I know people anticipated the ballroom scene. I tried to make it as believable as possible but in the end it ended horribly.
Disclaimer: KaoruSailorZ only owns her OCs.
Love the Beauty Within
Chapter Nine
Tale as Old as Time
From then on forward, Hiccup and Astrid go to the ballroom and dance. Each day, the love of dance within Hiccup rekindles as he continues to dance.
When Hiccup suggested a private ball, Astrid strongly opposed. To make matters worse, her servants overheard.
Which is why Astrid is in her chamber getting ready.
Astrid never felt so nervous in her life. She attended parties and anything related with balls before but she never acted this way.
Arya and Anita helped her pick her dress and prepare her for the night.
Astrid stared at herself in the mirror. The gown she's wearing, in her opinion, is extremely wretched. Her eyes narrowed when Anita put on a patch of hay on her head.
Arya chuckled nervously. "Anita, I don't think-."
"Are you girls done?" Kiiro's voice shouted.
"Yes, we are!"
When Kiiro walked in, his eyes fell to the patch of hay on his mistress's head. "You… you… look so…"
"Stupid." Astrid deadpanned.
"Not the right word I wanted." Kiiro sniggered. He sighed and said. "Listen here, Mistress Astrid, tonight is the big night. You must be beautiful to impress the boy not to have him laugh uproariously." Astrid glared at him but he ignored it. "You care about the boy, don't you?"
"Well…" Astrid looked away from her matr'd's gaze.
Kiiro sighed and before he can say anything else, Aka strolled in smiling crazily.
"Your gentleman awaits, mistress." Aka bow with gusto.
"Come on now!" Kiiro said gesturing her to the door. "We mustn't be late! Anyway, Anita love, would you please take off that hay patch on her head?"
"Where's Hiccup?" Camicazi asked her lavender gown floating behind her.
"I believe he is still dressing." Fishlegs said pulling on his collar.
"Well, he better not be late." Snotlout pouted. "I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Ruffnut rolled her eyes.
As they and their dragons waited, they could hear a soft romantic melody rang through the foyer. Two household objects played a lyre and a tinwhistle respectively in the corner.
Hiccup walked down the stairs leading to the foyer. He is clad handsomely in a regal black outfit with the tail that resembles a Night Fury's tailfin. His hair is neatly combed, his bangs moved to the side to reveal his emerald green eyes.
Astrid's jaw dropped at the sight of the handsome Viking. Somebody kill her. Now.
Kiiro enough of her kicked her on the tush causing her to fall down the stairs unceremoniously and in front of Hiccup. Hiccup giggled as she stood up rubbing her head.
Astrid was dressed in a blue ball gown. The designs on her dress were scales of Deadly Nadders.
"You look beautiful." Hiccup complimented.
Astrid gulped and said. "And you look handsome."
The couple bowed and took the other's arm. The others watched this with a smile.
"So how the ball is to your liking?" Astrid asked as she and Hiccup walked into the dining room.
Hiccup smiled, sipping his tea. "All I suggested is a small private party not a large ball."
"That's my servants. They always want to make a ball grand for one even if there will be a pair to enjoy."
Hiccup burst out in laughter as fine cuisines came in. Snotlout and Dogsbreath rubbed their knuckles in anticipation as the dishes laid themselves on the long table.
Toothless and the other dragons happily munched on the fishes they were given.
Placing his spoon on his empty bowl, Hiccup stood up and took Astrid by the hands. "Dance with me?"
Astrid's eyes looked ready to pop out of her sockets. "T-there is no w-way I am going to dance in front of everyone!"
"Dance with him." Aka and Kiiro whispered as they casually strolled past her.
Astrid gulped as Hiccup took her to the ballroom. Astrid dearly wants to kill herself.
Hiccup put a hand on her waist as she took his free hand. Hiccup smiled at her as he led the dance.
"Now how the ball is is to your liking?" Hiccup asked.
Left. Right. Spin.
"Normally I don't enjoy parties at all." Astrid sighed.
Left. Spin.
"I don't enjoy the parties back at home either." Hiccup said. "I usually ignored."
Spin. Right. Left. Right.
"Can't you believe how well the ball is going?" Aka grinned. "Yours truly is the one who organized-."
Anita rolled her eyes. "Did you forget that Hiccup was the one who suggested it and the Mistress gave permission?"
"Of course not." Aka huffed. "But I mean about-."
"Enough of your rambling, Brother." Kiiro said. "Did you see the look in her eyes?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, smiling as well. The eyes of their mistress are almost that of a lovesick puppy.
Aka frowned. "But isn't Mistress supposed to fall in love not to know she is in love?"
Kiiro pondered and said. "Before the ball, she looked away when I asked if she cared for the boy."
"The Mistress locked up her emotions." Momoiro said. "It will be difficult if we try to prod her to confess her love."
They glanced over at the dancing couple, dragon and human, dancing in each other's arms.
"We'll wait then." Momoiro sighed. "We let them fall in love by themselves. We merely help from the sidelines."
Kiiro silently command all the candle lights in the ballroom to dim, softening the room atmosphere as the couple continued to waltz.
Everyone smiled as Hiccup and the princess stopped dancing and left the ballroom.
"Get to bed." Momoiro turned to Hiccup's friends. "It's midnight. Everyone needs their sleep, don't they?"
"But I want to stay up more." Tuffnut and Ruffnut whined.
Momoiro glared at them.
"Okay, we're going to bed now!" the twins chirped running to their rooms. Their friends and dragons chuckled as they followed them.
In the meantime outside, Astrid led Hiccup to the rose gardens. Hiccup gently picked a red rose and nuzzled it. Astrid smiled as she guides him to the bench where they sat in absolute peace.
"Uhhh…Hiccup…" Astrid tried to say. Hiccup's wide emerald eyes looked up and into her sapphire eyes.
"Yes, Astrid?"
"D-do you like here?" asked Astrid as quick as lightning.
Hiccup looked at the rose, smiling softly, "Everything here seems out of a fairytale. It's not like I don't like it. I really do like it here… Oh Thor!"
"What is it?"
"My family! I can't believe I forgot about them!" Hiccup said standing up and paced around panicking, "Mom! Dad! Sneeze! Snicker! I can't believe I forgot about them! While I here living the life of luxury, they are rotting down at the village! I can't believe this! Some heir I am!"
"You want to see them?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, I really do, but I can't really. I mean who can see them from such far distance."
"Come with me." Astrid took his hand and dragged him back into the castle, ignoring the many looks from her servants.
Hiccup glimpsed around the West Wing in both surprise and fear. He then glances at the broken furniture uneasily. Knowing what he is thinking, Astrid said reassuringly, "Those were never alive."
Hiccup just looked at her skeptical as Astrid picked up the magic handheld mirror and handed to him, "This is an enchanted mirror."
"Is it alive?" the Viking asked, hesitantly taking the mirror.
"No," was her straightforward response. If that mirror had been alive and watched her every move and knew what she wanted to see, she would be mortified. "It's magic in a different way. Not only it shows your face, but also whatever you requests."
Hiccup stared at the mirror and said, "I would like to see my family, please."
What the mirror shows shocks him. His reflection which lay quiescent in the glass of the mirror began to fade away and replaced with an entirely new image.
Captured in the frame could be a scene from a nightmare. His family and their friends were currently venturing through a snowstorm; his family especially is deeply ill by the looks of red cheeks.
"Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" Astrid asked.
"My family! They're out somewhere in a snowstorm! They're sick! What to do! What to do!" Hiccup fretted as he watches the horrifying image.
"Go."
"What?" Hiccup looked up surprised.
"Go to them." Astrid managed to say. "I am not kicking you out. Go to them. They need you."
Hiccup's eyes widened, "Y-you mean…"
"Yes, now go."
Hiccup nodded and was about to hurried away, but realized he is still holding the mirror and about to hand it back when Astrid raised her hand, "No, take it. Take it and… remember us" Me. "from the castle."
Hiccup let a small smile curve his lips and hugged her, "Thank you, Astrid." He ran away to tell his friends.
Outside, Hiccup climbed onto the saddle he set on Toothless, nodding to his friends as they prepare to take flight. Hiccup held the mirror in his hands and looked up to the outline of Dragon.
"Come on, let's go." Fishlegs said, struggling to keep Horrorcow still.
They flew away hearing a despairing cry from the West Wing.
I hope you like this chapter. No flames and constructive criticisms is allowed.