As the second spare of the Silent-Siren Tribe, Ylva Gulbard had lived her life in a carefree manner as everyone around her had been fond of reminding her that she was the second child of the Gulbard Family and thus had little to no claim at all to the title of Chief. While at first she was quite frustrated and angry at her situation during her early childhood, she had come to accept it by the time she was nine and found the bright side to her station as Spare Heir.

Such as the fact that she was granted freedom to explore and no requirement at all to attend Viking Chief Meetings like her older sister, Unn, who by the time she had turned fifteen was brought along to meetings.

And so Ylva Gulbard, Lorelei of the Silent-Siren Tribe had lived the majority of her life free from the constraints of viking politics and traveled the world, taming dragons and common animals alike. She went where the wind took her and live without a single worry about peace treaties and marriage until of course her mother had sent her a letter via their Official Terrible Terror Messenger (her mother's).

To My Dearest Lorelei,

You are to immediately come home to Melody Island as I am now stepping down on my position as Chief and Unn, has abdicated. And you are next in line to be Chief. We are expecting that you along with your Skrill,Saga, would arrive in three days time. I wish you a fair journey and trust that you are eating well.

Lovingly Yours,

Hertha The Powerful

It was short, blunt and straight to the point laced with the tiniest of affection her mother could afford in a small piece of parchment that was obviously torn from one of her sister's old notebook considering the charcoal stains and browned edges of the parchment.

Ylva sighed as Riro, her mother's Terrible Terror, perched a top Saga.

"Well, Mother calls..." Ylva muttered sadly as she read her mother's summon one last time before folding it and placing it back on her knapsack. Saga allowed one of her wings to touch the ground to act as your ladder.

You smiled at her gratefully and perched yourself at the base of her neck.

"I'm sorry, Saga but we'll have to postpone our visit to Cami." Ylva told her as she patted Saga's neck.

The dragon grunted and began to spread it's wings for flight, Riro clambered towards Ylva as Saga began running. The frazzled Terrible Terror clung to Ylva's light green tunic making her chuckle as she slip on the goggles she had got from Trader Johan. Then in the next moment they were airborne and flying at a high altitude, Ylva laughed as Rori clung to her tighter, Saga spread her wings further and flapped them harder before gliding through the air. Pleased with her friend's love for flying.

'As long as I have Saga by my side, I'll never be chained down to the land.' Ylva thought as she smiled and enjoyed the air caressing her face. Her black hair floating on the winds, as free as she was in the sky.

Melody Island carried a whole lot of mystery in it's tropic paradise, Hiccup had heard a great number of rumours about the island and had noticed that the most recurring theme of what the rumours had were of it's inhabitants that carried the blood of the Sirens and their beauty. An island that held the most enchanting women to ever grace the land, practically every bachelor viking's paradise.

Hiccup of course had scoffed at that, knowing that not all viking men would consider an island of females to be paradise, Gobber was the living example of it.

"Dad, What exactly are we going to do in Melody Island?" Hiccup had asked his father who was manning the decks.

"The current Chief was a dear friend of your Mother, Hertha The Powerful had invited us along with several others to join in their tribe's feast." Stoick explained as he stirred the boat.

"Feast?"

"Aye, Her daughter is to take her place as the new Chief, this would be a good chance for you to establish a connection."

Hiccup blinked and then looked at his father suspiciously and said,"What kind of connection?"

Stoick sighed and for a moment lamented the fact that his son had his Mother's wit and curiosity. He steeled himself and answered,"Preferably of the romantic kind."

"Dad!"

"I know, I know, You've got Astrid and believe me when I say that I wouldn't mind her as a daughter-in-law but a union with the Silent-Sirens Tribe would benefit us for a long time." Stoick told him.

Hiccup frowned and countered,"But what about me?"

"Son, you've known for a long time that the Chief belongs to the Tribe first and his self second." Stoick reminded him and Hiccup loathe as he to admit defeat to his father's logic had known exactly that for a long time.

"What about Astrid?"

"I've left that to Gobber."

Hiccup blinked and prayed to the gods that Gobber would break it out to Astrid properly. Stoick glanced at his son and sighed,

"Hiccup, If I had a choice about our situation, I would've gladly let you marry for love but the tides are changing..."

"Tides?"

Stoick pursed his lips debating whether or not to tell his son about the whispers he had been receiving from other tribes.

"Dad?"

"Son," Stoick began,"What I am about to tell you is something kept between the two of us as Chief to Chief."

"I-"

"Hiccup. Problems are brewing in the South-East and the Silent-Sirens Tribe have warned us."

"Is it the Romans?"

"Yes. And Hertha is worried about them, and that's saying something."

"Just who is she?"

"One of the strongest Shield-maiden I've ever seen, a brilliant strategist and a head for politics. There's a reason why your Mom and her were the best of friends." Stoick answered, "Besides I've met Unn just a bit older than you but a perfectly polite lass."

Hiccup became pensive and wondered about the Silent-Sirens Tribe's Chief. However he was brought out from his thinking when a commotion broke out on the lower deck, then the distinct cry of a Skrill was heard and Hiccup looked up just in time to see the large purple wings of the dragon.

Stoick called for everyone to calm down while Hiccup kept his eyes on the Skrill finally noticing a rider on the base of its neck. The Skrill then lands gently on the deck and the rider takes her goggles off and jumps down to the floor.

"Greetings, Chief Stoick The Vast of the Hairy-Hooligans Tribe." She shouts and Stoick orders his men to bring their weapons down.

"Greetings to you as well, lass but to whom am I speaking to?"

"I am Ylva of the Silent-Sirens Tribe, I came down here seeking rest for my dragon,Saga." She replies then adds,"If you would permit it of course,Sir."

"Aye, feed the lass' dragon. Come up here lass!"

Ylva pats Saga's neck and walks to the upper deck where Stoick and who Ylva assumes was his son. She smiled at them both and thanked them for the kindness.

"Hi, I'm Hiccup."

Ylva smiled and shook his hand," And would I be right to assume that the Night Fury playing with Saga is yours?"

"Yep, That's Toothless." Hiccup replied and both of them watched the Toothless smelling Saga who remained coolly indifferent towards the smaller dragon.

"Where did you come from?" Stoick asked.

"Ah, I was travelling around the world and I had just finished exploring the Open Ocean when a summons came for me."

"Summons?"

"Oh, yes! My mother had sent her Terrible Terror to make me come back home."

Then Riro popped out from behind Ylva's cloak and greeted the two males with a soft screech.

"This is my mom's dragon, Riro."

"Well then, I'm glad to see the two of you getting along, Hiccup take her around the ship and entertain her." Stoick said and then returned to focusing on manning the ship. Hiccup nodded and took her down to the lower decks, Toothless immediately going to it's owner while Saga had decided to rest on the side of the ship out of the way of busy viking sailors.

"So can you tell me anything about the Melody Island?" Hiccup asked.

"Sure, Consider this my thanks for letting me hitch a ride with you." Ylva answered," Melody Island is a tropical paradise, we don't experience winter like Berk does, we're pretty popular as a pit stop for ships...well ships that can make it to the docks of course."

"Make it?" Hiccup questioned nervously.

"Ah...well there's a reason why our tribe is called Silent-Sirens, y'know." Ylva winked at him and chuckled,"Relax, everyone's familiar with Berk's symbol and since I'm hitching a ride with you, I can guarantee you and your fellow tribesmen safe passage."

"Thanks for that, I guess."

Ylva just smiled at him.

"Is there anything you can tell me about Unn?"

"Well, she's well liked by the villagers and popular among them as well." Ylva answered.

"What does she look like?"

"Fair skin, Brown hair, brown eyes and..."Ylva glanced at Hiccup,"...shorter than you."

Hiccup nodded and tried to paint an image of his supposed to be soon-to-be-wife and failed to come up with anything other than a blurry image in his mind.

"Does she have any siblings?" Hiccup asked and Ylva thought about it.

"Just one." She answered,"a younger sister, not that well liked in the village and not at all important until three days ago."

"Three days ago?"

"I see..."Ylva mumbled and waved off Hiccup's inquiry," You'll understand once we land tomorrow."

"Okay then what's the name of Unn's sister?" Hiccup asked and Ylva smiled at him before answering his question.

"Lorelei."

On the outskirts of Melody Island, where the Silent-Sirens Tribe lived, preparations for the induction was on full swing as men and women a liked prepared for the arrival of the guests as well as the return of the next chief. While this was happening, Hertha the current Chief was resting on her home located on top of the highest hill in the island.

The house was made out of rock and woods. the foundations were rocks while the second floor of the house was made of wood. The first floor contained the kitchen and dining area while the second floor had three rooms. Facing the north was Hertha and her deceased husband's room, the facing the west was Unn's room and Ylva's room was facing the open sea.

Hertha had tanned skin and brown hair as well as brown eyes, which her first born daughter had inherited.

"Mistress?" Aine, a servant who had served the family for ages, called out to Hertha.

"Do you think that what I'm doing is right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am quite aware that I've placed a burden on my first child and allowed my youngest to do what she has wanted."

"But Ylva would understand, she had always been a smart kid."

"And yet I have thought her nothing on how to rule-"

"-it was not your choice, Ylva was the second born. The spare heir."

"Yet she was the one who had the aptitude to rule."

"Unn tried her best." Aine reminded her master.

"But even Gothi knew that Ylva was better."

"You know that Tradition dictates the first born to rule."

"And yet here I am." Hertha reminded her old friend.

"...that was of circumstance."

Hertha didn't reply further and kept looking out of her window and into the horizon beyond her. Aine remind silent and both of them fell into deep thoughts thinking about the unfortunate circumstance of the two sisters that drifted apart.

"What do you mean Hiccup has to break up with me?" Astrid questioned Gobber who was avoiding eye contact with her as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Aye, Stoick has plans to arrange a marriage between Hiccup and the Sirens Tribe's next Chief."

"But why?!"

"I don't know Astrid, but Stoick has sent his apologies to you and your parents, All I know is that the marriage between Hiccup and Unn is for the benefit of both tribes." Gobber told her honestly and immediately escaped from Astrid.

She was left shocked in the Forge and unable to process the end of her relationship with Hiccup, she sat on the vacant stool and stared at the floor willing herself to not cry as she was stronger than this. However the knowledge that her relationship with Hiccup that had barely begun was to end, and it wasn't even ended by Hiccup himself hurt.

Astrid knew that the village always came first for a Chief, her mother had told her this countless times when rumours of her and Hiccup surfaced and she thought that she would be able to accept it. Everything seemed peaceful and it had not entered her mind the possibility of Hiccup entering marriage out of love, it had always seemed as if both of them would end up together.

Astrid let out a sob and wept into her hands.

"Hiccup."She called out to her now ex-lover with a broken voice.

It was already nighttime and Ylva was stargazing on the back of Saga who had grown used to her master's strangeness of sleeping on top of her.

The sea was calm and the stars were shining bright. Ylva had grown used on the steady feeling when she slept on Saga's back whenever they would fly in nighttime despite it the soft rocking of the ship and the sea's lullaby didn't feel foreign to her at all.

The salty smell of the ocean reminded her of her childhood days on Melody Island, swimming with the fishes and playing in the shores of the Island. The soft melodies hummed by the sea reminded her of the songs of her mother, the ocean and so she sung the Song of the Sea,

"From the shell

The Song of the Sea
Neither quiet nor calm
Searching for love again,

Mo ghrá (My love)..."

Ylva's voice was heard throughout the ship lulling the vikings and their dragons into a peaceful slumber, sweetening their dreams as the winds guided the ship through the deceitful waters of Melody Island. Hiccup who had been wide awake listened to Ylva's voice now understanding why her tribe had been called Sirens, and wondered if it was possible to ask for Ylva to sing to him and Toothless in private.

A/N: Song of the Sea by Lisa Hannigan. Thank you for reading and reviews are very much appreciated.