and Hiccup had to return to his quarters undetected.
Thankfully, they were both early risers, and did not sleep in or waste too much time in the morning. Elsa was washing in the bathroom and when she came out, it was to the sight of Hiccup on her balcony, leaning on the railing. He seemed to be following something with his eyes but he did notice her. He gave her a cheeky smile, before vaulting over the railing and vanishing from her view, jumping from one of the castle's tallest balconies.
Elsa had a good idea of what he'd done but still her heart constricted, making her run to the balcony. As she leaned over it, the black shape of the dragon Toothless soared a scant meter in front of her, making her jump back in surprise.
Hiccup waved at her from the dragon's back as he guided them to his own balcony, a few floors below and on the other side of the castle. Elsa had half a mind to throw a bolt of frost at them, but the smile on her face betrayed her.
She returned inside and went about her day, feeling strangely energized. Despite the somber nature of their words and conclusions, the excitement of finally seeing eye to eye with Hiccup and consummating those feelings did not fade. It dulled, as the reality of the country's situation and demands sank back in, but it did not vanish.
There was a tense interaction with her Head Courtier, around noon. Marina had come in, as part of the inner council, but her disapproving glances were not lost on Elsa. No doubt the older woman knew what her Queen got up to last night and with whom, and did not approve. Elsa did not care, as long as the woman still did her job and followed her orders. She'd get over herself soon enough. Thankfully, the woman was wise enough not to confront her sovereign on the matter.
There was one person she could not intimidate into obedience, however.
The moment Anna walked in her office that evening, all smiles and giggles, Elsa knew she would regret this conversation.
Anna wasted no time in walking around Elsa's desk and up to her.
"Anna, what-"
"Hush, get up." The redhead gave her no time to respond, taking hold of her arm and hauling her off her chair.
"Anna, this is highly-"
"Come, come!"
Anna dragged her to a nearby couch and all but pushed her down on it, before sitting next to her and taking hold of her right hand in both of hers. She was looking at Elsa with wide eyes and a massive smile on her face.
"Tell me everything!"
Elsa looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Anna snorted, the sound turning into an amused giggle. "Don't give me that! You and Hiccup! Last night, you two-"
"Stop it right there!" Elsa cut her off, unable to stop her face from turning beet-red. Thankfully, she still had her head turned away.
"Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine." Despite her embarrassment, that made her frown a bit. It wasn't completely true.
"Then how did it go?"
Elsa did not answer, the silence that stretched surprisingly loud by itself.
"Were you … disappointed?" Anna ventured, voice meeker. "Was it not what you thought it would be? Did Hiccup-"
"What? No!" Elsa asked, swiveling her head to throw a surprised look at Anna. "That's not it at all! That part was-..." She couldn't complete her sentence, embarrassment overcoming her brief surge of courage and making her face red again. Her free hand curled around her stomach. Memories of last night brought that bubbly, happy feeling to the surface once again.
"It was amazing," she ended up saying, eyes locking to some spot on the floor or the wall opposite her, anything but her sister's eager face.
Anna squeezing her hand was enough to draw Elsa's gaze. Despite her embarrassment, a big part of her dreaded yet looked forward to her sister's reaction to all this. Anna was her only family, the person she trusted and loved most. Everyone else she could disregard; not Anna.
Anna's eyes were wide in wonderment and fascination as she stared at her. Elsa wondered exactly what it was that her sister saw in her face that would make her react like this.
Her expression also made Elsa wonder. There were many rumors floating about regarding her and Kristoff, some nastier than others. Elsa had never asked her directly, and Anna had never told. Could it be that Elsa, in fact, managed to overtake her sister in the one area she never thought she would have?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Anna suddenly threw her arms around her and pulled her in a fierce hug. Her laughter reverberated inside her office.
"I'm so happy for you, Elsa!"
Elsa smiled in her sister's red hair as Anna's chest shook with her laughter. Anna had known about the issues between her and Hiccup. She understood just as well as she did what this move on Hiccup's part meant. Her happiness could not possibly approach Elsa's own, but it was nice to know that her sister shared the sentiment.
When Anna spoke next, still in the hug, her voice was lower, almost casual. "I have to say, though," she said, almost as if her previous laughter and happy mood hadn't happened, "you gave it up way too easily, you scarlet woman."
Elsa drew back, feeling the keen sting of hurt in her chest, unsure of what she would say against Anna's words but unable to just bear it silently-, and then she noticed Anna's expression. The redhead was barely restraining herself from laughter and when she saw Elsa's reaction she could hold it no longer, breaking out into amused giggles.
"Oh, your face! Priceless! You should have seen your face, Elsa!"
Elsa scowled. "I think a brat-shaped ice statue would fit well with my office's decor. Are you volunteering?"
Anna ignored her, her expression suddenly turning somber. Seeing this, Elsa blinked, the quick switch catching her by surprise.
"But then," Anna began, "what's wrong?"
Ah. Elsa pursed her lips. What to tell, exactly? How to explain the short but intense discussion Hiccup and she had about their future, or the lack of one?
'Tell me everything', Anna had said.
So, Elsa did.
~E~
She didn't see Hiccup for the rest of the day. Apparently the viking spent most of the day in the harbor, more specifically the shipyard, grueling the shipwrights there on building and repair operations. It was just as well, as Elsa herself was rather busy and had a hard enough time keeping him out of her mind without having him in the same room. She slept quickly and restlessly. Thankfully, her handmaidens never once mentioned the fact that they'd been ordered by the princess to stay away last night and this morning. Elsa was thankful.
The next day they met, very briefly, in breakfast. What with two council members also being present, they didn't stray further than polite conversation, but it was comforting in its own way. Hiccup had a unique view of things that was both ambitious and pragmatic that was helpful in many regards.
Most of the day she spent in her office, with the exception of a short couple hours that she took around her castle. She'd neglected making her rounds and checking up castle activity herself lately, so she made it a point to do so again.
Throughout the day she studied the reports regarding both enemy movements and Arendelle's own preparations. The raising of Arendelle's armed forces was proceeding according to schedule, but it was the enemy sighting reports that worried her. There was still not a positive identification on the origin of the invaders, but they had been seen enough times that it was almost certain they were Grandlandians.
The hiring of Grandlandian locals to cast suspicion on the country was a possibility, but this type of operation required organization and coordination that no small bandit group could achieve. Reports also indicated that they were fully armed and with good equipment, something only a real military force could provide in significant numbers.
They'd been growing steadily bolder, too. Small skirmishes had began to break out between Arendellian regulars and groups of invaders, all of them within her borders and perilously close to the capital herself.
The city of Arendelle was safe. As safe as could be, at least. A frontal assault would never work, not with the army mobilised, Shad's recent addition of siege engines and Elsa's own presence, so the end-game of these invaders was still a mystery. They had taken to razing small farms, settlements and abandoned outposts and playing hide and seek with her soldiers.
It was all quite frustrating to watch play out. Because that was all she could do. Watch. She was the top of the pyramid, receiving everything and doling out orders, but she did all this from the safety of her castle. Others saw to it that her orders were completed, others struggled to present her with reports that helped paint a broader picture.
Elsa had never particularly felt like she should be out there. She understood the necessity of her work, and been trained since birth to one day be Queen. It was all she knew. But it still felt like too little, to sit and wait and give orders, hoping that she hadn't made a mistake while others risked themselves by trusting her.
Never had such a crisis befallen her kingdom during her rule. Never had they had skirmishes this often, never had they been threatened with war while she was either a princess or a queen. This was new territory for her.
Anna was a whirlwind of activity, picking up the slack created by Elsa's increased workload, being everywhere and talking to everyone at once, even holding Court in her stead. Her bright personality helped assuage the fears of many, and distract many more who worried. And if some of that positivity and exuberance was faked, they'd never be able to tell the difference. Elsa knew.
She was informed, later that evening, that the viking chief had spent his day among the castle's garrison. He'd taken to discussing some dragon species and sharing advice on the treatment of severe burns and how to better make equipment resistant to fire. She had already received a report from her quartermaster on the ingenuity of the chief's ideas, and had given the enthusiastic man permission to begin implementing them immediately.
Everyone was helping, in their own way. Everyone was trying their best. Elsa could do nothing less.
She did see him make an appearance during Court, hair scruffier than usual but thankfully perfectly clean. The dragon Toothless was, as usual, napping behind Hiccup himself. Even now, after so long, the sleeping dragon drew glances from Courtiers and shocked looks from visitors. It made the whole ordeal slightly less trying, less boring, not to mention the prestige it granted Elsa's Court. She knew that many were coming from far away merely to see the dragon. It was another in a long list of things to be thankful for.
After Court was dismissed she waited in front of her throne rather than leave through the side door like she usually did. Getting the hint, Hiccup approached her, giving her a respectful nod and calling her by her title, seeing as there were still Courtiers trickling out of the room, some not even trying to hide their curious looks.
It seemed surreal. After all they'd been through, after all they'd done together, they still had to call each other by these informal names and titles. It was a somber reminder, but Elsa didn't let it deter her. She gave a bright smile.
"Chief Haddock, good evening," she replied. "Word has reached me of your work today. It is much appreciated."
He nodded in acceptance. "I had a conversation with the princess Anna earlier." Even through his perfectly controlled expression, a shade of a grimace was let through, Elsa felt for him. Her sister could get rather … intense, at times.
"Indeed?" she asked, exaggerating her surprise. "That does sound like a tale I'd much like to listen to."
"It would be my honor and ever such embarrassment to share it, if you so wish."
"I do," she confirmed with a slight nod, "but I find myself still with duties to attend to for a few more hours, leaving me with little time for such conversations."
His brow furrowed in genuine confusion. That was understandable, but it was still cute to see the usually so smug viking try to make sense of her. It brought another smile to Elsa's face.
"Unfortunate," he said in lieu of anything else. "Perhaps I should stop keeping you from you duties, then."
She nodded again. "Having said that," she took a half step forward as she spoke, bringing them closer and lowering her voice, "perhaps you would like to share the story with me later, once my responsibilities have been seen to." A half-second's pause. "In private?"
She could practically see the gears of his mind working as he made sense of what she said and her body language. It didn't take him long to figure it out.
He raised an eyebrow. "If that is truly your wish."
"It is."
"I would not want to bother your security detail again. They might grow irritated with me."
"Perhaps a man of your unique talents can find alternative means of approach, ones not requiring the displacement of the guards stationed outside my door and in the hallway?"
Hiccup looked surprise at her suggestion, but nevertheless nodded. "I'm sure a solution may be found in time."
"Excellent," she said with another bright smile, taking that half-step back and raising her voice again. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Chief Hiccup. I hope you have a nice evening and night."
"You as well, Queen Elsa."
He bowed his head slightly once again as a sign of respect, before turning and leaving, the dragon Toothless close by his side. Elsa watched him go until he turned the corner.
Perhaps making such arrangements so early was not the best idea, Elsa realized. It was increasingly hard to concentrate on her work, and anticipation made time crawl by at a snail's pace. She could have sworn that a whole day passed by the time she was finished, rather than just an afternoon.
When she was finished for the night, however, she couldn't leave her office fast enough. The sun was long gone; her work had not lessened from yesterday. The possibility that Hiccup had already gone to bed crossed her mind. She wouldn't blame him, but she hoped he hadn't. She now understood the folly of not specifying a time.
She arrived in her quarters, bade goodnight to her guards and handmaidens and - now alone - locked the door behind her.
She surveyed her room from the door. Perfectly clean and cared for, the cleaning staff were as competent as always. Her nightgown was laid out for her, and the towels looked fluffy and inviting.
She grabbed a lamp from her desk and lit it using a match. She unlocked her balcony door and stepped outside. The night was dark, the moon barely visible up in the sky, but the stars were impressive. Arendelle was lit but silent below her.
She set the lamp on the balcony railing, confident that the wind wasn't strong enough to knock it over. She walked back inside, leaving the door ajar.
She took her nightgown and went to the bathroom. Even though she'd sent her handmaidens away, she still enjoyed her bath. She didn't stay to soak, instead choosing to wash herself quickly and dry her hair as best she could using a towel.
She spent a minute or two staring at her reflection in the mirror and washing her mouth. Unmarred skin, blue eyes and pink lips stared back at her. Her hair was wet, sticking to her neck and flowing down her back. She wore nothing but a fluffy bathrobe. She had none of the poise that her elegant gowns or elaborate braid or make-up granted. When she looked in the mirror, neither sorceress nor queen looked back. Like this, she was just a woman, as tired as anyone after a long day's work.
She thought she picked up some sort of sound from outside. Rather than be alarmed, she smiled. With one last look in the mirror, she ignored her nightgown and walked out of the bathroom, still clad in the bathrobe.
She saw him, as she'd hoped and expected. He was leaning against her balcony's railing next to the extinguished lamp, enjoying the view and breeze, his dark blue tunic fluttering lightly. She didn't know how he'd made it to her balcony, but it mattered little.
His back was turned to her but he must have heard her steps or the door, for he turned as soon as she exited the bathroom.
His eyes taking her in, going from her still wet hair to her bare feet, sent an excited shiver down her spine. She walked around the queen-sized bed, positioning herself between it and the balcony door, but moved no further.
A delicate finger beckoned him closer.
The intense expression on his face was a fascinating sight as he entered through the open door and closed it behind him. Elsa stepped backwards, undoing the fluffy belt of her robe as she did so, her coy smile drawing the viking chief ever closer until there was no more distance left between them.
The promised story was left forgotten.
~E~