Not much to say except that life has been crazy and will be for the coming week. Also I can say that I'm so tired I'll come back and edit this chapter more tomorrow, it's finished but I'll cheek it for misspellings. Now, enjoy!
Jadrockz: You're right, it's "Hello" with Adele! I love that song, it's on repeat right now all the time! Unfortunately I cannot send you a snipped card since you don't have an account! But if you get one, I'll send it to you then!
Noctus Fury: Is this chapter the end of stubbornness? I don't know, but things feelings will shift at least! ;) Hahaha I love writing about the maids, they had such a small part in my draft and they are mentioned in nearly every chapter! Also happy you like Ingrid and Snotlout, more of those two to come!
Laidyx: I'm happy the baby brought you some brightness, the healing of your heart will hopefully continue with this chapter. As for Elsa convincing Hiccup... I just hope he dosen't change her mind again. She will need some allies I think if he decides to be stubborn, but then I did say there was one ;)
As for Mexico, it sounds like such a hard reality. I have never been afraid in my life in that way before last week when ISIS threatened Stockholm in Sweden. I was going to Stockholm that weekend but cancelled my trip. Nothing happened, but feeling the terror of not knowing is horrible.
Guest: I'm glad it was worth the wait and I hope this chapter will be worth the wait as well. When it comes to Rapunzel and Eugene they won't make an appearance again for now, but they will be mentioned and still be a part of the story.
AysoCreamo: I really don't know what to respond to your review, I actually had read it two times because I felt so happy and grateful for your kind words. To know you barely read unfinished stories and rarely comment makes me feel even more honored you've taken the time to tell me what you think! It's hearing people loving what you do that makes you want to become even better and know I find you to be just as amazing! Without my readers, this story would never exist, so thank you!
I also think Anna and Kristoff will be wonderful parents. As for the reunion, you just have to read this chapter!
16.
"Mom!" Hiccup's angry voice rang through the blacksmith where Valka and Gobber were talking about a new way to design claws for dragons who had lost theirs, both looking at each other with calm expressions at their Chief's voice since they had waited for Hiccup to seek them out.
"Sounds like the lad has finally gotten the news." Gobber chuckled, Valka smiling at him when Hiccup appeared before them with an extremely angry expression on his face that was very rare.
"What is this?!" He shouted angrily, pushing a paper into Valka's hands. She read it slowly while Gobber leaned over and read it over her shoulder, the latter unable to hide the smile on his face.
"It looks like a positive answer to an invitation to your cousin's wedding." Valka answered calmly, allowing Gobber to take the paper as he held it in front of his face while pretending to inspect it closely.
"In the most perfect handwriting I've ever seen, I must say I'm a little impressed." Gobber added, not sounding at all surprised by the turn of events.
"Wait, you were in on this as well?" Hiccup asked with disbelief, looking even angrier when Gobber lay down the paper on the table and just gave him a smug smile.
"Ye know me, I've got to know everything that goes around here, if I don't I can never relax fully. So I'm very happy ye brought us the letter Hiccup. I must say it was an extremely polite…"
"I know what it says!" Hiccup snapped, his old mentor doing his best to hold back a laugh at the clear distress behind Hiccup's anger. "What I want to know is what you did to make Snotlout and Ingrid invite her?! They would've never come up with the idea themselves!" Hiccup glared at his mother who just sent him an innocent look.
"I merely mentioned the possibility that Queen Elsa might attend if they sent her an invitation and that it's custom to invite someone who invited you. I didn't know if they would send the letter, though I'm very happy they did it since it's Ingrid's wish to meet a Queen." Valka replied calmly.
"Very kind and thoughtful of ye mother if ye ask me, Hiccup." Gobber added with a serious expression.
"Mighty Thor! Not only do I have to deal with the fact that my mother suddenly thinks she has some right to dictate my life, now I have deal with the fact that you think you can do it as well!" Hiccup exclaimed angrily.
"I hardly dictate your life Hiccup." Valka answered, knowing he was only this angry because they had managed to do exactly what he had been to stubborn to do himself.
"No?! Then why did you go behind my back when I told you I'd take care of it?!" Hiccup shouted.
"Because sending that letter would've been extremely rude, the Queen had a right to decide for herself if she wanted to come or if she wanted to send someone else. Besides, you said yourself that Snotlout and Ingrid were allowed to invite whoever they wished and they wished to Queen Elsa." Valka replied, Hiccup opening his mouth to contradict her when Gobber jumped in.
"But if this upsets ye so Hiccup, ye can just send a new letter to the Queen where ye explain your wish and talk to Snotlout and Ingrid. Ye're their Chief, they'd be sad but they'd listen and I think the Queen would accept your letter." Gobber said causally, doing his best to hold back a smile when Hiccup suddenly snapped his mouth shut. He was still glaring at them, but most of the anger had gone away.
For a moment, none of them said anything, but both Valka and Gobber could see that while Hiccup wasn't happy, he had no intention to draw back the invitation either. There was more light in his eyes than it had been for the past three months and even though it was from anger, it still told them that the mere knowledge that the Queen was coming to Berk had awoken something in him.
"I can't draw back the invitation now and I'm not going to break Ingrid's dreams." He finally muttered. "But if any of you try to plot behind my back again, when I've strictly told you I'll handle something, I'll send both of you to live on some abandoned island up north!" He told them with force before he stalked out of the blacksmith, muttering different insults that made Gobber a little impressed while Valka pretended didn't heart them at all.
"He can't wait till she's here." She only said instead with a smile.
"No kidding, the lad's just like his dad. The angrier he gets, the more it means to him. He'll praise us to the skies once she's here." Gobber chuckled, the two resuming to their previous work.
At the same time, a certain Chief was trying to tell himself that his decision to not withdraw the invitation was simply because it would have been very rude and that the sudden excitement he felt for the coming wedding had nothing to do with Elsa at all.
Nothing at all.
"I still can't believe you are actually going, it's so romantic!" Anna exclaimed, giving Elsa a second hug in the span of two minutes as Elsa just hugged her back, trying to hold back a laugh when Anna started crying… again.
While all pregnancies were different, Anna had gotten the bad luck to receive emotions that raced everywhere. Poor Kristoff had been forced to handle both outbursts of anger and tears for the most trivial things. To his credit, he was soiled as a rock and took it all like with great calm. Still, everyone in the castle couldn't wait for when Anna had passed through this state of the pregnancy.
"Anna, I know you mean well but you've got to let me leave now or I will stay behind to make sure you can handle everything." Elsa said, chuckling when Anna let go off her quickly and tried to compose herself.
"I'm fine! Doctor Jonson said this will soon pass and you have to go." Anna said with conviction, before sending her sister a compassionate look. "Now how are you feeling?"
"I don't know, I mostly wonder what will happen and how it will be to see him again." Elsa told her, for honestly didn't know what she feeling. It was a strange mix of dread, excitement and nervousness, but also happiness, happiness that see would soon see Hiccup and that Anna had start to asking Elsa how she felt at times, instead of just expecting her sister to tell her.
"At least we'll not have to worry about you crossing the northern seas, even if I'm slightly jealous your journey will be so much shorter." Kristoff said, placing his arm around Anna to offer her some comfort.
"Yes, that is something." Anna agreed while Elsa sent them a small smile, feeling her own nervousness rise slightly.
"Now are you sure you will have everything under control? Sharpy will travel with us so he can return to tell you that I've made it there safely and so you can get a message to me quickly if something would happen. And if…" Elsa began, once again wondering what she was doing, why she leaving leaving. It really was stupid; it was such a risk. What if things didn't turn out the way she wanted?
Thankfully Anna broke in before her thoughts rushed away.
"We'll handle it, now you are the one procrastinating things! I have Kristoff to back me up along with Olof, Sven, and everyone else. We'll be fine!" Anna told her firmly, giving Elsa one last big hug. "Just promise me you'll come home." She whispered to Elsa who felt her heart beat faster in her chest.
"No matter what I always will come home. Take care of the little one now." Elsa said, both of them having tears in their eyes as they let go off each other.
"You look after them both of them or I'll hunt you down and nail you to a spike." Elsa told Kristoff when he gave her a goodbye-hug as well, her new brother simply smiling at her since he had gotten used to her threats ever since Elsa had found out about the baby.
"You know I will." He answered, Elsa taking a deep breath, looking at her family, when Anna suddenly pushed her kindly in the direction of the ship.
"Stop thinking so much! Go get your man!" She said, Elsa glaring at her as she threw a look at everyone around them to make sure no one had heard.
Thankfully, no one was close by.
Taking one last deep breath Elsa then boarded the ship that would take her north and when they left shore she stood by the railing, looking at Anna, Kristoff, Olof and Sven until they were just small spots in the horizon.
"Are you alright, your majesty?" Kai asked her as she dried away a lone tear before smiling towards her loyal and insightful captain.
"Of course, I'm always alright." She answered, gathering her racing thoughts as her captain sent her a compassionate, knowing look. "You should know I am very happy you are with me Kai; I don't know if I would have gone without you." She told him honestly.
"I would've rather cut off my own foot, Queen Elsa, than have leave you in the care of anyone else than myself. Especially when you're going to a strange land." He told her and she could see that he truly meant every word. It made her feel very strangely comforted, and very happy, to know she had somehow earned his unwavering loyalty.
"Then I'm very happy there was no need for such drastic measures." She replied.
"As am I, one of the housemaids had probably done it if it meant they could've taken my place." He told her drily, Elsa chuckling as she thought about the battle Mrs. Tomson had told her about that had been going on downstairs from the moment the maids had found out there was a possibility one of them might go to Berk.
"The most horrible thing about that is that you're probably right. Still, I personally believe the real reason you are here is simply because you couldn't handle the thought that I would boss around your soldiers without you." She told him with a smile.
"And here I thought I was good at being subtle." He laughed. Around them the wind around was picking up speed as Arendelle grew smaller and smaller at the horizon.
"A Queen knows everything; didn't you know that Kai?" Elsa replied with humor, looking out over the open ocean that lay ahead of them, knowing it was now no turning back and strangely enough the knowledge felt completely right.
It was very strange to go from having her days overflowing with meetings, places to be and people to meet to have nothing to do at all. Elsa couldn't help with anything on the ship, except for not being in the way of the sailors, and while this in the beginning had made her climb the walls, she had after a week started to relax a little.
The captain had been kind enough to clear a small area in the front of the ship where she could sit and read whenever she liked, or just look out over the never-ending ocean that was the only thing that seemed to exist now. That time alone had given her some time to reflect upon her life, realizing with a bit of fear how fast it was passing her by and how different life was to everyone.
While she had a lot to do as Queen, she could have done as so many before her and allowed her kingdom be ruled by her council so she could have lived a life full of luxury as many of the noble families at court did. But she had chosen a different path that gave her meaning, but that also had taken up so much of her time that she hadn't had the chance to stop and think about where she was going.
It was true that before Hiccup, she had never thought about marrying. She had thought she would be happy living her life serving her people, but now things were different. She missed having someone around she trusted and could tell everything, the closeness of another human being. It was different than it was with Anna, they were sisters and she loved her, but feeling how someone completed and understood a part of yourself you couldn't understand on your own was… special.
During her time on the ship Elsa had also spent a lot of time with Kai. During the Vikings visit, after Mr. Beltham had attacked her, Astrid managed to persuade Elsa to receive some lessons in self defense an d Elsa had found it to be both challenging and really fun. So after the Vikings leave Elsa had managed to convince Kai to continue the training. Kai however, had been very clear that he would not teach her to used any weapons. Instead they had focused on Elsa using her power to defend herself and keep an opponent at bay.
During their journey, they had been unable to keep on with the training, but Kai had instead given her lessons in tactics and how to look for weak points in your opponent.
Overall this meant that she had had things to do during their time on the ship, but that didn't mean she wasn't extremely happy when she finally put her feet back on solid ground after a little more than two weeks at sea. Another person who was extremely happy for being back at shore was her lady's maid Brigitte, the poor woman having spent most of her time trying to fight her constant seasickness ever since they left Arendelle.
The town they were making a small stop in was one of the last larger outposts before you entered into the parts of the northern seas that was controlled by the Viking tribes. It was not a part of Arendelle and thankfully, since no one knew about their arrival, the harbor was quite empty when they entered shore. Only a blond tall woman dressed in a fur hood stood waiting for them when they walked off the ship.
"Astrid!" Elsa exclaimed with happiness a little surprised when Astrid actually gave her a hug in greeting. "How good it is to see you again, you look well." Elsa told her, Astrid giving her a grimace.
"That's a miracle considering my company." At her words, Elsa sent her a questioning look that Astrid ignored. "I've ordered a chariot to take your things. We landed outside of the city so the people here wouldn't panic, something they still have a tendency of doing despite the fact they should be used to dragons by now." She continued, sending a glare to a man who was watching them not so subtly.
"That sounds wise." Elsa smiled at her before Kai and her other two guards greeted Astrid happily, Astrid's smile much larger as they began talking while the man who drove the chariot took care of their bags. Then, on Kai's orders, Elsa took her place within the chariot along with Brigitte before they started moving out of the city.
Around them, the landscape was covered in a thin layer of snow and the cold was much more prominent than it usually was in Arendelle this time of the year. The journey out of town didn't take long and soon high trees surrounded them that shut out the last rays of the sun, the chariot stopping when they after a short while reached a fairly large meadow.
Exiting the chariot, Elsa noticed that the rest of Astrid's company was not to be seen and seeing her looking around, Astrid explained that the dragons couldn't be present while the horses were around. Unloading the bags, it only took a minute after the horses had left for three large shapes to descend from the sky and land gracefully on the ground.
Of the three dragons, Elsa recognized both Stormfly and Meatlug, while the third, that had two heads and was easily the largest, was one she had never seen before.
"Did everything go alright Astrid?" Fishlegs called to them as he glided off of Meatlug and began walking over to them.
"Why wouldn't it have gone well?" She asked with a frown that caused Fishlegs to swallow nervously.
"Just making conversation!" He said quickly, Elsa chuckling at their familiar bickering as he turned to her. "Queen Elsa, how lovely to see you again my lady." He told her with a smile, taking off his helmet and giving her a small bow.
"It's good to see you too Fishelgs, though I must admit that I didn't think it would be so soon." Elsa answered.
"If people didn't exist on getting married all of the time it wouldn't have been so soon, but what can we do? The elders are besides themselves though, they have been begging for our generation to start settling down." Astrid said with a sour expression that left both Fishlegs and Elsa unsure how to respond. Thankfully they didn't have to as a new voice suddenly echoed through the meadow.
"Fair Freyja!" The blond man of the two nearly identical Vikings exclaimed with huge eyes as he suddenly sprinted over to them and came into a halt, on his kness, in front of Elsa, looking up at her with his arms outstretched. It almost looked like he was going to preach to her.
"I thank the Gods for having sent us this fair maiden from Valhalla, her beauty surpassing even that of what has previously been the outmost perfection; my maze. Lady-Queen-Snow of beauty, I'll be your humble servant, I'll kill a thousand beings of any kind if you wish it!" He said, looking completely serious while all Elsa could do was stare at him she as wondered how she should respond.
To her annoyance she could also see that instead of glaring like he usually did, Kai was simply doing his best not to laugh. Sending him a glare, Elsa then turned back to the man on the ground and felt herself go into her role as Queen.
"There will be no need to kill anything." Elsa told him with her most serious voice when he looked honestly disappointed.
"Bummer, my mother makes a killer rabbit soup, but I can offer you my arms instead! I can carry you so your small feet won't get tired or you could just walk on me, that might be easier." He added the last in afterthought as Astrid sighed and counted to three.
"Tuff, if you really want to help instead of talking nonsense you can take the bags with Ruff so we can get out of here!" Astrid told him sharply.
"Hey! We're not here to be some carrying animals!" The woman, whom Elsa understood was named Ruff, exclaimed.
"Yeah! We only do what the Snowfair maiden commands us to do! You can't order us around!" Tuff answered, seemingly completely unfazed by Astrid's slightly furious expression.
"I think Astrid's idea sounds like a good plan, my captain and his men can help you." Elsa therefore interfered, beginning to understand Astrid's earlier remark on her travel companions, as she gestured to her men and sent Kai an innocent smile
"Your wish is my command!" The Viking said as he flew up from the ground, saluting her before he grabbed hold of Kai who now glared at her instead, Astrid following them with a hold of her own on the other blond woman that was protesting loudly.
"Looks like we have finally found a way to deal with Ruff and Tuff, or at least Tuff." Fishlegs laughed as they looked after the group.
"I don't know if I should be flattered or disturbed." Elsa replied honestly, Fishlegs smiling at her.
"To be honest I'm not sure either." He said, getting a little red on in the face when Elsa chuckled. "So did the journey go well?"
"So far." Elsa answered as she followed him to greet Meatlug, the Gronckle seemingly very happy at seeing her. She became even more happy when Sharpshot, who had been traveling in a special bag on Elsa's back, came out to greet her as well. "It was very kind of you to come and pick us up." Elsa said.
"No question about it, Hiccup never would've allowed you to go any further anyway. Only Vikings have ships that are strong enough travel over the northern oceans now and we are the only ones skilled enough to navigate through this time of the year as well." Fishlegs answered, noticing how Elsa got a slightly far away look when he mentioned Hiccup.
"I can see that Chief Haddock has to be very busy with the wedding?" She asked casually, as Fishlegs noticed how she pretended to be fully focused on Meatlug and Sharpshot. Looking at her, Fishlegs couldn't fully stop the sadness within. He had always known he had no chance with her, but he had still felt sad when he had seen Hiccup's and Elsa's goodbye before they left Arendelle.
Since he knew they probably didn't know he had seen the small act of affection, he had never said anything to Hiccup. Though when he had noticed that his friend was getting back into his old shell, he had tried getting him out of it by reminding him of Elsa and the fact that if he could get a woman like her, he should take the chance.
It had however been four months, and even though it was clear that Hiccup still felt something for the Elsa, he had not known about her. At least not until now.
"It's a lot to be done and he was really happy we could give him a break from the twins." Fishlegs told her, both of them looking over at the twins who where just now arguing over something while Astrid watched with a tired look. Her guards on the other hand looked a little stunned.
"I can kind of see why." Elsa chuckled.
"But he'll be there when you get there, he's missed you." Fishlegs told her, realizing his mistake when Elsa sent him a look that seemed to read him like an open book. "Like all of us." He therefore added, blushing under her gaze that turned softer and warm.
"I've missed you too Fishlegs, you're a kind man. Any woman will be lucky to have you." She told him, making him certain she was aware that he still had a small crush on her. Though her words didn't hurt him as they once had for he knew they were meant to be friends and he was okay with that.
"Okay people, let's get out of here!" Astrid's voice rang out over the meadow as they turned to her. "Elsa, you're traveling with me, Hiccup's straight orders so that give won't have Kai more of a heart attack than necessary. The rest of you can divide yourselves the best you like, I don't care!" Astrid shouted as Elsa sent Fishlegs a small smile before following Astrid over to Stormfly.
"Do you need a hand?" Astrid asked her since Stormfly was even larger than Toothless.
"I can manage." Elsa replied, creating a pillar of ice that shoot out of the ground so she could easily take her place on the dragon, happy Stormfly still seemed to accept her. At the action, Tuffnut whistled and shouted to her that he would build her the pedestal she deserved causing his sister to hit him hard in the head at his words.
"Was he serious before?" Elsa asked Astrid once they were up in the air, throwing a look at Tuff who was hanging upside down on the two-headed dragon, waving to her.
"Tuffnut? He was as serious as any of those two ever get. No one ever understands how they are thinking, which often makes me wonder how often their mother dropped them on their heads when they were little. Hiccup only insisted that they'd come so they couldn't cause any more disasters on Berk. One more and I think they would've been killed actually." Astrid answered with a grin.
"So it's a stressed bride?" Elsa asked with a smile.
"More like a much stressed groom." Astrid answered which caused Elsa to laugh, knowing from very recent firsthand experience how it was to handle a stressed wedding couple.
"And it's a slightly stressed Chief as well if I understood Fishlegs correct." Elsa replied, Astrid hiding the small scowl that appeared on her face at Elsa's words.
"Not so much I think. Fishelgs always exaggerates, you know how he is." She only said before she went on telling Elsa everything she had to expect from the coming wedding, not wanting to talk about Hiccup at all with the other woman.
Hiccup was tired. Not only that, he also had a headache and wanted nothing more than for someone else to deal with his extremely stressed cousin who was asking if Ingrid's wedding-gift was "extraordinary" for what felt like the hundredth time. The gift was very good, which he had told Snotlout again and again, but no matter how many times he said it it seemed to be enough.
What Hiccup did find extraordinary though, was how a man who tried so extremely hard to appear unfazed by his coming wedding could fail so miserably. Snotlout was literally driving everyone a little insane and Hiccup had become the one to keep an eye on him. The only good thing about this was that it didn't give him much to reflect upon Elsa's arrival.
While he had finally given up his bad attempts at trying to deny his feelings for her, he could not allow himself to think about how it would be to see her again since he was afraid he would wish to see something in her that was no longer there. It was a constant fear that mixed with the excitement he had felt ever since he knew she would come.
Giving in to the fact that his feelings for Elsa would not go away had been a long process, but when he had demanded that Elsa would travel with Astrid to Berk simply because he had been jealous of Fishlegs he had given up. The fierce envy that had flooded through him in that moment was fueled by the simple fact that he wouldn't be the first to see her and there hadn't been any point trying to convince himself of anything else.
In any other scenario, Hiccup would've gone to greet her instead of Fishlegs or the twins, but with Snotlout running around…
"I'm telling you it needs to be higher, Bucket!" Snotlout told poor Bucket who was glaring at him tiredly.
"Uhm... Snotlout, weren't we going to cheek on Hookfang?" Hiccup asked with a tired voice, hoping to steer his cousin's attention away from the other Viking.
"Right! Let's go and put it higher Bucket!" Snotlout shouted as continued walking in a fast pace, Hiccup sending Bucket an apologetic look and told him the runes were in a good height before he followed after Snotlout.
"You know Hiccup; I think this will be the best wedding in Berkian history!" Snotlout said proudly, looking around with a pleased expression when the Horn of arrival was heard echoing over Berk. Hearing it, Snotlout got a panicked expression on his face. "It's the Queen, it's the Queen! I have to go get Ingrid, see you later Hiccup! Get out of my way, I've got to fetch a bride!" Snotlout shouted to Hiccup and a few Vikings who was in the way his way as he rushed towards Ingrid's house as fast as he could.
"If nothing else it will be the wedding where the groom was most likely to be killed before it even started." Hiccup muttered to himself, seeing the tired looks that were thrown after Snotlout.
However, his tiredness was washed away when he realized that Elsa would soon be on Berk, he would see her again. It wasn't just him who as excited about her arrival though, the news spread like wildfire and soon the Vikings, who only the before had complained about everything that needed to be done, were all walking down to the arena to hopefully get a glimpse of the foreign Queen.
Following them, Hiccup felt how his stomach turned into a painful knot of nervousness and excitement for every step he took. It wasn't only from the fact that he would soon meet Elsa, it was also because he was a little worried about what she would think of Berk. He had told her much about his home, but he knew still knew it would differ a lot from the world she was used to.
"It's almost more commotion here now than during dragon racing, or what do you say Chief?" Eret asked, walking up next to him as they entered the arena and could see all the Vikings that were looking down at them with excited faces.
"I suppose they are eager to compare a Queen to a Princess." Hiccup replied causally, knowing that in reality the Vikings were mostly curios to see if everything Fishlegs had told them was true. "At least the mental breakdown from this morning is forgotten." He added, remembering how one of the older Vikings had nearly jumped on Snotlout earlier that day.
"If you hadn't interfered when you did Chief I actually think old Horach would've beaten a few of Snotlout's teethes out!" Eret laughed as Toothless landed next to them while Valka and Gobber walked into the arena. Sitting down on the ground next to Hiccup, Toothless was shivering with anticipation at the prospect of meeting Elsa.
Thankfully, even though he did share his dragon's enthusiasm, Hiccup wasn't shaking. At least he hoped he didn't.
"This wedding can't come soon enough." Gobber muttered with a sour expression when he and Valka joined them as well. "Just last night Snotlout tried to tell me how to create the axe his dad is giving him as a wedding present."
"What did you tell him?" Eret asked, looking a little curious.
"Tell him? I threw him out! The lad has never put a foot inside me blacksmith before and I'll not take advice from a man who doesn't even know the right end of a hammer." Gobber exclaimed, Eret giving him a pat on the shoulder while they all chuckled.
"Don't you worry, soon you'll sight one most beautiful of women if we've been rightly informed by Fishlegs." Eret said.
"Not sure that'll cheer me up much, but I do think watching all of ye might." Gobber answered with a grin, Hiccup and his mother exchanging an amused look when they saw Eret's confused expression. They didn't get a chance to explain though since Snotlout came running into the arena with Ingrid in his arms, breathing heavily.
"We made it, didn't I tell you that we'd make it baby?" Snotlout said between deep breaths to Ingrid who smiled at him with amusement, her eyes glittering as she looked at him.
"You did, now will you put me down?" She asked, Snotlout quickly doing as she said while he tried to look completely unfazed by his run.
"Of course, you're just so light that I didn't even feel you in my arms." He answered, Ingrid just chuckling and rolling her eyes at him in response before she kissed his cheek and took a hold of his arm, Snotlout looking at her with a goofy smile and dazed eyes.
"I still can't believe an actual Queen are coming here!" Ingrid said excitingly to them, looking up into the sky where the three dragons were going in for landing. Seeing them, Hiccup felt that all he wanted to do was run away so he could get control over his swirling emotions inside while another part of him kept him rooted place so he wouldn't miss a second.
Also he was the Chief and there was no way he could leave now, he needed to be here and greet the guests.
When the dragons finally landed in all sound turned into excited whispers while everyone tried to make sure they wouldn't miss anything that was going on. They watched how all of their friends jumped off of their dragons with ease and how two royal guards, along with a small woman in her middle ages, followed after the twins since they had been riding on Barf and Belch.
The guards were dressed in the usual Ardellian armor with details in purple, gold and green, while the woman was dressed in a dark purple dress and a green coat. The guards were fairly young and Hiccup could see that they were looking around nervously. The only one who looked unfazed by the situation was Kai, though Hiccup could see he was scanning the area carefully as he jumped off of Mealtug to walk over to Astrid and Stormfly.
When his eyes landed on Hiccup he gave him a small nod in greeting that Hiccup returned, knowing that the captain probably only saw him as the only ally in a strange world of different threats. After all, if it was someone the captain had always watched with extra caution it had been Hiccup.
When Kai reached Stormfly, a collective hush went through the arena as Astrid gestured for her dragon to lower her head so her other passenger could get off. In the corner of his eyes, Hiccup saw how Ruff grabbed a hold on Tuff so she could hold him back when a white creature came into view. With grace, a hand clad in a dark blue glove took the hand Kai offered in support before she took a few steps so she came into better view.
With each step she took, a dark blue dress could be seen underneath the snow white cape that covered her fully with a fur hood that hid her face from view. Then Elsa let go off Kai's hand and, with her dark gloves contrasting strongly against the white, she reached up and let the hood fall.
When her face came into view, the whole arena became deathly quiet as everyone stared at the Queen in awe. She was a vision as she stood regally in front of them. Her ice-blue eyes were alert, calculating and curios as she looked around, a calm expression on her face despite the fact that his entire tribe surrounded her. Her hair, which was in her usual braid, was slightly golden in the last rays of the sun, but Hiccup also noticed there was a new air of confidence around her that he had only begun to see before they left.
Seeing her again, Hiccup felt how pain his heart had caused him for so long was replaced by something else. It was a longing to take her in his arms and at the mere thought his heart started beating faster as it sent tingles through his body instead of shards of pain. He also realized his memory of her had never done her justice, it never would and he never wanted her to only be a memory again.
Then her eyes met his across the arena and it was like the last four months had never existed. When he looked at her what had been missing for so long was suddenly there, the world seemed to fall away around him and become right at the same time. For a second time stopped as they simply stared at each other. For a moment their defenses were down and they could see the battle of emotions this meeting brought both of them, but then Elsa's eyes turned the prefect level of warm politeness and Hiccup's did the same.
This was not the time for their personal feelings, now they needed to be the ones they were born to be.
Watching the Queen walk, or more float, over to their Chief, every Viking felt a new level of respect for him as he without any hesitation shook her hand with a calm expression and a friendly smile. Watching him, everyone wondered how he could be so unfazed by her presence when she appeared to be an unearthly creature. They became even more surprised when the Queen turned her attention to Toothless and the dragon happily allowed her to scratch him under his chin in greeting before she turned back to Hiccup.
"Chief Haddock, it's wonderful to see you again." Elsa told him, her eyes glittering slightly as she sent him a small smile. Hearing her voice again, Hiccup did his best not to smile like a fool as he also tried to ignore the cold that was still lingering on his hand that had shook hers. He really couldn't focus on that now.
"As it is to see you Queen Elsa, I hope the journey went well." He answered, seeing how she put on her glove again after having greeted Toothless and how she slightly flexed her fingers. It made him wonder if he affected her like see affected him? It was something he would have to find out, at another time of course.
"It did, thank you. Also I must say I feel quite honored to have a welcoming-committee of this size." She replied, gesturing to all the staring Vikings as Hiccup looked around tiredly.
"Apparently my tribe has nothing better to do one day before a big wedding than trying to scare our guests by staring at them until they feel the need to hide somewhere." He answered with a sharp edge to his voice that caused most the watching Vikings to look a little sheepish. "Meaning perhaps they should get back to work." Hiccup added, this time getting the wanted effect as most of them walked away, only a few children who managed to escape their mothers staying behind.
"I can see I don't have to worry about if their Chief keeps them in check at least." Elsa said with a smile, her comment causing both Valka and Gobber to laugh. Smiling at her while he introduced her to them, Hiccup felt a huge amount of relief that neither of them said anything inappropriate and nothing with hidden puns.
"Now here are the bride and groom, Ingrid and Snotlout who is my cousin." Hiccup told Elsa next, the pair walking up to her. Looking at them, Elsa knew she never would've guessed that the man in front of her had any relation to Hiccup at all. Snotlout was a very bulky man and not the tallest, he was also staring at her with a dazed expression that made her wonder if he was a little behind.
Ingrid on the other hand looked at her with dark brown that shoe with excitement. She was a pretty young woman around seventeen years old, a round face and dark brown hair that matched her eyes.
"I have heard so much about you Queen Elsa, it's an honor to meet you, I don't even know what to say." She said very quickly, holding onto Snotlout seemingly more for this sake than her own.
"Oh I hope you haven't heard too much; I don't think I would be able to live up to the expectations. However, it's lovely to meet you both. I was very happy to receive an invitation." Elsa replied with a smile as Ingrid blushed and giggled nervously.
"it was nothing and you don't really know if meeting us will be lovely, I mean you just got here and to know if it is lovely you'd have to have been here for a while and I just have to ask; are you not going to curtsy?" Ingrid said in one breath, a very innocent and curios look on her face at the end.
If they had been in Arendelle any other person would've been highly offended by Ingrid's words and probably demanded a duel. Thankfully, Elsa was used to the Vikings forwardness after spending so much time with himself and his friends, but she was also not just anyone and she was a master at reading people. While Hiccup could see she was a little surprised by the question, but not offended the slightest, he still felt like he wanted beat his head into a wall, or drown himself somewhere.
"I suppose you are right." Elsa began after a small pause during which she had studied the woman in front of her. "Very well, when my stay come to an end, I promise to tell you if the meeting has been lovely or not. As for the curtsying, I thought you didn't do that here?" She asked Ingrid kindly who smiled back at her.
"No we don't, but I'd like to see it." Ingrid said, her eyes glittering.
"If you want to I can teach you while I'm here." Elsa answered and once again Hiccup felt how much he respected her for being so understanding towards their, to her, open way of expressing themselves.
"I'd love that! Also, I have to excuse Snotlout. I know he is happy that you're here, he just loses his tongue when he is admiring a beautiful woman." Ingrid said with a grin, having noticed the lack of speech from the man next to her.
At her words though, Snotlout came to life and looked at his fiancée with panicked eyes.
"Baby, you know I have only eyes for you and no one else." He said, which only caused Ingrid to laugh while she gave him a peak on the lips.
"I know, now we need to go fix the last things before tomorrow. Astrid you coming?" Ingrid asked Astrid who looked like she wanted to object, but with a slightly sour expression she said nothing and only followed the wedding-couple out of the arena.
When they were gone, Eret was the last one Elsa hadn't been introduced to and the moment her eyes landed on him, Hiccup saw how a charming smile spread over Eret's face.
"I must say, Fishlegs wasn't lying when he said he had bestowed his eyes upon the most beautiful woman walking on this earth. But not even his descriptions have made you justice Queen of the South." He told her before Hiccup had the chance to say anything. Walking up to her, Eret took Elsa's gloved hand in his and gave it a kiss. "I'm Eret, son of Eret, Chief Haddock's right hand when it comes to Berk's connections with the other tribes." He said, sending her a charming smile while he still held onto her hand.
To Hiccup's great irritation, Elsa didn't reclaim it from him, instead she just smiled back at Eret.
"A man of words amongst Vikings. I must say I am impressed." At her words Eret looked a little pleased while Hiccup suddenly felt the anger rise within at the fact that he couldn't do anything. The jealousy was powerful and all he wanted to do was to send Eret to the Edge the first thing in the morning on some urgent business. It was actually a pretty good idea when he thought about it.
"Words come easy when a man has inspiration, your majesty." Eret answered with a grin, Hiccup feeling even more annoyed when Elsa laughed. She rarely laughed in the company of those she didn't know, why now?
"And how many women have you had falling at your feet with that line?" Elsa asked Eret with a pointed look, a little surprised over how much the man in front of her reminded her about Eugene.
"A secret number, but by your response I draw the conclusion that it didn't work on you." Eret answered, Elsa chuckling since she knew Eugene would have answered something similar.
"Hardly." She replied drily, seeing that her words were taken without any hurt by the other man who just chuckled and gave her a smile.
"Well I suppose that's my cue to help with the bags to get back in your good graces, and I might also talk to your companion a bit." He answered, Elsa looking after him as he walked passed Brigitte and sent her a glowing smile that caused her maid to blush.
"Should I be worried that he'll steel her away from me?" Elsa asked Hiccup who had walked up next to her, both of them watching as her two guards helped Eret with the bags while Kai and Brigitte followed them, the latter still looking very dazed.
"Eret is a charmer, but he respects women. Even if he doesn't show it." He said answered, muttering the last part with a slight edge to his voice that he couldn't keep out and, to his great irritation, he could see how both his mother and Gobber picked up it as on his they did their best to hold back their knowing smiles.
Even Elsa seemed to pick up on his mood since she sent him an amused smile, but she also oddly enough looked a little pleased.
"I see." She only answered as they began walking up into the Village together, following Eret and the others so Elsa could see where she would live during her stay. "But you know, I still think the charmers can only be tamed by Rapunzel, they are not really my type after all. I like the thinkers better." She added, causally.
"And why is that?" Hiccup asked, feeling his heart speed up a little as she sent him a warm glance and he felt how the tension increased between them.
"I have just found out recently that they make me feel something special." She replied, looking at him with piercing eyes that made him forget about the fact that his mother and Gobber was walking behind them, he only saw her. Then she smiled and the easy look was back in her eyes. "And it would be tiresome to bury him in snow every time he misbehaved." She added as he grinned down at her.
"Right, because you seemed to find it very boring when you did it to Eugene." He replied as Elsa chuckled, making him reconsider sending Eret to the edge. After all, it was a perhaps a little drastic.
After that they both fell back into their more formal roles as they walked through Berk, enquiring about more trivial things as neither of them even noticed that Valka, Gobber and Fishlegs was talking quietly behind them about times, places and bets.
So they are reunited and the next chapter will be focused on them! Now how does a relationship change when you have feelings for someone and you still don't know if you can be with that person? Tricky question!
Now the next chapter is almost done and if I get the time and you wish it, I might be able to update before the weekend! But no promises!
Until next time dear readers!
/Lysistrate