CHAPTER 12 – The Kingdom of Corona's University for Young Women of High Stature
"Good morning, milady."
Hiccup was tucking his shirt in.
"Morning," Astrid yawned, rolling over. The maid had showed them to a lovely room the night before. After dropping off the baggage, Hiccup had gone with Mr. Boötes to the palace stables, where the dragons stayed the night. For the newlyweds, that night had been a luxurious one, in a four-poster bed with thick embroidered curtains. It had been a nice change from a full-day's flight on dragon-back. Speaking of which… "I wish I could stay, but I've gotta start heading back to Berk. Hopefully I'll make it before tomorrow," Hiccup was saying as he combed his hair. Astrid nodded. "Be careful," she said, pulling the sheets to her chin and sitting up.
"I will," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek. She pouted. He chuckled, and leaned back in.
She pulled him onto the bed and kissed him with all the energy she had that early in the morning. And, Thor, he kissed her back. "I'm really gonna miss this," Hiccup breathed in-between heated moments. "Me too," Astrid replied, opening her eyes briefly to look into his. "You'll be in my dreams," her husband said, grinning goofily. "I better be," his wife retorted, grabbing his shirt and uniting their lips once again.
Meanwhile…
A few minutes later, Hiccup was gone. And someone was knocking on the bedroom door. Astrid looked up. She was sitting on the bed, with infuriatingly watery eyes, her blonde locks in her face. She took a shaky gulp of air, and pulled herself together. She stood, and turned the knob.
"Good morning, Astrid!"
It was Rapunzel.
"Are you ready to meet some people?"
The princess was glowing with enthusiasm. Astrid blinked. She felt like she was staring into the sun. "Um…" she began awkwardly, "I have to get dressed." Rapunzel glanced down her nightgown. "Oh! Yeah, no, that's fine," she said, smiling, "Go get dressed, and I'll be waiting out here for you." Astrid opened her mouth to reply, but thought better of it, and closed the door in the princess' face. She slumped heavily against the wall. She took a deep breath. Then she went to her pile of luggage.
Meanwhile…
Ten minutes later, the door swung open. "Hey," Rapunzel said, smiling.
Astrid nodded, smiling back uncertainly, fully dressed, with baggage in hand.
"You okay?" the princess asked as they walked down the passage. "Yeah," Astrid replied, "I'm fine." Rapunzel took her arm and hooked it around her own. "Good," she said, as they continued arm in arm, "because you're about to meet the girls you're going to board with." Astrid gave her a baffled glance. Rapunzel noticed, and explained. "The University is not in the castle, you see. It is in a separate part of the kingdom, actually. And all the students will dorm there for the year. You will be sharing a room with three other girls. One of them is me! And the other two you're going to meet today." Astrid stared out into the distance, thinking. She had not be informed that she would be sharing a room. However, it was not the worst thing that could happen. If the other girls were anything like Rapunzel though, it might get a little…obnoxious.
"Have you met them yet?" Astrid asked the princess. Rapunzel bit her lip, "Well," she said, "One of the girls is my cousin… The other one I have not met, though. I hope she's as nice as you are." Astrid felt a little guilty at this statement. This entire time she had been reluctant to befriend this Rapunzel girl. And now the princess was saying she was nice! Astrid made a mental note to be kinder. "Are they waiting for us at the University?" Astrid asked with a tentative smile. Rapunzel nodded. "We're going to have to ride there on horseback," she said, "it's the only way, so I hope you don't mind." Astrid shook her head. "No, I don't mind," she replied, "But wouldn't it be quicker to fly?"
Rapunzel stared at her. "Like," she whispered, "on your dragon?" Astrid nodded. The princess gaped at her. "We're on our way to stables anyway," Astrid observed. Rapunzel bobbed her head wordlessly.
"I'll take that as a yes."
After going down several flights of stairs, they finally reached the stables. "Stormfly," Astrid cooed when she found her dragon's stall. Stormfly squawked joyfully. The dragon trainer unhooked the latch on the bottom gate, and entered the stall. She took the dragon's saddle off the wall and began attaching it to the creature. Rapunzel stood back, watching the whole ordeal. Astrid heaved her luggage onto her Nadder's back, hooking it on securely. "Come on, my beauty," Astrid said when she had finished. Stormfly pranced out of the stall, and nuzzled her owner's shoulder.
"Meet Rapunzel," she said, leading the dragon towards the princess. "Rapunzel," Astrid said, "meet Stormfly. You can pet her if you want." The princess gently stroked the Nadder's large beak. Stormfly shivered in delight. Astrid smiled. "Alright," she said, "now you have to get up into her saddle. Like this." Astrid swung herself up onto the dragon with practiced ease. Rapunzel looked daunted. "Here," Astrid said, extending her hand. Rapunzel looked up at her and smiled. She took her hand. With the strength of a Viking, Astrid pulled Rapunzel up behind her.
"Wow," Rapunzel breathed, "it's so high." Compared to a horse, Stormfly was much taller. "Wait until we're off the ground," Astrid laughed. "Come on," she coxed her dragon, clucking her tongue. Stormfly tramped out of the stables and into the sunlight. "Are you ready?" the dragon trainer asked the princess. "I think so," Rapunzel gulped. "Hold on," Astrid warned. The princess quickly grabbed Astrid around the waist. "Not—so—tight!" Astrid gasped. "Oh, sorry, I'm so sorry," Rapunzel stammered. Astrid rolled her eyes in good humor.
"Okay," she said, "Stormfly, up!"
Making a conscious effort not to repeat the infamous "first-ride-on-Toothless" incident, the Nadder bounded forward and leap gracefully into the air. They soared gently through the sky, keeping at low altitudes. "Good girl," Astrid whispered.
"This is incredible," Rapunzel breathed.
"I would take you on a real ride, but we have to get somewhere," Astrid said.
"Yeah, I think this enough for now," the princess giggled nervously. Astrid smiled. They flew over the bridge leading from Corona to the forest. Stormfly rose above the trees. "Which way from here?" the dragon trainer asked. "Well, it's kind of hard to tell from up here," Rapunzel remarked, her voice trembling slightly, "But I think I can see the road." Astrid squinted. Sure enough, there was a path beneath them, leading through the forest. The leaves shielded their view quite a bit. "We have to follow it until it forks, then we head left," the princess continued.
Astrid obeyed her instructions. They eventually reached the split in the road, and went leftward. The foliage got gradually thicker until the path was barely legible. "We might need to continue on foot," Astrid mused. "I don't think so," Rapunzel said, pointing, "Look." Astrid gazed in the direction her outstretched finger was indicating. She gasped. A thick fog had parted before them, and a magnificent structure appeared in a clearing.
It looked like a castle fit for royalty, to a rustic Berkian. It was made from red brick. It happened to be a very square building, with each extension off it following suit. From the ground, it would be rather intimidating, with its hundreds of windows staring down. But from the sky, with its many pointed roofs and little chimneys, and the beautiful forest surrounding it, the institution seemed fairly cozy. Stormfly began losing altitude as she prepared to land on the school grounds. "Try to avoid the grass, our gardener's very protective of the property," Rapunzel warned as they descended. Astrid turned Stormfly to land on the wide stone walkway leading to the University's huge front doors.
Astrid slid off her dragon's back, and turned to assist the princess. Once both young women had their feet safely on the ground, the dragon-trainer took her Deadly Nadder's reins and began leading her toward the University. Astrid felt a small tap on her shoulder. She glanced behind her. Rapunzel was giving her an apologetic look. "You cannot bring her into the school," she said quietly, "she has to stay at the stables." Astrid nodded. "Right," she said, "Which way would that be?" "This way," Rapunzel said, beckoning.
The princess led the dragon-trainer and her faithful steed along another stone path, branching off the main walkway. It went around the school, to the back of the building. There was another small building attached to the school: the stables. Astrid and Stormfly followed Rapunzel into the stone structure. "Princess!" a stable lad cried. He looked about seventeen years old. "Jackson," Rapunzel said, smiling, "How are you?" The brown-haired stable lad grinned cheekily. "I'm doing fine, thanks to you," he said, gazing at her a bit obviously. Then he noticed Stormfly. "What the bloody hell is that thing?" he breathed, staring at her.
"This is a dragon," Astrid announced, smirking.
Jackson seemed mildly startled by the dragon rider's sudden appearance from behind the beast. He recovered quickly. "Well, hello," he said, bearing his teeth flirtatiously. Astrid rolled her eyes, nonchalantly using her bejeweled left hand to brush her bangs from her face. He glanced at it, and sighed. "It was worth a try," he remarked. Rapunzel laughed. "Could you please show our guest to a suitable stall for her winged friend?" she asked. Jackson smiled at her… for just a moment too long. Then he nodded. He gestured to Astrid to follow him. He showed her to a large stone stall, with a sizable water trough. The dragon trainer nodded in approval. "This should work," she said.
"I figured a rock one would be best. Don't want anything catching on fire, now would we," Jackson joked. Astrid agreed silently. As the stable lad helped her get Stormfly into the stall, Astrid started a friendly conversation.
"So, Jackson…"
"It's just Jack. Only the princess calls me that."
"Right. Um...anyway, how long have you worked here?"
"Ever since the princess returned, and built the school," Jack replied.
"Returned?"
"She disappeared when she was a baby. The king and queen were devastated. It was rumored she was kidnapped by an evil witch. Then suddenly, eighteen years later, a girl shows up claiming to be the lost princess. It was Rapunzel."
"Do you think she is the real lost princess?"
"Oh yeah, I've got no doubt about it. Of course, some still wonder. But whatever."
Jack took the dragon's saddle from Astrid. She untied the luggage and took it out with her as Jack closed the bottom half of the stall door. Stormfly popped her head out and nuzzled Astrid's shoulder. The stable lad watched this interaction with interest. "Someday you'll have to tell me how this happened," he said, gesturing at the two of them. Astrid smiled, patting her Nadder gently. "Maybe I'll eventually tell you the whole story," she said, "but for now, let's just say it was all because of my husband, Hiccup."
Jack bit his lip, trying not to laugh at the unusual name. Astrid scowled.
Jack was muttering to himself.
"What?" Astrid asked indignantly.
"Nothing," Jack said, "I was just wondering why every beautiful girl is married." Astrid raised her eyebrows. "What about Rapunzel?" she said, hoisting some of her bags over her shoulder. Jack squinted at his feet. "She married a man named Eugene Fitzherbert four years ago." He kicked a small rock across the dirt floor. Astrid stared at him, brow furrowed. "I didn't know that," she said, mostly to herself. Jack glanced up. "Yeah, well, you don't know a lot about her," he commented, hoisting the rest of her bags onto his back and heading down the passage. "You like her, don't you," Astrid continued, following him, "Like, really like her." Jack did not reply.
"Oh come on, it's so obvious," the dragon trainer went on, catching up to him, "even though you're about six years apart—" The stable lad spun around. "Listen," he growled, "It doesn't matter. She's married. Whatever I feel is irrelevant, and will stay that way." Astrid backed up. "Fine," she said, a little offended. Jack nodded curtly, and walked away. Astrid stared after him.
Meanwhile…
Rapunzel rose from her seat on a bench as Jack came out of the stables. "Jackson," she began, but he did not look at her. He just dropped Astrid's bags on the bench, and stormed off into the woods. "Jackson!" she called after him. Astrid arrived at her side. "What happened in there? He seemed angry?" Rapunzel asked, clearly concerned. Astrid shook her head and shrugged. Rapunzel sighed, staring at the forest. "We best leave him alone," the princess finally concluded. "Come on," she continued on a lighter note, "we have to go meet our roommates."
Astrid followed Rapunzel to the front of the University, and up the steps. The princess did not even bother to knock. She pushed open the doors, with some difficulty. An enormous entrance hall stretched out before them. A magnificent mural covered the high-vaulted ceiling, and huge framed paintings decked the walls. An incredibly long carpet extended along the oak floor. Astrid stared, open-mouthed. "It's quite something when you first see it," Rapunzel laughed. "This way," she said. They walked down the hall, their footsteps muffled by the carpet.
"I'll give you a big tour later," Rapunzel said, going through a door and leading Astrid up some stairs. They came out in a narrow corridor lined with doors. "We are in room number fifty-two," the princess murmured as they inspected each door. At last, they came to their suite. "There it is, the big fifty-two," Astrid muttered. Rapunzel glanced at her. "Ready?" she whispered. Astrid nodded. Rapunzel reached out and turned the knob. The door swung open silently.