Knock. Knock. Knock.

The big oak door swung open.

"Yes? Ah, Hiccup! Please, come in!" Mrs Thorsten was mostly the complete opposite to Mrs Hofferson. She was very friendly, and didn't make people run away screaming with a look.

"Will you be wanting Tuffnut?"

"Um..."

"Please, come in!"

Hiccup smiled his most charming smile at her. It seemed to work better than it had done on Mrs Hofferson... He stepped over the threshold.

"Shall I call Tuffnut for you?" She walked over to the bottom of the roughly cut, wooden stairs and prepared to call her son.

"Wait, no!" She looked at Hiccup, startled.

"I was actually here looking for Ruffnut. Is she in?" Mrs Thorsten was shocked, but quickly recovered herself. "Yes, of course."

"RUFFNUT! HICCUP FOR YOU!" Mrs Thorsten bellowed up the stairs. For quite a small woman, she had a voice as loud as her children.

Hiccup faintly heard sounds of raised voices coming from upstairs. He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard;

"She said Tuffnut! Clearly, you need your ears cleaning!"

"Ugh, idiot! Hiccup is obviously here to dazzle over my amazing beauty. Why would he wanna see you?!"

"Mum said Tuffnut!"

"No, she said Ruffnut!"

"Tuffnut!"

"Ruffnut"

"Tuff-"

Hiccup heard a sharp slap sound.

"See? She said Ruffnut."

He wasn't quite sure of what to make of this, but Mrs Thorsten carried on beaming at him and took no notice of the brawl upstairs.

Ruffnut quickly came bounding down the stairs. She caught sight of Hiccup, and a sly, almost flirtatious smile appeared on her lips.

"Hi, Hiccup."

He gulped.

"So, let's go!"

She jumped the last of the stairs, grabbed hold of his hand, and made for the door.

"See you later, Mum!"

Hiccup had no time to say anything before he was dragged out of the door and it closed behind them.

Ruffnut was a no-funny-business kind of girl, and she definitely didn't beat about the bush.

She looked Hiccup in the eyes, and said, "Right, Haddock. You're either here to ask me out." Hiccup made a funny choking sound.

"But I seriously doubt that." She quickly recovered herself. "So that must mean that you're here to ask for advice on how to get Astrid back."

"What?! How did-"

"I saw her earlier."

"Oh."

"She was pretty cut up, Haddock."

"Ah."

"But, you being you, I reckon you have some sort of excuse. Go for it."

"Wow, you're really-"

"Let's talk..." She led him over in the direction of the beach.