Noblesse oblige

Part 6

Chapter 6

"Uwagh...." Hiccup uttered as he cracked open an eye. His body throbbed from being trampled and he wondered just how much time had passed. His eyes snapped open when he noticed he was face to beak with a Nadder.

"Stormfly don't scare Hiccup like that!" Astrid admonished. The Nadder in question cocked her head to the side before stepping back to allow the Prince to get up. It was then that he noticed that he had been laying on someone's lap. A very comfortable and warm lap. He was still somewhat disoriented but then a familiar blonde head came into few.

"Hello sleepyhead," Astrid said. "I should apologize for Stormfly. She didn't mean to run you over. She was just a bit overexcited."

"It's alright, really." Hiccup said as he sat up fully. The warmth was gone and he immediately missed it. "Uhm....."

"Ah yes, you still need to formally meet," Astrid smiled as she gestured for Stormfly to come closer. A lovely blue and yellow Nadder approached. The dragon didn't seem at all bothered about the man that had been laying on Astrid's lap and that surprised Hiccup. Dragons were a bit territorial, especially if their bonded was a female or a child. They would do whatever it took to keep them safe. He still remembered Toothless biting a maid's hand when he was eight and growling with hackles raised. A year or so later it turned out the maid had been part of a kidnapping ring that was sent into the palace to kidnap him and extort his parents. "Hiccup this is Stormfly, Stormfly this is Hiccup. My fiance."

The Nadder chirped, cocked it's head and then leaned in closer as if to examine Hiccup. Nadders were one of the more intelligent dragon species so Hiccup had no doubt it understood what a fiance meant. After nearly thirty seconds of sniffing the dragon gave him a lick. "Looks like she approves." Astrid giggled as Hiccup was now covered in dragon slobber. "You know that..."

"Doesn't wash out.... Yeah," Hiccup mumbled as he gave Stormfly an affectionate scratch after wiping away some slobber. Astrid helped Hiccup stand up and as both walked towards the front gate they saw a black blur hop over the high gate, much to the shock of the guards, and bound over to them. For the second time that day Hiccup was bowled over. This time by an over eager Nightfury.

"Toothless!!!" Hiccup shouted as he was knocked to the ground again. Toothless was sniffing him all over and then licking him. Astrid suspected it was because he had the scent of another dragon on him. Stormfly chirped then catching the Nightfury's attention. Both dragons looked at each other before they playfully began to circle. When Astrid had helped Hiccup up for a second time they saw that Stormfly had somehow managed to sit on Toothless, squishing the Nightfury to the ground with its legs splayed. The Nadder chirped in victory which caused both Astrid and Hiccup to laugh. "Better luck next time bud," Hiccup joked as Stormfly got off her new friend.

The pair mounted their respective dragons and then made their way to the Palace. The ride was relatively short but what awaited them was more surprising. Mala was pacing in the front courtyard while it was nearly sunset. That was an unusual sight of itself. Usually she would have already dragged Dagur to a tavern for a night of drinking. Everyone in the palace knew those two were an item even if they were trying to be discreet. Hiccup chuckled as he remembered mother and Heather taking down bets from the maids and knights on when they would make their relationship public.

"Welcome your Highness and Lady Astrid," Mala greeted. Astrid had not met the head cook yet but was quickly introduced. "I have a somewhat unusual request."

"We should take this to a private room," Hiccup suggested as the Royal cook nodded. They entered the palace, while their dragons went elsewhere. Toothless was likely going to show Stormfly his very cosy sleeping nook. They then entered one of the conference rooms on the ground floor and sat down in the surprisingly plush chairs.

"There is someone I wish to recruit," Mala stated as she got right down to the matter at hand. Astrid looked confused as Hiccup said "You don't usually ask us who you want to recruit and we don't usually ask."

"I did say this case was a bit unusual," Mala sighed. "But I believe this one warranted your notice."

"Uhm..... I'm a bit confused." Astrid mumbled.

"Right, you would have been told this once we were married but now might be a good a time as any. Mala isn't just the Royal cook. She's also the Captain of the Shadow guards. Only about five people know they even exist now." Hiccup explained.

"Shadow guards?" Astrid frowned. She had never heard that name before.

"The Shadow guards are an elite network of spies spread throughout this castle, Berk and other various neighbouring Kingdoms. Only I, the Captain, and the Royal advisor know who all of them are." Mala answered. "Our main objectives are to gather intelligence. If that intelligence proves to be a danger to the Berkian Royal family then we are authorized to deal with it and protect the Royal family at all costs." Astrid had no doubt about what Mala meant when she said deal with it. Some Noble families employed spies themselves but never to this extent. The information network Mala and Hiccup were suggesting would have taken decades to build. She guessed this was how Hiccup's godfather knew all the gossip in the castle.

"As I was saying. Three days ago a new scullery maid joined my kitchen staff. She's petit, quiet, modest, and no one would give her a second glance if she walked by. She however seems to be highly insecure but with the proper training she can rise above it." Mala explained. "The girl seemed like a good candidate and as always I did a background check."

"What did you find?" Hiccup asked. Both he and Astrid were generally intrigued.

"It's what I didn't find," Mala stated. "There is a birth certificate but it only names the mother of the girl. But that is it. No papertrail, no nothing. It was like the girl vanished from the face of the world after she was born."

"What of the mother?" Astrid asked. "Surely there would be some clue there."

"The mother was stand-in for a popular singer in a stage group. She became pregnant and left the group. I still need to track down the midwife but so far no luck." There was some frustration in Mala's voice and Astrid guessed that tracking down a midwife was supposed to have been easy. "It seemed the papers she used to enter into employment in the Palace were forged to a degree as well. Someone took great pains to hide her true identity."

"Do you suspect her of being a spy?" Hiccup asked with a frown.

"There is the possibility of that." Mala stated. "But I feel there is more going on here. I noticed on several occasions that she seemed to have had etiquette training of the noble class. I already spoke with Gobber on this matter and he gave me the clear light to approach you. Or rather Lady Astrid."

"Me?" Astrid stared dumbfounded.

"Gobber and I had hoped that you may be able to establish a rapport with the young lady in question." Mala stated. "She is terribly closed off and the maids she works closely with regard her as somewhat of a nuisance. Those bridges are burned. I can't use them now. But you two arrived at the palace within days of each other. There is still a chance of a connection being established."

"I honestly don't know what to say," Astrid uttered. "It doesn't feel right to lead another person on like that."

"I know but we haven't much time to think of anything else. The kingdoms of DunBroch and Arendelle are sending over representatives for possible trade agreements in a few weeks." Mala stated seriously. "We can't leave a possible spy in the castle. I feel for the poor girl. She must have had a hard life but the fact that we can find no other information on her is suspicious enough. I proposed this method because I don't want to drag her down to the dungeons to find out if she is working for another Kingdom."

Astrid was looking at Mala and saw the serious expression. Sure enough no one wanted to be dragged down to the dungeons to be interrogated. Mala's plan was more humane but Astrid still had doubts. She wasn't one to form a fake friendship just to find out someone's motives. "I'll... I'll do it," Astrid said but then added "Can you tell me who the patron was that got her employment at the castle?" 'It had to be someone high up' Astrid thought. Not just anyone could get paperwork by so smoothly.

"On paper... Duke Jorgenson," Mala stated causing Astrid's eyes to widen."But my sources in the Jorgenson household say that it was Lady Camicazi that had been pulling the strings. Quite expertly may I add as well."