The Strength of the Princess (HTTYD)

Princess Eira of Torvald

A/N: Congrats if you're still with me! This first chapter will hopefully answer some of your questions. It takes place a few months before Race to the Edge, and it will take several chapters to actually get into the show. Once it does, I'll only include the stuff I feel is important like plot scenes and Snotlout episodes. If there is an episode you really want me to include, let me know and I'll see if I can work it in. Otherwise I'll try to include as much original content as possible.

Chapter 1: Princess Eira of Torvald

Princess Eira waved to the cheering crowd. The day had finally arrived. This was the day she left Torvald for Berk and began a new adventure. A new life. Everyone was here to see her off, and she saw a mixture of joy and sadness in the faces. Swiftwings stood beside her, basking in the attention.

Eira looked back at her family to see similar expressions on their faces. They had already said their goodbyes. She did not know when she would see them again, but they promised she would be there when her brother Haldor became king.

It was a bittersweet feeling. She loved her family and did not want to leave, but she knew it was what she had to do. It was her destiny. So, with her head held high, she started down the path laid out for her and Swiftwings. There was no turning back now.

Her retainer Asmund waited for her by the dock with his Changewing Ripplemist. Her father insisted she could not travel to Berk alone, so she agreed to journey with Asmund. She liked him. The 31-year-old was strong and protective but also quiet and willing to leave her alone when she asked for it.

"Ready to depart, princess?" Asmund said, his expression unreadable.

Eira offered him a small smile. "Yes, thank you. But you need to stop calling me things like 'princess' and 'my lady.' I'm not telling anyone on Berk I'm royalty, remember? It'll be better that way." It was honestly something she looked forward to. She could not wait to meet people who saw her for her and not her title.

Asmund dipped his head. "Of course, my lady - I mean, Eira."

She smiled again and then climbed onto Swiftwings' back. The vikings on the ship next to them waved. As a sign of goodwill, King Birger had sent a peace offering to Berk and a trade proposition. Plus, the ship carried the supplies and gold Eira and Asmund would need to start their new lives.

"Remember, we cannot fly too far ahead of the ship until the last day," Asmund said, now mounted on Ripplemist. "It's a long trip."

"I know, I know," she said. "Now let's go!"

Swiftwings and Ripplemist shot up into the air. Eira gave the cheering crowd one last wave before turning her dragon and starting off across the horizon.

***

One Week Later. Berk.

Dragon riders. Even as Hiccup spotted them in the distance, he could still hardly believe it. He and his friends had took to their air with their own dragons to investigate a report that two dragon riders not from Berk were flying their way. He could just make out the shapes of the riders: a young female and an older male. He did not recognize the species of the dragons.

Hiccup looked left and right at his friends. "We do not know if they're friend or foe. We're just going to surround them and find out what they want."

"I say we catch them by surprise and attack," Snotlout said. "We know there no other good guys with dragons."

"That we know of," Astrid said, shooting him a look. "We don't want to scare off any potential allies."'

"What if they're spies?" said Ruffnut.