Bond of Two Lands

25. Revelation Part 1

Fishlegs hurried through the yard. He'd just returned from the woods, where the princess now enjoyed a basket of food he'd stolen from the kitchen. The Viking didn't know that it was possible to be so upfilled both with the satisfaction of helping someone in need and the guilt of lying at the same time. A couple of days spent with these as constant followers were already breaking down his determination. Pretty soon, if he didn't let anyone in on the secret, he was sure he would crack.

Two other Vikings approached him outside the throne room. They were mid-conversation.

"... a bad idea to wait, Astrid. We should've done it days ago."

"But we needed to perfect the plan", Astrid said. "And it won't make any diff... oh, hi, Fishlegs."

"Hi!" Fishlegs glanced between his two friend. He felt the same way he had during that first Snoggletog with dragons on Berk years ago, when he'd secretly chained Meatlug to a closed up hut to prevent her from leaving and not told anyone else about it.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"Sure! I'm just... hungry! Wonder what we'll have for breakfast?"

"Same thing as always", Astrid sighed. "Haggis. You know, I never thought I'd say it, but I miss the food back on Berk."

Suddenly a head stuck out of the doors to the great room and sighed dreamingly. "Talking about it. I could really use some qak chops just about now." Tuffnut fell out the opening as he spoke.

"What are you doing?" Hiccup worryingly glanced inside to find the table empty. "You shouldn't be in there, Tuff, we're supposed to wait for the King and Queen to enter first."

"Why? I don't see any signs saying that."

"It's a courtesy, muttonhead", Astrid said, rolling her eyes. "Please don't say that Ruff's in there too."

"Ruff? No, she's investigating our friend Fishleg's secret hideout as we speak. Completely absent, I assure you."

All turned to the flaming red Fishlegs. "Hideout?"

"It's not mine!" Fishlegs defended himself. "It's for the princess. I don't know if you know... she eloped a couple of days ago. I found her being abducted by a Nadder in the woods."

"But she's still around?" Astrid said, clearly concerned.

Fishlegs gulped. "Yes. I've been getting her food from the kitchen. Please don't tell anyone."

The Heir and Hope of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe gave up a great laugh. "Are you kidding me? This is perfect, Fishlegs! We were going to tell Fergus and Eleonore about her elopement right now at breakfast. She spoke to Astrid before she left..."

"... and now we now a way to call off the wedding for good!" Astrid continued. "Hiccup thought of something that the Queen told him that might save us. But how did you help her escape that Nadder? You didn't hurt it, right?"

Since Stormfly, her own dragon, was a Deadly Nadder, Astrid had an especially soft spot for that species of serpent.

"Of course I didn't! I didn't do anything. Believe it or not..." Fishlegs seemed to be working up his nerdiness regarding dragons to maximum. "... it was a Changewing that saved her!"

"A Changewing?" Hiccup gasped. "That's amazing! Such a thing is not even on record yet. We need to write it down as soon as we..." He stopped as Tuff and Astrid stared at him.

"And she hasn't harmed it at all, it's still with her", Fishlegs proceeded to say, "and so is Ruff, I guess... we should probably go to them before anything happens. That cave is like dragon nip to other dragons."

Out of nowhere, a dead serious Tuff stretched out a hand to request silence. "Does this mean that I can't be your best man, H?"

"No... I mean, sure, you can be my best man, just not... this time."

Astrid smiled to herself at his embarrassed vision, but turned to Fishlegs ever as focused. "Do you think it would be possible to sway Merida's opinion about dragons?"

"I actually think it's already happening. She and that Changewing definitely have a connection."

"Okay", Hiccup said. "Fishlegs, you, Astrid and I will go to Merida. Tuff, I will need you to come up with an excuse for us. Maybe say we're out hunting with Merida or something? That would explain why she's gone too."

Astrid shrugged. "Well, that explanation has worked so far. I don't think they've got time to worry about her with triplets like that."

"Don't worry, H", Tuff said, shoving his chest out. "I'll make the grandest, greatest, most gutwretching excuse they've ever heard! It's gonna include some chickens... quite a lot of chickens, actually... and at least two dozens maces..."

"Just stick to the hunting thing!" Astrid commanded.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, the royal couple walked to breakfast from Elenore's weaving room arm in arm.

"It's not like her to skip meals, Fergus", Eleonore said. "Something's wrong, I can feel it in mi gut."

Her husband laughed softly. "Well, lass, yer' a Dingwald after all. Yer guts are always tingling. I would actually say that it's a lot like our daughter to skip meals."

"Not lately."

"Not lately", he agreed. "But the wee lass is getting married, dear. It's not uncommon to be having cold feet."

"We both know it's not cold feet. This isn't right, Fergus. She doesn't want it."

"But she'll be Queen in her own right and the Chieftess of a mighty tribe", Fergus said, now sad in both appearance and voice. "Stoik has promised that. Ya know it's more than we can ever give her, dear."

They both stopped, looking each other deep in the eye.

"I know", Eleonore finally said. "I know."

"Alright. We'll have company after breakfast, so let's show off our happy faces."

"The trappers?" Elenore made a face when her husband nodded. "Ya know I don't like those men. They aren't to be trusted."

"But they are the best, and the best is what we need for our problems", Fergus said. "I narrowly saved Harris from being bitten by a Terrible Terror the other day, which convinced me that it's time to poison the root of our problems."

"If that's what ya find best, Fergus." Eleonore stopped to have the King open the door for her as they entered the throne room.  She frowned as the of a severely raged Viking journeyed up to them from the bottom of the stairs.

Stoik the Vast looked up when he realised that the royal couple had arrived. "Sorry, Fergus. I found this intruder here and decided to take care of the problem for you. He is unfortunately one of mine, after all." The Chief gave the Viking in front of him a glare worthy of fearing.

"Nothing to talk about, mi friend", the King said. "Come join us! And ya too, lad. What's yer name?"

"Tuffnut Thorston, Your Majesty", Tuff said, imitating a truly impressive bow. "Son of Odin, Heir of Thor, Worshipper of Loki and so on. I'm here to offer my services as best man of the groom."

Both of the Scots looked somewhat surprised at the spectacle. "Well... isn't that nice", Fergus said. "Where are the other younglings, then?"

"They're out hunting... chickens... with maces."

Stoik sighed, a sound much like that of thunder hitting the top of a mountain.

"So it seems", Elenore said, breaking the silence. "Who wants some haggis? The princes will be down any minute, if only Maudie can get them to stop running in opposite directions."

The Vikings joined the breakfast party despite the most unexpected constellation.

"Ya better eat up, auld boy", Fergus said to his cousin. "Mi trappers have finally arrived for the wedding. I want to show ya everything they have in store to make this event the safest yet. Trust me, Stoik, yer' going to wish ya had someone like Viggo Grimborn yerself on at the other side of the ocean."