Sorry this chapter is late, I've been working on finding an agent and my other writings. I spent the majority of yesterday on my query letter and I had no idea HOW STRESSFUL it would be. By the time I was finished I was absolutely frazzled and incapable of making words.

X

Chapter 6

Their week long stay with the Branded Brutes was coming to a close. Hiccup had been up at dawn every day and didn't return to bed until well after sundown. It left him utterly exhausted but it was well worth it. Teaching others about dragons and watching them learn to fly brought back warm memories of Berk's academy.

Ata was drinking in as much dragon knowledge as she could. Although the week had only given her a minimal amount of experience, she was doing considerably well. Unlike most Vikings, her mind was open, and her example was invaluable to teaching the others. She was the first to climb on the back of a dragon. She had been apprehensive and Hiccup had offered her a ride on Toothless. She cautiously accepted and after a lap around the village she was eager to ride a dragon on her own.

She hand taken a liking to a blue-toned Monstrous Nightmare who returned her affection. Seeing her and the nightmare in the air gave the rest of them the boost of confidence that they needed. Hiccup and Toothless had flown alongside, for her and the dragon, and they were both glad when nothing went wrong.

"See? You're a natural." Hiccup had said.

"You think so?" Ata smiled. The wind rustled her brown hair and it flattered her face.

Ata was bright and receptive and her personality was a pleasant shift. It wasn't that Hiccup disliked the stubborn Viking demeanor but it was nice to have someone to talk to, that was as into dragons as much as he was, that wasn't his mother or Fishlegs. She was the ideal student. Her eyes saw everything that he did and her ears remembered everything he said.

Throughout the week she had been perceptive and quick to learn. She and her Monstrous Nightmare had gotten closer and Hiccup felt comfortable about leaving her in charge of helping the others reach her level.

On their last evening in the village the chief threw a grand feast in their honor. The entire village had joined the celebration. There was more than enough food and mead for two feasts. Singing, dancing, and laughter filled the hall. Merriment pushed out the cold and stories were passed around.

The noise of the hall had been too much at first but with each mug it slowly subsided into a pleasant buzz. Hiccup had lost count of the mugs that he'd had but the fuzziness was encroaching on his vision and his limbs were weightless. What was keeping him in his seat? Why wasn't he floating away? It was like he was flying. It was the same euphoric sensation as when he was diving through the sky with Toothless.

"Try the buns," Ata was saying. She was sitting beside him and holding a basket of herb-sprinkled rolls in her hands. "Brenna makes the best bread."

"Thank you," Hiccup said as he took one. He bit into it's delicate flesh and a warm flavor spread over his tongue. "This is delicious!"

Ata smiled, "I told you. I try to bake as good as her but I never quite get it right. Although, I will brag about my mutton."

"I agree, it was good." Hiccup nodded. His words were flowing so easy, like warm yak button on a fresh roll. Expect for these rolls. They didn't need yak butter.

"I suppose I'm just better with meat than bread." Ata shrugged with a smile as she took a roll from the basket and passed it on down the table.

"Well, we all have our talents." Hiccup said.

"I guess," Ata sighed, her smile relaxed and her shoulders eased. "Hiccup, are you tired?"

"Yeah," Hiccup nodded. He wasn't sure of the time or how long he'd been sitting there. When he thought about it he was sure that he could lie down on the table and sleep, despite the noise.

"Well, the feasts had fallen into the drunken dancing," Ata said, motioned toward the swinging couples, around and around they went, laughing and singing. "So I doubt anyone would be upset if you left. You've been working hard, you deserve a good night's rest."

"You're right," Hiccup nodded. It was sound logic to him.

"Alright then, come on, I'll walk you back."

"Hm? I can go alone if you want to stay. No need to stop your fun because of me." Hiccup said as she stood. His legs wobbled and his balance was completely gone. If it hadn't been for Ata's quicker arms, he would have made good friends with the floor.

Ata laughed, "I'll walk you back."

"Thank you," Hiccup nodded.

Ata took the place of his absent balance and together they walked out of the hall and into the cool night outside. His legs were begin stubborn and didn't want to listen to his instructions. He wobbled this way and that but Ata kept him standing and moving in the right direction. He wasn't sure why but he kept talking, his words like warm honey, dripping down and chin and into the air. He told her about dragons, his adventures with them, his friends, and all the nonsense the twins caused.

She listened, supporting hand on his chest, and hummed soft laughter. She led him through the village that he'd forgotten about to maneuver through. He was sure her house had moved since that morning. He didn't remember it being where it was now.

"Are you sure this is it?" Hiccup asked. He pointed at the row of homes behind them. "I distinctly remember your house being over there."

Ata laughed, "I'm sure. I think I'd know where my own house was."

They stumbled through the front door and she let him walk on his own. How he didn't fall flat, he wasn't sure, but somehow he made it to the table beside the hearth where he sat. The house was swaying to the rhythm of his chest and it was oddly pleasant but a bit nauseating. Ata walked in and was laughing.

"It's been a while since I've been this drunk," Hiccup yawned and lowered his head onto the table.

"You're the chief! You're allowed to drink your troubles away." Ata smiled.

"I suppose." Hiccup rubbed his face. His skin was so loose he thought he might be able to rearrange his features. He heard a clank and looked through his fingers to see a cup in front of him.

"Tea," Ata smiled. She sat down beside him. "You'll sleep better."

Hiccup picked it up and sipped it. It had a strange sweetness but it was good. He licked his lips and sipped it again.

"It's really nice to be able to sit here like this and talk," Ata sighed. "Thank you for that. I'm glad I met you."

"Your welcome,"

"I haven't met anyone like you, ever."

"Thank you? I'm not sure if that's good or not." Hiccup laughed. He sipped the warm tea. It grew on him. It wasn't like the tea that Astrid or his mother made. Maybe he could get the recipe from Ata before he left.

Ata smiled, "It's good. It's just…oh, you don't want to hear about my problems."

"Try me, I'm also a good listener."

"It just…gets lonely with no one to come home to." Ata shrugged. She looked down at her hands. "Every night, I see men and women coming home to their families. They don't have to sleep alone or listen to the sounds of the empty house creaking. It's been … nice … having you and your mother here. There's something about having someone to make breakfast for, to clean up after, to look out for."

"I'm glad I could help," Hiccup said.

"I am, too." Ata smiled. "I've felt better this past week than I have in months, really. I haven't felt…alive since my husband passed."

"Couldn't you remarry?" Hiccup asked.

"I could, if there were men. There are more women than men these days and available men are in high demand. And no man wants to marry a women that's already been had."

"Don't think about it like that, Ata." Hiccup said.

A timid smile came over her lips. "Hiccup, would it be alright if I wrote to you?"

"Of course," Hiccup nodded, and the world nodded with him. He was drunk and sleepy and the tea wasn't helping. He looked at Ata. She looked so sad. He would be, too, if he had to sleep alone night after night, knowing that the house would forever be as quiet as it was then.

Ata reached forward and gently touched his arm. "Your wife is a lucky woman."

Hiccup felt a lump in his throat that prevented him from swallowing the gulp of tea in his mouth. It warmed between his teeth as the lump eased. He forced down the tea. "

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I haven't seen her that much lately." Hiccup sighed. "I'm always busy and she's busy. We eat together, sometimes, but not every day. I know that being chief is taxing. I knew that. But…I don't know."

He didn't know what he would do if something happened to Astrid. True, they didn't see each other as often as he'd like, but he would miss her terribly.

Ata scooted closer and placed a warm hand on his arm, "You're a good man, Hiccup, one of the few. You deserve a woman waiting at home for you, to come to your every need, to take care of you."

She leaned closer, fingers tilting his chin, and kissed him. She traced his jaw and pressed her palm to his cheekbone. Her lips lingered against his and her breath was hot on his. She leaned away just to look at him. In his stupor his body gave no rejection when she pulled him to his unstable feet. She ushered him toward her bedroom door.

Hiccup had no premonitions or inhibitions of coming consequences. In his drunken state no mistakes were foreseen nor did he mind inebriated choices were often bad ones. The world seemed unreal as Ata pulled him through the doorway and closed the door. She fastened her lips to his as they collapsed onto the bed.

His drunken fingers stumbled in her hair as she nimbly unbuckled his leather armor and loosed his shirt. Her quick hands worked much faster than his and soon her palms were smooth against the skin of his chest. Her bare arms slid underneath his hands. Her tongue slipped passed his lips with little difficulty. Her skin was against his, pinning him to the bed, and her hand wrapped around his growing arousal. She ran her thumb along the tip but he wouldn't remember moaning to her touch in the morning.

She straddled his hips with her own and eased down onto him. Her rhythm was pleasant and he tried to mimic it, however, his body failed to listen. The edges of his vision were blurry and the darkness was creeping in as his weightless limbs accepted the rising ecstasy.

X

The evening had started out too fast. Valka had never enjoyed drinking until she couldn't see straight. It had just been another un-Viking like trait. She liked the quiet and all those years spent with the dragons had made it difficult to fold back into the ruckus of humans. The noise had been almost unbearable and she found herself drinking just enough to ease her anxiety.

She did enjoy dancing. She danced with the chief and even though he was clumsy with his feet it reminded her of dancing with Stoick. When they had been younger they could dance until they were breathless. She remembered those nights as a young married couple, before Hiccup was born, when Stoick had his father to help shoulder the responsibilities. There had been many late nights and lazy morning when they would be tangled in each other's arms.

But she wasn't a young woman anymore and couldn't dance the night away. With her stomach full and her feet tried, she bid goodnight to the chief and his friends, and retired for the evening. She greeted the quiet outdoors with much gratitude. If they were going to fly straight home in the morning then she needed her rest, Hiccup did too.

He and Ata had already departed. The dears must have been exhausted. Neither of them had slept much all week. She partly envious their young energy. She assumed they were already asleep when she crept through the front door to Ata's home. She carefully closed it behind her to avoid the creaking of the wood. She made a few steps toward the simmering hearth when she heard sighing through Ata's closed bedroom door.

At first, she didn't believe it. But it was undeniably the combined moans of a happy couple. Ata was a grown woman and could make her own decisions. But Hiccup wouldn't do such a thing. Would he? Valka stumbled a moment, admitting that she might now know her son as well as she'd like. Is he that kind of man? He had been drinking, quite a lot, and mead never lead Vikings into good deeds.

Valka regained her posture. It was not her place to judge her son on his actions. But, Thor strike her if she wouldn't scold him for it. Valka spied a cup on the table of a dark liquid. She lifted it and the pungent fumes stung her nose. Wine. She quietly set the cup back on the table and retreated to the bedroom that she had shared with her son. She went to the basin to wash and nestled in the cot's covers.

Oh, Son, what a mess.

If it was Hiccup in there…he's slept with another woman. It was a horrible act for any married man to commit, but Valka didn't feel as much remorse as she knew she should. She already suspected Astrid of cuckolding him, and with that pirate no less. As a woman, she was angry at Hiccup. As a mother, she was angry at Astrid. What a horrible web they've woven. It can only explode when the threads come together.

X

Hiccup stirred. He wanted to roll over and return to the warm sleep but there was a terrible bubbling in his stomach that he couldn't ignore. He sighed and rolled onto his back. Astrid curled in to his side. Her skin was warm on his and her hair tickled his cheek. He folded his arm around her and she hummed sleepily into his chest.

No, his heart hammered, it wasn't Astrid. That wasn't her voice. It wasn't her scent that met his nose. His head was pulsing as he tried to move. He belched and a nasty taste filled his mouth.

What the hell?

The party. The food. The mead. Ata. Oh, shit.

Hiccup pulled his hand from the blankets and tried to rub out the pain that ripped through his skull. How much had he drank? He barely remembered the events that followed the feast. Memories came in a fuzzy haze of reality, more like dreams, with blackened edges and numbed feelings. For a moment he hoped that it had been a dream, but he knew it hadn't.

He'd slept with Ata. Shit. He'd done it. He'd cheated on Astrid. He'd cheated on his wife. He'd been unfaithful. He hadn't seen his wife in days and when they met neither of them had the time or energy for intimacy. How does he handle it? With betrayal. What a terrible husband.

Hiccup slowly worked his way out from underneath Ata's sleeping limbs. He stumbled though the darkness to find his clothes and he hastily put them back on. He didn't even remember taking them off. Once decent, he tiptoed from the room as fast as he dared without making a sound.

He slumped beside the hearth and took a moment to catch his breath. What had he done? What if she tells people? He could deny it but the seeds would be sown. Oh, man, he's in so much trouble.

It was still dark and from the window he couldn't see a glint of daylight. Sighing, he retreated into the room that he should have slept in that night. His mother was still sleeping, where she should be, and he quietly walked to his cot and sat on the edge. He buried his face in his hands.

"Son,"

Hiccup held his breath. Maybe he'd misheard a sleep-sigh as a word. He watched his mother's supposedly sleeping figure and sighed as she sat up. Her low hushed voice followed.

"Hiccup,"

"I know." Hiccup sighed. "I really hoped you'd be asleep."

"I wish I had been," Valka whispered.

They sat for a moment in an awkward silence. What should he say? His mother, his mother, had not only caught him having sex, but having sex with a woman that wasn't his wife.

"Son," Valka said, in a tone that mimicked his father's disappointment.

"I know," He looked down to the floor, determined not meet her gaze, feeling her glare upon him. "I messed up, but…Mom, what can I do?"

She sighed, "Well, being a man, and a chief, sleeping with a strange woman won't bring you serious trouble. If you're lucky, you can keep this a secret."

"A secret?"

"Yes, Son," Valka's tone was serious. "You mustn't tell anyone about this. Neither will I. Tomorrow you must speak with Ata and tell her the same. These people respect you, as does Berk, but if they should hear of something like this, even just rumors, that respect will dwindle."

"What about Astrid?" Hiccup mumbled. Speaking her name felt like a sin. She would be so angry.

"She can't know." Valka said.

"But,"

"Hiccup, she may love you a great deal," Valka inhaled and paused, "But if you tell her of this she'll never look at you the same. Every time you leave Berk she will think of it. Son, from here on, it is as if it didn't happen."

"Okay," Hiccup nodded. Was he supposed to carry this guilt with him forever? There was a voice telling him that Astrid should know. But there was another that said he should forget it entirely. How could he just forget that it happen? Pretend that he was too drunk to remember? Maybe. However it would be difficult to explain how he got from her bed and into his, dressing along the way, without questioning how he got there.

His mother was right. It was better if no one knew.

X

Morning came in a burst of sunlight. Hiccup rolled onto his stomach and buried his face into the pillow. He needed more sleep. His head throbbed and his stomach gurgled and clawed. He could hear the mumbling of speech. He peeked from the bed and saw that his mother's cot was empty. The blanket had been neatly folded. Feminine laughter erupted in the other room.

He pushed himself up and felt his stomach give an unhappy plunge. For a briefly moment he thought he might be sick but the feeling subsided from extreme to just very unpleasant. He stood up and meandered his way into the hearth. His mother and Ata were sitting at the table and their discussion ceased upon his entry.

"Good morning," Ata said cheerfully. She stood up and quickly ladled out a bowl of stew and set it on the table. "Here, eat up, you'll need your strength today."

Hiccup mumbled a thank you but it tangled on his tongue. The stew had a good deal of broth in it, which wasn't his favorite, but to his upset stomach it sounded marvelous.

"While you wake up I'm going to make sure the dragons are ready to leave," Valka said as she stood up. "We should leave soon. We don't want to have to stop for the night."

Hiccup mumbled his understanding as she left. The door closed behind her and he was left in the hangover silence with Ata. He wasn't looking at her but he knew she was looking at him. He ate his stew, one spoon at a time, and refused to speak to her while he felt so horrible. But as the stew slowly vanished from the bowl he knew he would have to say something.

"Ata," Hiccup cleared his throat.

"I know, I know, I kind of jumped you. I'm sorry about that." Ata said. Her smile didn't look apologetic to Hiccup. "It's just…I don't know,"

"Ata, this has to be a secret." Hiccup blurted out.

"What?"

"You can't tell anyone that we…that it happened." Hiccup said as sternly as he could.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm married and if my wife hears even the slightest rumor she will kill me." Hiccup said. Before Ata could argue he added, "And I love her. I married her for a reason. This was a fling, nothing more."

Ata was silent for a moment. "I understand."

"Good," Hiccup sighed. "Thank you."

"Can I still write to you?"

"Sure."

X

What could possibly go wrong?