Hiccup wheeled their stash through the courtyard to the staircase that led down to the kitchen. He'd hoped to ask for permission to use the fireplace for roasting the fish and a few of the apples, but he stopped right outside the door when he heard a shrill voice saying, "No, that's nowhere near thin enough! Roll it out some more." He slowly inched his face past the doorframe and caught sight of his two sisters-in-law ordering the staff around. The forge suddenly seemed like a much better cooking spot.

He snuck back up to the courtyard where Toothless waited with the barrow. "Sorry, Toothless, looks like we're cooking in the forge instead." She made no comment other than leaping off the barrow and flying in the direction of the small building where the couple had spent most of their time recently. Leaving the barrow outside the door, Hiccup lugged the basket of fish inside and looked around for something to cut them with.

Toothless snorted and picked up a fish, carrying it through the air and over to one of the workbenches. She set it down of the wooden surface and sliced it open with a quick paw swipe before turning and given a look that had "Did you forget who you're with?" written all over it. Hiccup laughed and brought over the rest of the fish for her to start preparing. While she finished slicing them open and removing the offal, he breathed some life back into the fire with the bellows and picked out a few slim irons rods. The fish were soon spitted and roasting over the hot coals.

The workbench was wiped clean with a rag kept in the room for that purpose. Hiccup like keeping his workspace clean, said it helped keep the metals pure. The various greens they'd gathered were tipped out of their basket and onto the desk, where Toothless began slicing with all four claws. Hiccup watched her as she danced around the leaves and suddenly started whistling an old tune his father liked to sing when he was sad, probably thinking about the boys' mother. Toothless stepped in time with the tune, as did Hiccup as he rotated between the bellows and checking the fish. They ended up singing it together as Hiccup washed the fruit in the barrel of rainwater just outside the door and Toothless nudged them into place on a platter the prince had finished for the kitchens a few days ago but hadn't found the time to return.

By the time he was through the second verse, the fruit was done, but he didn't stop whistling. Toothless grabbed his left hand between her paws and pulled him further outside, still chirping along. Flapping strongly, she flew in a circle, spinning Hiccup by the hand. He caught on to what she was trying and did the same, running around her as she hovered in the air. He decided to sing the last lines out loud. "I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with nary a fear of drowning, and gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me!" As the tempo got faster and faster, he took Toothless by both paws and spun both of them in a circle as she trilled at the top of her lungs. He held out the last note for as long as his breath would let him, but had to stop spinning and get his breath back when the world went sideways. Toothless attempted to fly towards him again, but she was so dizzy from the spinning that she crash landed into his chest instead of on his shoulder, where she'd been aiming. But he just laughed and smiled at her. "So you cook and dance." She trilled up at him and nuzzled deeper into his chest. The pair walked back into the forge to check on the fish, Milady still in Hiccup's arms.

They arrived just in time to keep the meat from burning. Quickly, Hiccup grabbed the tongs and pulled the rods out of the fire, setting the still hot fish down on the clean anvil. Giving the forge a quick look, Hiccup realized that they had a problem. The fish and greens also had to be served but they only had the one platter, and that was already under a mountain of fruit. He looked over at Toothless. "This is probably pretty stupid." She let out a series of warbles that sounded a lot like a laugh. "Okay, maybe it's crazy." They headed back towards the kitchens.

The two sneaked down the stairs to the kitchen again, keeping close to the wall and trying not to let the stairs or his prosthetic squeak. Both slid their heads around the corner and immediately pulled back into the safety of the shadows to laugh. Sophia was trying to hit a maid over the head with a rolling pin and Clarice was covered in egg! What had those two been trying to do?

There was a clunk of wood against bone and Hiccup leapt out of the shadows. "Stop, what are you doing?" He glared at Sophia, rolling pin still in hand.

"Teaching this girl a lesson about following orders," replied the princess as she raised the wooden weapon higher. Toothless flew out of the door, grabbed the other end, and pulled it right out of the woman's hand.

She threw it to Hiccup and he caught it. "You teach with words and rewards. Beatings are for animals." He glowered at her. "Get out of here."

She glared at him, but when she saw the head cook standing behind the boy, armed with a frying pan, she turned up her nose at the lot of them and slunk back upstairs. "I was finished here anyway. Clarice, come along. We have to get you clean before dinner." The egged princess soon followed and the kitchen breathed in relief.

Hiccup handed the rolling pin back to the head cook. "I'm sorry about them. I'll talk to my brothers about it."

She reached out and patted the boy's unarmed shoulder. "It's fine, Prince Hiccup. Was there something you needed?"

He looked up sheepishly and asked, "Can I have a platter and serving bowl?" The items were dumped into his arms almost before he finished the sentence.

He walked out of the kitchen and back up the stairs. Toothless was about to follow when the head cook turned to her and said, "He's a good boy. Watch out for him." The dragon roared in promise and followed her husband back to the forge to finish arranging dinner. They only had fifteen minutes before the king expected to be served.

"For the Dancing and the Dreaming" was one of my favorite parts of the movie. I had to include it. My thanks to Shadowpiratemonkey7 for letting me use one of her pictures as cover art. I adjusted it a little, but most of it's all theirs.

In regards to chapter size, I know many of you wanted longer ones, but this is my way of pushing myself. I have to at least write a thousand words, and sometimes that makes me insert things that push the story forward and add depth. If I increased my standard, they might become wordy and lag. I try to make up for it by posting every day.

Thanks to all the lovely people who reviewed yesterday!