Title: on rings and kings and fancy house mottos

Rating: T for curse words

Genre: Romance, Drama

Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Re-uploading the chapter for the disclaimer. Sorry.)

Warnings: No beta. Basically my first published fanfiction ever, so I suppose there's still a lot needing to be polished. Grammatical and typographical errors abound. And cheese. Lots and lots of cheese.

He swore that a goddess had decided to enter the battlefield.

Her body was toned yet slender, her movements brutal yet graceful. Even when she was on a horse in the middle of a battlefield, swinging her double headed axe at the nearest gronckle, her posture was impeccable. Her hair was a crown of spun gold on her head, its tresses woven into a braid that draped over her armored shoulders. Her round face, even when scrunched up in concentration, looked exquisite under the glow of the fire around them. The explosions around covered her in an ethereal glow that made her look so... divine... like a Valkyrie descending upon Midgard, and he couldn't help himself as his jaw dropped when he looked at her. And her eyes—her eyes!—they were the most beautiful shade of sapphire blue that took his breath away.

It took a couple of moments for him to realize that those blue, blue, blue eyes were now actually looking directly at him.

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She screamed something as she charged at him, but in the midst of all the running Vikings and unidentified flying weapons, he couldn't hear what she was saying for the life of him. Confused beyond words, fear gripped his chest and paralyzed his body as she swung her axe in his direction. But the blow never came. It took another moment for him to realize that she was aiming at a zippleback that was right behind him. She stared coldly down at him then, her blue, blue, blue eyes piercing his own as she urged her steed to face him.

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"Is this some kind of a joke to you?"

"Uh—"

"Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on."

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"But—What if there doesn't need to be a war?"

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"What?"

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"What if... What if we can live alongside dragons?"

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ON RINGS AND KINGS AND FANCY HOUSE MOTTOS

Act One

"Dragons and legends...It would have been difficult for any man not to want to fight beside a dragon."

― Patricia Briggs, Dragon Blood

Hiccup never expected to see those piercing blue, blue, blue eyes again after ten years.

At least not like this, when he was still in his uncomfortable travel clothes that looked like disheveled sacks on his tall yet lean frame, and when he was about to steal those freshly picked berries that he found in the Hoffersons' castle's kitchen to assuage his hunger.

He supposed he looked like a foreign servant about to steal his new master's food. And he imagined she thought of the same as well.

"Are you not going to going to escort me?" she snapped, lifting her chin and crossing her arms as she tried to stare him down.

Hiccup didn't think she'd grow even more beautiful through the years, but by Odin, she did. Her hair was the same golden blonde silk, only smoother and sleeker, carefully braided and intricately arranged, with bangs and tresses of it framing her round face. Her robes, of fine teal velvet and gilded fringes, hugged her slender, more developed body in all the right places and matched well with her sapphire-encrusted kranssen. A fur cape hung on her shoulders, attached to her robes with a clasp showing the Hofferson sigil of a golden silhouette of a valkyrie raising an axe. Her plump, pink lips, however, was formed in a straight line, and her piercing blue—

"Are you not from Berk?" she snapped again, knocking Hiccup out of his reverie.

"Uh, yes," he finally said, dropping the berries that he was about to eat.

"And weren't those new dragons in our pens gifts from the King of Berk?"

"Well, yes—"

"—so will you not show me the dragons, then? Didn't he assign anyone to present the dragons to me? Are you not part of the King's company? "

Well, he is the King of Berk. He opened his mouth to speak, intent on telling her that. "I am th—"

"—come and serve me, then," she cut him off with finality, turning on her heels to exit the kitchen.

Hiccup sighed at the one-sided conversation. It's as if he was suddenly fifteen again, trying to convince his father of the possibility of living with dragons. At least his father eventually listened to him before his untimely demise at the hands of Drago Bludvist during the Stand of Berk. He hurried on to catch up with her as fast as his metal foot can carry him, but not before stealing some of those berries and shoving them down his throat. He supposed she wouldn't believe him anyway, not with the un-kingly state that he was in.

He followed her diligently through the maze of corridors, keeping a good two-foot distance from her. He was sure she'd notice his missing leg earlier. She had given him a quick look back to make sure that he was following. If she was uncomfortable with it, she didn't let it show at all.

He couldn't believe his luck.

Three months ago, he had received an invitation from the Kingdom of Reiynor bearing the seal of the Ruling Family, the Hoffersons. It was an invitation to compete for the Princess' hand in marriage, seeing as she had now come of marrying age. He could not believe it at first—Princess Astrid—the Princess Astrid of House Hofferson, the Fearless, the Jewel of the Rainlands, Beloved of the war god Tyr—and basically the most known shieldmaiden in the entire Barbaric Archipelago—was offering her hand in marriage—but only to the nobleman who can defeat her.

Hiccup almost swore then.

He was not entirely confident in his skills as a warrior, even until now that he had grown so much taller—even now with his experience of participating in at least two major wars, excluding the Dragon Wars, his battle with the Red Death and the Stand of Berk. The Hoffersons were known to be the most skilled warriors in the Wilderwest, undefeated in battle and gifted in strategy. He doubted his lean physique could overcome the Princess's skills in a duel. He had seen her fight before, and even then at such the young age of thirteen, she could ride a horse, swing an axe and charge in battle. He was fifteen at that time, and he couldn't even lift a hammer, swing an axe, or throw a pair of bolas. He'd be down even before the Princess could give him a death glare.

But this was an opportunity that he couldn't pass.

He had planned to court her, even prior the invitation. He's had nothing but admiration for her ever since the day they'd met, although he supposed now that it was actually only him who had remembered her from ten years previously; the Princess didn't even recognize him now and mistook him for a servant! But he had vowed before that should his plan of solving the Dragon Wars be successful, he'd ask for her hand in marriage... eventually. It was only until after the War of the Seasons that he had finally decided that he should now seek out her hand, and thankfully, an opportunity had presented itself.

And he wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers.

"I must confess that our Kingdom has not fully accepted dragons yet," Princess Astrid murmured as they got out of the castle and proceeded to walk towards the dragon pens. "Other than keeping a few terrible terrors for communication purposes, our House has refused to adopt any other dragon. Only the army and the navy are allowed to have them, but only so that we can keep up with the widespread domestication of dragons in the Barbaric Archipelago."

"So I've heard," Hiccup answered her, catching up to walk by her side as they approached the stables. There were still a lot of horses in their pens, which was truthfully a surprise to him; everywhere else in the Archipelago, dragons had already replaced horses as the means of transportation. After all, the Dragon Wars were over for ten years now. "May I inquire as to why that is, your Royal Highness?"

The Princess gave him a careful glance, surveying him. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt much if it's you. Everyone already knows it anyway, unless you've been living under a rock. But should the King of Berk be unaware of this, I must command that you never speak of it to him."

Hiccup gave her a sheepish look. It was her who was sharing it to him, so he couldn't technically tell himself about it. And… he had no idea what had happened with her House to make them dislike dragons so much.

"My uncle, Prince Finn Hofferson, owned the title of 'the Fearless' before I did," the Princess started. "A Flightmare attacked the Kingdom when I was nine. I was so small then, and my Uncle urged me to stay back as he encountered the beast. He froze on the spot as he faced the dragon, though, and everyone else was led to believe that he froze out of fear. That didn't sit well with our House."

Nothing less than perfection.

That was the motto of House Hofferson, and freezing in fear during battle would surely tarnish their family name, most especially when they were reputed to be the most skilled warriors in the Archipelago—the epitome of perfect warriors.

"Our family was shamed, then, our honor questioned. My uncle had exiled himself to bring back the family honor, but the people never forgot about it. That was why I planned to right it. I aimed to be the very first in dragon fighting class, to be the best warrior that I can. I wanted to bring back the family name, but most importantly, I wanted to bring my favorite uncle back. By the time I ended dragon training, I was able to kill my first dragon: a Flightmare, the same one that paralyzed my Uncle years before. That was when I earned my first title, 'the Fearless,' and our honor was restored then. My Uncle, however, never came back. He died with a broken heart while in exile. Of course, it was only until five years ago, when the Dragon Master wrote the Dragon Book, that we knew that our Uncle did not in fact freeze from fear, but from a paralyzing spray from the Flightmare. That further restored our honor, but the damage has been done. My Uncle had died for nothing, and that was when my family had decided that we were to discourage ourselves from associating with dragons, if it can be helped."

"My condolences for your late Uncle, Princess," Hiccup murmured, solemn. He knew that the Royal Family had issues with dragons (which was one of the reasons why he brought dragons as his gifts in the first place), but he didn't think it was that personal. Helping them live alongside dragons would be harder than he thought. "But please, I believe that you should not fault the dragon for its natural reaction to threat. It felt imperiled and its spray was its defense mechanism."

"So I've read," the Princess replied lifting her chin up. "But it attacked us first!"

"Only because it needed to," Hiccup retorted, trying to level his voice as evenly as he could. "During those times, their Queen commanded them to bring food for her, and when they didn't, they get eaten themselves."

"So I suppose I should thank the Dragon Master for defeating the Queen then," the Princess answered, a touch of bitterness and a hint of mockery in her voice. "Is that what you're saying? I should thank him for the Dragon Book, too, I daresay. Thank you, O great King of Berk and Master of Dragons, for having slain the Red Death, made up your books and introduced the dragon way of living—but it's already years too late!"

"The King does not need anyone's gratitude," Hiccup almost hissed. "He barely even made half the book; it was Lord Ingerman who religiously compiled all of the knowledge that Berk had when it came to dragons. It even says so on the preface! And the King didn't think of honor and bravery when he foolishly sought the Red Death; he only thought of survival, of saving his people who were stranded at Helheim's Gate. He didn't care about anyone's gratitude. He only cared for everyone's safety."

The Princess paused in her tracks and looked at him. "How could you be so certain of how he feels? Are you his confidante? You ought to respect him more. Tell me your name, commoner, and I shall see to it that the King of Berk knows of your thoughts."

Hiccup repressed the urge to roll his eyes or sass her back. I am him.

And he certainly didn't think he'd need more respect. His titles have now grown exceptionally long and ridiculously absurd that had they been compiled, he was certain that the compilation would be longer than the journey from Berk to Reiynor. He tried to give her a hint of his identity anyway. "My name's Hiccup."

She laughed heartily at that, her anger evaporating and her cold mask slipping for once. "What kind of a name is 'Hiccup'? Do your parents hate you that much?"

"Not anymore," Hiccup found himself answering before he could filter it, distracted by the sound of her melodious laughter.

"Oh, forgive me," the Princess murmured, daintily covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She was rather graceful and refined for a warrior princess, Hiccup noted. But he also noticed her lack of knowledge with the Royal Families of the Archipelago. Did she really not know that the King of Berk was also named Hiccup?

"It's all right. My parents thought it would frighten off gnomes and trolls," he explained as they neared the dragons. He tried to change the topic, not wanting to talk more about himself. "If I may inquire, your Royal Highness, but why are you suddenly interested in dragons? Did your family not disconnect yourselves from them? And yet you looked for Berkian guides the moment you realized that you had been given dragons."

She immediately looked contemplative at that question, and Hiccup missed the sound of her laughter. "I did say that my family had decided that we were to discourage ourselves from associating with dragons, if it can be helped. But it can no longer be helped."

They were in front of the dragon pens now, and Hiccup watched her as she stopped in front of a deadly nadder, her pensive gaze focused on the dragon before them. "The rest of the Archipelago has now embraced dragons in their everyday lives. Although we pride ourselves as the best warriors in the Wilderwest, a dragon rider and his dragon would surely be disadvantageous to us in battle. I have no doubt that we can take down other Vikings and dragons on their own, but both of them together is an untested prospect I'd rather not face."

He nodded his head, pondering on her thoughts. There were no official international wars that had happened in the Barbaric Archipelago ever since the stop of the Dragon Wars so far, but it was true that skirmishes had now become more explosive, what with the involvement of dragons and all. "Berk will make sure to station a group of dragon riders in your capital to help you ease the transition to living with dragons, your Royal Highness. I hear that the Drizzling Mountains of Reiynor have an interesting assortment of dragons, and if you'd give us permission, we'll try to see if we can bond with them. I hope the dragons there would be nothing too dangerous, though." Hiccup left out the part that his friends were now in the Drizzling Mountains for research (have been in there since they arrived in Reiynor), even without the Hoffersons' permission since he supposed that it was on a need-to-know basis and Princess Astrid Does Not Need to Know.

"Thank you for the gracious offer," the Princess muttered, her gaze now turned to him. "But I doubt that the Kingdom of Berk would be so willing to aid us in our aim to live alongside dragons. We have no political ties to the Kingdom, unless the King somehow defeats me in the Ceremony later, and even that is an unguaranteed possibility. Besides, the Kingdoms of Berk and Reiynor have never been on the best of terms."

Hiccup had to agree with that. There had always been a silent rivalry between their Houses. His father, King Stoick, was a proud Viking who was named as the best warrior of the North, and he supposed that King Yngvild, who was hailed as the best fighter in the entire Barbaric Archipelago would not want to yield to that. Indeed, during Meetings of the Royal Houses, they would bring only their best warriors (which was why Hiccup never had to go along with his father during meetings—only once— and he was immensely grateful for that), showing off what they could do in a friendly battle (—if coming home in a stretcher with scars, bruises and broken bones all over was considered friendly, then he supposed that they were the best of friends—) before the meetings started.

"The new King of Berk is different from his father, although I am sure that he looked up to the late King just the same. The new King is of a pacifist nature like the Queen Dowager, and I can assure you that House rivalries and political ties are of little value for him. If you need his aid, he will come whether you are foe or friend," Hiccup declared with conviction, meeting her blue, blue, blue eyes. "Whether or not he is to marry you after today, please know that you have a friend in the King."

The Princess regarded him, curious but hesitant, fascinated but guarded. "I must admit that I know so little of the new King of Berk. I've never met him before. I was not allowed to attend his coronation due to the length of the voyage and he is usually always away during meetings, even when he was the Crown Prince. I was even surprised when he had accepted the invitation."

Hiccup realized that he had never attended a Royal Meeting since his coronation as the King of Berk, which must explain why the Princess did not know him. Now that he thought about it, he didn't think that there were much opportunities for them to meet: they were on opposite ends of the Barbaric Archipelago with him from the North and her from the South; he was almost never there during Royal Meetings since he was not allowed to join by his father, and after the Dragon Wars, there was not much to talk about between Royal Houses so the meetings became less recurring. In addition, her interaction with other Houses were limited, given the restrictions of courtesy and polite etiquette imposed by her House.

House Hofferson always was a paradox for Viking families: they were the best warriors, and yet they were the most restricted as well, with rules and traditions for everything. Case in point: the Courting Ceremony in which a daughter of the Royal House should duel all of her suitors before the King can choose which one of them should marry into the Royal Family. Although fighting for the hand of a princess was not unheard of (see: Crown Princess Merida of House DunBroch, Mender of Bonds and Thief of Blueberry Muffins), House Hofferson was perhaps the most regulated and the most brutal. Men, even those of nobility and royalty, would have a hard time being granted an audience with the Princess.

He supposed his meeting with Princess Astrid ten years ago was willed by the Norns after all.

"He's all right, I think," Hiccup murmured, avoiding her gaze now. He unconsciously grasped the ring dangling from his neck, hidden beneath his travelling clothes.

"I'll be the judge of his character when I meet him."

The deadly nadder before them grunted, curious as to why they were immobile in front of it. Hiccup faced the nadder and immediately patted her. "My apologies for ignoring you, girl. There, there," he cooed, scratching the dragon's scaly blue back and the dragon immediately succumbed to his scratching. He felt the Princess stiffen at the interaction.

Hiccup shot her a small smile. "Want to try petting her?"

"I—What?" she stuttered, her posture still firm and rigid, and her eyes giving away her discomfort.

"Or don't tell me that the great Princess Astrid of House Hofferson, the Fearless, is actually afraid—"

"—I'll do it!" she snapped, lifting her chin up and advancing in on Hiccup and the dragon. She stiffened again, though, when she was only just a few inches away from them.

"Don't be afraid—"

"—I'm not," she insisted.

"Then don't just stand there. Here, give me your hand," Hiccup lifted his left hand to her direction, inviting her. She blinked at the offered hand, uncertain, but her small fingers eventually closed around his bigger ones. He noted that unlike the rest of her which looked smooth and pristine, her hand felt rough and calloused. He knew right then and there that she was a warrior through and through.

He guided her hand near the dragon's nostrils, and her fingers trembled slightly when they touched the cold scales. "You have to let them smell you when you bond. Dragons have a good sense of smell. Deadly nadders, in particular, have a very remarkable sense of smell and can identify you by your scent alone. It'll help you reconnect when you see her again."

The nadder grunted slightly at the new scent, and the Princess shifted uneasily. She made a movement to go away, but Hiccup held her hand firmly, determined to let both human and dragon bond. "Easy, easy there." He changed the hand that was clutching the Princess's hand to his right, and with his newly freed left hand, he stepped behind the Princess and held her left shoulder to hold her in place.

"She's beautiful," she breathed as her eyes roamed the dragon. He couldn't agree with her more; the deadly nadder was considered as one of the most beautiful dragons, with its blue quartz-like scales that covered almost the entirety of its body and its topaz spikes that blended well with its overall color palette. Now that he thought about it, it sort of fit House Hofferson's house colors of blue and gold.

She smelled like cinnamon and parchment.

He wondered if the Princess could hear his heartbeat. It was palpitating so erratically in his ribcage that he thought it would burst forth from his body soon. He thought that the moment was short, but he felt that this sweet torment was forever when she was this near to him, her body nearly flush against his it was almost intimate.

The dragon finally closed her eyes and submitted itself to them, bowing slightly. The Princess looked up at him and gave him a smile, surprised at the dragon's action. Hiccup immediately stepped away and released his hold on her, startled at the close proximity of their faces. He felt a blush creep up his neck.

"Yes, well," he mumbled distractedly, going around the dragon and ignoring her questioning face. He proceeded to scratch the nadder's scales behind her head, determined to look at anywhere but her. "Now that the nadder is comfortable with you, I think you can now pet her properly. Dragons like to be pet and scratched like any other house pet. They usually like it behind their ears, just at their back, and almost anywhere else except for their bellies. Different dragons have different preferences for that; some may melt in your hands while others may cost you your limbs. Always proceed with caution when rubbing their bellies. Oh! And if you just scratch them with just the right amount beneath their neck, you won't believe this, they—"

He stopped abruptly, noticing that the Princess was a bit too quiet. He raised his head to meet her eyes. She was gently stroking the nadder's beak, but her attention was focused on him, her blue eyes thoughtfully studying him.

"Is something the matter, your Royal Highness?" Hiccup asked, raising a brow.

That seemed to break her out of her trance, and she answered hurriedly, "No, no, it's nothing. It's just… you… you remind me of someone."

Hiccup stiffened, his hand reaching again instinctively for the ring dangling from a chain on his neck. Perhaps she had remembered?

She shook her head, half scoffing and half smiling at herself. "No, he can't be you, he was too scrawny."

A smile almost ghosted Hiccup's lips, and he wondered if he should tell her then about him. After a few seconds of contemplation, he decided that perhaps this was not the time… yet. He hasn't rehearsed his lines although he had already composed them, and he was not sure that the Princess trusted him enough to believe him. He gave her an amused smirk, nevertheless, and they continued discussing about dragons, which included their sleeping habits, species peculiarities, and grooming responsibilities.

"You know…" he began the talk awkwardly after a while, scratching the back of his neck. "Your Courting Ceremony reminds me of this one time Crown Princess Merida was to be betrothed to one of her House's allies."

"Crown Princess Merida?"

"Of House DunBroch of the Kingdom of DunBroch," he supplied, forgetting for a moment that she wasn't so good at names. "It's part of the Crownlands on the continental mainland."

"Oh," the Princess murmured thoughtfully. "House DunBroch, with the sigil of a green sword with interwoven rings against a black field, and with the motto of 'Change the fate torn by pride.'"

"That's the one," Hiccup affirmed, squatting in the pen while gently caressing the deadly nadder who was now asleep. The Princess followed suit, propping herself against the dragon to face him. "When she was sixteen, an archery competition was held for her hand in marriage. Their allied House Heads and their first-born sons arrived in their castle to compete in the Highland games. But get this, Crown Princess Merida twists the rules, announcing that as her own clan's firstborn she is eligible to compete for her own hand—can you believe that? Then she easily bested her suitors in the archery contest, and then bam! She got away with her arranged marriage!" Hiccup laughed then, remembering Merida's accent as she recalled the courtship.

To his surprise, the Princess did not look amused. "And you are certain of this? Are all royalty and nobility in the Continent your friends?"

Hiccup almost slapped himself. "Uh—the King of Berk had a lot of adventures when he was the Crown Prince, and well, he loved telling his stories to the rest of Berk, apparently," he explained. It wasn't a lie. He just didn't understand why he felt like he should use the third person when he spoke about himself.

Princess Astrid looked pensive for a while. "It must be nice," she murmured quietly, staring into space. That was rather unlike her to be frank. "To be able to go on adventures like that, to not be tied down to your duties at all. How does it feel like?"

Hiccup studied her. Was that longing in her voice? "It feels liberating," he answered truthfully.

"I think it should," she mumbled in the same quiet voice, but she soon snapped out of her stupor and raised her chin, standing up from the ground. "But it's also irresponsible. And that would be unbecoming of a Hofferson." She faced him, conviction and something akin to disapproval etched on her face. "Crown Princess Merida should not have done that. A nation needs to strengthen its standing with an alliance, and marriage is the best way to cement such union."

Hiccup sighed and stood up as well to face her, not liking where this was going. He may have admired her for so long, but Merida was his friend as well, and he was willing to go lengths to defend her. He rivalled her disapproving gaze with his defiant one, staring her down and using his height to tower over her. "What would you have her do then? What would you have done?"

"I would still have kicked all of their asses," she seethed coldly, lifting her chin up to meet him head on, and he reminded himself to stand his ground when he was distracted by those beautiful blue, blue, blue eyes. "But I would have married someone. I care not who, for as long as they can protect my country and keep my people safe, then I would gladly marry my ass off to the highest bidder… Like what I'm going to do today."

Hiccup's glare softened, the weight of her words making him remember why he had liked her in the first place.

"A royal's duty first and foremost is to the people," she declared as if by rote, but commitment laced every word that came out of her mouth. "It does not matter what I think, how I feel. What matters right now is for our House to make the right decision in choosing the House that we are to be allied with. Whether it breaks my mind or my will, I will do my duty to my people. A Hofferson is nothing less than perfection in battle, in honor and in duty… even if it breaks my heart."

Hiccup can only stare at her.

Damn. He thought he'd lose his admiration for the Princess for a moment there, but she had managed to shove it back down his throat tenfold with her small speech.

"Forgive me for my impudence, your Royal Highness," he finally murmured, bowing his head. "My story has distressed you when I only wished for good humor." He saw her gaze soften for a bit, but no less cold. There was an awkward pause between them as they looked away from each other, and Hiccup sought to ease the tension in the air. "Then who among your suitors do you think would be best for your people, your Royal Highness?" he asked in honest curiosity, trying to change the subject.

She pondered on that for a moment, though her eyes still bore a slight annoyance for him. "From a political and military standpoint, I think it would be best if I marry the King of Berk."

Hiccup immediately widened his eyes at her response and managed to sputter out a "What? Why?!"

"Power," she said simply.

"Oh." Hiccup fought to fight the disappointment in his voice.

There was a pause again, though Hiccup no longer wanted to ease the tension between them. To his surprise, it was the Princess who broke the ice first.

"You must know that there are threats to the Barbaric Archipelago." Her voice was softer now, but resolute. She moved to exit the pens, and she took in the warm breeze that greeted her outside. Hiccup followed suit. Her eyes roamed the expanse of her kingdom as they stood outside.

"Whispers grow of a shadow in the East. Trouble is brewing in the Shadowlands of the South. And the North talks of an unnamed magic beyond the Icelands."

Hiccup thought of the dangers she had mentioned. He had heard that a man bearing resemblance to Drago Bludvist was amassing powers in the East; he had escaped during the Stand of Berk and they had been investigating his whereabouts during the years that he went missing. Lord Pitchiner Kozmotis, the former Commander General of the Alliance of the Moon Kingdoms, had fled during the War of the Seasons as well, and although he was assured by Crown Prince Jack of Lunaris that he would not be back for a long while, Hiccup could not help but feel uneasy at letting him go. And then there was the mysterious rise of an ice wall just north of the kingdom of Arendelle.

"A great war is coming," Princess Astrid spoke the words that he had been thinking for a few months now. "And I don't think family loyalty and pride would save our kingdom from destruction, should Reiynor be involved. Our only hope now, is if I marry someone with political and military strength... And a union with the King of Berk, the Dragon Master, is the most beneficial alternative right now. At least for my people."

Hiccup didn't know what to answer to that.

"You said it yourself," the Princess continued, still gazing towards her kingdom. It was greener and more colorful in Reiynor, Hiccup supposed. And hotter as well. "When he faced the Red Death, he only thought of saving his people who were stranded at Helheim's Gate. He didn't care about anyone's gratitude, only for everyone's safety. Should I wed him, our Kingdoms would be allied, and no matter what, I think that the King of Berk would uphold House Haddock's motto should Reiynor be in danger."

A King protects his own.

If their Houses were to be unified and if Reiynor were to be attacked, Berk would come to their aid by virtue of their union, no questions asked.

Hiccup still kept silent, processing her words. He was flattered that the Princess would think so highly of him, though he would admit that he was rather sore that she did not want to marry him for the reasons that he'd like. Would she really want to marry someone whose name she did not even know?

The Princess breathed out, and Hiccup saw that she had lowered her lashes to the ground, brooding. "I've always wanted to serve my kingdom ever since I was young." Her voice was surprisingly soft and vulnerable, as if she was no longer the warrior Princess feared by her enemies. "If I had my way, I would've given up everything and offered myself to Freya, serving my country as both priestess and warrior, if that was even possible… But I was born a princess. And although I was allowed to be a warrior, I don't think I would be able to serve the Kingdom the way I want to serve it. I am called many things—princess, warrior, beloved—but none of them describe what I truly am."

He could feel the pain in her voice as she professed her next words. "I am a pawn."

"Surely you do not think that—"

"—I am a pawn," she repeated, more resolute this time, though her vulnerability still shone through. "I am a doll to decorate my House. I am a prize to be claimed by the highest bidder. I am a pawn to further the alliance of my kingdom with the strongest in the Archipelago. I know that I am to enter a loveless marriage. I expect neither fondness nor affection from my future husband. I am—"

"—Listen here," Hiccup cut her off and grabbed her shoulders, rules and propriety and insolence be damned. He grabbed her chin to force her blue, blue, blue eyes to meet his green ones, and held her in place with his other hand. Her eyes looked as defiant and cold as the rest of her personality, but there was a hint of helplessness and desolation hidden underneath the vastness of her orbs. "I know not where your sentiments come from, or who had placed them in your head in the first place, but know that that is not how people look to you at all. You may see yourself as a pawn, an expendable piece to be discarded should your House call for it, but for your people—you are their hope, Astrid."

He did not mean to forget her honorifics in their conversation, but her name had rolled off his tongue like honey and he no longer cared for the repercussions of his impertinence. Her face was so close to his now that he could practically just kiss her right there, but he willed himself to calm his turbulent heart.

"A great war is coming," he reminded her. "There is uncertainty to its extent, if it reaches the Archipelago or not. But we have to prepare. Fuck being a princess, fuck the houses and honestly—fuck marriage. But your people need you right now, and you have to do what you think is best for them, may it be being a bride or being a warrior. And whatever you choose, I know that you are doing it for the sake of your people who you so devotedly serve. I know not how you call such selflessness in Reiynor, but that is not a pawn in my books."

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in. He had forgotten that he was a King, that she was a Princess, and that they were both together unescorted in a decidedly deserted part of the castle grounds. He waited with bated breath for her next move, but he could not for the life of him turn away from her eyes, and he felt that he became even more lost in them the longer he stared.

"A Hofferson is nothing less than perfection," she whispered, life and conviction and strength returning to her eyes. "In battle, in honor and in duty. I am a princess of House Hofferson, the Royal Family of the kingdom of Reiynor. I am a warrior for Odin and Freya and Tyr. And I will be the perfect bride for my people… But not before I kick all of my suitors' asses."

She grinned up at him then, her smile almost feral.

"That's the spirit," Hiccup laughed, returning her smile.

A horn sounded in the distance, and Hiccup immediately let go of her, as if scorched by their proximity.

"That's the signal for luncheon, and after that the ceremony," she announced, righting her posture and dusting off the hay that had stuck in her dress. She faced him, offering a rather reserved smile. "Thank you for all of your services, Master Hiccup. You have been a most entertaining guide."

"The pleasure is all mine, your Royal Highness," he said bowing to her.

"Call your King and assemble your Company. I'm looking forward to meeting your King later. I've not forgotten my promise that the King of Berk should know of your thoughts."

He chuckled as she gave a small curtsy and turned on her heel to leave for the Royal Hall.

"Princess Astrid!" he called one last time and she whipped her head, all braided honey-golden tresses gracefully moving with her. Hiccup's breath got caught in his throat. "For what it's worth, I think you are the most wonderful princess that a House could ever wish for."

He was surprised at the blush that dusted her fair cheeks at his words. She flashed him another smile—bright and genuine and divine. Hiccup might as well be fifteen again, watching her as she sat on her noble steed, charging against dragons. Then she was gone the next moment, even before he could catch his breath and pick his jaw up from the floor.

Hiccup swore that a goddess had just conquered his heart.

END OF ACT ONE

Author's Notes:

Yeah, so I rushed that ending. Sorry about that. Maybe I can fix that if I decide to re-write the story. But I suppose that's it for now. Thank you so much for reaching the end of the fic. As I've mentioned earlier, this is sort of my first published fic, so I'm very nervous about flames and all. I just hope that I had given justice to one of my favorite ships. Oh, and I would be busy for the next few months, so I'm not sure when I'd be updating it. _

Also, for anyone interested, here are a few points in the story that I'd like to mention:

[1] The only influence that GOT would have on the fic are the House sigils, mottos and fancy titles. I must confess that I don't do heavy drama and angst, so there won't be death, gore and mature scenes. Sorry about that.

[2] Setting: the world in this piece is sort of a mish-mash of the places from Disney and Dreamworks 3D animated films (I suppose most of them). Most places are based on the films themselves, and I've sort of categorized them. Bits and pieces of them may be mentioned in the fic, and the most prominent of the lands, perhaps, would be the following:

-The Barbaric Archipelago (the Wilderwest) – based on the Barbaric Archipelago in the HTTYD films, including Berk, the Outcast Islands, the Berserker Islands, etc. Reiynor is a sort of made up version based on the Viking village of Reiynir; I may change it later when I find a more suitable name. Maybe. Oh, and also, kindly note that this isn't the Kingdom of the Wilderwest from the books… yet. Though there may be a chance that Hiccup may unite the Archipelago to create the said Kingdom. Maybe. If I make another three-shot of it.

-The Alliance of the Moon Kingdoms (the Moonlands) – based on the domains from the RoTG film, which includes the North, the Warren, etc.

-The Unallied Domains (the Crownlands) – a number of neutral kingdoms on the Mainland that are based on the countries in Disney films. They include Arendelle, Corona, DunBroch, etc.

[2] The Wars Hiccup mentions in passing are the following:

-the Dragon Wars – the 300-year battle between Vikings and Dragons

-Fall of the Red Death – Hiccup and Toothless vs the Red Death

-Battle of the Moonlands – Big 4 + Guardians vs Pitch Black

-War of the Seasons – Big 4 vs Pitch Black feat. Mother Gothel and Mor'du

-Stand of Berk – House Haddock vs Drago Bludvist (King Stoick died in this battle)

That was the most random and unorganized notes ever. But I guess that was it. Hope you enjoyed! Thank you!