Hey everyone! So, this story is unfortunately STILL on its mini- now large (*wince*)- hiatus. I'm so sorry. However, the editing and re-writing is comely along well, slowly but surely! I have successfully written out the next few several chapters and drafted even more, but there are still quite a few kinks to iron out and problems to solve. SO I'm still taking my "leave of absence", but it's been so long and I feel so bad, so I decided to post this chapter for you all, short as it is, to kinda get the ball rolling again-ish... its one of the few I have that are "good to go"... most of the rest all need major TLC...

Anyway, hope you all enjoy it, and sorry again for the continued wait...

Rea, relax, review!

~o0o~

14.

Rapunzel let the palace guard lead her through the many hallways of the Silver Palace of Burgess. She'd only been inside it on a few other occasions, and on any other given day she'd be bouncing around in excitement, taking in the beauty of the architecture, tapestries, paintings, views...

But tonight she watched her feet as they stepped softly across the grey tiles. Tonight, she wasn't in a bouncy mood.

The guard finally came to a halt at two double doors. He turned to Rapunzel.

"Do you wish to be announced, Lady?"

"You don't need to call me that," Rapunzel assured him, "and no, that's ok. Thank you."

The guard gave her a respectful nod before departing. Rapunzel took a deep breath and pushed open one of the doors. She found her self in a vast sitting room of sorts, with a large desk and many bookshelves on one end. Blueprints littered the floor, and for some reason a toy train model occupied most of the desk. North sat by a fireplace on the other end of the room, accompanied by-

"Rapunzel?" Jack exclaimed in surprise, standing up quickly.

"Oh! Jack! I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were here-" Rapunzel said apologetically, equally surprised.

"Nah, its ok!" the white haired boy said quickly, picking up his staff. "I uh, I was just leaving."

"You... you can stay, if you want... I mean, I-"

"No, it's good, really. I'm sure you have more important things to talk about-"

"Oh, no, not really, I just-"

"Teenagers." North stated aloud, rolling his eyes. "Both of you should stay!" he said warmly, standing up and shaking his head.

Rapunzel bit her lip. She really did want to talk to North privately, but she hated to intrude on Jack...

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her. "Why don't I wait outside, and when you're done, we can decide if it's worth going home tonight?" he compromised.

"You don't mind?" Rapunzel asked gratefully.

"Not at all," Jack grinned softly.

"Thank you," Rapunzel said, squeezing his hand. Jack watched her from the doorway as she walked to North. Emma's voice echoed in his head. 'Love struck puppy!' Rolling his eyes, Jack stepped out of the room to wait.

Rapunzel still stood in the doorway even after Jack closed it. She wrung her hands nervously, not sure how to begin.

North chuckled again. "Why don't we go outside, yes? Fresh air clears a troubled mind."

Rapunzel smiled gratefully and allowed North to lead her out another door in his spacious office to a lush garden outside. In the dark of night, the garden was lit up with tiny golden lamps, making Rapunzel feel like she had walked right into fairyland. She sat next to North on a bench beneath the cover of a large tree.

"Now," he said. "Tell me vhat is troubling you."

Rapunzel stared at her hands.

"Everything is wrong," she said. Now that she was here, she found it impossible to accurately form her feelings into words. "Merida… is loosing her connection to Compass."

"So Jack tells me," North said, narrowing his eyebrows.

"Did he tell you I'm loosing… control of my powers too?" she asked warily.

"He… suspected as much," North said, looking at her closely. "But he couldn't be sure."

"Neither can I," admitted Rapunzel. "But I can't help but feel…"

North nodded, and Rapunzel didn't finish her statement.

"I'm scared." She finally said, looking up at the older man.

But North just looked away, making her spirits fall.

"And so he wants you to be," he said in a low voice.

"Pitch?" Rapunzel said, "What's he got to do with our powers failing?"

North sighed. "I cannot be sure… All I know, he is up to something very bad."

"But you have an idea," Rapunzel urged, reading him perfectly.

"Yes… a theory… but I am afraid to be correct."

Rapunzel scooted herself closer to him. "You have to tell me, North," she begged. "Please."

North gave her a tiny smile. "How could I not? The night is filled with many secrets tonight it would seem…" Rapunzel returned the smile, but her heart filled with worried dread at what she might hear, overpowered by her burning curiosity. "The guardians have their secrets… " North began, "and so do the Rulers. The Moon Magic… the crystal… it is not just connected to the four of you."

"It's still connected to Pitch," Rapunzel guessed. She'd thought of this before- how else could one explain why Pitch still held his powers?

"Well, yes… " North agreed with a shrug, "after all, you can take away the Guardianship, but you cannot as easily take away the Moon Magic… but that is not what I meant." Here North paused before continuing.

"The Magic and the crystal are connected to each other- they are same. But, it is also connected to four other… objects… or relics, if you will, from the founding age of Warren. Objects that belonged to original Founders and Guardians. The magic that flows through them is just as strong as magic of the Guardians. Now, if crystal is damaged, so are powers."

Rapunzel bit her lip again as she thought that over. "But the crystal hasn't been damaged… so does that means the relics have?"

Again North shrugged. "Perhaps… Like I said, it is… only a theory."

Rapunzel sat in thought in the silence of the night and peacefulness of the garden. A soft breeze blew, and somewhere a hidden wind chime clinked. Rapunzel had never heard of these relics before. Secrets upon secrets, Rapunzel thought. How can we properly govern a land when those who rule it and watch over it keep so many secrets from each other? The Guardians are to blame as much as the Rulers… and we're family.

"Where are they North?" she asked finally.

Curiously enough, North seemed reluctant to tell her. "Hidden. One in each Kingdom."

Rapunzel hid her surprise of his vagueness well, and instead tried a different approach to get the information she needed. "Do you know what they are?"

"Only the one of Burgess, which is quite safe and untouched, I can assure you," North said pointedly. Clearly he didn't want the conversation to continue. But Rapunzel couldn't just drop the topic! Not after what she'd just learned.

"Of course…" she said, "But the one in DunBroch may not be. Or for that matter, the one in Corona." Rapunzel sighed. "I suppose I'm not really meant to know any of this?" she asked.

North shook his head.

"Then I'll need you to reach out to Merida's parents and my own. Have them check upon these relics… make sure everything is in order," she asked, disliking the formal and commanding tone her voice had taken, but at the same time not really caring. She had to know…

"For that matter, you better ask Stoic as well," Rapunzel added as an after thought. "Hiccup's been… a little difficult."

"There is not much point to that," North sighed, "Stoic vould not know. The relic remains guarded by the Hofferson family."

Rapunzel nodded her head- of course. The Hoffersons were the true descendants of the Berk founder… the Haddock family had come into rule much later.

"All the same, can you check?" Rapunzel pleaded.

North looked at the girl carefully, studying her so intently that she wanted to shy away. But she didn't, she remained determined and resolve.

"I will let you know," The older man said finally.

Rapunzel couldn't help herself- she threw her arms around him in a grateful hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

Now, they had a chance of solving everything.

Jack and Rapunzel decided to stay the night in Burgess and travel home the following morning, but only after Rapunzel made North promise again to tell her whatever he learned.
While they travelled- her riding Max, and him riding the winds- Rapunzel filled Jack in on what North had told her the night before.

"You wouldn't happen to know what the Burgess relic is, would you?" she asked her companion half-heartedly.

Jack shrugged. "No… I'm just as surprised as you. But I didn't grow up with them like you did… you sure you don't know Corona's?" he countered.

Rapunzel shook her head sadly. "I can think of a few candidates, but I seriously doubt the relic would be something simply on display in the castle somewhere."

"Good point," Jack agreed.

When they arrived at Corinthia, Merida and Hiccup came out to greet them. Neither Rapunzel nor Jack noticed the awkward distance the two maintained, nor the sideways glances Merida kept shooting Hiccup. They relayed their news, and after both Merida and Hiccup shrugged with no ideas as to what their Kingdom's relics might be, the four separated to go about their daily routines, whatever those might be.

Guest Reviews to follow:

Orange Cat: I'll forgive you for not reviewing if you forgive me for not updating haha :) I want to thank you for all the encouragement you've given me- it brightens my day and makes me strive to write the best story possible. Thank you for your understanding and for your belief that my story is "worth the wait". I cannot properly express how much that means to me. Thank you. So you got your answer as to what happens with Rapunzel and North... but nothing on Jack's chat with him. That will come in much much much later. And haha your fingerling makes me laugh! Thank you so much for being the fabulous reader you are, and I just hope the story will continue living up to your standards!-Iceprincess

Ari- I know I'm sorry! I want to, I do! But there is just SO MUCH going on in the story- I want to make it as good as it can be, so I have to smooth everything out and make sure everything fits before I can continue posting! It's just a bump in the road- I'll be past it soon! I promise! Thank you for waiting!- Iceprincess

Amethyst- Hahaha hey there! (Not sure if/when you'll see this, as your review was for chapter 4... but anyway I still thought I might respond?) I'm sooo glad I made you happy... I confess I'm not the wittiest person in the world. I'm not the best with sarcasm. I'm not always as funny as I think I am. (My biggest struggle with this story is Hiccup, by far). However, I am proud that at least in that one moment, I was successful, and I am proud to be your "witty friend". Thank you for that :) Glad you are enjoying the story, and hope you read on enough to hopefully even see this lol?- Iceprincess