Chapter 4: Revelations Part 1
Two months later…
Hiccup swung his sword, which he named Firestorm, through the air, feeling as light as a feather. He swung it a few more times and then smoothly sheathed it in the scabbard that sat on his right hip. The sword, being a fixed blade and not collapsible like his dragon blade, forced him to sheathe it, but the scabbard didn't interfere with the placement of the dragon blade; meaning Hiccup could wield both swords if he needed to.
Removing both swords from his body, he placed them in his bag along with his dagger, leaving only his armor on his person. He called for Toothless, who was off in the arena, teaching the other dragons and the younger, newer riders. While he couldn't exactly speak, his ability to greatly understand human speech gave him the ability to almost teach in the absence of Hiccup. This worked out well since Hiccup had started to overtake the job of chief, which filled almost all the hours of the day.
He was never really nervous about anything nowadays, but meeting new people always gave him nanodragons in his stomach. He didn't let that nervousness show, however. His face was the same as his father's; a stoic expression. Hiccup smirked at the irony of a name describing the way his father was perfectly. He strapped his bag to Toothless' saddle.
"That land you found bud; that's where we're going; but you don't have to fly at breakneck speed, pace yourself." Toothless grumbled playfully as if he was saying 'I'll go as fast as I please.' Hiccup got on the saddle and put on his helmet. He felt a hand grab his arm and he stopped for a moment. Toothless growled in irritation; he was burning to jump into the air.
"Be careful." Valka said, letting go.
"I will be" Hiccup replied, voice muffled by the mask. He leaned down, Toothless mimicking the action, and then rocketed off into the air, becoming a speck in mere seconds. Toothless wanted to take off, but instead took Hiccup's advice, and coasted after finding the right thermal current. Toothless continued to fly for hours until the land, Arendelle is what Fishlegs called it, came into sight. Toothless increased his altitude, waiting patiently for the sun to set completely so he could land safely under the cover of night. Hiccup dismounted, removing his helmet and running his hand through his hair.
"Okay bud" Hiccup said, scratching Toothless on the top of the head "I'm going to head into the inn; or something similar. Stay here in the forest, and feel free to hunt anything you want. Did you want me to change your tail out?" Toothless shook his head vigorously, even baring his teeth and growling for a moment. "Okay, I was just asking." Hiccup said. He left, letting Toothless get comfortable and fall asleep. Hiccup walked the distance and entered the walkway of the city. It was big from the sky, but positively gargantuan on the ground. Everything here was massive compared to everything back home. Even the forge, which he found quickly because of its telltale structure, was probably as big as the lower level of his old house, nearly twice the size of the forge he was used to working in.
Looking around, he saw lights in a large building, and went toward it. Entering he caught the scent of baked food and ale. Resisting the urge to grab a pint, he went to the man at the counter. The man didn't look surprised at Hiccup's unusual attire, and simply asked what he needed.
"I need a place to stay for the night." Hiccup said.
"If you're a foreign leader, here to appease the queen, and I'm almost certain you are because of your dress and accent, I can't help you; all rooms are being used." The man said. Hiccup slipped the man two gold coins.
"Maybe you could make an exception." He said. The man looked left, then right, and then quickly pocketed the coins. He led him up the stairs to a completely empty room. Hiccup raised an eyebrow at the man, who couldn't help but look sheepishly away. Hiccup said his thanks and then lay down on the bed, fully clothed. He expected to have trouble falling asleep; but the moment his head hit the pillow, he drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
/
"Princess Anna?" A servant knocking on the princess's door asked. They didn't see the ginger princess, hair sticking out like she had been struck by lightning, a little bit of drool escaping the side of her mouth.
"Yeah, what it is it?" She practically yawned as she sat up.
"Just checking to see if you were awake ma'am." The servant said.
"No, I've been up for hours." Anna said leaning her head on her hand, falling asleep again almost instantly. As she started snoring again, her head snapped down, waking her back up. "Who is it?" She said.
"Still me ma'am. It's time to get ready." The servant said.
"Of course" Anna said, eyes still closed through the entire ordeal "ready for what?"
"Your sister's coronation." The servant said. Anna squinted in confusion.
"My sister's cornoration." She said in a daze. Her eyes opened a fraction and saw the new dress across her room. Her eyes snapped open, the moment waking her up fully. "IT'S CORONATION DAY!" She shouted. She leapt out of bed and started getting ready the quickest way possible and still look nice. She was dancing and spinning around the castle, singing her heart out in joy at meeting other people.
Several levels up, her sister was the complete opposite side of the spectrum. Where Anna was ecstatic and singing, Elsa was cold and silent. Telling herself to be calm as she attempted the false coronation on a candle stick and a family heirloom. Both froze. She put them back on their stands and told herself "it's only for today."
An older man stood off to the side on the walkway, flanked by two body guards. "Arendelle; such a mysterious trading partner. Open those gates so that I may unlock your secrets and exploit your riches. Did I say that out loud?" Hiccup paid the older man no attention. He was standing by the coast on the dock, the sea breeze keeping him cool. He noticed a royal couple, a rugged looking man and a woman in a pink dress with brown hair; it was growing out with blonde roots. He noticed the woman was barefoot; Hiccup didn't give it a second thought. Hiccup's head snapped forward at the unlocking of the gates. A red-headed woman came bounding out with joy, singing. She was dancing and running, and then got hit by a horse. As she began to fall, Hiccup reached out lightning fast and caught her.
She stopped falling and looked at Hiccup, surprised.
"I'm so sorry." The man atop the horse said. Hiccup gently pulled the woman back on the dock safely. He let go of her and took a step back.
"Don't worry, I'm fine." The woman said, talking to the man atop the horse but studying Hiccup.
"May I ask your name?" Hiccup said.
"My name is Anna, Princess Anna." Hiccup immediately kneeled, the man practically flying off his horse to do the same.
"Prince Hans, of the southern Isles." The man introduced as he stood up.
"Chief Hiccup of Berk." Hiccup introduced with a bow. Anna was surprised by Hiccup. He just openly admitted he was from Viking lands, and a Chief from there. However, he didn't look the type. He was clean shaven, and thin. She found herself warming up to him.
"Seriously I'm fine; if it was my sister, it would be…yeesh." Anna said. "Greaaaaaaaaaaaaaat." Hiccup moaned in his head. The trio heard bells, signaled the beginning of the coronation. They ran a quickly as they could, arriving in the chapel just in time.
Anna stood off to the side of Elsa, Hiccup and Hans standing side by side in the first row. Hiccup noticed he was a few inches taller Hans, and he caught Hans gazing at Anna. She was making eyes at him as well. Hiccup nudged Hans with his elbow and raised his eyebrows suggestively. Both men reformed their composure after Elsa stepped forward, lowering her head for the tiara to be placed. Hans didn't react, but Hiccup lost his breath for a moment.
Hiccup knew foreign royalties were famed for their beauty, but Hiccup never knew the stories were this accurate. Elsa was truly beautiful; platinum blonde hair, a fine physique, crystal blue eyes. Hiccup didn't deny, and wouldn't deny, that she was beautiful, but he quickly switched back to viewing her as a queen. He had just broken up with Astrid; and he was still dealing with grief of his father; dating was the last thing on his mind.
Elsa reached for the coronation staff and sphere. The priest cleared his throat to grab her attention.
"Your majesty" he whispered "the gloves." Elsa gazed at her gloves, the only barrier that existed between her powers and the outside world. Still, this couldn't take place unless she removed them, and she didn't want to appear weak in full view of so many foreign powers. With shaking hands, she removed the gloves, one after the other. She firmly grasped both objects and faced the crowd, which stood up. The priest started an ancient chant, and Elsa watched nervously as ice started creeping up the objects. As soon as the priest finished with the words "Queen Elsa, of Arendelle" she placed the objects back on the pillow and hurriedly put her gloves back on. The crowd erupted into applause. She scanned the crowd, seeing if anyone noticed the ice. No one stood out. But, just like a few months ago, as she noticed something odd; a person in the crowd noticed her panic. Hiccup kept his face pleasant, but his mind was whirling with a single question; what was this queen hiding?
Everyone was partaking in the ball after the coronation. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle" Elsa stepped forward. "Princess Anna of Arendelle." Anna stood off to the side, the servant forcibly moving her closer to her sister. The crowd erupted back into applause. The two sisters exchanged small talk with each other for a few moments before the foreign leaders lined up to greet the new queen. Hiccup, knowing he wasn't up to par with the rest, didn't enter the line until the rush became a trickle. Person by person, Hiccup got closer. He heard the man in front of him talking.
"Duke of Weselton, your majesty. As your closest partner in trade, it is only fitting to offer your first dance as queen." He did a few rapid, clumsy movements and bowed down, a flap of fake hair folding forward. Hiccup stifled a laugh, the two royal sisters hiding giggles behind their hands.
"Thank you, but I don't dance." Elsa said. "But my sister does." She added quickly. Anna blushed and waved the compliment away.
"Well, lucky you." The duke said, quickly wrapping his arms around Anna's. As he led her on the dance floor, he said "If you swoon, let me know, I'll catch you." Anna looked at Elsa pleadingly.
"Sorry" Elsa sad softly with a smile. Hiccup stepped forward.
"Queen Elsa; I am Chief Hiccup; we spoke a few months ago through letters." Hiccup said after stand back up from his bow.
"Yes; you said we had common links. After you mentioned it; I looked back in our records, and it turns out we do."
"My records keeper said the same." Hiccup said.
"You said you were interested in a trade agreement." Elsa inquired.
"Yes, as I said, we have many ores; iron, obsidian, among others. We also have ancient hunting and battle techniques with all manners of hunting tools and weapons that I would be happy to give you as well." Hiccup said.
"And what is it you want from us?" Elsa asked.
"All we want is a sufficient source of lumber; we are expanding our lands, and most of our lumber isn't yet suitable for building houses and other structures." It wasn't a total lie, Hiccup convinced himself. Elsa motioned for Hiccup to follow her. She noticed as the two walked in tandem, she heard a tapping sound. Step, tap, step, tap. Looking down, she saw Hiccup had a peg leg on his left foot. She let out a surprised yelp and Hiccup looked at her oddly.
"What is it?" Hiccup asked.
"What happened to your leg?" Elsa asked. Hiccup looked at the floor for a moment. Elsa thought she may have crossed a line, but Hiccup looked back up at her.
"It was cut off; it had to be or the infection that it would've gotten would have killed me." Hiccup said.
"Does it hurt?" Elsa asked.
It used to, but not anymore; I wake up some mornings, and I imagine myself wiggling my toes." Hiccup said. The two continued to walk, Elsa leading him to the outside gardens. They looked up at the night sky, admiring the stars. The two talked a little about their past, not revealing anything major. Elsa was starting to warm up to Hiccup, and Hiccup, although he would never admit it out loud, was starting to do the same. The two talked a little more about the trade agreement as they walked back into the castle. Anna and Hans approached Elsa, happy and nervous looks on their faces.
"Elsa" Anna said with a giggle.
"My Queen" Hans said with a goofy smile.
"We would like…" Anna started.
"To ask you…" Hans continued.
"For your blessing…" Anna said. Both giggled and then clutched each other close as both said in unison "On our marriage."
Hiccup's mouth moved before the gravity of the situation actually hit him and he muttered "They finish each other's sentences; how cute." Thankfully, no one heard the comment.
"Marriage?" Elsa asked. Anna nodded her head vigorously, too worked up to talk. "I'm sorry, I'm confused." Elsa continued.
"You and me both." Hiccup whispered to her.
"Well we haven't worked out all the details ourselves; but…WAIT! Would we get married here?" Anna asked.
"Here?" Hiccup asked, feeling just as lost as Elsa.
"Absolutely." Hans said with a smile.
"Wait…" Elsa said, but was interrupted by Anna.
"We could invite all 12 of your brothers." Hiccup coughed loudly to catch the attention of the two, and then nodded at Elsa.
"No one is inviting anybody's brothers, nobody is getting married." Elsa said.
"My Queen… if I may…" Hans began.
"You may not" Elsa interrupted lightly "and I think you should go. The party is over, close the gates." Hiccup didn't know what to think; this went from a friendly conversation with the queen, to the possibility of the youngest sister getting married, to a denial, to the party being over; all in the span of a minute.
"Elsa; wait!" Anna called as she reached for Elsa, aiming to catch her as she walked by. Anna snagged Elsa's glove. Elsa instinctively put her hand behind her, hiding it from view.
"Give me my glove!" Elsa shouted, louder than she had planned. People started to notice; Elsa knew this wasn't going to go well if this escalated.
"Please, please" Anna pleaded "I can't live like this."
"Then leave" Elsa said coldly. She began to walk away.
"What did I ever do to you?" Anna shouted.
"Enough Anna" Elsa said, avoiding the question.
"Why shut me out; why do you shut the world out; WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRIAD OF?" Anna shouted. Elsa's temper got the better of her.
"I said ENOUGH!" She shouted waving her hand out, and a sheet of ice covered the ground, spears of ice growing up and outwards from it. Everyone jumped back with shouts and screams of fear. Elsa heard mutters of "Witchcraft" and "sorcery." The only one who didn't look completely petrified was Hiccup. She held his gaze for a moment, and then looked at the fearful look on Anna's face. The look cut Elsa deeper than any knife could. She ran out of the castle.
"So" Hiccup said to himself "That happened."
AN: So amazing the path stories can take when you let them loose. Did anyone notice another Disney movie reference? And if so, can you guess what that means? Will Anna venture alone to find Elsa, or will she have help? If so, who will help her; and what will happen? I have the pairings already decided; but I would still love to hear your reactions. Until next time, this is The-real-dragon-rider saying later!