A Queen and her knight.
What was this story?
And why was it them?
Was his brain messing with him?
Was it a psychological disorder?
"Jack, what do you want for dinner?" Elsa's voice interrupted his thoughts as she stood in the doorway.
Startled, Jack blinked up at her. "Hey, Elsa…I'm not sure. You pick."
With a smile, Elsa descended the stairs and told Elena to prepare whatever she was best at, as she wasn't feeling particularly hungry for anything specific.
When Elsa returned, she caught Jack's eyes lingering, a faraway look still in his gaze. "What?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
He sighed, clearly lost in thought, and then shut his eyes. "Do you believe in past lives?"
She paused, her footsteps soft as she approached their bed, chuckling lightly at the way she had already started to think of it as theirs rather than just his. "Not really."
Jack dramatically sighed again. "Why not?"
Elsa shrugged as she settled down beside him, applying cream to her hands. "It just sounds impossible. You're telling me there's a version of me that's already lived another life? It's not some comic book fantasy; this is real life. Just like time travel, the whole idea seems illogical."
Her words hung in the air, and Jack couldn't help but feel the weight of them. She had a point, after all. "Yeah, you're right," he said, his voice trailing off.
"Why do you ask?" Elsa inquired, turning her attention back to him as she massaged the lotion into her arms.
Jack hesitated for a moment, then shifted on the bed to sit up. "You know when I…when I collapsed earlier today?"
Elsa nodded, her face softening with concern. "Yeah."
Jack scratched his chin, clearly trying to find the right words. "When I…well, when I passed out, I had this...this dream, or flashback, or something. I saw us lying on the grass together. What if it was a glimpse of our past life?"
Elsa chuckled softly, amusement dancing in her eyes. "It was probably just a dream or a hallucination."
Jack shook his head, his voice firm with belief. "I don't know, Snowflake. I really think there's something more to it. I was thinking of asking Gothi about it. I hear she's pretty wise, according to Hiccup."
Elsa tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "Sure, you can ask her. I haven't met her, but I've heard a lot about her. She's known for being incredibly accurate, almost eerily so…kind of like how unbelievable past lives sound."
Jack rolled his eyes, his tone playful. "You still don't think it might be something else?"
Elsa smiled, leaning back into the bed. "I don't, Jack. But what exactly did you see? Tell me about it."
Smiling brightly, Jack shifted closer and pulled Elsa into his arms, eager to share his vision. "You were a princess, and I was a knight. We were so in love with each other. You called me 'My love,' and I called you 'Your Majesty.'" He chuckled softly, the memory warming him. "You said I was brave, that I'd won wars. Then, as the sun started to set, I had to take you back to the castle, as per your father's orders, and you kept laughing. We galloped back on a beautiful white horse, and you wouldn't stop teasing me."
Elsa's eyes softened with curiosity. "Was there more?"
Jack nodded, his voice growing tender as he continued. "We looked different. You had blonde hair, and I had brown hair. We talked about growing old together and about seeing your hair turn white." His voice dropped to a soft murmur. "Like it is now."
Elsa's eyes stayed locked with his, her gaze full of longing. "Anything else?"
Jack closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "We spoke like they did in the old stories, using all those fancy words. It's why I think it might've been a past life and not a vision of the future." He took a slow breath. "I don't know. It just felt so…real."
Her voice, steady but filled with warmth, asked again. "Anything else?"
He sighed, then blinked rapidly, the tears surprising him. "I saw our faces, Elsa. Our eyes, they were full of love. And I felt so happy."
Elsa's eyes fluttered open as she noticed the tears welling up in his eyes. "Why are you crying?"
Jack swallowed hard, wiping at his eyes, his voice shaky. "It was beautiful. We were so happy, but-" He hesitated, pain flickering in his chest. "I have this feeling…in my gut. It's like we didn't have a happy ending." His sleeve brushed against his eyes. "And here I go, crying. This is ridiculous."
Elsa reached up, gently wiping his tears with the soft sleeve of her shirt, her touch tender against his skin. "It wasn't real, babe. So stop being sad." She smiled slightly, her voice teasing. "And honestly, it's kind of funny that you're a crybaby. But, at the same time, it doesn't surprise me. It's so you."
Jack snorted, half offended, half amused, as he leaned back. "Even when I'm crying, you're making fun of me?" He groaned dramatically. "Well, now I know what my life with you will look like in the future."
Elsa rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Don't be so overdramatic, Jack." She swatted lightly at his chest and then nestled closer to him, inhaling his comforting scent. "I don't believe in this stuff, but if there is another life." She paused, her voice softening with sincerity. "I want to be with you, in it. Always."
Plopping his chin gently on the top of her head, Jack mumbled softly, "Yeah, me too." He then reached for her hand, his fingers careful not to touch the bandaged ones. "Does it hurt?"
Elsa chuckled lightly, resting her arm around his waist. "Stop worrying about me," she said, but after a moment, a hesitation slipped into her voice. "What happened after I left the house? I know how you got hurt, but what really happened?"
Jack sighed and relaxed against the cushions, his hand still resting gently in hers. "Nothing you should be concerned about. They were just being assholes."
Her chest tightened at the dismissal, her thoughts tumbling in different directions. For the first time, someone had stood up for her, and it felt foreign to Elsa. "Next time, don't give them a reaction. They'll stop eventually," she said quietly, but the uncertainty in her voice betrayed the weight of her own past.
He ran his thumb gently over her knuckles, the motion slow and soothing. "No, Elsa," he said, his voice steady, "You need to stop them before it gets worse. Ignoring them might work sometimes, but not with your family. You ignored them for years, and they're still at it. You can't just let it slide."
The silence that followed hung heavy between them. Elsa knew deep down he was right, and it stung in a way she hadn't expected. She swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking again, her voice low. "Would you like to know why they call me a witch?"
"Of course," Jack replied immediately, sitting up straighter. He took her hands carefully, his expression soft with concern. "But only if you're ready to talk about it. I'm here for you, Elsa. Only if you want to."
Elsa's eyes closed as she gathered her thoughts. It was hard to bring it up, but now, with Jack beside her, it almost felt like she could. "When I was born, my mother fell terribly ill. She was bedridden for months. My father blamed me for it, and his resentment only grew. I spent my childhood getting sick, one illness after another, and each time someone else around me would fall ill too. They started to believe I was cursed, that my presence brought bad luck to everyone near me. The white hair I was born with became a mark of shame. They started calling me a witch. And for so long, I wondered if they were right. Maybe I am a witch." Her voice cracked with the weight of the words. "Maybe I'm the cause of all their pain."
Jack listened in silence, his heart aching for her as she spoke. The concept of witches had always been dismissed as superstition, a way to explain the unexplained, to place blame on the misunderstood. Elsa had been their scapegoat, their easy target, and it broke him to hear her voice the doubts she had carried all her life.
With a tender, loving gaze, Jack lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "You're not a witch, Elsa," he said softly, but with absolute conviction. "You're not. It's just ignorance, plain and simple. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I really am." He paused, searching for the right words. "I wish I could do more, but just know this, I'm proud of you. And no matter what, you're stronger than they could ever understand."
Her chest tightened, and Elsa's tears finally broke free. She wiped at her eyes, her hands trembling, but Jack's words wrapped around her heart like a balm. "Wow," she whispered, feeling a weight she didn't even realize she had been carrying begin to lift. "I never knew how much I needed to hear those words."
"These tears are healing," Jack whispered as he gently cupped her hands in his. "Let them flow. Cry as if you've never cried before. I'll stay with you until every last drop of pain has left you. Today, tomorrow, always. You have my word."
Elsa nodded, her heart swelling with an emotion so powerful, it left her breathless. She finally allowed herself to let go, her sobs soft but raw, as Jack held her, his presence steady and unwavering. In that moment, she knew she wasn't alone.
As Elsa sat there, the floodgates opened, and the tears flowed freely. It was like a dam that had been holding back years of emotional pain finally breaking apart. Her heart ached with every sob, and yet, with each tear that slipped down her cheek, she felt a tiny bit of relief. The weight she had been carrying for so long seemed to lighten just a fraction. Crying was a raw, difficult experience for her, she had never allowed herself such vulnerability before, but it felt like she was finally giving her long-buried grief permission to surface. The constriction in her throat made it almost unbearable, and the hiccups that followed seemed to echo the depth of her sorrow. But amidst it all, there was Jack, holding her, unwavering.
The tears eventually slowed, and Elsa rested her head on his chest, clutching his shirt tightly as though afraid that, if she let go, something precious would slip away. Her voice was small but filled with the weight of her fears. "I'm afraid of love, Jack. I never really knew what it was. When I thought I did, I was abandoned. What if I hurt you, too, and you walk away? I don't think I could bear it."
Jack's voice was firm, filled with a quiet intensity. "Elsa, I will not leave you. You can't possibly hurt me. Ever." His mind raced with the thought of what she had gone through, what had they done to her that made her believe she was a witch? That belief had haunted her for so long, and Jack wished more than anything that he could erase the scars it had left.
Her grip on his shirt tightened, and the tears flowed again. "Love is supposed to be strength, but it's only weakened me. Loving you hurts more than hating my family. It's hard to say that, but it's the truth. I know what to expect from them, Jack. But with you…I'm terrified of what's coming, of the unknown."
Jack's heart ached at her words, and he leaned his cheek against the soft curve of her hair, taking in a steady breath. "I know that feeling," he said quietly, "Not to your extent, of course, but I do understand. Loving you is also scary for me because I'm terrified of losing you."
Her shoulders shuddered with a silent sob, but there was comfort in his words. "It's a relief to know you get it," she whispered.
But Jack felt helpless in that moment. He furrowed his brow, unsure of what to say next. "If I promise I'm not leaving you…if I say I'll stay with you forever…will that make you believe me? Believe in us?"
Elsa fell silent, the weight of the question heavy in the air. She didn't know how to respond. It was too much to process in one moment. Instead, she shifted the conversation, trying to distance herself from the raw emotions still bubbling inside. "I'll go check if dinner's ready."
Jack hesitated, then nodded, not wanting to push her further. "Yeah, um…I'll take a nap, then. Alright?" The words felt awkward as they left his lips, but he didn't know what else to say.
As Elsa stepped away, Jack stayed seated, his thoughts swirling. 'Witch.' The word hung in the air, bitter and painful, as he replayed the weight of it in his mind. What had she been through to make her believe such a thing? He couldn't imagine the depths of the hurt she had carried for so long. And as he sat there in the quiet, he silently promised himself that no matter what, he would never leave her, not now, not ever.
Messages
8:32 pm
Jack - What's up?
Hiccup - I'm sketching right now. You?
Jack - Thinking something.
Hiccup - What? I'm concerned you NEVER think.
Jack - Do you believe in past lives?
Hiccup - Yes! The entire Berk does. We even have stories based on past lives. It's part of the Norse religion.
Jack - Right.
Hiccup - But why do you ask?
Jack - Just cuz.
Hiccup - You bothered me for nothing let me sketch now.
Jack - What are you sketching tho?
Hiccup - Astrid.
Jack - Is she there with you?
Hiccup - Oh no I'm just sketching a childhood pic of Astrid and I.
Jack - You are lovesick.
Hiccup - Jealous? I mean I do have a better love life than you.
Jack - Says the one who couldn't confess for almost a decade.
Hiccup - At least I didn't marry the FIRST girl I liked when I was drunk.
Jack - Shut the fuck up. It was that Nut's fault.
Hiccup - I have known the Nuts my whole life but I NEVER married anyone. Just say you're dumb.
Jack - Fuck off you're annoying. Go back to your sketch weirdo.
Hiccup - Ass you texted me and now I've lost the motivation to draw.
Jack - Then you shouldn't have replied to my text.
Hiccup - Excuse me! I thought you died. Didn't Elsa just try to murder you? Well I'm sorry for worrying about my best friend.
Jack - I hate you. Bye.
Hiccup - Love you too my honey bear.
Messages
6:23 pm
Astrid - Elsa how did your family gathering go? Everything fine?
Elsa - It was a disaster. I should've never come.
Astrid - Who do I need to kill?
Elsa - All of them lol.
Astrid - I'm sorry girl. I'm telling Gobber to sharpen my Axe so I can kill them.
Elsa - Lol. You never change.
Astrid - Seriously are you ok? Is Jack with you?
Elsa - Yeah I'm fine I'm used to this. No Jack is inside I don't know what's taking him so long.
Astrid - Poor guy is probably lost. Where are you?
Elsa - Parking lot just waiting for the car so I can leave this horrible place.
Astrid - I'm sorry Elsa. Thor I fucking hate your family for treating you this way.
Elsa - Astrid Jack's coming I'll text you later ly.
Astrid - Don't worry too much and take care. Bye. Ly more.