Finally, things start happening at a pace I enjoy. Please fasten your seatbelts and know that the security exits are throwing yourself off the side of your dragon and hoping Hiccup wasn't joking about that flying suit.

Berkian Eddur - 2

Winter in Líf's Holt

Part 3 - Flight

Chapter 16 - Forever

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

"I dun wanna go," Thuggory whined, already half drunk and swaying in his seat, speech slurred and interrupted by bouncing hiccups. Astrid was openly chuckling, hiding her face in Hiccup's shoulder as Thuggory pouted into his keg and Heather looked at him in a mix between endeared and a-step-away-from-strangling.

"Only the ships are leaving for now," Heather sighed. "If I'm at all honest, I'm the one who should be pouting. I have to stay in a ship for two days, with your terrible aunt."

"I would usually offer you a bed in our hall, and mama can just say you need a few weeks of rest before we Hooligans take you back in one of our ships, but…" Astrid shrugged one shoulder with a sad smile.

Hiccup looked down at her, her side glued to his and her arm snuck around his back under his fur cape. The ending feast swelled around them, yells and laughs and music, and she had not moved from his side, nor had he moved from hers.

If someone tried to coerce him onto the dance-floor tonight, Snotlout had the permission to punch them in the face. And between that damn blister that wouldn't go away, and the warm, sweet-smelling lady currently resting her cheek on his shoulder - not to mention a keg or two - it was really feeling like it should have, those weeks ago, at the opening feast.

They had one last meeting tomorrow, one last, tedious, ceremonial talk tomorrow morning. Wine would be drank and honey offered on bread and the new rules and regulations decided upon would be presented to all the chiefs written on parchment, be read out and signed. Then all the chiefs and heirs and generals would begin preparations to leave, some ships leaving as early as the midday hour tomorrow. Snoggletog was four days away, and once the last ally was off the island, Berk could finally breathe.

He looked down at the golden head resting against him as she laughed at a stark observation Dogsbreath made at Thuggory's expense, who was already too plastered to give a proper answer as his face talked into the wood of the table, words unintelligible. A part of him was looking forward to it. Quiet; sweet, blessed quiet, with calm mornings and timidly lit afternoons. Warm brews and hot soups and stews, gentle calloused hands and sweet smelling skin and hair. His pulse quickened just thinking about it. Freya, he hoped she'd help him be honourable towards her.

But he was also terrified. One word expressed wrongly, one … explanation not thought out well enough; that was all it could take. With the things he was going to tell her, it could be enough to undo everything, to leave him with emptiness and freezing cold. He remembered his Hall when his mother had first left her great void in it. Cold as a Winter night, and just as empty, with his father and he ghosting about its silent, creaky walls. He didn't want it to go back to that.

Would she break the contract? Worse, would she keep it, out of duty and obligation? Would she give him a chance to make amends?

He held her closer as his skin went cold beneath the warm clothing, and he kissed her crown. When her hand put her cider down and landed on his knee, rubbing soothing circles, it was a sweet pain. He didn't want to lose this warmth. Didn't want to stop becoming important to her.

Aaand her hand was rising up his inner thigh. His keg went down with a light thunk as he took her fingers and laced them in his, ignoring the pout she shot up at him. If her hands had begun roaming, it meant at least one of them should stay sober. It paid to be on such good terms with her mother - it had felt like waaay too much information at the time, but he was blessing this 'new thing to know of Astrid' now; she was a grabby drunk.

"Spoilsport," she muttered into his shoulder, but her voice was gurgling with a restrained laugh, and he found himself smiling too.

"One of us has to keep us respectable, especially in public," he whispered back, trying to pretend nothing was happening when she took advantage of their position and kissed his neck. A flush ran up to his cheeks instantly as the admittedly enjoyable attention contrasting with the Hall-full of people and the table-full of close friends. That closet at one end of the Hall began to look inviting; but wouldn't it be too obvious, dragging- Ah, not going there. And with poor Sleet, just sitting right there and … wait a minute...

"Astrid, are they holding hands?" he asked quietly. She mercifully stopped her attack on his jaw for an instant to point over-shiny eyes at what he'd nodded at.

"Of course. It's all your doing too, Master Matchmaker," she replied with a snicker. Her hair was only half-gathered again, and it was doing a great job of flicking titillatingly against his face. Sleet had her hand firmly clasped in Dogsbreath's, the shy girl actually chatting with Cami and giggling at her rowdy jokes. It was good to see her smile, and Hiccup was not sure whether it was the arrangement born of politics he had forced upon them himself, the need to protect Sleet once they were back on UglyThug island and she was under her father's roof, or an actual something happening there. But he was glad for the both of them. Sleet was flushed, happily smiling and laughing like she used to in the forge. Dogsbreath, too; it was good to see him here among them again, good to have that air cleared and fresh once more. Hiccup was sad for the misunderstanding, as it had robbed them of nearly the entire time the allied tribes had been there. Dogsbreath was almost as shy as Sleet, Hiccup had discovered, and equally, terribly innocent in certain thought patterns.

They had all agreed to come next spring. The dragon lessons would begin as soon as the ice broke. The Winter past Snoggletog was usually colder and icier until the ice-giants' hold on their home would relent into the brief but balmy Spring. And then, of course, Spring brought wedding feasts. He smiled to himself, feeling confusedly, happily horrified. They would all be back by then. He looked forward to that, too.

They will also have hopefully sorted Cami's business on the sly, too. The news Dogsbreath had shared a few days ago was too important to bother with anything else right now - although it was looking like, honestly, his dad and the others had everything under control. The patrols had even come up with not a few signs of ship-debris, so if they were lucky, Ras had swallowed them all up. But he wasn't one to leave his chances up to the Nixes, and neither was his father. Still, once that was out of the way, hopefully before Snoggletog, then he could tell his dad about Cami's problem, and it's solution.

He sighed and leaned into Astrid again, and he had to admit, he was gratified to hear her sentence to Ruff falter slightly, but tried not to let it show too much. He'd probably pay for it later. A growl caught his ear, and he looked around to see Toothless making doe eyes at Dryleaf, who was chuckling at him as she dangle a dry fish for him. Dartfoot and Ætta were sitting on his saddle, safely strapped in and laughing at whatever game Dryleaf had come up with while he carted the two 'Viking Princesses' around. Hiss the terror was clinging to Ætta's shoulder, half-snoozing through the lights and din.

The girls sang a song and clapped their hands to it, and Toothless was rewarded with the fish when he went through a number of movements on the girl's cues, making them laugh and giggle enthusiastically when he smacked his chops and licked his nose. Hiccup wondered if Toothless was suffering the lack of flying, open space, air and sky half as much as he was - his friend had apparently found vent to his energy much better than Hiccup had.

"He's going to be terrible with your children. You'll have to pry him off to be able to hold our first born for more than five minutes," Astrid chuckled into his ear. Hiccup laughed quietly before a flush rose up his cheeks. "I hope he'll let me hold it long enough to feed the baby, or we'll have a fussy, over-cuddled child and a confused dragon."

The twin feelings of terrified elation and choking restriction rose in his throat. He didn't dare take his eyes away from Toothless as Astrid continued watching and chuckling, her chin on his shoulder. It was so impossibly stupid, to be so afraid of losing her, and yet at once feel so tied down, and so utterly trapped with all that was expected of him when she spoke of it with such nonchalance.

He was just learning how to be a son; how could be a husband and a father too, so quickly?

But she was also talking about it, and she was saying it with such a natural casualness, as if the idea didn't disgust her at all. And he'd be lying if he didn't say that his prospects in life before, when he was Cattongue always cold and alone, had broken his heart. He craved holding a child, having a family, with this woman, just as much as it terrified him and made him feel choked right now.

Thoughts for another time and another day he decided, when Toothless trotted towards them with the two girls still firmly 'riding' him, grin on his gummy mouth in triumph.

"Yeah, you're popular with the ladies, we get it," Hiccup deadpanned with a smirk, earning a snort and a half-lidded 'don't you know it' expression. The night fury bumped his flat head against Hiccup's chest, and then nosed Astrid too, accepting indiscriminate pets as Hiss climbed onto Astrid's shoulders, and Ætta followed in disgruntled, whiny protests that probably indicated bed-time was close by. The child chased the terror around their feet for a while as Toothless sat down and licked some crumbs off Dartfoot's hands, but then the little blonde girl gave up with a huff, sitting resolutely in Hiccup's lap.

"Stay there all you like then, see if I care." She pouted, and then actually glared at Astrid. "Hiss likes you more than me. But Uncle Hiccup likes me better."

"I do?" Hiccup asked, trying not to laugh. The little girl gave him an incredibly familiar glare, and Astrid choked back a startled snort as she recognised it herself.

"You do!" Ætta chirped in a warning voice. Had he not chastised her the last time she'd punched him, she would probably have done it,

"Ah, sorry Aunty Astrid," Hiccup said playfully.

"No stealing my husband away, now," she admonished playfully, trying very hard not to chuckle if her flushed cheeks were any indication.

"He's my husband too," Ætta said in a proud, piping voice, and when Hiccup held his hands up in mock surrender, Astrid lost her battle with laughter.

"Didn't know you were a ladies' man," Ruff drawled from Astrid's other side, and Hiccup bit his thumb at her over Ætta's head, which she did right back to much snorting around the table.

Dryleaf came over, taking her daughter - who was now yawning widely - and saluting the entire table before moving towards the hall doors. Ætta began nodding off in Hiccup's lap, and he let her fall asleep right there, stroking her hair.

"It's like going back in time," he whispered to Astrid, who was looking at the little girl fondly. She turned the gaze to him, and kissed his cheek, burying her face in his neck and mumbling something he didn't catch. He wondered how much she'd drunk, and held her close. Ætta curled up further against his chest, and Toothless put his head on the bench right next to Hiccup, the dragon's body curled around them as the his breath puffed against Hiccup's thigh.

His mind flickered to a recent memory; just a few weeks ago, him holding Woodnut and Astrid in his arms, Toothless still coiled around them protectively, wondering if it could ever be true. This new image burned into his head beside it, with Astrid winding both arms around him and this sweet little girl, sighing his name as her eyes fluttered, and Toothless huffing in obvious contentment.

Yes, yes. It was possible. Perhaps, after that last hurdle was skipped. It was terrifying, choking and mind-boggling. But it was so, so beautiful.

"Oi!" Thuggory said suddenly, startling them out of their thoughts. Hiccup looked up at him, Astrid tilting her head against his shoulder to glare at him a good one. "No fair, you're cheating! MY baby is going to be the eldest new heir! Mine! How'd yours get so big so fast!"

Hiccup burst out laughing, regretting it a moment later when Ætta jolted awake with a startled sob, forcing Hiccup and Astrid to turn their full attention to her as they soothed her back into a snooze.

"We should take her home," Astrid sighed. He didn't want to leave the comfort, company and merriment of the Hall either, not this early, and not when he wouldn't be seeing most of his friends until the season turned after tomorrow. But Ætta mumbled and put her finger in her mouth, and there was no argument that would hold.

"Our hall is closer," he replied gently. "Ruff, Brunhilda's got your daughter anyway tonight. You mind telling her we've put this little one to bed with us?"

"Eh, sure," the woman shrugged. The child was swaddled in his cloak as the four of them made their way down the steps and into the dark Hall. Quick, quiet maneuvering lit the fire and put the slightly fussy child into one of Hiccup's old tunics which fit her like a long dress with dangly sleeves. Astrid's long night clothing and undone hair appeared next, and he quickly put on his own sleeping clothes before she could propose to help him - he wasn't sure if she'd had enough drink to forget that seeking fingers and a sleepy, tiny guest didn't mix.

But he shouldn't have worried - or perhaps he should have? - because she took Ætta up into her arms, and began heading for the stairs.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked quietly. Toothless had already curled up under his bed, Hiss curled against his haunch, and the dragon barn was quiet enough to tell him the other dragons had called an early night.

"Bed?" she replied. He gestured to his own vaguely.

"There's one big enough here right next to the fire," he said, feeling brave and more than a little hopeful. Her feet pattered back across the wood instantly, and she quickly laid the little girl down, climbing in beside her. With slightly shaky legs, he climbed in on the other side, cautiously putting an arm around them before he relaxed when she melted into it. Ætta sighed contentedly and burrowed more deeply into their chest. Hiccup looked into Astrid's eyes over her head, sharing the same pillow.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

"Goodnight."

He lay awake long after everyone else in the hall had fallen asleep, trying to sort the forest-dense emotions in his chest as he held both girls in his arms, their breathing caressing his face and chest.

=0=

Dogsbreath ran up the hill at breakneck speed. It was early; hellishly early. He'd gotten up an extra half-hour before his usual time, intending to sneak out, take Farthog and go for a quick round - not a real patrol, and not to say that he did not trust the men on patrol already. But the situation made him edgy, and Sleet was safe in the communal hall.

He was arrested by the utter horror of the empty barn.

He'd looked around, tried to whistle as quietly as possible, but his gronkle had vanished without a trace. With a sigh and a grumble, he'd almost determined to go back inside when he remembered that Farthog had recently often been sidling up to Fishleg's gronkle, and he had quickly jogged there to see if his silly dragon had gone off to sleep with the Ingermann's again.

He'd found a barn door thrown open, the outside bar clearly bitten through, and an empty barn. He'd knocked the Ingermann awake, almost getting punched in the face by the crazy girl-twin before Fishlegs had understood what he was saying and rushed out to the barn. His dismayed squeaks and panicked calling of his dragon's name had confirmed that he had not known of their disappearance either.

Both of them had been determined to set out for the woods, to try to see if the two dragons had somehow gotten it into their heads to go wild and free again, when Tuffnut ran up, demanding his Zippleback back. Ruffnut had first punched him in the face and then blinked at him owlishly, telling him to get in line to find missing dragons. Cami - who had been with the boy-twin for some reason Dogsbreath did not want to think about, scowled and said that Sting did sometimes go out in the night, but came back by morning, and now she was beginning to get worried.

Clearly, they needed Hiccup.

He knocked on the Haddock hall insistently, receiving no answer, and then had to do the rude thing and just barge in. Hiccup was just emerging from behind the curtain, and Dogsbreath felt his cheeks go hot when he heard his betrothed's voice asking him to skin whoever woke them up from bed.

Stoick walked out of his own bedchamber a moment later, and a slightly embarrassing plateau arrested their feet to the ground. Astrid joined them quickly after, the tiny child they'd left with yesterday in her arms, and though she seemed initially flustered that she was being seen in her sleeping clothes, she did her best to give him a deathly glare as she shivered.

"Who's dying?" she asked. "Because someone had better be, or someone will be soon."

"The dragons," he replied, breathlessly. "They're gone."

Hiccup blinked, running his face to dissipate the sleep-fog and throwing a log into the waned fire, the hall unusually cold. Toothless instantly perked awake and shot a flame at it.

"Toothless is here," he said groggily. "What's happening?"

"Farthog and Meatlug are gone. So are Flat-Fart and Sting."

Hiccup's gaze sharpened and he opened his mouth to reply when a dismayed sound came from the barn.

"Hiccup!"

Dogsbreath exchanged a glance with the other two and they ran to the adjacent door. The barn's door was agar, letting in the cold air which explained the chill inside. All three stalls were empty.

"Odin help us," Stoick hissed, and then quickly returned to the hall to dress. Hiccup rushed back himself, and for the second time since his arrival on the shores of Berk, Dogsbreath found himself with an arm-full of sleepy child.

"Hello," she said, blinking up at him through long lashes. "My name is Ætta. What's yours?"

"Dogsbreath," he replied distractedly as he followed everyone around with his eyes; the Haddocks were, apparently, justifiably preparing to stave off whatever panic would take hold of Berk once everyone else woke up. The child in his arms poked his shoulder.

"Why is everyone looking so sad and rushing about?" she asked again. Her large blue eyes were looking up at him with an expression he would have called shrewd if she were not so tiny.

"Well, some of the dragons are … er… playing. At hiding. And we have to find them," he replied. Her eyes grew even bigger, and she began to wriggle madly; Frigga, Ever Patient Mother, why was he given all the wiggly-children of Berk to hold? Then he let out a surprised oomph when she kicked him with unexpected force in the belly, hopping down from his arms and racing towards the curtained off area.

"Hiss!" she began calling in a piping little voice. "Hiss! Oh Uncle Hiccup, where's Hiss?" With a wince for a completely different reason, he remembered the tiny terror who'd been with the girl the night before. If it was any indication, the furious glare from a half-dressed Astrid meant he was going to die, later. Great.

"I'm going on ahead," Stoick replied, emerging from his small room fully decked out in armour. "There's sure to be a panic. Don't be long."

"Almost done," Hiccup replied, hopping out as he rolled his trouser pant down over the prosthetic and grabbed a fur cape to throw over his half-assembled armour. "Astrid, see if you can leave Ætta with your mum, and come up to the Hall, ok? Toothless is still here, at least, and I'm going to make a recon-roundtrip to see if I can spot anything. Ætta," he stopped, kneeling down very briefly to give the child a hug and rising again. "Uncle Hiccup is going out to check, be a good girl and do what Aunty Astrid and nana tell you to do."

"Hiccup!" Astrid stopped him briefly. "If they've been taken, Toothless may be a target too. Be on the lookout; and maybe you are too, and …"

Hiccup kissed her, effectively stopping her slightly panicked spiel.

"Been there, done that, remember? I'm fine, trust me." Astrid nodded at him wordlessly, and Dogsbreath felt supremely uncomfortable to see Hiccup's brief returned kiss as Astrid held the girl's hand. Ye gods in Asgard, he felt so bloody awkward.

He was very glad when they left the hall, but only for a few moments. People had evidently begun to rise, and the alarm was walking more and more of the Berkian folk. Stoick was going to have his hands full - and Hiccup.

"What in Forseti's law has happened?" Hoark said rushing up. "Everyone's dragon is gone! Toothless is the only one I've seen all morn'!"

Hiccup gave his companion a worried look, and Toothless looked at the sky, sniffing with great interest. Hiccup narrowed his eyes at him.

"Bud, do you think you have a trail?" he asked sharply. Toothless's eyes narrowed too, and for an instance he seemed almost about to growl at his human friend. Then he shook himself bodily, butted his snout against Hiccup's chest and nodded back towards the saddle.

"Got you," Hiccup replied, though he looked none too easily at Toothless. "Bud, you think the trail will hold a few hours? I have to tell people where we're going, and prepare us for the journey. Remember when we decided to go from Crete to Athens?" Toothless rolled his eyes in what was obviously a share reminisce of the negative kind. Then he seemed to consider for a moment, gave a few more sniffs and nodded. "Good. Hoark, tell my father that I'll be at the Hall in a few minutes; Dogsbreath, I'm sorry to ask you this, but I need you to go tell your father and the other clan heads to meet in the Hall. Oh! And … tell your father I said to 'go ahead'. Dad may have forgotten."

Dogsbreath blinked. Then shuddered as he understood exactly how deep the shit-pit they'd landed in was. If they did not manage to solve this situation quickly enough… without the dragons, they…

His heart was in his throat as he left Hiccup, rushing off towards his clan's guest hall. They had to get them; if news of this leaked… they had to get them at once!

=0=

Astrid had to admit that she was growing rather impatient, and felt terrible for it. Ætta was being difficult, because she was a sleepy, upset child. Yet she couldn't deny that she was holding her temper in by a very thin thread.

"But Aunty Astrid, Hiss is so tiny. What if Uncle Hiccup can't find him among all the other dragons?" she said in a whine, wiping at her eyes even though she was containing her tears. Good girl; a Hofferson already. Astrid tried once again to capture the elusive, tiny hand and stuff it into the girl's sleeve. Oh Asgard above, when she had agreed to watch the child yesterday, the night's epilogue had been a lovely, unexpected surprise, but now she was beginning to regret it.

"You just need to trust that Uncle Hiccup will bring the terror back with him," she said distractedly, smoothing out the crumpled clothing and trying to get the wiggly girl into her tunic. When Ætta began bouncing on her bottom, she snapped. "Will you sit still!"

The child stopped instantly, looking at Astrid with very wide eyes that watered instantly. But she bit her lip, looked down and apologised, holding both her hands out and looking down in palpable remorse.

Astrid felt like she'd splashed Stormfly with mud.

"It's alright, Ætta," she replied with a sigh, smoothing the girls hair and reaching for her own comb, beginning to untangle the messy locks. "If Aunty Astrid is honest, she's worried about Stormfly, too," she finally sighed, tying off the girl's hair in one, long braid instead of her usual two.

"Really?" Ætta replied, looking up at Astrid in open astonishment. "But Stormfly is big and strong."

"Of course," Astrid replied, turning the girl around and gathering her into her lap. She was in a hurry, yes, but Ætta didn't have to suffer for it. With a heave, she stood with the child in her arms, retreating behind Hiccup's curtain with the rest of her own clothes and making short work of them as Ætta waiting on his bed. "But Aunty cares for her dragon, and not knowing where she went makes me worried. Just as I am going to be very worried about Uncle Hiccup when he's gone, even if he's a strong warrior."

It wasn't an untruth; she only wished he'd been in the room so she could have seen his cheeks colour. Ah, she didn't even know how long he'd be, when he'd be back, if he was to find at least a trace of them. What if he didn't find them? What if something happened to him, and -

"Oh, but that's silly, Aunty Astrid," Ætta replied, looking much happier now that she seemed to feel she knew something more than her namesake. When Astrid gave her questioning look, she smiled back widely, kicking her feet. "Uncle Hiccup made you a promise to marry you, and he hasn't married you yet, so he won't be long!"

"Oh?" Astrid replied, pausing to look at the girl in amusement. Ætta obviously found her vocalisation to be doubtful in some way, and folded her arms with a jutted jaw.

"Of course. Uncle Hiccup keeps promises."

"And how are you so sure that he does?" Astrid replied, turning to sit beside the girl on the bed and fit her boots on, interested despite herself.

"He told me!" Ætta replied conspiratorially. Tiny, uncertain hands caught onto two or three of Astrid's fingers, and the older Hofferson lent her the appendage obligingly. After a few failed attempts, Ætta managed to hook her tiniest finger with Astrid's own, and then bumped it into her chest. "Uncle Hiccup told me that Aunty Astrid helps him and his pappa by cooking for them because Uncle's food tastes like dragon poop." Astrid held in a snort by a hair. "But that he is holding Aunty Astrid here in his heart!" she bumped their joined hands against her chest again, beaming up at Astrid after she paused for a moment to make sure their fingers were woven properly. "Just like this!"

Then she frowned. "Aunty Astrid, it's not nice to forget the promise you made with Uncle Hiccup. Because you promised to marry him too, no?"

"Yes," Astrid replied, taking the girl up in her arms and marching determinately towards the door. Her chest was threatening to burst open at Ætta's innocent little revelation, and this feeling which had been growing inside her had finally expanded until it left no room for anything else.

"When did he tell you of this promise?" she asked, when they were crossing the plaza, Astrid avoiding any summons at all costs; she could not get side-tracked.

"When he gave me my new dolls!" she replied happily, large eyes following all the frantic happenings around her curiously over Astrid's shoulder. "When my chest stopped hurting. He was the first one nana let in just before she took me to the outhouse again, and…" Ætta launched into a colourful retelling of her adventure in the outhouse after so long locked inside while Astrid could feel a smile spread on her face as far as it would go.

She was going to find that man and punch him in the face for making such gross assumptions about what he could and couldn't do with his promises. Then she was going to kiss him until he forgot what his name was.

Ætta was received with open arms by the women who were still inside the Hofferson house. Her own mother was probably running around the island with the elder to see what could be done, but Ætta's mamma was not much of a warrior and had at least been in the hall to take her child back. Sprinting across the paths, avoiding people and cursing her own laziness at having grown so used to travelling by dragon, her mind buzzed with things to do.

Luckily, she spotted Snotlout talking to one of the red-haired barmaids and made a beeline for him.

"Snotlout!" she called, interrupting whatever involved conversation they were having. She'd apologise for it later. "You're not in the Hall? Hiccup wanted to call a meeting - is it done already?" Shit. She needed to prepare his travel pack, make sure he was well stocked, warm … she had one prepared for herself at all times. She'd pillage it and give it all to him.

"No, it was a short one. It went right over my head, but everyone seemed to know what everyone else was saying." He rolled his shoulders uncomfortably as the barmaid looked at him worriedly, her arm sneaking around his beefy one. Well, well! "Anyway, what all I got is that they're putting Berk on lockdown. Sending the lot of women and children to the safe place, and putting up rosters and patrols. Not sure why, but it seems everyone's feeling a little paranoid with the dragons gone." Snotlout frowned. "I suppose better safe than sorry. There was some talk of sending the ships ahead, and it got a bit hot there, but I don't get why as Snoggletog's at the door. In the end they all decided to stay here." Snotlout shrugged. Then he smiled. "Oh, and some UglyThug blokes got arrested. Three generals. Don't know what about, but I didn't like the looks about them anyway. I'm off on guard duty myself in a bit."

A spark went off in Astrid's head. Sleet's stilted and partial hints began to finally make sense; Astrid's mother hadn't believed her when she'd said she didn't know all the story, only that there was some danger approaching Berk somehow. Astrid, however, only knew what Sleet had told her - that her father had conspired with two others to bring about the downfall of the current tribe chiefs. Sleet herself apparently knew nothing of the hows or whys, the girl had only left her with a pall of dark worry, and the instant mastering of Berk's female forces.

Snotlout looked at her grim face, and seemed to understand something more was afoot.

"See that you guard those arseholes like they were honey from bees," she hissed, putting a hand on his arm. She hadn't quite forgiven him for what he'd done to her yet, but she knew that, at least, his remorse and regard for Hiccup was sincere and that was all she needed. "Hiccup's going to need them well covered while he takes care of everything else."

Snotlout's jaw tightened. He gave the barmaid a side-long glance - Lauga, her name was Lauga - and she let her arm drop.

"I'll take her home and get to it. I have a few minutes but …" He nodded at Astrid, and she once again sprinted towards the Haddock hall, hoping against hope that she would be on time.

Slightly out of breath and sweating, she loped up the hill just on time to see Hiccup fastening a saddlebag onto Toothless' leather rigging, helmet balanced on his head acting like a vizor, blocking the surprisingly strong sun-rays from his ever moving eyes.

"Already?" she asked breathlessly. He looked up at her with a grim face and nodded, fingers still nimbly working their spidery efficiency at his saddle. Toothless gave her a nudge and she absently stroked his head.

"Before everyone changes their mind. Some of them were none-too-happy that the last dragon on Berk is heading out." He gave a buckle a final tug. "But just because Toothless is the last dragon, we need to head out while the scent is fresh and he can follow. We don't know what's going on, and we have to make sure to solve this before … the scent trail's out."

He shrugged. Astrid quelled the urge to shake him and demand to know what exactly was going on. The cloud of dread in her stomach puffed out and thundered, but she grabbed his hand and hauled him standing instead.

"Stay right here. I'll only be a few moments, you hear? Stay right there!"

She rushed inside, taking the stairs two by two and grabbing her travel pack - for a wild moment, the thought of joining him flitted through her mind - but her legs kept moving, and the idea was dismissed before it could fully form, her added weight not conducive to the speed he needed.

She paused only briefly at the new table, snatching up the string of her work-in-progress and flew out the front door again.

"Here," she told him, with no room for argument. "You have provisions and blankets. Ignore some of the things - it's mine, I always have it ready."

"I couldn't possibly-"

"Yes, yes you can. Now tie this up to Toothless, too. I'm sure he'll be happy to know you're not going out there with whatever provisions you think are enough." The dragon snorted at his rider, who resigned himself to being outnumbered and bullied, and added the pack to Toothless' burden. As he stood back up facing her. Astrid bit her lip, looking up from her unfinished work.

"This is … not ready yet," she said with some shame, putting the string over her head and looking up at him. The half-carved figure of Mjolnir, elaborate designs only thinly scratched out on it, bounced against her belly.

"Is that …?" He looked up at her under his lashes. "I'll take it as it is, you know."

"No," she replied, and then impulsively reached behind her, undoing the clasp of her silver pendent and stepping forward. Getting onto her tiptoes, she clasped it around his neck and his arms came up around her. "Hold onto that. I want it back, you hear? We'll exchange them once the one I'm making is done."

He gave her an uncertain, flattered smile, and then she stretched the rest of the way and kissed him, hard and strong, with all the emotion that now occupied the entirety of her chest. She felt his fingers brush her cheek and ear, and pulled back before he could feel her shiver. Then she grabbed his hand, threaded his smallest finger with hers and pressed it to her chest.

"Promise me you'll be back before tomorrow," she said. He looked down at his hand, blushing probably more for the fact that she was in the know of his little gesture than that his knuckles were brushing her breasts. Maybe.

"Um, I can't know that…"

"Promise you'll be back soon," she amended. "Before Snoggletog."

Snoggletog was four days away. He smiled at her.

"I can do that. This is only recon, I should be back tomorrow afternoon." He kissed her again, briefly, and then walked backwards until he hopped onto his dragon. "Just promise me to keep that flower where it is!"

"Flower?" she asked as he shot into the sky. She looked down at her clothes, then encountered something soft when she patted her ear.

"Aw, look at you, trying to be all girly?" said Ruffnut, always in the right place to catch some fun. Astrid felt her face grow hot.

"Hiccup, I'm going to kill you as soon as you're back!" she threatened, but a laugh undermined her words.

"Promise?" he shot back, looping Toothless in the sky to give the parting shot, laughter audible even as high as he was until he shot away.

"Count on it!"

"Kill him, huh?" Ruffnut sniggered again, hefting the pile of spears she was handling. Astrid felt herself go hot all over when she remembered the other meaning of the phrase. She sniffed playfully at Ruffnut, throwing a stone her way and retreating into the house with a trail of swearwords following as the female twin dropped her cargo.

Kill him. Wow … well, she'd promised, she thought with a sly smile. In the privacy of the empty hall, she took the flower from her hair, and saw that it was a snowdrop; probably the first of the season. With a shake of the head, she slipped it back behind her ear - she'd put it between two pages of the dragon book later, and then pile heavy jars over it.

The inside of the hall was warm, the glow of the fire cheery and sweet against her chilled, blushing cheeks. There was so much to do, so little time and certainty, and yet…

Astrid headed behind the curtain, looking at his strewn belongings haphazardly thrown in his haste. She gathered it all and folded it, but did not put it on his shelves. With armfuls of his various outfits, she rushed up the wooden stairs and looked around her own space.

This room used to be his. It was only right that now that he could walk properly again, they should … share it.

The decision made her feel flushed and jittery. She shouldn't be making it on her own, if she were honest, instead talking it out with him when he got back. But she was determined; she'd rather move to his bed downstairs behind the curtain then confine him there another day. Not to mention; they were betrothed. They would be married next spring. The contract was signed and transaction completed. Any child they had would be happily accepted, she was sure, as the child of a great man and a good warrior. They had nothing to be ashamed of. Sure, he'd made her an oath, but according to Ruff there was a world of things they could do which did not involve anything going in anywhere.

By the time the front door opened, Stoick calling out to her - probably to see why she was not out there, helping out as was her duty - half the shelves, half the floor and some weapon hooks had been cleared for his shield and his sword, his clothes deposited neatly beside hers. She had placed some of the little exotic trinkets he had brought back around the room for him, to rearrange as he pleased, and they made her even more excited with their shiny newness; a part of her wondered if he'd ever take her out there, to the Great Beyond. She couldn't go on her own - she didn't have that drive to see as he had - but if she went, she'd certainly go with him. He wasn't leaving her behind again.

Hearing Stoick come up the stairs, she started trying to wipe her face with her hands, probably only making it worse. She knew she was probably a little smudged with dust, but she looked proudly around the newly-polished room as Stoick mounted the steps.

"Astrid, I'd like you to go give a hand at the docks for…" He blinked, looking around the candle-lit room, newly wiped down surfaces gleaming and empty spaces. She suddenly blushed at the scrutiny, realising there was another person she should have asked before she just went ahead; the head of their household.

"Um … Hiccup's outgrown that little curtained corner a little, I think," she said sheepishly. "I was thinking of offering a space up here when he comes back tomorrow, if that's ok?"

"Where would you sleep?" he asked, but there was a gleam in his eyes that said he knew exactly what she had in mind. She felt herself blush; clearly, she was an idiot and hadn't thought things through … kill him, really, what was she thinking…

"Well, it depends on what Hiccup would prefer," she said vaguely, shrugging a shoulder. "We can always get the bed his has downstairs up. Or I can move there."

"Or you can both stay here," Stoick said, a grin spreading through his mustache, visible only from a gleaming tooth and crinkled eyes. She blushed at being caught, but still tried for nonchalance.

"Depends on Hiccup's preference," she said with as disinterested a tone as possible, shrugging a shoulder. Stoick gave a laugh and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Well, lass. Your dowry's right there. You just tell me or your mother if you two need the wedding moved up, aye?" He gave her the wiggle-brows. Oh Asgard, her future father-in-law was giving her the wiggle-brows. "Now, you've been up here for about four hours, lass. I really need you to go down to the docks, keep an eye on how the provisions are being set. Spitelout's there, but I know how you like to keep an eye on where all the food goes, so-"

He was interrupted by a flash that whitened everything through all the cracks in their wooden hall, and then a loud, startling clash of thunder. Both of them blinked at one another at the violence of the sound, and they ran noisily down the stairs, throwing the front door open, only to be greeted by an even louder report of thunder, the horizon covered in menacing black clouds and a gale beginning to whip up stray belongings. A cyclon of grey clouds was twirling on the steel-coloured sea, savagely whipping up the waves and threatening to rip apart anything it touched; alive or dead, dragon or human.

"It's an East wind again," said Stoick with some satisfaction. Astrid could not care less.

"Oh no…" she said, dread rising up her throat and threatening to choke her. "If … if it's been four hours … Hiccup's in that. He got caught in it; over the sea!"

Stoick paled beside her.

"There's … there's nothing we can do. We have to trust that he knows what he's doing," the chief finally said. Astrid couldn't bring herself to swallow the lump in her airway. "Go to the docs. I'll get the rest of the village to safety in the Hall."

For the second time that day, Astrid raced across the village, sprinting to her destination. This time, however, her thoughts were taken up with prayers of mercy to Thor and Ras.

She couldn't lose him now. She couldn't.

=0=

The exits are here, here, here … everywhere!