Chapter 24

Atali adjusted the corset Astrid was wearing as the woman in question grunted while sucking in a breath. "Must this be so tight?" Astrid hissed as she held onto the bedpost while Nadia held up two dress options for her. One was a black dress with golden embroidery that had a square neckline while the other was a dark blue dress with white lace and a V-shaped neckline. Astrid hissed again as Atali was finishing up. Her lady-in-waiting had been careful enough with her wound. She was just glad it was healing nicely. Astrid knew she didn't like corsets and she would keep complaining about them until some sane woman did away with them entirely, she really wasn't too far away from starting the trend she pondered.

"The black one," Astrid told Nadia as she wanted to wear the black pearl jewelry she had been gifted. Today was the official council meeting. If anyone still questioned her position then the black pearls should make them shut up.

After the corset and the dress, all that would remain was to have her hair done. The ladies eagerly offered suggestions for hairstyles and Astrid chose one that had her hair up in an intricate bun with two braids along the side. A simple golden butterfly hairpin was placed in the bun, the gold matching the golden embroidery on her dress.

"Have you heard?" Atali mentioned casually. "Late last night Marchioness Stormheart returned to Berk."

"I didn't know she had departed the island at all," Astrid frowned. "The Marchioness was well known. It was a wonder no one had commented on her initial departure."

"Oh yes, Chef Mala said she saw her late last night." Atali mentioned. "Apparently she was escorting a Gronkle, a woman, and a man under a cloak. It may have to do with what will be happening at the meeting."

"The Gronkle is probably the alchemist's dragon." Astrid thought aloud. "Which means that the woman is from the Southern isles as well?"

"I wouldn't know that," Atali stated. "Though it's odd isn't it? Lady Jorgenson and your mother, Lady Hofferson, both stayed the night at the Palace. Marchioness Stormheart appeared and according to this cute guard by the gate, apparently Lady Larson was also summoned. She appeared in a carriage with a young man as well."

"It's all rather mysterious," Minden replied and Astrid couldn't help but agree. She had the same feeling as she did during the Queen's garden party. Something was happening behind the scenes and it wasn't simple at all. Camicazi had hinted at several things and Astrid had some idea of what in Valhalla was going on. She just needed one final piece to prove it.

Astrid made her way to the personal reception rooms of Hiccup's parents. These were intended for family and very important guests and she was to meet them there nearly an hour earlier than when the council meeting was scheduled. Astrid met her fiance in the corridor and the guards let them both through without any problems.

"Mother, Father," Hiccup greeted formally as there were guests present. Astrid curtsied as well before they both took a seat. The King cleared his throat and said "I believe some introductions are in order." He gestured and both Hiccup and Astrid looked at the envoys representing the Kingdoms that came to make trade agreements. Both envoys were women that had impeccable poise. They had an air of Nobility to them. One woman sat prim and proper, her strawberry blonde hair was neatly combed into a bun. She sported a small tiara while the other woman had wild curly red hair that didn't seem to be able to be tamed. "May I present Her Royal Highnesses Queen Merida of Dunbroch and Queen Anna of Arendelle." Stoick introduced which caused both Astrid and Hiccup to differ slightly to them with a small bow of their heads.

"Excuse me," Hiccup said with a frown. "But isn't this highly irregular?" Astrid frowned too as she had noticed it as well. Usually an envoy was appointed by the reigning monarch but for the monarch to be the envoys themselves….

"We know but this is a matter of importance," Queen Anna commented. "Though recent events have been rather surprising we would still like to proceed with trade discussions."

"What Miss Uptight here means is that we would like to finalize trade agreements and return home post-haste." Queen Merida commented much to Anna's horror. The Queen of Arendelle was left somewhat shocked at the bluntness of Queen Merida as she continued speaking. "I'm sure both of our Kingdoms are willing to support your version of events surrounding the unpleasant situation that has developed overnight with the Southern Isles but I left my triplet brothers in charge of my kingdom. I would like to return to it while it was still standing." What the Scottish Queen actually meant, and Astrid frowned as she read through the lines, was that it would be in both Arendelle's and Dunbroch's best interest to finalize the agreements sooner rather than later even with the current threat of war from the Southern foreign kingdoms had had unpleasant dealings with the Southern Isles and basically they didn't care who was in the right and in the wrong, they would support Berk either way and since Berk was the biggest kingdom within the Archipelago it would make sense to ally with a superpower though Astrid still had some worries. She was shaken out of her musings when Queen Anna muttered "You left your triplet brothers in charge, I left my fiance, his moose, and a magical snowman in charge." Astrid wondered about the magical snowman part but didn't question it further.

"While I am glad that you wish to proceed with trade negotiations, given how both of you were affected by the Southern Isles, I would still question as to why. Our Kingdom now faces uncertainty and war. What could make both of you so desperate to form an alliance?" Valka asked curiously while taking a sip of her tea. Both Queens looked rather uncomfortable but it was Queen Anna who sighed and proceeded to tell the Berkians the truth.

"We fear that the mainland might be lost." Anna said with great hesitance. "Months ago a great calamity struck the Kingdom of Corona. Large black rocks wreaked devastation across the land. No word has been brought forward from the Royal family and it has been noted that Princess Rapunzel and her fiance are both missing. The black rocks did not stop their advance but instead began spreading throughout the continent. These rocks are impervious to being cut and both Arendelle and Dunbroch face a major crisis. Farmlands have been covered by them, crops and livestock have been lost and citizens of various kingdoms have been displaced. My sister and the spirits of the elements are trying to keep the black rocks out of Arendelle but they are losing ground each day. No kingdom on the continent can handle the influx of refugees at the moment, not with winter approaching and our food stocks low." Merida mentioned. "Our crops are destroyed and we cannot feed them. The Archipelago however has been left untouched so far,"

"We are willing to deplete our treasuries in order to feed our people and the refugees." Anna mentioned. "And we are hoping that if the Berkian Kingdom approves our trade agreements then the other kingdoms within the Archipelago would also render aid."

"It has been observed that winter in the Archipelago is much harsher than on the continent yet Berk and the other kingdoms keep their citizens well fed and their houses warm. We would be willing to trade not only our ores and other resources for supplies but also for knowledge on winter agriculture." Merinda said. "We don't know to which extent these black rocks will continue to spread but too much land has been lost already."

"This is rather troubling," Stoick muttered as he contemplated the crisis the kingdoms on the continent were in. "After hearing your plight I am willing to offer supplies in exchange for twenty percent of your yearly ore production."

"Twenty percent?!" Merinda was shocked. "That is much too generous. Even the Southern Isles demanded sixty percent in their trade agreement."

"It would only be for the averaged surplus we would have over from the winter," Valka mentioned. "It would take months for us to sow our fields with the extra yield it would need to supply your original demands."

"But still only twenty percent?" Anna uttered. "That is being too generous. You would be the only one at a disadvantage within the trade agreement."

"Not if we take on some of the refugees," Hiccup thought aloud as eyes turned to him. "Changing the yield of the fields would require extra labor. Recruiting the workers from the refugees would solve the problem of the otherwise extensive costs."

The negotiations were coming along smoothly Astrid observed as the envoys and the King went over both agreements. Stoick was about to take the revised documents to Gobber when an urgent knock came from the doors.

"Begging your pardon," A guard that looked suspiciously out of breath said as he bowed to the occupants of the room. "But there is a matter in the council room that requires his majesty's attention. It is rather urgent."

Both Merida and Anna agreed to meet at a later date once the trade agreements were notarized and Stoick turned towards the guard once the two queens had bid their farewells and were out of earshot. "What is so important?!" Stoick asked with a frown and his red bushy eyebrows drawn together.

"The Ministers of Interior and Exterior are fighting in the council room!" The guard stated and both Hiccup and Astrid raised their brows. Alvin and Spitelout fighting….. This couldn't be good.

AN1: The Black rocks come from the Tangled ever after TV series. Plot-wise it's worth watching.

AN2:
Harry: (Looks at Porg with a raised brow) "Why is the Porg dressed as Braveheart?!"
Vala: "We are trying on Halloween costumes,"
Harry: "It's July!"
Vala: "So? Never too early to start," (Holds up tiny Marilyn Monroe white dress)
Harry: O_O
Porg: "Meep meep meep meep meeep meep meep meep meeep meep meep meep meep..."
Harry: "Now just what is he saying,"
Vala: "Fight and you may die. Run and you'll live - at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
Harry: "You can understand all that?"
Vala: "No I just took a guess as he's dressed as Braveheart."
Harry: (facepalms)