Wanderlust

Part 9: From One King to Another

Hiccup woke up the next morning with a start. He was still dressed from the previous night, his prosthetic strewn on the floor a little ways from the bed. He brought a hand up to his head, an unintentional hiss escaping his lips as he touched his brow. "Fun night?" Hiccup asked no one. His mind was fuzzy, but a grey sketch of the previous night had etched itself into his mind.

"For Odin's sake," Hiccup sighed, reaching for his prosthetic and proceeding to attach it to his leg before slowly rising to change out of his armor. He was surprised he'd fallen asleep in it, since it was dingy and could be more than a little uncomfortable. Slowly roaming around the room, he decided on a dark grey shirt, and brown pants. Although it was warm, he added a thin leather vest, just in case the weather took a turn. A rather boring look, but Hiccup wasn't intending to impress anyone. As he replaced his clothing, memories of the previous night continued to appear in slow pulses of dark, wine-tinted blurs.

Hiccup could remember coming back from the uneventful hunt and managing to avoid the major activities of the day. He had been thinking of Stoick and the many things that had gone wrong recently while at the the hunt, thus making the whole experience leave a rather sour taste in the viking's mouth, later being replaced by the taste of alcohol.

"Merida," He sighed, the words sounding soft in the small room. He fell back onto the bed, noting it as a strange feeling since Berk didn't actually use mattresses. He wasn't sure how to feel about the plush of the bed, but knew he had bigger things to question than being side tracked by upholstery. The viking thought of his conversation with the fiery princess the night before. fragments flickered slowly across his shut eyes.

"No one's perfect," Merida had sighed. "And you've won the ones that truly matter."

"Have I?" Hiccup had retorted, only in the morning realizing how foolish that must've sounded.

"That is a discussion for another day."

"When?" Another stupid questions, Hiccup decided, groaning as he stood again. Glancing out the window, Hiccup looked down at Toothless, who sat still resting in the stables below. The dragon boy rolled his emerald eyes.

"When we're not both far to intoxicated to speak of this sort of thing." Merida had said, echoing in his mind.

Hiccup brought a hand up to his temples, trying to remember any more than that. "I told her everything, didn't I?" He asked no one again, this time a blush began to creep up the boy's face, making him thankful he was alone. Had he cried, probably? In what little time Hiccup had taken up drinking, he knew he was much more sappy after he had.

What was almost an hour seemed to pass in moments, and Hiccup was only brought out of his absentmindedness by a knock on the thick oak door separating him from the rest of the castle. When another sounded a moment later, Hiccup stood and made his was the the ancient looking slab.

"Your Highness?" Hiccup stammered, opening the door slowly to reveal the bear king himself. Fergus was a mountain of a man, commanding attention by his sheer confidence. He wore his usual attire, consisting of a simple shirt and kilt. Although a bearskin cloak was strapped to his armored shoulders.

"Chieftain," Fergus said, bowing a little before lighting up with a small smile. "I was wondering if I might talk with you lad?" Hiccup stepped aside, answering the question by opening the door to let the king inside.

"What is it your Majesty?" Hiccup prodded, trying to think of anything that required the viking's approval or appearance. "Has something happened?"

"Hiccup," Fergus began, running a hand across his balding head as he began. "The ladies have stepped out to enjoy the festivities. I thought I might discuss a matter concerning them with you." Another smile crossed the king's face for a moment, his eyes lighting up as he spoke.

"Of course," Hiccup sighed, but maintained his composure. Had Merida already spoken to her parents? Hiccup mustn't seemed like a fool. Surely, that was it, but Hiccup couldn't bear to face Fergus knowingly. "What is it, has my mother done something?" It was a weak question, although Valka had been away from humanity for sometime, her manners towards nobility were still as manicured as prior to her disappearance.

"You're mother is fine." Fergus laughed reassuringly, scrunching his brow a little as if thinking on the idea further. "Yes, Elinor has been thrilled to have such an old friend return." He moved to lean sit on a chair located a few paces across from Hiccup. It was an old chair, like most things in the castle. Fergus fiddled with the old wood of the chair's arm for a moment, brushing at the cracked surface. "Do you know how those two came to know each other?" Fergus laughed, although Hiccup wasn't sure what was funny.

"No sir, I'd assumed they had met in their youth."

"Aye, but for what I've come to know are the wrong reasons."

"Your Highness?" Hiccup prodded, sitting a smidge straighter as he spoke. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Your mother and the Queen first met during while meeting potential suitors. Before Stoick or I had managed to convince them to give us chance." Fergus laughed, no doubt at the blush that rose hot across Hiccup's cheeks. "Yes, I know that sort of thing is a bit bizarre, you vikings aren't used to that sot of thing. But when my generation was younger, it was much more common." Fergus sunk a little, his shoulders dropping slightly before he added. "Now I understand that sort of thing just isn't what Merida would've wanted... we should've known better."

"Merida had suitors?" Hiccup asked, cringing at how insensitive it might've sounded out loud. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to-" Hiccup stammered afterword.

"Don't worry." The king replied, rising a hand to stop the boy. "Aye, Merida is just as feisty as her mother, and twice as vehement... She's scared off most of her other suitors I'm afraid." Fergus raised a brow, glancing nonchalantly out the window as he spoke. "Young Lord Macintosh has continued with some interest, he's turned into a strong lad. He was a bit of a kitschy lad, between you and I."

Fergus rose, dusting away at invisible wrinkles in his attire before adding. "She seems more taken by you though, Hiccup." The king looked down at the viking, giving him a look that wasn't from a king, but rather an honestly concerned father. Hiccup had seen the look before from Stoick. He was worried, truly. "She isn't someone to forgive and forget son, and your previous experience may have left a sour taste in her mouth, but don't stop trying." Fergus placed a large hand on Hiccup's shoulder, looking the young chief in the eyes before adding. "Underneath it all, she's a good girl -not good with magic- but she isn't going to wait forever."

"King Fergus?" Hiccup began, although he didn't really have a question, just a fuzzy feeling swelling up in his chest. The king gave him a moment, but when Hiccup didn't speak the older man simply stepped aside. After Fergus had exited the space suddenly felt to empty. The large walls giving the room an icy feel in the warming summer air. Hiccup let out a sigh, moving to rise from the bed. He trailed in the steps of the king, pausing when reaching a step or two from the door. "What just happened?" Hiccup asked no one.

--- Author's Note: ------

Wow, I'm actually updating this since forever? Just a quick little thing with Hiccup and Fergus -obviously- sorry I've been a little inactive, just having some writers block and life stuff.