Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons [COMPLETED]

Chapter 15

Rapunzel frantically tried key after key in the lock to her mother's cell. By her fifth key, it occurred to her that maybe the key to these cells wasn't on this ring.

"Eliza," her mother told her, holding the torch for her daughter, "you're already free. You should go while you still have a chance."

"No," Rapunzel snapped desperately. "I'm not going to just leave you here." She tried three more keys with no success. Frustrated, she growled fiercely. Then, she heard the door creaking at the top of the stairs. Someone was running down the stairs.

"Hurry, Eliza!" Queen Helena urged. "Hide." She dropped the torch on the floor.

Rapunzel didn't need to be told twice. With the keys in one hand and the frying pan in the other, she ducked into a side aisle between cells and leaned her back against the wall.

~

Astrid slowed when she came to the bottom of the stairs. She had heard something like scampering feet. Someone was already down here. It could be Rapunzel, but then again, it might not be her. The only light came from a torch on the floor, clearly a trap to lure her into picking up the torch only to be ambushed.

Astrid raised her axe and stalked down the hall. Her ears picked up ragged breathing on her left around the corner. She crept toward the sound.

~

Rapunzel could hear soft steps getting closer, her heart speeding up with every footfall. She would have to strike first. Letting out a breath and grasping the keys and the pan handle with both hands, she prepared herself for the attack.

~

Astrid sucked in a breath, readying herself to strike.

~

Both girls launched themselves around the corner, axe and pan colliding and ringing loudly in the dark. Hands jarred by the impact, the attackers dropped their weapons. Rapunzel grimaced as she rubbed her tingling fingers. Her opponent was shaking out her aching hands, the shadows from the distant torch dancing across the girl's face. Rapunzel recognized her former guard and quickly snatched her pan, swinging at the girl's head.

The Viking jumped back with a yelp. "Easy!" Ignoring her, Rapunzel frantically tried again and again to whack her in the head, driving her back toward the queen's cell. The Viking girl hopped backward over the torch, scooped up the flame, and waved it at arm's length. Rapunzel eased off the attack, but still held her pan above her head.

"I'm not afraid of you," Astrid declared fiercely.

"Well," Rapunzel retorted with less confidence, "you should be!" Then, her features softened. "Wait." She lowered her pan. "Your eyes. They're not dark anymore."

Astrid lowered her torch. "Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel stepped back, her eyes wide. "How do you know my name?"

Astrid stepped forward. "I'm here to rescue you."

"What? How?"

"Hiccup and Merida – ."

"Hiccup and Merida?" the princess squealed. "They're here?"

"Ssh!" Astrid glared at her. "Pipe down. Yes, they're here." She transferred the torch to her left hand and picked up her axe with her right hand. "But we have to move fast. We don't know who's heard us by now." She started back to the stairs, but stopped at Rapunzel's voice.

"Not without my mother." Rapunzel faced Astrid with her feet planted firmly.

"No, Eliza," the queen called. "You must go."