Hiccups POV
I sat on my chair and processed the news I had just been given.
News of the engagement between myself and Princess Astrid.
One Hour Before
"You called for me father?" I said as I entered the room.
I looked around the room. It was empty except from my parents sitting silently.
My father opted for an embarrassed and almost sheepish look which was a rather different from his usual emotionless expression, while my mother sat quietly as she sipped her tea.
"Yes son", my father started, "take a seat, you mother and I have something to tell you"
'Why else wold they of called me if they hadn't got something to tell me?' I thought sarcastically. I didn't say this because I wasn't in the mood to be slapped again for my cheekiness. Instead of speaking my mind and basically asking for a good smacking, I pulled out a chair and sat down.
"What is it? What has happened?"
"Nothin' 'as happened accept yer relationship status", A voice said from behind the door.
My father sighed, "Gobber if you going to listen to our conversation you may as well come inside"
I turned around to look at my fathers one-legged best friend hobble into the room.
"What did Gobber mean by my relationship status has changed?" I questioned.
Everyone was silent. The two men avoided the young princes eye while the Queen suddenly became interested with a biscuit.
"Son" My father started, "Its been three months since you came back from abroad-"
"Safely came back abroad" the Queen suddenly piped up, "I don't know what I would do if my darling son came home hurt" she said the last sentence more to her cup of tea than the rest of the room.
"Yes well er.. continuing, we have something to tell you son" my father continued.
I sighed in annoyance. I was getting impatient and no one had answered my question yet.
"Yer already said that Stoick!" Gobber reminded, "Answer the lads question already!"
"Yes well er..what was you question again son?"
I rolled my eyes, "What did Gobber mean by my relationship status has changed?"
"Ah yes I remember now!" The King announce rather proudly. By now the Queen had also become irritated, not only by her husbands forgetfulness, but her Victoria Sponge Cake had not yet arrived.
"We have decided that-"
The King was cut off once again by his impatient Queen,"We have secured an alliance with the Kingdom of Corona. They will receive a percentage of our gold and you will take the Kings youngest daughter as your wife".
I wasn't surprised about the engagement. To be honest, I was actually expecting it.
My parents wanted me to find a wife years ago but I travelled the world for two years instead. They weren't too pleased about me going but I managed to convince them by saying I would find a wife while abroad.
They were disappointed when I came home three months ago on my own. That was it for them. Their patience had finally run out.
My Father desperately wanted to retire and hand over the role as King to me as soon as possible but I needed a wife to do so.
My mother really wanted a daughter in law. She never got to have anymore children after me because of childbirth difficulties.
And both of them wanted grandchildren.
I wasn't upset about the news either. I had been travelling the world for the last two years so I guess it was time to find a wife and start a family. And to embrace the fact that I would be King soon. I shuddered. Me? A King? Gods....
I looked out of the window that overlooked Berk. My window had the perfect view of the kingdom that I would one day be ruling.
I could see fancy estate filled with fancy homes where fancy lords, ladies, dukes and duchesses lived. I saw men walking down the street with their wives clinging to their arms, looking quite happy to be in each others presence.
I wonder if Astrid and I could be like that. Holding hands while we walked and talked in the garden. Smiling just because we were together.
Then I saw the town home to regular Berkians. The towns people were not massively rich like the estate home owners but they lived comfortably with hardly any financial problems. I could see the children happily playing together as their mothers nattered about the newest scandals.
Children. Astrid and I would have some soon. I smiled at the thought. Children running around the palace as Astrid and I chased after them. Laughing with them as we snatched them up in our arms and tickled them.
I was snapped from my lovely daydream as I set eyes on the village.
The village was a sad little place. Families constantly working from the crack of dawn until the sun set beyond the horizon. Children from as young as seven were forced to work to help scrape enough money to pay the overpriced rent. I had been to the village once and these sights broke my heart. I had a soft spot for children and it hurt to see them labouring away at the dangerous machinery. It hurt to see the sight of a small family being told a member of their household had died at work. The loss of a husband, wife, sister, brother or even a child.
I promised myself I would do something to help the village once I was crowned King.
My eyes moved from the kingdom to a painting standing in my room. The painting was a portrait of my fiancée. It had been given to me once all of the contracts had been signed by my father and my future father-in-law.
I looked at Astrid and admired her beauty. She had hair as golden as the sun that looked like it had been plaited and then twisted into a low bun.
She had the biggest blue eyes that were the exact colour of deep blue gems. Gems contained no emotion, just like her. Matching her eyes, a string of dark blue diamond-like stone draped around her neck and laid against her chest.
Her small hands were gloved in pure white gloves that were holding a single lily. I made sure to make a mental note that she must like lilies.
She was the most beautiful girl my emerald orbs have ever laid eyes on, and I had seen many girls on my travels.
I just hoped she had a good personality as well. I hoped she was someone who could make me laugh and smile.
Someone who I could fall in love with.
I wondered how she felt about the engagement...
Astrids POV
"I REFUSE TO MARRY HIM!" I screeched.
"My child, please calm down" the king said calmly.
How is he so calm?!
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN YOU FILTHY, LYING PIG!" I screamed.
"Don't you dare call your father such a name" my stepmother said firmly.
"You can't tell me what do do!" I snapped
"Yes I can. I am the Queen and your new mother" Queen Alexandria said in a matter-of-factly tone.
My face dropped. New mother? No one could replace my mother! Especially her! I hate her. She is the reason my mother is dead!
"You are not and never will be my mother" I hissed.
The Queen gasped and pretended to look hurt.
She's so fake
"ENOUGH!" The king roared. "Astrid I understand you may not be pleased about the engagement but you do not yell at my new queen!"
New Queen.
My mother was your Queen.
The Queen that ruled loyally by your side.
The Queen of your heart.
As I was about to lunge at my father, Rapunzel gently held my hand and gave me a supportive smile. I quickly flashed a tiny smile back and turned to glare at my father.
I took a deep breath and asked, "Why?"
"Why what?" My father replied stupidly.
I sighed in annoyance and said, "Why have you given my hand in marrige to the Prince of Berk?"
"For an alliance" he stated, "We will support each other in battles"
"Is that it!? How can we support them in future battles if we have no army?"
"We do have an army" the King said a little indignantly.
"Yeah a really crappy one because you can't pay for it. You spend all of your money on your new wife"
It was true. My father had no money to support the army because he desperately didnt want to loose another wife.
It's his fault that his other two marriages didnt work out. He divorced Rapunzels mother and then executed mine.
He is a complete idiot. He relies too much on the opinions of his advidors and has been so blindly manipulated by them. They convinced him to make some bad decisions that has driven the kingdom to poverty and bankruptcy.
"Yes but with this new alliance they will give 15% of the gold they make this year" my father continued. "So we can use the money to support our army and the kingdom".
15%? I'm worth more than that.
"And what do we give Berk in return?" I asked cautiously.
"You" was all my father said.
I sighed.
Berk gives us 15% of their yearly earnings and help in battles all we give them is a crappy army and a princess with a fiery temper.
"I was told that the King will soon be retiring and he wants his son to take over" the King said "And you know the Prince will need a wife to do so".
"Then why me?! Surely the Prince can make his own decisions on who he marry's!"
"Astrid you know how much we need the money. If we do not support our kingdom then the people will turn against us. We could be assassinated!"
He was unfortunately right. The people want a strong leader to lead them into a bright future and if they didnt get that then there was high chance of assassination. A high chance we would end up dead because the army have no supplies and the soldiers in the palace probably couldn't be bothered. We would only have the maids to protect us. Imagine, stupid little maids that are too concerned about their hair fighting against angry villagers with their mops and brooms. Yeah we would definitely die.
"What about the vow I made" I said in the last attempt to change his mind, "I vowed I would never marry".
"You were hysterical when you made that vow, Astrid" my father pointed out.
"I wasn't hysterical, I was distressed" I argued.
"For absolutely no reason" he said very stupidly.
When he said that something inside me snapped, like a cord of patience had been broken.
"NO REASON?!" I roared "YOU EXECUTED MY MOTHER THAT DAY!"
"I do not see why you are so affected by that whores death" the king said raising his voice at the mention of my mother.
It was forbidden to speak of that 'whore'.
"You know that she was innocent and you know it! You just don't want to admit it!" I screamed.
"ASTRID" he shouted banging his fist on the desk making everyone jump. "WE DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT DEVIL IN MY KINGDOM!"
My father took a deep breath and continued, "You will marry the Prince in two months time"
"But-"
"No buts! I suggest you prepare for departure because we will be sailing to Berk in a weeks time. Now get out of my study"
I dithered for a bit not knowing what to do until I ran out of the room in tears.
Finally added Hiccups POV. What did you guys think? Did you like it?
Anyways, enough about the chapter. Tell me how you guys are doing! Hope you are all staying safe! ❤