Chapter 54: Eret's Best Friends Come For A Visit

(Eret's POV)

It's a busy day on New Berk, and I'm helping Gobber in the forge, as I usually do when he needs help.

"Eret, Son of Eret!" I turn when I hear a voice I recognize.

Two men, dressed in reindeer furs and both having light brown hair and green eyes, are the two Harrison brothers, Michael and Stephen.

My two best friends from before I started working for Drago.

"Michael! Stephen! It's been years!" I say, approaching them.

"How have you been, mate?" Michael asks me.

"I've been well. And yourselves?"

"Pretty good, thanks." Stephen suddenly wolf-whistles.

"I swear they get younger and younger every year." Michael comments.

"Who?" I ask, confused.

"Teen mothers." Michael says, gesturing to the woman approaching us.

It's my wife, carrying our three-year old daughter Ruby.

"That's not a teenager." I say.

"She sure looks like one. Hey, sweetheart. You new around here?" Michael asks Becky.

"No. I've been living here for more than three years, with my husband and daughter."

"I pity your husband. Someone young-looking like you?"

"I'm her husband, actually." I say, holding up my hand that has my wedding band on it.

"That's…quite surprising to hear, Eret. I never thought you'd be tied down to anyone."

"Well, after my wife and I met, I knew she was the one, after some time had passed. Becky, darling, this is Michael and Stephen. We used to be friends when I was younger back on Wolfsbane."

"Nice to meet you. How did you find us?" Becky asks the two men.

"Well, Eret isn't exactly the easiest to track down. We'd heard rumors of him becoming a dragon rider, so we went to where most of the dragons lived, on Berk. But no one was there, so we heard of another rumor that he was here, on New Berk."

"Wow. That's quite the story. You're welcome to join us for dinner, if you'd like." Becky says.

"Thank you, ma'am. We'd be honored." Stephen says.

The five of us walk to the Great Hall – okay, four of us, with me carrying Ruby.

Along the way, Michael mentions Drago, and I'm quick to wrap my free arm around my wife and squeeze her shoulder.

"He won't find you, love. I promise." I whisper to her.

When we get to the Great Hall, we join our friends and family for dinner, introducing Michael and Stephen to the group.

~.~

Becky soon excuses herself to get some fresh air, alone.

While my back is turned talking to Tuffnut, I don't notice both Michael and Stephen leaving the Great Hall and following after my wife.

I soon hear my wife scream. Handing Ruby over to Amalie, I race outside, Tuff at my heels.

I see my wife on the ground, leggings at her ankles.

…and Michael and Stephen both pulling their pants up.

"Get. The Hel. Away. From. My Wife!" I shout.

Michael and Stephen turn around, their hands up in mock surrender.

"You have no idea what you've done to her." I say, moving to put myself between my wife and Michael and Stephen.

"Listen, mate, we just thought we'd have a bit of fun with her." Michael says.

"Yeah." Stephen adds.

"'A bit of fun'?! You call assaulting my wife fun?!"

It's then I hear my wife hyperventilating behind me.

"Both of you just get off of New Berk. I never want to see either of you again." I say, kneeling beside my wife, directing what I'm saying at both Michael and Stephen.

My poor wife is shaking.

"You're gonna be okay, love. I promise. Let's get you out of here. Can I carry you to Gothi's?"

Becky gives me the slightest of nods.

I pick her up and she buries her face in my shoulder, beginning to sob.

My heart breaks for her.

We get to Gothi's and Gothi ushers us inside. Knowing I need to be there to comfort my wife, Tuffnut goes to get Fishlegs for translating Gothi's writing.

When Fishlegs gets here, Gothi examines my wife. When that's done, Gothi prepares a salve for the cuts and bruises Becky had acquired from Michael and Stephen.

After everything she's gone through and survived, my former best friends come and hurt her? What the Hel?

"She's saying they didn't use protection. So she may become pregnant."

I curse under my breath.

Those good-for-nothing sons of half-trolls.

Soon, my wife falls asleep, her adoptive mother Lily staying with her while I excuse myself.

Outside Gothi's hut, I break down.

Why? I scream internally to the gods. Why?!

I soon hear a voice, and I'm praying it's not Ruby. She can't see her father like this, or her mother. She's too young.

I look up and see…my mother. I haven't seen her in ghost form since Becky's and my wedding night.

"Mum?"

"I'm here, son. She needs you. Don't worry. I won't leave."

"How could this happen, Mum? I thought Michael and Stephen were better than that."

"Apparently not, Eret. Go. Your wife needs you. I promise I won't leave until I'm sure you don't need me anymore for the time being."

"Thank you for being here, Mum. It means a lot to me."

"You're welcome."

I head into the hut, beckoned by the ghost of my mother, and kneel in front of my wife.

"I'm sorry, Eret. I'm so sorry."

"Honey…my darling…you have nothing to apologize for. I promise you."

"Are you sure?"

"100%."

Soon, my wife is well enough to go home.

She realizes that she was on her monthly cycle when Michael and Stephen hurt her…so the chance of her becoming pregnant is small.

When we get home, she collapses into bed, sobbing. Amalie and my dad are watching our daughter. I look up and see my mum.

She and I look at each other and I know we're both thinking the same thing:

Our hearts are breaking for Becky.