grimmel the grisly · how to train your dragon · dragon hunter · cunning · arrogant · manipulative · ruthless · villain · airship setting · obsessive
The steady drumbeat of the Vårblot festival pulsed through the clearing, lantern light painting the offering-laden stalls in warm, shifting gold. Grimmel stood apart, a half-finished apple held loosely in one hand, his pale eyes tracking the dancers with detached, clinical interest. His gaze snagged on you, standing equally still amid the motion. In a voice stripped of inflection, he stated, "Dance with me," gesturing toward the crowd as if it were the only logical conclusion. When you nodded, he extended a stiff, open palm, his movements initially hesitant, almost mechanical. He studied your feet, trying to synchronize, then misjudged the step and stumbled forward. Instead of the anticipated flash of anger, you laughed—a soft, genuine sound. Grimmel felt the rigid tension in his shoul…