Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. The time has come. After years of planning and scheming and plotting and cackling with pure excitement, we are finally here.
Welcome to The Rebellion.
Please note: This story will not be for the faint of heart. The rating will still be T, but there will be a slight increase in action/violence, emotionally stressful situations, and limes. There will be no lemons. We will do our best to mark certain chapters accordingly for trigger warnings.
I'm so excited that we are finally here! Katie and I have been planning this story for longer than any other. Naturally, of course. It is the last in the Growing Up Haddock series. What a milestone! Not to mention emotional. Thank you to everyone who has stuck around for this series. It truly means the world to me.
It was GUH that taught me how to write, how to stick it out during the rough patches, how to plot and develop characters and drop hints of foreshadowing. It made me crave those writing sprints and those happy/excited reviews, even if it was only one. I grew up writing this series. I grew up with Adrianna and Finn and Cliff and so many other characters, and it all started with my love of Hiccup, Astrid and Toothless. Thank you to DreamWorks for having a passion for heart and story and for bringing these characters to us. Thank you to Cressida Cowell for writing HTTYD as a series first and giving these creators a passion from Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders to a small town girl in Michigan with dreams of writing a series.
If this is the only series I am meant to write and "publish", then I'll have fulfilled a dream. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart, for everything.
~Emily
The Rebellion
Chapter 1: Cloak and Dagger
This is Berk.
There once was a time when our fight was with dragons. When our homes were plundered by ravaging beasts with fangs and talons and fury. After generations of war and enmity, there came a day when someone new joined the fight. Someone who decided to join the fight by not fighting. By setting down his weapons. By showing kindness and stretching out a hand to his enemy.
Many years have passed since then. Today, our fight is no longer with dragons, but with people who would rise up against us. People who were once friends turned to enemies. People who see everything we have built and would do anything to see it crumble.
My story was an era of change. Of understanding the difference between war and peace. I strived to share what I'd learned with my people and my neighbors and eventually the next generation of Berkians. And most importantly, my children.
As I feared, there would come a day when the sun would set on my time. When I'd wonder if I'd made all the right decisions. If I'd done everything in my power to prepare my children for the day that destiny would come knocking on their door. If my demons would finally come to claim me at last.
Would my tombstone read: Here lies Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third
Chief, Loving Husband and Father, Leader, Dragon Master, and Friend
Or perhaps
Failure, Failure, Failure, Failure, Failure
This is my story. This is Berk.
And this is how it ends.
The wind whispered through the shrouds as the ship cut through the waves. The darkness of the night sky was interrupted only by the twinkle of stars. The ocean lacked any sort of sparkle. It was black, cold, and unforgiving. Much like the slavers who held the ship in their possession.
Besides the occasional creak of rope and sound of flapping canvas, the night was quiet. The few men above decks strolled to and fro, their lanterns held aloft as they kept watch.
One such man, named Alf, hung his lantern on a hook and stretched his limbs. Glancing toward the ladder that led belowdecks, he withheld the temptation to slip down and head to his hammock. There was nothing out here on the open seas except frigid waters and darkness. The captain insisted on four men standing guard throughout the night while the helmsman kept them on course. Alf didn't see the point. They would be arriving at the island of Maero tomorrow. They should all be getting their rest while they could.
Stifling a grumble, Alf snatched his lantern up again. Tensions had been high ever since that blasted meeting of the chieftains and it had only increased in the few years since. That dragon-loving fiend from the north loved making their lives difficult. The allied clans had locked down their borders and set up tight perimeters, sent out regular scouts to keep a close eye on just how close any ships got to their homeland. As if anyone in their right mind would want to get anywhere near those barbaric islands. The sight of any dragon was enough to set Alf's hair standing on end, but a barbarian riding one?
No matter. Alf was a good sailor. He did as he was instructed without grumbling. Well, mostly. Late nights and the expectation to work a full day on the morrow was never a blessed prospect. But he knew what would happen should he abandon his post. He didn't wish to be fed to the sea beasts below.
As if encouraged by the thought, a flash silver flickered beneath the waves at the corner of his eye. Alf twisted on his heel and raised his lantern over the dark waters. They were infested with the beasts, like a disease. Some slippery and lithe, others flat with razor sharp teeth. Others were larger than the ship itself and spewed water hotter than any forge. He squinted, though all he saw was black water. Not a single scale to be seen.
Grunting, Alf lowered his lantern and turned away. He hated these barbaric waters. The sooner they'd finish their business on Maero and return to the mainland, the better.
A gust of wind buffeted across the deck. The lit wick of his candle guttered inside the lantern and he bent to shield it. He'd rather not search belowdecks for a match in the dark. Then a sail creaked sharply overhead.
Alf looked upward. All was dark between the sails and the mast. Blast the wind for making him jumpy, what with all his thoughts of sea dragons and barbarians.
Running a hand through his thinning hair, Alf pushed all jittery thoughts from his mind and returned to his stroll. Far be it from him to be found standing aimlessly when he should be keeping watch for any nearby ships.
If he'd looked over his shoulder again, he might have seen the flash of scales that dove beneath the surface of the waves just beyond the railing. More importantly, he might have seen the dark shadow of a man crouched in the shadows of the aftercastle. He might have sounded the alarm. He might have had a moment to run.
But Alf didn't notice, and therefore had no time to even scream as the man nimbly dropped to the deck behind him, clapped a hand over his mouth and lifted a silver dagger to his throat.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third loved many things. He loved his wife, his children, his dragon, his village. He loved coffee. He loved late mornings and late night flights. He loved fixing things. Yes, he loved many things.
But none of them compared to his grandson.
He was reminded of this on a balmy summer day as he strolled through the village. In the rising humidity of summer, he'd taken off his usual leather gear and replaced it with a jerkin with cotton lining. The winds off the sea provided a brief respite from the heat, but it wasn't much.
Toothless seemed to be enjoying the heat. His bright green eyes sparkled in the sunlight and his scales glinted in a way that showed off his powerful body. His tongue flicked past his lips every few moments as if he could taste something in the air. Probably a barrel of fish baking somewhere.
The village was bustling as always. Many of the women had tied their hair up and away from their faces with handkerchiefs. Most of the men were red-faced with exhaustion as they worked. Inga Jorgenson could be seen outside the healer's with a bucket of water and cups. Apparently Mara was not keen on anyone dying of heat stroke today.
Just as he considered getting a cup himself, a scream shattered the happy bustle of the village. Hiccup froze as Toothless whipped toward the sound with a growl. They instantly relaxed as a three year old boy tore around a nearby corner, his arms and legs pumping furiously. His golden hair bounced with each step and his blue eyes were alight with not fear, but the thrill of being chased.
Seconds later, Erick Larson sprinted around the corner, grinning as he snatched his son up from the ground and spun him around. "HA! I gotcha!"
"Daddy, pumme down, pumme doooown!" Darin cackled as they spun.
Hiccup and Toothless chortled as Erick finally ceased spinning and set his son back onto the ground. He kept a firm hand on Darin's sleeve as he tottered, clearly dizzy. Tripping, he latched onto Erick's prosthetic leg and stared up at him with a happy grin.
"Again!"
"I don't know," Erick said, looking up as Hiccup and Toothless approached. "Mama won't be happy if you lose your lunch. Hi there."
"Looks like you two are having fun," Hiccup said, smiling as Darin gasped.
"Poppy!" Darin leaped forward and hugged Hiccup's knees.
Hiccup picked up his grandson and planted a kiss on his cheek. "How are you, buddy? Are you good?"
"Uh huh! Me and daddy playin' hide and seek!"
"Well that's fun. Have you ever played hide and seek with Toothless?" Hiccup asked, eyeing his dragon. "He's not very good at it. I promise you'll win every time."
Toothless growled indignantly.
Erick snorted. "Don't encourage it. Darin's better at hiding than I gave him credit for."
"Oh yeah?" Hiccup asked, adjusting his grip on the heavy boy. "Are you good at hiding?"
Darin gave him a slow smirk that was distinctly Haddock in nature. "Maybe."
Hiccup laughed as Erick slapped a hand to his forehead. "Gods help you both."
"Gods help us with what now?"
Hiccup beamed as his beloved daughter, Adrianna appeared around the corner wearing a light summer dress. Her hair was pulled up in a high messy bun as if she didn't care for looks. It was rather hot. Even Erick's wavy hair was curling at the ends more than it usually did. And besides, Hiccup was quite sure that chasing Darin around all day, every day was no small feat regardless of the temperature. Her hair was likely the least of her worries.
"With this little guy, of course."
"Ah yes," Adrianna said, tapping Darin's nose. "Even the brightest light of my life makes me squint sometimes!"
Erick raised a brow. "I'm not sure I understand what that means."
"It's okay, it was intended for small ears anyway."
"I'm not sure Darin understands either, but it's fine."
Darin's blue eyes had strayed to a nearby bush. He twisted sharply in Hiccup's arms in silent demand to be released. If he hadn't had such a good grip on his grandson's waist, he was quite sure the boy would have fallen headfirst.
He set Darin down and they all watched in amusement as he dove into the bushes, clearly in search of something that had caught his eye. Adrianna stretched out a hand but Erick held her back.
"He's alright."
"What if he gets bitten by something?"
"Then we'll go to Mara's and get a salve like last time."
"I'd prefer if we didn't have to make repeat trips to Mara's," Adrianna sighed. "That bee sting was huge."
Grinning slightly, Erick kissed Adrianna's temple. "He'll be fine."
Though she rolled her eyes slightly, Adrianna gave him a warm smile that lit up her green eyes.
Even after three years of marriage, nothing seemed to dull their sparkle, Hiccup thought. Sure, there had been ups and downs. There always was in a marriage. But they still adored each other, and that made him happier than they could possibly know.
Erick had taken on a lot of responsibility when he'd chosen the path he had. He'd had his whole life ahead of him and he'd chosen to give it to Adrianna. He didn't see it as a sacrifice, but rather making the choice to love her and be by her side. It wasn't as if he hadn't already loved her. It only strengthened with that conscious decision and she'd then grown to trust him even more than she already did. With Darin, he was a natural. Hiccup had never seen a young man take to parenting as easily as he had, but with all his experience babysitting his many nieces and nephews, perhaps he just had enough experience to make it look easy. Regardless, the younger Hiccup in his mind trying to raise two infants at the same time was rather jealous.
Adrianna was no different. She was always meant to be a mother. She'd always loved babies and children from the time she was a little girl herself. There had been hard days with Darin, but she'd hit her stride. She too was a natural, and with Erick at her side it seemed nothing could sway them from the task set before them: loving each other and loving Darin.
As Darin had grown older and they'd slowly built a new life as a family, every piece of the puzzle seemed to lock into place. This was right. Everything was exactly as it should be.
In a way, it reminded Hiccup of his own marriage to Astrid all those years ago. He'd had a difficult time making the decision to stop gallivanting around the Archipelago and set down some roots. It had taken much prodding by his father and other older councilors who only wanted what was best for their future chief. But it had taken Astrid's serious discussion to grab his attention at last. To really get him to really understand how much of a burden waiting was.
Once they were married, it was almost a relief. Weddings were no small affair, but they too had been friends their entire life. They'd been in a close relationship for years and then dated for a few years. The next logical step in their relationship was to get married. Astrid had been right to wonder how one so smart, such as himself, could also be so dense.
Still, after all these years he still loved Astrid with every fiber of his being. She was his best friend, his right arm, the first person he saw in the morning and the last he saw at night. He'd always be thankful that she was his and he was hers.
Therefore, Hiccup could sympathize with his son, who was soon to be married. Waiting for an extended period of time to get married and not being able to change the circumstances was very frustrating. And Fearless Finn was not a patient man.
Oh, he tried. He'd done his best. But nearly three years of engagement was finally starting to fray his nerves.
"Are you coming to the party on Friday?" Adrianna asked, cutting through Hiccup's thoughts.
"Yes," Hiccup replied. "As is your mother."
"Good! Cliffie won't do with any of his besties not showing up, or so he says."
"As excited as I am for them," Erick said. "It will be a blessed relief when the party's over. We've got a lot on our plates at the shop and the more he prattles, the less work he does."
"Well, you are the boss now." Adrianna said. "You can always tell him to-"
"To… what, exactly?" Erick asked with a small smile. "Tell Cliff to stop talking about the fact that his wife is about to give birth? You know how he gets under stress."
Hiccup snorted. "He'll be fine. They're going to be great parents."
"True," Erick said with a sigh. "But still, I'm considering hiring another pair of hands. As more people graduate from dragon training, the more saddle orders come in. Summer is always our busiest season but it's been crazy."
Hiccup nodded. Horst had recently retired and given Erick the position as leather shop owner. It was a large change for his son-in-law as he was now in charge of orders and finances and making sure the shop was well-stocked and whatever else being a manager of a lucrative Berkian business entailed. Cliff was naturally his assistant, but he'd been very distracted lately.
Taryn Smedley, Cliff's wife, was expecting their first child in less than a month. They were having a celebratory party later in the week at their new house. It was only insane to Hiccup because time seemed to fly so quickly. It had just been yesterday when he'd seen all these little rugrats running around the village and joining dragon training. Now they were all getting married and having babies of their own.
Gods, he was getting old.
Even Toothless seemed to be showing signs of age. He was still strong and mighty, both on the ground and in the air, but some of his scales had taken on a silvery sheen that Hiccup could only chalk up to age. As he still was the only Night Fury they'd ever seen, Hiccup couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness every time he thought about it. He didn't know how long Night Furies lived. All of his friends' dragons, including Stormfly, were all still going strong in age and strength. Dragons seemed to live long lives as humans did, based on the last thirty years of experience he had. He could only hope and pray he'd go before Toothless. He wasn't sure if he could handle that sort of loss.
Darin emerged from the bush with leaves and sticks in his hair. He had his hands wrapped around a fat brown toad, which looked up at them with a nonplussed expression as Darin held it up.
"Yook! I found a froggy!"
"Ohhh," Adrianna said with a pinched expression. "How… nice, baby."
"Now you should eat it," a voice said. "Kissing frogs brings good luck, little man."
They all looked up to see Fearless Finn leaned against the side of a nearby house. He looked ruffled and tired, but his smile was no less endearing as Darin looked up and gasped. "Unca Winn! Wanna see?"
"I do! Let me see!" Finn crouched down so he was as close to eye to eye with the toddler as possible. "Wow, you're going to be a great hunting man someday, aren't you?"
"Uh huh. We get deers with… with…" Darin looked around, momentarily distracted by a cart rolling by full of hay bales. He stuck up a grubby hand into Finn's face. "Three antlers."
"Wow, three? That's intense. We probably should catch him, too. I'm sure all the other deers make fun of him for looking weird." Finn winked at Adrianna and scooped Darin into his arms as he stood. "What do we say we let Mr. Froggy go?"
"But I not kissed him yet."
"Ahh-" Adrianna said, marching forward.
"I was just kidding, bud. Frogs are like girls. Yucky."
"Yuck!" Darin said and promptly threw the toad to the ground. It landed with a splat and quickly dashed into the bush once more. "Bye bye!"
"Poor thing." Adrianna sighed. "You do love to teach my son the best life principles, Finn."
"Hey, he can kiss girls someday. Just not until he's at least seventeen."
"Says the boy who had his first kiss at thirteen in front of the entire village," Hiccup drawled.
"That wasn't my fault. She kissed me!"
"Hey, is that-" Erick frowned, twisting to the side to look at Finn closer. "You're bleeding."
"Huh?" Finn twisted his free arm. His jacket was torn at the bicep where a bleeding gash could be seen. "Ah, well that's lovely. Here Anna, why don't you-"
Adrianna was already taking Darin, who was watching on with curious eyes. "How did you-"
"Me and Zap took a tumble earlier. I guess I didn't notice that I got cut." Finn shrugged and lowered his arm. "It's fine, I'll clean it up later."
"Are you sure?" Hiccup asked. "It looks deep-"
Finn waved a hand. "Seriously, I'm fine. We just got too carried away coming back from Hjart."
Hiccup wasn't sure what would entail getting carried away on almost four hours of ocean between Berk and Hjart, but he didn't question it. Finn and Zap were prone to adventures. Besides, he worked a lot. If he found time away from work and wedding planning and traveling and everything else to have some fun with Zap, that was alright with him. Finn wasn't even chief yet and he was becoming a workaholic.
"Speaking of," Adrianna said with a sly grin. "How are wedding invitations coming in?"
"Terror mail."
"No, I mean how is it going? Gods."
"Fine," he said, running a hand through his red hair. "I think Gen counted two hundred and eighty six total last night. To be honest, it's kind of draining."
"Which part? Invitations, counting guests, preparing for a wedding?"
"Everything." Finn sighed. "I'm just ready for it to be over, honestly. I mean, I'm excited obviously," he added quickly. "It's just been a long time of talking about it and planning and talking about it and planning. I'm just ready for her to move here so we can get married, and the trips to Hjart will be to visit her family, not each other."
Adrianna patted his arm. "Give it a few weeks and then you won't have to worry about it anymore."
Finn exhaled heavily. "Yeah."
Hiccup felt bad. He'd done everything he could to bump the wedding date up, but to no avail. His plans to convince Kiev otherwise had been thwarted. While he'd suggested that they get married once Finn turned twenty, Kiev had insisted that this was only the beginning of adulthood, and therefore they must wait one more year. Molly had nodded firmly in agreement.
So Finn and Genevieve had waited. After so much time waiting, the twins' twenty-first year was creeping up on them. They'd suddenly realized after the last Snoggletog that the wedding was in six months' time and it had been a flurry of work ever since.
And everyone in the Archipelago wanted to be there for Fearless Finn's wedding.
Hiccup knew Finn was excited (beyond excited really), but at the moment he just looked exhausted. He'd worked a long shift yesterday with the guards, which included a patrol of the entire island, and then traveled to Hjart. Due to some meetings today that he couldn't miss, he'd had to be back today.
It was a good thing his honeymoon was coming soon, too. He could use some time off of work.
Erick seemed to have the same idea as he said, "Kiev and Molly will regret putting this off as soon as you both start having kids. Then they'll realize they could have had a few more grandbabies by now."
"What is it," Finn said as they laughed. "With everyone wanting me and Gen to have kids? One thing at a time, people!"
"We just want Darin to have a playdate, that's all." Adrianna said with a grin. "Don't you, bud?"
"He has plenty of those with Ava Thorston! If he needs a playdate so badly, give him a brother! Or a sister to torment, you guys choose."
Erick smiled and looked at Adrianna as she scoffed, though Hiccup noticed she didn't look at her husband as she said, "One can hardly choose the gender of their baby."
"No more can they choose the number," Hiccup added. "With your luck, Addie, you'll have-"
"Don't," Adrianna lifted a hand and frowned through their laughter. "Say twins. That joke was old three years ago. It's not that common besides!"
"No, but it does run in the family apparently."
"What? It does?" Finn asked in surprise. "Who else had twins in our family?"
"No, I mean it's hereditary."
"That's what I said. So who else had twins?"
"I don't know, Finn. I don't know the whole family tree!"
"Well, seeing as you're one of three male Haddocks left if we're including Darin. That's poor leadership on your part."
As Erick snickered, Hiccup sputtered. "I daresay I've had more things on my mind the last twenty years than our deceased ancestors, Fearless Finn."
"Ya know, and that's another thing!" Finn exclaimed, looking more awake by the second. "I get at least two people from Hjart asking me about my name every time I visit and I don't have any stories on the man! I need more information! Who was Fearless Finn the First?"
"Ohh why didn't you name him Fearless Finn the Second?" Adrianna asked. "That would have been interesting."
"No, because that would make the questions even worse! Dad, I need more info."
Hiccup sighed. "Go ask your mother. He wasn't my relative."
"No, but you knew him, right?"
"Yeah, he was a nutjob who sailed a ship one direction and came back from the other. He got it into Tuffnut's head that the world is round, but I'm still convinced he just took a lap around the Archipelago and made up a story to interest the kids!"
"And yet he made such an impression on mom to name me after him!"
"Listen, kiddo." Hiccup said with an air of finality that he knew would drive his son bonkers. "We had to decide between the names Stoick the Second, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Fourth, and Barney so-"
Erick and Adrianna roared with laughter, drawing Darin's attention. He also began to laugh, though he likely didn't understand the joke.
Finn's expression was mutinous. "Come again?"
"Yeah, that was Tuffnut's choice. I think it all started with Snotlout saying if I have a son, we should name him Bjorn, because a name that means 'bear fish' would sound ridiculous. And then Tuffnut said we could call you Barney for short." Hiccup smirked at Finn's groan. "Needless to say I was relieved when your mother came up with a better idea. Still want to complain about Fearless Finn?"
"No, no. I'm good."
"Thanks for that, daddy." Adrianna said, wiping at her eyes. "I haven't laughed that hard in eons."
"I do what I can."
"Well as much fun as this has been," Adrianna sighed, looking up at Erick. "I think it's time to head home. It's getting late and dinner time approaches. And bath time for mister frog catcher."
"For accuracy purposes," Erick said, reaching out to take Darin. "It was a toad."
"Semantics."
Erick grinned and turned so Darin could see the others. "Say bye to Poppy and Uncle Finn."
Darin's blue eyes were bright in the late afternoon light. "I go with Poppy?"
Adrianna stuck out her lower lip. "I'm sorry, baby, but we need dinner and a bath! You're stinky!"
"I not stinky." Darin said, crossing his arms smartly over his chest. It was such an Erick pose, Hiccup had to smother a laugh.
"I'll see you tomorrow, buddy." Hiccup said quickly. "For now you have to go home, okay?"
Darin didn't look happy about this prospect. He'd forgotten how stubborn little kids could be.
"We'd better go before he has a meltdown." Adrianna said under her breath and kissed his cheek. "We'll see you both later."
"See ya."
Hiccup and Finn watched as the Larsons walked down the street, which would lead to their house. Darin squirmed rebelliously in Erick's arms. He kept a firm hold, however, and launched into a skip that soon had the little boy laughing and holding on for dear life. Adrianna trotted after them with a laugh until they disappeared.
With a sigh, Hiccup glanced over at Finn. Despite their previous banter, he looked exhausted. His blue eyes lacked their usual sparkle.
"Why don't you head home, Finn? You look dead on your feet."
"Yeah," he reached up to rub his face. "After the meeting I'm going to call it an early night."
"You don't have to be there." Hiccup said. "It's just getting an update on everyone's patrols and reading off any important messages from the other chieftains."
"I shouldn't miss that stuff."
"No, but you don't need to fall asleep at the head table either." Hiccup glanced down at Finn's arm, which had long since stopped bleeding. "You should get that looked at, too."
Finn glanced down at it. "It's fine, I'll patch it up." He chewed his lip for a moment. "Are you sure you don't want me there?"
The fact that he did not argue about missing the meetings only proved Hiccup's point. "We'll be fine, kiddo. Go home, get some rest. You've got a wedding in three weeks. You don't need to collapse with exhaustion leading up to it."
A soft smile wormed its way onto Finn's face. "Yeah. Okay, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye, kiddo."
Finn trudged off towards the square. Zap had likely already gone to the ocean or the hatchery for her own dinner. Despite his exhaustion though, Finn straightened his spine as he walked through the crowded street and nodded and waved at anyone who greeted him.
Nearly twenty-one and almost married. Hiccup felt a sharp pang of nostalgia for the days when his son had been Darin's age, running through the village on little legs and his blue eyes sparking with joy. He remembered the day not unlike this one when Finn had something in his mouth and he'd insisted that whatever it was, he needed to spit it out at once. Finn had opened his mouth and a frog had hopped out, eager for freedom.
Hiccup chuckled. Whether it was the behavior of boys or strong Haddock genes shining through, he'd never know, but some things never changed.
The front door shut with a clap as Finn leaned into it heavily. He winced at the sound and closed his eyes, gently setting his head back against the old wood. The headache pounding behind his eyes seemed to grow with each breath he took.
Though he'd tried to hide it, his father had seen right through it. Whether he realized his exhaustion was due to pulling another all nighter, he didn't know. Probably not. If his dad had realized he'd been up for nearly two days straight, he'd have gotten a well-deserved earful.
And yet there was so much to do.
Exhaling, Finn opened his eyes to look around his house and smiled. It had only been a few months since he'd moved in, but it was starting to look more and more like a home every day. It just needed that feminine touch. This minor problem would be solved once Genevieve moved in, but for now it was practically a bachelor pad. Erick and Cliff and the other guys came over once a week for Guys' Night: No Girls Allowed, as Cliff put it. He'd only have three more of those nights until he got married. Well, unless Gen went to Adrianna or Taryn's, which she likely would. He'd cross that bridge later, he supposed.
He'd been talking about housing with Genevieve all throughout the last year. They'd been trying to figure out if they should buy a house or build a new one, like the Larsons and Smedleys had done. It wasn't uncommon to build a new one, but Finn had his eye on one house in particular for the better part of last summer.
It had sustained some damage in the few years since it had been vacated. One elderly man had lived here a few years ago, but he'd passed away due to sickness last year. Finn had visited on more than one occasion, sometimes to remember, other times to consider if the house could perhaps be a new home in which he could build new memories.
When he'd finally gotten the nerve to mention it to his parents, they'd both beamed at the prospect. They too had looked it over and agreed that it did need some repairs, but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed. It was a good size; the yard was big enough to build a barn and build onto the house if they ever needed to (and his dad suspected they would once kids came along). It was the perfect house for any single young man about to bring his new bride home.
And thus, Benen's old home became Finn's new home.
It had been strange those first few weeks living on his own. It was a strange change in pace anyway, but he'd spent so much time in this house as a boy. He'd made memories with Benen here; they'd baked cookies in the kitchen, had sleepovers in sleeping bags on the floor and made puppet shadows on the ceiling in candlelight, whittled for hours on the porch while Benen told him stories of his former life. He'd laughed at the jokes Benen made and wept when he'd shared his darkest fears, admitting to struggling with his anger at how Ratri had mistreated him. The guilt had been harder to admit.
Benen had been more than a mentor. He'd been an encourager, a gentle soul who'd been dealt a horrible hand of cards in the game of life. And yet he'd chosen to be happy. He savored every sunrise, every sunset, every free breath his lungs could take in. He remembered the day the Haddocks had revealed the house to Benen, explaining that it was bought and paid for. Benen wept. It was his first establishment to call his own in decades. And remembering this, Finn had struggled with his own emotions the day he'd moved in.
He hoped he wouldn't cry when Genevieve moved in after their wedding. That would be horribly embarrassing. That was not the appropriate response to bringing home your bride. No, after three years of waiting to get married, he had other plans for that night.
Smiling, Finn toed off his boots and hung up his jacket. He frowned at the hole in the sleeve he'd now have to mend. Getting the blood out of the material would be harder. Scowling at the tear in both his shirt and his skin, he quickly made a fire and put on a kettle of water. He still wasn't a massive fan of "leaf water", or tea as his beloved called it, but he needed something to ease the headache. If he went to bed with it, it would likely linger through tomorrow.
Hopping up onto the counter Finn stripped off his shirt and inspected his arm. Dried blood crumbled away at his touch. The cut stung as he washed the wound and wrapped a bandage around it. He probably needed stitches but he didn't care at the moment. He'd have Inga look at it tomorrow if it started hurting. Hopefully it wouldn't. If it did and he had to talk to Inga, she'd have questions, and he'd rather avoid those, too. It was hard enough brushing off his father and sister and brother-in-law, all of whom were no pushovers. If his mother caught wind of the injury, she'd never let it go.
Sighing, he glanced over at the kettle but the water didn't seem to be hot enough. Apparently making it too hot was a problem as well, depending on the tea. He could never seem to get it right. According to Genevieve, tea was an "art form", one that she was slowly teaching him. Or trying to, rather. It was better when she made it anyway. He'd gladly drink all the tea in the world if she could live with him now.
Three weeks. He could wait three more weeks.
Finn stretched back atop his counter, uncaring that he was surrounded by dirty plates, bowls and cups that he hadn't had time to wash. Normally he'd never allow himself to become such a slob, but he'd been busy. He closed his eyes and resolved to wait two more minutes for the water to heat before giving in.
In the silence of the empty house, his mind processed everything that had happened in the last two days. Regular strolls through the village to keep an eye on things, an hour in the forge clanging at the anvil as Vidar Jorgenson boasted about how he'd taken Finn's place without effort ("forgework is in the Jorgenson blood, you know"), reconnaissance with Zap around the island, meetings in the Great Hall, flying to Hjart and spending the day with Genevieve. And then their long flight exploring last night that had ended with her sitting in his lap, his hands deep in her hair as she kissed him senseless.
They'd done well for the most part to keep their hands to themselves, especially when they were alone. Especially as their wedding approached, but he knew his self control was beginning to fray like a well worn piece of rope. It was almost better when they made their displays of affection public for all to see. Kisses in public could be chaste and sweet and endearing. The real danger lay in the kisses stolen in quiet corners or in the wild as they traveled.
It would be a blessed relief when they were finally married and they wouldn't have to think about it anymore. When their oaths were sealed and their promises bound into their souls before the gods and their kinsmen.
Already she'd started to move in. The closet in the master bedroom was full of clothes and the washroom had started to accumulate hair clips and ties, makeup, lotions, and a small dish for her rings and other jewelry, as well as a wicker basket for her shampoos and perfumes and bath salts. Her furniture and other things that she couldn't bring on Max would be brought by ship the week before the wedding as the Hjartans started to arrive.
Things were all starting to come together. She'd hinted at one final gift she'd be bringing on her next trip to Berk, but he wasn't sure exactly what it would be. The excited glow in her dark eyes was gift enough in his opinion. Her excitement was palpable.
Three weeks. Three weeks and all the waiting will have been worth it. Still… three weeks.
Memories of her mouth, the press of her body against his, her hands running across his chest and shoulders weren't hard to conjure up. The gasp that came from her throat as his teeth scraped her collarbone had nearly been nearly enough to undo him altogether, but somehow he'd managed it. Even though his blood pulsed for more.
Finn became aware of a high pitch whistling sound that slowly interrupted the silence. Cracking his eyes open, he found the kettle was finally ready. He slowly sat up, muscles straining with exhaustion, and grabbed the tin of tea bags that Genevieve saved for relaxation.
They'd made it this far. He could make it another three weeks. Hel, maybe it would be easier if they didn't see each other until the wedding day. That wasn't a half bad idea, though he didn't want to go without seeing her for all that time. But it would eliminate any temptation.
"Stop thinking and drink your tea." Finn sighed heavily. "And now I'm talking to myself."
The next three weeks had better go by quickly or he might just go mad before he could marry her. And he couldn't have that. After all this time waiting, he had plans for that girl, and his father had a point. He didn't need to collapse at any time beforehand.
So for now he'd drink his tea. He'd go to bed early. He'd take a break from some of his duties. He'd get himself a calming elixir from Mara and Inga if he had to. He'd do whatever it took to get a grip before the wedding. Because afterward, he wanted to be awake for every moment of his new life with Genevieve Sullivan, soon to be Genevieve Haddock.
The knife in Adrianna's hands rose and fell in quick succession as she chopped strawberries. The sound of splashing echoed from the washroom as Erick gave Darin a bath. She hid a smile at the sound of her husband teasingly scolding their son about splashing. She was quite sure there was more water on the floor than anything else.
She scooped up the strawberries and dropped them into a pot. Adding a healthy amount of sugar, she set it to hang over the fire and began chopping vegetables. She didn't care that the carrots would have strawberry juice on them. Normally she'd wipe the board, but she needed to get the veggies boiling sooner rather than later, or they'd still be raw by the time the chicken was done roasting.
A few short years ago she wouldn't have known how to make dinner. Finn had taught her how to make eggs when they were sixteen, but outside that she'd never cooked. Only baked. Erick had cooked more often than she did after they got married; she'd been so hugely pregnant and he was proficient at the skill. But after Darin had been born and she got used to that new track of life, she'd insisted on learning. They shared various chores and it worked for them, but she genuinely wanted to learn. If more… no, when more kids came along, she needed to know how to feed them.
Especially since Erick was working more hours. Yes, she worked all day as well watching Darin and doing other things with friends and family, but it wasn't the same as managing a shop in the village. If he worked eight hours, he didn't need to cook dinner as well. Not if she was fully capable.
Though he still insisted at times. He claimed it got his mind off of work and gave her an opportunity to sit down. It provided them the time to talk, too. It worked out well for them.
The pitter patter of small feet echoed down the hall and Darin emerged. His hair had been tousled dry with a towel, similar to how Erick dried his own, so it stuck up in all directions. He was adorable in his white pajamas with little dragons on them. How Morgan had managed to get the dragons onto the material, she'd never know, but she'd become quite the seamstress.
"Darin, don't touch the pot." Adrianna said quickly as he stood on tiptoes to peer inside it. "It's hot."
"Okay mama." Darin pointed. "It's hot!"
"Yes, please don't touch it. You'll get hurt. No more booboos, right?"
"Right, mama. No more booboos." Darin spotted the family cat Mittens sitting in a patch of sunlight nearby and darted toward him.
Erick emerged moments later, water droplets all over his light blue shirt. He'd rolled his shirt sleeves up his forearms but they too were damp with water.
"Looks like you two had quite the adventure." Adrianna said, refocusing on the carrots she was chopping with precise movements. Each chop sent a loud clang through the house.
"Yup, we were visiting an underwater city called Atlantis. Where Cliff gets these ideas I'll never know, but Darin seems quite taken with it."
"As long as he doesn't ask to visit on his next birthday, we'll manage." Adrianna kept her eyes on the vegetables and knife, but she could feel Erick's eyes on her. "How was work?"
"Same as always." Erick stepped closer. "Busy. Nothing too interesting. Be careful, you're going to hack your fingers off."
"I'm just trying to get it done quickly because it's so loud. I hate cutting vegetables."
"Do you want me-"
"No, I got it. It will be loud either way."
"True." Erick leaned against his forearms and continued watching. His blue eyes flicked between her hands and her face every few seconds.
"What?" Adrianna asked. "Is there something on my face?"
"No. I'm just watching."
"I know, it's weird."
"Why? I like watching you work."
Adrianna rolled her eyes. "Can't I chop veggies without getting grief?"
"Grief? Who said anything about grief?" With a small smirk, Erick reached out and pulled on a strand of her hair that had fallen out of its bun. "I think it's kind of hot actually. The way you handle knives."
Scoffing, Adrianna lifted the cutting board and shoved all the carrots, celery, and potatoes into another pot. "Can you fill this with water?"
"Sure." Erick straightened but didn't move away. He was still looking at her.
Choosing to ignore this, Adrianna turned away to check on the berries and sugar that were surely turning into a syrupy concoction. She needed it for the biscuits that were currently rising on the countertop beneath a hand towel, and she still needed to make whipped cream-
A pair of warm arms slid around her waist and she inhaled in surprise when Erick pulled her close into his chest. He dropped his chin onto her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Trying to ignore his closeness, Adrianna grabbed a wooden spoon and stirred the berries. "Nothing."
"Are you sure? You seem… irritated about something."
Was she? Sure, she was in the middle of making dinner and she'd overdone it a little bit by wanting to make a dessert, too. She didn't feel particularly frazzled however. No, but he was right. She did feel a little testy.
"Talk to me."
"I don't know."
Erick's mouth ghosted her ear as he said, "Well, it's got to be something."
A flare of temper rose up in her and she promptly pushed backward into his chest, trying to push him off, but his arms were still around her waist. "Stop. Let go."
Erick paused for only a second before he let his arms drop. He stepped around her and gave her a concerned look. "Annie-"
Adrianna huffed. "It's fine, just… go see what Darin's doing. Probably drowning the cat."
"What did I do? Are you mad at me for something?" To his credit, he merely looked surprised and confused.
Truth be told though, Adrianna wasn't sure exactly what her problem was. But she did know that the more he needled her, the more irritated she was becoming.
Adrianna took a fortifying breath and forced herself to look him in the eyes. "I don't know. I'm having a moment or something."
Erick pursed his lips. "Big moment."
"I'm just not in the mood right now, okay? You've been fawning all over me all day, and I'm just not feeling it!"
And there it was, she thought. She hadn't meant to say it, or even considered it. But he'd been cuddly and affectionate and staring at her all day, and she just… wasn't in the mood. Not for cuddling or affection or anything that might entail. He wasn't even necessarily asking for anything, but when he got super affectionate, sometimes one thing led to another, and she just wasn't feeling it today. Any of it.
Erick gave her a sheepish smile. "Oh. Okay. I'll… leave you alone, then." He gave her an awkward smile and lifted the pot of vegetables to no doubt fill with water as she'd asked. In the few moments of awkwardness, she'd forgotten all about it.
He disappeared out the back door where the well was located and she was left in silence, except for Darin's toddling about in the living room. Adrianna set her wooden spoon down into the pot with a clang, frustrated. But who was she frustrated with more? Erick or herself?
Why was she frustrated with him? He asked if he'd done something to upset her, but she couldn't think of anything in particular. In fact, things had been great lately. His new position had forced him to work more, but they'd already gotten past that. No, that wasn't it.
Adrianna thought back as she picked up the wooden spoon and began stirring again. A part of her thought that it wasn't a big deal to not be in the mood; it wouldn't be the first time. It wasn't a crime, and Erick certainly never pushed her. The other part of her thought back to the last time they'd been together in an amorous setting and…
She paused. When was the last time? She couldn't remember. It must have been some time if she'd forgotten all about it. That would also explain his clinginess. Erick wasn't a clingy person; doting and devoting, yes, but not clingy. But if it had been a long time, perhaps he just missed her. That also wasn't a bad thing. She should feel flattered. A part of her did.
But that feeling of mute frustration built inside her. Why?
Darin toddled into the kitchen, momentarily distracting her from her musings. He had a square block and was trying to fit it into a star-shaped hole. She watched him struggle for a long moment and was about to help him when he dropped them both and disappeared around a corner, clearly finished with the ordeal.
The back door opened and Erick returned. He set the pot hanging over the fire with a small placating smile before he went looking for Darin as the sound of crashing sounded from one of the spare closets.
She instantly felt bad that he felt the need to even give her a placating smile, but she couldn't do anything about it. Not while she still didn't know why she was frustrated.
And by extension potentially avoiding him. She wasn't… avoiding him perhaps, but she could remember a few times now in the last few weeks when she'd brushed him off. Maybe it had taken so many times for her to realize it, but… but she hadn't been in the mood for a while.
Frowning, Adrianna sprinkled salt into the pot of vegetables. Maybe she should ask him. He couldn't read minds, but he knew her pretty well. Maybe he could figure out what her problem was.
But that wasn't fair; not after he'd decided to give her space, after she'd rudely shoved him away. He seemed to understand when she said she wasn't in the mood. What would happen when she wasn't in the mood tomorrow though? Or the next day? Or next week?
Adrianna sighed and tossed the hand towel aside that had been covering the biscuits. Maybe she really should ask him. After all, they talked about everything together and obviously their love life was theirs to share. Which they did. And if they ever hoped to have more kids someday-
The word if clanged through her and she nearly dropped the pan of biscuits into the stone oven. In doing so, she burned a few fingers. Recoiling with a yelp, she shook out her hand and winced at the welts already forming before plunging her entire hand into a nearby bucket of cool drinking water.
"Are you okay?" Erick asked, appearing moments later. "Did you burn yourself?"
"Yeah," Adrianna said tightly. "Clumsy."
"I'll get that salve from Mara. She said it helps with burns, too."
Adrianna nodded and watched him go as he disappeared through the washroom door. She finally knew what was frustrating her. It wasn't him exactly. It was no one in particular.
And that's what made all the difference.
There was something about the atmosphere and ambience of a tavern that Alton loved. Perhaps it was the dim lights, the card games, the weathered sailors and fishermen cackling over ale, or the music that always played from some corner. Harps, lyres, pennywhistles, drums, there was always something, just as there was always stew and cheap ale.
The cheap ale he could do without. The stew was warm, however, and he accepted it gratefully from the barmaid as she slid it toward him. The sourdough bread was better. He and Johann had been caught in a wicked storm for an entire day and he still felt waterlogged with cold.
The tavern was full to near bursting with fishermen and sailors, all sharing stories around the firepit. He kept the hood on his cloak pulled over his head, partially to retain extra warmth. Some of these people weren't fond of the "Nordmannus", as those in the Archipelago were called. Alton didn't know Latin, but it didn't take him long to figure that one out. With Johann's coloring and dark hair, he could easily pass off as someone from the mainland, but nobody saw Alton as anything but pure barbarian.
Not that he acted like one. That was just the stereotype. If you were born in the north and lived on an island, you were obviously a barbarian. He was just glad he didn't have his own pet dragon. If he did, he and Johann would never sell anything. Except, perhaps, the dragon.
Alton was just sipping his watery ale, wishing for something better like Gobber's homemade wine, when he heard it.
"-had me by the throat with a dagger, brighter than the full moon itself. Thought I was a dead man, so I did."
"Alf, it was probably one of your mates pullin' a prank."
"I'm tellin' ya lads, it was him!"
One man's laughter was like a blade against a whetstone. "What's that? The mysterious Night Rider?"
Alton took a casual bite of his stew but strained to hear over the noise.
"Aye, that's what he looked like. All dressed in black and-"
"Ya always were a superstitious old goat, Alf."
"Need I remind you," Alf said crossly. "That we were within leagues of the Archipelago? That dragon loving king's realm-"
"He's no king." Another man scoffed. "Just another chieftain o' one of the islands."
"Well he practically rules like a king from what I hear."
"Probably kills anyone who gets too close to his territory," another muttered. "Him and his nightmarish Night Fury."
Alton stifled a laugh. If only these men knew that Toothless acted like a house cat most days.
"But that's what I'm tellin' ya, lads!" Alf started up again. "I saw no one approaching the ship. There were no beasts in the air or in the water. The night was dark as pitch. How did the Night Rider get on the ship at all? What if-" He lowered his voice so much that Alton barely heard it. "What if it was him?"
"The Chief himself? What would he want with a slave ship?"
Alton's brows shot upward.
"I haven't the foggiest. He was silent as the dead though, I tell ya. He was right disappointed though."
"What's that?"
Alf made a face and leaned closer to the others. "He wanted to know how many were on the ship. Didn't want my throat spilled on the deck, so I told him the number of the crew, including the captain. Then he said he didn't care for the crew, only the heads below decks." Alf smirked. "He meant slaves."
The others' expressions were a mixture of shock and interest. "So it was him. It was the Night Rider."
"Aye."
"How did you survive? From what I've heard, he's left a smoke trail in his wake."
"Well that's the thing," Alf said. "Ship was empty. No slaves aboard. When I said we'd be picking up our next shipment in Maero, he sounded angry. Next thing I know he bashes me over the head and I'm wakin' to the captain givin' me an earful hours later. Thought I fell asleep at my post, so he did. It's for that reason only that I'm glad I have a goose egg on the back of my head, or else he wouldn'ta believed me."
"And you'd have been fed by those pesky sea dragons anyway."
The men snickered into their mugs and jeered.
"Oy, laugh all you want lads." Alf said, standing. "You just pray that if the Night Rider attacks you in the night, you have no slaves aboard your ships. He might kill ya otherwise."
The men muttered amongst themselves as Alf left. Alton watched him go from the corner of his eye until the door swung shut behind him.
Peering down into his half empty mug, Alton mulled over everything that he'd heard. So there was a vigilante dragon rider attacking slave ships? And the slavers and sailors had dubbed him the Night Rider. Interesting.
The thought of Hiccup being the mysterious vigilante made Alton snort. Hiccup had freed Benen from slavery all those years ago, but somehow Alton didn't think he'd make it his mission to antagonize the slave trade. Not when they were doing their absolute best to keep the slave trade out.
Still he'd have to mention these whispers to Hiccup in his next letter. He'd be most interested to know the information. With their luck it was someone posing as a Viking from the Archipelago and it would only come back to bite his people later.
Alton had been traveling the seas with Johann for a few years now. In perhaps another year he'd be taking over the trading business, as Johann planned to retire and live out the rest of his days on Berk, his "favorite of the Archipelagan islands". He said this to most every village they set foot on, of course (it encouraged people to loosen the strings on their coin purses), but Berk truly was his favorite.
The trading business had been interesting at best, tedious at worst. Since the Chieftains Allie of Outcast Island and Grey of Rune revealed their plot with the slave trade, each Chieftain and their heirs had spent hours upon hours coming up with protection strategies to defend against slavers. This meant that Johann and Alton needed to go on a strict travel route so they weren't attacked by friends. Mainly they traveled the route and flew a particularly colored flag to show their allies they meant no harm. Combined with the familiar colors of Johann's flag and shields lining his ship, any on patrol would quickly realize who they were and move on.
Poor Johann had not taken the changes to his schedule lightly. He was older now and set in his ways. It had been Alton himself who'd convinced him that this was all for the best. It was better than his life's work sinking to the bottom of the ocean by dragonfire, and losing his life to boot.
Traveling to Hjart was the most difficult part of any journey because it took so long to get there, but they made up for it in wares. Handmade instruments, intricately crafted weapons and clothing and jewelry, gems and precious metals and jams and fruits and vegetables and more. If Alton didn't love Berk so much as his home, he'd seriously consider moving to Hjart.
As it was, he had more than a few reasons for Berk to remain his one and only home.
Pushing aside his empty bowl, Alton pulled out a carefully folded letter from his breast pocket and smoothed it out against the counter. A familiar script greeted him and, though he'd already read it a thousand times, he did so again.
Alton,
Enough is enough. I've about had it with your gallivanting across the Archipelago. You never take time for me anymore, and it's really starting to show. I'm going to be an old lady by the time you return and what then? Will you smooch an old lady? I hope not, that's gross.
Obviously I'm joking. I mean I'm serious about the old lady thing, but I'm kidding about the rest of it. Mostly. When are you coming back? You've been gone since January. You'd better be back in time for Finn and Genevieve's wedding because I've been staving off boys with a stick for months as they keep asking to go to the wedding with me, and I keep telling them that I'm spoken for. What do I need to do? Get a betrothal necklace from you before people take a hint?
...that was totally a joke. Mostly.
Seriously though, you need to come home soon. I miss you. I know I don't say it enough, but it's true. Someday I'll go gallivanting across the Archipelago with you and I'll learn new ways to heal people and we'll get fat and old together on the high seas. But for now, you need to come back to me while I'm still young and gorgeous. Because seriously, you're missing out, buddy.
Come back to me soon
Love,
Inga
Alton stared down at the little heart she'd drawn next to the word "soon". He found himself grinning like a fool, but he didn't care. She was perhaps the only person who could put so much sarcasm into a letter and not be offensive. She was also the only person that had ever kept him up at night, made him smile like this, made him act like an absolute fool.
Gods help him, he loved her.
Not that he had the guts to tell her in so many words. After two and a half years of dating and so many breaks in between, he wondered how she hadn't gone mad with exhaustion yet. After all, long distance dating was no picnic. Indeed, she was probably legitimately annoyed with him by now though. He received this letter nearly a week ago and he still hadn't replied. His Terrible Terror Maybelle was starting to get annoyed with him, too. But what could he say? How could he reply to such a sarcastic yet endearingly sweet message without putting more on paper than he should? When the things he wanted to say needed to be said in person?
Sighing, Alton folded the letter back up and put it back in his breast pocket. He and Johann were planning to be back in time for Finn and Genevieve's wedding. It was only a few weeks away. Perhaps he should just wait, rather than risk saying too much. But to make her wait almost a month for a response by that point seemed particularly cruel. She'd start to worry, too. The world was big and unsafe after all. What else would she think? Boy, and then if she found out- no, when she found out that he took weeks to reply? Ohh then he'd really get it.
The door to the tavern swung open and a large group of burly men in black clothing strode in, laughing and shoving each other. Many bore weapons and armor, but Alton hardly noticed any of that. He always sized up anyone who entered just to gauge any troublemakers, anyone who had sticky fingers. Being a part of the trading business meant he had valuable goods, which meant he didn't need anyone noticing the money he carried, let alone following him back to his ship.
Nothing of interest caught his eye so Alton returned to his mead. He fought a grimace, wondering how on earth anyone could drink this and enjoy it when the door swung open again.
And Brandyn Anderson walked in.
Alton subtly pulled the hood of his cloak lower. Despite his pounding heart as he watched Brandyn's blue eyes take a sweep of the room at large, Alton kept his muscles loose and unbothered. He didn't want Brandyn to notice he was here.
And if he was lucky…
Brandyn strode through the room toward the large group of burly black clad men, his brown hair darkening in the low light. It was only then that Alton noticed Dana perched atop one of the tables. Her red hair was cut at a sharp angle along her jawline and dark kohl swept her eyelids. She looked wicked and dangerous as always. Dana gave Brandyn a slow smile, but he only half-heartedly nodded back. He took a seat beside one of the largest men and launched into a low discussion that unfortunately didn't carry. The comfortable ambience in the tavern had long since passed. The noise had now risen to almost uncomfortable levels.
What was Brandyn doing here? This fishing village was leagues away from the Archipelago; that could spell either good news or bad news. On the one hand, he was far from the Haddocks. Good riddance. Maybe he'd set down some roots far away, rotten as anything. But that was wishful thinking, judging by the troupe of burly soldiers that all looked to him with respect and leadership.
Alton tapped his fingers against the counter, wondering what to do. Somehow he doubted he could leave the tavern without Brandyn noticing, or at least one of his cronies. He was good at keeping a low profile, but the room was bustling with activity. Brandyn's men were keeping an eye on everyone present, as they too were being watched. The barman in particular was watching them closely as if expecting a brawl.
Alton blinked and a slow smile stretched across his face. If there was one way he could get out of here unnoticed, it's if there was so much chaos that one couldn't keep track of every possible thing.
Gods, forgive me for what I must do.
And without thinking twice, Alton slid his foot out while a waiter walked by carrying a large tray of drinks toward the burliest of warriors. He went down with a yell and a crash. Ale and wine sprayed everywhere, dousing more than half of the warriors. Shouting and cursing erupted as the men began shouting at the waiter, then at each other.
By the time anyone looked around to see what the man claimed to have tripped on, the door was swinging shut behind him.
Alton allowed himself a second of victory but knew he wasn't free yet. The sooner he got back to Johann's ship and got as far away from this village, the better. Then he'd send a message to Hiccup.
The night was dark. The streets had long since cleared of fishing merchants, leaving the hot summer air reeking with the smell of fish oil and scales and seaweed. Normally it would remind him of home and he'd reminisce for at least a moment, but not now. It was times of urgency like this that he wished he had a dragon.
He quickened his pace and didn't stop for anything. A few drunks staggered down the street and called out to him, but he ignored them. He passed a tall building that stood out like a beacon on the street. Half a dozen women stood on the porch, all dressed in various forms of revealing clothing. One reached out to him as he walked by, but he brushed her off and kept moving. This was dangerous territory on a good day.
He turned another corner and without warning, a solid mass collided with him from above. Alton collapsed beneath the weight of someone who'd clearly jumped off the nearest roof and struggled to shake them off. He didn't have time or patience to be mugged right now-
"Well, well, well," a familiar female voice crooned in his ear. "If it isn't baby Brand. So far away from home, like a lost little bird."
Dana.
"Get off of me." Alton hissed, hardly able to breathe.
He felt more than saw Dana's smile. "I do love it when boys say that. It gives me such a rush-"
"Dana, let him up."
Alton shut his eyes against the voice and resisted a filthy curse word that would have his mother washing out his mouth with soap no matter his age.
Dana gave a disappointed sniff and obeyed. Alton struggled to his hands and knees before getting to his feet. He didn't bother brushing the dirt and pebbles from his clothing, though he did put a hand to his cheek. It was bleeding, but not much.
Brandyn was standing not ten feet away from him, flanked by two of the burly guards. Both were sopping wet and looked angry. Brandyn smiled though.
"Long time no see, Alton. That was quite a little show you put on back there. Poor Martin's likely going to be fired."
Alton took a deep breath and shrugged with nonchalance he didn't feel. "Wrong place at the wrong time and all that."
"Indeed. Which is no doubt what you're thinking for yourself, right?" Brandyn shoved his hands into his pockets. "Actually I'd like to congratulate you. You're right on time."
Alton frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Brandyn said, taking a single step closer, as did his men and Dana. Alton took a step back. "We've been waiting for you. We know all about your little trade route set up by the chieftains. We knew you and Johann would show up eventually. We need some information."
"What sort of information do you think I could give you?" Alton asked. "I'm a tradesman, not a Chieftain. Hel, I'm not even a soldier or a dragonrider."
"And neither is Johann. That's what makes my job so much easier." Brandyn said with a low laugh.
Alton felt a rush spread from his chest through his limbs. This meeting hadn't been a coincidence. They knew he'd be here. Well, he might not be a warrior or have a dragon, but he was from Berk. He was still a fighter and he was smart. He'd been here a hundred times and knew these streets like the back of his hand. If he could lose them and get to Johann's ship-
As if sensing his thoughts, Dana shot forward. She was fast but Alton was expecting it this time. He twisted out of her way, only grunting when her hands fisted in his cloak. He snapped off the clip around his neck and tore down the nearest street, leaving it behind. Heavy footsteps echoed behind him, but he easily outpaced them. The two burly soldiers were heavy; they'd knock him flat in one hit. If they could catch him.
But Brandyn and Dana-
Alton hissed as his feet hit a patch of gravel and he slammed into the nearest wall. A water trough blocked the end of the small alley. He leaped it and kept going. The footfalls skidded to a halt with grunts of pain and cursing. The bigger men had collided in the narrow alley and now had to waste time freeing themselves.
Brandyn wasn't far behind him though. Dana had likely taken to the roofs again. Glancing upward, Alton found her keeping pace with him with the flat roofs of the fishing village. Gritting his teeth, he took a sharp left into the nearest dark alley. Try and squash him flat again, did she? Now she'd be on the wrong street altogether.
Sharp as the turn had been, Brandyn had to check his speed to not face plant into the nearest walls. He lost precious seconds as Alton sprinted down the street and across the next. His lungs burned with each breath, but he could make it. The docks were just a street away. He could hear the gulls and Terrors and smell the sea. In fact, he'd be able to hear Johann's whistling any second now.
Gasping, Alton sprinted out of the narrow alley and nearly collided with a pair of guards. They gave a shout and demanded that he halt, but he didn't dare. They could stop Brandyn. He was the raging sociopath.
The ship loomed up ahead.
"JOHANN!" Alton shouted. "Raise the anchors now! Now!"
"I'd love to, lad," Johann's sad voice came from the docks and Alton slid to a halt. "But I'm afraid we aren't going anywhere."
Johann was on his knees surrounded by a dozen men, all dressed in black, weapons drawn. His hands were tied with thick rope that chafed against his weathered skin. Clearly he'd been trying to escape. A trickle of blood slid from his split lip into his beard.
That's when Alton saw the blockade of ships in the harbor. Even if Johann hadn't been captured, even if they'd managed to get the ship under way, they would have been stopped anyway.
"No." Alton whispered.
"Please lad," Johann's eyes were imploring. "Run. Save yourself-"
"And where exactly is he going to go, Johann?" Brandyn's panting voice said.
Alton turned hateful eyes on the man who'd made his friends' lives a living hell. He wanted nothing more than to kill him now, but knew he'd never be strong enough. That was a job for better men. But no matter what happened next, he would not break.
"Come quietly," Brandyn said in a slow voice, as if talking to a child. "And nobody needs to get hurt."
"Whatever you're planning," Alton said in an even tone. "It won't work. You won't win."
Brandyn's mouth stretched into a smile, throwing the scar on his face into sharp relief against the moonlight. "But you don't even know my master plan yet."
"Maybe," Alton said. "But I don't need to."
Twisting on his heel Alton sprinted not toward the empty streets or the fishing village, but toward the ship. Johann shouted as the guards ran forward, but he managed to dodge them all. Burly men were so easy to avoid. He knew he wouldn't get far, but he had to get a message to Berk, had to get to Maybelle-
Something struck the nearest wooden post and it shattered. Alton jerked away with his arms over his face, but still felt splinters embed into his skin in a few places. Johann shouted again and his training with Astrid as a boy kicked in as he rolled, barely dodging the mace that nearly impaled him from behind.
Pain seized up Alton's hands as he crawled back. More of Brandyn's guards were advancing. There were too many. He'd never get to his cabin in time to write a letter, even a short one. He'd never get to tell Inga what was in his heart.
A small and yet fierce warrior's cry sounded and a small, pinpoint ball of fire erupted in front of the soldiers. They cried out in shock as their boots began to melt. A purple Terrible Terror roared and clawed the air at them, warning them to back away.
"Maybelle!" Alton shouted. He snatched her off the ground and took off running down the docks.
Heavy footfalls pounded after them but he didn't dare stop. His hands and face were bleeding and his chest hurt, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was that she got back to Berk to warn them.
"Get to Berk, tell them Brandyn is coming. Find Inga and you tell her!" Without warning Alton threw her into the air at the end of the docks.
Maybelle screeched in dismay and tried to fly back.
"No! Get to Berk, Maybelle! Go get help! Go!" Alton shouted. Then the soldiers were clapping firm hands on his neck and shoulders, forcing him to his knees. Alton fought with every ounce of strength he had left, but it was no use. He simply wasn't strong enough.
Still, he peered up through his bangs and saw Maybelle flying as fast as she could away from the island. Toward the north. To Berk. To Inga.
"Shoot her down!" Brandyn shouted.
"No!" Alton struggled, but one of the men pressed a knee into his back and he was effectively stuck, even as others held down his arms and legs.
Arrows rose and fell, disappearing into the ocean, but Maybelle dodged them all. A burst of fire erupted and she burned others to a crisp. But she kept going, kept going, kept going. Until she disappeared into the darkness.
Tears slipped down his face even as he tried to force them back. He didn't care if they thought he was weak or crying from the pain or fear. Maybe all of that was true. But seeing his last hope disappear on the horizon was so terrifying, he thought he'd be sick.
"No matter," Brandyn's voice said overhead. "There was no message attached. And no matter how hard Hiccup tries and pretends, he can't understand dragons as well as he says."
"Underestimating him was always your first mistake, same as your father's."
"We should cut out his tongue, sir." One of the brutes crouching over him said. "He's got a mind of his own and I don't like it."
"If he has no tongue, then he cannot talk, and if he cannot talk then he is of no use to me, Roscoe" Brandyn said in a tone that said they'd had this discussion before.
Alton shook with suppressed rage. "If you're going to kill me, then do it. I've made my peace."
Brandyn snorted and ordered the men to their feet while Roscoe tied Alton's hands behind his back. Once he was standing, Brandyn grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and yanked him closer. "Oh, your time will come, baby Brand, as it will for all of us. But first, we have some things to discuss about our wonderful Archipelago."
Is this really it? The last story?
Guys, my life has changed so much. It's been almost 8 years since I started Unexpected and I don't even know what happened to all that time. I made video games and got up to a lot, but Growing Up Haddock has always been there. I don't know what will happen when it's not anymore.
But no matter! I'm going to try to write more for this fic to give Em a break, but she's got this whole thing planned out so I should make sure not to step on her toes!
As always, don't forget to leave a review!
~Katie