Hello everyone, I'm still alive!

I'm so sorry this chapter took so long to get uploaded. I can only attribute my laziness, stress and schoolwork as my excuse for taking this long in writing this chapter. But enough of that, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please leave a review or comments on your way out! Forgive me if my writing is a bit rusty. This is the longest one I've wrote so far and I hope this makes up for it.

In the midst of their heartened conversation the two seemed to forget on setting a destination and instead ended up lingering around the nobility's estates with no particular path in mind.

Unfortunately, their current footing was unconsciously leading them straight towards the residence of Weselton's highest official.

Geographically constructed within the center of the city, the castle retained shapely chucks of land just outside of its gray stone walls and is surrounded by a deeply-filled moat. Five massive towers overlook each side of the corners they were placed on, the largest of which situated northwest of the main gates. The portcullis was raised, allowing entry into the castle grounds. Guards stood at each side of the gate, spears to their side as they surveyed the daily incursion of people trudging over the wooden drawbridge, creaking and groaning under the weight of wheeled carts and heavy footsteps.

Just beyond the tiled floors of the footbridge stood a bald man, hands tucked beneath the sleeves of his expensive robes as he spoke quietly with a dirty-faced boy dressed in ragged clothing. Slowly, his gaze turned to regard the incoming pair without breaking the calm cadence of conversation.

Hiccup, who was looking over the castle to marvel its enormity, paused when his eyes locked with those of the fancy swathed man. Their eyes briefly meeting before the bald man broke it off. Instead switching his unreadable gaze to the dark-haired lady beside him.

For a moment, Hiccup was perplexed. Who was this guy and why does he look vaguely familiar? He racked his brain into remembering any recent interactions he's had with the nobles of this city and tried to match it with the man standing not twenty feet before him. Not that he encountered many, considering his current choice of attire looked rather plain to be singled out compared to their constricting clothing mix of lavish jewelry and colors. He mostly observed them from afar, absently comparing them to the closest one he's ever had a pleasant opinion of meeting with. And she's not even from this kingdom.

Digging a bit deeper, his thoughts carefully threaded back to his second, rather unpremeditated run-in with Edina.

He remembered that bleary morning quite vividly. Eret was knocked out, to say the least, after challenging a fellow drinker to a contest on who can last longer with a considerable amount of alcohol in their system the night before. Emboldened, they demanded the bartender to bring out his strongest drink, the gesture cementing the responded duel. It seems that Berk's deep gallons of Viking mead is no match against this foreign drink, for not more than six tankards later did Hiccup find the ex-dragon trapper snoring beneath his own stool, the other man looking no better than he did.

With a shake of his head he dragged Eret back to his room that night and dropped face first onto his own bed, the abrupt entry stirring Nora in her sleep. Much to his chagrin, sleep has decided to deprive him of that comfort as well. Waking way too early to be even considered as reasonable. And without Toothless to help compensate that early morning wake-up call with a blissful flight, he reluctantly got out of bed and decided to have a stroll around the city.

Hiccup found that walking around the city with its streets still rather empty and the sun a glowing sphere midway through its rise to be one of the most relaxing things he's come to experience next to flying. There was a certain appeal in surveying the towering buildings and elevating hills alone, the display looking more like art rather than homely-built structures.

Hiccup was so wrapped up in his musings that he nearly lost track of time during his walk around the wakening city. By the time he looked up, the sun was shining like dragon fire amidst the sea of blue skies and cotton clouds. Strolling back to his lodgings, he wonders if he should write this down in his journal. Mentally adding the thought to the growing list of things that he doesn't do as frequently as he did in the past.

As he rounded the corner of a cobbled street, his sight met him with a steady wall of uniformly dressed men wearing dark coats over their red clothing. The hilt of a sword could be seen attached to their belts while several of them held spears. Among them was an old man that disturbingly reminded him of Mildew, except with finer clothing, cleaner taste in hygiene, and a strange glass disk lodged in front of one of his eyes.

He and the guards were glancing uncertainly at three people who appear to be holding a quiet exchange. The tall one in the red garb looked to be another of cleaner Mildew's retinue while the person he was gripping on Hiccup recognized as the woman who helped his daughter the other day. She had a slightly panicked look on her face before slowly morphing into one of determination.

Hiccup knew that expression all too well. His experience with wild dragons has taught him enough to recognize the signs of being cornered, yet refusing to give in. Such situations generally end with more trouble being caused and someone getting hurt in the process. He had no doubt on how this situation would play out.

Looking back, he realized that he didn't fully regard the third person on the scene, his focus on Edina first and foremost in his mind at the time. The most distinguishable feature Hiccup could remember was the man's bald sense of coiffure. Which the person in front of him shared the similarity. Also, both seem to have the same dark eyes that are quick to study when something has caught their interest. Eyes that are currently latched on to Edina.

Nevertheless, Hiccup felt a hint of worry crease his brow as the man continued to stare at Edina, who was oblivious to the scrutiny. An odd, protective urge seemed to leap from his chest, clawing his mind to agree that he didn't like the way the man was looking at her like that. Abruptly, Hiccup placed a hand on her shoulder, earning himself a questioning glance.

Unable to think of a proper response, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "So, uh, when are you heading back to Arendelle?"

Edina immediately stiffened. Realizing what he'd just said, Hiccup hurriedly added, "Not that I don't enjoy your company, of course! It's been great actually. It's just that, ah, you seem like an important person and based from what I know they usually tend to be busy and all. And it got me all wondering, you know, when you'll... leave?" he ended awkwardly, inwardly cringing at what he must have sounded like.

There was a moment of tense silence before Edina sighed and gave him a small smile. "If I didn't know any better it sounds as if you're trying to get rid of me," she teased.

"No! Erm, far from it actually." Hiccup cleared his throat loudly and looked away, face heating up.

Edina looked surprised but thankfully she let it slide. "In any case, you are correct. I am due to leave in two days. Stay any longer and my council would probably dispatch an envoy to fetch me personally." She released an aggravated sigh.

"Tell me about it," he muttered, thoughts ranging back to Berk's own small council and how annoyingly persistent they can be when opportunity calls for it.

Ignoring the odd glance she gave him, he tried to look on the bright side. "Well, at least you'll get to see your sister again, right?" Edina only ever mentioned her once or twice during the entirety of their conversations and never by name, but Hiccup noticed the way her bright eyes would soften, how her voice carried lighthearted affection as she recounted her sister's antics involving tapestry. Clearly she cares deeply for her sibling.

He couldn't relate, at least not fully since he never had a sibling of his own. The closest he's had is Snotlout and he found it hard to picture a scenario of himself sharing the same situations as Edina and her sister had with his cousin due to the manner of how they were raised. So instead he tried to compare it to his bond with Toothless. Despite the wonderful time he's had here Hiccup sorely missed his dragon and wished that he was there with him. The Night Fury would certainly be helpful in his situation right now.

Even from a fair distance away Hiccup could feel the man's gaze staring holes at the back of his head. For a moment he considered turning around to straight up ask him what his problem was, but then brushed it off. He was pretty sure that such a simple question could be seen as an act of provocation and might possibly land him a one way trip down the castle dungeons. While the curious side of him would have loved to examine the inner workings of a grand castle such as this, the logical side sarcastically noted that he would more likely find himself observing the place behind the confines of a cell.

"Yes," she said, the corners of her lips quirking up. "I do miss her very much. I can only imagine how she's handling the household affairs back home while I'm gone. She can be quite the handful at times so I can't say that I'm not a little worried.

"But it's not just that," she continued on, smoothing her fingers across the fabric of her dress. "During my stay here I didn't expect to actually enjoy the country where my own has strained relationships with, nor did I envision meeting a little girl and her father here to make the process of returning home slightly more difficult than I first considered it to be."

She was looking at him now, the sunlight making the icy blue flecks around her pupil flicker as if they were glowing. Her cheeks were flushed, probably due to the oppressive heat of the day. This brought his attention towards the light dust of freckles across her cheeks which he failed to notice before. Her eyes were filled with an emotion that he couldn't discern.

They stared at each for a moment before the words registered in his mind. Unexpected warmth flooded his chest though he couldn't explain as to why. In truth, he tried not to think too much of Edina's inevitable departure for he had come to enjoy the companionship and presence she provided this past week.

He tried to brush it off as nothing of concern, that she's just one of those people he draws himself into when traveling into different villages, never seeing them again once he's moved on to another area. But he knows that he simply can't do that. People have told him before that he is far too compassionate for his own good, and maybe they're right. He has never been someone who treats other people as objects of usage or pawns, not even his subordinates. Edina was no exception.

Besides, if his recent exclamation of his own thoughts were to be examined he would be a hypocrite to deny that he feels the same way as she did. Not that he would say that out loud of course.

"Only slightly?" he joked in false bravado, trying to bury these unbidden thoughts in exchange for humor. "Damn, and here I thought I could actually convince you to stay here using my clearly superior persuasion skills and proceed with the next phase of my devious plan."

Edina nearly rolled her eyes at his display, but she played along. "Superior is not the proper word I would use to describe it. Probably decent at best. Do pray tell what this next step of your master plan is?"

"Why to lure you in with pastries and my cheerful personality of course! Then, when you least suspect it I will drag you with me to the most boring... uh... opera house I can find here and force you to attend until you beg me to release you and agree to give what I desire."

"An ingenious plan indeed," she responded dryly. "But you must best know that I do not beg nor will I give in so easily to your interrogations, good sir. Surely, there must be some common ground we can agree on so as to avoid this tedious manner of getting what you want? Feel free to speak then."

"What I want is for you to relax and think nothing of your leave for now and enjoy the remaining two days you have here with us," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. Lowering his eyes to meet hers to show that he was being serious. "Don't overthink it. Just let it happen and be yourself, not some highborn lady with duties back home."

Edina said nothing at first before giving a slow, hesitant nod. "Alright, I suppose I can do that." She studied him closely, before adding, "You have a strange way with words, Hiccup. Most might say you're a bad influence for people like me, but I like to think that there is some clarity to your words."

Hiccup shrugged at her. "I've been told that I can be very persuasive at times. Now," he clapped and eagerly rubbed his hands together. "let's see if we can make up for lost time. So where do you wanna go first? You call the shots and I'll be there to follow, no questions asked."

Edina wanted to protest that he didn't have to do that but then relented knowing that Hiccup is stubborn enough to not back down from his word. A gentle smile adorned her face at the thought.

"Well, for a start we can go look for Cassandra and the others first then let's see where we go from there. Seeing as you are so adamant in making sure that I make the most of my time here, I don't suppose you mind covering the expenses for my remaining stay?" She smirked evilly, taking quiet pleasure at how much his face paled at the implication.

She laughed and Hiccup had the grace to grin ruefully before joining her. He smiled inwardly, glad that things were going well between them.

Behind them, a similar expression slithered over the bald man's face as he watched the pair disappear behind a corner of the following street. A wise decision made. Or a foolish one, depending on how one sees it.

"Lord Varen?"

The Weselton noble swiveled his head towards the voice of an approaching guard, whose uniform mark him the rank of captain. He saluted once in greeting. The boy was long gone, disappearing into the crowd after delivering his report to the peculiar lord.

"There is a trader by the docks who wishes to see you, milord. Says he came from the west and has something to discuss with you."

Varen smiled at him. "Excellent. Tell him I'll be there shortly."

000

The following evening found themselves surrounded by chattering and boisterous people in the second floor of a well-established restaurant. The owner of the said establishment had decided to throw in a party since the place was lacking in customers this past week thanks to the arrival of the festivities. With most of the people in the immediate vicinity flocking the town square like moths to a flame, he invited several of his friends and old acquaintances available for a quiet night of merriment and laughter.

Apparently, the carpenter who helped fix the wooden boards of the restaurant knew a co-worker whose friends with the local harbourmaster who recommended the carpenter's services into fixing Eret's damaged ship after it once escaped a brutal storm. Which in turn allowed him and his companions quick entry into the party.

Hiccup wasn't sure if the invitation extended into bringing 'friends of friends' but he can hardly complain since he was currently digging into the dining specialty: rabbit stew.

He certainly didn't expect it to taste as mouthwatering as it smelled, if not better. The way the fragrant, rich meat melted off the bones as he ate. Spices of different mixture rolled along his tongue, giving the stew a lavish taste. When they brought out freshly baked loaves, he couldn't help himself into breaking pieces off and dipping them in the leftovers.

It has been a while since he felt this filled to the brim that he can barely keep his stomach contained. He groaned and wondered loudly to Eret if all the food here tasted this good. He merely laughed at him. "All good things come with a hefty price, Chief!" He said before drowning in another tankard of wine.

Hiccup was half-tempted into asking the cook for the recipe, despite knowing how tight-lipped they would be since it's a branch favorite. Being a cook himself, and the only able one in the household, he has to up his game.

The brunette stifled a yawn as he realized he had dozed off in a comfy-looking chair by the corner of the room, wakened by the sudden explosion of laughter somewhere to his right. Stretching his arms and legs, he wondered where the others were. He checked the pocket watch he recently procured and was relieved to see that the night was not nearly done as he had thought.

Surveying the room, he tried to think with a clear head. He knew Nora was downstairs with the other children monitored by the owner's wife, so that checked her out for now. After some contemplation he found Eret sitting right next to a couple of bearded men much bigger than him and some women, seemingly engrossed at the ludicrous tale the ex-dragon trapper was telling them about some octopus lady and a pitched fork. He sincerely hoped that those empty tankards by the counter next to him were not all from his drinking.

Edina and Cassandra were not too far from them, the tall woman also sitting in a chair while being surrounded by giggling, gossiping, women. They looked to be enjoying themselves as well.

He felt another urge to yawn and this time he didn't restrain it as he stood up and made to grab some food. The table filled with many plates of colorful food was situated by the wall at the left side of the room, next to it the windows were opened to expel the aroma of different flavors outside.

Arriving at the table, he frowned as he noticed the plates previously serving a variety of meat, fish and steamed vegetables were now filled with soft, golden brown chunks covered in paper-lined cups. He grabbed one and sniffed it experimentally, taking a tentative bite out of the muffin.

Eh, he thought it tasted like wheat bread mixed with some fruit he couldn't identify. It was also a bit dry, with some hard bits that made it hard to chew at. Though it did leave a savory taste in his mouth.

So there he stood, leaning by the edge of the table and absently chewing on some baked muffin while he gazed out the window. Though he was used to parties, all out ones that were much crazier than this, he preferred to watch from the sidelines. It was easier sitting around his podium raised chair with Astrid to keep him company.

Nope. Nope. Wandering thoughts. He promised himself to relax and keep his thoughts away from home as possible. He would be a hypocrite if he didn't follow his own advice to Edina.

It did made him think though, this was the first time he thought of her or Berk in a long while, excluding Edina's questioning. With what was going on around here and meeting the others, he hadn't even thought of home once. He didn't know whether to feel guilty or not.

Regardless, he supposed his mother was right. He really did need this after all. The stress of his duties as chief and now single-handedly caring for his daughter aside, he never gave himself full time to sink in his thoughts and think about things besides his recent tragedy. Valka may have not been there for most of his life, but he was glad for her guidance and the interactions they had with one another. As well as having a parental figure for him to lean on.

A loud crash behind him followed by nervous chatter broke his thoughts. Turning around, he saw an embarrassed serving maid apologizing profusely to the a man for wetting his shirt with the filled pitcher she was serving. The man, already halfway drunk with the wine he's drank merely laughed and slipped an arm around her waist, dragging the poor, flustered maid with him to introduce her to his friends by the counter.

Hiccup snorted halfheartedly at the display and swung his gaze back to the outside view—only to find himself face-to-face with massive, familiar green eyes.

He let out a rather unmanly yelp which was fortunately ignored by the people within the vicinity.

"Toothless!?" exclaimed Hiccup incredulously.

The 'toothless' grin and flopping tongue he received confirmed his suspicions.

"W-What are you doing here? Wait, were you spotted? Toothless, you know these people have never seen a dragon before! What if they panicked? We could end up in big trouble," Hiccup whispered furiously, realizing that his loud display might attract unwanted attention.

Toothless tilted his head at him curiously, wondering what the big deal was. A large amount of the humans were congregated in the central area with the many lights so it's not as if many would even care to notice him. Being detected by oblivious humans under the cover of nightfall would be a huge blow to his pride and reputation as a Night Fury. Terrors everywhere would be sure to mock at him if word of that ever happened!

Shutting out his rider's rambling, the dragon's attention soon focused on the object clutched in his left hand. His stomach rumbled, he hadn't had anything all day, with having to expend time into dodging nosy humans and sharing his meals with a grumpy Rumblehorn. His mouth watered and his pupils dilated into round orbs as he locked gazes with the pastry.

"Look, I miss you too, bud, and I know we've been here far longer than expected but you could least give me some warning when you're about to show up. I mean, you nearly gave me a heart at—" Hiccup blinked, his speech suddenly cutting off as something warm and slimy covered his hand hanging out the window. His gaze drifted down to see Toothless' mouth covering his entire hand, soft gums and forked tongue slipping through his fingers and latching on the muffin. Pulling back with a pop, he swallowed with a loud gulp and slurped his snout. The dragon stared at him expectantly.

"Well, it's always a good thing to know what your first priorities are, bud," he said sarcastically, giving a look of disgust at his slime-covered hand before wiping it with the tablecloth. "Why don't we take this conversation somewhere private? I'll see you outside on the balcony. Try to make as little noise as possible." He said before heading off towards the double wooden doors leading to the balcony, missing Toothless' eye roll before the dragon hefted himself towards the roof and slithered through the tiles.

Opening the doors as quietly as he could, he managed to slip through and made it four steps across before being bowled over by an excited Night Fury.

"Gah!" Toothless smothered him with long, drooling licks until he was satisfied his human has had enough. He then nudged the brunette with his nose, giving a content purr.

Despite his initial annoyance and anxiety, Hiccup couldn't help but release a loud chuckle at Toothless' more than cheerful greeting. Patting his scaly head, he sat up and pressed his forehead against his, murmuring, "You're a sight for sore eyes, bud. I wish you'd been here with me for past week, really could've used your help on a few occasions." Toothless began to growl. "No, no, mister, no one needs to get torched up their as—well, okay, there might be a few that needed a smack on their ego but that's besides the point."

Toothless huffed, obviously not agreeing with that notion. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you think what you like, Mr. Bossy. Anyway, this place is amazing. The sights, the people, just everything is so unlike Berk. Unlike anywhere we've been before. The first couple of days were a bit rocky but then we met these people who helped made our stay a lot more pleasant than we expected it to be. In fact, I wish I could introduce you to her, she's a good friend. Smart and clever too. She's a bit unnerving at times but that's just part of her charm, I guess. I'm sure you'd like her." The dragon looked skeptical. He has never been one for first impressions, preferring to be straightforward about it. Identify whether the unknown intruder is dangerous or not and deciding whether to blast or frighten the poor soul if it was indeed a threat.

"I know that look, and no, Toothless, you are not simply blasting her just because you don't like her. Look at the last time that happened, Berk almost got dragged into another war with the Berserkers just because you didn't like Nóttilla at first glance, and she turned out fine!" Toothless made a noise that suspiciously sounded like a whine. "Yeah, well, let's forget about that. It's not like you two would ever get the chance of meeting each other anyway, she would probably be terrified. That said, she sometimes reminds me of—"

The door creaked.

The two froze, like deer caught in headlights.

Hiccup turned his head towards the door then back to Toothless and hissed, "Quickly, go!"

With a speed that matched his own namesake, Toothless bolted over the edge of the balcony while Hiccup scrambled up to straighten his clothes before turning to lean on the rail, feigning a casualness that he definitely wasn't feeling at the moment.

"Hiccup?" The door opened a bit, enough to reveal the inquisitive yet concerned face of Edina. "Am I interrupting something?"

"N-No, of course not!" he said unconvincingly. Clearly she thought of that as well by the look on her face. "Just getting some fresh air, you know. It can get pretty crowded in there."

"I see." She stepped through the door, revealing the dark blue dress she wore for the evening. She made her way towards him and followed his gesture of leaning over the rail. "I noticed you stepped out of the room. Is something wrong?"

Hiccup considered his next words. He has lied on several occasions, but was never keen on directtly lying. He's more or less preferred to skirt around the truth. And judging by the look Edina is giving him, she's not going to be dissuaded so easily.

"I'm just thinking about home I guess." Which was partially true, it had been on his thought moments before Toothless interrupted him. The dragon's reappearance only solidified what he had suspected, that he was feeling homesick.

Her eyes softened, full of understanding. "I can relate," she said before facing the view on the balcony.

There was a lengthened silence between them before she continued, "I tried following your advice." He looked at her, a bit confused. "Distracting myself. Focus on what's happening now rather than what happens next. It worked, for a while. Gave me some comfort and reprieve while I gathered my thoughts. In the end, Arendelle still inhabits the forefront of my mind. Not as a reminder of duty, no, but more of the place where I can read books and relax by the fireplace. Where my sister would call me out at some random point in time to show me something that would make me smile. It made me remember all the people and things that I've been through. It reminded me of the place I called home." She said simply.

"I guess even the most well-thought-out plans can be disrupted by the tiniest of details," he agreed. "I've been having some sort of recollection as well. Can't leave all that behind when you have something to go back to. Home can be found anywhere though. It depends on where you're comfortable with or the type people you'd have with you on that particular path. It defines you as much as you determine where it is."

They stopped at that, staring over the edge as the moon floated high above the horizon. A gentle breeze filled the late evening air, billowing a cool atmosphere throughout the town which marked in contrast to the humid upbringing during the day. The restaurant building was built along the side of a residing hill, providing a limited but entrancing view of the city.

Toothless spied the two from an adjacent roof above them, eyeing the woman carefully. He's uncertain on what to feel, certainly not enough to warrant a plasma blast off the side of the building. But he doesn't fully trust her either. There's this strange aura that he can sense encompassing her, nothing that can be seen or smelled, but there nonetheless, made known to him by instinct that kept him alive all these years.

Since Hiccup told him not to interfere, and as far as he can tell the woman doesn't seem to have any bad intentions towards his rider, he supposes he could lay them off for tonight. In fact, there looks to be some familiarity between them that makes him believe that he can leave them alone without any fear of assault. Besides, recent events has forced him to modify flight plans for tonight. Now assured that his rider is safe, there are far more pressing issues he must resolve...

"Are you familiar with constellations?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Hiccup was taken aback by the abrupt change in topic, and he may or may not have been distracted by how her dark hair coincides with the midnight chill of the evening sky. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Did you say 'consternation'?"

"Constellations," she corrected. "It's when a group of stars form a specific pattern and is given a name after some mythological being they were based on."

"Oh. I've heard of the term but I'm not well informed in that aspect."

"I see. Would you like me to point them out for you?" At his nod, she pursed her lips and turned her attention to the sky. "My memory is a bit sketchy so forgive me if I seem to take too long. I read them once in book somewhere but never got chance to personally see it in person before."

While she kept looking, Hiccup's attention was drawn to the curve of her neck as it stretched when Edina tilted her head to peer at a particular formation in the sky before mumbling to herself. Eyes moving up—he gulped as he tried not to focus too much on her pouting lips—he noticed a slight red tint spread across her cheeks that was previously hidden by the underlying shadow of the night.

"Hey Edina," he called out slowly, receiving a hum in reply. "you're not drunk, are you?"

Her expression quickly changed from quiet contemplation into an irritated scowl directed at him. "Not you too," she exhaled exasperatedly. "I've been getting the same treatment from Cassandra all night. There's no need to point out that I've consumed a considerable amount of wine. I am not drunk, only slightly inebriated."

Hiccup raised his hands up in a placating gesture. "Alright then. No comments here. Mouth promptly shut." He made a gesture with his forefinger and thumb, zipping it from one end of his mouth to the other.

Edina gave a sigh of thanks, completely missing the sarcastic undertone of his actions.

"Up there." She pointed at the sky with her finger. "See those four stars? Try to imagine a line between the spaces and interconnect it. Those form the handle. Below the two stars with widest space are two more stars, imagine lines between those spaces and you can see it forms a box. Together they form a constellation called the Hellewagen."

Hiccup squinted at it critically, trying to visualize the starry spectacle in his mind's eye. "It looks like an oversized frying pan if you ask me."

Sweet, melodic laughter burst from her lips which echoed through the air in the absence of other significant noise. "It does seem like one, doesn't it? I never thought of it that way before."

Now that he thought about it, he vaguely remembered Gobber mentioning to him that Viking sailors use the stars in the sky for navigation purposes when maps are unreliable. He certainly couldn't see it. How could stars be used to provide a path for the destination planned? He wondered if the sailors themselves used to give names for star formations like the Hellewagen to pass the time at sea.

"What's next?" he asked eagerly, clearly intrigued by the subject matter.

She pointed to another set of stars further southwest from the Hellewagen. "That's Dain, one of the deer constellations. You can see how those two stars there make up the back leg, and another pair for the front leg and trunk. One star marks the neck while the bright one is its eye. Those four form the antlers. It's been a subject of discussion whether or not it was named after a dwarf or elf in the mythology."

The conversation went on for the rest of the night. With Hiccup pointing out different stars while Edina provided verbatim commentary. It was surprising how he discovered some of the names chosen for the constellations came from creatures and gods from Norse belief. He didn't think many outside the Archipelago knew of their history.

They arrived to a slight disagreement when they came upon the dragon constellation, Nídhögg.

"But that's not a dragon," Hiccup argued after Edina pointed out the famed serpent who resided to gnawing the roots underneath the World Tree. "It has a different body structure compared to one and it doesn't even have wings—or legs!"

"It's just a name used to symbolize the constellation, Hiccup," giggled Edina. "It's not meant to be taken literally."

"Yeah, but still," he looked slightly miffed, though he wasn't sure why. "It doesn't make sense to name it after a fearsome creature especially when it doesn't even look like it."

"You act as if you've seen an actual one before." She looked amused.

Hiccup grinned at her. "What if I have?"

"Then that can only mean two things," she declared, holding up two fingers. "One, I am now way above my own alcohol level and am hallucinating these beings as figments of my imagination. Or two, to simply put it, they are real. I am more inclined to go through with the former rather than the latter for obvious reasons." They both laughed at that.

After some time they came to a standstill, breathing heavily after the constant talking made their throats parched and the weariness of the day seeping into their skin. Edina's eyelids begin to droop, the wine she consumed earlier and the feeling of something warm next to her affecting her stance. Stifling a yawn, she surrendered to her uneven thoughts, leaning to this warm presence beside her.

Hiccup nearly jumped out of his own prosthetic when he felt a slight weight lean against the right side of his body. Turning his head, he was met with a head of spiky black hair and closed eyes as she laid her head on his shoulder. He blinked, surprised. Edina was normally sensitive in letting others touch her, and he almost woke her up before he caught sight of the contented expression on her face which made him pause.

He smiled at the way her eyebrows would furrow, causing the dark strands to scrunch up near her forehead. The worry lines he frequently saw on her face disappeared from her features, replaced by smooth skin he was tempted to run his fingers over. She really looks cute when she doesn't even try to. Hiccup sighed regretfully, his thoughts and intentions of going back inside for a drink had come to a screeching halt.

Instead he scooted a bit, allowing her to lean her body more comfortably on him. She hummed in approval, snuggling up to Hiccup's side and not letting go anytime soon.

There they stood under the baleful glow of the moonlight, Hiccup watching the proceedings below as tired people returned to their homes after a fruitful night at the carnival, with Edina resting beside him and Toothless hanging over the slanted roof, stealing every bite of muffin left on the table provided by the open window.

000

The Spritedancer was at first glance an unassuming merchant sea vessel. Plain as it appeared to be, it was built with the sole intention of delivering trade goods as swift and efficient as possible. The schooner was also equipped with several cannons along the deck as a defense mechanism. Though it was unsophisticated compared it its heavily-built cousins, Hiccup stared at as if it were a Man o' War.

He took note of the taller masts and rope shrouds leading towards the small platform at the top of the ship. It was an ingenious approach to look out for any incoming ships or land. The ship's wheel was a lot more accessible than their log shaped tiller. Vikings in general don't rely on projectile weapons on their ships, preferring to row towards the enemy range and bash them with a battleaxe. But Hiccup could see the advantages of such heavy support fire. The double masts could also provide a significant amount of wind for the sails if implemented properly.

Shaken off from his dazed stupor by someone bumping into him, he realized he looked out of place as the only one in the pier who was gaping at the floating vessel. He hurried off to Edina's ship.

Luckily, or unluckily, he just made it in time to witness Cassandra's teary goodbye to Eret. The poor man was being hugged to the point of constriction by the petite redhead, though he patted her back all the same while whispering something to her that made her grip tighten. He noticed Hiccup as he walked past and gave the Chief a weak thumbs up. Hiccup snickered to himself. Looks like Ruff is going to have competition.

He spotted Edina crouching in front Nora at the end of the pier. The outfit she wore was modest—a lavender dress with short sleeves and a deep purple bodice. She wore a green shawl around her shoulders, though he could only imagine why since the heat of the day was scorching. They were talking but he could not catch the words over the noise coming from other ships and bystanders. They were giggling at something before Nora wrapped her arms around her neck in a hug. Edina looked surprised but returned the hug as well. The blonde turned her head a bit and whispered something in her ear that made Edina blush and glare back at the innocent looking girl as she pulled back.

Edina gave a long-suffering sigh, muttering something under her breath before leaning in to kiss her slightly messy hair. Nora gave one last farewell before turning around and running straight to Hiccup.

"Hey dad!" She greeted brightly.

"Morning Nora." He tousled her already unruly hair, earning him a giggle. "Have you said your goodbyes to Edina?"

"Yup! She was really nice about it. I'm going to miss her though. Will we ever see her again?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"It's hard to say, kiddo," he said to her, guilt running through him at how downcast her face turned. "She lives really far from us. Only the gods can tell when and where our paths would cross again."

"Oh," she muttered, eyes down before brightening up again. "But we can try and visit her, right?"

Hiccup wasn't sure if that was a good idea but not wanting to make his daughter sad again he gave her a conspiratorial smile instead. "We'll see."

Nora hugged him once more before heading towards Cassandra, leaving Hiccup to slowly walk up to Edina who was facing the sea.

"You know, I've never really been fond of goodbyes," she spoke as he stood next to her. "They always seem so... permanent. As if it's the last thing someone feels the urge to say before leaving them for good."

"Those are the usual cases when someone says goodbye." Hiccup commented, scratching his beard.

Edina turned her head sideways, slightly glancing at him. "Maybe, but not all of them. Especially when the person is not quite finished in saying hello yet."

"Is that so?" He turned to look at her, eyes locking. He was beginning to get used to the companionable silence that started to become natural between them. But as far as he can tell that was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment.

She looked uncomfortable, her hands folded in front of her which he noticed were covered with white gloves. Strange, he never once saw her wear them in the span she had been in Weselton.

"Hiccup, I must apologize for my... behavior last night, if it made you uncomfortable. I should have listened to Cassandra's warnings and never indulged myself in that amount of alcohol." She appeared more embarrassed now, averting her eyes from his. "I hope you don't misinterpret my actions as lewd or offensive. I was not in the proper state of mind."

"Well, you did seem sober enough to provide a fascinating introduction to basic astronomy," he added unhelpfully. The look she gave him was not amused.

"It's all right, Edina. It's not as if you're the only one at fault here. I mean, I think would've made known if I wasn't okay with it. Which I was." Hiccup added that last bit to ease her nerves. Truthfully, he also didn't know what to feel about last night. His conscious kept urging him all night to wake her up but he didn't and he felt unusually calm about that. He tried not to put much thought in it.

"Still," she looked uncertain. "It was improper of me to do but I guess we can put those distractions aside for now. I'm sure I don't want your final memory of me to be this blubbering mess in front you." She gave him a wan smile.

"Yeah, and I don't want yours of me to be a poor remembrance of all this." He gestured to himself.

Edina raised an eyebrow. "You just pointed to all of you."

"Exactly." He agreed. He was dressed in his green tunic combined with an old bear fur vest, looking every bit as his fifteen-year old self minus the growth spurt. "I look like some brute next to you!"

"Now you're exaggerating. You look fine, if not a bit eccentric. Where did you even get that vest?"

"I've actually been wearing it since I was a teenager. But that's not all of it. I seem to notice someone spoiling Nora rotten these past few days more than what I do in a year," he pointed out accusingly.

"I admit nothing."

Her face was stoic but there was mischievous gleam in her eye when she said the words. "Besides, she's adorable. It would be difficult for any person not to succumb to her wishes. Someone has to set up a standard against the likes of you." She hid a smile at the groan he gave, then became serious. "I wish there was some way we can contact each other again but I fear that these upcoming months will be time consuming enough for me that I may not be granted the same freedom as I once had here without breaking a few more rules. And I simply cannot do that."

Hiccup was silent. He knew he should try and voice out that it wasn't all impossible and that there's always a way, but he didn't. Even he would have a hard time if he actually traveled to Arendelle to visit her. Where would he find her? What if she didn't really want him there because she was embarrassed with others knowing that she herself associated with a Viking like him? No, personal meetings were definitely a cross out of the list. Then that leaves...

"I've got it!" he cried out, startling Edina out of her musings. "Do you have something—I don't know like a personal belonging I could borrow? I promise I'm not going to steal it or anything! It's really crucial in this plan of mine for it to work." He looked really excited, trying to erase the doubts that were forming in his head.

Edina blinks at him once, then twice before raising her hands to the back of her head and unlacing the string holding the blue stone pendant around her neck. She held the necklace in her hand and reached it out to him. "Am I right to assume that you won't be divulging any of what you're planning to me and I just have to sit back and wait for it to play out until it hits me in the face?"

"Of course! Where'd be the fun if I spoil the surprise?" He grinned at her, nearly missing the worried expression on her face. "Don't worry, I promise to keep it as low key as possible."

"I would hope so. I would hate to be responsible for the trouble you put yourself into for something simple as sending a letter." They both got a chuckle out of that.

Edina was then approached by a sailor of the Spritedancer, informing her that the ship was about to set sail.

"Well, I suppose this is it," Edina muttered as the last of her belongings were settled on deck. She turned to Hiccup and for formality's sake she extended her hand. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, Hiccup."

He looked surprised, but a slow grin formed his face. He caught her gloved hand and shook it firmly. "Fair winds and following seas to you, Edina. May your journey back to Arendelle be swift and sheltered." He responded in farewell, quoting the old sailing proverb.

With one last fleeting smile, she stepped back and boarded the Spritedancer just as the captain barked orders at his crew to man the sails and shift starboard. The ship groaned, the wooden ports and planks shuddering after being on land for so long, then settled. The ship was well underway.

Hiccup stood next to his daughter and Eret, waving at the retreating ship as it trudged through the waves at a brisk pace towards the outlying waters of the sea.

"You know, I have the strangest feeling that we'll come across them again." Eret commented, just as the ship disappeared from view.

"Why's that?" Hiccup looked curious. It wasn't a normal occurrence for Eret to give such insight on matters such as this.

"Just a feeling," he dismissed offhandedly. "It's probably nothing. I know how you like to scoff my deep appreciation for guessing as mere coincidences."

"Which they usually are."

"Not always!"

"I hope we get to see them again soon!" piped up Nora.

"Me too," Hiccup muttered. "Come on, let's get something to eat. People are now staring at us for waving at nothing."

Privately, Hiccup also had this inkling that this wasn't the last time he was going to see Edina. An uncomfortable feeling rose within him and he tried to brush it off as it kept harrying that their next encounter will not be so pleasant.

Finally, the next chapter is where the story is starting to come into place. Just bear with me on when my next upload date is. I wonder what plan is Hiccup willing to do in order to contact 'Edina'?

I've actually stumbled into a bit of a personal dilemma—nothing too drastic that will affect the story of course. I don't know if you're familiar with fanfiction writer thaipothetical, who is well known for her slightly dark but compelling HTTYD stories but during these last few months her account was deactivated, and with it all of her stories.

Now, I'm not saying I know her personally. I messaged her once about her story and that's about it, but her stories were one of my favoritse in this fandom. So I was disappointed to see one day when I searched one of her stories and came up empty-handed. I've already experienced it on unfinished stories before but this is the first time it happened to a story I know was finished. So imagine my surprise when I realized I have two of her stories saved in my iPad months prior and somehow forgotten about it until recently. One of which is complete and the other I'm unsure of because I forgot the total number of chapters when I first read it.

It seems sort of unfair to me that I only get to read these amazing stories while they disappeared off the net. I want to post them again crediting the original author but I'm not sure if that's disrespectful or a violation of her property so I just dismissed the idea. I don't want to look like I'm stealing her work or anything. For those interested to know, the stories saved were Sacrifices and Firechild, and currently I'm not planning anything about it. Though I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Aside from that, like I said, wish me luck in these final two months of my classes before summer starts. I hope I can improve two of my classes as I'm aiming to get grades above average. See you in the next chapter!