Hello, friends. Happy Saturday. I fell asleep last night before I could update, so please forgive the slight tardiness.

Reviews! Many of you seemed just as saddened by last chapter as I was. When I first started writing about James and Sahko, I had no idea how much I'd come to love them. It's nice to know that they have grown on you, too. For those of you who mentioned it, they were, in fact, banished. Sorry for not explicitly stating that.

ScarletRaven3

toothless1301

The Lightning Phoenix

canadasam101

QuiteARandomFan

Spartan10007

MoonbornWalker

yesboss21 (Thank you, haha. For the record: I am not a guy. 100% female. Just so we're all clear.)

Sag1ttar1us

Colinou

Vvarden

LuniaWolfe

Phsyro

Harkonnen28

Now, to the main event...

Snoggletog was fast approaching, though you'd never be able to guess from the somber mood of the village. The Chief had told everyone to begin the customary preparations, so there was a fair amount of activity going on. Mainly lots of baking and decorating and scrambling to find suitable gifts for loved ones. There just wasn't the usual overabundance of holiday cheer.

Storm didn't care.

Life had never seemed so bleak to her. If she were honest with herself for just a moment, she would have to acknowledge the reason she felt so depressed, so she refused to let herself think too deeply on her low spirits.

She felt bad about it, because Erik had noticed immediately, and had been worrying about her for days. But there was no way she'd be able to explain to him what was going on, even if he could understand her. Because she didn't want to admit what was hurting her the most.

It was abundantly clear, though, that her melancholy was not the worst. Not by a long shot. Once the initial outrage of Winter's secret identity had died down, all that was left was woeful confusion. For starters, it was as if the refugees couldn't figure out how they wanted to feel about the whole thing. Some seemed lost, as though unable to comprehend why they suddenly didn't feel better after banishing the man they wanted so desperately to blame all of their suffering on. Some believed they didn't feel better because he wasn't punished severely enough, and if he had only been made to suffer more, maybe they wouldn't feel so dismal about it all. For the most part, though, they just sat quietly, faces lined with faint sorrow.

Haku eventually deflated, giving up his righteous indignation after an encounter with Maara. Storm hadn't witnessed it, but apparently she had lost her temper when he tried to confront her in the Great Hall, and whatever had happened between them had changed his behavior dramatically. He had decided to go back to Vasara and the others, who were waiting for his return in what was said to be a very promising location. Before he and the dozen or so men he had arrived with took off, he had sought Aeri out, and offered her a brief, but heartfelt apology. Whether that mattered in any way to her, no one was certain. Her demeanor was eerily composed, and quite frankly, it was making people extremely nervous.

But Storm was most concerned about her brother. It seemed like he just couldn't catch a break. Only he knew just how affected Aeri was, and it was tearing him apart. He hadn't been sleeping, rarely interacted with other dragons, and most attempts at communicating with him were met with a blank stare at best. That, combined with the current state of his relationship with Ash, was pushing him dangerously close to what Storm feared would be a nervous breakdown.

And Ash… was a completely different pile of eels.

When Kiva had told her where Ash was, and asked her to bring her back to the village if she hadn't already come back on her own, Storm had assumed that Ash would be, well, Ash. But when she arrived at that cave with Erik and Maara in tow, she knew immediately that her assumption had been a little too optimistic.

At first, she'd had the paralyzing thought that she was too late. Ash wasn't moving, and didn't respond to her voice at all. After a bit, she'd gradually come to, which was a relief. But something just wasn't right. She had lost some weight, for one thing. There was a pile of frozen fish a few feet away from her, which she had obviously not been eating. Her eyes weren't focusing properly, and it seemed to take her a while to understand that Storm was actually there. When Erik saw her, he didn't bother to hide his concern.

"We need to get her back to the village."

When asked if she thought she could fly, she nodded slowly. Erik said that she should try and eat something first, so Storm thawed out a few of the fish, and Ash obediently ate them, though it seemed like it pained her. Storm was afraid that she wouldn't have the strength to get airborne, or even make it far enough out of the cave to be rescued. But she got up and walked, albeit unsteadily, out of the cave, and took off on her own. The entire flight, Storm's heart was in her throat. Ash soon began losing altitude, and she wasn't sure if she would be able to do anything to stop her from crash landing in the forest. But she stayed close, and joined Erik and Maara in shouting encouragements, basically demanding that she hang on, just a little longer, almost there…

And somehow, they made it to the outskirts of the village. Ash hit the ground a little roughly, but got back on her feet. Then she let out a pained moan, vomited up the fish she had eaten, and collapsed in the snow. A panicked effort to get her some medical attention while not alerting Shade of her presence ensued.

But it soon became clear that something else was going on, and once they had gotten Ash indoors, Gobber's condition for treating her was that the three of them go investigate. Maara went towards the larger crowd, but after spotting Winter, Erik wanted to make sure he was okay, and Storm wanted to talk to Sahko about what had happened with Ash.

So they split up, and Storm's unpleasant day got a whole lot worse.

While she would have liked to stay with Sahko, she had to go with Erik to defuse the situation and get help from Hookfang and Snotlout to enforce order. Maara was upset, which upset Erik, and then they ran into Haku, and when Maara tried to walk away from him, he'd practically imploded with rage, shouting about her duty and justice for their people. Storm gladly would have shut him up, but Mika, who had joined them after speaking with the other dragons from Heimme, roared furiously, incensed that anyone would dare treat her human thusly. He quieted down pretty quickly after she lit herself on fire and lunged at him.

Once they got away from that, things got even stickier for a while. Erik needed to check on his sister, but he couldn't just leave his distressed girlfriend alone, and on top of that, they really needed to make sure Ash was alright, and continue to manage the rising tensions between pretty much everyone else. So Storm and Mika stood guard while Erik and Maara had a moment alone in an empty shed to 'talk'. After they had satisfactorily discussed matters, and expressed their adoration for one another, they set off again. Almost immediately they ran into Kyla and Torkild, who were going to meet the twins, and they asked if Maara wanted to go with them. As soon as Erik made sure that Maara would be okay with that arrangement, and that they all understood that they should lay low, he promised to find them when he got a chance. Storm flew straight to Valka's house, and when they got there, they were greeted by the self-appointed guardians of the acting Chief: Alyka and Soturi, Wren and Skali, and Kai and Soren.

The humans were bundled up in their furs, clearly planning on staying right where they were for as long as necessary. Wren was making a snowman next to the house with Kai, who waddled around in his thick winter clothes, giggling as Soren frolicked in the snow. Alyka, on the contrary, was all seriousness, sitting in front of the door with her axe on her lap.

"Erik!" Kai shouted happily. "Are you gonna help with our snowman?"

"I can't this time, Kai. Is Aeri inside?"

"Yeah, but you can't go in," Alyka said, her tone and posture suggesting that she was prepared to do battle with an entire army of Berserkers if need be.

"Did she ask you to sit out here?"

"No," Wren chimed in. "But Alyka says we have to, because it's our job to protect the Chief."

Erik hid a smile at that. Before he could respond, a boy ran down the path leading to the Great Hall, carrying a sizable sack, followed by a purple Monstrous Nightmare.

"I'm back," he huffed, trudging up to Alyka. "I snatched what I could when they weren't looking."

"Thanks, Rorik," she replied, and she actually smiled at him. The Monstrous Nightmare went over to sit by Soturi and Skali, who seemed to be guarding the guardians.

"What are you up to?" Erik asked suspiciously.

"Well, it's cold out here," Wren said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And we're hungry."

The sack was opened, revealing steaming loaves of bread. "I got some of the spice bread, too," Rorik proclaimed proudly. The kids all crowded onto the top step, and Alyka moved her axe to sit Kai on her lap and help him eat.

"Guys, I know you're protecting the Chief, but I want to make sure she's alright."

"Shade's in there," Alyka pointed out. "He'll take care of her."

"I'm sure he's doing a great job, but I'd feel better if—"

"Erik, you can't go in!" The fourteen-year-old was scowling.

"Alyka, come on. I'm her brother. I want what's best for her, too. But I, uh, need orders from the Chief."

"She wants everyone to keep preparing for Snoggletog, and to leave her alone unless it's an emergency!"

"Yes, but… I need to report some things. She'll want to hear what's going on, so she can decide what to do. Because she's the Chief."

"What kinds of things?" Alyka asked suspiciously.

"I can't tell you. I can only tell the Chief."

She pondered this for a moment. "Fine. You can go in. But if she gets mad at you for bothering her, I'll chop you into pieces."

"I love you too, sis."

Storm waited outside while Erik went in. After about ten minutes he came back out, expression unreadable. "I have my orders. Keep up the good work, everyone."

As he hopped into the saddle, he murmured, "Let's go check on Ash."

Inside the shelter, Gobber had set up a pot of water over a small fire, and was tossing various herbs into it. "Good ol' dragon tea," he declared cheerfully, humming under his breath.

"How's she doing?" Erik asked, understandably concerned. Ash's eyes were closed, and her breathing was shallow.

"Well, somethin' isn't right, but the question is, what? If I had to guess, I'd say her body is shutting down from lack of food, which would account for the weakness and exhaustion. Ye said she couldn't keep a few fish down, which is normal when a body is deprived of food, so I'm gonna make her some tea to get some nutrients in her system. Slowly, we can reintroduce solid food, and it won't take long after that for her to be right as rain."

Storm stared at Ash's prone form, hoping fervently that Gobber was right. Ash was her friend, almost like another sister, and if something happened to her…

No. Nothing is going to happen to her. Her father would be back soon, and everything would be fine. Ash would be fine. She had to be. If she wasn't, and Cinder wasn't here, and she and Shade hadn't made up… She shook her head. Ash would get better and she and Shade would work things out and it would all be okay.

"Gobber, I can't stress this enough, but no one can know she's in this condition."

"What? Why not?"

"Because the sky is already falling, and Aeri and Shade can't handle anything else right now. When my parents get back, I'll send my grandmother here straight away, but it's very important that we don't worry anyone else unnecessarily. Okay?"

"If ye think that's best, lad, I'll keep my mouth shut. I'll also stay here for the time being, to keep an eye on her. Just… if I'm here, and Aeri is at Valka's, and Winter is in a cell, there's no one at the stall, so…"

"I'll put up a sign, don't worry. You'll be able to go back to work tomorrow. I'll also make sure someone brings you a comfortable chair and some food. Is there anything else I can get you?"

The grizzled old smith beamed at him. "Yer a good lad, Erik. I'll manage. Ye've probably been runnin' around like a headless hen, anyways. Have ye been to see yer sister?"

"Yes." He wasn't smiling. "Everything… will be fine. We just need to get through today."

"That we do, lad. Go on, then, and keep the ship afloat until our brave captain returns to us."

"I'm sure my dad will be thrilled when he comes home to all this," Erik sighed. "At least there's not a giant dragon to defeat this time. Wait. I shouldn't jinx us like that. It would be just our luck, wouldn't it?"

Gobber chuckled. "It certainly would. I'll take the risk though, and point out that Berk has an excellent track record when it comes to fightin' monsters."

"What happens when the monster is a person?"

"We've had plenty of practice with those, too. Don't worry yerself, Erik. We'll make it through whatever the gods throw at us."

Night was falling when dragons were sighted on the horizon. Snotlout and Erik had agreed that it would be best if everyone stayed in their homes while the mess was sorted out, so it was just Erik and Storm, Snotlout and Hookfang, and a number of patrols keeping an eye out for both the Chief and any signs of unrest. The younger Haddock children had protested, but Erik had persuaded them that Shade would keep Aeri safe, and the patrols wouldn't allow any trouble.

When the three dragons touched down and their weary riders slid to the ground, their first concern was the unusual quiet.

"What's going on, Erik?" Hiccup had asked his son. "Where is Aeri? Did something happen?"

"You could say that," Snotlout said with a humorless chuckle.

"There was an… unfortunate discovery," Erik started, quickly filling them in on all that had taken place in the village while they were away. He didn't mention Ash, but Storm assumed he would bring it up later.

"Oh, gods," Astrid had murmured, exchanging worried glances with her husband. "We need to see if she's alright."

"That, and we need to call the council together. Immediately," Hiccup replied grimly. "Erik, Snotlout, please gather the council members, then Erik, please go home and sit tight with your siblings. We'll fill you in later. Snotlout, I also need you to get Chief Haku. Tell him to bring no more than five of his most trusted advisors."

Before they left, Erik pulled Valka aside. "There's something else. Storm took us out to a cave in the middle of the forest earlier, and we found Ash."

"Really? That seems like a positive turn of events."

Erik shook his head. "No, Grandma. Something's not right with her. Gobber has been with her all day, but I told him I'd tell you when you got back. No one besides him, Maara, and myself know she's here. And now you. I really don't think Aeri and Shade need to be worried about her right now. So, if we can, I'd like to improve her condition before they find out."

Valka nodded somberly. "I'll go right away. They won't need me in the council meeting, anyways."

Storm waited until her father glanced in her direction, then gestured for him to come closer.

"What is it, Storm?"

"Erik just told Valka, but something else happened today, too. I'll explain after we get the council members."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"I want to say yes, Dad, but I'm really not sure."

"Okay," he said seriously.

Storm carried Erik to each house, sending the council members to the Great Hall. Afterwards, she took him home, warbling softly at him when he hugged her neck and went inside. Not long after, her father flew over from the direction of the Great Hall.

"Alright, Storm. What's going on?"

"Have you seen Shade yet?"

Caught off guard by the question, he nodded slowly. "Yes. He's up with Aeri at the council meeting."

"Aeri's at the meeting?"

"Hiccup and Astrid spoke with her, and she felt obligated to join them. Why?"

"Dad, I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this. Cloudjumper probably knows by now, and probably Grump, too, but no one else. If you tell Mom, you have to make sure she doesn't say anything about it either."

"Storm, what happened?"

"We found Ash," she replied bluntly, and his eyes widened slightly.

"Where was she?"

"Kiva told me where to find her before she left, with the instructions that I was to go retrieve her if she did not return of her own accord. So I took Erik and Maara out to this cave in the forest, and she was there, but…"

"But what?"

"Something's wrong, Dad. Really wrong. She's lost weight, and she's been unconscious since we got back, but even when she was awake she was disoriented and weak. Gobber thinks it's because she hasn't eaten anything, but she threw up the fish we made her eat, so he's been making her tea."

For a moment, he seemed to be absorbing this information. "Where is she?"

"In her shelter. But I don't think we should tell Shade. He's under a lot of stress, and I doubt he would handle it well. We should wait until she gets better."

"Do you think he won't find out?"

"Not if Aeri doesn't know, either."

Her father sighed. "Storm, he's an adult. It wouldn't be right to lie to him—"

"But we wouldn't be lying. Because we wouldn't be talking about it. You know I'm right, Dad."

He didn't directly answer, instead, he asked, "Is your mother inside?"

"I think so, she was earlier."

"When you go in, can you send her out?"

"Actually, I was going to go see Sahko—"

"No."

"What? No, I have to—"

"Storm, I know Sahko is your friend. But please, don't fight me on this. Just go inside, alright?"

Storm was having a hard time breathing. "What are they going to do to him?"

"I don't know, yet. I'll let you know when they've decided."

Panic was rising in her throat. "Dad, please—"

"I said no, Storm!" he said, raising his voice. He seemed to be at the end of his rope.

She wouldn't get upset. Swallowing thickly, she gave him a short nod, then turned tail and run inside. After she'd sent her mother out, she curled up on her bed and covered her face with her wing, feigning sleep so she wouldn't have to talk to her siblings.

I'll talk to him tomorrow, she told herself. I'll leave early, and see him before anyone can stop me.

But even though she got up early, it was still too late. Her father explained that he and Winter had been banished, that they had left in the night, and would never return.

Disbelief allowed her to function until she was alone, then it all came crashing down. He's gone. He's gone and I'm never going to see him again. He's gone and I never got to say goodbye.

Days passed, but it wasn't getting any easier. She was so worried, about Sahko and her brother and Ash, that she wasn't really sleeping, either. The patrols they had sent out found no sign of the strangers who had so effortlessly devastated her world, which was probably for the best, because she didn't know if she could have kept herself from attacking them all.

The only small solace was the approaching journey to the nesting grounds. Her little siblings were so excited about it that she felt bad about being negative in front of them, so she listened to their constant chatter about all the new hatchlings they were going to see and get to play with. Snoggletog was just as fun for the dragons as it was for the humans. Storm just wished she felt like having fun.

Maara sighed softly as she thought about the last week. She had been constantly accompanied by either Erik or the others from their class, which was fine, since they mostly just raced or sparred or sat around talking, but she knew they were all just worried about leaving her alone.

She'd still had time to think, though. Everyone assumed she was upset, but she really wasn't. Things had sort of settled down, though emotions were still relatively high. After her last encounter with her brother, she hadn't been particularly eager to face anyone else from Heimme, and her friends had done their best to support her and keep other conflicts from arising. But none of her fellow refugees seemed mad at her, rather, they either kept to themselves or voiced their own quiet feelings of uncertainty in the wake of Winter's exposure.

Initially, many had aligned with Haku, demanding retribution and seething with righteous anger. But after Winter was gone, confusion set in. No one felt any better about all that had happened. There was no sense of closure or triumph. Some thought that they had been cheated out of closure by Chief Hiccup's decision, and that if Winter had only been punished more harshly, it would have been different. But most were second-guessing themselves, trying to connect the image of Winter as an agent of evil with the man who had done nothing but good since arriving on Berk.

Maara had figured out her feelings relatively quickly, upon discussing the matter with Erik after they had run into Haku. Ducking into an empty shed with Mika and Storm keeping watch outside, he'd asked her how she was doing.

"I don't know," she'd replied miserably. "It's overwhelming."

"Unquestionably."

"What do you think?" She really wanted to know. Erik was the most logical person she knew, and specialized in having reasonable opinions on things.

"What do I think? Well… I think you have every right to hate him, and want him dead," he told her. "If not for him, the pirates might never have come to Heimme, and you would still have your home and your old life. He hurt you, and that should make me angry, but… and this might sound insensitive or thoughtless of me, but I'm just not angry at him, Maara. I'm sorry, but I don't believe he is a bad person. I think he made a mistake, and I think he's been doing his best to right the wrongs he committed. He didn't have to come here, but he did, because he wanted to make sure no one else got hurt. He knew he couldn't hide his past forever, but he still risked his life to protect us. My sister… might never have come home, if not for him. And I never would have met you. That might not seem like enough to you, and I'm not trying to persuade you to forgive him, but I want you to know why I'm not calling for his head. I understand if that makes you upset with me, and I'm sorry."

But it didn't make her upset with him. Not even a little. "Don't be sorry, Erik. You're right. I don't think he's our real enemy. And this is weird, because what happened was awful, and I'm sad that so many of the people I knew my entire life are gone, but I'm not sad that I ended up here. I've never been happier. The first time I flew on Shade, I told Aeri that I wanted to be free like her, to ride dragons and fight and decide my own fate. She promised to teach me to fight and ride dragons, but she told me that she could not give me freedom. I was still going to be trapped by my duty as the Chief's sister. I can't justify the deaths of my people, but with that tragedy came my opportunity to be free. I'm free. I control my life, and no one can try to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. I get to be with you because I want to, not because I'm obligated to. Maybe I'm a traitor for not hating him, but I don't care. It's not going to change what happened, and I don't regret that the things that happened led me here."

He'd seemed surprised, but was very supportive and encouraging and understanding as always, so she thanked him with a quick peck. Ten minutes later, they figured they should stop making out and be useful, and they reluctantly rejoined society. Then they'd run into Kyla and Torkild, and Erik had gone off to continue saving the day.

She'd spent the night at Kyla's, since her older brother had his own home now and his room was unoccupied. Upon learning of Winter's banishment the next morning, her first reaction was sadness. It didn't seem right to her. She was also intensely worried about Aeri. Tensions were high in the Great Hall at breakfast, and she kept her head low as she ate with Erik and the rest of their friends. But as they were leaving, Haku intercepted them, seeming almost disgusted.

"What are you doing, Maara?"

"What?" She hadn't been expecting a confrontation, especially not with an audience, but it seemed as though she would not be able to avoid one. If only Mika were here.

"You should be with your people. We were betrayed, and we were not allowed justice in this matter. Where is your anger? You have a duty to look out for our best interests, but all you've done is turn your back on us. This boy's father, and his sister, who claim to be sympathetic to our troubles, allowed the author of our suffering to escape unpunished!"

Maara was shocked. Was her brother suggesting that she should be angry with Erik over Winter's banishment? That she didn't care about her people, just because she wasn't foaming at the mouth over this?

Erik clearly did not appreciate any of the accusations, and didn't hesitate to step between them and quietly suggest that he back off.

"I've had just about enough of you people telling me to back off!" Haku had shouted threateningly. "This conversation has nothing to do with you, so get out of the way!"

Crossing his arms, Erik just raised a brow. "I believe you directly mentioned me, but aside from that, if you didn't want anyone else involved, you wouldn't have done such an asinine thing as starting an argument in front of the entire village." At this point, all other conversations had ceased, and everyone in the room was staring at them. Torkild, Kyla, and the twins had gathered protectively around Maara, ready to join Erik if need be. Which was very sweet, especially considering that the twins were still limping from their ordeal.

"What did you call me?" Haku asked threateningly.

"I said that you picking a fight in the Great Hall at breakfast and expecting no one else to intervene is asinine. But while we're on the subject, I don't just find your reasoning to be imbecilic. You are, quite possibly, the most asinine human being I have ever met."

"What?!" Her brother was apoplectic. Clearly he hadn't been anticipating Erik's method of verbal conflict.

Next to her, Torkild chuckled under his breath and murmured, "Erik can be insufferable, but there's no one better at knocking you down a few pegs when you're being stupid."

Maara very much agreed with that sentiment. As sad as it was to her, Haku had become a bully, and Erik hated bullies.

"Was I unclear? Let me rephrase," Erik said. "You. Are. An. Ass. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, do us all a favor. Kindly sit down and shut up."

"I am the Chief! You can't tell me what to do!"

"I don't care if you're Odin's raven! If she doesn't want to see you, you'll leave her alone!"

"Maara is my sister! You can't keep me from her!"

This was mortifying. Maara just wanted to be left alone, but now she was caught in the middle of a very embarrassing, very public display of her brother's arrogance, and she really didn't want to know what everyone was thinking about it. She was starting to understand how Aeri must have felt that day on the docks.

"She's my girlfriend, and I will always protect her from anything and anyone who threatens her safety or happiness. As her brother and Chief, I would expect you to have the same prerogative, but you obviously don't, so why don't you leave her be?" Despite her rapidly intensifying distress, her heart thumped happily at Erik's willingness to stand by her. He really was the best.

"Listen, kid. We just found out that there's a murderous traitor in our midst. She's obviously confused and upset by this—"

That's it. "I'm more upset and confused by you being an insensitive jackass all the time!" Maara finally shrieked, pushing past Erik. Haku's jaw dropped at her outburst. "You seem to have a real knack for causing scenes these days! You're probably happy about all this! How convenient that your rival turned out to have a dark past! But guess what? Just because you've broken Aeri's heart all over again doesn't mean she's going to all of a sudden forgive you for being a total jerk. More importantly, do you really think that punishing Winter is going to bring the dead back to life? Is it going to restore our home to us? No! But if we don't learn how to accept our losses and move forward with our lives, we're just going to stay hurt and angry and bitter forever! I want to move on. So if you aren't going to grow up and face reality, I have nothing else to say to you." Not waiting for a response, she grabbed Erik's hand and stalked away, dragging him behind her until he caught up to walk next to her. Their friends followed, though they couldn't really storm off, because Baldor and Carsten weren't able to move very quickly. The sentiment was there, though. None of them looked back at Haku. As far as Maara was concerned, the brother she loved had died alongside the others in the attack on Heimme.

She later learned that some or all of what she'd said had seemingly gotten through Haku's thick skull. He made the call to go back to Vasara and the others, but before they departed, he sent a note to her, saying he didn't want to upset her by approaching her, but that he was sorry, and that she was right. I don't expect forgiveness anytime soon, but I love you, and I hope I can make it up to you. Surprisingly, he'd sent a note to Erik as well, though it contained no declarations of brotherly love.

What really shocked her when she heard about it was that he had sought Aeri out. She had been in Valka's house since the whole disastrous mess had started, only leaving to attend the council meeting the night before, and only a handful of people had conversed with her in that time. Haku had gone to her and apologized, not just for what had happened with Winter, but for everything. Supposedly she had accepted his apology, though Maara wasn't sure if it really meant anything to her. Erik had filled her in on what had happened when he'd gone to see her the day before.

When Haku had insulted her honor, Aeri had responded with dignified composure, before falling apart in isolation. Her response to this situation had been much the same, except when Erik arrived, instead of finding her broken up and disconsolate, he found her sitting quietly by the fire, entirely calm and collected. She wasn't particularly withdrawn, he'd said. When he'd asked how she was doing, she had seemed quite unaffected, telling him that she felt a bit tired, before politely inquiring as to what was going on outside. After listening to his report, she'd asked him to see to a few things, like increasing the patrols around the village and continuing to assist Snotlout. Then, she'd turned back to the fire, hands clasped on her lap.

Erik was almost inclined to believe that she really was only a bit tired, until he'd made eye contact with Shade. He'd never seen such anguished concern in the dragon's gaze before, almost like a terrified plea. But he wasn't equipped to tactfully approach his sister in this situation, not trusting that he could prod her without triggering some kind of hysteria or anger. So he'd just nodded and left, feeling entirely powerless.

The day after Haku left, Aeri resumed her place in the village. She spent time working in the forge, assisted with Snoggletog preparations, and willingly interacted with anyone she encountered. It seemed as though nothing had happened. But her gaze would sometimes lose focus, and her voice would seem hollow. A few times, people passing by the forge had seen her standing motionless with the hammer in her hand, as though she had lost the will to move. But other than that, she was acting completely normal.

Which was exceptionally eery to anyone close to her. Aeri had always been quick to see the bright side of things, to fully engage in whatever she was doing with lively humor. But there was no laughter, no sarcasm, no good-natured teasing, and when she smiled, it never reached her eyes. The spark was gone. She was still thoughtful and responsible and capable, but to her family and closest friends, her lack of spirit was upsetting and even a little scary.

The worst part was Shade. He never left Aeri's side, gaze always trained on her. When she wasn't looking, a heartbreaking mixture of fear, distress, and helplessness crept into his eyes, and anyone who hadn't picked up on Aeri's change before quickly understood that something was disturbingly wrong.

Maara wished more than anything that she could take Aeri's pain away. She had suffered alongside the refugees, taking the brunt of the punishment both physical and mental. Before the pirates had attacked Heimme, she had risked her life on multiple occasions to protect and better the lives of a people she owed nothing. She did so again during the attack, despite having just endured a brief but brutal stint in captivity, and then offered her home and its comforts to the grieving survivors. What did she get in return? A broken heart, twice over. It just wasn't right. She deserved better than this.

If only there was a way to go back in time and change the past. So much pain could be avoided, so many wrongs prevented. But there wasn't. They just had to live with the choices that they made, and all of the far-reaching consequences that came along with them.

The stocky, dark-clad man stepped out of the tavern, making his way down the deserted street. It was the middle of the night, but his drinking companions would likely continue their merriment for hours. This was a busy port town, and many ships docked here overnight before continuing on to all corners of the world. Some were merchants, honest traders looking for a comfortable bed and a hot meal. Others were less scrupulous about their business practices, but the inn and tavern and brothel owners cared little for how coin had been earned, so long as it was being spent in their establishments.

This man had an enterprising spirit, but had found it far more lucrative to trade information than goods. He fancied himself an artist, able to insert himself into virtually any situation and come away with valuable information. Few people knew his real name, and fewer felt comfortable with using it. His quick wits and charming persona had brought him substantial wealth, and he believed that his connections and skill secured his place as an invaluable ally to a great many people. He doubted that there were many others who could match him.

Normally he refrained from the usual vices that flourished so abundantly here. Drinking, gambling, and whoring were for lesser, stupider men. Men who could be manipulated. But he had indulged tonight, unable to resist celebrating his latest business transaction. He'd never made so much for such a relatively simple task. So he celebrated, relishing in the power he wielded.

Humming under his breath, he headed home, away from the raucous noise of the crowded taverns. There was no one on the streets, and so he was unconcerned about his surroundings. Even if he had been paying attention, though, he would not have noticed that he was not actually alone. A figure watched with vague interest from the darkness, crouched on a nearby rooftop, wearing the night like a comfortable cloak.

The man turned down an alleyway, and made it halfway through when he felt something cold on his neck. He froze, having not seen or heard any sign of another person. But the blade against his throat was all the evidence he needed to understand that there was indeed someone behind him.

He had gotten himself out of enough tight situations to not immediately panic. Instead, he smiled easily, and raised his hands slowly to show he would not put up a fight.

"It would appear that you've gotten the jump on me, friend. I have some coin on me, but if you allow me to safely return to my home, I assure you, you will be well-rewarded." With a poisoned dagger in the gut.

There was a soft chuckle. "I'm not interested in your brand of reward, Sig."

Shock coursed through him, and his smile slipped. This thief knew his name.

"I am interested, though," he continued. "-in doing a little business."

Sig swallowed, then forced the smile back onto his face. "I am always interested in doing business. But surely, it is unnecessary to be uncivil about it. Why don't we go somewhere a little more comfortable, and we can come to an arrangement that will undoubtedly be fruitful for the both of us."

"I think this arrangement will suit us both very well, Sig. You'll tell me what I want to know, and I won't kill you."

The man's voice was oddly familiar, and Sig struggled to place it as he hurried to save his own skin. "Now, now, I'm sure if you know my name you also know that I am worth far more to you alive than-"

"And I'm sure that if you recognized me, you would know that I have no need for either your ill-gotten wealth or your dubious skills. You know better than to cross me."

It only took a second for Sig to know without a doubt exactly who he was dealing with. One of the very few who were as adept with the acquisition of knowledge as he was. He would have chuckled, but he was far too nervous.

"I wonder why you've sought me out. You have never required my assistance in the past, Silver."

"I don't really require it now. I'm just in a hurry and would prefer the convenience of your seemingly endless fount of information."

"Would that have anything to do with your sudden disappearance from-"

The blade pressed slightly harder into his throat, and he immediately stopped talking.

"Sig, allow me to recommend that you refrain from trying to pump me for information. I am not known for my patience or humor. If you do not answer my questions satisfactorily, or if you continue to annoy me, I will make it very difficult for you to do business. Is that understood?"

Sig swallowed. He could think of a lot of ways that Silver could make good on his threat, and had no doubt that the mercenary could think of a lot more. He must have been silent for too long, because there was a low, menacing growl. The hair stood up on his neck and his knees nearly gave out. Oh gods. "Yes, yes I understand. I'll tell you what you want to know. Please don't hurt me."

"That's the spirit." For a moment, he was silent, perhaps gathering his thoughts. Then: "You don't usually imbibe, Sig. What's the special occasion?"

"I was just celebrating, I received payment today for some business I did recently-"

"You receive payment all the time. Why celebrate tonight?"

"I, um, well, it was a very substantial payment-"

"And what information did you sell for such a hefty sum?"

Sig gave a nervous laugh. "Now, Silver, it would be bad for business if I just went around blabbing about other people's private affairs-"

"And it will be very bad for your health if you don't answer me."

"Okay! It wasn't really anything special, I just had to learn about this place, any and all information about its inhabitants and trade-"

"Where was this place?"

"I- it was an island, way up north-"

"What did you learn?"

"Names, defenses, rumors... These people are fairly well known by traders, it's not hard to learn about their way of life-"

"When did you report this information?"

"Earlier this week-"

"And where is she now?"

Sig's body broke into a cold sweat. "Who?"

"You know who. Where is she?"

As terrified as Sig was of Silver, he still knew he would be in a world of hurt if he revealed this particular tidbit. "Silver, I can't, you know I can't-"

"All I know is that if you don't tell me what I want to know right now, I'm going to feed you to my dragon piece by screaming peace."

"Alright! I think she was heading there, she seemed particularly interested in their dragons, I guess this time of year they do this migration thing, and some of the people go with them-"

"What?"

"I don't know! It's just what I heard!"

"What else do you know about it?"

"Not a lot! They don't go far, I don't think, but almost all of them go, and I think the Chief of the tribe goes with them!"

"How many ships did she take?"

"I don't know, she didn't say-"

"What is she planning?"

"I don't know-"

"What do you know?"

"Nothing certain, only rumors-"

"Tell me."

"You know what she's like! Ruthless, cold... They say she took a fleet south earlier this year but only one ship came back, I know you were working for her, you probably know more about that than I do-"

"Sig..."

"I'm sorry! She seemed happy, at least as happy as I've ever seen her, I heard she was gathering men for something, that's it I swear-"

"Shut up."

He shut up, trembling.

"I want you to listen very carefully to me, Sig." Silver's voice was hard. "I won't tell Surmata that you told me any of this. I know you won't be telling anyone that either. But from this point on, you will not speak of that island. You will not reference it, deal information on it, or even think about it. Anyone asks, you've never heard of it. It doesn't exist. If you dare breathe a word about it, I will know, and I will be deeply unhappy. And if I'm deeply unhappy, you can be certain that you will be unhappy as well. Are we clear?"

Sig swallowed a whimper. "Crystal."

"Thank you for your assistance, Sig. I'm sure you understand how distasteful I find the fact that you used information about me to further your own ends, so consider yourself fortunate that I am willing to overlook that lapse in judgment, with the understanding that it will not happen in the future. Now, we can go our separate ways, each of us the wiser for our meeting. I look forward to never seeing you again. If, for any reason, I am forced to spend another minute in your nauseating presence, it will be the last minute of your life. Your specialty is self-preservation, so I have no doubt you will make every effort to ensure that we never have to meet again."

Sig nodded, his heart hammering in his chest. If this encounter went on any longer, he felt rather certain that he would simultaneously vomit and piss himself. After minute, though, he realized that he no longer felt the blade on his throat. He waited another minute, before slowly turning around, hands still raised.

There was no one there.

Aeri sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall.

They were supposed to leave for the nesting grounds today. The ships were loaded and ready to sail, the crews on board and cheerful, all the dragons expecting hatchlings assembled.

She'd thought she could do it. Her younger siblings were so excited, practically quivering with the anticipation of so many baby dragons to play with. She hadn't been on this trip, or been able to celebrate the best part of Snoggletog with the people and dragons she loved, in years. Maara and Mika were going, too, having never experienced Snoggletog or the magic of nesting dragons before. Her enjoyment alone would be worth the journey. Besides, it was only a few days. The dragons would lay their eggs, the eggs would hatch, then they'd all come home.

For the last week, she'd been going about her duties as usual. She didn't really think her behavior indicated that anything was amiss. The truth was, she simply didn't have the capacity to deal with what had happened. The initial pain, so savage and consuming, had left desolation in its wake. Like fire, it seemed to have burned away her ability to feel. It wasn't numbness, not really. The pain was so great that she couldn't comprehend it, like having a limb suddenly torn off. Rationally, she knew she was hurt, but her mind had blocked her emotional response to the trauma.

Since there was no point in wasting time being distressed about emotions she couldn't feel, she kept going like nothing had happened. She knew that her family worried about her, but what could she say? A crucial element of her life had collapsed without warning. The part that housed her heart and hopes for the future was now a pile of rubble, and she didn't want to rebuild it. Since she could still function and fulfill her role in the village without it, there was no point in spending valuable energy on reconstruction.

Her one regret about that, though, was Shade. He wasn't okay, and she knew it was partly because he was scared for her. There was something haunting about his concern, his lack of interest in anyone or anything other than her, and she felt guilty that she was causing him pain. She could only hope that he would adjust, and get back to normal soon.

"Aeri?" The muffled voice carried from downstairs, and she sighed, slowly standing and walking to the door. As she descended the stairs, she saw her grandmother and father standing near the fire, watching her expectantly. Again she had the slight suspicion that they were up to something, but she didn't care enough to figure out what they were hiding. Their hushed conversations when they thought no one was paying attention, the way they would watch her and Shade… either it wasn't important, and she was overthinking it, or it was important. If that was the case, she'd find out about it eventually.

"Time to go," her father said with a gentle smile, and she nodded.

Outside, her family and all of their dragons were gathered. Maara and Mika were with Erik and Storm, and the younger ones were chasing each other through the snow. Shade padded up to her, blue eyes filled with a sad, weary concern. It was such a contrast to the cheer around them, and so compelling, that it stopped her in her tracks. She stared at him, suddenly unable to summon the strength to maintain her facade of normalcy.

"Aeri?" It was her mother, and wordlessly, Aeri turned to her. "Are you ready?"

"I…" Her siblings were laughing, everyone ready and eager for their trip. It was just too much.

Swallowing thickly, she tried to speak, to say she was ready. Instead, she whispered, "I can't."

Astrid's gaze filled with compassion. Pulling her into a fierce hug, she murmured, "It's okay. You don't have to go. There's always next year."

There was a soft rumble, and she looked over to Shade. He would stay with her, she knew. But he deserved a break. It would be good for him to get away from the village, from her, and have some time to himself.

"No, bud. You should go. I'll be fine."

He shook his head stubbornly, and she sighed, placing a hand on his jaw. "It's only a few days. I need to stay here, but you really should go. It'll be okay, I promise."

"We'll keep an eye on her." Surprised, they all turned to see Valka standing nearby.

"No, Grandma, you love the nesting grounds—"

"Aye, but the world won't end if I miss a year. Cloudjumper and I will stay here with you, and Shade can have some family time. Don't worry, we'll keep her out of trouble."

So Aeri found herself standing on the cliff with her grandmother and Cloudjumper, watching the ships sail off towards the horizon. She hoped that Shade would have a good time, and said as much, but her grandmother had a pensive look on her face.

"I hope he can find a little peace of mind, before…" Valka trailed off, frowning slightly.

"Before what, Grandma?"

"I think Toothless will be using this opportunity to have a serious discussion with him," she replied slowly, gaze trained on her face.

"What discussion? What's going on?" Aeri didn't think she liked the look in her grandmother's eyes.

"We didn't want to worry you with it, but since I'm sure Shade will be hearing about it in the next few days, I think you should be aware of it, too."

"Grandma, what are you talking about?"

Valka placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come with me."

To recap: Storm is depressed, Ash is back but apparently the worse for wear, Maara is growing apart from the people she has known her whole life, Aeri has lost her spark, Shade is dangerously close to a mental breakdown, Surmata is making her move, and James is... still a badass. That all just positively glows with holiday cheer, wouldn't you agree?

Thanks for reading, reviewing, all the usual stuff.

Prepare yourselves, friends. Next week promises to be a doozy.

PS... We've passed 300,000 words. Huzzah! Excelsior! ;)