Noblesse oblige

Part 11

Chapter 11

"WHY THAT NO-GOOD-MULCH-EATING-SACK-OF-DUNG!" Astrid hissed as she stood up and started pacing on the grass. "I know for a fact that Hiccup and his uncle are on good terms. This..... This would break him!" She then exclaimed. 'Oh Thor, how was she going to break this to Hiccup,' she asked herself as she kept pacing. Things were becoming more and more complicated.

"So you came to the same conclusion I did," Camicazi said while crossing one leg over the other and rearranging her dress. "With things as they are now the Florentine clause comes into play."

"I know... I know..." Astrid growled while still pacing. The Florentine clause was there to ensure that the bloodline of the Royal family would always be assured. "Wait, what about Snotlout? He's in line for the throne after Hiccup and not Sierra." She asked with a frown. The Florentine clause had one condition it needed to fulfill. Mainly that there were no more eligible male heirs to the throne.

"Snotlout stepped down from the line of succession though it hasn't been made public yet." Camicazi answered. "It seems he and his father had a huge row about it before he decided to marry me."

Camicazi looked somewhat uncomfortable as her eyes shifted left and right before addressing Astrid. "Look, I know what I did to you was low and you have every right to hate me but don't you think your arranged marriage was a little odd too?" She then asked. "A Duke's son marrying a Baron's daughter? He'd be marrying below his station and you would be marrying above yours. That alone would be a scandal."

Astrid nodded as she had come to that conclusion. She had always asked herself how her father could have caught the eye of a Duke. Usually Nobles much higher up on the food chain barely paid attention to those on the lower spectrum unless it would benefit their family in the long run. There was nothing spectacular about the Hofferson family in Noble society except for the fact that a wealthy merchant family had married into it.

"I can speculate though," Cami said.

Astrid raised a brow indicating for Cami to continue. "A Baron's daughter would be more easily controlled than a daughter of Nobler birth. It is still a belief that those of less Noble stature would flounder and the rise in stature to a Duchess would be entirely due to the in-laws whom you and your family would have been indebted to. While I am a Viscount's daughter, my family has wealth that rivals an Earl."

"Meaning you would be harder to control financially," Astrid finished the sentence. 'Even if she had married Snotlout did the Duke really think she would have kept her head down and played the pretty doll?' She wondered.

"So the order of succession is King Stoick, afterwards Queen Valka is in charge as Regent. Hiccup would be 3rd in line for the throne simply because he was a direct descendant, taking over from his mother once he is married, but Snotlout gains priority as 4th in line. If Snotlout hadn't renounced his right to the throne his marriage to you would have put him in direct opposition with Prince Hiccup since he could guarantee an heir to the Royal bloodline." Astrid wracked her brain. "If Prince Hiccup doesn't marry in the coming months then he will lose his right as Crown Prince, leaving the Kingdom without a legitimate male heir."

"Which will put Sierra in the running for the throne," Camicazi finished. "Unless I become pregnant and conceive a boy. That child would gain priority before Sierra. If it is a girl she would be in line after her."

"Camicazi do you know how dangerous this is for you?" Astrid questioned. "If you get pregnant and it's a boy...."

"Then Duke Jorgenson will have a foothold much stronger than Sierra. My husband's renouncement is only for one generation. Any child we conceive will still be eligible and he would have a reason to be rid of her." Cami sighed. "I know I'm playing a dangerous game but do you think I would let any child I conceive land in the hands of THAT man!"

"Wait.... Are you......" Astrid's eyes widened while Cami blushed.

"I don't know!" She muttered. "Maybe.... I can't tell yet,"

"We could find out...." Astrid suggested.

"Not.... not now.'" Camicazi blushed. "We have bigger fish to deal with. I sent Sierra to the Palace of my own accord. I forged the transfer papers." She admitted. "The girl is better protected behind these walls than anywhere else. You and I both know that there are small factions in the Kingdom that do not support Prince Hiccup as the heir. Many have changed their tune after he defeated the Red Death but there are still some holding out."

"If word gets out that Sierra is another player in the field of succession then they will be at her like vultures. The possibility of civil unrest would increase." Astrid sighed. She definitely got the picture. "She may be a woman and thus in succession below the men but she is still in line. The vultures will grab at anything tangible."

"And you saw her demeanor. She's been beaten into the role of submissive for so long that it has become a habit. Anyone who puts her on the throne will have the perfect puppet." Camicazi stated. "That was another reason I sent her here. She needs to be away from bad influences and find her own strength."

"And you wanted my help in this because...." Astrid now asked.

"You're the strongest woman I know." Camicazi finally said. "If anyone can get through to this girl then it's you. Believe me I tried but I was her master in that house. She would have no freedom there."

"I just have one more thing to ask," Astrid turned to her long time rival, seeing her in a bit of new light. "How did you forge the Duke's seal?" Astrid knew that transfer papers for servants required the seal of the Head of House and that couldn't be forged willy nilly. Cami raised a brow and reached into her bosom and took out a wooden stamp. It was the seal itself.

"When I became head of the household I needed access to the seal to approve certain budgets." Cami's grin widened. "I just said I forged the transfer papers not the seal."

Camicazi's devious smile was blinding and Astrid just knew that Duke Jorgenson might as well be building his own coffin right now. She had seen this woman take down several men far bigger than her own. She had even helped on two occasions, one being getting rid of their lecherous ethics teacher. 'Ironic, right,' she mused.

"We should get going," Astrid said as she noticed the time passed. They had been in the maze for a while. Surely the party would have been winding down by now. Camicazi stood up and nodded. She then looked around at the maze and asked "Do you remember which way we came in?"

Astrid paused and looked as well. She gulped and muttered "Uhm... no,"

Both women groaned as they realized their predicament.

Meanwhile, a large ship was approaching Berk's southern harbor. On it was none other than Princess Margarette and her father the King of the Southern Isles. Margarette looked at the skyline of the Kingdom they were approaching, the pristine castle where she had spent her summers after meeting Prince Hiccup now loomed like a spire of doom for her. She resented her big brother a bit. He had heaped all fault of breaking the engagement off on her and she had beared the brunt of her father's ire. The King's anger was a lot more fierce after what had happened in DunBroch. Not only had Hans become a pariah but he had dragged the 10th Prince's reputation through the mud as well by having convinced his brother to try and force himself on the Queen of DunBrock. Now both brothers were permanently out of the running for the throne and Maragette actually felt bad for her 10th brother. He was gullible and easily manipulated but now he also had to go through life as an eunuch. Queen Merinda had not been kind with her sword.

AN: *Notches bow and aims at Porg fluttering by*
Harry: "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" *proceeds to shield Porg as arrow is released*
Me: *Cringes as arrow hits Harry's tush*
Harry: "Porgs are not food! and get this arrow out of me!"
Me: *mutters* "Chewbacca would disagree!"
*Porg continues to fly off without a care in the world*