Merry Christmas my friends!I hope you all are having a wonderful day! "May your days be merry and bright, and all your Christmases be white"... Jack. I'm looking at you.
Literally having the oddest strangest Christmas in the history of Christmases. I blame you Jack. 100 percent.
Well hello all! I'm not dead, and I'm finally coming back! This is my Christmas present to you! This chapter... and 2 more following it! Three in one day... yeah I'm sooo sorry for the three month plus wait. Truly I am.
So THREE chapters are my christmas present to you all!
Read, relax, review! (I miss you all- would love to hear how everyone's been doing?!)
Also, my page break is gone? I swear this website hates me.
~o0o~
24.
Rapunzel and Jack were sent inside to make lunch while Hiccup and Merida shot a few more of her new arrows and cleaned up the courtyard. The two teens went right to work making sandwiches… or rather, Rapunzel went right to work. She supposed one could say Jack was… supervising. Or goofing off. Same thing, right?
He perched on a stool on the opposite side of the counter from her, staring down into a glass of ice cubes. He had a straw in one hand, the edge of which was pressed firmly against an ice cube's surface. The white-haired boy had a look of concentration plastered on his face as he blew air determinedly into the straw.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Rapunzel finally asked him as she reached for another slice of bread.
Jack looked up from his cup of ice, chuckling in a sort of frustrated way. "Emma and I used to do this all the time," he explained. "It was one of our games. Blow into the straw, hot air melts the ice. But it only melts inside the straw." Jack reached into the glass to capture the ice cube with his pale fingers. "We'd drill holes into the cubes," he continued, "it would be like a race- the first to get all the way through the cube would win. It could be kind of tricky though," he added, flicking the ice cube into the air before catching it, "if you aren't careful, the ice cube cracks. And then you'd have to start over."
Jack eyed the small round piece of ice in his hand for a moment, then tossed it towards Rapunzel. The blonde girl attempted to catch it, but the slippery cube slid right through her fingers and dropped to the table. Both teens chuckled as she carefully picked it up.
"I don't see any hole," Rapunzel noted, examining the ice in her hands carefully. Already it was starting to melt- she could feel the slick wetness coating her fingertips.
"No," Jack agreed softly, placing his chin in his hands.
Rapunzel dropped the melting ice cube into the sink and shook the water droplets from her hands before patting them dry with the edge of her shirt.
"Why not?"
Jack shrugged. "Can't anymore, I guess. I freeze stuff… I don't melt it. I'm too cold."
The sudden solemnness of his voice surprised Rapunzel. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
The wintery Guardian shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not. It's just different… now, that's all."
Rapunzel nodded in understanding. Everything was different now. Things had changed. Jack could freeze things with frosty breath. Just another entry to a long list of different things. She briefly thought back to the doubting brown haired boy that lay in the hospital bed not too long ago, and how changed the white-haired boy in front of her was. That Jack had wanted nothing to do with the Guardians. This Jack… he seemed more confident in his role, but Rapunzel wondered if he still longed for the way things used to be. The playful boy who's biggest worries revolved around blowing perfect holes into ice cubes with his sister… he was still here, but that life was gone forever.
If… no, when, they all got through this, Rapunzel knew Jack would never be able to return to that life, however much he may still wish it.
"That day after the Acceptance Ceremony," Jack began, and Rapunzel realized they had been thinking the same things, "When we made the official announcement in Burgess… all I could think about was how I didn't want this. I told myself that once we defeated Pitch… then I would be done. I'd go home."
By now Rapunzel had finished making the sandwiches and was rinsing apples to place in a bowl. She didn't look up to see Jack's face- the thought of him leaving made something twist painfully in her stomach for reasons she couldn't quite place. Sure, they'd become friends and she cared for him… didn't she feel the same about Hiccup and Merida?
"And now?" Rapunzel asked, looking intently at the fruit, but still genuinely curious to what he would say. She chanced a look up.
Jack wasn't looking at her, he was looking at his fingers picking at the side of the countertop.
"Now…" he sighed. "Now, I still can only think about how everyone seems to expect so much from me… from us… and I think about how angry Pitch makes me…" Jack finally looked up, his piercing blue eyes meeting her large green ones. "But… I also know it would be impossible for me to get my old life back after all this… and… and I'm ok with that."
Strange relief washed through Rapunzel, and a warm feeling filled inside her chest. "Really?" she asked softly, unable to contain her wide grin.
Jack nodded, her obvious happiness sparking his own. Things had changed, yes. Things were still changing, for sure. But Jack was learning that change wasn't all bad.
He looked at Rapunzel, realizing that if it hadn't been for the evil intent of his crazed uncle, he probably never would have met the three people he now considered his friends…. considered family. He decided he'd gladly put up with all the bad things if it meant having something truly good in his life.
Somehow, he knew everything would work out for the better… he only wondered what they'd have to loose along the way.
…
After eating, the four Guardians fell into discussion about what they knew and what they didn't know- amassing all the information they had in order to strategize how they could stop Pitch and his darkness from taking over all of Warren.
Corona's Festival of Lights was in two days. That was when the ex-Guardian's next major strike would be. But what did he have planned?
Jack hesitantly spoke up. "Since Pitch knows we have the crown," (which the group had quickly decided following the dark man's attack on Burgess), "do you think he'll still go attack Corona?" Jack leaned his elbow against the tabletop. "I mean, what would be the point?"
"Maybe he wants ta try an steal it back from us? And tha hammer, too, whyle he's at it?" Merida offered.
"Possibly, but not likely," Hiccup responded. "He already tried that last time, and besides… for whatever reason… I think he's changed his plan." Here Hiccup's gaze met Jack's, and the two boys mutually understood each other's thoughts. There had been a moment at the end of the Burgess battle, right before Pitch's retreat, where the dark man had stared at the wintery Guardian with a look of… almost wonder and fear. Hiccup had seen it as well and had instantly read the man's change of mind, and decided that Pitch had, in his words, "changed targets."
So now the problem was thus: Pitch knew the Guardians were in possession of the Corona relic, but still (presumably) planned to disrupt the Festival because he had a new target in mind. The only question left was, what was it?
Jack dropped Hiccup's gaze and looked over to Rapunzel instead, who had her head held tightly in her hands.
"Punz… you ok?" he asked worriedly. At these words, Hiccup and Merida's heads frantically turned to the blonde girl, fearing another one of her "pain spells".
But Rapunzel only shook her head. "I'm fine… just a bit of a headache," she said, releasing her head and giving them a smile that more closely resembled a wince.
After a moment of hesitant silence, Hiccup spoke up again, drawing the group's attention back to him and the topic at hand.
"The Festival will be celebrated throughout all of the Corona kingdom, meaning lots of people together in one place, and a lot of opportunity for Pitch to do serious damage. Especially considering how agitated and… well, hostile, people can get with the Nightmares' influence. It's a perfect opportunity for Pitch to increase the widespread fear he's caused." Hiccup turned to Rapunzel. "Are you completely, utterly, positively sure your parents won't cancel the Festival for your people's own good?" Though his words were a hopeful plea, the boy's expression spoke that of a lost cause.
Rapunzel shook her head sadly. "They want a way to dispel the fear, bring people together, create a sense of unity and hope… They think the Festival will do just that."
So, with Rapunzel's expertise, the four continued discussing every aspect of the Festival- the ceremony plans throughout the day, what nobles, dignitaries, and other influential people would be in attendance, what kinds of security and policing would be in effect, what major streets and roads would be blocked off, what town centers would be used for dancing and vendors, and the locations at which the millions of floating lanterns would be released, and a long list of other things.
At last they turned the discussion from Festival plans to their own plans. What kind of added security they would contribute, where they would keep watch for attacks, and if Pitch should arrive on the scene, what procedures and maneuvers would best eliminate the threat and protect the Corona people from harm.
The battle at the quarry had taken them by surprise. The Battle in Burgess had been sloppy and rather poorly executed.
This time, the Guardians wanted no mistakes. This time, The Guardians wanted to put an end to Pitch's reign of terror.
Once it seemed like they had done all they could, Hiccup put down his pencil and stretched his cramped fingers, and the teens fell backwards against their chairs, exhausted.
"What we really need," Jack spoke up after a moment, gazing at the pile of papers- containing half-hearted diagrams and plans written in chicken-scratch writing- in front of him, "is the Burgess relic."
At this, Rapunzel and Hiccup shared a look.
"Don't say anything to him. Not yet," Hiccup cautioned to Rapunzel.
The blonde only bit her lip in response.
"You know, since we have the crown and the hammer, and Pitch has the one from DunBroch… I think we should get to it before he does," Jack explained further, leaning his chair backwards, balancing it on its back two legs.
"Pitch knows we have tha crown, and it's only a matter of time before he finds out we have tha hammer, too," Merida agreed. "He's probably huntin' the Burgess one right now."
"Then it's a good thing he won't find it," Hiccup stated matter-of-factly.
"Whatdya mean?" Jack questioned, raising his eyebrow curiously.
"North promised us it was protected, remember?" Rapunzel reminded him, while still eyeing Hiccup.
Jack shook his head. "This is Pitch we're talking about guys," he said. "It's not that I don't trust North- I do, I swear- it's just… I won't feel like it's safe until it's in my hand, out of my uncle's reach." For emphasis, Jack flicked his staff in the air.
Hiccup and Rapunzel shared another look.
"It's his staff, Punz," Hiccup insisted.
But how can it be? Rapunzel thought back in response. Hiccup didn't reply but leaned his chin against his fist in thought.
"Jack, let's visit North tomorrow morning. I have some questions for him."
Jack nodded easily in agreement. "Don't we both."
Merida perked up. "While you boys are there, can ye ask him how we could go about stripping Pitch of his powers- ye know, taking them away fer good?"
Jack's chair fell back to the floor with a stunned thump.
Hiccup stared at her, a surprised grin spreading across his face.
"Mer- that's brilliant!" he exclaimed. "If he didn't have his powers- We'd stop him completely. No power… no influence."
Suddenly it seemed as if a cloud of fog had been cleared away from their minds- how had none of them thought of this before? It was a stroke of genius. Pitch was only a man, after all. The Moon Magic had gifted him with powers; surely there was a way to take them away? Jack, Merida, and Hiccup all talked eagerly about the topic for a few minutes, enthralled with the idea and eager to construct a legitimate plan to take down their enemy once and for all.
The only one strangely quiet on the subject was Rapunzel.
"That's settled then," Jack said with satisfaction.
"Just… one last thing," Rapunzel finally spoke up, changing the subject. "Merida… Hiccup said that you had a vision at Compass?"
Jack looked around in surprise. "Why do I feel like I am always the last person to get caught up on things?" he asked, jokingly annoyed, before turning to the redhead Guardian. "Congrats Merida- that's great!" he added genuinely.
"Yeh, well, doan be congratulating me before yew even hear aboot what Ah saw," Merida grumbled. "Unless it's a death sentence yer lookin for."
…
No one quite knew what to make of Merida's predictions of the future. On one hand, they were determined to be encouraged by her powers being strong once more, and to use her visions to their fullest advantage in the war against Pitch Black.
On the other hand, Merida's vision seemed to speak of nothing but, as Jack so eloquently put it, "the Guardians' dramatic demise and impending doom."
"No, there's got to be something else, something more you're forgetting about Mer, something-"
"Ah know what Ah saw Hiccup," Merida insisted in frsutration. "Ah doan know what else ta tell yew all."
"Look," Jack spoke up. "I hate prophecies. Always have. No offense," he added, gesturing with his hands at Merida. The red head only shrugged, obviously tired of the conversation. Jack found it incredible that this deflated girl before him was the same one who had tried very hard to kill him only a few hours earlier with a blunt blade. All her excited energy and confidence seemed to have completely vanished.
"So why can't we just let this one slide," Jack continued in a tone of easiness and nonchalance, "and not stress ourselves out about it. It's the future, right? What happens, happens. Let's just focus on Pitch, and how we're gonna stop him."
Although he spoke casually, Rapunzel could tell that he was anything but relaxed about the situation. She wondered if the other two could sense this, or if it was her powers kicking in, or if she just noticed these kinds of things about Jack…
Hiccup was shaking his head now. "No Jack, this is important. Merida obviously had this vision for a reason-"
"No, let's… let's move on," Merida interrupted, leaning her elbows on the table surface and placing her head in her hands. "Jack's right. Pitch, we know how ta deal with. Ma vision… it ken wait."
Hiccup gazed at her, surprised. "Merida, the festival is two days away. I'm not exactly sure that it can wait."
The red-haired girl lifted her head and turned in her seat, looking at Hiccup with silent pleading eyes.
The brunette boy felt like he was breaking at her expression.
"Whatever happens, happens Hiccup," she insisted, though they all heard the slight quiver in her voice. "Some fates aren't ta be messed with. Weh've learned all we can from ma vision. We have ta-"
"No! We can't just give up like that-" Hiccup interrupted.
"-have ta figure out what his angle is-"
"-We do, and it's somewhere in your vision-"
"-yer not listenin ta me-"
"-Symbols have multiple meanings, you know this-"
"- doan care what happens ta me as long as Pitch goes down too-"
"Merida-"
"Ah'm done with this conversation-"
"-but if you just-"
"There's nothing we can do-"
"I'M NOT LOOSING YOU!" Hiccup finally yelled over Merida, jumping up from the table and knocking the chair over in the process, surprising her into a stunned silence. Jack looked up at Hiccup and saw that the brunette boy's eyes had a glossy film over them, as if any moment tears would fall.
Hiccup himself appeared just as shocked as the rest of them that he had burst out.
"I'm not loosing you," he repeated softly. "…Any of you…" He gulped. "I'm not… I can't…" He kicked the fallen chair out of his way and stepped away from the table, turning so that his back was to his friends. He placed his hands on his hips and looked down at the floor, trying to hide the way his body was trembling. Toothless padded over in concern, first nudging his partner's leg and then dropping at Merida's side, placing his head in her lap with concern. She stroked her hand over his inky black scales to return his affection, before gently pushing him away so she could stand behind Hiccup.
"You're not going to loose us," Merida said, placing her pale hand upon Hiccup's broad shoulder. "You're not going to loose me," she intoned softer, so only he could hear.
Hiccup shifted so he could look at her. "You're doing a very bad job convincing me otherwise." Merida was impressed that he said it without his voice shaking.
Rapunzel, who could understand people's pain better than anyone thanks to her gift, immediately understood the reason behind Hiccup's emotion, and recognized that this was not a conversation that she or Jack should be a part of.
"I'm uh… I'm going to get something for my headache… I think it's worsening…" she mumbled apologetically so that she could excuse herself from the room. "Jack would you come with me please?" she added meaningfully.
"Oh- right, yeah," Jack agreed willingly, sliding off his chair and exiting the room at the blonde's heels, Toothless following not far behind.
There were a few moments of silence once the door shut behind them. Then Hiccup exhaled shakily.
"I'm falling in love with you Merida," he said at last, slowly and steadily, his words precise and purposeful. "And I'm scared as hell because of it."
"Doan be-"
"Astrid," he argued. "I can't let what happened to her happen to you as well." There was a strange passion in his eyes now, the emotion kicking back in, his voice becoming less controlled.
"Ah'm not Astrid, Hiccup," Merida assured him gently. She reached out and took his hands into hers, squeezing tightly.
Hiccup exhaled again. "I know."
Another pause.
"Hiccup… Ah can't promise everythin will turn out all right, not after what Ah saw. And Ah know what Ah saw. Do ye understand that?" Merida pleaded softly with him. "What Ah saw will happen."
Hiccup nodded reluctantly, closing his eyes, but still holding his girlfriend's hands just as tightly.
"Thet doesn't mean we should give up though… just like ye said," Merida continued. She looked down, gathering her thoughts. "There are those who say fate is somethin beyond our command. That our destiny is not our own." She looked up, locking sparkling blue eyes with green. "But Ah know better," she insisted. "Our fate lives within us… you only have to be brave enough to see it."
Merida pulled her hands from Hiccup's grasp and cupped his cheeks. "Can ye do that Hiccup?" she asked. "Be brave enough to trust thet, things will work out for the better… even if it isn't what yew might want? We still have choices Hiccup, we still choose our destinies." Merida combed her hand through Hiccup's bangs, brushing them away from his forehead… something she'd never be able to do with her own locks. "We may not like tha choices we get, but they're still ours ta make."
Hiccup was fighting the water accumulating in his eyes, refusing to let a single tear fall. "I know, it's just-"
"Astrid chose her fate," Merida insisted. "Ta save yew. And now look where ye are. Yew, Hiccup, are leading us against the greatest evil Warren has ever known." She lowered her hands so that they draped over his shoulders. "And Ah believe in yew. Ah believe in all of us. No matter what happens… everythin will be all right in the end."
Hiccup brought his hand up to Merida's neck and let it gently rest behind her ear. He drew her in close, kissing her hard and strong, as if afraid she might disappear or go away.
"I believe you."
~o0o~ (no page break? ok...)
OK. So, It's been a very long time. I am still answering reviews. I will post the Guest ones here as always. If I miss anyone, please just let me know in another review! I am trying to make sure I get everyone, but it has been a long time and it's been a slight challenge trying to keep up... anyway... NON GUESTS/THOSE WITH ACCOUNTS. Give me until tomorrow if you are wondering why I haven't responded to your reviews/PM's... still working on it, am getting there. I promise!
Orange Cat: Once again I must thank you for your loyalty. Hopefully... hopefully I can start to be regular again. Certainly not another three plus month absence. I am updating three by the end of today. The rest I just have to wait on my betas... hahaha I totally understand your love of Hiccup! I love him too :) And he def has a spotlight in this story... thanks for understanding my delays... and OMG I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR YOU ARE ALRIGHT! WHAT A HORRIBLE THING! SO GLAD YOU ARE OK. Thanks for your faith in me and for thinking my story is the best one on this sight! It means a lot :) Hope you enjoy these next few chapters! Happy holidays - iceprincess
ber fangirl: awww thank you love! I missed you too! I appreciate your patience so much... and I'm glad you are enjoying my story as much as I am enjoying writing it. I hope these next few chapters don't disappoint! and yes, thanks for being entertaining hahaha. And lol, I'm glad I'm not dead either hahaha. Merry christmas and happy holidays- ice princess
Kpiamsohappy/Kpiamsosad: I am assuming you are the same person? If not, I do apologize... either way, thanks for the reviews! Glad you are enjoying my story! Hope you love the three chapters I will post today! Happy holidays! -iceprincess
Victoria Fisher: NOT SURE IF/WHEN YOU WILL SEE THIS but just wanted to say thanks for the reviews! So glad I could keep you entertained despite you not enjoying romance! hahaha job well done then :) thanks for the encouraging words, happy holidays- ice princess
on to the next chapter...