Chapter Twenty-Nine: Associates? No. Colleagues? No. Friends? ...Yes.
Hiccup just starred at her. "Please don't freak out." She said and smiled a bit but it looked unsure.
"I kidnapped the princes." Her eyes grew wide. "No, you didn't. I wet by myself." She said and crossed her arms. "And I'm sure your father will think the same way about it. When he finds your bed vacant in the morning, if we have that much time." She just rolled her eyes. "I made preparations. They won't know until morning." She rolled her eyes. "Calm down." "I have to send you back!" "Whoa! No rash movements' mister. I'm not going back!" "Yes you are! This is not a place for you." "Why? Because I'm a girl or a princess?" "No, because your father is out on my head. It's not safe with me." "Yeah, I noticed, I was there. I'm the one with the sword wound." "Shut up and let me think." "Aye aye captain." He sent her dirty look.
A few minutes he paced up in front of the fire while she chewed the leaves.
"Well done by the way, the whole kingdom is after your head and that within one day! Hat has to be a new record." He glared at her. "With no reason at all I have to say in my own defense. I didn't steal the book, you have to believe that!" She shrugged. "I know." "Exactly what I say… wait what?" "I know you didn't. You don't know where it is. But I do. And I did it." "Wait what?" "I stole the book. For you." "For me?" "Yes. Are you deaf or what?" "Why would you do that?" Her face grew red and instantly Hiccup had to think about Joanna and how red she was when she'd kissed him. Blushing, the princesses looked a lot alike.
"I…kinda spied in you…and my father and…my sister. In the…library and…your room…" Now Hiccups face grew hot red.
"How?" "The rafters. They're everywhere in the castle. Moving on them makes hiding and spying a lot easier." Hiccup remembered feeling watched. "So…why did you…spy on me?" She mumbled something he couldn't understand.
"What?" "Because I think your right. With everything you told my father and why you're here. And I…want to help you."
He looked at her blankly.
This was Katrina. The royal princess of Derandolia. And yet here she was, dressed in battle-gear, armed and one hell of a fighter.
But at the same time she was the same girl that had ignored him for the past days and hadn't exchanged a word nor a real glance with him.
He opened his mouth to say something. But it took him a few moments.
"But why? And how…I mean…you're you're royalty. Why would you…" "Risk my life for someone like you and a quest like yours? Good question." She sighed. "I…when I saw you, I had this feeling in my gut. It always appears when something is about to happen and until now it was never wrong.
When I overheard my father and you and later his war council, I knew something was wrong. And it wasn't you. It was my father who was wrong. So I decided that if he's not helping you, I would." He looked at her. "Just like this?" "Like I said I had this feeling and…and I hoped to go…on an adventure." She confessed silently.
"What do you mean?"
Hiccup sat down in front of her.
She sighed. "You wouldn't understand." "Try me." "My whole life I never left the city. Hell, I barely left the castle because of my father. He was always commanding me and my sister was too. But I wanted to go on an adventure! Like in my books. I started to train, secretly and silently until I had mastered certain things. A few knights showed me how to handle a weapon but none of them could give me an adventure. And when you came along, my gut told me that you might be my escape."
Hiccup looked at her. "So that's the only reason you're here? To go on in an adventure, are you serious?" he asked. "Yes."
Hiccups anger melted down. "But I just can't take you with me. It'll be a long and dangerous journey." "Perfect." "Full of bandits and pirates." "Sounds like fun and action." "Our life's will be in constant danger, we'll life from what we get, we'll be hunted and hated." "Where do I sign up?" He sighed.
"It's not the only reason I came with you." She said. "It is?" "No. As you said, I'm the princess of Derandolia. People know me outside the land." "Exactly the problem." "No. You said you want to unite the nations. I could act as some kind of assemblyman. What is a better way to persuade the other nations than showing the even the royalty of Derandolia is following you in person? I'll be the personified alliance of Derandolia for you." "Only you're not the official represent for your land, you fled with me." "What they don't know won't make them blow." "Great." "Shut up and appreciate my brilliant thinking." "Your father will warn the other nations. He will want you back." "Then he'll have to drag me in a pack back." She sighed. "Look. I only want to help you. I feel can feel it inside my heart that what you are about to do is the right thing, I believe you when you say that we're in danger." Hiccup sighed. "You'd be the first one." "You can't do this alone Hiccup." "I have Toothless. You know what I mean." She looked up. "Which reminds me…" She whistled, loud and sharp. The tune hurt Hiccups ears and it rolled over the forest, startling a few birds.
"Nightlight should be here soon. She has my things and the book…"
THE BOOK.
"Is it true you stole the book?" he cut her off. She looked startled. "Yes, why?" "Why did you do that?" She grew red again. "For you I guess. I heard…what you told my sister in… your room. About him being your ancestor and it being your property. You know…and I thought maybe you let me stay, if I'd give it to you." "Bribery?" "Best way to get what you want."
He sighed. "You planned this all very well." She shrugged.
"And there is really no way I can talk you off this?" "Definitely no!" "Great." He groaned before he looked at Toothless. The dragon looked happy with the situation. He was eating some spare fish and listened happy to their conversation.
"Since Toothless doesn't seem to object, I think you can tag along for now." Katrina laughed delighted and clapped with her hands. "Thanks you Hiccup!" She surmised him by hugging even though she wasn't supposed to move.
What was it with the girls today?
"No problem Katrina." "Call me Kate." She said. Then she did something Hiccup couldn't explain, even afterwards. She spit into her own hand and help it out for him to shake.
Hiccup looked at her disgusted. "Why did you do that?" "Read about in books. They do it when they seal a pact or an alliance." "So we're now…associates? Allies?" "Maybe friends?" Hiccup spat into his own hand and shook hers. "Friends then."