After far longer than was comfortable for the boy or the dragon, the king's chuckling quieted enough for him to speak coherently. "No, son. Really, where is she?"
"Right here." He thrust the dragon closer to the man's face, making him recoil slightly. "Look, she's got my arrow in her mouth."
Stoick inspected the arrow in the thing's mouth. It did have the goose feathers Hiccup liked to use, and the steel arrowhead the boy made himself. But could he really bond his son to a dragon? Tradition was all well and good when your sons shot well. Stoick's arrow had landed in the garden of his sweetheart, so he'd had no complaints. But the only one of Hiccup's generation who'd chosen a worthy bride was Hamish. He looked away from the dragon's curious eyes and at the hall. He could tell from their faces that they'd all heard.
Well, he'd have to put up a good front until he could find a way out of this mess for his youngest. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the last of the three brides has been chosen." Then he muttered, "stand" to those sitting at his table. The two elder princes brought their wives to their feet and Hiccup stood straight with the little dragon perched on his right shoulder, proudly warbling to the world. The court, though a little confused about the dragon and lack of a third princess, clapped and cheered. The king silenced them with a wave of his hand. "The festivities have now concluded, and you are all invited to the castle day after tomorrow for the wedding." The court filed out of the castle and into their gilded carriages, speeding off to their mansions. The three princes, two princesses-to-be, king, and dragon waved them off before returning to their chambers.
They gathered in the library and Stoick called for Geoffrey, the librarian and keeper of the records. He bowed to the king and princes, and if he bowed a little lower for Hiccup, no one noticed. "For what do I have the pleasure, my lords?"
"We need to see the laws involved with the bride choosing," Stoick said. "There's been a bit of trouble."
"Do you mean Hiccup's choice of wife?" he asked as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It wasn't every day one saw a king flustered. "I'll get the record right away."
"I'll help," piped up Hiccup, and he and his little lady disappeared into the shelves following the old codger, as Hamish liked to call Geoffrey. Once the two were out of earshot of the other royals, Hiccup asked Geoffrey, "So? What are the laws?"
The man turned and stared Hiccup right in the eye. "Let me ask you something first." Hiccup shut his mouth and nodded. "Do you want that little dragon," he nodded at her, "to be your wife?" The prince couldn't keep the confusion off his face and the librarian laughed. "Hiccup, you could do a lot worse. Oh, don't give me that," he scolded as Hiccup raised a sarcastic eyebrow at him. "Garden Dragons, like the one on your shoulder, are very pleasant creatures. Intensely loyal, very friendly, and not very dangerous, and from the looks of it she's already very attached to you." The dragon trilled and nuzzled the side of Hiccup's face. A smile crept across the old man's face as he watched Hiccup grin at the small creature and run a hand down her wings, making her eyes close in pleasure. "I'd take a dragon over a girl any day, in terms of a friend."
"But that's the thing, Geoffrey," moaned Hiccup as a frown replaced his smile. "I'd love to keep her as a friend, but not a wife. I mean, I do want a family. And as much as I'd love her as a companion instead of some girl five years older than me, she can't give me that."
"But would you want her if that wasn't a factor?" persisted the old bookkeeper.
Hiccup thought about the girls he'd grown up with. Those from the noble and gentry class turned their noses up at him for working with his hands all the time, just like his new sister-in-law had done earlier. Town girls laughed at his slight build, and he didn't think anyone with lower status would be able to see beyond his title. He didn't even know if his own mother had loved him, with the way she died from complications during his delivery. He looked back at the little dragon perched on his shoulder. Her eyes, the first thing he'd noticed, were so close to his. The dragon let out a little whine. Was she…asking him to choose her? "What do you think?" he commented, half kidding. But when she trilled and began rubbing her scaly cheeks against his again, he decided. "I guess you're stuck with me, then."
The dragon roared in delight and began licking Hiccup's face until it was half coated in dragon slobber. He laughed as the tiny little tongue tickled his cheek and batted at the dragon, trying to get her to stop. Geoffrey grinned at the two. "That's good."
Hiccup looked up from the little dragon. "Why?"
"Because the laws about this particular tradition don't allow for anything else. You would have had to marry her even if you'd chosen differently. At least this way, you'll be happy." He patted the boy on the shoulder. "I'll go and tell your father." He left the two to their laughter, very happy that the only boy to set foot in this room since his mother's death had found someone else who could appreciate him, even if it was only a dragon.
He walked out from behind the shelf and up the aisle to where the king stood with his sons and their wives, waiting. "My lord, I have read the scrolls."
"And what do they say? Surely tradition allowed a way out of this situation?" questioned the king.
"I'm sorry, but they demand that tradition be followed." Three, two, one…
"WHAT!? You mean my son is actually going to have to marry that beast?"
Geoffrey was tempted to plug his ears to stop the volume of Stoick's rage from deafening him. "Yes." The king huffed and stalked off, Hubert and Hamish following, each with a bride on their arm. The librarian smiled and turned to the back of the library where a boy and his dragon were getting better acquainted.
I'd like to address a small problem that's cropped up in several reviews. Many people are concern/disappointed because I used book Toothless. But who ever said I wouldn't also bring movie Toothless into it? He had a flying dream for a reason, people!
Since you guys have been so great with the reviews, and I can't seem to stop writing chapters, I'll give you a challenge. After ten reviews for any of he chapters in this story? I'll give you the next one a day early. Sound good?