Authors Notes: Once again thank you all for those of you who have favorited, left a review or added this story to their alerts. It may have taken me a month, but I finally got around to releasing another chapter for your reading pleasure. The next chapter I am currently on will be focused around Hiccup becoming Chief and all the events related to that event. It will be a major departure from what was shown in the movie and I hope you will like the changes.
If there are any artists reading this you all may notice the inclusion of a few well known companies; I did my research and all those named companies existed in 1836.
Drop a review if you have the time to ask any questions or to express your feelings about the latest chapter. I will try to answer your questions via pm in a timely manner.
Thank you all for your time and have a nice day.
Disclaimer: I don't own Disney's: Frozen or DreamWorks: How To Train Your Dragon.
Chapter Twelve
Recreational Activities
Clouds, all he could see was clouds. All around him was open space, and Toothless was nowhere to be seen. He looked over his shoulder to see that he had wings, leather wings attached to his body. "This is amazing." Hiccup thought as he moved up and down, left and right gliding between the trees and mountains, suddenly a tree branch came out of nowhere and clipped him sending spiraling toward the ground. Closing his eyes and bringing his hands up to his face to protect himself, but before he hit the ground two black claws snatched him out of the air and helped him land safe and unhurt.
Turning around he was rewarded with a view of two large brown eyes. Stepping back, he saw that the eyes belonged to a furry head of a large flying squirrel but had the body of Toothless, who then proceeded to lick him. The Squirrel was the same size Toothless was, but had scales mixed in with fur and before his tongue gave him a final lick a bell chimed in the distance.
Hiccup's eyes snapped open and he was back in the castle with no dragon claws or squirrels in sight.
"Well that was an interesting dream." Hiccup said thinking back to the dream, "Ooh, I need to write about the wing suit before I forget." He then leapt out of the bed, ran over to his satchel, recovering his journal and proceeded to draw a rough sketch of the wing suit he saw in his dream. "Perfect." He thought before he was brought out of his thoughts with the sound of seven bells ringing. "Time to go shopping." Hiccup said with joy in his voice.
Hiccup had noted that normally women did the shopping as was customary, while the men went to work and made the money. Also was custom for the woman to take care of the house, the children and make the meals. The men were supposed to catch the animal, bring it back to the woman and have her clean it, while the man goes back out to increase their social status if possible. That was years ago, now with dragon raids being all but wiped out except for a rare rogue dragon who came up every now and then. The old social norm was erased, it was now normal for women to go out and kill their future meal and bring it back to prepare, while men shopped for custom saddles for their respective dragon.
Hiccup looked at the city and saw that the old social norm was still in full swing, perhaps Berk was ahead of the game in some areas while Arendelle was ahead in others. He personally believed that all men and women were equal, even though the council still believed in the old ways and was hell bent on keeping the old laws in modern times. If he became Chief as his father wanted, and he not so much, he would have to listen to the council before making any major decisions. He would still be able to make small decisions on his own as long as they were not life changing or ground breaking. His father had been pressing him to accept more and more responsibilities that cut dangerously into his flying times with Toothless or teaching times at the dragon academy.
And as a result had to give more authority to Astrid and Fishlegs so the classes could continue, and he hated every moment of it. He wanted to explore new islands and new dragons, not wanting to worry about the local yak population or what kind of accessories his fellow Vikings wanted on their saddles. He tried to argue about the need to map the archipelago or at the very least find out where dangerous Vikings were living. His father would have none of it, all but barring him from leaving the island, so he did what he normally did. He snuck out and mapped the islands anyway.
After reading a book in the royal library he had found out that his father basically believed in isolationism in that a leader asserted that their nations' best interests were best served by keeping the affairs of other countries at a distance.
Now while he had respect for his father before the dragons were being tamed, with the weekly raids and all but now it seemed unnecessary. The majority of dragons were their friends and wouldn't sink a ship in anger. Plus, they had a peace treaty with the major Viking tribes and had not seen a war in many years, the need for isolationism was all but gone. Though he could still see why his father believed in it still, how would Arendelle react to seeing a dragon? Pandemonium was most likely or a need to hunt them down and make them extinct out of fear alone. While trade with Arendelle was basically them sending Berk medicine and soap, there was no major trade route between the two kingdoms, something a map could surely remedy or maybe he could even get the future queen to declare an official route. Now that he looked at being Chief a bit differently he could definitely see the plusses of being a leader, but what he had to give up still outweighed the benefits. But enough of these harmful thoughts, he had to buy something for Elsa.
The market square even in the early morning hours was bustling with life and talk from the city folk. After he had donned his clothing and grabbed an apple from the kitchens he proceeded out of the small door beside the main gate. By the time he had made it over the draw bridge he had eaten all but the core of the apple, depositing the rest in a refuse can. He had his small bag of gold nuggets, knowing the local exchange rate for gold he knew he would not be swindled if the moment occurred.
He nodded to several local merchants and city guards alike, each bowing and giving proper greetings to the young monarch. Now it had become common knowledge that a young Viking who was next in line to become the next chief of an island nation was visiting their kingdom and not only that, but was friends with both princesses, one of whom was the future queen of their kingdom. Sadly, the guards could not squash the gossip and rumors of the young monarch's interesting arrangement to see the princesses every so many years. While he did want to boast that he was in a relationship to Elsa he would deny or refuse to answer such questions out of respect for Elsa. She already has enough strain in her life, she doesn't need any additional strains added because of his callousness.
Walking along the tidy cobblestone streets, he was amazed and slightly irritated at himself for not making more trips outside the castle walls more often to see such beautiful sights. The buildings were kept up, the streets were clean and did not have any dirt or soil near them except for the holders for the plants. Walking past a fountain, he noticed the sun peeking through the clouds in the far distance. Out of all the cities he had visited which were basically here and home, he would have to say Berk was still more beautiful than Arendelle. He was actually envious of the city and wished that he could do the same to Berk, perhaps some construction was overdue.
Going into a clothing shop he noted the lack of leather and furs and instead saw fine fabrics and yarns. The amount of choices destroyed what he was used to, and the colors were mind boggling; yellow, green, purple, nearly every color of the rainbow was present. He turned when he heard someone release a small cough to the side of him.
"How may I help you, sir?" The middle aged man asked with his tall yet thin figure, wrapped in a mixture of fine silk, cashmere and leather as if to show off what they sold.
"Ah yes, I am here shopping for my friends and they have given me a list of what they would like." Reaching into his pocket he procured a hastily written note with many items of different natures in small print.
"The girls would like scarves that are not fancy in a sense that attracts others to their location, they want a scarf that is plain and only serves its function to keep them warm." Hiccup said trying to narrow down possible choices.
"Of course, right this way." The merchant said as they moved to the back of the store, a light coating of dust was present on some of the rear tables, hinting to the fact that many people only cared about look and not practicality.
"Now, I must say that I don't usually sell a lot of merchandise based on something actually doing its job, most people just want it to look good."
"Thank you for confirming my hunch." Hiccup thought, "Well, where I am from we care about it actually doing its job instead of what it looks like."
"Where are you from sir, if I may be so bold?" The man asked as he moved aside baskets to get to the clothing reserved for the winter months.
"Far up North, where freezing winters are the norm and hail storms are second nature." Hiccup replied plainly.
"Well then you will need the winter gear reserved for mountain climbers." The merchant pulled out some boxes and rested them on a nearby table, taking off the cover and digging into the contents only to bring out some brown colored scarfs.
"Here we are, these are our warmest scarves. They are thick and can stand the test of time and elements. They are made from sheep's wool that came from the Kingdom of DunBroch." The man replied with vigor.
Now Hiccup had heard of DunBroch, it was a kingdom north of England, their mortal enemies. A few Viking tribes had bonded together and tried to invade DunBroch but were beaten back by the joined clans of the kingdom. Now they existed in peace and Hiccup hoped that peace would continue for generations.
"Sir? Sir?" The merchant asked noticing the lack of attention coming from the young man.
"Hmm? Oh, apologies for not paying attention. I was lost in thought. May I see the scarf?" Hiccup asked trying to cover up his embarrassment.
"Of course." Hiccup was handed the scarf and then tried stretching it and seeing if it would break; it didn't.
"These scarves are known for its premium quality and exceptional softness and warmth, they are expertly woven and have a fringed edge." He took out another scarf and wrapped it around his neck several times, "They will keep your friends warm and dry for years to come."
Hiccup nodded his head in agreement and unwound the scarf, "right I will take two and what do you have of socks?"
Reaching down into another box, he brought out some grey colored socks, which looked very thick in nature. "These were made in the Kingdom of Spain and use premium, itch-free merino wool to pull away moisture from your feet, so you can stay active longer." He said then gave a sock to his customer to try out.
Hiccup was amazed that technology had advanced to the point where they could make clothing itch free. The sock he was currently wearing was terrible and was very itchy. He desperately wanted to just wear his boot, but his father denied him even that luxury.
"Alright, I will take five and a half pairs. One pair each for my five friends and one sock for me." Hiccup said with enthusiasm then smiled.
"Certainly sir, but won't you need a pair as well?" The man asked innocently.
"That would be the case, but the one sock will do just fine since I have only one foot, the one sock will just be changed out every so often." He then gave a laugh and pointed to his metal foot.
The merchant looked down and his eyes widened. "Apologies young sir for my ignorance, I did not see your condition."
"It is alright, it happens all the time. Now I believe I have everything I nee… actually what are those?" Hiccup asked as he pointed to a far wall.
The older man looked to the wall and smiled, "ah you have a good eye sir, and these are snowshoes. They are footwear for walking over the snow. They distribute your weight so you don't sink completely into the snow, they make walking across vast distances so much easier." He said as he picked a pair of them up and showed the young lad who had a knack for picking out the best products.
Hiccup took the pair and tried one of them on, it fit but it technically would not work for his condition, unless he had a boot made around his prosthetic. The design reminded him of a teardrop, wide enough for their massive boots.
"I love them, I will take six pairs of them, one for each of my friends and me." He could use the spare snow shoe to tinker around with.
The owner nodded his head and brought all the items over to his counter where he could calculate what was owed to him. "Okay, that will be eight gold and two silver speciedaler pieces." The seller said in an expectant voice.
Hiccup reached down and grasped his bag of gold and jewels. He was by no means wealthy, but he was comfortable in his means. He just never really bought anything and had saved his money that his father had given him from the result of trades and birthdays. He also had a fair collection of diamonds and gems he had found in the caves around the island. Hiccup knew what they were worth in exchange to Arendellian currency, he just never had the time to go to the local currency shop and make the trade.
"Now I don't have any speciedaler pieces, but I do have uncut diamonds fresh from the caves of the earth. I know you would have to pay someone to cut and prepare them, so I will give you four of them. One as compensation for the work and three as payment for the items. Do you agree with taking such a payment?" Hiccup said as he held out his hand waiting for the merchant to agree to the terms.
The older gentleman was flabbergasted and amazed by the size of the diamonds, each one was as big as his pinky nail. His wife would have been in his debt forever if he had given her this one these on the day he proposed to her. Maybe he can give it to her on a necklace for their upcoming anniversary. Noticing that he was thinking for quite a while and the young man was still waiting, he immediately willed his hand to grasp the younger hand in a deal confirming shake.
"It's a deal, young sir and come back anytime. Now just give me a few minutes so I can wrap these items up in brown paper and tie them with some string, you can walk around the shop till they are ready." He said as he set about pulling out several large rolls of brown paper and a pair of scissors.
"Alright, and thank you." Hiccup replied as he set out to looking around the merchant's shop with renewed fascination. Perhaps he would come again later on before he went back to Berk, maybe he would buy a blanket for Toothless. He just had to make sure Toothless could carry all the extra packages. After a few moments the packages were ready and he set out with two armfuls of items. Maybe he would need to head back to the castle, but thought against it. Soon enough he found his solution as he passed by a small toy store, he went into the store and purchased a red long wagon. It was perfect for his needs and he could just give it away when he was done with it.
After a few hours of buying different things for his father and Gobber including a new comb and a small barrel of whiskey also from DunBroch, he set his sights toward a small alleyway nestled behind the main street. The only sounds that were made was the soft squeaks of his leg and the occasional plop of the wagon hitting a broken cobblestone. There was a single shop at the end of the alley named 'Collections of the Brush'.
Hiccup noticed there were brushes, colored pencils and art work in the window of the shop, excited to have found an art supply shop, he immediately went inside and held the door long enough so he could wheel in his wagon. The bell chiming as he did do.
"May I help you, sir?" And older gentlemen with a pair of spectacles on the bridge of his nose asked.
The shop had a warmth to it, a fireplace with a fire in the back and a single rocking chair in front of it, the owner glanced over his shoulder as he was painting from lack of customers.
"Ah, yes, I was wondering if I may but some art supplies." Hiccup asked embarrassed that he had interrupted the man's work.
The older gentlemen hobbled out of his old chair, taking his pipe out of his mouth and settling it down on the counter. He made his way to Hiccup, giving him a once over. "Son, this is a place for professionals not first timers, I only sell to committed artists, not boys who are bored." The man said with a tired tone, placing his pipe back into his mouth, drawing in the smoke and then breathing out. Hiccup immediately put the handle of the wagon down on the ground so he could reach into his satchel, retrieving his notebook and flipping to a page in the back.
"I may not be a professional, but I am certainly not doing this as a past time. I have some skill with my work." He replied back while showing the old man one of his sketches of his father, drawn with a charcoal pencil that Elsa had given him years ago.
The shop owner looked at the sketch with mild enthusiasm. "I must say this is some of the best work I have seen in a while, please forgive my ignorance, I usually get young school boys that are just looking for paper to draw rainbows on." He responded with a tired sigh.
Hiccup nodded his head at the apology, "I understand and hold nothing against you or your shop; so may I buy some supplies?"
"Of course young sir, what do you need?" He asked as he moved further into his shop and took blankets off some boxes and walls revealing dozens of pieces of art.
Hiccup stood amazed at the pieces of art, some were of charcoal sketches while other were full blown paintings of the sunset or mountains. They were absolutely beautiful, and he so desperately wanted to be that good at drawing or painting. "Ah, yes I need paper, pencil sharpeners, an art gum eraser, and a brush for sweeping away residue of the eraser. I also need charcoal pencils, whether it be individual pencils or in a collection and a pencil wrap bag to hold all my pencils." He said as he counted the items with his fingers, "It may seem like a lot, but I am from far up North and we simply do not have access to this…" Hiccup said as he pointed to different things "I simply want to get as much as possible now, before going back home."
The old artist nodded his head, "you do not need to give me a reason why you want buy so much sir, and this is a place of understanding and respect. My name is Erland, and I would be happy to assist you young sir…" He said as he moved to grab some paper out of a box "first is paper, I have many different makers but the finest is Canson, they were founded in the Kingdom of France in the year fifteen fifty seven and are known the world over for the extensive collection of paper to draw, write and print on. The Canson edition is the best that I have, the weight is two hundred and fifty grams and is made of one hundred percent cotton which is very versatile, yet soft. As for colors I have bright white, antique, white, cream, vanilla, light grey and of course black."
Hiccup was amazed at the amount of information on just the paper alone, he was scared to ask about the pencils. "I will take a booklet each of the cream and white colored paper, next I need charcoal pencils." He said while moving over to a collection of tins containing various pencils. The older man took the two booklets and put them in a basket for him to hold.
"Ah, yes of course. As for pencils I have Derwent, which was just recently founded a few years ago in the Kingdom of England, they are the best of the best. Now each collection contains at least one paper stump for effective blending, three compressed charcoal blocks for larger drawings, four tinted charcoal pencils to add a bit of natural color and highlights, two dark charcoal pencils for intense lines, three strips of natural vine charcoal for organic mark making and two natural chunky willow charcoals for broad expressive strokes." Erland said in enthused vigor before walking over and taking a sip of his still steaming cup of tea that was heated by the warmth of the fire. "The pencils are available in three grades; light, medium and dark. Do you know which one you want, or do you want a spread?" He asked
Hiccup looked at his favorite charcoal pencil, almost worn down to the nub, trying to figure out which grade it was. "That would be a medium grade, sir." Hiccup looked back up at Erland who was smiling. His cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink at his embarrassment of not knowing which grade he had.
"Moving on, there is the five or twenty-four tin collection of charcoal. The twenty-four pencil one comes in a box made from Maple with a beautiful Walnut veneer…" Hiccup looked at the most beautiful wooden box he had ever seen; the shine could be seen by the Gods in Valhalla. It felt smooth to the touch and it alone could be traded for gold. "As I said each collections comes with charcoal blocks and accessories including erasers, brushes and sharpeners. If you travel regularly you can put the pencils into a pencil wrap." Erland said as he brought out said wrap, unfurling it to show it could hold the pencils and a small selection of accessories.
"The wrap is made of full grain leather and can stand up to the elements and the test of time. So, what are you interested in, I have a deal where if you buy the twenty-four pencil box collection you get the wrap for fifty percent off."
Hiccup looked around at the various pencils, paper, and accessories. "I would like in addition to the paper, the twenty-four set collection with the wrap, that case…" He said pointing to a flat square box that could hold the paper without bending or ripping it. "…and that painting over there."
Erland looked over his shoulder to see one of his earliest works, a painting of the city of Arendelle that he had captured from a nearby hill. The painting had shown the city at the start of the morning market rush, when the entire city had woken up to buy fresh bread, fish, and other necessities. It was nearly a meter long and half a meter high, it was able to catch the entire capital with the castle in the background. Erland loved that painting and had priced it accordingly, he knew no one would be able to afford to purchase it and yet this young man wanted to buy it. "If I may ask, what are you planning to do with it? Will it be sent back home or are you going to give it as a gift for someone?" He asked politely.
"It will be a gift to Princess Elsa, she has not left the castle in some time and has lost much of her happiness, and I hope to reignite her lost happiness with at least this painting among other things." Hiccup said off handedly looking though the collections of pencils.
Erland's eyes widened slightly at the sound of Princess Elsa's name, but dared not question why the gates were closed and why the Princesses have not exited the castle in years. He knew his place in society.
"In that case then I will sell it to you and everything else for forty gold speciedaler pieces, which I believe is fair considering that is one of my most prized works."
Hiccup nodded his head and reached into his pocket for the gold. "I don't have any speciedaler pieces, but I do have gold nuggets." He said as he laid out five large nuggets equivalent to forty-five speciedaler pieces. "It is a little more than what you asked for but the extra gold is for you having to sell the gold on your own time and as a thank you for helping me with my shopping today."
Erland smiled and tipped his head at the young man's kindness. "Thank you sir, I will wrap up the painting and your purchases, just give me a moment." He said as he carefully wrapped the painting knowing it would be entertaining the future Queen herself. Once everything was loaded into Hiccups wagon, he thanked the young man again for his patronage. As the door closed with a soft bell chime, he settled back into his rocking chair, the tea still warm and his latest work still unfinished. But before he finished his older work he started on a sketch of the young man, "I will call it, 'Before He Was a King', and he will be a great king at that, such passion that young man had for the arts, that passion is what Arendelle needs right now." Erland knew full well that young man would marry Princess Elsa and be his future King. A king of Man and… Dragons.
As Hiccup was looking around the assortment of shops nestled together in a corner he overheard an argument between a mother and her child. "But mom, I have been extra good this week and you promised I could get any toy I wanted." The small brown haired child whined. The blonde haired mother just gave a sigh and mustered up the best smile she could give at that moment. "I know, but I just don't have the money for a new wagon. Priority goes to putting a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. I will buy you something else later this week." The mother said then kissed her sons head. The child pouted and turned around, crossing his arms.
Hiccup looked down at his wagon, the trim was still intact and the wheels only had a dusting of soil and pebbles on them. He let out a deep breath and calmly walked over to the pair with him pulling his wagon right behind him. The child looked up to Hiccup and then eyed the wagon with envy.
"Do you want my dra…I mean wagon young man?" Hiccup asked quickly almost letting the word dragon let slip. The young boy just blinked and looked at the wagon again. "Really?"
Hiccup nodded and smiled at the boy. "Well, I can't give it to you right now, because I need it to carry my things. But once I am done with it which should be in a few hours, you are welcome to have it."
"Is there something wrong with it and how come you don't want it?" The boy asked confused by the generosity. "Well, I know Toothless won't be able to carry all of this plus the wagon itself. I hope Johann is in port, he mentioned he was sailing to Arendelle for new materials." Hiccup thought. "There is nothing wrong with it, it is just I came here by horse and I know the wagon won't survive the trip, so might as well give it to someone who will take care of it. So do you want it?"
The boy only smiled, "of course mister, and thank you so much for this gift."
"You are most welcome; is there a place I can find you in an hour or two?" Hiccup asked the mother, "well, there are two trees before the bridge to the castle, we can meet you there if you wish." Hiccup nodded at this suggestion. "Well until then, have a nice day." He said and then walked off towards the docks, the sounds of wheels going over cobblestone and a boy hugging his mother with glee who was speaking of how kind some people are made Hiccup smile as he looked at the fish market coming up.
As he approached a fish vendor, he caught sight of Johann unloading some of his goods to another vendor. Smiling, he walked over to his old friend, "Johann!" he called out.
Johann looked over his shoulder and grinned at the young Viking, "Mr. Hiccup, how are you today? I hope everything is going alright with the princesses?" He asked then handed some money to the vendor he was previously talking to.
"I am very well today; thank you for asking, and the princesses are doing well too despite everything that has happened. I am trying to get their spirits up, that is why I bought a few things for them, my friends and myself. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" He asked and then tilted his head at the wagon behind him.
Johann caught on, "let me guess you want me to take some of the things back to Berk?"
He nodded his head at the question, "If you have the time that is, I don't want you to go out of your way. Were you planning to go anywhere else in the next couple of days?"
Johann brought up his hand to his chin and stroked his beard. "Well I was planning a trip to England but any excuse to avoid paying their ridiculously high tariffs and go somewhere more welcoming is always a better choice. What will I be taking out of that little wagon?" He asked as he walked over to said wagon.
"The clothing and the painting of Arendelle. Tell Fishlegs to divvy up the clothing among the group, and tell my father to put the painting in my study. I hope he won't be busy, and I hope the island is still intact after that massive storm. I heard from a few of the townsfolk that some of the waves even crested over the walls and threw a ship onto the dock. Which I now see as true." He said pointing to a small cutter that was half on and half off a pier. Numerous sailors and guards were trying to push it back into the water. Many of the fisherman were eating their breakfast and watching the event, laughing as a sailor slipped off the dock and into the ocean.
"Aye do not worry about Berk Hiccup, that island has stood for thousands of year and no one storm will knock it out. The harbor though has probably been damaged a little, but other than that it should be fine." Hiccup nodded his head at this. Johann moved around the wagon and gathered the materials into his arms carefully to avoid crushing any one item and loaded them into the hold of the ship. Coming back onto the pier he was handed a few pieces of gold, he looked at Hiccup with a confused look. "For your troubles and speedy delivery Johann."
"Thank you Mr. Hiccup and safe travels back." The two shook hands and Hiccup picked up the handle to his wagon pulling the now lighter wagon over to the fish vendor he saw earlier.
After some haggling he was able to purchase an eighteen-kilogram Atlantic salmon intact for Toothless. He had it wrapped several times and placed it in the back of the wagon to avoid getting the art paper and gifts wet.
Looking up to the clock tower to see that it had been nearly an hour after talking to the mother and child he decided to make his way back to the castle. Once there he noticed a small dog barking close to the bridge, he went passed the white and grey colored dog and walked over to one of the guards who recognized him.
"Enjoy some shopping Mr. Hiccup?" Baro asked then chuckled, the idea of a grown man pulling a little red wagon was amusing.
Hiccup nodded his head at Baro, "I did, and do you mind taking some of this inside and up to my room?"
"Of course sir. You stay here Erik and look after the entrance." He said to the man beside him.
"Yes sir" Erik replied clicking his heels together.
He loaded the art supplies into the Guard's arms and told him to take the fish and put it into the freezer.
Once he saw Baro move into the castle, he turned around a looked at the still barking dog. "Mr.? Umm what is your name again? Hiccup asked the Guard over his shoulder. "My name is Erik, Mr. Hiccup. I am a corporal in the city garrison. And it is my turn to protect the castle gates this week."
"That is good, what can you tell me about the dog at the end of the bridge?" He asked nonchalantly.
Erik looked at the white and grey colored dog, "umm the dog has been here off and on over the last couple of weeks, and I believe it to be a stray. If an owner is not found soon, we must put it down for safety issues.
A sudden thought ran though his head as he looked at the dog, who just wanted a new owner. "What would it take for me to adopt the dog and give it to Princess Anna?"
Erik raised his eyebrows at the inquiry, "umm... I think you would need to talk to Captain Birger and see if it is safe or even allowed to have a dog in the castle. And by the way that breed is the national dog of Arendelle. It is called an Arendellian Elkhound." Erik responded and looked to see a mother and child approaching the bridge. Hiccup saw this too and checked to see if the wagon was in good shape, it was.
He called out to the young man and he got a big smile in return. After he was thanked he handed over the handle to the boy and the two set off toward their home. Hiccup smiled that he was able to make someone happy despite the previous day's events.
Hiccup asked Erik to send Captain Birger to his room when he got the chance to ask him, he nodded his head at this request.
As he made his way back to his room, Hiccup collapsed on his bed, tired from the morning's events. He swiftly fell into a light slumber thinking about that dog he had just nearly adopted and what would be Anna's reaction to her new possible pet.
A series of loud knocks woke Hiccup out of his slumber. After wiping the dust out of his eyes and straightening his clothes, he moved across the room to open the door to reveal Birger.
"Ah, Captain Birger. Come in and be seated." Hiccup said and waved his hand toward the small table near the window. After both were seated Hiccup opened the conversation about giving Anna the dog as a means of keeping her entertained. "Surely you jest? There hasn't been a royal pet on these grounds in over a hundred years." Birger stated with amusement.
"Well then I guess we are long overdue, and if you have not noticed the gates are closed and the princesses are forbidden from going outside. Thus their entertainment options are severely limited, I just want them to be happy until Elsa becomes queen and orders the gates to be opened, and that is all." He stated in a pleading voice.
Birger sighed in defeat, "I too, only wish for the princesses to be happy again. I miss the days of old when the two could play together. But seeing that the king ordered the gates closed and only a king or queen could order the gates opened, we must wait till Elsa becomes of age."
Hiccup smiled softly, it seemed the guards were quite fond of Elsa and Anna and only wanted the best for them in the future.
He looked into Birger's eyes and saw the man had aged from all the recent stressed placed upon him by the deaths of his king and queen. There were dark bags under his eyes, and his mustache has grown into a dark grey instead of its usual black. The moment news of the loss of the ship had reached his ears, he had become the protector of Elsa and Anna. Not just a body guard anymore, he was in charge of protecting their honor too. A role he could imagine Birger took very seriously. He made sure none of the guards of maids leaked anything to the gossipers outside. A smile came to his face as he looked at Hiccup.
"So, I take it the dog can live in the castle?" He asked hoping the Captain was in an adventurous mood today.
"Yes, but only partially." Birger stated back as he put his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "How so?" Hiccup asked back.
"The dog will live in the castle during the day keeping Anna happy, but at night he will sleep with the castle's garrison. We will train him to protect Anna from harm if the need ever arises, we will also take him out on walks, feed him and bathe him when necessary."
Hiccup smiled at Birger, it seemed the Captain liked the idea of having a dog around the castle as well, perhaps it was a morale booster for the men and maybe even maids. It was amazing how animals could make people so much happier.
After nearly an hour of back and forth bartering the deal was set, Birger would be given ownership of the dog, but Anna was to be his master. The two stood and shook the others hand, both smiled and Birger left to obtain the dog from the outside. It would be given a physical examination, a bath and some food. Then he would be given tags to make it official. As Hiccup moved out of the room he walked down the hallway to Anna room to tell her of the news. Turning a corner, he saw Anna poking her head out of her room to see him coming, apparently the noise coming from his leg had alerted her to his imminent presence. Perhaps he should take up a new design with one that is quieter in movements.
"Why hello Anna, how are you today?" He asked with a smile and a small bow.
Opening the door wider Anna revealed herself fully, she was wearing the same outfit she had worn since her parents were buried as was customary for the mourning process. She as well as Elsa would have to wear that for the next year. He even saw the maids and guards wear black armbands as a sign of respect for their departed king and queen.
"I am a little better, what were you and Captain Birger talking about?" She asked quietly.
Hiccup motioned to be let in and Anna nodded, moving out of the way to allow Hiccup to enter the room and sit on her bed. Anna joined him and placed her head on his shoulder, sighing as she curled into him.
"We have decided to give you a pet; a dog more specifically." Anna perked up at the mention of a pet. "Really? What kind of dog and what can we do together?" She asked as she looked at Hiccup, eyes wide and a small smile forming.
Hiccup looked and smiled, happy to see her smile for once since this whole ordeal started. "It is an Arendellian Elkhound, about twenty-three kilograms in weight and fifty centimeters high. He has a mixed black and white colored coat and I think it is about two years old. You will be able to play together during the day, inside the castle and around the courtyard. At night the guards will take the dog to their barracks where they will feed and take it on walks to train him to be your guardian. You are his master, but Birger owns him. We hope that the dog will keep you happy till a time when the gates are not closed." He explained to the young princess who was enthralled on his every word.
"Really! Oh thank you, thank you so much Hiccup, this means the world to me. Having been alone for so long, I actually had a conversation with one of the armor suits downstairs. It is a relief to be getting a companion to play with, I wonder what his name is?" Anna wondered as she brought her hand up to stroke her chin in thought.
"That is for you to decide, name him whatever you want. You will see him tomorrow after he is given a once over and is ready to meet you." Hiccup said as he stood after hearing seven bells chime, symbolizing how late in the evening it was. Where did the time go?
"Well good night Anna, I hope this gift will make your life a little more exciting."
Anna nodded her head and moved to hug Hiccup, he enveloped her in the hug, before moving away and leaving the room. He smiled to himself once he rounded the corner and made his way down the spiraling staircase to the kitchens. He felt so elated to improve Anna's life, even if it was just a little bit, he decided to reward himself. After asking that some food be brought up to his room, to which the servants responded enthusiastically. Perhaps they wanted to break up the sense of dread that had descended on the castle.
It was after he had washed his face and changed into a loose fitting tunic had he heard a knock on his door. Moving to open the door revealed a young butler who was balancing a tray on his hand and shoulder. Hiccup stepped aside to allow him to place the tray on the table and set everything up, after making sure the young monarch was taken care the butler took his leave.
Closing the door, Hiccup sat himself down to a beautiful sight of mashed potatoes, salmon and buttered rolls. The one thing he really loved about Arendelle was the food, their options were so much more than what was available on Berk. So many more species of fish, vegetables and meats. Not that he hated what he ate on Berk, it was just eating cod and yak continuously caused him to lose sense of taste sometimes. Their soil wasn't fertile enough to import seeds from Arendelle, but maybe he could talk to his dad about importing cattle for not only the milk, but the meat and leather too. So when he came to Arendelle he always gained a few pounds, to which he would promptly lose when he returned home.
After an hour of eating to his stomach's content and watching the sunset, he went into the bathroom to relieve himself and after coming out had found the dishes taken away and the bed turned down. "I really do love this place." He thought to himself as he slipped beneath the covers and turned in early for the night, exhausted by the day's events.
Three loud knocks roused Hiccup out of his sleep, "must it always be the door that wakes me up? Why can't there be a bell chiming or a something that doesn't give me a headache?" He said to himself as he slipped on his leg and moved towards the door. Another series of knocks alerted him to the fact that the person was growing impatient, "I'm coming, I'm coming." Hiccup called out. Opening the door revealed Captain Birger with Doctor Aaron who not only helped save his life when he was young but also taught Elsa to clean and wrap his stump when he killed the 'Red Death'.
"Mr. Hiccup the dog is ready to be taken to Anna, are you rea…, umm you might want to put on some pants sir." Birger said to him with just a shy of humor. Hiccup looked down and noticed that he was only wearing his prosthetic and some underwear, thank goodness Elsa did not see him like this for her face would have turned beet red.
"Right. Give me a moment to throw on some clothes." He said then promptly closed the door. Moving over to his chest of drawers he removed a light green tunic and some leggings, after putting on those he took his fur vest off a coat hanger and put it around himself. Looking in the mirror to see if he was presentable, he nodded his head and met the two men in the hallway.
"Right this way Hiccup, we need to go to the west side of the castle." Birger said as they walked steadily down the hall.
"I have never been to the barracks before, isn't it just behind the gardens?" Hiccup asked excited to see a new part of the castle. Having always wanted to explore more parts of the castle but not having the authority, he was finally able to see what a real barracks looked like.
Birger nodded his head at this question. "It is, the long wall that flushes against the open sea is our barracks and the dungeons is right below that. Now are you ready to see where our guards live and work?" Birger asked smiling knowing Hiccup wanted to see this area of the castle.
"Yes I am." Hiccup replied smiling right back.
"Well here we are." He said as he pushed open a heavy sounding door that creaked as it finally came to rest against the far wall. After moving forward, he saw that it consisted of a single long hallway extending to the left with living quarters for multiple men every so many yards. And when he looked to the right there was an armory, benches and tables for eating that could be moved so as to turn it into a training area and as Elsa had told him a small forge in the back. At the far end of each hallway were doors to north and south wall sections. Moving forward just a step, Hiccup looked down to see a large door built into the ground.
"Umm, is this the dungeon?" Hiccup asked pointing at the wooden door by his foot.
Birger moved forward to the far wall and retrieved a large rug to which he laid over the door.
"Yes it is, but we don't go down there anymore seeing that we don't have any enemies to torture or imprison. Now onto the small makeshift kennel we have set up." Birger replied wanting to move past the dungeon subject.
Hiccup took one last look at the dungeon rug before moving over to the small cage that held the Elkhound, who was jumping up and down to see visitors. A smile instantly came to everyone's face after seeing the energy radiating off this dog.
Birger bent down and opened the cage to which the dog bounded out of and instantly went to smell and lick everyone. The captain retrieved a leash that was placed on top of the cage and moved to secure it around the dog collar. The leather leash was about two meters in length, just long enough to keep the dog in check, but still allow him to explore with ease.
"Right, now for the house rules. The dog whom Anna will name will be allowed to explore the castle with her, except for areas such as this. The guards and I will take him out for his daily long walks, feed him and other things like training him to protect Anna from harm by way of learning simple commands and attacking hostile individuals." Birger said while the other two men nodded, agreeing to this. Continuing, Birger told them about not allowing the dog on furniture or the beds, then Aaron added about not feeding the dog any chocolates or sweets as a snack or treat and any other thing that Birger had failed to mention beforehand.
"Okay sounds good, shall I take him to Anna?" Hiccup asked extending his had outward for the leash.
Birger placed the end of the leash in Hiccup's hand to which he gripped. Giving a slight tug to get the dog's attention he nodded his head towards to door to which he trotted over to. "Smart dog," Hiccup thought. "Thank you gentlemen, I will now hand the reins over to Anna; I hope she doesn't give the poor dog a heart attack with her enthusiasm." All three men chuckled at this and wished the dog luck. Moving out of the barracks, and across the gardens, he let the animal sniff to his heart's content.
After nearly an hour of exploring the gardens and peeing on nearly every bush and tree, he led the dog away towards Anna's room. While he was knocking on the door the dog was sniffing the door cracks. Anna popped open the door just a crack to see Hiccup point down at his foot. Anna looked down and squealed, she cast open the door all the way and bent down to see the dog fully. The dog slowly moved forward to sniff the woman to which he licked and then sat down. Anna moved forward in response and began to slowly pet him on the head, while Hiccup just leaned against the door frame and watched.
"So what are you going to name him Anna?" Hiccup asked.
Anna continued to pet the dog whom was loving all the attention, "I was thinking about calling him Folgesvenn or Venn for short. And before you ask Folgesvenn means companion in our old language" Anna explained.
"Venn, huh? I like it, what do you think Venn?" Hiccup asked the dog. Who looked up at them and barked.
They let out a chuckle, "he seems to like it."
"Now, before we go any farther, I need to explain some rules to you about Venn and what he is allowed and not allowed to do."
"Okay, explain away." Anna responded nonchalantly.
Hiccup explained the rules of what she could do and not do with Venn. The three of them moved further into the room with Anna and Venn playing on the floor while he watched from a nearby chair.
"Anna may I sketch you and Venn? I want to be able to take a drawing of you two back to Berk so I can remember the happiness you two shared today. Do you mind?"
Anna shook her head from side to side, "Go right ahead."
"Alright, just let me get my supplies." He replied then moved out of the room to his quarters to retrieve some cream colored paper and a few of his charcoal pencils among other necessities.
After moving to take a seat and setting himself up via a small table he had repositioned to his liking he began to draw the bed in the background and walls. After those were done, he concentrated on Anna who was sitting on a leather bench against the end of the bed while the dog was playing at her feet. Using lighter colors for her exposed skin and darker colors for her mourning dress. He caught sight of Anna giving the dog a small smile and was able to put it into the sketch, now capturing Venn was much harder since he didn't want to stay still. After a few moments he finally came to rest against Anna's leg while looking up at her with his tongue hanging outside his mouth to the side.
Nearly an hour later, he was done with the portrait. It looked rather amazing for his first time involving Anna and a dog. The two looking at each other while smiling was a beautiful sight, he hoped that happiness could last till Elsa's coronation. Anna gave Hiccup a massive bear hug and a small kiss on the cheek for making this all possible, "thank you for everything Hiccup, I really needed this." She said as she pulled back from his cheek.
"You are most welcome Anna, have fun with Folgesvenn. And Venn keep Anna safe for me while I'm gone." He said to the two, with Venn barking in return. As Hiccup gathered his supplies and exited the room, and closed the door with a small thump, he remembered that Anna asked him about telling her why Elsa wore gloves so much. He was about to go back in and tell her, but he shook his head for he didn't want to upset or remind Anna about Elsa and how she won't come out of her room. She was happy now and did not want to ruin that now.
Instead he traveled back to his room and got fresh supplies, perhaps Elsa would allow him to make a portrait of her as well. Maybe he could write Anna a letter when he got back home.
After knocking on Elsa's door and pushing the door forward and then locking it, he saw that Elsa was watching the fire from the couch, a bored expression on her face.
"Hiccup, did I hear a dog barking or was that my imagination?" She asked as she moved her legs, so he could sit down.
Hiccup nodded his head, "You were not imagining it that was a dog barking. Anna is now the proud master of an Arendellian Elkhound. I saw him out on the streets and convinced Birger to adopt him. Folgesvenn will keep Anna happy and content while you continue your training and studies." Hiccup said then smiled as he leaned down against Elsa. In response she rested her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. "That was very nice of you, me and Anna are blessed to have you." She told him while snuggling onto his chest, trying to breathe in his scent. Nothing beats the smell of pine forest and mint, especially if it is coming from someone you love.
"Elsa?"
"Hmm? What is Hiccup?"
Hiccup took his hand and started to run his fingers along the length of her back. "I was wondering if I can sketch you, I want to take a picture of you home to remember your beauty. Would that be alright?" He asked her using his 'please do this for me' voice.
Sure enough Elsa nodded her head at his request. "Alright Hiccup, you can sketch me, just don't show this to any of your friends; especially Snotlout. That man creeps me out and the fact that he treated you with depravity, was not lost on me. I am amazed you actually consider him a friend at all." Elsa commented offhandedly.
"To be fair, he has gotten a little bit better towards me, sure he makes fun of me and stuff. But he stopped beating me up after I got taller than him." He said then smiled remembering the looks on Snotlout's face when he finally outgrew him.
Hiccup tried to move but Elsa was squarely on top of him, letting out a laugh and poking Elsa in the side to get her attention. "Hmm, what is it Hiccup?"
He just presented her form to herself, showing that she was preventing him from moving.
"Oh, sorry. I guess I just got comfortable." She said then moved off of him and to the far side of the couch.
Hiccup followed her and bent down, then kissed her. "Never apologize for being on top of me or for being comfortable my dear." He said then moved out of the room leaving a blushing Elsa.
"Mercy, that man knows how to get my cheeks warm." She said then felt the heat coming off her face with her gloved hands.
After a few minutes he returned with his sketching pad, a few charcoal pencils and accessories. He then got situated with himself on the couch and asked Elsa to take a seat in the high chair she always used to read on.
"Charcoal? Not colored pencil?" She asked confused.
"Nope, I want a regal picture of you, one that shows poise and elegance. Are you alright with that?" He asked making sure she was still ready to be drawn.
"Yes. Just give me a few seconds to get ready." She said then fixed her hair, sat up properly and laced her hands together on her lap. "Okay, I am set."
Hiccup nodded and set about drawing the background, the chair she sat on and her hands, then moved upwards. A small blush came to his face as he sketched her torso region, she filled out her dress more than Anna did. A fact that Hiccup was happy with, but still unused to.
Elsa breathed in and out slowly, making sure she did not move her body or face that much, she didn't want to cause problems for Hiccup. She did notice a small blush radiating off Hiccup but he quickly lowered his face to just below the sketch pad that rested on his right arm.
Moving up to the neck he saw that Elsa had a neutral almost bored look.
"Elsa can you give me a small smile? And you can move your hands and body if you want to, all that is done."
She relaxed her shoulders and flexed her hands nervously that she would accidentally shift her face somehow, thus messing up the picture. She gave him what he wanted, a small relaxed smile. One that would make him want to go out and kiss her right then and there.
When Hiccup saw her smile, he almost got up and kissed her, but remembered he had to be professional; though he would kiss her later. That smile made her look so beautiful, he knew that she would become an amazing Queen.
Once he got over his thoughts of wanting to assault her face with his lips, he started on her chin and moved upwards. Wanting to get the detail just right he spent extra-long on her eyes and smile. After nearly an hour, he was done. He invited Elsa over to see the end result.
"Amazing Hiccup, you seriously have skill with your hands, it is a mirror image of me." She said then kissed him and sat on his lap. Hiccup wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into his embrace. The two took a brief nap in that position before waking up to the bell chiming outside, announcing it was midafternoon.
"Elsa?" He asked softly.
"Hmm? What is it Hiccup?" She replied.
"I was wondering if you remember what 'Pachelbel's Canon' sounded like? I know it is a weird request but I can't seem to get the beginning right. Would you mind humming it for me?" Hiccup asked in a small pleading voice.
Elsa nodded her head at his request and began to hum Pachelbel's Canon. He almost got lost in his memory of the time that he heard the song be played in this castle so many years ago. He gripped Elsa's hand slightly getting her attention. She stopped humming and turned her attention back towards Hiccup. "I have another request. I was wondering if you would dance with me while you hum the song? I know I am asking a lot, but I would love to dance with you right now. If you cou…" He asked but got cut off.
"Hiccup you can stop begging; I will dance with you. Even though personally I don't like to dance, I will for you." She smiled as she got off him and moved towards the clearing in the middle of the room. She held her hand out as she waited for him to take her hand to lead.
He slowly got up and advanced toward her, taking her right hand in his left and placing his right hand on the small of her back in a closed position. She began to hum the music and he began his movements. Slowly getting the feel for her movements, though he stumbled a bit thanks to his foot, thankfully she was there to catch him. "This reminds me of when you taught me to walk again after the Red Death. Do you remember?" He asked softly.
Elsa nodded her head as she continued to hum the soft music of Pachelbel.
A little later on she stopped humming and they just swayed back and forth, while resting her head on his shoulder and him resting his head on her head. They just relaxed and felt at ease in each other's embrace.
"Elsa? Can you promise me something?" Hiccup asked out of the blue.
"Hmm…?" She asked breathing in the beautiful smell of the forest.
Hiccup drew his head back and brought his hand up and tipped Elsa's chin up to make her look at him. Elsa was almost hypnotized by Hiccups deep green eyes, "will you dance with me at your coronation? Just like this, but a little more professional. That way we won't cause a stir among the foreign elite. If you could do that for me, I would be in your debt for a considerable time frame." He said then wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Elsa causing both of them to laugh.
Elsa smiled and nodded, "I can do that for you Hiccup, and you have done so much for me and Anna, it only seems right that I repay you in whatever way I can. I promise to dance with you and only you at my coronation." She replied then kissed him on the lips sealing the promise.
"Which reminds me, I have something for you." She said as he pulled out of the embrace and moved towards her dresser which had an item covered in brown paper and tied with a piece of string in the top drawer. Recovering the item, she moved over to give it to Hiccup who took it with an arched eyebrow.
"Go on and open it. I had Gerda go into town and purchase one for you, it isn't much but I hope it will improve your mobility even if it is only a little." Elsa said to him then clasped her hands and lips together nervously.
Hiccup untied the string and unwrapped the paper to reveal a long cream colored sock.
"A sock Elsa?" He was thoroughly confused as to why his partner would give him a sock of all things. Personally he would have preferred a belt or new leggings, but a sock wasn't really high on his list of things needing to be purchased.
Elsa took the sock from him and held it up to his face, he slowly noticed that it did not have the characteristics of a traditional sock. "It is a sock, yes, but not for your foot. It is for your stump. It is a stump sock."
"The special fibers are meant to wick moisture away from the skin and prevent the growth of bacteria and odor in the sock. The sock will feel soft next to your skin, and insulate it against the cold; it is three layers thick. There is also added padding at the bottom where you stump makes contact with the metal prosthetic." She said as she showed him the ins and outs of the sock. "I know it isn't much, but you know how much I care about you and I just want to..." She was about to finish but was cut off.
"Elsa...Elsa I get it. And I love it. I never thought about something like this. As of late I have been tying the remaining length of my pants leg around my stump and just dealing with my condition like that. Thank you so much so caring about me, it is refreshing." Tears were coming out the corners of his eyes as he spoke. "I knew there was a reason why I fell in love with you. If not for your amazing beauty and kindness it is for your unflinching loyalty and love for me. I will love you till the end of time and then after." He spoke softly as he thumbed the small of her back and he brought her into a close embrace, the sock pressed between them.
Elsa smiled, touched by his beautiful words and actions. She gripped his strong arms and shoulders and kissed him with a determined passion. He tilted his head to get a better angle. Elsa loved moments like this, she forgot about her powers, Anna, and everything else. "As long as I have Hiccup, I don't need anyone or anything else in my life."
After several moments of kissing and feeling he pulled back from the kiss; "ooh, that reminds me. Not to be outdone with the gift giving." He said then pulled out of the embrace and went back to his room.
Seconds later he returned with the sketch of Anna. "Here, I think you deserve this more than I at the moment." He presented the sketch of Anna and Venn to Elsa, tears came to her eyes after not seeing her sister in so long. Anna looked absolutely beautiful and Venn looked so happy next to her. She blinked rapidly trying to get rid of the tears, but they kept coming.
Hiccup panicked, worried that he had upset her.
"I'm sorry Elsa, I shouldn't have shown you something you can't see for another few years. Forgive me of my stupidity." He said as he gathered her into his arms, then kissed her head.
"No, it isn't that. It is just that she looks so beautiful and I am happy to see her happy and content. Thank you so much Hiccup for everything, I love you." Elsa replied then smiled.
"I love you too Elsa." The two kissed and stayed in each other's arms for what felt like hours.
A week later he did the same thing to Anna, presenting her with the portrait of Elsa with similar results. Though minus the endearing words of romance and kissing. Anna held onto the portrait and hanged it up on her wall, this would allow her to be content till then coronation. She would not knock on Elsa's door again.
After two weeks of doing various things to keep everyone happy including Toothless when he found the time. He decided to make himself happy by spending a few hours in the library, when Elsa was receiving a lesson from one of her teachers. After laying a few pillows and blankets down on the floor against a far wall, he decided to read a few engineering books that caught his eye. Turning the knob on the lantern to give him a stronger flame to read with, he plopped down and began to read about 'Ancient Rome.'
Turning the page, he found himself looking at a sketch of a Roman Aqueduct. He then learned how the water would flow from high ground down through these aqueducts to various cities and homes that were on lower ground. "Ingenious" he thought, "I bet this engineering could help us with our fire problem, with a few little adjustments of course." Slowly the gears in his mind began to churn.
Author's Notes: I must say listening to romantic styled music while writing make's it so much easier and smoother. I recommend Whitesnake, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, and Journey among others. Happy listening and see you all later.
