The gathered guests watched Gobber tell them "You all go ahead." as he slung an arm over Hiccup and picked the little boy up. "I want ta spend some time with my former apprentice."

The royals paid little attention to them afterwards. Eret approached the group, dressed impeccably in his black armor, and stood at attention before bowing slightly. "Greetings honored guests, I am Sir Eret, Leader of the Shadow Corps, her Highness' personal guards. Her Highness regrets to inform you that she has been slightly detained by an important matter and shall join you as soon as she can. Please follow me to the throne room."

With that Eret turned around and began leading the group. But before they had even made their way inside one of the royals asked stiffly "What is keeping her Highness from seeing to her guests?"

Before Eret could even deign to give an answer a loud explosion was heard through the air. The visitors looked up to see black smoke coming out of one of the higher tower windows.

"I believe that is what her Highness is seeing to." Eret said curtly before he began walking once more.

"Wh..What was that?" Geir asked when no other knight paid the smoke any attention.

"Just the twins." Eret said as if it was an everyday occurrence, which it probably was knowing the twins. "Nothing to be worried about. They will not blow up the entire castle. At least I hope not."

Eret had to quickly hid a smirk as he noticed, from the corner of his eye, some of the nobles starting to look nervous.

Knights in black armor line the hallways and stood imposingly as the royals passed. Two knights saluted and opened the heavy doors to the throne room.

Several knights also stood guard within the throne room and the royals could see a blue and yellow dragon preening near the throne. The dragon cocked it's head to get a look at them as they entered but soon lost interest as it went back to preening.

"Do not mind Stormfly. She is her Highness' dragon." Eret said as several servants brought in refreshments. "Please enjoy yourselves. Her Highness shall join you in a moment." With that Eret closed the doors to the throne room leaving the royals to themselves.

The royals did as they did at any gathering; they gossiped.

"So Chief Dagur" one of the ladies spoke while gesturing to the preening Stormfly. "The stories that you have been telling about the dragons are true. They simply look like harmless pets here."

"They may look harmless." Dagur said but then warned "but do not threaten them or their riders. Then they will retaliate."

"I wonder what the Queen is like?" Asked a pompous man.

"You have never met her before?" Stoick now asked.

"Heavens no!" The man proclaimed shocked. "She is a Dark one. We tend to not associate with the sort. The only ones who see her are the rulers of our kingdoms during their meetings at Castow."

"So you mean to say that we have traveled all the way here to a country to ask for help from a ruler who you have shunned in society?!" Stoick bristled as he heard this. "You made it sound like you knew her well and that she would readily help us!"

"Why would she not help us?" Geir now commented in a superior tone. "Even if she is some magic user, she must be quaking in her heels from the oncoming threat. She is after all just a woman."

"Make no mistake." Heather now spoke up angrily. "She is not someone to be trifled with. I have seen what she can do and that was likely with only a small amount of magic. She will not bow down to your demands."

"She would rather turn you all into crickets if you disrespect her." Dagur stated as he gleefully watched some flinch. "And I have a feeling she isn't too fond of you lot."

"We need the Dark Queen to listen to us." Another noble mentioned desperately.

"No, you need the protection that this realm has." Thuggory stated as he crossed his arms. "And you want the queen to provide it."

"What about that rumor?!" One of the ladies spoke up.

"What rumor?" Froda asked as she glanced at the lady standing next to her.

"Oh, there has been talk around the kingdoms of the Dark Queen favoring a man. They say she would tear kingdoms apart for him if he just asks." The woman exclaimed.

"That sounds so terribly romantic." Another mumbled.

"Do we know if this rumor is even true?" Valka now spoke up. She had come out of her shock of seeing her eldest living here peacefully while she thought him dead; Hiccups after all were not believed to be able to survive for so long on their own.

Dagur and Heather shared a knowing look with each other and promised to have a loud laugh when they were alone.

"Why do we not simply ask Hiccup?" Froda suggested.

"What?!" Geir nearly shouted. "Why would you even want to ask my useless brother?"

"Well, he has been living here, so he must know if these rumors are true." Froda stated logically.

"Then we will find out." One of the nobles stated. "And if it is true then we could persuade the man to influence the queen."

"We shall do that as a last resort, if this Dark Queen does not wish to help us." Stoick grumbled.

The nobles talked for a few minutes more about various rumors when the side doors to the throne room were opened. Everyone turned to the doors to see Astrid entering.

Astrid was wearing a regal purple dress with a ruffled neckline, a long skirt and beautiful wide sleeves. Her hair was placed in an intricate bun and a silver crow, embedded with amethysts, rested atop her head, reminding everyone of her status.

"I wish to apologize for my tardiness." Astrid said as she took her place upon the black marble throne. "There was a situation that required some......... special attention." She stated as a gleam entered her eyes.

Those in the room bowed to her before Thuggory, who had been elected speaker for the group beforehand, spoke up. "Greetings your Highness. We have traveled many days to speak with you. It is a rather urgent matter."

"You wish for my help against this scourge that is plaguing your lands and thus have called conclave to approach me." Astrid stated as she saw many eyes widen. "My answer is no. I will not help you."

"B....But you Highness!" Thuggory said desperately. "This plague is spreading and you seem to be the only one who has any solution for keeping our people save. What have we done to offend you?"

"I have no quarrels with the Viking people." Astrid said stiffly. "It is the people under your protection that I have a problem with."

At this the Viking delegations turned to look at the various royals who looked ashamed before facing the queen again. "I had warned them what would come about if they went through with their idiotic plan." Astrid explained as she glared at those assembled. "You ignored my warnings, you insulted me, and clearly stated 'we do not want the help of a dark practitioner'. Now you call conclave, a meeting that no royal can refuse or face retribution, and expect me to aid you."

"She warned you beforehand!!" Stoick bristled at the royals who shrank back. Geir, Froda, and several other Vikings listened in shock.

"Now you come to my realm to ask a 'dark practitioner' for help." Astrid stated. "My answer thus is no, I do not wish to associate with people who leave their countrymen to a monster while they escape."

"Please your Highness, reconsider. This affects us all." Thuggory tried to reason. "I am not ignoring the deeds of the nobles, but this is a serious matter and this is conclave, so I would like to suggest that we negotiate a deal which would benefit both your Highness and us."

Astrid thought for a moment before nodding in agreement and many of those in attendance let out a breath of relief. "But" Astrid said as she looked at those gathered. "This may be conclave, but you shall abide to the laws of my realm. Here respect is earned for your actions and not for your birth."

There was some muttering through the crowd but Astrid held up a hand effectively silencing them.

"We shall agree to abide by your terms." Thuggory said giving the queen a bow.

"Very well, as is customary of conclave, a ball shall be held in two days time in honor of our visitors. Please rest until the ball and we shall discuss the terms of our agreement afterwards."

When the guests exited the throne room they met with Gobber and Pavo outside, who were sporting smug looking grins.