Author's note: First of all, many thanks to all of you who have been reviewing this story so far! I'm sending you big virtual hugs! =D Also, just to make sure it's clear, I would like to remind you that Astrid reached Ireland about a week after Hiccup. I'm pointing this out because I don't want you to get lost between the two different timelines.

As usual, please feel free to point out typos/mistakes as long as you do it politely. ^^ I'm shutting up now, and hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! The plot thickens! :-)

Astrid knew she was finally getting close to Teilann when she spotted the dim glow of campfires softly illuminating the night sky. She had lost time building the splint for the corpses, let alone dragging them onto it and making sure they would stay there. As for the survivor, he had gone completely mute ever since she had bandaged his wounds and managed to somehow put him on her horse. Frankly, she couldn't care less. She really wasn't in the mood to start chatting with someone who might possibly be somehow involved in Hiccup's abduction. Plus, the man needed whatever strength he had left and talking would have been an unnecessary strain in his situation. She just followed the direction he had indicated her, watching as the dark shape of the sea-cliffs grew ever higher whilst she guided her horse and its load down the slope that would lead her to the destroyed village. She realized she could smell smoke from where she was and thus decided it was time for her to gather as much information as she could before facing the Ciar Knights. Astrid glanced over her shoulder at the man she had saved and felt a bolt of satisfaction surge through her. He, too, had obviously noticed how close to Teilann they were.

"What's your name?" Astrid's voice suddenly piped up.

"Quinn. Yours?"

"Astrid. What actually happened to you guys?"

Quinn did not reply at first, preferring to watch without watching the back of the blonde woman who was bringing him back to his comrades and captain. He glanced behind him once, feeling a lump form in his throat upon seeing the motionless bodies of his dead companions being dragged on the splint. He closed his eyes, images of the ambush immediately assaulting his mind. He could still hear the gruesome gurgling noises Kiel produced when one of his assailants' blades had found its way through his Adam apple.

The blonde woman walking in front of the horse he was sitting on cleared her throat, signaling she was still waiting for him to give her an answer.

"We were attacked by the Thousand Wolves. They were about twenty, maybe more. There was nothing we could do. Those bastards were led by a bloody female. I didn't see her face. Her voice sounded young, though. I swear by God that one day," he seethed, "I'll make her pay for her crimes!"

"Whatever you say. But instead of planning your potential revenge, maybe you should focus on getting well first. Just saying."

Quinn opened his mouth to respond but was suddenly distracted by a high-pitched whistle that suddenly tore the night's silence apart. His head jerked up almost as fast as Astrid's. Her right hand instinctively coiled around Dagmar's grip, ready to unsheathe the sword at any moment. Narrowing her eyes, she peered at the horizon and distinguished the respective shapes of two horses and their riders galloping at full speed. Astrid immediately came to the conclusion that there must have been a lookout hidden somewhere, and it was he who had whistled to signal her presence. It wasn't long until she realized the riders were charging. And while she definitely wasn't afraid of them, this certainly wasn't the time to show off her battle skills. She turned round to address the soldier she'd saved, impatience plastered on her features.

"Well, Quinn, if these guys are on your side," she informed him ridiculously calmly, "now would be a good time to tell them to stop."

Looking around her, Astrid observed the pitiful, desolate state the village of Teilann had been left in. Had Vikings raided the place, they wouldn't have done a better job. The cottages – or rather what remained of them – were completely destroyed. Indistinct heaps of soot and ash were scattered on the ground, and some of the former rafters were still glowing dimly as they exhaled dark, thick smoke. The Ciar Knights had set up some tents here and there in the meantime, but those looked incredibly out of place amidst the ruins of the village. A particularly awful smell hovered in the air, and Astrid felt her stomach lurch in protest at the olfactory aggression. She tried to find the source of the smell and couldn't help but grimace upon realizing it came from a pile of countless corpses that were being burnt unceremoniously.

Soldiers rushed past her to help the man she'd brought back to this place whilst others were busy cutting the ropes that she'd used to tie the corpses to the splint. Most men were busy uttering hateful words as the news of their fallen companions spread through Teilann like wildfire. They were not paying the slightest attention to her until Quinn told one of them she was to be thanked for her help. The man turned round to look at her. He was wearing a clear armor that contrasted with the other soldiers' ones as well as with his pitch black hair and goatee. His eyes were a mix of dark blue and grey. His right eyebrow was strangely cut in two and another scar travelled across his cheek. About the same height as Hiccup, he slowly made his way to where she stood, carrying himself quite regally, and Astrid had to admit that she would have been lying if she said he wasn't a handsome man. Judging by his attitude, he most probably was these men's leader. He came to a stop in front of her, and their gazes locked for a moment before he eventually decided to speak up.

"My name's Tiernan, captain of the Ciar Knights. Let me thank you for having brought my men back here, although I hope you're not thinking I am going to reward you in return."

She lifted a perfectly curved eyebrow at his remark. Now that was a strange way to thank someone if she ever saw one.

"I don't want any reward…but I want you to allow me to travel with you."

"Perfect. Thanks again for you trouble and-Wait. What did you say?"

"I said I'd like to travel with you to wherever you're going."

The captain stared at her incredulously for a couple of seconds, and then burst out laughing, much to Astrid's displeasure. She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him her coldest glare until he managed to calm down, tears of laughter still escaping his eyes.

"Come on…You're a woman." He pointed out, obviously amused.

"Thank you very much, I hadn't noticed. So what?"

"A woman's role isn't to fight. And a woman's place definitely isn't amongst soldiers. I don't want my men to start losing their minds over your pretty butt."

"But-

"No buts. I really am most grateful for what you did, but I can't grant you your request. Go now, and may God watch over your steps."

He gave her one last amused smile before turning round and going back to where Quinn had been laid. Astrid couldn't believe either her eyes or her ears. The nerve of that guy! Fury bubbled up inside her, threatening to invade every fiber of her body. Oh, he wanted her to go away? Well, she was going to show him she didn't exactly agree to play by his rules. Cracking her knuckles for effect, Astrid followed Tiernan with every ounce of determination she could summon. She was just about to grab his shoulder pad when another man stepped in front of her, preventing her from reaching her target and staring contemptuously down at her, smirking smugly.

"He told you to clear off, woman."

Astrid bent just in time to dodge the punch he sent towards her face, but not fast enough to avoid his knee as it collided with her stomach. Blood sprang to her lips and she staggered back for a couple of seconds. Then, fully realizing what had just happened, she straightened herself and spat the bitter, scarlet liquid that had filled her mouth. She then calmly flexed her knees, positioning her feet slightly apart, and motioned for her opponent to come closer.

"And I say 'No', numbskull. C'mon, don't make me wait."

The man's eyes widened, and then narrowed as he unsheathed his sword. She did the same, her fingers firmly seizing Dagmar and bringing the fabulous blade in front of her face. Out of the corner of her eye, Astrid saw the rest of the soldiers slowly forming a circle around them, preparing themselves to enjoy the show. Some of them started cheering for their comrade, telling him to show her what Ciar Knights were made of. Others wanted the fight to end at first blood. All of their faces reflected the excitement they felt, the only exception being their leader who remained perfectly impassive.

This, Astrid understood, was a test.

Her opponent lashed out without any kind of warning, and both swords slammed against each other. It didn't take long for Astrid to determine that her current enemy was striking unmethodically, preferring to use sheer strength. She smirked to herself; her skills, she knew, were infinitely superior. She faked a high lunge, and then thrust at the soldier's midsection. He deflected her sword point and responded with a swipe at her legs. She jumped back deftly, easily avoiding being slashed and charged forward again. The clanging of the two swords hitting rang through the air, matching the sound of the crowd cheering on their respective favorite. Astrid noticed with a sense of satisfaction that some of the Ciar Knights were now supporting her.

Her opponent suddenly sent a wild horizontal slice and his blade came inches away from her throat. She blocked it and tried to force it away while he aimed for the opposite. She knew he was naturally stronger than her and that relying on pure strength would exhaust her fast. She had to be smarter. Suddenly, one of her training sessions with Hiccup resurfaced in her mind, and she remembered how Stoick's son had once managed to break her concentration in a similar situation. She grinned wickedly, pushing with all her might against the blade of her adversary.

"Why are you smiling like that?" The man asked her angrily through gritted teeth. She conspicuously pretended looking past him and looked up at him with another calculated smile.

"You should watch your steps."

Naively, he looked above his shoulder to see what she was talking about. And realized only a moment too late the trap he'd just fallen into. Taking advantage of the situation, Astrid threw his broadsword back with one last surge of effort. The soldier backpedaled, taken aback by the unexpected move. She raced towards him with more simple attacks so to make him think she was getting weaker. He parried them easily, not seeing through her plan. It went on for several minutes. Both fighters began showing a strain. Astrid's chest was heaving and a bead of sweat slid down the soldier's temple. The blonde Viking instinctively knew it was the moment she'd been waiting for. She quickly took a step back, enough to be able to extend Dagmar fully, and performed an advanced disarming maneuver almost too fast for the eye to see. The soldier's sword dropped to his feet and the rest of the Ciar Knights oohed in unison.

The man roared furiously and bent down to pick it up, but Astrid leaped forward and kicked it away. Eyes narrowed, he reached for his knife. Before he could strike though, she had her own sword point inches away from his unprotected chest.

He dropped the knife in rage and stepped aside, only to bound forward and barrel into the blonde woman who was challenging him, making her drop her own sword under the sheer force of the impact. For a couple of seconds, he was on top, but she punched him in the face and somehow managed to flip over, restraining him with difficulty. Using all of his masculine strength, the soldier wrenched himself free. Both fighters scrambled to their feet, slightly panting. Furious that he hadn't been able to defeat his opponent yet, he abruptly dove at Astrid's feet, bringing her back to the dirt floor. They struggled, rolling around, neither really using recognizable fighting moves. A cloud of sandy dust rose, obscuring the view of the onlookers. They all craned their necks but couldn't make out who was winning. Not even Tiernan could tear his eyes from the fight.

When the dust cleared, Astrid was on top. One knee was pinning the soldier by the chest, the other leg being used for balance. Her hands were planted on either of his shoulders. The soldier flailed his arms and legs violently but she only toughened her hold and, letting out a furious war cry, eventually delivered one final, powerful punch in his face, effectively knocking him out.

The silence that fell then felt absolutely surreal. Astrid went limp, letting her muscles relax and began breathing in and out audibly.

She got up slowly, gracefully. She walked over to where Dagmar had fallen and picked it up, loving the way her sword perfectly fitted her hand. Only then did she turn to face the crowd, smugness creeping into her features, and soon dominating her face. She smirked at the captain of the Ciar Knights whilst he kept staring at her unbelievingly, as did most of his men. Theatrically, Astrid silently took long strides to where her horse stood –she thought she would have to find a suitable name for him soon- and put her left foot in the stirrup, deliberately ignoring the whispers surrounding her and silently counting to three.

"Hey! Wait!"

She smiled to herself victoriously, setting her foot on the ground again and turning round to face the Ciar Knights' captain once more. She waited until he drew level with her and then crossed her arms in mocked exasperation.

"What now?"

"Where did you learn to fight? Who are you?"

"The name's Astrid Hofferson."

Tiernan felt his eyes widen. What was it with lonesome Vikings roaming Ireland on their own? However, he did not have much time to wonder about this for she kept speaking, her tone barely hiding her ever-growing annoyance.

"I thought you wanted me to go away. So," she pointed out seriously, "Why are you even talking to me right now?"

He shifted uneasily on his feet.

"Look, you just defeated one of my strongest men and that means you're more than capable of looking out for yourself."

"Looks like I'm up against a real mastermind."

He glared at her, clearly not appreciating the implied insult dripping from the sarcasm in her voice. The need to draw his sword and cut this woman's tongue surged to every part of his body, but he suppressed it almost instantly. After all, it was he who had refused to listen to her in the first place. And she'd just proved herself to be a great warrior, so maybe he could try to find an arrangement. He observed this woman, appreciating the slim yet strong figure she had. Her body was built for speed, and he had never seen anyone handle a sword the way she did. There was something truly mesmerizing about her piercing blue eyes and how her long golden bangs framed her beautiful face. Without truly realizing why he was doing it, he glanced at her mount and suddenly spotted the long spear that was secured to the saddle. His eyes widening in surprise, he violently pushed Astrid out of the way and grabbed the spear, examining it closely to convince himself he wasn't dreaming.

Just as she was about to order him to justify himself, he brandished the spear at arm's length and used his free hand to grab the front of her tunic.

"Where did you find this?" He demanded, his voice rising in volume with each word he pronounced.

"I suggest you let go of me right now, captain."

Furiously, he tightened his grip on her and stubbornly reiterated his question. "I. Asked. Where. Did. You. Find. THIS?"

The rest of the Ciar Knights collectively gasped as the blonde woman actually slapped their leader, yanking herself free. Tiernan blinked, his anger vanishing in thin air while his hand dashed to his cheek to rub the spot she'd just hit.

"Careful, captain. I don't like repeating myself. As for this spear," Astrid added, gesturing to the weapon Tiernan was still holding, "I found it on a beach. End of the story."

"You…found it?"

"Yes. What's the big deal?"

Tiernan sighed, running a hand through his black hair and closing his eyes for a moment, as if reminiscing something. Then, motioning for Astrid to follow him, he sat next to the closest campfire. She imitated him, wondering what exactly she was about to learn. The dolphins had brought the spear to Berk along with Hiccup's pendant. There had to be a reason for this.

"As I have already told you, my name is Tiernan. I come from the village of Céasadh, which used to be in Brittany. When I was a little boy, I was happily living with my parents and my twin sister, Lytah. We were very close to each other. Life was hard but tranquil, and most villagers didn't even know how to handle weapons. But one day, when nobody was paying attention for there was too much work to do in the fields…Vikings came out of nowhere and raided Céasadh, mercilessly killing everyone in sight. I was only five years old when I saw my mother being raped several times in a row until they ripped her belly open. The bastards forced my father to watch before slicing his throat. Lytah and I tried to run away from this massacre, but a huge Viking prevented us from doing so. He forcefully scooped up Lytah on his shoulders. I remember the way she screamed at the top of her lungs, wanting me to protect her and struggling like one possessed. I tried hitting the man, but what harm could a five-year old boy possibly do him? He gave me this scar," Tiernan explained, running a finger on the scar that matched his right cheek, "and hit my skull with the pommel of his sword. I still don't know how I was able to survive that. When I regained consciousness, Lytah was gone. Céasadh was gone. There was blood everywhere, and Viking flags flapped in the wind like morbid trophies."

"What symbols did the flags sport?" Astrid asked, feeling like she needed to know. He looked at her suspiciously, but eventually shrugged.

"They were mostly white, and in the centre was the shape of a scarlet dragon being pierced by two crossed swords."

Astrid felt her heart miss a beat. There was no possible doubt; Tiernan was describing Berk's colors. She wracked her brain, hoping to remember some information about this particular raid, but nothing came to mind. It was strange, for if Céasadh truly had been raided that violently by the Berkians, she would probably have heard about it. Or at least read about it. She suddenly was very glad she hadn't told Tiernan where she came from.

"Anyway," the captain continued, "I promised myself that I would one day avenge my parents and the rest of my village. So when the Ciar Knights found me and, upon hearing my story, offered to take me in and raise me as one of them, I immediately accepted. I was brought to Ireland, and grew up in Dún Fionnachaidh, a city that is about eighty miles north-east from here."

"That still doesn't explain anything about the spear." Astrid pointed out. He shot her a bright smile, as if appreciating her interest in his story.

"This spear was a gift from an ancient druid to Lytah and although our parents strictly forbade her to use it since she was still so little, she treasured it. See that sort of bud at the end of the handle? It acts like it can…detect, for lack of a better word, her presence. I thought it had been destroyed in the raid. I have never lost hope of seeing my sister again, you see. I know she's alive. And now that I have finally retrieved this spear…I am sure I will find her."

"What do you mean, exactly, when you say it can detect her presence?"

Tiernan got up and in one swift movement, planted the spear in the ground. Astrid could only stare incredulously as the bud actually opened like a fir cone, and then closed itself again.

"If the bud stays closed," Tiernan explained, grinning from ear-to-ear, "Then it means Lytah hasn't been around here. But if the bud opens like it just did, it means we're on the right track. The longer the bud remains open, the closer Lytah is. You have no idea how many times I cheated with this spear when Lytah and I played hide and seek."

Astrid allowed herself to chuckle softly at that and then took a moment to reflect. It was really odd. She was convinced the Ciar Knights were responsible for Hiccup's abduction, and yet Tiernan did not seem like someone who'd lead an attack for no reason. Then again, maybe it was all about revenge and making Berk pay for the supposed raid on the village of Céasadh. And yet…she couldn't help but feel like this wasn't the true reason behind all this. She got up to her feet and was about to reiterate her previous question about being allowed to travel with Tiernan and his men, but all thoughts went out of her head as she spotted her stallion neighing nervously. What could the animal possibly smell?

All previous questions forgotten, she silently unsheathed Dagmar yet again and made her way to where her horse was, stomping the ground with his hooves. She could hear some of the Ciar Knights imitating her and drawing level with her. She waited. Waited. Waited. And then she finally saw what was bothering her horse. Not far from where she stood were three other mounts, almost completely hidden by the night's cloak. Next to them was a tent that was slightly bigger than the others.

"Captain?"

"Yes?"

What do you keep in this tent?"

"Mostly food and spare weapons. Why?"

She did not reply and decidedly stepped forward.

Dalkor urged his men to work faster. He certainly did not want to face the Ciar Knights on his own, but robbing them of their food and weapons was worth taking the risk. Still, he knew the sooner they'd be done, the better he'd feel. When he and his two followers had arrived at Teilann earlier in the night, he had been pleasantly surprised to find out the Ciar Knights were busy watching a wrestle match of some sort. Infiltrating the devastated village had been a lot easier that way since the soldiers were not paying attention.

But now, Dalkor knew, the match must have come to an end for all the cheering had stopped a little while ago. And that meant he had to steal as much food as possible, and fast. At the back of his mind, he hoped Brian had succeeded in bringing Nolan to the friary of Ceartlár.

Shoving two more bags into the waiting arms of his men, Dalkor was about to give the signal to leave and retreat into the shelter of the forest when a figure unexpectedly irrupted into the tent. A feminine figure.

"Stay where you are and put these bags where you found them!" She cried out, and he instantly heard the light accent in her voice that told him she wasn't from Ireland. He snickered in response. He'd come too far to stop now. He knew he was doing what was right, and there was no way a bloody female would prevent him from reaching his goal. Too many lives depended on it. He drew his sword.

"Get out of my way or I'll make you." He ordered instantly, his own voice as cold as the steel of his blade.

"You obviously don't know who you're up against."

"Ha!" Dalkor exclaimed, his face still hidden under his hood. Suddenly, he lunged forward, muttering, "We'll see about that." He thought he came dangerously close to cutting the woman's shoulder, but missed by several inches. Surprised, he lunged again and couldn't believe it when she parried the attack, following up with an advanced riposte.

Both of them took a step back, standing still for a second. Astrid glanced at the center of her opponent's chest. He didn't seem to notice, but he definitely caught the way the blonde warrior's arm brusquely tensed. Dalkor stepped back instinctively and Astrid's next attack failed entirely, or so it seemed at first. Because before he could turn around and recompose himself he felt the cold flat of a blade pressing against his cheek and tearing his hood apart.

Astrid stared for a moment at the man's completely astonished face. This only served to anger him more, though, and he sidestepped away before turning into a roundabout but it was already too late. The woman had just managed to make his sword cleave through the air and land several feet away, completely out of reach. Dalkor felt a bead a sweat travel down his face as he gazed down at the sword the woman was holding at arm's length, its sharp point making contact with his privates.

He peered down at her, eyes squinting in response to the pain. "Are you serious?"

Astrid grinned wickedly before giving him an answer she knew he wouldn't like, "No one said we were fighting fair."

The incredulity that painted itself on her opponent's face was almost too much for Astrid not to burst into unrestrained laughter. But she could hear the voices of the Ciar Knights getting closer, and she didn't want to kill this man she knew next to nothing about. Besides, she couldn't let Tiernan think that her helping him would become a habit.

Astrid lowered Dagmar. Dalkor stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Go," she told him urgently, "Whoever you are, go before it's too late."

He glared at her, pointing an accusing finger at her and swearing he would make her pay for this humiliation, but he didn't need to be told twice and hurriedly rushed out of the tent, running as fast as he could until he was able to jump onto his horse's back and disappear into the night along with the two men he'd brought with him.

Astrid observed the retreating shadows of the three horses when Tiernan drew level with her, barking orders to his men, wanting them to chase after the thieves.

"You didn't stop them," he shouted, obviously beside himself. "For God's sake, why didn't you stop them?"

She turned round to face him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, cocking her head to one side.

"I am not one of your men, captain, and I suggest you don't forget it. That means I have no obligation to carry out your orders. I did not stop those men because I had no reason to. Now, I am willing to help you search for your sister, but you have to let me travel with you in return. So," she asked whilst extending her hand for him to shake, "Do we have a deal?"

"You still haven't told me why you want to travel with us."

"I am looking for someone and I don't know this land well enough to travel on my own."

"Who are you looking for?"

"Again, that is none of your business. Do we have a deal, captain?"

He sighed once more, and then reached to shake hands with her. "Deal," he confirmed, "But please call me Tiernan."

"Alright."

"You know, you're the second Viking I've seen around here in a matter of weeks."

Astrid's head jerked up. It couldn't be. Had Tiernan actually seen Hiccup? Her Hiccup? She had to know. "Oh, really? Who was the first one?"

She hoped her voice wasn't betraying her emotions.

"A certain Feren Rurikson, if I remember correctly. Is he the person you're looking for?"

Astrid felt disappointment mercilessly invade every part of her being. It would have been too good to be true. "No," she replied, trying to sound as neutral and disinterested as possible, "No, he is not."