Chapter 48

'That was... interesting,' Astrid thought as she watched the two elderly ladies bicker about events past. Hiccup had told her about the shieldmaidens on Berk and how they all respected Evelin and her line for the sacrifice she'd made for their tribe. The elderly woman, though dressed in the constricting fashion of this Kingdom, certainly still bore traces of the warrior she once was. Astrid would not underestimate her in a fight, which was good because they might have to fight their way out of this mess if the twins did not hurry up.

In no way had she thought that the Prince would simply demand her hand in marriage. He must have been truly desperate to get his hand on her family's fortune. 'Just how deep had he depleted the Royal treasury?' She mused while hoping that the PLAN went off without a hitch.

"Why do you keep gazing at that bell tower?" Theodora asked with a frown which startled Astrid.

"I... uhm...,"

"Do not try to hide it. Even during our previous conversations, you had been side-eyeing that tower." The Dowerger Queen continued.

"Is it something that we need to be concerned about?" Evelin asked as she now too looked in the direction Astrid was focussed on. The large clock read that it was nearly a quarter till noon. The Founding Day celebrations were scheduled to officially begin in the evening at six so, as Theodora had pointed out, it was weird for Lady Astrid to be so focussed on the time right now.

"It's just..." Astrid stopped, a bit flustered. She hadn't considered that someone would call her out on this small action. Clearly, the Dowager Queen was as sharp as ever. She honestly did not know what to say right now. Should she confide in these two ladies or should she keep their involvement to a minimum. "I don't know if it is wise to say at this time," She frowned as she looked around. The room they had been isolated in looked like any other luxurious room but these Palaces had secret passageways so who knew if they might be monitored at this time.

"I... simply had an appointment at noon," Astrid explained as she stressed the word noon. "Quite an important appointment actually. A friend of mine was going to release an injured kingfisher back into the wild."

Astrid who was not one to speak in riddles tried her best however to get the point across. The kingfishers were often birds associated with royalty so the ladies present should be able to make a connection.

"That is quite the tale, I believe," Theodora answered back. "Terrible, honestly. What is my son thinking keeping you here,"

Astrid perked up. So Theodora had picked up on what she was hinting at and so apparently had Evelin as the woman had stood up while still holding a teacup gracefully.

"It would be best not to keep your friend waiting I suppose," Evelin said as she reached for the fire poker nestled against the fireplace. "I'm sure those lovely guards out there can be persuaded." Astrid just blinked as she looked at her grandmother, grey-haired and all, holding a teacup elegantly in her hand with her pinky raised while holding onto the poker with the other.

"I agree, we have been dilly-dallying far too long." Theodora stated as she grabbed the porcelain plate that had been used to serve them some finger food as if that would make their detainment any better.

"Lady Astrid could you be a dear and lay yourself on the floor while acting as if you are in pain?" Theodora then asked.

Astrid's eyes widened and she let out a "Huh?" before doing what she was asked. As she lay there on the floor in the classic helpless damsel pose the two elderly women went to work, shouting at the guards on the other side that one of the ladies needed medical attention. The frantic banging at the door continued as Astrid just played possum. She was quite astounded at their skill of acting.

Astrid heard the banging stop as one of the guards finally decided to deing the 'obviously helpless' damsels with his presence. She supposed that it was her turn and she started moaning and writing on the floor. The guard who had opened the door to see what was happening immediately took note of her and ordered his colleague to help him. Astrid had her eyes closed while acting so she couldn't exactly see what was going on but she did hear the scream of the guards, the shattering of porcelain, and the gurgle of what could only be blood.

"You can stop now Astrid," Evelin called out. Astrid sat up and from her position on the floor could see the knocked out guards, with one possibly bleeding out slowly. It seemed Theodora had smashed one of the men on the head with the plate, breaking it into pieces around her, while Evelin had chosen to silence the haughty guard by shoving the tip of the poker in his abdomen. Said guard made a choking noise as he spat out blood. Neither woman sparing the traitor a second glance.

Astrid got up with some difficulty as her dress was not designed to lay on a flat surface. "We need to get you a weapon," Theodora mentioned as she checked the hallway the door opened to for more of Grimmel's men. So far the coast seemed clear.

"No need, I have these," Astrid said as she stepped out of her heels. Her feet gingerly flexed on the plush carpet while she picked up her shoes. She showed the ladies the heels, which could act as a weapon itself, but also the small retractable knives in the shoes she had commissioned.

"Oooh! I want a pair!" Evelin clapped her hands together in amazement. "I never thought that they could be customized for heels. Just who is your cobbler?!"

"I see you never gave up on your love for shiny pointy and stabby things," Theodora noted humorously. Evelin just huffed at the teasing.

As Astrid stood up she was rocketed back to the ground when a large explosion could be heard and felt. "What was that?!" Theodora asked as Evelin held her from falling while the whole room shook. Paintings started going askew and several porcelain vases fell from their perch. So bad was the shockwave. Both women looked towards the windows to see a black and greyish cloud of smoke wafting past them.

"They're five minutes early!" Astrid exclaimed as she got up and bolted towards the door with her heels in her hands.

"They?! Who is they?!" Evelin asked as she and the Dowager Queen rushed after Astrid.

Evelin's question however fell on deaf ears so the only thing the two women could do was rush after their youngest compatriot.

The explosion had managed to throw the guards in their wing of the palace in disarray so it was quite easy to catch them by surprise. Few were prepared to face three armed women while trying to rush to the origin of the explosion which, if Astrid remembered correctly, seemed to have come from the expansive gardens.

Evelin still wielded her poker and Theodora... well let's just say she took great pleasure in throwing any vase she could find. Never let it be said that the Dowager Queen had no aim Astrid mused and then thought of maybe finding the woman some throwing daggers or maybe a one-handed axe. Even Evelin seemed surprised by Theodora's skill.

"What?" Theodora asked primly when they had a bit of reprieve from ambushing soldiers.

"I just never knew you had that good of an aim," Evelin mentioned as she looked about the now empty hallway. A few of the men they had knocked down were twitching but for now it was nothing they couldn't handle.

"I will have you know that I quite enjoy a bout of archery," Theodora uttered. "But since it is considered a man's sport in this kingdom I simply could never compete."

The trio made it all the way to the end of the wing that was overlooking the gardens. Astrid was shocked to see over half the maze hedges up in flames. "By Thor, what force of destruction happened here?!"

"Hi Astrid!" Came the sudden greeting which made all three women turn, only to see Lady Ruffnut climb the stairs. A twin-headed dragon peeking into one of the bay windows curiously.

"My question has been answered." Astrid muttered. When Hiccup had told her that the twins could cause damage she did not think it to be to such an extent. Sure they blew up part of the colosseum, but to have more than half of the royal gardens burning or charred to a crisp in just the ten-ish minutes between the explosion and Astrid getting there was quite a feat.

"You're early," Astrid deadpanned.

"Hey hey, not my fault your ladyship," Ruffnut held her hands up in a mock surrender. "We had a bit of a hothead with us." With that she pointed towards Dame Mala, of all people, who was helping Tuffnut carry the still recovering King up the stairs.

"Marchioness," Mala greeted respectfully. Astrid blinked. She had not been expecting the female knight to show up. "Lady Heather and Lord Dagur have tasked me with informing you that all is going according to plan. Lord Dagur's vessel has made contact with the Berkian army in open waters."

'Hiccup' She thought but she coughed discreetly and instead said "What is good to hear. The plan can go forward then. Though... the destruction... how..."

"Oh! We gave Lady Mala a dragon," Ruffnut perked up as if that sentence answered all.

"You did what?!" It was then that Astrid noticed a purple scaled twin-headed dragon, much like the twins' mount, also peeking into the large windows curiously.

"Where did you... how did you... uhm... What?!" For once Astrid was speechless.

"Hey, don't blame us! Your lover boy thought you could use some back up until he got there. So he sent Snip and Snaps along." Tuffnut uttered. "It just so happened that Lady Mala was there to bond with them."

"Yes, I had gone to the Hofferson estate to inform you but it seemed you had already been summoned by Prince Grimmel." Mala explained. "I figured that since the twins and I were heading in the same direction I'd just follow along."

"D-Dra-Dragons," Theodora uttered with such incredulity that it made the others stop to stare at her. Astrid blushed as she completly forgot about her grandmother and the Dowager Queen in the heat of the moment.

"Mother?!" A croaking voice asked. Theodora's head whipped around to see her son's visage staring back at her.

"Quintas? Is that really you?!" Theodora had to ask because the sickly man in front of her looked nothing like the strong son she knew. Gone were most of his muscles and his face was still gaunt. That all would take time to heal.

"It... It's really you!" Theodora sobbed as she ran forward to embrace her son. She had to do so gently though. The reunion was bittersweet if Astrid thought about it. The only reason Quintas was in such a state was due to his own son's greed. The very same greed that had manifested when his grandmother spoiled him because the father had been absent while running the kingdom. 'Everything seemed to have come full circle for the royal family.' she thought while watching the reunion.

"We have to stop my grandson once and for all," Theodora exclaimed suddenly with so much resolution that is shocked Astrid. Previously she had noticed that the woman would stand up to her grandson, though she would never try to force the Prince's hand too much, just try to make him see reason. Now however when she looked at Theodora she saw in those eyes resolution. The Dowager Queen had seen what her grandson was capable of if he could reduce his own father and sovereign to mere skin and bones. To spill blood while coveting a throne that was already his birthright. She had known all along that she had spoiled her grandson. Let him get away with depleting the royal treasury. But as Theodora looked at her sickly son she was resolute in her conviction. Her grandson could never get the throne.

"So are we going to kick gluteus maximus or not?" Lady Ruffnut asked causing all eyes to fall on her. "What? We have an imposter king to catch don't we?!"

"I am surrounded by violent women!" Tuffnut remarked with a sigh.

"Do you wish to be surrounded by violent chickens then?" Lady Ruffnut quiped back.

"YES!" Tuffnut shot back. "At least they are more pecking and less talking!"

"Excuse me lard brain!"

"What, Bride of Grendel?!"

"Slug licker!"

"Fish kisser!"

"THAT WAS ONE TIME!" Ruffnut yelled.

"Are they... Always like this?" Evelin asked.

"Their Thornstons. Hiccup said that meant something on Berk," Astrid answered.

"Ah! Yes, I get it now. Their grandparents were quite the hotheads as well. Burned down young Mildew's barn 14 times in one year."

"Huh?" Astrid raised a brow.

"Let's just say it runs in the family." Evelin stated.