By the next day, many in the village had heard about what happened to Kara. While they didn't know all of the details one thing was for sure, they all knew that Kara was pregnant and had forcibly miscarried.

It was even brought up in the chief meeting the very next day. The conversation itself made Hiccup uncomfortable and Stoick angry. Dagur looked indifferent and many of the other chiefs were just being rude.

"Do we really need to discuss this of all things?" Hiccup speaks up during a brief quiet moment.

"Of course we have to discuss this! His wife decided to be an attention seeker and killed the child growing inside of her!" Bertha yells.

Hiccup rolls her eyes at how insensitive they were being before she looked to Dagur for help. He slams a fist on the table gaining most everyone's attention. "Alright, that is enough! All you're doing is gossipping! You can continue this squabble and Hiccup and I will leave or you'll shut up and listen if you have any hopes of getting yourselves dragons!"

They all snap to attention and Hiccup passes them all their own box. Immediately they all start to try and open them. "These boxes can only be opened with a key and they all have their own corresponding keys! You can try brute force all you want but that will just destroy the contents inside."

"Well where are the keys?!" Norbert demands.

"I'll tell you all exactly where they are in a moment. Right now you need to listen and pay attention." Hiccup glances at Dagur and he nods at her. "Dagur and I will be leaving in a week so you have until then to open the contents of the box."

"Why do we only get a week?" Tantrum whines.

"We need longer than that if we're going to prove ourselves!" Thuggory tells them.

"You have a week and that is final! I have to be getting back to my tribe just as you all have to!" Dagur tells them.

"So have you finally done the deed then Hiccy?" Camicazi asks. Hiccup gives her a look.

"I don't see how that concerns you." Hiccup gives them all a look, daring them to say something. "Your task is simple. Each dragon in the arena has a key that is color cordinated to the box you hold in your hands. You have to gain the dragon's trust! There will be no killing! I'll know if you just replace the dragon as well! Your first step is gaining a dragon's trust. The second will be opening your boxes. If you manage to get them open before the end of the week, maybe I'll show you a bit before we all set sail."

"You're just going to show us the bare minimum before we leave!" Maddock yells.

"Yes, you'll be able to meet up with your dragons on Talon after you return home and pack for the time you'll spend on Talon."

"Why can't you come to us?" Neil demands.

"If you all train at the same time it'll be easier and what better island to do so than on Talon," Dagur chimes in.

"What other rules are there?" Camicazi asks.

"No killing, gain the trust of your dragon, that's about it." Hiccup pauses. "Well the last stipulation is that only the heirs are allowed to compete."

"This is a competition?" Thuggory asks.

"Not really but if you view it as such you may do better."

"Fine we agree to your terms!" Madguts grunts and Gumboil translates.

"Stoick, we'd like to talk to you in private as well," Dagur tells him and the three stay back along with Ram and Jaime.

"We believe it may be best to leave Ram and Jaime here with their mother, at least until she fully recovers. In a week her body will be fine but she won't be able to just bounce back from this. She may have thought in teh moment it was her choice but she could be hysterical over teh whole matter. It'd be best if she had all of the support as possible."

Stoick nods. "Who do you wish to go in their places?"

"We were hoping all of the teens. Everyone who just got done competeing in dragon training would be preferable. We'll also take Asmund. Whichever one can tame the dragon will have a leg up on the others but we'll be prepared for that."

"Alright, I agree to this. Do you want me to tell them?"

"That would be preferable. Make sure you tell them that they have to listen to Hiccup no questions asked and to emphasize that they can't kill a dragon or maim the beast either."

"Very well. Are you sure you have to leave in a week?"

"Dagur and I are going to need to get situated on Talon before the others begin to arrive."

"Just how many students are you going to have?"

"All of the teens on Talon." Hiccup looks to Dagur.

"There's nine of them."

"Plus nine on Berk and then all of the heirs and two tribemates would make thirty six, if everyone succeeds."

"Are you sure you'll be able to handle that many at once?" Stoick asks.

"They'll fall into line, she does have a Night Fury."

"That doesn't mean anything and you know it! They're all going to be there to learn and they won't be able to go onto teh next stage unless they listen. I plan on doing two different groups, a morning and an afternoon. At least if time allows."

"What about housing? Where are they all going to be staying?"

"We'll be building barracks to house both dragons and humans alike. Hiccup's already got it all drawn up."

"How is housing dragons and humans together going to work?"

"It will. Trust me. They'll also be able to learn from one another as well," Hiccup tells him confidently.

"How do you know this all won't just backfire on you? The other chiefs just want the power. The heirs are just like their parents and none of them respect you. How are you going to get then to listen to you? Dagur mentioned that dragon of yours but what will he be able to do once they have dragons of their own?"

Hiccup squeezes Dagur's hand and takes a breath. "I know it'll be a lot of work but respect is earned for a reason. If they truly want to learn then they'll learn. If they don't want to learn then they'll have to face those consequences. A dragon will not do anything against their will, dragons are stubborn creatures, probably more stubborn than Vikings and if they feel threatened they'll lash out. That is why they have to pass this test if they want to learn."

"How do you know it won't end in their slaughter or one of the beasts?"

"You'll just have to keep a close eye on the arena and find out."

Stoick looks at her in disbelief. "That doesn't answer any of my questions!"

Hiccup spins along with Dagur to exit but she turns her head before they leave. "It won't be as easy as they think it will be. It also won't be as hard as they think it will be either."

"What does that even mean?" Jaime asks.

"Who knows but I don't like it!" Ram tells his twin.

"We don't have to like it much less understand it. We just have to accept that she has a plan. Her mind is much like her mother's thinking ten steps ahead."

"What about our mother? What are you going to have done with her?"

"Right now she's healing. We'll see how everything goes in the coming days."

...

Dagur and Hiccup made their way to the arena where the heirs were standing near the entrance. Toothless had been waiting outside the Great Hall and so when the two finally left he grumbled before he followed them.

All of the dragons were loose and the heirs all knew that they couldn't just enter. They all couldn't go in at the same time and try some sort of attack because there were just too many dragons to watch.

"Do you want any help?" Hiccup asks.

"We don't need your help!" Maddock tells her.

"Alright then. What's your plan?" Hiccup sits down on the edge of the arena, her legs crossed, watching the arena.

"We don't have one, yet!" Thuggory tells her with a bit of a pause before yet.

"Why don't you just accept her help and move on with your lives?" Dagur asks.

"Why don't you do it? Your wife has proven herself to the beasts, why don't you?" Neil yells.

"This is not his test, it's yours!" Hiccup reminds.

"Fine, then show us how it's done!" Camicazi challenges.

"Only if you first admit that you need help."

There is grumbling amongst the heirs before it goes silent again and they're staring into the arena. Hiccup gets up and brushes herself off.

"You're just going to leave?" Tantrum asks.

"You don't need my help, why should I sit around and waste my time waiting for none of you to even attempt to enter the arena?"

"Alright fine!" Maddock states.

"We need your help," Thuggory reiterates.

Hiccup nods. "First things first you'll need to remove all of your weapons."

There is a protest amongst all of them, some louder than others.

"SHUT UP! It may seem crazy going in defenseless but it'll make more sense when you're down there. They'll also be able to tell if you have any sort of weapon on you and they'll perceive you as a threat," Dagur interrupts them.

"Your second step is fish. If you offer them food it'll be one step closer to gaining their trust," Hiccup begins again.

"How do we even know that this will work and you're not just leading us to our slaughter?" Maddock demands.

"Do you want a demonstration?"

"You can't bring your dragon with you! How will we know that the beasts actually respect you and not the beast you bring with you?"

"That won't be a problem." Hiccup begins her decent into the arena. Stopping only to grab a fish from the barrel just outside the gate.

"You're just going to let her go in there by herself?!" Tantrum demands.

"She can handle herself just fine. Now you should pay attention."

"You really are insane!" Ake comments.

"Watch!" Dagur snaps and they do. They all watch as she enters fearlessly.

Hiccup enters the arena and all of the dragons turn their heads to her, watching her cautiously. Some were lazing while others were playing or trying to escape. A curious Nadder approaches her first.

"Hey there girl. Are you hungry?" Hiccup asks raising the fish to the dragon. The dragon sniffs it and Hiccup tosses it to her. Hiccup then raises her hand to the dragon before she turns her head. The dragon sees this and places her head against Hiccup's palm before she retreats again.

Hiccup then exits the arena, the gate shutting again and Toothless is there to greet her acting like a jealous cat.

"What's he doing?" Victor asks.

"He's jealous."

"Do you know from experience Dagur? Does he act like that after the two of you get out of bed in the morning?" Camicazi taunts.

That happened to be the moment that Hiccup returned. She hadn't heard what was said but she did see the anger behind Dagur's eyes. When Hiccup approaches him she grabs his hand. She looks at him in concern but his anger dissipates when she's near.

"Alright, you've all seen how it's done!"

"She barely showed us anything!"

"Those are the first two steps of gaining a dragon's trust. The rest you'll have to figure out on your own."

"Why didn't they attack you? Your whole left leg is made from the same metal as our weapons!" Thuggory questions.

"They didn't perceive me as a threat because I didn't do anything to threaten them. They all knew that one Viking wouldn't be able to do much harm to them anyway."

"So then why remove our weapons if it won't make a difference anyway?" Neil asks.

"A dragon won't let their guard down if there's even a chance of them being threatened, it's best not to risk it. Now is anyone up for the challenge?"

They decide to scatter rather than try and make a fool of themselves in front of the others.

"What was the point of that if they were all just going to leave?!" Dagur looks at Hiccup in disbelief.

"They'll be back." The two then leave the area.

TBC...