Chapter 12: Lady Amalthea

"So...I hear you're 100."

Toothless snorted. Even he knew Hiccup's comment was poor taste.

But The King was not insulted. In fact, he seemed fairly amused.

"Actually..." The King replied "...I am 119. This forest is 100. I was nineteen years old when I met my lady. And I was nineteen- " he gestured absently overhead. "-when I made this."

Hiccup looked up. The King's statement had been flippant; he hardly seemed impressed with their surroundings. But Hiccup was. He was utterly awed.

They had entered Avalon. Schmendrick and Master Emrys had disbanded the magical barrier (Schmendrick accidentally turned several trees into lollipops). The company had melted into the enchanted forest, and the quest continued. The wizards trailblazed ahead. Hiccup and Toothless took residence by The King (Hiccup on Toothless and Toothless on foot). And Sir Lionel monitored silently behind.

Avalon was the quintessential enchanted forest. However, being from Berk (a place affectionately nicknamed 'The Armpit of the Otherland'), Hiccup was none the wiser. He had never been in an enchanted forest. And he was spellbound. The trees were silver. The leaves were gold. Just about everything sparkled (including the fairies and fireflies). And with each breath, Hiccup felt the air purifying his soul.

Hiccup had to admit: The King was a lousy sovereign. But he sure knew how to make a kick-ass enchanted forest.

"Oh. 119 years old?" Hiccup squeezed his knees, signaling Toothless to wait for The King. "Hear that's a good year."

"Is that what you hear?" The King laughed wryly. "Well, I hope so. The previous years have been ...unproductive."

"Still!" Hiccup insisted, uncomfortable with The King's allusion to his failed kingship. "119? You look good. Keep up with the Wheaties."

The King laughed - openly and without irony. Bashfully, Hiccup smiled. He was glad The King could take a joke.

The wizards glowered over their shoulders. Master Emrys demanded to know what the confounded merriment was all about, and if it was it really necessary? The King apologized and assured Master Emrys it would not happen again. Master Emrys wagged a finger. The King winked back. Composure regained, he returned to Hiccup.

"Well thank you, Hiccup." The King said. "That was quite a compliment. But I suspect living with wizards has had a youthening effect. Master Emrys lives backwards, after all."

Hiccup watched as The King cut across a rocky rivulet. His feet barely grazed the water. He was a spry old gentlemen.

"Still." Hiccup repeated. "119 and still going strong? You gotta be doing something right."

The King kicked reeds from his boots, clearly self-criticizing. "Hm."

"Come on slowpokes! No lollygagging!" Master Emrys' called. He was jogging at a ferocious pace. "We're making good tracks! Good tracks! Come on! Hop, hop, hop it!"

"Your Majesty." Sir Lionel ascended the riverbank. "The moon is high. It is almost time."

Moonbeams scattered through the treetops and freckled The King's nose.

"Yes." The King touched his empty scabbard. "It is almost time. But, we must find Amalthea first."

"Amalthea?" Hiccup reared Toothless. "Who's Amalthea?"

"Amalthea," The King replied. "Is my lady."

"Your lady? You mean the lady?" Hiccup leaned over Toothless. "They lady you saved? The lady you scarified Caliburn? The lady you protected? The lady you gave the kingdom for?"

The King lifted his voice. "I see you have been storytelling with Sir Lionel."

Sir Lionel genuflected. "My apologies, Your Majesty."

"It's just as well."

"But is that her?" Hiccup pressed as Toothless whinnied. "Is Amalthea her?"

"Yes. Lady Amalthea - " The King sighed longingly "-was mine."

"Was?"

"Was." The King whispered. "Long ago. Our last parting was bittersweet. Amalthea forbade me to make Avalon. But, with enemies at left and enemies at right devouring my lady with wicked intent -"

The King closed his eyes. He clenched the empty scabbard.

"Well. I made Avalon anyway."

Toothless whistled low. Hiccup agreed.

"I bet."

"And you would bet - " The King said. "-correctly."

"So..." Hiccup deduced. "... you think that Lady Amalthea will be mad? You think she'll be upset you made Avalon?"

The King sighed.

"She might." He admitted. "She might not. In any case - I am an old man, Hiccup. I have aged 100 years. I am different than I once was. I would never force a lady against her will. Therefore, the decision to have me is Lady Amalthea's..."

The King finished softly. "...and not mine."

Toothless whimpered. He licked The King's fingers. The King acknowledged with a gentle stroke.

Hiccup rubbed his chest. The torment was killing The King. It was eating him alive. Inside the old man Hiccup saw a nineteen year old boy. A nineteen year old boy poisoned with self-loathing and tortured by an ambiguous romance. He had sacrificed and he had endured. And should his lady refuse him, The King would sacrifice again. But would he endure? Hiccup wondered.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes, Hiccup?"

Hiccup reached a hand. Meekly, he drew it back.

"You kinda love her. Don't you?"

The King turned.

"Kinda? Oh Hiccup. Oh, dear boy..."

The King straightened. And his next soliloquy, although it was hardly a stanza, Hiccup would never forget.

"Love is not kinda, Hiccup. Love is not sometimes, or if when, or once. Love is enduring, forever, and all. There is no intermediate. There is no inbetween. There is no hesitation. There is no regret. One either loves or one does not."

The King smiled. "Yes Hiccup." he said. "I kinda love her."

"Good." whispered a voice. "Because I kinda love you."

A lady emerged. A lady so beautiful and pale, she could have passed for moonlight. Her hair was alabaster. Her face was a pearl. Her eyes were violets.

Her gaze was for The King.

Hiccup knew she was the Lady Amalthea before The King uttered her name, and sunk to his knees. Whether The King knelt for deference, weakness, adoration, or fear was unclear. Regardless, he humbled to his lady.

Lady Amalthea approached. Gracefully, she lowered before The King. For a moment they were mirrored, his eyes downcast and hers uplifted.

Then Lady Amalthea brushed The King's hair. She smiled. A little laugh.

"It's...white." he said, feeble with humor.

"It becomes you." she replied.

"I am - " The King choked. "-an old man."

"Not older than I." she said.

"And - " The King bowed, ashamed. "-not a king."

Lady Amalthea cupped his chin. She pressed their foreheads together.

"I did not take you as a king." She drew him to her lips. "I took you."

In that moment, the moment that The King reunited with his lady, Hiccup understood. He understood The King's reason for surrendering his kingdom. He was in love. And should the past repeat itself, Hiccup would give The King his full support. He would even drive Caliburn into the heart of Avalon himself.

Caliburn.

"Caliburn." Hiccup murmured to Sir Lionel. "Where is Caliburn?"

Lady Amalthea heard. She looked. Calmly, she leaned into The King's ear.

"A dragon."

"Oh yes. Yes." The King rose. Beaming, he helped his lady to her feet. They squeezed hands before addressing the company.

"Lady Amalthea. Please...meet Toothless the Night Fury."

Lady Amalthea was gracious. "Toothless."

Toothless fussed. He peeked under his wing. Pretty lady.

"And..." The King nodded meaningfully at Hiccup. "...his trainer."

"A dragon trainer." Lady Amalthea stepped forward. She was fascinated with Hiccup as he was with her. "Of the prophesy?"

"Yes! Yes! We believe so!" Master Emrys rapped his wand. "And speaking of the thing - we really should be off! Fiddle-faddle you've kissed and smooched! Nuff is enough! Come, come, make haste! Lead on to Caliburn! Lead us to the Lady of the Lake!"

Lady Amalthea smiled.

"Pleasant to see you Emrys."

The wizard grumbled. "Hello, hello."

"You look well."

"Always look well. Eat like a horse."

"Where is your owl?"

"Him? That pinhead? Oh he's gone!" Master Emrys spoke gruffly. But he gazed sadly at an imaginary owl perched on his shoulder. "He's gone where all educated owls go - Educated Owl Heaven. Big library in the sky chalk full of bird droppings. Nope! No more owl!"

"You have a student instead." Lady Amalthea observed.

"Yes. For the time being. Schmendrick - " Master Emrys thumped Schmendrick's ribs. "-say hello to an old friend."

"Hello old friend." Schmendrick obeyed, massaging his ribs.

"And while we're at it - " Master Emrys swicked his wand at Sir Lionel. "Meet Sir Lionel: Trusted knight and dear friend to The King. Lionel - do your chivalrous nonsense. "

"It is an honor, My Lady." Sir Lionel respectfully touched his chest. "His Majesty spoke of you often."

"Gibber gabbger jibber jabber! Allllll right!" Master Emrys wiggled his wand. "Amalthea! Let's get on with this Caliburn business! To the Lady of the Lake - if you please?"

Lady Amalthea took The King's hand.

"This way." she said.

"Who's that?" Hiccup asked as they followed Lady Amalthea into the forest. "Who is the Lady of the Lake? And what is the prophecy?"

Sir Lionel ducked under boughs. Fairies flittered across the path.

"The Lady of the Lake a magical creature. She has been guarding Caliburn for 100 years. We are going to retrieve Caliburn from her."

Hiccup grinned, unable to contain his excitement. Joyously, he patted Toothless. They were close. They were one step closer to achieving peace.

"What about the prophesy?" Hiccup asked. "What does it say?"

"That I do not know. I have not heard the prophesy in full. However..." Sir Lionel tapped Hiccup's peg leg. "I do know this: You are in it."

Hiccup gasped. "Me?"

Toothless pranced. They were so special!


...

Big4girl poem:

No matter how old, how weak, how strange, I will love you and that will never change.

My love, my dear, the apple of my eye, when you are with me, I can fly.

...


sultal's note: Lady Amalthea, again not an OC. She is a character from "The Last Unicorn." So is Schmendrick.