The Viking's thing

Chapter 12

"Who told you you can call me blondie?" Astrid replied smirking at the weakness spirit.

"What?" he answered without understanding.

"Oh, Thor! Did you really believe I was going to fall for such nonsense? Is that the best you have? How did you get this far with that garbage?" Astrid laughed so hard she ended up on the floor. "What a useless spirit!!"

Her friends breathed on relief and Hiccup helped her get up.

"I knew you could do it," he said smiling widely and she pecked his lips.

"I knew you knew," she said haughty.

"What's wrong with you three and with your people?!" the spirit asked unhinged looking at the Vikings. "Why don't you succumb to my power?!"

"Come on, don't feel bad. It's stubbornness. We are Vikings, we are the most stubborn beings in history. Nobody beats us at that!" Hiccup explained amused.

"Stubbornness..." the spirit echoed.

"Yep, that's the Viking's thing," Astrid confirmed with pride.

"I'm lost, aren't I?" he said regretting letting go of the octopus.

Anna stormed toward him furiously.

"Yes, you are. I am tired of you, of your ambitions and of you constantly using my family, my friends, and my kingdom to your advantage. This is over, trashy spirit." Anna crossed her arms.

"And just out of curiosity, what do you intend to do to finishing me, queen?" he said mockingly.

"Absolutely nothing," she smiled puzzling him.

"I'll do."

The weakness spirit turned around and found himself face to face with a smiling Kristoff who, without giving him time to react, placed an empty flask on his chest that absorbed the spirit in a second. Afterward, he closed the lid tightly.

"Work is done," he breathed showing the flask to the others, and sat on relief.

"Oh, thank God!" Anna said laughing.

The Vikings highed five by turns and Hallan ran all over the deck giving jumps and flips. Only one of them wasn't celebrating.

"I... I am so sorry, guys," Elsa whispered making stop the cheers.

"Hey, you are not the only one here who succumbed to him," Anna caressed Elsa's arm.

"Thanks, Anna," she smiled back still not relieved at all.

"However, there is an issue that is disturbing me more than that," she added. "What is all that about you will see our deaths and all that stuff?" Anna frowned while Kristoff put his hand on her waist.

Elsa looked her sister in the eye and the guilt was drawn all over her own face.

"What's up, Elsa?" Anna asked, suspecting that her sister was hiding something important from her again.

"Until today it was just a suspicion, but..." Elsa hesitated how to continue.

"Let me explain it, please," Hallan interrupted.

Anna nodded and Hallan took Elsa's hand.

"When Elsa was born, she did it prepared to be the fifth spirit, but in fact, she was just a normal human with powers. However, the moment she took on the role in the glacier, that changed. It was like signing a lifetime contract that made her half human half spirit and thus greatly extended her longevity. That was six years ago, but her body is still stuck at twenty-four years. Haven't you noticed that you already look older than her? It's because right now your body is three years older than her's."

"I... thought it was the stress of being queen... And, you know, cold preserves..." Anna mumbled evidently perplexed and Elsa smiled softly. "And... how long half human-half spirits live for?"

"Hm... I don't know exactly, but easily a few hundred years."

"Oh, then you'll see us die, definitely!"

"Are you mad at me?" Elsa answered fearfully.

"Why would I be? This is going to be harder for you than for me. I mean, obviously it's gonna be hard to see you so young and smooth while I am full of wrinkles, but my wrinkled husband will be there with me and, honestly, it would be very strange that I was super young and he an old man." Anna rambled. "And, you know, now I am sure that there will always be someone for my children if something happens to us. Even for my grandchildren! And maybe for my great-grandchildren!"

"I think she gets it," Kristoff chuckled stopping Anna.

Elsa hugged her so tightly. "I love you, sis."

"I love you too. Aaaand..." Anna giggled. "I know now you can't say no to take care of Arendelle while Kristoff and I finally take a few weeks for our honeymoon."

Elsa laughed. "Of course I'll do, but it's been five years since you got married."

"Yeah, we have been very busy. But, you know, better late than never."

"So, where are you going to?" Hiccup said willing to pull out his map.

"We don't know," Kristoff answered. "We will just get on the sled and get to where the wind guides us. Finally a bit of nature and fresh air."

"And maybe we return with child!"

"Hey, Elsa!" Hiccup said suddenly changing the subject and with tangible emotion. "If you're going to live that long, you may get to see the moment when humans can live in peace with the dragons! What envy!"

"Slow down, dragon boy!" Astrid laughed.

"I would love to," Elsa smiled remembering Fury.

"Well, we have more pressing matters to attend right now," Valka said pointing to the flask containing the spirit.

"But, what can we do with him? What place is lonelier than this?" Astrid asked.

Valka smirked naughtily. "I think I have an idea."