Hi friends. Sorry I'm late, I was traveling all day yesterday.

Reviews!

Colinou

Sousuke Tenki

QuiteARandomFan

Vvarden

Harkonnen28

Ciara11 (Patience, my friend. 'Things' are coming, and I'm sure they will be worth the wait.)

MoonbornWalker (Sorry about the tension. But it's going to be a while longer...)

Thunderbird 22

The Lightning Phoenix

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ShiNe (Not like human eyebrows. But you can see in the movies that Toothless's facial expressions sometimes involve his brows.)

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Kelroe26

Thank you all for taking the time to review! It really means so much to me, especially when I feel like garbage. Every notification I get from FF is like a little ray of sunshine in the darkness.

I'll just tell you now. No Shade/Ash in this chapter. Sorry. I know you think things are moving slowly, and they totally are, but this thing is going to be an age and a half in unfolding. Again, sorry. But I hope you enjoy this chapter anyways.

Maara was excited for the sword-fighting demonstration. Aeri had told her that Hiccup was good, but he had a trick up his sleeve that shouldn't be missed by a newcomer. That, and she would finally get to meet Aeri's younger brother, who she would apparently get along with well.

There was a sizable crowd gathered outside the Academy to watch, but Aeri guided her past them and led her through the tunnel into the arena itself. It was packed with students of all ages, chatting with each other and showing off their swords. Maara had her own blade sheathed at her side, and rested a hand on it, ready to join in.

Then, across the space, she caught a glimpse of a familiar-looking young man. Erik. She hadn't seen him since their chance encounter in the forest two days before. Of course he was here. Maara refused to let his presence ruin her good mood, though. He seemed to sense her scrutiny, and quickly turned and met her gaze. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at her, and she resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him.

"Alright, everyone, let's get started!" Hiccup's voice carried through the ring, and immediately everyone quieted. Erik caught her eye, winked at her, then disappeared into the throng of people. Maara's face heated, and she glanced at Aeri, but the taller woman was chatting with someone else, completely oblivious to what had just taken place. Somewhat shaken, she turned to watch the Chief. She and Aeri were at the front, with no one blocking their view, and Maara could barely contain her anticipation as they sat on the stone floor to watch.

Hiccup waited until everyone was either sitting or standing against the back wall, then raised his hands. "Welcome. It's been a while since we've done one of these, so I'll try to make it worth your while. Many of you have experience with swords, so after the demonstration is over, we'll all practice with a partner. Now, without further ado, if my partner would like to join me up here…" Maara, along with everyone else craned her neck to see, but was mildly confused when Erik stepped away from the wall and made his way through the crowded space. Wasn't Aeri's brother supposed to be Hiccup's partner? First, she took in his very familiar leather armor, which he hadn't been wearing the other day. Then, as Hiccup placed his hand on the taller young man's shoulder, it dawned on her. With no small amount of horror, Maara realized that the mysterious, oddly charming Erik was none other than Aeri's brother and the son of the Chief of Berk.

He was smiling easily, and he gave a small wave to everyone. Maara felt her shock begin to fade, and her heart rate began to speed up as incredulous anger began to take hold. Erik and Hiccup moved apart, each drawing their swords, then began to circle each other.

Erik dared sneak a glance in Maara's direction, and his heart sank when he saw her expression. It was rather foreboding, for lack of a better word, and he knew she had caught on. He was going to have to try to talk to her later, but for now, he had to focus. His father was an excellent swordsman, even with a traditional sword, which was what he was using now.

Maara sucked in a breath as in an instant Erik raised his sword and swung it at his father. But Hiccup was just as fast, parrying and striking back. Their blades flashed, and she could barely keep up with their effortless responses as they whirled and spun, attacking and retreating in a show of mastery. After a few minutes, she began to see a pattern, though. Their motions weren't rehearsed, but they were clearly very familiar with each other's styles. She fought the rising sense of admiration that built with every move, trying to keep a grip on her absolute fury at Erik. He was good, though. Probably better than Aeri.

A few more minutes passed, and people began to gasp appropriately. There were a few narrow misses, that was for sure. Then, Hiccup feinted and brought his sword down, and Erik barely managed to get his blade up in time. They stood, silently, as the younger man fought with all his strength to keep his father's sword from sinking into his neck. The seconds passed, and the crowd watched with bated breath, seeing the two swords gradually inch towards his exposed skin as Hiccup pressed down harder and harder. Maara watched with horror, wondering if she was about to watch someone get hurt.

Then, with a devilish grin, Erik quickly twisted his blade, and faster than anyone could see wrenched Hiccup's sword from his grasp. It flew through the air, but Aeri reached up and snatched it before it could hit anyone. Grinning just like her brother, she sank back into her seat, holding her father's sword across her lap. All eyes were on Erik as he held the tip of his blade at his father's armored chest, and Hiccup smiled in a resigned sort of way, bringing his hands up in a sign of surrender.

Immediately everyone burst into wild cheering, but it when Maara looked at Aeri, she saw that the auburn-haired woman was still waiting, grinning excitedly. Looking back to the combatants, Maara saw Hiccup's hand lower and slide down to his thigh, where a carved metal cylinder was clipped to his leg. What in the world? Erik's triumphant grin faded slightly.

"Aw, Dad-"

In a flash a pillar of fire blazed to life in Hiccup's hand and he sliced it across Erik's blade, knocking it to the side. People shrieked with surprise and Maara reached out with a hand and grabbed Aeri's arm in fear. Aeri looked at her and immediately burst out laughing.

The fight was back on in full force, the Dragon Chief slashing at his son with his magical flaming sword. Erik, for his part, was exasperatedly dodging and parrying, yelling, "No fair!"

It only lasted a minute. Erik stood with his hands raised, his sword at his feet, and the flaming sword pointed at his chest. He grinned at his father, perspiration dripping down his face.

"I surrender."

The crowd erupted with applause and cheering. Hiccup pressed a button and the flaming blade retracted into the hilt. Maara watched, completely flabbergasted, as the Chief wrapped an arm around his taller son's shoulders, expressing without words how proud he was. Next to her, Aeri got to her feet and walked over to them, offering her father his sword and ruffling her brother's hair.

Maara was torn. On the one hand, wow. Erik was phenomenal. On the other hand, she desperately wanted to dislike him. As everyone split into partners, she witnessed no less than five attractive girls approach him to tell him how amazing he was. Memories of their conversation in the forest made her blood boil. He claimed to want to get to know her. He called her beautiful. Obviously those were just lines that he probably used on countless other girls. The worst part was, he was Aeri's beloved brother. And Maara had been beyond rude to him for practically no reason.

"Maara, you aren't paying attention," Aeri chided her as they sparred. "You're making sloppy mistakes. Try again." Determined to forget about Erik, Maara did her best to focus, but her heart wasn't in it.

Afterwards, they walked back to village together. "What's wrong?" Aeri asked as they crossed the bridge leading to the village.

"Nothing," Maara said, not looking at her.

"Come on. Normally you would have been cheering and going on louder than anyone else. I thought for sure you would love my dad's fire sword. But you're not acting like you had a very good time."

"I… I'm just tired. A lot has happened. I can't let go that easily yet."

Aeri frowned, but didn't press her, for which she was thankful. "Alright, I guess. Well I have to go take care of a few things, but don't forget, tonight is the big welcome feast. So take it easy for a while, and I'll see you later, okay?"

Maara just nodded, and Aeri jogged off. The village was bustling, and people stopped what they were doing to greet the Chief's oldest daughter as she passed. Maara was glad to see Aeri waving back cheerfully. She had mentioned that her return hadn't been the smoothest of transitions, but to Maara, it looked like everyone on Berk loved her as much as the people of Heimme.

Sighing, she gripped the hilt of her sword, debating going off into the forest for some alone time. But if she did, she might not make it back in time for the feast. Not that she really wanted to be there, but as Haku's sister, she felt she should put on a cheerful face and attend for at least part of the evening.

A few hours later, the sun was setting, and it was time for everyone to head to the Great Hall. Maara walked with her brother and sister up the steps, able to hear the din from the gathering all the way outside. Haku held open the door for them, and they stepped into the crowded room. Immediately they were greeted by those nearest to the entrance, both Vikings and refugees. The scent of delicious food pervaded the atmosphere, and as they made their way into the throng, it was apparent that a good time was being had by all. Every adult carried a mug brimming with mead, and children were roving in packs between the legs of the grown-ups towering above them. Maara spied the old smith, Gobber, chatting with Vahna, who despite her best efforts seemed to be enjoying herself. People were talking about the traders that would be arriving next week, the sword-fighting demonstration, the dragons, you name it.

And there was Aeri, regaling a mixed group with stories from her childhood. Glancing up at Haku's face, Maara saw the fleeting expression of longing cross his features, before he became impassive once more. Before they could go any further, they were intercepted by Hiccup, who handed them all mugs with a grin. "Haku! Maara, Vasara! I'm so glad you've arrived. Things are going smoothly, but I think a speech is in order, and then we can eat!"

Her brother followed the other Chief, and Maara watched with some amusement as Hiccup climbed onto a table, holding out a hand to pull Haku up after him. Astrid, standing nearby, put her fingers to her lips and let out a screaming whistle, and immediately everyone stopped talking and turned to face the Chiefs.

"Thank you, Astrid," Hiccup smiled fondly at his wife. "Hello, everyone! Are we all having a good evening?"

A resounding "Aye!" went up from the crowd.

"Good! I just wanted to say a few words before we eat," he looked around at all of the faces before him. "People of Heimme, I hope you have all rested sufficiently these past few days. Because tonight, as you know, we are officially welcoming you to Berk!" He raised his mug, and everyone cheered, grinning happily. "Haku, would you like to say anything?"

All eyes went to the serious-looking young man next to Hiccup. Haku saw the faces of the survivors, faces that had for so long been tense with weariness and grief. Tonight, though, his people were joyful, and relaxed, and he couldn't have asked for anything more. "My friends, tonight we are being officially welcomed by our new friends. Tonight, we are celebrating our futures. So drink and be merry! Autumn is fast approaching, and with it much work. But for tonight, our only concern is to bask in the hospitality of Berk, and enjoy ourselves as much as humanly possible!" He raised his mug. "To Heimme! To Berk! To all of us!"

Another cheer, this time almost deafening, as people bumped their mugs together. Maara smiled. The Vikings of Berk, for the most part, were a large, coarse, boisterous bunch, but they were very kind-hearted. They treated her people as if they had always been a part of their lives, complete with good-natured teasing and dramatic storytelling. It was their genuine appreciation for life that was drawing the refugees from their shrouds of misery, making them feel welcomed and wanted.

Time began to blur as everyone ate and drank in excess. The hall echoed with laughter and the chanting of those witnessing drinking competitions. It was all fun and loud and promising to last all night… and Maara just didn't want to be there. So she skirted around the crowd and slipped out the doors. The horizon was ablaze with orange light, casting a warm glow over the village. Walking down the streets, she watched the dragons settle onto rooftops and wander in groups to the feeding station, no humans in sight. She turned down a path that led away from the village, climbing a slope until it evened out to a spacious flat space at the top of a cliff with a perfect view of the sunset.

To her surprise, it was occupied. A number of heads swiveled towards her, and she immediately smiled with relief. "Hey, guys." Mika got up and approached her, nuzzling her, before going back to her spot and flopping to the ground. Maara followed her, stopping to rub behind Shade's ear. "And who are you?"

There was another Night Fury next to Shade, with the same green eyes as Toothless, watching her curiously. Maara guessed she was female, as she was smaller and slimmer than Shade and Toothless. She had a saddle on her back just like Shade's. "Are you two related?" The two dragons looked at each other, then back at her, nodding.

"Her name is Storm."

Maara whirled around at the sound of the voice behind her, reaching for her sword and only grasping air. When she saw who it was, though, her panic faded, and was quickly replaced with irritation.

"What are you doing up here? Did you follow me?" the words escaped her before she could swallow them.

Erik held up his hands. "I come in peace." She noticed he was no longer in his armor, but back in the blue tunic and fur vest he had worn when they first met. He took a step closer, so she scowled at him, which made him pause. "Okay, I saw you leave, and was curious. After all, the party isn't out here."

"I'm aware of that."

"So, what are you doing up here?"

Maara glared at him. "I wanted to be alone."

"I can't fault you for that. At least you aren't by yourself in the forest again." He gestured at the dragons.

"Believe me, I would be if not for the feast." Turning, she began to stroke Mika's neck, taking comfort in her dragon's presence. For a minute Erik didn't say anything, and she wondered if he had actually left her alone. A quick glance dispelled that notion, though.

He took another small step forward, reaching up with one hand to rub the back of his neck. "I, uh, felt I should apologize."

"Oh really? Why in the world would you feel the need to do that?"

"Well, you are mad at me, aren't you?"

She shot him a look that said, You're treading on thin ice.

"In my defense, you didn't tell me who you were, either!"

Maara hid her surprise with a derisive laugh. "I'm a refugee, if you couldn't tell by the rags I'm wearing."

"Not just a refugee. You're the Chief's sister."

"Well, you're the Chief's son!" her voice was raised, but she couldn't help it. "You could have at least mentioned that you were related to Aeri. Then I wouldn't have—" she stopped herself.

"Wouldn't have what?" he asked quietly. "Wouldn't have been yourself?"

"This isn't me! I'm not an angry person!" she shouted, moments away from exploding at him. Her fists were balled, ready to lash out. In front of her, Mika was watching her carefully, and made a cautious noise in her throat. You're not being yourself. Stricken by this realization, her fury evaporated, leaving her feeling empty and forlorn. She sank to her knees, fighting back tears.

"Just… I'm sorry," she whispered, not looking at him. She was so ashamed of the way she had been acting, ashamed that he was seeing her like this. Vulnerable and confused. She heard a soft rumbling behind her, then Shade settled next to her, nudging her with his nose. A moment later, a hand rested on her shoulder, but Maara was too broken to shrug it off. All of her remaining strength was going towards suppressing the tears that were threatening to pour out.

Then Erik was on his knees at her side, looking at her face. She couldn't help it. She met his gaze, not bothering to hide how she was feeling.

"Don't be kind to me. I don't deserve it. This is an embarrassing mess. You should be at the feast, not out here with some miserable wreck."

His blue eyes were filled with compassion, and it made her heart beat hard. "I'm not going anywhere."

And there they were. Tears. "I can't imagine what you must think of me," she said, angry at herself for her display of emotion.

One slid down her cheek, and he reached up with his thumb and softly wiped it away. "I think, Maara, that you have been very strong, for a very long time. I think you are past your breaking point. Most importantly, though," he said softly, "I think it is very okay for you to cry."

And that was it. With a sob, she leaned forward, and he caught her, holding her in his arms. Silently, her body shook, and she pressed her head against his chest, her brown hair spilling over her face. She felt him rest his chin on her crown, one hand on her back and the other stroking her hair.

The sun continued to set, the dark blue of night slowly overtaking the riot of color near the horizon. The three dragons stood vigil over the humans, perfectly aware of the seriousness of the moment. Maara cried, losing track of everything except for the comforting presence of Erik. Everything was so overwhelming. There was just too much going on. Everyone was celebrating, so why did she feel so much grief?

After a time, she was still, motionless except for her ragged breathing. She felt numb, devoid of emotion. Far too spent to even consider being embarrassed at the moment.

"Maara," Erik said in a low voice. "Maara."

"Y-yes?"

"Look." He tucked her hair behind her ear, allowing her to see that the sun had long since set. But above them, where before she had only ever seen stars, enormous ribbons of color were dancing through the cloudless night. She gasped quietly, mesmerized by the beauty of it.

"Come on," he said after a minute, and he got to his feet, taking her with him.

"Where are we going?" she asked, confused, as he released her and walked over to his dragon. Suddenly she shivered, realizing how chilly it had gotten.

"Are you cold?" he turned back to her, pulling off his vest. "Put this on." Before she could say anything he was already draping it around her shoulders. It was very large, as Erik was about a foot taller than she was. "Don't argue," he ordered her with a half smile. She didn't want to argue, so she did as he said, sticking her arms through the holes. Immediately her torso was enveloped in warmth.

"Come on," he said again, reaching out and grasping her hand in order to tug her along. Storm was on her feet now, ears perked up. Erik led her to the dragon's side, not letting go of her hand as he leapt into the saddle, then effortlessly pulled her up behind him. "Hold on," he told her, and hesitantly she wrapped her arms around his waist. Without another word Storm spread her wings and leapt skyward. Maara clung tightly to Erik, watching Shade and Mika become specks as the island dropped away below them.

It had been a while since she'd gone flying on a Night Fury, but her nerves soon disappeared, replaced with awe. Looking up, she felt as if she could touch the stars, and the lights took her breath away. Her body was pressed against Erik's, her cheek just below his shoulder, and she enjoyed the warmth he radiated. She realized after a few minutes that she could feel his muscles contracting through his tunic, and her face heated as her stomach did a funny flip. She resisted the urge to move her hands off his abdomen, thanking the gods he wasn't able to see her blush.

Storm banked to the right and the village came into view, hundreds of tiny lights sparkling below them. It was truly a magical sight. They gradually descended until they could hear the crashing of the waves, then skirted around the massive torch-bearing monoliths jutting out of the sea. The Night Fury ascended once again, taking them up to the mountain, which she slowly flew around before setting down on a wide, grassy ledge.

Erik hopped to the ground, reaching up and effortlessly lifting Maara clear of the saddle by her waist. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she looked at him wryly. "I could have gotten down by myself."

"I know." His crooked smile had somehow gone from infuriating to endearing over the last few hours.

Storm moved past them and laid down, resting her head on her paws. Erik took her hand again and gently pulled her after him as he sat in the grass and leaned his back against his dragon. Dutifully Maara did the same, patting Storm's flank in gratitude with her free hand, since Erik had not yet let hers go. The Night Fury purred in response, bringing a smile to her lips.

For a few minutes they just sat there, holding hands and watching the lights paint the night. Then Maara turned to face him, able to see his face clearly in the glow cast from the sky. "Now what?" she asked.

"Now," he said, turning to look at her, "you can tell me about yourself."

Maara was hit with a wave of shyness. "I can't imagine that anything about me would be interesting to you."

He rolled his eyes. "Please. You're the most interesting person I've ever met. Come on, tell me something."

"Well…" she thought about it. "I'm seventeen years old. I picked up a sword for the first time less than a year ago. My dragon is Mika, she can't fly."

"What about your family?"

"My mother died giving birth to me. My father was the Chief, but he only really had time for our oldest sister, Lyse. He was… incapacitated in the same dragon raid that resulted in Lyse's death. That's when Haku had to step up and start running things, even though our father only ever told him how useless and worthless he was. He finally passed away a few months ago."

"What was your childhood like?"

"It wasn't so bad. I was sheltered by Haku and Vasara. I know they thought I was a bit ditzy, but that sort of changed after Aeri showed up. Before, I was only good for housekeeping. I knew the expectation of me was to someday get married to one of the farmers' sons or someone like that and produce a bunch of strapping sons for them. Now, I can fight just as well as a man, and ride dragons, and be on my own."

Erik looked thoughtful. "And this change happened after Aeri arrived?"

"I would never have found my courage if she hadn't come along."

"Then I'm glad she did." He smiled at her.

"She changed us all, Haku especially." When he looked at her expectantly, Maara continued. "He wouldn't have been prepared to become Chief if not for her support. I believe he is in love with her. But now that we're here, and we know who she is, really, well… I don't think they can be together."

"That's… tragic."

"Yeah. I don't want to say anything, but things are tense between them now, and I'm not sure how they're going to work it out."

"Hmm." Erik pondered this. His sister had never said anything hinting towards having feelings for the Chief of the refugees. But that didn't mean she didn't feel that way. Maybe he'd ask her about it sometime.

"What about you?" Maara asked him. Erik found himself slightly distracted by her eyes. He knew that they were grey, even though the color was difficult to distinguish at night. They were very expressive, and he was pleased that she wasn't expressing anything negative with them at the moment. She just looked curious.

Unsure of his feelings, he leaned his back against Storm, taking comfort in her regular breathing. "Well, I am eighteen years old. I enjoy reading and swordplay, and my best friend is Storm, here. Sometimes I teach the younger kids at the Academy. Recently I've gotten into smithing, thanks to my sister. I'm hopeless at it, but she and Gobber always manage to find something for me to do."

"Do you still take classes at the Academy?"

"Several times a week. My class ranges in age from sixteen to eighteen years of age. You know, you should join us. I think you'd enjoy learning about dragons and survival skills and all that stuff."

"Maybe… but Mika can't fly. Wouldn't that be a problem?"

"Not that I can think of. If there's any flying that has to be done, you could just take Storm for your turn. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Hmm. Maybe. I'll think about it."

"Classes are cancelled tomorrow, probably because all of the adults, and the teens, for that matter, will be too hungover to function. But the day after that, you really should come. We're planning our trip to Dragon Island, it's a month away. We leave our dragons on one side of the island, then cross to the other side on foot."

"Sounds simple enough."

"Well, the place is crawling with wild dragons. So it's a test of your skill as a dragon trainer. They used to have all the students go on their own, but it has since been decided that it's safer if everyone works with a partner."

"Dragon training, huh? I'm not sure I have all the knowledge required for that."

"You might be right, but I could teach you everything you need to know. That is, if you want me to," he added quickly.

She smiled slightly at him. "The offer is tempting."

"Please?" he gave her his best shot at an adorable, pleading expression, and she laughed at him.

"Fine, fine. I'll come to your class, then we'll see about private lessons."

"Excellent!" he squeezed her hand, grinning. She just laughed again, looking up to the sky. Together they sat in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Erik was thrilled by how the evening had turned out. Maara was definitely a force to be reckoned with, but she had opened up to him. It would be a lot of hard work to teach her everything she'd need to know about dragons in less than a month, but she didn't strike him as the type to shy away from a challenge.

He could see them becoming close. Well, closer than they already were. He glanced down to where their hands were clasped together. He'd never actually held hands with a girl before. He generally avoided speaking to them at all costs, as they were mysterious and confusing. Maara was no exception to that, but she was the first girl he actually felt might be worth the effort it took to get to know her.

His gaze traveled to her face, and he realized that her eyes were closed. She must have fallen asleep. Well, it is rather late. They should probably be getting back to the village before they were missed. Although, with the way the feast had been going, he doubted anyone would have enough sense to have noticed them leaving.

"Maara," he said softly, trying to wake her, but she was completely unresponsive. With an exasperated smile, he got to his feet, then leaned down, reaching behind her back and under her legs to lift her into his arms. "Alright, Storm, it's time to head back."

His dragon looked at him, carrying the sleeping girl, and snorted, as if saying, You're hopeless. But she stood, stretching, then stood still as he placed Maara on the front of the saddle, holding her in place as he climbed up behind her. "Gently," he told her in a low voice. "Back to the village, please and thank you."

Storm made her way to the edge of the cliff, spread out her wings, and allowed the wind to catch her as she stepped off the ledge. Their descent was brief, and Erik was thankful for the invisibility granted to them in the darkness by his Night Fury as they landed near the longhouses. The occasional drunk Viking stumbled down the street, but no one noticed him carrying Maara inside. In a few moments he had her in bed with the blankets tucked under her chin, then he crept silently back out, closing the door softly behind him.

So, that was cute. At least, I think so.

See you next week.