THIRTY ONE: A Walk to the Brink.

"Nothing?" Viggo taunted his brother. "Not even a single penny? How disappointing. I expected you to return in a gold-plated airplane to the very least." The powerful shape of Ryker scowled at his younger brother and mentally counted the ways he could bring him down-if he was so minded. Except, of course, loyalty to family was his creed: no matter what happened, blood was thicker than anything else. Family loyalty was greater than any other force in the Realm for a Grimborn.

"We found further clues," the larger man growled.

"You don't say," Viggo commented dryly, sitting back in his chair.

"Fragments of a map-and a riddle," Ryker snapped. Arching an eyebrow, Viggo suppressed a cruel chuckle.

"And you fall for this child's fantasy," he scoffed. "Brother, your greed is a weakness."

"And your certainty that you are untouchable is yours," Ryker retorted. "We all have skeletons in our closets." Viggo leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes filled with amusement.

"You would do well to remember that-brother," he reminded his older sibling. "And we all have too much to lose." Ryker rose.

"Some more than others," he shot back as he turned to the door. Viggo sighed.

"If you care to attend to your actual duties rather than concentrate on this nonsense," he commented, "maybe you could deal with some rather pressing problems for me." Ryker paused and his cruel face twisted into a scowl.

"What sort of problem?" he asked. The First Minister clenched his fist.

"Someone with ideas above his station," he said. "I think we need to remind him of the way things are run in Berk."

oOo

"Yo! Ingen! You got visitors!" Ruff's voice was casual but listening carefully, Hiccup could hear a smirk and he groaned, grabbed his shades and walked out of his office-to find Nuffink and Zephyr standing self-consciously in the atrium. The young man was grinning broadly and introducing his sister to the others, smiling as Tuff teased him on his riding skills and explaining to Zephyr about his practice sessions with the twins. Face filled with surprise and self-conscious, Zephyr's blue eyes were sweeping over the clean lines and clear light in the room and then she smiled as their host emerged.

"Tallon!" her brother greeted the man, seeing him in casual jeans, an open-necked beige shirt and sturdy work boots. The mirror glasses were still in place but the billionaire smiled as he walked forward.

"Fink!" he grinned, grabbing the younger man's hand and shaking it. Then Fink embraced him warmly.

"Good to see you, sir," he said, his face lit with relief. "You know Zephyr?" Pulling back a step, Hiccup nodded, still smiling as he inspected the young woman. Slender with big blue eyes that painfully echoed her mother's, her pale face framed by her thick auburn hair that was braided casually, she met his gaze and a blush warmed her lightly freckled cheeks. Her hands were clasped nervously in front of her waist, a light green tee-shirt and Berk High hoodie topping her skinny jeans and beat-up Converse.

"I believe we may have met," he said in a teasing voice as she blushed harder. Lowering her eyes, she stared at her feet. "How are you, Miss Zephyr?" Her eyes flicked guiltily up.

"I'm good, thank you," she said and chewed her lip. "Mr Fury…"

"Tallon," he corrected her with a smile. "The courtesy still stands here. Your brother has a standing invitation to come here whenever he needs space from his father-and that extends to you too." Her brow furrowed and a wary look entered her eyes.

"Why?" she asked him, the edge to her voice reminiscent of her mother. Bearing in mind the sensitivity of the issue of Johann and her unspoken concerns that her father may have arranged…something with him without Zephyr's knowledge or consent, Hiccup raised his hands slightly to calm her.

"Because your Dad sounds like a total ass," he said. She blinked. Of all the possible answers, that was approximately last on the list.

"He…you…what?" she mumbled, shocked. Hiccup sighed.

"Fink and I had a little chat…well, quite a long chat…after your father manipulated his girlfriend into dumping him," he revealed. "He looked like he needed a friend. He was already a regular in the woods training with the twins so it was natural to offer him a place to bolt to if he had any further run-ins with his father." He shrugged. "My friends are a pretty eclectic bunch but no less good-hearted and loyal for that. They would offer the shirts off their backs to someone in trouble. And Fink spoke of you often. So I extended the offer to you-not for any creepy reason but because you are a smart, artistic young woman who I think is just as unhappy as her brother in her home."

She looked at her feet.

"Mom's okay…but Dad…he just spends all his time telling me how useless I am and that women really aren't useful for anything except marrying for position and power," she revealed. "But I work so hard. I'm as smart as they guys and I want a life off this little heap of wet rocks. I want to see the world, meet people…have a life. Have my life. But I know in my heart that Dad has some foul plot devised with Minister Trayder to sell me to him, to marry me to him." She wrapped her arms around her body. Quietly, Hiccup grasped her shoulder.

"I…" he began and then he paused. "If you need my help, Zephyr, you call me. Anytime." Her eyes flicked up.

"Tallon…" She smiled, her face lighting and he felt a painful stab through the heart because it echoed her mother so much. "Thanks. I-I may take you up on that."

"And I certainly will," Fink added standing by his sister, his hand grazing hers. "You okay, Zeph?" She nodded.

"And I'd certainly do anything for our Champion," Hiccup added, trying to lighten the mood. The Jury had awarded Zephyr the Prize and she had won the public vote as well. One of the Seniors-a guy named Yaryk-had won the artists' vote because he had persuaded seven of his friends to enter just to vote for him. The Jury had hated his work so though he had smugly stood by Zephyr as she was announced the winner, their comments about her two winning works had been effusive while his had been met by a resounding silence.

"You know half of them thought I only won it because you know my Dad," she murmured wryly.

"Which was why I had the jury," he told her calmly. "And the public and artists' votes. I had one vote and artists are notoriously unpredictable. If I had told them who to vote for, I can guarantee they would vote for anyone but! No, all I had to do was allow your innate talent to shine through. Your works were thoroughly deserving of those prizes!"

"I voted for you in the public vote," Fink whispered.

"And so did I," Hiccup added. She smiled.

"I wanted to thank you," she added. "I know my Dad only thinks that I won because he asked you to let me. I know he considers everything I do a waste of time and effort…but I am grateful. Because no matter what he says, he can't take away from me the fact that people liked my pictures…that the Jury, that people who know what they are talking about, liked my pictures." She looked into his face. He smiled.

"Would you like a walk?" he asked.

"Fink?" she turned to her brother but he was grinning, seeing her relax for the first time in what seemed like forever. Zephyr was brilliant, artistic, intuitive…and totally undermined by Eret. And every time his father tore her down, Fink hated his father a little more. It was one more reason why he had wanted her to properly meet Tallon Fury away from his father's watchful eye: because maybe, this mysterious man who had offered nothing but kindness and support to another man's son without any hope of repayment could provide her with the father figure that she so desperately needed. He squeezed her hand.

"I'm going scrambling with Ruff and Tuff," he said, relaxing. "I've finally been cleared after my concussion and Dad is busy up in the Casino all day. Thor only knows when I'll get another chance. Unless you want me to…?" Immediately, she shook her head.

"You go," she urged him, her eyes softening with affection and then she turned back to Hiccup. "Actually, I'd like to go for a walk with you, Tallon. And maybe I can possibly find some places to practice my landscapes?" He chuckled.

"Believe me-there is plenty of landscape on Berk!" he laughed and glanced over at his friends. "Take care of Fink-and nothing too extreme, Tuff. I organised to get his brain mended: I don't want you scrambling it again!" The male twin looked offended.

"Dude-I would never harm my shining protege," he said. "Though there is an awesome new move I wanna show him."

"Medevac on standby," Hiccup muttered ironically. Then he turned to Zephyr. "Not too late to watch Tuff try to kill himself…" Snotlout walked out and glanced at the group and then rolled his eyes.

"Is there a flyer out for waifs and strays?" he murmured and then softened his words with a smile. "Not that it doesn't apply to all of us…"

"Simon…" Hiccup murmured, using his cousin's real name. Snotlout winked.

"Where you heading?" he asked quietly. "Not that I'm concerned at all, I just like to have some idea where my billionaire charge is going."

"The Cliffs then Thor's beach," he said. "Very picturesque, not too far…and I think Zephyr will love the views…" Her eyes widened and she smiled as he offered her his arm.

"Care for a walk, Milady?"

oOo

It was a pleasant early summer's day, the deciduous woods bright green and the evergreens a glossy deep pine shade with sunlight dappling the grassy ground. Bluebells were clustered amid the shadows, their bowed heads gently nodding in the breeze as the two shapes walked along the dry and clear paths. Zephyr found her eyes trailing up to the tall man at her side, his relaxed face pleasant and unthreatening. In all of her life, she had never really met someone like Tallon Fury. When she had been seated next to him at that incredibly awkward meal at her home, he had been pleasant, kind but reserved enough for her to understand her place as a young woman being indulged by a much bigger player in the game, a powerful man who could afford to spare some kindness to the daughter of his new business partner. Now, she was not so sure who he really was. Her father had been less than happy with Tallon Fury since then, cursing the man as hard-headed and selfish-which Zephyr realised meant that he was not doing what Eret wanted as it was clearly not in his best interest. But Tallon had rushed forward at the competition when her brother's life had hung in the balance and he had taken charge when her father had been absent-as usual. Tallon Fury had taken them to the best place he could find to protect Fink and made sure they were housed, supported and treated with respect and kindness.

"Do you get much of a chance to draw?" she asked him hesitantly and he swung his shielded gaze to inspect her. He smiled.

"Not really," he admitted. "Occasionally, when I'm travelling, I see a view and long for my paints but then I realise that I have other things to do and I have to turn my back on the image, though the colours remained burned on my memory."

"Does it hurt, to leave that part of you behind?" she asked, her voice soft. Even here, she had a pencil and a sketch book stuffed in her pocket because she drew every day. A life without art, without sketching, drawing, painting was unthinkable. It was the only time when she was free, when she could express the true Zephyr rather than the timid young woman her father had ruthlessly forced her to become. Walking for a few seconds, he nodded.

"It's like a constant nag," he admitted. "When I was younger, I always drew. The pictures I drew of my girlfriend, the woman I loved…" His voice trailed to a halt and she stole a look at his face, suddenly pensive and sad.

"What happened?" she asked after an awkward pause. He shrugged.

"We drifted apart," he told her lightly, though there was an edge of pain in his voice. "I still loved her but I guess…some things weren't meant to be."

They walked along quietly for another few moments, topping shallow rise. Suddenly, there was more light through the trees and beyond, the sounds of the ocean. The scream of a gull made them both jump.

"I'm sorry," Zephyr said as he smiled.

"Not your fault," he said easily. "I guess it all happened before you were even born." They broke through the tree line and Zephyr stopped, her eyes wide and mouth open at the magnificent vista. The sea was a deep cobalt blue and lighter azure sky was almost cloudless. Beneath them, the granite cliffs haphazardly slumped around the Bay, the sunlight gleaming off the facets in the rock. He chuckled. "Pretty special, isn't it?"

"It's…amazing," she breathed. "The colours…the cliffs…" She smiled and drew her phone out, swiftly snapping a couple of pictures. His eyebrows shot up.

"You paint from photographs?" he asked, interested. Looking guiltily up, she nodded.

"Sometimes, I try to grab views before Dad can notice," she confessed. "I know it's not the same-you don't get the dynamics of the light and shade-but it's better than nothing. Otherwise, I don't get the chance to get out and find many places to paint." She chewed her lip in thought-and then she gave a small smile. In a flash, she snapped an image of him as well. He chuckled and swiftly slipped the phone from her hand. She curled in on herself, expecting him to sneer at her, to erase the picture and turn away-but instead, he walked to stand at her side and arranged them with the view in the background. Unselfconsciously, he clicked a couple of pictures of the pair together before handing the phone back.

"You-you didn't have to…" she mumbled, staring at the image of herself smiling beside the billionaire, his grin open and genuine.

"No-but you wanted a picture-and I think getting my picture with the High School Art Champion of Berk is pretty cool," he teased her, seeing her blush once more. "I know the best way down to the beach…"

"Hold right there!" A gruff voice had both stiffening and Hiccup instinctively grasped his wrist, thumbing the alarm on his aviator watch before standing between the half dozen armed men who emerged from the woods. Slowly, he raised his hands.

"You know this is private property, right?" he checked as the first man walked forward and cracked the rifle butt across his face. He went down with a groan, the muzzle of the rifle stuffed into his face.

"Shut up," the man growled. He and his friends were all garbed in brown and grey camouflage fatigues, masks over their lower face and visors over their eyes. All were solid, buff men who looked professional. Hiccup knew exactly who their leader was-and who would have sent them.

"Let the girl go," he said. "She's Eretson's daughter. She won't say anything. I'm sure your boss doesn't want to mess with the family of one of his allies." The butt crashed across his face once more and he spat blood. Two men grabbed Zephyr's arms and she struggled.

"Then she'll know to keep quiet about what happens," the man growled, lifting a radio. "Come on up. Package acquired." Hiccup felt hands grab his arms and haul him up as a helicopter rose up the cliff and landed briefly on the cliff top. He felt himself bundled into the aircraft, plastic ties biting into his wrists as he was bound and his heart sinking as he saw the ashen face of the girl as she was shoved roughly to sit beside him. His head was spinning with the blows, blood smeared on the side of his mouth and cheek and adrenaline buzzing around his body as the door slammed shut and the helicopter lifted off.

Please be watching, Snot.

oOo

The alarm jarred everyone in the house and proximity alerts blossomed across the board. Snotlout felt his alarm buzz at the same time and his eyes widened. Heather and Fishlegs erupted into the security office as the stocky man stabbed the keyboard roughly.

Hiccup's watch contained a locator and every concealed camera sprang to life, detecting the rise of the helicopter and the capture of their friend. Heather's sharp intake of breath was loud in the grim silence.

"How did they get on the property?" Fishlegs asked directly.

"The cliffs and beach are technically public property," Snotlout told him grimly. "He tried to buy them but he couldn't, remember? Grimborn and his Island Council refused."

"So why did he go there when it was unsafe?" Heather asked.

"The girl," Fishlegs told her slowly. "He wanted to talk with her." The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"I think he sees some of himself in her," Snotlout interrupted. "He knows that though the father is his enemy, she isn't. The boy as well. And he likes the kids. Damn. His tracker is on but if they take him off-island, he will be much harder to find. I knew I shouldn't have let him go."

"He knew this was a possibility," the husky man reminded him. "He accepted the risk."

"I didn't," Snot growled. "And neither did Zephyr Eretson." And then he sighed. "Okay. Heather-get Dagur in. Call him now. We need to get him back before anything can happen to him." She looked up, her green eyes concerned.

"So what will you be doing?" The stocky man rose and ran his hand over his face.

"I'll be explaining to Fink why his sister is now missing," he said.

oOo

He had been calm for her because there was nothing else he could do as the helicopter ride continued. Zephyr had curled in on herself, terrified and clinging to him because he was the only person she trusted-and somehow the trust of a young woman bolstered him against whatever may come. No less scared-because this stirred all sorts of horrific memories, of being arrested and dragged away to the Prison That no On Ever Returned From-he lifted his chin and inspected his captors. They were all watching him carefully, weapons held expertly and he had no doubt they would harm him if he tried to resist. And he knew what they were capable of because he had done his research into the men that he was pursuing. Though he had never imagined they would be so crude-and so obvious. Behind his glasses, he closed his eyes and he felt himself shiver at all those other images, of fights and deaths and lying in pain and despair in his freezing cell. It would be so easy to slide back there, to let his head regress back to the creature who had struggled in that hell, doing whatever it took to survive. But Zephyr was shaking hard and he forced himself to curl around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. Somehow, the warmth of her body reminded him that he wasn't completely alone.

"Stay close to me and say nothing," he murmured, his voice low. She sniffed and when she looked up, her face was wet.

"Why are they doing this?" she whispered.

"They wanted me," he murmured.

"Why?" He smiled at that, the briefest of grim expressions that disappeared just as quickly.

"I am a billionaire and lots of people think that kidnapping me would pay for a luxury life beyond their wildest dreams," he told her dryly. "Or maybe, business rivals think that threatening me may be an option to discourage me. Perhaps, they think frightening me may work." She gave a small, choked sob.

"Why am I here?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"I don't know," he lied, feeling her press closer against him. He prayed they would be merciful, that the men would have recognised the name of their ally's daughter. And that they had not planned to use her pain to punish him. Swallowing, she looked up and saw the bruising and blood on his face and her eyes widened.

"You're hurt," she murmured, raising her hand to gently stroke his wound. He nodded, his head splitting with a headache.

"I suspect this will be just the beginning," he commented grimly. "Say nothing, Zephyr. Let me do the talking. And don't worry. I won't allow anything to happen to you." It was a ridiculous thing to promise because he and she both knew he had no leverage, no power to make good on his words-but there was a huge part of Zephyr that wanted to believe him. He was calm and reassuring while she was terrified, his presence solid and real as she trembled in fear of her life. She nodded.

"Thanks," she whispered as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest. He let her press against him as he heard the helicopter begin to descend. He sighed.

"Showtime."