A/N: And...lots of feedback. Thanks to everyone who commented constructively. This story is going to involve people making bad decisions (as if that hadn't already happened), adventures, some heartache, angst and Hiccstrid. Just so you're warned.

SIX: Arrival

Morning found Hiccup lying in his old bed, staring at the roof of his room and listening to Toothless breathing quietly as he slept. Even though he loved flying and lived to fly, the dragon was tired from the long trip back from the Edge and Hiccup's impromptu flight away after the confrontation with his father. Hiccup had sneaked in late and headed straight for bed, refusing to speak to his father because he knew all it would result in would be another shouting match.

But he felt utterly hopeless as he lay there, a hollowness in his chest making him feel almost dizzy. The previous day, he had been so happy, his being afire with hope and optimism. He was going to marry Astrid, the girl of his dreams and they were expecting a child together. And though it wasn't how he had planned things to happen, it was everything he had every dreamed of, the future he had prayed to Thor and Odin that he would one day earn...and for a couple of days, he had believed he had finally been blessed. But it was all a cruel trick, because the future he had dreamed and prayed for had always been impossible. His father had destroyed his every chance of happiness years earlier and had never even bothered to tell his son he was condemned to an arranged marriage.

He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest, hugging his arms around them and resting his chin on his knees. Stoick's decision to sign away his son and never tell him hadn't just wrecked Hiccup's dreams but had also broken Astrid's heart and ruined her life. And though technically, Hiccup had been the one who ruined her life, he knew he would never have gotten close to her if they hadn't become boyfriend-girlfriend...and that only happened because they had both believed he was available.

But he never had been and as he closed his eyes, he sighed. He had given up and though Astrid had agreed to stay, he knew she would suffer horribly, both from the sight of her fiancé married to another woman and from the comments about her pregnancy. And he honestly couldn't blame her for wanting to leave, because Thor knows, he would. And he hadn't expected her to give in so easily and...

His eyes snapped open. She had given in. Astrid Hofferson, furious and hurt and betrayed, had given in to the man who had inadvertently ruined her life.

Astrid never surrendered.

He threw his blanket aside and swung his legs over the side of the bed, hands fumbling for his metal leg and fiercely tightening the straps around his stump. Heart pounding in his chest, he reached for his leather flight vest and dragged it over his head, fumbling with the straps and silently cursing how many straps and buckles he had put on the garment-and sure, it looked cool but it didn't come on and off in a hurry. Then he glanced over to Toothless, who had cracked open a weary acid-green eye.

"Bud," he said quietly, "we need to get to the Hofferson House. I don't think Astrid was telling me the truth. I think she's gone." Cooing irritably, the black dragon clambered to his feet, stretched and then peered up at the hatch in the roof as Hiccup reached up and flipped it open. "Yeah-it's probably for the best," he admitted as he swiftly put on the saddle and tail assembly and swung into the saddle. Instantly, Toothless bunched his muscles and flung himself like a missile through the hatch, Hiccup lying flat over the neck as they exited and the tail flipping the hatch closed as they cleared the roof. Toothless's wings unfurled and they flapped as the pair soared through the cold morning air, the breeze riffling through Hiccup's wild hair as they glided down towards the main village and the little house that was Astrid's rebuilt home.

There was already smoke curling from the roof-hole and as they landed, Hiccup was already leaping from the saddle and sprinting up the steps. And then he paused, his eyes wide and breathing hard as he looked at the knotted door...and then he banged his fist on the door. There was a long pause and then it opened-to reveal the unfriendly face of Ingvar Hofferson. Hiccup stared into his face.

"Is Astrid in? I need to see her," he said urgently as her father glared at the lean shape. He stood deliberately in the way, blocking the doorway.

"I think you've hurt her enough, boy," he growled. Breathing hard, Hiccup stared at him-and then he nodded.

"I've been hurt just as much, sir, but as my father is the cause, I will take the blame," he said tightly. "But Gods, I love her and I need to speak with her. I need...I need..."

"You need to leave her alone," Ingvar growled. "You've shamed her, you've given her a false promise and you have condemned her to carrying a child that you will repudiate..." Hiccup stared at him.

"I will never..." he began but the man shoved Hiccup back-to the growl of the Night Fury, sitting watchfully at his back.

"You will!" Ingvar sneered. "You'll be made to. And that will break her heart." Hiccup was shaking his head but Ingvar shoved him harder and he stumbled backwards. Toothless growled more loudly.

"At least check with her to see if she wants to speak with me," he said boldly, taking a pace closer to the door. "Ask her! But I don't think she'll be there. I think she's gone-and I am to blame. She gave in too easily." Ingvar glowered at the auburn-haired Viking and his fists creaked. "At least check! If she's there and tells me to go away, I'll go!" Ingmar gave a curt nod and then slammed the door int he younger man's face, his footsteps receding. Breathing hard, Hiccup stared over at hid dragon.

"Is she here, bud?" he asked and the dragon lifted his head and sniffed...then shook his head. His shoulders slumped but he waited impatiently. Finally, Ingvar opened the door.

"She says go away and never return," he growled but Hiccup stared challengingly into his face.

"She's gone," he said angrily. Ingvar balled his fists.

"You calling me a liar, you lecherous worm?' he snarled and Hiccup took a fearless pace forward.

"I know she's not here," he said sharply. "Toothless can tell. Has she taken anything?" The man glared at him, then curtly gestured past him to the stairs. Without a word, Hiccup flew up-and at the top he stared at Astrid's room, which he had seen a few times. Not that it needed much prior experience to realise she had run: her blankets and pillow were taken, as was everything in her chest and her saddlebags. He turned to her father. "She's gone," he said as Ingvar grabbed his arm.

"Are you happy now?" the man sneered and Hiccup shook his arm off.

"No," he said bitterly. "I'm never happy when I don't have her at my side. She's my best friend, my second-in-command and the woman I love with all my heart. I promised her that I would find some way to fix this-but she didn't believe me. She no longer trusts me, thanks to my Dad. And while I want to prove that I can do this, I can't manage it if she isn't here. And I will look after her and the baby..." Ingvar grew puce with anger and Hiccup backed up, feeling the man grab his shoulders and bodily carry him down to the door and throw him from the house. He hit the ground hard and rolled, scrambling back towards Toothless, who was rearing up, his eyes slitted and teeth bared.

"Stay away from here-and her, boy!" Ingvar sneered. "Hide behind your Daddy and your dragon like the coward you are! You ruined my daughter, destroyed her life and broke her heart. If I catch you near her, I will kill you!" Breathing hard, Hiccup stared at him as he slammed the door and then he clambered to his feet, then turned to the agitated Night Fury, his hands raised appeasingly.

"Shh, easy Toothless," he soothed, gently inching closer to the furious dragon. Slowly, Toothless calmed and dropped back to all four paws, allowing Hiccup to turn away and offer his hand. Toothless eagerly pressed his nose against the palm and the young Viking hugged his dragon in relief. "Yeah, that was pretty intense...not that I can blame him, really..." he murmured and sagged. "We have to go after her..."

They flew up to the house and sped in through the door-but Stoick blocked their way, his brows creased and eyes hard as he glared at his son.

"I see you couldn't obey an order from your father," he told his son in a disappointed voice.

"Because it's wrong," Hiccup told him, trying to get past him. "I need my packs and then I am leaving." Stoick stared at him. "Astrid's left. I need to find her..." But his father grabbed his arm and forced the young man to face him.

"Maybe it's for the best," he said. "Perhaps she's just gone back to the Edge, to her friends..." But Hiccup was shaking his head.

"She won't go there-because I would find her," he said bitterly. "And she will have to face the questions why she is there alone. Why the wedding we planned is off. Why she is shamed. And it's all your fault!" Stoick glared at him.

"A Chief has to put the needs of the Tribe above his own wishes..." he began but Hiccup struggled against the grip.

"That's complete yak dung!" he retorted. "You wanted the dragons to pay for taking your wife, my Mom, so you kept attacking Helheim's Gate to find the nest and lost dozens of warriors and ships because you wanted revenge. You didn't help the tribe, make anyone safer or save one single life! You achieved nothing but salving your own sense of inadequacy for failing to stop her being taken!"

The Chief stared at his son, speechless.

"Yes, I said that," Hiccup told him, drunk on despair. "You didn't put the needs of the Tribe ahead of your own need for vengeance. And then you ignored me for years, decided I was never going be worth anything and sold me, expecting to shuffle me aside and make Snotlout your Heir. Did you never once think how cruel that was?" He pulled free. "I'm leaving. Astrid is my everything. Why should you be allowed to endanger the Tribe for your missing wife when I can't go after my missing fiancee?" Stoick blinked and grabbed his arm again.

"Because we need the allies," he hissed. "And I am your Chief! I..."

Horns sounded, the wails echoing up the village. Emerald eyes filled with betrayal, Hiccup looked up at his father.

"They're here," he snapped. "Now you will come down to meet them as my son and the Heir to Berk. By the Gods, Hiccup-for once, do something for your tribe, rather than gallivanting off with your friends! Act your age!" Staring at him, Hiccup breathed hard-suppressing the urge to yell that everything he did was ultimately for the tribe-and then nodded curtly. He had duty and responsibility hammered into him from the moment he could understand the concepts so even though he was filled with despair and a desperate desire to chase after his fled girlfriend, he knew he had to remain on Berk and greet their guests. His actions in befriending and training dragons had thinned their allies and trading partners substantially and the fact the tribe was struggling was down to him. They needed allies and insulting one would not help Berk's tattered reputation, no matter how justified his anger at the reason for their visit. But maybe he could persuade Camicazi that this was a terrible idea and she would persuade Bertha to drop it. In fact, he couldn't imagine the spirited, mischievous and daring girl being willing to have her life arranged for her. He pulled his arm free.

Maybe he was worrying without a cause. Perhaps Camicazi would demand the whole thing be called off anyway.

So with a little crumb of hope he followed his father down the village towards the harbour as the ships slowly approached the docks.

Behind him, Toothless walked faithfully after his Rider, uncertain what was happening. All he knew was that the two humans had been happy before they had returned to the island-but since, both were very unhappy and his friend the Nadder and her rider had left completely, almost certainly during the night, if the dispersion of their scents was anything to go by.

Toothless knew they would have to do something-and soon-because Hiccup's mate was carrying his young and they would need protecting. He had smelled the new hunters on the young Deathsong and knew from the wounded dragon what they were utterly ruthless.

This was no time for an expectant female of whatever species to be wandering the Archipelago alone.

oOo

The ships pulled in, the Bog Burglar crest emblazoned on the sails as the leading vessel pulled alongside the docks and the female crew threw lines to their Berk counterparts, who dutifully lashed the lines and moored the ship securely. Stoick gave a small smile, nodding as the gangplank slammed down and the impressive shape of Chief Bertha walked down. She was almost as tall and heavily built as Stoick, though her magnificent chest in the aptly-named breastplate heaved in the weak sun. Her eyes were blue and cool and her greying dark blonde hair was braided back and vanished under her helmet.

"Stoick," she grumbled loudly. "You could have written sooner." The Chief shrugged.

"Morning, Bertha," he said gruffly. "You know young people. He was gallivanting with that dragon of his. He's back now and eager to get on with things."

Hiccup's expression said the opposite.

"Well, at least he's grown a bit," the Bog Burglar Chief commented loudly, as if he was a piece of livestock. "I can't imagine the runt he was offering any sort of satisfaction to my daughter." Her astute gaze swept over the black shape behind the tall young man. "And this is the famed Night Fury. He looks...cute. i expected something a bit more impressive."

Toothless growled in his throat and Hiccup reached back and rested a hand on the dragon's neck.

"Easy, bud-you can incinerate her later," he said in a low voice.

"I hope not, sport," a familiar voice said at his side. His head snapped round to see the grinning shape of Camicazi Berthasdottir, the Heir to Bog, standing less than a foot from him. "Won't make for much of a happy marriage of you try to murder your mother in law and Chief!"

Hiccup stared, his emerald eyes wide. Cami had certainly grown up, though her brisk and knowing voice hadn't changed. She was very blonde, her wild hair long and framing a face that could be considered pretty. Her blue eyes were intelligent and filled with mischief and her lips were usually twisted in a smile, as if she was enjoying a private joke. A couple inches shy of Astrid in height, she more than made up for it in the chest department-as would be expected from the only daughter of a woman known to all as 'Big-Boobied Bertha'. Always moving and definitely too close, Hiccup backed up a pace and stared at her.

"Hi, Cami," he said warily. "She's not my Chief, never going to be my Chief and there isn't going to be a marriage." The girl arched a blonde eyebrow.

"Not what I heard," she pointed out.

"I am the Heir to Berk and the Head Dragon Trainer so I have to stay here," he told her.

"Again, not what I heard," she shot back dryly. "You've been off Berk for a year at an outpost...the Edge? So clearly the island can manage without you..."

"But I come back when needed...because out here, I was fighting Dragon Hunters, a mission that still isn't finished," he told her tightly. "And I already have someone I love and wish to marry. So no-there isn't going to be a wedding." She planted her hands on her hips, more curved than Astrid's but not a tenth as attractive to the young man facing her, and pouted.

"Do I need to explain to you what a Treaty is?" she challenged him.

"Do I need to explain to you what the word 'no' is?" he shot back. "I was never consulted-never even told until yesterday and my heart belongs to someone else. So I will not say any vows to you, Cami. I will not share a wedding cup or a wedding bed and I certainly will never move to Bog. I will stay here...and I want Astrid at my side, not you."

"Could be awkward since you're due to marry me-and I'm not really keen on sharing...unless she's especially open-minded..." she told him firmly. For the briefest of moments, he recalled that moment when she woke and self-consciously pulled the blankets to shield her chest from the man who had been intimate with her and he sighed.

"No," he said with finality. "She is respectable and decent and owns my heart. There is nothing here for you." She folded her arms and smirked at him, inspecting his pale face.

"Poor Hiccup, having a sulk," she teased him. "You know, when I was told, I wasn't too upset. I mean, I knew Mom would have to find someone because we don't really have guys to marry on the island...and honestly, I was happy it was you because you you're okay...a bit dorky and clumsy and prone to trouble but you're fun and I could tolerate you."

"Thanks," he said bitterly and then stared. "What? You mean you knew?" She nodded smugly.

"Yeah-from when I was ten, and the contract was made," she told him easily. "My Mom checked I was happy and I said it was okay. It was a shame you stopped coming to the Chief meetings because you were the only one who made them fun..."

"Yeah-fun for you, trouble for me," Hiccup grumped at her as Toothless sniggered her thoughtfully. Then he growled and nudged her hip several times. Idly, she drew out Hiccup's dagger and handed it back to the young man.

"Gotta keep my hand in," she reminded him.

"You might find people here don't like having their stuff stolen," he told her baldly. She shrugged.

"Should take better care of it then," she commented and shrugged. "You mean your Dad didn't tell you?" He threw his arms out wide.

"Why-why would he tell the fishbone he was completely ashamed of and thought he would be disowning for my cousin anyway?" he asked her bitterly. Her eyes widened. "Yeah-I stopped coming to the meetings because he stopped taking me-because he was ashamed of his son. Of the runt I was, so unlike all the other fine Heirs..." He glared at her.

"But he's always talking about you now," she told him. "He's proud of you-of the rider and trainer and warrior and leader that you have become. Of the battles you've fought and the enemies you have defeated. And of the adventures you have had!"

"But not proud enough to remember he sold me to your mother as some sacrificial lamb," he told her shortly and his eyes stared into hers. "Not proud of enough to notice I was falling in love, that I had the girl I have always loved as my girlfriend, my counsellor, my second in command, my heart. Not enough to realise he was destroying both our lives when he suddenly remembered he had wrecked my life by binding me to someone I don't love and will never marry."

"Hiccup..." she began but he turned to Toothless and leapt into the saddle.

"Up, bud," he said urgently and the dragon launched, surging upwards as the girl and her mother stared in shock. Stoick stared after him and threw his head back, his roar echoing all around the harbour.

"HICCUP..."