15 Fly Me To The Honeymoon
"HALT" the soldier demanded of the man driving the small enclosed wagon.
"Who's that out there?" a frail and elderly voice called out from inside.
"DON'T WORRY DAD, ITS JUST A CHECKPOINT" the driver called over his shoulder before addressing the soldier "Sorry about that sir, my old father is a bit hard of hearing... and rather cranky."
"Step down from the wagon peasant."
"Certainly sir, right away sir" the nervous driver declared as he obeyed the order.
"Why have we stopped?" the frail voice continued "let's get a going."
"No grandpa, wait" a younger voice was heard pleading as the back of the wagon opened up.
A hump backed, crusty old man half fell down the back step while his grandson tried desperately to stop him by pulling on his left arm."
"Oh no... DAD, GET BACK IN THE WAGON; I am sorry about this sir."
"Where are you headed to peasant" the soldier enquired "and where have you come from?"
"Err my sister and her husband have a farm another half days journey from here and... well it's her turn to look after dad for the next two years. We've come up from..."
"Who are you talking to there, and when are we getting home?"
"You're not going home grandpa" the young boy insisted as he was dragged along by the recalcitrant senior citizen "you're going to stay with Auntie Nancy for a while."
"WHAT? I don't want to go to Nancy's, not since she married that boring fart..."
"DAD! Show some respect; this Imperial Soldier needs to ask us some questions."
"Yes I do" the soldier agreed "now where did you say you had come from?"
"IMPERIAL SOLDIER? I used to be a Captain in the Imperial Army; I fought in three wars" the old man declared while holding up four fingers.
"Yes that's right Dad" the driver turned the old man back towards the wagon while the boy continue to pull on his arm "and that's why the soldiers here wanted to thank you for all that you've done in service to your country... Isn't that right?"
"What? Oh... yes" the soldier decided to help the driver with his father while his colleagues giggled several feet away at the checkpoint "thank you for your meritorious service sir."
"Don't you know how to salute a superior officer sonny?" the old man lunged back towards the now saluting soldier.
"That's enough Dad."
"Way more than enough" the boy whispered to the old man "now get back in the wagon and give it a rest... grandpa."
"Was he really a Captain who fought in three wars?" the soldier asked as the old man got back inside the wagon.
"He was in the army... and he was a corporal who cooked for the men who did fight in three wars... and you can be sure that when he next tells someone about his time in the service of His most Imperial Majesty, he'll probably be a Major at the very least."
"I understand peasant... I had a great grandfather the same way; now where have you..."
"Oh yes... sorry... a few miles east of Throcton Moor."
"And have you seen anything unusual on your journey?"
"You mean apart from me dad in his long johns?" but the soldier was not impressed "err no I haven't... sorry."
"Very well then, be on your way and if you do see anything flying about..."
"Flying?"
"Yes, flying; then report it to the nearest garrison without delay" the soldier ordered.
"Yes sir... I will sir" and with that, the driver climbed back onto the wagon and continued along the road north.
"That went well" the old man commented.
"I still think you over did it" the driver huffed.
"Oh come on Fothers, lighten up."
"I'll get you for this Hiccup" Fotherington fumed.
The ceremony had gone off quite well all things considered; the guests had smiled, sighed and a few even cried (Toki the loudest) when King Joric had said "I do" and many had giggled when the bride said "You bet your arse I do" before falling forward and being caught by Lord Boron. It is customary in many societies for the groom to carry the bride into their home after the wedding, but Joric found it necessary to carry Sigrid all the way back down the aisle and to the gold braided carriage waiting in front of the palace for their short journey through the city to be welcomed by the cheering crowds. Between the top of the palace steps and the door of the carriage, four dragons stood tall and roared loudly in salute while a tiny spider shouted an unheard blessing to the King and Queen from atop the horn of the Changewing. The people of the city were delighted to see the happy couple as they passed by waving even though, because the bride was so late, they had to tour by torchlight giving the crowd the look of an angry lynch mob, only without the pitchforks.
Later that evening, Queen Sigrid was thoroughly enjoying the royal reception, even though she was only permitted to drink fruit juice because of her weakened condition, and was she constantly shouting 'HERE HERE' every time someone made an official toast. All the guests found this very amusing, especially when they were raising their glasses to her, but it was even funnier when it was Sigrid who was making the toast, and she cried out in agreement with herself.
"If this is what she is like now" Sigfus Jolfson said aside to Kylan "I can't wait to see what she's like after a few drinks."
As the festivities continued into the evening, another young couple snuck out of the reception room and onto one of the small balconies to enjoy the moonlight and each other's company away from the maddening crowd. They danced to the music coming from inside their hearts, kissed long and deep until the moon began to blush, and then spooned under the stars while wishing that this moment would never end. Looking down from the balcony, Astrid noticed a man sitting on the palace steps across the square where a few hours ago, four dragons had stood saluting the King and Queen.
"Hey look... isn't that the guy Kylan was telling us about?"
"I think so" Hiccup replied "he sure looks upset."
"Pity we can't help him" Astrid sighed.
"Actually... I think I can."
"Well then babe... maybe you should. I think it's about time I went to bed anyway; the last few days have been non-stop and I've had it." She went to leave but Hiccup wouldn't let go of her hand.
"Wait... I don't want you to go... not tonight."
Astrid was glad that the light was so low; she did not want him to see her face turning red.
"You know how much I love you" she admitted as she hugged him once more "but I'm not sure if I'm ready... not ready to be tied down to a family... not yet."
"I understand... but stay... please?"
"Go and talk to grumpy DeGroot" she kissed his cheek and smiled before she walked back inside.
As much as he did not want to, General Karoc knew that he must report to the Emperor all that had occurred at Baldcrest Hill that afternoon and just hope that Scias was in a very forgiving mood. A good twenty minutes had passed since his arrival back at the palace before the Emperor conceded to see him.
"I noticed that when you returned General, you had not brought me what I requested."
"Err no Your most Imperial Majesty, but I do have something to report and it may help us to achieve success in the future."
"Tell me more General; you have piqued my interest."
"This afternoon I had my first true encounter with these incredible creatures..."
"WHAT WERE THEY MAN?" the Emperor leapt from his throne.
"I do believe they were dragons Your Majesty."
"Dragons" Scias's eyes lit up.
"Yes sir; one was big and blue with spikes down its back and all over its tail and the other appeared to be reddish brown but it could change colours to blend in and hide so..."
"Were there riders on them?"
"I did not see any but they attacked so fast..."
"Which way did they go General?"
"Southwest sir... and the men I had out scouring the area said that they disappeared out over the ocean without setting down again."
The Emperor sat back on his throne and stroked his chin "I want search orders sent out to every corner of the empire and all major projects are to be halted at once. The size of the Imperial Fleet is to be doubled... no tripled as soon as possible."
"By your leave Highness" the General left relieved to be given a long term task rather than an immediate trip to the tower.
"Hey there" Hiccup greeted Yolon DeGroot Esq.
"You're one of those... Vikings aren't you" DeGroot sneered.
"Yup... and you look a little upset" Hiccup noted as he sat down.
"UPSET? OF COURSE I'M UPSET; YOUR... FRIEND HAS RUINED THE WEDDING DRESS OF TERESA VAN SORIANO AND... and it will never be the same again" he sighed as his head dropped.
"Look... I'm really very sorry about the dress and all..."
"You're sorry?" DeGroot huffed.
"...but if what I'm told is true, you are the keeper of a large collection of many important items that hold great historic value; isn't that right?"
"So you think that if I have so many things, that I should just laugh it off if one of them is destroyed? I'm sorry boy but I take my task much more seriously than that."
"No that's not what I'm saying at all. What I mean is this; I am told that you know the history of every item in the Royal Collection and I'm sure that there is nothing in there, which is in the same pristine condition as it was the day it was made."
"Well... no but..."
"And I am also led to believe that the dress has been damaged before."
"Yes the train was torn once but that was when it was being used during a very important historical event, not for a modern..."
"Stop right there" Hiccup interrupted DeGroot "when the dress was torn, it was not a historical event at the time, and today was just as important. Think about it; from this day forward you will be able to tell people not only of things that occurred before we were born, but also about modern history. Your were not present when the dress was torn, but you were there the day that the King of Elydonia was married to a Viking warrior who was injured, almost fatally, the day before her wedding while attempting to prevent an invasion from the powerful New Loren Empire... and she succeeded. That is why there are blood stains on the dress and that... is history in the making."
Yolon DeGroot Esq. sat quietly for a few minutes and pondered what he had just been told before he stood and turned to look at the young man next to him. Hiccup looked up and noticed the moisture in the man's eyes glistening in the moonlight.
"Thank you" DeGroot declared and simply walked off.
Hiccup smiled to himself and decided to check on the dragons before he would return to the palace. He found them all sleeping peacefully not in the stable itself, but out in the grassed area near the wall. Dianta was till at her post but was also sleeping soundly in the middle of the beasts wrapped in a canvas sheet and with covered by Stormflys wing.
"Hey bud" Hiccup greeted his dragon when it stirred after having noticed his presence "you go back to sleep Toothless; I'm very proud of you and all that you've done ever since we left Berk last month."
The Night Fury purred as it lowered its head and dozed once more and Hiccup moved over to look at Ghost. He could not understand why such a skittish, unpredictable and territorial dragon as a Changewing, would so quickly join them and fit in with nearly no effort or training. He may have found it easier to understand if only he could have seen the tiny vikingish spider standing on the dragon's nose as it drew its sword (made from web strand wrapped around one of Astrid's eyelashes) and saluted the young man who it now considered to be its future chief thanks to Astrid's mental influence.
Back home on Berk, anyone that the Dragon Master passed by on his was home would simply greet him with a smile and a cheery 'Hey there Hiccup' and he was beginning to look forward to getting home and hearing such words once more. Astrid was enjoying all the respect and attention but as Hiccup rounded another corner in the Bolthorn Castle Palace, he cringed as the two sentries snapped to attention and barked "Good evening Lord Hiccup."
"Good evening men" he replied "as you were."
The Yak skin on his bedroom floor was nowhere near as fine as the woven rug in his room in the palace, and it smelt a bit too but he was still looking forward to rubbing all five of his toes into its soft fur in another few days... hopefully. Hiccup splashed some water on his face and wiped it with the towel on the bedside table; sitting down on the edge of the bed, he looked up around the room and sighed. He was actually glad that this would be his last night in this luxurious but uninviting room.
"What have you got to sigh about when there's such a beautiful woman in your bed?"
"AAARGH!" Hiccup jumped up, his heart racing "ASTRID... you scared me half to death."
"You were the one who asked me to stay."
"But you... and then I..."
"Well that explains why you took so long; well then... how did it go with DeGroot?"
"What? Oh... fine... but I'll tell you all about later."
"Good idea, now don't just stand there with your chin on the floor" she winked.
"Huh... hmm" Hiccups heart raced.
He had spent many nights with Astrid before, but always with the other riders or camped out with the dragons. This time, as he got himself ready... and stared at her bare shoulders, he knew this was very... very different.
"WHOO! Your hands are cold" Astrid giggled as he slipped into bed.
"Just be glad that I took my leg off" he smirked
"Oh I am, well... goodnight Babe."
"I don't know about you Astrid, but I'm not that sleepy yet."
"Me neither" she admitted as she blew out the candle.
Astrid could not help but smile at the thought; Sigrid had the wedding, but she got the honeymoon.
One more day till my first eye operation so I am pleased to have Act 1 finished with plenty of time for polishing. I've started on Act 2 but don't expect to see any of it this month. A new idea hit me last week for the next instalment of the Year One stories and I've already got several hundred words down for that (it's a funny little Ruff and Tuff tale) so look for that one to appear in early to mid April.
Thanks again to everyone for reading, and to fanficfan71 and Midoriko-sama (although sometimes I think I should refer to you as Midoriko Chan) for your reviews and PM's.
Love to all from me and Moon and I'll see you all again when I can see again, Marty ;-)