~J~

They were just a day away from Johann and his two men arriving at his hideaway with the Ice Queen. Soon, she would be under his control. No more Viggo, no more Krogan, and no more Drago. He would become the most powerful man in the world. Leaning on the bow of his ship, he was forced to endure Tod's singing as the thug handled the rudder, a necessary precaution against the brute's recklessness. But his voice, as grating as a screeching cat, was driving the trader mad.

"Just gave her another round of medicine, boss," Mil said, walking up to the deck. Johann turned to see him devouring an entire loaf of bread. Resisting the urge to kill him, the trader simply ignored him and went below deck to check on the queen himself. Seeing her unconscious and in chains on the wooden floor made him smirk. He was so close to achieving his goals.

But then, a terrible whistle cut through the air, a sound he hadn't heard in years. Before he could react, the ship shook violently, knocking over crates and merchandise. Hiding behind a fallen crate, Johann gripped a dagger, a pitiful defense if a Night Fury was attacking. But what he didn't expect to hear were voices above him.

"Where is Queen Elsa?" a man demanded.

At first, Johann didn't understand. He knew a Night Fury was here, but who was the man? Then it clicked. The Dragon Rider who had plagued Viggo's operations. They were here for the Ice Queen. But why?

"Below deck," Mil answered without hesitation. Johann had only seconds to prepare. As footsteps crept down the stairs, he seized a second dagger. The sound of metal unsheathing and the faint hiss of flames caught his attention. They wouldn't burn the ship, not with Elsa and himself still on board. The footsteps grew closer, and Johann lunged, aiming to stab the intruder.

A burning blade pressed against his neck.

Johann froze. His gaze lifted to meet his enemy, a man in a masked helmet, only his eyes visible. They weren't filled with fear or surprise at the attack. No, the shock in them came from recognition. This man knew who Johann was. An advantage, if played correctly. But did the Rider see the bumbling trader he once pretended to be, or the true man beneath the mask?

"Hello, Dragon Rider. What wares of mine do you want?" Johann drawled, masking his anger.

"Why would you of all people do this?" the Rider snapped, his voice heavy with rage. He knew the mask. But what did he want with the queen?

"Well, my friend, I am many things. A trader, a spy, a killer," Johann said smoothly. "While you… you're just a simple man chasing after a queen. Now tell me, why do you want her?" He played his cards carefully, one by one.

"Queen Elsa has a family. A kingdom that adores her. And more friends than you've ever lost," the Rider growled.

So… the man was from Arendelle. There were few people in that kingdom with whom Johann had crossed paths. Except one from the past.

Haddock.

"Step away, or I will cut you down," the boy-turned-man warned.

With a calculated smile, Johann stepped aside. He watched as the Rider knelt beside the unconscious queen, slicing through her chains with his sword. It was a magnificent weapon, one the boy Johann once knew would have admired. As the Rider lifted Elsa into his arms and turned to leave, Johann couldn't help but smile. He may have lost today, but now he had new cards in the deck.

When the ship shook again, Johann rushed to the deck. A Deadly Nadder stood beside the unmistakable silhouette of a Night Fury and its rider. His two thugs gawked, frozen in terror at the sight. With a sigh of annoyance and a few swift swings of his blades, Johann ended their stupidity.

~HHH~

Flying to the coast, Hiccup couldn't help but remember all the times he had enjoyed seeing Johann back on Berk. The trader brought stories and supplies that Hiccup once needed for his inventions. But seeing him holding Elsa hostage was deeply unnerving. Yelling into the air, Hiccup wondered how many lies Johann had told Berk, how many people had unknowingly suffered because of him. Toothless cooed softly, bringing the Rider back to focus.

Looking over at Gale, he saw her carrying the unconscious but alive Elsa in her talons. Another victim of his past. He couldn't help but wonder if he had stayed on Berk, would he have realized the truth?

Landing on a cliff, Hiccup checked on Elsa. She was breathing steadily, and her pulse was strong. But it wouldn't be safe to continue traveling back to Arendelle in her current condition. They would have to wait until she woke up.

Standing up, Hiccup left the dragons with the queen while he went to gather wood for a fire. He had a feeling it would be some time before whatever toxin Johann had used on her left her system.

~EA~

Opening her eyes, Elsa was nearly blinded by a bright light. Her head pounded, and her limbs felt numb. As she raised her arm to shield her eyes, the sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention. She tried to summon her powers but felt only a faint chill of frost. When her vision adjusted to the dim glow of a campfire, she saw Hiccup kneeling beside her, dressed in strange clothes. Gently, he helped her sit up.

"How are you feeling?" Hiccup asked. His voice was calm, but the nervousness in his eyes was unmistakable.

"I'll be fine. What happened? Where are we?" Elsa asked. Hiccup handed her a piece of jerky, and she accepted it gratefully, realizing how hungry she was.

"A man named Johann kidnapped you, but I rescued you," he explained as she nibbled on the jerky. The name Johann sounded familiar, but in her dazed state, she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.

Hiccup sighed heavily, sitting down beside her. "I'm so sorry, Elsa. I knew him. He was a trader back on Berk. If I had stayed there, maybe I would have seen this coming. You wouldn't have been taken."

Elsa reached over and gently took his hand, meeting his gaze. She didn't blame him. Her family knew all too well how trusting the wrong people could lead to disaster. But Hiccup was here when she needed him, and now she would be there for him.

"This isn't your fault, Hiccup," she reassured him. "I didn't see it coming either, how could you?"

He stood up, his expression shifting to something more serious. "Remember my friend. The one I rescued during the raids on my homeland?"

Elsa nodded slowly, curious where this was going.

"Well, he's here. But… please don't freak out."

With that, Hiccup helped her to her feet and turned her toward the edge of the firelight. Elsa wondered what could possibly make her "freak out". Until she saw it. A large, winged creature with sleek black scales sat nearby, watching her with bright, curious eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as realization and shock washed over her.

"Elsa, meet Toothless, my best friend," Hiccup said softly.

Her heart pounded in her chest at the sight. She had no idea such a creature even existed, yet here it was.

"What… what is it?" she asked, her grip on Hiccup's arm tightening.

"He's a dragon. A Night Fury, to be exact," he explained. The word dragon echoed in her mind, almost too fantastical to believe.

Hiccup gently guided her hand outward. "Hold your hand like this," he said, demonstrating with his own palm open.

Hesitant but trusting, Elsa followed his lead. Toothless padded closer, lowered his head, and pressed his snout into her palm. His scales were surprisingly cool and smoother than the finest silver goblet in Arendelle.

Once she was steady, Hiccup eased her back down to sit beside the fire while Toothless curled up nearby.

"I made toys modeled after dragons," Hiccup admitted quietly. "The success of those toys spread far, and eventually, it led Johann right to you. I'm the reason he found you."

Elsa shook her head firmly, unwilling to let him carry that burden alone.

~HHH~

"This isn't your fault. Word of my powers may have drawn him to me, not you," Elsa said. Hiccup knew that was possible, but he couldn't help but wonder how much of a role he had played. Sitting next to her, he gently took her hand, making a promise.

"I promised you that my past won't hurt Arendelle again," he said.

Their eyes locked. Her blue gaze held an undeniable warmth, offering comfort and peace. For a brief moment, he felt lost in it. Shaking off the thought, he stood up.

"I'd better go find some more wood," he said, turning away.

As he walked, realization struck, he was forming a crush. The last time that happened, it hadn't ended well. And now, with everything going on, it would be foolish. Besides, he doubted the Queen felt the same. She was royalty, after all, and he... was just a man trying to find his place.

~EA~

When their eyes locked, Elsa gazed into Hiccup's green eyes. She watched as the anguish in them faded into calm. For a brief moment, she felt lost in his gaze, but then he stood up.

"I'd better go find some more wood," he said, turning away. As he walked off, Elsa felt something stir within her, something she couldn't quite place. She took another bite of the jerky, trying to push the feeling aside.

Suddenly, loud footsteps rustled through the woods, snapping her to attention. Instinctively, she prepared to release a wave of ice, but a glance at Toothless stopped her. The Night Fury remained calm, his posture relaxed. Trusting his instincts over her own, Elsa let herself relax.

Moments later, a large, colorful-scaled dragon emerged from the trees and settled down by the fire. Elsa exhaled softly, releasing the tension from her body. Deciding to trust the dragons she lay back, hoping to get some rest.

Yet, as the night stretched on, that strange feeling toward Hiccup lingered, keeping her wide awake.