Chapter Sixteen: So the Tale Goes
Bunny froze, his back stiffening as her heard her voice. Her voice. His breath seemed to catch in his throat and every muscle running from his shoulders to his toes tensed. He looked to the bed and saw the blond quickly pulling her hair away, her lips pulled into a immensely huge grin as more tears spilled from her huge eyes as she laughed. Jack jumped in the air, grabbing the girl by her shoulders and laughing hysterically. He shifted his gaze ever so slightly until his eyes landed on her: curls hanging over her shoulders and eyes opened. They were bright. They were alive. "Oh god!" He cried, voice stumbled as he lunged forward with his knee catching on the mattress as he enveloped his arms around her and squeezed her against his chest.
She felt so warm. So real. "Tell me I'm not dreaming." He murmured in her ear.
"You're not, you're not." She assured, a twinge of confusion in her tone. Her hand slipped to cup the back of his neck, her fingers brushing at the ends of his hair. She smiled softly, kissing his cheek gently. "I'm right here." She promised as Bunny raised his face to look at her.
"You were gone, Toothy." He said, shaking his head and squeezing her hand.
Toothiana's brow furrowed. "Gone- what do you mean?"
North stepped in, speaking with his low voice. "Do you not remember?" He asked.
Tooth blinked, turning her body so that she leaned against the wall of the ship, pulling the blankets over her lap. Bunny sat beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder and holding her close to him.
"Pitch…" North began, wringing his hands and looking to Rapunzel and Jack. "He shot you."
Tooth's eyes widened. "No…" She murmured in shock. "He wouldn't" She ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh Pitch, what have you become?" She whispered beneath her breath.
North looked at her sympathetically, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Toothy." He said gently. "Best get some rest. We are sailing for DunBroch." He said, waving the children out of the room, before following after them himself.
When the door closed, Tooth looked at Bunny with wide violet eyes. "Pitch he…" She whispered, feeling an immense sadness weigh on her chest like the heavy waves they sailed across.
Bunny put a hand to her cheek, not saying anything, simply wrapping his arms around her.
"I should have protected you." He uttered, brushing the hair from the nape of her neck."
Tooth gave him a comforting squeeze. "There was nothing you could have done." Tooth assured. "I'm sure of it." She whispered sadly, leaning against Bunny's shoulder and letting the ease of the drifting waves lull her towards sleep. "Pitch." She said sadly. "He made his choice."
TTT
Pitch sat in their room, clutching her beaded dress in his hands as he sank to the floor, tears staining his cheeks as he pressed the cloth against his nose; taking in her scent for the last time.
Clean and minty.
He stifled a sob, pressing his palm to his forehead as he clung even more tightly to her dress, certain the beads pinching his skin would draw blood.
He had ruined everything. He had destroyed the one thing he had ever- or would ever love. He bit down on his tongue with a sharply pointed tooth, tasting something metallic in his mouth as he slowly released his grip, letting the dress fall to the ground, hitting the ground with an empty clatter that seemed to echo through his entire body.
He shuddered.
Pitch slowly sank onto the bed, reaching to his side and holding up his pistol, heavy and hard to hold in his hand as he pressed the cold metal to his temple. He bit back his hot tears, hand trembling as his finger slid to the trigger.
He was a disgusting snake, slithering across the ground. Slimy, dark… a deceitful wretch.
He took a shuddering breath. One….
Two….
Three….
He did not pull the trigger.
Instead his arm fell to his side, lying limply against the bed as he stared blankly at the wall. With a slender hand he reached into his pocket, pulling out Toothiana's old wedding ring, once a warm sight now seemed harsh and icy.
He lifted it to his mouth, pressing it to his lips as he squeezed his eyes closed.
How ironic. He thought ruefully. The Nightmare King is the greatest coward of them all.
TTT
It was a few days' sailing before the reached the waters of DunBroch. Rapunzel leaned over the railing, squinting so that she could see the tall green mountains rising from the foggy mainland. "Oh." She gasped, feeling her very breath stolen at the sight.
She felt a cool shoulder brush against hers as they approached the docks. "Beautiful?" A familiar voice asked.
Rapunzel felt blossoming warmth in her heart as she nodded. "I've never seen anything like it, Jack." She admitted, looking up to meet his gaze. For a moment, she thought she caught his pale cheeks flush pink, but she ignored it.
"I thought you'd like it." He grinned, bumping her shoulder." Rapunzel laughed, flushing at his touch. "I've only heard about this place, but Hiccup talked about it a lot." He looked at her knowingly.
Rapunzel smiled, opening her mouth to reply when she heard another voice. "The hills were always the nicest." Hiccup said, joining them at the beam. "Great for racing and stuff like that."
"Really?" Rapunzel asked excitedly. "That sounds wonderful-"
"Oh yeah," Jack teased, "Especially if you've got a pretty princess riding a horse along with you." He said, smirking at Hiccup.
Hiccup just shook his head, but his smile did not falter, as the harbor only grew closer.
TTT
Merida bit into an apple as she pushed a door open with her hip, the crunching sound crackling in the throne room. She paused, mid-bite and let her arm fall, awkwardly swallowing the lump of apple in her mouth as she looked up to her parents, several rows of soldiers kneeling before them. Merida frowned, wiping juice from the corner of her mouth as she hurried forward. "What's going on?" She asked, coming to a stop in front of her mother and father. King Fergus rose to his feet, walking down to meet her, his wooden leg clacking against the hard stone floor.
"Hello, my wee lass." He grinned and put a warm hand on her shoulder. Merida's gaze shifted suspiciously from Elinor to her father. A heavy wariness hung across her shoulders as she tried to figure out what was going on.
"Mum?" She asked, looking up at Elinor, who too had risen smoothly to her feet, long brown hair hanging elegantly down her back in a way Merida had never been able to manage- not with her rat's nest of curls anyways. Not that it bothered her of course.
"A ship is approaching our harbor." Elinor said, looking to Fergus. "They are too far off to be sure, but we think they might be North's-"
Merida's eyes widened at her mother's words and immediately discarded her apple, tossing it to the ground as she turned on her heel and rand for the door. "Merida!" Her mother scolded, but the fiery girl ran on, the words of her parents drowning out as she skittered down the halls and out towards the stables.
She saddled Angus as quickly as she could, hanging her bow over her shoulders and giving him a nudge in the ribs. "Go!" She ordered, horse bursting from his stall. Merida maneuvered around the other citizens, darting out of her way with large baskets of bread and fruit as she waved to the guards at the gate. "Open up!" She shouted loudly, not even bothering to slow her pace.
The guards sprung into action, fumbling for a moment in order to get the gates moving so suddenly. However, Merida simply whooped, ducking in order to slide out into the open fields.
She cut away from the main path, delving down the sloping hills that led towards the riverbank. Branches clawed at her face, leaving long streaking scratches on her cheeks as she shoved them from her face, jolting a bit roughly on her horse's back.
The moment they broke through the brush, Merida felt the air fly from her lungs.
She would recognize that boat anywhere.
She had chased it down for as long as she could when it had sailed away the first time, watching him hand off the end of the boat with his name on her lips.
Her body grew light and bubbling laughter brimmed at her lips.
"Hiccup."
TTT
"They say we'll be docking soon, sheilas." Bunny grinned, sitting beside Tooth, pushing a strand of brown hair behind her ear. Tooth smiled at him, slender fingers twined through Sophie's messy pile of hair, trying to smooth it into a couple nice braids.
"Good." Tooth grinned as Sophie giggled, bouncing in excitement at the thought of having nicely braided hair. "I've missed walking on land." She gave Bunny a sweet smile and he felt a familiar tingling sensation in his chest.
He had grown accustomed to it over the few days they had spent on the boat together. He, Tooth, Sophie and Jamie… almost like a little family.
"It wasn't so bad." Bunny teased, giving Sophie a kiss on the forehead and rubbing his scruffily growing beard across her cheek
The girl squealed, squirming about in Tooth's arms until she had completely fallen from the woman's lap and burrowed deep into the covers, hair still only partially braided.
Tooth furrowed a brow at him, but still smiled. "Oh now look what you've done." She teased, crossing her arms.
"Sorry, Toothy." He smirked, ruffling her hair.
"You!" she laughed, jumping to her feet and poking him in the side. Jamie looked up from his book, a wide smile growing on his lips as he let out a strange sort of battle cry, bouncing from his place on the bed and leaping onto Aster's shoulders.
"Yarg!" Jamie shouted, leaning back in an attempt to tip Bunny over.
Sophie giggled gleefully, pulling at Bunny's shirt, yanking him towards the bed. Toothiana hopped up, throwing her arms around his broad chest and letting her legs collapse, putting all her weight on him.
"Oh no!" Bunny exclaimed dramatically, moving his arms so that they looped around Tooth's waist, supporting her body. "This fell beast…" He rumbled as though he were a great monster. "can not fight…" He flopped back on the bed, Sophie and Jamie on either side of him with Tooth resting on his chest, all giggling happily. "The power of love." He flopped his head to the side, closing his eyes for a moment.
The three looked at each other, grins plastered on their faces. Just as Tooth moved to bump him, Jamie whooped, dropping his body across Bunny's chest.
"Oof!" He grunted, laughing a bit as he rolled to his side, clutching his abdomen. Jamie laughed in victory, raising a fist to the air as Sophie simply tried to contain her laughter.
Tooth's eyes widened and she scooted closer, hovering over Bunny and pushing the hair from his face. "Aster? Are you alright?" She asked gently, feeling a bit of worry twinge at her heart.
"Trubh lubve's kigh." He mumbled, not opening his eyes at all.
Tooth frowned, confused at his garbled jargon. "What?" She laughed, raising her eyebrows at him. He cracked a green eye open at her, a tiny grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"True love's kiss." He quickly whispered.
Tooth rested her chin in her hand, raising an eyebrow at him. However, no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to wrangle the silly smile from her lips. Slowly, she leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, closing her eyes as she wove her fingers through his.
She heard a hiss of disgust and sat up, looking to see Jamie with his tongue partially out. "You guys are gross!" He shouted, hopping from the bed and darting out the door, no doubt looking for the other children that scampered about the ship. Sophie quickly tumbled after him, knotted hair slipping from its braid and flapping at her back as she called out for her older brother.
Tooth paused, looking over at Bunny, who simply smiled at her and placed an arm over her shoulder. She leaned into him, loving the warmth of his body against hers. "Do you think they'll need separate bedrooms?" He asked.
Tooth laughed, "definitely."
TTT
Rapunzel hurried down towards the gangplank, holding onto Jack's arm excitedly. "Come on Jack!" She exclaimed as the boat came up against the dock. The moment she went to step from the boat, she felt a strong force pulling her back. She yelped in surprise as she collided into Jack's cool chest, just barely dodging a girl with crazy spiraling red hair and a bow strapped to her back.
"You!" She heard the girl shriek in a strange accent as she practically shoved Ralph out of the way so that she could get through. Rapunzel heard jack laughing, tipping his head back towards the sky.
"Who-" Rapunzel began, lifting a finger to point at the girl when she heard a loud crashing noise. Rapunzel jumped in shock as Hiccup lunged forward from the other side of Ralph, grabbing the girl and holding onto her tightly. Rapunzel's eyes widened as she watched him murmur words into her hair. "Merida…" She heard him whisper. She looked up at Jack who watched the pair, a smirk on his lips.
"That's the princess of DunBroch." He grinned. "She and Hic have a little…" He chucked, "history."
Rapunzel looked at them as Merida pulled away, grinning at Hiccup widely before turning. "Come on-" She said, voice heavy with a foreign accent. "My mother and father will want to know why you're here."
Rapunzel looked at Jack nervously. "Will they let us stay?" She asked tentatively. Jack reached down, brows furrowing in concern for her as he squeezed her hand.
"I don't know-" He admitted, "but no matter what happens, I'll protect you."
Rapunzel felt a warmth blossom in her chest and held his hand. "And I'll protect you." She promised.
Jack laughed, bumping into her playfully. "Good. I'll probably need it."
TTT
Tooth stood beside Aster, his arm around her shoulder while she held Sophie's hand. Queen Elinor and King Fergus sat in a throne before them, listening to North's request.
"To my understanding, you wish for us to allow you to take refuge in our kingdom to hide this woman," She nodded towards Toothiana. "From this 'Pitch Black', as well as the rest of your troupe."
North nodded. "That would be… correct." North said tentatively.
Elinor sighed, "you understand that we cannot shelter you all within the Palace, correct? Not without endangering my family and people from his… 'Nightmares'."
Tooth felt her heart pound heavily in her chest, palms sweating. It was almost the same feeling she got the first time she performed for an audience. A terrible clenching in her gut and a buzz in her ears. She felt a strong hand squeeze her shoulder gently.
Tooth took a breath. Everything was going to be okay.
"Yes." North nodded.
Elinor sighed, looking to Fergus for a moment. "You may stay here for the night, but many of you will have to be house out in the courtyard... My husband and I will need to discuss this." She turned to Fergus, face creased with concern. Tooth felt a wave of sympathy rush over her chest. The poor woman wanted to help them, but she had a responsibility to her people as well. Tooth turned to Aster, parting her lips slightly to speak. Perhaps they could find somewhere else to hide… somewhere where other lives wouldn't be put in danger. Not while she could help it.
A red haired girl stepped out from her chair. "Mother-" She began, only for the queen to raise her hand.
"Merida be silent." The queen said, looking at the princess seriously, eyes unwavering as the girl's eyes flashed with frustration.
Merida glared, stalking out of the throne room, snatching up her bow as her curls streamed after her, burning bright like a torch. Tooth followed her with her gaze, watching as Hiccup turned and hurried after her.
She sighed, looking back to the queen, and for a moment their eyes locked. "Please my lady…" She stepped foreword, fingers trailing down Aster's arm to his hand. "I understand that this must be difficult, and I know I could never understand what it is like to sit where you are and make choices everyday that define what happens to your people… but I beg of you, help us. We will do whatever we can in return, but we need you."
The Queen paused, tapping her finger on the arm of her throne before sighing, "very well… I have heard your case, I will discuss it with my husband tonight. However, for the present, set up your tents within our walls. Rest yourselves and we'll have food brought out for your people…"
"Many thanks, my Queen." North said, relief running across his furrowed brow. "If there is anything we can do…"
Queen Elinor raised her hand soothingly, a softened grace about her features. Warm and gentle. The look of a mother. "Please, rest. You must be weary of your travels."
North paused, the two looking at each other for a moment before he turned, nodding at Aster and Tooth to follow. Sophie reached up with her chubby little arms and Tooth immediately took her up in them, holding the girl close to her chest.
She looked up to Aster, whom she could see looking down at her fondly, the faintest of smiles resting on his lips.
He was such a gruff man… rough ridges, tough exterior. Everything about him was strong, his build, his jaw. His spirit. Yet in the quiet moments when they simply met gazes- no matter how many people surrounded them- she could see right through it. Beneath it all, he was simply Aster.
Her Aster.
"It's gonna be alright, sheila." He promised, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead, calloused hand sliding down from her shoulder, across her arm to gently brush Sophie's hair from her eyes, only to drift to her hip, holding her close to him.
She hesitated in replying.
Everything they had been through… breaking away from everything she knew. Everything she had thought she was right. Understanding that people changed. Pitch had changed, she had changed. And sometimes she couldn't hang on to a life that had been lost. And she needed to do what was best for her. What made her happy. She had given up so much. Wealth, security, certainty.
And yet she had not lost anything.
Her only regret was the pain she had caused Pitch, but even then… she knew leaving him was the right thing.
All the choices, the struggles, going through the eye of death and out again. It had led them back to one another.
She returned his smile, leaning so her head could rest against his chest. "I know."
TTT
"Merida- Merida stop!" Hiccup called, running after her as quickly as he could, grabbing her arm and swinging her around to face him. "Stop it." He said firmly, catching her gaze, sharp blue eyes burning with frustration clashing with his. A calm steady green."
"Did you hear her?" Merida shook her head angrily, running her fingers through her tangled curls as she backed away, pacing furiously across the hall, fists clenching and unclenching. "Acting like I didn't even exist- she always does this! Always!" She whipped around to face him, flicker of hurt drowning beneath the blockade of fury that always seemed to flare up when she and her mother disagreed.
"I know Mer, but-" He stopped when he saw her mouth shoot open only to clamp shut, her teeth grit hard together. "But," He continued, stepping foreword to place his hands on her shoulders, "We can't fight amongst ourselves right now. Just… try to make peace with it for now. Arguing will only break us all apart."
He watched her anger fade, replaced with a look of heartbreaking sadness. He knew she had never felt good enough for her mother. He had known when he met her, the way Elinor spoke of 'perfection' every time Merida did something differently. How, despite the way Merida would storm off, it left an ache in her chest.
"What are we gonna do?" She asked, shaking her head, "If they don't let you stay?"
Hiccup paused, looking down at his feet before finally lifting his eyes to hers. Placing a hand on her cheek, he pulled her in, lips meeting in perhaps the most tender kiss they had ever had. Not rushed, hidden behind dark corners or slipped to one another, nor the masked kisses to hands or cheeks that no one knew the further meaning of.
It was slow, lips moving together like it was the most natural thing in the world. A softness in the way her arms fell to his waist. His fingers slid down from her cheek, down the pale slip of her throat, pulse racing beneath his fingertips before sliding down her arms to the soft swell of her hips.
Hiccup pulled away, forehead resting on hers; eyes still resting shut. "We'll take it one step at a time." He said gently.
He felt her nod, lips brushing his in a gentle kiss. "All right."
TTT
Rapunzel sat in her tent, braiding her long hair, book in her lap as she read out loud, voice hushed and quiet as the world around them slept.
Jack lay her bed, head resting against her pillow, looking up at her with clear blue eyes and a softness he had never known. Her hair hung around her face, glowing warm and golden, pink lips forming the words he doubted he could ever read.
"And then they lived happily ever after." She looked up at him, the sweetest look on her face. As though simply being there was all she needed to be happy. Still he furrowed his brow, "I don't like the end."
Rapunzel frowned curiously, setting the book aside and crossing her legs. "Why not?" She asked curiously.
Jack hummed, sitting up to face her, elbows sitting on his knees. "Because it's not true." He replied plainly.
Rapunzel's lips parted uncertainly as she opened her mouth to question him.
He laughed lightly, usual smirk falling onto his lips, "I don't like it because it means that it's the… end, you know?" He shrugged, Rapunzel listening intently with eager eyes. "And I don' like that everything just… stops, you know?" He reached forward, gently fingering the base of her braid, smooth hair sliding through his fingers with ease.
Rapunzel giggled, catching his hand. "Well everything has to end eventually, right?" She asked, voice light and playful as she grinned at him.
"No." He said simply, pushing a stray hair out of her eyes. "Because they still have to live." His life before had been full of so many 'ends'. His family's death. Being alone in the world for so long. But he found a home. The possibility of loosing Rapunzel, so he brought her with him. There was no real end, even in death, because others lived on through it, carrying everything with them. No. The stories never ended, there was no ever after. There couldn't be something so simple.
"Well how do you think it should end, huh?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
He paused, mulling it over in his thoughts before scooting a bit closer to her, mischief gleaming in his eyes.
"And so they lived."
Rapunzel paused, looking at him and for a moment he feared she would laugh at him. And then she smiled, nodding at him. "I like that better." She said, head tilting ever so slightly to the side. "And so they lived.
A/N: So sorry for the wait guys. Life can get in the way sometimes and for a while I really didn't want to finish this because I felt like I was ending something that I loved (hence the conversation with Jack and Punz). I can honestly say that I have never been so touched by an audience and your unwavering faith in this story and in me. It really is because of you guys that I've made it this far. So this one goes out to all of you who have believed in me for so long. Special thanks to daydreamersmile, guardian-of-feels, and stayamazingblog from tumblr. You are all such beautiful people and are an inspiration to me. I am aware the ending might come off as a little cheesy, but it just felt like the way to 'end' this story.
Epilogue is coming.