Chapter 5

I was working in one of the East end gardens alone when there came the sound of a door opening and closing softly. I turned around to see prince Hiccup, his face ruddy and hair windblown. He was panting so I assumed he had been running. After catching a few quick breaths he pushed away from the door and jogged swiftly away towards one of the sheds, too preoccupied to take notice of me. I looked back at the door he had come through before hearing the raucous laughter from inside. Pinning that as the reason he had been running, I realized that maybe his previous nerves were slightly justified. I wondered what had him running away so fast and abandoned my work to go stalk out the shed. When I got there I found him "hiding" behind a few hay bales. Pushing away some of the straw I tapped his shoulder. He jumped up, screaming slightly before landing once again on the wall. "Woah there! Take it easy, it's just me." I told him, smiling at the small scream. The prince let out a huge sigh of relief before letting his head roll back to the wall behind him. "Sorry… I thought you were one of them." He said. "Terrible trio's got you running, hm?" I walked over to sit down beside him. He nodded, "Yeah," I watched as he still worked to catch his breath. "I hate running."

I laughed, elbowing him in the side. "Not me. It feels like it's been ages since I sprinted. You run through enough forests with royal guards on your tail, and you learn to love running. After a while, it's the only thing that feels safe. Honestly, it still feels strange to have been in one place this long." I told him. Now that he knew about my past anyway I had nothing to hide. He pulled is legs up to his chest and laid his head down on his arms. "Maybe you're right. But if you spend enough time in one place you get scared of going anywhere else." He said. I nodded, he had a point there. To each his own I guess. "Are you alright?" I asked, still curious. He nodded, "I'm fine it's just… gods I could really use a drink." He said. I raised my eyebrows, "That bad, huh?" I asked. He chuckled softly, "Mm-hmm, they're all more than deserving of my name."

Just then there came a scream as someone ran out a side door of the castle. It was a woman's (that or a very effeminate man's) voice, and judging by the overly high pitch… "Gods! Now they're after the girls?!" Hiccup complained in disbelief, dragging a hand down his face. He stood up, brushing away the straw from his clothes. I was surprised he could be so calm considering what had happened that morning in the stables. I'd had a bit more experience so it was easier to prepare myself, but Hiccup seemed almost as if he was too distracted to notice or had just forgotten completely. For some reason this brought out a childish possessiveness in me. Even though I knew it was for the best, I didn't want him to forget. I stood up beside him and put out a hand to stop him as he tried to leave. "Hmm? Is something wrong?" He asked, looking about himself like he had missed a piece of straw somewhere. I breathed a laugh, seeing an opening, "Here," I said, pulling myself closer to him and wrapping my arm around the back of his head. I twisted my fingers in his hair, pretending to fish something out. When I had succeeded in getting him to blush, I threw the invisible piece of straw somewhere behind him. I dragged my hand intentionally soft across his shoulder as I let my arm drop. "You're getting a bad habit of forgetting to check your hair." I told him, resisting the urge to wink.

He nodded quickly and looked away "T-Thank you. I'm, um, I'm probably late for supper though so I'll just... see you in the morning, then." He choked out. I gave him a smile, knowing full well what I had just done to the poor boy. "Alright, then. See you soon." I told him, already knowing that he would see me again before morning came. The little pocket in the back of my mind filled with potentially risky ideas had just provided me with the most wonderful thought...

I had gotten dressed for bed a little earlier than usual, but the sun had already set. I walked across the long rug leading to my bed, stretching out my sore arms where too many "playful" punches had been lodged over the last few hours. My neck had gone stiff again despite Jack's small massage that morning. Just thinking about the way his hands felt made something inside me go warm, even though I didn't want to admit so. I took off my robe, letting it fall into a pile on the floor before crawling under the covers. The bed was warm and inviting after the hectic day filled with Snotlout and the twins. Somehow they had managed to break the corner off of a hefty wooden table in one of the common rooms. That would have to be taken away before anyone else arrived and replaced before anyone could take notice. Just how rough did you have to be to take off the corner of a three-inch-thick hardwood table with no sort of apparatus to aid in said destruction? I shook my head into the soft pillow, trying to chase the annoying thoughts of my cousin away. I let myself sink into the bed, and closed my eyes…

…

Tink tink

…

Tink tink tink

…

Tink tink-ta-tink tink

Reluctantly pulling myself back from almost-sleep, I opened an eye to see what was causing the annoying tap. I yanked myself up into a half sitting position, and turned to look out the window. "Jack?!" I asked, before realizing I had somewhat yelled it. I covered my mouth with one hand, trying to make sense of it. Jack perched atop the stone bannister that outlined the balcony outside my room. I pushed off the blankets and slid out of bed, my feet hitting the rug before the cold wood. I had to fiddle with the lock on the delicate glass door before I was able to open it. I was greeted with a warm summer night breeze, a stark change to the interior of the mostly stone and marble castle. Jack smiled, "Miss me? I brought you a present." He said, lifting up a bag at his side. "Didn't think you'd want to wait until morning for it." I propped myself against the doorway in disbelief. "How did you get up here?" I asked. He grinned devilishly, "I'm a thief, remember? This kind of thing is my specialty." He answered, reclining further on the banister. "You're going to fall." I told him, coming over to his side. He waved a hand at me dismissively, "No I won't. I'm not a klutz like you."

I gasped in mock offense, "Me? A klutz?! Noooo." I said, leaning on the banister near where he sat. "Careful, little prince. We don't want you to fall off the edge now." He teased, knocking me playfully in the shoulder. I blew him off with a sigh and a wave of my hand. "So," I said, pushing his calf over the edge of the banister to where he was forced to step fully onto the balcony, "You brought me a present?" I asked, getting back to the original point. His mouth tilted up at the corners as he handed me the bag. It was heavier than I had thought it was going to be. I opened it to find a bottle of wine inside. Laughing, I pulled it out of the bag "So you brought me a drink." I said, remembering my comment in the shed. "Compliments of Miss Juliana." He said. "Juliara." I corrected him. "You'd better get it through you head too or she'll throw you to hell and back for getting it wrong." I told him. He rolled his eyes, "Juliana, Juliara, Julianne, Just plain Julie… I don't see much of a difference." He said. I tilted my head, "Very true, just like Jack and Jacques and Jokul." I teased. "That's…" He began, but I interrupted, "I don't see much of a difference." He pouted at having to eat his words, "Oh, come off it."

I laughed once more, but gestured towards my room. "I've got a few glasses in my room, we'll use those." I told him, walking back inside. "And here I was wanting to go straight from the bottle." He said. I rolled my eyes, "Now I've gone and done it. Inviting an uncivilized ruffian into my room for a glass of wine he swindled out of my maid, positively shameful." I said, shaking my head in fake disapproval. I picked up two glasses left in a cabinet reserved for such purposes and walked back to where Jack had planted himself on my bed. Pouring each of us a glass, I held mine up to his, making a small clinking noise. "Cheers." I said, raising my glass a little before taking a sip. "Cheers, then. To what are we cheering?" The asked.

"To the existence of alcohol." I said with a smile, which he then mirrored. "Very well, then. I'll drink to that. Cheers." He said, taking his own sip. After the first glass we had both moved on to another, and I felt some of my limitations rub off as the wine settled in. We talked about many of the same things we had before. He told me some more of his stories from abroad, while I spoke about politics and noisy royals. Once again I found myself in hysterics over the story of the chicken that had landed him in the dungeon. I was finished after the second glass, knowing my low limits. We sat our glasses down on the bedside table before reclining back on the bed again. I looked over to Jack, who had been uncharacteristically quiet for a few moments to find him staring back at me already. "Is here something in my hair again?" I asked, trying to break through the silence. He smirked, "Yes, actually. There's a feather." He informed me, reaching over to pull it out, his fingers twisting into my hair.

He was taking a while.

"Is it just stuck in there?" I asked, wondering what was taking him so long. He paused, looking directly at me, "No… I got the feather out a while ago." He said. It took a second for the words to seep in, but as my understanding floated to the surface, Jack was already leaning in. I didn't question it this time, bringing one hand up to his shoulder. His lips tasted like wine and he smelled like the gardens below. They were moist from how he'd lightly licked them before pressing them into mine. One of his hands found a place on my hip while the other, still tangled in my hair, pulled me forward. I slid my hand up from his shoulder to the base of his neck. The hand that had been rested on my hip then made its way teasingly upward, as if pressing its luck, before reaching all the way to my cheek.

I breathed into the kiss, and with aid from the alcohol, slid myself closer to him. Jack had been gentle up to that point, but suddenly his lips came on stronger, needy and hungry. Soft noises filled the bedroom, echoing back to us as we made more. How? How could this possibly be a bad thing? I laughed off all my earlier fears by bringing his lips to mine again and again. It was a good thing. Definitely. Jack's hands roamed around, feeling my sides and back, rubbing the same soothing circles in more intimate places. I brought both my hands to rest around his shoulders. He gave me a small rest, settling for a few kisses on my neck, cheeks, and shoulders. Still… there was one more thing that bothered me. Unwillingly, I pushed Jack away. He pulled back from me with a lady-killer crooked smile, "Had enough already? What's wrong?" He asked, ever in tune with my emotions. He knew just how to play with them, didn't he? "Nothing's wrong really, I'm just confused… How does this…we…work?" I asked, not really sure how to phrase the question in my mind.

One of Jack's hands slipped down into mine and held tight, like I might blow away in the breeze if he let go. "We?" He copied, and you could tell he relished the word. "We," He said, "are whatever you want us to be." I smiled, but the thing was, I didn't really know what I wanted. He seemed more I touch with his own thoughts, so I wanted him to choose. "What do you want us to be?" I asked, bringing our hands up to play with his fingers laced in mine. "What should I do?" I questioned again when he remained unresponsive. Finally he looked up from our hands and smiled up at me. "Simple," He whispered, "Say you'll be my lover."

The shading of Hiccup's face went from pink to deep red as my words sunk in. To further prove my point, I brought our hands up together, fingers still intertwined, to kiss the back of his. Honestly, I couldn't believe the words had come out so smoothly with my stomach in so many knots. They only twisted more the longer he took to answer. I looked back at his eyes after what seemed like eternity to find him looking at our hands. Weighing the pros and cons, I was happy that he was giving it such careful thought, but nervous by how hard he made the decision seem. His eyes closed.

Without any warning, he let my hand go.

My stomach dropped to my knees. Maybe it really was impossible. I didn't want to hear the words come out of his mouth. Just two seconds ago he had been happy and smiling into the kiss... but I guess his own happiness wasn't the only thing he had to consider. He was a prince after all, and princes weren't allowed to have male lovers. I could feel my face falling, and tried desperately to hold it up. Had he been born into any other family it would be alright. He could say yes… but would he even want to?

My thoughts were racing faster than I could keep up with them. I tried to keep myself focused on Hiccup, on the way his face looked, thinking that after rejecting me I might not get to see him much. My hand felt cold, so I slid it back to my side. I could tell he felt awkward just sitting there. He didn't know how to say it. I pushed off the bed and stood up. "…Alright." I whispered gently, not wanting to give away the storm of emotions inside of me. I took a deep breath, and somehow found the strength to turn away. Each step through the door took an eternity, a slow ache ripping apart my chest each time. I was good at good-byes. Never in the past did I get too attached to anyone because I knew that I'd eventually have to leave… but I thought maybe this time would be different.

I swung my legs over the banister, trying to find the loose brick I had used as a foothold on my way up. Behind me I heard the blankets rustling. I assumed Hiccup was just going to go back to sleep if he could. Finding the brick, I stepped off the edge of the balcony and turned around.

"G-Gahh! What? What are you doing there?!" I yelled, before realizing it was the middle of the night and I was being loud. Hiccup was standing right in front of me, even though I hadn't heard his approach from behind. His eyes widened innocently and he laughed quietly. My eyebrows knotted. Just what, exactly, did he find funny? He had just rejected me for gods' sake! Hiccup noticed my sudden change in mood and shook his head, a gentle smile on his lips. "You're a strange one, aren't you?" He asked. I let my frown sink a little lower in confusion, "What?"

I crossed my arms across the banister, still using it for support. Hiccup walked a few steps closer, putting barely a foot between us anymore. "Honestly, what are you thinking storming off like that? You're the one who asked." He said. In my disbelief I let out an angry puff of air. "Well sorry I don't take rejection well." I said, annoyed by his refusal to understand that it might put someone in a bad mood.

Now it was Hiccup's turn to look confused. "What rejection? When did I say no?"

What? I had to stand there and just blink for a moment. My mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to find the right words, but I just came up blank. Did he just say he…? But surely that meant…? Wait, had he…? "C-Come again?" I asked finally, no longer sure of the situation. Hiccup's eyes seemed to realize something, and he took another short laugh. "You thought that pause was my answer?" He asked, He ruffling his hair, a large grin spreading over his face before he leaned in. "Jack, that wasn't a rejection." He said, before placing a hand on my cheek. "I was… waiting for you to kiss me."

…

Well.

Messed that one up.

"So, your answer…?" I asked, still unsure about where we stood. He still hadn't given me a clear yea or nay. Hiccup's hand brushed through my hair once before he placed his forehead to mine. "That would be a yes." He said, eyes crinkling at the corners from his smile. I let out a sigh, feeling the release of the pain around my heart. I lifted one of my hands to the back of his neck, laughing quietly at my own misunderstanding before pulling him close…

I woke up to the sound of a loud banging in the hallway.

My body acted on instinct and previous experience. It jumped out of bed, ran to the balcony door (still unlocked from the night before) and hid behind a thick potted shrub. Not a second after I had gotten settled, I heard the loud bang as my door was forced open. "Hooooreeennnndous! We decided to do your little maids a favor and wake you up for them inste-? Oi! Where'd he go?!" Snotlout's voice echoed in my room, even through the glass door. Despite myself, I shook. The door was closed behind me… but if they really decided to go poking around…

"Horredous! Such a loud voice at this hour-! Oh… of course that would be you, Snotlout…" The voice came drifting down like a blessing and a curse at the same time. It had freed me for the moment, but would haunt me later. It was Pitch's voice, and from the sound of it, his mood was already sour. "What are you doing waving about a hammer in the prince's chamber? Get out. Honestly, my brother taught you nothing about manners." He hissed. With that, the three sets of footsteps left. I heard the click of Pitch's hard shoes on my wood floor for a few minutes before they too receded. Letting go of the breath I had been holding, my back pressed into the cool stone of the castle wall. When I had made sure to lock the door, I changed quickly and rushed downstairs.

Not in the mood to face Pitch yet, I ran out a servant's entrance outside. There was, however, one face I did want to see… very much. Green blurred around me as I pushed through the woods behind the stables. He had said to go this direction, but there was no sign of him. "Jack!" I called, pausing for a moment before trying again, "Ja-ack? Where are you?" I poked my head around some trees, but there was nothing behind them. I blew out a sigh, maybe he just wasn't there yet. The sounds of birds and wind were the only thing I could hear. It was pleasant, actually. A nice change from the previous racket. Then there came the snap of a twig behind me. "Jack? Is that- urgh!"

I didn't know what was happening. Suddenly there was a piece of cloth around my eyes, and both of my hands were pinned behind my back. "Wha-!" I was pushed into a tree and suddenly all of the pieces fell into place… This was definitely not Jack. "Help!" I called, squirming against the person who held me down. "Jack!" I tried, maybe he would be close enough to hear me by then…

The person who held me down gave a dark chuckle and twisted me upwards so I was sitting against a tree. I was about to call for help again, but then there was suddenly something stopping my lips. Oh gods, what? They were kissing me, whoever it was… I pressed my lips into a tight line, fighting it. "Mmmrrph! Get…nnck!...Get off!" I cried, twisting my head to the side as best as I could. My captor once again gave a small laugh, but before I had time to prepare for whatever they might do next, the blindfold was ripped from my eyes, leaving them stinging in the sudden sunlight.

"You called for help, your highness?" Sounded a familiar voice.

I flipped my head around to see that the person who had attacked me was none other than Jack Frost. "You… You are an ass!" I spat at him, trying to push him away. He let me go, hands held up in surrender. "Alright, aright! I'm sorry I scared you." He said, but his obvious smirk said otherwise. "Sure you are." I said, standing up to brush the dirt off of myself. I turned my back to him, a childish response, yes, but I didn't want to look at him. I heard the crunch of the leaves below as he stood up as well. My arms were pinned around my chest, but there was another set of hands that immediately wrapped themselves around my waist. "Aw come on Hic, it was just a joke… forgive me? Please?" His warm voice flowed into my ear as whisper, and that was all it took to make me melt. "Fine… but you'd better not do it again." I told him, twisting around so could see his face and wrap my arms around his neck. His smirk tilted up into a genuine smile. "No promises…" He said, pressing a small kiss to the tip of my nose. I frowned, but said nothing further.

"You still have bed-head." He said, reaching up to smooth some of my hair. I hadn't even thought of combing my hair in my haste to get away from Snotlout and out of the castle. "I was a bit rushed this morning." I told him. "Just couldn't wait to see me?" He guessed, cocky. "No." I told him. But corrected, "Well, yes… but that wasn't the reason I was rushed."

I explained to him the situation with Snotlout his morning, and how I really didn't want to go back. "Then don't." He said, "Just spend the day with me." He proposed, leaning his forehead into mine and twisting our fingers together. I hugged him and laid my head on his shoulder. "I want to, believe me. I just have this other thing I have to do called being a prince." I told him, laughing a little. He chuckled, "Oh, what am I going to do? Now I'm going to be forced to share my lover with the entire kingdom." He said, blowing some hair out of his face. I smiled, "Don't worry, I'll save some just for you." He grinned and guided my chin towards his, giving me a small peck. "Good thing. Because thieves are greedy, you know." I wrapped my arms a little tighter around his waist, "I'm glad."

Once again, our moment was soon smashed to pieces by the distant cries of the girls. "Ah… I'm being summoned again." Jack wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pinning my arms to my side. "Noooo. You're not allowed to go yet. As soon as you leave, I have to meet the wrath of Aster and the rose gardens." He complained. I rolled my eyes, "Oh really? Well I'd take the rosebushes any day over the next twelve hours with Snotlout, the twins, and Pitch." I told him, to which he cringed. "Are you suuuuure you can't just stay with me instead?" He asked. I shook my head and pulled away from him. "Stop that, or I won't be able to make myself go." I told him, walking past him back towards the castle. Unexpectedly, though, I was dragged back to him by the tail of my coat. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He pointed out, like he knew something I didn't. "Am I?" I asked, knowing I hadn't brought anything along. He shook his head, "Ah, you really are hopeless." He said, pulling me in for a deep kiss. Finally I had to break away. "D-Don't do that so early in the morning," I told him, "or I'll end up thinking about it all day!"

He laughed, but waved good-bye as I left. The girls had almost made it to the stables when Snotlout came clomping towards them, "Morning, ladies! Those dresses are looking awfully low… lovely! I meant to say lovey I mean um… hey look at my facial hair! Isn't it the manliest thing you've ever seen?" He asked. The girls cringed, taking a few collective steps back in a huddle. I walked out from the forest, acting like I'd been in the stables the whole time. "Snotlout really, you have no way with women, do you?" I asked him, letting my presence be known with some unknown courage. The girls all practically swooned when they saw me, "Oh, Prince Horrendous!" "I'm so glad we found you…" "Shall we go back inside?" They squealed, all conveying one hidden desire to escape. "Oh, is breakfast ready? Then by all means, let's hurry before it gets cold." I told them.

I was about to join them when suddenly there was a grip on my wrist. "Makin' fun of me, are yah?!" Snotlout roared, throwing me around to face him and raising his fist, about to punch me. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I was scared, but I was also smart. "Snotlout!" I yelled, trying to put as much anger and force into my voice as I possibly could. "That's enough. Are you really going to raise your fist in front of an innocent group of women?! Honestly… How immature." I said. I was surprised at how my voice didn't even crack. As if to prove my point, the girls all gave small, scared shrieks behind us. Snotlout, in his never-ending attempt to figure out the opposite sex, let me go. I repressed a sigh of relief, but before I could turn back to the girls, he was already threatening me, "You best watch your step today, Haddock." He growled, before releasing my wrist and stalking back across the lawn.

"Prince Horrendous!" "Oh my, how brave!" "Really, you saved us!" The girls said, running to fawn over me. "Oh, um. It was… It was nothing." I said, fighting back a blush. They wouldn't stop talking about it all the way until we walked into the dining room, where one look from Geraldine told them to hush up and disperse. I found the way to my plate, already set with breakfast. I was accompanied to the table by Earl Sand, who wrote down all of the arrivals we were expecting that day on a piece of paper. Ugh. So many people. At least that would keep me busy enough that Snotlout would have to keep out of my hair. As soon as I had finished breakfast, the first of them had arrived. I straightened myself up and went to go meet them.

Unlike last time, this carriage was a pleasant surprise. "Earl Sand, Did Saint North and Toothiana say they would be coming?" I asked him. He shook his head no, and ran inside to finish business. They wasted no time getting out of the carriage, and at first sight I was shown a head full of beautiful multi-colored hair. "Horrendous!" The young girl called, a large smile on her face "Well if it isn't Baby Tooth!" I greeted, holding my arms out as she ran to hug me. "I missed you!" She said, hugging tightly around my waist. "Baby Tooth! Mind your manners!" Came a gentle voice from the carriage door. "Welcome, Toothiana!' I said, watching as a gorgeous bright blue gown poured forth from the carriage. "Oh Horrendous… she said, and before I knew what was happening, there were tears running down her face. Well, it was to be expected, she was one of my mother's closest friends, after all. "Horrendous! Is good to see smiling face again!" North said, following behind Toothiana. "Same to you, Saint North. How have you been?" I asked, walking up to be pulled into one of his tight hugs. "Good! Very good! My daughter… she's sixteen. She's grown since last time, no?" He asked. I nodded. "Yes, she gets prettier each time I see her." I said. North nodded in agreement while Baby Tooth blushed, looking away, "Th-thank you…"

The day passed by quickly with the company of Toothiana, North, and Baby Tooth. They weren't related to me, but I wished they were. I always enjoyed whenever they visited, which was often due to my mother's friendship with Toothiana. I hoped they wouldn't stop coming because she was gone. Before I knew it, the day had completely passed and dinner was over. In total, I had welcomed forty guests that day. I was exhausted, and as I went for my room, all I could think about was my warm, soft bed. I was just about to get changed when I remembered that morning with Jack. It brought a smile to my face when I thought about doing it again the next day… and the day after that. But then I remembered Snotlout's threat from that morning. He hadn't done anything so far… but Snotlout wasn't the type to just let things go. I pondered what I should do as my room became increasingly less inviting. I knew what I wanted to do.

I got changed and flew down the hallways with the soft slapping of my feet over wood and stone. Soon, I came to the assistants' quarters. They were dimly it with only a few candles left. Almost everyone had gone to bed, so it was hard to find my way, but eventually I came across the one I thought must be his. I knocked on the door lightly, wondering if he'd already gone to bed. "Ah! Be there in a moment." He said. There was some rustling and then his soft footsteps as he approached the door. When he opened it, orange light from the candle poured out into the hallway. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only his usual brown trousers that hung loosely from his waist. "Hiccup? What are you doing here now? Come in, come in." He said, waving me forward and checking around to make sure no one had seen me. When he turned around once more he asked me what was going on. I told him about the situation with Snotlout and how I didn't think my room was safe that night and I didn't know what else to do so I came to him.

When my explanation was over, Jack just smiled softly, "Well, I guess you can stay with me tonight. My bed is small, and I'm sure it's not as comfy as what you're used to, but… I guess that's better than having your head beat-in." He said. I was glad he didn't call me out for my cowardice, because I was already ashamed of it enough, but the truth was, I wouldn't be able to win in a fight against Snotlout. Hell, I wouldn't be able to win in any fight. I accepted his offer, thanking him profusely. Jack yawned and stretched, and when he did, I noticed scores of fresh new scrapes and cuts on his arms. "Jack?! What happened to you?! Gods, that looks painful…" I said, instinctively taking one of his arms in my hands to get a better look. Jack chuckled slightly at my reaction, and patted my hair to calm me down, "Today was the rose gardens, remember?" He said. I pouted, "You really shouldn't hurt yourself this bad over flowers. It must feel terrible…" I said. Jack tilted his head to the side, "It's worth it, though… That's your favorite garden, right?"

I looked up at him, still not letting go of his arm. "…You noticed?" I asked, not denying it. He nodded. I looked down at his arm again, before making up some excuse about having to use the bathroom. I slipped away towards the kitchen, where I knew I'd find something to help him. I mixed up a small ointment that I had learned to make from North years ago when I was somehow an even clumsier person. Walking back to the room, I found Jack lounging on the bed this time. "Come over here." I said, sitting on the side of the bed. "Give me your arm… this might sting a little. " I told him, before rubbing a small layer to the skin of his forearm. If it did sting, he didn't show it. He sat cool and composed the entire time. It took the whole batch to cover the entirety of his cuts, and in the end he smelled of pine and mint. It was a nice smell I secretly couldn't help but sniff at. When it was done, Jack thanked me with a kiss on the top of my head. I put the small dish that had held the ointment on a small table in the corner of the room. "Well, then. Now that that's taken care of…" He said, crawling underneath the covers. He lifted them up just a bit again, inviting me in, "Come join me?"

With nervous flutters in my stomach, I climbed in beside him, simultaneously blowing out the candle. I huddled up close, not wanting to fall off the edge. "Is it too crowded?" He asked. I could hear the concern in his low voice. I guess since I was a prince he thought it must have been terrible to have to sleep in such a tight space. Honestly, though, it felt better than my own large and lonely bed. "No," I told him, pressing my feet against his underneath the blanket. "It's warm." I said, pulling my head into his chest. He laughed softly and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Really… You are a tease." He said. In my sleepy drunk state I didn't realize what he meant and wouldn't get it until days later. "I'm sorry?" I asked, wrapping my own arm around him. He moved closer and lifted my chin up to where it was level with his. "Today must've been tiring… Don't I even get a good-night kiss?" He asked. Even though the room was dark I was sure he could he could practically hear the blush the painted my cheeks. "Alright." I said, pushing my lips up to his. It was quick, yet warm, and soft. I was satisfied with it, but apparently Jack was not.

He kissed me again… and again… until once again he had made me lose count. I didn't think I'd ever tire of it. Kissing Jack was quickly becoming my favorite pastime. "Mmn… Jack?" I asked as suddenly his lips picked up a furious pace, leaving me behind. His hand travelled up and down my spine, leaving a fever wherever his hands brushed. My mind reeled, and I leaned willfully into him. One of his hands moved to my hair and pulled me in from there. Without warning, he pushed away. I unknowingly pouted, angry that he thought it was a perfectly fine to leave it that way. He really could have at least de-escalated some. Jack's hand moved the side of my face, and I turned to press my lips to his thumb. "Hiccup." Jack said, his voice still close from where we had leaned in. "Mmhmm?" I hummed, now completely awake. "Open your mouth." He said. I could hear the smirk in his voice and wondered what he was planning, but opened it slightly anyway.

Something warm slid inside as Jack began to kiss me again. It felt different from any other previous kiss, and had I been standing up, I wouldn't have been able to keep my balance. "Mm!...Haa Ah!" I couldn't hold back my voice as Jack's lips collided with mine, our tongues dancing together. "J-Jack?!" Suddenly his hands had moved lower, down to my hips and upper thigh… and there. We were already loud, with sounds surely seeping through the walls into the hallway. "Jack…S-stop…Someone m-might Un!... S-someone might h-hear…"I breathed out. Jack didn't seem to have thought about that, because his hands immediately stopped. I was half relieved and half disappointed. His voice came as a whisper the next time he spoke, "…Sorry. Here, let's go to sleep."

He wrapped his arms around me one more time, and I curled into him. With that, we both drifted into a long, deep sleep.

When I woke up in the morning, Hiccup had already left. I guessed it was because he didn't want any of the other servants to see him come out of my room. I woke up later than most of the kitchen staff and maids, who had to prepare early for the day ahead. As soon as I walked into the kitchen it had already begun. "Had fun last night, did we?" "How'd you manage to sneak a girl past the guards?" "Hear now, what if he won over one of the maids and didn't have to sneak her?" The chefs and butlers teased while the girls blushed and giggled in the corners. "Keep trying but you'll never guess." I told them. At this they all seemed to take intrigue. "Surely you didn't grab one of the guests?" They asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "No, all of 'em are too uptight to have a fling with a servant boy. It had to be someone here." They said. Once again, I shrugged my shoulders, a smirk on my face. "Well, whoever she was, she had a lovely voice, didn't she?" Someone said, elbowing me in the ribs. I turned around to see who it was.

Lo and behold, there stood Aster.

"Ah…haha. Right?" I said, looking away. Suddenly I was plagued with guilt over snogging his son. Aster cocked his eyebrow in confusion at my strange response, but he must've thought it was just because of my embarrassment as he told me what we'd be working on that day after I got finished with the horses. I grabbed an apple from the table as well as a piece of toast. It was a chilly morning due to the rain last night, so I put on a light cloak and headed out the door. I walked through the courtyard grass to the stables, and made sure to finish my work quickly so I could join Hiccup in the woods. When I arrived, the sun was still barely risen, so he should've been there soon. I would have pranked him, but I figured that it would only make him angry after the previous day's "promise." I sat down at the foot of the tree we had met under earlier and finished my breakfast.

The sun rose higher and higher, but Hiccup still hadn't come. By that point, Aster would be livid if I wasn't done with the stables. With a sigh, I decided that he must've gotten caught up in something and trudged back through the woods. I found the girls calling for him not too far off. Thinking it strange, I approached them. "Oh look! It's Jack!" "Good-morning, Jack. Have you seen the prince?" "We can't find him anywhere! Honestly…" Well if they didn't know and neither did I, he really must've been hiding well. I wondered what he was doing, but somewhere in the pit of my stomach I knew something wasn't quite right. After telling them that no, I didn't know where he was, they released me and went back to their search. I found Aster in the azalea garden, trimming some of the bushes back. He scolded me for being late and I got to work.

The day passed slowly as we worked under the sun. My arms felt better from the ointment Hiccup had put on them and they still smelled faintly of mint. The scent mixed with that of the flowers and damp Earth, and though it was a nice smell, it didn't ease my worry. What was he up to? If even the girls didn't know…

"Aster! Oh thank god I've found you…" Geraldine ran into the garden in a hurried and scared state, panting slightly from her run. "Have you seen Prince Horrendous today? Do you know where he is?" She asked, clinging to the fabric of her dress. Aster shook his head, as did I, and she seemed to panic further. "Oh no… this really isn't good…" She said. Just as she did, a guard ran up on horse. "Geraldine! We've found something. Back in the woods near the stables… They found his cloak. We think…" And here he paused. Geraldine looked confused, and picked up her skirts as she jogged up a bit closer to meet him. "What?" She asked, dread slowly creeping into her features. The guard had on a troubled expression as he steadied the horse he was on.

"We think the prince has been taken."

LOOOOOOOOOONG UPDATE

Hello. I'm sorry I didn't get this up during the weekend, but it was impossible because MY INTERNETS DECIDED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

Also, updates for the next two weeks might be late or irregular or maybe pregnant because I'll be on holiday in Italy *squeals*

ANYWHOOO...

Sexually frustrated Jack is my favorite Jack. Let's play with him more often ;)