Omphalos (Hiccelsa)

Chapter 17

When Hiccup woke up, it was dark, and Elsa was not at his side. In a half-worried, half-lethargic fashion, Hiccup threw himself out of bed and stumbled down the stairs. It was silly, but he had been having horrible nightmares about Unn kidnapping Elsa or taking Ophelia, and to find Elsa not where she was supposed to be after waking sluggishly made it seem as if his nightmares had come true.

He let out a deep sigh of relief when he saw her outside, curled by Mercedes' side while she made gentle patters of snow and ice with her hands. He blinked a couple times, making sure this wasn't a dream, and to wake himself.

"You're powers are back." He said out loud, but Elsa hardly looked at him. Instead she grimaced. She pulled the hem of her nightgown closer around her legs and continued to create the castle at her feet. It looked like a castle; Hiccup had never seen one. Perhaps it was her old home. It was done meticulously.

"I know." She replied after a moment, her expression grim.

"You're powers are back." He repeated softer, a little more confused, as if she hadn't heard him the first time. She looked up, and gave a frustrated sigh. With a single swipe of her hand, she turned the pristine castle to dust and wiped it away. He frowned, leaning in the threshold of the doorway.

"Do you know at all how exactly the Lava Louts capture their dragons? To kill?" She asked after a long second, standing to brush off her clothes.

"I don't know." Hiccup shrugged, "I think most likely the way we killed all dragons before the Integration. I mean, back then at least they were re-using their dragons instead of dumping them into the sea or feeding them to some carnivores along the islands." He said, "Why?"

"It was what Unn said and did." She said distractedly, and Hiccup's heart dropped.

"Elsa you said he didn't-,"

"He did not." Elsa said firmly, scowling, "It a comment. Reverse fire. He knew exactly where to touch to stop me." She confirmed, her finger lazily tracing a tendon, and then when she realized what she was doing, her hand jumped back as if she expected that she'd harm herself.

"Reverse…fire?" Hiccup played the phrase around his mind, "Like dragon fire, was he referring to?"

"I don't know." Elsa groaned, clearly stressed out, "This is why I was asking you!"

"Oh." Hiccup realized, and shook his head, "Most of the tribes that would know wouldn't tell us. And those in his tribe that would tell us would be punished horribly, and it's not worth it."

"I don't want anyone to get hurt on my part, I agree." Elsa said, "But could we sneak in and find out? Spy?" She asked desperately.

"I wish." Hiccup scoffed, "It was hard enough for Thuggery and I to sneak around in the dead of night. After that…well, he'll be waiting, or expecting. Something worse might happen to you." He said, his eyes darkening with future anger.

Elsa looked defeated. He went to her tentatively, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's still early. Maybe a sleep on it will make it clearer." He offered, although he wasn't sure if it would work, he just hated seeing her so upset, and he was so helpless. Perhaps he would have to go by himself to the Lava Louts island. It was dangerous but he would rather risk himself than Elsa.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes glistening with unshed fear. She clasp her hands firmly, scowling. "I guess." She murmured, nodding. Hiccup didn't ask if he should stay with her the rest of the night; that much had transcended through spoken words.

In the morning light, Elsa was much more chipper and had a strong direction. He woke once against to find her gone, but from the tantalizing smell of eggs and ham from downstairs and the loud laughter of Ophelia and his mother, he had no question or fear for Elsa's whereabouts.