I finally had some free time to write. I had been working a lot the last little bit and with little inspiration, I got very little writing done. But here's a new chapter.
In this chapter Hiccup (putting it bluntly) is a complete idiot. This chapter also includes a big MAJOR reveal. I had one part near the end completely written out months ago and I turn out deleting it all because it didn't flow well with this chapter.
WARNINGS: none. Surprised?
Chapter 34: The Trails
Merida's POV
I paced frantically around my room, trying to rid myself of my nervousness and trying to make myself look presentable. The trails were today and I had decided that I wouldn't sit make and hope William would honor his promise. I had already tried to prevent them from even happening by trying to convince my parents that Jack, Rapunzel, and Hiccup were innocent but they are so deep in William's influence that they didn't even listen.
I knew it wouldn't be easy to convince the court that the accused were innocent because they had been charged with high treason but I had to try.
Jack and Rapunzel's trial was about to begin so I had to hurry if I wanted to intervene, seeing that trails for treason never lasted very long. I just started putting my hair in a quick braid when I heard the door open. I looked and Cináed peering into my room.
"Your Majesty." He said when he spotted me.
"Yes?" I asked, thinking he was here on William's business. He smiled evilly.
"Good." He said, leaving the room and closing the door. I ran to the door and pulled on the handle but it wouldn't budge. I heard the lock click.
"No!" I screamed when I realized that the door was locked and I was trapped, "Let me out! NOW!" I screamed through the little window in the door. I saw Cináed's ugly face with a cheeky grin through the window, holding the key out of my reach.
"I'm sorry, my Lady, but my Lord requests you stay in your room." He said smugly, putting the key away. He smiled evilly and walked away with a loud laugh of victory.
"NO!" I screamed, pounding with my fist on the door. I frantically looked around the room, trying to find something that could maybe budge the door. A broken chair and a twisted fire poker was all that was left of that rampage. I pounded on the door, ignoring the pain, but each hit had less and less drive. Eventually, I sank to the floor, the tears falling out of my eyes.
I couldn't help them. I can't save them.
Hiccup's POV
Whether it was the wise thing to do or not, I decided to remain silent during my trail. For me it seemed like the wiser choice. That way I wouldn't say anything stupid and make things worse for myself.
Jack and Rapunzel had gone first. When they came back about 2 hours later, they were very vague on the details. They told me about the main piece of evidence used against them: a fake letter from the King of England asking them to kidnap Merida for him. The jury claimed they had found it in their home. Jack had tried to convince them that it was fake and that he had never associated himself with the English nobility but everything in the letter, including the seal and signature, were so convincing that Jack's words held little meaning to them.
The guards took me to the court room shortly afterwards. The room was large and circular with a high ceiling. There was a small podium I the middle where I was forced to stand, surrounded by guards. Directly in front of me, on a higher platform, was the judge. Beside him were two more figures in black as well as the King and William MacInroy.
His Majesty looked at me in utter disgust while William's smirk was a mix of evil and triumph.
They read out the charge against me: high treason for the attempted kidnapping of Princess Merida. They asked how I pleaded. I said not guilty because what else could I say? They presented false evidence and heard false accounts of witnesses. Throughout it all, I remained silent, even when they asked questions.
About an hour in, I must've started to annoy them because they began yelling at me in order to scare me into submission.
First the main judge, then the other two men in black and then it seemed like the entire room began yelling. I tried to drown them out but the voices became louder than Thor's thunder. I felt anger boil in me but I tried to suppress it. The judges kept yelling at me and I thought I heard one of them yell "traitor!" or something. That was it! All the anger in me burst out in one loud sentence that towered over all the others,
"With Forseti as my judge, I am innocent! You call me a liar but the only liar here is that rat MacInroy!"
Silence. There was complete silence. The only thing I heard was my deep breathing. It was there that I realized what I had said. Not only did I insult William but I also revealed the secret that'll cost me my life.
"Viking!" A man in black yelled, standing up and pointing an accusing finger at me. Then the room burst out in another wave of yells and insults. It lasted for a long time before the main judge's voice towered over everyone's and all fell silent. I could feel the man's eyes on me and I stared at the ground,
"What's your real name, Viking?" He asked, spitting out the last word. I kept quiet, just taking deep breaths. The judge brought his fist hard on the table, "WHAT IS IT?!" he yelled, his voice echoing a thousand times through the room. After a few more seconds of silence, I decided there was no more point in keeping silent. I straightened myself, keeping my head high and stared right at the judge, a small glimmer of fear playing in his face.
"My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third." Another wave of murmurs swam through the room, "Son and heir of Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk."
"Impossible!" The judge yelled, followed my loud whispers of shock and disbelief. I wasn't surprised at their reaction. I was believed to be dead and I had had the reputation of being small and weak. Not only that but I had worked and lived under the nose of the man who was often perceived to have been able to identify a Viking instantly. I looked up to the King and nearly faltered at his sight of utter betrayal. William, however, seemed to be in heaven.
"My lords," He said overtop of the sound, his voice calm and slimy all at once, "Is there really a point to continue with this trail? This man is a Viking; he just told us so." He looked at the judge then back at me, "And we all know the proper way to deal with such filth."
"And your definition of proper is cutting off someone's head." A voice said behind me. Everyone turned and watched as a figure, clad in a blue cloak, stepped forward from the shadows. William chuckled at the sight of her.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Aileen Fletcher." He said mockingly. She slowly walked to William with a light chuckle,
"Well, well, well." She said, "If it isn't a complete ass!" She retorted. There were shocked gasps emanating through the room whereas I tried to suppress a laugh at the sight of how furious William looked. He obviously didn't take to the insult well,
"Enough!" William yelled. He snapped his fingers at some guards, "Arrest her!"
The guards slowly approached Aileen, their weapons drawn. Aileen casually walked to them, an almost bored sway to her steps.
A guard charged at her, raising his weapon to attack; it took Aileen only seconds to defeat him.
Whether it was idiotic bravery or the realization that they'd never be able to defeat on their own, I don't know, but the rest of the guards all charged at her at once. Aileen fought them off with ease, hitting them one at the time and again when they recovered and tried to strike again. Everyone, even the King, watched anxiously as the fight ensued.
A guard was punched in his stomach and he collapsed to the floor. Think he was defeated, Aileen continued her fight with the others. However, the fallen guard got up, his eyes burning with hate as he looked at Aileen. He ran up behind her and grabbed her cloak,
"Aileen!" I called out.
Too late.
The guard gave one powerful tug at the blue fabric and the cloak fell from Aileen, revealing the mystery it had been hiding. The court fell silent at the sight of her. She must've been only slightly shorter than I was with a very skinny build, as if she had once starved and never managed to regain the weight. She had an ugly brand burned on her throat that was easily identified as a V, a common symbol for a Viking that had been captured and sold into slavery. Her light blonde hair was done up in a classic Viking braid, decorated with a leather headband. She wore a deep red shirt with a dark brown skirt that was covered with spikes and emblazoned with grim looking skulls. On her shoulders, she wore metal pads that showed some signs of rust. Her dark blue leggings were ripped on one knee and her fur-lined leather boots seemed to be on the verge of falling apart. On her hip, she wore a two-sided battle axe, the metal casting eerie reflections on the walls.
She panted heavily as she looked around the room and found that everyone was staring at her. When he sight fell upon the guard that held her cloak, she unhooked her axe and put the blade to the man's throat,
"Give that back." She threatened in a low voice. With a shaky nod, the guard held up his shaking hand with the cloak. Aileen snatched it from his hand and quickly put it around her again, not bothering to put up the hood. Her sight fell on me briefly before she turned to William; she looked familiar, too familiar.
"This is not what you expected, huh?" She said to William, who continued to stare at her, never uttering a word, "Aileen Fletcher… A Viking." The room continued its unnatural silence.
"What is your real name?" The judge finally asked. She scoffed loudly as started walking around the room.
"What do you care about my real name?" She nearly shouted as she continued her pace, "All that's ever been important to any of you is this phantom I've been for 11 years!" She looked up at the ceiling, raising her arms to the heavens, "I wouldn't share my real name with any of you!" She screamed, the sound echoing a thousand times. "Except," She suddenly said, much softer. She lowered her arms and looked straight at me with her large blue eyes, "Him."
If the court could've gotten more silent it would've. Nobody said anything as Aileen simply stared at me. Most people would've looked away at her piercing gaze but I kept my eyes glued on her. She seemed so familiar but I couldn't place a name with her face. Aileen chuckled lightly, almost as if she could see my inner turmoil.
"It's been a long time, Hiccup." She spoke in Norse, slowly talking miniature steps towards me, "I wouldn't be surprised if you don't recognize me. I certainly didn't recognize you." I stared at her closely but still I couldn't give her a name. I tried to take a step forward but the guards stopped me.
"Who are you?" She smiled at me and looked back at the judge. She balled her fists and puffed out her chest proudly,
"My name-" She spoke in English, "my real name is Astrid Hofferson!"
Yes! Aileen Fletcher is the one and only Astrid Hofferson! If any of you (and I think that that was everyone) thought Aileen was Astrid, you were right. Think of Astrid's outfit to be just like her outfit in HTTYD 2 minus the fur hood.
Review, favourite, follow.