"I suspect you all have heard the All Tale," Old Wrinkly said once the laughter eased.
"Yes," Hiccup answered unsure where the man was going with the statement.
It did not seem to have anything to do with the call the dragons heard.
"Those injured elders," Old Wrinkly began. "They once bowed to a Tusked-king. The very same dragon that was the last to make peace. They had served under his rule their entire lives and they were older than Onyxwing is now, if that puts things into perspective for you."
Hiccup's eyes widen. He was beginning to grasp the length of time between himself and the ancestor he never knew he would be talking to. During winter, on days the weather let him, he still visited the Changewing nest to learn from the king. All of the Riders were allowed to accompany him now, not just three, as the Head Guard requested Snotlout and Hookfang to learn from her and several of the guards wished to speak with Ruff and Tuff because they were amazed by the twins sewing abilities. That lead to the twins sewing leaves together with scrap leather and fashioning better sleeping nests for the Changewings, who seemed to favor everyone sleeping in the same cave. This same skill let them fashion the group nest for the visiting flocks.
Once, while there and at a mid-day meal, the young princess gleefully told her humans friends just how old the Head Elder was. This was after the Head Elder had told Hiccup the All Tale had been a frequent tale told in the nest when she was the princess' age. The elder dragon gave the impression the tale actually happened years before her hatching as well. Given that the dragon was now pushing a thousand years, and had been an elder for only twenty of those years, Hiccup felt as if he was swimming without being in the water.
"The Tusked-king was actually the older brother of Link," Old Wrinkly said. "There were three such brothers who chose to create their nests in different parts of the world. Link took the east, that one stayed here, and the youngest took the west." Old Wrinkly sighed and looked down at his lap. "I don't know how or why the Leviathan nest leaders started believing they could be the Alpha of all dragons and then began fighting for that title. Dragons fighting each other had been something we viewed as normal for so long. In the four years I was away, I managed to visit my grandfather. The elders of his mother's tribe said the dragons had always been fighting from the beginning of the world. I don't believe that after speaking with dragons."
[The fights started many seasons after the world formed,] Heatwave said. [At least the elders of my previous nest said so.]
"Why did they even begin to believe they had the right to be alpha of all dragons?" Hiccup asked. "As brutal as we Vikings can be, many chiefs realize they can't rule every human in the world."
[Because even dragons have a prophecy,] Heatwave said. [Ours is not fancy like the poem my alpha chose to leave for you, but it gets the job done.]
"May I hear this prophecy?" Hiccup asked.
Lightbeetle cooed. [Such manners,] she said.
"Not you too," Astrid said, leaning forward and facing the dragoness. "He is mine."
Lightbeetle trilled a rumbly sound that reminded Hiccup of a small boulder rolling down a rocky hill.
[Ease your worries, future queen of the nest,] Lightbeetle said. [I have mate and the young alpha is my nephew.]
Astrid grunted. Hiccup gently pulled her back against him. He placed a kiss to her neck, uncaring that everyone in the cove could see. His lips brushed against her ear as he lifted his head.
"I am yours," he whispered. "I am now and will always be yours. Nothing and no one will ever come between us."
Astrid relaxed and leaned back against him. Hiccup knew why she had gotten tense. The betrothal had been official for months and yet in the middle of winter two young ladies that cleaned fish during the warmer months began to made advances towards him. He always rebuffed them and told them he was promised to Astrid but they, for some reason, refused to believe him.
Stoick and her parents were informed after the first time, as Hiccup did not want anything to dishonor the trust the three adults placed in him and Astrid. All three laughed at their indignation over the two not listening and advised Hiccup to never be caught alone with either of them. The three also informed other adults, mostly the Council members, so they could be aware. The young ladies had backed off, for the most part, but Hiccup still caught them staring at him whenever he was working in the forge. He felt their glares when he had Astrid in there, learning blacksmithing but Gyda's presence, as well as many dragons who came and went as the time passed, kept anything from happening.
Thankfully, the coming of spring meant Mulch and Bucket, now the head of the fishing fleet so that Hoark could focus solely on building and maintain the fleet, could keep the young ladies busy. As far as Hiccup was made aware, the two had been put on prepping duties right after Stoick bellowed for everyone to leave the meadows that morning. Mulch even promised Hiccup he would have the two young ladies so busy with chores that neither would have the energy to do more than sleep once he let them leave the docks each day.
Still the entire thing left Astrid more than a little tense and annoyed over others believing Hiccup was free to be theirs. She had laughed over Deepminer's comment on the beach, but Hiccup had seen the tightness of her jaw. Her expression when she voiced her complaint about females falling for his charms had been bemused but Hiccup heard the tone to her voice, a tone others may have missed. That had been the main reason he had Toothless fly close to Stormfly. That had also been the reason he elbowed Toothless earlier. He also knew that had been the reason she had said 'mine.'
He also realized he needed to get the topic back on the correct flight. His queen did not deserve to be upset. Ever.
Kirika: Hehe, we may see that yet.