Chapter 10: Gothel's Visit
Just then, Elsa heard the door open.
"Elsa? Elsa?" Hiccup called out.
Once the ponies had turned into statues, Elsa said, "Hiccup?" before she went downstairs and saw it was indeed Hiccup. "Hiccup, you're alright!" She exclaimed as she and Hiccup both hugged. "I knew you'd come back!"
"You've done so much for me already, Elsa," Hiccup said. "But I need your help one more time."
"Yes, anything," Elsa said, as she began to follow Hiccup, but then stopped dead in her tracks and her smile faded.
Hiccup and Bunnymund brought in Astrid, who was still unconscious.
"This is Astrid Hofferson," Hiccup told her. "She's wounded and a fugitive like me. She can't go on much longer. I knew she'd be safe here. Please, can you hide her?"
Elsa remembered Astrid from the last time they met, but realized she had no choice.
"This way," Elsa said, leading Hiccup up the stairs.
She pointed to her bed and Bunnymund helped Hiccup lie Astrid down on the bed.
Astrid slowly came around and said, "Hiccup."
Hiccup gently shushed her and said, "You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move." Elsa looked puzzled, realizing something wasn't right, as Hiccup pulled out a flask of alcohol.
"Great," Astrid said, "I could use a drink." Hiccup poured it over her wound and Astrid cried out in pain. "Ah, yes, hmm...feels like a 1470 burgundy. Not a good year."
"That family owes you their lives," Hiccup told her. "You're either the bravest soldier I've ever seen or the craziest."
"Ex-soldier, remember?" said Astrid, as Hiccup began stitching up her wound. "Why is it that every time we meet, I end up bleeding?"
Hiccup bit the thread, cutting it, and said, "You're lucky. That arrow almost pierced your heart."
Astrid took his hands in hers and placed them on her chest, as she said, "I'm not so sure it didn't."
And then Elsa realized it. Hiccup was in love with Astrid. She took a step back, looking as if she were about to cry. Hiccup and Astrid leaned in and kissed. Elsa then turned away with tears in her eyes.
Elsa: (in her thoughts) I knew I'd never know
"Elsa? Elsa?" Hiccup called out.
Once the ponies had turned into statues, Elsa said, "Hiccup?" before she went downstairs and saw it was indeed Hiccup. "Hiccup, you're alright!" She exclaimed as she and Hiccup both hugged. "I knew you'd come back!"
"You've done so much for me already, Elsa," Hiccup said. "But I need your help one more time."
"Yes, anything," Elsa said, as she began to follow Hiccup, but then stopped dead in her tracks and her smile faded.
Hiccup and Bunnymund brought in Astrid, who was still unconscious.
"This is Astrid Hofferson," Hiccup told her. "She's wounded and a fugitive like me. She can't go on much longer. I knew she'd be safe here. Please, can you hide her?"
Elsa remembered Astrid from the last time they met, but realized she had no choice.
"This way," Elsa said, leading Hiccup up the stairs.
She pointed to her bed and Bunnymund helped Hiccup lie Astrid down on the bed.
Astrid slowly came around and said, "Hiccup."
Hiccup gently shushed her and said, "You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move." Elsa looked puzzled, realizing something wasn't right, as Hiccup pulled out a flask of alcohol.
"Great," Astrid said, "I could use a drink." Hiccup poured it over her wound and Astrid cried out in pain. "Ah, yes, hmm...feels like a 1470 burgundy. Not a good year."
"That family owes you their lives," Hiccup told her. "You're either the bravest soldier I've ever seen or the craziest."
"Ex-soldier, remember?" said Astrid, as Hiccup began stitching up her wound. "Why is it that every time we meet, I end up bleeding?"
Hiccup bit the thread, cutting it, and said, "You're lucky. That arrow almost pierced your heart."
Astrid took his hands in hers and placed them on her chest, as she said, "I'm not so sure it didn't."
And then Elsa realized it. Hiccup was in love with Astrid. She took a step back, looking as if she were about to cry. Hiccup and Astrid leaned in and kissed. Elsa then turned away with tears in her eyes.
Elsa: (in her thoughts) I knew I'd never know
That warm and loving glow
Though I might wish with all my might
No person with powers such as mine
Was ever meant for heaven's light
Elsa sadly pulled out the Ace of Hearts Pinkie had given her and tore it in half. Hiccup and Astrid broke the kiss and Astrid fell asleep while Hiccup caressed her cheek. Tears began to fall freely from Elsa's eyes, before she turned away again and Anna gave her a hug, trying to comfort her.
Suddenly, Toothless roared, catching Elsa's attention.
"Toothless? What's wrong?" She asked.
Toothless roared frantically again and Elsa and Hiccup ran over to the window to see that Gothel was coming.
Elsa gasped and said, "Gothel's coming!" She then quickly led Hiccup, Toothless, and Bunnymund away, as she added, "Hurry, you must leave! Quick, follow me. Go down the south tower steps!"
Bunnymund and Toothless left, but Hiccup stopped long enough to tell Elsa, "Be careful, Elsa. Promise you won't let anything happen to her."
"I promise," Elsa said, and then Hiccup left.
Gothel was approaching and Elsa began to panic.
"Quick!" said Rainbow Dash. "We gotta stash the stiff!"
Elsa and Anna wasted no time. They quickly dragged Astrid off the bed and underneath the table where Elsa's model city was. Elsa hurriedly began setting the models upright just as Gothel came in.
"Oh, Mother," Elsa said, pretending to be surprised. "I didn't think you'd be coming."
"I am never too busy to share a meal with you and your sister, dear," Gothel said. "I brought a little treat."
Gothel set down a basket and cleared her throat.
"Oh!" Elsa said, realizing she hadn't set the table.
She rushed over and began grabbing plates, accidentally breaking a few things in the process because of how nervous she was. Elsa then came back over and set the three plates down.
"Is there something troubling you, Elsa?" Gothel asked her as she put a bunch of grapes on Elsa's plate.
"No, no," Elsa answered.
"Oh, but there is," Gothel said. "I know there is." A grape fell on the floor and landed near the still unconscious Astrid. Elsa cautiously reached down and picked it up, praying that Gothel wouldn't look under the table and see Astrid. "I think you're hiding something," Gothel said.
"Oh no, Mother," Elsa said, "there's nothing-"
"You're not eating," Gothel pointed out.
Elsa began to eat a few grapes and said, "It's very delicious. Thank you." Suddenly, Elsa heard Astrid moan as she began to come around, and Elsa moaned, pretending to enjoy the grapes. Astrid sighed louder as she began to get up, but Elsa quickly kicked her in the face, knocking her back out. Elsa then coughed to cover up the noise. "Seeds," she said.
Gothel raised an eyebrow and looked around.
"What's different in here?" asked Gothel.
"Nothing, Mother," Elsa said, before Gothel noticed a new figure and picked it up.
"Isn't this one new?" She said. "It's awfully good. It looks very much like the Viking boy." Elsa's eyes widened in fear, realizing the jig was up. "I know...you helped him ESCAPE!" Gothel screamed, slamming the figure of Hiccup down and making Elsa fall onto the floor.
"But I-" Elsa began.
"AND NOW ALL TOON PARIS IS BURNING BECAUSE OF YOU!" Gothel yelled at her.
"He was kind to me, Mother," Elsa protested.
Enraged, Gothel began to destroy Elsa's model city as she screamed, "YOU IDIOT! THAT WASN'T KINDNESS! IT WAS CUNNING! HE IS A MAGE!" She grabbed Elsa's collar. "MAGES ARE NOT CAPABLE OF REAL LOVE! THINK, GIRL! THINK OF YOUR MOTHER!"
Elsa trembled in fear and Gothel calmed down, before she said, "But what chance could a poor cursed girl like you have against his heathen treachery?" Gothel got up and stabbed the figure of Hiccup with a knife. "Well, never you mind, Elsa." She burned the figure with the candle. "He'll be out of our lives soon enough. I will free you from his evil spell. He will torment you no longer."
"What do you mean?" asked Elsa, as Gothel began to leave.
"I know where his hideout is," Gothel said. "And tomorrow at dawn, I attack with a thousand men."
With that, Gothel left and Elsa stood there with a horrified look, realizing Hiccup was in danger, before Astrid came out from under the table.
"We have to find the Court of Miracles before daybreak," Astrid said. "If Gothel gets there first..." She then turned and asked Elsa, "Are you coming with me?"
"I can't," Elsa answered.
"I thought you were Hiccup's friend," Astrid said.
"Gothel's my mother," Elsa said. "I can't disobey her again."
"He stood up for you, you know," Astrid said. "You have a very funny way of showing gratitude." Astrid paused before she said, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna sit by and let Gothel massacre innocent people." She turned to leave as she said, "You do what you think is right."
She then left and Elsa turned and saw Anna, Olaf, Spike, and the Mane Six with their arms crossed.
"What?" Elsa said. "What am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the boy from the jaws of death and the whole town will cheer like I'm some sort of hero? He already has his beautiful princess, and it's not me!" She sighed then. "Gothel was right. Gothel was right about everything. I'm tired of trying to be something I'm not."
She traced the palm line Hiccup had traced when he had read her palm before looking down at the burnt figure. She then pulled out the talisman around her neck and stared at it before Anna tapped her on the shoulder and handed her the cloak she had worn to the Festival of Fools.
Elsa sighed as she pulled the cloak on and left, saying, "I must be out of my mind."
Elsa sadly pulled out the Ace of Hearts Pinkie had given her and tore it in half. Hiccup and Astrid broke the kiss and Astrid fell asleep while Hiccup caressed her cheek. Tears began to fall freely from Elsa's eyes, before she turned away again and Anna gave her a hug, trying to comfort her.
Suddenly, Toothless roared, catching Elsa's attention.
"Toothless? What's wrong?" She asked.
Toothless roared frantically again and Elsa and Hiccup ran over to the window to see that Gothel was coming.
Elsa gasped and said, "Gothel's coming!" She then quickly led Hiccup, Toothless, and Bunnymund away, as she added, "Hurry, you must leave! Quick, follow me. Go down the south tower steps!"
Bunnymund and Toothless left, but Hiccup stopped long enough to tell Elsa, "Be careful, Elsa. Promise you won't let anything happen to her."
"I promise," Elsa said, and then Hiccup left.
Gothel was approaching and Elsa began to panic.
"Quick!" said Rainbow Dash. "We gotta stash the stiff!"
Elsa and Anna wasted no time. They quickly dragged Astrid off the bed and underneath the table where Elsa's model city was. Elsa hurriedly began setting the models upright just as Gothel came in.
"Oh, Mother," Elsa said, pretending to be surprised. "I didn't think you'd be coming."
"I am never too busy to share a meal with you and your sister, dear," Gothel said. "I brought a little treat."
Gothel set down a basket and cleared her throat.
"Oh!" Elsa said, realizing she hadn't set the table.
She rushed over and began grabbing plates, accidentally breaking a few things in the process because of how nervous she was. Elsa then came back over and set the three plates down.
"Is there something troubling you, Elsa?" Gothel asked her as she put a bunch of grapes on Elsa's plate.
"No, no," Elsa answered.
"Oh, but there is," Gothel said. "I know there is." A grape fell on the floor and landed near the still unconscious Astrid. Elsa cautiously reached down and picked it up, praying that Gothel wouldn't look under the table and see Astrid. "I think you're hiding something," Gothel said.
"Oh no, Mother," Elsa said, "there's nothing-"
"You're not eating," Gothel pointed out.
Elsa began to eat a few grapes and said, "It's very delicious. Thank you." Suddenly, Elsa heard Astrid moan as she began to come around, and Elsa moaned, pretending to enjoy the grapes. Astrid sighed louder as she began to get up, but Elsa quickly kicked her in the face, knocking her back out. Elsa then coughed to cover up the noise. "Seeds," she said.
Gothel raised an eyebrow and looked around.
"What's different in here?" asked Gothel.
"Nothing, Mother," Elsa said, before Gothel noticed a new figure and picked it up.
"Isn't this one new?" She said. "It's awfully good. It looks very much like the Viking boy." Elsa's eyes widened in fear, realizing the jig was up. "I know...you helped him ESCAPE!" Gothel screamed, slamming the figure of Hiccup down and making Elsa fall onto the floor.
"But I-" Elsa began.
"AND NOW ALL TOON PARIS IS BURNING BECAUSE OF YOU!" Gothel yelled at her.
"He was kind to me, Mother," Elsa protested.
Enraged, Gothel began to destroy Elsa's model city as she screamed, "YOU IDIOT! THAT WASN'T KINDNESS! IT WAS CUNNING! HE IS A MAGE!" She grabbed Elsa's collar. "MAGES ARE NOT CAPABLE OF REAL LOVE! THINK, GIRL! THINK OF YOUR MOTHER!"
Elsa trembled in fear and Gothel calmed down, before she said, "But what chance could a poor cursed girl like you have against his heathen treachery?" Gothel got up and stabbed the figure of Hiccup with a knife. "Well, never you mind, Elsa." She burned the figure with the candle. "He'll be out of our lives soon enough. I will free you from his evil spell. He will torment you no longer."
"What do you mean?" asked Elsa, as Gothel began to leave.
"I know where his hideout is," Gothel said. "And tomorrow at dawn, I attack with a thousand men."
With that, Gothel left and Elsa stood there with a horrified look, realizing Hiccup was in danger, before Astrid came out from under the table.
"We have to find the Court of Miracles before daybreak," Astrid said. "If Gothel gets there first..." She then turned and asked Elsa, "Are you coming with me?"
"I can't," Elsa answered.
"I thought you were Hiccup's friend," Astrid said.
"Gothel's my mother," Elsa said. "I can't disobey her again."
"He stood up for you, you know," Astrid said. "You have a very funny way of showing gratitude." Astrid paused before she said, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not gonna sit by and let Gothel massacre innocent people." She turned to leave as she said, "You do what you think is right."
She then left and Elsa turned and saw Anna, Olaf, Spike, and the Mane Six with their arms crossed.
"What?" Elsa said. "What am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the boy from the jaws of death and the whole town will cheer like I'm some sort of hero? He already has his beautiful princess, and it's not me!" She sighed then. "Gothel was right. Gothel was right about everything. I'm tired of trying to be something I'm not."
She traced the palm line Hiccup had traced when he had read her palm before looking down at the burnt figure. She then pulled out the talisman around her neck and stared at it before Anna tapped her on the shoulder and handed her the cloak she had worn to the Festival of Fools.
Elsa sighed as she pulled the cloak on and left, saying, "I must be out of my mind."
