Several days passed by quicker than Hiccup could have expected. Arendelles crown princess seemed to have powers! he had only seen her demonstrait once before and he got the feeling it was more sub-consistence than not. Truth be told he had only a few half baked ideas that mostly where based on the same principles of dragon training to get these powers under control. He had no real idea of the full scope of her abilities and Elsa seemed uncomfortable when her powers showed. The sooner they left the archipelago the sooner he could get down to business. His father seemed a bit skeptical of this challenge his son took up (he could have just as well refused to help, but he was yearning for a challenge after years of rebuilding Berk's infrastructure. Hiccup and Toothless needed some time away from Berk and this was perhaps his best chance. The next several days trade agreements where drawn up with Hiccup at his fathers side and Elsa at her parents, though she rarely spoke he couldn't help but notice. It would seem his father and himself where the first new people she had met in several years at least, which disturbed him but also tempered his resolve.
"Come on son!" his father hollered, breaking the rider out of his trance. He had been staring out at the open ocean, mind in high gear thinking about every detail, this would be a challenge and no doubt an adventure. and unlike his younger self he was going in under his own will headfirst with a smile, just like a true viking.
"We are waiting on them anyways" Hiccup said as he gestured to the ship moored right next to them. A royal vessel with several mast and sails had been preparing for the journy into the archipelago, a journey many had 'knew' for many years was a one way ticket for certain doom. It had been difficult gathering a crew willing to sail to these waters. Elsa's sister, princess Anna had been given express permission to leave on the royal flagship to Corona to see her long lost cousin. A visit to her close family would have been a good way to reintroduce her to the outside world her parents thought, though it was none of his business so he stopped himself from forming an opinion one way or another.
One thing he was quickly was beginning to learn was the personal items required for a princess to go camping was near absurd. several months of camp rations, a huge barrel of fresh clean water, a massive tent that a dozen grown vikings could all sit in comfortably as well as a ton of odds and ends. They where planned to leave at first light but it was now mid morning and Stoick had only so much patience for a circus like this. As the Royal family where bidding each other farewell Stoick couldn't help but notice an entire oxcart filled with cases was parked on the dock next to Elsa's vessel, the crew where taking their sweet time loading one case and he felt the need to speed things up. He approached the captain with all the grace and subtly of a giant.
Stoick crossed his arms "What seems to be the hold up? we have been ready to be underway for some time now.
This particular captain Stoick learned early on this morning thought he was far superior to the viking chief, why he couldn't understand for the life of him.
"Oh do relax will you brute? The men have been working hard gathering everything needed to survive in whatever wasteland you call home, this is the last load anyways."
"What are in these cases anyways?"
"The royal wardrobe of course! Our crown princess must look her best regardless of the event"
By the speed the cases where leaving the cart it would take another half an hour. he was NOT standing around for another hour and a half with his thumb up his arse waiting on some girls feast clothes!
Stoick rolled his shoulders and walked to the cart and made a shooing motion to the men unloading and they wisely backed off. Their sixth sense warned them not to be in his path. Stoick picked up the handles that would have been tied to some beast of burden and the burly viking began to push several hundred pounds of clothes, cart and all up the ramp of the ship and when he reached the deck he pushed the cart so it dumped all of its contents onto the deck in one gigantic mess. satisfied with his work Stoick readied his viking strength and with a mighty heave he tossed the oxcart with all of his might and he counted five before the cart finally hit the water in the middle of the fjord.
Just the act made all of the pent up steam inside of him dissipate in a instant and he turned to see that the locals, specifically the captain and Elsa where looking at his jaws slack as they finally began to process the raw strength of the Viking chief.
"What are ya waiting for? lets get a move on!"
The crew seemed to take his words to heart as they began to quicken their pace and looked as busy as possible, as he passed the captain frilly britches he couldn't help but smirk as he saw his gaze lower and all the blood leave his face. Hiccup shook his head and took a spot at the helm as his father and Agnarr and Iduna shook hands and returned to the ship. The royals bade their daughter goodbye one last time and began to board the ship while managing to avoid the mess on the deck. When Stoick jumped into the ship Bucket and Mulch quickly casted off with only a glance from their chief while Stoick took two oars and without any further ceremony began all by his lonesome began rowing the warship out of the harbor while Hiccup steered them out of the harbor and Bucket and Mulch started to work on raising the sail.
Hiccup let the awkwardness roll off him as they began to enter the open ocean and suddenly the stuffiness he had felt over the past several days melted away as a great open ocean greeted him and he could already hear the sky calling his name. He turned to see that Elsa's ship departed as well and made chase after them just barely keeping up despite all her sails being raise. Somewhere in the distance he heard the distant call of a night fury and a stupid smile adorned his face as he set sail for home.
Ever since Hiccup had agreed to be a guide in the wilderness he called his home things moved progressively fast for the first time in many years for Elsa. soon there was a rush to get everything needed to go into the great unknown. While the newness of the viking never really wore off soon she could be in the same room with Stoick without fearing he would for absolutely no reason snap. Hiccup made a great anchor in all the madness, as she began to talk with his and get to know him she quickly realized this was truly an adventurous spirit. he talked with great enthusiasm and animation and she even found herself giggling in his presence. She quickly realized she would have to focus her attention sole on mastering her powers lest she let her mind wander and let herself begin to form a crush on the viking heir.
Her first couple of days at seas where not her favorite as she got little sleep and could barely stomach anything. but she got a cabin to herself and the view of the coastline was pleasant enough. one day she woke up and looked outside to find she could not see a thing. she quickly made her way to the main deck to find themselves in a dense fog. many of the sailors seemed unsettled but she soon found relief in seeing the viking war vessel still in sight and leading the way deeper into the fog.
It seemed like hour passed and truth be told she was beginning to miss the sun when suddenly the blue sky began to pierce the veil of fog and she found herself looking at the bluest ocean she had ever seen as well as wide open skies with clouds dotting the sky. without moving up the masts she could already begin to see spots of land in the horizon.
Then a horrid noise reached her ears and she soon ducked for cover behind a barrel and the marine aboard the ship made a defensive formation on all sides surrounding her. a black dragon appeared out of a large dark could and made its way to the viking ship. The marines readied their firearms to shoot but held fire lest the beast began to attack per the chiefs orders. The black dragon hovered over the viking ship before perching itself onto the yardarm like an over sized bird. she couldn't help but watch in fascination as Hiccup climbed up the mast with ease despite his obvious disabliltiy as if he did not realize a missing foot would disable most people and clime up onto the dragons beast like it was his loyal steed. She couldn't help but notice even from the distance the young viking was talking to the dragon and the creature actually responded. the two took off into the air and made a pass by as the two disappeared into the clouds out of sight.
As hours passed by dragons began to appear in the sky, first one or two. but by the end of the day they had seen entire flocks of dragons of all kinds of shapes and colors fill the sky. Dragons could even be found in the water at such sized that reviled the largest of whales.
It was at dusk Elsa realized she had well and truly left her home in exchange for a place se quickly began to realize was a more primeval and ancient place. Possible the only place she could ever call home.
A/N: Just a little something for you to feast on and help me get back into the swing of thing. the holiday season always screws with my schedule.