~EA~

A shake on her shoulder woke Elsa up. As she opened her eyes, Hiccup's warm smile greeted her, a reminder that yesterday hadn't been a dream. He helped her sit up. Even after a night's rest, her body still felt weak. Whatever Johann had given her was strong. But soon, she would be home. Hiccup handed her a piece of jerky, and they ate in comfortable silence while the dragons shared a pile of fish nearby.

She didn't know what to say. Last night had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. He had shown her a whole new side of the world. When breakfast was over, Hiccup extended his hand to her. She accepted it, and he gently pulled her to her feet.

Elsa watched as he climbed onto Toothless's saddle, the motion so practiced and natural. A pit grew in her stomach as the reality hit her. She was about to ride a real dragon.

"Need help?" Hiccup asked, offering his hand. She grasped it, and with surprising ease, he lifted her onto the saddle behind him. Once she was settled, she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his waist for support. His suit felt soft in some places, rough in others, with various straps and attachments beneath her fingers.

"Okay, on the count of three. One..." Elsa swallowed hard, her heart pounding with anticipation.

"Two..." She tightened her grip around him, bracing herself for what was to come.

"Three."

With that, Toothless launched into the air. Elsa let out a startled scream as they soared upward, the ground falling away beneath them. Instinctively, she leaned closer to Hiccup, squeezing her eyes shut and clinging to him even tighter. She had faced many frightening things before, but this was something else entirely.

The rush of wind howled in her ears, and the seconds felt like hours. But soon, the flapping of wings slowed to a steady rhythm, and the ride became smoother.

"It's all right. I've got you," Hiccup said softly, his voice calm and reassuring.

At his words, Elsa took a shaky breath and slowly opened her eyes. What she saw took her breath away. The towering trees below looked like tiny toys scattered across the earth, and the clouds floated just within reach. The world stretched out beneath them in a way she had never imagined.

It was unbelievable.

~HHH~

The flight continued smoothly, and slowly but surely, Elsa began to loosen her grip, though she still held firmly around his waist. Hiccup wasn't sure if she would adjust to flying, but a smile tugged at his lips, knowing she was becoming more comfortable. That was a good sign. His crazy, stupid idea was actually working. But there was still much to do and even more to decide. Yesterday had made him realize so much. He was waging a war against the Hunters while his past undoubtedly held more secrets, lurking in the shadows, haunting his steps and threatening his adopted home.

"Hiccup," Elsa said, pulling him back to the present.

"Yes, m'lady?" he answered, his tone light.

"How exactly did you and Toothless meet? You told me you found him wounded, but what really happened?" Elsa asked, curiosity in her voice. Hiccup let out a nervous chuckle, while the Night Fury groaned in annoyance at the memory.

"Well, a long time ago, I wanted to be a great warrior like everyone else back home. But I was scrawny, so I made these inventions to help," Hiccup began, recalling the countless hours he had poured into his contraptions, only to have them dismantled or dismissed. "They had a habit of causing more trouble than the dragons did. But one day, my invention, the Mangler, actually worked. It hit Toothless."

~EA~

Listening to Hiccup's story, Elsa was surprised. She had expected Toothless to have been wounded by someone else, certainly not by Hiccup himself. She didn't know what to say.

"No one believed me, of course, but I went into the forest to find the Night Fury that had haunted our village for years. I found him tangled in a mess of ropes, and I was about to kill him," Hiccup continued, regret heavy in his voice. He sighed. "But then I looked into his eyes and saw he was afraid, just like me."

Toothless cooed softly, and Hiccup reached down to scratch his friend's side. "I let him go, but the ropes had damaged his tail. So, after some convincing, I built him a new one, and we've been friends ever since."

Elsa couldn't help but draw parallels to herself and Anna. So many years ago, on that awful night, she had nearly lost Anna because of her powers. It had taken years to repair that bond. As they continued their journey, the two fell into easy conversation. Hiccup shared more tales of his misadventures with Toothless. Stories that now, with new perspective, seemed both thrilling and bittersweet.

~HHH~

Starting a fire for another night, Hiccup was still smiling from the wonderful day in the skies. Flying was always soothing, but sharing his knowledge of dragons with someone felt new, and with Elsa, it was something special. She was curious and eager to learn. But with every moment they spent talking, the heavier the guilt weighed on him for hiding his war with the Hunters.

As Hiccup leaned against Toothless's side, he watched Elsa gently pet Gale. The sight made him smirk. Maybe, just maybe, things could be okay.

"Elsa, I have to ask you something," he said, his voice softer than usual.

She turned around, her expression warm. "What is it?"

"I'm worried about the other dragons at my farm. I need to protect them," he admitted. Without hesitation, Elsa walked over, knelt beside him, and took his hand in hers.

"On my word, no one will hurt your dragons. Arendelle will be a safe haven for them," she promised, her voice steady and full of conviction. The weight on his chest lightened at her words, but not completely. There was still more he needed to tell her.

"That's not all," he said, pulling his hand away with a sigh. "I've taken a few trips north to the Archipelago. The first time was for Berk, but I never made it… and recently, I discovered a terrible truth."

~EA~

When Hiccup pulled his hands away, Elsa sensed that something was not only wrong but deeply troubling. As he continued to speak, his words grew even darker. He described Hunters numbering in the thousands, merciless men capturing and killing dragons. He told her how he had rescued as many as he could from their deadly grasp. And then, he mentioned the Grimborns, a name she had never heard until now.

The crackling of the fire filled the heavy silence between them. Elsa struggled to find the right words. She couldn't simply abandon those dragons to their fate, but committing Arendelle to a war was no small decision. Still, after everything Hiccup had done for her kingdom, for her family. How could she refuse?

Taking his hands in hers, she met his gaze, her voice soft but firm.

"Hiccup, you've brought joy and laughter to Arendelle. You fought for me and Anna. You are a part of us now. We will stand with you against these Hunters," she promised.

Before either of them realized it, they shared a gentle kiss. It was brief but warm, an unspoken bond forming between them. When it ended, they both blushed as Elsa pulled back, surprised by her own boldness.

"Well… I'd better get some sleep," she said quickly, standing up and retreating toward her spot by the fire. As she lay down, Gale curled up beside her, offering warmth and comfort. Elsa placed her hand on the dragon's smooth scales, her mind racing. What was she doing?

~HHH~

Watching Elsa settle down to sleep, Hiccup couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. It had been unexpected, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. She was beautiful, kind, and incredible. And he? He was just a simple man who had unwittingly brought a war to her doorstep. There was no reason for it to have happened. But it did.

A strange mix of joy and awkwardness filled him, something like what he'd felt when Astrid used to talk to him, but different. Better, even. Toothless cooed beside him, and Hiccup sighed, deciding to get some rest. Tomorrow was bound to be interesting.

~EA~

The morning started awkwardly, as expected. Hiccup had woken up early and caught fish for breakfast, while Elsa had been awakened by the smell of it cooking. Neither of them looked at the other, both avoiding the topic of last night. She still couldn't believe she had done that. She was a queen, responsible for thousands of people. She had to keep her head up. This was unfamiliar territory for her.

"If we keep flying all day, we should reach Arendelle by tomorrow evening or night," Hiccup said, handing her a makeshift plate of fish. As he sat back down, Elsa knew she had to address what had happened.

"About last night..." she began, but he raised his hand.

"I know. Neither of us expected it. I'm sure it was just our emotions after everything that's happened," he said.

"And if it's not?" she asked, her voice soft and uncertain.

Hiccup looked surprised by her words. After a brief silence, he finally spoke.

"Then... I think we should see how things play out," he admitted. Elsa couldn't help but smile.