Hiccup intended to help Laeli adjust to New Berk as much as possible. He recognized how awkward she felt, being completely out of her natural environment. He would often see her gazing out from the cliffs towards the endless sea, seemingly in a daze.
One afternoon he decided to join her.
"Are you alright, Laeli?" He must've interrupted her train of thought, she blinked to refocus and look up at him.
"Oh! Che- Hiccup! I didn't see you come up." Hiccup chuckled.
"What's on your mind? You have that lost in thought look on your face." Laeli sighed, looking defeated.
"I-" She rubbed her face, "I just don't understand how I got here… and, I'm worried I'll never see my family again… This wasn't supposed to happen. I was only supposed to be gone for six months, but it looks like it's going to be longer than that…" Hiccup placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a supportive smile.
"Berk is here to help you, Laeli. We've helped all sorts of people figure out their path in life." Laeli raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Like who?" Hiccup smiled, recalling a memory from decades ago.
"Well… there was a girl who was adopted, but she didn't know her birth family. She was left in the night, no trace of her past left behind, only a name. Zyrah."
"What happened to her?"
"We discovered her birth parents weren't just alive, but were dragon hunters, working for one of our biggest enemies at the time. She had to make a choice, her parents, or the loyalty of her dragon. And she bravely chose dragons. She has since become one of the finest warriors of her age, skilled in combat, wielding two swords, one of which she stole from her birth father, and the same sword she used to kill her birth parents." Laeli looked up at him, impressed.
"Wow, that sounds like a lot. How old was she when all of this happened?"
"16." Laeli grinned.
"My mom was the same age when she had to save our world from Darkness. I think they would get along very well."
"Both of our villages would get along well."
"Chief Hiccup!" Someone called. The two turned around to see Eret, Son of Eret, run up to them.
"Eret? What's going on?"
"Reports of a troublemaker near the barges." Hiccup rolled his eyes.
"Chief duties again." Laeli chuckled.
"Mind if I come with? Can learn from a fellow leader." Hiccup nodded.
"Of course. Follow me."
Hiccup and Laeli followed Eret down the ever winding stairs that led to the ocean, where the docks stood sturdy. Berk had vastly improved their shipbuilding, their ships bigger and more durable than ever. It was a great achievement, something Hiccup knew his father would be very proud of.
The three approached the main dock where two guards were struggling to wrangle with someone.
"What seems to be the issue here?" Hiccup asked. The guards threw a young man at Hiccup's feet. The man couldn't have been much older than Laeli. Pale skin, dotted with freckles, sandy blonde hair, and hazel eyes that almost looked golden in the sun. His eyes were as fierce too. The young man first looked up at Hiccup, almost a glare, even, before setting his eyes on Laeli, who just looked confused.
Hiccup discussed the issue with the guards, and Laeli overheard the young man must be a stowaway.
"Take him up to the village, we'll discuss more there."
After getting back up to the village, Laeli looked around for Zephyr before finding her walking through the village.
"Laeli!"
"The guards found a stowaway on the barges." Zephyr got an excited look on her face.
"Oh! Let's go see what's going on!" The two girls rushed to the new great hall where Hiccup, his council, and several guards were talking to the young man. The snuck in since this was probably a meeting they shouldn't be listening in on, but Zephyr felt the need to since she was second in line, she believed she should learn how to deal with stowaways.
"What's your name?" Hiccup asked. The young man just glared at him. Snotlout glared back.
"Answer the question, stowaway." Snotlout hissed.
"Eyarr." He replied. Eyarr glanced around before he seemingly saw Laeli and Zephyr, the girls ducked behind a column but still listened and whispered.
"I mean, he's a stowaway, which is bad, but he's kinda cute!" Zephyr whispered. Laeli elbowed her.
"Really Zeph? You're going to comment on that?"
"I'm not wrong! How often do you see someone with near golden eyes, like that?" Laeli rolled her eyes.
"You're being ridiculous, Zeph. Besides, you have a boyfriend."
"Doesn't mean I can't admire a good looking guy when I see one!" Laeli rubbed her face.
The girls leaned in again and learned that Eyarr had come from back east and was escaping a troubled past with a toxic family. He had jumped onto the first boat he felt was big enough to hide him while remaining unnoticed and hid away until he was found. He said he didn't want to discuss his family life because it was too traumatic for him. Hiccup determined Eyarr wasn't a threat and let him go.
"You're welcome to stay on Berk. And girls, if you're going to eavesdrop you can find a much better hiding spot than that." Zephyr and Laeli came from their hiding spot and awkwardly waved before sprinting out of the great hall.