CHAPTER 7 – The Wedding
Rapunzel was excited. Incredibly excited.
She had never attended a Viking wedding before (or a Viking anything, for that matter) and was thrilled to witness how it all went down. Currently, she was seated amongst the crowd, in a wide-open area outside the Great Hall. In front of the rows of chairs, there was a lovely wooden arc decorated with flowers, under which (presumably) the bride and groom would stand during the ceremony. Rapunzel glanced around. Everyone seemed to be dressed in his or her finest. Since her last visit, she had conjured up some suitable clothing for the harsh Berkian climate. Even though it was August, she was wearing a long sleeve green dress, with the skirt to her ankles, a thick scarf, and a cloak.
"I wish Eugene could have come," Rapunzel whispered to herself, "He would have enjoyed this!" A little while ago, Rapunzel and "Prince" Eugene had celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary. Today he had not been able to come, due to a minor riot amongst the local thugs. The king wanted to renovate The Ugly Duckling (which was starting to fall to pieces), but the pub's frequenters refused to budge from the scene until a proper deal was set. Eugene, previously known as Flynn Rider, had been called in to negotiate the situation.
Rapunzel sighed. "Do you know when—" she started to ask a woman next to her, but was interrupted by a huge red and green Rumblehorn landing very close to her particular row of chairs. She had no idea who had touched down beside her, but the other wedding guests knew this was Eret son of Eret on Skullcrusher. Rapunzel gaped at the spectacle. She had been to Berk previously, obviously, but had never encountered a dragon, except from a distance.
Eret dismounted, and patted Skullcrusher gently on the nose. Then he noticed a curious young lady staring at them. "Can I help you?" he asked politely. The princess shook her head, startled. Eret looked at her doubtfully, before turning to leave.
"No! Wait," Rapunzel called to his back. Eret rotated on his heels. He waited.
"Um…" the princess murmured, "It's just…I've never seen a real dragon up close before."
He gazed at her in surprise. "Really?"
Rapunzel shook her head.
Eret seemed to think for a moment. "Well," he said, "do you want to meet one?"
The young woman's eyes widened.
"Here," said Eret, reaching out to take her wrist, "Put your hand on his nose like this." He led her over to the Rumblehorn, and proceeded to place her palm on its snout. Skullcrusher rumbled in approval. "See? It is not so hard. Once they get to know you, not as a threat but as a friend, you can train them."
Rapunzel smiled in awe of the creature. "Did you train this one?" she asked.
"No," Eret replied, with a hint of sadness, "I owe his obedience to his previous owner, Stoick the Vast." Rapunzel looked up at him, frowning. "Wasn't he the chief of Berk? I heard something happened, that he died…" Eret nodded, but did not expand upon it further.
"So…what's his name?" Rapunzel asked, changing the subject.
"Skullcrusher."
"Well that's a bit grim!" The princess exclaimed. "I didn't name him," Eret replied, laughing. Rapunzel smiled, and proceeded to stroke Skullcrusher on the head. "So…" Eret said, "I don't suppose you'd want to ride him, would you?" Rapunzel looked at him sharply. "Are you serious?" She cried. Eret nodded. Rapunzel began jumping up and down in an adorable way. "Oh, I would love to!" She agreed, bubbling over with happiness. "Alright!" Eret grinned, "How 'bout tonight? Just you, me, and Skullcrusher, out on a romantic flight…" Rapunzel stopped mid-hop.
"Oh," she said, tucking her short brown hair behind her ears, "Sorry…I can't. Not like that." She held up her left hand and waggled her ring finger, causing the sun to reflect off a gold band. "I'm married. We just celebrated our four-year wedding anniversary." Eret's shoulders slumped. "Ah…well. I see. Maybe another time," he said. Rapunzel smiled apologetically. Awkwardly, Eret and his Rumblehorn left to take their seats.
"Ladies an' gentlemen!" Gobber's voice echoed over the crowd's heads. "I am 'appy t' announce tha' the weddin' is abou' t' begin! So everybody, please take yer seats!" Queen Primrose, Rapunzel's mother, quickly found her seat next to her daughter, and breathed hurried explanations of her tardiness. A small band of about six men, on their various flutes and lyres, struck up a slow and reverent tune. Rapunzel could hear footsteps approaching down the aisle, and she spun around.
The first to come down the walkway was Gothi, assisted by the beaming groom. "I guess that's Hiccup," Rapunzel whispered to her mother. The next were Mr. and Mrs. Hofferson, and Valka. After them trailed two sheepish looking dragons, Toothless and Stormfly. Their arrival aroused a few chuckles amongst the multitude. Finally, it was time for the bride's walk. The guests saw Hiccup's reaction before they even saw Astrid. It was one of awe-struck wonder. Of course, once the throng saw the sight for themselves, their faces displayed the same expression.
"She's beautiful," sighed Rapunzel, not realizing she was the second person to say that within two hours. Queen Primrose nodded silently, smiling.
Meanwhile…
It was as if time was suspended. Hiccup could not breathe, think, hear, or even see anything except the angel before him. Astrid was just smug that she could still have that effect on him. Toothless was required to nudge Hiccup to break his trance. Still in a daze, the groom reverted to his old, blundering ways. "Astrid. Hey! Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid."
Astrid giggled. Hiccup shook his head, smiling.
Gobber coughed. Gothi was writing something in the dirt with her staff. It read something along the lines of, "Get out your sword, stupid." Hiccup hurriedly went for his belt, and unsheathed his father's sword. Astrid was handed some ancestor's sword by her mother.
"The rings too, would be good," scratched Gothi.
Hiccup retrieved his little box from a pouch on his hip, and removed the white gold bejeweled ring. It was stunning, and everyone remarked so. Astrid slid a solid gold band off her right index finger, and held it out. "I didn't want to lose it," she muttered so only Hiccup could hear, "It was my grandfather's."
Gothi then indicated what the couple was to do. The bride and groom each held their sword pointed to the sky, and they each slid their ring onto the blade. Then, with a somewhat complicated maneuver, they handed their sword to their partner while receiving their partner's sword in return. It worked out all right in the end, Hiccup got Grandfather Hofferson's ring and sword, and she got his white gold ring and Stoick's sword. Then of course, back-up (that is, Valka and Astrid's mother) were called in to hold the swords, while Hiccup took back the ring he made for Astrid so he could put it on her finger, and vise-versa (Astrid put his ring on his finger).
Once that ordeal was over and done with, the couple were sprinkled with blessed incense. A few droplets found their way over to Toothless' nose, and made him sneeze. Finally, it came time for the vows. Hiccup cleared his throat.
"'For the dancing and the dreaming, through all life's sorrows and delights…' You've always been there for me, Astrid. Through…everything. Now it's my turn. I'll 'gladly ride the waves of life' with you 'if you will marry me'." Astrid gazed at him, positively glowing. "Yer go, Astrid," Gobber interceded. The bride nodded. "Hiccup," she said, "I thought you'd never ask." The audience chuckled. "Now, for old times' sake," she gave him a quick punch in the arm, "that's for keeping me waiting so long."
Hiccup rubbed his arm, grinning, pretending to be greatly hurt.
"I had a feeling from our first flight that we'd end up together," Astrid continued, "And I must say…I'm so glad we did." The two of them gazed at each other, as Gobber quickly finished the ceremony.
"Astrid 'offerson, do yeh take 'iccup 'orrendous 'addock the Third t' be yer lawfully wedded 'usband?"
"I do."
"'Iccup 'orrendous—"
"Yeah, yeah, get on with it, Gobber."
"Do yeh take Astrid t' be yer lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do!"
"Then I now pronounce yeh 'usband and wife! You may now—well, do tha'."
It took Hiccup and Astrid less than a second to close the space between them with a great, big, wonderful kiss. When at last they pulled apart, the crowd's roar filled their ears.
"That's for everything else, babe," Astrid murmured, her arms around Hiccup's neck.
"I could get used to this, milady," he replied, kissing her again.
"An' now, t' the Great Hall!" cried Gobber.
