Chapter 36: Strange Turn of Events

Eira fell asleep thinking about Dagur. She did not know what had compelled her to kiss him like that. Being close to him was starting to have strange effects on her. She could no longer deny that she liked him. A lot. However, love was about more than feelings. She needed to consider everything carefully.

As she got ready in the morning, she realized part of her problem. She was still not being entirely honest with Dagur and Snotlout. She did not know if the truth would change anything, but they deserved to know. She decided to discuss the issue with Hiccup since he had stayed out of this whole affair.

She opened her door and found Dagur standing there with his fist raised. "Eira!" he said brightly. "I was just coming to see you!"

Eira smiled at him. "Good morning, Dagur." The desire to flee from him had vanished. Now she wanted to stay.

Dagur pulled her in for a hug, which she instantly returned. He pulled back a little to gaze at her. Then he brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Eira forgot all her reservations as she kissed back. He broke away and rested his forehead against hers, grinning. "Good morning, Eira."

"Are you going to keep doing that?" Not that she minded.

"Not until you kiss me again. I liked that."

Eira smiled despite herself. She liked it too. "Are you supposed to keep track like that?"

"No, but I don't want to overwhelm you." Dagur backed up and grabbed her hand. "Let's go and-"

Eira pulled him back before he could lead her away. "Dagur, we need to talk."

Dagur's face fell. "I hope it's a good talk."

"It's neither good nor bad. It's just-" She hesitated. "After everything that's happened this past week, I think I need you and Snotlout to tone it down a bit. Can we go back to being friends for now? It might help me figure things out."

Dagur tried to hide his disappointment. "If that's what you want..."

"Thank you for understanding. I'll go tell Snotlout as well." She started down the path that led to the base.

Dagur jogged to catch up to her. "But we can still hand out, right?"

"I need to talk to Hiccup about something. Maybe after that we can spend time together."

Dagur smiled. "Sounds perfect. Good luck with your talk!"

Eira waved at him before they parted ways. At least that part was not too difficult. Luckily, she soon found Snotlout heading for the clubhouse and called out to him.

Snotlout stopped and turned to her. He smiled at first, but then a gloomy expression overtook his face. "Oh, hey, Eira."

"Is something wrong?" Eira asked in concern.

"I know you chose Dagur yesterday, and I know he went after you when he found out. If you've made up your mind, I-"

"I haven't yet," she said quickly, earning a surprised look from Snotlout. "I still need more time. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh. Okay."

"I have a lot I need to think about, and it would help if you stopped this competition."

Snotlout frowned. "That's what Dagur said."

"Well, he was right. Can we go back to normal? I promise I won't leave you hanging. With everything I've learned, I should be able to make a better comparison now."

Snotlout nodded slowly. "That makes sense, I guess. I'll try my best."

Eira smiled at him. "Thanks a lot. Do you know where Hiccup is? I have to ask him something."

"He's probably going over the plans for our big mission against Viggo. You should totally interrupt him."

Eira laughed lightly. "Thanks. I'll see you later." She headed straight for the tactics room. Sure enough, Hiccup stood in front of a large map that he had marked up. "Hiccup, can I talked to you for a minute?"

Hiccup nearly jumped in surprise, but he smiled when he saw Eira. "Sure, Eira. What's on your mind?"

Eira hesitated. She was not quite sure where to begin without making it awkward. "Do you know what's going on with Dagur, Snotlout, and I?"

Hiccup's face paled. "Yes, uh, Astrid updated me. I'm glad to have stayed out of it."

"Honestly, I'm tired of it myself. I know my friends are trying to help, but it's just making everything more confusing. However, I do think I figured out something that might help. I - I need to tell Dagur and Snotlout the truth about being a princess."

Hiccup widened his eyes slightly. "Really? You're ready for that?"

Eira bit her lip and nodded. "I think so. It doesn't feel right hiding a part of myself from them. If I want something to work out with either of them..."

"They need to be able to handle it well. I understand."

"And if I'm telling them, I might as well tell everyone else."

"It's probably for the best. Do you want to tell everyone separately?"

"No. If I tell Snotlout or Dagur, they will spread the news fast than I could react."

Hiccup smiled. "That's true. Well, if you're going to tell everyone at once, I will be there to support you."

"Thank you, Hiccup. That's what I wanted to know. I'm going to give it some time so I can sort everything out. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

Hiccup nodded. "That sounds good to me. We need to focus on our upcoming mission anyway. You can tell them after we get the Dragon Eye back."

Eira smiled. "That's a great goal. Thank you for your support."

"Anytime." Hiccup paused. "But I don't understand how you can't figure out who you want to be with."

Eira frowned. "Just because you know you're in love with Astrid doesn't mean the rest of us have it so easy."

Hiccup chuckled nervously. "How do you know about that?"

Eira blinked. "Was it supposed to be a secret?"

Eira folded the parchment paper and sealed it shut. She wrote to her younger sister about her love troubles. Ingrid was old enough to begin courting now, so she might understand her dilemma. Eira also said she might visit soon. If this big mission turned out well, she might have some free time.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She opened it and nearly stepped back in surprise. Ruffnut and Snotlout stood there, holding hands. Ruff grinned like an idiot while Snotlout appeared uncomfortable.

"May I help you?" Eira said cautiously.

"We're going on a date!" Ruff chirped.

Eira blinked. "What?"

Ruff narrowed her eyes at her. "You're not the only one who can date around, missy."

Eira furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Uh, Snotlout?"

"You said to act like normal," Snotlout said. "Flirting is normal."

"But a girl being receptive to you is not..."

Ruff gave her a mock glare. "Do you want him to end up alone?"

Eira shook her head. "Sorry, guys. I don't have time for this." She closed the door and walked past them, still clutching the letter.

"So, you're not jealous?" Snotlout called after her.

"Nope," Eira replied. Clearly, that was the reaction they wanted. As if she would believe they were actually interested in each other...

"I knew I should have teamed up with Dagur," Ruff muttered. "Ow!"

Eira entered the main part of camp to find it deserted save for Fishlegs and Tuffnut. "Where is everyone?" she asked.

"Hiccup and Astrid are with the A Team preparing them for our mission tomorrow," Fishlegs replied. "Dagur and Heather are on Berserker Island making sure everything is fine there."

"Oh." Eira tried to hide her disappointment. Dagur had been disappearing lately to take care of things back home. She knew he had to do it, but she still missed him when he was gone.

Fishlegs looked past her at Ruff and Snotlout, who were making weird kissy faces at each other. "Uh, what are they doing?"

"They're trying to make Eira jealous by pretending to be in love," Tuff replied. He paused. "Wait, I wasn't supposed to say that. Oh well."

"It's fine; I figured it out," Eira said. "I'll be right back."

The young Viking wandered off into the forest in search of Squirt the Terrible Terror. She really needed her sister's advice on this one. Once she sent the letter away, she vowed to focus on the upcoming mission. She only hoped Snotlout and Dagur got along well enough for them to succeed in their ends.

The big day finally arrived. Actually, they conducted the mission at night. Hiccup split everyone up into three groups: The A Team, Berserkers, and dragon riders. He placed Eira with Dagur and Heather to make the groups a little less uneven (though Snotlout complained profusely). The ride to the dragon hunters' base was filled with the twins' voices as they tried to come up with a catchphrase for Hiccup to use when he swiped the Dragon Eye from Viggo.

"Give it a rest, will you?" Snotlout snapped at them.

"We didn't say you were involved in this, Snotlout," said Tuffnut.

"Although that line wasn't half bad," said Ruffnut. "'Give it a rest, will ya, Viggo?'"

"Oh for the love of..." Hiccup groaned. Luckily, their destination came into view. "Riders, ready! Just like we practiced!"

Eira kept close to Dagur and Heather as they flew to the island. She prepared to attack, but something was off. She could see no targets. She cautiously flew closer, looking for any sign of life, but the base appeared completely abandoned.

"What's going on?" Heather said in confusion.

"Ugh! What a rip off!" Snotlout said.

"Oh, looks like someone beat us to it," said Fishlegs.

"The question is, who?" Stoick said thoughtfully. He looked to Hiccup. "I'll help the others search the island."

Eira flew higher to search from above. At a shout from Hiccup, she returned to the ground. Everyone else seemed to have heard, and they all piled into Viggo's tent. She gasped when she saw Hiccup glowering at Viggo himself, sitting in a chair.

"What happened here?" Hiccup asked him. "Viggo, where is the Dragon Eye?"

Before Viggo could respond, Stoick laid eyes on him and lit up in rage. "You come after my son," he said as he stormed over to Viggo. "You come after my home. Now you get to deal with me!"

Eira slipped in front of Viggo before the chief could reach him. "No!"

For a moment, Stoick's anger subsided as he took in the girl, but his gaze soon hardened. "Out of the way, lass. He needs to pay for what he's done."

"No," Eira said again, meeting his challenging gaze. "This isn't right."

"She's right," Hiccup said. "Revenge is not a plan. Remember-"

"That was for you," Stoick said. "For me, it goes down a treat." He glared at Eira. "Move."

"I'm not going to let you hurt him," Eira said.

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, she's serious alright," Heather said. Dagur nodded beside her. He appeared almost proud as he watched Eira.

Stoick sighed. "I don't know how they do things in Torvald, but-"

"We have a law we follow," Eira said calmly. "We do not act out of anger. That is when mistakes are made."

"Let Viggo speak," Hiccup said.

Stoick stared at Eira long and hard. Finally, he relented and moved to the side. "Fine. Make it quick."

Eira waited a moment to make sure it was safe, and then she moved so everyone could see Viggo. She realized he had been watching her, though she could not read his expression. "You can explain now," she said, giving him a weak smile.

Viggo looked away from her and swept his gaze across the group. "Ryker's lost all sense of reason," he said. "He's on his own and unfortunately managed to sway the soft minds of the dragon hunters. My brother has turned them against their leader. Ryker's plan, as simple-minded as it is, is to wipe out the dragon riders and all of your allies."

"Yeah, h-how is that different from every other bad guy we've ever dealt with?" Hiccup said.

"And defeated!" Fishlegs said. "Yeah."

"The difference, my dear Hiccup," said Viggo, "is project Shell Fire." He glanced at the twins. "You two remember that, don't you?"

Ruffnut moved in close to him. "Just remember, if Viggo, you go!"

Tuffnut then took her place. "That's right. Today's your day to burn, and we're the torches with the fire that burns!" They both backed away mysteriously.

A puzzled look crossed Viggo's face. "I'm sorry. Did I miss something?"

"Guys, guys, maybe not now," Hiccup said to the twins. He turned back to Viggo. "Tell me what project Shell Fire is. We know it's some sort of weapon. Is it a boat? A dragon?"

"In due time, I will divulge all: project Shell Fire, the location of the Dragon Eye. But only if you help me stop my brother and send me on my way."

"Yak dung!" Snotlout coughed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I had something in my lying throat!"

"Snotlout is right, Hiccup," said Fishlegs. "We shouldn't trust Viggo as far as we can throw him."

"Agreed," said Viggo. "Trusting me is, shall we say, a stretch. Therefore, as a show of good faith, I will tell you where and when my brother will strike next. Give you time to save some of your allies, which he systematically intends to destroy. The next attack is on the Defenders of the Wing. This will be followed by the Outcasts, Berserkers, and Berk itself, in no particular order. While Ryker is no tactical genius, he still manages to hold some things close to the vest. Time is of the essence Hiccup. It is the ability to make expeditious decisions that saves lives."

"We will consider it," Hiccup said slowly. He started for the exit.

"If you don't mind, I would like to speak to her in private." Viggo looked right at Eira.

"No way," Snotlout snapped.

"Why Eira?" Hiccup asked cautiously.

"I have something I would like to discuss pertaining to her homeland of Torvald," Viggo replied. "I was merely thinking about her privacy when I asked to speak alone."

"Yeah right," Snotlout said.

"There's no harm in speaking to him," Eira said. And she was mighty curious as to what he had to say.

Snotlout looked at her in surprise. "But he could-"

"Eira can handle herself," Dagur said.

Heather nodded at her brother. "She did handle him."

Hiccup looked at Eira warily. "If you're sure-"

"I'll be fine," Eira said, giving him a small smile. "Go." She waited until everyone departed the tent. Then she turned to Viggo and braced herself for what was to come.

"Is it safe to assume they do not know you are a princess?" Viggo said casually like he was discussing the weather.

Eira placed a hand over her mouth to cover her gasp. "How did you-"

"I have had dealings with Torvald. I recognized your brother when I ran into him, remember?"

She did remember. She feared Viggo had caught onto her, but he had never said anything about it. And now he asked everyone to leave to keep her secret. Why would he do that? She studied his face but found no answer. "Hiccup and Chief Stoick are the only ones who know, and I would appreciate it if remained that way until I'm ready to tell the others."

"Of course, of course. I simply mentioned it because you have the power to do something for me... in exchange for information."

Eira lifted her eyebrows. "I'm listening."

"I have heard rumors within the circles I travel about a plot to take down Torvald and its dragons within the next year. Normally, this would not concern me, but, you see, I have a... friend... in Torvald I would like your family to protect."

Eira eyed him suspiciously. "A friend?"

Viggo smiled. "A young lady I used to court. You remind me of her, actually."

"Wait, are you saying you're in love?" The idea sounded so ridiculous she thought this had to be a trick. And yet, her upbringing implored her to consider the possibility. Just because she could not yet see any good in him did not mean it didn't exist. And maybe this was his way of trying to show it to her. Perhaps he was trusting her because she had protected him earlier.

"It was a long time ago." Something resembling sadness glinted in his eyes before he regained his relaxed expression. "Still, I would hate for something to happen to her if there were something I could do about it. I have nothing against Torvald. The people there are quite pleasant."

Eira nodded slowly. "Okay, let's say I believe you. What do you want me to do?"

"I will gather as much information as I can about the plot and give it to you. Hand over the information to your parents and ask them to keep the woman under their protection. You really have nothing to lose."

Eira could not see what he had to gain by lying. Still, she had to give it some thought. "Give me the information, and I will see what I can do."

Viggo's lips lifted in a small smile. "Thank you, Eira. I do appreciate."

Eira nodded and left the tent. Her mind buzzed with the new information. Out of everything that could happen today, that was the last thing she expected. She had a lot to think about.