Mousedom: Dangers and Dragons (part 1)
"Father, did you know there are Vikings in Norway?"
King Philip blinked at the Mouse Times and looked up to see his thirteen year old son, long and lanky, lounging upside-down next to him in the spacious study, his head where his knees should be and his feet dangling over the top of the high-backed chair. The blonde boy waited patiently for his dad to answer, absently playing with the most recent addition to his collection-a miniature replica of the trolley that runs its route through the Magic Kingdom. A birthday gift from his soon to be brother-in-law, Prince Dorian.
"Yes," Philip said slowly, raising an eyebrow in question at the boy. "I did know that. Why do you ask?"
"Have they always lived there?"
"I believe so... Why?"
"Did you ever go to one of their islands up north?"
"Why-?"
"Did you know one of the islands has Dragons?"
"Alright, Stephan," King Philip said with a sigh, setting aside his paper to look at the boy better. "What's this about?"
Prince Stephan swung himself upright and slouched back against the chair, still spinning the wheels on the little trolley. "I heard that one of the islands has trained them."
"The Vikings?" Philip asked, completely bemused as he stared at the boy.
"No, they're the ones who trained them," Stephan clarified slightly.
"Who?"
"The dragons, Father!"
"Ah, yes," Philip said, trying not to roll his eyes. "I heard something like that too. And why are you so interested in dragons?"
"Can we go see them?" Stephan asked hopefully.
"What?" Philip stared. This was the same boy that had been kidnaped by Maleficent, right? And he was now asking to go see dragons?
"Would you take me with you out to Berk and see them?" Stephan reiterated.
"Berk?" Philip repeated, sifting through his thoughts to place the name. "You mean out in the realm of Dreamworks? Stephan, that's further than the Bluthia territories!"
"Just past Russia," Stephan agreed with a nod, but his eyes were glistening with excitement. "We could just take the Norway portal and then sail up to Berk, then ask if we can ride dragons back to Norway and be home before Dettie's done with her fittings!"
"I see, and have you told this idea to your mother?"
"Umm... well..."
Philip chuckled and shook his head. "I'll take that as a 'no'. Might I suggest that you ask?"
"But she'll say no!" Stephan groaned.
"You don't know that," Philip said, returning his attention to the newspaper. "She could surprise you."
"Yeah, by announcing I have to go to Paris for clothes too," the prince said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
~~°o°~~
"No," Queen Aurora said firmly. "No. Absolutely not."
"Rose-," Philip tried to intervene, failing miserably as his wife narrowed her eyes at him across the long dinner table.
"We just got him back from one of those monsters," she reminded him. "And you want to send him gallivanting off towards another one?"
"That was years ago," Stephan said defiantly from his place, across from his sister (who was wisely keeping quite) in the center of the table. "And that was a sorceress who wants to kill off our family."
"Wanted, son," Philip corrected quickly. "We did away with her this time."
"You can't prove that," Aurora snapped at her husband.
"It's a weekend up to the Arctic," Philip said calmly directing the conversation back to the idea of Berk. "Its not like there'll be anything for him to do around here."
"Who says he'd be staying here this weekend anyway?" Aurora asked indignantly. "He's coming into Paris with me and Odette."
"He wasn't," Philip said with a sigh.
"Well, he is now," Aurora insisted. "I've decided he needs new clothes for-uh-next season."
"Autumn?" Philip offered.
"Yes! For Autumn! And his riding boots are in horrible condition-."
"So take my boots with you! I won't be on horseback in Norway," Stephan argued. "And you know my sizes anyway!"
"You're coming," Aurora repeated with a finality that ended all discussion for the rest of the meal.
A/N: There are two reactions to fear - let it shape your decisions or force it to make you stronger. Aka the sides Aurora and Stephan are fighting on. Hope you guys enjoy as I go traipsing across boundaries...