~HHH~

After spending so much time away from Arendelle, Hiccup felt a wave of relief wash over him as the Northern Mountains came into view. He hoped Steen and Kari had managed well in his absence, nothing too chaotic or too dull. Maybe, if time allowed, he'd track down Kristoff and buy him a drink. But for now, the Rider and his dragon glided down toward the frozen lakes, where Gale and the other dragons waited, alive and well. The Deadly Nadder rushed over as they landed, nudging Hiccup's side. He smiled, running a hand along her shimmering scales.

"It's all right, Gale. No one was hurt this time," he reassured her softly. "I hope things weren't too difficult while I was away."

Gale cooed in response, settling down as Hiccup gave her one last pat. Gathering the dragons, Hiccup led them back into the sky, heading south toward the safety of the farm. As they flew, the city of Arendelle came into view and an uneasy feeling twisted in his gut. Even from a distance, he could see the charred remains of several buildings. Toothless let out a low, concerned moan, sensing his rider's tension. Hiccup gently stroked the dragon's side, offering comfort.

"Don't worry, bud. I'll find out what happened," he promised, though his own worry lingered. He knew his dragons couldn't be responsible, but whatever had caused that much damage was serious.

~AA~

Each day, Anna paced her room, waiting, hoping for news. It had been weeks since Elsa was taken. The people of Arendelle were still rebuilding after the fire, while the Guard remained divided between protecting the acting Queen and searching for her missing sister. Even Kristoff had ventured deep into the woods to look for her. But there was nothing. No clues. No signs.

She couldn't lose Elsa again. She needed her.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Anna buried her face in her hands. Tears slipped through her fingers as guilt gnawed at her heart. If I had been here, this wouldn't have happened. If I had stayed, Elsa would still be safe.

The sound of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts. Quickly, she wiped her tears away, forcing herself to appear strong, for Elsa's sake.

"Yes?" she said, expecting to hear Kai with another update. But the voice that answered was far more familiar.

"Hey, Anna," Olaf said softly.

Turning toward him, Anna couldn't help but manage a small, weary smile. The snowman waddled over and clambered up onto the bed, settling beside her.

"How are you doing?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Anna's fragile composure broke. "I lost my sister… and I'm scared it's forever this time," she whispered, tears spilling over again.

Without hesitation, Olaf leaned in and wrapped his twig arms around her, offering the only comfort he could.

~HHH~

The city had seen better days. As Hiccup walked through the streets of Arendelle, he took in the sight of people rebuilding scorched wood, broken beams, and the lingering smell of smoke filled the air. The damage was terrible. But so far, no one had noticed him.

That changed when he reached his shop. Steen stood outside, helping an old man repair his cane. The boy's face lit up the moment he spotted him.

"Hiccup!" Steen yelled, rushing over and wrapping his arms around the toymaker.

"Good to see you too," Hiccup said, patting the kid's back. As Steen let go and returned to helping the old man, Hiccup crouched down to assist. "So… what happened?"

"A fight broke out," Steen explained, shaking his head. "And the idiots started a huge fire. It took everyone working together to stop it."

"And these cloaks saved a lot of lives, Mr. Haddock. God bless you," the old man added, shaking Hiccup's hand firmly.

Hiccup was relieved his cloaks had helped, but the fact they were needed at all left a knot in his stomach. Something wasn't sitting right with him. Why hadn't Queen Elsa used her powers to stop the fire? The realization hit him like a stone.

"But the fight and fire were just a distraction," Steen continued, confirming his worst fear. "Someone kidnapped the queen."

Hiccup's heart pounded. Without another word, he turned and bolted toward the palace. Whatever had happened, he would offer whatever help he could.

As he ran through the city, a thought crept into his mind, an idea so reckless, so irreversible, that once he acted on it, there would be no going back. And it would change everything. When he reached the palace, two guards stood watch at the entrance, their expressions stern.

"No one is allowed into the palace," they said in unison, lowering their spears as he approached.

"I need to..." Hiccup began, but the sharp clang of their weapons hitting the stone cut him off. They weren't going to budge.

Backing away, he took a deep breath, already forming another plan. If the front door was closed to him, he'd find another way in. A sneakier, riskier, and undeniably dumber way.

~AA~

As night fell, Anna walked through the palace halls with Olaf and four guards by her side. The little snowman did his best to cheer her up, telling jokes and offering words of comfort. She appreciated his efforts, but her heart remained heavy. When they reached Elsa's room, the guards opened the door, and Anna stepped inside with Olaf close behind.

Sitting on the bed, she found herself lost in thought, remembering all the times she had waited outside this very room, pleading for Elsa to come and play. Now, there was no one on the other side to answer her calls.

"Well, hello there," Olaf said suddenly, his voice curious.

Anna's heart jumped as she bolted to her feet, clenching her fists in fear of who, or what, he had found. But when she rounded the bed, relief and confusion washed over her. Standing up was Hiccup Haddock, Kristoff's friend.

"Hiccup? What are you doing here?" she asked, her brows furrowed.

"Well, see, I just got back into town and heard about your sister," Hiccup explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I thought... I might have something that can help find her."

Before he could elaborate, Anna raised her hand to stop him. "What do you need?"

"Something Elsa used, something that might still carry her scent," he replied.

Without hesitation, Anna crossed the room to the dresser, pulling out an old pair of gloves Elsa used to wear. She placed them gently in his hands, then grasped them tightly, her voice soft but firm.

"Bring her back to me," she pleaded.

Hiccup gave her a solemn nod before slipping out through the open window, disappearing into the night. Anna stood there for a moment, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. For the first time in weeks, a fragile sense of hope began to bloom within her heart.

~HHH~

Reaching back to Toothless and Gale, Hiccup held out the gloves in front of the Nadder. She sniffed them and ruffled her wings. The Rider climbed onto the Night Fury's back, and the trio launched into the air. As they soared over Arendelle, Hiccup wondered if anyone below could see them. He doubted it, with the night providing cover, but soon, everyone would.

The pit in his stomach twisted as he imagined how the people of Arendelle might react to dragons. But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task ahead: finding Elsa. Following Gale as she led the way south, Hiccup's resolve hardened. He couldn't fail. He had promised Princess Anna and he wouldn't let her down.