How To Train Your Princess

The Woods

I cried myself to sleep that night, and when I woke in the morning. my eyes were red and swollen. I was ashamed of myself and embarrassed. I didn't want to go to class. I wanted to stay in bed, curled in the fetal position, and the blankets suffocating me. But, I couldn't. I had to hold my head up high and pretend the whole thing never happened. And. that's exactly what I did.

***

It had been a whole week without the polo boys. I learned more in that week than I had since I'd met them. I had no distractions and no friends nagging me. I practiced constantly and was never late. And I was miserable. My life fell back into a routine again. Wake. Eat. Class. Eat. Class. Eat. Bed. Repeat.

We are currently sitting in the garden, going over the proper way for a lady to serve tea for her guests and how to be the perfect hostess. I stir the hot liquid absentmindedly, staring down at nothing unparticular. Ruffnut, Heather, and Cami are talking about stupid things beside me, but I don't care enough to pay them any mind, and then Ruff cuts off mid sentence. I glance up, seeinG Snotlout passing through. I freeze, hopeful and afraid. He sees me, locking eyes, but he breaks away, heading for Phlegma. I watch them conversing, anxious. When they are done, they look at me.

"The king needs to speak with you," she tells me. I feel my stomach lurch in horror. I nod, using all my strength to get on my feet, my legs full of lead.

I follow Snotlout out of the garden, trailing behind. He takes quick glances at me every now and then. He leads me around the side of the palace, heading toward the archery field. And I expect him to stop here, but he continues on instead. "Snotlout where are you taking me?" I ask, feeling nervous and wishing I had a weapon in order to protect myself if needed.

"You'll see," he informs before mumbling something to himself that I don't quite catch. When we come to a grove of trees, he stops. "He's in there." And with that, Snotlout walks away.

I wait for him to go before staring back at the vast forrest in front of me. Why would the king be meeting me in the woods? Then a pang of guilt punches me in the gut. This is probably a safe place to talk without anyone hearing us or allowing me to make a fool of myself. He probably saw me sneaking away after dinner and is going to send me home, but wants to tell me in private to help my pride. I suck in a breath and step under the canopy of tree branches, hoisting up a fallen branch over my shoulder just in case.

I'm five minutes in when I hear the sharp snap of a stick under a boot, and a hand grab my arm. I scream. Not the high-pitched girly kind. More like a war cry on the way into battle. I squeeze my eyes shut, swinging the branch hard at the intruder. I hit something solid and the hand releases. "Ow! Why would you do that?" i open my eyes to see Hiccup lying on the ground in the fetal position, knees tight against his chest, gasping for air. I instantly feel relieved he's not someone trying to hurt me, and then my anger sets in.

"That's for scaring me!" I shout at him. "What are you doing snooping around the woods?" I demand, watching him struggle.

"Ow!" he wails, rolling over.

"You know, I could have hit you lower. Where it REALLY hurts," i tell him, placing my hand on my left hip.

"You did," he huffs, getting on his feet.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's alright. I'll live," he wheezes in a strangled voice.

"So, you're the reason I'm out here?" I ask, trying not to sound annoyed, but wanting to hide the sudden giddy feeling in my stomach.

"You didn't let me say anything that day you ran away. It was my first kiss too you know. You left me there all confused and guilty and I know how important all this is to you. And I didn't know you needed the money. I've never been to the Lower Valley. And I wanted to say I was sorry. I'm still sorry. I came to say good-bye. But, I wanted to do it properly." I can see tears in his eyes, the glint from the water in the corners. I don't know if they are from the pain, the guilt, or the sadness of it all, but they don't fall. And I don't ask. Instead, I find myself moving closer, like I'm being drawn to him. Like bees to pollen. "You know, it hurt when you left like that? I felt responsible for doing that to you too though. So, I didn't go after you. I thought it was best." He looks quickly at me, before returning his gaze to the ground, his head remaining bent. We are so close now that if he lifted his head we would be kissing. And i'm prepared when he does, mashing my lips to his.