Problematic chapter; check! This has been not so fun to write (so much emotion I was about to go crazy!) but challenges are good I suppose! Now there was a scene in this chapter I wanted to include so much, but it had to be cut out and is only mentioned instead, maybe I will post it as an outtake sometime, you never know. Will you be able to guess it?

Also I have gotten some questions about the timeline, so here it comes;

The story begins about 6 months after Frozen, while the Vikings arrive about 6 months after that, so the first time Elsa and Hiccup meet it has been about a year since her coronation while it has been about two years after HTTYD 2. So something like that.

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween! Me and my friends renamed the holiday Hallowin (a little silly I know ;) ) just because two of them are terrified of everything that's scary, but also because we celebrated with some wine haha! Now I will allow you to continue and I do hope you will like the chapter which... uhm... yeah... just keep on reading :D

Laidyx: Haha yes the fight was something and their relationship will now start do develop, though you might be a little mad at me after this chapter haha! As for Astrid and Elsa, I think it's a risk they might have some sort of confrontation, but that only might happen in the future, I like of our leading ladies and do hope they can get along ;)

Guest: So happy to hear you like the story, hope you will enjoy this new chapter as well! :D

13.

The royal family was sitting in one of the smaller rooms they normally retreated to after dinner. The Vikings had just left to retire for the night and they were all sitting in comfortable silence in front of the fire, Elsa looking through a book she had in her lap while the others watched the burning flames.

"It will be so quiet." Anna suddenly said quietly, everyone looking at her. "I mean not only are the Vikings traveling home tomorrow, but you are as well." She said, looking with sad eyes at Eugene and Rapunzel.

"We will just have to make sure that we don't wait so long to see each other next time, you are all welcome to Corona whenever you like, you know that." Rapunzel said, the two women smiling at each other.

"Well, it was quite a while since I saw my Godchildren, I miss the two little whirlwinds." Anna replied sounding a little happier, Eugene groaning a little.

"All the sleep we have gotten; it will only be memory once more." He said, though everyone could see the that he didn't mean it the slightest, they all knew both Rapunzel and Eugene dearly missed the twins and they couldn't wait to see them again.

"You are free to go to Corona whenever you like Anna; I can always make sure someone can help you with your duties and dealings while you are gone, the same applies for Kristoff." Elsa said, looking up from the book in her lap with a smile, having been listening in on the conversation.

"Thank you, but I think we both want to settle down a little." She said, taking Kristoff's hand as they smiled at each other. "You should take the opportunity to go though, we could keep things under control here, you haven't had a day off for years Elsa." Anna said, sending Elsa a pointed look while her sister only shook her head.

"I am perfectly content staying here. Besides, I have too much to do, just tonight I got a letter from Lord Lejionhufvud who wanted to show me some of his ideas for old windmill, thankfully I could make room for him in the morning."

"Anna is actually right Elsa, you always work, we all need time to relax." Rapunzel said, a slightly worried look on her face. She knew the huge amount of pressure Elsa been under, not only having to conceal her power but having to take over after her parents from such a young age, for even though she hadn't been Queen Elsa had been sure to be a part of ruling the country despite how controversial it had been.

"If you can count the work with Hiccup work." Eugene added, Elsa sending him a small glare.

"I don't think doing what you love, even if it has to do with numbers, can be counted as work actually." Kristoff said, Elsa glaring at him instead.

"Is this never going to get old?" She said drily, the others chuckling.

"We are just teasing, it's just you two go into this world where no one else can follow you, it's actually a little intriguing to watch." Anna answered.

"As intriguing as it might be, it's still starting to get a little annoying how everyone keeps pointing it out." Elsa muttered, the subject having come up more and more often lately.

"Come on Elsa, don't be so serious all the time. The way you act sometimes one might think you are worried we will think you have started to develop feelings for a certain tall, dark haired, green eyed…" Eugene gave a shout as a pile of snow suddenly appeared in the air above him and fell on top of his head, the others laughing when he flew up from his place next to Rapunzel and began brushing it off, stammering how cold it was.

"You were saying, dear cousin?" Elsa asked, looking at him with a sweet smile and eyes that glittered with mischievous laughter.

"We decided no magic, it's not fair on any level!" Eugene exclaimed, Elsa just chuckling as she closed her book and rose from her seat.

"No, you decided that after the last time I cowered you in snow, I never agreed to that proposition. Besides, I told you, the teasing is starting to get old, even Astrid told you so last night and that's saying something. Now I have to retire if I am to get any sleep at all, goodnight." Elsa said, giving them all a warm smile and Anna a kiss before walking out of the room.

"She is so in denial." Eugene said as a joke and while they all chuckled, Rapunzel could not help to think that there might be more truth to her husband's words than he let on, after all the same thought had hit her as well and she knew Eugene was extremely good at reading people.

The reason for her to think there might have started to grow something more than just friendship between Elsa and Hiccup was that too many times over the last weeks she had noticed how their eyes would linger on the other, or how their eyes would travel to other when someone else was talking. There had also been moments when a hand had lingered just a second too long or they had smiled at each other a bit too warmly.

Still there had been no other indications and if you overlooked these moments, it was clear that the two leaders were friends and that that friendship was built on a mutual trust. Sure they argued, but they also listened to each other, both having learned that they were not going to get anywhere if they simply wanted to go in their own direction. When they were working, they were always completely professional, the easy way they interacted never shining through once they were acting in their positions of Queen and Chief.

Only one time had Rapunzel seen Hiccup gesture something about the lady next to him to Elsa during a dinner that had forced her cousin to hide a laugh behind her hands, composing her features as quickly as she could so the man next to her wouldn't notice, but Rapunzel had seen that Elsa's eyes had not been as focused as before after that.

When the dinner later was done though, Hiccup and Elsa had not sought each other up to talk about whatever they had "talked" about during dinner, instead they had both kept on acting fully professional all night, only speaking to each other once when Lord Anckarloo had brought them together to discuss something with him.

That it was hard to draw any conclusions about their relationship was, in one word, difficult indeed.

Someone who had not been hard to read though was Fishlegs. The man had tried to hide his crush on Elsa and managed fairly well, but it was still painfully obvious. Rapunzel had to admit that Elsa had been extremely kind to him though, especially considering how she usually brushed off all men quite harshly. Instead she had gracefully shown Fishlegs that she was not interested in anything except friendship and they all knew the Viking was aware of this, the two having managed to connect despite his feelings for her.

Considering everything, Rapunzel knew she could be imagining and reading to much into things when it came to Elsa and Hiccup, but her gut told her that she wasn't and if the couple had developed some kind of feelings towards each other, Rapunzel didn't even know if Hiccup and Elsa had noticed it themselves.

Still, thinking back to the last few days, there had been a sadness that had entered Elsa's eyes the when she had looked at the Chief, while Hiccup's eyes had lingered on Elsa more often than before as if he was trying to remember her. They had sought each others company as much as they could and even though they had interacted with everyone else, there had been a sad aura present around them.

So no matter how much she hoped that Elsa was still in the dark, Rapunzel had a feeling she wasn't and she didn't think Hiccup was either. All she could hope for was that they wouldn't find out about it now when Hiccup was leaving and neither could follow the other.

"Yes I think it would work very well, you have my full consent to continue Lord Lejionhufvud (Lionhead), it will be satisfying to see the old windmill up and running again." Elsa said, the young Lord smiling at her.

"Thank you, your majesty!" He replied as he started to pack up his drawings from only free the table in her study.

"You have done all the work sir, I have simply given you permission and some advice on the way. Your father would be very proud of you; I am sure of it." Elsa replied, feeling a bit sad when talking about the old Lord who had been a good friend to her family.

"Thank you, Queen Elsa. I have trained my whole life for this and I still feel unprepared for the challenge. I am sure you felt the same." He said looking at her with sad brown eyes.

"Losing a parent is never something you can prepare for and following in their footsteps is always a big responsibility, we can only do the best we can, hoping to make them proud." She said, remembering the weight of responsibility. She still felt it every day.

"It is; I think about my father every day hoping to make him proud, that's why I do this, I know he wanted the old mill to be put into use once more." The young lord sighed before picking up the last of his drawings. "I will make sure to keep you updated on our progress. Thank you once again for seeing me on such short notice your majesty, I know there is a lot to be settled before the Vikings and your cousins leave today."

"It is but it was my pleasure, now good day Lord Lejionhufvud." Elsa said with a small smile, the man wishing her the same, bowing to her before walking out of the room. With a sigh, Elsa turned to look at the disarray of papers spread over her desk the table which had been placed next to it. It was a mix of drawings, plans and maps, some she was sending with Hiccup to Berk while some they had used in their work during the past weeks. There was a strange mix of old and new papers, showing just how much they had dug through her library the pat few weeks.

The Vikings stay, which originally had been planned to only a week, had turned into a five weeks instead. In the beginning it had been prolonged because of what happened with Mr. Beltham, but as she and Hiccup had gotten lost in one of his projects, the stay had been stretched out until they were finished, which had only been two days ago, the Vikings using the past two days to pack up their things.

Looking at the mess on her table, Elsa knew she would lie if she said she wasn't going to miss all of them. Just as Anna had said last night the castle would be empty without her cousins and the Vikings, all of them having been a breath of fresh air to the usually dull court which only consisted of the same people doing their best to climb the ranks and in her esteem.

The Vikings hadn't done this and she thought this was why they had connected so well, not only the royal family, but with everyone.

Astrid had become highly appreciated amongst the royal guard, the men having asked her to show them some tricks and even train them when she had the time, an offer she had gladly accepted, the men both regretting their question later on and knowing it was the best question they had ever asked.

Fishlegs on the other hand had spent most of his time with Elsa and Hiccup. While he hadn't worked with them, he had been overjoyed when Elsa had offered him access to her library and had always been present when they were together, lost in his own world of trying to gain as much knowledge about the world as possible.

When it came to her and Hiccup's relationship, it had deepened. The more they had gotten to know each other, the more relaxed she kept feeling in his company and the warmer she started to feel when he was around. She had also begun to notice that she would miss him when he was not there, even if it meant that she was just missing the comfortable silence they so often shared when they worked together.

During the time they had spent with each other, Elsa had come to notice how Hiccup would start playing around with a pen or any other object when he was in deep thought, his eyebrows furrowing slightly when he was challenged with a problem he couldn't solve while his green eyes would turn stubborn. Sometimes she would ask if he needed help, others she watched him until she saw the moment when he found the answer, his mouth turning into a small smile, a slightly triumphant look in his eyes.

She had very much come to enjoy his simple company. She valued his opinions and she knew he was always honest with her. He was not afraid to speak his mind, no matter if he knew she would like his opinion or not, and she found that it both intrigued her and made her trust for him to grow.

It would be strange to have him leave now after all this time, and Elsa realized that she would even miss the way they had been forced to partner up against the constant teasing they had suffered from the others, both having become slightly tired of constantly having to hear little comments about their friendship.

Thankfully, the others had never spoken about the subject when people outside of the family were present and Elsa could accept their teasing since she knew it was just that; teasing. After all, she and Hiccup were just friends and nothing more. That, at times, her heart would flutter when he looked at her with his intense green eyes, or that she would feel a strange warmth in her heart when he looked at her with eyes filled with laughter, meant nothing at all.

She had come to the conclusion that this probably only happened because she was so unused to let someone in as much as she had let Hiccup in, for it could be nothing else.

Sure he made her laugh and they had opened up about to each other more and more, she had even taken him up to her ice palace late one night. It had been about two weeks after their talk by the pond when she had approached him after dinner, saying that she wanted to show him her palace of solitude. Hiccup had not questioned anything about her strange request, instead she had seen that he knew it was not simply about her wanting to show him the palace she had built. They had met up by the pond in the middle of the night and flown on Toothless high up into the Northern mountains, Elsa finding some calm from his warmth in the cold night.

It had been the first time Elsa returned to her palace since she had been taken away by prince Hans and the guards. The need to return had grown stronger the more she had started to accept herself, for she had felt more and more that she need to return to get some kind of closure. The only thing that had bothered her had been the fact that she hand't wanted to go alone.

Hiccup had been the natural choice for her. He knew of the dark emotions connected to the place, how it felt to be alone, and in the end she had been happy she had brought him along, for he had helped her overcome the dark memories which had flooded through her once she stepped through the palace doors.

He had been a stable pillar, a friendly shoulder she could lean on, just as she had been later that night when he had told her more about his past and how hard he had struggled to fit in, a struggle that, in a way, very much differed from her own and still was so painfully similar.

They had been there for each other, like friends always were and now she was going to miss him very dearly, like one missed your best friend.

A knock on the door made her jump slightly and she realized she had been so lost in her thoughts she had not even begun sorting the papers. Collecting her racing thoughts, she turned her attention to the papers as she called out for the one who had knocked to enter, young Fredrik appearing in the doorway.

"Hiccup is here to see you, your majesty." He said in a small voice, the boy still a little unsure how he should act around her. Elsa had been certain to let him know about the deep gratitude she felt towards him, Hiccup having told her he never would have found her had it not been for the young boy, but Fredrik still had a hard time letting go off the fact he, if he had followed protocol, shouldn't have brought Hiccup to her room that night.

"Chief Haddock, Fredrik." Elsa scolded him kindly, knowing he could not slip up if others were around.

"Sorry, Queen Elsa." Fredrik said, a slight blush of shame on his cheeks.

"No need to apologize, just don't let Mr. Karlsson hear you." She replied, winking at the young boy who sent her a smile, relief in his eyes, before disappearing just as Hiccup walked into the room with a smile of his own. He was dressed in his leather armor and Elsa felt a small pang in her chest once more, the sight reminding her of the fact that they were all soon about to leave.

"He is something special that one." Hiccup said, walking over to her, his eyes landing on all of the papers that lay over the table just like they had left them the day before. "Looks like someone's been a bit distracted." He told her with a grin, Elsa sending him a small playful glare.

"As it happens, I have a lot on my mind. Besides, most of these papers are yours and not mine, so are you going to help me or not?"

"Bossy are we?" Hiccup asked with a raised eyebrow, his green eyes full of humor while Elsa ignored the way it made her heart flutter a little. It was another strange thing that had started to happen recently and it was one she both liked and hated equally.

"Considering I have learned that's the only way to deal with you stubborn Vikings, yes I am. And if you don't help me I will make sure that these papers never leave the castle." She replied with as much threat in her voice she could, knowing she failed pretty badly when Hiccup looked completely unfazed by her words.

"The wrath of the Snow Queen, it will sting like a paper cut, all beware of her mighty threats of not covering you in books." He said with chuckle, Elsa making a snowball appear in her hand. Seeing the more real threat, Hiccup held up his hand, Elsa noticing the worn old leather book in it for the first time. "Peace?" He asked her with a smile, handing her worn book as she looked at it with curios eyes.

It was quite heavy and the pages did not appear to be equally large or even of the same material. Opening it, Elsa could not help to let out a small gasp, looking up at Hiccup with huge eyes.

"You are not allowed to keep it I'm afraid, but since you said you wanted to see Berk…" Hiccup shrugged as he trailed off, Elsa flipping through the first few pages, filled with wonder.

It was a book filled with drawings that were so extremely detailed that they almost appeared to be alive. The skill and handiwork was exceptional and while Elsa had known Hiccup could draw extremely well, she had seen his designs, this was on a new level.

This was art, it was amazing.

"That's Gobber and my mom along with their dragons in front of the blacksmith." Hiccup said, having walked up next to her, his warmth rolling towards her as she suddenly felt how her mind started to have a problem with focusing fully on the beautiful drawings, wanting more to focus on the fact that he was standing so close to her.

Maybe she really needed a vacation?

"She is beautiful." Elsa replied, looking at Hiccup's mother who wore a warm smile, a huge dragon sitting behind her. The picture was black and white, but there was a warmth in it that told her how much these people meant to Hiccup, even without having heard the warmth in his voice. Flipping to another page, she saw Astrid and Fishlegs around a fire with a group of other Vikings about their own age, Elsa remembering something.

"Wasn't Astrid joining us?" She asked.

"She was but she was held up down at the training area so I didn't want to disturb her since I thought we could begin, which you so clearly have already done." He replied, Elsa hitting him lightly in the side with the book. "I think Astrid's tendency for violence is rubbing off on you." Hiccup chuckled.

"Or maybe it's simply the fact that you are so highly annoying we have no other choice. Now go and pack, I deserve a small brake." Elsa replied, Hiccup only shaking his head with a smile before starting to look over the papers on the desk, Elsa turning back to the drawings.

As she looked at the pages, her mind, which seemed to go in every direction didn't want it to, brought her the realization that this was the first time in weeks she and Hiccup had been alone, not counting that one time she had brought him with her up into the mountains.

It was not that the company of the others had been unwanted, quite the opposite, but only now did she realize that Astrid had almost always been present, having even joined them in the library for a while before Fishlegs started joining them frequently. Even at dinners, where they had gotten the chance to speak on their own very often, the times had become less frequent the longer the Vikings had stayed in Arendelle.

Still it was probably not much to it, she could understand that the Vikings missed their home and that being close to each other was a way of connecting to Berk. After all, they had more and more started speaking about their home, conversations she and the other couldn't fully join in on.

What these conversations had done though was increasing Elsa's curiosity about their strange land and she had asked Hiccup about it, though it had been Astrid who had mostly filled her in, Hiccup taking a step back as his second in command had gladly told Elsa everything she wanted to know. It was had been clear that Astrid was the one who mostly missed Berk, for she was the one who most often brought it into the conversation.

Looking at the drawings, Elsa suddenly felt a longing to travel. She had been only ever visited Corona and Stockholm, and Berk was looking so extremely different from any small town or city she had ever seen. Flipping through the pages, she suddenly froze as her eyes landed on a drawing of herself and her heart started beating a little faster in her chest.

Hiccup had drawn her as she had looked that night when they had had their talk down by the pond, it had to be that night for she was wearing her coat. Her hair hung over her shoulders, her eyes gazing out over the pond and there was a soft expression on her face, but it was also clear how weighed down and troubled she was by something. Looking at the picture, Elsa realized for the first time had far she had gotten, even though she still had a long way to go.

The drawing was done with the same detail as all the others and still there was something about the way Hiccup had painted the background, like it was almost fading away, that made it contrast from all the other drawings. There was a depth to it, to her, that made it feel like she was looking at a mirror and that she at any second could rise and walk off the page.

There was also a strange feeling to it that made it feel like her stomach was suddenly filled with butterflies and she found she couldn't really look away, feeling that she was just about to reach that thought which had been floating just out of her reach for so long now.

"What's this?" Hiccup's curios voice broke the silence and she looked up at him, the thought disappearing as she closed the book and looked at paper he held up to her. It was a painting that showed a very bad attempt at a snowman giving a flower to man, the man consisting of only a head, arms and legs.

Seeing the old painting, Elsa felt a pink blush spread over her face in embarrassment, thinking about the drawings Hiccup had just allowed her to see.

"Nothing." Elsa said, putting the book down on her desk while trying to take the paper away from him, but thanks to Hiccup's fast reflexes he managed to get it out of her reach.

"Wait, you made this?" He asked, quickly drawing the right conclusion, a smile spreading over his face. Looking at him Elsa couldn't help to feel a little amused herself over how fun he apparently seemed to find the information.

"I drew it when I two. You know I am not very good at drawing." She answered with as much dignity she could.

"So you said, but I didn't fully believe you, now I do." Hiccup teased her as he finally put the paper into her range and she could snatch it from him.

"At least I'm not denying it." She smiled at him before looking down at the old painting. "I didn't even know papa had saved it, I was so proud over it that I rushed down here and gave it to him immediately. He was in a meeting but he took it anyway. It was before my powers showed themselves much." She said, feeling how the warmth from the fond memory dulled as the usual feeling of loneliness settled over her.

Seeing how the light and fondness in her eyes died a little, Hiccup placed his hand on Elsa's shoulder and she looked up at him with sad eyes. Giving her shoulder a small squeeze of comfort, he saw how the sadness slowly died away before she sent him a grateful smile. Sending her an encouraging look in return, Hiccup let go of her shoulder, feeling happy that he had been able to offer her some comfort while he fully ignored the way her cold skin still made his hand tingle.

"He was named Fluffy Snowball." Elsa suddenly said, looking at the snowman with a smile while Hiccup sent her with a skeptical look. But to his surprise she seemed to be completely serious.

"Fluffy Snowball?" He asked with disbelief. "And you think we have weird names." He muttered the last part, knowing Elsa had heard him when she laughed.

"I don't know, naming a dragon something like "Fluffy Flyball" could perhaps make people less frightened of them." She replied, a mischievous look in her eyes.

"If I were even to suggest that to my tribe they would think I had become insane. Also, I have yet to encounter a fluffy dragon." Hiccup said, thinking about the stunned faces of his fellow Vikings if anyone had ever suggested a name close to "Fluffy Flyball". No, it was safer for everyone if they never knew.

"Well the day you do encounter a fluffy dragon, you have my full consent and permission to use the name." Elsa told him with a grin.

"Why thank you Queen Elsa, I promise I will consider it very carefully." Hiccup replied, turning back to the papers on the desk before giving a shout of surprise when he was suddenly hit with a gust of snow. Turning around, Elsa was looking at him innocently with her hand raised, not even trying to hide the fact that she had summoned it, not that it could have been anyone else.

"Why do I get the feeling you are mocking me, Chief Haddock?" She asked, trying not to laugh at the fact that the snow had stuck, not only in Hiccup's hair, but in his eyebrows and the small stubble on his face as well.

"You know you should never engage a Viking if you are not ready for the consequences." He answered and at the look in his eyes, Elsa took a small step backwards.

"And why is tha… ahh!" She gave a small shriek as she darted to the left when Hiccup suddenly reached for her, her scream turning into laughter as he began chasing her around the room. Never in her entire life had she felt more silly, or had more fun.

It didn't take long though until Hiccup, who was much faster than her and could take longer steps, got a hold of her around her waist and easily lifted her up from the ground. It was almost as if she weighed nothing at all. Still he somehow managed to loose his balance and they tumbled to the ground, both laughing so much they had to catch their breaths.

"Trying to kidnap the Queen are we Chief Haddock?" Elsa giggled as she turned her head and looked at him, Hiccup already looking at her with intense eyes, blinking when she turned to him as the intense look died away slightly.

"I tried to yes, but it appears my kidnapping days are over." He answered with a grin, the intensity now completely gone, only laughter in his eyes instead.

"I have to agree, considering you can't even seem to capture me correctly." Elsa chuckled, Hiccup reaching over to give her a light shove before rising from the floor, offering her his hand to help her up, an offer she gladly accepted.

Looking at him she noticed how the snow in his hair had begun to melt and, knowing she was responsible, she felt she only owed it to him to fix it.

"Hold on a second." She therefore said, keeping her hold on his hand so he wouldn't turn away as she reached up, freezing the water before dissolving it into the air. On a whim, she then reached out and did something she had wanted to do for quite a while, out of simple curiosity of course, she ran her hand through Hiccup's hair, ruffling it slightly so it fell back in it's normal place.

"There all dry." She said with a smile, ignoring the fact that her heart had picked up speed once more and that her hand seemed to burn slightly, still feeling how soft his hair had been despite always being so unruly. Looking into Hiccup's green eyes, which were once again looking at her as if trying to memorize something, she felt the sadness she had been trying to push away fall over her.

"I will miss our talks." She said, not able to bring herself to say the full truth, that she would miss him, she was going to miss Hiccup.

At her words Hiccup let go off the hand he was still holding on to, only to pull her into a warm hug that she fully returned. Feeling his warmth surround her, she breathed in his scent which she somehow had gotten used to during his stay. It was strange how much his warm arms brought her a sense of belonging and comfort.

The only other times they had hugged was the night he had saved her and the night she had showed him her palace. Both times she had been sad and full of swirling emotions, then she could have understood the feelings. But now? Sure she was a little confused over the emotions swirling within, but it was not in the same way.

So why did she feel so safe in his arms when she actually didn't need a safe haven? Why did she feel that she never wanted him to let go?

"At least I will not have to worry about having my feet frozen to the ground on Berk." Hiccup chuckled, Elsa smiling at the memory of how she accidently had frozen his feet to the ground. It had been something the others had refused to forget, especially when she had done it again another time, though that time it had actually been on purpose.

"No I guess not." She said as they drew back and she looked up at him, taking in his features truly for the first time, feeling that she wanted to remember him since he was going away. Looking at him now, she finally had to admit what she had so fiercely denied from the beginning, that Hiccup actually was very handsome.

He wasn't perfect or refined in any way, but he was real and that simple fact was what made him so attractive. His skin had a healthy glow from the sun and while his nose was a little big, it fitted his features very well. He had a strong jaw, his mouth was always close to a smile and there was a small scar on the right side on his chin, right underneath his mouth.

Without really thinking, she reached up and touched it, wondering how she could never have noticed it before.

"I have never seen this before." She whispered, voicing her thought as she felt how the air around them started to crackle a little, and she unconsciously noted that she had moved closer to him.

"I got it when I was a baby, a dragon accidently scratched me." Hiccup told her, his green eyes looking at her, that intense look back in his eyes and it made her heart beat even faster in her chest, the sensation both terrifying and exciting.

"I see." She replied, not really knowing what else to say as she traced his jaw, feeling the stubble under her fingers, finding that she did it so she could look away from his green eyes a moment.

Why was she so interested in his features all of the sudden? Why was the contact suddenly not only giving her warmth but burning her slightly as well? Was it simply because he was leaving? She didn't think so, but she didn't know.

Her mind turned even more foggy when Hiccup suddenly reached up and pushed some of the hair that had fallen down in her face behind her ear, the action causing her already racing mind to push everything away, everything except what was somehow connected to Hiccup and this moment.

That was almost painfully clear.

"It never seems to stay in place." He told her lightly, but his green eyes still made her breathless when he looked at her. His hand was burning her skin and she felt her cheeks turn red when he suddenly brushed his hand against her right cheek, Elsa finding herself leaning into his warmth on her own accord. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his other hand move up her arm slowly only to rest on her shoulder lightly.

What was wrong with her? Why wasn't she moving away? Deep inside she felt that the thought from earlier was within her reach, but now she simply didn't care about it. She wanted whatever this was, while another part of her wanted to draw back. It wanted to stop the way her blood was rushing through her body, the way her was heart beating widely in her chest and the warmth that seemed to invade her from every direction.

That part of her was scared of what was going on, but it was not the strongest of the two. The part of her wanted to be lost in this very moment was much stronger, and that terrified her most of all.

Then Hiccup's eyes suddenly quickly darted to her lips and she felt how all rational thought left her when he looked at her again, his eyes burning while he was looking at her searchingly. It was almost as if he had never truly seen her before either and under his burning gaze all that suddenly seemed to exist was him and the way her skin burned under his hands.

Dear God she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to draw back as well, they should draw back, but more than anything she wanted him to kiss her.

Why could he not just kiss her? Leaning into his warmth slightly more, Hiccup eyes looked deeply into her own and she didn't know what had changed, but suddenly his arms sneaked around her waist and he was drawing her even closer to him while he slowly leaned in.

At the action, Elsa felt how her whole body started humming in response and she closed her eyes at the overwhelming feelings, trying to make any sense of the emotions running through her. Then she felt his warm breath upon her lips and she let out a breathless sigh, one rational thought suddenly breaking through her hazed mind like a spear.

"You're leaving." The words left her before she had even time to reflect upon them, and the moment she spoke, her mind and body screamed at her to take them back, to tell him that she didn't care, that she didn't want him to draw back.

But it was already too late. She could see it in Hiccup's eyes when he looked down at her, drawing back slightly.

"We can't, of course we can't." He whispered, his eyes conflicted as his hand stroked her cheek once more before he drew back with a shuddering breath, running his hands through his hair as he turned away from her.

In that moment, they both felt how the bubble they had created was broken, the harsh reality crashing down over them.

Elsa herself drew in a small breath, her body, for the first time ever, feeling cold. It was aching for warmth, his warmth. She felt cold without his warm arms around her and her heart was aching over the loss while the rational part of her, the one that had once again proven to always be on control, told her that she had done the right thing.

There had never been a decision to be made. There had never been one to be made really.

"I'm sorry." Hiccup said, still not looking at her, Elsa wrapping her arms around herself when hearing his conflicted voice, the feeling of loss growing as she wanted to reach out to him, but she couldn't, not now.

"It was not just you… don't apologize, it was just the moment." She replied instead, trying to convince herself and him of this. But looking at Hiccup, she knew he didn't believe the lie more than she did, for they both knew it was just that; a lie.

The attraction had not been there from the beginning, Elsa couldn't say when the spark that appeared. All she knew was that just like the sun in the spring, it had so extremely slowly thawed the last defenses in her heart that she hadn't even known it was happening.

But it had and in the last few weeks, the spark had only grown. It had been there, underlying many of their fights, their teasing and in the way they had come to look at each other. She had denied it, they had denied it, but it had been there, wanting to make itself known.

Elsa knew it was what she had seen in the drawing of herself, she had known why it differed from the others, but neither one of them had wanted to see the truth, for the truth would only bring troubles and heartache, like it did now.

If it was any light in the darkness, it was that Hiccup was leaving today. He was a Chief who could not abandon his people, just like she couldn't abandon hers to follow him. Had they discovered this earlier, they might not have been able to resist it, for it might have been stronger. At least now it was not as strong as it would have been then and now it would be easier.

It had to be easier, Elsa told herself, but her heart was telling her otherwise. With pure willpower, she silenced it harshly as she had done so many times in the past.

"Perhaps we should continue?" She said, breaking the silence. She could see Hiccup open his mouth to say something, only to close it again as he simply nodded to her instead, and she knew that his slightly broken expression had to mirror her own.

Packing up the last things and sorting up the final papers, a heavy silence hung around them, both lost in their own thoughts. They were working in a slower pace than they usually did, neither one wanting the moment to end.

When they were done, Elsa felt her heart clench in her chest when she looked up Hiccup, for she didn't want him to leave. She didn't want him to go.

"Will you come later this afternoon and tell us goodbye?" Hiccup asked her, looking at her with eyes that made her want to reach out and hug him, but she didn't, instead she clasped her hands in front of her, the gesture an old one she had used so often in the past.

"Of course I will." She replied, mustering up a small smile while they looked at each other and for a second the tension was back, mixing with their heavy feelings. They knew that if just one of them reached out, they would have a memory to carry with them.

But at the same time they both knew it would only make matters worse. It was better for them both not to know what could have happened, that way they would never have dwell on something that was impossible.

So when Hiccup reached out and picked up his book of drawings from her table the moment was over. Now they could turn it all into a memory and the spark would remain just that, a spark. One that, with time, hopefully would disappear. They couldn't be too far gone to be only friends, they couldn't be.

"I will see you later then, Elsa." Hiccup told her, sending her one last long look before walking away, closing the door carefully behind him. The moment the door clicked shut, Elsa sunk down in her chair with her head in her hands, trying to ignore the void that had appeared within and that was telling her that she was fooling herself, that she had just done a giant mistake.

With a small thud a single drop of ice, in the shape of a teardrop, landed on her desk and seeing it, Elsa rose from her chair before rushing out of her study, wanting nothing more than to be alone.

So yeah... maybe I should have posted this before Halloween, then I could have dressed up as someone else for a while. I will just go into my corner now and work on the next chap! Don't forget to tell me what you think, for where will it go from here?

Until next time my dear readers! (exiting slowly with a slightly evil smile)
/Lysistrate