King Stoick ruled over the court from his throne. Today was the day the other two brides would hopefully prove themselves. After that disastrous cooking competition a few months ago, they needed a boost for public opinion. Noblemen, merchants, and even a few foreign dignitaries lined the walls, waiting for the three princesses.

The three princes stood in a row slightly behind their father's throne. Hubert and Hamish, to be honest, were bored by the whole thing. Why wouldn't they be? Their wives had given them absolutely no say in how things went today. Hiccup walked up to his father. "You know Dad, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, son, I do." And not just for the sake of the kingdom. He really did need a rug for this room. Stone was right uncomfortable.

"No, you don't. Listen, why don't we have the presentations later, without this huge crowd? What if one of them embarrasses herself? It wouldn't look very good."

"I trust my daughters-in-law to do their very best, Hiccup." He turned and smiled at his son. The boy really did care for their whole family. "Now go back and stand with your brothers."

Abandoning his quest to save Toothless, he trudged back to his place and clenched his hands in the hem of his tunic. This was different from before. Before, Toothless had let him help, but he hadn't even seen his wife for the past week. What had she been doing? Had she run from fear of what would happen if she failed?

No. She wouldn't do that to him. The scale rubbed against his chest and he pulled it from beneath his shirt. Running his thumb over the smooth surface, he remembered the last night they'd had together before this whole thing started. She wouldn't have been as relaxed, as open with him that night if she'd been planning to run. He clenched his fist around the pendant. She would be here. And who knows, she might even pull off a decent rug.

The trumpets sounded and Clarice entered with a small bundle under her arm. With a flourish, she unrolled it and set it at the king's feet. It was a beautiful piece, with fine fringe at the edges and bright, rich colors in the geometric design. She looked up at His Majesty's face, hoping for approval.

But he scowled. "This is barely big enough to rest my boots on! Take it to some servant's room to lie before their undersized hearth. That's the only place it's big enough for!" She cringed, rolled the rug back up and bolted out of the room. All those hours ordering the weavers for nothing.

Sophia caught a glimpse of the disgraced princess and smirked. You couldn't possibly make a rug big enough for a king in a week. Then the trumpet sounded a second time and she had the two servants carry in her rug. She too, unrolled the piece at the king's feet, waiting for the royal verdict. He put his feet down on the woolen surface and sighed before giving the design a closer look.

"It is a fine rug," he announced, and Hiccup's heart fell. "For a purchased one!" The yell yanked the prince's heart past his chest and into his throat. "I asked for a rug you made, not something you bought from a common merchant! Return the man's goods at once!" The servants bowed their heads and rolled the rug back up and removed it from the king's sight. It would later be taken down to the village and returned to the foreign salesman the princess had purchased it from.

The trumpet sounded the third time, and the four royals waited for the last of the ladies. But Gawain entered the hall instead. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, Your Highnesses," said the knight, bowing respectfully, "But I'm afraid Milady's rug is too big for her to carry and none of the servants will touch it."

"I'll go," the youngest prince volunteered. She was back! She hadn't run off after all! Almost running, he passed Gawain and barreled through the doors, but stopped when he saw Toothless perched on a dark brown bundle. He raced forward and gathered her in his arms, squeezing for all he was worth. She slung her limps around his neck and squeezed too. She had missed him. Then he all but threw her back onto the bundle and wagged his finger in her face. "Bad dragon, very bad dragon! You scared me to death! Don't ever stay away that long again, and what are you sitting on?" She folded her ears, trying to keep out the shouting, even though she knew she deserved it, at least a little. And it was nice to know he cared enough to worry.

He was about to tear into her again when both looked at Gawain. The man was laughing, head thrown back with tears at the corners of his eyes. "I do believe that is the first time you've ever shouted at anyone! Bravo, lad." Hiccup had the grace to turn a little pink. "But, we do have a rug to deliver, so I suggest we save the lectures for later." Both men reached down and hooked their fingers under the package, Toothless pulling from the top. The trio got the package through the doors and up the aisle to the king's feet.

As Toothless began to unfold her bundle, Hiccup gasped. It was a huge bearskin, with thick brown fur and the head and paws still attached. When Toothless finished unfolding it, it covered more of the floor than Sophia's bought rug, had a color richer than any hue from Clarice's, and was softer than both. Once she finished straightening it out, the little dragon fluttered up to perch on his shoulder and warbled a question. He smiled at her. "It's beautiful Toothless." He stroked her favorite wing spot and she roared in triumph.

Stoick laid his feet down in the fur and sighed with relief. "This is a rug any man would be proud to own. And I am even prouder of the daughter who would grace my house so." To the astonishment of all present, he got up from his chair and walked over to his son and daughter-in-law. "Thank you, Toothless," he said as he patted her scaly head.

In response, she flew up and perched on top of his head, trilling loudly and making the occupants of the hall laugh at the sight both absurd and adorable. With the main event of the afternoon over, the company began to mingle. Toothless and Hiccup slipped away from the crowd and back to their rooms, leaving the rug for everyone to admire.

Inside their shared chamber, Hiccup let Toothless hop onto the back of a chair and closed the doors behind him. Then he turned back around and the little lady cringed at the look on his face. She was in trouble. After fifteen minutes of lecturing about notes, keeping others from worrying, accepting help when you needed it, and generally keeping him in the loop, he let the volume down a tad. "Toothless, I thought you ran." She leapt forward to chastise him for doubting her faithfulness when she saw the tears in his eyes. "It was torture. Please don't do that to me again." She crooned softly and butted her head against his chest. He wound his arms around her again and just held her close.

She sank into his warmth and made up her mind about something. After the time limit on the Red Death's chain magic expired, she'd go back to her father to let him know she was alright. Then she would return here, to the boy who worried, cried and held her.

I cannot believe the response for yesterday's chapter! Tat was amazing, guys! I loved reading all your comments. By the way, I had someone look over the first few chapters of the story, so chapters 1-5 have new details and fewer mistakes.

The quote in here is possibly my favorite from the whole franchise.