They immediately went to Gobber's saddlery and dentistry with Tsunami, and had her fitted and saddled. Amara, with her own dragon, was finally able to fly alongside the rest of the riders in the village, something that made her heart soar as well. Even Elder Gothi was proud of the girls. However, even this small happiness didn't last as the lookout near the "thunder ear" called out. "Chief Hiccup! Dragon Hunters! We have an Armada coming this way! Dragon Proof Cages, Amber-resistant hulls... and armed to the teeth! What should we do?"
Bane looked at Roxanna and hissed in a worried way. Roxanna just pulled a face and listened to Amara, beside her. If she moved, Roxy would go too. Whenever there was a rush of people around her, she did this. It was the only way she could guarantee she wouldn't be crushed or worse, in the way.
"Rox... do you have any ideas as to how we can drive them off? Vikings, especially those like the Dragon Hunters, are very superstitious."
Roxanna shrugged and bane sighed in relief, thinking his precious wasn't going to get involved. "A sneak attack might work... like, let them land, make it look like the place is completely empty and, just as they let their guard down, chase them off or something?" She shrugged.
"If what Heather said is true... they're probably after Bane..." Amara said softly. "Still, it might be worth a shot. Maybe we should tell Dad about the idea?"
"It's your home so it's your call." She said.
"My home, yes...but your idea. I think we should tell dad before they get too much closer."
"Then, by all means, tell him." She said.
Amara nodded, urging Roxanna to stay close to her and Tsunami as they made their way over to her dad, telling him Rox's idea, and being sure to give Rox the credit for it as well.
Hiccup wasn't keen at all but looked at Amara, with a dead straight face. "How do you feel about it?" He asked. Roxanna could tell by his tone that he didn't want to go through with this.
"I know it's risky, but it may be the only way to scare the Dragon Hunters off for good, Dad. You've been dealing with chasing them off for more than twenty years, and they keep coming back. If we can scare them off for good, we'll be able to protect our dragons, and the peace we've forged with them." She said, her face as straight as his.
"If you're sure then we'll give it a try." He said before giving the orders out.
With all the fires out, and everyone hidden, the village really did look abandoned as Viggo Grimborn walked into the village square.
The hunters walked through the eerie village until they spotted something move on on a roof top. At this they all paused and aimed their arrow at the strange girl there. "Speak, Wench! Where are the others?" Viggo demanded. Roxanna smiled. "Others? There are none like me. I hail from the halls of the gods on behalf of my husband. He is most displeased with your disgraceful behaviour on his beloved island of Berk. Most displeased. So he has sent me to right the wrong you have caused." She said, pretending to look at her nails in a careless way. Viggo growled and the hunters released the arrows at her. Roxanna raised her hand and, mostly because of a sudden gust of wind, the arrows missed their mark. As this happened, the burkians sprang forward to attack. It caught them completely off guard. But, during the fray, Viggo managed to get the better of hiccup. "If you want to see him alive again, you'll deliver that black deathsong!" Viggo threatened as the hunters retreated.
Amara's heart was in her throat, and even Tsunami was distressed at her rider's distress. She had been fighting at her mother's side through the battle when her father was taken. She looked toward her friend, her distress and plea for help in her wordless cry. She had persuaded her father to follow this course... she only hoped Roxanna could help with the untold portion of her plan. The whole time she'd known Rox, she'd always had another idea.
Roxanna was frowning, clearly in deep thought. Astrid was beside herself and called an emergency village meeting. Roxanna caught Amara's wrist though and pulled her to one side. At some point that evening she'd put her cloak on and now stood with the hood up, almost completely hiding her face. "I have a plan. But in order for it to work I need you to gather everyone to the cove and, in exactly half an hour, I need you all to howl like a wolf... think you can manage it?" She asked.
Amara nodded. "Yeah, I think I can get that done, Rox. Take care." She said, grasping her friend's arm in what she'd taught her was the Viking way to show support and the hope of the blessing of the gods.
Roxanna smiled in her charming way, "If I don't come back then presume everyone is dead because it's all or nothing and I refuse to lose." She said as she hopped onto Banes's back. The deathsong cooed sadly to Amara as they took off into the nights sky as, during the fighting, the sun had long since set. Meanwhile, in the great Hall, Astrid was trying to stop panic from breaking out and trying to persuade them that sacrificing Roxanna to the gods won't help anyone even if they would feel a bit better afterwards.
Amara came up to her mother, explaining that Roxanna's plan had more stages... they needed to howl like wolves from the cove, though for what reason she was unsure. She made sure to remind her mother and the others in the village that it was thanks to Roxanna that Gothi had found her voice again, and that Amara had a dragon of her own. In the end, they all agreed to follow this plan, and made it down to the cove with plenty of time to prepare for the imitated wolf-song.
While Amara had struggled to convince them, Roxanna had flown to a nearby island where the hunters had landed. She landed and sent bane back. For several minutes she just listened before walking forwards into the clearing, surprising the hunters who cambered for their weapons. But Roxanna just raised her hand, uttering something under her breath, and caused all of the weapons to fly far behind their users. "Do not insult me, mortal scum! I am Joanna Black, Heir to the Black Clan of Scotland! I am Loki's bride. Do not push me for I shall have no mercy. I will grant you but one chance: free the one called 'Hiccup Haddock', he is of great interest to my beloved husband. If you refuse then I shall have to unleash Fanrir upon your forsaken souls." She said in a booming voice. From his cage, hiccup watched helplessly, wondering what on earth she was doing but also wishing he could help but, as an extra precaution, they'd removed his artificial limb. He was helpless. Viggo laughed and started towards her, "You threw away my axe but my hands will make short work of you!" He chuckled. "I'm sorry you feel that way..." Roxanna said, stepping back into the darkness. The instant she was hidden an ominous howl that sounded like a thousand wolves echoed across the sea, it made the men hesitate and step back. A second later a huge dire wolf leaped out with a vicious growl that had the men running, scrambling to get away. The wolf sniffed at the ground until it found hiccups cage. Before his eyes, the wolf melted away, leaving Roxanna behind. She held the lock in her hand, pointed her finger at the hole and whispered 'Alohamora'. At this point the lock clicked and swung open. "Hurry... we've no time to spare." She said, pulling his arms around her neck. In a moment he was hugging a sitting wolf. Slowly it stood up, having made sure hiccup was on its back, then ran towards the sea and leapt straight in. The water was freezing and bit at hiccups skin so he knew she must have been feeling it worse as she swam through the waves towards the beach where the villagers were waiting.
Amara was relieved when they made it to shore. She was shocked to see her father on the back of a massive wolf, but to her eyes, there was a familiar cloudiness to this wolf's eyes, and she guessed the truth as her father slid down, Astrid bringing him one of his 'spare' artificial legs.
With everyone gathered around hiccup, Roxanna shifted back into her human form and stood silently where she was; with her feet still in the water, soaked to the skin, listening carefully for the first hint of anger from the mob.
Instead of anger, a cheer was raised, and everyone gathered around to hug her and congratulate her on a well executed plan. Hiccup smiled. "Elder Gothi was right in her advice. I'm glad we trusted you. Thanks to your skills, you have proven yourself to be a Viking at heart... you've driven away the Dragon Hunters from Berk for good." He stood tall. "The clans are but part of the tribal family. As chief, I welcome you into the Hooligan tribe." He said, taking a turn to hug her. "Welcome to the family, Jo." He whispered to her, showing her they accepted her for who she was.
Her cheeks turned pink and she closed her eyes, letting those around her hug her. "So... I'm not in trouble?" She asked with a slight grin.
"Of course not. It was a reckless plan, but we're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard." Hiccup said with a bright smile. "Of course, now that you're a member of the Hooligan tribe... you do have to make a choice as to what Clan you wish to be associated with. Elder Gothi, though not a Haddock by birth, has always been associated with our clan. She's been like a grandmother to me. A kind, but strict, grandmother, who's not afraid to knock some sense into you when you're being a blockhead." He said with a chuckle.
"Clan...? You mean...?" Roxanna asked, getting a bit choked up. "Family, Roxanna. Family." Astrid said with a smile. The word was like a trigger. Once it sunk in that she'd been completely accepted the tears started flowing. She couldn't make them stop as she sobbed, her new found family still embracing her. "I'm sorry... but while she might be an honorary Haddock and Hooligan, she's still my granddaughter." Gothi spoke up, making her way to the middle of the group. "And I expect that unless we send you off soon, Joanna Black, you'll be late for the start of school." She added. Roxanna looked up at her after struggling to dry her face with her wet sleeve. But her reply wasn't the one they were expecting. "Will I look like you when I'm older? Because it's pretty horrific." She said, staring straight at Gothi. It would have been expected for Gothi to tap her great granddaughter sharply on her head... but she didn't. Instead she started laughing... and crying. Tears of happiness as she embraced the girl. The strange mist had lifted from her eyes as the curse had been lifted. She'd found her family, her home, there was no longer a need for her deceased mother to protect her from the horrors of her family. Roxanna, or rather Joanna, could see, for the first time since a few months old.
Amara smiled. "Well, we should give her a proper send-off, yes?" Amara asked. "And it is late, Elder Gothi... can sending her off wait until morning?" She asked softly, needing this last night to spend with her friend and now, sister before she departed.
"I don't see what harm will come from it." Gothi replied kindly.
Amara smiled softly. "Thank you, Elder Gothi." She said, holding her hand out to Joanna. "Let's go home for the night... one last family meal before you depart for school, sister?" She asked with a bright smile.
"Yeah... sure thing Amara." She agreed, leaving the group with the girl, the older villagers watching them fondly.
As the girls headed back to the village there was a loud Shrieking noise that was familiar to Amara as the stars were blotted out. Toothless came soaring in, a whole pod of Night Furies following him, looking at the girls and following villagers warily, but trusting one of their own.
"What...?" Joanna started asking. She obviously recognised the cry but had obviously never seen them for herself before.
Toothless cooed, nudging her with his head and looking into her eyes. Amara smiled. "Toothless came home... with the whole pod of Night Furies with him... they must have accepted him, right?" She said to Jo.
"Yeah... must have done. Clever boy." She smiled, rubbing his forehead. "They'll probably head back towards England tomorrow. If so, Bane and I'll ride on their tail wind." she said to Amara.
"You'll get back in time for school." Amara said softly. "You should bond with one of the Terrors tonight... whichever one you do, I can borrow to send you a Terror Mail for communication later on." She said softly, as Toothless showed the pod, including a female who seemed rather fond of him, to the stables while the girls headed into the house. Amara worked on making dinner, and let Jo look at the Book of Dragons while she did so. "The mature females have extensions on their tail wings..." Amara commented. She then frowned. "After you and Bane leave for school, I'll miss you, Jo..." She said softly.
"I can write to you as often as you like... You don't seem to have the same sort of schools here as we do back home. My school is like... well... a boarding school. Basically, I live there with all the other students and teachers and only go home, if I want to, during the holidays except for over summer when we have 6 weeks off and have to go home. Basically, I didn't want to go home and got lost instead. That's how we ended up out here." She explained. "But because I live in all the time with no travel except to and from class, I can write to you pretty much every day. Maybe I could even come and visit during Christmas and such." she added.
Amara smiled. "That would be nice. You'll always be welcome here, Jo." Amara promised. "I'll be sure to bring you your dress robes as soon as they're ready." She promised. "Wear your flight helmet and your Berk Clothes during the flight... it'll keep you protected, ok?" She said, hugging her as the meal was served, and Toothless flew in to have his dinner. Hiccup was overjoyed to see Toothless again, and the feeling was mutual, with how the Night fury kept licking him after dinner.
"Yeah, I will. Once I'm back at school I'll be able to send you all sorts of things you can't get here." She smiled. "And who knows? Maybe I'll be able to get you a set of your own robes for Christmas." She said.
"That would be good. Be sure to send us a letter a few weeks beforehand, so we know the timing and can set up the holiday for when you get home." Amara said softly. They went to bed pretty late, the girls getting their goodbyes settled away. Morning arrived all too soon.
Joanna was like a whole new person now she could see. Everything was exciting and she smiled a lot more too. Bane wasn't entirely impressed but still encouraged her along. "It's going to be spectacular, flying back out there!" She said, thrilled as she packed up the saddle bag that Gobber had made for Banes's saddle. "If toothless is coming back here anyway, you could use him to fly out half way with us if you like?"
Amara had, with her father's approval, already saddled Toothless up with his new saddle and tail fin. "Yeah, we'll accompany you out a bit." She said softly, swinging into the saddle. "Ready when you are." She said softly.
Jo got on board bane, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Ready boy?" She asked him softly. Bane hissed happily and, as the pod of Night Furies flew past, he took to the sky to follow them out towards the sea.
Toothless took off with a soft roar, Amara helping him flawlessly now that she knew exactly how. Around Berk, at home, she'd work with Tsunami, but it was fun to fly alongside her sister on the dragon that had protected her as a young child.
They didn't speak as they flew but just enjoyed the ride. When berk was but a dot on the horizon behind them, Joanna turned to Amara. "Next time I visit, you'll have to show me all of Berk again, now I can see... but you two should head back. I'll write as soon as I land." She promised.
Amara slowed Toothless to hover for a moment, reaching out and clasping arms with Joanna. "I'll reply as soon as I can. I have to get to work on your dress robes. The design and colours matching Bane's colours, like we spoke of last night... with both the Haddock and Black Family crests." She said with a smile. "Take care, sister. May Odin bless your journey."
"I don't need Odin to watch over me, I have Loki." she laughed."Fare you well also in all you do! and remember, Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus." She laughed. Bane hissed and rolled his eyes at toothless in an apologetic way for what his Precious one said.
Toothless let out the cooing-cough sound that Amara had explained was his laugh, not taking offence. "I will, Jo...remember that we'll be waiting for word back home!" she reminded her as the girls separated, Amara taking Toothless home as Bane and Jo headed off for the school.
Jo watched them until bane hissed at her, they had to go less they be left behind by the pod. She sighed, knowing he was right, and they sped home, towards England, and bonnie Scotland, and the place she called home, safe in the knowledge that her other home was now waiting behind her with the doors always open to her.