Rating: strong T
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Inspirations: I'm watching too much CDrama atm. X)
Warnings: cliché, I guess? At least by CDrama standards.
Pre-Story Notes: So I died and was not able to upload or update any fic these past few weeks. I deeply apologize for that. This fic has been developed since last year, but a lot of things happened in my personal life, and the development of the fic was postponed until recently. This is actually a oneshot that I am dividing into two because of the length. Please enjoy my stupid attempt at fusing Viking elements with Chinese culture. I hope you don't mind something different.
Shout-outs to:Introvert-Dragon for the Beta-ing of this fic, and both to Kelvin Wang and Bramble Sheep for fact checking and additional feedback with regards the translations and the culture! I owe so much to the three of you and I am so glad to have interacted with you for this!
On with the story!
Story Playlist:
The Heaven Song (Empress of China OST)
Brush on Silk (Memoirs of a Geisha OST)
The Beauty Song (House of Flying Daggers OST)
{ I. }
The dragon's abode stands majestic proud and vast
And gardens are said to fill the dragon's palace.
But high walls hide all and can make mystery last
One wonders what lies behind such great elegance.
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"What are you looking at, my dear daughter?"
Her father's voice snaps her out of her reverie, urging her to release the curtains of the palanquin and turn to him. "There seem to be poems written in banners hung all over the Heavenly Palace, Baba."
"Ah yes," he breathes, stealing a peek at the banner hung before the vermilion Entrance Gate of Supreme Tranquility once the carriage moved to accommodate his request to the servants. "The Dragon Emperor is said to be fond of composing poems. When he was considered to be the useless Crown Prince, he resorted to writing and art to express his frustrations."
"And yet he is now the most feared monarch in all the Wilder East," she murmurs contemplatively as the carriage passed by the lion statues guarding the gates. "Even King Dagger and Queen Mala have recognized his sovereignty, all because he is favored by the dragon gods."
"He has proven himself a capable ruler when he avenged his father, destroyed the blasphemous Lord Xuè Quán, released the demon beasts from their curse, and freed the entire Wilder East from the clutches of the fallen Lord," her father counters her. "He is not called the Dragon Emperor for nothing, my daughter."
"I know that he has saved us from Lord Blood Fist and all. I understand. I just—"
The tall doors leading to the Heavenly Palace open, and their palanquin, together with their servants from the Nán State, are ushered in by the Head Eunuch. They are now to enter the grand inner courtyard of the Divine City of the State of Berk, the most powerful empire in the Wilder East, and are now off to the Hall of Supreme Tranquility to meet the Dragon Emperor.
She swallows her words and looks on ahead. She knows in her heart that she isn't ready for this. She isn't ready to get married.
Not when she hasn't met him again yet.
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Behind the garden walls are flowers of all kind
And the great dragon protects them as is his task.
A day will come when he shall have to choose his bride
And for the flowers, there is none more they could ask.
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"Greetings, General Fish Legs," her father murmurs as soon as he gets out of the palanquin at the steps of the Great Marble Carriageway.
He bows down before the armored youth who received them, a large and husky lad with straw-blonde hair who could not be any older than her. She bows to him just as her father does and remains so until she is introduced.
"Likewise, Your Highness." The general returns their greeting; the air of polite intelligence to him despite his position greatly calms her.
"This is my daughter, the Third Princess of the Nán state, Princess Yà Sī Cuì."
"Ah," General Fish Legs smiles at her, "The renowned Princess-General of the Southern States. It was said that a foreigner had gazed upon you and he had uttered the name Astrid—divine beauty in their language—and the name has been stuck with you ever since."
"Indeed," she replies with utmost courtesy. "That is what my older brothers call me."
"The Dragon Emperor is extremely fortunate to have you, then!" His exclamation is rather lively, almost frantic. "That's got to be an additional five points of honor and ten points of reputation for the ruling family. Your father must think so highly of Berk that he has sent a favored daughter to be part of the Hou Gong."
She swallows. In her world of constant conflict against threats to her State, she has never once considered marriage. Scratch that, she never even considered marriage to an Emperor—to the Dragon Emperor. As part of his Imperial Harem, nonetheless.
She's sure that she's going to mess up this traditional system somehow, like she always does.
"It is the Nán State's honor to be allied with the State of Berk," her father replies. "We owe a debt to the State after having saved us and the rest of the Wilder East from the fallen Dragon King and the terrorist Lord Blood Fist years ago."
Years before, during the War of the Fallen Dragons Beasts and with the unrest surrounding the states settled in the Wild East, it was most prudent to avoid conflicts and wars by turning potential enemies into in-laws and dinner party guests. It was thus normal that female relatives from foreign rulers be given as consorts to forge political and strategic alliances. Even now that the wars are over, the same practice is still made, although the intents have become different.
"The Emperor has been courting the Princess from afar for three years now, as well," her father adds, "and I think we have let him wait long enough."
"Thank you for the thoughtfulness, Your Majesty," the General bows again. "Please follow me now to the Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility. The Dragon Emperor awaits his new bride."
She bites her lip as all of them proceed to climb the steps leading up to the Imperial Hall. She is not looking forward to meeting the emperor, not one bit. Although she is a grown woman who can make her own decisions, she recognizes that the honor and name of her State and family is more important than her freedom. She just hopes that her husband would not favor her or would simply ignore her. Her reputation is that of a hot headed rebellious princess after all, so she is rather confident that she would not be favored.
She just hopes that the Emperor is half the person that he was.
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The peony is noble, virtuous and wealthy;
Bright, lucky and refined is the chrysanthemum;
The camellia is beautiful, divine and timely;
Which of these blossoms will the dragon bride become?
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An older man surrounded by three young ladies with an entourage of attendants behind them greet their arrival at the top of the Marble Carriageway. The three young maidens in the front who were elaborately dressed stand out among the crowd.
Astrid figures that they are the favored wives of the Dragon Emperor, basing on the elaborateness of their robes alone. The Dragon Emperor had once composed a poem for them, and that piece has become quite popular with the peasantry, even outside of Berk.
A beautiful maiden with a slim physique and hints of Uyghur ethnicity gracefully steps forward. The flowing skirt of her qun is a lovely shade of pastel green, beautifully embroidered with silver peony details. It is held in place by a black ribbon just a little bit below the bustline, teasing a peek of the fullness of her bosom but still high enough not to be considered vulgar. Her white blouse, a ru, is hidden underneath the magnificent silver brocade of her long-sleeved robe—a daxiushan—that complemented well with her green eyes. Her hair is elaborately tied up in a half-flipped bun with a large white peony and silver and emerald hair ornaments as decorations.
Her bow is as elegant as her brocade. "Welcome to the Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility, Your Majesty."
"I'd like to present Consort Hǎi Sè, the First Princess of the Berserk State," General Fish Legs announces. "The Dragon Emperor affectionately calls her Heather after the name her Western mother has given her. Uncommon, but not unheard of."
The other two ladies step forward and bow as well.
One is a thinner albeit taller lady with a mischievous smirk. Astrid is given the impression that the Emperor indulges her whims, inferring from the rich, predominantly golden yuanlingpao that she wore, which was a round-collared robe with intricate bead detailing around its edges. It fits snugly around her thin frame, the wide skirt trailing behind her in a train. The bright colors of her robes clash with her pale blue eyes, and her long blonde hair is tied up into two symmetric tall buns on either side of her head, which Astrid remembers is called the flying immortal hairstyle. A simple yellow chrysanthemum in her hair completes her look.
The other is a shorter but more curvaceous woman with a twisting snake bun. Her blonde hair is secured with ruby-encrusted golden hair pins and a gilded buyao—a hair pin with long, dangling chains and tassels that swayed every time she moved—with a full-blooming camellia. The heziqun set that she wears is as white as ivory and as flowing as water, its hezi portion—the undergarment—elaborately embroidered and tied with a light pink cloth belt. The garment ends just below her bust line, just like Consort Heather's, showing a hint of a swell of her ample chest. Her daxiushan is a deep red color with gilded edges, luxurious and elaborate.
"This is Consort Yu Yan of Berk," the General gestures to the tall maiden in a yuanlingpao, "but she is usually called 'Rough Nut' by the Dragon Emperor, who thinks that it is a more doting name for her. And this is Consort Cháhuā of the Bog State, whose name is usually shortened as 'Cami' after her favorite flower."
"It is an honor to meet the favored wives of the Dragon Emperor," Astrid mutters in a greeting, bowing to each of them. She pales in comparison when placed together with them, with her simple but impeccable robes. The ruqun set that she wears is as white as ivory and as blue as water, held up with a light blue tie. Her blonde hair is collected at the top of her head and twisted to form a high mallet bun, secured in place by a sapphire-encrusted golden huasheng—a floral hair ornament placed above the middle of the forehead—and a broken jade chai hairpin, which she wears despite clashing with the color palette of her dress. Her look is finished with the plum blossom makeup, with a huadian—a decoration that resembled plum blossoms—adorning her forehead
"It is also an honor to welcome you to the Imperial Harem, Princess Astrid," Consort Cami replies. "The Dragon Emperor will decide your rank in the Imperial Harem. As you are from a smaller state from the South, you would most likely start as a Concubine, and you can move your way up in the Imperial Harem once you bear him a son. We shall guide you in the proper conduct and etiquette in the Imperial Harem."
Astrid suppresses the frown that threatens to form on her face; her state may be small, but her people are honorable and skilled in battle, nevertheless.
"Ready to pleasure the Emperor?" Consort Ruffnut teases, winking at her. It takes all of Astrid's willpower not to strangle her. Or glare at her, at least.
"Not like she has the chance," the only man in the welcoming party chimes in, and everyone turns to face him.
Just like General Fish Legs, this man is hugely built and husky. He wears a simple yet rich deep purple robes and a green jade belt tied around his waist. His posture, Astrid notes, is rather angled, and it takes her a few more seconds to realize that it is because he is an amputee. His right hand holds a mixture of iron and wooden prosthesis as well, and although it might have been unbearable in the past, he seems comfortable enough with his situation.
"This is Minister Gē Bó, the Dragon Emperor's mentor, closest adviser and family friend," the General introduces. "The Dragon Emperor calls him 'Gobber,' though."
"As I was saying," the Minister continues after the formalities, "The emperor is busy expanding his land and making alliances. He barely has any time for palace affairs, and when he does, it's spent on problems of the State. I hear that there is still no child on the way despite the number of concubines in the Imperial Harem."
Astrid does not miss the side-eye glances between Consort Cami and Consort Heather, and she wonders the reason for their discomfort.
"Indeed," her father confirms, slightly alarmed. "He is twenty-three; and although there is still time for him to continue his lineage, several threats to the throne, including assassinations, must worry the nation."
"Exactly," the Minister replies. His voice is light-hearted—amused even—despite the gravity of the issue. "It would be prudent that he produces an heir soon. Or take someone as an Empress at least. The ministers have been urging him to choose a woman who can rule with him on the Dragon Throne to stabilize the civilian unrest."
"Unless he swings the other way and we end up with another Dragon Emperor," Consort Ruffnut whispers jokingly to the other consorts. Astrid fights to keep the smile from forming on her lips.
Consort Cami surreptitiously side-jabs Consort Ruffnut. "Ruff!" she whispers back. "You know we can't have two Emperors!"
Consort Heather steps up to cover them. "I'm sure that the Berserkers, Meatheads and other allied States shall assist the Dragon Emperor if that happens. We owe him our lives."
Before they can continue the discussion, the beating of gongs and the Head Eunuch's shrill voice stops them. "It is the Hour of the Goat. The sun shines. The court resumes. Peace to all." His attendants repeat his announcement.
"Time to introduce you to the groom," Consort Ruffnut whispers in her ear, lightly pushing her forward towards the double doors leading to the Imperial Hall.
"The King and the Princess are summoned by the Dragon Emperor!"
The double doors open, and everyone is ushered in, with Princess Astrid and her father stepping in first. The General and the Minister, accompanied by the Head Eunuch, follow them. The Consorts file in next, and the rest of the attendants follow suit like a short procession.
The Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility is by far the largest throne room that she has ever seen. It is at least eleven bays wide and five bays deep, with huge pillars flanking either side of the room. The six pillars nearest the throne are covered with gold, and the entire area is decorated with a dragon motif. The raised Dragon Throne sits on top of a high platform behind a translucent piece of golden cloth with embroidered edges; only a faint silhouette of the Dragon Emperor and his dragon can be seen from their distance.
Astrid steels herself to appear as unaffected as possible. She does not need anyone to point out just how impressed she is with the grandness of the Dragon Emperor's abode. She raises her chin and walks forward with as much grace as she can muster.
"Remain a hundred paces before His Imperial Majesty or both of you will be executed by the Dragon of Leizi and Yama himself!" the Head Eunuch warns behind them.
The Dragon of the Goddess of Lightning and God of Death, eh? She once knew of a dragon long ago who might as well rival this one, then. If she recalls correctly, that dragon was as fast as lightning and as black as death, although his disfigured tail hampered his speed in the air. Unfortunately, it is not in her place to call out for the dragon's assistance. Or the dragon's friend. And it's not like she can reach out to them, anyway.
Astrid obliges and stops a hundred paces away from the throne, setting herself to kowtow before the Emperor. She kneels, her palms and forehead hitting the ground. She hears everyone do the same behind her.
"Your servants kneel before the Dragon Emperor," the Head Eunuch announces, and everyone other than the Princess and the King repeats it.
The Head Eunuch says a few more words, although Astrid can't bear to listen to any more of it. She knows that she's not supposed to look up just yet, but curiosity gets the better of her, and she raises her head to peek—
And to her alarm, the silhouette of the Dragon Emperor looks frighteningly familiar. Without thinking, she raises her head to study him further.
Three hundred years ago, it was said that the dragon gods blessed a member of the Hā Dào kè Clan—the Haddocks—to unify the Wilder East under one rule. He succeeded in his quest, but when he died, the dragon gods disappeared as well, only appearing to create and destroy as needed. The Wilder East has then broken into smaller warring states.
A few years ago, a practitioner of the dark and ancient art of Gu, Lord Blood Fist, who believed that he was wronged by the dragon gods, conspired to corrupt them into demon beasts by poisoning them. Gu magic involved sealing several venomous creatures inside a closed container, where they devoured one another and concentrated their toxins into a single survivor. Lord Blood Fist used numerous creatures in his plan—snakes and centipedes, scorpions and spiders, and even the Queen and King of Dragons. His plans succeeded, and with the corrupted King of the Dragon Gods, he was able to manipulate the will of the other dragon gods. The corrupted dragon gods began attacking the States, and thus the War of the Fallen Demon Beasts started.
While trouble was brewing in the other States, in the State of Berk, it is said that the Dragon Emperor was once a talentless Crown Prince who only focused on poems and art, on weapon-making and creating problems for the previous Emperor to solve. He ran away five years ago when he harmed a dragon god, leaving his State in chaos in the middle of the War; this has earned him the title of the Useless Crown Prince.
While he was away, Lord Blood Fist, the terrorist who has caused the dragon gods to go berserk and fall from grace, created havoc in Berk State. The Crown Prince came back, though, riding a dragon god. He defeated Lord Blood Fist, though the war ended with the death of his father, Emperor Shǐ Tú Yī Kè.
The Crown Prince eventually appeased the dragon gods, restoring their divinity and cohabiting with them in peace. He assisted the States in their recovery and sought for a unification of the States without bloodshed, a peace in the Wilder East without sacrificing the autonomy of the States. His peaceful unification granted favors from the nearby States, and the other States in turn gave him offerings and princesses for alliance.
After his coronation, he was named as the Dragon Emperor and thus started his reign. Thus started the reign of the new Haddock Dynasty.
Now that she thinks of it, the story of the Dragon Emperor seems to align with his tale five years ago. And his profile seems to outline the golden curtains of the throne.
Lost in her thoughts, she stands up, transfixed at what she is seeing. She approaches the Dragon Throne despite the earlier warning, reaching out her hand to grab the golden curtain that separates the rest of the hall from the Dragon Throne.
She wants to know just who this person is—the Useless Crown Prince who is now the Dragon Emperor.
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The entire land knows of the dragon's little past;
He was once a salamander, useless and weak.
He left his home to travel the world at long last
For he was deemed unconventionally unique.
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{:: a plum blossom—
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Hiccup runs faster as the cloaked Trappers chase after him, their spears and swords ready to beat him and his dragon up when they were going to catch them. He had urged his reptilian friend to go on without him earlier so that he could serve as a distraction to the Trappers, and his friend had begrudgingly complied to his plan, although without a hiss of disapproval. He knows that his friend is going to come back for him, but right now, he does not dare put his friend's life in jeopardy.
He looks back every now and then to make sure that his tracks are covered on the snow and the Trappers can lose sight of him, making sure to study the forest and its nearby areas so that he could use the geographical features to his advantage. Noticing a huge structure near the edge of the forest, he races towards edifice before his would-be captors can.
Upon nearing the area, he realizes that he has underestimated the sheer extensiveness of the Palace. It is by no means as big or as grand as his own, though he is sure that he could easily get lost in its maze should he be careless. The structure is composed of sprawling buildings and towers with long hallways, surrounded by a tall wall.
He reaches up to grab the irregular parts and indents on the wall, hoping for stable purchase. With great effort, he manages to climb up and haul himself on its rooftop, dragging himself to balance on top. The snow seeps into his clothes, the thin cloak he is wearing almost immaterial. He is used to the cold, though; in his State, it snows a quarter of a year and hails on the rest. He catches his breath for a second before he lands himself on the other side, dropping on the soft hill-like snow.
When he looks up after calming himself, his jaw almost drops at the beauty of the courtyard.
The courtyard is dotted with several trees with a fresh powder of snow, a beautiful scenery of tranquility in the middle of winter. A fresh scent of flowers tickles his nostrils, and it is in that instant that he realizes that there are blossoms on the trees, slightly hidden by the whiteness of the snow. He was just about to get up from his position to admire them, when hooded figures land softly albeit aggressively on either side of him.
Fuck.
How in the world did they find him that fast?
Figures of at least four men surround him, pointing their weapons at him. "Surrender the beast, bastard!"
"Have you even seen a dragon this far off?" he distracts them as he swiftly bends down to escape from their grasps.
They attack him in unison, but he manages to dodge their jabs, swerving his body to avoid their weapons and rolling on the snow in one swift move to flee from them. His movements are uncultured and clumsy, yet he hopes to the gods that they are effective nonetheless. He is now operating on adrenaline, and his endurance has become instinctive for him—dodging blow by blow, he copes in surviving their advances, though he himself sustained injuries from their relentless punches.
Unfortunately for him, their numbers overpower his tenacity, and he is left cornered on the ground, half buried in snow. His captors raise their weapons together, ready to plunge them into his body. He closes his eyes in agony, waiting for his demise.
"You should have given the beast to us, you imbecile!"
A painful smile erupts from his face. No matter what they do to him, he is sure that it would not matter in the long run. At least Toothless has gotten away.
He can hear the swish of their blades, the sound giving away their position. He feels his heart stop at the dreaded silence—
But the blow never arrives.
Instead, he hears the movement of fabric and the shrill sound of blade against blade—fast and uncoordinated, like a song that has gone out of tune, or an unpracticed dance. The clashing of metals is disturbingly sharp and erratic, yet unmistakably precise every time. Then just as fast as the weapons danced, so was the haste of the sudden silence that came about after one loud slice of a blade.
He carefully opens his eyes and props himself up on his elbows to look. In front of his injured body is a figure facing the Trappers, a vision of deep ivory and light blue standing against the backdrop of falling snow and newly blossoming trees.
He strains his neck trying to figure out what she looks like.
She's wearing a wéimào—a white-veiled, wide-brimmed bamboo straw hat, the edges of the hat decorated with hanging beads and tassels. The veil itself is a relatively transparent fabric, draped like a curtain that reached past her shoulders. It gives him the silhouette of a slender feminine figure, but not a clear view of her other physical features. Other than the blonde hair peeking from her straw hat and the whites and blues of her robes, he has no other inkling of her visage. She looks elegant yet imposing, what with the elaborately carved double-sided fu that she is wielding in her right hand.
"Wh—Who are you?" he manages to choke out at her.
The silhouette appears to whip around to face him, veil and ornaments swishing and tinkling with the movement. A pale hand peeks through the gap in the veil, long and slim fingers parting the fabric to reveal a part of her face.
He is startled by the hypnotizing blue of her eye.
The veil is parted in such a way that only half of her face can be seen, but even with the lack of exposure, he can immediately tell that she is unconventionally beautiful—porcelain skin, a small nose, rosy lips. Her effect on him is more potent than any threat to his life so far, and he is left to gape at her in awe and wonder—
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In his lengthy travels the salamander found
The sweet scent of a flower blooming in winter.
In her stance of perseverance, he was spellbound
Her beauty was unparalleled like no other.
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"A scholar?"
Her voice snaps him out of his trance. "A poet," he corrects her.
"What sort of ill-conceived poem did you compose for them that they are convinced that it's worth taking your life?"
"It was about their love life," he supplies easily. "Or their lack thereof."
"Shut your trap!" one of them admonishes scathingly, raising his broadsword.
She immediately lets go of the fabric, and the veil falls over her face. Swiftly blocking the attack with one swipe of her axe, she pushes the perpetrator away with the momentum of her weapon.
"Leave us alone, wench," another Trapper chimes in. "This is between us and that twerp; you've no business here."
"I do when you're trespassing upon my family's territory," she retorts, brandishing her axe. She is met with a sword and a spear. The others join in, and in no time, they are engaged in clash of blades once again.
Although she is outnumbered, it appears she has no problem facing them, seeing how effortlessly she dodges and attacks them at the same time. Her movements are graceful and powerful, almost unreal. It is like watching a warrior goddess battle the forces of evil, which may not be far off from the truth, he supposes.
An idea suddenly hits him as he observes their fight.
He could take his leave now, when all of them are distracted by her. He ponders over his alternatives, but the safest, albeit most cowardly thing for him to do was to run away from the chaos. He'd have to leave her, though—this warrior deity who has bothered to save his ass. But there is someone more important to him now.
Toothless.
He wants to see him again, no matter what or who he faces. She'll be angry at his desertion of her, that's for sure, but he's willing to take that risk. It's not like they're going to meet her again, anyway. And even if he does, he'll face her wrath later; he must find Toothless now.
Making up his mind, he resolves himself to survive. Even if that means leaving the goddess in front of him.
Swallowing his hesitation, he surreptitiously gets up from the ground. With as less sound as possible, he creeps into one of the side halls of the courtyard. He can still hear the battle going on behind him; with a heavy heart, he swiftly looks back one more time—
And he finally disappears into the darkness of the side hall before they figure out that he has gone away.
It does not take him long to find his beloved friend.
Or more appropriately, his friend does not take long to find him.
Although the dragon has lost its ability to fly, his jet-black color helps him camouflage into the darkness so that he can easily escape from enemies. He never shows himself unless he wants to be seen, which is why it is during sundown when Hiccup gets out of his hiding place in one of the palaces to venture the nearby forest. As he has predicted, Toothless shows up beside him, nudging his hands.
"I missed you, too bud," he murmurs as he scratches the dragon's head. Toothless smiles appreciatively. "Where should we hide you, buddy? I think the Trappers have gone, so we can stay here." Hiccup looks around again to look for a place to rest.
The dragon seems to have other plans, though.
"You want to stay someplace else?"
Toothless takes Hiccup's arm into his mouth, dragging him back to the direction of the palace. Hiccup is hesitant, but the dragon seems adamant, sniffing the air around the area to determine which direction they should go.
With the cover of the night, he and his friend venture on into the palace complex, which he realizes is a geologically active area, centered around a series of natural hot springs, which he surmised could provide soothing warm baths even during the middle of winter. They have already passed by around four pools earlier, and he guesses that there could be more around the area. Other than the hot springs, there are also numerous plum blossom trees and nearby pavilions dotting the complex.
Toothless leads him on, and he follows suit, knowing full well that his friend knows what he wants. He covers their tracks, just in case, considering the occasional guards patrolling the area. Finally, Toothless stops just beside a huge hall.
Hearing noises from inside the edifice, he and Toothless hide behind some bushes. A procession of attendants march from the building towards the next hall, which is further up from where they came from. Once they were out of sight, Hiccup and Toothless emerge from their hiding spot to inspect the hall.
"You want to go in here?" Hiccup asks, to which Toothless gurgles as a positive response.
Five-Room Hall of Divine Beauty, the label above the entrance indicates.
"What's in here that you want to try?"
Toothless nudges the doors as an answer, and Hiccup cautiously follows him in, looking around them to check if there is anyone else in proximity. They swiftly close the doors once inside. He knows that someone important must live in the hall as soon as he steps in, judging by the elaborateness of the designs on the walls and ceilings, as well as the number of glazed lanterns and beaded curtains in the quarters.
Toothless leads him to a nearby set of double doors.
He cautiously walks towards the double doors that lead to the room inside, hoping that they were open. Thanking the gods that they were indeed unsecured, he and his dragon walk inside a spacious sleeping chamber with a draped grand bed on one side. There are several closets, a study table, as well as an array of weapons on the walls.
Toothless nudges his hand, and he looks down to meet his gaze. The dragon points to another set of double doors on the other side of the chambers, and he immediately crosses the room to get to the other side.
They are greeted by a spring pool in the middle of a spacious room. It occurs to him that the structure must have been built around the hot spring to accommodate the noble who lived in it. Glossy white marble was used to shape the natural pool to resemble that of a crabapple, with steps on either side of the pool for easy access. Steam continuously emanates from the pond, and petals on its surface prevent him from seeing the its depth. The room itself is lavishly decorated and draped in curtains of fabric and beads, while lanterns and several candles around it provide for light. On the far end of the chambers is a twelve-panel folding screen, adorned with a painting of several plum blossoms.
The dragon immediately dives into the hot spring, splashing into its warm surface.
"Toothless!" Hiccup berates in a half-whisper. "You can't do that, we don't own this place. Besides, you're cold blooded; you don't need the heat!" Toothless only rolls his eyes in defiance.
He is about to drag the dragon off the pool when approaching footsteps alert him of a group of people getting nearer. He gestures for Toothless to get out of the pool, which the dragon instantly does, wagging off the petals and water off his body. They instantly dive behind the folding screen to hide themselves.
In ultimate discretion, he slows down his breathing so that he wouldn't be heard as the double doors leading into the room burst open. He hears it shut close after another procession of feet storm inside the bathing chambers.
"What is the meaning of this? Why are there several petals about?"
Hiccup's eyes widen as he hears that distinctly strong female voice. This was the maiden from earlier!
"Forgive us,Your Highness," one of the aides murmur meekly. "We have been careless in preparing your bathing chamber. Please let us fix this for you."
He can hear the servants shuffling about, removing the mess that they made earlier. Thankfully, not one of them ventures near the folding screen. Being that her aides are fast workers, it does not take long for them to tidy the mess.
"Please let us disrobe you now, Your Highness."
Hiccup almost gags at the suggestion, urging himself to look at the ground—and not at the silhouette of a goddess being undressed that can be discerned through the opaque fabric of the folding screen. He can feel the heat rise on his neck, moving its way to his ears, and he is sure that he must look like a tomato at the moment should he be exposed to sunlight. Even Toothless looks at him in concern, eyes quizzical.
He tries to distract himself from the sound of rustling fabric and discarded robes, but the mental image of that maiden earlier—now undressed—seems to be seared in his mind. Even the sound of splashing water as she settles herself in the hot spring pool is sending his senses to the verge of sanity, making his blood rush southward.
He must get out of here. Sooner rather than later.
"How was your first day back, Your Highness?" an attendant's voice distracts him.
"Uneventful," the maiden answers nonchalantly. "Unless you count the incident earlier in the Garden of Blossoms. A trespasser came in, bringing with him Trappers. Like they'd find a dragon beast nearby. I disposed of the Trappers, but the ingrate has gotten away."
"How odious!" another aide pipes in. "To be bombarded by an incident on the first day back from the War of the Fallen Dragon Beasts. Were you hurt, Your Highness?"
"Nothing I can't handle. The frontlines of the Dragon War are more dangerous than those Trappers. Besides, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."
"Do you not wish to retire from war, Your Highness? Your older sisters have already been wed. And you might not have a marriage proposal if you show yourself to be stronger than a man. No man wants a stronger woman for his wife."
There is a tense silence for a moment.
"And what of it?" the maiden's voice sounds cold and cruel, almost deadly. "That is your opinion and I am choosing to ignore it. I do not need a husband. I only serve my State and the State alone."
He can almost hear the servant's whimper. "My apologies, Your Highness."
"How dare you," the maiden hisses in the same cold voice. "Never say that to me again. You are all dismissed."
Without another sound, Hiccup hears the ladies-in-waiting immediately stand up and cross the floor to exit the chambers. Silence reigns the room after the dismissal of the aides, with the sounds of the occasional flicking candles and splashing water interrupting the silence every now and then. He steadies his breathing.
"You can go out now."
Hiccup freezes at her voice, the implication behind her words boring into him. Did she just—is she talking to him?
"I said: out. NOW."
In a fraction of a second, he hears the swift removal of an object from its place and in the next second, he belatedly discovers a wooden pail flying past the air, hitting the wall above his body, and landing squarely on his head with a loud smack.
"Ow!" he cries out as he rubs his head. Toothless almost snickers at him, but he sends him a glare that silences the dragon.
"Get out of there if you don't want to die."
Before he puts up his hands in the air in defeat, he signals for Toothless to be as silent as possible, to which the dragon implicitly understands with a noiseless nod of the dragon's head. He slowly comes out of the folding screen with his hands raised and his head down. He breathes in a considerable amount of air before he looks up. When he does, his heart seemed to stop in his rib cage. Indeed, the maiden in the chamber was the same maiden he had met earlier.
Who was in the spring pool at the moment.
Who was in the spring pool at the moment, naked.
Who was in the spring pool at the moment, naked and wet.
Oh, dragon gods above.
Her blonde hair is a damp mess of golden moonlight that spills down on her bare shoulders, framing her porcelain face perfectly. The candle light and the moonglow play erotically on the canvass of her skin, highlighting the smoothness of her body. She is fully submerged in the pool, but what skin that was exposed is glazed with water, droplets running in enticing rivulets down her neck towards the swell of her boso—
His face heats up at the mental image.
He would have complimented her, if she wasn't glaring so painfully at him with sapphire flames in her eyes. And if the blade of her fu wasn't pointed directly at him in a deadly position ready to attack.
Somehow, getting beaten up by dragon Trappers seems like a better prospect than facing the wrath of a warrior in the middle of her bath.
Da-da-da, he's dead.
"Your Highness!" he exclaims in mock surprise, the awkwardness in his voice evident. "Hey. Yeah, hi Your Highness. Hi. Your Highness."
"You!" she cries out as soon as she recognizes him. "You're that ingrate brat from earlier! What are you doing in my bathing chambers? You pervert!"
"I'm not—" he struggles to find the right words that could explain himself—because what man just shows up inside the bathing chambers of a beautiful woman without an intent to peek? And it's not like he can blame Toothless either. "Look, I didn't mean to come here; I didn't even know you owned this place! I mean no harm—
"—You dare speak to me! Did you come here to spy on me—
"Of course not!" the words spill out of his mouth before he can stop himself. He is mortified; never has he thought of such indecency even when he was given his own harem, and it compels him to move closer to her in a misguided attempt to prove his innocence. She pokes her blade at him in retaliation, but he does not back down. "I swear—"
"I ought to have your neck slit open. Guards!"
She was about to shout louder, he realizes, and he immediately closes in on her so that he could stop her. She continues to jab her weapon at him which he expertly evades, given his background in defending himself at least. He jumps into the pool when he tries to take leverage of the axe's handle, the spring water soaking his robes until the fabric clung to his skin. They try to wrestle the weapon out of each other's grasp, until he manages to yank it towards himself, the force sending the maiden unbalanced and falling towards him. They end up clashing towards each other, the collision less than gentle—or uncomfortable. He can feel the softness of her bust press against the planes of his chest at the impact, making them both freeze.
He chances a glance at her, and he stares into the depths of blue pools that are her eyes.
He realizes that she is even more beautiful up close, and his breath gets caught in his throat at their proximity. His gaze falls on her slightly parted lips, which are plump and pink and just so so alluring and tempting.
She strengthens her hold on the weapon all of a sudden, snapping him from the trance and prompting him to pull harder. With one strong move, he throws the weapon away from them, the axe landing gracelessly in a loud crack on the floor. It does not stop her from assaulting him, however, opting to attack him with fists and punches. With effort, he engineers to hold both of her wrists to immobilize her actions. But then again, her mouth proves to be the biggest problem.
"Guards! Guards!" she repeatedly calls out no matter how hard he tries to keep her shut. With one hand, he holds both of her wrists and with the other, he tries to cover her mouth. She bites into his flesh in retaliation, and he has no choice but to retrieve it back to assuage its pain.
"Let me go, you son of a half-troll, rat-eating munge bucket!" the girl swears when he still wouldn't let go of her hands. "Get out! Guards!"
There was no other choice.
He had to do it.
Without even thinking if what he would do would save his life or endanger it further, just to keep her from shouting, he leans in—and kisses her.
{END OF I}
Notes:
Hour of the Goat – 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Hou Gong/Imperial Chinese harem system – a management of the inner court for imperial succession, which ranked heirs according to the prominence of their mothers in addition to their strict birth order. A simple translation/summary of the hierarchy of the three ranks would be: Empress, consorts, and concubines.
Gu - a venom-based poison associated with cultures of south China
Divine City of Berk State (Entrance Gate of Supreme Tranquility, Hall of Supreme Tranquility, Great Marble Carriageway, etc.) - based on the Forbidden City and the Hall of Supreme Harmony
Astrid's Palace - based on Huaqing palace; her pool is based on the Huating Pool/Guifei Pond
Credits to the Tumblr blog of Ziseviolet for the resources for all the garments in the story
Heads up. I'm going to be out of town for the rest of the week, so it might take time for me to upload the second part. Please have patience for the second part of this and I hope to see you all next time! :)