Elsa relaxed as her handmaidens poured cold water on her head, rinsing the soap from her hair. It felt like ages since she had been treated like this.
After arriving home in a tattered dress that was cut off at the knees (something that shocked the people of Arendelle, since many of them had never seen that much bare skin on their queen before), she was quickly escorted by her servants to a bath.
The servants attending to her scrubbed down every inch of her body, removing the sand, grit, and grime, as well as cleaning the dirt from underneath her nails.
"I apologize for getting so dirty," Elsa said. "I did my best to stay somewhat clean, but there's only so much I could do."
The ladies chuckled lightly.
"Nonsense, my queen," one of them said. "It is an honor for us to assist you once again."
The castle had been thrown into a bustle. News of her and Indi's engagement traveled through the castle like lightning. From what she had heard, the castle's kitchen was busting with a small, impromptu feast. While performing their duties, other servants gossiped about the news, though they seemed to quiet down whenever one of their overseers came within earshot.
Elsa chuckled to herself. Small, idle gossip about such fine events hardly hurt anyone. It would also raise their spirits more if anything.
One of her handmaidens took Elsa's fingers gently and began filing her nails, and Elsa relaxed further down into her bath.
Indi finished bathing by himself, the castle staff learning long ago that he would not request assistance and would refuse it if help was offered.
He dried his body and hair, Copal and Emerald watching from his bed.
"How have you two been?" he asked. The small dragons cocked their heads, their large eyes locked into him, watching every movement.
When he had returned to Arendelle, the pair of Indominus Furies had not left his side, even going with him while he bathed. What even was privacy?
He threw on a pair of pants and rubbed the dragons' heads. "I missed you two a lot."
The dragons crooned at him in odd, stuttering noises that made him smile. As he returned to the wardrobe, a knock sounded in the room. His dragons jerked their head up, looking at the door.
"Come in," he called out. The door opened and Hiccup, Astrid, and Heather stepped in. Astrid's hair was wet, likely from her own bath.
"Oh, sorry," Heather said, her face blushing at Indi's state of dress.
"No worries," he said, grabbing a green tunic and brown vest. "What can I do for you?"
"We have a slight problem," Astrid said as Indi put on his shirt. At his expectant look, she continued. "I trust that the queen wants us all to bathe before dinner, right?"
"That would be preferable," Indi said as he put on his vest, buttoning it up. "If only to keep up appearances. Word travels quickly around here. Why?"
Hiccup closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're having some issues getting Snotlout to bathe. He says that it's an affront to his masculinity and upsets his schedule."
Indi gave Hiccup an odd look as he put on a pair of socks and shoes. "Schedule?"
"Every three weeks during summer," Astrid said, rolling her eyes. "Less in the winter."
"Insanity on vacation," Indi said, shaking his head. "Insanity at home. Alright, let's go. Come on, girls!"
The trio led Indi and his dragons to another room. Indi barged in and saw Snotlout arguing with a wet-haired Fishlegs.
"I don't care what Indi says, Fishface," the dark-haired Viking said. "I'm sticking to my schedule."
Indi cleared his throat, making Snotlout jump.
"Really?" Indi stepped forward slowly. "Ya know, normally, I wouldn't care. But here in Arendelle, we do things differently. Like it or not, you are a representative of Berk. What you do reflects on me, which in turn, reflects on Elsa. We have nobles visiting the kingdom."
He stepped up to Snotlout, his voice dangerously level. "If you embarrass her in any way, Jorgenson, I will make you eat your boot."
"J-jokes on you," Snotlout said, laughing nervously. "My boots are tender."
"Bath," Indi said, motioning to the door. "Now."
Snotlout stomped off, grumbling under his breath. "My schedule."
"You hardly have a schedule!" Astrid called after him as he left.
"Nobody gets to embarrass my fiance," Indi said as he left the room, being followed by the two white dragons, and by Astrid, Hiccup, and Heather. "That's my job!"
The small group walked through the halls, and a servant came up to them. She wore a black uniform with white lace.
She tipped her head respectfully. "My apologies, Sir Indi, but a bath has been prepared for Miss…" The woman looked at Heather, clearly lost at not knowing the rider's name and embarrassed because of it.
"Heather," the raven-haired girl said with a smile, taking pity on the servant.
"Of course," the servant said. "My apologies, Miss Heather. If you'll follow me."
Heather nodded. "You guys go ahead. I'll track you down later."
She walked off, following the servant down the hall.
"Is this how they treat everyone here?" Hiccup asked as they walked on.
"For official guests, yes," Indi said, giving a friendly nod to some of the maids as they busied themselves with their duties. "Visiting nobles, dignitaries, ambassadors, they all can have a bath or other amenities prepared for them at their request. Within reason, of course."
"You seem relatively at ease around here," Astrid commented. "Don't you have to maintain that decorum that I've seen Queen Elsa keep?"
"Technically, yes," Indi said. "I do my best to keep things formal, but Elsa understands my history and gives me a pass. I've learned what I need to so I can keep up appearances around officials, more so for her benefit than mine, but I try to keep my interactions casual where I can. It also lets the servants breathe around me so that if they slip up with their conduct, I won't take offense. No sense in getting worked up over simple mistakes.
"Everyone knows I'm not like other knights, and I keep my conduct as such. Cordial and pleasant, but I've been spending so much time with Elsa, her more authoritative manners have rubbed off on me a little, though I have to admit that it hasn't been a bad thing necessarily."
"Keeps people in line, does it?" Hiccup asked.
"To a point," Indi said. "With her being the Snow Queen, people are more hesitant to upset her than they would be a standard human royal, which is already somewhere around 'not-at-all'. But, people are people, and there are always those that cause trouble. With my position as something of the leader of the hybridized people here, as well as my relationship with the queen, which is now official, people don't give me too many problems."
"Indi!" Brynn's voice said. The group turned to see the brown-haired woman walking up the hall to them. She was dressed in her usual armor. "There you are."
"Brynn," Indi said with a nod. "Speaking of problems, brief me. What's been happening?"
"We've had some issues," she said.
"Don't we always?"
"Well, yes," Brynn said with a dry laugh. "But this is a new one."
Indi motioned with his head, inviting his friend to walk with him, Astrid, and Hiccup.
"We've had some issues with the younger teenaged dinomorphs. They've taken to killing cattle."
"I trust you handled it?" Indi asked, raising his eyebrow. He supposed it was only a matter of time until this started happening.
"I did what I could, and I even caught the three hooligans in the act. But the farmers are still upset, and they've started going after the mothers."
"Anyone in particular?" he asked as he furrowed his brow.
"Gwendolyn's daughter seems to have started things," Brynn said. "And had led others to follow her in her hunting shenanigans."
"Alright, let's go. I'll talk with her," he said with a sigh, turning to Hiccup and Astrid. "You two are welcome to come along, but you don't have to."
"No, I want to see this," Astrid said.
"We are happy to be a couple of extra sets of hands for you, Indi," Hiccup said. "Lead the way."
Indi smiled and nodded, leading the small procession out of the castle and into the courtyard, where the larger dragons were relaxing after their long journey. Sleuther was perched on the castle roof, and Hookfang was presently drinking from one of the fountains. They passed through the gates, Indi nodding to the guards at their posts, and went across the bridge that led to the main town.
In the main settlement, the stone buildings lined the cobblestone streets. People were milling about, going to and fro, busying themselves with purchasing or selling wares.
Their less-than-subtle arrival made the citizens acutely aware of the presence of the dragon riders, and the return of their queen seemed to boost overall spirits.
As Indi's small group walked through the streets, the crowd parted a bit to make room for him to pass. Many of the people tipped their heads in respect. Now that Elsa and her knight were engaged, at least if the rumors from the castle were to be believed, upsetting Indi could incur the wrath of the Snow Queen, something that was likely best avoided.
Indi and Brynn led the visiting Vikings through the town and to a small collection of wooden houses set just outside the main town.
As they entered this area, Indi took notice of the youths watching him with familiar, inhuman eyes. He passed them a smile that pressed his lips thin; he was not there to socialize but to solve a problem.
He went to a specific house and knocked on the door.
"One moment," a woman's voice called from inside. Shortly after she spoke, the woman revealed herself, opening the door. Behind her hair on the side of her face, he noticed a dark bruise. "Indi!"
"Hello, Gwendolyn," Indi said. "May we come in?"
"Y-yes," the older woman said, stepping aside. "Please."
Indi and the rest of his group made their way into the house. He had not spent much time in the houses that had been built for the refugees who had been rescued. Perhaps he had simply spent too much time in the castle and all of its opulence, but this house, though perfectly functional, was comparatively barren. Some shelves held various goods, chests, a small fireplace, and a table with some benches.
"It's good to see you back, Indi," Gwendolyn said. "We were all getting worried, and what's this I heard about Mary being alive?"
"It's good to be back," Indi said. "And yes, my mother is alive and well. It was a surprise to me, of course. She is recuperating in the castle, currently. We've had a long journey."
"I hope she comes to visit us soon."
"I'm sure she will." Indi cleared his throat. "Brynn tells me that Violet has been going out killing. Is this true?"
Gwendolyn's eyes widened. Indi had no reason to doubt Brynn's word, but it was a decent enough broach to the topic. The woman sighed. "Yes, she has. I've told her not to, repeatedly, but she refuses to listen."
Brynn frowned. "Do you know where she is now?"
Gwendolyn shook her head, sitting down at the table, her gaze falling to a knot in the wood that was apparently quite interesting. "I don't."
Indi sighed. The woman had been through a lot, as had her daughter, but killing farmers' livestock was not a good look, on neither them nor him. They would need to channel that energy into something constructive. Brynn had her duties, and he had his own, despite the somewhat domestic tinge at times.
"And what is this about you being harassed?" Indi said, sitting down at the table.
Gwendolyn looked up. "I-I haven't-"
Indi silenced her by brushing the hair back that surrounded her face, revealing the dark bruise and more of its ugliness. The back edge of the bruise was starting to turn a sickly green. "Then I'd like to know what the reason for this is."
Brynn snarled out a curse, and Hiccup muttered under his breath. "By Thor."
Gwendolyn's eyes fell. The group could easily tell that she was on the verge of tears.
"I am not upset with you, Gwendolyn," Indi said, letting his eyes soften as he did his best to reign in his building anger. "Far from it. But, please tell us who did this."
"I believe he was the butcher," the woman said. "I think his name is Weldon?"
Brynn snarled at the name of the butcher. He was becoming a thorn in everybody's side.
"I will speak with the queen about this," Indi said decisively. "When you see Violet again, send her to me at once."
Gwendolyn nodded, drying the building tears on her sleeve. "Of course. Thank you, Indi."
The young knight nodded and turned to his companions. "Let's go."
The small group left the small development. Astrid noticed Indi stepped with slightly more force than he had and his fist was clenched. She picked up her pace for a moment, and caught a glimpse of Indi's face, his gaze darkened.
"We're not going to the queen, are we?" Astrid asked.
"No." Indi glanced at her through his glare. "Not yet."
"Social call?" Brynn asked.
Indi looked straight ahead. "Social call."
The group walked through the town, the Indominus Furies at Indi's hips. The dragons had picked up on their alpha's mood and were rightly on alert. As the group passed through the crowd, the citizens gave Indi a wide berth, as his mood and purpose were obvious in his steps.
"There are some things you should know, Indi," Brynn said. Indi glanced over at her, and she continued. "While you were gone, Princess Anna was filling in for her sister. Weldon came to court one day and accused her of having you and Queen Elsa killed so she could take the throne for herself. You can imagine how well she took that."
Indi's glare deepened. Anna was a good person, one of the best he knew, and he was sure that the thought of ruling, let alone taking power in such a way, never even crossed her mind.
Brynn continued. "She was in tears. I had to send Kristoff to console her as best he could."
The group made their way to the butcher's shop, where the smell of raw meat drifted from the open window. Normally, such a scent would make his stomach rumble, but his rage suppressed his hunger. Despite this, he allowed his teeth to sharpen. Indi glanced back at his group, before opening the door.
"Weldon," he barked. The man looked up from his work. He wore a bloodied smock, and he held a large cleaver in his hand. A large chunk of meat sat on a table.
"Sir Indi Rex," Weldon said with a slight sneer. "Come to socialize with Her Majesty's lower subjects, have you?"
"What's this I hear about you harassing one of my charges?" Indi said, his voice taking on an edge.
"Oh, that whore?" Weldon sneered. "Her bastard child killed some of the livestock, which I depend on for my business. The lower supply meant a rise in prices for meat. I was angry and my customers were upset. I and some others went to visit her to give her a warning."
"Did you strike her?"
"No," Weldon said, a sinister gleam in his eye.
"You liar," Astrid said, starting forward.
"How dare you?" Weldon said. "I don't know how things are done where you're from, but here, calling a man a liar to his face is dealt with swiftly. I don't care that you're a woman.
"And furthermore, Sir Indi Rex, should you have been here, this wouldn't have happened. Every time you disappear, things fall apart here. All because of you and your kind."
"My kind?" Indi said, keeping his voice level.
"Yes, you and the rest of those monsters. I don't even know why the queen lets you all stay here, and especially how you've gotten so close to her. In any case, if you are here, why not keep your charges in line? Our visits could become far less cordial should you neglect to do so."
Indi felt his temper flare and consciously held back. Beating the man to a bloody pulp felt incredibly appealing, but would do him no good aside from his immediate satisfaction and thirst for vengeance. He would have to go about this correctly.
He turned sharply, leaving the butcher shop. He led his group through the streets, and Astrid fell into step next to him. They went to the castle and located a servant.
"Do you know where the queen is?" Indi asked.
"Her Majesty is likely in her office," the man said. "Shall I let her know you wish to speak with her?"
"Thank you, but there is no need," Indi said. "I need to see her immediately."
The servant nodded and bowed, before leaving to return to his duties. Indi turned to Brynn, Astrid, and Hiccup. "Back me up here, guys. You all were there."
The trio each gave a stiff nod, anger on their faces. Indi led them up a flight of stairs and down a few halls. The servants made may for them, tipping their heads respectfully but thankfully not wishing to speak. They too seemed to be able to pick up on the anger in the group. Indi led his trio of friends to a door where two guards stood at attention. The men nodded to him, and one knocked on the door, announcing the members of the group.
The guards opened the door and Indi nodded, leading the trio and his dragons inside.
Sitting at the desk, with her hair put into a braided bun, was Elsa. She wore a light purple dress with long sleeves. She seemed to have been working on various papers. Glancing at them, Indi saw a few keywords like "trade agreements" and "alliances".
As the door shut behind the group, Elsa spoke. "Sir Indi, Miss Tyrannus, Prince Haddock, and Miss Hofferson. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Indi stepped forward, throwing all protocol into the fire. "Elsa, we have a problem."
Elsa raised her eyebrow at the sudden urgency. Indi quickly told Elsa what they had discovered had happened to Gwendolyn and what had occurred at Weldon's shop. The events were confirmed with the words of Hiccup, Astrid, and Brynn.
Elsa frowned. "You should have come straight to me, Indi, not gone to Mister Weldon, though I can't fault you for it."
"What can we do?" Hiccup asked.
"I'm tempted to present him with the business end of my axe," Astrid said. Elsa smiled with mirth, and as much as that course of action was appealing, she had to go about this as a queen should.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Elsa said with a nod. "I will take it from here."
She turned to Brynn. "You are dismissed and may return to your duties."
As the guard turned to leave, Indi placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
"Keep an eye on Gwendolyn's house, and the rest of them, alright?" he said, leaning in. "I don't like what Weldon was insinuating."
Brynn nodded and Indi released her, allowing his friend to leave the room.
"Is there anything we can assist with?" Hiccup asked. Elsa's brow furrowed almost an imperceptible degree.
"Not at this time, no. Thank you, though." Her face lightened a bit, trying to move onto a more cheerful subject. "I trust I will be seeing you all at the banquet tonight?"
Astrid nodded with a smile. "We wouldn't miss it, Your Majesty."
"In that case, you are free to do what you wish," Elsa said. "Sir Indi, I'd like to speak with you for a moment."
Indi nodded, before bidding farewell to his Viking friends as they left. The door closed, shutting out the world and leaving the pair in silence.
"How are you feeling?" Elsa asked, motioning for Indi to sit in a chair opposite her.
"It's good to be back," Indi said as he sat down. "Have you seen my mother?"
"I have not. I trust she may be resting. We had a long journey home, as she's not as experienced with dragon flight as us. It must have been taxing for her."
Indi nodded. After a moment, he changed the subject. "We need to do something about the dinomorphs."
"Indeed," Elsa said, leaning back. "I can't have them going around, killing farmers' property."
"Obviously," Indi said. "I hate bringing this up, but back when we were captive, von Schwicke would have us go out on missions. It would help us blow off steam."
Elsa's eyes widened. "You aren't suggesting-"
"No, no," Indi said quickly. "Absolutely not. All I'm saying is, we need to channel Violet's tendencies into something constructive. Something beneficial. It would put her in better standing with the populace and help her with her more bloodthirsty tendencies."
Elsa hummed. "Perhaps. What did you have in mind?"
"Well," Indi said as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. "Brynn has her duties. I have mine. Both occasionally need the use of force or violence that help us release pent-up aggression."
"Could we have Violet go on patrols with Brynn?" Elsa asked.
"Perhaps," Indi said slowly. "But I don't know if Brynn has the patience. Violent is a combination of two of the most dangerous creatures: a Velociraptor and a teenage girl."
Elsa chuckled at that remark. "In any case, your idea of putting her to work is probably a decent one. I will think about it and do some asking around. I'm sure we can find something for her to do."
Indi nodded. "Excellent. Keep me updated?"
"Of course," she said, smiling. Indi cleared his throat.
"There is something else I'd like to talk to you about?" Elsa looked at him, motioning for him to continue. "Did you hear about what happened when your sister held court a while back?"
The queen frowned. "If you're talking about how Weldon accused her of murdering us to take the throne, then yes, I'm aware. Kristoff told me."
Indi nodded. "I have half a mind to feed him to Lapsus."
"I'm slightly tempted to as well," Elsa said with a dark chuckle. "I've been spending too much time with you."
Indi feigned offense, putting his hand to his chest. "Too much time with me? The nerve!"
Elsa smiled. "I trust I will see you at the banquet?"
"Of course," Indi said. "I wouldn't be a very good fiance if I wasn't there. Are you holding court tonight?"
"Yes," Elsa said. "Before the banquet."
"I might be there for that," Indi said.
"I'll keep an eye out for you," Elsa said with a small smile. "Anything else we should talk about?"
Indi shook his head. "Not that I can think of right now."
"Very well," Elsa said.
"Well, I have more business to attend to," Indi said, rising from his seat. "And I'm sure you do as well. I'll leave you to it."
Elsa nodded and as Indi left the room with Copal and Emerald, she got back to work, reading over a trade agreement. This one was unusual. As she read over it, she saw that part of the proposal for the trade was some imported goods in exchange for one of the dinomorphs. This made her frown. She set it aside, so she would remember to show Indi that letter at a later time.
Indi walked through the halls of the castle, now in a slightly better mood. Speaking with Elsa almost always seemed to help. As he strolled along, a servant girl came to him.
"My lord," she said, as she performed a respectful curtsy.
"Yes?" Indi said, giving the girl a slight smile.
The girl glanced at the white dragons that were at Indi's hips, who were watching her curiously. "Her Majesty, Queen Primrose, requests an audience with you."
Indi nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
"Shall I lead you there?"
Indi smiled. "If you wish to."
The girl turned to lead the knight and his dragons to the appropriate room. The girl knocked on the door. "Your Majesty?"
"Yes?" came Primrose's voice. The girl entered, leaving Indi out in the hall for a moment, before returning. She opened the door and stepped aside, allowing the knight to enter.
The servant tipped her head respectfully, before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
"Your Majesty," Indi said, bowing as he saw Queen Primrose. She was in the process of having makeup applied to her face by a pair of handmaidens that were assigned to her. Her brown hair sat in a tightly braided bun on the back of her head.
"Sir Indi," Primrose said with a smile, moving her head slightly to look at him while the women worked around her. "It is good to see you again."
"And you as well," Indi said. "Our trip to the Southern Isles turned into quite the adventure."
Primrose chuckled. "I'm sure, and I see my niece is doing well."
"Yes," Indi said. "I'm sure she will tell you all about it at the banquet tonight."
"You are attending, are you not?" Primrose asked.
"Yes," Indi said with a curt nod. "And possibly court, if events allow it. I trust you'll be there though?"
"Of course," Primrose said as the handmaidens began adding small pins with gemstones to her bun. "Something arrived for you while you were gone."
Primrose motioned to the box that sat on a small desk in the room. One of the servants retrieved it and handed the gift to Indi. Indi carefully opened the small package. Sitting inside, on a silk bed, was a small gold ring with an amber insert.
Indi admired the piece of jewelry, holding it up to the light. He had not expected it to look this nice. "Thank you for doing this for me. You have no idea how much this means."
"Consider nothing of it," Primrose said. "It was something I was happy to do, and I'm sure she will love it as well."
"Should I tell her it was from you?" He placed the ring back into its box.
"No," the woman said. "Keep that part a mystery. In any case, I owed you a favor for rescuing my daughter when you first came to Corona."
Indi chuckled. "Perhaps. From what I remember, our first meeting was not the best."
"No," Primrose said with a slight grimace. "Regrettably, it was not."
"Again, thank you," Indi said, bowing once more. "I'll see you around."
Primrose nodded, and Indi left the room, placing the small box into his pocket. He took a breath, sighing out, and led Copal and Emerald to the courtyard.
He left the pair of small dragons there, where they could socialize with the others. In the courtyard, several visitors to the castle were milling about, some quite curious about the dragons that were resting in the safety of the walls or on top of the castle roofs.
"Stormfly!" Indi called. The blue and yellow Deadly Nadder glided down from her spot on the roof and landed in front of the knight. Indi put his hand out and let the dragon place her snout against his outstretched appendage. "Hey, girl. Would you mind watching these two?"
Cool and Emerald had immediately recognized the larger dragon and were bumping up against her legs. Stormfly squawked and settled down, letting the smaller dragons curl up underneath her wings.
"Thanks, girl," Indi said, rubbing the Nadder's head. He turned and retreated back into the castle.
He made his way through the halls once more, passing by more servants and castle visitors. Due to his rather public and fantastic entrance, everyone knew he and Elsa had returned.
As he understood it, it was best to make himself known and available to the people. Whatever problems the servants or visitors had, he might be able to solve them. If not, he could always defer to Elsa's judgment.
"Sir Indi!" a voice said. Indi turned to see Lord Berbri and Lady Selova walk over to him, along with their children. Lady Selova carried an infant girl in her arms.
"Ah, my lord, my lady," Indi said, tipping his head respectfully. "Lovely to see you again. It feels like it has been a while."
"Indeed," Lady Selova said. "It certainly does."
"How are you doing, my lady?" Indi said.
"Very well, thank you," Selova said. "I don't believe you've met Katrina yet."
Indi stepped closer, examining the sleeping girl.
"She's lovely," Indi said with a small smile.
"What this we hear about you and Queen Elsa?" Lord Berbri asked. "Is it true?"
Indi blushed slightly. "Yes, it is true."
Berbri laughed. "Well done, Sir Indi, and congratulations!"
"Thank you," Indi said, attempting to move the conversation along. "I trust you all are enjoying your stay?"
Lady Selova nodded. "We are indeed, but it is soon time for us to return home. We thank you and the queen for her hospitality."
"Of course," Indi said, tipping his head. "It was our pleasure. But I would recommend coming to court so Queen Elsa can see you once more before you leave."
Lord Berbri smiled. "We would be honored to see Her Majesty once again."
Indi nodded and bid the family farewell, just in case he did not attend court himself. He made his way through the halls. He went to a specific room, one that he had not spent much time in at all since he first came to Arendelle. He knocked on the door and stood back. After a moment, the room opened to him, revealing a familiar red-headed princess.
"Indi?" Anna said, before moving to the side. "Come in, please."
Indi nodded and stepped into Anna's room. The princess closed the door.
Indi smiled softly. "I'm sure you're aware of the news by now."
"That you and Elsa are getting married?!" Anna exclaimed, light rushing to her face. "Of course!"
"I know it's a bit late to ask, but I suppose tradition forces me," Indi said with a chuckle. "Do I have your blessing?"
Anna laughed, her voice melodic. Indi hadn't seen the princess so joyful in a long time. "Oh, I don't know…"
"Oh, well," Indi said with a smirk. "I'd better tell everyone that we're calling it off."
Anna laughed, playfully smacking his arm. "You'd better not!"
"So, I take it you're in favor of this then?"
"Of course I am," Anna said, putting her arms around Indi. He felt the princess tense up at the close contact, so he made the embrace short. "I've seen how Elsa looks at you. We all do."
Indi smiled. "I suppose then we'll have to do some planning then."
"I've always wanted a brother," Anna said, her smile unwavering.
Brother? Indi felt his brow furrow slightly in confusion, but it passed. He would figure it out.
"Also, I heard about what happened with Weldon at court the other day." Anna's face fell and she led him over to a small plush sofa, where they sat down. He put his hand out to her, and the princess laid her hand gently in his. "I'm sorry. If we had been here, it wouldn't have happened. What he said was cruel."
Anna nodded. "I don't know how someone could even think of saying something like that to me."
"Everyone knows how much you love Elsa," Indi said.
"And everyone knows how much Brynn cares for you," Anna said. "She'd never hurt you."
"Wait," Indi said, confused. "What?"
"You weren't told about that part?" Anna asked. When Indi shook his head, she continued. "Weldon suggested that I had Elsa killed and that Brynn killed you."
Indi could not stop himself this time. He laughed loudly, for such a notion was the most ridiculous he had ever heard. As rough and short-tempered as Brynn was, she would never go through with murdering him, no matter how much he stressed her out. He was surprised he did not have to hold her back from ripping Weldon's throat out.
"Weldon is a damned fool for even suggesting that," Indi said once he'd stopped laughing.
"Will you be at court tonight?" Anna asked.
"I don't know," Indi said, rubbing his chin. "Probably, but I'd like to go flying with Sleuther. I know Elsa wants me at the banquet tonight."
Anna nodded when a knock on the door caught their attention.
"Princess?" a female voice called.
"Enter," Anna said. The door opened, and several nicely dressed women came into the room.
"Your Highness," one said as the group curtsied. "Sir knight. Princess, we are here to assist you in preparation for court, as you requested."
"Of course," Anna said. "Thank you."
"I guess that means I better go ride Sleuther." Indi rose from his spot next to the princess. "I'll see you either at court or the banquet. If you need anything, come find me."
"Thank you," Anna said. Indi tipped his head and exited the room, leaving the princess to be attended to by her handmaidens.
He went to his room, where he set the small box that was in his pocket into a drawer underneath his desk. No sense in risking losing it mid-flight.
His gift for Elsa now safely put away, Indi made his way to the courtyard, grabbing Sleuther's saddle on the way. There, he met Astrid, who was saddling her dragon.
"Hey," he said as he walked over, announcing his presence.
"Hey," Astrid said as she tightened one of the straps of Stormfly's saddle. "Going for a flight, I see."
"Yep," Indi said as Sleuther approached, knowing what the saddle meant. Indi rubbed the dragon's head. "Hey, boy. I'd like to get my flight in before court."
"Mind if I join you?" Astrid asked. Indi set the saddle on Sleuther's back and began tightening the straps.
"Not at all," he said. Once the saddle was secure, the pair climbed onto their respective dragons. The pair took off, the dragons flapping their wings strongly. Copal and Emerald followed the larger reptiles into the air.
Indi breathed in the fresh air as they soared high above Arendelle. The dragons flew over the town, and people looked up at them.
"It was good to see you two again," Astrid said, looking over at Indi.
"Our reuniting was a bit… unexpected," Indi said with a chuckle. "But it worked out."
"Yeah," the blonde shieldmaiden said. She raised an eyebrow suggestively. "So, you and the queen are an item officially, eh?"
"It seems so," Indi said. "Admittedly, our engagement started in a way that most Arendelle women wouldn't dream of, but it worked."
"How is that going to affect you here?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug. As Emerald floated by, he rubbed the dragon's head. "I'll do my best to take it in stride, but it's going to be a big change. More jobs for me for sure. I probably won't be able to intimidate people as much, that's for sure."
Astrid laughed. "You're a Viking at heart, no doubt about that."
"I like to think that if I had arrived at Berk instead of here, I would have fit in seamlessly," Indi said.
"Absolutely you would," Astrid said. "You've been such a great help in the short time we've known you, and we definitely could have used you years ago on Berk in our fights with the Outcasts and the Berzerkers. We're allies with the Outcasts now, but we have a rough history with them."
Indi nodded. Perhaps, in another life, he was a Viking. He had the spirit, at least.
The pair directed their dragons back to the castle, landing in the courtyard. They dismounted and removed the saddles from their respective dragons' backs, putting them away for safekeeping.
As they entered the castle, Indi heard the chattering of a large group of people coming from the direction of Elsa's throne room.
"Go meet up with the riders," Indi said. "They're probably outside of the throne room."
Astrid nodded. "Where are you going?"
"I've got to go take care of something," Indi said. "You'll see me there."
The pair parted ways, and Indi went to his room. He changed into nicer clothes, something that would slightly impress any visitors, or at the very least, not make him look like a fool. He settled on a blue shirt with a black vest and trousers. Gold lacing decorates the vest in swirling patterns.
Satisfied, he splashed water onto his hair, trying to fix his slightly windblown look.
He opened the drawer of his desk and removed the small box. He shook it lightly, smiling when he heard the light tapping of the ring rattling about inside.
He stuffed the box into his pocket and went through the halls to the area that was behind the throne room.
There, he saw Elsa speaking softly with Kai. Court had yet to start. Elsa was dressed in a light green dress that left little skin exposed. It was the first time she was holding court since she had returned, so she needed to make an impression and assert herself.
Indi noticed that she wore a small crown on her head. Her old one was lost in the ocean somewhere between the Southern Isles and the Barbaric Archipelago, so where had she gotten this one?
"My queen," he said. Kai bowed respectfully and left Elsa, giving Indi a friendly nod as he departed.
"Sir Indi," Elsa said with a smile. "I haven't seen you for a while."
"Well, as I said, I had business to attend to," he said. "Where did you get that crown?"
"We thankfully had this put away in storage," Elsa said with a smile. "It belonged to one of my ancestors. It will work for now, but tomorrow, I will have a new one made by Arendelle's finest jewelers. Once it is ready, this one shall return to its resting place.
"I trust you're attending court, then?"
"Yes," Indi said with a nod. "But first, I have something to give you."
Elsa raised her eyebrows, curious. She watched as Indi produced a small box from his pocket and held it out to her. She took it from him gently, opening it. Inside, on a small bed of silk was a ring.
"Oh, Indi," Elsa whispered, gently taking the piece of jewelry out of its container. She held it to the light, examining it. It was made of gold, the metal carved and shaped to resemble vines that twisted around to form the band. The setting on the top of the ring was a single piece of polished amber, a tasteful choice. It was simple but still beautiful. Some royals would wear larger rings that neared absolute gaudiness to display wealth, but she appreciated the simple and elegant style of this piece, subdued though it was.
"It's beautiful, Indi," she said before she placed a gentle peck on his cheek. "Thank you."
She held it out to him and allowed him to place it on her ring finger on her left hand. Through the small door that led to the throne room, Kai's voice sounded out. "Presenting Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle."
Indi nodded, and Elsa disappeared through the door. He followed after her and stood near the wall, watching as she sat on her throne.
Elsa caught his gaze and motioned to the spot to the right of her throne with her eyes. Indi gave a slight nod and took his spot to the queen's right, folding his hands behind his back.
As court began, Indi watched as Kai announced the first people to enter. "Presenting Hiccup Haddock, hope and heir to the Viking tribe of Berk, Astrid Hofferson, Snotlout Jorgenson, Fishlegs Ingerman, Ruffnut Thorston, Tuffnut Thorston, and Heather Oswaldsdottir; the dragon riders of Berk."
The large doors on the opposite side of the room were opened by a pair of guards, and the group of Vikings entered. They approached the queen, stopped a respectful distance away, and gave her a bow in rough unison.
"Queen Elsa," Hiccup said.
"Prince Hiccup," Elsa said. "I welcome you all back to Arendelle."
"It is an honor for us to be here, Your Majesty," Astrid said.
"The honor is all mine, truly," Elsa said. "As before, you all and your dragons are welcome to stay as long as you like."
"Thank you, Queen Elsa," Hiccup said. "Perhaps we can discuss plans mutually beneficial to both of our peoples going forward."
Elsa leaned back in her chair slightly. Was Hiccup trying to set up trade relations with Arendelle? Normally, she would need to speak with the Chief of Berk, Hiccup's father, but surely Stoic would not mind a small deal being made without his input. Perhaps this was a first step for Hiccup to become a chief himself. She would humor him.
"I think something can be arranged," Elsa said, letting a small smile appear on her lips.
"Thank you, Queen Elsa," Hiccup said as he tipped his head again. "May the cycle of reciprocity between us ever remain positive."
"May it, indeed." The queen let her smile grow. "You all are welcome to watch the proceedings, should you wish."
The group nodded, looking at each other, before bowing to Elsa once more and moving to the back of the room to observe the court. Indi flashed them a discreet smile.
Most of the rest of the court session was a blur for Indi. He did his best to pay attention, but between greeting foreign visitors and solving what for him were petty disputes between citizens, his mind wandered. He ended up having a conversation in his head, though he could not tell where his voice ended and the voice of Indominus began. He did notice that Lord Berbri and his family attended, citing that they would be leaving, and thanking Elsa for her hospitality. As court neared its end, Copal and Emerald appeared behind him, getting the attention of everyone in the room. Indi smiled at the company, petting them before the dragons settled down; Emerald at his feet, and Copal to the left of Elsa on her throne.
Elsa nodded, smiling at the inconsequential intrusion, before returning her attention to the man who brought some complaint to her. She delivered her judgment, that yes, his son could marry the tanner's daughter. Though her input was certainly not needed, Indi thought, the man before them bowed deeply, thanked Elsa for her counsel, and left the room.
Elsa glanced over at Indi, noticing the young man's fatigue. The appearance of the Indominus Furies and their presence helped him, but she could tell he was getting sick of this. He was not a royal, and likely never would be one at heart. But, he was trying, and she would not fault him for that. She caught his eye and gave him a small smile, which he returned, as the final man for the evening was announced.
"Presenting Kordian Odom, ambassador of Panist."
Indi, now more alert, examined the newcomer as he entered the room and approached. He wore extremely expensive clothing, made of purple silk and embroidered with gold thread. His dirty blonde hair was short and styled to the left. Piercing blue eyes seemed to take in everything, examining it, and deciding it was beneath him. Indi immediately disliked the man but did his best to keep his expression neutral.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," the man said as he bowed, though the twitch in his eye seemed to suggest that the action was distasteful to him.
"Greetings, Master Odom," Elsa said. Indi glanced over at the queen and saw that she was giving the man her full attention.
"Your Majesty, Panist is a small kingdom, but we have much to offer," Odom said as he reached into his tunic and revealed a scrolled-up piece of parchment. Indi saw that it was stamped with a wax seal. "We would like to broker a small deal. We have some surplus resources to spare and would like to trade them for yours, should you accept."
Elsa folded her hands on her lap. "Very well. I shall read over the terms."
Indi stepped forward, and accepted the scroll, before handing it to Elsa. The woman broke the seal and scanned the lines.
"In summary," Odom said. "His Majesty, King Raclaw, would like to trade excess goods for a dragon."
Elsa immediately stopped reading and looked up over the paper at the man before her, before glancing to Indi. Indi frowned, meeting the queen's eyes, before looking at the Vikings near the back of the room. They were all frowning, several of them shaking their heads. The room began to murmur at Odom's request.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding," Elsa said, reaching down to give Copal a scratch on the head. The little dragon craned into the queen's touch. "Our dragons are not for sale or trade."
"His Majesty's offer is very generous," Odom said. "We would certainly pay you well for one."
Elsa's face went stern, glancing back down at the scroll for a moment. "Master Odom, a single dragon is worth more than a shipload of goods. To be frank, a single dragon is worth more than a castle on a hill. They are as much a part of my kingdom as the people are."
Indi swallowed, his eyes staring at the man before him. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could burn a hole through Odom's head. Nobody dared ask for a dragon directly from Elsa, especially as a trade for mere goods, no matter the quality. It just was not done.
"How long is a voyage to Panist?" Elsa asked.
"Four days," Odom said. "Three if the wind is with us."
"I invite your king to come to Arendelle," Elsa said. "He may stay in my castle and see the dragons for himself, but they are not for sale."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Odom said with a bow. The dragon riders, along with everyone else in the room, stared at him as he left the room.
Elsa looked over at Kai and nodded. The court session was concluded.
The queen left the room first through the main doors at the opposite side of the room, Indi and the Indominus Furies following.
Once they were through the doors and safely in the halls, Indi walked next to Elsa. He caught her gaze and she flashed him a knowing look. They would discuss Odom and the kingdom of Panist later.
They had a few minutes, so they walked through the halls. During court, the sun had dipped below the horizon, and the housekeeper was having the maids light the candles to provide some light for a few more hours. The pair walked by, servants nodding to them as they passed.
"You did well," Elsa said quietly. "During court, I mean."
"I drifted off for a while," Indi admitted, as he stopped to open a window, allowing Copal and Emerald to join the other dragons in the courtyard.
"I know you did," Elsa said with a chuckle, watching the pair of white dragons shoot outside. "But you still did well."
"I want to do better," Indi said, then shut the window. "For you."
"And you will," Elsa said, gently taking Indi's hand. The knight shivered at the queen's cold touch.
They went to the dining hall, where the large banquet was to be held. The pair were announced by the servants and entered the room. The table was full of people, save for the seat at the head and a neighboring seat to the right. Many candles lining the table were lit, as well as the fireplace nearby. All of the dragon riders were present, as well as the royal family from Corona. Mary sat near the head of the table, next to the empty seat. Anna sat just to the left of the table's head seat.
Everyone present rose as the queen and her betrothed entered the room. Indi helped Elsa sit, before taking the seat between the queen and his mother.
"Thank you all for coming to this banquet," Elsa said. "It is wonderful to be back in my kingdom, especially after such an ordeal and adventure. There is plenty of food, so do not be shy. Please, eat, drink, and be merry. I am engaged, and this is to be a joyous time."
At Elsa's command, many servants filled the room, carrying platters of hot food and drinks, many of which were some type of alcohol. Plates were loaded and cups were filled.
The dragon riders told tales of their battles from when they were younger, and the thought of teenagers using their dragons to fight against grown men made Elsa shiver. Clearly, the people they were fighting showed little mercy. Mary told tales of her time with the Defenders of the Wing, using her abilities to heal both dragons and people who were injured, whether from fights with dragon hunters or other, more mundane means. Indi and Elsa recalled their time on Salvation Island with Sleuther and their survival there.
The meal was overall quite pleasant, with stories and laughter abound.
As the meal wound down, Indi heard a noise drifting through the castle. He cocked his head, trying to listen. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, before reaching over to place his hand on Elsa's.
"Yes?" Elsa said. "What is it, Ind-"
She was cut off by the doors being thrown open. A black dragon burst through the doorway, followed by Sleuther.
"Toothless!" Hiccup shouted as he rose from his seat. Indi did the same and quickly approached his respective dragon.
"Sleuther!" he said, placing his hands on the dragon's face. "What is it, boy?"
From behind the dragons, dashing through the doorway, came a Velociraptor, the green reptilian form covered in small black stripes.
"Violet!" Indi shouted, running over to her. She was bleeding from several wounds, most focused around her torso and legs. The girl turned back into her human form, and Indi gently grabbed her head. "Violet, what happened? What's going on?"
"I'm sorry, Indi," the girl said, tears streaming from her eyes. "I'm so sorry."
"Violet," Indi said, hoping his voice wasn't too stern. "What's going on?"
"There's men..." Violet said, grabbing Indi's wrist. "They're attacking our homes."
"Riders!" Indi snarled and rose to his feet. "Mount up. Mom, look after her."
Mary nodded, taking Violet by the hand and leading her to a chair. Indi gave Elsa a look that she had only seen a few times before, and it chilled her to the bone.
"I'll be back," he said, mounting Sleuther. He turned to the dragon riders. "I'll see you all in the air."
The riders nodded and ran from the room, led by the Triple Stryke and the Night Fury. The room was soon nearly silent, the heavy footsteps fading away down the halls.
"What's going on?" Rapunzel asked.
"Something bad," Anna said. "Something really bad."
Sleuther burst through the castle doors and Indi found themselves in the courtyard. The dragon shot into the air, his wings flapping. They hovered for a moment and were soon joined by the rest of the dragons and their riders. Hiccup and Toothless were the last to arrive.
"Let's go!" Indi said with a snarl, a sentiment shared by each rider. Even the normally jovial faces of the mischievous Ruffnut and Tuffnut were darkened.
The dragons shot off into the darkness. The riders quickly saw what was happening. As they approached the edge of the town, they saw a crowd of people outside of the area where the dinomorphs and their families lived. Brynn was standing between the crowd and the small group of refugees, keeping the angry villagers away with her jaws and roars.
"Down, Sleuther!" Indi shouted. The dragon dove, landing in front of Brynn with a thud and a massive roar.
"That's enough!" Indi shouted from atop his dragon. The rest of the riders landed behind Brynn, their dragons also snarling. Glancing over the mob, Indi saw that many of them carried torches and other improvised weapons.
"Sir Indi Rex," Weldon shouted. "It's time for you all to leave! We've had enough!"
"And where would you like us to go?" Indi spat.
"We don't care!" another man said. "Anywhere but here!"
Brynn roared, stomping her foot.
Through the crowd, several men shoved forward. They ran to Indi and turned, facing the horde. Indi recognized them as Jacob Friedman and Erndon Perkins. They were quickly joined by a few other men that Indi recognized from Perkins's ship.
"Thank you, lads," Indi said, his gaze never leaving the mob before him.
"You helped us, Sir Indi," Perkins said. "We stand with you."
Indi glanced behind him and saw the refugees hiding behind them. One of the houses was already ablaze. Toothless roared, flaring out his wings.
"Turn back!" Hiccup shouted. "We won't let you harm these people."
"Sir Indi!" Weldon shouted. Several men started shoving someone forward, and Weldon grabbed her, holding the woman in front of him. He placed a knife to her throat.
Indi felt his eyes shift. Gwendolyn was battered and bloody, staring at him with fear.
"Sir Indi, take these intruders and leave Arendelle. Give me your word, and no further harm will come to this… bitch."
"Let her go!" Snotlout shouted, strangely serious. It was a tone that Indi had never heard him use before.
A flash of silver came from the right, and Indi saw Gwendolyn being carried off by a silver dragon; Heather and her dragon Windshear took Gwendolyn into the dark skies. Weldon looked stunned as his hostage was snatched away from him. From behind Indi, the dinomorphs transformed and dashed forward, standing alongside Sleuther.
"Turn back," Indi growled, feeling his claws extend.
Suddenly, a beam of ice shot up through the middle of the group, dividing them into two halves. Elsa stalked forward, each step spawning ice beneath her foot.
As she looked around, anger on her face, the men in the horde lowered their eyes and knelt in submission.
"Everyone, go home," Elsa said slowly, before pointing at Weldon. "Except you."