All the chapters of this story will be one-shots with Shark and Iris. It might be a bit sappy at times, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I don't own "For the Dancing and the Dreaming." It belongs to the producers of How to Train you Dragon 2. I know the original song is about marriage, but I changed it a bit to fit Iris and Shark.
Iris ran down the battlefield, searching frantically for the Emperor. She had to find him. She couldn't lose him, not the way she'd lost her parents. All around her, men were falling and dying, but she forced herself to ignore the cries of agony. She pushed her way through the crowds of soldiers and, narrowly avoiding arrows charging at her, managed to reach a small opening in the fighting, where she saw-
No! It was the Emperor, crumpled at the feet of the orange-haired man that had sliced her father's head off and then stabbed her mother through the heart.
"Your majesty!" Iris cried out, running to him. She knelt by his side and shook him, tears running down her cheeks. "Your majesty, don't leave me. Please don't leave me! Please-" Iris cut off short when she turned the Emperor to face her. His eyes were blank and staring. It was the stare of death. Her father's eyes had had the same glossy look when his head had rolled out in front of her.
"No…" Iris whimpered.
The man with the orange hair laughed wildly. "What's the matter, little girl? Was this loser a friend of yours?"
The evil ruler laughed, his eyes glowing with insanity. Iris stared back at him, this man who had taken everything from her… and screamed.
Iris Kastle surged forward in bed, another scream escaping her throat before she could stop it. Trembling, she looked around herself. She was in her room at home. Her doll, the one she slept with, had been thrown to the floor during the nightmare. Iris hugged her knees and tried to calm her breathing. Her pajamas were damp and clinging to her shaking body.
The small girl heard footsteps approaching at a rapid pace. Her bedroom door was flung open and her room flooded with light. Blinking in the sudden harsh brightness, Iris made out the form of the Emperor standing in the doorway.
"Your majesty…" Iris said weekly.
"Iris!" The young man swept across the room to her bed, and in a moment Iris found herself curled up in protective arms.
"Another nightmare?" Nash asked, running his hands through the girl's hair.
Iris nodded. "It was the war again. And…and…" a choked sob escaped her.
"You don't have to tell me, Iris," the former ruler said gently. Iris buried her head in his chest. He smelled nice, just like he always did.
15 minutes passed, and Nash rocked Iris gently assuring her that everything was going to be alright, but the youngest member of the extended Kastle family couldn't seem to fall back asleep.
"You won't ever leave me, will you, your majesty?" Iris asked.
"Never," he said, drawing her closer. Iris knew he would never leave her, but it was comforting to hear him say it anyway.
"Can we sing our song, you majesty?"
Nash frowned. "What song?"
"You know- the one about dancing and dreaming." Nash stared at her blankly. At first Iris was puzzled, but then she realized that the Emperor must not remember the days in the army camp, when he had come into her tent and sung the lullaby to her. "Oh- you don't remember, do you?"
Nash shook his head. "I'm sorry, Iris."
The girl shrugged. "It's okay. You would sing to me, and then I would sing back, so I only know part of it anyway. I'll just hum the tune." Iris began to hum, relaxing her grip on Nash's bathrobe a bit. As he listened to the tune, it began to seem more and more familiar. Words began to appear in his mind. Then, when Iris took a breath, he began to sing. The words came back to him as he sang, an old memory being unearthed:
I'll swim and sail on savage seas
With ne'er a fear of drowning
And gladly ride the waves of life
As long as you're beside me
No scorching sun, nor freezing cold
Will stop me on my journey
If you will promise with your heart
His memory failed him. What was the next line? Smiling, Iris filled it in for him, her sweet voice filling the room with the melody:
To stay for eternity
She then began to sing the part that Nash had taught her all those years ago, the second part of the duet:
My dearest one, my darling dear,
Your mighty words astound me
But I've no need of mighty deeds
When I feel your arms around me
Grinning, Nash began his part again:
But I would bring you rings of gold
And even sing you poetry
And I will keep you from all harm
As long as you're beside me
Then it was Iris's part again:
I'll have no use for rings of gold,
I care not for your poetry
I only want your hand to hold
I only want you near me
Then the two voices, Nash's rich baritone and Iris's melodic soprano, joined together for the final verse:
To love, to keep, and sweetly hold
For the dancing and the dreaming
Through all life's sorrows and delights
I'll keep you safe beside me
Smiling up at the Emperor, Iris yawned. Nash began to sing more softly as he lowered the girl back into her sheets and tucked her in:
I'll swim and sail on savage seas
With ne'er a fear of drowning
And gladly ride the waves of life
As long as you're beside me
Nash leaned over and gave the child a kiss on the forehead, before quietly getting up and slipping out of the room.
He was met by his younger sister, Rio, smirking at him. "You never told me you could sing so well, dear brother."
Shark huffed. "I never had any reason to tell you."
"Oh. Well, now that I know all about your secret talent, I think you should give a concert."
"No."
"We could invite all your friends from school-"
"No!"
"-and even provide refreshments."
"NO!"
"We could make a party out of it!"
"I swear, Rio, you say one word to anyone and I'll-"
"Relax, Reginald, I'm only teasing. It's sweet of you to take care of Iris so well." Rio said sincerely.
"Yeah, well, it's late and we should get to bed," Shark said gruffly, before stalking down the hallway to his room. Rio shook her head. Her brother would never change.