Author's Bigger-Than-Average Note: Feel free to skip downward, as this might go on for a bit.
Note Number 1: I updated the story with a new chapter early last Friday (7/20/12), as I always do, and the site showed I had done so. But it didn't materialize as an actual new chapter until Saturday. Apparently there was some snafu on the servers that day. Guess I'm glad I warned people about delays the week before; turned out to be somewhat prophetic.
Note Number 2: It finally occured to me that there's a TV series that's about to begin. I knew it was coming, but I figured that I could handwave it as taking place in that two-year window between the movie and Standing Against, Standing Between. But after looking at some potential details on the web (and mind you, never put too much faith in Internet rumors), I suspect there will be plot lines and characters that don't quite jive with my series. It may not be that much of a problem, considering that they will probably keep the show's plot lines self-contained so as not to interfere with the HTTYD/Dragons/Whatever-They're-Calling-It movie sequel, but who knows what they'll end up doing.
So here's my verdict (which I'll mention again at the beginning of my future stories): for my series, the TV show is considered non-canon... unless I say otherwise. You can assume similar events to those depicted occured, but just don't assume the actual series is part of this fanfic's background. I already have the rest of my fanfic series mapped out, but I may incorporate a few elements from the show to spice things up where needed.
Onwards.
Chapter Ten: Just Us Two
Her master would not be pleased.
The flames lingered painlessly on her fireproof scales and illuminated her like a lighthouse. She had been outthought here. She had relied too much on non-Night Fury trickery, not her own dragon instincts. The gap within the cloudbank had seemed like too brazen a risk to take, even by Night Fury standards, but she had followed nonetheless.
A cunning dragon for sure, this Night Fury with half a tail rudder. There truly was hope for the species.
Escape was still possible. The flames would die away soon and she could easily outmaneuver him once her Cloak was absolute. Yet she hesitated. Sudden moves might instigate a fight, and she was not supposed to fight the Night Fury. Nor did she wish to.
The Night Fury simply hovered in front of her, his big eyes full of shock and curiosity. Part of her empathized with him, the part of her that remained a wild Night Fury. He had beaten her in fair combat – did he not deserve recognition for the victory?
Her master would not be pleased, but she dropped her Cloak regardless.
Her head was narrower than his; her reptilian eyes a deeper shade of gold. Her body was slightly smaller in thickness, though her tail was a good two feet longer (and fully intact). Flecks of blue adorned her scaling, sometimes in long stripes but more often in dot form.
Her overall appearance didn't come off as overtly feminine in comparison to Toothless, and might have confounded the ignorant masses as to which was which. But Toothless had known the moment she had dropped her magic. It also helped that she gave off all the right smells.
She gave him a wary eye, flapping in place amidst the fog, steam continuing to waft off her warm scales. She probably hadn't liked being doused with fireballs, but she didn't appear real put out about it.
A female Night Fury. To Toothless, this was a happy dream. This wonderful creature had suddenly popped into his life, real as the day was long. The last Night Fury he'd seen had been his mother, lost to him so many years ago, and the world had seemed a very empty place after that. Part of him, the dragon part, wanted to close the distance and initiate a rub-up, where dragons of opposite genders got acquainted with each other's scent and decided whether or not one was mate-worthy.
The other part, the half that flew with Hiccup, considered sending a fireball into her left wing, crippling her and sending her earthward. The power she had, the ability to completely disappear, was not a Night Fury ability. She had no saddle, no contraptions wrapped around her torso, no false tail or clipped wing. By all rights, she was a free dragon. But the power was unnatural. She had no rider, but that didn't mean she had no master. She had been following him, but to what end?
Cautions aside, he couldn't suppress his excitement at this new development. His more cuddly instincts won out… for now.
Deciding to make the most of it, he growled out a charitable greeting to her. She growled a warning reply. There was no mistaking the vibe in her voice – come no closer, or we will have problems.
Toothless believed her and kept his distance. He wasn't sure what to do at this point. So little contact with his own kind. He knew the habits of humans more than of his own species.
Either this meeting had already gotten tiresome, or else she was a very distrusting creature, for the female suddenly jerked and went into a dive, heading away from Toothless. Not willing to let this rare meeting end so soon, Toothless sped after her through the swirling mist, hoping that there was still plenty of air between them and the ground.
They found the bottom of the cloud and emerged into the sunlight, safely above the craggy ground. The female took a circuitous route through the low-flying clouds, sometimes speeding off at top speed, other times putting on the air brakes and looking behind her, back at Toothless. If her frequent looks and wary-yet-mischievous eyes were any clue, then she wanted him to follow. Toothless obliged, making sure to keep his distance so as not to invite "problems".
A bad idea, perhaps. She might be feeling retributive. She might be leading him into a trap of her own. Yet Toothless followed, intrigued by the female's behavior and by the female, period.
At first it was like a game of tag, the female as the eternal it, Toothless chasing her over and through massed clusters of trees, blowing loose leaves and needles off their branches with their passing or creating mini-funnels of loose earth that trailed them into the air. She would even cheat on occasion and loop around to get on Toothless's tail, though she wouldn't close the distance and she never chased him for long before peeling off and letting Toothless resume his role as chaser.
Other times they'd play chicken with a mountain peak or boulder, seeing who could knock a boulder loose to fall off a cliff or roll down a mountainside. They were equally matched at that game, though Toothless wasn't trying all that hard to beat her. He didn't want to show her up, but he also didn't want to smash into the landscape and lose yet another important part of his body.
Regardless of the game, the female was always the first in turn, the one in control. The game ended when she wanted it to. Toothless did attempt to add a little flavor to the fun by launching a fireball at a human-sized chunk of deadwood. Target-practice. Night Furies were good at two things, after all. She growled a denial and zipped away, initiating a new game of chase. The dismissal of such a primal instinct as fireball throwing struck Toothless as very odd.
It was all very odd. Fun, but odd. Sometimes Toothless felt like she was evaluating him, testing how well he could adjust his heading, how fast he could dive, whether or not his artificial rudder tore under the heaviest winds. Toothless didn't have much experience with mating rituals, but this had stopped feeling like a mating dance some time ago.
Hours later, with the sun announcing that it was about to hang it up for the day, Toothless broke off his twentieth game of chase and landed on a nearby cliff to rest a bit. Getting his bearings, he realized, with a smack of dismay, that he was at least a good hour from the big human place. Even at top speed, he'd be lucky to get back to the hiding spot before sundown. Hiccup would start worrying about him, and Toothless didn't like to make him worry.
The female had stopped her game as well, suspending herself in the air and turning to face him. Toothless could see the look in her golden orbs, a conflicted mix of emotion. Toothless felt the same achy combination. The fun was over. Their lives called to them once more.
The female waggled her head sadly and then the air consumed her like the ocean devours a dropped stone, her body disappearing into nothing.
She was out there, just no longer visible. She was heading back home, wherever that may be. She had just informed him that this was a one-time event.
With no time left to mull over the sorry end to an amazing day, Toothless returned to the sky and set course for the big human place. The turbulence he encountered along the way was no match for the turbulence in his heart. For while he had played with his own kind today, had frolicked and chased as only a Night Fury could, he knew something wasn't right with the female, that something dark had a hold on her. It was that darkness that kept her at wing's length from him. It was that darkness that threatened him.
As much as he wished to chase her again, he feared what their next meeting would bring.
The sunset was going to suck tonight. A thick tapestry of white wrapped around the horizon, forcing the sun to exit early. But the immediate sky above was pristine and pleasant, so Nestor found little reason to complain.
Facing south, Nestor had found an elevated spot in the park that overlooked the docks and the ocean. Quite a few boats were out having fun in the bay, their happy crews shouting out their frivolity, though several ships were already heading for their moorings or putting down anchor.
Some safety-conscious person had erected a fence along the cliff, a sturdy one made of logs and branches harvested off the park's trees. A fence that you could lean on but also easily bypass if you desired a fall-down. Nestor chose the former option.
The city park had a sundown curfew. No one allowed inside its borders except for special events. Thankfully, Harvest Festival counted as such, though the guards wouldn't let you stay overnight.
Arc had left again, telling Nestor not to worry unless he didn't show up at their rendezvous tomorrow. Arc had another bit of Hyperion business to attend to, though this time Arc actually explained what it was. Nestor thought the "business" sounded fairly deceitful, but he admitted that it was probably the only way they were going to get anything out of Qiao without resorting to "aggressive interrogation."
"Have you been waiting long?"
"Ulp!" Nestor managed not to jump over the fence in surprise, his thumping heart roaring in his ears as he recognized Saga's voice. She was standing next to him now, having once again appeared right out of the blue. She wore a satisfied smile, obviously having had a fun time in the city. Either that, or she enjoyed rattling Nestor's nerves with surprise visits.
"How do you do that?" he said, once his heartbeat was back to normal. "Even when I Shroud, I'm not as quiet as you are."
"Practice." That was all she had to say. Perhaps it was a trade secret.
She then handed Nestor his coin purse, the one he'd lent her for shopping in the city. Nestor gained a new surprise as he took it and felt its heft. "Uh… This is much heavier than this morning." He opened it and expected a stone knick-knack. But there was nothing other than coins inside, standard city currency. Lots of them.
"Is there something I need to know?" he said.
"Only that you can now repay Arc in full, plus interest. And we should steer clear of anyone claiming to belong to the Cutthroat Gang. We did not part on friendly terms."
"And Qiao?"
"She had an errand to run. I did not ask about it."
"You let her go off on her own?"
"At this stage, our affairs are settled. If she does not show tomorrow, the loss is hers."
Nestor thought about asking for elaboration, but decided against it. If Saga had decided to loosen up with Qiao, it was better not to discuss the matter and possibly make her rethink her decision. "Then it's just us two. Any ideas?"
"Standing here is fine with me." Saga turned to the view and propped her elbows on a knobby section of the log-fence. "The city has its perks, but I find it overwhelming at times."
"It is a lot to take in. Good thing they have this park."
Saga nodded but didn't say anything. Nestor decided to give her "the quiet" and go for a little walk around the park. He'd swing back around after an hour. Then the two of them would figure out their evening plans, even though Nestor had no idea what such plans would look like.
He got as far as swiveling to take a step.
"How does it not bother you, Nestor?" she asked, her eyes on the bay as he swiveled again to face her.
"The city?"
"Your life."
"Should my life bother me?"
"You have no family, no clan, no grounding," she clarified. "I know that Arc gives you direction and a vow to live by, but how can that be enough?"
Nestor sensed a heart-to-heart coming on. He rested an arm on the fence and said, "Sometimes it's not. But neither do I consider myself family-less."
"I misspoke. I know you and Arc are close."
"Not just Arc. Our whole group… well, I'm not sure I should count Qiao…"
"Even if it is temporary?" She looked at him, her expression even. "Hiccup and Astrid will go back to Berk eventually. Where will that leave us?"
"Us?" he asked, a note of hope in his voice.
"I am not used to being clan-less, Nestor," she said, ignoring him. "To be part of a clan was to know that many others would support you in times of difficulty. You were never alone, and you would never be alone. Now everything is transitory, uncertain. You are used to this life. I am not."
"It gets easier."
"Does it? The actions I took to save my people I do not regret in the slightest, Nestor. I sleep well knowing that my clan is alive because of me… yet I sometimes feel like I should make amends, that there is some atonement I can pay so that they can take me back. And I hate that I feel that way." Anger crept onto her face as she continued, her hands clenching as she looked away from Nestor again. "They followed the letter of the law, not the letter of justice. They should be begging me to come home, but I feel like the one who should be begging."
She closed her eyes and bowed her head, seeking to maintain her Seer discipline despite the wellspring of emotion inside her. "Warriors should not be so conflicted, should they? I want to move on, but all I can think about is what I have lost." She quieted, keeping her eyes sealed and waiting for the emotional tide within her to roll back. When her eyes opened, she had regained most of her composure, though Nestor easily spotted the wetness glistening in her eyes.
Nestor gave her a few seconds, in case she had more to say. He stared into the park, watching a roaming figure with an elongated torch proceed to ignite a series of standing torches along the paths in and around the park. He already knew what he was going to say, but like Saga the words came with a lot of feeling and he didn't want to gush all over her.
"I have this daydream of mine," he began, "where I'm back in my home village and everyone knows I'm there. It's me, barrier-field and all, but it doesn't matter. My uncle and aunt step forward and they say, 'Welcome home.' Just like that, I'm in. I get my cruddy room down in the cellar and a place at their table. You see, they've heard of me, all my accomplishments. I'm the village hero now. They've seen the error of their ways, and everything's good again.
"It's a daydream, because I know that if I ever go back there, I'll get the same reception as before. There are times I want to go back and try it anyway, though. It was my home for a long time – not the best home, mind you, but home just the same. They called me a devil, they threw mud and stone at me, and they abandoned me when I needed them. Yet if they said those words to me, if they invited me back, I think I'd forgive them."
He finally looked at Saga, and he was grateful for the look of sympathy she gave him. Not wanting to get too maudlin, he shrugged and said, "Pathetic, I know, but I think it's human nature to want back what we've lost… even when we're better off having lost it. What helps me is focusing on what's around me… and who's around me."
He hadn't realized it until now, but one of Saga's hands had crept along the fence during his spiel and was covering his in a supportive gesture. She kept it there even after he'd noticed it. "So what should we focus on tonight?" she asked.
"Hadn't gotten that far," he said, smiling. "I heard there's a inn a short walk from here where they actually clean the dishes and don't serve fish. Really tired of fish."
"I, too, could stand a change in my diet," she said, that satisfied smile of hers making a reappearance. That, all by itself, made Nestor's evening.
The envelope slipped into the drop box with a quick slither and rustle, which was about as much noise as Qiao made as she darted into the shadows of a nearby alley. Such stealth was probably not needed, not with all the evening festivities about to begin and everyone off at the fun places. The street was empty of eyes and ears. Even the orphans had left the two-story nigh-condemnable orphanage, chaperoned by the well-meaning but overworked family that ran the place.
She made sure the drop box's lock was secure before leaving. Didn't want that much money getting nabbed by others of her ilk. Even other thieves considered stealing from orphans a hangable offense, but there was always an unscrupulous character or two that thought of drop boxes as easy money.
The odor of rotting vegetables and other less-savory substances emitting from the garbage dumps in the alley prompted her to keep moving. After getting some distance between herself and the orphanage, Qiao tucked into a garbage-free alleyway to consider her options. The evening was fast approaching, and she was now a lot poorer than before. What to do, what to do. Find an inn and play darts, maybe? Tease a Cutthroat? Freak out a guard post?
Qiao sighed. This was what she got for ditching the warrior princess. She could be with Saga and Nestor, getting insulted. It was too bad Astrid was occupied with her boyfriend. The girl was growing on her.
Well, so was Saga… in a fungus type of way.
At least she didn't have to put up with Mr. Uptight for much longer. In fact, he'd left her alone the whole day. What a world – she meets one of the few talking dragons in creation and he proves to be a jerk. Why couldn't he be like all the dragons in the legends – kidnapping virgins, burning down settlements, amassing huge amounts of easily stolen treasure? At least he'd be predictable.
"You're going about this all wrong, Qiao," said a familiar jerk-voice from above.
Shaking her head in annoyance, she looked up and saw Arc's distortion resting on the roof of one of the buildings above her. Framed in the fading light of the sky, he was easier to pick out than before. Or else she was getting better at picking out his hazy image. He still snuck up on her way too easily for her liking.
"When you steal, you're supposed to keep it for yourself," explained Arc. "That way, you don't steal as often."
"First off," said Qiao, "the money I gave them was won in a contest, not from thievery. Second, are you really scolding me for giving money to orphans?"
"Considering how furtively you were acting while giving away your money, I'd say that you have more of an issue with your actions than me."
"That? I was just making sure no one connected me to the money. The Lords don't allow donations funded on criminal activities. I do have a reputation, after all."
"I see. If your cause is to help the unfortunate, perhaps you should change your line of work."
Qiao shook her head. "I just don't like seeing kids suffer, okay? That doesn't mean I should make it my life's work. Did you really follow me just to give me another lecture?"
"I came to give you something you'll actually appreciate. Hold still."
Qiao saw an appendage lower down to her level and wrap around her waist. Not wanting to argue (and not sure how to phrase an outcry that wouldn't make things worse), she meekly allowed Arc to hoist her up to the rooftops.
The building's wooden roof had a slant to it that made standing tricky, but Arc kept a claw-hand around her waist to steady her. He de-Shrouded, which made looking at him easier on the eyes but also made the situation more disconcerting. A quick look-around reassured Qiao that the dragon hadn't gone senile, as his bulk was hidden from street viewing. You had to be on the roofs yourself to see him, and all the potential chimney sweeps were partying right now.
"What's so important?" she asked. His answer was in the form of her myssteel quiver, wrapped in a new canvas covering and dangling off Arc's tail. He presented it like a fish on a line, ever so slightly out of reach. She could've jumped for it, but on this type of roof doing so would cause falling and breaking of bones.
Oh, her quiver! That wonderful, wonderful quiver. Rather than stare and drool over it, she gave Arc a dirty glare. "What's the deal now?"
"The deal is that you have fulfilled your end of the deal, Young Qiao," declared Arc. "I'm giving this to you a day early."
"You don't have a boat under you yet."
"Perhaps, but that is no longer your problem." Arc lowered the quiver to her waiting hands. She took it and checked it over to make sure it was real. The hard surface beneath the canvas and the striking metallic smell told her what she needed to know. She reached inside and found her satchel with the other tools of the trade. A quick check of the satchel turned up one omission.
"Still no Trail Stone, right?" she asked. He nodded. Of all her goodies, the Trail Stone was one of the few items she didn't mind leaving behind. It made following marks a lot easier, but the stone's influence inside her head, the feeling that directed her to follow the stone wherever it went, was as comfortable as getting her fingernails bent backward. She had learned to live with the discomfort, as she'd learned to live with many things, but she certainly wouldn't miss it.
"Most folks in your position would've kept all my stuff even after the deal was done," she said, slinging the quiver over her shoulders. "I half-expected you to do the same."
"What would I have done with a quiver, Young Qiao?"
"Good point." She glanced down at the alley below her, where a passing drunkard was proceeding to color the walls with his beverage of choice. "I suppose you're going to lower me down now and that will be that."
Arc gave her an uncertain look. "You don't sound pleased."
She looked back at him with a resigned smile. "Well, all your pals are busy for the night and I don't have any plans and the night is young…"
"What are you asking?"
Her smile became pleading. "This may be the last time I ever get airborne. I know I don't have the right to ask…"
Arc laughed casually. "It is addictive, is it not? And as it turns out, I have no plans either."
Arc Shrouded once more and told her to get on his back. Her reaction was both gleeful and confused. "Ah… we can wait until it's dark, maybe. People will see me flying."
Arc chuckled again. "Yes, intoxicated humans seeing something half-visible fly into the sky, and that assumes they even bother to look up."
She couldn't deny the logic. She also couldn't deny that she didn't want to wait.
Flying truly was an addictive experience, so much so that Arc and Qiao lost track of the time as they soared the night sky, Arc playing the role of the scholarly tour guide and showing off his knowledge of nature and weather and Qiao making the appropriate wisecracks as needed. It would be hours before they were even aware that hours had gone by.
The overhanging cliff might have spoiled a full viewing of the night sky, but it wasn't the only culprit. Too many clouds roaming around to see more than a few sparkling diamonds in the black at any one time. But as coastal sightseeing went, it was better than Hiccup's last attempt at romantic seaside gestures.
The cliff gave adequate cover to those camped below it, provided you didn't have more than two humans and a Night Fury lounging on the sand. A fire made of driftwood and dragon flame took care of the temperature drop, and the curvature of the cliff side took care of the wind. Throw in Toothless's warm torso and the Gods would have to launch a hurricane at them to ruin the atmosphere.
Hopefully they weren't in a ruin-the-atmosphere mood tonight. A hurricane would be overkill.
"Riki Poka might not have dragons, but the city knows how to have a festival," said Astrid, snuggling into Hiccup as he, in turn, snuggled into Toothless's side.
"Is that your way of saying you had fun?" he asked, his arms wrapped around her waist, his hands touching hers.
"It's my way," she replied. "You?"
"My left foot is not a dancing foot," he admitted, "and I wish I didn't have to keep proving that over and over today, but otherwise, yeah."
Toothless yawned big and wide and lowered his head to the sand, but he wouldn't close his eyes. He kept a vigil on the sky, much like after the last time they had visited the city. Only he wasn't hyped up about it like last time. More like a general wariness, or even longing.
Hiccup had grown concerned when Toothless wasn't at the hiding spot earlier, though the dragon did arrive not long after Hiccup and Astrid, the dragon panting and exhausted as if from a hurried flight. Hiccup attempted to get a general impression of what had happened from Toothless, whether something good or something bad had occurred, but the dragon wasn't in a communicative mood and calmly flew Hiccup and Astrid to the beach. Something must have happened during the day, but whatever it was hadn't upset Toothless.
Hiccup decided not to worry about it too much. Toothless had ways of letting people know if there was a problem. So far, he acted happy to lie on the beach and act like a pillow. But the tired dragon wasn't resting, and that troubled Hiccup.
Their contest outfits had been confiscated by Linebreaker right before sundown, the two of them back in their usual garb. Linebreaker explained that the winners of the contest would be announced at a formal party later that night, but they didn't have to show up for it. Goody, as Hiccup really didn't care. At least Linebreaker was pleased with their participation, and provided that the mood-spoiling hurricane didn't materialize, their boat trip would proceed as planned. Having retrieved what gear they were bringing on the trip, including Hiccup's new rider's armor, they'd be going straight to the boat from the beach.
Hiccup's left foot had caused a stir of its own. No one had a prosthetic like his in the whole city. Sailors and dockworkers and other laborers all had to make do with standard peg legs and hooks. Berk was ahead of the curve in limb technology, and Hiccup got several remarks and requests on how to duplicate it. Hiccup explained that he wasn't in the business of making artificial limbs, but the thought did occur to him that it might not be a bad trade to set up… if he ever decided to move away from Berk.
While he did have fun, today did remind him, constantly, about how much it blew to be missing one foot. The dancing thing, obviously, but even now, with their boots off and the sand running through their toes. All his left foot could do was dig a hole. It felt nothing, and no matter what he did with it, it would always feel nothing.
Vikings weren't supposed to complain about their war wounds. Badges of honor and all that. But sometimes you just couldn't stop thinking about what you've lost.
Then again, with Astrid cuddling against him and his dragon buddy supporting him and the pervasive feeling of warmth and well being surrounding him, it was hard to get too choked up over it.
"It's all a bit much, though," said Astrid. "All the crowds… I felt suffocated at times."
"Same here. Face it, we're a couple of village yokels come to the city."
She laughed, rubbing her unbraided hair against his neck as she did so. Man, it felt good. "Funny thing is, I don't miss Berk right now. Too happy, I guess."
Astrid shifted her weight and wound up pressing against the pocket under his leather vest that held his little bit of wishful thinking. The myssteel ring that he had made for her in the hopes that she would take a chance on him one more time. He kept it on him now to keep it safe, and to wait for the right time to ask.
Right time… what about now? Could it get anymore romantic? Lying on the beach after a successful day of not making a fool of himself in public, Astrid in a great mood, the world in a peaceful state. This kind of thing didn't happen very often, and considering that his plans had a tendency to go sideways more often than not, he might as well use the opportunity when it came by.
He wanted a lot more nights like this. He wanted a lot more nights with Astrid. Why not now?
"Astrid…"
"Qiao said something yesterday that I can't stop thinking about," said Astrid, beating him to the punch. That's what he got for letting the comfortable silence go on too long. No worries, there was plenty of evening left.
"Which was?" he asked.
"She said she hoped we beat the odds. What do you think she meant by that?"
Hiccup mulled it over. "Well…"
"I know we're young and still growing up. People change, goals change."
"We're not that young, and we were friends for years. If my brand of crazy hasn't driven you off by now, it's not going to."
"Maybe she thinks we're not that compatible. We're not opposites, but we're not exactly cut from the same cloth."
"Well, you're a warrior and I'm… not. But that's just our occupations. How boring would it be if we did the same things together all the time?"
"Okay, maybe we're too compatible."
"Are you even listening to yourself now?"
"Okay, that was a stretch." She paused and squeezed his hands tighter. "What if she was talking about one of us… you know…"
"Going bald?"
"Hiccup, please don't make me say it."
Hiccup sighed and hugged her reassuringly. "That's always going to be a possibility, isn't it? Especially since we're Vikings and really especially with the company we like to keep. But let's face it. Can we possibly be facing anything worse than what we've already taken on?'
Astrid groaned at his rhetorical question. "Why did you say that? You just dared the Gods to prove you wrong."
"All I'm saying is that Qiao is a party pooper and you're worrying too much… like always. Can we switch topics?"
Astrid must have agreed, as she sighed and relaxed into him once more. "Okay, no more worrying. No more heavy stuff. For the rest of tonight, I'll keep it to sweetness and light. Hopefully I won't gag."
"That's my girl," he said, and they slipped back into comfortable silence, letting the crashing surf and howling wind carry on the conversation for them.
It took Hiccup a few moments to realize that his opportunity had just choked to death on him. He could still propose, and she would probably still say yes, but it felt like too heavy a thing to do after that discussion. Right here, right now, they were good. The Gods were behaving themselves, Toothless was snoring finally, and the mood-ruining hurricane was nowhere near the coast.
They had many days ahead of them. Another moment would come along eventually, a more fitting moment. There was no reason to rush.
Even if he hadn't been so contented at the time and looking away from the oceanic horizon, even if the clouds had all vanished in a rare instance of spontaneous reality erasure, he likely would have missed the passage of a large seagoing vessel far out in the water, moving dark and silently in an eastern direction, its crew preparing for its own brand of festivities come the morning.
