On a chair in his chambers with his elbows on his knees and hands buried in his hair, Hiccup bemoaned his situation as he waited for Mark to come and tell him that everyone was prepared to proceed with the ceremony that would permanently bond him to a different species. He knew what he was getting into, or at least what was expected of them, but she didn't. She was a dragon! What if she'd just brought back the arrow as a courtesy and once things got boring, would leave not realizing that she'd promised to stay with him forever? What if her life span was shorter than his, so that their marriage broke before he'd even reached his thirties? What was the life expectancy for dragons that size?

He started rocking back and forth, wrinkling the white cape hung around his shoulders and joined with the same clasp that had decorated his brown fur one what seemed like a lifetime of trouble ago. The decision had seemed so easy when Geoffrey first proposed the idea that he actually go through with the marriage, but now he was second guessing everything. Could he do this? Could she do this?

Mark poked his head through the doorway. "Sire, it's time."

Hiccup uncurled himself and walked into the hall, where Mark grabbed him by the shoulder and started brushing him down. "What are you doing?" asked the anxious prince.

"I'm making sure you're at least presentable for your bride," the boy grunted out as he attempted to straighten out some of the more prevalent wrinkles in the white dress tunic.

An eye roll. "My bride is a dragon."

Another eye roll. "Well, she certainly dressed up for you, Sire."
That caught his attention. "Have you seen her?"

"Nope," replied the boy with a grin, "but the seamstresses have been buzzing about her dress most of yesterday and today. You wouldn't want a dragon to upstage you, my friend." That got a laugh out of the reluctant groom and the two hurried down the corridor to the Great Hall where the wedding was waiting.

In the tradition of their family, all three weddings took place at the same time. The three princes waited at the front of the room as the slow wedding march sounded through the room and up to the vaulted ceiling. The procession made its way towards the front of the room, although Hiccup barely registered the different couples, as the only person he recognized was his best man was Gawain as he walked up the aisle with a girl Clarice had probably chosen from her friends in town. He would have chosen Mark, but his father did have certain standards. He had managed to slip the man in as Milady's handler for the ceremony, though. Once the knight was at his side, the last of the wedding party made its entrance and the first bride strode up the aisle. He had to admit, Clarice and Sophia did look quite splendid in their gowns, faces veiled for modesty. The crowd sighed at the lovely figures as they strode up to join their future husbands, but were interrupted by a string of warbles and chirps.

Hiccup looked up in the direction of the dragon song and saw his bride literally gliding in after Sophia. He didn't know what they'd made the train out of, because it floated behind her, fanned out on the air as she swooped down and landed on Mark's outstretched arm, letting the train and veil fall neatly behind her as she stood tall and proud for the crowd of onlookers. Mark and Hiccup smiled as the mutterings at the strangeness of it were outweighed by the coos of the ladies. She really was quite adorable.

The ladies joined the princess at the front of the room and were blessed by the priest before they sat down for the beginning of the mass. The usual readings and ritual words were said and Hiccup, seeing that the other couples held hands, gently placed his palm over one of Toothless' paws where it sat primly on the cushion of the chair. When she didn't protest, he kept it there.

Finally, the vows began. Hubert, as the oldest, was called up first with Clarice. The priest asked for their promise and their "I do"s echoed in the silent hall. Hiccup hoped there was at least a small note of happiness in his brother's words. This was his wedding day after all, even if his bride was less than ideal. But then, he wasn't one to talk.

Then the ring bearer came forward and Hiccup started to panic. Where was he supposed to put the ring? He looked at Milady's other paw, the one not covered by his hand. The claws might work, unless the ring was too large. What would he do then? He studied her ear where it emerged from the lacy veil. Perhaps he could put it around the base of one of her ears. Yes that might work! Then she twitched her ear to the side to better hear the old priest's words and that idea was tossed out the window. One twitch and she'd fling the ring right off. Perhaps the tip of her tail? No, that had the same problems as the ear. Loud clapping interrupted his frantic thoughts and he looked up at his brother who was drawing back from his first kiss as a married man. He was running out of time.

While Hamish and Sophia exchanged their vows, rings, and kiss, Hiccup looked around franticly for the boy with the rings for him and Milady. If he got a better look at the rings, he might have an idea of where to place them. Oh no. How was Toothless going to put the ring on his finger? She didn't have any hands! For that matter, how was he supposed to kiss a girl with no lips? The second round of applause marked his exit of the frying pan and entrance into the fire. Shaking slightly, he rose.

Mark picked up Toothless and extended an arm for her to perch on and walked over to where Hiccup stood in front of the priest. "Prince Hiccup Haddock," began the priest, "do you take Milady Toothless as your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

The teen looked at the dragon in front of him, wings and tail and big green eyes, and took the plunge. "I do."

The priest turned from the young man and smiled indulgently at the dragon. "Milady Toothless," Thank goodness someone had told him her name before the ceremony, "do you take Hiccup Haddock as your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" She roared her consent.

The boy came forward with the rings and Hiccup saw, to his relief, that one was strung on a chain. As the priest babbled on about unity and fidelity, Hiccup took the chain and unclasped it. The man gave him permission, and he placed the chain, barely the size of a bracelet, around the neck of his wife. She closed her eyes as he did so, and when he looked up from the clasp, he met those big green eyes that sent a clear message. Good job. He smiled at her.

Then Toothless grabbed his ring with her lips very delicately and sat there, waiting for the priest. He gave her the go ahead and Hiccup slid the tip of his ring finger through the circle of metal as she held it in her jaws. She tapped it all the way down with a wing tip and looked back up at him. He whispered "Good job," and she positively glowed.

The priest beamed at the controversial couple. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Mark held out his arm so Toothless could get close enough, but she hopped off of the servant and onto the prince's shoulder. He startled and moved his arm up to regain his balance when she wiggled over onto his upper arm. Once he saw what she was doing, Hiccup wanted to laugh. He moved his arm until it was almost in front of him, and Toothless bent down and pressed her scaly green lips to his pink ones. Hiccup smiled. Maybe they could do this after all.

I didn't use the full ceremony, but I did put it what I think are the most important bits. Does Hiccup's attutude about it seem real enough?

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