The Strength of the Princess (HTTYD)

The Trials

Chapter 30: The Trials

Eira was not having a good day. Queen Mala had summoned the dragon riders to Defenders of the Wing Island and then left them in the village as she went off to talk to Hiccup, Astrid, and Heather. She wandered around with Snotlout, examining an elaborate setup, when a Defender let slip Snotlout was here for the king trials.

Alarmed, Snotlout raced to find Hiccup, and it was all Eira could do to keep up. They finally found Hiccup, Mala, and the rest of the riders in a clearing. "Hiccup!" Snotlout exclaimed. "We have to get out of here, pronto!" His eyes widened when he noticed Mala. "Oh! Hey, babe. How's it goin'? I was just thinking about you. Looking forward to watching me die a horrible gruesome death?" He glared at Hiccup. "Did you know about this?"

Hiccup looked from Snotlout to Mala. "Mala, will you please excuse us?"

"Of course," Mala said.

Hiccup approached Snotlout and Eira. Ruffnut and Tuffnut also gathered closer.

"I'm not swimming across some lava pool just so I can become a king," Snotlout said with his arms crossed.

"No, no, no," Tuff said. "It's not a lava pool anymore."

Snotlout blinked. "It's not?"

"No. It's way better. You see, there's no way Snotlout could survive what they've got planned. He simply doesn't possess any of the physical or mental prowess to successfully complete these trials. In fact, I don't even think he knows what prowess means."

Snotlout's eyes narrowed. "Oh, yeah, really? Is that what you think?"

Realizing what was happening, Eira waved her arms frantically. "No, Tuff, stop!"

"Oh, it's a fact," Ruff said. "We've done the calculations. And they all add up to you looking like this." She held up a picture of Snotlout separated into pieces.

Eira slapped her forehead. "You two do not know what you just did, do you?"

"All right, that's it!" Snotlout said. "We're staying. You all better start practicing your bow 'cause you're looking at the future king, baby."

Eira glared at the twins. She did not get angry often, but she was angry now. "You two better watch your backs!"

Hiccup stared at the scene in bewilderment. "Great. All right, look. Heather and I have to go check on something in the Northern Markets. I need the rest of you to stay here and help Astrid make sure Snotlout doesn't get himself killed... and that Eira doesn't kill the twins."

Eira had to agree with him there. If she were the killing type, she would kill the twins. And it was not just that she feared for Snotlout's life. Perhaps irrationally, she feared he would pass the trials.

"Don't worry, Eira," Astrid said, giving her a sympathetic smile. "There's no way we're letting this happen."

Eira gazed at Snotlout, who suddenly appeared very confident and pumped up. "I would feel a lot better if you could stop him from wanting this to happen." Any other outcome would only feel like a hollow victory.

***

Snotlout's first test was to cross a lava pit by jumping across a series of hot coals. The Eruptodon even provided the lava. Astrid ordered the twins to intervene if it looked like Snotlout might get hurt. Eira had a different idea in mind.

"Snotlout, you can't do this," she said quietly to him as he stood before the pit.

Snotlout shot her a quizzical look. "Of course I can do it! Don't you believe in me?"