When Time Collides

Chapter Ten

Rapunzel

Rapunzel was relieved when they'd returned to the workshop. She was still cold, of course, but that was due to the temperature of the North Pole and not her body's reaction to fear. Rapunzel was also relieved that Elsa had returned unharmed and dare she say it, in higher spirits than she's been in before.

Toothless perked up upon their arrival, and greeted Hiccup with a great lick of his tongue. Hiccup groaned, retreating from his dragon, now covered in dragon saliva.

" Toothless, you know that doesn't come out." Hiccup scolded and flicked away as much as he could. Toothless sat back on his hind legs with his wings folded. He moved his mouth up and down, unflatteringly similar to the way Hiccup just had, and rolled his eyes.

" He has quite an attitude." Merida remarked to Hiccup, and then her face broke into a cheeky grin. " I like him."

Hiccup's eyes narrowed slyly, and with heightened speed pulled on his sleeve and smeared Merida's cheek with Toothless' spit. Merida shrieked, pulling away swiftly as she wiped that her now damp face. When her fingers came away dripping with saliva, she grimaced.

" That," she exclaimed, drying her fingers on the skirts of her dress. " Was entirely uncalled for."

Hiccup shrugged. " Jack was too far away and I didn't fancy being left out of the list for presents." He remarked, glancing at North's formidable stature.

" And Elsa would have froze him, had he tried that on her." Jack smirked, and nudging the blonde, asked. " right Elsa?"

Elsa drew away from his touch, her eyes and expression troubled. She folded her arms uncomfortably, tucking away her gloved hands. Jack's particular use of words had brought up an uncomfortable memory of a morning in her childhood she'd wished more than most that she could forget.

The day everything went wrong.

" Maybe." Elsa mumbled. Jack's grin faltered with confusion. Why was she so hesitant and of two minds when the topic of ice magic was brought up? He wondered.

Rapunzel recognised Jack's intrigued look, and melted into the conversation swiftly, which put her cousin at a much needed ease.

" Now, that would just have been rude." Rapunzel giggled, looping her arm through Elsa's loosely. " No, I'm sure Elsa would have settled for a mere scolding."

Elsa smiled ruefully at her cousin and patted her cousin's arm with her free hand. She was glad to have someone that understood her situation by her side. It made everything a little more bearable. Elsa didn't know what she'd have done without her cousin.

" Now, Rapunzel, you've made me sound positively dreary." Elsa mused with a feigned sigh. She cleared her throat. " Um, North, would you perhaps mind if I made another visit to your spacious library? A particular volume caught my eye during our search earlier and I was wondering if I could take another look."

" Of course my dear." North waved her away. Elsa smiled gratefully and began towards the library doors, an uncommon bounce in her steps.

Merida, who detested sitting still and considered reading a chore to be avoided by all means necessary, snickered quietly. " She makes herself dreary all on her own."