Chapter 21: Exposed

Hiccup enjoyed getting to know Haldor. The young Viking was just as friendly and helpful as his sister. This made Hiccup curious to meet the girl's other siblings as well. He wondered what it was like to have a sibling and then be separated from them. The closest thing he had was Toothless.

The day after the Fireworm incident, Hiccup accompanied Eira and Haldor back to Berk to introduce the latter to his father. He was kicked out of the Great Hall while the two of them talked to Stoick. He was told it was a diplomatic meeting.

Finally, after an hour of discussion, he was let inside. He immediately sensed tension in the room as he approached the three Vikings. Something was wrong. For one, Eira would not look at him. And his father had that look about him.

"Is everything alright?" Hiccup said cautiously.

"Everything is fine," Stoick assured him. "These two would simply like a word with you."

"Just a quick one," Haldor said with a weak smile.

"Okay..." Hiccup said. He glanced at Eira, but she still avoided his gaze. "What's this about?"

"It's about us. We'd like to share something personal with you."

Hiccup scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. He did not like the sound of that. "Are you sick or something?"

"Perhaps it is best if you get straight to the point," Stoick said. "I will leave you alone." As he departed the Great Hall, the Viking who had arrived with Haldor (Hiccup had never caught his name) entered.

"Your highness," he said, his eyes on Haldor. "I need to know-"

Haldor shook his head and made a swiping motion in front of his neck. Eira became white.

"'Your highness?'" Hiccup repeated. "What's going on here?"

"I'm sorry," said the newcomer. "I thought he knew."

"Knew what?"

"Please give us a minute," Haldor said.

The man nodded an exited the Great Hall.

Hiccup rounded on the siblings, his arms crossed. "I want an explanation now."

Eira and Haldor exchanged looks. Eira finally looked at him and said, "There is something about myself I haven't told you. I - " She glanced at her brother. "Our father is the king of Torvald."

Hiccup stared at her dumbly. "That means you're..."

"I'm a princess, yes." She took a deep breath. "And Haldor is the future king."

Hiccup's mind spun with the news. "Are you serious? Why didn't you tell me?"

Eira's eyes clouded in sadness as she gazed at him. "I'm sorry, Hiccup. In Torvald, the royal family is not allowed to do anything exciting because we must be protected at all costs. We don't have any real friends because they only see the title, not the person. I thought all of you would treat me the same way if you knew the truth. That's why I hid it."

"I guess I can understand that. But we we know you now, Eira. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"It... never seemed like the right time."

"Once you begin a lie, it is hard to stop it," Haldor said. "It is the path of least resistance."

"Honestly, I'm still afraid of how everyone will react," Eira admitted. "Haldor convinced me to tell you, but some of the others can be a bit... dramatic."

Hiccup frowned. "I know, but they still deserve the truth."

"I'll tell them eventually. Please, Hiccup. I need to do it right."

Hiccup shook his head. "I won't tell them, but... I'm disappointed in you. I thought you were better than this." How could she ask him to lie to his friends? Sure, it was not his secret to tell, but why burden only him with the truth?

Eira cast her gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be too hard on her," Haldor said. "She wanted to start over on Berk as a new person... not a princess. It would have been hard to do that if everyone treated her special."

"I know," said Hiccup. "This is just a lot to take in."

"I hope you will be able to continue to treat her the same."

Hiccup looked at Eira, who could no longer meet his eye. "I hope so too." This certainly changed everything... and not necessarily for the better.

Eira regretted the way Hiccup found out about her. Now he seemed to almost avoid her. It was easier to deal with than when Snotlout ignored her, but she did not know what to do about it. Haldor assured her he simply needed time to adjust. She hoped he was right.

One day, she was taking a flight around Dragon's Edge when she noticed a fire at Hiccup's hut She immediately turned Swiftwings that way to help. However, when she got there, Ruff and Tuff already doused the fire. Eira landed and looked at the scene. Hiccup was shaking his head in dismay while Snotlout appeared oblivious to everything.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Snotlout set everything on fire by trying to light the forge!" Hiccup said.

"I was helping," Snotlout said. "Relax, Hiccup. Don't get your tunic in a bunch. Everything's fine."

"Oh yeah, it's fine? It's fine? Does this look 'fine' to you?" Hiccup motioned to the charred clubhouse.

"I guess I'm just an optimist, Hiccup. I'm what you'd call a 'hut half un-burned' kind of guy."

"Hiccup, calm down," Eira said.

Hiccup turned on her. "Don't tell me to calm down!"

Eira flinched. Normally he would listen to her, but she was not sure if he would now with everything that had happened. Still, she had to try. "It sounds like Snotlout was trying to help."

"By burning everything down?"

"That wasn't his intention. Look, you have a right to be angry about the results, but if you want things like this to happen less often, you should affirm his intentions."

"I don't need affirmation," Snotlout scoffed.

Eira held in a sigh. These two had gotten better since she arrived, but they definitely still needed to work on their communication. She did not have a chance to continue, for Stoick suddenly landed with Skullcrusher, demanding to speak to Snotlout about his father.

"Ever since he joined Astrid's auxiliary Dragon Riders, he's become intolerable on a whole different level," the chief explained. "The man suddenly has ideas on improving everything. Most of which are considerably above his place in the tribe or station in life. Most recently, he's been pushing a plan for a secret off-Berk cache of emergency food and supplies."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Hiccup said.

Stoick rounded on him. "You're taking his side now, are you?"

"Uh. No, no. Uh, I just-"

Stoick continued on as if he had not been interrupted: "It wouldn't be a bad idea if he didn't persist on telling it to me four times a day. I mean, how could he be so unaware and pigheaded? Anyway, I finally told the old pain in my buttocks to go ahead and start searching. He's taken a number of reconnaissance trips as of late. Then, he went on his most recent expedition. And he hasn't returned."

"Relax, chief," Snotlout said. "He's a Jorgenson. He can take care of himself."

"It's been a month, son."

Snotlout's face turned white. "A month? You didn't say it was a month. That's my dad out there!"

Eira cast him a sympathetic look. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Okay, Dad, do you have any idea where Spitelout might have gone?" Hiccup asked.

"No, he was too secretive," Stoick said. "I did find this. Can you help me decipher it?" He handed his son a piece of parchment.

"Now, clearly it's some sort of coded map."

Snotlout grabbed the map from Hiccup. "I've seen this before. But it's not code. It's just my dad's bad handwriting and terrible grammar. Why would you dangle a participle like that? And the penmanship." He shook his head in disgust.

"Just tell me where to look and-" Stoick started.

"I'm going with you. I can't stay here if my dad's in trouble. What kind of son would I be? Besides, I can rub it in his face for once. What a muttonhead." He sighed and shook his head.

"I'll go with you," Eira said. When he looked at her in surprise, she smiled. "We're partners, right?"

Snotlout smiled back at her. "Right. Thanks, Eira."

The Vikings successfully located the island Spitelout scouted. However, upon arriving, they found a completed storehouse. While searching for Spitelout, the young Vikings and their dragons were caught in a trap. Before Stoick could free them, a Singetail attacked out of nowhere.

Eira could only watch helplessly as Stoick attempted to fight the dragon. Then Spitelout arrived and assisted Stoick in driving it off. With the small break, the others were cut free from the trap... and Stoick and Spitelout immediately started arguing. Eira thought they sounded very familiar, but she was still clueless on how to break them up.

Spitelout explained his reasoning for building the storehouse without orders. And he claimed the Singetail arrived after him and started setting fires everywhere. After more arguing, they all agreed to fight off the Singetail together since Spitelout refused to leave his storehouse.

The dragon proved to be a formidable opponent. Nothing they did seemed to work. And what made matters worse was that Spitelout and Stoick made a horrible team. Snotlout reluctantly sided with his dad each time, leaving Hiccup and Eira to play peacemakers. And then Stoick had it.

"I've had enough of this dragon and this place," the chief growled. "We leave at first light. Contrary to other thinking, our lives are not worth an empty building."

"Go, then," Spitelout said. He crossed his arms and stayed put while Stoick stalked away. "The three of you. We are staying."

Snotlout looked up at him anxiously. "What? Dad?"

"Jorgensons don't go where they're not trusted or wanted. We'll stay here, protect what's ours."

"Fine, if that's the way you want it," Stoick said.

"It's the way it has to be."

Eira stood in the middle of the feuding father-son duos, not knowing what to do. Did she really have to choose a side in this fight? She exchanged a look with Hiccup, who appeared just as apprehensive.

"Hey, Dad?" Hiccup said tentatively. "Do you think we should reconsider?"

"Nonsense," Stoick scoffed as he mounted his dragon. "Tired of his pigheadedness. Gets us nowhere, and puts us in danger. Come, Eira."

Eira anxiously looked between the two sides. She wanted to argue but figured it futile. There was only one thing she could do. She moved to stand in between Snotlout and Spitelout. Then she took a deep breath and faced Stoick. "No. I'm staying with them."

Everyone except Hiccup appeared surprised at this. "Leave them be, lass," Stoick said with a warning in his tone. "They'll only put you in danger."

"It'll be more dangerous if it's just the two of them. It would be wrong for me to leave." She also thought it was wrong for Stoick and Hiccup to leave, but telling them that would not make them change their minds.

Stoick's expression darkened. "I am ordering you to come with us. Torvald would not appreciate it if I let anything happen to you."

"See?" Spitelout said. "He even thinks he can tell you what to do, lassie."

"It's alright," Eira said quickly before another fight could break out. "Thank you for your concern, chief, but my family understands I make my own decisions. They would want me to do what I think is right."

"You think it's right to side with them?" Stoick said.

"I'm not siding with anyone. I just refuse to leave them alone."

"Dad, she and Snotlout are close," Hiccup said. "You're not going to get her to change her mind."

Stoick sighed. "Fine. We'll be off."

Hiccup shot Eira an apologetic look as he mounted Toothless and took off after his father. Eira hoped he would be able to talk some sense in Stoick, but she wasn't counting on that.

"Well, that's that then," Spitelout said. "At least your friend has some sense."

"You didn't have to do that," Snotlout said, looking at Eira in amazement.

"Sure I did," Eira said. "We're partners. I can't leave you to fight a dangerous dragon alone, even if you are being a muttonhead."

Snotlout smiled. "Thanks."

"You sure you're up for this?" Spitelout asked.

"Of course!" Eira said. "You built a beautiful storehouse and we need to protect it."

Spitelout grinned. "I like her, boy-o. Now, here's the plan..."

After a brief explanation, the three Vikings perched on the roof of the storehouse and waited for the Singetail to return. One Spitelout's command, they flew up and attacked the dragon.

"Yeah! That's it!" Snotlout said excitedly. "We got him on the run-" He was interrupted by a second Singetail shooting at them. "Watch out, there's two of 'em!"

"I can see that," Spitelout said. "Keep firing!"

"We can do this!" Eira said as she urged Swiftwings to continue her assault.

"Ah!" Snotlout cried. "We're losing ground. Is that- Dad, look! Behind you!"

Eira turned her head to see Stoick and Hiccup swoop down and blast the second Singetail. "You came back!" she said to Hiccup.

"You were right," Hiccup said. "We shouldn't have left them behind."

"What?" Stoick said to Spitelout's stunned expression. "You wanna save what's yours or not?"

Spitelout nodded and got back to work. For a minute, the five of them attempted to fight off the two dragons.

"Where did the second one come from?" Hiccup asked once they had a breather.

"I don't know," said Snotlout. "Maybe it was drawn to the fires?"

"Yes!" Hiccup exclaimed. "That's it, Snotlout. It wasn't marking its territory with the fires. It was calling for back-up!"

"Well, the five of us can take down two Singetails," Stoick said.

"What about three?" said Snotlout as a third Singetail flew towards the island... followed by a fourth.

"Or four?" Hiccup said. He looked at Stoick anxiously. "Dad!"

"No!" Stoick said firmly. "We stay! We hold! We fight!"

"There are too many of them, Stoick," Spitelout said.

"We can do this, Spitelout!"

Spitelout looked around at the Singetails and then at his companions. Finally, resolve overtook his face. "No, we can't. And we won't. It's okay, Chief. We will find another island."

Stoick nodded in understanding. "And we'll build another storehouse."

"Together."

Eira exchanged a smile with Hiccup. Definite progress had been made here. And what's more, Hiccup was no longer giving her that look of disappointment. As the five of them departed the island, she found herself filled with hope that the future would turn out just fine.

Hiccup watched as Spitelout and his father flew off for Berk. He was glad the situation had ended positively for everyone involved. As he started for his hut, he noticed Eira, Snotlout, and Haldor talking to each other. He took a deep breath and headed their way. There was something he needed to do.

"Hey, Eira," he said. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," Eira said, quickly hiding the uncertainty in her eyes. "I'll be right back, guys."

"Don't take too long!" Snotlout called after her.

Hiccup led Eira to a secluded area and then turned around to face her. "I wanted to thank you for your help today," he said.

Eira looked at him in surprise. "That was nothing. You're the one who got your father to come back."

"Yes, but you seem to understand Snotlout... and Spitelout so well. I know they can be difficult to handle, so I appreciate it."

Eira smiled. "It's no problem, really. They're not so bad. Thank you for trusting my judgment when it comes to them."

Hiccup nodded. "I also want to apologize for overreacting to your secret. I do understand why you took so long to tell me, and I won't hold it against you."

"Th-Thank you, Hiccup. And I am sorry for lying. I never meant to hurt anyone."

"I know. It's hard enough being the chief's son. I can't imagine what it must be like to be royalty."

Eira smiled slightly. "It can be complicated." She paused. "Thank you for not telling the others. I promise I'll find a way to break it to them."

Hiccup had a feeling about something, and he decided to take a chance. "Snotlout's the reason you haven't told anyone, isn't he?"

Eira's eyes widened. "Wh-Why would you say that?"

"Because I know you care about him a lot, and I know how he is. You're not afraid he's going to be upset that you lied. You're afraid he's going to love your status." From her expression, he could tell he hit the mark.

"Well, yes... Status is everything to him. I don't want him to like me because of that."

"But he already likes you, Eira. Yes, he will overreact when he finds out, but he'll get over it. It won't change anything."

Eira nodded, but disbelief still shone in her eyes. "I hope you're right. I'll... find a way to tell him."

"If you need any help, I'm always here."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

Hiccup understood her reluctance, but he wished she could just get on with it so that everything was out in the open. He did not want anything to disrupt his team.