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Dagur came home one afternoon to the sound of praying coming from his wife's weaving room where her hand maid slept. He rarely ever heard Hiccup pray, she wasn't deeply invested in the gods and he wasn't either so it was fine. He opened the door to the weaving room to see Hiccup kneeling before an image of Frigg, probably a wedding gift intended for her, muttering prayers under her breath. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to have been too focused to notice his presence in the doorway. To get her attention, he rapped loudly on the open door and she spun her head to see him. Hiccup blinked a few times before lowering her head as though he'd caught her doing something bad. Dagur cocked his head and crossed his arms.

"What's the matter?" He asked simply. Hiccup slowly struggled to her feet, her belly had grown over the past few months that led to a noticeably roundness that could be seen beneath her clothes. Dagur loved it, Hiccup hated it. He couldn't understand how pregnant roundness translated to fat in Hiccup-world. But that wasn't the issue here, something was wrong and he was going to find out.

"Nothing, what're you talking about?"

"Hiccup, you only pray when something's wrong, and you're praying to the goddess of marriage and childbirth when you usually pray to Odin." Hiccup blinked in surprise then raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Didn't think you paid attention that much."

"It's you, Silver-tongue; of course I'm paying attention." He shifted his footing in the doorway.

"Are you going to come out or what?"

"Oh, I'm sorry is the Deranged afraid of entering a weaving room, if your manliness that weak." Dagur grinned. He then stormed in and lifted Hiccup up.

"Oh no, the sanctity of the weaving room has been defiled, whatever shall I do?" Hiccup asked mock-distressed, putting the back of her hand to her brow.

"I guess I'll just have to reassert my manliness."

"Dagur, I'm big as a house." She whined as Dagur nuzzled her chin, turning her whine to a laugh.

"Oh don't start pulling excuses…."

"Dagur!" Then he put her down with a hair ruffle. The cheer was gone from his face and somberness took its place.

"But come on, what's with the praying." Hiccup shifted around on her feet.

"Hiccup." He insisted sternly. Hiccup shrugged making in impressive effort to keep a neutral expression.

"Just worrying about the baby."

"Did the shaman say something?"

"No, no, she said the baby is healthy, and big." There it was; the problem that had been looming over her from even before she was pregnant. He took a cursory glance. Her hips were still small; the shaman pointed out it would be hard, especially if the babe was big. Which considering the heritage, was a great possibility. Dagur was not so tall yet, but he was still large, Hiccup's father was a giant, and while her mother had been slim, she was still very tall.

"Hiccup, you're going to survive this birth." Then Hiccup's dam broke. Dagur jumped back, not used to seeing his wife in tears, hardly ever seen it really, if ever.

"You don't know that! I don't want my child to go through what we did, growing up without a mother! I mean, gods, I don't know how to be a mother. Mine was gone while I was in the cradle and yours died, damn it, neither of us have any god damned idea what we're doing! I don't know if I can do this, so I evoked Frigg for guidance and damn it, she didn't answer. I barely even remember my mother; I don't want mine to not even know me." Damn it, she was in full meltdown mode. Vessa had warned him that she would be volatile but he hadn't been prepared.

"Hiccup…"

"I don't want to die!" Gods damn it, he couldn't deal with this. So he approached it as he did with all problems in his life, fiercely and with brute force. He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a single shake.

"You won't! There is nothing that's going to take you from me and our child! I don't care if I have to face down Hel herself, I will keep you." Hiccup tensed up and Dagur could see she was about to burst into tears. So Dagur grabbed her and held her against him as gently as he could. He hoped these moods were a temporary thing like Vessa promised. He loved Hiccup but her moods had started to scare him a bit.

"It'll be okay, I'm here." He mumbled squeezing her tighter.

X

"Ugh, why do I need to accompany you to your visits to the shaman?" Vessa groaned, making a show of tagging along with Hiccup, complaining at every possible interval of silence.

"You're my handmaid, in the job description." Hiccup replied, not looking up from her journal where she was scribbling a new sketch.

"What am I even doing?!" Vessa complained loudly, earning the chuckles of passing villagers who were now more than familiar with Vessa's behavior.

"Emotional support." Hiccup replied curtly. Vessa snorted loudly, crossing her arms and stomping along, in very unladylike fashion. Then again, what was ladylike for Vikings?

"What, in case you faint again?" She aksed with a tone of amusement. Hiccup stiffened but didn't look up.

"I fainted one time, and it wasn't even fainting, I just lost my bearings." Hiccup replied sharply.

"You fainted like a fairytale princess." Vessa chortled.

"I take offense to that."

"Good." Hiccup stopped, closing her journal with a soft thud before tuning to look at her maid.

"Seriously Vessa, we need to work on-" Hiccup was cut off as she was shoved roughly to the ground.

"Are you out of you damn mind?!" But by the time she said that, there was already a scuffle. The villagers were swarming some guy, many were gasping and Vessa fell to her knees with a bolt protruding from her shoulder. Hiccup felt her heart in her throat and an uncomfortable stirring from the babe.

"Vessa….?"

"Can't let you die, I'd be out of a job…." Vessa clenched her teeth and wrapped her fingers over the bolt.

"Someone get the shaman!" Hiccup shouted and several darted off to do just that. Then she turned back to Vessa, trying to calm her down. Vessa kept moving to try to pull it out and Hiccup had to keep pulling her hands away.

"Don't touch it okay, the shaman has to do it." Hiccups rubbed her side to sooth and distract her.

"Damn it this hurts." Vessa grabbed Hiccup's forearm, focusing the pain into her flesh. It hurt Hiccup but she hardly minded.

"Well you have a piece of wood and metal going through your shoulder, I imagine it hurts." Vessa snickered weakly.

"Is now really the time for your sass?"

"Just be quiet, the shaman will be here soon. What was that? A stray bolt?"

"No, an assassin after your life, or at least your baby." Hiccup felt her hand travel to her belly the other digging into the soil. She looked over where the aforementioned man was on his knee with his head pressed to the ground. Hiccup managed to get to her feet and approached the man, keeping a good distance away.

"Who are you?" She hissed, trying her best to be intimidating while looking like a beached whale.

"Long live the Lava Louts, lass." Then the man started foaming at the mouth, his restrainers dropped him. Hiccup watched as the man choked to death on something. Poison most likely. Hiccup bit her lip and a few people went to her in confusion, their words melded together. Hiccup didn't move until the Shaman came down, being carried by one of the men, she was not as young as she used to be. The shaman went to her first.

"Hiccup, child, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Vessa's hurt." The shaman blinked in surprise and looked over to here Vessa was still kneeling taking deep breaths to bear the pain. The shaman took a look at the wound, carefully prying away the Roman's hand.

"Get her to my hut; I'll handle it from there. Escort the mistress home, and inform her husband of all of this." Hiccup could barely remember being led home by one of the villagers, who sat her in her chair by the fire and draped a fur blanket over her lap and belly. Dagur came in moments after she had stilled, storming in. Hiccup got to her feet, reaching out for him. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or not oddly. She definitely wanted a hug though; she opened up her arms to ask for one. He walked right up to her, cupping her face in his hands. Hiccup pulled her hands back to cover his.

"Are you hurt?" He demanded. Hiccup shook her head and pressed herself to his chest. He let loose a deep sigh and kissed her brow, leaning his head atop hers. She pulled her arm out and wrapped them around his trunk, taking comfort in his solid torso.

"Thank the gods." He mumbled. Odd, he wasn't one for the gods. But it was her, so perhaps it was his way.

"They hurt Vessa." Hiccup mumbled between tears.

"The Roman?"

"She got hurt protecting me." Hiccup continued, undaunted. Dagur shushed her gently.

"She was doing her job, I'm happy she kept you safe." Dagur reassured her but no avail.

"The bolt could have killed me." Dagur said nothing, rocking her side to side gently.

"It could have killed the baby." She continued.

"But it didn't you're safe." She paused, pushing away to look at him.

"For now. The man was a Lava Lout, Dagur; this won't be the end of it." She told him sternly, her tears drying.

"There is a chance he was working alone."

"No, no, the Lava Louts hate my birth-tribe. They've risked open war, but they fear what our alliance would do."

"We've been allied for fifty years." Dagur argued but Hiccup would not be silenced in any way.

"Never by blood like this. The baby is changing everything Dagur. He will have blood ties to the Hooligans, compulsion to come to their aid. The Lava Louts are afraid, and they're trying to, ahem, remove the problem." Dagur felt her tense up ad step away from him. Ferocity filled her eyes, not looking at him or anything and her arms wrapping over her middle.

"They will not have my child." She spat. Dagur nodded, folding her back into his arms from behind.

"No, they won't." He agreed.

X

Vessa was a little loopy after they gave her action to dull the pain. The bolt had been removed without having to shatter her shoulder blade, so that was a small mercy. Hiccup was alive and she would heal, eventually. They had warned her that the tea they forced down her throat would impair her, but she hadn't been expecting to hallucinate. Why else would the damn chief of the Berserker tribe be standing over her bed? She couldn't think of a reason, so it had to be the tea.

"Vessa."

"Oh, hi mister cheify, how's your ladybug doing?" Then she went on rambling in Latin.

"They gave you that pain tea huh, foul stuff. I'll come back when you're sober." Vessa muttered nonsense and waved him away with her good arm.

He kept his word, because by the time the pain returned to her shoulder, Dagur was there, unyielding in his purpose. Vessa eyes him warily, praying she didn't say anything too insulting during his previous visit. Though most of it as Latin, Dagur didn't know Latin, she hoped. He walked to the foot of the bed, a tall and looming figure. Vessa held her ground, as much as one could bedridden with a shoulder injury. Dagur was an intimidating man, more so than many Vessa had met in her time among the Vikings. But Dagur was a lion among wolves. There was a sense of power about him, a wildness that emulated off his form. He was not as big as many Vikings, but he more terrifying. Yet this was a man wrapped around the finger of runt girl, even with Vessa help it was an accomplishment. Mostly because it wasn't a control based in lust, it was based in love. She had seen this man tear people apart but touch his wife with such gentleness, Vessa wanted to weep on Hiccup's behalf. Vessa couldn't help but think if a man like him could find love, there was hope for anyone.

"You saved my wife and child today." He started simply, taking his gaze off her and examining one of the shaman's charms.

"All in a day's work." Vessa quipped. His gaze snapped back on her so fast Vessa flinched.

"Enough of your tongue, Hiccup is more than I care to deal with." Despite his warning, Vessa felt pushing was appropriate. But this was Vessa who didn't understand respect.

"Yet you call her tongue silver."

"Enough." The dark undertone as enough for Vessa to silence. It was easy to forget that while she could be casual with Hiccup, the same was not true for Dagur. But he had come for reason. She drew herself up a bit an addressed him more formally.

"How can I help you chief?"

"Despite what others think of me, I am a man of honor. Those who provide great services for me are rewarded." He started and Vessa scrunched her face. This was not what she was used to from hi In all the ears since she came to this tribe, Dagur never acted this official about anything. Then he continued.

"As I said, you protected my wife and child with your life. And you shall be rewarded." His eyes were back on her and Vessa cringed, what did this man see as a reward?

"Oh, how's that?"

"From this day forward, you're no longer a thrall." Vessa froze.

"In the eyes of the tribe and all tribes, you're a free woman of the Berserkers. You may stay if you wish or leave. If you want to go back to Rome, I'll have supplies prepared for you. If you wish to stay, you shall as woman equal any born of my people. You may marry, own land, chose your profession and come and go as you please." Vessa's heart thumped in excitement. Since the day she was born, she had been a slave, condemned by her own family to forever serve. But her new family, they were liberating her.

"Chief…" She whispered, beyond touched by the gesture.

"You may call me Dagur; you're my wife's friend as well as her servant." His tone was formal and uppity almost, but his words...

"If it's all the same to you, I'll take that freedom and I choose to continue working under Hiccup." She said softly. His eyes watched her again, looking for signs of dishonesty.

"If that's what you want."

"It is."

X

Dagur walked down to the docks, Trader Johann had come to port and Dagur intended to give Hiccup a gift to cheer her up. Besides her worrying over the baby's well-being, she also felt immense guilt over Vessa getting hurt in her place. No matter how many times Dagur told her she was being foolish, Hiccup was stubborn and refused to listen. He approached the ship; many of his own tribe had already come and gone. He hoped the trader still had some ink or charcoal sticks left, those never failed to raise Hiccup's spirits, even with the more volatile nature her moods had taken since conceiving. Johann spotted him immediately and looked torn between scrambling around and running right up to him, he seemed to decide to stay still though and wait to be addressed. He was being quiet too; it was a good thing, the man talked too much for Dagur's liking.

"Chief, what an honor it is to see you here." The tiny man proclaimed, bowing excessively.

"Yeah, yeah, I wanted some charcoal." Dagur waved him off.

"Oh, a gift for the missus?" Dagur shot him a very unamused look.

"I heard what happened, thank Odin she's safe. She's a good lass, your wife, always been fond of her…" Johann found an axe at his neck.

"You better be going somewhere different with this." Dagur warned. Hiccup may have tamed the beast for her but no one else was privy to it.

"I meant to say was that she was always fond of my odder items as a child, it was refreshing. You're lucky man, and if the stories are true, she only has eyes for you." Dagur released the tension and Johann scuttled back.

"Please, as an apology, take this. It was a gift for the lady I had made for her, to celebrate the baby." Johann pulled off a sheet and revealed a cradle with the Berserker insignia carved into the head board. Dagur ran one hand over the smooth wood. It was well made, a lovely gift. Dagur suddenly felt out of his comfort zone. Hiccup had been pregnant for almost six months now, but this cradle made it real. Dagur was not a nice man, or a particularly gentle one. Hiccup was the exception and Vessa to an extent. He stared at his hand on the headboard. They were stained deeply with the blood of many, innocent, enemies, people who tried to hurt Hiccup. He wondered if it bothered Hiccup at all that he had killed his own father, she had been fond of Oswald. He remembered the conversation from the other day, Hiccup's anxiety over not being able to fulfil the needs of the child and Dagur now started to wonder the same thing. Hiccup managed to draw out his kindness and tenderness, but he hardly understood the concept otherwise. Babies were fragile and small, he wasn't sure he could do this.

"Oh yes, I also have something from the lass's father, Stoick the Vast sends it with his regards."

"I'll have someone collect the cradle later, but I'll take the chest."

X

He found Hiccup curled up by the fire when he returned. Anxiety was still creasing lines into her forehead. It made him very unhappy to see that. Toothless was curled around her per usual, since he was unable to fly with her he settled with guarding her like a hound. The beast had become very protective since Hiccup got pregnant. It was good to know that someone was keeping the reckless girl safe, but irritating because the dragon was reluctant to let him near. He put the chest of the table catching her attention. She immediately tried to stand to greet him, only to lose her balance. Being six months pregnant and missing a leg made even simple tasks like standing difficult. Even she conceded flying was out of the question at this point. Dagur immediately walked to her and helped her stand. His hand subconsciously reached out and rubbed over the sizable bump peeking from beneath her tunic.

"Little one's getting big." He mumbled, continued to rub, feeling for signs of movement.

"Like I said before, I'm a house." Hiccup chuckled weakly.

"I don't know, I kind of like it." Dagur mumbled, still eyeing the lump under her breasts.

"Really?" She asked skeptically.

"You're walking around with the physical embodiment of our fertility. Proof that I am a man among men."

"Oh gods." Hiccup rolled her yes.

"What?"

"I prefer a physical embodiment of our love, but fertility, I guess that works." She snarked.

"Aww don't get all moody." He cooed mockingly.

"I'm carrying your big-headed baby; I'm bound to get moody." She replied, laughing and pushing him away.

"Well, will a gift make up for it?" He picked up the chest and held it out to her. Toothless came up from behind her and sniffed it, making a face. Hiccup cocked her head. Her eyes were red and swollen from her earlier crying fit. She looked it over, her eye fixing on the crest.

"What's that?"

"Your father had it sent to you." Hiccup blinked a few times before taking it and setting it on the table. She opened it and her eyebrows shot up and then her whole expression softened. Dagur was damn curious now. He watched in surprise as she pulled out a tiny plush dragon, a blue nadder, rolling it in her palms and staring at it with an odd expression.

"I remember this…"

"What is it?"

"My mother made this for me, when I was little. Dad told once I was really scared of dragons as a kid. This helped me conquer my fears and keep me company when my dad was gone." She shifted it between her hands with a strange expression.

"My parents never really did know what they were doing, I wasn't supposed to live after all, my dad was concerned for the tribe first and my mom was always gone…. But I turned out alright." Then her face scrunched up the way it always did before she cried. Dagur tensed, waiting for her to start bawling. But then she surprised him, the way she always did. She looked at him with a big smile on her face and tears running down her cheeks.

"I think we can do this." Dagur stared in utter bewilderment for moment, before he felt his own face pulling into a smile. Dagur threw his arms around her, hugging her close.

"Yeah, I think we can."

X

Far away on the isle of Hysteria, Norbert was drinking mead in front of fire when Brenna, his wife, came into the room. Norbert had a feeling there was going to be one of those talks that he so greatly detested, usually involving him showing attention to other women to killing some innocent bystander, the usual. But this seemed a bit different. The woman deliberately stormed in front of him, blocking his view of and heat from the fire. He lazily looked up at her. Brenna was younger than him, but not by much, and like her brother and mother before her, she had an intimidating silhouette, if you weren't used to her of course.

"Yes, Brenna?" Norbert inquired, sounding as bored as possible.

"Hiccup was attacked." She stated simply.

"And?" Norbert asked lazily, waving his mug about.

"It was a Lava Lout, he intended to kill her and my little niece or nephew."

"Where are you going with this m'dear?"

"What the hel were you thinking?" Brenna hissed, all but spitting fire in her rage.

"What?" Norbert asked in faux innocence. Brenna wasn't amused.

"You think I'm stupid? I know you told them where to find her and how! What the hel are you thinking, she's my brother's wife!" She shouted, slamming her hands on the armrests of his chair. Norbert ignored her outburst, taking a long gulp of mead before addressing her again.

"A woman with too much power. A woman who threatens us, the sooner she's gotten rid of the better." He replied casually.

"That is my sister; she's with child you brute." Brenna snarled through her clenched jaw.

"A Hooligan, unsuitable. We'll find your brother a better wife." Norbert replied. Brenna got into his face, glaring at him.

"I don't think you understand, if she dies Dagur won't stop until he finds out who killed and her and make them die horribly. There won't be another wife." Norbert guffawed.

"So he thinks himself in love?" He questioned, far too amused for Brenna's liking.

"He does, I've seen him look at her, talk about her. This is once in a lifetime. This is his wife and only wife he will ever have." Norbert shrugged, unconcerned.

"Still, she is not a proper wife for him." He told her.

"You're the one who encouraged my father to make the match in the first place!" Brenna screeched slamming her hands by the sides of his head.

"She was supposed to die by now; he was supposed to bring war to the tribe." Norbert told her, watching the mead roll about in his mug.

"So you only intended her death?"

"The Hooligans and Berserks have been buddy-buddy long enough. It was fine when it was only your weak father, but Dagur's at the helm. The boy is all wildfire, unpredictable, damaging and dangerous. I refuse to allow him to continue." Norbert told is wife as causally as if announcing the weather.

"Hiccup keeps him under control." Brenna argued.

"Hiccup was meant to die not wield his destructive power." Norbert rebutted.

"What in the damn world is wrong with you?"

"They were both supposed to be dead by now, not fostering peace with some bastard in the runt's belly." Norbert explained, finally looking Brenna in the eye.

"And what exactly did you intend for my birth-tribe after my entire damn family was dead, husband?" Brenna questioned from between her teeth, seething now.

"Our children of course, that you stubbornly refused to supply."

"The gods choose such things…"Brenna started, as if reciting a line from a play. Norbert held up a hand to stop her tirade.

"Cut the crap Brenna, you think I don't know what those foul teas of yours are?" Brenna flinched. But she didn't back down. She pulled back drawing herself up casually as her husband had been doing.

"And that makes you so sure that I won't go straight to my brother and Hiccup's tribes with this information you have so generously given to me?"

"Because your brother would cut you down in rage like the mad bastard he is. Because whether or not you're willing to accept it Hysteria is more of your tribe than the Berserkers and you don't want to bring the wraths of two tribes down on them."

"I'm sure I can dispose you easily."

"You're my wife, regardless your fate is tied to mine, even if you survive your own brother's rage you'll be branded as my former wife, a woman who betrayed her husband. None will trust you if even the sacred bond of marriage means nothing to you."

"You know your brother Brenna; you know the Hooligans hold no love for you, the sister of the mad boy who claimed their princess. What do you think your fate will be?" Brenna looked down. Berserkers were warriors through and through, but honor did play a big part in their society. Your reputation was everything. Norbert stood up now, cupping Brenna's face his one hand, bidding her to look him in the eye.

"We are both products of madness; the insanity within you is strong just as it is in myself. You were meant to be my wife. Embrace your insanity, don't be your weak father…" He watched in delight as the fog struggled to envelop Brenna's mind.

"My father…." She whispered, visually struggling against her madness, her anger and rage.

"Was a weakling who bent the knee rather than fight. What happened to the one who killed your lovely mother?" Norbert fed the fire, fed it and fed it until it consumed all.

"My father didn't execute him." Brenna whispered, the fog taking hold her of her perception.

"What did he do instead?" Norbert goaded.

"He let him go…." She whispered.

"Hiccup is your father, she is weak." Brenna shook her head, clarity clawing it way out again.

"No, she is stronger than Father, she is…."

"Perhaps… But there is no madness in her, how could she understand any of us?" He stepped way.

"The harbor will be watched Brenna, you may be well loved here but their loyalty is to the chief first, not his wife."

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Princess: Back on track and hopefully I'll finish up until I write the second movie which will have to wait until it comes out on red-box or something. But don't you guys worry I am full of ideas until then. But guhh is this academic year going to be a nightmare and then comes being an adult so yeah, we'll see where that's going with me too. But I promise to continue working on this, guys.

Until next time.

Reviews:

Shane1984: It's a possibility.

REBD: Oh, that's coming next chapter.

Viking Lady: It'll be several chapters before that happens.

: Thanks, Vessa isn't too different from a perceived villain herself. Just a thought

Sdf: It will come my child, it will come.

Night-Chan-DragonEyes: Well I hope the pain isn't too bad ^^0

Sakiko of soleana: thank you!