A/N: Not sure how many chapters left for the finale actually, but it shouldn't be more than 2-3. Sorry this chapter is a little long. The other chapters have been updated.

SUMMARY: As Atali confronts her feelings about her friend's husband, one of her dragons in sanctuary is stolen, so she leads the Wingmaidens after the thief to the auction. When protecting the Dragon Riders, Mister Thorston gets his chance to confront Grimmel about his past. Meanwhile, a new clue about the key to the dragon's cages could recover Hiccup's fail-mission after all.


CHAPTER 31 (FINALE PART 4)

Lying in her bed for the night, Atali read the next passage of secret journals by a candle. They were from her former friend Ingrid who she had buried many years ago. Atali had hidden a personal treasure box from her friend that she had found when cleaning her room in the Wingmaiden's old tent after Ingrid's death, and had shared her findings with no one except the dozens of Razorwhips she raised since then.

One of the entries talked about the day she had met her husband LaVerne while on her many walks alone in the forest. As Atali read Ingrid's words, she couldn't help but feel happy for her friend's blissful love story. It was a refreshing change from the dark and ominous tone of the previous entries about her capture by Grimmel and his henchmen to a strange, icy land in the East.

Ingrid had described LaVerne as a solitary teen of the Thorston clan who had little patience for jokes and pranks despite his family background. She had written that at first she had been a little scared of LaVerne, but admired his drive that brought him to the top of the archery guild above his popular friends, Gobber and Stoick.

He also shared Ingrid's intense love for nature and all its wonders. He had found her lost in the forest one day and guided her back effortlessly.

Atali smiled as she imagined the scene unfolding in her mind. She pictured Ingrid's joy and relief at being rescued, and LaVerne's voice calming her down. It was as if Ingrid's words were coming to life before her eyes.

As she continued reading, Atali discovered that Ingrid and Laverne had been inseparable ever since. Ingrid wrote about their adventures together, exploring caves and discovering hidden treasures like dragon teeth, which they made matching necklaces out of. She spoke of their love and respect for each other, and how they complemented each other perfectly, and how they rushed to have a family of their own without a care in the world.

Before, Atali could read her diary with only the deepest empathy, but an odd feeling of jealousy had started to disturb her now that she had met the man Ingrid wrote so lovingly to in her pages.

As Atali read on, her heart grew heavy with a mix of emotions – love, longing, and grief. She couldn't believe that Ingrid had found someone so perfect for her. Someone who loved her deeply, despite all her flaws, and vice versa.

Atali tried to ignore the lingering feelings that she had for her friend's husband as she read another longing poem of Ingrid's. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help the way she felt.

During the small time she had nursed him to health when Hiccup and his friends had stayed with her guild, her palms had grown sweaty just by greeting him for the morning, or when listening to his stories about growing up on Berk 'back in their day'. She tried to tell herself that it was just admiration, but deep down, she knew it was more than that.

Atali closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. Her thoughts drifted back to her own life, where she had never been in love like Ingrid. She had always been too busy with her work, too absorbed in taking care of endangered Razorwhip dragons. She also had taken a solemn oath in doing so, just like Ingrid and all the Wingmaidens before her, to never be involved with the opposite gender. It would become, inevitably, too distracting to their noble mission.

But as she opened her eyes, Atali realized that maybe it was time to make a change. To take a chance on love, just like Ingrid had. The only problem was, she had feelings for her friend's own living husband.

"Atali!" Minden said, one of the Wingmaidens under her close mentorship in training to be her successor.

Atali let out a scream that was unlike her, causing her pupil to jump, and the Razorwhip always attached on Atali's back to cry out of its sleep.

"Are you reading Ingrid's diary again?"

Atali quickly closed the diary shut, feeling embarrassed and exposed. She didn't want anyone to know about her secret feelings, especially not one of her own trainees.

"I was just...curious," Atali stammered, trying to come up with an excuse.

But Minden was too sharp for that. She had been under Atali's wing long enough to know when something was off about her mentor.

"Atali, is everything okay? You seem really distracted lately," Minden said, her voice full of concern. She sat on Atali's mat, her own Razorship babe on her back stirring slightly awake.

Atali took a deep breath, knowing that she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up forever. It was time to be honest with her trainee and perhaps even herself.

"I do not know, Minden. I think I have feelings for someone that I shouldn't," Atali confessed, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Minden's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Atali blush, but she remained quiet, letting Atali speak for herself.

"I think I have feelings for Ingrid's husband, LaVerne."

"Good heavens, I thought you would have them for Master Hiccup!"

Atali shared a laugh with her. "That would be much simpler, wouldn't it? But no, my heart has a mind of its own."

Minden nodded in understanding. "Love is never simple, Atali. But we can't control who we fall for."

Atali sighed, grateful for Minden's support. "I know. But what can I do? I can't act on these feelings. It wouldn't be right."

"Of course not. But maybe it's time to confront these feelings and try to move on. You deserve to be happy, Atali. I have similar feelings for Snotlout, myself. But you're right. We both made the same promise; we couldn't possibly break it."

Atali's eyes shimmered with sentiment. But then the flap to the sleeping quarters was thrown aside.

After hurriedly shoving Ingrid's items under her blankets, Atali addressed her lieutenant who had ran in the room.

She felt her adrenaline spike when the officer ran to her side with her weapon of choice already drawn and ready. "What ever is it at this hour of the night?!" Atali said. "Please let it be important."

"There's someone outside that just stole one of our Razorwhips! We tried to stop her, but she was too fast!"

Atali growled in anger, jumping up instantly. She regretted giving her lieutenant more responsibility than she sensed she was ready for. It was obvious that she wasn't prepared for thwarting a routine threat like a dragon-napper single-handedly.

Without any other words, Atali strapped her armor and zipped from the Wingmaiden's tent in time to see the shadowy figure disappearing into the distance with the stolen Razorwhip dragon. Atali gritted her teeth in frustration and sprinted after the thief, her heart pounding with the thrill of the chase.

As she ran, Atali could feel the wind whipping through her hair and the muscles in her legs burning with exertion. She had to catch up to the thief before it was too late.

Both Atali and her first officer gasped when the woman suddenly bolted into the air itself, hanging from a parachute with a peculiar motor. The stolen Razorwhip babe screeched in fear, its call echoing into the stars.

"Alchemy," Atali said with a sneer. It was obvious from the stranger's highly advanced technology that she was a henchwoman of Grimmel. Her Wingmaidens, a good number in response, had caught up to her.

"We have to get to the auction immediately!" Atali barked to her troops. "Take the treasury with you, we may need to use our donations. We cannot lose her!"


In the castle that same night on the eve of the last auction, Tuffnut rounded a pillar leading up to a small set of stairs. He quickly scaled it after waiting for Astrid's bootsteps to fade, lining the stone walls with his hands to keep his balance. He jumped into the shadows when he heard one of Grimmel's men approach Astrid. All at once, the guard seemed to remember her, and gruffly let her past him.

Tuffnut did his best to shroud himself as the guard passed his figure in the dark staircase. The guard paused some ways down the stairs and lifted the dancing flame of his torch. Tuffnut held his breath as the firelight nearly warmed his cheeks, and then relaxed when the guard appeared to not be interested in investigating any further. Thanking his lucky stars, he made the rest of his ascent speedy.

Just before Astrid slipped out of his sight again, Tuffnut grabbed her arm. Astrid gasped and rattled until Tuffnut clasped her mouth. Her surprise was clouded with an unreadable emotion when Tuffnut bored into her eyes.

"Astrid?" Tuffnut asked desperately and hushed in the menacing corridor of Grimmel's weapon displays and spoils, his blue eyes cutting Astrid's like daggers. They instantly brimmed with worry. "What are you doing?! Where are you going?"

"Nowhere, as far as I know of," a deep voice resounded behind them in a near whisper. It was Tuffnut's dad, Mister Thorston, with irate curl in his words than was worse than Tuffnut's memory of when he ate his last piece of shepard's pie for breakfast.

Tuffnut's heart sank as he turned around to face his father. Mister Thorston had always been a hard man, but the look in his eyes now was something else entirely. Tuffnut knew that he was in trouble. Astrid, too, seemed to shrink back at the sight of him.

"What are you doing up here, lass?" Mister Thorston demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "And Tuffnut? Why are you sneaking around with her in this god-forsaken castle o'demons like two criminals caught red-handed?"

Tuffnut tried to come up with an excuse, any excuse that would satisfy his father. But he could feel the sweat on his palms. He had never been good at lying, especially not to his dad.

Astrid spoke the truth before he could. "I lost the key to the dragon cages," she said, her voice steady and seriously quiet unless another guard would see the three of them together. However, she felt her boyfriend's dad was more terrifying.

"Ye already told us that after the gambling."

"Yes, b-but, Grimmel, he invited me to his observatory earlier. I thought maybe I could find the key here. Then, even if we lose the tiebreaker auction, we can still save Stormfly," she finished, her eyes watering by the dim firelight of the hall.

"Grimmel invited you, ye say? To do what? Look at the stars in a scope? Do y'really believe that's all ye would be doing this time o'night?"

Astrid reddened. She had truly believed that Grimmel was interested in her, and she couldn't deny it was exhilarating to imagine see him again, and also have the chance to retrieve the key to save her dragon. She realized it might be impossible to have it both ways.

Mister Thorston's eyes narrowed as he looked between Astrid and Tuffnut. "I don't trust that Grimmel," he whispered. "He's always up to something, and I don't like the way he looks at ye, lass- -at all. I would have punched him out on th'dance floor if I had the chance!"

Astrid felt a lump in her throat. "I know," she whispered back. "I just wanted to help our dragons. I'm sorry."

"And ye were dumb enough to waltz into this trap?! Like a drunk on Snoggletog?!"

Mister Thorston's eyes seemed to bore into Astrid's, and for a moment she thought he might strike her.

Mister Thorston's gaze flickered to her, then back to Tuffnut, seeming to calculate the truth from fiction. "And you," he said, his voice turning colder. "What's your excuse, boy? Go on and open ye jaw, before I throw ye down the stairs meself!"

"I was just...worried about her," Tuffnut said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know about this."

Mister Thorston's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?" he said quietly. Then, he took a deep breath and composed himself. "You two are lucky I came up here when I did," he said, his voice more controlled now. "Grimmel is not to be trifled with. He's a dangerous man. You should both know better than to get mixed up with him."

Astrid nodded, feeling ashamed. She knew Tuffnut's dad was right.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Tuffnut said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mister Thorston sighed heavily, looking from Tuffnut to Astrid and back again. "You both need to be more careful. We can't afford to lose any more bets, and none of your dragons. Do ye understand or do ye not?!"

They both nodded, feeling like little kids again in his presence. Mister Thorston gave them one last stern look before walking towards Grimmel's observatory.

"Dad!" Tuffnut called, almost forgetting to stay quiet. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"He wants company?" Mister Thorston responded. "Then, I'll let 'im have it. Go to bed. Ye've got a big day tomorrow."

Astrid and Tuffnut watched as Mister Thorston disappeared behind the door of Grimmel's observatory. They were alone now, in the quiet of the hallway, but their minds were far from at peace. Astrid shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling uneasy. She had never seen Mister Thorston so angry or worried before. It made her wonder just how dangerous Grimmel really was.

"You think he's right?" Tuffnut asked her, as if reading her thoughts.

Astrid shrugged. "I don't know. But I trust your dad's judgement. He's been around for a lot longer than we have."

Tuffnut nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the door. "Do you think he'll be okay in there?"

"I don't know," Astrid said honestly. "But we can't do anything about it now. We should go to bed, like your dad said."

As they walked towards their respective rooms, Astrid couldn't help but think about Grimmel's observatory. It was shrouded in mystery and darkness, just like the man who lived there. She had heard rumors about Grimmel's fascination with dragons, and how he would stop at nothing to capture them all. If Mister Thorston was in there with him, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

Tuffnut seemed to sense her unease and put a comforting arm around her. "Don't worry too much, Astrid. My dad can take care of himself."

Astrid smiled weakly, grateful for his words. She knew Tuffnut was trying to be optimistic, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in her stomach.

As they reached their rooms, Tuffnut turned to her. "Hey, Astrid. Do you want to stay with me tonight?"

Astrid hesitated for a moment, unsure of what she should say. She had shared a bed with Tuffnut before, but it had always been out of necessity during their various adventures. This felt different somehow, more intimate. But the thought of being alone in her own room made her feel alone.

Finally, she nodded. "Yeah, I think that would be a good idea."


Grimmel sat in a comfortable chair in his observatory, peaceful with the silent company of his telescopes and maps of faraway lands he had conquered. His eyes passed briefly over a diagrams of various dragons he had examined at death, but none were as intriguing as his memory of smiting what he had first believed to be the last living Night Fury- -on the day he had rescued his tribe single-handedly from its torment.

His weapons were locked away for the night and his skin, sheathed in a dark tunic with an expensive crest of his people, was still warm from enduring the bathhouse with his warlords. They had chided him endlessly about his outrageous wager for Dragon's Edge Island earlier in the day, laughing so outrageously that he had decided to retire early.

Taking a short stroll to his observatory's balcony, Grimmel found the constellation he was searching for to show Astrid. It sparkled nearly forty degrees past Orion, one of the trusty star groups that always led him home from being lost on the ocean. He couldn't look at the stars then without thinking of Astrid's eyes, yet he thought it was silly to think of her as a metaphor when she had not bothered to keep her promise to come.

The longer the moments passed in the night, the more idiotic Grimmel thought himself. He truly believed she would risk abandoning her group to pay him a last visit before they would never cross paths again. Having only known her in moments, he could tell she wouldn't waste one second to plan a futile strategy with Hiccup for the next day...which would be clever at least.

He felt ashamed at not trusting his first instinct. As he learned as a hunter, the human intuition was usually errorless. That is what Grimmel knew separated humans and dragons, and it would have been something unexplainable to Astrid, who had been brainwashed by Hiccup's delusion about dragons being peace-loving pets. For once in his life, he had miscalculated a woman. He and Astrid were in very different worlds, and he doubted there was much he could do about that.

Grimmel was aroused when he heard a knock on his observatory entrance. He emerged from the balcony and walked to the door, hesitating to open it from disbelief. It could be no one else. He cursed once in a whisper; his heart pounded like a drum, like a virgin on wedding night.

He opened the door slowly, anticipation building up inside him. A man with long, blonde locs sauntered in, and Grimmel sharply closed his door. He felt a small panic at not having his sword tied to himself as usual whenever he prepared to sleep, but had full confidence in his fists if they were needed. "To whom may I have the pleasure of speaking with?" Grimmel asked, his voice measured and steady.

The man's eyes flickered over the room, taking note of the grim drawings on scattered papers and charts. "expecting someone else? Someone fair and fertile?" he said, his voice low and gravelly.

Grimmel's heart sank. He had been hoping for Astrid, but it seemed fate was not on his side tonight. "Show yourself," he asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

The helmeted, middle-aged man turned around, and Grimmel's silver eyes flashed in horror. The Viking from his nightmares was standing right in front of him, with some wrinkles, but his gaze no less brown and burning with fury. "Impossible," Grimmel whispered at the edge of his composure.

"So, ye do remember? I sure do. Ye took me one and only love away from me when we had just made our oath under th' heavens," Mister Thorston said menacingly. "And now ye want to take me boy's dragon and his future too!"

"I do remember, and I regret nothing," Grimmel said without emotion. "Your wife kept me very warm the next night."

"You arsehole," Mister Thorston growled quietly with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He fished out his sword that he had practiced with since his dragon training on Berk and sent it to Grimmel's neck.

Grimmel regarded the sword's tip under his chin with a glance, knowing there was little he could say to spare himself from a widow's revenge. "What business do you have with me, now? Have you moped around like a kicked animal, crying for one woman for all of your life, waiting for a moment like this? How pathetic love can be, and such a waste."

Mister Thorston's eyes wavered, and finally his tears fell in a hot rain down his face. He screamed in Grimmel's face, "Keep her name out of your lips, or I'll make sure of it!" He shook from the restraint not to slice Grimmel's neck clean off.

"Has Hiccup sent you to do his dirty work for him?" Grimmel questioned. Taking in his last moments on the planet, he cursed himself for not guessing the plot earlier-the skinny bastard had surely sent this man in Astrid's place, knowing he would be completely off his guard.

"No. I'm not a messenger man for no one. I came meself to tell you that Vikings from the North don't fuck 'round with what's theirs. If ye bring me a fight by sunrise, by Odin, I won't stop 'til I make that kill I wanted so long ago. It's so close I can taste it."

Grimmel felt the hilt of the man's sword shove into his neck, wondering if he was ever going to survive this. Despite his bravado, he was aware of the possibility of not making it to the next day's auction.

"You keep away from me future daughter-in-law," Mister Thorston said finally. Grimmel gasped for air when the Viking withdrew his weapon, and then he wheezed for his breath on the ground.

All at once, Grimmel's guards rushed in and gripped the surprise visitor, but Grimmel painfully ushered them away, insisting the disturbance was personal. With strong reluctance, the guards released Mister Thorston and forced him away from Grimmel's observatory.


In a more populated part of the castle, Tuffnut led Astrid to a wing that Gruffnut had reserved for himself and the Dragon Riders.

Astrid and Tuffnut entered a plush room set up with a modest but decorative bed and window drapes. A chandelier lit the room in a warm, auburn glow. The front of the room had plenty of inked quills and parchments for notes, and also light refreshments like bread, wines, and cheeses. Astrid thought she might come to auctions more often- -of course, avoiding the ones where dragons were sold. Despite the nice setup, she was too anxious about the next day to be hungry.

As they settled in next to each other on the bed, Tuffnut draped an arm over her waist and pulled her close. Astrid rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. She was grateful for the warmth and safety he provided, and tried not to think about what tomorrow might bring.

But as the night wore on, Astrid found herself becoming increasingly restless. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over her, and every time she closed her eyes, she saw images of Hiccup being hurt, or worse, Stormfly.

Tuffnut must have sensed her restlessness because he woke up and pulled her closer to him. Astrid's heart raced, and she was glad Tuffnut couldn't see her blush.

"Hey," he murmured. "You okay?"

Astrid shook her head, unable to form words. She was overwhelmed by a sense of dread that was suffocating her. "We can't lose tomorrow; we can't lose our dragons," was all she could manage to whimper. "What if we really have to fight to the death to save them?"

Tuffnut stroked her hair gently, trying to soothe her. "Don't worry, Astrid. I'm sure you can take on a whole army on your own if we let you."

Astrid giggled, reluctantly flattered.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it together. And no matter what, I'll never let anything happen to you."

Astrid felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. She was grateful for Tuffnut's words of comfort, but deep down, she knew that tomorrow would be the biggest fight of their lives. They had to win at all costs if they wanted to save their dragons and protect their home from the enemy. But the thought of losing Tuffnut or any of her friends in the process was too much to bear.

As Tuffnut cuddled her tighter, Astrid felt a surge of desire wash over her. She needed to feel alive, to feel something other than fear and anxiety. Without a word, she turned to face him and pressed her lips against his. Tuffnut was taken aback, but responded earnestly, pulling her in and deepening the kiss.

Tuffnut pulled away, his eyes filled with lust and adoration. "Are you sure about this?" he asked breathlessly, the question ghosting across Astrid's lips.

Astrid was affected by the question. No, she wasn't sure. In a deep part of her, she was angry that she wasn't being touched by Hiccup right then. On the other hand, she couldn't forget the way her insides melted when Grimmel ghosted her lips with a flower and promised her a love she had never known before, gazing at her with a truth any woman in the world would know was certain.

Everything was confusing, and Astrid didn't know which man she needed more.

Tuffnut could sense the hesitation in Astrid's response, and he leaned in to kiss her again, hoping to reassure her. But as their lips found their pace again, Astrid pulled away abruptly, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions.

"I-I don't know!" she said with a curse, and then she looked away from Tuffnut's eyes, down at the fasteners of Tuffnut's disguise she had been toying with. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I can't do this. Not right now."

Tuffnut looked at her with concern, sensing that something was wrong. "Why?" he asked gently, only out of curiosity.

Astrid took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "I don't know," she admitted, her eyes glistening with tears. "I just...I don't know what I want anymore."

Tuffnut listened patiently as Astrid poured out her heart to him, revealing all of her fears and doubts about the upcoming battle and her complicated feelings for both Hiccup and Grimmel. He held her tightly, offering comfort and support as she struggled to make sense of everything.

Tuffnut nodded. He understood the situation, and he could see that something was bothering Astrid. He gently placed his hand on her chin and turned her face to meet his gaze. "Hiccup, I get. But how long were you not going to tell me you have a crush on that guy?"

Astrid's face turned bright red, and she quickly looked away. She had been so sure that her feelings were hidden from the world. "I-I don't know," she stammered, her voice trembling.

"Ya don't have to be afraid," Tuffnut said softly, gently lifting her chin with his finger so she was looking at him again. "It's okay if you have feelings for Grimmel. I'm here for you no matter what, and I like that you want to be honest with me."

Astrid exhaled in relief. She was scared to let Tuffnut know, but she felt so much better being able to talk to him about it. She closed her eyes and nodded, grateful for his understanding and acceptance. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning into him. "I'm sorry for not telling you before. It's just that...I don't understand how I can like someone like Grimmel, after all the horrible things he's done."

Tuffnut hugged her tighter, his chin resting on top of her head. Sounding more lucid than ever to Astrid, he said, "I know it's complicated, but sometimes our hearts want what they want. It doesn't mean you condone his actions or have to act on those feelings. It just means that you're human and capable of complex emotions."

Astrid felt a weight lift off her shoulders at Tuffnut's words. She had been so confused and scared about her feelings, but hearing Tuffnut's support made her feel more at ease. She leaned back and looked up at him, feeling a surge of affection for the man who always had her back. Without thinking, she pressed her lips to his in an impulsive kiss.

Tuffnut seemed surprised by the sudden gesture, but he responded eagerly to it, his hands curling around her waist as he kissed her back. All they could focus on was each other. Tuffnut pulled her into his lap, and Astrid gasped in pleasure from anticipation. They had been dancing around their connection for too long, and now that they had given into it, there was no turning back.

Astrid moaned into Tuffnut's ear as he trailed kisses down her neck, his hands roaming over her curves. For a moment, they forgot about the impending battle, about the dragons at stake.

Just then, there was a knock on Tuffnut's door.

"Son of a bitch," Astrid sighed.

Tuffnut reluctantly pulled away from Astrid, his breathing heavy and his eyes still clouded with desire. "I'd better answer that," he said.

Astrid nodded, her cheeks flushed, before they both composed themselves. Tuffnut opened the door.

"Mating time's over, lizards!" Gruffnut said. He tipped his sparkling pirate's cap at Astrid, who returned his gold grin with an icy glare.

"I really hope we're not interrupting anything," Hiccup said sheepishly. "Excuse us, guys."

Gruffnut cut to the chase. "My little Viking here has got some information I think you'd really like t'know!"

Gustav felt Tuffnut's cousin whap his shoulders, nearly knocking him forward. He cowered under the expectant glance of his senior Dragon Riders, Tuffnut, Hiccup, and Astrid, but spoke.

"So, Gruffnut, Hiccup, and I were catching up after the auction just now. A little later, we bumped into that screaming bloke with the grey eyes- -!"

"Grimmel," Tuffnut said flatly. "Gustav, you should start writing down the actual names of our enemies, or you'll never keep up!"

"Okay. Sorry!"

"Don't be so hard on him," Hiccup interjected sternly.

Tuffnut sighed, nodding at his captain's words. "Fine. Start over, Gustav."

"Me n' Gruffnut n' Hiccup were taking a walk after dinner. We bumped into Grimmel and he was all like 'get out of my path!' and Gruffnut said, 'make us!', and then he was like 'that can be arranged!', and then I said 'no it can't!' and then Hiccup said 'technically it can, because he owns the place', but I was still mad, so then I said-!"

"Okay, okay! He said things, too. Now, get to the key!" Astrid urged.

"Oh yeah, right!"

"You're impressions are really good, by the way," Hiccup whispered quietly, resting both hands on Gustav's little pauldrons.

Gruffnut shook his head. "Something's missing for my voice. Try growling a little in the back of your throat!"

"Like this?" Gustav said, trying a phrase Gruffnut would say.

Gruffnut whistled, impressed. Tuffnut raised a brow.

Hiccup cheesed over another Grimmel impression from Gustav. "That's so awesome! Oh my gods- -how are you even doing that-?!"

"Boys!" Astrid pressed. They settled down.

Gustav continued dutifully. "So, after that he was like, 'Perhaps it is best we found each other at this hour, I think I have something you are looking for.' And then Gruffnut said, 'what?', and then Grimmel said 'this', and he pulled out a really big key! Then he said, 'it is unfortunate that this is only a decoy. Does your Astrid play me for a fool? I am not Stoick's boy.' "

Astrid looked at Tuffnut. They were unsurprised at how calculated Grimmel was about his belongings. Astrid wondered if he had placed the key by her hands on purpose earlier, testing her motives only for himself. She couldn't be sure.

To Astrid it made a lot of sense, him being a rich dragon-hunter and having to be a master of illusion to secure his loot from thieves, or even women. Even so, thinking of how he could have possibly stolen the key back from her at all was unnerving. She wondered also if Grimmel's invitation to the observatory was another test of his, and if he was still waiting for her.

"The main thing is, we don't have the key, and time is running out," Tuffnut announced.

"Wait, there's more! Grimmel said something weird, like, 'you underestimate how easy it can be to hide things in plain sight.'"

Tuffnut gasped, and at once everyone listened in on what he had to say. "Dad," Tuffnut breathed.

"What about him?" Astrid said.

"The arrowhead."

Hiccup concurred immediately. "I think you're on to something Tuff. I had a hunch, and found one of Grimmel's men's arrows lying around. Look," Hiccup said, showing a dusty, long arrow. "The head on this arrow is exactly like the one Atali found in your Dad. I've never seen this type of tip, ever, with all of those grooves forged onto it. Let's keep this and keep it safe with us tomorrow. Astrid, if you don't mind, I'll think I'll hold onto it."

"Hiccup, I think you may be reaching a little on this one," Astrid said. "How do you know he's not talking about something else less obvious? This is Grimmel you're talking about here."

"I know. We don't have much to go on, but it's our only failsafe if this auction goes south. I'm not going to lose the land and the dragons in one day. The only way he'll take Toothless is over my dead body," Hiccup declared, his glower giving everyone a shudder.

Astrid looked at Hiccup with admiration and concern. She knew how much he cared for Toothless and the dragons. She also knew how dangerous Grimmel could be.

"Okay, we'll do it," she said, her voice full of determination. "Get some rest everyone."

"Can I sleep with you guys?" Gustav asked. "My room is really big and dark and it freaks me out."

"No! !" Tuffnut and Astrid shouted together.


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