Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Disney/Dreamworks/Game of Thrones characters, locations, and/or terms. I am just a humble weaver unraveling cloths of stories to thread together and create a new pattern. If you would like to read the info and details of this fic, or if you are confused about some characters' names, you may go to the Preface section. Thank you!

HICCUP

"Our father sends his deepest regrets for his absence," Lord Harisha spoke, but Hiccup could see the man was nervous, and the lady behind him, his sister as Hiccup recalled, glowered like a tiger. "And wishes the prince a long and prosperous life."

"Thank you," Hiccup muttered with a small smile.

He felt his father's massive form stir on the throne. Hiccup gulped. "The Prince would like to thank Lord Shifu for his well wishes and forgives his absence at such a momentous occasion." His father paused, and Hiccup could feel his glance. "He would also like to extend to the attendees of House Mu the hospitality of the realm, that it is at your service as you are to it."

"On behalf of House Mu, a great many thanks."

"How is your father, Lord Harisha?"

"He is well, Your Grace. He is hard at work, providing the same training my siblings and I had to the… rightful heir of the Valley."

"I do imagine. Priming an heir can be an arduous job."

The entire conversation between the lord and the king was spent with Hiccup staring at the floor, not once saying a single word. Majority of his talk with the court ended this way, and not just tonight at the banquet. The courtesan would speak, ask him a question or his opinion, and he would reply in sparse, sometimes one-word, comments. If he were required more than that, he would often stumble over his words and go to lengthy and confusing dialogue until his father stopped him. At which point his father would take over and answer for him, rendering him silent, trying hard not to leave.

When Lord Harisha and his siblings left, Hiccup could see in the corner of his eye that his father had requested the greetings to the prince to cease.

"Hiccup," there it was, that voice that his father used when he had been a disappointment. Hiccup said nothing and continued to stare at the floor.

"You are the heir to the throne, someday to be king. Mere mumbles do not a king make. Shout, to be heard. Look up, to see. It is our duty and our burden. You were born for this."

"I was not," Hiccup said, his gaze unmoving. Born for Berk, perhaps. But not for Thronos. Not for Animare. "May I be excused?"

"You are expected to receive the guests tonight," his father's voice then unusually softened. "But as it is your celebration…" he sighed. "I shall tell them you are feeling ill."

"Many thanks, Your Grace," Hiccup shouldn't have said that, but he suddenly felt a little bit reckless tonight. He bowed a little lower than the formal manner to add to his sarcastic remark, and walked to his room, the whole time avoiding looking at his father.

Hiccup slowed as he climbed up the steps of Incantare. The castle was a large structure, full of turrets and towers. From his history lessons with Grand Maester Mim, Hiccup knew that it was based on the Linna belief that their gods all lived in a castle built where they could see the shooting star that fell every few hundred or so years. But this castle, even if he had been living in it for more than half of his life now, still did not feel like home.

He ran his hands on the cold cobbles. He never belonged here. The distant memories of his childhood in Berk brought more warmth to him than any of the hot summers in Thronos combined. It had been years since he was there, but he could still feel the salty sea air that cooled his face, smell the pine trees in the woods he lost himself in, hear the songs of the grandmothers that put him to sleep. And there, when he slept, he could still get a glimpse of a pair of light green eyes and a sweet voice that he never knew to whom it belonged to. That memory (or was it just a dream?) was long gone now. Ever since he arrived in realm's capital it had slowly faded away to nothing more than a flash of green and silence.

He took the spiral staircase to the second tallest tower that led to his room. Locking the door behind him, Hiccup staggered to the bed and lay on his back. His eyes found the banner hanging on the back of the door bearing the Haddock sigil of the black dragon on red.

"When you wear it, you carry all of us with you." Hiccup mimicked his father's tone during his last name day, when the banner was given as a gift.

Stoick Haddock was a proud man, fierce and wise. Growing up, Hiccup heard tales of his father's legendary rebellion. Animare was in a state of famine and desolation under the rule of the last Leolin king, Taka. The Lusine faction banded together to overthrow the incompetent ruler, and Stoick the Vast, known for his colossal build that rivaled Fergus Dunbroch, ascended the throne as chosen by the houses of Lusine. It took him years to rebuild what was lost, and when the realm was as stable as he could make of it, he took his son from Berk to be brought up in Thronos as the next king of Animare. Hiccup was eight. It had been ten years since then.

A knock interrupted his thoughts. There was only one person in the entire castle who would want to speak to him other than his father on any other occasion than a court meeting. Hiccup crossed the distance from the bed to the door. He took a deep breath before unlocking the door and pulling it open. A wide grin greeted him.

"A very happy name day to you, Prince Hiccup."

"I am in no mood for talks, Gobber." Hiccup said, but let the man in anyway.

Gobber was a long time friend of his father's, and no one was surprised when he was named the Hand of the King. The man lost his leg during the rebellion, and now walked on a peg leg. If Hiccup was honest with himself, and he tried to be most of the time, Gobber was his only friend in Thronos. Perhaps even the whole of Animare. Gobber not only offered advice to Stoick; Hiccup also sought counsel with him.

The alternating clunk of Gobber's peg leg filled in the silence before he sat down on a cushioned chair with a groan. "Do not make me find you up here again. I am too old for this."

"One is never too old to give advice, nor seek it." Hiccup echoed Grand Maester Mim's many reflections that he shared with the young Haddock.

"I was not saying it was the… Oh, never you mind," waving his hand, Gobber sat back on the chair. "Your father told me about what had happened earlier."

"Is there a point to this discussion? Because we have talked about this so many times before I have already lost count."

The Hand of the King rolled his eyes, so different from the persona he put on in public. "And yet you never learn. Hiccup, you are a man grown."

"Not in a few days."

"Does that make any difference?"

Hiccup sat on his bed. "Perhaps I should be a smith instead. I am no king. Astrid is better than I am, and she's a woman."

"So many women are better than you," Gobber stretched before closing his eyes. "Lady Chanda for one. And Lady Naga as well, since we are on House Mu. Lady Pocahontas Wayra. Lady Mulan Li. I have even heard tale of the common wife of the heir of Theos in Animat who defied a shadowmancer to save her husband."

"Where are we going with this? I understand; I am such a failure that I should be the one in skirts." Hiccup could feel the tears sting.

"I did not say that. The Princess of Nedakh, Kida, was her father's only child. He groomed her to be a leader, and she did not protest. Now she is one, and a fairly good one at that. You are born the son of a king, Stoick's heir. You are to rule over Animare, regardless of you being a man or not."

Hiccup looked at Gobber, and Gobber opened an eye to look at him. "Then Astrid should rule."

"Astrid is a warrior. She is no more a leader than Snotlout is."

"Snotlout is neither."

Gobber shrugged. "That is an accurate observation, but he's a better warrior than you."

"Can warriors be leaders?" Hiccup wondered aloud. "Astrid is-"

"Astrid has found herself into more of our conversations as of late. Has the prince given his heart away?" Gobber teased.

Hiccup felt himself burn up. "N-no!" he stammered, and Gobber's grin grew wider. "No!"

"As it pleases you, Prince Hiccup," Gobber stood up with a wink and clunked to the door.

Hiccup wanted to ask if that was meant as something more, but decided against it. "Are you going back to the banquet?"

"I have to. I was the one who took your place." Gobber chuckled, then his smile became grim. "Think about what we have talked about. No more of… this." Gobber waved his hand in Hiccup's general direction.

"You just gestured to all of me."

"Exactly," said Gobber before exiting the room.

The door closed, and Hiccup was left to stare at the banner fluttering slightly as if to mock him. He growled in frustration and walked to the window to let the wind cool his face. The moon was full and glowing, and yet, as Hiccup stared, a dark blur passed over it in the blink of an eye.

A/N: Reviews would be lovely :) Thanks!