"Bullied? She's being bullied?" Storm asked as she wiped down a bowl. "Why would anyone be so mean to such a sweet child? Hasn't she been abused enough already?"

"I know! As if she hasn't been through enough, and adding bullying by some of the children of the village is making it worst." Eret said nodding in agreement. "But she never let's it show, Astrid and Tuffnut have been telling me about it and I've tried talking to her but...

"She tries being a big girl by not telling you and attempting to deal with it herself." Storm finished and looked away with a sigh. "We've been bullied too Eret, we can help her. She just needs to see that she confide in us."

"How about you tell her today at bath time." Eret suggested. "She always likes chatting with you in the tub till your skin get wrinkles."

"I make her get out before that happens." Storm said throwing her wet towel at Eret, who caught it with one hand and threw it back. "She asked the other day if we were going to be dating anytime soon."

"Us dating? She's starting to sound like our parents."

"She caught us kissing Eret, your fault by the way."

"You had that pout on your lips that was begging to be kissed."

"Oh shut it." Storm muttered and smacked him with the wet towel.

The door suddenly swung open to reveal Brynhild with dirt and tear stains on her cheeks, a tear on her shirt's shoulder and a bruise that was already swelling on her cheek. She gave a sob and ran right to Storm and let her envelop her in a hug.

"Who did this Brynhild? Who did this to you?" Storm asked, hugging the girl to her chest and stroking her hair in attempt to soothe her.

"T-that boy R-ronan took my lunch and h-hit me when I tried taking it back!" Brynhild cried as she buried her face into Storm's chest.

"That low bastard....hang on I'll be right back." Eret said, snatching his swords off the table and calling for Smokey to follow him.

"Come on now, let's take you to Gothi, alright?" Storm said as she took the child outside and whistled for her dragon. "Your father has some business to take care of."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Storm was cradling Brynhild in her arms as they sat on her bed waiting for Eret to return home. The little one had already fallen asleep as Storm rocked back and forth, gently rubbing her little back and singing softly. As she waited, she heard a loud knock on the door and some muffled voices. Instead of leaving Brynhild on the bed, Storm carried her out of the room, still rubbing her back and singing softly. As heavy as she should have been, Storm was able to carry Brynhild as if she weighed no more than the lambs she carried when she would take care of the sheep.

As she reached the door, Storm wondered who it could have been. Eret? The boy's parents? Hiccup? She opened the door she was surprised to see the chief, her friend, her wolf, and a man and woman she never had seen before with a boy who looked a little older than Brynhild.

"Hiccup what is this?" Storm asked noticing a bruise forming on Eret's cheek and his nose looking like it got broken. She even noticed the man next to him had similar injuries but his nose was bleeding and he even had a bite mark on his arm.

"Eret got into a fight with the butcher." The chief explained as they stepped inside. The woman, who Storm guessed was the butcher's wife, looked her up and down with a disgusted look in her eyes as if she were inspecting a very filthy dog that had wandered into her home. "Claiming that his son had-"

"Hurt Brynhild, I know. She came home crying with injuries and her clothes torn up." Storm finished and gave the man and woman a cold look. "I can only guess that Ronan's parents didn't believe Eret and he got into a fight with the father."

"And that damn dog bit me!" The butcher added angrily, holding up his arm to show the bite mark that wasn't even bleeding as badly as she expected it to be.

Smokey snarled at the man and Storm hushed him with a glare before turing to the couple. "I'm sorry to hear about that, but when either Eret or I are in danger that's what Smokey does. And it's not even bleeding as much, therefore Smokey bit you hard enough to back away from my friend."

"Your girl bit my poor baby at school!" The butcher's wife snapped and looked at Storm in distaste. "You should teach her some manners."

"Bryhild was bullied by that boy of yours. Today he beat her up when he stole her lunch and she tried getting it back." Eret snapped. "My daughter has been through enough without him and other children hurting her."

"It's true." Bryhild said opening her eyes and looking at the chief. "He hit me for trying to get my food back."

"Lies! My baby would never-"

"Oh shut your mouth before I grab my staff and shove it down your damn throat!" Storm snapped and shoved Bryhild into Eret's arms. "Women like you who defend their sons like that sicken me, especially if that boy happens to be a nasty little punk who hurts little girls! Out of my house! The three of you!" Storm gave the woman a shove and Smokey snarled, causing her husband and son to back out of the door immediately. "Out! Out all three of you! If I hear that your son lays one hand on my daughter I will have my dragon toss him into the sea! And if either of you disturb my family like this again with this nonsense I will show you no mercy!" And with that, she slammed the door shut and locked it.

When she turned to look at them, Eret was wearing a pleased smile on his face while Bryhild was looking at her in a mix of shock and adoration and Hiccup was looking at her gobsmacked.

"Well someone had to do it." Storm said with a shrug. "And I really did mean it all."

"She called me her daughter!" The little red head squealed, bouncing up and down in Eret's arms and looked at her father in excitement. "Did you hear that papa? Did you?"

"Yes I did." Eret said with a chuckle as Storm walked over to them and he put an arm around her. "See this is why I love you."

"He said it!" Bryhild squealed again and Storm laughed before standing on her toes to kiss Eret.

"What was that for?" Eret asked in surprise.

"Oh it just felt right." Storm laughed.

"I guess I should get going." Hiccup said nodding at them. "If this happens again just let me know. I'll leave the three of you to yourselves."

"Awkward for him wasn't it?" Storm asked when Hiccup had left the house.

"No doubt." Eret agreed and looked to both of his girls. "Why don't you two help patch me up, help me make some dinner and we can call it a night?"

"Can I sleep with the both of you?" Bryhild asked. "Cuz I know Storm has been sleeping with you, just not the way my old daddy was with his lady friend."

"Of course love, you can sleep with us." Storm said and Bryhild cheered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm so happy." Storm murmured as she brushed the soft red locks from Bryhild's face as she slept between her and Eret. "I don't have to worry about befriending a dragon, I got to be reunited with my best friend, I am living safely and have a sweet little girl who loves me and her father."

"You also have someone else who loves you very much." Eret added and smiled down at his adopted daughter. "I can now see another one sleeping between us and I know Bryhild will love them."

"We're not even married." Storm pointed out. "Not even engaged either."

"We could be." Eret suggested and Storm's eyes widened in surprise. "And I know Bryhild won't be against it. Plus our parents would have been pushing for it if I hadn't left."

"Are you proposing?"

"Maybe."