Chapter 30
The first thing that Hiccup noticed when he and the others arrived at the abandoned village of Adag, was the lack of mist. A residual mist still hung over the lake, but the majority of the strange fog had dissipated from the village itself. This left Hiccup perplexed and he began to wonder if the mist truly was a product of the mysterious creature, just as Fishlegs had suggested. He brought Toothless to a halt some distance from the village as he contemplated the meaning of his curious observation. This very notion about the creature and the mist only piqued his curiosity all the more and, despite his promise to avoid the alleged Kelpie, Hiccup was even more intrigued than he had been before. Regardless of Merida's warnings, he almost hoped the creature would show itself again so that he could observe it further.
"That's strange," Hiccup muttered to himself.
"What's that," Merida questioned. Hiccup glanced over his shoulder at her briefly.
"The mist," he replied as he turned back to the village, "it's nowhere near as thick as it was before." Merida gazed in the direction of the village in curiosity as she pondered the significance of his observation.
"Well, if the mist was truly a manifestation associated with that kelpie creature," Fish interjected as he and Meatlug stopped beside Toothless, "I guess it could mean that the creature left the area…for now anyway."
"Well then," Eret replied as he and Skullcrusher paused on Toothless' opposite side, "might I suggest we start looking for clues now, before it decides to come back."
"Right," Hiccup agreed, "let's go." Pulling slightly on the reins, Hiccup gently urged Toothless forward and in the direction of the village ruins. Eret and Fishlegs followed close behind on their own dragons. True to his word, Hiccup did his best to steer clear of the lake. He led the others along the parameter of the village's high stone wall to see if they could find another way in besides the front gate which faced the lake. Before long, they stumbled upon a crumbling section of wall that was easily climbable. Hiccup brought Toothless to a halt once again. He then quickly jumped down from the dragon's back, landing on his feet with a thud. He gazed ahead at the village nervously for a moment. Though the area was still eerie, the haunted feeling of being watched or that they were not alone seemed to have dissipated. This curious observation intrigued Hiccup all the more. He wondered if perhaps the village's eerie atmosphere coupled with its haunting appearance was what had caused him to feel uneasy initially. But although his theory seemed rational, Hiccup could not help but to wonder if there was more to it than that.
The others leapt down from their dragons as well and made their way to the opening in the wall. They peered into the village cautiously as they awaited Hiccup's word. Hiccup turned back to Toothless and offered a hand to Merida. Without a word, she slipped her hand in his and gently slid down the dragon's side. Hiccup could clearly see an expression of anxiousness and worry on her face as she gazed cautiously in the direction of the ghostly stone structure. He squeezed her hand slightly in reassurance.
"Don't worry," he said reassuringly as he leaned forward and kissed her gently upon her cheek. She turned and glanced up at him in uncertainty. "If Fish is right about the mist," Hiccup continued, "then the kelpie must have retreated. Besides, we are a good distance from the lake." Merida nodded as she thought over his words, but despite his reassurance, her worry remained.
"Aye, but if yer right about the kelpie guarding Adag," Merida replied cautiously, "then it willnae be long before it returns."
"If it does then we will deal with it," Hiccup replied simply. Merida raised an eyebrow at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"And by deal with it," Merida responded, "I hope ye mean run far away, as quickly as possible." Hiccup furrowed his brow at her quite uncharacteristic comment. He snickered at her playfully.
"This coming from the girl who faced a Viking and a dragon head on all on her own," Hiccup chuckled, "what happened to that fearlessness I love so much?" Merida rolled her eyes.
"Being fearless and being glaikit are two very different things Hiccup," Merida replied as she put her hands on her hips, "and facing a kelpie head on is just plain glaikit!" Hiccup nodded as he thought over her answer. As always, her point was valid. He sighed slightly.
"Well, I don't exactly plan to go into battle with it, if that's what you mean," Hiccup replied as he crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at her.
"Aye, ye seek tae understand it," Merida replied knowingly, "just as ye did the dragons, but I'm tellin ye, this is no creature to be meddlin' with." Hiccup dropped his eyes from her's as he silently pondered her words. As always, Merida somehow knew exactly what he was thinking. It was as if she knew the innermost workings of his mind.
"Okay," Hiccup replied as he turned his eyes back to her, "you're right, I am a little curious about it." Merida huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest once more. She gazed up at him knowingly. Hiccup sighed again in slight defeat.
"Okay, fine, I'm more than a little curious," Hiccup admitted, "but can you blame me? I mean, from what you've described, this kelpie thing is unlike anything I ever heard of before, I can't help but to be curious."
"Hiccup, I know ye think that the kelpie is just some misunderstood creature," Merida continued as she dropped her arms at her sides, "but yer curiosity will be the end o' ye if ye pursue that evil thing." Hiccup nodded slightly as he thought over her warning. He sighed slightly in resignation.
"Don't worry," Hiccup replied, "I already promised you that I wouldn't go after the kelpie and I'm a man of my word, you know that." He shot her a sideways grin as he raised an eyebrow at her. Merida crossed her arms over her chest as she pursed her lips and grimaced back at him.
"Aye, unless o' course ye promise not to go flyin'," she replied flatly, "then all bets are off." With that she turned from him and stormed toward the village. Hiccup sighed heavily once again as he gazed after her. She had yet to forgive him for his apparent blunder, and he was beginning to wonder if she would ever let it go.
"Merida," Hiccup called out as he followed after her, "Merida hold on." She continued to walk away from him without looking back. Hiccup rolled his eyes and audibly groaned. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with how difficult she was being.
Both Fish and Eret rolled their eyes as the couple continued to argue. Despite their excitement over Hiccup's possible discovery of Adag, Merida and Hiccup had continued to argue on and off about Hiccup's alleged broken promise near the whole way to the desolate village. By now, Eret and Fish had had enough of their bickering.
Merida's argument was certainly valid, she was legitimately concerned for Hiccup and Toothless' safety. Given Dunbroch's history with Vikings, dragons, and the people of Berk specifically, they certainly couldn't blame her for feeling as she did. But that being said, Hiccup's defense was of equal validity. It certainly wasn't his first time in a place that was hostile towards Vikings; he knew a thing or two about staying out of sight when needed. If it were clear blue skies without a cloud in sight, Hiccup wouldn't have risked flying in the first place. But besides all of that, the fact remained, if Hiccup hadn't gone flying at all, then Adag would have remained undiscovered and they wouldn't be on the verge of finding the proof they'd been looking for all this time.
"How long are you going to hold this against me Merida," Hiccup questioned in annoyance, "I apologized didn't I? I...I mean, what more do you want from me?" Merida stopped suddenly, causing Hiccup to nearly run into her. She turned to him instantly with an annoyed expression on her face.
"I want ye," Merida huffed in frustration, "I want ye tae...tae just...listen tae me...tae take me seriously!"
"I did," Hiccup argued, "I...I do!" Merida huffed as she turned from him once more and started to walk away.
"Merida," Hiccup groaned. She continued to walk away without another word. Hiccup huffed and rolled his eyes as he followed after her. She stormed past Eret and Fish and climbed over the wall herself with little effort.
"Fine," he called out after her, "whatever! Ya know, you can't be mad forever!" He paused and glanced back and forth between Fish and Eret for a brief moment. Eret snickered back at him.
"Clearly you know nothing about women Hic." Eret said with a smirk. Hiccup sighed heavily at Eret's comment as he rolled his eyes, he then continued to climb over the wall after Merida. Eret shook his head in amusement as both he and Fish followed after him.
What they found on the other side of the wall was little more than rubble. The only things left were piles of stones where buildings once stood. The piles were overgrown by years of plant life. It barely resembled anything close to a village. If the outer stone wall had not been still standing, one might not have even known this was once a village at all.
"There is nothing left of this place Hic," Eret said, "what exactly do you expect to find here?" Hiccup shrugged.
"I don't really know," Hiccup replied, "the dream was pretty vague besides Mairead's prophecy. She didn't exactly tell me what to look for."
Merida took pause as she gazed at the desolate sight before her. This place was certainly more eerie than she had expected, and it left her with a rather ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't help but to wonder what had befallen this place and the people that once lived here. If Adag was truly gifted to the Berkan people, Merida could only imagine the Dunbroch army forcing the Vikings out and destroying their homes. It broke her heart to know that her grandfather's lies had caused their once revered allies to be treated as nothing more than criminals trespassing on their land.
"Are ye certain this really is the place from yer dream Hiccup," Merida questioned. Hiccup glanced over his shoulder at her as he contemplated her question.
"It has to be," Hiccup replied as he turned to face the others, his eyes came to rest on Merida, "you saw the inscription...I don't see what other explanation there could be." Fish, Eret and Merida gazed back at him in uncertainty. He could see by their expressions that they seemed to be questioning his discovery. He sighed heavily as he turned away from them. Hiccup stood still as he gazed around the village. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to envision what it had looked like in his dream. With his mind's eye, he followed the path through the old village to its center, where he found the large castle-like estate with the word Adag carved above its door. He opened his eyes and gazed around the ruins trying to envision the same path from his mind. His eyes fell upon the path that he knew he had followed before.
"This way," Hiccup said as he started to walk. He waved for the others to follow.
As they walked through the decimated village, Fish gazed at his surroundings intently. The ruins seemed to him very old, ancient even. He couldn't help but to wonder if this place was in fact a lot older than Hiccup and Merida had assumed.
"Are you sure this place is only three hundred years old," Fish questioned.
Honestly, I… I don't really know," Hiccup replied with a shrug, "why do you ask? Fishlegs shrugged.
"Well, if you and Merida are right," Fish replied, "if Adag was really given to Halvar the Terrible for taking care of Dunbroch's dragon problem, then it would be about three hundred years old, right? Or, at least it was occupied up until we were banished?"
"Right," Hiccup replied questioningly.
"This place just seems a lot older than that," Fish replied, "like Eret said, there is practically nothing left of it."
"It also has been completely abandoned for decades Fish," Eret pointed out, "not to mention, it does sort of look like it's been through a battle or two."
"True," Fish replied, "but that's sort of exactly my point. It...it just seems like this place has been abandoned a lot longer than three hundred years. It almost feels...sort of...ancient."
Hiccup furrowed his brow as he thought over Fish's assessment. He did think there would have been more to the village when they investigated and he was somewhat discouraged by the state of it. He had hoped to find some decent clues here but now he was beginning to wonder if perhaps Fish was right. Maybe this place was older, but if that were true, then what exactly did that mean? Was this place not the Adag from his dream after all? Was there another village in Dunbroch that also donned his family name? Perhaps they had owned more than one village. It was certainly possible that the village itself might have been far older than he initially believed, but if their newest theory were true, it would only have been abandoned just after the banishment of his clan.
Merida gazed at Hiccup in concern, she could see the expression of deep thought on his face and she worried that he might be discouraged if they could find nothing to support their theory. Hiccup remained silent as the group continued on, each of them proceeding with caution. This place certainly gave off an eerie feeling and knowing that it might very well be the stomping ground of a kelpie had everyone on edge.
Finally, Hiccup came upon the unmistakable ruins of a castle that he was sure he'd only ever seen in his dream. Some walls still stood, but it was mostly reduced to a pile of rubble. Hiccup sighed as he stood silently before the castle remnants, gazing intently upon what was left of it. This was the place Mairead had shown him, he was certain of it, but he didn't know what, if anything, he'd find here. As if on autopilot, Hiccup moved forward through the rubble, until he came to the exact place where he was sure Mairead had appeared to him in his dream. As Hiccup stood silently trying to recall the many details of his dream, the others looked on in curiosity. After a few moments, Eret turned his attention to both Fish and Merida.
"It seems Hiccup might be onto something," Eret replied, "maybe the rest of us should split up, we'll cover more ground that way with what little time we have." Fish nodded in agreement, but Merida was focused on Hiccup.
"Merida," Eret called out. Merida turned to him.
"Uh…ye two go ahead," Merida replied distractedly, "I just want to make sure Hiccup is okay." Eret nodded in response.
"Alright then," Eret replied, "you stay with Hic, Fish and I will see what else we can find." Merida nodded as she turned her attention back to Hiccup. Eret then turned back to Fishlegs.
"I'll take the left," Eret said, "you take the right…we'll meet back here if you find something or if the storm starts whichever comes first."
"Sounds like a plan" Fish replied with a nod of his head. With that the two went their separate ways, leaving Merida standing before the castle ruins.
As Hiccup stood silently amidst the rubble, he closed his eyes to try to envision the village as it had been in his dream. But all he could see in his mind's eye was the vision of Mairead. He could almost see her standing before him in the debris. Every detail of her was still clear in his mind, her uncanny resemblance to Merida, her hypnotic blue eyes that matched Merida's exactly, the gentle touch of her delicate hand upon his stubbled cheek. He was still very perplexed by the intense feelings that always arose upon the thought of Mairead. It was as if she haunted his mind.
In that moment as he stood amongst the ruins of castle Adag, he almost wished that Mairead would appear before him now. But when he opened his eyes he found nothing before him but the deserted, time weathered castle. The dismal sight left him with an empty void in his heart. Though he could not rationally explain it, he seemed to be nearly overtaken by an intense and overwhelming feeling of loss and hopelessness. It was almost as if his heart had broken at the sight of the desolate village. It was a deep and agonizing sorrow, a sorrow he'd only experienced once before, upon the death of his father.
He took a deep breath once more as he struggled to understand these complicated and conflicting emotions. He could not understand why being here in this place would stir up such despairing feelings. He couldn't help but to wonder if it was the land itself. Perhaps this lonely, barren place was still laden with the negative energy of all that had befallen it. Perhaps this long-abandoned village was still haunted by the lost souls of all those who once called Adag home. But somehow it felt like more than that to Hiccup. The grief he felt was heavy and strangely personal; it felt as if he'd suffered a great loss in this place.
Hiccup was distracted suddenly as Merida slipped her hand in his. In the instant that their hands met, the dark feelings seemed to subside. With the simple touch of her hand, he could nearly feel the sorrow lifting from his heart and soul. He squeezed her hand tightly in his as if he were holding onto it for dear life, as if she were the only thing keeping him from sinking further into the quagmire of grief that had suddenly overtaken him. He turned to her with tired eyes and gazed at her hand in his. She smiled up at him in reassurance as she gazed up at him with concern filled eyes but, to her dismay, Hiccup seemed to be avoiding her gaze. It was as if the residual feelings of unsolicited despair still haunted his heart and he simply could not bear to look into her eyes.
"Is this it," Merida questioned, "is this the castle from your dream?" Hiccup nodded, but still remained speechless. He continued to stand silently, still avoiding her gaze. Without a word, Merida stepped in front of him as she continued to gaze up at him in concern. With her other hand she slowly reached up and gently lay it upon his stubbled cheek in hopes that he would meet her gaze, but he remained unmoved. Merida could feel her heart ache as she looked upon him. He looked so forlorn, so despondent and Merida struggled to understand his sudden change in demeanor. She wondered what had affected Hiccup in such a way as to cause him to be so distraught. The very sight of him brought her back to her first encounter with the Viking from her own dream, whose sad eyes caused her heart to nearly break. Now knowing that it was very likely Hiccup in her dream, she couldn't help but to wonder if this was also that moment brought to life.
"I think something bad happened here," Hiccup muttered. Merida could feel her heart freeze with his ominous words. She gazed at him intently but he still refused to look at her.
"Something bad," she questioned cautiously, "like what? Was it something to do with our grandparents?" Hiccup remained in deep thought as he continued to avoid her gaze.
"I...I don't know," Hiccup said cryptically, "it just...it feels like...like something I can't remember; like DeJa'Vu in a way. Merida furrowed her brow at his words.
"What are ye sayin' exactly," Merida questioned.
"I can't explain it," Hiccup replied in a daze, "it...it's like before...it feels so personal...like it happened to me, but I know that doesn't make sense." Merida struggled to understand what exactly Hiccup was trying to say. It seemed that his thoughts were scattered as he tried to explain. "It almost feels like…like I lost someone here. It... it's like how I felt when I lost my father." Merida gazed at him curiously as she pondered his strange answer.
"Hiccup," Merida said softly, "look at me." Hiccup reluctantly turned his eyes to her. The moment he looked at her, he was unexpectedly taken aback by her sky-blue eyes as she gazed back at him. He shook his head as if he'd been awakened from some trance. He silently stood gazing into her eyes as if reliving the very moment in his dream when he saw Mairead's face for the first time. It struck him suddenly, that Merida's eyes were not just similar to Mairead's; hers were the same pale blue orbs that seemed to see right through to his very soul, the same eyes in which he saw his future, the same eyes that haunted his dreams. He gazed at her in awe. All at once it occurred to him; here he stood upon the rubble of Adag, with Merida standing before him, her hand upon his cheek, gazing up at him with the same blue eyes as Mairead. It was as if his dream had come to life, just as the dream of their shared moment before. He shook his head in disbelief.
"The wisps... they led me to Adag in my dream," Hiccup replied as if explaining it to himself, "but maybe they were really leading me here...to this very moment." He continued to gaze at her in slight disbelief as he tried to make sense of his sudden revelation. Merida furrowed her brow as she gazed up at him curiously.
"Mairead appeared to me here on this very spot in my dream," Hiccup continued, "She stood right in front of me...just like you are right now. She was just as real as you are, like I could reach out and touch her. That was the first time I actually saw her face, the first time I ever looked into her eyes. That's when I first noticed it."
"Noticed what," Merida questioned.
"Her eyes," Hiccup replied, "her eyes were your eyes. When I looked into them all I could see was you. It confused me at the time...it was almost like some kind of a...a paradox. In my dream I was looking at Mairead...but I felt like I was looking at you."
Merida furrowed her brow as she contemplated his words.
"I don't understand Hiccup," Merida said. Hiccup sighed as he tried to find the right words to help her understand.
"I didn't understand it either," Hiccup admitted, "I still don't exactly, but after what we discovered about the first dreams we shared, I can't help but to think that maybe this whole thing was never about Mairead and Hiccup the first to begin with." Merida furrowed her brow as she pondered his statement.
"Well, it is still...technically about them," Hiccup reiterated, "but not really."
"What exactly do ye mean," Merida questioned. Hiccup shrugged as he tried to find the words to explain, but he still found it difficult to make sense of it all himself.
"I don't know exactly," Hiccup replied, it just...it….it feels like it's all so much bigger than them. Maybe they were just the start of it, maybe all of this has always been about you and me Merida." She furrowed her brow as she gazed up at him in disbelief. Hiccup smiled as he gently took her face in his hands and gazed at her intently.
"If it was you in my previous dream," Hiccup went on, "maybe it was you in this one too?" Merida gazed up at him with wide eyes. She could feel her heart flutter with his words, she remained speechless as she contemplated his explanation. Hiccup smiled warmly at her as he leaned forward resting his forehead against hers.
"I don't know why, or…or how any of this is even possible," Hiccup continued, "but I...I think that it was always you." Hiccup leaned slowly toward her, capturing her lips in a soft and tender kiss. As he kissed her, he could feel his heart beating furiously in his chest. Just as before it felt as if everything had aligned to bring them together, as if their fate was truly written in the stars themselves. With his newest revelation in mind, Hiccup was surer than he'd ever been before. She was his fate, and he was hers; he was certain that their shared dreams brought to life were indisputable proof of that.
Hiccup dropped his hands from her face and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. He held her tightly in his arms as their kiss deepened. Merida slowly snaked her arms around his neck and gently ran her fingers through his messy brown hair causing an eruption of shivers down his spine. He pulled her closer still, tightening his arms around her almost desperately. There was no question that his heart was bound to hers, but it seemed now it had been bound to her from the very start, even before they ever met. He pulled back slightly and smiled against her lips as he gazed deep into her perfect blue eyes.
"I know I sound crazy," Hiccup whispered, "but I think I loved you before I met you." Merida smiled at his words as a slight blush arose upon her pale freckled cheeks.
"I guess that means we're both crazy," Merida replied as she gazed up at him with a warm smile. Hiccup chuckled lightly at her answer as he leaned forward, capturing her lips once more in a chaste kiss. It was at that very moment that the heavens opened up and it began to rain. Both Merida and Hiccup broke from their kiss and gazed up at the storm clouds that had gathered above them. Hiccup turned back to Merida with an amused grin.
"So much for not getting caught in the storm," Hiccup said flatly. Merida shrugged at his comment as she pulled away from him and lifted the hood of her cloak over her head.
"Tis na muckle deal," Merida replied simply, "a little rain never hurt anyone." Hiccup smiled at her words as he reached for her waist and gently pulled her back to him. Merida grinned up at him in amusement. He leaned forward resting his forehead against hers as he gazed back at her lovingly.
"That may be so," Hiccup replied, "but we should probably still get you home. We wouldn't want your mom to worry. What if she sends the guards out to find you this time?"
"She's not going to send the guards out because it's raining," Merida replied in amusement.
"How can you be so sure," Hiccup questioned, "after what happened last time."
"Last time I didn't come home at all," Merida replied flatly, "I have no intention of doing that again."
"Yeah, but your excuse for not coming home was because you got caught in the rain," Hiccup replied smugly, "who's to say that she won't send the guards out proactively this time?"
"Twas no excuse," Merida replied flatly, "I did get caught in the rain!" Hiccup smirked at her answer.
"Sure, ya did," Hiccup replied sarcastically. Merida huffed as she pulled away from him quickly. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him in mock annoyance.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean," Merida questioned.
"Oh, come on," Hiccup smirked, "you just said it yourself... a little rain never hurt anyone. You could have gone home at any time. But I think you used it as an excuse because you secretly wanted to spend more time with me." Merida raised her eyebrows at his bold comment.
"And what was your excuse then ye glaikit Viking," Merida growled, "ye could have taken me home at any time as well...but ye didn't! I fell asleep and ye ne'er woke me in time to leave... if it was anyone's fault it was yers!" Hiccup could not help but to chuckle at her argument. He continued to gaze at her lovingly.
"Well, I guess ya got me there, princess," Hiccup replied with a sigh. Merida furrowed her brow at his comment.
"I admit, I really didn't want you to leave that night," Hiccup confessed, "even though I knew you should. I was really fighting with myself that day. I wanted to tell you how I felt about you, but I still wasn't sure how you really felt about me. I thought I was just kidding myself. I didn't really think that I stood a chance with you at all. But then you fell asleep in my arms and I...I liked how it felt to be that close to you. I felt...content for the first time in I don't even know how long. It felt like...like I was right where I was always meant to be and I guess I just didn't want that moment to end." Hiccup sighed heavily before continuing.
"I guess it was pretty selfish of me," Hiccup went on, "and to top it all off, you got in trouble because of it. I don't want that to happen again. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me." Merida's eyes softened as she thought over his explanation. She smiled as a blush once again arose upon her pale cheeks.
"Well, this time is different," Merida replied simply, "now ye know that ye do stand a chance, we don't need an excuse to spend more time together. Besides, I still have hours before I have to be home...so I'm not leaving...at least, not until we find what we're looking for anyway." Hiccup chuckled at her answer. He took a few steps forward and gently took both her hands in his.
"Well, you'll get no argument from me then," Hiccup replied with a grin. He leaned forward and kissed her gently upon the cheek.
"I just wish I knew exactly what we are looking for." As Hiccup pulled away from her slowly, his eyes moved past Merida to the far end of the village. He could see that the strange mist not only had returned, but it seemed to be getting thicker along the outer edge of the front gate closest to the lake. The mist began to bubble over the edge of the wall and thick tendrils spilled over into the village. It almost resembled steam bubbling up over the edge of a cauldron before spilling over its sides. Hiccup furrowed his brow at the sight. Merida gazed up at Hiccup in concern.
"What is it," Merida questioned.
"The mist," Hiccup muttered as he continued to gaze past her, "it's coming back." Merida's heart froze in her chest with his words. She turned quickly in the direction, that Hiccup was staring.
"What should we do," Merida questioned. Before Hiccup could answer, Eret made himself known.
"Hey are the two of you just gonna make out in the rain all day," Eret called out to them, "or should we get outta here?" Hiccup turned to Eret with an expression of concern. Eret noticed this immediately.
"Is everything okay Hic," Eret questioned. Hiccup didn't answer right away. He was trying to think of their next move quickly.
"Hic," Eret questioned.
"Yes," Hiccup replied, "we should definitely get out of here." Hiccup quickly took Merida's hand and the two headed in Eret's direction. It was then that he realized that Fish was not with Eret.
"Where is Fishlegs," Hiccup questioned.
"Oh uh...I don't know," Eret answered, "we split up to cover more ground, he should be along shortly I told him to meet me here if it started to rain."
"Which way did he go," Hiccup questioned.
"That way," Eret replied as he pointed in the direction that Fishlegs had gone. Hiccup turned in the direction in which Eret had pointed with expression of concern on his face.
"What's going on Hic," Eret questioned anxiously.
"It's the mist," Hiccup replied, it's coming back, if it's associated with the kelpie, then we need to find Fish now and get out of here before that thing shows up." Eret quickly nodded in understanding.
"Right," Eret replied, "should we split up or stick together on this one?"
Hiccup gazed back at Eret as he paused a moment to think before answering.
"I think it's probably best we stick together," Hiccup replied.
"Alright then let's go," Eret replied. Hiccup nodded in agreement then turned his attention back to Merida. She gazed up at him in uncertainty.
"Don't worry," Hiccup replied, "we'll find him and be out of here in no time."
—-
In the dining hall of the village of Eystribyggð …
Astrid sat at a table watching the others eating and laughing at the table across the way, but she was distracted. Her mind was on her mission. One way or another she would find the answers that she sought and she was determined to find out exactly how all of this might be connected to Eret's family history. If not for Eret, then for their family. Their child deserved to know their history, he or she deserved to know where they came from, just as Eret deserved to be unburdened from his haunted past.
"Your friends are just as interesting as you and Eret described them," Chief Ivar's voice distracted Astrid from her thoughts. She looked up at him and smiled slightly, but it was plainly evident that she still had much on her mind. Chief Ivar was an older man, probably slightly older than Chief Stoic would have been had he lived. He was a tall stout man with shoulder length platinum hair topped with a horned Viking's helm. His face was hard and chiseled, and boasted a long, plaited beard. Though his face was weathered by age and probably a lifetime of battles, his eyes were kind and patient. He gazed at Astrid with a genuine smile.
"Do you mind if I join you," he asked. Astrid nodded. Ivar sat down in the chair across from her with a heavy sigh. He gazed at her knowingly. "So, what exactly brings you to my shore Astrid?" Astrid dropped her eyes to the table and remained quiet for a moment as she considered how exactly to explain without sounding crazy. She looked up at him once more.
"I need to know about Eret's father," Astrid replied in determination. Ivar gazed at her for a long moment with an astute look on his face. He had anticipated this moment for many years, but he'd hoped it would've been Eret that would one day come to him seeking answers. Weeks ago, when Eret and Astrid first arrived on their shores, Ivar believed that that moment had finally come, but Eret never even broached the subject. After years away from his home, Eret still seemed to be running from his past. Though Eret was a grown man now, deep down he was still that eight-year-old boy left alone in the world. Though Eret seemed not to recall, Ivar had a rather large role in his family's history. One might even say Ivar had given witness to his parents' saga from the very start. Ivar sighed heavily as he contemplated Astrid's request.
"When you and Eret visited before," Ivar replied, "I thought that Eret had finally come home to face his demons." Astrid furrowed her brow at Ivar's comment.
"Demons," Astrid replied questioningly. Ivar smiled at her reassuringly.
"Not his own," Ivar explained, "the demons he inherited...the ones left for him by his father."
"What do you mean exactly," Astrid questioned.
"I knew his father," Ivar replied, "I considered him my friend, but I never truly knew him...if you can understand." Astrid gazed at him in confusion.
"Eret's father was a complicated man," Ivar went on, "he never let anyone get too close to him...he seemed always to be running. He never talked about his past. For that reason, I unfortunately know very little of his life before Eystribyggð." Astrid gazed back at Ivar curiously as he spoke of Eret's father.
"Eret was a drifter...a nomad; he arrived on our shores in a small longboat, a young man of about sixteen years old. He was on a quest," Ivar went on, "he told my father, who was chief at the time, that his quest had led him to Eystribyggð."
"His quest to find his homeland," Astrid questioned. Ivar nodded.
"Did he say why his quest led him to Eystribyggð," Astrid questioned. Ivar shrugged his shoulders.
"I am fairly certain that he told my father much more than he ever told me," Ivar replied, "but unfortunately my father took that information to his grave." Astrid dropped her head slightly in dismay.
"From what little I do know," Ivar continued, "I'm certain that Eret's father believed that his family had been to Eystribyggð at some point...perhaps they even called it home for a time, but I can only speculate." Astrid remained quiet for a long moment as she pondered Chief Ivar's words.
"Do you know if he ever found anything about his family here," Astrid questioned. Ivar nodded.
"I imagine he did," Ivar replied, "but he never told me specifically what he found. Like I said before, Eret was a secretive man, he tended to play his hand close to the vest. But, whatever it was that he found, it only led him to another clue. Before long he was ready to move on from Eystribyggð to continue his quest." Astrid furrowed her brow at Ivar's answer.
"So...you're saying that he left Eystribyggð shortly after he arrived," Astrid questioned in slight confusion. Ivar nodded.
"He stayed here a little under a year before he moved on," Ivar responded. Astrid shook her head as she pondered Ivar's words.
"But what about everything else," Astrid questioned as she stood from her chair and leaned upon the table in front of Ivar, "Eret and his mom?" Ivar smiled slightly as he gazed up at Astrid with patient eyes.
"I know you are anxious for the answers you seek Astrid," Ivar replied with a slight chuckle, "don't worry the story is far from over." Astrid nodded and with a long, drawn-out sigh she sat back down in her chair.
"As it was, my father happened to take an immediate liking to Eret," Ivar went on, "he made it clear to Eret that he could stay with us as long as he liked. He was a hard worker, he pulled his own weight, and didn't complain and he was good and respectable young man. I think my father saw himself in him. He tried to offer Eret a real home here in Eystribyggð. My father tried his best to convince Eret to stay and make a life for himself here, but the type of person Eret was, he simply could not settle here long. You see, Eret had a nomadic soul that couldn't be kept. He was absolutely determined to find the place he was looking for...to find the home he never knew. Despite my father's offer, Eret ultimately chose to move on. But even though he chose not to stay, he always found his way back to us. Sometimes he was gone for weeks to months at a time, but he always came back and we welcomed him." Astrid continued to gaze at Ivar curiously as he spoke.
Strangely enough, as Ivar described Eret's father, Astrid couldn't help but to be reminded somewhat of Hiccup. In all the years that she'd known him, Hiccup had always been an itinerant soul. Though Berk was his home, his heart was never truly there. He was in a constant state of motion...like a way finder who had lost his path. He was always searching for something he never knew...somewhere he'd never been and no matter where he went or what he found; he could never satisfy his restless soul. As Astrid thought of this, her previous conversation with Valka ran through her mind.
"You have moved on, you've found your place, your happiness," Valka said, "Hiccup hasn't yet. He's still searching for something that's been missing for a long time, that's why he keeps going off like he does." Astrid sighed heavily as she continued to listen.
"Look Astrid, you know Hiccup better than anyone in Berk," Valka continued, "you know he doesn't always share his feelings openly. He keeps it all bottled up and pretends that he doesn't really care either way. But it still bothers him, he still feels incomplete, he still feels restless, and he's still trying to find his place."
"So, what am I supposed to do then Valka," Astrid huffed, "turn a blind eye every time he takes off or...or continue to walk on egg shells around him until he finally moves on?"
"Maybe just allow him the time he needs to move on," Valka replied, "allow him the time he needs to find what he's always been searching for."
She shook the memory from her head, it was odd that Ivar's story caused her mind to think of Hiccup. She assumed that because Hiccup seemed to share these particular characteristics with Eret's father, that her mind had simply connected the two. But despite her own fairly logical explanation, the thought of it still lingered in the back of her mind.
"It wasn't until he brought Isla here that he stayed the longest in one place," Ivar said.
"Isla," Astrid questioned. Ivar nodded.
"She came to be known by us as Inghean," Ivar replied. Astrid gazed at Ivar in sudden intrigue.
"Inghean ….Eret's mother," Astrid muttered in surprise. Ivar nodded.
"She changed her name," Astrid questioned.
"She changed her name to conceal her identity," Ivar replied, "and she chose to leave her old life behind."
"Because of Eret's father," Astrid questioned. Ivar nodded once again.
"That was one of the reasons," Ivar replied, "but I'm getting ahead of myself just a bit." Ivar paused as he pondered how exactly to explain.
"About two years before he brought Inghean here," Ivar explained, "Eret went off and joined a rather illicit clan of Vikings. He thought it was the best way to travel to the places that his quest led him to. He offered to be a scout for them this way he could do his own investigating while scouting for the clan. Unfortunately, it was a decision he'd come to regret."
"What happened," Astrid questioned cautiously.
"Like with most clans of raiders, it wasn't as simple as joining the clan for passage," Ivar replied grimly, "once he joined this particular clan...they pretty much owned him. He was to do their bidding, whether he liked it or not and, in doing so, he made himself an accomplice to the clan's many crimes." Astrid dropped her eyes from Ivar as she silently pondered his words. It seemed that her husband had nearly mirrored his father's bad decisions, despite the fact that he barely knew him. His father had become reluctantly associated with a rather nefarious clan of Vikings, much in the same way Eret had when he joined the Northern Alliance. It was strange to see the history repeated despite Eret and his father's estrangement.
"He traveled with that clan almost three years' time," Ivar continued, "he was gone so long that we all thought he had finally moved on, that perhaps he had found his lost home after all. Until one day he arrived on our shore once again. Unfortunately, my father didn't live to see Eret's return."
"And when he came back, he brought Inghean with him," Astrid concluded. Ivar nodded. "Eret said that his father helped his mother escape some vicious Vikings," Astrid replied questioningly, "were they the same Vikings whom he was indebted to?"
"The Vikings Eret joined were responsible for kidnapping Inghean from her home," Ivar replied, "and unfortunately Eret himself took part in their scheme. It was something he regretted deeply and he tried his best to set it right." Ivar paused a moment as he recalled the past, "Eret helped her escape and brought her here, to the only place he thought was safe. At the time, I had just become chief after my father's passing. Eret begged me to take her in," Ivar continued, "I was rather reluctant at first. We were, and still are, a neutral people. The last thing I wanted was to start a war with that ruthless clan. I knew that they would not let her escape go. One way or another, they would come for her and my clan would pay the price."
"But you chose to take her in anyway," Astrid replied, "what made you change your mind?"
"Eret loved Inghean," Ivar replied simply, "I don't think he even realized it at the time, but I could see it plain as day. I had no choice but to take her in. I'm afraid I don't know much about their meeting, or how he had come to love her but I know that she was everything to him. You see, as long as I knew him, his quest was the most important thing to him... but all of that changed after he met Inghean. From the moment he helped her escape until the day he disappeared, everything he did was for her." Astrid furrowed her brow skeptically as she continued to ponder Ivar's words.
"If that's true," Astrid questioned skeptically, "then why did he stay away so often?"
"To protect Inghean," Ivar replied matter-of-factly, "to protect his family."
"How was he protecting them by abandoning them," Astrid asked pointedly.
"He had no choice," Ivar replied, "like I said before...he was indebted to the clan that took Inghean, if he didn't go back then they would've surely suspected him."
"So, even after he helped Inghean," Astrid questioned, "he was still working with the clan that took her." Ivar nodded in confirmation.
"He only stayed in Eystribyggð long enough to get Inghean settled," Ivar replied, "then he returned to his clan. He only came back every so often between his clan's raids to visit her and make sure she was doing well."
"Why didn't he ever take her back home," Astrid questioned, "If he cared so much why didn't he just take her back to her family?"
"He couldn't," Ivar replied, "as it turned out Inghean was of noble blood...her kidnapping had sparked a war between her people and the vikings, it wasn't safe to take her home. Eret couldn't do so without revealing himself a traitor and it would have put Inghean and her family in great danger."
"So, you allowed her to stay in Eystribyggð," Astdrid concluded, "and accepted her into your clan."
"Sheltering Inghean was the least I could do," Ivar replied, "Eret was my friend...he needed my help; I couldn't just turn my back on him." Astrid nodded as she continued to listen in interest.
"In that time," Ivar continued, "Eret and Inghean continued to grow closer...they fell in love, but for a very long time, neither would admit it to the other."
"Why was that," Astrid questioned. Ivar let out a long, drawn-out sigh as he pondered how exactly to answer her question.
"For Eret, I suppose it was because he felt guilty for his part in her abduction...I don't know that he ever completely forgave himself. And I'm sure Inghean had her own reasons for hiding her feelings for him as well, though she never specifically told me why."
"Did Inghean ever talk about her family," Astrid questioned, "or her past, or where she came from?" Ivar shook his head as he gazed back at her regretfully.
"I'm afraid she was much like Eret in that aspect," Ivar replied, "it was extremely rare that Inghean ever spoke about any part of her previous life, she never told anyone where it was that she came from." As Astrid thought of this, Ivar's previous words popped into her head.
"Inghean was of noble blood…her kidnapping had sparked a war between her people and the vikings."
Astrid absentmindedly reached for the pendant that hung around her neck and fiddled with it as she thought over the details of Ivar's story. She silently recalled what Eret had said when he first told her his story. According to him, his mother had told him that he came from a long family line…that he had prestigious roots. His mother had implied that these details about Eret's family were facts about his father, but the more Astrid thought about it, the more she began to wonder if some of the things Inghean told Eret about his father were in fact about herself. Could it be that the long family line and prestigious roots that Eret supposedly came from, were actually inherited from his mother?
However, Astrid's recent discoveries in Berk continued to throw her off and she struggled to see how this all could be linked together. She paused her fiddling and clutched the iron pendant tightly in her fingers for a long moment as she continued to think over all she'd been told. It was his mother who had given Eret the pendent that allegedly belonged to his father. And it was his mother who had told him that the symbols upon it represented his father's family crest and long-lost clan. And the strangest twist of all was the fact that his supposed family crest, matched the symbol she'd found pressed into the wax seal of every, near 300-year-old, letter sent from the princess of Dunbroch at that time to Hiccup the first. Not only that, but the letters themselves had also mentioned the name "Eret" multiple times. Somehow Eret's family history was connected to Hiccup's and she was certain Dunbroch was the common denominator. She couldn't help but to wonder if Inghean had in fact been a part of the royal family of Dunbroch and ultimately a direct descendant of the princess that had been involved with Hiccup the first. Astrid raised her eyes back to Ivar and gazed at him with a determined expression on her face.
"Did Eret or Inghean ever mention a place called Dunbroch," Astrid questioned. Ivar paused for a long moment as he pondered Astrid's question.
"No... I don't recall that name," Ivar replied, "I can't say that I ever heard either of them mention it." Astrid dropped her eyes from Ivar as she nodded silently in dismay. She sighed slightly as she turned her eyes back to Ivar once again.
"So, what happened next," Astrid questioned.
"Well...after about three years," Ivar continued, "and the war between the clans started to die down, Eret managed to bargain his release from his clan. He returned to Eystribyggð with every intention of setting things right, and he set out to take Inghean back home."
"Wait...hold on," Astrid questioned in confusion, "you're saying that Eret's father actually did take Inghean back to her home?" Ivar nodded.
"They both departed close friends harboring secret feelings," Ivar replied, "they both returned deeply in love. I'm afraid I don't know the details of what transpired during their voyage, but the two were inseparable after that. They married in secret, then welcomed little Eret shortly after. For the next three years they were a real, happy family." Astrid shook her head in confusion.
"But Eret said that his father never gave up his search for his lost home," Astrid questioned, "he said his father was barely around because of it."
"That is true, Eret didn't give up his search," Ivar agreed, "he followed it to conclusion...he did find the place where he was always meant to be...he found his home with Inghean. And when they had their son, Eret finally had the family he had always been looking for." Astrid dropped her eyes from Ivar as she thought over his last statement. Once again Valka's previous words regarding Hiccup ran through her mind….
"Do you honestly think that Hiccup going to this mystery island, this...this Dunbroch, is going to help him move on," Astrid questioned skeptically, "that somehow he's just going to magically find everything he's always been looking for?"
"I don't know," Valka replied honestly, "I just know that he's been drawn to that place ever since he came across it, and everything he's found, the...the maps, his grandfather's journal, the pendant...even his dreams, all of it has been leading him back there."
"Dreams," Astrid questioned curiously.
"Yes dreams," Valka answered, "he's been having dreams of DunBroch...and a girl there. I don't know what these dreams mean and I don't even think he does." Astrid gazed at Valka with an emotionless expression.
"I have a feeling," Valka went on, "that in DunBroch maybe he'll find what he's been searching for all this time, maybe he'll find where he was always meant to be...and maybe then he can finally be happy, finally feel like he belongs."
Astrid shook the memory from her mind and tried to refocus on Ivar's story. Ivar described Eret's father as a good man just trying to do right by his family but it didn't change the fact that in the end, he abandoned them. None of it changed the fact that his abandonment was still a painful memory for Eret, one that had ultimately affected nearly every aspect of his life. She had seen first-hand the repercussions of his father's bad decisions. She knew the pain it still caused Eret even till this very day. The scars left by his father even caused him to question his own ability to be a father himself. It didn't matter to Astrid that his father's decisions had been well intentioned, the damage was still done and she felt no pity for his father's plight. Perhaps it was her own growing maternal instincts that caused her to feel so passionately protective over her husband's childhood self or her own sense of familial loyalty that caused her anger to rise up in her. She glared back at Ivar trying her best to hold her composure.
"But he still left them," Astrid replied coldly, "If he loved them both so much...if they were the family, he'd always been searching for then why did he leave?"
"It's not that simple Astrid," Ivar replied, "eventually Eret's old clan tracked him down, and they recruited him again."
"And he agreed to go back," Astrid questioned.
"He felt obligated to do so," Ivar replied, "he couldn't risk the threat to Inghean and little Eret. He couldn't risk the clan finding out about his family. Because of that he was gone often after and for long periods of time he was forced to leave his family. To avoid the clan's suspicion, he could never stay long when he was home." Astrid was quiet as she pondered the story she had been told. Though she knew most of it from Eret...it seemed that there was far more to the story than even Eret knew.
"So Eret's father stayed away to protect his family," Astrid concluded. Ivar nodded.
"But why didn't his mother ever tell Eret the truth," Astrid questioned in aggravation, "Eret has spent his whole life, believing that his father abandoned him for some pointless quest, believing that his mother was in denial. If she had just told him the truth from the start, maybe he wouldn't have gone through so much.
"Inghean only ever told Eret what he needed to know," Ivar replied, "he was just a child, Astrid. She didn't want him to know the truth about why his father stayed away. She didn't want him to know anything about that clan that he was associated with. So, she simply left that part out, she told Eret that his father was still searching for his lost home. She didn't want him to know that his father was a raider."
"So, her solution was to just let Eret go his whole life believing that his father abandoned him," Astrid replied in aggravation.
"These were dangerous men," Ivar replied, "Inghean knew that first hand. She knew what was at stake. She feared them and she only did what she thought was best to protect her son."
"By that point it had been years since Eret's father helped Inghean escape," Astrid replied, "did they really think that the clan would still be looking for her?"
"Yes, well, it turned out that the captain of the longship on which Eret served was the same Viking who had originally planned Inghean's kidnapping. Like I said, she was of noble blood, the captain planned to use her as some sort of a bargaining chip. After she escaped, the war ensued between the clan and Inghean's home. During Eret's three year absence, the clan suffered many losses, including their chief. When they came to re-recruit Eret, his old captain had taken over as the new chief. Eret knew him to be a ruthless, stubborn and heartless man. He would not admit defeat, even at the expense of his own men. He was determined to regroup his clan to take down the people that had defeated them. Rather than call it a loss and move on, he recruited more Vikings to take the place of those lost in battle, he even took some by force to serve in his army. Eret knew that if the chief ever found out about Inghean or little Eret, they would've been in great danger. Not to mention our entire village would be at risk if they discovered that we had sheltered Inghean all those years. Eret agreed to go back to protect us all. In the years that followed Eret's visits became few and far between."
Astrid remained quiet for a long moment as she pondered this new information. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Ivar gazed back at her.
"So, then what," Astrid questioned, "eventually he just stopped coming back all together? What do you think happened to him?" Ivar shrugged as he leaned forward upon the table.
"I don't know," Ivar replied thoughtfully, "none of us knew, except Inghean." Astrid furrowed her brow at Ivar's statement.
"What do you mean," Astrid questioned.
"Eret always gave Inghean a time frame to expect him," Ivar replied, "he wasn't always accurate and sometimes he took longer than expected, but he always returned. She always waited patiently, she knew that no matter how long he took, that he'd always come back to her. But on this particular occasion, when Eret was later than expected, somehow Inghean knew in heart that he was gone." Astrid gazed at Ivar with a remorseful expression on her face.
"Eret and Inghean shared such a deep and loving connection. If there truly is a such thing as soulmates, then I believe whole-heartedly that is exactly what the two of them were. She mourned him for the remainder of her life and she tried her best to keep his memory alive for little Eret. But in the end her heartbreak was simply too much to bear."
"Eret believes his mom died of a broken heart," Astrid replied. Ivar nodded in agreement.
"She had grown ill during the months after Eret left for the last time," Ivar confirmed, "after Eret was lost, she seemed to no longer have the will to fight."
"Not even for her son," Astrid questioned in aggravation. Ivar gazed back at Astrid with a remorseful expression on his face.
"Their story is a tragedy," Ivar replied solemnly, "but their love was true."
"True or not," Astrid spat, "neither of them ever put Eret first. He was just a kid and neither of them thought twice before they left him alone in the world without even so much as an explanation! Instead, they just filled his head with lies that caused more damage than good!"
"Astrid," Ivar began.
"And what about you," Astrid went on, "you knew the entire story all this time! Why didn't you ever tell him the truth?"
"I gave my word to Inghean on her dying day," Ivar replied firmly, "that I would tell Eret everything only after he was old enough to understand." Astrid huffed and crossed her arms over her chest once again as she leaned back in her chair. Ivar sighed heavily as he leaned forward, resting his elbows upon the table. He gazed at Astrid with a regretful expression on his face.
"If Eret hadn't run away," Ivar went on, "I would have told him everything when he turned sixteen."
"So it's Eret's fault then," Astrid huffed.
"That's not what I'm saying," Ivar replied.
"Then what are you saying," Astrid questioned pointedly.
"I couldn't break my promise to Inghean," Ivar replied firmly, "I gave her my word that I would wait to tell him. She wanted Eret to see his father the way she did, a hero. Knowing all the negative things about his father, might've affected him in a negative way and that's the last thing Inghean wanted for her son."
"Well, I hate to break it to you," Astrid replied in aggravation, "but that eight-year-old boy already knew his mother was lying to him and he already thought negatively of his father because of her lies. And regardless of your attempt to protect him, he still went on to follow in his father's footsteps. Eret joined a ruthless clan of Vikings himself, and made many bad choices in their service. Maybe if he had known the truth sooner, he would have chosen a different path." Ivar nodded as he contemplated Astrid's words.
"Maybe you're right," Ivar replied, "if he had known sooner, maybe he would have chosen a different path, but maybe that other path was not the one that Eret was meant to be on in the first place."
"What's that supposed to mean," Astrid huffed.
"Everything happens for a reason Astrid," Ivar replied calmly, "if Eret had not chosen as he did, he might not have ever been led to you." Astrid dropped her eyes from Ivar as she silently pondered his words. She supposed he had a point, if Eret had never left Eystribyggð, if he had never joined Drago and become a dragon trapper, they might never have crossed paths at all. Knowing the truth and what could've been didn't change the fact that she loved Eret with all her heart. She loved the life they shared and their growing family and she wouldn't change anything about their life together or how they had come to be. Without thought she reached down and ran her hand over her slightly swollen belly. The seemingly broken path that Eret walked had ultimately led him to her and despite the pain his past had caused him she knew their future was a blessing.
Astrid raised her eyes to Ivar once more. Her gaze softened slightly as she let out a long-drawn-out sigh. While everything Ivar had told her was certainly an unexpected twist in Eret's family history, none of it seemed to answer any of her questions. She still knew nothing of his parents' past before Eystribyggð, nor did she have any evidence of their alleged connection to Dunbroch. Though she knew more about Eret's past than before, she still found herself right where she started as far as Hiccup's mystery was concerned.
Ivar gazed back at her remorsefully, noticing the discouraged expression upon her face.
"Is what I told you not the answers you seek," Ivar questioned knowingly. Astrid shook her head slightly.
"It certainly explains a lot more about Eret's family," Astrid sighed, "but no, not really." she paused a moment as she thought of how to explain herself.
"I was hoping to learn more about his mom and dad's past before Eystribyggð," Astrid replied, "I...I think I found something…a connection between Eret's family and a place called Dunbroch. I was hoping to find some proof here or any kind of evidence that can prove my theory."
"Dunbroch," Ivar questioned. Astrid sighed once again. She pulled the pendant that hung around her neck forward.
"This was Eret's," she continued, "his mother gave it to him, she told him it belonged to his father." Ivar nodded in understanding.
"Yes, I recognize it," Ivar replied. Astrid nodded.
"Well a few days ago, I found old letters addressed to chief Haddock's great great grandfather from the princess of Dunbroch. The letters are nearly three hundred years old and every one of them is marked by the symbol on this pendant." Ivar raised his eyebrows in intrigue as he gazed back at Astrid.
"I know there is a connection between Eret's family and this Dunbroch place," Astrid said in a determined voice, "I just need to find some proof." Ivar smiled slightly as a thought popped into his head.
"Like I said before," Ivar replied, "I unfortunately don't know much about Eret and Inghean before their time here. But I might know where we can start looking for clues."