Somebody to Love
By: Bourbon Cowboy
Chapter 6: He Lives in You
The warm afternoon sun was making Hiccup sleepy. He lazed beneath a tree in one of the palace's many courtyards, a sketchbook and pencil beside him. Toothless was sound asleep on his back in the sunlight beside a crystal clear pond. The dragon's huge wings sprawled out to either side of him taking up the rest of the space in the courtyard, discouraging anyone from bothering the young Viking chief. Well, almost anyone. A chilly breeze startled Hiccup from his stupor. A flurry of large, wet snowflakes clouded his vision. "Jack!" Hiccup exclaimed. The trickster guardian laughed in amusement and landed lightly beside his friend. "You just looked so peaceful there, I couldn't help myself," Jack said by way of explanation, his grin a mile wide. Hiccup rolled his eyes, "Thank you for summing that up for me," he muttered. Jack leaned on his staff and studied Hiccup with an icy blue stare. Despite his relaxed appearance from a few moments ago, there was a sadness still surrounding Hiccup. They had been in Camelot for about twelve weeks and would be returning to Berk the next day. Jack had not tried to explain that time worked differently here. He was instead waiting for the return to Berk to prove what words could not describe. Jack wondered was it the thought of leaving making his friend melancholy or was something else bothering him. Never one to beat around the bush, Jack got straight to the point. "What's wrong, Hiccup?" Hiccup averted his eyes with a grunted "Nothing!" Undaunted, Jack just waited.
Hiccup sighed. He looked over at Toothless, knowing the dragon was listening by the way his ear cocked to the side. The Viking sort of missed when his one friend couldn't speak. He enjoyed a good brood when a black mood overtook him. A glance back at Frost told Hiccup there was no point in stalling. The guardian would wait him out regardless of how long he delayed. Hiccup leaned against the tree, puffed out his cheeks and tried to put his thoughts into words. "I've been here almost three months. I've learned a lot. King Arthur's library on engineering is…" he grappled for a word, his hands clenching and unclenching in front of him as if he could literally pull the word out of thin air. "It's just incredible. That sounds lame. But it's beyond anything I ever could have imagined. And I have met so many amazing people and yet…" Jack sensed Hiccup was coming to the meat of the problem, but at the last second the Viking switched tactics. "Tomorrow I go home. I have duties and responsibilities. As amazing as this has been, I probably shouldn't return. My people need me." Jack watched the warring emotions on Hiccup's face. The guardian had watched Hiccup shine while in Camelot. He was a bright young man with a lot to offer, and people noticed and appreciated him here in a way they didn't back home on Berk. While Hiccup had flourished under all the praise and attention, in quiet moments Jack often caught the Viking staring off into the distance with the same sense of loneliness that enveloped him now. Well, Jack Frost didn't do melancholy. In a motion too quick to follow, he threw a snowball at the "sleeping" Toothless that hit the dragon square between the eyes. Toothless blinked rapidly and then scowled at the guardian, pulling his lips back from snarling teeth. Unperturbed, Jack lobbed another frozen snowball at the dragon. This time it hit him right above the tail, making Toothless jump. Toothless shot a plasma blast towards Frost, but the guardian was already in the air. Hiccup was groaning in that way of his, "Guys, do you have to do this now?" But his protest was in vain. Toothless had already bounded over and scooped up his rider and thrown them into the air in pursuit. Jack's laughter came ringing back to them from his hiding spot in a convenient fog bank. Something cold and wet hit Hiccup's cheek. Toothless gave an inquiring growl and Hiccup patted his head, a reckless smile replacing his earlier scowl. Hiccup leaned low in the saddle. "Let's get him, bud!"
An hour later, tired, cold, and wet, Hiccup drug himself back to his room in the visitor's quarters of the palace. Following their snowball fight, Jack had saluted Hiccup and flown off on an errand for the Guardians. This left Hiccup and Toothless to their own devices once more. The dragon made it quite clear he planned to nap and did not want to be disturbed, if the tail flap in front of his face was any way to judge. Hiccup was alone in his quarters. He stripped out of his wet clothes, leaving them where they fell as he trudged to the bathroom. It was, by far, one of the most impressive pieces of ingenuity he had seen in Camelot; a room with warm running water to bathe and a self-emptying privy. Hiccup stood beneath the spray in the shower, feeling all those anxious thoughts starting to make themselves known again now that he was alone and undistracted. What was he still doing in Camelot? Why had he even agreed to come in the first place? Sure he had learned a lot in his time here, but the King had warned him that he would be unable to implement most of the inventions from Camelot back in Berk because the magic would not allow it. The King had said that in order for civilization to really grow and advance, people needed to learn and discover things on their own without being handed things. Hiccup thought that was a high-handed way of looking at things but had not wanted to argue with his host. Hiccup was rather fond of Arthur, and he thought the King returned his regard. The two spent a good deal of time talking about engineering and architecture and weaponry. Hiccup had also been introduced to several other inventors and innovators. But while mentally stimulating, when he returned to his quarters in the evening Hiccup found himself increasingly longing for diversions of another sort. He didn't want to think about those other things, those selfish things that kept him up at night. He filled his hands with soap and washed his hair, running his hands roughly over his scalp as if he could scrub the thoughts out. He noticed in an absent-minded way that his braids had come out at some point, but didn't much care. Unbidden, an image of Astrid floated to the forefront of his mind. They sat on a cliff together. Her small, calloused hands running through his hair. For a moment, the image was so tactile and real, Hiccup almost felt Astrid standing beside him. He felt her breath against his neck and her lips on his skin…with a jerk of his hand, the water changed from deliciously hot to blisteringly cold - shocking his body and driving away the ghost of girlfriend's past. Hiccup climbed out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He caught sight of his reflection, the fevered look in his eyes and the flush over his cheeks. He raised a pointed finger to the mirror and told his reflection, "You're just going to suck it up and let your mother arrange a marriage for you!"
He dressed in quick, jerky movement, tugging his clothes on ruthlessly. He had noticed the different fashion for the women here and was relieved that the men's clothing wasn't all that different from what he wore at home. The weather was milder, so he settled for comfortable jeans and a green, lightweight long-sleeved shirt with a deep V-neck tied with leather laces. His prosthetic was kept oiled so as not to draw undue attention to it. He had noticed a certain lack of one-legged patrons in Camelot and at times it made him self-conscious. He put his remaining foot in a leather boot, belted on his sword, and slammed out the door. Hiccup had been given a suite of rooms in the west wing of the palace, on the fourth floor. His rooms had a large balcony for Toothless' ease of access. Hiccup started down the hall towards the stairs, thinking he would head to the library where he spent most of his time. Suddenly the walls of the palace felt like they were closing in on him, and Hiccup found himself racing for one of the side doors and out into the early evening. Once outside his heart rate slowed again, his breathing eased. Hiccup picked a path at random and meandered down and out, past the guard shack and the curtain wall towards the village. He slipped his hands into his pockets as he ambled. The hustle and bustle went on around him, so different from Berk and yet familiar in its rhythm. Shopkeepers and stall owners brandished their wares at him as Hiccup passed by, a slow easy fish caught in their nets. He was offered everything from weapons to Tupperware, clothes and shoes, books, food, food, and more food and of course pretty jewelry for a special lady. The Viking scowled as a fourth jewelry seller waved a gaudy necklace beneath his nose. "A pretty necklace for your pretty lady!" The man offered. Hiccup glared until the man retreated, feeling his elation at being free to roam starting to wane. He scooted around a few more booths and hastened towards a street where the shops looked closed for the night. Hiccup reached again for that sense of tranquility that he'd had earlier but found it elusive, then his stomach gave a gurgle and the young man decided he couldn't be tranquil until he had something hot in his belly. Once again he hastened his steps, this time in the direction of the restaurant district, only to be stopped short by an acquaintance.
"Well hello, Hiccup!" a friendly voice greeted. Hiccup turned and smiled down at the short, plump old man who had hailed him. The newcomer had unkempt white hair sticking out at odd angles over his ears, though the top of his head was bald as an egg. He also had an impressive white mustache that twitched this way and that when the older inventor was thinking. "Maurice! It's good to see you, sir." Hiccup clapped the older man on the shoulder. Maurice chuckled, his bushy mustache quivering with mirth, "Where are you off to this evening?" Hiccup shrugged his shoulders, "I was thinking I might get something to eat. Would you care to join me?" Maurice smoothed his mustache before he replied, "Oh I would like that, but I am making a delivery. Another time, perhaps?" Hiccup didn't tell his friend that he was leaving Camelot in the morning, possibly never to return, it would just ruin the evening. Instead Hiccup offered to walk with Maurice on his delivery and the old inventor gratefully accepted his company. The two talked shop, widgets and whatzits and gizmos as Maurice led them down this side street and that back alley. Hiccup began to suspect that they were lost, but Maurice seemed insistent he knew the way. It was only when they turned into a dead-end alley that Maurice admitted they might have made a wrong turn at some point. Hiccup sighed, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The Viking thought it likely he could get them back to some major thoroughfare and from there find his way back to the palace. As he was contemplating this, a dark figure materialized from the shadows at the beginning of the alley from which they had come. Hiccup placed a hand on his sword and moved in front of his older friend. Green eyes were the first feature Hiccup was able to determine as the stranger came closer. Those eyes seemed almost to glow in the dark, like a cat's. Hiccup heard Maurice's sharp intake of breath as the old man became aware of the danger. Then the rest of the stranger came into view and Maurice let out a long sigh of relief.
"Kovu, you startled us!" Maurice accused, wagging a finger at the dark-skinned man. Kovu did not smile as he was busy sizing up the threat Hiccup represented, still standing there with his sword half out of the sheath. Hiccup relaxed his stance and offered an apology, stating he was just trying to protect his friend. Kovu seemed to accept this and nodded his dark head in thanks. "Maurice is a particular friend of my father-in-law's," Kovu said in a deep voice, "It pleases me that a warrior such as yourself would be willing to stand for him." Hiccup nodded, his eyes traveling over this strange man. His skin was so black it was almost blue, making his green eyes seem to shine in the dark. He had a lot of thick black hair tied back in a multitude of braids past his shoulders. He wore a dark grey loose fitting tunic with full sleeves over simple black pants and bare feet, allowing him to move almost completely soundlessly. His most distinguishing feature, however, was a long vertical scar that ran from above his left eye to the middle of his cheek. Even without any obvious weapons, Kovu exuded a sense of power and danger. Kovu must have been aware of this fact, for he held his arms away from his body, palms out in a show of peace. Maurice waddled out from behind Hiccup and over towards Kovu saying, "Come on, my boy! I have something for your father-in-law and then I must get home. Mrs. Potts will be angry if I let supper get cold for the third time this week." Kovu dragged those eerie green eyes away from Hiccup and regarded the elderly inventor with obvious affection. "Of course. I am sorry to have delayed you. Allow me to accompany you the rest of the way." Kovu then shot Hiccup a wink over Maurice's head as the old man grumped and grumbled his way past him. Hiccup decided then he like the other man and walked over to shake his hand. Kovu immediately noticed the slight limp and zeroed in on Hiccup's missing appendage. "A warrior indeed. You will tell the tale of the battle at my father's table tonight!" he declared. Hiccup opened his mouth to protest and then decided against it. After all, he was hungry anyway.
Ten minutes later the three men arrived at a stately home along on a tree-lined street. Lanterns were just being lit along the path as evening made way to nightfall. Fireflies started to appear, their little lights blinking off and on in a hypnotic pattern. Hiccup shook his head at the strange turn of his thoughts and followed Maurice and Kovu up the steps into the house. "Simba!" Kovu called once inside, "I found him!" They had stepped into a large, plush living room. There were three large brown leather sofas surrounding a coffee table. A large mural dominated one wall showing a large rock formation set against a bright blue sky. "Aah! Maurice! I was worried about you!" A new voice distracted Hiccup from his musings. He turned to see another dark-skinned man, older than Kovu, clasp hands with the old inventor. Maurice harrumphed saying something about not needing a babysitter and that he had just been distracted by his young friend, indicating Hiccup. Simba, as Kovu had called him, glanced over and locked eyes with Hiccup. The Viking felt the power in Simba's amber gaze and for a moment could not breathe. Then Simba raised an eyebrow and grinned charismatically, before turning back to Maurice. Kovu slipped silently up to Hiccup and placed a hand on the Viking's shoulder, making him jump. "Simba approves of you. I wish my first meeting with him had been as good!" Hiccup turned to Kovu askance. "That was good?! How can you tell? He just looked at me from all the way over there. He didn't even say hi!" Kovu chuckled, "Trust me, that was good. I saw you admiring Pride Rock." He indicated the mural behind them and Hiccup once again turned his attention to the painting. He noticed now that all along the bottom of the painting were animals of all kinds. There were massive elephants waving their trunks, tall giraffes on their spindly legs, leaping gazelles, wallowing hippos, baboons and monkeys and majestic lions all intermingled. "It's beautiful," Hiccup said honestly. Kovu nodded his approval. "It is our home."
Hiccup wanted to ask more questions, but was interrupted by the appearance of a young woman. "I didn't know you were home!" she wrapped her arms around Kovu and kissed him. Remembering the thoughts that had driven him from his rooms earlier, Hiccup felt the tips of his ears grow hot. The woman turned and smiled at Hiccup, noticing his embarrassment. "I'm Kiara." Hiccup shook her outstretched hand with a shy smile, "Hiccup." Kiara and Kovu both tilted their heads, brows furrowing. "No, no really. That's my name. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. Pretty terrible, I know. But actually not the worst. Where I come from, parents think a frightening name will scare off gnomes and trolls." Kiara laughed and Kovu simply looked puzzled. Hiccup shrugged, this was not the first time he had had such a reaction when meeting new people. Kiara overcame her mirth, "Well, Hiccup Horrendous, we were just getting ready to sit down to supper. Please, join us."
Kiara led the way through the house and out into the backyard. There was a long table with benches pulled up to it where the rest of Simba's pride was already sitting down to eat. Hiccup was introduced to several new people including Simba's son, Kion, Simba's wife, Nala, and a wrinkled old man they called Rafiki. There were others, two best friends – one large, one small, arguing good-naturedly at one end of the table. Several young women giggled as Hiccup limped past but he paid them no mind. It was a large, happy family gathering like he would have back home. Hiccup found that while at first their different appearance had made Kovu's family seem alien, they laughed and ate and teased each other in the exact same way that his family on Berk did. Simba's youngest son, Kopa, returned from walking Maurice home and shook Hiccup's hand with a shy smile. As Hiccup took up a seat on the bench between Kovu and his brother-in-law, Kion, a silence fell over the group. Hiccup looked up to see what had caused the change. Simba had entered the yard and stood now at the head of the table. He exuded the same power of presence that Hiccup's father, Stoic, had in life. For a moment, Hiccup felt the pain of the loss of his father as if it were a fresh wound. He couldn't breathe. He saw Stoic racing towards him as he tried to talk Toothless down as the will of the Alpha pressed down on him. Then Simba's gaze was on him again, and for a moment he felt as if Simba could read his mind. The patriarch said a few words blessing the family meal and then invited everyone to dig in. Hiccup shook off his melancholy as Kovu handed him a bowl of gumbo. It was delicious! Hiccup ate and drank and laughed with the other "warriors" of the family. After everyone had eaten their fill they sat around a campfire and told stories for their new friend. By the running commentary, Hiccup was sure these were stories they had told time and again. The lump in his chest where he carried the loss of his father was warmed by their inclusion. He told the story of how he had lost his leg. The Prides were a great audience, gasping and applauding at all the right places. As the night wore on, the family began to disperse little by little. Kopa's pretty young wife, Vitani gave him a saucy wink and he chased her off towards their room. Kion clapped his father on the back and declared he was off to prowl the streets in search of a good time. Kiara said in a loud whisper that meant he was going to Fuli's place. Nala, the family matriarch, shot her daughter a stern look that made the younger woman blush. Finally, when Pumbaa fell asleep and started snoring loudly and passing gas, the rest of the party broke up. Hiccup thanked Kovu and Kiara for the dinner invite, shaking Kovu's hand and thinking he was sad to not have a chance to get to know his new friend better.
Hiccup stood on the front porch, having just let himself out, and looked up towards the stars. He thought about rousing Toothless for a moonlight ride, but figured by the time he made it back to his rooms he'd be too tired. "So, Chief Hiccup, did you enjoy the evening?" Simba's voice came from Hiccup's left. He turned and smiled, "I did. Thanks for inviting me, your majesty." It hadn't taken long to piece together that Simba was the King of Pride Rock. Hiccup had some idea of where it was thanks to an evening spent with something Arthur called a globe. Being told the world was round had been a huge shock to the Viking's peace of mind. "Why don't I walk with you at least back to the main road? That way we can talk – king to king." Hiccup argued he was no king, but Simba waved this off. They set off into the night together, Simba's comforting presence driving away the gloom of the evening. "What is troubling you tonight?" Simba asked in that calm way of his. Hiccup was amazed that so big a man could have such a gentle voice. Hiccup started to say nothing was bothering him, but decided against it. Instead he said, "I worry that I will not be as good of a chief as my father was. I am afraid that I am here because I am running away from my responsibilities or because I am afraid that my ex-fiancé has moved on and I haven't. And does that make me a bad leader?" Simba did not speak at first, for which Hiccup was grateful. The King was really considering Hiccup's words. Finally Simba said, "Truth be told, I know a lot about how you are feeling first hand. My father was a great king and he died when I was young. For a long time, I thought it was my fault he had died. Instead of facing my fears, I ran away." "Did you come here?" Hiccup wanted to know. Simba shook his head, "No, but it was like a paradise. I allowed myself to become complacent. I had no worries. Then one day I had someone knock some sense into me. They reminded me of who I am and I returned home to take responsibility for my actions. It meant a war with my uncle, who had become king. It meant building my kingdom back up after years of neglect. Then came the difficult part – the guilt. I felt so guilty over having run away that I spent years trying to live up to my father's expectations…essentially trying to become my father. It took me a long time to realize that I didn't need to be my father. I needed to rule my people my way, raise my family my way. Your father would be proud of the man you are today. Remember, he lives on in you. The fact that you worry over being a good leader is a good sign. Bad kings do not worry about how to be better, they think they are already the best."
They had reached the point where Simba's street merged with the main street that would lead Hiccup back to the palace. They paused under a street lamp and faced each other. Simba put a comforting hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "You can learn a great many things from Camelot. But you are right to worry about the allure of spending all your days here. I am certain you will find a good balance for you and for your people." Hiccup nodded, "I leave in the morning to return to Berk, my home. I don't know if I will come back to Camelot. Maybe it is best if I don't." Simba chuckled deep in his chest, "I don't think Camelot is finished with you, young Hiccup. I have a feeling that there is still something you are searching for and your best chance for finding it lies here." Hiccup blushed, "I don't even know what it is I'm looking for. I just feel like I won't be complete until I find it." Simba turned and headed back towards his home saying, "True Love can be elusive. Don't give up." Hiccup was so startled by this he stood where he was under the glow of the street lamp until Simba had disappeared from sight. Then he shook his head, ran a hand through his hair, shrugged his shoulders and hurried home. True Love. Ha! He didn't need one specific woman, just a woman. He'd feel better if he settled down with someone. Anyone. Maybe?
Author's Note: Thanks again to all who have read and reviewed and favorited so far. While thinking about Hiccup and how he's lost his dad and is trying to just be a good Chief, I see a lot of similarities with Simba and thought it would be really cool for Hiccup to get a little pep talk from the Lion King. Obviously, the magic of Camelot allows us to have the whole Lion King cast in human form. While doing the minimum amount of research (cause I am lazy and this is fanfiction not a novel!) I came across this reference to a book called "The Lion King: Six New Adventures" written after the first movie came out with permission from Disney. In it Simba and Nala have a son, Kopa. Now, Kopa was never acknowledged in the Disney Movie Universe, but I liked him so here he is in this chapter in a minor cameo. In the previous chapter of Somebody to Love, as Merida is walking around with Snow White she sees an old black guy playing chess with someone - in my head that was James Earl Jones aka Mufasa playing chess with Li Shang from Mulan. Not really important to the story but a fun thought! Merida remarks on it briefly, on the diversity in Camelot and I think that's important. Sort of the whole point of Camelot is that it is this metropolis where people from everywhere can get together and learn from each other while still celebrating their differences. The Lion King having been set in Africa, it just made sense (to me anyway) that if they were people they would be African. I could explain more about my research on Zulu warriors and their hairstyles and dress and how that influenced my description of Kovu in the beginning, but I think this author's note has gotten long enough. If you're bored though there is a lot of super cool information out there on the interwebs about this.
Oh last thing - how did yall like the little "shower scene"? Too steamy or not enough?