Chapter 2

I could hear the small tapping of feet down the hall as a maid came to wake me. "By the virgin…" I muttered under my breath. I didn't want to deal with any of them this morning, especially after another hefty fencing lesson with uncle Pitch. I had bruises all over from where the sabre had poked harshly into me. With a deep sigh I decided I would at least have some fun with it. As the footsteps grew closer, they became identifiable as Juiliara's, light and staccato. I flipped myself out of bed and walked over to the window. Throwing the curtains open, I stood in the bright morning light with my back to the door.

(Juiliara's POV)

I took a moment to smooth my dress and tidy my hair when I arrived at the prince's door. The prince had been sneaking out before sunrise more and more often, so it probably wouldn't matter what I looked like anyway… but still. I knocked lightly at the hard, dark wood of the door and waited for a response. I looked around the wide hallway around me, taking in the magnificence of the castle. It really was a luxurious place to work in. I loved every part of it, even looking after the rascal liege. With no answer, I knocked once more, a little harder this time. I was sure it would be to no avail, but this was how things were done. You didn't give up on the prince unless you absolutely had to.

A few moments later, after hearing no indication that he was awake, I opened the door. "Prince Horrendous it's ti-!"

In front of me stood Prince Horrendous. He was illuminated by the light from the window that shone through his white nightshirt… and there was something I knew none of the other girls had ever seen before. "U-um! I'm sorry, y-your highness! I thought you were still sleeping. I-I'll go fetch a change of clothes right away!" I fumbled, trying to find my reason. Prince Horrendous turned around, a small smile on his face. "Oh, good morning, Juiliana. I'm sorry I didn't hear you knock. Thank you."

My heart pounded in my chest. I bowed slightly and left the room quickly. Reaching a hand up to feel the blooming blush on my checks, I found them hot and red. With fast steps I rushed down to the kitchen to find all the other girls waiting anxiously for my news. I leaned against a wall, finally safe. The girls looked on with wonder and curiosity and I was soon buried under a tidal wave of questions. "What is it?" "Ooh! Something happened didn't it?!" "You're blushing…" "What did he do?!"

I walked over to the small wooden table in the middle of room and sat down, fanning myself lightly with one hand. "So I went to go wake the prince up as usual, knocking once, then twice. Then I walked in the room, thinking he wasn't going to be there… oh but he was! You know that white nightshirt he's so fond of for the softness… and how it's been worn down by so many washings? Well, he was standing up by the light of the window and as I walked in and… it was just… there!"

I snickered quietly to myself as Juiliana's footsteps retreated back down the hallway. Well, that would keep them out of my hair for a little while at least. I threw on a simple brown and green tunic, one of my favorites, and some other clothes and headed out the door. Before long, I found myself outside, walking towards the stables. It was yet another beautiful summer morning, and the sun hadn't risen enough to reach its usual blistering temperature. Dew still lined the grass and soaked into my shoes as I heard distant whinnies protruding from the stables.

I made my way over to Toothless, a sturdy black stallion I had recently taking a liking to. His eyes shined with excitement and bestial anticipation for a run. "Morning, bud." I greeted him, retrieving his saddle and lead. I secured them tightly around his middle and opened the gate to let him out. When we had made it into the open air, I swung myself atop him, patted his neck, and wrapped my hand around a bit of his hair (I wasn't too fond of reins, saddles were uncomfortable enough without something stuck in your mouth). I clicked my heels gently into his side, telling him it was okay to go.

He took off faster than a rabbit, making my hair fly backwards and my heart beat faster. It was the most incredible feeling, almost like flying on the ground. Toothless' stride was so smooth you could barely feel his gallop as we raced across the yard toward the gardens. There were still a few jumping hurdles set up from the last time I had taken Stormfly for a ride, so I led him over to them by gently tugging at his mane. When he saw them, he immediately picked up speed. Somehow that was still possible, even though the speed we had been going at before was faster than any other horse I'd ever had. Coming to the first hurdle, he leaped over with grace and strode over to the next, jumping it with equal finesse.

We had almost gotten to a third hurdle when I heard a shout coming from the direction of the castle. I turned around to see Aster waving to me from the garden's side door. To my surprise, beside him stood the white-haired prisoner from a few weeks ago. Intrigued, I ran Toothless back over to where they stood. "Morning, Aster." I addressed him, giving a small nod. I wasn't sure if I should be guarded or not with the stranger at his side, but Aster wanted me to meet him, so he couldn't be all that bad. "Mornin', my prince. There's someone I'd like yah to meet." He said, stepping back to leave Jack in full view. "Prince Horrendous, this is Jack Frost, the new stable boy we've been lookin' for... Jack, this is the lone high prince of Berk, Prince Horrendous Haddock the third."

When I'd imagined a prince Horrendous, this was the furthest thing from what I had in mind. He had a kind smile, and bright green eyes still widely open from his morning ride with a slight form that looked elegant and strong all at once. I bowed from the waist in respect, but he waved a hand at the gesture. "Thank you… but please don't… It's a pleasure to meet you, Jack Frost. And tell me… just how long has Aster been keeping you a secret? I thought the stables had been cleaner lately." He threw a playful glance at Aster, who shrugged. "Hide? I think of it more as givin' him time to train without his royal highness interfering."

Prince Horrendous rolled his eyes, "'Come off it! Have you seen the girls? I'd be surprised if you had." He asked with a mischievous smirk. Aster raised an eyebrow to this, "No I haven't… and why exactly would you be surprised?" The prince just chuckled and avoided the question, "Doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll hear all about it later today anyway." Without another word, he rode off back towards the closest hurdle, jumping it swiftly and then heading back for the stables.

The prince had been… radiant. That was the best word I had to describe him. Aster laughed softly at my side, "That boy never learns." He said, shaking his head. "C'mon, Jack. You've got enough free time to come help me with those petunias in the shaded garden." He told me, and I followed with a sigh. It was nice to be able to work with my hands in the sun. It was something I'd never had the time to do before. Before the crusades, my father had been teaching to become a blacksmith like him, but that was over in a matter of weeks since we were forced to flee the country. The flowers had a nice smell and the air in the mountains was clear and fresh after the weeks of being trapped inside the dungeon. Though it had taken Bunnymund some time to warm up to me, he had eventually become kinder. "So, who are these 'girls' the prince was referring to earlier?" I asked.

Aster picked up a small trowel, digging into the soft Earth of a flower bed. "The prince's personal maids. There's four of them in total and they are the most scatter-brained and silly creatures the world has ever known." He said, blowing at some of the gray hair that fell onto his face. I stood astounded, "Four? Why on Earth would anyone need four personal maids?!" I asked. Aster shrugged, "It's not that much really. His father has eleven, and his mother, seventeen." I blinked a few times, wondering how great it must be to have seventeen people cater to your every need. "Ok then, so why does he keep so few?" I asked, still curious. Aster nodded to himself in thought. "The prince… he's modest. He doesn't really care to exploit his wealth since he feels he doesn't deserve it, which he does. Honestly, he'd make a bettah king than his hot-headed fathah, always dragging the bloody country to war. People see it as brave… but it's foolish. I didn't say that, though, you hear me?" He said, giving me a warning look. I raised my dirt caked hands, "I won't say anything, thief's honor." I told him, and went back to my work.

The day in the garden passed quickly before me. I fell into bed and slept better than I had in years, to wake to another day much the same as the last. It was still before sunrise, but I walked into the small servant's kitchen where I grabbed a piece of bread and butter as breakfast and headed towards the stables for work. I heard someone inside, and assumed it was Aster fixing something. "Bunnymund? What are you doing up so early, you old goat?" I asked, turning the corner. Instead of finding Aster, though, I found the prince standing beside the stall housing the same horse he'd been riding yesterday, gently stroking its nose. "Oh! I'm sorry, your highness. I thought you were Mr. Bunnymund…" I apologized. The prince laughed lightly at my folly and beckoned me forward with a wave of his hand. "Good morning… Jack, was it?" I nodded. "Yes, sire." I said, trying to keep formal. The prince looked saddened by the title though. "Ah… that's very kind of you, but I prefer conversation without titles getting in the way. Please, call me Hiccup. It's a moniker of sorts, since I know my other name doesn't fit too well." He laughed a little, then continued, "Aster gave it to me years ago after a bout of Hiccups I'd had while learning to ride a horse, which had caused the horse to buck me off into the river. Ever since, he's never addressed me as Horrendous unless we were in the midst of company." He explained, laughing some more at the familiar memory.

I grinned as well, wondering how my previous perception of princes and royals in general had been so wrong. I used to think they were all just pompous pigs with more money than they knew how to spend yet still felt it wasn't enough. That was the way the king of my old country had been, drinking his subjects dry. That wasn't the case for prince… Hiccup, however. It seemed almost as though he was ashamed of being a royal, something I couldn't really understand. I walked closer to the stall with the magnificent black stallion inside. "He's one of the finest of the team, fast as lightning." I told him, as if he didn't already know that.

Prince Hiccup nodded fervently. "Isn't he? Even though he isn't a show horse, he'll definitely make a good war horse… if I could bring myself to use him, that is. I don't think I could, though. It would feel like condemning him to death." He said, lowering his face to the horse's. "I'm spoiled like that, I suppose. Once I get attached to animal I can't let it go… been like that ever since I was little. Anyway, do you ride?" He asked unexpectedly. I nodded my head. "Yes, but never for pleasure, really, only if I had somewhere to go." I told him, not wanting to give away too much. He nodded, "Is Aster expecting you soon?" He asked. I took the hint, somewhat disappointed, "Oh, no, not yet… but I'll leave you to your riding." I told him, backing away. Suddenly he reached out to pull my sleeve, stopping me. "No! Um… I mean, please, would you care to ride with me? I-If you're not busy, that is." He said.

I blinked for a moment, "Um… Prince Hiccup, are you sure that would be alright? Wouldn't it seem strange to be riding with your servant?" I asked him, pondering the strange request. The prince's eyes lit up with hope. "Oh no, no! None of the nobles to whom it would really matter will be up for at least another hour… and I'm sure none of my other assistants will care. They know I like to involve everyone when I can." He said. I took note of his blatant non-use of the word servant, wondering if it was yet another title that made him uncomfortable. "Well… if that's the case then it would be an honor." I said, happy to accept the offer. A large grin flew over the prince's face, "Wonderful! It's been ages since I had a riding partner… apart from my idiot cousin, Snotlout." The prince sighed in remembrance of Snotlout, who I assumed he wasn't very fond of. "Well, choose whichever horse you like. They're all mine apart from the two nearest the entrance. Those belong to my father and mother exclusively." He said, leading Toothless out of the small stall to saddle him.

I did as I was told, choosing a light blonde horse named Stormfly. I had noticed he was the second fastest horse in the team during the few days I had spent watching them roam and run around the castle. He stayed put as I saddled and reined him. By the time I was done, prince Hiccup was already outside. "Sorry to keep you waiting… Are you going to ride without reins?" I asked him, wondering if he had simply forgotten them. He shook his head. "I don't use reigns. They're trained well enough to do without them." He said. I shook my head at the unconventional prince. "Alright, then. Lead the way, my prince." I said. I figured he wouldn't get angry over that title since Aster had called him that yesterday. He nodded and gave the signal for Toothless to go. I followed close behind him, feeling the early morning wind as the first traces of sunlight trailed through the trees.

It was a strange thing to ride a horse for fun. I felt myself trying to look back over my shoulder a few times, an old habit from running away all the time. We galloped around the castle just chatting for a while. Another strange idea I'd had about nobles was that they couldn't think for themselves, but Hiccup had opinions and philosophies on everything. His musings were of an innocent nature, as you could tell he had been quite sheltered from the world, but they were definitely his own. It was nice just to listen to him speak, even though he had this strange awkward stuttering about him that told me he wasn't very used to normal pleasant conversation. You wouldn't notice it when there were only a few words to be spoken, but when he got heated on a particular subject he would stammer. It was quite endearing, I thought, to have such a different way of seeing things.

When we were finished, the sun had risen fully. We led our horses back to the stables and carefully took off their saddles and reins. "That was great! We should really do that again sometime!" He said, a smile playing on his lips. I gave him a smile of my own, "Any time, my prince." I told him. It really had been fun to just ride and talk like we had, and I had taken a liking to the future king's company. In the brief silence before our good-byes, there came a calling through the courtyard. "Oh no…" prince Hiccup lamented, dragging a hand down his face. "Well, so much for slipping past them today." He said, straightening his tunic and brushing the horse hair off himself. I looked at him in confusion, "Is something wrong?" I asked, wondering what had happened to upset him so.

He took a heavy sigh, as if his next word weighed him down terribly. "That's the girls… and I don't have any flowers as an excuse." He said. I tilted an eyebrow in question, but decided to leave it as their voices neared the entrance to the stables. "Prince Horrendooooous!" "Yoohoo!" "It's time for your breakfast, your majesty!" The prince stepped forward and closed his eyes, preparing for the girls heading his way. They entered the open doorway to the stables with cries of joy as they laid their eyes on the prince. "Oh there you are!" They squealed in unison, straightening their skirts and hair. Hiccup pulled his back straight and pulled up a charming grin for them. "Good morning, girls! Oh my, did I forget to leave a note again? I'm so terribly sorry. I was just going out for a ride with Jack, have you met him? He's the new stable boy Aster found."

I stood silent for a moment, taking in the abrupt change in the prince. He nodded at me encouragingly, and said to introduce myself. I stepped forward, nodding to the girls. "Good morning, ladies. You are Prince Hic- I mean, Prince Horrendous' personal maids, correct?" I asked. They all stood silent for a moment, whispering between themselves and blushing. Finally, one of the taller girls with blonde frizzy hair spoke out. "Oh, yes, we are, Mr…?" She asked, clutching lightly at her skirts while the others giggled around her. "Jack, Jack Frost, no mister." I told her, keeping a polite smile on my face for the prince's sake. No wonder he had tried to avoid them.

"Well, Jack Frost, we'll probably see you around then… but now it's time for the prince to come in for breakfast. His uncle is already at the table waiting for him…" At this, the prince's smile faded. "Oh… is he? I… shouldn't keep him waiting. Excuse me please, girls." He said, exiting without a goodbye. All of the girls' faces dropped after he left. "I wonder why he does that?" "Well, his uncle is cruel…" "I wish there were some way to help him." The girls bemoaned. "Excuse me, girls, but why is breakfast with his uncle such a bad thing?" I asked them. They all directed their full attention back to me again. "Well… his uncle is Duke Pitch… an atrocious man still sore over his brother's rule." "He takes it out on the prince, I suppose, as a way to get back at his brother." "It's so sad… whenever you so much as mention his uncle's name, the prince gets terribly depressed…"

Their sad testimonies left me speechless. It was disheartening to see the prince, who's light had been so brilliant, seem so cold. I dismissed myself from the girls (finding it easier said than done) and went to find Aster in one of the gardens. "So, have a nice ride with the prince there?" he asked, obviously put off by my earlier absence. I nodded with a guilty smile, "Yes, I did… but he had to scurry off to his uncle, I suppose." I told him, to which his face dropped much like the prince's had. "Why that nasty old-! What business has he got with Hiccup this early in the mornin'?!" Somehow he had known that the prince would tell me the nick-name during our ride, and I laughed inwardly at how I had been so easily accepted between the two of them. "Breakfast. The girls came and found him not too long ago." I told him, picking up my tools and setting to work at his side. Aster looked put off by the news and huffed slightly, but said nothing more on the subject.

LB

I tried to look as best I could, not wanting my uncle to find anything wrong with my attire, at least. He would always find something wrong with me, from the habit of crossing my ankles (caused by being too short for the chairs most of my life) to the way I held my spoon just a little bit off to his liking, it would never be good enough. I entered the grand dining room where he sat, waiting. "You're late." He hissed, first thing. I knew better than to expect a good-morning from him by then. "I'm very sorry. Good-morning, Duke Pitch." I greeted, hating the sound of it as the words left my lips. The last thing I wanted to do was wish him a good morning. He huffed in disappointment and waited for me to sit down, carefully watching my ankles. "Don't make such noise when you push your chair in, it's unbecoming." He said. Like always, he found the smallest of things wrong. All I could do was quietly sit back and apologize.

Breakfast went on like this for far too long. When he had finally left, I gave a huge relieved sigh. "How much longer is he planning to stay?" I asked Earl Sand, who had come in to give me the schedule for the day. He shrugged, a man of few words, and gave me a small piece of paper with the day's itinerary. It was brief. I wouldn't have much to do apart from a few fittings and a meeting with… who was that?

Earl Sand was already gone before I could ask, replaced by the girls, who had come to take up the dishes. "Would one of you mind drawing a bath for me, please? Oh, and lay out something nice, it seems I've got some company later on tonight." I instructed them before leaving the room. I snuck into the library for some quiet privacy while waiting for the bath and pulled out a few collective poetries given to my Grandfather before I was born. Neither my father nor my mother had any use for them, so I was happy to read the lyrics to my heart's content. The girls found me when I had read a third of the way through the book to tell me the bath was ready. I reluctantly sat the book aside for later and followed them back to the bath. I thanked them lightly, then sank into the warm soapy water. They had scented it again, this time with roses. I didn't mind really, I liked the smell, but I was sure my uncle would find it much too feminine and scold me for it later on.

I sank myself deeper into the water, trying to push him from my mind by humming a hymn I'd heard not too long ago. There was a large window at the foot of the bath, the purpose of which I had never guessed apart from to look at the unique rose garden outside. The smell matched the scenery, something simple that made me happy. I scrubbed at my sides and back with a new soap that lathered well, adding even more bubbles to the water's surface. It was peaceful, and I made myself relax as best as I could, wondering about the meeting that would take place later that day. I felt myself becoming dangerously close to falling asleep when there came a noise from outside. I looked out over the foot of the bath to see Jack and Aster coming to tend the rose garden. They were talking about something, but the window made it impossible to hear. I scrubbed through my hair one last time before getting out, the soap burning my eyes when I wasn't careful. When I had reached the small dress table, I noticed there was a strange lack of towels. "Ummm… Oh dear."

I called out to the girls to see if one of them could hear me, but they were probably straightening things up around my hall. Extremely aware of the two gardeners outside, I tried to hide pathetically behind the table (which only came to my waist). I considered wrapping myself in a rug, but that wouldn't do. I looked up with a worried expression, only to meet the rather confused gaze of Jack, who then proceeded to laugh merrily as a ruby red blush painted my cheeks. "Oh Dammit!" I cursed, covering up everything as best as I could. "GIRLS!" I yelled, extremely embarrassed by this point. There was a small scurrying of heeled feet as one of them knocked on the door. "Yes, Prince Horrendous? Is everything alright?"

I took a few breaths to calm myself, all whilst under the laughter-filled stare of Jack. Honestly, had it been any other Prince he would've been beheaded. The nerve… "Yes, girls, you forgot the towel… again." I told them, rubbing at my face with one hand as if the red on my cheeks would wipe off. They all gave little enlightened gasps and Elizabell quickly ran into the room with her eyes covered. "Thank you." I said, before turning her in the direction of the door again. I couldn't get the towel on fast enough, tying it tightly around my waist. She had brought in a smaller towel and robe in as well, which I used to dry my hair and cover up with once I was dry. When I looked back over to the window, Jack had gone back to work in the dirt, but he turned around just long enough to wink at me before Aster slapped him on the back of the head. I didn't think my blush could grow any deeper, but it had, miraculously.

I walked back to my room petrified and unsure of how I would be able to face Jack the next time I saw him. Shedding the robe, I pulled on some clothes and climbed into a large cushioned chair in the corner of my room. I buried my face in a pillow, unwilling to go out in the state I was in. I didn't know why it bothered me so much, since I had been bathed by assistants (due to my mother's insistence) up until the age of fifteen. Perhaps it was his laughter, or maybe the wink? I slapped softly at my cheeks, hoping to force the thoughts out of my mind, and stood. I would force myself out of my sulk. I had a meeting. I couldn't be bothered with useless emotions while acting properly before company. After combing my hair, I took back off into the hallway towards the library.

As I neared the dining hall, however, I was confronted by distant shrieks and terrified screams. My embarrassment forgotten for the moment, I jogged down the hall to find the table swarmed in a mess of assistants. "What's going on here?!" I asked, frightened by all the commotion. Many of the women were crying, their tears falling down in discolored splotches on their skirts. The room grew quiet as they decided who should answer me before Aster stepped forward. He spoke softly, where no one else would hear. "I'm… so sorry, Hiccup… It's your mother." He took a long, deep breath before continuing,

"…She's been poisoned.

Aaaaaaaand... cue the plot!

This is already going so much smoother than Funny Name was like woooooowwwww.

Anywhoo, enjoy your cliffhanger *winks*