2 Royal Privileges

or Rock-a-Bye Monstrous Nightmare

"Good morning Your Majesty" yet another member of the public greeted Sigrid as she wandered along with Hiccup to the western side of the town.

"Hello" she replied "but I'm not Queen yet."

"Close enough Your Majesty" he answered back.

"I suppose I'll get used to it someday" she sighed "but I wish everyone would just call me Sigrid."

"Different country means different rules" Hiccup noted "even rules of etiquette."

"I suppose so" she resigned herself "but I've been told that I can't even call Joric, Joric when we're in public; now that's annoying."

"He's a good man though so I suppose it's worth all the trouble."

"I'm a lucky girl alright" she smiled.

"He's a lucky guy... I mean... King" Hiccup pointed out.

The empire of New Loren lay to the south of Elydonia and the people who ruled there, from the Emperor at the top, right through all the senators and generals in the middle, down to the local councillors at the bottom of this hierarchical tree had all honed their paranoia to such a fine edge, that you could have shaved a Mammoth with it... if you could find one. Every single last one of them was trying to put a knife deep into the back of anyone above them who stood in the way of their advancement or into anyone sneaking up from below; mostly it would be a political knife but occasionally it was a literal one.

In order to keep themselves safe from such knives (and to give them a good idea as to the best direction in which to thrust their own blades) the Noblemen and women of New Loren would employ a network of informants to help them keep abreast of what their enemies, as well as their so called friends, were up to at any given time. One such general had always considered himself to be very fortunate to have on his payroll a certain semi-retired master spy who had been invaluable to the Emperor and his predecessors during the many wars and skirmishes that had taken place over the past forty odd years and although nobody knew this spies real name or where he was, the general was able to keep in communication with him through letters that would arrive hand delivered by messenger but only when the master spy had something of importance to report.

The last report that the general had received from this man, really did turn out to be the last report that he ever would receive from him and it read:

'Five strange flying creatures spotted moving south near Krundon. I believe they may have come from Elydonia or further north. They were observed landing on the top of Baldcrest Hill where they remained for over an hour before departing and resuming their course south. Surprised to see that they appeared to be carrying riders - Investigation continuing.'

The existence of men on flying beasts was truly disturbing whether they were from Elydonia or not; and so the general had awaited the next report impatiently for more than a week but when it finally arrived, what it contained disturbed him greatly.

'The Master has not returned from his investigation of the flying creatures and their riders and he is assumed to be missing permanently. As I was awaiting his return as per his orders, I observed a large blue flame rise up from the top of Baldcrest Hill. Further investigation revealed nothing to make me suspect that these creatures or their riders had caused any harm to the Master or to anyone else in the area but I will continue to seek out more information about the whole situation. As the Masters former apprentice I have assumed his role and will continue to keep you informed about this matter and will also investigate anything of importance that occurs throughout the land if you so desire. Please convey to me your wishes at your earliest convenience. F '

The General looked up from the letter and sighed. It would have been terrible news if the Master spy known to him only as D had passed away, but to find out that he was still alive and had disappeared was an absolute disaster. Where was he now and what was he doing; and even worse... who was he working for?

Three dragons looped and spun overhead as Sigrid placed a small bouquet of flowers at the foot of the grave.

"Are you okay Hiccup?" she asked "it can't be easy to have lost someone in battle."

"I don't think I'll ever fully get over it... but Ivar did give his life protecting others and we did succeed, so it was no wasted effort."

Sigrid looked up at her dragon as he flew joyfully overhead.

"I can't take him back to Bolthorn... not now... he's looks way to happy now that he's out of there."

"He can stay here with Stormfly for a day or two while we try and work out what's best thing to do for him" Hiccup pondered "I'm sure Skywolf will be fine back on Berk but he will miss you."

"And I'll miss him but I can't be selfish when his wellbeing is at stake."

Hiccup and Sigrid walked back into town just as Toothless flashed overhead with Skywolf and Stormfly hot on his tail. Astrid brought him into land in the town square where she dropped to her feet and wandered over to Skywolf who panted happily after the boisterous workout.

"Feeling better m'boy?" she scratched his chin and kissed his snout.

"He's certainly looks better" Sigrid smiled.

"If it's okay with you Astrid, I'd like to leave Stormfly here with Skywolf while we're at the castle so he can have a break from the Royal Stables for a day or two" Hiccup asked.

"No problem babe; I can look after them while you see to wedding business."

"Actually, I have a job for you to do in Bolthorn."

"Listen Hiccup; it's true that the people here do love the dragons but they don't know how to take care of them so someone will have to stay" Astrid was adamant.

"Then we'll have to get a sitter" Hiccup grinned.

The footprints were about four or five days old but the weather had been mild and so Darius Gershwin had no trouble in determining that the creatures that had made them were the same ones that he had encountered back on Baldcrest Hill; they were also the same as the prints he had discovered on the road several miles outside of a small fishing village in the south of New Loren as well as in the quarry nearby. The remains of the campsites that the prints lead him to only confirmed his suspicions that he had at last found the place he was searching for; the southernmost destination of the Dragon Riders.

As a former spy he could not help but have doubts about these young people because, although they had seemed harmless (as harmless as someone could be when riding on a fire breathing dragon), he would have been a fool to simply accept them at face value without fully investigating to see if their innocent story bore any truth but now as he perused the area his suspicions began to wane and he decided that the time had come for him to track them back towards their home.

"I wish Fotherington was with me now" he said to himself "it would have been good to hear his insight on all this."

As he turned to leave something caught his eye and he cursed himself for not noticing it sooner.

"I can't believe I almost missed you" he said to the javelin that had been tossed away in the bushes.

As he studied it, he learned that it had not come from New Loren or one of its bordering enemies; it was of a design favoured by the kind of men who would try their best to capture strange, exotic animals and birds for the private zoos or dining tables of the very rich and powerful.

"It looks to me like you went after the wrong prey this time" he spoke to the poachers through their abandoned weapon.

Toothless set down on top of what the guards now affectionately called 'Incontinentia Tower' but was actually the Bolthorn Palace Watchtower; the men there surprised Hiccup and Astrid as they actually saluted the two of them.

"Good luck" Hiccup kissed Astrids cheek as she dropped down "Sigrid and I will be back if a few hours."

"I'll see what I can do by then" she smiled and waved as Toothless took off once again.

"Good morning Lady Astrid" the Guard Captain greeted her "how can we help you today?"

"I'd like to see the stables please" she replied.

"Certainly; if you will please follow me."

The guard pulled open the trapdoor in the floor of the watchtower and lead Astrid down the stairs. As they passed through the small door that lead into the upper floors of the palace, the two guards posted there, snapped to attention.

"Please inform Lord Sigfus of Lady Astrid's arrival and also that she will be inspecting the stables."

"SIR" one of the men saluted and hurried off.

'Lady Astrid' she smiled to herself 'I love this place.'

After following the Guard Captain for a long ten minutes out of the palace and across the courtyard, she finally arrived at stable. It stood near the western portcullis of the castle where the Royal Horse Guards could easily gain access to the countryside without having to ride through the town.

"If would like to wait here Miss, I will find you a guide."

"Thank you but no; I'll be fine."

"Very good; I shall await you here."

"That's not necessary; I can find my way about."

"Very good" he saluted once more and left.

"It's no wonder Sigrid is finding it hard to get used to this place" Astrid sighed.

Hiccup flew an indirect course back to Staggshund so that he could run a little errand on the way back. He arrived to find Sigrid and Wally the innkeeper chatting with a few other townsfolk on the front porch of the inn while Stormfly and Skywolf slept peacefully in the street out front although both the dragons became fully alert when they heard Toothless roar a herald of his arrival.

"TOOTHLESS; DON'T YOU BREAK ANYTHING" Hiccup called out as the three dragons romped off to play.

"Sigrid" he greeted "I would like you to meet a person with some of the best dragon riding experience in all of Elydonia; Dianta, I present to you Sigrid, your future queen."

"Oh don't you start" Sigrid sighed.

"While Skywolf has Stormfly for company during his stay in Staggshund" Hiccup explained "Dianta will take care of them both while we are away in Bolthorn."

"Wonderful" Sigrid declared "do you have any experience with Nightmares Dianta?

"Well I do have the occasional bad dream..." she began.

"No dear, the dragon; the Monstrous Nightmare."

"Oh like Hookfang" Dianta grinned.

"Yes but I think you'll find that Skywolf is much better trained."

"I'll do my best Your Majesty."

"Sigrid... Please" she implored though gritted teeth.

The General finished off his note to the man known only to him as F and sealed it carefully before handing it over to the officer at his side.

"I want you to have the boy who delivers these letters followed. I never felt the need to find out about the mysterious D but now that he has disappeared, I believe it behoves me to discover exactly who this F is."

"I wonder why he calls himself F" the officer noted "surely E comes after D."

"I see that our Military Academy is still turning out the best and brightest" the General sighed.

"Thank you sir" his subordinate grinned.

As Moon rubs his face on my shoe and begs for more food to be put in his bowl before I retire to bed, I consider how much time I will be able to devote to writing this week. Answer: Not much as I have to take some Agricultural Students on a country trip this week but I will try to have the next chapter up by next weekend.

TTFN, Marty.