Snow for the Dragon

The invitation

"Snowman yea sae?"chortled Gobber as he tore off the flesh from the boar leg he was gobbling. "That shows lunacy my boy." He said as he gulped down a few gallons of ale. Slightly amused, Hiccup flitted his eyes over the contents of the invitation again. This was the first time he,as chief, had been invited to any kind of formal party to an outside land. And where was this ....Arendelle? He furrowed his brows in thought as he tried to see if the name rung any bells. He had never heard of the place before. Must be quite a distance from Berk, he guessed. Mabye. His father knew of this strange land. Heck mabye even his mother did. That's it...He thought as he made a mental note to ask Valka about Arendelle. As he slowly walked out of the hall, being the last to leave, he almost jumped in surprise as he heard his name being called out from behind him. "Oi! Hiccup! Your highness! Might I have a talk with thou? " a sudden mocking tone at the last few words. "Astrid! wasshapenin ? "He retorted as he pocketed the invitation. " what was that ?" She had noticed him shoving the scroll into his pocket. "Ummm... nothing of importance ... just some sketch I mad the other day. "He replied, unsure if she believed him or not. "Ooh. Is it any new Land you came a cross?" She asked expectantly. One of their favorite hobbies was flying on their dragons and charting new territories. "Umm no. Just an apple that appealed to my benevolent eyes." He replied in a sarcastic tone. "Har har. Very funny chieftain. Now out with it. What is it?" "Uhhh. Fine. It's just some invite to a wedding in some place called Arendelle." "Arendelle? We haven't been there, have we?" She asked as she read the scroll. "NO. No. We haven't. I'm guessing it's towards the north , since that's where we haven't ventured the most. " he sighed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Astrid giggle at the sight of a goofy looking snowman on the scroll. "HICCUP, ASTRID! COULD YOU DEARIES HELP ME OUT WITH THESE DRAGON SADDLES? THEY SEEM TO BE HEAVY AND CLOUDJUMPER IS STILL DOWN WITH THE FLU FROM LAST WEEK!"hiccup turned his neck so fast it cracked. Squinting from the pain, he saw his mother waving at them from the gobber ' s workplace. "Sure ma!" He called out as he jogged to her. As he lifted the gear and handed a pile over to astrid he remembered about Arendelle. " Hey ma.Have you happened to come across the term -Arendelle- before?" He groaned as his knees almost buckled under the weight he was carrying. "Arendelle? Yes.... It's a Kingdom far toward the north mountains is it not? Stoick used to visit the place often during his trade missions. Wonderful rulers they have. Sadly I heard they passed a few years ago....but why the sudden interest dear? " she turned her head to him as he replied" well this morning I. ...We received an invitation from ...said Kingdom to the royal wedding by the queen." Valka ' s eyes widened in a mild surprise as she read the scroll as astrid gave it to her. "Hmmm". She said thoughtfully. Yes. We can attend this ceremony since it is your first invitation as chief....However it would take us a week to reach the place..." " a week ?" Hiccup questioned. "On dragonback? " he said, slightly amused that it was so far away. "Yes. Herein lies the small problem. They fear magic. The last time Stoick visited their palace he said that they had locked their daughter away from everyone else because...well ... The poor girl has cryogenic powers... so no hiccup I do not think exposing your dragon would be advisable yet. So we journey on boat." She said, slightly amused at the expression on hiccups face. "Wait what? Humans with magic? I thought gobber was lying about those tales..." " I'm sorry what's a cyrokinetic again? " Astrid perked up. " Cyrogenic powers astrid....In simple terms...that means the ability to control snow. . Only the kings few trusted comrades knew of his daughter' condition and thankfully your father happened to be one of them... not even his own subjects knew about it. They had a second daughter of course bright young girl. I wonder if it's her marriage we are invited to. I can't remember the older girls name though. Was it emma.... or Ella. ...or...." "Elsa?" Hiccup co meted her... she looked at him her eyes widening in a mild surprise which was her trademark.. by now... Hiccup thought to himself... "Yes that's it... bu how did you come to know of it if you haven't even heard of Arendelle? " she questioned him suspiciously. "Oh. Well the the cover case of the scroll says Queen Elsa would like our presence. ". Valka nodded in an understanding manner. " it does?" Piped up Astrid. Hiccup spun around having forgotten that she was still there. She raised her eyebrows at him . " what? Not everyone is all books and cleverness you know... I'm more about right hooks and braveness. .." " Uhhh. I don't think braveness is an actual word astrid..." hiccup corrected her. " whatever she said as she placed her pile in on the shelf and punched hiccups shoulder in a playfully manner. " if we are to reach Arendelle by the twelfth, I suggest we leave at the crack of dawn tommorow." Valka suggested and I advise that we don't go alone. We should bring someone ... A bit more stockier in build..." she finished as she dropped her eyes onto the parchment again. He couldn't help bu wonder whether that was a hidden poke at his lean skinny build. His father always did say that he had his mother's sense of humour. "I'm going with you" demanded Astrid. " I need always break from facing ruffnut's annoying face...always nd let's face it... old butterfingers here might need a wing woman
" she finished as she nudged hiccup in the rib area. " now don't get any wreckless ideas young woman..." Valka smiled , slightly amused at this suggestion. " Hiccup is the chief of Berk after all and he has a reputation he has to uphold and .... you need to behave as the royalty you are son... " she said finishing in a hushed tone.. Hiccup , slightly confused left towards the dragon's keep to where snotlout was present.. yes he had the more beefier build that Valka had suggested ....

The rest of the day passed quickly as hiccup was buried in paperwork and was busy building the huge statue of his father that was now near completion... I wonder what the kingdom will be like...he thought to himself as he lay on his bed after a heavy packing session with his mother who insisted on him packing a few linen suits that she had imported . He of course disliked the suits as he felt that it chocked his neck with its sturdy collars. He rolled around and began to snore.