Chapter Two
A/N: I really pity Hiccup in this chapter. Social gatherings are NOT my strong suit either. So I feel his nervousness on a spiritual-level. XD
Also, I had to put myself in a man's point of view when describing Aragwen's looks so if it sounds forced or weird...I'm sorry. LOL!
A warm, golden light spills out from the frosted windows of the meeting hall. It's already nearing midnight by the time their ship has docked. The building is enormous, probably big enough to house the entire population of Berk all at once. Its roof towers above Hiccup as he and his father approach the massive front doors, which are carved and painted with the shapes of dragons and viking war ships. The windows, which are at least twice Hiccup's height, are stained glass, portraying famous battles from viking history.
Hiccup blinks, shocked at the luxury of the this place. And he hasn't even gone inside yet. I wonder who built this place...it must've taken a long time. He muses, gazing at one mural in particular. It shows a foreign ship battling huge waves, an angry-looking Thor blasting it with lightning until its sail catches ablaze.
Suddenly, Stoick taps his shoulder, stealing him from his daydream. "Amazing, isn't it?" He whispers, grinning at the fascination in his son's eyes.
"Sure is." Hiccup agrees. "Whose tribe does it belong to?"
"It's nobody's building...and everyone's." Stoick explains, cryptically. "This place was built as a neutral hall so warring tribes wouldn't feel that they were in enemy territory."
Hiccup nods, now understanding why it's the only man-made structure on this entire, tiny island. Besides, of course, the hundreds of ports that line the pearly white shores on all sides. "So...what do we do here, exactly...?"
Stoick smirks and folds his arms. "We mingle. That's about it."
Hiccup arcs an eyebrow in disbelief. "Sounds more like a social gathering than an official meeting..." This causes Stoick to laugh, rather loudly.
"But there is a reason, remember. It's so all the chiefs and their heirs can keep track of who is ruling what island. How else do you think we keep in touch?"
"So...every chief is going to be here? From how far away?" He's suddenly feeling nervous. Needless to say, some of the chiefs from around the archipelago are...less than friendly. Not to mention that their big, burly sons will be here as well. In a crowd like that, Hiccup will look like nothing more than a meal. And to top that off, what will that mean for Berk in the future? They'll all see him here, tonight, looking like a little scrawny kid and start making plans to overrun Berk once he's made chief... Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for me to come here, after all...
Stoick seems to notice his son's anxiousness and places a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Not very far." He assures him. "Mainly just our five or six neighboring islands and their families and special guests. A few chiefs from mainland villages will be here too."
Hiccup nods. That doesn't sound too bad... Maybe he can find a secluded corner to sit in for the rest of the night. He's suddenly glad he brought his notebook. That way, he won't be too agonizingly bored while his father attends the meet-and-greet and tries to convince all the other big, scary-looking vikings that his heir isn't as much of a wuss as he looks...which will be hard to do.
He takes a breath and forces a smile. "Alright...let's do this."
Stoick chuckles and pats the boy's shoulder again. "That's the spirit." He turns to the great double doors and grabs the handles, yanking them open so that the same golden light floods out into the darkness, cutting through it like a knife.
Hiccup has to blink several times to adjust to the sudden brightness. Stoick ushers him inside and the two of them suddenly find themselves in the biggest, most extravagantly decorated room they've ever been in.
Stoick whistles, impressed. "They really went all-out this year."
And boy did they...
The polished, marble flooring has been freshly waxed and it's entirely possible to see one's reflection in its pristine surface. The walls have been draped with expensive paintings and animal furs, dyed in various colors. That golden light is coming from three, enormous, wrought-iron chandeliers that dangle from the ceiling by pegs in the shape of a dragon's talon. The walls are lined with sturdy wooden tables, stacked high with every food you could possibly imagine. From stuffed pig and apple slices to steaming hot pies that can be smelled from the doorway. Silver dishes are piled with little chocolates and finger-foods. There's even a little fountain cascading with blood-red wine and barrels of ale.
In other words, it's every viking's paradise contained in a two-story meeting hall.
"Oh...wow." Hiccup mutters as he tries to take in everything in front of him. His brow knots when he notices the sheer amount of people inside. There's at fifty vikings mulling around, chatting happily and laughing with big, booming voices.
"Chin up, son." Stoick reminds him as he, himself, rights his semi-slouched posture and strolls, regally into the room.
Hiccup stares after him, nervously chewing on his lip again. Then, he closes his eyes, sucks in a shuddering breath, and lifts his chin. Puffing out his chest as far as it will go-hoping to look at least a little bigger-he follows his father inside.
The two of them don't go unnoticed for long.
"Stoick!" Someone shouts, happily.
And Berk's chief grins as he barges across the room to meet one of his old friends. "How're you doing, Grizzly?!" He laughs, clasping the man's forearm in a viking-handshake.
The other chief, Grizzly, returns the gesture. "Ah, I'm surviving!" He jokes. Then, his black eyes bounce over to Hiccup. "An' who's this? Your boy, Stoick?"
Stoick smiles, almost beaming with pride as he looks over at his son. "Yes, that's my son, Hiccup."
Grizzly grins, bearing two elongated canine teeth that remind Hiccup of...well..a grizzly bear. The huge man lumbers over and smacks the teen on the back with such force that it almost knocks him off his clumsy feet. "A little scrawny, ain't he?"
Hiccup blushes and forces a laugh.
"Then again, I guess that's why his name is Hiccup!" He points out. "Ah, well! It's nice to meet you, boy!"
"Uhh, haha...you too, Grizzly...sir." He mumbles, avoiding the man's beady eyes.
Apparently, Stoick notices his son's discomfort and decides to intervene. He friendly grabs Grizzly's elbow. Throwing an arm around his shoulder, he says, "Let's go get some ale and catch up on old times, eh?" He flashes Hiccup a knowing smirk when he says, "Hiccup, why do you go mingle?"
But Hiccup knows by 'mingle' he means go find someplace where he won't be so uncomfortable. The teen offers his dad a grateful smile and says, "Sure thing, Dad." He watches as Stoick turns his friend around and leads him to a barrel of ale...
Well...that was awkward. Hiccup shakes his head and goes to turn around.
"I see you've already met Grizzly, huh?" Says an unfamiliar voice.
Hiccup freezes mid-step and turns to face the voice's owner. His mouth almost drops open at the sight standing before him.
The woman smiles a dazzling, white-toothed smile and laughs. "Hiccup, right? You're Stoick's boy."
He can only nod, still entirely dumbfounded.
This woman, whoever she is, is probably the furthest thing Hiccup has ever seen from the traditional viking ruler. Her hair is long and spills down the front of her shoulders in a curling wave of golden locks. Not blonde. Golden. Her eyes are a brilliant shade of blue, rivaling sapphire stones themselves. Her skin is like porcelain, not a blemish in sight. There's literally nothing about her that says 'hey, I'm a frightening viking chief'. But everything about her says 'woman'.
Hiccup almost gasps. Oh gods, am I drooling?!
But she doesn't seem to notice. Instead, she only flashes a charming smile and says, "That's what I thought. Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Hiccup. I'm Aragwen."
He freezes. Aragwen...? Why does that name sound so familiar to him? He swallows his bewilderment and smiles back. "Nice to meet you too." He says. "So...you know Grizzly?" She doesn't strike him as the type to be hanging around that kind of man. Then again, with those looks, he has a feeling it's the men who are hanging around her.
She nods, chuckling. "Oh yeah...we go way back. He's quite the character, huh?"
Hiccup snorts and rolls his shoulder, which Grizzly may or may not have dislocated when he smacked him. "I'll say..."
She suddenly clicks her tongue, looking almost weary. "I overheard what he said to you." She admits, blushing a little. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop but with his loud mouth, it's sort of hard not too..."
Hiccup blushes as well, embarrassed that she heard Grizzly call him a scrawny hiccup. "Yeah, I guess everyone here heard that..." Great. So much for blending in and staying out of sight...
Aragwen smiles, apologetically. "Well I'd like to say sorry on his behalf. He doesn't know he's being a jerk sometimes."
"Eh, I'm used to it." Hiccup tells her, trying to shrug it off like he always does. "It's doesn't bother me much."
"Still." Aragwen winks at him as he begins to fish through a satchel that hangs around her waist. "As an apology...here." She holds out something in a closed fist. "Take this. It's a symbol of my tribe. If you wear it, all the other chiefs will know we're allies and no one will mess with you."
Hiccup accepts her gift, eyeing the odd-looking pendant with a curious gaze. It's the shape of a dragon's eye, blue in color, but hollow like a locket. Inside, he can see a bunch of little bundles. Herbs, he realizes. Whatever tribe she comes from, they must be into gardening or something. A little smile graces his lips and ties the leather chord around his neck, turning the pendant so that it faces the right direction. "Thanks, Aragwen." He says. Somehow, the presence of it around his throat is almost...comforting. He doesn't know why exactly but it just is.
The lovely woman nods, seeming satisfied that he's accepted her gift. "Good. Now everyone will know we're allies and they won't bother you anymore."
He tilts his head, smiling curiously at her. "Why? I mean what's the big deal with this pendant?"
There's a ornery glint in her eyes and wicked smile on her beautiful face when she says, "They're all intimidated by me. That symbol is as good as scaring off vikings as holy water is to a demon."
Hiccup laughs, finding the comparison oddly fitting. "Why would they be intimidated by you?" He wonders, unsure of anything that could be scary about such a kind, gentle woman.
She shrugs. "Maybe it's my looks." She jokes, vainly flipping her hair. "Or...maybe it's my title."
"Your title?" He asks, absently turning the locket over and over in his hands.
She nods and rolls her eyes. "My name back home is Aragwen the Terrifying."
A/N: I hope you guys liked it! (A ton of descriptions in this one. Phew! Took a while.) Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for chapter three.