"Come on Iris," Dagur pleaded again. "Come out. I can't go get you. Enigma is glaring at me."

"You're an idiot," Iris yelled in English. She was currently in the stall the Berserker's gave Enigma with her protective dragon between her and a giant idiot. "Go away!"

After Dagur's declaration that she was going to be the future chieftess of Berserker, the crowd went insane. Almost immediately they started celebrating, shouting to bring out food and ale and something about needing fire. Dagur had dismounted and received back slaps and hand shakes from everyone who could get near him. However Iris stayed hunkered on Engima's back as she tried to figure out if she misunderstood his Norse. Future chieftess?

They hadn't even talked about marriage and he was telling his people she was going to be their future chieftess? As in he, the chief, his wife? When the hell had this been decided? She couldn't say anything though. The people around her looked at her in awe and respect, some even crying in joy. She couldn't refute his words.

Riding on Enigma she followed Dagur and Jager to a large stable that held a few cows and a pair of horses. The livestock balked at the sight and scent of the dragons but the dragons ignored them in favor of the large comfortable stalls. Jager flopped to the ground the moment Dagur took his saddle off, rolling in the fresh straw. Enigma however simply glared at everyone that came near her as Iris took off her saddle and pack. She didn't bother getting out of the stall and stayed at the very back as Enigma placed herself between her and the front of the stall. Which lead them to the current situation.

"I'm sorry," he said yet again. "I didn't mean to say it like that. Honest. Please come out and talk to me."

"No," she yelled. "I don't want to talk to you!" She heard him sigh and felt Enigma start growling. "Go away!"

"I'll let Enigma bite me if it means I can get closer to you." Enigma growled still and Iris felt her muscles tense.

"Dagur I mean it! I don't want to talk to you!" Her face was damp from the tears she had been crying earlier and they threatened to start again. "Just leave me alone."

Suddenly Enigma stopped growling. She gave a soft croon, shifting slightly. Iris rested her forehead on her knees as she sniffled. A warm arm slide around her shoulders and forced her around to rest against a familiar warm chest. She sniffled again as Dagur wrapped his other arm around her.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. She felt his beard brush against her cheek as he pressed his against hers. "I'm an idiot, the biggest idiot in both worlds. I accept that. But I meant what I said."

"And what's that?" she sniffed. "Tell me."

"I want to marry you." Her heart felt like it stopped. "I mean it. Someday I want to take that ring I made for you and place it on your ring finger as my wife."

"What if you change your mind? What if you meet someone else?" A queen?

"I will never change my mind. Enigma can kill me if I even have the faintest thought of it. However I will never change my mind and no one can ever replace you. The first moment I saw you I knew, in my soul, that you were the only one for me."

"Idiot." He chuckled.

"I am. Still. Iris, will you marry me?" She pulled back as far as his arms would let her to look at his face.

"Idiot." She sniffled as his expression went from worried to anxious. "You already know I will."

She thought he was going to break her in half he hugged her so hard. His body shook as he chuckled. Suddenly he grabbed her face and kissed her. She could taste salt from her tears in their kiss. She pulled away to break the kiss and pressed her forehead against his chest.

"You do know that I know nothing about being a chieftess right?" she asked. "Like, nothing. I didn't even go to college like I had planned. How am I going to help you control an island full of overly excitable people?"

"I'll teach you," he said confidently. "Besides, I know you'll do just fine the way you are. You know how to read people. Besides, if they get too rowdy you can always set Enigma on them." The dragon chortled. "See? She agrees."

"Of course she agrees. She's the most ill tempered dragon towards people."

"She also keeps you safe when I can't. Which I promised Jon when I asked him."

"Asked him what?" She wiggled out of his arms to flop back into the fresh smelling straw.

"His permission to marry you." That caused her to sit right back up. "Why do you think he hit me? Why I let him when I could have dodged?"

"I thought." Her words died out as she thought about it. They had spent quite a while talking when Dagur came out with his black eye and her dad looked content. "You asked him? Before we even left?"

"I did. I wanted to do it right even though I messed it up in the end." He got to his feet and offered her his hand, which she took. "Let's go meet your future people."

With a sigh she nodded. Enigma cooed anxiously as they walked past her but Iris rubbed her nose gently. The gesture calmed the dragon enough to start inspecting her stall. She wished she could stay with her but she knew she'd have to face these people eventually.

Once they came in eye sight of the crowd people began to cheer. Tables had appeared above the beach line on the grass and a large fire dominated the center of the beach. Children ran around, laughing and dodging adults, while adults drank heartily and ate from the platters of food that dominated the center of the tables. Some were even playing music and caused others to dance.

"Are they always this excitable?" she asked Dagur.

"We've missed our chief," the older man from earlier answered. He appeared suddenly next to her, making her jump. "Apologizes chieftess. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Its fine. Just on edge still from traveling."

"Elder Rohan what has happened since I've been gone?" Dagur asked the man.

The man in question looked like your typical Viking. A massive white beard was braided with various beads in the braids. He walked with a hunch but that didn't seem to stop him from carrying a sword on his hip. No hair covered his head, at least from what Iris could see under his horned helmet. However his bright blue eyes were cunning and sharp given his aged look.

"Various men tried to take your place after your sister brought news of your demise," Rohan was saying. "However none lasted more than a month before they were overthrown and killed. The last two months the chief's seat has been vacant due to an order from us elders. Enough blood had been spilled but for good reason it seems. The gods knew you were returning and refused to let false leaders hold your seat."

"How has the tribe function since you were told the news?" Iris asked. He looked at her curiously.

"Very chaotic, more so than usual. Differents ship crews began working independently, raiding and attacking nearby islands, other ships, even the Dragon Riders and Dragon Hunters. One group joined them for a brief spell but only their empty ships were found. Crops were ignored, flocks unattended, fishing halted. Many of our stores are low and we barely made it through winter."

"This isn't good," Dagur growled. "I want the family head of each family in the great hall. Immediately." Rohan nodded, his eyes glistening. "What? What's wrong with you?"

"You've changed," the elder sniffed. "You've become stronger, more level headed. You even found a worthy bride to stand by your side and dragons to fight alongside our armada. I never thought I'd like to see the day you were no longer so deranged that children fled from your gaze." He bowed slightly. "I will gather the family heads, my chief."

"Oh shut up," he muttered. Iris snickered at his now red ears. "You too."

"So how badly are you going to beat them up?" she asked in soft English. It was nice being able to speak a language none of the tribesmen knew.

"I'd like to chop off the right hand of each offender," Dagur growled. He rubbed his eyes as they walked through the crowd to head to the village. "However I don't think you'd fully approve. Tell me. What would you do?"

"Firstly, I'd have Jager join you," she began. "Even if he's a softie he is intimidating. Have him stand behind and to your left like he's a weapon." Dagur nodded slowly. "I'd give them each a chance to try to explain themselves, see how many rat out the others. Find out those who were actually loyal to Berserker and tried to keep order. Someone eventually tended those fields and livestock, at least enough to feed everyone through winter. Reward them for their loyalty."

"What about those who turned their back on Berserker?"

"Strip the family head of their position, imprison them, and make them into an example for the rest of their kin. Show them what happens when they turn their back on Berserker. Maybe cut off a pinkie." Dagur stared at her in surprise. "What? Their actions not only made relations with other clans horrible, they put their home at risk. Everyone on this island could have died from starvation or war due to their recklessness. They should be punished."

"I'm impressed," he said, snaking an arm around her waist to pull her close. "You are going to be a perfect chieftess." She blushed as Dagur gave a sharp whistle. Jager answered it with a roar. "You do know Enigma will come with right?"

"Her and I will stay out of the way," Iris said.

"Oh no you won't. You'll sit right next to me, in your rightful place. Else I'll make you sit on my lap."

"I don't think that would be very intimidating."

He laughed as he pushed open a massive door that swung open way too easy. Iris eyed it, wondering how something so big could open so easy, as Jager and Enigma raced up the short set of stairs to stand next to them. Enigma nudged her eagerly, purring.

"I missed you too girl," Iris laughed. They followed Dagur inside. Now she knew where all the tables came from.

A large high backed chair sat on a small dais with a large fireplace on either side. At least they were some distance away so whoever sat on the chair wouldn't cook. Dagur went behind the big chair and dragged out a smaller but still large chair. She went to help him but Jager was already there pushing it with ease. The two put it to the right of the other chair, the arms pressed together.

A massive Skrill was carved into the back of the biggest chair, its maw opened in a roar above the seated party's head. Its wings stretched out and down to the arms of the chair giving the visual of wrapping its wings around the seater. The smaller chair had typical Viking designs carved into it that were still impressive to her.

"I will have to have a seat done for you to match mine," Dagur said. "It will need to be Enigma carved into it."

"This one is fine," Iris said nervously. She sat down at Dagur's gesture. Enigma laid next to her seat and rested her chin on the arm of the seat, purring as Iris ran her hand up and down her face.

As Iris suggested, Jager seated himself on Dagur's left and a little behind him. She could imagine they were quite the sight, two people wearing leather gear sitting in the chief and chieftess' seats with a dragon on either side in two different positions. The first Viking went from cheery to immediately pale the moment he laid eyes on them. Guess she was right.

Dagur stayed seated, his elbows resting on the arms of his chair with his hands folded together and his chin resting on them. He stared darkly at the Vikings as they entered, all their cheery expressions turning pale the moment they laid eyes on him. Some looked at her, maybe hoping for a friendly face, but Iris kept her expression blank. She didn't want to give them any reason to think she'd side with any of them and just focused on petting a growling Enigma who exposed her pair of long fangs.

"My chief," Rohan said once he approached the dias and bowed. "I have brought the family heads as you've requested." Dagur just nodded at the elder's words.

Eleven men and five women stood before them. All looked nervous not that she blamed them. If looks could kill all of them would be dead from Dagur's glare. For a few minutes he just stared at them. Iris had read similar scenarios in so many books she could narrate it in her head. Right now she bet he was staring at each Viking individually, measuring their worth as he probably tried to keep his anger under control.

"I have heard you all have been busy since I was gone," Dagur suddenly said. He leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other as he folded his hands before him. "Very, very busy. Not all good busy either. Fighting over the chief seat, I understand. You all thought I was dead and did the next rational thing. Taking personal initiative to attack other ships, other clans, that I can't comprehend though."

"Chief we had to-" one Viking, a man with one eye missing, tried to say. Jager snarled at him which shut him up instantly.

"I couldn't have said it any better," Dagur said darkly. "He hates it when people talk out of turn. You know, I get it. I really do. We always go out and raid other clans, attack merchant ships." Some of the Vikings nodded eagerly at his words. Iris took a mental note of each one. "But I am pretty sure we still made sure to take care of our own. Didn't abandon our people, ignore our crops, leave our livestock to be picked off. Yet somehow each of you who decided to take a set of ships out to raid COMPLETELY TURNED YOUR BACK ON THE PEOPLE OF BERSERK!"

All the Vikings flinched back, even Rohan. Only Iris and the dragons stayed calm as Dagur leaped to his feet to roar at them. Fury darkened his face and turned his eyes stoney. Jager and Enigma growled to add emphasis.

"I should behead all of you and send your corpses to your families," Dagur snarled as he sat back down. "However, I don't wish to show Iris such a bloody start to my return. So I will give you each a chance. A chance to explain why you did what you did while I was gone."

"Chief not all of us abandoned Berserker," a young skinny man with pitch black hair said. He stepped forward, ignoring the glares some of the others gave him. "My kin and I stayed and protected Berserker. The Hargins didn't turn our backs on Berserk nor did Lojals or the Tuffreds or the Rodsons. We all stayed and did our best."

"Rat bastard," one burly Viking with light brown hair and a double braided beard spat. "Quick to cover your thin skin. The only reason your lot stayed behind is because you are too cowardly to fight. Chief, my kin the Warogs followed me to battle against the Dragon Riders. We tried to bring down those who caused your death, to get revenge for your name! How can we call ourselves Berserkers if we let the people who we thought killed our chief run free?" A couple of other Vikings grumbled and nodded. "Not all of us were just raiding for the fun of it. We filled the treasury and brought glory to Berserk!"

More Vikings voiced their agreement with the Warog head while some of the others shook their heads and scowled. Warog turned to stare down at the Hargin head. Iris was impressed he stared right back, his back straight and gaze unwavering. Three other Vikings, two women and an older man, moved to stand beside Hargin while others shifted to stand with Warog including the one eyed Viking. Only a few stayed back and out of the two groups way. Those must be the neutral parties. Two women stood back along with two much younger men, boys really, and an extremely elderly man.

"Tell me," Dagur drawled. "What did you five back there do?"

"I'm ashamed to say my Chief we only took care of our own," one woman Viking said. She was tall with extremely short hair. "Our husbands, their fathers, and his son went on a fool's errand to fight the Dragon Hunters to avenge you and never returned. Two boys had to become family heads far too young while I and my comrade became widows. This elder had to resume the head position he had passed to his son. While we didn't support Berserk as fully as we should have, we didn't abandon her to go play pirate. We all struggled to cope with the loss of the men and women of our families."

Iris' heart hurt at the woman's words. No wonder she had her hair cut so short. The other woman did as well. They had not only lost their chief but their families lost so many trying to avenge him. She looked away to gaze at Dagur, unable to keep her expression blank. He noticed her pained gaze and reached to hold her hand.

"You have heard them," he said. "My bride, what do you say?"

"Traitors should be made an example of," she said in English. He nodded so she switched to Norse. "I trust you Dagur. You will do what is right." A wicked grin spread across his face.

"I have heard all your excuses," he drawled again. He stood up, pulling out one of his throwing hatchets to play with it menacingly. Cringey. "One side we have those who put their own gain before Berserk. One side we have those who actually did the right thing for Berserk. Then there's those who didn't have the manpower or resources to do anything." The Vikings looked at him nervously as he paced the dias.

"I spoke to Rohan," he drawled. "The store houses are empty. Our livestock are barely existent. Worse of all, our treasury is bare." The Warog head blanched. "So not only are there traitors, there are thieves! I HATE THIEVES!"

"My chief," the Warog head tried to say as he approached Dagur but Dagur just spun around with his arm outstretched.

The Warog screamed, clutching a bloody stump as his hand landed next to him. Dagur laughed maniacally as he approached the man who had fallen to his knees. Iris watched as he used his hatchet to make the injured man lift his head and face him.

"You are lucky it is only your hand Warog," he chuckled. "If I was less sane I'd have taken your head." He pulled his hatchet away and let the man's head drop. "The Warog, Slange, Lat, Padde, Sol, and Stum families will be stripped of their raided goods and the heads their title of family head. You will be imprisoned and charged for your crimes."

"Chief," the one eyed Viking tried to argue. However Rohan slammed his sword sheath on the floor which brought in several armored men who surrounded the group of traitors. "You fools!"

"You are the fools," Iris said loftily, trying to channel her inner mom Vivian. The group stared at her as if she appeared from thin air. "You thought only of yourselves and not your people, not your families. A true Berserker, a true Viking, would ensure their family and fellows are cared for during a time of turmoil, not add to it."

"Bitch," the only woman in the traitor group spat. "How dare you speak as if you know our people when you are a mere foreign whore." Enigma lunged forward with a snarl, causing the woman to fall back in fear. Just as quickly she returned to Iris, growling.

"I will enjoy slicing out your tongue," Dagur said darkly. He looked like he was ready to reach in the woman's mouth and pull out her tongue then and there. "Take them away before I start taking heads."

"I am sorry my chieftess," Rohan said as the armored men dragged the shouting Vikings away. "The Slange family is not well known for their good behavior. I promise no one here on Berserker shares her views."

"I understand," she said quietly.

"For your loyalty to Berserk, I will reward the Hargin, Lojal, Rodson, and Tuffred families," Dagur continued. He stood before the two men and two women. "You will be given a suitable reward from the seized goods of the traitors since out treasury and storehouses are bare. I will be trusting you to help bring Berserker back to her former glory and power."

"As for you five." He turned to face the defeated looking group. "There will be no punishment but also no reward. Take this time to seek marriages from your families to others. I may call on you to help mend relations with our neighbor clans through marriage."

"Truly Chief?" the second woman asked. "You would allow us the honor to marry into ally clans?"

"And allow them to marry into your families," he said firmly. "I understand now nor do I want to experience the pain of losing someone you all went through. I do not want to see my bride in your positions. No offense."

"We do not wish for her to experience what we have either my Chief," the elderly man said. "It is too cruel a punishment to wish on one's enemies."

"You are all dismissed," Dagur said. They each bowed to him before leaving quickly.

Iris could already bet they were going to spread word about what happened. Especially since Dagur didn't say anything about keeping quiet. Personally she felt it was a good move even though there were going to be a lot of angry people at each other and most likely at her and Dagur. She felt tired at the thought of dealing with angry people potentially trying to kill either of them.

"I have ordered men to guard your home my Chief," Rohan said to Dagur. "The people will be uneasy and some angry."

"I don't blame them," he said roughly. "It was normal Berserker mindset to think only of one's self and family. It wasn't until my father's rule that he made they work with each other and I caused it to all fall apart when I became chief."

"However you will fix it," Rohan said loyally. "The other elders agree, even elder Eik. He was the old man who lost his son, the family head."

"Do you believe their words?" Iris asked. "That they went to get revenge and not join the Dragon Hunters?"

"I believe that is what they believe," Rohan replied. "Whether it is the truth or not, well. Only the dead know." Good point.

"I'm ready for bed," Dagur groaned.

"You should join the festivities for a few minutes," Rohan said. "If only to show you aren't cowed by the imprisoned family heads."

"Like I'd be scared of them! Iris, want to join me?"

She wanted to refuse. God she was tired. The whole situation was stressful and they hadn't even been here a day. His eyes begged her to say yes though.

"Of course," she said. She stood up and grabbed his hand, interlacing her fingers with his. "I'm starving."