37 A Woman's Heart
Hiccup sat still and quiet on the cliff top while staring off into the morning light with his father by his side.
"Can you see much son?" the young man grunted and handed over the telescope.
"You'll see someone has started running around the deck waving their arms about; I think that's Nainn."
"He doesn't look happy does he?"
"Does he ever?"
"HA... no son I don't think he does."
"Except maybe when he has an unarmed someone at his mercy lying on the ground with a sword at her chest."
"Let it go son; you got her out of there before there was any harm done" but Hiccup just drew his knees up under his chin and sighed "what is it Hiccup? Come on; spit it out."
"It's Astrid Dad... she's... well... been acting weird ever since her sea voyage to Bolthorn castle with Nainn."
"Weird?"
"Well different... no... weird; there's no other word for it."
"In what way son?"
"Well... most of the time she's very helpful..."
"Yes I can see how that must be very upsetting" Stoick rolled his eyes.
"But even more helpful than usual; she constantly offers excellent advice on any situation and then she does whatever I ask of her quickly and efficiently."
"You're starting to lose me son" the Chief shook his head.
"And then there's the thing with the dragons."
"What thing with the dragons?"
"She said that Toothless is not my dragon anymore; he is now 'Our Dragon' according to Astrid."
"Oh... I see" Stoick slowly nodded.
"I thought that this was some kind of new thing about us as a couple but later on when I referred to Stormfly the same way, she got all huffy and said that Toothless was our dragon but Stormfly was hers. Dad; I think a bit of Nainns attitude has rubbed off onto her."
Hiccup was not pleased at all when his father started to laugh almost uncontrollably.
"Thank you... father... thank you so much for taking my worries and concerns so seriously."
"Oh son" Stoick tried desperately to bring himself under control again "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to upset you it's just..."
Hiccup waited impatiently for his father to continue "WHAT?" he could wait no longer.
"She's just like your mother Hiccup."
"Really? In a good way I assume from your inconceivable mirth."
"Well... not exactly like her... in most ways they are very different people, but the way you say she's acting now, your mother did the same thing to me when we were... young... ger; it must be something about the women of Berk" Stoick pondered "I wonder if they all talk about it together? Maybe it's their grand plan."
"Alright Dad, now you've lost me; WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
"When I had been courting your mother for a while, she one day started telling me things that she'd never talked about before."
"What kind of things Dad?"
"Oh all sorts of things, but I suppose the prime example of what I'm talkin' about was where she wanted to live. You see son, before we were married or even engaged, I'd only been Chief for a short time and of course I was livin' in the Chiefs house just like my father had. By the way son; you can take over that house one day when you're Chief or you can live wherever you want. I decided that after I lost your mother; life's too short to worry about the meaningless traditions – only worry about the important ones."
"Dad; focus."
"Oh... right... sorry. Anyway Valka tells me one day, quite out of the blue, that she did not want to live so high up and she said that what she really wanted was to live down by the sea. She said it was so she could wander on the beach in the morning or under a hunter's moon. Now this really worried me as I thought that she was saying that she did not want to be my wife because it meant that she would have to live up at the Chiefs house instead of where she wanted."
"But she did marry you... and she did live in your house... didn't she?"
"Oh yes indeed son; Ya see, one day I got really angry with her..."
"YOU? Never" Hiccup said sarcastically.
"Shut up and listen or you're on your own."
"Sorry Dad" Hiccup chuckled "go on."
"As I was saying... I shouted at her 'What about me; doesn't it matter what I want?' and as calm and as steady as you like... she just looks at me, smiles and says 'Of course it matters' I remember that she reached up and put her hand on my chin."
Hiccup could hear his father's voice falter and see a glisten in his eye.
"Dad, are you okay?"
"I will be son; anyway... she said 'Of course it matters what you want my dear, but you have never told me what it is you want'. Do you see where I'm goin' with this Hiccup?"
"I think so Dad; so what did you do then?"
"I think I went a little nuts AND NO SMART COMMENTS FROM YOU, thank you very much."
"I wouldn't dream..."
"I told her exactly what I wanted. I wanted her to marry me, to live in the Chief's house, to raise a family... and she said she was glad to finally know what my feelings were and then she said 'I think we can make all these things happen for you' with the most beautiful smile on her face. Well as you can guess... I felt like a fool... SHUT UP."
"I wasn't going to say anything" Hiccup protested "but... thanks Dad."
"Your very welcome; it's probably about time that I tried to make myself useful to you."
"Mission accomplished" Hiccup smiled.
"The ship's getting closer" Stoick put the telescope back up to his eye again "Oh my; have a look at this."
"Wow; it looks like they've only just found the letters" Hiccup noted as he looked for himself.
Down on the Victorious, Captain Pratt had gone back down to his cabin and torn open the envelope as soon as he spotted it on his desk; inside he found three short letters that he quickly read. The first made him turn pale and the second was a complete surprise, but the third almost caused him to faint; not from its contents but because of its author. His mind raced as he considered his options until he heard a familiar voice scream once more for him to hurry up. Pratt walked out of his cabin slowly and with purpose as he came to the decision to put all his eggs in the one basket. His career was over, he knew that was true, but if he did the right thing now, he may still have a life to live.
"Commander Fitch" he called out and his first officer approached and saluted.
"WELL HURRY UP" Nainn shouted but the Captain ignored him.
"I place the ship under your leadership Commander" he handed the letters to the first officer "and I place myself and Prin... I mean Mr. Nainn into your custody until you return us to Elydonia."
The Officer read the first letter while he ignored the screaming former Prince.
To the Officers of the Royal Elydonian Navy, from the Secretary to His Royal Majesty King Joric V of Bolthorn.
After his invasion of the Northwest Archipelago, King Rekkur has been removed from the throne and is currently a prisoner of the people he sought to enslave.
His Majesty King Joric V has declared a truce with High Chief Stoick the Vast of Berk and commands all vessels of the Royal Elydonian Navy to gather at the point eleven miles north of Bolthorn Castle.
"Joric Thorn is now King of Elydonia? This must be a trick sir."
"I know the Royal Seal when I see it Commander and it is on both that letter and the envelope that bore it."
"But sir, why are you giving the ship over to me sir?"
"Read the third letter Commander; I mean Captain."
The Officer flicked over to the third page as Nainn began to storm down the steps.
Arrest Warrant:
1 Nainn - Former Prince of Elydonia.
Charge: Making war against the allies of His Royal Majesty King Joric V of Bolthorn.
2 Any and all supporters or allies of Rekkur – Former King of Elydonia.
Charge: The overthrow and murder of His Royal Majesty King Joric IV of Bolthorn.
So ordered by Sigfus Jolfson - Secretary to His Royal Majesty King Joric V of Bolthorn.
"You were involved in the murder of King Joric the Fourth?"
"Of course not; I wasn't even born at the time of the old Kings death, but I was involved with keeping Rekkur in power, so your duty is clear Captain."
"WHEN YOU TWO HAVE QUITE FINISHED..." Nainn began but was not permitted to finish as acting Captain Fitch drew his sword and beaconed to the crew.
"Sir; by order of the King I am placing you both under arrest. You will please make your way to the brig."
"NO... YOU CAN'T DO THIS." Nainn backed up.
In wide eyed panic, the former prince tried to run from the ship's crew with very little success due to his unwillingness to leave the ship. For the next few minutes Nainn ran, dodged and threw anything he could pick up, as well as pushing over and rolling several barrels at his pursuers before his eventual capture; after which he was escorted below decks while constantly yelling and struggling, as well as threatening everyone with a slow and painful death.
Acting Captain Fitch sent Julius Pratt to his cabin under guard in deference to his willingness to surrender and cause no trouble. The former Captain gave a self satisfied grin as his plan to save his own neck ended its first phase.
"Well... they've taken Nainn below" Hiccup informed his father "so I guess we won't have to worry about any invasion from Elydonia today."
"Righty oh then son" Stoick turned to leave "let me know when the ship turns back."
"RAAHK" Stoick and Hiccup both jumped in surprise at the cry of the Deadly Nadder that dropped down from above.
"HICCUP WE'VE GOT TROUBLE BACK AT BOLTHORN" Astrid cried out "YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND WE NEED RE-ENFORCEMENTS."
Without stopping to reply, the two men ran back to the Lookout Island tent village.
"TOOTHLESS" Hiccup called as the big black dragon leapt to attention "we gotta go bud."
"Gobber; take Ivar, Sigrid and Olvor and go with Hiccup" the Chief ordered "I'll follow with the others as soon as that last ship turns back."
"Right ho Chief" Gobber replied as he hobbled off.
A short time later Hiccup could see Pigg, Boomer, Skywolf and Viper rising up from the island with their riders so he turned to catch up with Astrid.
"One day it may be nice to fly to Elydonia without the word 'Trouble' being the main reason for the journey" he noted.
Maybe I am only being paranoid, but in the past several months I have had the seat split in two pairs of pants and had three waist band buttons fly off. Now any of you reading this may think 'Marty needs to do some exercise' but I always buy loose fitting pants for comfort and if I don't wear a belt they fall down anyway, so they are not too tight (I do need to exercise more but that's just not the reason for my wardrobe problems). Many times though, I have come home to find Moon sleeping in the washing basket and he does have very sharp claws (not to mention access to a particle degenerator) so I am wondering if it is possible, that causing me embarrassment is some part of his long term plan? Maybe... but he looks so cute when he's sleeping.