I want to thank all of you again for sharing your thoughts. It really helps me and it motivates me to keep writing.
CajunBear73: Thank you again for your reviews! Your predictions are very interesting. King Mikel might cause a few problems to Stoick..or not. You'll just have to wait and see.
Guest 1: you make me really happy!
hiccstrid105: ahahahahahaha! Sorry! I love cliffhangers.
HTTYDlover99: Thank you! Hiccup is 20. And Yes, Heather is one of the suitors. You will see who they all are in the next chapters.
Guest 2: thank you for reading! I'm glad you like it.
Hiccy: well there you have it.
Guest 3: First of all, I never deleted any of my reviews. I am asking for them, good and bad, in order to improve myself. I would never delete any of it because it is your opinion and I respect that. Second of all, if you feel the need to read the entire story before you form an opinion about a character that's totally okay. I asked what you think of her so far . And yes, Eeira's been like a mother to Hiccup his whole life. Its called "sharing information about a character to help you understand her backstory". Thank you for reading though and I hope you enjoy the next chapters more.
Guest 4: I honestly don't know if you are the same person or not but thank you so much!
On with the story...
His heart stopped.
It was her.
Time stoped.
The world stoped spinning.
He couldn't move. His legs became mud. His mouth dry. His voice lost somewhere beyond the horison.
It was her.
The girl he saw in the woods. The girl he fought in the woods. The girl that pinned him to the ground and threatened his life. The girl that took his breath away whenever he was looking at her.
He could remember her scent. He could have sworn that he could still feel her heavy breath against his body.
She and Duke Finn, walked the stairs that lead to the throne, for what seemed like an eternity. Every single move she was making was in slow motion. The way she blinked. The way she brushed her golden bangs behind her ear. The way she was holding her long dress in order not to step on it. She looked different. Half of her messy blonde hair were now elegantly braided around her head, leaving the rest of it fall long around her shoulders. Her face had a certain glow, probably because she was wearing make up, even though she didn't need it at all. She looked stunning with and without it. God she was a dream.
"Stoick the Vast!"
"Fearless Finn!" the two of them huged. "Its so good to see you my friend!"
The King and Duke started to chat about something that Hiccup was too distracted to pay attention to.
She was standing next to the Duke, looking like a goddess. So piecefull. So quiet. And yet her presence was the loudest in the room.
And then... she looked at him too.
Suddenly her eyes widened. Her mouth almost dropped but she held it.
For a moment there was no time. No space.
All there was, was the two of them, starring at each other as if it was imposible not to.
He could see the waves of the sea behind her eyes.
She could smell the forest behind his.
Their hearts were beating as one.
Their breath...
What breath? Oxygen wasn't even an oprion anymore.
Everything and everyone around them started to fade away. The music was getting lost in the background, the overcrowded room felt completely empty. The rest of the world no longer existed.
Only him and her, and the electric energy that was pulling them closer.
"And this is my niece. Astrid of house Hofferson. The last of her name" Duke fin said, making both of them snap back into reality.
"Its an honour to meet the last Hofferson in person. And I have to say that I have never seen a beauty like this before! And I've travelled over the edge of the world" Stoick commplemented her.
"Your kind words are honouring me your Majesty" she made a deep curtsey, gracefull and perfect, just like a princess should.
Her voice sounded different .Not the, threatening your life, kind of tone. It was sweet and gentle. Like a melody to his ears.
Queen Eeira noticed how Hiccup was looking at her. She hadn't seen that look on his face since he got toothless for his eighth birthday.
"Aren't you going to greet princess Astrid?" she winked at him which made Stoick look at her confused but she gave him an "I got this" look and he didn't make any further questions.
Astrid froze for a second. What was he about to do? What was he going to say? Did he even recognize her? Gods he looked handsome. He had something magnetic in his charm that she couldn't quite explain. Everyone tonight were dancing and drinking. He was just sitting there alone, not hitting on girls, not trying to make an impression, not showing off his power and riches. He was different. Nothing like the other princes. The way his eyes had such a strong effect on her, causing her heart to flutter like a bird and her soul to melt like ice.
Oh for God's sake he was the prince of Berk! She had threaten prince Hiccup Haddock the third of Berk with his own sword on his neck!
Was he angry at her? Probably.
Would he punish her? Obviously.
She dropped her eyes to the floor and waited for him to expose her in front of everyone in this room. The royal families, her uncle, the King. She expected him to yell at her, tell her hoe she disrespected the crown. How she was no worthy of being among them. How she broke the rules by threatening the princes life, in his own kingdom, with his own sword.
But he did none of that.
Instead, he brought her hand to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on top of it, sending shivers all over her body.
"I am overjoyed to have you here M'lady" he said penetrating her soul with his green eyes.
She was so confused.
Growing up as a Princess, she knew the rules of formality and greeting very well. Men greeted each other with either a handshake or a bow, depending on their status, whille women did the same with a curtsy. For people of the opposite gender it had to be a bow or a curtsy, and not any other kind of interuction at any case. A woman's hand could only be kissed by either her husband or a King if she was still unmarried.
Hiccup was a Prince.
And he knew very well that having any physical contact with her could cause a big scandal.
But he did it anyway.
And for some reason, Astrid loved it.
"The pleasure is all mine your Highness" she said without breaking eye contact with him.
Damn her eyes. Damn her.
It has been 47 minutes and 50 seconds from the moment he saw her again.
47 and 51...52...53...
"Enjoying yourself I see, that's a first" A very familiar female voice inerupted his daydreaming.
Camikazi. Princess of the Bog-Burglars, daughter of Queen Bertha. Hiccup turned around to face her wilde blonde hair and ferocious expression. She had grown. Ever since he could remember her she would always have hoop earrings, necklaces and bracelets along her arms and no one could wear a red dress better than her. One thing he could remember about her was how she had her own way of being hyperative and somewhat overconfident, but also very brave and loyal to her friends.
"Y-yeah I was um...yeah" he couldn't even form words. What were words anyway?
"My my! What is it with the prince of Berk tonight huh? Thinking about someone?" she ellbowed him.
"Pfff what? Come on, who could I possibly-"
"Literally every woman in this room" she winked at him. "Come on Hiccup. We get through this every year. Noble life is already boring as it is. If we just stand here and do nothing then where's the fun?"
"There is no fun in any of this" he growled.
"What am I missing here? Did you get him to act like a human being?" Heather jumped out of nowhere.
"Nope, just typical Hiccup being...well... Hiccup" Camikazi took another sip of her wine.
"Thought so" Dagur returned with two drinks and handed one to Heather. " Just like every party we've been to ever"
"Come on guys I'm fine! I am having fun just as I am right now. What do you want me to do?"
"Go over there!" Heather rubbed his shoulder "Interact with people! Dance! Its a ball for God's sake! Best time to drink, best time to dance..."
"...aaaand perfect opportunity to hit on the ladies." Snotlout emerged out of nowhere.
"Oh really? And how would you know Snotlout?" Camikazi mocked him.
"Shut up Camikazi"
Hiccup loved this. His friends all together again. Just like when they were kids. When they were alone it was all different. They were not princes and princesses. They were only friends. Good friends that made jokes and laughed without worrying about formalities. Without caring about what was "appropriate" to do and what wasn't. It was just them.
"Our point is... Hiccup you are so young! And you are the prince! Everyone is dying to meet you, go and show them that theres so much more in you than just...this" Heather stated.
"You just gestured to all of me!" Hiccup was about to protest when a very drunk knight approached them.
"Heyyy hot stuff...wanna help me with something?" he winked at Camikazi.
"I'm sorry love...I don't know how to fix ugly faces. Maybe a doctor could help you solve your problem" she fliped her hair at him and walked away desperate to find another drink.
They all laughed at what just happened. They were used to it by now. Camikazi was one of the most wanted princess in the land. Guys would always try to make a move on her but she had her own moves and she knew exactly how to handle them herself. That was one of the things Hiccup loved about her. She was smart, and cunning. She knew exactly who she was and she was using her power in her own advantage. She could easily have any man she desired. But as she always said "let them think they control you, then you are really the one in control"
Dagur broke the silence a few moments later "wait...where are the twins?"
x BBOOOOOMMMMM! x
An explosion came from downstairs making everyone in the ball room exchange looks of bewilderment. The gang was confused. Downstairs? What was downstairs?
"The kitchen!" they all said at once when Gobber emerged from the door that leads to the stairs that lead to the kitchen.
"Uhhh... Nothing to worry about everyone...just a few uhhh...problems with the stew...I wouldn't recommend it"
Everyone seemed relieved and quickly returned to what they were doing before.
The gang shared a look.
"Explosives under the oven?" Dagur said.
"I'm gonna go with the old 'turn the timer an hour behind' trick" Heather stated.
"What about the 'scare the cooking maids to death until they abandon the kitchen and eventually burn the food' trick?" Snotlout asked.
"Nuh...I'd say it was the 'turn the oven to maximum' good old trick" Hiccup answered.
"No, No,No aaaanndd Nope. You are all wrong my fellow nobles" Tuffnut and Ruffnut came out of a secret door behind them.
"It is obvious that no one can receive the intelligence of Thorston's Master plan" They high fived. "It was the new, improved 'throw explosives INTO the stew WHILE the fire in on the maximum" Tuffnut said.
"Which means...I won!" Camikazi returned with her drink, and held out her hand for everyone to put a golden coin inside.
"How do you always win?" Snotlout asked her clearly annoyed that he lost the bet.
"Another one of my gifts" she winked at him.
"You guys know you're gonna get in trouble for this later right? My dad knows it was you." Hiccup informed the twins
"Honestly Hiccup...your dad doesn't know how to have fun at parties" Tuffnut said.
"It runs in the family" Camikazi joked and everyone laughed.
Hiccup only rolled his eyes in response. They were wrong. He is nothing like his Dad.
right?
okay FINE! No more cliffhangers. (that was totally a lie.) So, many things happened in this chapter. Our lovebirds met (again). We got some GANG TIME! We also got the introduction to a new character. What do you think of Camikazi? Personally I find her a very interesting character to write, and I love the way she things. Don't forget to leave reviews andddd... I'll see you on the next chapter!