Lèse-majesté

Part 37

Chapter 36

Chaos had erupted at the party as maids and guests dove out of the way of the creature. Astrid too had to roll on the grass to avoid that spiked tail. She desperately tried to remember what Hiccup had told her about these creatures. Toothless had seemed harmless enough.

"SOMEONE KILL THAT BEAST!" Lady Gretchen screamed as she dove into a nearby rose bush. The dragon was wildly flinging its tail around the guests, sending several spikes to pierce into the nearby trees, and Astrid just knew her knights wouldn't make it in time before someone got impaled. It was then that she saw it. Of course. Hiccup had mentioned this before. 'FOOD!'

"Ruffnut! Tuffnut! The pies! Throw me the meat pies!" Astrid yelled at the twins who were hiding behind the upturned table.

"You can't be peckish now!" Tuffnut shot back, ducking as a spike flew a hairsbreadth away from his head.

"HAND HER THE BLASTED MEAT PIES YOU NUMBSKULL!" Ruffnut smacked her brother over the head.

Astrid's yell had caught the dragon's attention and now she was the main focus of its ire. Suddenly a meat pie came sailing through the air, which she caught and waved at the dragon, who was already accumulating its fiery breath.

"You want this? It's yummy, come and get it!" Astrid said, waving the meat pie in the air, as the creature approached. She chucked the pie at the reptile and the beast caught it mid-air. Everyone was watching the scene with bated breath as the dragon had stopped its rampage and was cocking its head to stare at Astrid after devouring the dish.

"You want more?" Astrid, out of breath, asked as she held her palms out to show that she had no weapons. "You want some more yummy meat pies?" She asked which caused the dragon to let out a squawk.

"Go give her more pies!" Ruffnut said as she shoved several meat pies into her brother's arms and kicked him out from behind the table. Rosalinda who he had been shielded by Tuffnut, peeked at the whole situation wide-eyed. She wanted to tell the blond to be careful yet at the same time having that creature's gaze directed at them was a less than stellar prospect.

Tuffnut approached Astrid carefully while trying to balance five pies in his arms. The dragon let out a warning trill when he approached but he was able to hand Astrid another pie, which she threw in the dragon's direction.

"Good dragon," Astrid smiled when the pie was devoured. It was then that the strangest thing happened. The dragon approached her in a dash and knocked Astrid to the ground. She thought she was a goner as the creature's hot breath ghosted over her. But then she got nuzzled and blinked in surprise. "Tuffnut hand me another pie," Astrid held her hand out from where she lay with a dragon looming over her.

"I've never seen a Nadder act like this before," Tuffnut remarked as the dragon uttered a happy squawk upon receiving more food. "What type of meat is this?"

"Chicken," Astrid answered as she was finally able to stand up again. The dragon... or Nadder, as Tuffnut had called the creature bumped her side looking for attention.

Meanwhile, Tuffnut gave Astrid a look while stating "That's barbaric! The chicken definitely wasn't amused!"

Astrid just kept giving her the pies while simultaneously not trying to roll her eyes at Tuffnut. It wasn't very ladylike after all.

"Is it safe?!" Lady Gretchen, somewhat scratched and sporting several rose twigs in her hair, asked as she tentatively got up with the help of one of the maids. The servants and guests took the opportunity to flee back into the house while the creature was distracted. Astrid saw Ruffnut taking Rose with her while Tuffnut stayed behind to help.