12-第十二章：西部荒野国王的加冕(19)
And Hiccup replied, trying to stop his voice from trembling, trying to sound as Kingly as possible, ‘I am honoured to accept it.’ Toothless sat up proudly on Hiccup’s shoulder. Hunting-dragon to a King! He always knew he was an important dragon. He always knew he had royal connections. Stormfly would find him irresistible now… ‘THREE CHEERS FOR KING HICCUP THE THIRD!’ bellowed Gobber the Belch. The Vikings leaped to their feet, or were helped up if they were on the fatter side, and threw their helmets in the air, and shouted. ‘HURRAH! HURRAH! HURRAH!’ So that was how Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third became the thirteenth King of the Wilderwest. And only those who have been following Hiccup’s memoirs up until now will know how very, very unlikely it is that it would end this way. That this gangly, thoughtful, imaginative, string-bean of a boy would end up the Heir to Grimbeard the Ghastly. Who would ever have thought it? It has taken us twelve long Quests, and twelve long books to get to this point. But there it is.
That is what happened, against all odds and unlikely as it may seem. I told you this was the story of becoming a Hero the Hard Way. But this, of course, is not the end of the story. The crowning of the King might make a good ending, but Hiccup had been crowned King in difficult circumstances, right in the middle of a dragon and human War, exactly at noon on the Doomsday of Yule. So this is not the end of this particular story, indeed, it some ways, it is more like a beginning, and if you thought the first half of the Doomsday of Yule was hard, wait until you get to the second half. However, it seems like a good moment for a pause, so that we can enjoy the unlikeliness of this triumph, and because we have spent quite a long time getting here.
That is what happened, against all odds and unlikely as it may seem. I told you this was the story of becoming a Hero the Hard Way. But this, of course, is not the end of the story. The crowning of the King might make a good ending, but Hiccup had been crowned King in difficult circumstances, right in the middle of a dragon and human War, exactly at noon on the Doomsday of Yule. So this is not the end of this particular story, indeed, it some ways, it is more like a beginning, and if you thought the first half of the Doomsday of Yule was hard, wait until you get to the second half. However, it seems like a good moment for a pause, so that we can enjoy the unlikeliness of this triumph, and because we have spent quite a long time getting here.
三国·甄宓12
