Chapter Text
Jack hated being a prince. Mostly because his life was nothing more than a bargaining chip for the kingdom.
“War is coming to the shores of Burgess,” said his Uncle Pitch. “Berk is becoming more and more aggressive to any entity that does not share their so-called enlightened view on dragons. An alliance must be formed before they can become a direct danger to our country.”
Jack watched as the advisors nodded. They all agreed with the King, and his flowery words. To be honest, an alliance didn’t sound like a bad idea to Jack, but he was in no place to state his opinion. He may have been the crown prince, but he was still young. His thoughts would hold no weight.
“I propose a marriage alliance,” said Pitch, “Princess Mary is old enough now to be married off, and the Chief of Berk has a son.”
Jack felt his face go pale. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. Every eye in the room landed on him.
“No,” Jack said, his voice ringing out loud and clear. “Not Mary.”
“Then how would you suggest we form an alliance with Berk, Jack?” Pitch said, his words sharp as daggers.
“I’ll do it,” said Jack. “Let it be me.”
“Fine, then. All in favor of sending Jackson to Berk for a marriage alliance?”
Hands went up all around the room.
“Good. We shall send Prince Jackson along with an envoy to Berk to announce our proposal.”
Jack swallowed, hard.
“Be prepared, Jack. You’ll be leaving in a week’s time.”
The meeting was dismissed shortly thereafter, but Jack’s mind was fully on his arranged marriage proposal. He couldn’t do this. But he had to, to save his little sister from the same fate.
Pitch cornered him after the meeting. “Be warned, Jackson. If you do not secure this alliance for us, then we can find a way for Mary to… disappear.”
Jack hissed at the not-so-thinly-veiled threat. Before he could say anything else, though, Pitch turned and was gone, leaving Jack alone in the shadowy alcove.
He found his way to Mary’s chambers and knocked on the door. He had to be the one to tell her about the proposed alliance- he couldn’t let her find out through someone else.
She opened the door, eyes curious. “Jack? It’s late, is something wrong?”
After this week, he likely would never see his baby sister again. The thought bubbled up in his mind, pressing on his brain. He could feel wetness in his eyes.
Jack stepped forward, wrapping her in a hug. He hiccupped a breath. “In a week, I’m being sent to Berk. They’re going to try to marry me to the chief’s son.”
Mary gasped. “Jack, you can’t go! What if you never come back?”
“I-I know. But the alternative was to send you.”
Mary shuddered. “I’m not going to leave your side for the whole week.”
Jack swallowed hard. “You’d better not.”
An hour later, they were sat at a table in Mary’s rooms, playing checkers. “You know, he could say no,” said Mary.
“He could, but it’s a promising political alliance. We’re two powerful kingdoms, and from what I’ve heard, the chief’s son has rejected any woman sent his way. But you’re right. He could turn me down.”
“What would you do then?”
Jack paused, thinking. “I guess I would come home.”
“Well, then- let’s hope your proposal gets rejected,” said Mary. “Wait- I’ve got it. You just need to be as annoying as physically possible.”
Jack lifted an eyebrow. “So, myself, you mean?”
“Exactly! Just be you, and I’m sure you’ll get sent home in no time! No offense, but you’re not exactly the type for a viking.”
Jack shrugged. “Offense taken.” Then he winked. “But you’re right.”
He could see Mary’s eyes starting to slip closed. “Alright, kid, I’ll let you sleep.”
“Fine. But you’ve gotta promise that we’ll spend the rest of the week together, and that you’ll come home soon.”
“I promise,” Jack whispered, knowing that he would break this promise. If he came home, then Pitch would kill Mary, or worse. He had to make this work, for his little sister’s sake.
They spent the rest of the week inseparable. Jack reveled in every moment spent with his sister, afraid of what would happen when it ended.
Servants helped him prepare for the journey and pack his things. Jack was in denial that it was happening, until he was walked by guards onto a ship.
He pulled his sister into a last hug. “Goodbye, Mary. I’ll see you soon. Promise,” he said.
Her eyes were wet with tears. “Please don’t go,” she said, the wind whipping her hair into her face.
Jack gently eased her hair back from her face. “I’ll see you again, I promise.”
A bell rang from somewhere, signaling the time, and Jack knew their goodbyes were over. “I love you, Mary.”
“Bye, Jack,” she said, as she was escorted off of the ship.
Jack spent the next two weeks anxiously pacing the ship. He had told Mary that his proposal would be rejected, but even if it was, he would be sent home in disgrace. And if it wasn’t? Well, he wasn’t sure he wanted to think about that.
But think he did. He had far too much time on his hands to think as they flew over the waves, and the two weeks it took to get there passed far too quickly.
Soon, they were arriving on the shores of Berk.
Jack could feel himself shiver in nerves and anticipation as guards walked him off of the ship. They waited there for a moment, and then, something came out of the sky. Dragons. He had never seen them up close, which he realized as two of them landed, with vikings on their backs.
“State your business,” said one viking, and even Jack’s guards were standing stock still against the very obvious threat of dragons.
“We are from the Kingdom of Burgess, and we come bearing a proposal for a marriage alliance to the chief’s son,” said Jack. He held out the official document that stated the terms of the proposed alliance.
One of the vikings took it, and nodded at the other. “I will take this to the Chief,” he said.
“We don’t exactly have a castle,” said the other viking, “But we can house you. We cannot house an entire envoy. If this is a dealbreaker, then you can go home.”
Jack stood still, stunned. The opportunity to leave was right in front of him. But at the same time, he didn’t want to think about what would happen to Mary if he failed in his mission.
“No,” he said. “I’ll stay.”
He watched his guards stiffen at his side. If they left, he would have no protection against a bunch of bloodthirsty vikings. He might as well be signing his own death warrant.
“Then you would be the first,” said the viking.
Jack wasn’t particularly surprised that no one else would accept these terms. He definitely felt like he was walking to his death.
“Great,” said Jack.
“Hop on,” said the viking. “I’ll take you to your quarters.”
“You… you want me to get on a dragon?”
She shot him a flat look. “Yes.”
Gingerly, Jack climbed on behind her, shooting a mournful look back at his envoy. Not that he was going to particularly miss his guards and his servants and everything, it was more that he would miss the protection that they would offer him.
Now, if he was murdered in his bed, no one would be there to stop it. On second thought, he debated how much he cared. All that mattered was that Mary was safe, and if he failed in his mission, he couldn’t guarantee her safety.
If he died, so would she. So he had to live, unfortunate as it was.
He flew with the viking warrior, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to appreciate the view or the way that the wind pushed through his hair.
His anxieties were eating him alive. What if the prince was cruel, terrible, and bloodthirsty? What kind of person would he be? Would he even accept the proposal?
As they landed, Jack could feel himself starting to hyperventilate. They had landed outside of a small house, which Jack barely was able to take in, his thoughts nearly bringing him to his knees.
“Your quarters, my lord,” said the viking.
“Thank you,” said Jack absently.
He opened the door to the small house and stepped inside. A fire was already roaring in the fireplace, and his things were in the bedroom upstairs.
As Jack stood there, he realized. A thousand miles from home, surrounded by potential enemies- he had never felt more alone in his life.