As the ship approached from the harbor and neared the docks, Hiccup's mind flew into overdrive. He didn't expect anything dangerous from these men, but he couldn't be too careful. Despite the fact that they'd sailed with a white flag at the top mast, he couldn't help but wonder what was the purpose for this impromptu meeting, and if things wouldn't get messy if plans went awry.

Armed to the teeth with weapons and dragons alike, his wife and son at his side and the council fanned out behind, they were prepared for anything. He knew the entourage from Hjart wouldn't make it three steps into the village without his say so. They wouldn't make any attempts as far as he was concerned. His knowledge on Hjart was minimal, but last he'd heard they weren't on familiar terms with dragons. That alone told him that they'd steer clear of doing anything rash.

He couldn't help but shoot Finn a short, worried glance. What if something happened here on the docks? The last thing he needed was to fight; he'd tear his wound back open and need to restart his rehabilitation just as he was starting to get better.

"Dad, I'm fine." Finn muttered.

Hiccup scowled. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Dad-"

"The second anything goes down, I want you on Zap and-"

"Dad, I know," Finn growled in a hushed whisper. "You don't have to-"

"Quiet, they're almost to the docks," Astrid hissed.

Toothless growled low in his throat as the ship finally made port. Hiccup made no moves to stop him and instead watched the men scurry around the deck of the Hjartan ship. Despite the unease gnawing in his stomach, he kept his expression calm and neutral. His gaze flicked through each individual, gauging their status based on the jobs they were doing and who they looked to for orders.

The only authority figure he could pick out of the group was a thick, bearded man with greying blonde hair, a helmet on his head and the fur cloak of a Chieftain on his shoulders. He had a kind face and dark brown eyes that he could spot even from this distance. Hiccup's assumption that this man was the chief was quickly disproved when a much younger man stepped to the edge and peered down at them.

It was obvious that this man must be Ivan Sullivan, the Chief of Hjart, based on the subtle movements of the other shipmates, and Hiccup assumed the older man must be his father, the former Chief. It was traditional for some Chieftains to continue to wear status robes and cloaks even after retirement. He was sure his own father would have done the same if he'd lived to see Hiccup take the mantle.

Ivan was tall and broad-shouldered like his father, yet his hair was dark and pulled back into a short tail. He too had a calm expression on his face, but Hiccup could tell that he was no pushover. While the older man looked simply pleased to be here, the Chief himself looked slightly wary as if he was unsure of the reception their arrival had brought.

"Are you Chief Haddock?" Ivan asked in a deep baritone voice.

"I am." Hiccup replied, stepping toward the ship with an arm outstretched. "Welcome to Berk."

Ivan bent down and grasped his arm tightly. Hiccup didn't miss how Ivan's eyes shot to his mismatched feet, the surprise barely masked in his expression. "Thank you for allowing us to dock, sir."

Hiccup gave him a wry smile. "Well I could hardly refuse, since you've invited yourselves." The Hjartans stiffened on the ship. "Luckily, I'm open-minded." He gestured for them to disembark, and the men visibly relaxed.

While the ladder was lowered and the men joined him on the dock, Hiccup shared a quick glance with Finn and Snotlout. They both had their arms crossed and he had to bite back the amusement that suddenly overcame him. They both had the same distrusting scowl on their faces.

Ivan signaled the older man, who stepped forward. "Sir, this is my father, Kiev Sullivan, former Chief of Hjart."

Kiev stepped forward and eagerly shook Hiccup's hand. "Sir, it's truly a pleasure to meet you at last. The famous Dragon Conqueror, I truly admire your work."

Hiccup couldn't resist the easy smile. "Call me Hiccup. Gentleman, can I introduce you to my wife, Astrid."

Axe glittering in the sunlight from her back, Astrid stepped forward and shook their hands in turn. Kiev winced in slight surprise when he withdrew his hand, flexing his fingers. "Strong grip!"

"Yes, she likes to break fingers." Hiccup agreed, ignoring her smirk. "And this is our son, Fearless Finn." He barely turned an inch and Finn was already there, shaking both of the men's hands. A part of him burst with pride when they gaped at the teenager in surprise.

"The Fearless Finn?" Kiev asked with awe.

Finn bit back a smirk. "Call me Finn, sir."

"Ah, modest like his father, I see!" Kiev elbowed his own son in a jesting sort of way. "I like them already."

Ivan barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Father, please, this is a serious meeting."

"Apologies son, I'm just so excited." Kiev gazed up at the random villagers flying past on dragons.

Hiccup laughed. "Well a serious meeting shouldn't be had on the docks. If you and your men will follow us to the Great Hall, we can discuss what you came for."

"Of course, thank you, sir." Ivan nodded and followed him as the Haddocks led the way up to the village.

In a low voice, Hiccup said to Finn: "You don't have to sit through this-"

"Are you kidding?" Finn whispered back. "I'm as eager to hear what they have to say as you are. And why shouldn't I be there, if they're fellow Chieftains?"

Hiccup shrugged with a smile. "Fair enough."

"Spoken like a true future Chief." Astrid smiled, looping her arm through Finn's and marching up the gangplanks.

Hiccup kept one eye on the Hjart delegates and the other on his villagers. Many of them had paused in their daily routine to watch the entourage pass through. A few children gazed up at the unfamiliar faces with awe and confusion. Kiev winked at Erick's niece and the child ducked behind her father's leg.

He quickly noticed, however, that the Hjartans steered clear of any dragons that crossed their path. They hadn't made any moves toward Toothless when they first met, which was unusual for anyone to claim awe for his deeds as "the Dragon Conqueror" without giving Toothless his due recognition as well. After all, he'd be nowhere without his dragon.

He pondered these things as they filed their way up the steps and entered the Great Hall. He allowed the delegates to spread out through the mostly empty Hall to rest after their long trip, while the Chief and his few council men sat around the table with Hiccup and his own team.

Hiccup's gaze lingered on Finn, whose face was red and sweaty. He willed himself not to say anything in front of all these newcomers, knowing that it would hurt Finn's pride more than it was worth to mention. It was Finn's pride, however, that had probably kept him at the front of the pack, and now he showing the physical signs of weakness.

As the Hjartans settled in their seats, he slid his gaze to Ruffnut, a few seats down from him. She raised an eyebrow and he quickly jerked his head toward Finn. As one of the go-to healers, she instantly understood and left the table.

"Alright, let's get this meeting underway." Hiccup said finally, his voice cutting through the din. He gestured toward Ivan sitting across from him. "The floor is open."

"Thank you, sir." Ivan began, but paused when Ruffnut and a barmaid made their way around the table, setting tall jugs of ale and water in front of every individual. All the Hjartans thanked them as they passed. Hiccup was grateful for her thoughtfulness; he'd only meant for her to get a drink for Finn and instead she'd considered the entire table of guests. This is why men needed women!

Finn shot him a silent, thankful look before downing half his mug of water in one go.

"For decades my family line has held our land in peace and prosperity without outside assistance." Ivan began, clasping his hands on the table in front of him. "We have been stubborn and strong willed, and back in the years of the great dragon scourge, we fought them. It has taken much time to cut back on our... old ways, as I'm sure you remember. We don't kill the beasts anymore; we wish to train them. However..."

"You don't know how." Hiccup finished.

Ivan sighed. "Exactly. We've heard rumors over the many years of your methods and its spread through the Archipelago, but our attempts have proved unsuccessful. Many people are afraid to try any further and it has taken much goading from my own council to get the votes to approach you with my request."

Hiccup pondered this information. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. "Alright?"

Ivan looked at his father, who leaned forward. "We would be truly honored if you taught our people how to train dragons. In exchange for your training, we would agree to pay a handsome price and offer you our services in military might."

Hiccup smiled knowingly. "I've heard rumors of this army of yours."

Ivan and Kiev looked pleased. "Have you?" Kiev asked.

"You're a secretive people," Hiccup eased forward on crossed arms. "But I've heard a few rumors over the years." He smiled at the intrigue on Finn's face.

"We don't normally allow people into our village," Ivan replied. "We have a few traders from distant lands who we've made agreements with, but I must say that Johann has especially proved his loyalty."

"Johann has been a valuable asset for Berk since even I was a child," Hiccup agreed. "Also, my grandfather spoke of his attempts at a Treaty. I was pretty young, but I do remember they came back a little worse for wear."

"Ah..." Kiev hung his head in shame, as if that skirmish had been his fault. "You can blame our stubbornness for that."

Hiccup snorted, sharing a look with Astrid. "Oh, we have plenty of that to go around."

Finn let out a derisive snort.

With a smile, Ivan gestured to his neighboring councilman. He reached into a satchel and withdrew a large bag, which clinked against the table once it was deposited between the Haddocks.

"We would pay you with this for your services." Kiev gestured to Finn. "Go ahead and take a look."

Finn pulled the string on the bag and whistled appreciatively. "Happy birthday to me." The bag was filled to the brim with round, pure gold coins.

"There's more where that came from," Ivan noted proudly.

"Really?" Hiccup asked, impressed. He inspected a few and passed the handful to Astrid. He smirked at Snotlout's wide-eyed, greedy expression on her other side. Tuffnut looked like he might start drooling on the table. He pressed a handful of coins to his face and inhaled deeply.

"One reason we have kept to ourselves all these years: Our land is flowing with natural resources. Gold, silver, copper, you name it. There are even diamonds in the eastern caves. Combined with our large numbers and strong army, we would be a great asset to your allied clans. However," Ivan paused, drawing out the word. "This is actually another reason we've come to ask for aid."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Ivan looked a bit frustrated. "A few months ago, Hjart was raided. These men plundered our village, attacked some of our people. We fought them off and sent their ships running, but it wasn't until the aftermath that we realized that the fight within the village had been a distraction."

"Another group of men plundered our storeroom." Kiev picked up the tale. "Our resources are vast so our village is not in any danger of starvation. Our problem, Hiccup, is that these men were riding dragons."

Astrid straightened in her seat. "Dragon riders were attacking Hjart? How many?"

"At least a dozen in the village." Ivan replied.

"How many times have they attacked since?" Hiccup asked.

"Three times, sir." Kiev replied. "The last attack was not as successful, we tried to trap them. They got away with much less gold. But we cannot fight what we cannot control, and since we don't want to harm the beasts anymore... It's hardly an easy position to be in."

"No, it's smart." Hiccup agreed, thinking quickly. "What do these individuals look like?"

"They dress in all black and ride dragons of varying species. We have yet to catch anyone and they fly under no banner that we could see."

"So do you need help rounding these people up? Or is this part of learning to train dragons so you can do that yourselves?" Finn asked.

Ivan nodded. "The latter. We need to be able to protect our people and our financial system."

"I'll say." Hiccup leaned forward. "I have a question, however. Since you've always been so secretive, with numbers and wealth you could exterminate the dragons in your area without any of us knowing about it. Why now?"

Ivan's eyes seemed to dull with a tired look that only a fellow Chief could understand. "We tire of fighting with dragons. We are behind the times and we've only heard of the benefits that have come of it. We admire it, despite our fear. We wish to change our village for the better."

"All of our traders told us of Berk's success, especially Johann. He wouldn't stop singing your praises." Kiev tittered.

"Sounds like Johann," Astrid knocked Hiccup with an elbow, many others nodding in agreement.

"At any rate, military might and wealth, those things pass away with time." Kiev added with a wistful smile. "But knowledge is everything. And overcoming generations-long enmity."

A collective laugh echoed through the room in agreement.

"Yeah, so I have a question," Snotlout interjected. "You wouldn't be the first chief with a strong army to want dragon knowledge. How do we know that once you have that knowledge and add an army of dragons to your disposal that you won't attack us or our allied clans?"

"Luckily we prepared to answer that question," Ivan replied calmly. "We wish to sign an agreement with Hiccup, in blood if necessary, that we will not take advantage of his knowledge, and will not use our services to attack allied clans. In joining a union with Berk, we would like to grow this union to the other allied clans."

"Hmph," Snotlout snorted. "Good luck with that."

Kiev frowned worriedly. "How do you mean?"

"Outcast Island isn't particularly too fond of new recruits." Finn remarked with a set expression.

"Ah, I admit we have heard a thing or two about Outcast Island. Surely this must not come as a surprise, though? It is, after all, an island of outcasts."

"Outcast Island has grown in the last twenty years." Hiccup twirled a gold coin in his fingers as he spoke. "The agriculture has grown, their numbers have increased; some of them were born and raised to adulthood, so the convicts and outcasts themselves are getting up in age. Allie herself isn't a great person, but she hasn't been a horrible chief. I genuinely think she's made some good decisions for the island. We still banish people to Outcast if it's necessary and Allie will accept them, but for the most part the people have begun to flourish. "

"Surely banishments don't happen often though?"

Hiccup met their eyes levelly. "No. But I admit we have had a few recent banishments." From the corner of his eye he saw Heather stiffen in her seat, so he quickly changed the subject. "As for an agreement with Berk, I don't see any problem. We would hold you accountable of course."

"Of course."

"It's the rest of the allied clans you'll need to convince, as far as joining the union."

"Our aid would go towards any allies in need, of course, not only Berk."

"That's the problem though," Astrid sat forward in her seat. "There have been a few disturbances in the union in recent years. No attacks have been made outright, but we are still on edge."

Ivan frowned. "Does this mean the Treaty is weak?"

"Growing weaker, if anything." Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. "We have a meeting every ten years or so when we go over the treaty, discuss common issues, but in the years since the last meeting..." He bobbed a shoulder. "People are getting itchy to grab a weapon."

Kiev stroked his beard thoughtfully. "People in general or particular leaders?"

"Allie the Insincere of Outcast Island is on my watch list. If you make it into the union, and I'm sure you will, don't trust her."

"But in the event of joining the union," Ivan frowned. "I could not deny her aid if she requested it."

"According to the treaty, no, you couldn't." Hiccup sat back in his seat. "I tend to skirt the edges of the treaty. I won't risk the safety of my village for someone I don't trust. If you feel you should lead your people in a similar manner, that's alright with me."

"Sounds mutinous." Ivan frowned.

Hiccup shrugged. "I tend to do my own thing. That isn't to say that I avoid conflict. Most of the time I'm at the center of conflict. Camicazi of Bog Burglar Island and Kara the Kind of Brawn: they'll eagerly accept your proposal. They are Berk's strongest allies."

"Bog Burglar Island. That's the tribe with only women, isn't it?"

"That's the one."

"How does that work exactly?" At Hiccup's smirk, Ivan shook his head. "Ah, you know what? Another topic for another time."

Finn snickered in his seat.

"When is this next meeting?" Ivan asked.

"This coming March; Berk will be the host. The allied clans will meet here for a week, there will be a host of trading and food and entertainment; we'll set up a marketplace in the square. It's more than just political moves."

Kiev seemed to brighten. "That sounds fun!"

"You'll be in the boring meetings with me, father."

"Of course, right." Kiev rolled his eyes. "I haven't served my time at all, who says I can't enjoy retirement?"

Ivan gave a long suffering sigh and Hiccup suddenly saw himself and Finn in a few years.

"How long have you been chief, Ivan?"

Ivan's mouth set into a firm line and he shot his father a frown. "Six months."

"Ah that explains a few things. Not that you're doing a poor job at all, quite the opposite." Hiccup added quickly. "You just remind me of someone, that's all."

Finn rolled his eyes heavily, earning a chorus of chuckles from the table. Even Ivan cracked a smile.

"Anyway, that's all we have to say and offer, sir." Ivan spread his hands. "Unless you would like a stronger payment?"

"Well," Kiev's eyes glittered and Hiccup realized he was looking at Finn. "My youngest daughter is still single. I could throw her into the price if it made any difference."

Finn struggled to keep the horror off his face. He gave a surprised cough and finally managed to reply, "That's okay, I'm sure she's got some nice options at home."

"Hmph." Kiev replied, even as Ivan gave him an irritated scowl. "Engaged already?"

Finn flushed. "No."

"Oh well, in that case-"

"Father." Ivan hissed in horrified embarrassment.

"I'm kidding!" Kiev laughed with a wave of his hand.

Most everyone at the table was laughing at Finn and Ivan, who both were giving each other a shared "I hate my life" expression.

"Anyway, what do you say, Chief?" Kiev asked, returning to the discussion at hand.

Hiccup turned to Astrid, who gave him a discreet nod. Making eye contact with all of his council, even Finn, he saw that their vote was unanimous.

"I think I'd be stupid not to accept your offer."

"Excellent!" Kiev exclaimed, whopping Ivan on the back with a heavy hand.

Everyone stood and shook hands in celebration to their agreement. Hiccup found the men very respectful and easy-going, and now they could spread the knowledge of dragon riding to the west.

Hiccup dismissed his council to their usual duties, while he and Astrid decided to remain in the Great Hall with the Sullivans. They sat down once again to discuss the finer details of their agreement when Kiev's gaze strayed to Hiccup's left. "Are you alright, son?"

Hiccup and Astrid turned to Finn, whose face had gone pale. He looked like he was struggling to stay awake.

"Yes, I'm fine." He quickly rubbed the glazed look out of his eyes.

"Finn, why don't you get some air."

"Nah, I'm okay."

"Finn."

His son gave him that annoyed, disgruntled look. Hiccup raised his eyebrows in silent argument. He could feel Astrid's steely gaze on his other side.

"Go home, get some rest," he murmured. "Check on Addie for me."

Finn sighed longsufferingly before muttering his agreement. He stood and tried to hide a wince. "It was great to meet you both."

"Likewise," Ivan shook his hand once more as he walked past.

Kiev nodded. "I hope to meet you again soon, Finn!"

Hiccup's eyes didn't leave Finn as he left the Great Hall. When he heaved the door open and left the building, he realized Ivan and Kiev were staring at him and his wife silently.

"He is injured." Ivan commented.

Astrid sighed softly. "Yes."

"How did you know?" Hiccup asked.

"We've seen many injuries over the years," Kiev replied calmly. "At first I thought he was merely a quiet young man, but as the meeting progressed, I noticed his attention slipping, and not for lack of interest."

Hiccup nodded. "He's had a rough month."

"What happened?" Kiev asked, then seemed to backtrack. "If you don't mind my asking, that is."

He met Astrid's eyes, unsure how to reply. They seemed like good men, but they were still fairly new acquaintances. For both Finn and Adrianna's sake, he didn't want to divulge too much information.

Astrid seemed to read his thoughts. "Our daughter, Adrianna was in danger. He tried to help and got stabbed."

Both men winced, brows furrowed. "When was this?"

"About a month ago," Hiccup sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That first week was the worst, but he's a tough kid. He'll be okay."

"And your daughter?"

Astrid nodded. "She's alright."

"Oh good," Kiev sighed in relief.

Hiccup's heartstrings gave a mighty heave, but he ignored this. If these men were to be their allies, then they'd find out the truth and details eventually, just as would the rest of the Archipelago.

"Well, should we begin the finer points of this new agreement?" Astrid asked.

"A mighty fine idea, madam!" Kiev agreed.

She chuckled. "Please, call me Astrid."

"Of course."

For the next hour they laid the groundwork for their future agreement. In a week's time, Hiccup would fly to Hjart with a group of dragon riders. They'd go through a series of lessons with the villagers to teach them the basics of befriending dragons. Hiccup would then assign a team of riders to spend time at Hjart for a few weeks to begin fully training the people.

By the time they had a complete plan built for the coming months, the Great Hall had begun to fill for the dinner hour. The tables filled with villagers and at long last, the entire building was abuzz with conversation.

"You have a rather large village, Hiccup."

"Grows bigger every year," He nodded in agreement. A pair of blondes caught his attention and he waved them over. "Kiev, Ivan, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Adrianna."

Adrianna looked at the pair of men with surprise before a smile lit up her face and she shook their hands. "I heard we had some visitors. Welcome to Berk."

"A pleasure to meet you!" Kiev smiled up at her. His dark eyes flitted to Erick, who eagerly shook his hand. "Are you Adrianna's husband?"

Erick's grin faltered and he glanced at Hiccup. "Ah no, sir. Boyfriend."

Kiev and Ivan's smiles stiffened, but they made no further comment. It was obvious that they'd noticed Adrianna was pregnant.

Hiccup quickly spoke before the situation got more awkward. "Erick is apprenticing at our leather shop; he very well might take over for Horst one day."

"Is that so?" Kiev asked with interest. "You enjoy leather work?"

"As long as you don't have me stringing beads all day, I enjoy it." Erick joked.

"Do you make saddles at the leather shop or is that a separate job?" Ivan asked with curiosity.

Erick nodded. "Saddles are our specialty. We make everything from boots to bags to tool belts, but saddles fill up most of our time. The rest is usually seasonal."

"Ah, that's interesting. You'll make yourself a fine living in that profession, young man." Kiev nodded encouragingly.

"Thanks."

"Now what do you do in your spare time, missy?"

Adrianna's hands fiddled in front of her stomach nervously. Hiccup dearly wanted to hold them still to steady her. "Well, I usually watch the kids in the village and help keep track of all the records. But I haven't really done that in a while."

"More free time on your hands! Free time is the best time." Kiev winked.

Adrianna giggled. "I can agree with that."

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you!" Kiev patted her shoulder and smiled at them both. "We'll let you get some food."

"Thanks!" Erick grinned, gently escorting her to a nearby table. Adrianna smiled at them as they left, waving quickly at her parents.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Hiccup and Astrid leaned closer to them.

"We should explain-" Hiccup began.

Kiev shook his hands even as Ivan spoke: "No, Hiccup. You don't have to explain anything to us. These things happ-"

"No, please," Astrid interrupted. "We would rather you know the details than think ill of our daughter. It wasn't her fault."

Both men's uneasy smiles dissolved into confused frowns. "What do you mean?" Kiev asked quietly.

Hiccup hadn't wanted to have this discussion with them so quickly, but admitted to himself that it was necessary. They seemed to be genuinely good people with families of their own. Ivan had already told them about his wife and three children waiting for him back on Hjart. He didn't want them thinking ill of his only daughter.

He sighed heavily. "Erick is a good kid; he's her best friend. But he isn't her first boyfriend."

Kiev's eyebrows shot up. "Oh?"

"This other boy..." Astrid faltered. She suddenly looked like she wanted to grab her axe.

"He took advantage of her. In the worst way." Hiccup said quietly.

Ivan and Kiev looked stricken. "No."

"He ran, I assume to Outcast Island." Hiccup muttered bitterly. "Good thing, too or I'd-" He shook his head and looked away, watching his daughter toss a roll at Erick. She laughed as it bounced off his nose and rolled under the table.

"I'm so sorry," Kiev said quietly. "You didn't need to tell us."

Hiccup realized his eyes were burning and he roughly wiped his face. "No, it was necessary. The last thing we want is for people to think that she's done something wrong."

"She seems like a very sweet girl," Ivan commented quietly. "What of the boy who did this?"

Astrid shook his head. "We haven't seen him since he took off. Worst though is we didn't know why he took off. It was a month later when we found out."

"Goodness." Kiev sighed. He blinked and suddenly leaned forward. "This doesn't have anything to do with Finn's injury, does it?"

Hiccup winced. "Yes and no. A few other boys who were friends of Brandyn's, that's the other boy, they cornered her and tried to... well. Finn saw what was happening and tackled them. He fell on a knife and I banished them for touching my daughter and nearly killing my son, even if the latter was an accident."

"Good riddance." Ivan scowled. "Why didn't you kill them?"

"Our village hasn't been subject to that kind of brutality in decades," Hiccup said. "As much as I wanted to string them up by their necks, I didn't want to scar my village, particularly the younger generation."

"It would have made a sure example."

"So did launching them into a boat with holes in the bottom, I'm sure." Astrid smirked at her husband, and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Gracious, your family has had a rough year!" Kiev sighed. "I can't imagine my Thuggory or Genevieve going through any of this."

"Are those your youngest?" Astrid asked.

"They are," Kiev swelled proudly. "Thuggory is nineteen and Gen is nearly seventeen. Actually she's held a lot of interest in Berk in recent years."

Hiccup laughed. "Why is that?"

"Dragons make her nervous, but she's always found your people interesting. Since she was little, she'd ache for the days that Johann would come to visit so she could listen to all of his stories."

Ivan snorted. "But it was Thug that we barely convinced to stay home."

"Oh Thuggory," Kiev sighed. "He's the reason I have grey hair."

Hiccup and Astrid laughed. "Why's that?"

"He never stops talking," Ivan stressed. "And I do mean never. Always pranking people and chatting about something or catching bugs and putting them in my wife's cupboards. You'd think he'd mature up a bit."

"Oh dear," Astrid gave Hiccup a meaningful look. "Sounds a bit like somebody we know."

"Who?" Kiev asked.

Hiccup pointed over their shoulders at a certain curly-haired boy who was currently frolicking between the tables with a bowl of cookies. A swarm of Terrible Terrors were dive-bombing him from all sides and they could hear him yelling, "BE GONE, YOU FIENDS! ZE COOKIES ARE MINE!"

"Oh my gods," Ivan murmured. "It's Thuggory's twin."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow as Cliff ran up to him, clutching the bowl. "Chief! A little help!"

"Cliff, you know how to deal with Terrors on your own."

"Ya gotta help me man! Do you know the painstaking effort it takes to protect such chocolatey goodness!"

"Cliff."

"But I must protect the bounty!"

Kiev, Ivan and Astrid dissolved into snickers.

Hiccup did his best to keep a straight face. "Cliff, I trained you well. Go forth and do your duty."

"Chief, that is disgusting and I will forget you ever said that," Cliff remarked flatly. "Do you really want to be the one to keep a pregnant woman from her delicious treats?"

"Are they actually for Addie or are you just saying that so you can save the bounty for yourself?"

Cliff gasped loudly. "You dare insinuate that I would take advantage of my precious?! OW!" A Terror yanked on his hair with a extra fervor.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and whistled loudly. The Terrors squeaked and fluttered around him. "Who wants a cod?" He quickly snatched up an extra fish from dinner and launched it thirty feet into the air. The Terrors snatched and clawed over the piece of meat with relish and Hiccup raised an eyebrow at Cliff.

"See how easy that was?"

Cliff pouted. "I couldn't let them steal ma precious's cookies!"

"Okay okay, get outta here." Hiccup waved him off to Adrianna and Erick's table.

"Thanks Chief!" Cliff scampered away with his large bowl of cookies and announced his success to his friends, who'd been joined by Helga and Inga. Hiccup vaguely wondered where Taryn was when a hearty laugh brought him back to his table.

"He is definitely Thuggory's twin."

"Let's agree that we'll never allow them to meet, or else one or both of our villages will burn to the ground."

"I'll drink to that," Ivan raised his glass.

The foursome clinked their large mugs and drank. Hiccup wasn't sure what was in store for the future, but with a smile he couldn't help but feel like a new friendship was blooming.

Xxx

Erick was tired.

He'd been in the shop for six hours. Of course, most of the time, he didn't mind this. Cliff was more than enough to keep him entertained. But Cliff's mother wasn't feeling well and he had gone to "help rid her body of its frightful ailment by keeping her so entertained, she forgets she's sick." Or something like that.

He was just thinking about throwing in the towel and telling Horst he would be back tomorrow when a familiar face stuck its head through the window.

"Charger?" he grinned, ducking slightly so that the window pane wouldn't whack him on the head. "What are you doing here, buddy?"

"He's with me," came Hiccup's voice from outside. He was leaning against the window with Erick's saddle under an arm. "Saddle up."

"I..." Erick glanced at Horst's office. "I should probably-"

"I already checked with him." Hiccup said, tossing the saddle at him. "Now let's go."

Feeling slightly apprehensive, Erick strapped the saddle onto Charger's back. Within a minute he'd mounted his dragon and took off just behind Hiccup and Toothless. He had no idea where they were going and he didn't feel comfortable asking Hiccup where or why they were flying to who-knew-where. Although he had a sneaking suspicion that the conversation he'd been dreading would be happening quite soon.

Hiccup was silent. Erick watched as Berk shrank away into the distance, thinking wryly that if something were to happen and Hiccup were to snap, his screams would go unheard. But he certainly hadn't given the chief any reason to torture him... had he? He felt rather like he had when his mother called him over as a child. Usually if she wanted his attention, that meant he'd done something wrong.

Finally, after what felt like hours (but was probably nowhere near that long) they touched down on an island Erick had never seen before. It was much smaller than Berk but not unlike it in appearance. Hiccup dismounted and beckoned him over, still not talking. Erick followed wordlessly, although questions popped up in his head rather rapidly. What was Hiccup doing? Why was he being so quiet? Where was this island, anyway?

"You don't have to look at me like that." Hiccup said rather abruptly, making Erick jump. "I thought you might want to see this place. I'm not taking you here to make you disappear."

Erick smiled appreciatively. His apprehension must have shown on his face. "So, why..."

"Just a little farther, okay?" Hiccup beckoned him again and they walked through the trees.

A thought occurred to him after a few minutes and Erick couldn't help asking it. "Aren't the delegates from Hjart still on Berk?"

"No, I offered them a place to stay, but they insisted on traveling through the night. Something about 'taking advantage of our hospitality after a fine supper'." Hiccup chuckled. "They seem like very good men, but I think they're on the traditional side."

"How so?" Erick asked, intrigued.

"Well, in offering a girl to Finn as part of the agreement-."

Erick choked. "They what?!" He laughed. "No way! What did he say?"

Hiccup shook his head in amusement. "He handled it pretty well. Kiev was joking; at least I think he was joking. At any rate, he'll find out soon enough that Finn isn't all that into tradition."

"Well yeah, you're his dad," Erick laughed again.

Hiccup smiled knowingly but stopped suddenly, gesturing outward with an arm.

Erick's eyes widened. An enormous waterfall stood in the center of the clearing, the sunlight hitting it at such an angle that he could see little rainbow flecks of water coming off it. He'd seen waterfalls before, of course, but nothing quite like this. The spray of water felt refreshing in the hot sun.

Hiccup took Toothless's saddle off and the Night Fury bounded forward. Erick had a split second to cover his eyes before the dragon leaped into the water, splashing water everywhere. Toothless was still a relatively young dragon, something that Erick remembered most clearly at times like this. Hiccup smiled, watching him hop around in the water for a bit before turning to Erick, who was just unhooking Charger's saddle. He waited for Erick to allow Charger to dive into the water before fully turning to face him.

"Now that you can't escape, I thought we should have a chat." Hiccup said, grinning presumably so that Erick wouldn't automatically think he was doomed.

"A chat?"

Hiccup sat down on a rock formation and patted the space next to him. Erick sauntered over and sat next to him.

"I think you know what this is about," said Hiccup, the smile finally melting off his face.

Erick nodded. "Annie."

Hiccup sighed, watching the dragons splashing each other in the water for nearly a minute. "I want you to understand a few things."

"Okay?"

Hiccup faltered for a moment. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. Finally he looked Erick in the eye again, an unreadable expression affixed to his face. "First, I want to know what your intentions are with my daughter."

Erick considered this for a few seconds. Yes, he and Adrianna had discussed the future in passing. But they hadn't thought as hard about it as they probably should. He felt woefully unprepared for this conversation with her father, at any rate.

For a second, he considered lying and telling Hiccup that he intended to marry her and raise her baby and live happily ever after. But that seemed a bit drastic, and probably a bit flippant. Finally, he settled on what was, perhaps, a bit of a cop-out.

"I... don't know exactly."

Heart pounding, Erick waited for Hiccup's response. He didn't have to wait very long.

"I thought not."

"It's not that I haven't thought about it, I just-"

Hiccup held up a hand. "I understand. I was young once too, as hard as that is to believe."

"It's not hard to believe, sir." Erick muttered.

"Sir?" Hiccup breathed a laugh. "I know this is a weird conversation but don't feel like you have to be formal."

Erick fidgeted. "Yeah but... well wouldn't you rather I make a good impression?"

"Despite the fact I've known you your entire life?" Hiccup grinned. At Erick's sputtered argument, he waved a hand. "All right then. Anyway, your plans. Have you thought about where you want to be in five years? Ten years?"

"Well... yes." Erick said truthfully. "The plan has changed a few times but... well, yeah. I have."

"Does Addie factor into it?"

Erick smiled. Were the situation any different, he might have been quite embarrassed to reveal the truth. "She always has. Since... since a couple of years ago, anyway." Erick rubbed his eyes. When he lowered his hands, Hiccup's sharp green eyes were still boring into him like a drill. "I love her."

"I know you do, Erick, but loving and spending your life together are two different things. They should go hand in hand in marriage, but you can love someone without marrying them." Hiccup explained, and Erick could tell where the conversation was going. "Do you intend to marry her?"

And there it was. The question that had been on Erick's mind since he'd found out Adrianna was pregnant. Truth be told, he still wasn't completely sure. Did he want to spend the rest of his life with her? He was only eighteen years old. That seemed extremely young to be making gigantic, life-altering decisions. And seventeen was even younger. Sure, they might want to spend their lives together now. But in ten years? In twenty years? Heck, in one year they would have a baby to care for. It was a lot to think about and Erick wasn't thrilled at the prospect of being forced by circumstance to get married so young.

At the same time... it was Annie. The girl he'd loved his entire life, both platonically and romantically. The first and best friend he'd ever made. The girl who made his heart pound whenever he looked at her. He knew he loved her, genuinely loved her... but was that enough?

"Take your time." Hiccup prompted. "I'm in no hurry."

"It's a lot to think about."

"I know." Hiccup said, leaning back slightly as he watched their dragons play.

Erick rubbed his sweaty palms on his knees. "I have thought about it a lot. I just... I don't know, Chief, I mean... I don't know what I'm doing. I'm only eighteen and... it's honestly scary to make this kind of decision."

"I know."

"And she's going to have a baby. The last thing I want to do is make her situation worse or jerk her around."

"I know, that's why we are having this discussion."

Erick stood, feeling the need to pace. He could feel Hiccup's gaze on his back. "So what are you saying I should do?"

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, Erick." Hiccup replied. "I want you to make a decision." Erick opened his mouth to argue and the Chief held up a hand. "Listen for a second. I understand completely. Do you know how long Astrid and I dated before I finally made a decision?"

Erick rubbed the back of his head. "No."

"It was a long time. Granted we were teenagers and we were involved in all sorts of... stuff." Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Anyway, by the time we were twenty we'd been together for years. She knew she wanted to marry me, but what was I doing? I was off adventuring and making maps and tooling around the Archipelago with Toothless. It took some time but I finally realized that I had to make a decision. Getting over my wanderlust wasn't going to come overnight. If I wasn't willing to put aside my insecurities or hobbies for her, then why were we even dating?" Hiccup's eyes bored into Erick's. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Erick nodded. "Yes."

"I understand what you're feeling completely. It's a different situation and more hinges on you and Addie, especially concerning the baby. But she's already devoted to you, Erick. That should scare you a bit."

Erick nodded again. "It does. Because if something happens..." He sighed. "I don't want to be the next guy to break her heart."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Erick." Hiccup said calmly. "I don't mean to put pressure on you and force you to make a decision right this second. But I want you to understand that if I give you my blessing and you tear her apart, I'm afraid there won't be anything left. She won't give another man a chance."

Erick's mouth was dry. It was a terrifying thing to consider.

"So," Hiccup said in a bit calmer tone. "Considering how much you care about her, I can see this working. Arguments happen in marriage, you offend each other, and you both have to learn to accept that you're wrong sometimes and be humble enough to apologize and ask forgiveness. You and Addie have already had to do that before in your relationship, which is good. In a way, you've already gotten a head start."

Erick gave him a wan smile and sat down once again. "It wouldn't be easy with a baby though."

"It's not; you're talking to the man who's life changed from single to married with two children in less than a year." Hiccup's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline and Erick laughed. "Addie's resilient. I know she can get through anything. The way she fails and then gets back up and tries again, I admire that. I think she got it from both Astrid and me. She has gone through things that I could never have imagined. Would never have wanted." Hiccup paused and Erick waited patiently, knowing he had more to say.

"In February," Hiccup continued, his voice much softer. "You might be put in the same position I was seventeen years ago. Holding your newborn daughter and feeling things you never thought you could feel for another person erupting through you. And the most horrible things will pop into your head. What if someone takes her away? What if someone hurts her? She's so precious that these sorts of things are your worst nightmare. The sorts of things that make your blood run cold at night when you're drifting off to sleep. And, with the exception of her dying, all of those things have happened."

Erick felt a tightness in his chest. He hated that about this past year. Or maybe the past seventeen years. Adrianna had endured far more pain than she should have, than anyone should have. There had always been a distinct difference between her and Finn, even since they were small. Finn had blundered into the painful situations. Adrianna had been victimized. She hadn't asked for any of it. And yet she had stayed strong. Sure, she cried a few tears over it, she let herself feel the pain, but then she got up and kept on going. It was something he'd always admired about her.

"She doesn't let that stop her." Erick said after a few seconds' tense silence. "She never has."

"No, she doesn't." Hiccup agreed. "But that doesn't mean she deserves to have it happen again. And that's why I need something from you before I give you my full blessing."

Erick swallowed hard against the tension roiling in his stomach, even though he already knew what was coming.

"Barring any extreme circumstances that can't be foreseen now, I need to know with confidence that you plan on marrying her. If you think about it tonight and realize that you don't think you can do it, I want you to end it tomorrow." Hiccup's green eyes pierced his. It felt like Erick's heart was in his throat. "It would hurt her but it's soon enough that I think she'd be okay with time. I don't want that to happen; I would be thrilled if this worked out. But I won't have her heart broken again, especially not by you. It isn't fair to her or her baby. The last thing she needs is to have this baby in a few months and you come to realize that your heart isn't in it."

Erick considered it for a few moments, but the words resonated in his head. It was okay to be afraid, to have insecurities. If anybody deserved to have insecurities right now it was Adrianna, and she trusted him. She needed him and one day the baby would need a father. He didn't know how to be a husband or a father, but no man did without prior experience. He loved Adrianna, and even though he didn't have any biological ties to her child, he'd already grown attached to it. He didn't just want to know his best friend's baby one day. He wanted to be there when it took its first breath.

"I will." Erick didn't know where the confidence came from, but he knew by the rush of determination in his chest that it was real. "I want to be here for both of them. I won't leave her."

"You realize I am begging you not to break my daughter's heart?"

"Yes." Erick nodded. "I won't fail you. That's not to say I won't probably screw up sometimes. But I'm not going anywhere."

Hiccup stared at him with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before putting an arm around his shoulders. "Welcome to the family."

Erick couldn't help the grin that split his face. He honestly hadn't felt this lighthearted in a long time. He'd been dreading this conversation for so long. Now he felt like he could run a mile. "Thanks."

"You know if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"Not if I kill me first."

"Very funny."

The men laughed and watched their dragons play. For the first time since Adrianna had told him she was pregnant, Erick looked over at Hiccup without a hint of trepidation, and realized that he was probably looking at his future father-in-law.

Xxx

Erick touched down to Berk at dusk. He was tired from the long flight back but eager to find his girlfriend. He gave Charger a hearty scratch under the chin before waving him toward the hangar and bidding him good night.

Pushing through the crowd, he finally spotted Adrianna walking down the street, apparently lost in thought. A few months ago, he would have hurried up behind her and put his hands over her eyes and whispered, "Guess who?" Now he knew that such an action would likely give her a panic attack. Instead he jogged down the street after her, his hurried steps catching her attention. Seeing her face light up made him smile so much, he could feel the dimples on his face.

"Hi." she said breathlessly, stopping so he could catch up. Her fingers slipped into his almost instantly.

"Hey." Erick nudged her side. "What's up?"

"I was finger-painting with Ava today and then she decided to see if she could feel the baby kick." Adrianna opened her light jacket to reveal a small, green handprint on her belly.

"Well did she?" Erick asked, grin widening at the amusing mental image.

"She says she did." Adrianna shrugged. "Pretty impressive since I haven't felt anything yet."

"Well I think green suits you. We should make that the color of the nursery." Erick said.

"We?"

Erick felt heat rise to his face. "Uhh... I meant..."

"No, don't fix it." Adrianna squeezed his hand. "I like that you said we."

He gave her a giddy smile and swung their hands between them. He felt like a lovestruck fool.

"What are you grinning about?" Adrianna asked.

"Nothing."

"Nobody smiles like that over nothing," she pressed into his shoulder, looking up at him with big green eyes. "Tell me all your secrets, Mr. Larson."

His heart leaped and looking away, he sighed heavily. "Don't do that!"

"You should not have told me about it then!" Adrianna laughed.

"I had to because you wouldn't stop saying it!"

"It's not my fault."

Erick rolled his eyes. She had him there. "How's Finn?"

Adrianna's expression shifted. "Tired. He was changing his bandages when I left. The wound is all dark and red and blegh." She shuddered. "I feel really bad."

"Don't feel bad," Erick replied firmly. "He was protecting you." He slid an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead chastely.

"I wish I was strong enough to protect myself for once." Adrianna mumbled.

Erick thought about this. "Well maybe one day you can."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I heard your dad say a few days ago that he'd like our age group to start training more. Knowing how to fly our dragons is great, but when it comes to hand to hand combat..."

"We're slacking." Adrianna summed up.

"Basically." Erick stopped and removed a pebble stuck in his prosthetic, using Adrianna's shoulder for support. "I wonder if the new allies would be willing to help with that?"

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. "Training our people? We have plenty of people who know how to fight."

"Yes, but I've actually read about Hjart." Erick smirked at her pout. Yes, there were some books he'd read without her knowledge. "There's a whole section on their army. After the initial Settling Wars and the Vikings chose their lands, Hjart built up their army to decimate anyone who'd try to pick a fight. It was rumored that their island was pretty wealthy."

"Finn said they were paying us in gold." Adrianna agreed. "You just found this book in the records?"

Erick tapped the side of his nose. "Something like that."

"I want to read it!"

"Okay, I'll give it to you tomorrow." He grinned down at her, his stomach tying in knots. The sunset above them was giving her green eyes an almost mysterious look. He didn't know if it was the atmosphere or his talk with Hiccup, but he couldn't help but think she was looking radiant tonight.

Adrianna made a face and shook her head. "What?"

"Nothing!"

"You keep staring at me."

"Is that such a crime?" Erick grinned.

"You're just acting weird," Adrianna poked his ribs, making him jump away. "You never give me doofy smiles."

Erick snorted. "Doofy smiles?"

"Yes, doofy smiles."

Adrianna looked around even as he still looked at her (though he tried to be more discreet). Her hair was pulled back into a low tail this evening; she'd probably pulled it back when babysitting Ava. Her bangs had gotten longer recently, skirting the edge of her cheekbones. It probably annoyed her, judging by how much she pushed them out of her eyes. The best part though was her little baby bump poking out of the edge of her jacket.

Erick tried to hide the massive grin that took over his face and Adrianna huffed. "Alright, that's it."

"Wha- hey!" Adrianna had grabbed his arm and tugged him into a side street.

Before he quite knew what was happening, his back was to a wall and Adrianna's mouth was on his. Erick sighed and rested his hands on her waist, kissing her back with just as much fervor. Adrianna tugged on the short ends of his hair, pulling him closer even as she pressed her body farther into his.

Erick slid his hands up her sides and Adrianna moaned, pulling away softly. He'd never before been so daring, but he kissed along her jaw to the soft patch of skin beneath her ear, and suddenly she was panting in his ear.

"Erick-"

"Shh, it's okay," He straightened, holding her face gently in his hands. He kissed her again, turning them so her back was against the wall. He gasped when Adrianna nipped his lip and she gave him a mischievous smile before he was kissing her again.

She was everything to him. Erick resolved that afternoon that she would be a part of his future and he would be a part of hers, and they were going to raise her baby together. It wouldn't be just her baby then: It would be theirs. It would be hard and scary, but it would be an adventure with her. Little had he known what his future held that day he'd given the scared little girl a hand-drawn picture in the hopes of making her happy. Now, years and years later, little did she know just how happy she made him every day, despite her flaws and struggles and fears.

Adrianna pulled away from his mouth breathing hard, her hands still deep in his hair. Erick realized he too was panting. "Whew..." Adrianna laughed, dropping her forehead onto his collarbone.

Erick laughed too, kissing the top of her head. "Hey, this was all your fault."

"Oh no," Adrianna glared up at him with those beautiful green eyes. "You were the one who wouldn't quit looking at me like that."

"Like what?" Erick blinked, honestly confused.

"Like you wanted to pull me down here yourself!" Adrianna exclaimed.

"No, I-" Erick laughed a little. "No, I mean maybe, but I wasn't thinking about that."

"Then what, pray tell, were you thinking about that was so amusing?"

"Thinking about us is amusing now?" Erick asked.

Adrianna smoothed her hands across his chest, whether to smooth out any wrinkles or divert his attention he wasn't sure. "Why were you thinking about us?"

"I'm always thinking about us," he replied truthfully.

She poked him in the chest. "Stop."

"No, really. I'm always thinking about us." Erick paused. "All three of us."

Adrianna looked up at him in surprise. And there it was: A spark of unsurety in her eyes.

"Annie," Erick rested his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms. His heart was pounding and he wasn't sure why exactly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Her forehead creased in confusion. "I know that."

"No, Annie..." Erick paused, gathering his thoughts. "I want to be here with you every step of the way. It's more than just being your friend, more than your boyfriend even." Gods, what was he saying?

She seemed to be thinking the same thing. Then amusement stole over her face and she grinned up at him. "Are you trying to propose in a deep, dark alley?"

Erick flushed. "No!"

"Hardly a romantic place for such a thing," she teased.

"Would you just hush so I can get this out!" Erick sighed, half amused. "This is important."

Adrianna gave him an amused "mhm", leaning back against the wall.

Ignoring her goofiness, he tried to gather his thoughts again. He met her eyes and realized she was glowing; it hadn't been the sunset or his stimulated emotions. Gazing down at her slightly distended belly, he rested a gentle hand on her waist.

"I talked to your dad today." Erick met her eyes again and he saw her amusement had disappeared. "We talked about the future. What my plans are."

Adrianna swallowed. "Okay?" He could hear that small amount of unease in her voice.

"He wanted to know my intentions. At first I was really afraid to talk to him about it, but... I'm glad he did. Because now I'm confident with my answer." Erick rested his other hand on her waist and stepped closer. "Annie, I don't want to just be your best friend anymore. I want to build a house for us, I want to wake up next to you every day. I want to help you raise this baby even though I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing."

Adrianna laughed softly, reaching up to swipe under her eyes. "Me neither."

"I know," Erick said softly, wiping her cheeks with a thumb. "I can't promise that I won't hurt you sometimes because I can't be perfect. But I can promise you that I won't leave you, or your baby. I want to be there every step of the way, right next to you." Erick sighed self-consciously. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to marry you someday, Annie. I love you and I don't want you to ever think that one day I'm going to get tired of you or wish that I had moved on. You're the girl I want and together, I think we can make this work. All three of us."

Wiping her face again, Adrianna tittered. "So it kinda was a proposal in a sense?"

Erick sighed and Adrianna laughed harder. "Yes but no. I'll... come up with something nicer. A little less spontaneous."

Adrianna pulled him closer for a warm, slightly wet kiss from her tears. "I'd like that." Her eyes lit up once again. "Then I can call you Mr. Larson every day."

"Oh gods, woman." Erick sighed. Grinning, Adrianna took his hand and he watched in surprise as she rested his palm on her stomach, right over the bump. Erick felt some wave of emotion take over him that he couldn't place. Perhaps it was protection; he wasn't sure if he could call it love just yet. Maybe, just maybe, it was possession.

Adrianna pressed her hand overtop his and he looked at her; she was smiling at him in a way he couldn't name. Leaning forward, he kissed her with as much devotion as he could muster, his hand still on her distended belly.