"Nuffink, have you seen Zephyr?" asked Astrid, trying to hide the alarm in her tone as she frantically searched the room for her daughter. It was later after Hiccup and Viggo departed, gone back to the Archipelago to solve another conflict. Astrid hoped her husband knew what he was doing and that he wasn't letting his heart cloud his mind. She'd been so anxious about him leaving... She feared for his safety, and what this bad news could mean for them if the mission was to go south. But now she had a new problem.

She couldn't find Zephyr. She was with her when Hiccup bid his goodbyes. It'd already been a few hours since, and Zephyr wasn't responding to any of her calls. Astrid slowly started to grow concerned for her daughter's whereabouts. She always told her where she went and when she'd be back. But this time was different. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

"Zephyr?" echoed Nuffink, a confused look painting his innocent face as he looked up from his work at the dining table where he tried building a birdhouse with the limited materials and tools he possessed.

"Have you seen your sister?" she tried again, her hopes high.

"She left with Dad," said Nuffink, casually shrugging before returning his focus on his work.

"What?" Astrid felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

"Zephyr... left with Dad?" repeated Nuffink, picking up on her uneasiness.

Astrid tried catching herself, steadying her breath and pushing her bangs out of her face.

"She promised she'd drink my Yaknog next Snoggletog if I didn't tell you!" admitted Nuffink before slapping his hands over his mouth, realizing his mistake.

"This can't happening," said Astrid, twisting around to him, pacing. She tried thinking of a solution. Except she knew there was nothing she could do now. Hiccup and Viggo and Zephyr left hours ago. They would be too far away for her to catch up with. Did Hiccup know about this? Her husband would be out of his mind to let an 8-year-old come along on this ride. She could think of plenty of punishments when they'd return. Dark thoughts slithered in her mind as Astrid thought of all the terrible that could happen with her daughter caught in the crossfire.

Thunder growled in the distance, and Astrid lifted her head up to acknowledge the incoming storm. She stepped in the doorway and watched the dark clouds roll in uninvited, and prayed the gods that her husband and daughter be returned to her safe and sound.

...

"Berserker Island?" echoed Zephyr as she leaned against the gunwale. She stood on her tiptoes, trying to see ahead. "That doesn't sound like an island you'd want to go anywhere near."

She leaned forward even more and Hiccup caught her by her shoulder, bringing both her feet back flat on the deck.

"Well, we wouldn't have to go anywhere near if you'd done as you were told and stayed home with your mother like I told you to," said Hiccup dryly. Zephyr turned away, irritated. "Why do you always have to make things so difficult?"

"Sounds like someone I know…" commented Viggo from his post.

"Not helping," growled Hiccup, scowling his way.

Viggo raised his hands innocently and rolled his eyes.

Zephyr walked over to the supplies and sat on one of the many crates, folding her arms over her chest. Hiccup leaned against the edge of the gunwale, pinching his nose bridge disbelievingly. Viggo cast a look at the ex-Rider, reading him like an open book. He was upset about the situation, and although Viggo never had a child of his own, he knew it was not a state to be in when talking to a kid.

He sighed and got up, walking over to Hiccup. He patted his shoulder.

"Let me handle this," he whispered. Hiccup, surprisingly, didn't glare at him or spin him around, whispering warnings. He allowed it, keeping a close eye on the ex-Hunter as he walked over to Zephyr and sat down next to her without invitation.

"You know," started Viggo while Zephyr turned away, uninterested in what he had to say. "You and your father are a lot alike. Stubborn."

Hiccup's head snapped his way, and he glowered, insulted. Viggo ignored him. The ex-Hunter looked down at the marble game piece resting in her palms.

"Aah, now this…" said Viggo, gesturing at the piece. "This is my favourite game of all time."

"Maces and Talons," said Zephyr, staring down at the little Viking-shaped marble, a cheerless note to her tone. "Designed to test the abilities and decision-making expertise of future chiefs." She quoted him like she was reading the words of a page.

"You remember," noticed Viggo, smiling. "I'm impressed."

"Did… you and my Dad use to play?" she asked, turning around to face him. Viggo was surprised by that question, but couldn't admit he was shocked. She was a smart lass, and assembling the pieces together wasn't that much trouble given her father being chief and all. But Viggo doubted she'd assembled the puzzle and realized it wasn't just a harmless board game.

Viggo cast a quick glance over at Hiccup standing with his back turned on them. He knew he was listening, and he was waiting to hear his answer.

"We did," he replied, returning his attention on Zephyr. She looked up at him, eyes shining as bright as sapphires. "What you're holding in your hands is the Viking Chief. I began playing when I was just a boy. I always insisted on being that very Viking Chief piece. I constantly lost to my grandfather; round after round. I never won a single game. For a very long time, I thought that his skill simply transcended mine. Until I realized I believed in a lie all along." He thought a lot about that story. "Nothing is black and white. There is no good, nor evil. Everything is morally ambiguous."

Zephyr listened attentively, spellbound.

"You fail to see it," said Viggo, looking down at the Viking Chief game piece in her hands. "It's game over."

Zephyr looked down and closed her hands on the object. "I never met my grandfather…" she said, remembering Stoick's statue that'd been sculpted in his honour. "He died before I was born."

Viggo thought carefully. "War…" he said softly. "It takes everything from you." He thought back on all the wars he'd started and ended, the damage they did, to both sides. He'd triumphed for so long… He never predicted to fall the way he did. His war against the Dragon Riders cost him everything. None of it had been worth any of the sacrifices… and Viggo wished he could change the past and make himself see the truth before the damage had been done.

He'd been so wrapped up in his own troubled thoughts; he hadn't realized he'd gone quiet. Zephyr toyed with the piece awkwardly before looking up at him again.

"Viggo's a strange name," she stated, and Viggo raised an eyebrow at her comment.

"So's Zephyr," he replied.

"Not really," said Zephyr, shrugging. "It's derived from the word Zephyrus, which is the name of the Greek God of the west wind. It literally means West Wind."

Viggo blinked, impressed.

"My parents taught me that there's a meaning behind every name," continued Zephyr. "What does yours mean?"

Viggo took a moment before answering, "War… It means war."

…

Berserker Island was just like Hiccup remembered it… The view was imposing from afar, especially from down here, aboard a ship. Hiccup recalled when he was younger how his father would take him to renew treaties with their allies, and the Berserker Tribe had been one of them. He couldn't remember how he'd felt the first time he laid eyes on the vertical isle. Its central mountain and its little spread of hills and fields made the piece of land quite confusing to the eye and made one wonder how a tribe could live on a piece of rock such as this one. But Hiccup and his friends had visited the Berserkers more than a few times, especially in his late teens during the war with the Dragon Hunters. It's where they'd escaped peril; it's where they fought the final battle. This island had once been a war zone. Images flashed before his eyes and Hiccup saw the fires, the raining ashes, the ice blasts, the sinister laughs…

He blinked, returning to reality.

The view was majestic as they neared the docks. Even from where they stood, Hiccup had noticed the number of guards on duty standing higher on the island. They held spears and stood as straight as statues. A few who were on sentry duty were given new orders and moved out to the docks as they neared to berth.

Hiccup and Viggo went to work and moored the vessel. Neither of them was surprised when they accosted them. It had been a long time since Hiccup had last interacted with another tribe… and he knew a lot had changed. He didn't expect to be treated the same way as he'd been treated the last time he'd set foot on this island.

The guards' eyes never left their form as Hiccup, Viggo, and Zephyr stepped down the plank. They were immediately flanked from every side as if they were dangerous trespassers.

"Our Chieftess wishes to speak with you," said the leading soldier, his tone dry and commanding.

Hiccup cast a look over his shoulder at Viggo while Zephyr stood close to him, holding onto his hand.

"Let's go," ordered the Berserker, gesturing to follow as if they had a choice.

They made their way up to the plaza, and Hiccup started to rethink whether visiting old allies was such a good idea after all. He kept reminding himself things changed and that it meant that the people who'd once been closest to him would be different too. The hostility was ever so present as the scent of salt at sea. He kept on catching scowls aimed their way but Hiccup ignored them, focusing on the task at hand.

Viggo, on the other hand, held their stares defiantly.

"Is there a problem?" he asked dryly, a warning to his tone.

The guard glared and turned away, staring straight ahead.

"Such hospitality…" whispered Viggo, his gaze burning into Hiccup's back as if letting him know he blamed him for his allies' nasty behaviour.

"Yeah, because you're here," replied Hiccup over his shoulder.

"Thank you for the reminder," growled Viggo, looking away.

"Dad? I'm scared..." said Zephyr, staying close to her father for protection. Hiccup looked down at her, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"It's okay, Zephyr…" he said, his voice soft and gentle. But Zephyr wasn't convinced and looked around as they reached the town, the eyes focused on them like predators fixating prey.

Hiccup was no longer too sure whether they'd walked into a friend or a foe's home.

They neared the bridge leading up to the Great Hall and the guards halted. Hiccup and Viggo exchanged a discreet gaze and looked straight ahead to see a woman escorted by two guards, their stand noble. Hiccup instantly recognized the Chieftess. Her long raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her narrow face elegantly; the flaming emerald green eyes sharp yet soft; the metallic accessories and the neutral colours of her outfit… Hiccup couldn't help but stare.

"Now, what do we have here?" said Heather, a smile stretching her lips.

"Heather," said Hiccup, exhaling sharply in disbelief. He smiled, taking a step closer when Heather nodded her guard to stand down. "It's good to see you."

Heather smiled and nodded, as happy to see his face as he was to see hers. Hiccup would've embraced her tightly, letting her know he'd missed her dearly. But he held back, sensing a strange vibe waving off of her.

Viggo stepped forward, appearing at Hiccup's side, and Hiccup immediately noticed the change in her expression. One of hostility.

"And you brought a friend…" she said lowly, narrowing her eyes on Viggo as he held her confused stare. Hiccup knew exactly what was running through her mind as she took a moment to absorb reality. She turned sharply to Hiccup. "I assume there is a very logical explanation why you would even think of bringing this man onto my island?"

Before Hiccup could answer, she nodded to her guards. They instantly seized the ex-Hunter. Viggo struggled a little just to be stubborn but quickly stilled, holding Heather's gaze defiantly.

"Heather, hear me out," said Hiccup hurriedly, placing a hand on her shoulder to drag her attention back onto him. Even though he hadn't seen her in years, he still knew how quickly she could be to react. Heather looked at him for a moment, thinking.

"Let's take this to the Great Hall," she said and turned around to follow after her guard escorting their newest prisoner.

Hiccup sighed and followed after her, gesturing to Zephyr to stay close.

Gotta give credit to user corbinace for the Yaknog idea in the first scene.

also I just love Viggo & Zephyr interactions idk it brings me so much joy