Viking and the Sprite Chapter 7

Chapter 7

   When Hiccup’s stomach rumbled, breaking the spell (ha-ha-ha), he flushed red from embarrassment.  Jack chuckled.  “I guess you haven’t eaten since breakfast, huh?” he said.
 Hiccup shook his head and squeaked out, “No.”
 Jack laughed softly to himself.  ‘He’s just adorable when he’s all flustered- cuter than he already is,’ he said to himself.  He stood up and held out his hand to Hiccup as though asking him to dance and inquired, “Hiccup Haddock, would you allow me the honor of escorting you down to dinner?”
 The small and slim green-eyed auburnet with freckled skin glanced upward at the winter sprite shyly through his lashes; no one had ever been so courteous to him, even playfully.  Jack’s warm smile that belied his cold touch incited Hiccup to smile back and lay his palm over Jack’s, the sprite’s hand lightly gripping his smaller and warmer one as Jack helped Hiccup to his feet.  “Yes, I will, Jack Frost.  Thank you.”
 Jack’s smile turned into a grin.  “You’re welcome!” he said brightly.  He turned his head in Toothless’ direction.  “Come on, Toothless; let’s get some dinner.”
 The black cat didn’t need to be told twice!  He leapt off of the bed and dashed out the door; he turned his head in the direction of Jack and Hiccup and meowed impatiently as though saying, “Well?  What are you waiting for?  Let’s go!”
 Hiccup laughed.  “We’re coming, bud.”  Still vaguely aware that Jack was holding his hand, the Viking and the winter sprite followed the little black cat down the hall and stairs to the kitchen.

 When Jack and Hiccup came into the kitchen, Hiccup was only vaguely surprised to see a STOVE walking and talking; well, GRUMBLING was more like it.  (He WAS in an enchanted castle, after all!)  Jiminy and Pinocchio were sitting at a small wooden table, talking.  The former’s eyes lit up when he saw Jack and Hiccup, and he smiled just as brightly.  “Hi, Jack!  Hello, Hiccup!”
 Jack grinned at his ‘little brother’.  “Hey, kiddo.”  Hiccup just smiled at the friendly puppet and waved.
 Jiminy was happy to see the boys, too, but his sharp eyes noticed the very faint salt-stains on Hiccup’s face along with the slight red roughness of his cheeks.  “You okay, Hic?” he asked kindly.
 The auburnet smiled at Jiminy.  “I’m fine, Jiminy,” he replied.  “I’m okay now, thanks to Jack and Toothless.”
 “Who’s Toothless?” inquired Jiminy.
 “He’s our cat, so to speak,” answered Pinocchio.  “He’s really nice, but kinda shy around strangers; and he HATES Princess Anya!”
 “*Me-ow*!”  (“*DON'T* REMIND me of *that* woman!”)  Toothless poked his head around the door.
 “Well, speak o' th' little devil…!” muttered the stove in a fond tone of voice.  Toothless came into the kitchen and sat down by the table, rubbing his head against Pinocchio’s feet for a petting.  The puppet boy laughed and reached down to give the cat what he’d asked for.
 Hiccup looked over at the stove.  “Um… who are YOU, sir?” he asked tentatively.
 The stove laughed and said in a deep booming voice with a Scottish accent, “Name’s Stoick, m' boy; Stoick th' Vast!  An' who might YE be, bonny lad?”
 Hiccup blushed, not used to people calling him even remotely attractive.  “My name’s Hiccup- Hiccup Hyacinth Haddock,” he mumbled.
 “Well- welcome, Hiccup!” exclaimed Stoick, throwing his ‘arms’ out in welcome.  “Anythin' that I might do fer ye, just ask!”
 “Well… I AM a little hungry.”
 Jack snickered in amusement.  “A *little*?” he teased.  “Try a LOT, judging by the way your stomach was making its protests known.”
 Pinocchio giggled, and Jiminy chuckled;  Toothless meowed scornfully at Jack, and Hiccup rolled his eyes as he muttered sarcastically, “Thank you for summing THAT up!”
 “My pleasure!” chirped Jack.  Hiccup just shook his head and let a little smile creep over his lips.
 “Pah!  Little or lot, no matter- start th' fire, break out th' silver, wake th' china!”  To Hiccup and Jiminy’s astonishment, silverware, china dishes, and cups/glasses flew out of the cupboards and drawers and onto the table!
 “Don’t worry- after a while, you get used to it,” said Jack to his guests.
 Stoick began to stoke the fire in his belly.  He asked Hiccup, “Now then, Hiccup- what would ye like?”
 “Oh- um, I’m not really picky.  Anything’s fine with me.”
 “How about some hot soup o' beef, onions, an' carrots to start with?  Good fer cold winter weather!”
 “That sounds fine with me- thanks.”
 “Pah!  It’s no problem, lad- ye are our guest; we must make ye and yer companions welcome here!”
 “Glad that SOMEONE feels that way, if not the original ‘hostess’.”

 Stoick’s beef soup tasted AMAZING along with baked tilapia fish seasoned with lime juice and Greek spices (which Toothless got his share of, to the cat’s delight), fettuccine alfredo with cream sauce, peaches drenched in their juices, broiled asparagus, and cranberry-apple juice to wash it down.  For dessert, there was chocolate gateau; the cake was both light and heavy with fudge buttercream frosting, and the cheerful teapot Mrs. Potts poured a generous cup of tea for everyone.  It was the one of the best meals that Hiccup and Jiminy had ever eaten in their life.
 “My compliments to the chef!” said Hiccup; Stoick beamed with pride.
 “Dee-licious- DOUBLE delicious!” chirped Jiminy, chasing one last cake crumb with his fork and swallowing it back with tea.  The fork and plate hurried themselves over to the sink with the other dishes and silverware to be washed, and the teacup hopped over to Mrs. Potts.
 “Come along, dear- time for your bath!”
 Jiminy smiled at the motherly words, then yawned tiredly- Toothless yawned beside him, stretching out his legs and back before bending back and licking his lips.  Jiminy took his watch out of his pocket and looked at the time, blinking in surprise at seeing that it was only eight o’clock.  “Goodness gracious me- only eight, and I’m as tired as though I’ve been up until eleven!”
 “Well,” amended Jack, “it’s been a long day for you, Hiccup, and Belle; no wonder.”
 Jiminy and Pinocchio went back to the latter’s room, and Jack escorted Hiccup back to HIS room.  A candle glowed softly on Hiccup’s bedside table to give him some light, which the auburnet was very glad for.  When Toothless padded over to the bed and began to curl up on the pillows, Hiccup asked, “Um, Jack...?  Where do YOU sleep?”
 The sprite shrugged.  “Mostly in Pinoke’s room, but now that they’re sharing it… I guess a guest room.”
 “Oh.”  Hiccup flicked his eyes downward, then up.  “Um… well- goodnight, Jack.”
 Jack’s voice was as soft as his smile.  “Goodnight, Hiccup; sweet dreams.”
 “You, too,” murmured the auburnet.  Jack flew away, and Hiccup closed the door until there was just enough for a crack of light to spill onto the floor.  He was so tired that he didn’t take off much more than his boots and crawled under the sheets and coverlet, laying his head on the pillows.  Toothless lifted his head up and nudged at Hiccup’s hands.  “What is it, bud?” murmured Hiccup.  “You want to sleep in my arms?”  He smiled and wiggled his fingers a little.  “Come ‘ere, then.”
 The cat didn’t need to be told twice as he lightly jumped into the circle of Hiccup’s arms, curling up once more with one paw tucked over his nose and his tail lying over his paw, purring like nobody’s business.  Hiccup smiled and placed a kiss on Toothless’ head.  “Goodnight, bud,” he mumbled.  Then both sets of green eyes were shut as the auburn-haired boy and black-furred cat drifted off to sleep.