"This isn't fair," groaned Magnus to Hellhound. No one else would lend an ear to his griping, they were all too busy unloading the ships. They had landed on New Dragon Island at dawn. Hiccup, Hope, and the rest of his family were organizing the people and issuing out supplies. Magnus watched as Hope smiled and handed out another package. He crosses his arms across his chest and huffed out a breath. It sent his blonde bangs flying in the breeze it created before they settled back down on his forehead. He looked up at Hellhound. The dragon cocked it's head, as if urging Magnus to continue. Magnus smiled wistfully and scratched Hellhound under the chin. "I mean, it's my name day. I think someone should pay attention to that, don't you?"

Hellhound snorted and ambled off towards the crowd, leaving Magnus feeling alone and neglected once again. He sighed and turned to look out over the horizon. He wondered if he'd ever see his home again. While Magnus stared off over the ocean, his brooding face turned up to maximum 'Don't bother me' levels, Hope's eyes managed to stray in his direction. She realized with a fluttering of butterflies in her stomach that it was officially Magnus' thirteenth name day. Here they were, on an island far from their home, and his name day was the last thing on anyone's mind. As much of a brat as Magnus could be, Hope didn't want him to miss out. After all, this was one of the most important name day's of his life. Hope handed the last bushel of fish to Rosethorn and turned to her father.

"Dad, do you think we could maybe hold off on the preparations? Just for a few hours at most," said Hope. She felt sure that Hiccup was about to launch into a lecture about how important it was to get organized, but Hope held up her hands to silence him before he got a single syllable out. She nudged his shoulder until he too could see Magnus. "He's thirteen today, Dad. You know how much that means. He's a man today, don't you think we should honor that? Besides, he'll be much harder to deal with if you don't."

"You know, I do believe you're right," said Hiccup. He didn't want Magnus thinking that he didn't care. He cared immensely. The celebration that he had had planned for the day is son became a man was going to be legendary. But then Haggard just couldn't stay dead. He had to endanger Hiccup's people, his family. Well, he wasn't going to let Magnus' name day go uncelebrated, whether they were on Berk or on New Dragon Island. "It might help lighten the mood. I'll see if I can't get everyone organized enough to make a meal fit for a chief. I take it you'll want to gather up the band and play him your song."

"Yup. I just have to get a singer and everything will be a-okay," said Hope. She placed a kiss on Hiccup's cheek and dashed off. She called out to him over her shoulder before she was out of earshot. "You're amazing!"

Hiccup smiled at those words. They were ones Astrid had spoken quite often, especially over her shoulder while she was walking or running off. Words she still said to this day. Wasn't hard to guess where Hope had picked it up.

While Hiccup gathered up some cooks to make a lavish dinner, Hope set out to find the village musicians. Once she'd done that, she dug through the bag she'd packed until she found the lyric sheets. She still had no idea who would sing the song. She had maybe half an hour to find someone or all her hard work on finding the right words would be for nothing. She began asking around, but no one seemed interested in singing it. Finally, as the food was being set out on the driftwood table and the decorated with seashells and flowers were being draped all around, the finally thought of the one person who would be thrilled to sing something for Magnus. She was sitting on a rock, humming to herself and running a finger over the tattoo on her right wrist.

"Frigga, I have something very important I need your help with," said Hope, approaching the girl. Frigga smiled and slid off the rock. Hope handed the papers to Frigga. "Can you sing that for me? I haven't been able to find anyone else who will and the celebrations are starting soon. Magnus will love it, I know it."

"Relax, you don't have to bribe me with promises of getting Magnus' attention. I'll do it anyways because you're my friend," said Frigga. Hope let out a breath of air she didn't know she was holding, causing Frigga to laugh. She scanned through the lyrics. "I take it you write this for him. It's really good. He'll be so happy to hear nice things for a change."

Hope ruffled the girl's shaggy crop of hair and hurried off to the shoreline, where Magnus was playing catch with Hellhound. He still looked bummed, so it was clear that he either hadn't noticed the preparations going on or he had and assumed they were for something else. Hope pulled the dagger and sheath from the pouch at her side. Much like a wild dragon, when Magnus was in a bad mood, he could both snap at those who approach or run off in annoyance. Also like a wild dragon, it was best to come bearing gifts. Magnus greeted her approach exactly how she'd imagined he would, with a glare.

"Hey, kiddo," said Hope, meeting his glare with a smile. Magnus nodded in acknowledgement to her presence before throwing the stick in his hand again. Hellhound bounded after it through the gently lapping waves. Hope laughed at the sight, earning a confused look from Magnus. Hope placed her hand on her hips. "What?"

"What do you want, Hope?" asked Magnus, receiving the stick when Hellhound returned with it. "Are you gonna tell me to go get some sleep? Because I'm just going to tell you I'm not tired."

"Magnus, maybe if you stopped sneering at everyone and everything, you mind find something worthwhile," said Hope. She smirked and extended the sheathed dagger. Magnus took it with a skeptical look on his face. He removed the dagger to inspect it, the hostility disappearing from his eyes. He gave Hope a questioning look. "Don't think for a second that I forgot, that any of us forgot. And we do care. Happy name day, you little stinker."

Hope gathered the confused boy up in a hug before he could protest. Little did Hope know, Magnus wouldn't have protested. He was just relieved. He only pretended to be annoyed by his family, though he admired ever member. After a moment, Hope let go and ruffled the boys hair. She gestured for him to follow her, and he did so no more than curiously. As they approached the center of the group, he saw that despite the impending threat of Haggard's invading forces, his family had pulled through. There was a small bonfire, and just beyond that, a makeshift driftwood table laden with food. The village musicians were lined up, and someone had thrown ropes up into the trees so the children could use them as mayday poles. For the first time all day, Magnus harbored the hope that this could be a good day after all.

Before Hope's song was performed, people ate, made toasts to their future chief, and gave Magnus their gifts. Magnus smiled throughout the entire ordeal, and Hope knew he was finally feeling loved and accepted. She proclaimed her idea a success. Sure, the threat of Haggard's forces was still a very real and concerning thing, but that was only in the back of their minds. At the moment, everyone was too busy merrymaking to be anything but... well, merry! But still, there was no music save Destiny singing limericks. Whenever Hope gave the signal, the band would strike up her song and Frigga would sing. After that song the musicians would simply play whatever they felt like playing.

After Hope had decided enough time had passed, she retrieved her flute from the bag she'd packed of her personal belongings. When she caught Hiccup's attention, she raised her flute to signal that she was ready to begin. Hiccup ordered quiet and the band took their positions. Frigga rose as well, which confused almost everyone. Hope knew from the few times that she had heard Frigga sing that this little girl was going to surprise a lot of people. As the band got into their fingers into ready position and the intro struck up, Hope gave Frigga a reassuring nod. Once she'd returned it, she began to sing.

Now, Frigga had not an angelic voice nor mountains of confidence. She felt every flap of the butterflies in her stomach, but she kept her notes steady. The words came from Hope's thoughts and experiences but Frigga portrayed them as realistically as she could. It told the story of the mighty chief Magnus, brother, son, and friend. It told of his strength and bravery and honor. Of how just and wise he was, how his enemies would fear his wrath. Of how fiercely he'd protect, and how deeply he'd love. Hail the great chief Magnus, sang Frigga. For he will never fail. When the last note crept it's way up Frigga's throat and off the tip of her tongue, fading into silence, everyone in he assembly rose to their feet and applauded. As Frigga smiled modestly and Hope beamed proudly, the rest of the musicians struck up another tune. This one was far livelier, made for dancing.

Hope shouldered her way through the throng of dancing Vikings and found Derek. She took his hand and they began to dance together, two more dancers in a crowd of dancers. Hope noticed that Hiccup and Astrid had done the same, the two of them twirling and laughing in each other's embrace. Valka and Stoick did so as well. She recognized parts of their dance from one they'd taught Hope a long time ago, the one they used to do when they were young. Snublout was trying in vain to get Destiny to dance with him, but she just danced around him, arms outstretched and dancing as gracefully as a sea breeze. Eret, who was a little further into the crowd, spun Ruffnut. She wasn't expecting it, and tripped over his foot. He deftly caught her, a grin on his face and a blush creeping up her cheeks. Fishlegs had opted to dance with his daughter instead of Rosethorn, who was dancing by herself a little further off. Treetrunks laughed heartily as her father, plucked her from the ground and spun her in a circle, knocking off Spitelout's helmet with the tip of her boot. Snotlout and Brunhilda were dancing a tad slower than everyone else. They seemed to have eyes and ear only for each other, ignoring everyone around them. For as pointlessly cruel as Snotlout had been as a teen, he made up for it ten-fold as a man.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Derek with a smile, noticing that Hope was looking all around at the other dancers instead of at him, like she usually did. She didn't quite hear his question, she was distracted by Tuffnut's attempt at dancing. He kept stepping on Estelle's toes, but she bravely danced on. Derek laughed and Hope finally looked up at him, one eyebrow cocked. "I said what are you thinking about?"

"How many love stories there are on this one shore. How many friends and families," replied Hope. Derek smiled. Of course that's what his darling Hope would be thinking about. Hope returned his smile and pressed her lips to his. She was beyond happy that he was home. She feeling his warmth, knowing that he was alive and well and here, gave her comfort beyond imagination. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead on his. "And, of course, how glad I am that you're home."

"Believe you me, no one's more relieved that I'm back than me," said Derek softly, running his fingers through her chocolate locks. He pulled Hope in closer. "I love you so much, Valkyrie."

"And I love you, Derek," said Hope. The song ended and a new one struck up, a slower one this time. Hope kissed Derek once more before the pair began to dance to the music, slow and sweet. "You know, most of the people here will never know it was you that saved them. They all think it was my dad."

"Let 'em think that," said Derek. "I wasn't looking for credit. I just wanted to keep the ones I love safe."

As the two talked in soft voices, swaying slowly to the music, Hiccup watched the two. Astrid, who was pressed closely to him just to keep herself from looking like a fool for not knowing how to dance, noticed his forlorn gaze had fallen on Hope. She smiled knowingly and placed a hand on his cheek. This caught his attention, and his eyes, wrinkled at the edges from years worth of smiles, met hers. She didn't have to ask what was wrong. After two decades of marriage, she never needed to ask anymore. Her hand that was resting on his weathered cheek asked for her.

"They're growing up too fast, Astrid," said Hiccup. Astrid nodded reassuringly and Hiccup covered her hand which lay on his cheek with his own before lowering it and giving it a squeeze. "They aren't going to need us anymore before long."

"Hey, they'll always need us. I mean, how could either of them ever get anything done without our help?" asked Astrid jokingly. Hiccup laughed and Astrid placed a tender kiss on his forehead. "Look, they're going to grow up. That's inevitable. One day, they'll move out, Magnus will take over as chief, Hope and Derek will likely get married, Magnus will find his love. They'll have children, they're own lives away from us. But you know what? They'll always be our children. No matter what. No matter how far they stray or how old they get, we'll always be a part of their lives, as much as they are of ours. So, stop worrying and dance with me."

With that, Hiccup kissed Astrid's cheek and gave her a twirl. Little did they know that all that Astrid had said would not come to pass. War doesn't care about a mother's plans for her children. War doesn't care about family. War will snatch up anyone, no matter what the cost. And war would soon be coming for the Vikings of Berk.