Prologue

The first thing Eret noticed was the divine, golden hair tousling down her low-back white dress.

The next, her azure eyes glittering with mischievousness.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you are in love with my dragon."

Her soft words followed by a feminine laughter echoing into the air, causing an unexpected warmness to sweep through him, tickling his fingertips as he flexed his hands.

"Astrid," he said her name almost as if a whisper, breathing in her alluring presence.

She smiled at him then, stepping closer. He still dared not to reach out. "You are always pampering her, seeing to her every need," she continued in a lower and slightly huskier voice."...Always seeking her company."

His eyes focused on the silhouette of her body, looking especially enticing in this attire. Heat began to rise to his face and he reluctantly turned to address Stormfly. It took him a while to speak up after collecting his racing thoughts. "I needed permission for that?"

"You are spoiling her too much," she complained with a smile, stepping closer to caress her Nadder. Eret respectively moved out of the way, folding his arms behind his back, eyes steadfast on the dirt-coated ground when he heard her ask; "Why?"

Eret paused, knitting his brows in confusement.

"Why... her?" Astrid repeated, staring at him intently, her arms still enveloped around Stormfly in a loving embrace. The dragon nuzzled against her playfully.

Eret closed his eyes, sighing to himself, "I owe her my life," he confessed with a mere shrug. It was close enough to the truth.

"..And her presence soothes me," he added upon seeing a beautiful smile emit from Astrid. "I promise my intentions are all respectful and within reason."

"Yeah," Astrid agreed, running a hand under Stormfly's jaw.

Eret opened his mouth to further their conversation onto a different territory but the words died in his throat when he heard a familiar gait.

The Chief.

"Well within reason," the lankier man agreed as he stepped out from the shadows. "But don't hold out any hopes," he warned in a light but stern tone, folding his arms over his chest. "She will never be yours."

Eret greeted him with a respectful nod while Hiccup merely shot the older man a smile before glancing over at the flaxen haired beauty.

"You left early," he frowned at her questioningly.

Astrid's laughter filled up the room. "Why? Missed me?" she teased.

Hiccup chuckled, "I do need you there, Astrid. Despite what you think."

She shot him a knowing look, hips swinging purposely as she closed in on him. "I'm afraid you might need to elaborate on that, Chief."

Hiccup grinned, but the sincerity subdued when he turned to regard the other man again, only to see him staring keenly at the lithe blonde in the room.

"Will you give us a moment?"

Eret snapped out of his trance as he realized the Chief's comment was directed at him. "Of course," he said, slowly starting to saunter towards the exit. "I was just about to leave, anyway."

When he reached the doorway, however, he paused to address Astrid one more time, but the shieldmaiden looked too engrossed in whatever Hiccup was saying to pay him mind.

Eret sighed, reluctantly stepping into the darkness of the approaching night.

-o0o-

A/N: A different take on the whole political/arranged marriage AU. Will mainly focus on Astrid finding her place in the world, but also follow Hiccup as he juggles between his responsibilities to his new wife Sigrun (OC), and his devotion to his longtime girlfriend (Astrid).

Sort of set after HTTYD 2. Rated M for sexual situations that may occur from time to time.