Note: Yes, I realize that it is the 1st of April. No, there is nothing about this chapter that is a joke.
~HE~
A Chance Encounter Chapter 5
~HE~
The moment Hiccup felt himself wake on the morning of his second day in Arendelle, he surged to a sitting position and produced his dagger in his left hand, studying his strange surroundings in alarm. It took him a minute to stop breathing heavily and for all the memories of the previous three days to return. When they did, he groaned and fell back onto the impossibly soft mattress. He closed his eyes again and debated falling back to sleep. He could hear Toothless' light snoring nearby, so the dragon was still sleeping.
Unfortunately, he did not get to decide if he would fall into deep slumber again, because the sound that had originally woken him repeated itself. Two soft knocks at the door to his quarters.
"Lord Haddock?" The soft voice of Ernie floated inside the room. Hiccup didn't open his eyes, analyzing his chances of evasion if he played dead.
Ernie repeated the knock and the call.
"It's Hiccup!" The viking hollered, too sleepy to be mindful of proper protocol and too angry with Ernie for waking him. He stubbornly kept his eyes closed.
"Can I come in, Hiccup?" Ernie asked. Hiccup groaned, which apparently meant 'Yes' to Ernie. The door opened lightly and the young servant stepped inside. Hiccup turned on his side, away from the door.
"Hiccup, don't you want to attend breakfast with the Queen and the Princess? It's almost eight in the morning."
The gears inside Hiccup's mind slowly started to turn, grease and rust falling slowly.
"Breakfast ... with the ... Queen?" He repeated slowly, processing it. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and a look of horror crossed his features. He shot up to a sitting position. "Breakfast with the Queen!" He yelled. "By Thor, I completely forgot!"
He threw the covers off of himself and rose to his feet, clad only in his underpants. He had no trouble hopping towards the bathroom to wash himself. He remembered that he washed last night, but did not trust the thoroughness of his bath at his sorry state of tiredness.
If Ernie was bothered by the various scars that adorned Hiccup's body, he showed no sign of it.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" He called from inside the bathroom to Ernie, who was waiting outside the door with a clean set of clothes.
"I tried around seven and nearly got stabbed for my troubles." Ernie said, conversationally, causing Hiccup to blanch. His habit of sleeping with his dagger had saved his life on exactly two occasions, but accidents such as this were just as likely.
"Sorry." He said sheepishly.
"Quite alright. It's not the worst reaction I've had from someone I had to rouse."
"For that matter, why aren't you knackered? What time did we return last night?"
"It must have been around three, I think. I didn't exactly keep count. You will learn how exactly I am this awake when we reach the breakfast table. It will be waiting for you there."
Hiccup had finished with his hurried washing, and hobbled to the door, where he received the clothes from Ernie. It was a set similar to the one he'd worn yesterday, only light blue instead of green. Clothes on, he returned to the main room, where he located his prosthetic and set about wearing it. As he tied the various straps around his stump, his mind replayed the previous day.
He'd been so elated at finding a smithy just as equipped, if not more so, than the one in Berk that he'd thrown himself into the work with gusto the likes of which he hadn't shown in years. A sudden memory caused him to grimace once again.
"Gods, I was so horrible." He mumbled. The Queen and her sister had come to find him the previous day and he'd completely blown them off. He'd refused an official invitation to a state dinner, his first in this kingdom he was visiting, and then proceeded to send them to reign in his wayward dragon. A dragon which, in hindsight, they had no reason to trust and not simply kill for stepping out of his assigned quarters.
Granted, the repairs needed to be done. Yes, he couldn't stop the process once he'd began without wasting massive amounts of time and metal and yes; nobody had told him in advance that there was going to be a dinner that he was invited to, so he couldn't be blamed for being occupied.
That still left him being a terrible guest and blowing off his hostess, who also happened to be the Queen, and her sister who had just seen him for the first time. He also endangered Toothless' life and, by extension, the life of anyone the castle guards might have sent against him.
Sometimes he hated how engrossed he became in his work. But after such cases, he sees the results of his works and is mollified.
"How do I convince them I'm not a complete brute, Ernie?" Hiccup asked, running his palm through his face. Peeking between his fingers, he saw the young man's light smirk.
"Do not worry, sir. I'm sure they'll understand. Just to be sure, however, be certain to be extra nice today."
Hiccup nodded at the wise advice. "Yeah, I'll try to do that. Gods, you should have stopped me from speaking yesterday. Tackled me, thrown me a hammer, something."
"I don't think even the Queen's ice magic could've stopped you when you were working in that smithy, sir." Ernie replied with a smile. Hiccup scowled again.
"Cut that 'sir' business, we've been over this. I'm Hiccup."
"I understand Hiccup, but we'll have to keep protocol in front of other dignitaries. It's too late for the Queen and her sister, but keep that in mind for when there are more people around."
Hiccup conceded that the people of Arendelle were much fonder of the formalities than the Berkians. He would play along. He was a guest, he didn't get to dictate terms of conduct.
"Very well. Let's go eat something, I'm starving."
He glanced at Toothless, but the dragon was fast asleep and if experience had taught him anything, it was that after a day like the previous he'd be out for a few more hours.
"I should think so, considering the only thing you've eaten is half of the food I brought you yesterday evening."
Hiccup waved a hand as he rose and headed for the door. "I eat light when I work, if at all. Could you arrange for some food to be brought up to Toothless? Not fish this time, let's not over indulge him. Actually ... never mind. Go crazy with the fish, yeah? Just tell them to leave it on the floor and close the door behind them."
Ernie nodded. "Sure. I'll do it myself while you're taking breakfast."
"You're the best, Ernie."
He stepped outside the door and began marching with determined strides, when he suddenly halted, turning back to look at the smiling Ernie.
"You should probably lead ... considering I don't know where we're going and all." Hiccup said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. Ernie shook his head, before walking away in the opposite direction. Hiccup rushed to catch up to him, falling in step to his left side.
They walked in silence, Ernie navigating them through the maze that was the castle. Hiccup was used to Berk's houses that, while wide, were nowhere near this big, so he was feeling quite overcome as he gazed around. People they would pass on the halls, be they servant or well-dressed visiting noble, would bow slightly to him and offer morning wishes, and he responded in kind.
All Hiccup really gathered was that they had gone down a few floors and moved westward. The halls here were different, the decoration more scarce but no less tasteful. They reached a set of wooden doors, in front of which Ernie stopped, Hiccup doing the same.
Ernie motioned for him to wait, before opening the door and stepping side.
"Announcing his majesty, Chief Hiccup Haddock."
Hiccup's cheeks reddened slightly, but he recognized his cue and stepped inside.
"Was that really necessary?" He whispered furiously to Ernie, frowning.
Ernie only smiled at him, prompting Hiccup to study the room he had stepped into. It was not particularly big, enough to fit a large table in the middle with chairs around it and some wooden stoves at the walls. Two more doors lead outside of the room. Already seated on the table were the Queen and the Princess, wearing matching dresses in hues of blue. It seemed like it was a theme.
The bountiful table in front of them was untouched, so he couldn't be that late. He did a mental double-take when he inspected the table's contents, not recognizing half the stuff.
"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, good morning." He said, bowing his head respectfully. He was graced with twin smiles. Ernie vacated the room, closing the door as he left.
"Good morning, chief Hiccup." Elsa said, soon parroted by her sister.
"I have to apologize if I am late. I meant no offense by it." Hiccup said as he moved to occupy the last remaining chair around the square table. He sat next to the queen, with the princess on the left and smaller side of the table.
"A few minutes only, chief Hiccup." Anna waved away his concerns. "Nothing to worry about. Ernie informed us of your time of arrival yesterday. Your fatigue is understandable."
"Speaking of yesterday," Hiccup began, unsure how exactly to apologize but knowing he had to. "I realized how rude I was to my hostess and her sister. You must forgive me. I can get very excited when I work and don't often think very clearly. I apologize for my conduct."
Hiccup saw the royal sisters share a look. The princess smiled and the queen merely rolled her eyes at her. Turning back to him, queen Elsa addressed him.
"Please do not worry about it. It was partly our fault for not thinking to inform you before you'd started. I can certainly understand getting caught up in your work. Though a lot of people were disappointed at the dinner, many were waiting to get to know you."
Hiccup shifted in his seat. His stomach was growling, but the women had not started yet. Even though he didn't know the protocols of this place, he was not stupid. He could not start before them.
"I also understood the folly of sending untrained people to handle Toothless. I am certain he would not harm anyone, but it raises tension unnecessarily."
"We fed him ourselves." The princess informed him cheerily. Hiccup returned her smile, sensing her genuine enthusiasm. The princess didn't seem to share the queen's distaste of dragons. Or at the very least, she was willing to be persuaded.
"He didn't give you any trouble, did he?"
"Actually-" the princess began to say, but stopped speaking at her sister's warning look. After glaring at her sister, the queen turned to look at him.
"No, there were no issues. Toothless was friendly." Hiccup didn't buy it or a second, but let it go. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything really damaging, considering no one had been hurt and the queen hadn't descended on him in an icy fury. If she didn't want to speak of it, he wouldn't press.
He nodded. "That's good to hear."
"Sometimes we get more people," the queen said as she waved her hand around, gesturing at the room "but usually it's just me and my sister."
Hiccup almost blurted an apology for intruding, but then remembered that he had been invited here and held his tongue.
"I appreciate the invitation. Hopefully it won't be the last time." He said, instead. By the smiles he received, it must have been a decent response.
"Let us begin, shall we? You must be quite hungry." The princess urged, and that was all the encouragement the three needed, reaching for the food in front of them. Feeling somewhat lost, Hiccup moved very slowly and mirrored the movements of the two royals. He took a large piece of bread, placed some fried eggs on his plate as well as a helping of beans. He let the sweet jam for later.
"Orange juice, chief Hiccup?" Elsa offered, holding a glass canteen of orange liquid.
"Yes, thank you." Hiccup agreed and the queen filled his glass with it. Hiccup tried it slowly. Slightly bitter, but also sweet. It was very good. He set about eating his food, being very careful about reminding himself not to use his hands for anything but the bread. He saw the metallic spoons and was impressed. Vikings used spoons, too, but rarely, and theirs were wooden, too.
"Is something wrong, chief Hiccup?" The princess asked him after they ate for some time, probably noticing some of his hesitation in touching this or that on the table.
"Apologies, I'm simply admiring the plenty on the table. I don't recognize half of these." He said, carefully cutting a piece of some kind of pie and placing it on his plate.
The princess grinned at him. "The cooks spoil us. Ever since we were little girls, they've been trying to fatten us up."
Hiccup exerted all his self-control to keep himself from making a joke, while looking at the queen. She saw his expression; and his smile must have betrayed some of his inner battle, for she raised an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to say something.
Far be it from him to avoid a challenge.
He noticed the queen's plate. It had a piece of pie, along with something that, as far as Hiccup could tell, was baked bread with some kind of stuffing inside.
"You're going to eat that?" He asked nonchalantly, after swallowing a mouthful. The queen narrowed her eyes at him slightly. When she spoke, she did so slowly, challenge positively dripping from her tone.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
How was he to hold back, when faced with this?
"Nothing, nothing." He said lightly, turning to look at his plate. "In fact, I admire people comfortable with their weight."
He didn't look to see what he was sure must have been a scandalized expression on the queen's face, but the unhidden snickers from the princess were enough reward for his efforts. He returned to his food with barely hidden satisfaction.
What he didn't expect, was to get mocked right back.
"Perhaps you should have some of what I'm having. You look like you need it." The queen's voice bore into him like an arrow and he choked on the piece of pie he was currently swallowing. He did his best to keep his food from rising while keeping his laughter contained. The princess had no such problems, and her melodious laughter echoed over the breakfast table.
Once Hiccup had managed to swallow, face red, he turned to look at the queen. She was smirking at him in satisfaction and humor, and he knew he'd just been paid back for the bread stunt, on the way to Arendelle. Two for one.
'Well played, Queen Elsa.' He thought, smiling back at her.
The mood was decidedly lighter after that, and the irony of the ice being broken wasn't lost on Hiccup.
"What is this?" Hiccup asked curiously, inspecting a nearly black liquid inside a warm pot.
"Try some." The queen suggested. "It helps one wake up and retain concentration."
Hiccup poured some as instructed, smelled the liquid, and carefully tried some, mindful of its hot state. He grimaced once he swallowed the bitter fluid.
"It's an acquired taste, and it does help." The queen shrugged, seeing his grimace.
Once all three had had their fill, Hiccup was addressed by Anna.
"Did you mean it, chief Hiccup, about the food?"
Hiccup nodded. "Yes. Meals in Berk, unless it is a special occasion, hold much less variety. Not to mention that I'm pretty sure that a lot of what I just ate doesn't exist that far north."
"Where is Berk, if you don't mind me asking." Queen Elsa asked. "I know of the general area of the Viking provinces, but did not know about Berk specifically."
Hiccup looked up at the ceiling, not really seeing it, and smiled.
"Heh. My mother used to say that Berk was situated twelve days north of hopeless, a few degrees south of freezing to death, and solidly on the meridian of misery."
Hiccup allowed his voice to fade as he was memories of his mother flowed through him. Like she had been, memories of her were gentle and happy. He shook his head slightly, losing the wistful smile and looking at the royal sisters. Anna's smile at him was clearly fond, but the queen's expression was inscrutable. No matter.
"Just to be it clear," Hiccup said "There is no such place called Hopeless or Freezing-To-Death. It's a figure of speech."
The queen looked at him oddly. "We're not stupid, chief Hiccup. We can tell a figure of speech when we hear one."
"Mah, just checking. You'd be surprised how many people think they are actual places when they hear this."
Both women looked at him in disbelief.
"Seriously?" The princess asked. "If it were any more obvious it'd poke people in the eye."
Hiccup shrugged. "I've learned not to underestimate human stupidity." He paused to drink a glass of water. "In any case, I'd need maps to navigate you from here to Berk with any degree of confidence, especially since I still don't know where 'here' is. Plus, I'm used to thinking of distances in flying terms, so I don't trust myself in measuring them with mundane means without the aid of maps or navigational instruments."
"We'll take care of that later, in the map room." The queen said with certainty.
"I have to admit," the princess interjected "the idea of flying fascinates me. What is it like?"
Hiccup beamed at her, a smile splitting his features. "It's the best feeling you can imagine, magnified by about six times."
The queen raised that maddeningly perfect eyebrow again. "Six? Why not five, or maybe ten?"
"I have a friend who's fond of statistics. He came up with the number six."
"What's the best thing about riding a dragon, then?" The princess asked him, wistful. Hiccup furrowed his brow, thinking about the question harder than he probably should. What was it he enjoyed the most? He couldn't say Toothless' company, because that didn't necessitate flying, exactly.
"The view." Hiccup finally decided, nodding his head at himself. "Definitely the view. Imagine the view from the tallest tower in the castle, and then imagine being ten times higher than that, while being able to move anywhere and look at things from every angle you can think of. You won't truly understand what I speak of until you see it for yourselves."
The princess was hanging from his every word, her eyes far away, but it was the queen's expression that caught his eye. She was considering his words and frowning, ever so slightly.
"And what is worst thing about it, then?" She asked. Her tone was not challenging, Hiccup could tell she was genuinely curious, trying to look at the matter from all angles. Her question drew a frown from him, and he gave it the necessary thought before deciding on an answer.
"The smell." He said quietly, lacking his earlier exuberance.
"The smell?" Princess Anna asked, laughing lightly. "I can see where you're coming from. We often visit the stables, so, we can emphasize."
Hiccup shook his head. "That's not the kind of smell I'm talking about."
After half a minute of his silence, he was prodded out of the his thoughts by the queen's gentle: "Then?"
He turned his upper body to look her in the eye, not wanting to miss a single detail of her reaction to his words.
"It's the smell of burning flesh. There is no worse smell, no smell more disgusting. It stains your clothes for days, and the area for even longer. It is revolting."
He watched their reactions with mixed feelings. The princess appeared to be forming a mental image and looked slightly queasy. The queen had paled, but he could see thoughts flying a mile a minute behind her eyes. What was she thinking, what was she considering? What conclusions did she draw about him?
"Apologies for bringing such talk to the breakfast table queen Elsa, princess Anna."
"You merely answered a question truthfully, we cannot fault you for that. We are done with breakfast, in any case." The blond replied, the calculating look still present in her face.
Hiccup tipped his head respectfully. None of them had had a bite in a good few minutes, but nor did they make any move to get up. He recognized that soon they would have to part for the day, but there was another matter that he wanted to address before such a time.
"There is something else I wanted to say." Hiccup began after he had gathered his thoughts, changing the subject.
At the queen's encouraging nod, he continued. "I know that it's been many years now, that you've heard it hundreds of times already and that it probably won't mean much to you coming from a stranger, but I wanted to offer my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents."
Hiccup saw both women be visibly taken aback by this and repressed the urge to flinch, not knowing if he'd overstepped his boundaries.
"I admit that I was curious about your status as queen considering your young age, and the fate of your parents was written in the history book you gave me. Apologies if I touched a sore subject." He finally got control of himself and stopped his rambling, hoping that he hadn't made things worse.
The sisters shared another one of those looks, the kind that he recognized from himself and Toothless but could not hope to translate on another pair, just like his looks with Toothless were understood by none other.
"Your condolences are graciously accepted, chief Hiccup." The princess told him gently. He held himself back from audibly letting out the breath he was holding, but he was flooded with relief, nonetheless.
"It is true that we have heard this a lot over the years," the queen continued "and that it can get irritating when it comes from certain people."
Princess Anna picked up her sister's train of thought. "People who have never experienced loss, and thus could not hope to understand us, but nevertheless tried to appear sorrowful to earn favor."
"But such is not the case with you, is it, chief Hiccup?" The Queen asked. Hiccup had had enough training with he Thorston twins over the years to avoid whipping his head back and forth when they did the whole siblings-completing-each-other's-sentences thing, thankfully.
"After all," the princess continued with a small, sad smile. "You can't be much older than Elsa, yet you are chief of your own tribe."
Hiccup supposed that their logic was sound.
"It is true." He confirmed. "My mother died early in my childhood. My father ... my father's death was more recent, but still a good few years back. They are both in Valhalla, now."
"You have our sincere condolences, chief Hiccup." The princess said. Hiccup did not fail to notice that she was clutching her sister's hand under the table. For whose sake, he did not know.
"Our parents were lost at sea, as you must know from the history book." The eldest sister said. "What happened to yours?" She paled momentarily, before hastily adding "Of course, we understand if it's not something you wish to share. We do not want to intrude."
Hiccup was well aware that it was hypocritical of him to withhold all information regarding the matter, but knew equally well that he could not reveal majority of what happened, for reasons of his tribe's security. Showing Toothless was big enough, he did not need to advertise that his tribe controlled more than one dragon.
"My mother was killed during a raid when I was six." He said eventually. He could not reveal the nature of the raid, but assumed that the royal sisters would draw their own conclusions as to their attackers. From the sympathetic looks he received, they must have.
"My father passed away in the heat of battle, during the war leading to my ascension to the chieftainship." He said, again deliberately revealing as little as he could. He could feel the old despair rise up again, and he squashed it like an insect the moment it reared its ugly head. He needed to be in control right now, not wallow in guilt and sorrow. He'd already done that years ago and it hadn't helped him any.
"We're sorry." The princess said quietly. Hiccup shook his head at her.
"My father perished in battle, but do not doubt that it was a death worthy of a great warrior. Sometimes, when we're feeling particularly happy, those who knew my father and I like to think that he died ... happy."
The tense silence was broken by the queen. "Why?" She breathed out. Hiccup smiled wanly.
"Because by doing so, he saved me."
He noticed the eyes of the two women focused on his cheek and realized that he was unconsciously tracing the long scar on his face. He stopped the movement immediately and straightened his posture. He'd revealed much; too much. Nothing that could compromise Berk, but he'd still opened up to two people who were not only strangers, but also royals of a foreign kingdom. Who knew what of the things he said could be perceived as a weakness, a threat, or anything in between. He cursed his need for drama. Why couldn't he reign his tongue in for once? What kind of chief talked like this on the very first day of his stay abroad?
"We're sorry." The phrase was repeated, this time by the queen. Hiccup looked at her, carefully, but saw nothing but compassion in her eyes. He didn't let it fully convince him. He'd been duped before, and was far from completely confident in his ability to read people.
"Thank you."
"It must have been very hard." The princess said. Looking at her, Hiccup felt relatively certain that compassion in her eyes held no traces of deceit. The princess seemed like an open book, with only kindness and understanding written on its pages.
"It was." He agreed. "But this is Berk. Vikings understand loss very early on." Or become losses themselves, he mentally added.
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had to get out of there. He had to stop speaking.
The queen must have noticed his discomfort, because she offered him an out. She pushed her chair back and rose regally.
"Thank you for attending breakfast with us, chief Hiccup. We extend to you the same invitation for tomorrow. Enie should inform you of the times for lunch and dinner. However, do not feel obligated to attend. We would be glad to have you, but you are free to move about the city as you wish and eat at your own pace. If there is something more formal that we would particularly want you present in, you will be informed well in advance." She added the last bit with a sheepish smile. Obviously, he wasn't the only one who felt embarrassed with last night's events.
He offered the queen a grateful smile as he rose.
"Many thanks. I have enjoyed your company, and shall endeavor to do the same tomorrow."
"What are your plans for the rest of the day, chief Haddock?" The princess asked him.
"I'm going to wake up the lizard, first, and then I was hoping to nag Ernie into giving me a complete tour of the castle, actually. I figured I'll have found some interesting things to see or do after that."
The Queen nodded at him. "That is a great idea. I would have loved to accompany you, but time does not permit."
Hiccup smiled. "I understand, queen Elsa, trust me." He was slightly surprised to receive a smile in response, but accepted it nonetheless.
The three of them moved towards the exit of the room as servants surged in from the side doors to clear the table. Outside, Ernie was already waiting, hands clasped behind his back.
"My Queen, Princess." He bowed to the two women, who nodded at him.
"I hope you enjoy your tour of the castle, chief Hiccup." The queen said. "Perhaps our paths will cross."
"See you, chief Haddock!" Princess Anna waved cheerfully as she and her sister move away. Hiccup waved back, before turning to Ernie.
The young servant raised an eyebrow. Maybe the queen was running a class, somewhere.
"How did it go?"
Hiccup did his best to look offended.
"Why do you think it went anything other than perfectly?"
The eyebrow grew more intense, and Hiccup, with his senses for such things finely honed by the experiences of his childhood, had the sudden feeling that he was being mocked, albeit in good nature.
"Oy! No comments are allowed from tour guides, thank you very much."
"Is a tour the plan for today, then?" Ernie asked. His tone was neutral, but Hiccup could read the young man's mocking in his eyes and shook his head.
"Yes, so get useful, eh? I'm not paying you to do nothing!"
Ernie started walking down the corridor, Hiccup next to him.
"You do realize you're not the one paying me, right?"
"Back-talking isn't allowed, either. Onwards!"
~H~
To Hiccup's consternation, touring the castle was easier said than done.
They walked the way back to Hiccup's rooms, and this time the viking paid attention on the path. When they reached the doors, he was relatively certain that he'd be able to find his way again.
They found the Night Fury gulping down the last of a group of fish, free of his harness and mechanical tailfin. It took the dragon a few seconds to come out of post-feeding contended bliss, but when he noticed Hiccup he bounded towards him, crooning happily.
"Hey bud, I love you too." Hiccup chuckled as the dragon nuzzled his snout on his chest, while he caressed the onyx creature's head with his hands.
It took a good minute for Toothless to open his eyes, stop purring, and observe that they were not alone in the room. He turned his head, taking in Ernie with eyes wide, full of curiosity. His ear flaps were upright and twitching, a sure sign of the beast's interest and good mood.
"This is Ernie. You met yesterday." The brief glance from Toothless confirmed that the dragon had heard him. To his credit, Ernie did not waver under the dragon's inquisitive stare.
"He's the one who brought you the fish." Hiccup added, just to be sure. Toothless' right ear twitched. He started moving forward, approaching Ernie.
Ernie did not bat an eyelash as the black dragon sniffed around him, obviously finding the scent of fish and confirming Hiccup's words. Toothless tried to reach inside Ernie's uniform, convinced that there must be more food there.
"He doesn't have fish on him, Toothless. Lay off him."
The dragon's gaze flickered between Hiccup and Ernie, eyes slightly closed and ears nearly flattened. Hiccup recognized the dragon's exasperation, though he doubted Ernie could decipher his facial expressions quite yet.
"We're going to be seeing a lot of him, Toothless. Ernie is a good guy and he wants to be your friend."
On his words, Toothless went back to inspecting the servant boy. Ernie met the dragon's stare, and allowed his face to smile encouragingly.
Hiccup was amused to note that Toothless was about to regurgitate another fish. He'd still not managed to make him understand that humans did not value raw fish as much as dragons did. Nevertheless, it was a move Toothless always made when he wanted to extend a claw of friendship, so to speak. Sharing his food was the best opening a dragon knew, and had tremendous meaning between dragons.
He'd been hoping for this to happen when he told Ernie to bring fish, but was not sure that Toothless would open up so soon.
True to form, Toothless sat on his tail to make the regurgitation easier, and after hacking for a few seconds spat the tail end of a fish that Hiccup couldn't really recognize.
Ernie's expression finally lost its carefully controlled visage, and the young man looked at Hiccup in confusion and a silent plea for help. Toothless stared at Ernie patiently, as if waiting for a particularly dim child to pick up the piece of bread set in front of him and start eating.
Very carefully, Hiccup mimed taking the fish in his hands and taking a hearty bite out of it, making sure to include chewing and swallowing. Ernie went slightly green, but understood the severity of the next few moment.
"Thank you, Toothless." He said, and Hiccup was impressed to note that his voice wavered only a little bit.
The servant reached for the fish, visibly repressing a grimace at the slimy surface, and brought the carcass up to his mouth. After a moment's hesitation, he bit down on the flesh of the fish and cut off a piece, chewing it carefully on his mouth before gulping it down. Hiccup was certain that he had not kept his face as clear as Ernie did, when he'd been presented with the same situation. The citizens of Arendelle sure knew how to stay stoic.
Toothless seemed satisfied if the curve of his lips and the firmness of his ear flaps was any indication, and he received the proffered remains of the fish from Ernie with no complain, gulping them down once again within seconds.
After he did this, he approached his head to Ernie again. This time he didn't sniff him, only stared into his eyes, bringing his head halfway between them. Hiccup saw Ernie glance at him with uncertainty again, prompting the viking chief to nod at him encouragingly.
Ernie reached his hand, tentatively at first, and touched the Night Fury. Toothless wiggled his head a little, and Ernie took the hint, caressing the smooth scales. To his surprise, the dragon let out a low purring sound from deep inside his throat.
"That went well." Hiccup said, clapping his hands with a smile. Ernie looked apprehensively at him, though he didn't stop patting and caressing Toothless.
"Was there doubt of this?" He asked. Hiccup repressed a grin, these people were just too easy to tease.
"Well, either this or he would have taken your hands, because they smell the most like fish."
Ernie tore his hand away from Toothless and backed away, his back hitting the door. Toothless opened his eyes and stared confusedly at him, not understanding why he stopped. Upon hearing Hiccup's snickers, the dragon turned to him and uttered a questioning warble.
Ernie looked at him and noticed his almost silent laughter, before his eyes narrowed.
"There was never any danger, was there?" He asked, though his tone was resigned, as if he already knew the answer and was just confirming his theory.
"No, there wasn't. Even if Toothless didn't like you, he wouldn't attack you." Hiccup explained as Ernie straightened his posture and smoothed out his uniform. When Toothless trotted the space between them and pushed his snout in his hand, Ernie didn't protest, instead going back to rubbing the Night Fury.
"I suppose I'll have to get used to your particular brand of humor, my Lord."
Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "Unless you want to receive personal and intensive lessons on the nastier side of my humor, I suggest no more slip-ups on calling me Hiccup when we are alone."
"Apologies, Hiccup."
"Good, good!" The viking said, in complete contrast to his quiet, threatening tone of a few seconds earlier. "Now, if Toothless has had enough petting, let's go see what this castle has to offer, shall we?"
"Right." Ernie nodded at him. He turned his head to look at the dragon, who, in turn, was looking at him, curiosity evident in his eyes.
"Toothless?" Ernie asked, to Hiccup's great surprise. The way the Night Fury's eyes zeroed in on his own must have given him all the reply he needed, for he continued. "Do you want to go outside with Hiccup and I? I will show the two of you the rest of the castle. Do you want to see the castle?"
Hiccup had to fight to suppress his grin. Ernie was turning out much better than he'd dared hope.
As a reply, the dragon trotted back to Hiccup, got behind him, and started pushing the viking chief towards the door with his head.
"Oy, quit it. The tour was my idea, you don't have to convince me." He said, bemused. Ignoring his protests, Toothless pushed him all the way to the door, which Ernie had helpfully opened, and then beyond it, into the hallway outside.
Finally free, Hiccup snorted and straightened his tunic, the Night Fury practically bouncing around them in his excitement. He could understand Toothless' hurry to get out of the room. He had slept through most of yesterday, resting from the long journey. Now he was recovered, and could not take being stuffed inside a room for long hours.
"This way, I believe." Ernie instructed, and they began walking, Toothless on Hiccup's right side, tailing swishing behind him.
"Where are we headed?"
"I think the Gardens are a good first destination. Lots of space for Toothless to move, and the Gardens themselves are very impressive." Hiccup nodded his agreement.
They went down a few floors down, and out a big door, though smaller than the gate leading to the Courtyard.
Porches hugged the length of the walls, covered by wooden roofs painted light blue. A few equally wooden steps and they were on the beginnings of the Gardens.
Cobbled paths led deeper into the Gardens, separated by hedges tall and short, which divided the open area into sections, each filled with magnificent specimens of flora, ranging from small fields of flowers with all the colors of the rainbow, to tall tress carefully trimmed and brimming with life and energy. Soft notes of birds reverberated around the garden, completing the serene and peaceful environment. A few servants had been working on this hedge or the other, and were now looking at the three of them with half-hidden curiosity.
"Toothless, please stay on the cobbled path, otherwise your paws will dig up the ground and the gardeners won't be happy." Toothless regarded Ernie with wide eyes, before turning his gaze downwards, to the path of stone that they were currently walking on. Grumbling, he scooted closer to the center, heeding Ernie's words. The servant smiled, satisfied.
They walked slowly through the gardens and Ernie took the time to explain to Hiccup what this or that flower or brush was. The servant sadly could not provide all the details Hiccup would have liked, and he did not really want to bother any of the gardeners yet. Toothless meandered along with them, not nearly as impressed as Hiccup was. He took particular interest in a pair of butterflies, watching them intently and following their erratic flight pattern with his gaze.
The path through the gardens led them around the second layer of the castle walls, almost a complete circle around it. By the time they finished, many more people were also taking strolls over the gardens. Servants moved purposefully and guests or visitors strolled slowly, enjoying the beautiful day in the gardens.
Hiccup did not fail to note the looks he and Toothless received. They ranged from the outwardly frightful, with an elderly woman gasping upon sighting Toothless and fainting on the spot, to the openly interested and the secretly assessing. From well-dressed nobles watching Toothless with wonder and hints of fear, to gaggles of young women trying and failing to be discreet as they assessed the viking chief.
Doubtlessly, everyone knew of his arrival, what with his very public entrance into the city. Perhaps his enclosure in the smithy for a full day had also spread, and his absence from the feast yesterday must have been felt. What impression did that make?
Hiccup knew that he was not behaving as he probably should. He'd gone on diplomatic missions before, and they'd all gone without a hitch. Attacking a queen, spurning her invitations, and scaring her subjects did not a good diplomat make. He was certain that if he'd planned this visit and prepared for it, it would have played out a lot more differently.
But he hadn't, and it was too late now. He was a guest at Arendelle and though he was the chief of Berk, he was hardly there in his official capacity. Little more than a tourist, really. So he could be excused if he didn't play the political game and instead indulged in his curiosity, right?
Hiccup snorted. Perhaps if he kept thinking that, he'd eventually believe it.
The entered back into the castle, leaving the beautiful gardens behind.
Through the hallways Ernie led them, and from them into the biggest rooms. The ballroom; nearly cavernous in size, with sleek marble floors and beautiful decorations, though it was deserted currently.
The clock tower, with life-sized human figures and one of the biggest, most elaborate mechanical creations Hiccup had ever seen. After ten minutes of study and three foiled disassembly attempts, Ernie insisted that they move on, much to the viking's consternation.
He showed them the Portrait Room, a very carefully spaced room with the walls lined with beautiful art pieces and comfortable-looking couches.
Up and down floors they went. From the Portrait Room on the ground floor to a grand balcony, four floors up, that gazes out beyond the walls and over the city. Then down and outside again, to the royal stables, where majestic horses slept and ate, tended by the servants. Toothless did not approach, but Hiccup indulged his curiosity and pestered the servants with questions about the care of the animals.
After the stables, Ernie insisted that they go for lunch. Hiccup politely refused to attend a public feast, citing that he wasn't ready yet, nor dressed for it. Ernie accepted and led him and Toothless to what Hiccup recognized was the same room he'd had breakfast, earlier. He was brought much more than he could possibly eat, while Toothless ate half a doe with gusto.
By now Hiccup was beginning to understand how the castle is navigated, but Ernie led them to parts of the castle that he hadn't been before, thus eliminating his progress.
He was brought into the Library. It was a cozy but spacious room, with a fireplace and couches for comfortable reading, and four lines of sizable bookcases.
Something didn't fit right.
"Ernie," Hiccup called, receiving a look from the young man who was watching Toothless like a hawk while the dragon was smelling some books. When he had the servant's attention, he continued. "The wall here is fake, isn't it? The next room in this hallways doesn't start for a good distance yet. I'd say the Library should be twice as big as it is. What's going on?"
"It's not exactly a state secret, but beyond this wall is the royal library. No one is allowed in there but the queen, the princess, the council and the servant in charge of it. Hidden like this, it doesn't present temptation for people who aren't allowed."
Hiccup understood the meaningful look, and raised his hands in a placating gesture.
"I didn't say I wanted in. If it's not allowed then it's not allowed. I was just curious."
"Of course." Ernie said, voice carefully laced with sarcasm. Hiccup resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
They left the Library after that.
"Say, Ernie, can you arrange a meeting between me and madam Gertrude?"
Ernie looked at him, surprised. "The overseer?" Hiccup nodded.
"She seemed like an interesting and down to earth person."
"I will tell Madam Gertrude that you've asked after her."
"Thank you."
They didn't say anything else, because they were suddenly not alone in the hallway. On the opposite side, two men were walking briskly, coming their way.
Hiccup recognized the bald man as the general. What was his name? Mertok? The other person, he did not recognize. Unlike the crisp suits of Arendelle, this man wore a white tunic from neck to feet. He wore something on his head that Hiccup had not seen before, a weird cross between a hat and a turban. His skin was slightly darker, but not overly so. He was younger than the general, but still much older than Hiccup, dark eyes inspecting him and Toothless with open interest.
The two men came to a stop in front of the three of them, and it was only polite for them to stop, as well. Hiccup glanced quickly at Toothless and, upon noticing the dragon's mistrustful gaze, placed a calming hand on his neck.
"Chief Haddock, mister Sherner." The general greeted them, and Hiccup absently remembered that Sherner was Ernie's last name.
"Mister ... Mertok, was it?" Hiccup asked and received a nod from the aging man.
"I am Shad Mertok, Commander General of her majesty's armed forces. This here," he waved at the man next to him, who bowed politely "is Marn Gestar, the Grandlandian ambassador." Hiccup had no idea where Grandland was, or how important it was, but strove to make no show of either.
Gestar bowed again, before speaking. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Chief Haddock."
Hiccup did not correct their use of his title. He felt no inclination to do so. "Likewise, master Gestar."
"It is good to finally meet you. You stirred a lot of interest with your arrival. Many were hoping to meet you yesterday, me included."
"Apologies, master Gestar. I wished not offend anybody."
"No offense was taken, my Lord, none at all. And is this the dragon Toothless, then?" The Grandlandian asked, moving his gaze the the Night Fury. Hiccup's fingers tensed on Toothless' neck. He did not like the calculating look on the man's eyes. Either of them, actually.
"Indeed."
"Magnificent beast." The general said, nodding approvingly. Hiccup rather doubted the general was speaking about Toothless' magnetic personality. The dragon himself reacted to the word beast, slightly withdrawing his lips, hinting at the razor sharp teeth underneath.
"We don't like the word beast." Hiccup said.
"Apologies." Mertok said automatically, and Hiccup again had to repress the urge to scowl. He disliked politicians. He hated having to examine each and every sentence for legitimacy before accepting it.
"It obeys your every command, does it?" The ambassador asked. This time, Hiccup allowed himself to grimace.
"Toothless is a he, and he trusts me, as I trust him."
"Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating."
"Indeed," the general cut in, returning his gaze to Hiccup. "It was an honor to make your acquaintance, Chief Haddock. I wish you the best for the rest of your stay here, and hope that we will meet again before you depart."
"Likewise, general."
"Farewell, for now, Chief Haddock." The Grandlandian said, bowing once again. Hiccup bowed his head respectfully in his direction. With one last lingering look, the two men stepped to the side and passed by Ernie, continuing their way down the hallway.
Hiccup, Ernie and Toothless turned their heads to watch them leave, the dragon growling from deep inside his throat.
"Relax, Toothless." Hiccup murmured.
"Welcome to court politics, Hiccup." Ernie said, before continuing down the corridor.
The young servant led them higher into the castle, into the residential areas. He pointed out the princess' quarters, the queen's old chambers, the abandoned quarters of the old king and queen and the staircase that lead higher still; all the way to the queen's current bedroom, her office and the roof.
Then they went downwards, Ernie intending to lead them back towards the Courtyard and from there to the lighthouse.
"What is this?" Hiccup asked, seeing a pair of half-open doors, big enough to fit even Toothless. Ernie stopped and looked where Hiccup was pointing. He diligently went and opened the doors fully, allowing entry.
The room was relatively spacious, but sported none of the decorations of the rest of the castle. It was mostly made of dark marble, with stone benches, seats and tables along the walls, and a deep depression on the center of the room the perimeter of which was higher than the rest of the floor. Steps lead to the bottom of the hole.
"What is that?" Hiccup asked in wonderment.
"This is the Bath-house." Ernie declared gesturing around the room. Pointing to the depression on the floor, he continued. "This here is the pool. When on use, it fills with water of a controlled temperature. It is, in essence, a giant bathtub like the one in your quarters."
"Why is it empty?"
"There is nothing scheduled for today. It is not as hard to fill it as would seem, but keeping the temperature and purity of the water is quite hard. Hence, we only fill it when necessary."
"Fascinating." And it really was. Hiccup had seen so many things that he desperately wanted to study. He had vowed to visit that clock and figure it out. Now he'd have to do the same with the controlled-temperature pool.
"Quite. Ready to move on?"
"Yeah."
The returned to the part of the castle that Hiccup recognized, intending to visit the Lighthouse and the Chapel. On their way to the Courtyard, the reached a spacious room, almost full of people.
Their arrival hushed all conversation for a few seconds, before the people remembered their manners and returned to their conversation. Hiccup noted people of all shapes, sizes and dress. Peasant and nobles, Arendelle locals and what had to be foreign officials, all standing or sitting in this room. To his left a set of double bronze doors were closed, a pair of guards on each side. To his right, the doors leading to the courtyard.
"Ernie?" he asked quietly. Toothless was eyeing the people with wariness, but thankfully no hostility. Hiccup did not cease rubbing his friend's neck.
"To our left is the Great Hall, otherwise known as the Throne Room. There, Queen Elsa holds court, at the moment."
As if to prove his point, the bronze doors open and a pair of noblemen stepped out. Through the doors, Hiccup saw a grand room, lavishly decorated in deep red. On the far end from the door was a slender golden throne, elevated on a pedestal of three steps, above which the royal crest of Arendelle hang. The ice sorceress sat on the throne in a regal purple dress and the circlet of her post in her braided hair, looking every bit the Queen that she was.
The sides of room were filled with people, all dressed elegantly and obviously important in some way, shape or form. The Queen's Court.
Queen Elsa caught his eye immediately through the doors. A small smile appeared on her face, and Hiccup realized that he was staring and that his mouth was slightly open, a fact that he rectified immediately.
The Queen motioned to her left with her index, and a soldier walked up to the throne. The queen leaned forward and whispered to him, after which he nodded and headed for the bronze doors.
Hiccup had a bad feeling as soon as the guard reached the guards at the door and spoke to them. These two stopped the pair of nobles that had been walking to the doors. They sputtered, citing that it was their turn, but held their silence at the guards' insistence.
The first guard looked at their group and walked up to them, and Hiccup had to fight with himself not to groan or rub his eyes. Ernie took two steps forward, and exchanged a few quiet words with the guard who, upon received a confirmatory nod from the young man, returned inside the room.
The bronze doors closed. Hiccup blinked in confusion.
"What's going on, Ernie?"
"We have been called to present ourselves in the Queen's court. Well, you and Toothless have."
"Then why did the doors just close?"
"It is protocol for foreign royalty to be announced before the doors open to receive them."
Hiccup shook his head, leading Toothless closer to the bronze doors.
"And I suppose the chances of skipping without insulting everyone here and their grandmothers is slim to none?"
"We might make a court politician of you yet, Hiccup." Ernie said, drawing a chuckle from Hiccup.
Through the doors, the sound of his name floated, among other words that he didn't make out. He turned to Ernie, who nodded.
Hiccup straightened his posture and squared his shoulders as the two guards opened the bronze doors. Between him and the Throne was a rich red carpet. On the sides of the room were seats for the courtiers, and there was a door on each side of the opposite wall. Guards lined the walls.
Assuming he had already been announced, Hiccup walked with slow but determined steps through the length of the room. Everything done in this room was for show, and he could give shows. He kept his hand on Toothless' neck. The dragon himself had stood straighter, becoming quite a bit taller in this way, as his neck was no longer stretched forwards. His wings lay half-open, a way to make himself look bigger and more imposing. Judging by the faces of various courtiers, it had worked.
When he reached what he deemed to be a respectable distance from the Queen -not too close, but close enough to hold an equal conversation-, he stopped. He tipped his head and the upper part of his torso respectfully.
Toothless, having long ago learned to recognize when Hiccup needed him to be quiet and still, did so now; keeping himself straight, strong, and covertly menacing.
"Queen Elsa."
"Chief Haddock. With the power vested in me, I officially welcome you to the kingdom of Arendelle."
"Much obliged. It is an honor to be here and witness Arendelle's wonders."
"We welcome and recognize you as the Chief, and therefore representative, of the Viking tribe of Berk. You are welcome to reside here for as long as you so desire."
"Again, many thanks, Queen Elsa."
"A debt owed is a debt that must be paid, Chief Haddock. Arendelle has slighted you, and this we will not forget."
"Banish such thoughts from your mind. I invoke no such debt. Let the meeting between our people be one of equals, not one of responsibility and consequences."
The small smile on the Queen's face widened imperceptibly, but Hiccup caught it, and proverbially grasped it with both hands, grinning in victory.
"A generous offer. Very well, it shall be so. I look forward to negotiations between us. I believe we have much to offer to each other."
"As you say, Queen Elsa."
"You are invited to attend Court, if you so wish. The dragon Toothless is, of course, invited as well."
"I am honored by the invitation, but today I had wished to complete my tour of your magnificent castle. Perhaps in the days to come, I will take you up on it."
"Very well. I hope we see each other soon."
"I very much think we will."
"Have a nice evening, Chief Haddock."
"And to you, Queen Elsa."
"Try to catch the sunset from the west tower. It is truly a sight to behold."
With these parting words, Hiccup bowed his head again and turned on his heel, marching with the same purposeful stride back to the bronze doors, which opened to allow him and Toothless exit. He resisted the urge to look around at the faces of the courtiers, knowing that every set of eyes was trained on him.
Ernie was waiting for them outside. He nodded upon seeing them, and turned on his heels. Together, they all walked outside and to the courtyard, the people giving Toothless a wide berth, as he passed.
"How did it go?" Ernie asked. Hiccup glanced at him, and realized that the servant was fighting back a smile.
"What makes you think it went anything other than perfectly?"
Ernie snorted, but held his tongue. Hiccup relayed the Queen's suggestion to the young man, and Ernie agreed. He decided to combine their destination with the Queen's suggestion, since sundown was nearly upon them.
Sadly, the Lighthouse was not big enough to fit Toothless inside, and the dragon agreed to wait at the entrance. Climbing the winding stairs, the two men found themselves at the top railing, gazing out at the fjord beyond the walls.
"Look." Ernie said simply, as the sun started dipping behind the mountain and the sea, taking an orange-red hue as it did so, and painting the water with the same color.
Hiccup flew a Night Fury, and was no stranger to breathtaking sunsets. On the other hand, his vast experience with them made him all the more able to appreciate the really good ones. This fit in that category, no doubt.
They watched in silent wonder, until the sun was completely gone. Then, reluctantly, Ernie lead them back down, where they reunited with the bored dragon.
"Are you hungry, bud?" The dragon's positive crooning was all the reply either man needed.
"Time for dinner, Hiccup?"
"Yeah. Let me see if I can find the way to that mess room?"
"By all means."
It took a few minutes and two wrong turns, but Hiccup finally lead the three to the room he'd had breakfast and lunch in, grinning triumphantly when he recognized the door, Ernie following behind him diligently.
Inside, it was pretty much a repeat experience of lunch, only with different food varieties and this time parts of wild pig spread out for Toothless. Ernie ate with them at Hiccup's insistence, seating himself apprehensively on the proffered chair next to the viking.
After everyone was fed and watered, they exited the room and Hiccup started walking the path back to his quarters.
"Don't you have anything you want to do, Ernie? Following me around all day must get pretty tiring."
"It is my duty, and it is not unpleasant."
"Nevertheless, you must need some me-time. Go on. I'll be in my quarters; probably draw something or other."
"Are you certain?" Hiccup rolled his eyes.
"Relax. You can report to the Queen that I stayed in my quarters, because that's exactly what I'll do. Staying with me any longer won't help you."
Ernie's face reddened, and he began to speak, talking hurriedly.
"Hiccup, I didn't-"
"Don't lie, Ernie, it's bad form. Of course you did. It makes sense for the Queen to want me watched, and I don't really mind. I promise I won't leave my quarters, so you can go and enjoy yourself in a tavern or whatever it is you youngsters do these days."
Ernie still looked embarrassed and a little lost, but he managed to regain some of his composure.
"Are you sure?" He asked again.
"Yes, I am. Go. We'll see each other again tomorrow, yeah?"
"As you say, Hiccup."
Ernie left them at the door to their quarters, bowed deeply, and walked away.
Hiccup let Toothless inside the room, closed the door and undressed, intending to take a bath. He took his time, relaxing in the warm water and experimenting with the different soaps and creams. He slipped when he got out, but managed to hold onto the basin and thus not break anything, for which he thanked Odin endlessly.
He found the Night Fury scratching the door to the balcony. He clicked it open, allowing Toothless to walk outside and curl around himself on the balcony floor. He rose his head to the sky and crooned sadly.
"I'm sorry we didn't fly today, bud. I'll try to arrange something for tomorrow. It's more complicated than you think."
Toothless dismissed him with a warbling sound and a shove of his tail. Hiccup left him to his moping. He'd come around eventually. He noted his original clothes and armor, perfectly clean, folded and placed at the foot of his bed near his bags.
He sat himself on his desk after taking his notebook in hand. He scribbled some of his thoughts on it, blessedly using ink. An hour later, he began working on his sketch of the castle again, now better able to put details, having seen it up close.
Eventually sleepiness overtook him. After a massive yawn worthy of any dragon, he undressed in order to go to bed. Outside, it was completely dark and he could only barely make out Toothless' sleeping form. He took the time to unlatch his prosthetic, and positively melted on the soft mattress, letting out a soft sigh.
He was out like a light not long after that.
~H~
He was woken up by the banging on his door. His eyes snapped open as he sprang to a sitting position, holding his dagger aloft and looking around wildly. He gaze locked onto the door, at the same time as someone banged on it again.
"Chief Haddock, wake up." Someone from outside the door shouted. "Open this door, chief Haddock." They called again, banging once more for good measure.
"Who is it?" Hiccup called cautiously, getting out of the bed but not letting go of the knife. He haphazardly latched the absolutely necessary straps of his prosthetic so he'd be able to at least stand and move a bit. Toothless had woken up and was standing on the threshold of the balcony, growling menacingly at the door.
Instead of a reply, whoever was outside threw the doors open. Soldiers poured inside, armed to the teeth and more than Hiccup could count with a glance.
"What is this?" He shouted, but the soldiers paid him no mind. They arranged themselves around his side of the room, surrounding him. The ones with the halberds lowered them towards him and Toothless, while the rest with the crossbows took aim.
Toothless roared and closed the distance between them, placing himself between him and the soldiers. He let out a menacing cry again, and the soldiers faltered. Wisps of gas were already escaping the sides of his maw.
"Recall your dragon, Chief Haddock. We mean you no harm!" The leader of the group of soldiers, holding a halberd, called. Hiccup very much doubted that, but he had to avoid a fight. With so many halberds and crossbows against them in such an enclosed space, they had no hope of winning.
"Toothless, back!" He commanded, and the Night Fury relented, taking a few steps back and lowering himself, but not leaving his spot between Hiccup and the soldiers.
"Apologies for barging in, but we need to search your quarters. We're looking for some people, and we need to make sure they're not here. Then, we will leave you in peace."
Hiccup frowned at the soldier. Neither he nor his colleagues had lowered their weapons.
"Alright, you can look. Just don't shoot, yeah?"
The leader nodded, and raised his halberd to the normal position. After this, the rest of the soldiers stopped aiming at them. Half the group moved around them, to search the room, the wardrobe and the bathroom.
Hiccup cautiously moved around Toothless, patting him on the head to calm him. The dragon was still growling quietly, feeling trapped inside the walled room and with so many armed soldiers. Hiccup hushed him and rubbed his head, and slowly Toothless relaxed, though he remained guarded.
Leaving Toothless, he approached the leader of the guards.
"What's this about? What happened?"
The leader removed his helmet, looking at the viking gravely.
"There's been an attack on the Queen."
~H~