Haze AU
In which Haze has not fallen to civil war and Joke has never been separated from his blood family.
There has been no conflict between Kosmozis and the Hairy Hooligans so the clan is still settled on former Berk.
It has been three years and a half since Hiccup has become chief.
Hiccup was starting to get used to missions outside of Berk. With the rescues to dragons captured by trappers and the peace propaganda to make new alliances with other clans, sometimes it felt like he passing as much time outside of Berk as in the village. Each time the dragon riders and him were venturing farther away, he could feel the thrill of the unknown and discovery. It always was an adventure.
The allies or the acquaintances has various requests for the Hairy Hooligans, going from rescues were humans couldn't go on their own (high mountains peek, near a volcano…), to defending a village from looting, chasing fugitives… Astrid once had been engaged as bodyguard but the chief's son she had been protecting was whinsical and had ended up asking her hand in marriage, so the blonde warrior had bad memories of the expririence.
Hiccup liked this kind of missions that were different from his chiefing ans dragon rider routine. Plus, the requests were coming from villages and clans farther and farther away, the riders' reputation was spreading fast. However, never before did a request had surprised and excited them as much as the last one Berk had received.
It was coming from Haze. This clan seemed to have emerged from a book because it was only known as a legend. This legend said that the clan's founder, Karan the Tracker, had been given a dragon heart and that his followers and him were the very first vikings in history to make peace with dragons. Hiccup and his friends would have though the request from them was just a bit prank if it had not been deposited in person by a dragon rider who impressed them all.
Not only did this woman was dressed in a metal armor decorated with patterns that seemed to be made of ice, a long dark-blue cape adorning an emblem the shape of a snowflake surounded by four dragon wings, but also the dragon she was riding was nothing like berkians had seen before. As tall as a Death Song, four legs along with four wings, scales as white as snow, semi-translucent horns that seemed to be made out of ice… And this dragon was an ice-spitter ! The winged creature was even more impressive as it was wearing an ice-like armor.
The messenger, a woman a bit older than them with non-usual pale skin and eyes, had introduced herself as Lyrac, leader of Haze's royal guard. She had brought a message from their queen herself, asking the help of the dragons riders for a delicate affair. Hiccup had not been the only one intrigued, everyone had been, so there had been no hesitation to sent the best riders on ground.
Hiccup, Astrid, Eret, Snotlout, Fishlegs and the Thorston twins followed Lyrac to the north, to the edge of the frozen lands of the north.
At the beginning, the riders had been a bit reluctant, knowing their dragons weren't fond of the cold, but Lyrac had assured them Haze was settled on a volcanic island, an oasis of warmth in the harsh winter. As such, Haze reminded Hiccup of the Defensors of the Wings' home. They also lived on a volcanic island, except that Mala and her people were threatened by it and were relying on the Great Eruptodon to eat the exceed of lava, whereas Haze was protected by the freezing-to-death weather by the volcano.
The trip was long and tiring, it lasted more than five days and the temparatures kept on dropping. Despite the scales-covered armors and the thick cloaks of furs they had brought, it was too cold for the riders. Snotlout and the twins were not missing an occasion to complain about it. When they finally reached their destination, they were completely blind in the blizzard. Lyrac's dragon – which the hazians called a Guardian – was producing blueish sparks in its throat to create a light the vikings could follow. Astrid had to admit she was curious on how Lyrac and her dragon were able to direct themselves. Knowing Night Furie's ability to fly in the darkest night, it was not impossible in her mind, but still impressive.
The thickness of the blizzard and the snow swirling and raging in front of their eyes still didn't prevent them from spotting a huge wall of fog ahead of them. If Lyrac had not explained them it was surrounding and hiding Haze, they would have never guessed there actually was an island behind it.
The dragon flew through the thick veil and, much to everyone's surprise, the snowstorm ragin outside was stopped by the fog. Peaceful snow was dancing in the sky, the temperature were sensibly warmer – at least, less glacial. All of the sudden, the frozen lands of the north seemed more welcoming.
The group of dragons flew above an imposing mountain chain which overshadowed the highest peek of Berk. It looked like huge, wild, inhabited nature, rocks and vegetation sparkling under a thin layer of snow and Frost, reflecting each sunray piercing through the greyish clouds. Looking closely to the landscape, Eret ended up saying out loud what everyone was thinking.
''But I don't see any construction…''
Lyrac chuckled at that and explained that the wall of haze – which had given its name to the island and the clan – served as camouflage but was not their only protection. Since, back then it had been founded, their clan was the only one living in harmony with dragons, they had a lot of enemies and had decided to build their city in the heart of the mountain. Inside of the mountain.
The mention of a city instead of a village intrigued even more the vikings. They followed Lyrac and her Guardian through a discreet opening on the mountainside, Hiccup knew they would have never found it by themselve seeing how well it was hidden and only looked like a small cave. The dragons flew deeper into the darkness and followed a winding tunnel, only led by the blue light from the Guardian. The deeper they were going, the more the rock looked less natural. The walls were straightening and getting covered in carvings and arcades. Soon, beautiful murals revealed themselve, various paintings of men and dragons, adorning sparkling gems reflecting the light from the Guardian like tiny blue and white suns. Columns looked like they were supporting the structure but they actually were just carvings in the whole, all of them having busts of dragons spreading their huge wings.
And when they finally exited the tunnels into the home of Haze, the dragons riders felt like they had just entered another world. Countless dragons were swirling in the air like giant birds, the giant cave was just as luminous as the outside, as if having its own source of light. The vegetation was luxuriant and covering the stone, countless waterfalls and streams providing all the water needed, and there was a giant skylight on the roof of the cave, the light pouring in like a surreal waterfall.
Huge buildings, like towers adorning platforms and giant balconies, were falling from the roof or rising from the ground like stalactites and stalagmites, sculpted in the stone and this peculiar material that looked like ice and crystal. Severeal bridges connected the structures, pathes had been carved in cave walls, and all of this was half-burried in vegetation. A lot of vines and creepers had grown on the towers and walls, adding colors in this white, grey and blue lanscape.
Never before did the riders had seen such buildings, it was nothing like vikings' usual wooden hutts. It was grand, astonishing, and the inhabitants seemed so too. Even from above, the group could spot some human frames that looked tiny, but their eyes were mostly focused on the one flying around them.
Countless dragons, all in white and clear colors, were filling the sky and soaring freely. The riders were gaping. If they managed to recognize some species, like the Snowraith and the Arctic Rumplehorn, there was a hug majority of dragons they were seeing for the first time. Fishlegs couldn't stay still on his saddle and was feeling the urge to go meet the dragons.
''Hiccup, look !'' He alsmost squeaked. ''New species of dragons ! New species of dragons everywhere !''
''That's incredible…'' Astrid breathed, her gaze focused downward.
''You'll have all the leisure to approach our dragons later, if you want to.'' Lyrac smiled.
It ought to sooth the enthusiasm of Fishlegs and caught his attention. He was bubbling inside, but now he was able to focus. Lyrac, standing on the back of her dragon, turned around to look at all the riders one by one.
''I'll lead you to the Ice Palace, where our queen Elska North Storm will give you an audience. Her Majesty will explain to you the situation along with the mission she wants to give you.''
''Lead the way, Lyrac.'' Hiccup assured.
She nodded and soflty patted her dragon's nape. The Guardian grumbles before diving. The other dragons followed as they could, only Toothless and Stormfly were fast enough to keep up with this huge dragon. He constantly had to slow down to wait for them, and Hiccup suspected this was what irritated him. He had to stop two times to wait for them before they finally reached the Ice Palace.
At first look, it looked like the rest of the city, but as they came closer, they noticed the difference. The palace was composed of a group of towers with the same design as the others, but the entries were guarded and all of them were scelled with grilles or colorful translucent windows, decorated with snowflake and fern-like patterns.
Each tower seemed to have a different use. The first one seeemd to have only one large open room that looked like a place for celebrations or official meetings, much like the Mead Hall at Berk. The other towers had several floors. Two had closed and occulted rooms, surely bedrooms, another one was larger with large rooms. Lyras lead the vikings to the one in the middle, the one for official meetings.
The dragons landed on the huge balcony circling the tower, then the viking dismounted them. Since the weather was warmer and was pretty close to what they knew at Berk, the riders got ridden of their fur cloaks. Hiccup looked at Lyrac saluting four guards wearing similar armors to hers, who were standing on each side of the main doors. There were two men as broad as Eret, a woman that was as large Reekfrid, and a third man that was a bit slimmer but just as tall. One thing for sure, they looked like dreadful warriors.
When Hiccup joined the captain to talk to her, she didn't give him time to say a word she turned to the riders to adress them all.
''Before I let you in, I have make some details clear to you. We have politeness rules I insist for you to follow while in presence of the crowned family.''
Hiccup gave an insistent look to Snotlout and the twins, which he doubted apply these rules. Snotlout rolled his eyes as a reply while Tuffnut and Ruffnut were too busy gaping at the palace. The auburnet dropped it for now and focused back on the captain.
''Firstly, I'll ask you to use 'Thee' instead of 'you' to adress them, even our princess who is still very young.''
Astrid nodded as confirmation.
''Then, no matter the circumstances, you have to adress themm or talk about them using their title or their full name. Calling them with only their first name is considered intimate, even friends aren't allowed to.''
Hiccup, Astrid, Eret and Fishlegs glances at each other. They had to admit this was a significant difference between their cultures. For vikings, it was usual to use people's first name, full names were only reserved for official occasion with other clans, and not all the time depending if the allies were friends.''
That was an adjustment they had to do if they wanted to maintain good acquaintances with this clan, and they really wanted Haze to become their ally.
''Lastly,'' Lyrac added ''it is customary to salute a member of the royal family each time they enter or exit a room. If you're standing, you have to bow. It you're sitting, you have to stand up and bow.''
Snotlout huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, visibly he was not fond of the idea of bowing. Hiccup glared at him.
''Snotlout.''
''No way I'm bowing !'' The brunette grunted.
''They are royals.'' Fishlegs insisted. ''We have to respect the clan's leader and it's normal to follow the local customaries.''
''So make an effort.'' Astrid growled, punching her own fists as a threat.
''No.''
The blonde warrior aimed to punch him in the face but Eret stopped her with a nervous laugh. The twins whined in dissapointment as they really liked to witness fights.
''Alright,'' Hiccup claimed, raising his hands in surrender. ''That case, you'll wait us here.''
''What ?! No way !''
''Either you follow the rules, either you stay behind.'' Eret added with much diplomaty in his voice than his girlfriend, who was still glaring daggers at their disruptive element.
Snotlout found himself torn. He had always been fascinated by royals and dreamt of meeting kings and queens in person, but his pride was now standing in his way. The others waited for him to decide, using their gaze to prompt him. They could almost see sweat forming on his forehead as he was inwardly panicking and thinking fast. After a few moment, he ended up clenching his fists and grimace.
''Rah, fine ! I'll follow your silly rules !''
Hiccup grined and winked at Astrid and Eret, both of them held back from snorting, then the whole groupe approached Lyrac.
''Will the king be there too ?'' Snotlout asked. ''You only talked about the queen.''
''The king ?'' Lyrac asked. She seemed taken aback by the question, then frowned. ''Our prince will not be crowned king before his twenty-fiveth birthday.''
It was Snotlout's turn to be confused, and the others too. Tuffnut scratched his forehead before asking.
''What about his father ?''
Some spark seemed to light up the captain's blue-grey eyes, as if she had suddenly understood what they meant.
''Oh, you mean the queen's husband ? Of course he'll be there, he's waiting for you with her, inside.''
''The queen's husband is not king ?'' Fishlegs asked, guenuinely curious.
Lyrac looked at him for a second before bursting in laughter.
''Of course not. The crown's spouses are linked to the family by marriage but they don't obtain royal title.''
''I like this kingdom more and more.'' Astrid whispered to Eret, though Hiccup was close enough to hear it too.
''Come on, we already made them wait for long. Follow me.''
Lyrac gestured to them and faced the giant double-door. Hiccup was hypnotized by the arcades carvings and the ice gems incrusted in it. Once again, a dragon was represented, wings spread and claws threatening as if about to attack whomever tried to enter without permission. Two of the four guards pushed opened the doors and clear the passage for them, then the inside was revealed to the visitors.
The room was majestic and really impressive. The ground was covered in stoneware tiles so smooth it was reflecting the whole room like a dark mirror. The ceiling was high, sculpted and arched, the walls adorned narrow but high openings letting in a smooth and warm light. Large pillars were supporting the ceiling and cirling the room, they were twisted and covered in frosted fern-like patterns. From the ceiling were hanging long dark blue banners with the clan's emblem. A sky blue carpet, contrasting wit the dark floor, was crossing the whole room and leading to the back of it, tracing a path for the dragon riders and their escort towards the throne.
Or rather, the thrones. A few steps separated them from the rest of the room, two gigantic dragon statues on each part of this raised scene. Hiccup and his friends recognized the two sets of wings and the thin nuzzle of the Guardians, and got astunded by the realism of the statues. They looked like they could come to life at any moment to defend the kingdom.
The thrones had the same colors as the room, a dark blue fabric was drapped over the chairs made of this iced material which seemed to be royal symbol. Hiccup couldn't say if it was actual ice of a gem. One thing for sure, this material made the throne look like giant jewels. Hiccup noticed from the corner of his eye that Fishlegs was taking notes in a journal. No doubt he was listing all the questions he wanted to ask.
What surprised most the young chief was the fact there was not only one throne. There was two in the middle of the stage, one more imposing with an added mauve translucent veil over the left armrest. For each side of the two trones were another one, smaller and less detailed, but still imposing.
It really was regal. The whole room was, it looked gigantic and a bit oversized for the vikings. It was nothing like the humility of Berk's wooden throne with celtic knot carvings and just adorned with a fur. Granted Berk was far less wealthy than this kingdom, still Berk's chieftain was respectful without needing all of this. They were respectful with their strength and bravery, not their money.
While the guards were leading the vikings towards the thrones, each visitor was staring at the uncommon architecture. Hiccup also looked at the other people in the room. There were guards posted at each pillar, but also people with more common clothes – though the shape and oclors were still very different form vikings' - and even dragons. that's when Hiccup noted theirs had followed without a problem. The whole city seemed built for both humans and dragons.
Hiccup noticed the guards withtin the room were wearing blue capes, but the color was lighter and reminded of the sea instead of the nightsky. The guards by the door too. Only Lyrac and the two guards posted by the statues around the thrones were weragin dark-blue capes, but also large epaulets. It seemed to tel of higher hierarchy. Al of them were armed with swords and their posture proved they were ready to fight if necessary. Hiccup noted the swords' shape was again different from vikings'. The blades were narrow and sculptes with fangs-like shapes near the handle, and once again they were made of this ice/crystal material.
When the visitors finally reach the steps in front of the thrones, Hiccup's eyes wandered to the people sitting there. Only two persons were there, both in their mid-fifties, maybe a bit more. A tall and broad man was dressed in dark-blue clothes decorated with patterns made of ice, representing snowflakes and losanges. Above his cape, drapped over his right shoulder, he was wearing a white fur that seemed to come from polar bear.
The man had pale skin and dark-brown hair. His short moustache was twirling at the end and a short beard was only covering his chin, long enough to adorn an ice-ring. The man was standing, exposing his profil to the new comers while he was talking to the woman sitting in the taller throne.
She was dressed in a long robe, the colors a mauve and purple so light it almost seemed white. She also was wearing ice jewels, shaped as losanges. A collar ornament covered her whole neck, she had earrings hanging and dancing to her slightest movement, and her head was a thin but finely decorated crown, crimson gems standing out on the pale ice material.
Her skin was so pale it seemed ivory, it was smooth and flawless, pure like a pearl. What shocked the vikings was her hair. Save from the incredible length and the complicated hairstyle – mixture of bun and waving braid resting on her shoulder – the color was highly uncommon. It was white. Snow white with hues of blue and silver, and the light seemed to make it sparkle like snow. Her eyes were unique too. Even from afar, the vikings could see the blue irises, so bright and colorful.
In front of the riders, Lyrac stomped with her feet, straightening before bowing, catching the attention of both royals – well, royal and husband. Once the couple noticed them, the vikings quickly bowed too.
''Your Majesties,'' Lyrac said ''your guests, the dragon riders of Berk.''
''Chief Haddock !'' The queen's husband beamed, opening his arms as if he wanted to huge the whole group. ''We werre wonderring when you would arrive !''
Toothless, Meatlug and Hookfang jumped at the sudden booming voice, which echoed in the hall. Hiccup outstretched a hand towards them in hopes to keep them calm, silencely telling theme evrything was fine. The dragons settled down but some grumbled. They had sensible hearing, after all, especially Night Furies. Fishlegs walked to his dragon to stroke and soothe her, which made her warbble and wag her tail, while the imposing man stepped down the stairs. Despite the riders had placed themselves to be around Hiccup, it was Eret's hand the man shook with a beaming smile. Astrid cleared her throat while the tall rider was so uneasy he didn't know what to do with himself.
''Nikolaï, dear,'' The queen said with a steady voice though she was clearly amused. ''I think Chief Haddock is on thy right.''
Hiccup held from chuckling seeing the sheepish look of this tall man, who was as tall and broad as Stoick, just a bit fatter. The queen's husband apologized abundantly and shok his hand before retreating to his own throne, looking embarrassed.
''Forgive us, Lyrac, please make the introductions.'' He half-whispered.
The captain nodded and turned to their visitors.
''Allow me to introduce you her Serene Highness, queen Elska North Storm of Haze, and her husband, Missir Nikolaï Santoff.''
The vikings bowed like the captain had told them to, them she introduced them too. They were surprised as she presented each of them with added title, calling them 'sir' or 'lady' and telling their full name. Once the long introductions were over, the queen thanked Lyrac and stood from her throne.
''We welcome thee to Haze, noble dragon riders.'' She announced with a kind smile.
The difference of speaking and poise between her and her husband was surprising. It was obvious she was royal and not him. He was speaking rapidly with enthusiasm, making large gestures. She was keeping her compuse and calm, she was speaking slowly and steadily, distinctively. She had fine manners while he had none.
''I suppose that, after such a long travel, thee wish to have some rest and food. Please, join us for the diner.''
''This is really generous of y- thee, Majesty.'' Hiccup responded.
''Thus we shall developp the missive I sent to thee.''
The vikings were curious, they had to admit. What was this delicate task the letter mentioned ? This people was living in harmony with dragons and the royal guard was riding some, what could they possibly need from the riders of Berk ?
