Soon enough Hiccup was back with Gothi. And Gobber, since he was the one around who could understand what she was writing.

Well.

He usually did.

With some minor mistakes here and there.

Hah, not big deal that he read hawks instead of hands. Not at all. Everyone can mistake forearms for farmers.

The old healer had me get sit carefully and did a full check up on me, and when I say full I mean full; for most of it Hiccup had to leave the room and Gobber was staying in the other corner of the room behind me. I felt uncomfortable and mostly ashamed but Gothi was having none of it.

When she inspected my core she gave me a reassuring smile and petted my hand as if to say that everything was alright. I didn't feel any more pain, the only thing remaining being the awful memories but I was trying not to think about it.

After Gothi was done she nursed my back once again and bandaged me up. Apparently my back was the worst of all the wounds I had; it did feel like it, I could barely move without having the urge to strangle someone.

She gave me a small pouch with herbs and pointed to my belly. I got onto the idea once I opened it carefully and smelled the dried leaves; it was the same tea that Dagur had been forcing me to drink after every time. And in all honesty, I appreciated the fact that Gothi hadn't asked Gobber to translate anything or the fact that she didn't tell anyone.

I don't think I could cope right now with the shame of even more people knowing. It was enough that I was still haunted by images and I knew that soon enough nightmares would follow.

Then Gothi packed the remains of gauze, bandages, ointments and different disinfectant solutions as Gobber told me they were called. Gothi told me— well the blacksmith told me that Gothi would come the next day to check on me again then every two days. She didn't want to risk the wounds getting infected and I was more than grateful for her carrying.

Also she advised— Alright, who in Thor's name am I fooling? She threatened to hit me with her staff if I would even try lifting anything heavier than a fork.

And seemingly I wasn't getting out of the house in the near weeks. Sentenced to boredom in someone else's house. Great. How was I supposed to search for Phantom like this?

The only good thing was that Hiccup promised he would search on the islands nearby with the others next week, after I could at least sit up without that much pain. I almost burst out laughing when he said that but restrained myself from doing so; if he thought that I would spend around two months locked up in the house than he was so very wrong. The moment I'll be able to get up without getting dizzy, I'll bolt out of the house and I'll be searching for my friend.

I glanced at Gothi as she walked out of the room after she gave me a reassuring smile, then my eyes moved to Gobber who was eyeing me with a small smile.

"Ya are 'oing to be alright lass, don't worreh. Gothi might be cranky frohm time to time, but who can blame 'er?" he gazed at Hiccup then at the stack of gauze and new bandages the old woman left "Lad, ya 'onna have to change 'er bandages tomorro' "

Hiccup gave a small nod "Alright"

"Thank you, Gobber" I spoke softly as a smile tugged at my lips.

"No need to thank me, it's Gothi who ya oughtta thank" he headed to the stairs and turned to look back at me before he went down "See ya 'round lassie" and with that he was gone.

I let out a breath and blinked hard, how did I even manage to get in all of this… I could've been flying with Phantom right now if I didn't leave Berk. It would've been so much better and now I wouldn't be lying in a bed, almost all bandaged up and with no idea of where my friend is, with—

"Are you hungry?"

I snapped my eyes to Hiccup's and my stomach grumbled on cue "Thought you'd never ask" I chuckled out and soon we were both laughing with Hiccup.

The next three weeks went on quicker than I had first expected. At first I thought I'd go crazy in the house but as the time passed on it actually turned out that I needed to be locked in the house for a little while, pretty much shielding me from getting in any trouble. And I've had a lot of time to sort things out in my own mind.

Also I've become pretty good friends with Hiccup's Terrible Terror, Sharpshot. He could be a handful at times, but a good friend nonetheless.

The nightmares still continued and they became more and more vivid, sometimes they were just flashbacks from the time when I was kidnapped and sometimes they were just random mares. One thing united all of them, the red eyes. Those bloody red eyes were in all of them and it felt like it was something that shouldn't be there, like it wasn't a part of the actual nightmare or memory, like it wanted to be there. If that even makes sense.

But Hiccup was always there. He slept next to Toothless and usually I woke in the middle of the night because he was shaking me awake, saying that I was screaming or crying again in my sleep. Then he would just hold me and let me cry it out.

I really don't think there was a better friend than him and it made me happy. It made me happy that I had someone like him in my life.

In the morning he would bring me breakfast, then he would leave Toothless to keep me company while he went to the black smithy or somewhere around Berk. At lunch Astrid, Fishlegs or Gobber would show up and after I ate we would talk and talk and talk. I really enjoyed it to be honest, especially Gobber's stories.

Seemingly Astrid was starting to warm up to me. One day she stayed with me and at first we didn't talk, but then she asked me some more stuff about myself and we ended up laughing hysterically about stupid things we did when we were little, joked about Odin knows what and had a great time. Turns out she wasn't as bad as I thought, actually real fun.

Then in the evening Hiccup would come back and we would usually read until the both of us would drift into sleep.

Turns out my parents weren't on Berk though, apparently they went to visit my mother's sister who lived on a southern island out of the Archipelago, near the Mainland, and who was pregnant; my mother wouldn't miss that even for all the treasures in the world. Her and my aunt Gale were practically tied to the hip.

So I was staying in Hiccup's house, which was actually pretty awkward at first, especially when Stoick came back from a trip to Burglar Bog for a meeting with other chiefs from the Archipelago.

Stoick did pretty much lecture me on how what I did was wrong and that I got injured because of it. I couldn't say that he wasn't right, he totally was and now I understood why most of the villagers wanted to keep me around Berk.

The Archipelago wasn't some cute place with sparkling rainbows.

But also he said that he couldn't stop me from leaving, that it was my choice after all and that if it was to go to Dragon's Edge once again after I was good to go, then he would totally support my decision since it was a great thing to do.

Oh well, I've got the chief's approval.

Johann never got to Berk in this three weeks and at first I became worried, but then Hiccup got a Terror mail from the trader, saying that he took a different route this time and would be back to Berk in less than a month. It seemed kind of strange but I didn't think much of it, Johann was much of a traveler and he loved to get to different lands outside of the Archipelago, much further from it.

Gothi came every two days to check up on me and yesterday she said that today I could try to get outside on a small walk.

My back still hurt and the slashes weren't entirely healed, so as the bigger bruises on my belly, waist and arms but it was getting better.

So today was the day when I could go outside and I hadn't been so excited since the Snoggletog when Johann brought me the egg from which Phantom hatched. Finally after a whole week of being captured, four days of being out and three weeks of staying mostly in bed, I was allowed to get out.

I ate fast what Hiccup brought me to eat and gobbled it down with some water, which only made him laugh and say that the house wasn't burning and I didn't have to rush like that. I rolled my eyes at him and swung my legs to the side of the bed, my bare feet touching the wooden floor.

I took in a breath and stood up carefully. My knees shook a bit but soon I took a step then another one and another one. It felt so good to be back on my legs.

Toothless walked to me and nudged my hand with a coo "What are you waiting for? If you'll stay any longer like that he'll make you get back in bed"

I bit back a laugh and strode to the stairs, not even bothering to get on boots, then not in even a minute I was on the first floor heading to the door. I didn't even bother looking around and when I got to the door I opened it widely and stepped outside into the cool morning air, warm rays of the sun and soft breeze.

I descended carefully the stone steps and relished the feeling of soft, short-cropped grass under my feet.

Cropped…

I reached to my head and ran a hand through my now cropped dark hair, letting out a long sigh I let my arm fall back to my side. I've never had cropped hair in my life, it was always at least shoulder-length. And now it was much like Hiccup's. Those damned hunters cut it on the first interrogation and that alone made me want to kill every single one of them.

Wondering what my parents are going to say when they see me like this.

I groaned inwardly at the thought and suddenly felt someone nudging my right hand. When I looked down I saw Toothless looking at me with a puzzled look.

"I am alright Toothy, don't worry" I replied and scratched his head affectionately.

He purred and cuddled closer to my belly, making me chuckle. He really was a big cuddly.

"Short hair doesn't look bad on you, you know? Long was better but cropped isn't as hideous as you might think"

I glanced down at him and shook my head slightly with a smile "I guess"

Toothless looked up at me and gave me a gummy smile, then he rubbed gently the side of his head some more against my belly.

"You do know how to make people happy, don't you?" I chuckled out and scratched behind his ears.

"Yeah, only he doesn't lick your face to wake you up"

I turned my head to the side to look at Hiccup who was frowning slightly, but his eyes were amused.

"Oh just you wait"

I eyed Toothless curiously as he trotted behind Hiccup and let out a hot breath into the lad's hair.

"Hey!" Hiccup scolded as he turned back only to be tackled down by Toothless and get his face licked.

"Toothle— Sto— I am— SERIO—"

I burst out laughing at the sight. This was golden.

After a bit Toothless stepped away from a giggling Hiccup and walked to me.

"He was asking for it"

I petted his head "Pretty much"

Hiccup got up slowly "Useless reptile" he mumbled under his breath, thing that got the so said 'useless reptile' to chuckle in his own way.

An idea popped up in my mind and I glanced at Toothless, trying to make a serious face. He cocked his head at me but soon got onto the idea because in the next moment he had a serious look plastered over his face, which was funny as Hel.

Then we both turned to look at Hiccup.

The green eyed lad looked at both of us slightly confused while we tried to muster our best serious faces. Not even a second went away that the three of us were laughing our heads off.

Overall the day dozed off pretty fast. We went inside only to eat at lunch then we went back outside because, apparently, I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be, or annoyingly funny from someone else's point of view.

It was already dinner and for the first time I was downstairs at the table with Hiccup and Stoick. It felt kind of awkward but I pushed it aside.

"I think Johann should be here any day now, Spitelout said he saw Johann when he got back from an errand to the Northern Markets"

I smiled a bit and sipped on the herbal tea Gothi said I should drink every evening. She gave Hiccup a pouch with dried herbs somewhere two weeks ago. It was actually pretty good, linden with something more.

"That's great news" Hiccup replied with a smile "Anne can talk to him and I was running low on ink"

Stoick took another gulp from his wooden pint before he placed it back down and turned to look at me "How are you feeling today?"

My eyes snapped to his concerned ones "It's getting better, all thanks to Gothi"

He nodded slowly "Well, I think you can go see Johann when he arrives then, if you'll feel okay. He might stay over for a bit though if you won't be able to go to the docks when he gets here. He's always had a soft—"

There was a loud knock on the door which made Stoick grumble something under his breath before he walked to the door, from which echoed more knocks.

"Can't get rest, ever" he muttered before opening the door "Astrid, what are you doing here? It's already dark outside"

"Good evening chief, I have to talk to Hiccup. It's important" she blurted out.

Hiccup already stood up and was heading towards the door. I turned carefully around and watched.

"Hiccup this is an urgency" Astrid hurried out.

"What? What is it?" he asked bewildered.

"Heather. We have to go meet with her right away. She will be there in four hours, the same amount of time it takes us to get there. So hurry up" she finished and looked at Stoick then at me "Good night chief! Night Anne!" and with that she was gone.

Hiccup woke up Toothless from his nape then gazed at Stoick "Dad, I am going to be back… uh soon? You don't mind Marianne staying some more, right?"

Stoick chuckled and placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder "No, I don't son. Now go and take care of the others"

Hiccup nodded with a smile and rushed out of the house with Toothless in tow.

"Night Anne!"

Then they were gone.

I stared a bit at the door after Stoick closed it. He could have at least said bye or I don't know… good night? I shook my head a bit and turned back to the table, grabbed the cup and continued to drink the tea.

The chief sat back at the table and let out a tired breath "He can be sometimes like that, he wants to stop those hunters as soon as possible. Mostly because he takes as if it's his job to do it. Don't take it at heart"

I glanced up at the chief to see him drink the last of his ale "I know and I understand completely. I want those hunters gone as much as he does. What they do is wrong, they harm innocent creatures"

"Aye, but do remember, it has been only four years since we made peace with the dragons on Berk. There are a lot of tribes that are living out of hunting, killing and selling dragons. It's their own way of life since centuries ago. A lot won't want to change"

I let out a sigh and gave a small nod. Stoick was right from one point of view, the tribes that still killed or hunted dragons did it for centuries, it's their way of living, surviving. But we have to protect the dragons.

"Still, we can't let them slaughter and sell dragons at left and right. Even if it's their way of living, change can be made. Like here, it's better with the dragons, those people just don't know how it is. Nobody showed them"

Stoick chuckled a bit "Don't tell that to Hiccup, he kind of knows it but I don't need him on a spree of changing the mind of different tribes. He'll have to get back to Berk in the next few years to take care of his own tribe"

I bit back a laugh "Well he'd pretty much go around on other islands to do that I guess, but yes, it would be just a waste of time for the most"

"Aye, some people… some people just cannot be reasoned with"

"So… the hunters are that kind of people from your point of view?" I questioned curiously.

"I think you do know the answer to that question" he replied with a smile before he stood up.

We talked some more then I headed back upstairs after I wished Stoick good night.

Sleep was tugging at me and I suddenly felt weaker, my legs were wobbly, my arms felt heavy and my back was hurting.

After I took off my boots, I laid carefully in the bed and stared at the ceiling. I didn't want to go to sleep and scream again in the middle of the night.

But soon enough I found myself closing my eyelids and falling into a deep sleep.