#bride-napping

[evilwriter37]

Do you have headcanons about Viggo’s tribe, island, customs, etc?

I often wonder if bridenapping is a thing for him, since it’s a common practice in Calder Island where Throk and Mala are. Now I’m wondering if Viggo’s tribe and island is in any vicinity to them to have issues with one other. They have some similarities (well just the outfits. But I’m associating black outfits because leather, assuming, must be a common resource for them. Therefore possible closeness to have similar styles. Kind of like how Berk and Berserker island have their similarities.)

Probably it is no wonder Viggo is comfortable with the idea of kidnapping. Which is a constant occurrence and he’s often the perpetrator in the series.

Well, we do learn that Mala and Viggo have been struggling with each other for quite some time! The Defenders of the Wing and the Dragon Hunters have very different cultures and customs though. It doesn't necessarily mean that the Dragon Hunters aren't a tribe with the practice of bride-napping though! I definitely wouldn't call it far fetched either, given that the Dragon Hunters seem to be more misogynistic than Berk and other cultures they run into. They don't have women fighters at all. While working as a spy, Heather seems to have been the one exception to that rule. So, the bride getting a say in marriage? Probably not very common among the Dragon Hunters.

Granted, I think Viggo being so comfortable with kidnapping people is just that he sucks as a person and is willing to hurt others and go to extremes to get what he wants. I do headcanon the Dragon Hunters as being quite a bit farther north in their true home island than Berk. Viggo's base is just that: a base. It doesn't seem like a place that's supposed to be livable for the average villager, laborer, or farmer. I know in my discontinued fic An Heir and a Throne, I referred to their home island as Ulfrad. (Simply a name/place I made up.) I don't see Viggo staying there often though.

And back to the marriage topic, I see the Hunters viewing marriage more as a political and power thing rather than any sort of affection or attraction being involved. Marriages are used to garner favor, make and strengthen alliances, and end wars. Since that's the case, arranged marriage is a common practice, and divorce is nonexistent.

[peppymint1986]

Shout out to writingbeneathyou, whose latest story sparked the inspiration for this story while I was playing the ‘what if’ game.  On another note, hooray!  I made it.  Hope you have enjoyed the Fanfiction Blitz of 2020.  Alas, all good things must come to an end. 

Presenting without further ado, Day Seven of Seven

Rubric Lore

Izuna stepped into the room to find Madara pouring a glass of their great-great grandfather’s prized ice wine.  One of the last bottles.  He blinked.  “Are we celebrating something?”

Madara’s lips quirked as he raised the glass to his lips.  “You could say that.”  At his brother’s questioning look he continued.  “I’ve found my soulmate.”

Izuna’s face lit up as he moved to pour himself his own glass.  “That is good news.  Congratulations niisan.”  Suddenly the younger frowned, carefully placing the bottle back on the table.  “But you returned to the compound alone.”  Where was his brother’s soulmate?  He opened his mouth to ask.

“My soulmate,”  Madara said, anticipating the question.  “Has this foolish idea that we will pretend nothing happened.  Simply going on the way we were before.  That we will trade our happiness for duty.”  Slowly he took another sip of the wine.  “While I commend his loyalty to his kin, he fails to see this sacrifice is unnecessary.”

Izuna blinked.  Then blinked again.  “And you just let him think that?” he asked in disbelief.  No Uchiha would ever deny their soulmate.  

Throwing his head back, Madara began to laugh.  “Of course I did.”  He turned to meet his brother’s eyes.  “There was no need to put him on his guard.  He is hard enough to sneak up on as it is.”  Tobirama in no way needed an advantage.

Seeing that Izuna didn’t understand Madara continued.  “As much as I disagree with most of what the Elders say on principle, every so often they have a good idea.”  He smiled, the smile of a predator whose prey was in sight.  “Sometimes the old ways are best.”

Dark eyes widened.  “You mean . . .”

“Exactly.”  Putting down his drink, Madara moved across the room to sling a friendly arm around his brother’s shoulders.  “Tell me Izuna, how do you feel about a good old-fashioned bride-napping.”

A matching smirk spread across Izuna’s features.  “Can’t catch him yourself?”  he teased.

Madara simply shrugged.  He had known for a long time his soulmate was a powerful ninja.  And not just strong, smart as well.  “If it were a fight to the death, the odds would be in my favor.”  Though by no means certain.  “Alive and unharmed.  That is a much harder task.”  Especially as he too wanted to come out of this alive an unharmed.  

“Lucky me,” Madara smiled as he squeezed his brother’s shoulder.  “I have you on my side.  So tell me Izuna, just how are we going to bring Senju Tobirama down to earth?”  

Sorry Tobira but in this case Madara is not taking no for an answer.  You’ll appreciate it, eventually.

[duron1ar]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

In which Kagami gets the upper hand by complete accident and Tobirama would like a divorce, please and thank you.

[proofdirectory]

Bride stealing custom

It’s one of Romania’s more colorful customs:  bride-napping. And the tradition of snatching the bride from the groom is getting increasingly common sight in the Romanian capital. Every Saturday night, brides from Bucharest and beyond are dragged away in a mock abduction by friends and driven to a top tourist spot where they are “held hostage” for a ransom. The ransom: Maybe be a few bottles of…

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[zamoca]

It's one of Romania's more colorful customs: bride-napping. And the tradition of snatching the bride from under the nose of groom and guests with the wedding party in full swing is getting bigger, brasher and an increasingly common sight in the Romanian capital, the Balkans' undisputed party town.

Who steals a bride? In Romania, bride-napping all the rage – USATODAY.com

Every Saturday night, brides from Bucharest and beyond are dragged away in a mock abduction by friends and driven to a top tourist spot where they are "held hostage" — all the while pouting, dancing and striking provocative poses for the cameras.

The ransom: a few bottles of whiskey or perhaps something more romantic, like a public declaration of love from the abandoned groom. The kidnappers negotiate by phone, working out the details of the payoff. It's all harmless theatrics meant to add a whiff of risque fun to the nuptials.

Mock abductions of brides are part of marriage ceremonies across the former Soviet Union. In some countries, guests lock up a bride or have her hide in a backroom during celebrations, demanding that the bridegroom delivers a "ransom" — like singing a song, dancing or sometimes paying real money.

In Romania, the custom took off a few years ago when a top football player rented Bucharest's Arch of Triumph, a major monument modeled after its iconic namesake in Paris, and proposed there to his girlfriend. There was no kidnapping involved but the scene stuck in the popular imagination as a symbol of marriage — and soon the monument became a sort of midnight mecca for bride-napping.

This past Saturday, about 20 brides were held hostage at the Arch of Triumph, which was built in 1922 to honor Romanian soldiers who died during World War I and to celebrate the reunification of Transylvania with the rest of Romania.

One bride was driven in from her wedding in a town an hour east of Bucharest with a gaggle of guests in tow. Another grabbed the toy machine gun of her kidnappers, dressed up as Taliban, and pretending to use it in front of the monument.

Authorities turn a blind eye to the partying under the monument, technically illegal because it's a historic landmark. Motorists cruise around the square honking, waving and cheering. The outdoor party is one way for Romanians, frustrated with austerity measures and feuding politicians, to let off steam.