Chapter 39: Unfortunate Love

Princess Ingrid knocked on her older brother's door. At his invitation, she opened it and stepped inside the magnificent room. Prince Haldor set his book on a table and stood from his chair. "Ingrid," he said in a sooth voice. "To what do I have this pleasure?"

"We need to talk about Eira," Ingrid responded.

"Oh? Didn't she leave to track down that woman?"

"Yes, but that's not what I wanted to talk about." She took a deep breath. "You have found a wife, and that means Mom and Dad will look to Eira next. She wrote to me in a letter about two men she may be interested in."

Haldor smiled. "This is good. She has options."

Ingrid nodded. "Yes, but I worry about her. You know how she is. I fear she is going to make the wrong decision."

Haldor chuckled lightly. "Are you sure you should intervene?"

"She wants me to intervene, Haldor. She's confused. If I can help set her straight..."

"I suppose you have a plan."

Ingrid grinned. "I have a great plan, but I will need your support to convince Mom and Dad to tell me go to Berk and -"

"Hold on. Are you sure this is not about you wanting to visit Berk?"

Ingrid frowned. "No, this is about Eira. And if I happen to have some fun along the way, what harm is there?"

Haldor lifted his eyebrows. "Right..."

"Just hear me out! My plan is foolproof."

Eira had some difficulty locating Viggo's former girlfriend due to the high population of Torvald. Eventually, she found the right village, and the chief directed her to the place where the woman was often found. Her heart beat irregularly as she walked slowly to the location. She had ample time to figure out what to say, but she was still nervous she would mess up.

Eira arrived at a field on the far side of town. She found a woman several years older than herself surrounded by children. The woman appeared to be talking animatedly while the children stared at her in awe. She had flowing blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes. Eira took a deep breath and strode forward. "Runa?" she said tentatively.

The woman looked at her with a smile. "I'm Runa." Then her eyes lit up in surprise. "Princess Eira?" she said.

The children gasped and cried out: "Princess!"

"That's me," Eira said. "May I speak with you in private?"

"Yes, of course," Runa said. "Just give me a minute." She managed to calm the children and send them on their way. Once their were alone, she offered Eira another smile. "What can I do for you, princess?"

"Please, call me Eira. I need to talk to you about someone you used to know."

The cheerful smile never left Runa's face. "Alright, Eira. Go ahead."

Eira smiled back at her. Something about her attitude put her at ease, and she appreciated that she was not fawning over her like many others. "You may know that I have spent the last two and a half years living with our allies of Berk. They've recently come to accept dragons as equals, and we're sharing information."

Runa nodded. "I heard something about that, yes."

"Much of our time was spent dealing with the dragon hunters in the area. They were led by a man named Viggo Grimborn."

Runa's smile finally faltered, and Eira thought she saw pain in her eyes. "I see."

Eira took a deep breath. This was the tricky part. "Do you know him?"

Runa shifted nervously and averted her gaze. "I wouldn't say I know him."

"It's alright," Eira said gently. "You're not in trouble. He mentioned you to me and expressed concern for your welfare. You see, he heard of a plot against Torvald and wanted me to make sure you were safe."

"Oh. That was nice of him."

"I came here to tell you that you are welcome to stay with my parents in case something happens, and also... Viggo, he-"

Runa looked back at Eira, eyes wide in fear. "He what?"

"He's... dead."

Runa's face became overcome with sorrow and pain. "Oh. That- that's good, I guess."

Eira gazed at her in sympathy. "No. No, it's not. It didn't have to be that way. I tried to help him, but..."

Run bit her lip. "What happened?"

"His brother betrayed him and took over the dragon riders. Viggo came to the dragon riders so we could defeat him together. He did end up helping us, and I got to know him a bit. I thought I might have a chance to help him start over, but he turned on us in the end." Eira smiled sadly. "He died by falling into a volcano attempting to grab an important item he could use to harm dragons. We tried to save him, but it was too late."

Runa lowered her head, her shoulders sagging. "I see. Thank you for telling me."

Eira's heart went out to her, and she knew she could not end it here. "You know, for the longest time I couldn't see any good in him no matter how hard I tried. Then he told me about you, and... I could tell that he loved you. And it's okay if you loved him too."

Runa lifted her head, revealing tear-glistened eyes. "I do. I mean, I did." She sucked in a sharp breath. "He was the love of my life. I tried to move on - I really did, but no other relationship would satisfy. I settled for teaching children instead of having any of my own. And maybe part of me always held out hope for Viggo..." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. "I haven't been able to talk to anyone about it. No one understands how I could love such an evil man."

Eira felt her heart clench in empathy. "He wasn't evil. Not really. Everyone is made up of both good and evil, and you obviously knew the good. There's nothing wrong with that." She paused. "You can talk to me about him if you want to. I won't judge you. In fact, I befriended someone who worked for the dragon hunters, which caused problems in my group. But I won in the end when he eventually joined our side."

Runa smiled slightly. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Start with how you met. I want to see him through your eyes." It might be too late for Viggo, but she could still offer this woman some comfort.

Runa nodded. "Alright." She paused for a minute as if gathering her thoughts. "We met ten years ago, and we were both pretty young. I had decided it was time to leave my parents' home and set off on an adventure with my dragon, Firelight. You probably know about the nearby island where many Torvaldians go to have fun when they come of age."

"I have heard of it, yes, though I was never allowed to go."

"It is probably for the best. No one owns the island, and sometimes it is occupied by ruffians. I had a distinct picture of what a 'bad guy' looked like, and when I met Viggo, he did not fit that image. And he did not know who I was, of course, because Torvaldians are taught to hide their heritage in case others are hostile to dragons, which is most of the time. We spend time with our dragons in the forest where others dare not go due to the wild dragons. We are safe there, but in the village, we hide our allegiance."

"That makes sense. So, you met Viggo in the village and hit it off."

Runa smiled. "That is one way to put it. We were instantly drawn to each other for an inexplicable reason. We had nothing in common. He was quiet, strategic, and refined while I was loud, energetic, and spontaneous. But I was entranced by him, and he adored me. When we were together, it was like nothing else existed except the two of us. I fell for him hard and fast. Then he told me he loved me, and I thought I couldn't be happier." Her smile became tinted with sadness. "It was all downhill from there."

Eira placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"One day, we ran into his brother, who revealed that their father was the chief of the dragon hunter tribe. I panicked and... fled. Viggo eventually found me with my dragon, and I had to confess."

"Was he angry?"

"Yes, but only because it complicated our relationship. He wasn't horrified at the revelation like I was. He said he didn't feel strongly about dragons. Dragon hunting was a business, and he treated it as such. He promised he would never hurt my dragon because I was important to him."

Eira smiled despite herself. She thought about the special treatment Dagur gave her when he was with the hunters. "What did you do?"

"We decided we loved each other too much to let our tribes get between us. But now we knew we had to be careful. We sneaked off together where no one would see us. We promised each other we would find a way to make our relationship work." Runa smiled sadly. "We were young and foolish. We did not realize how our actions affected not only ourselves but the people we were bound to.

"Soon, it came time for me to return to Torvald. Viggo promised to visit, and I told him where to find me. Not long after, we managed to sneak off to the woods of my village. Viggo professed his love for me, and he asked me to marry him. He said he would give up life with the dragon hunters and allow his brother to become chief so he could be with me." Tears formed in Runa's eyes.

"That's wonderful." Eira could not imagine Viggo making such a decision. It sounded perfect, but she knew this story ended in tragedy.

Runa nodded. "It was. I accepted, of course. But then my father caught us. He recognized Viggo and became enraged. He threatened to kill him if he did not leave immediately. When Viggo was gone, I confronted my father and defended Viggo. My father insisted Viggo would betray me and forbid me to see him. I didn't listen... A few days later, I sneaked out to meet Viggo again. This time, he asked me to run away with him because my family wouldn't let us be together. He wanted us both to start over and forge a new path."

Eira's eyes grew wide. "Wow."

Runa stared at the ground sadly. "Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had accepted. I wanted to, but I could not abandon my family and my land. It's a tough life for a dragon lover without a supportive community. I asked Viggo to give my father another chance. I thought I could prove his honor to him. He agreed to give me some time." Her eyes darkened. "The next day, the dragon hunters attacked our village. They managed to sneak in and infiltrate the town in a way that could only be accomplished with insider knowledge."

Eira gasped. "Did Viggo-?"

Runa smiled ruefully. "That's what my father said, but I refused to believe it. Viggo caught up to me after the attack. He adamantly denied that he had anything to do with the attack. He said his brother probably followed him and gained knowledge that way. To this day I believe him. I know he wouldn't betray me, and I told him as much. But..." She sucked in a sharp breath. "It became clear to me that my relationship with Viggo endangered my village whether or not Viggo had ill intentions. He could not escape his family, and through him, they would always have a way to get to mine. So, I - I ended it." A tear slipped down her cheek.

Overcome with compassion, Eira pulled the older girl into a hug. "I'm so sorry. That must have been awful."

"It was." Runa allowed the princess to hold her as she took several shaky breaths. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I told Viggo it didn't have to be permanent. If he was serious about me, he could make a clean break from the dragon hunters and start a new life on his own. After enough time passed, maybe it would be safe for him to live with me. He... refused." She pulled back and wiped her eyes with her arm. "If there was no guarantee he could have me, he didn't want to lose his tribe as well. So, we parted."

Eira gazed at her in empathy. "I'm sorry."

"After that, I did not see him for a long time. I tried to forget about him, but I couldn't. Then, three years ago, the dragon hunters attacked again, and this time Viggo was their leader. I did not want to fight but got in the middle of it anyway. Viggo cornered me, and he... he let me go. I knew that, despite his cold, composed manner, he was still the man I fell in love with. I met with him that night, and it was like nothing had changed. Of course, everything had changed. It was even more impossible for us to be together. Still, I missed his company, and we agreed to write to each other." Runa smiled. "His letters were the highlight of my day."

"Oh!" Remembering something, Eira reached into her bag. "I found this in Viggo's tent. I think he meant to send it to you." She handed her the sealed letter.

Runa's eyes lit up as she unfolded the parchment. "Thank you, Eira!" Her eyes scanned the letter, and they soon filled with tears. "Oh, Viggo..."

"What did he say?" Eira paused. "You don't have to tell me."

Runa shook her head, a small smile on her face. "He wrote about his brother's betrayal like you mentioned. Then he says, even with all that, his biggest regret was not taking my offer to work towards a future together. He wishes he found a way for us to be together. He says he loves me..." Fresh tears spilled down her face.

Eira smiled sadly. "He should have let me help him. I could have done something. Maybe I should have-"

"No. Whatever his reasons for his final actions, they had nothing to do with you. This isn't your fault. And I appreciate everything you have done for me. Thank you so much." Runa gave Eira a quick hug.

Eira knew she was right. Still, it was a disappointing ending. "The offer to stay with my parents still stands. It's what Viggo wanted."

Runa hesitated. "I don't know..."

"I can give you time to think about it."

Runa smiled and dipped her head. "Thank you, princess. I will never forget this."

"Eira, we have something to discuss about your return to Berk," the king said over dinner one evening.

"What is it, father?" Eira said politely. So far, she had spent two weeks at home, and it would soon be time to leave. She missed her friends, two in particular.

"I would like you to take Ingrid with you."

Eira smiled at her younger sister. "Yes, of course." She should have seen this coming. Last time she visited home, Haldor accompanied her back.

"This is not a social visit," her mother warned. "We are worried about your future."

Eira's smile fell. "What do you mean?"

"Haldor is to be married next summer, as you know, and now it is time for us to focus on you."

Eira shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She thought she had avoided this fate by living far form home. "I'm doing fine. I have some... prospects."

"Yes, but you are not very decisive," Haldor said gently. "We all wish for you to find someone wonderful, and I personally know the difficulties in such a pursuit."

"You've already asked me for help," Ingrid. "If I am to give you the best advice, I need to meet these guys myself."

"I suppose that makes sense," Eira said.

"Ingrid will not decide for you," said her father. "She will simply be there to guide you. And once you have chosen someone suitable, she has offered to teach him our ways so he will be a perfect husband."

Eira did not like the sound of this at all, yet she did not know how to object. "Are you sure Ingrid is qualified?"

"We trust her judgment," said her mother. "We have final approval, of course, but we are sure Ingrid will lead you down the right track."

Ingrid grinned. "I've got this, sis. You can count on me!"

Eira hoped she was right.