The Berkians watched the couple make conversation with various parties as they passed by. When Hiccup and Astrid arrived to greet Eret and the others Hiccup noticed that Geir and Froda were still looking at them like they were some out-of-this-world entity.
"Y...Y....You.....but...... you...y...you're." Was all Geir could articulate as he looked at his older brother. His eyes soon slid to the queen and had been traveling down only to be interrupted by a discreet elbow to the ribs by Froda who plastered on a fake smile.
"Congratulations on your marriage." She said stiffly .
"Thank you." Astrid said before leaning a bit closer to Hiccup as they continued to the other guests. Astrid turned her head back to look at Froda, who she saw was fuming, and gave her a smug smile before turning her attention to other matters.
"Uncle Hiccup!" Pavo cheerfully greeted as the pair approached Gobber and the young boy. Pavo ran up to Hiccup and hugged him around the legs, which caused Astrid to giggle at the boy's antics. Pavo then looked at Astrid and gave her a wide smile. "Hello auntie!! You look radiant!"
Hiccup had to bite his lip to stop laughing as he saw his wife's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Thank you. Quite the smooth talker just like his uncle." Astrid said as she smiled at the boy.
"I learned from uncle Gobber." Pavo said energetically.
"Well.... Now....ya... see.. lass." Gobber sputtered which caused both Hiccup and Astrid to laugh.
"Uncle Hiccup, where is Toothy?" Pavo asked innocently as he looked around the room.
"You know that is a very good question." Astrid said after she mentally laughed at the nickname.
"He's shy." Hiccup said while pointing to the side of the grand staircase where a black tail could be seen sticking out.
"Can I go play with Toothy?" Pavo asked and Hiccup nodded. Pavo happily sprinted to where the black tail was and gave it a small tug before disappearing behind the staircase.
"Why is tha beastie shy?" Gobber asked curiously. "He certainly didn't look shy when we met him."
"The seamstresses decided that he needed a makeover." Hiccup explained. "So they put a large green bow around his neck. I don't even have a clue how those ladies managed to corner him this morning."
"Hiccup, brother!" Dagur said suddenly as he approached and slung an arm over Hiccup's shoulder. Dagur leaned in close to Hiccup's ear and then whispered. "I don't want to alarm the crowd but your mother has been getting sicker lately and she had trouble breathing just now. Stoick guided her to an alcove where she could catch her breath. She needs to lie down but she doesn't want to start a panic if she is carried out of here."
Hiccup's eyes widened as he heard the news and looked to Astrid who nodded that she too had heard it.
Hiccup discreetly looked towards the alcove which Dagur mentioned and noticed the worried look on his father's face. "The doors not far from there overlook the gardens."
"But there are people near those doors Hiccup." Astrid stated. "How are you going to distract them long enough?"
Hiccup then turned to Gobber who had caught onto what was happening. "Gobber we'll need a distraction." Hiccup said. "Remember the Mead Hall incident."
"Aye lad." Gobber said as his bushy eyebrows shot up.
"I need you to top that."
"Consider it done lad." Gobber said with a grin as he hobbled towards the musicians.
"Mead Hall incident?" Astrid questioned as they discreetly made their way over to the alcove.
"Trust me. Everyone here will have a hangover tomorrow when Gobber is done with them and they won't remember a thing."
"Ladies and gentlefolk!!" Gobber shouted cheerfully through the hall, catching the attention of everybody, as he had grabbed a Oud, a short neck pear shaped stringed instrument, and began strumming.
Hiccup and Astrid had reached the alcove where they saw Valka leaning against the wall breathing heavily as Stoick help her hand trying to comfort her. Now they knew why Valka did not want to raise a panic. Red splotches covered her arms and neck.
"Let's get her to you chambers." Hiccup quietly said as he saw his father whirl around to gaze at them. Hiccup then turned to look at Astrid. "Is it-?"
Astrid shook her head negatively. "You lead them out Hiccup. I'll get Fishlegs. He has more medical knowledge than me."
Hiccup nodded and opened the doors to the garden. Stoick picked his wife up gently and carried her out. The three walked in silence as Hiccup guided the way to the chambers.
"Hiccup......" Stoick eventually spoke up when they were further away from the ball room. "Why are you so readily helping us? I thought you hated us."
Hiccup let out a breath before he said. "I don't hate you. I hate how you treated me, but I don't hate you."
The silence between them became awkward and Stoick decided he might as well try to break the ice.
"So......... you and the Queen huh?" Stoick asked hesitantly as they rounded another torch lit corner. Stoick noted that Valka fell asleep in his arms and shifted her slightly so that she would be more comfortable.
"Yes and I couldn't be happier." Hiccup mentioned.
"Congratulations lad." Stoick said sincerely which caused Hiccup to look at him with wide eyes. "I know we haven't been good parents to ya, but I am happy that ya found a good woman who keeps ya on your toes."
"T..Thank you." Hiccup said, not having expected that.
They still had a short way to walk and Stoick finally asked. "What did you ask Gobber to do for a distraction?"
"I just asked him to top the Mead Hall incident." Hiccup stated as he held open the wooden door to the room.
"Are ya crazy lad!!" Stoick sputtered as he laid Valka on the bed. "Those nobles are lightweights!"
Hiccup looked sadly at his mother as he now noticed how truly sick she looked.
"She's a good actor." Stoick said as he took a seat. "She always acts so strong even if she's sick."
There was a knock on the door and Hiccup went to open it. On the other side stood Astrid and Fishlegs.
"Hiccup, half the nobles are already drunk." Astrid stated as she and Fishlegs entered the chambers.
'Gobber works quick.' Hiccup thought as he too took a seat.
"This isn't the red plague, so we can at least rule that out." Astrid said with certainty.
"How would you know that it wasn't the plague?" Stoick now asked.
"The plague is magical. Anyone infected would not have been able to enter this realm. The shield would have repelled them." Astrid explained.
"This could be another illness that mimics it." Fishlegs stated as he proceeded to look Valka over. "I have never seen anything like this though."
"Neither had the other clerics we asked. They tried all kinds of cure spells but none worked." Stoick mentioned. "Valka has been sick for a while now. I thought she got better on the journey at sea but then this happened. I thought it might have just been the flu as I had gotten some of those symptoms as well."
"She got better at sea?" Hiccup questioned. "And it also affected you?"
"Aye, she had more strength and was more active than I had seen her in a while."
"Hiccup what are you thinking?" Astrid asked as she lay a hand on his shoulder.
"It is just weird. She's sick on Berk, but when traveling over sea she's getting better, and while here back on land she's sick again, and the clerics can't identify the illness." Hiccup pondered. "It's almost as if it is deliberate."
"What do ya mean?!" Stoick asked as he looked at Valka in worry.
"Fishlegs would cure spells help against poisons?" Hiccup asked as if he did not want to think of the possibility.
"P...Poisons?" Fishlegs said looking shocked. "No, you would need a purging spell and only if you knew what poisons were used."
"H..H...Hiccup, you aren't suggesting that someone poisoned Valka?!" Stoick cried out in denial as he took notice of Hiccup's serious face.
"You said that you had some of the same symptoms." Hiccup stated evenly. "I'm theorizing that someone poisoned the both of you."