Chapter 21

Eleanor sat next to Hiccup, looking over the injured girl worriedly. The princess was supposed to be resting, but rest seemed to be the last thing on the Viking girl's mind. The guards had already caught her at the gates twice that day. Eleanor couldn't help but marvel at the girl's strength. Just yesterday the princess had gotten shot by a razor-sharp arrow in the leg, and today she was already walking around as if she was fine. But, she wasn't.

Eleanor lifted another spoon of the thick sheep stew to the girl's lips. Hiccup was the same height as Eleanor, and was just about the same body type and weight as well, but right then the girl looked so small and weak. Her face was slightly paler than usual, causing the constellation-like freckles on her face to stand out. Sweat coated her face, and her hair darkened as it stuck to her forehead. She silently panted when she thought the queen wasn't looking, and Eleanor was reminded of her son, who did the same thing when he was sick. Eleanor mentally shook her head. That boy...so different from his sisters. At least they listened. Well... most of the time. Sometimes.

After Hiccup's second escape attempt, Eleanor's three daughters had gone to visit her. While Eleanor had been worried at the time about Hiccup's rest, the princess had laughed slightly and had assured the queen that she was fine. The triplets had stayed, playing with Hiccup for a couple of hours before Eleanor put her foot down and told them to go play with Maudy.

As soon as the three little girls had left, Hiccup had seemed to deflate like a balloon, and Eleanor had immediately told the cooks to make some food for Hiccup. When Hiccup refused, saying that she was fine, Eleanor had had to tell the girl to put her head on right, that she had lost a lot of blood, and that she needed food as well as rest to re-energize. Hiccup had relented, but would only agree to drink a stew, and she liked sheep. So, that's what the cooks had prepared for her.

Eleanor smiled slightly as the girl in bed smiled softly at her before drinking the soup. Maraud had never been like this with her, and her daughters were more… adventurous than Eleanor could keep up with.

The door opened and Hiccup and Eleanor turned to see who it was. It was Maraud. He stepped into the room, and Eleanor checked Hiccup's reaction. She didn't smile at him shyly like she normally did, but that was to be expected. He had just shot her in her only working leg not a day ago. Hiccup scowled and her face turned red. Eleanor assumed with rage. Hiccup gently took the bowl of soup from Eleanor's hands and started drinking. Multiple times, Maraud tried to talk to Hiccup, but she would just keep drinking her soup. In no time at all, it was all gone. Not even a drop left in the bowl.

Eleanor laughed and said,

"My. If I knew he could make you eat it all so fast, I would have brought Maraud in here much sooner. Perhaps next time he could feed you,"

"No." Hiccup's response was swift, and her tone was law. Eleanor stared at the girl in shock. She had never heard the lass sound so rude and cold. Eleanor looked at Maraud, who looked troubled, and yet determined. That was never a good combination.

Eleanor stood up. The two of them were grown people, about to get married even. They were practically adults, for heaven's sake. The engaged royals didn't need her there to help them sort out their differences. If anything, Eleanor would only make the situation more tense and awkward. So, hoping that she read the atmosphere correctly, Eleanor stepped around Maraud and started walking away from the room.

She barely stepped five feet away before she started running back. As soon as she heard yelling she knew that she should have stayed. Eleanor was surprised to hear not only Maraud, but Hiccup screaming as well. Eleanor reached the doors and pulled them open in time for Maraud to storm out. Eleanor glanced into the room, and her eyes first found Hiccup, who was fuming in her bed. Broken shards of the bowl were on the floor, and

"I'm sorry, My Queen," Even through the polite words and tone, Eleanor could recognize the dark anger in Hiccup's normally bright green eyes. Eleanor couldn't help but wonder what her idiotic son could have possibly done to make the naturally gentle-natured girl so riled up and angry. Other than almost permanently ruining her only good leg, of course. Or walking in on her while she was taking off her skirt and leggings for the doctor. On second thought, Eleanor wondered how Hiccup wasn't more angry than she seemed to be.

The door creaked open once again, and Eleanor turned quickly to see who would walk in next. First came Hiccup's two girl Viking friends. After them came Hiccup's cousin and the taller blonde girl's twin. Squeezing into the room after them was the larger Viking boy. Eleanor left so that they could have a few hours together before they were separated.

In the morning, the other Viking teenagers would be leaving back to their home. And then Hiccup would be truly alone.

The next day, Eleanor was informed that Hiccup specifically asked for her to visit her. Eleanor did so, wondering why Hiccup's family avoided having anything to do with Maraud when they were leaving. Hiccup had a perfectly understandable reason for wanting to avoid her boy, but Eleanor was curious why her friends were as well. From what the queen had seen on their island, Berkians were fine with violence, and the ill-feelings only bloomed between the people in the argument, and everyone else minded their own business, not choosing sides. So Eleanor really was wondering why Hiccup's aggravation towards Maraud spread to Hiccup's friends as well.

"Hello," Hiccup greeted pleasantly as Eleanor walked into the room.

"Hello, Dear," Eleanor smiled warmly, glad that Hiccup wasn't as upset as she had been the previous day. Hiccup sighed suddenly and rubbed a hand over her face tiredly. Eleanor immediately sensed tension leak into the room as Hiccup's entire demeanor changed, becoming stiffer and more guarded than before.

"I have to tell you about something," she said seriously. Eleanor furrowed her brows and sat at the edge of Hiccup's bed, silently beckoning the younger girl to spit it out. "Well… My father left a while ago, right?" Confused, Eleanor nodded. "And now, my friends are sailing away, too. Right?" Again, Eleanor nodded. Hiccup bit her lip and looked away for a second, but then she took a deep breath and looked Eleanor in the eyes. Eleanor was surprised and a little intimidated by how intensely Hiccup was gazing at her. "But, I'm not alone,"

"Of course you're not," Eleanor said slowly. "I'm here. And my girls. And so if Fergus. And," Eleanor said cautiously, "You are marrying Maraud soon enough,"

Hiccup shook her head.

"No. I mean, yes, you, King Fergus, Hilda, Helen, and Hillary are here," Eleanor noticed that Hiccup tactfully left Maraud out of the list of people. "But I meant someone I'm more… intimate with,"

"Are you- do you-" Eleanor couldn't think straight. Was Hiccup saying what Eleanor thought she was saying? "Do you have a lover here?"

Hiccup frowned.

"A lover? No," Just the thought of the idea seemed to confuse Hiccup, and Eleanor silently let out a breath of relief. She didn't even want to think of what would happen should Hiccup have a lover with her on Dunbrough. "I meant… someone from Berk. Well, not exactly someone..."

And so Eleanor sat silently as Hiccup explained about her situation with Toothless. About how he was in the woods, and how she flew with him every night, and how she trusted him with her life.

"He's not dangerous," Hiccup assured. "If you want," Hiccup hesitated, though Eleanor wasn't sure why. Hiccup had practically laid all of her cards on the table. What else could Hiccup possibly be unsure about revealing to her? "If you want," Hiccup repeated, "I could show you,"

Eleanor couldn't quite believe Hiccup. She wasn't sure if she thought the Viking princess to be crazy or not, but she sure didn't want Hiccup to be insane. Eleanor made up her mind. She would do what she could to prove Hiccup sane.

"Alright," Eleanor said firmly, though on the inside she was very much unsure. "Show me."

A little slower, I admit, but it'll pick up REAL soon, believe me. Next chapter, Eleanor is going to see a whole new side of Hiccup, and she'll make a new friend, as well. Not really much to say this chapter, but I am a little worried about y'all. I'm reading my comments and I'm starting to think that ya'll hate Maraud. You do know this is a Mericup fic, right? Go back and read chapter 9. Most of the reviews for that chapter were like 'oh my gosh! He's falling for her! Yay!' and now ya'll are like, 'Maraud is selfish and has no class!' Just... don't hate Maraud! I'll try to make him likeable again! Any ideas on how to help you not hate him anymore? If I can, I'll try to fit your idea into the story. Before I forget, thanks for all the favorites (I have like, 80!) and follows (almost 90!) and all those reviews (more than 100!) I'm just super excited, so thanks y'all :)