Hiccup's Journey

Thoughts, Deals, and Rude Awakenings

A/N:

'Dragons' – Dragonese

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"Hello, dear." 'Mother' greeted, who was also known as Gothel, as she took off her hood.

Pascal cowered away from the voice and blended into the log. Rapunzel stood quickly off the fallen log and stepped back, shaking her head. Gothel simply made her way around the dragons toward Rapunzel.

"B-but- how did you-" Gothel took her arms and pulled her into a hug, "How did you find me?"

Gothel hummed, smoothing her hand gently down the back of Rapunzel's head. "Oh, it was easy, really," she said easily completely ignoring Toothless and Cielo as they stood a few steps away, "I just listened to the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that."

Rapunzel sighed, "Mother . . . "

Gothel pulled away before she could finish.

"We're going home, Rapunzel," she said firmly and took her wrist in an iron grip. "Now." Rapunzel stumbled a few steps forward as her mother yanked her forward. She pulled her arm free and stepped back.

"N-no, mother, wait," she insisted with a light shake of her head and a weak smile. "You don't understand. I've been on this incredible journey and I've done and seen so much! I've made new friends, and-"

"Yes, yes," Gothel cut her off quickly. "The wanted thief, two adventurous boys and a couple of flying lizards, I'm so proud. Now," the woman reached for Rapunzel's wrist again and when she caught it, managed to pull her another few feet away from their small campsite. "Come on, Rapunzel."

Toothless lowered his body to the ground, lips curling back from his teeth. A low growl rumbled out of him and Cielo. Both dragons could sense that something was off, and neither liked it.

"Mother, please!" This time when Rapunzel pulled free, she used such a force that it nearly knocked Gothel off her balance.

"Just, just listen to me, please." She begged. "These are . . . they're my friends, and they're . . . they're helping me. They promised to take me to the see the lanterns and get me home safe, so you don't have to-"

Gothel's eyes narrowed slightly. "And . . . you trust them: a group of strangers?"

"I do," Rapunzel said honestly. "They . . . they wouldn't hurt me. Right, guys?" She turned to the dragons who bowed their heads in an honest nod. Gothel's scowl deepened. "Everyone's been so nice to me, mother. Hiccup, Carlos, Sharpshot, Toothless, Cielo . . . even Eugene . . . " She turned her gaze downward and her smile became shy. "Mother," she whispered. "I think . . . I think he likes me . . . "

There was a trace of hope in her voice: a hope in her eyes and in her heart that had never been there before. It blossomed more as she spent time with her new friends who were helping her achieve her dream. But Gothel was able pounced on it quick as lightning and fully intending on tearing it to shreds.

"'Likes you'?" She repeated, her voice was sarcastic and sweetly toxic. "Please, Rapunzel, that's demented!" She stepped around her daughter and rolled her eyes, laughing.

Rapunzel's shoulders lowered slightly, and she sighed in a sort of long-suffering manner. Toothless and Cielo didn't like this woman. They couldn't understand why this woman won't let Rapunzel experience a little bit of the outside world.

"Mother, I-" Rapunzel began.

"This is why you never should have left!" Gothel spoke over her daughter before she'd even fully taken the breath speak. It became clear that the woman had no interest in hearing anything that Rapunzel had to say. "Dear, this whole romance that you've invented around these strangers? It just proves that you're too naive to be here."