A/N - Okay, I received several requests to extend this story beyond the one chapter. So I thought I would. Now, THIS IS IMPORTANT - this is a Astrid/Eret story so if you don't like them together then DON'T READ ANY FURTHER. Seriously. If you lead me negative reviews I will laugh at them. Seriously.

This was a requested story in spirit of Days - Hidden Scene. I'll warn you again that this is an Eret/Astrid story and it's rated M for a reason.

You've been warned.

A/N - because I want to make sure that the format of this story doesn't cause confusion, there are two periods in time that I'm jumping bath and forth between, the present, and the recent past ( i.e. every other scene is in the present while every other other scene in in the resent past). Make sense? Good.

X

Title: Secret Affairs

There was something in the water. The warm moist air she inhaled rejuvenated her chilled insides, rushing humidity through her nose and down her throat, thawing out her tired muscles. The hot springs were tucked inside a mountainous cavern and muffled the raging storm outside. Thunder thrashed against the world, hammering against the sky, threatening to rip it apart. Lightning was flashing, no doubt, but from within the rocky confines she couldn't see it.

Her only light was a red-orange fire, lit by dragon flame, flickering against the raged walls. These hot springs were scattered into the cavern which wound down, deep into the earth. The sound of rushing water echoed and mixed with the storm's pounding rain. The sound was constant and soothing.

Astrid exhaled. Her breath was lost in the rising steam. She feathered her hands through the water and splashed it up on her arms. She was filthy. Absolutely disgusting. She could feel the mud stuck to her skin like glue. It clung and gripped and she had to scrub it away.

X

Eret was again staring at the massive dragon he'd so honorable accepted. Skullcrusher, a rightly bestowed name, stared back at him. He hadn't attempted to ride the thing. This dragon wasn't like the others. It had little eyes that glared at him with contempt and mistrust.

He reached out and touched the dragon's snout, like he'd seen the other dragon riders do, but Skullcrusher would flare his nostrils and shake his head, rearing his head away from Eret.

"What do you want from me, then?" Eret demanded.

Skullcrusher snorted and trilled, shaking his armored head.

Eret harrumphed. "Damned beast."

Skullcrusher snorted louder, snarling at Eret, who stood back. Good dragon or not, he did not want to be on the receiving end of a dragon's bad temper. And this beast had plenty of that. He could see it in the way that he looked at him. All the dragons looked at him, like they knew he used to be a trapper, the best he might add. It was like those beasts actually knew that he didn't trust them either.

"Well, look at you two," Astrid dropped down from the sky on that tame nadder of hers. "You're bonding well?"

"Are you kidding?" Eret pointed at Skullcrusher, "This stubborn beast won't let me close. It's like trying to communicate with a bolder."

"Right, right, it's the dragon's fault." Astrid grinned.

"Is that sarcasm I hear?"

"Is is?"

"Did you need something?"

"Gobber told me that you're having difficulty with your new dragon." Astrid said, as if it were gossip she shouldn't be repeating.

"I am not," Eret said, feeling a stab to his pride. He was the best damn dragon trapper. He should at least be able to conquer one of these beasts. That this one was already tame. It was just being stubborn and rude.

Skullcrusher grunted, shaking his horn at Eret.

"Oh, you can read minds now, too?" Eret said.

Astrid smiled and crossing her arms like a disapproving teacher. "We've got a lot of ground to cover."

"We?" Eret repeated. "What's this 'we'?"

"I'm going to help you learn how to ride a dragon, Berk style, not Dragon style. His way is wrong. Our way is right." Astrid said with a nod.

X

Astrid had been keeping her hair out of the water. She had twisted her braid into a bun to keep it dry but it had come loose. It fell onto her shoulder and when she reached over to twist it back up, she saw the brown speckles, and her hand paused in midair. She groaned, knowing that she'd have to wash it out.

She roughly untied the end and tossed it by her clothes. She wiggled her fingers through the braid and loosened it. The mud clung in clumps and made untangling it difficult. When the braid was replaced by muddied gold, Astrid held her breath, closed her eyes tight, and dunked her head underneath the water.

X

"It's about trust, not force," Astrid instructed. She's managed to get Eret and Skullcrusher into the air but they hadn't made but half a lap around the island when things began to turn ugly. She saw the problem immediately. Eret had his idea of what do to and Skullcrusher has his own. And they weren't listening to one another.

Eret muttered something intelligibly. Gods, he was as stubborn as the dragon. Maybe a little worse. But, she'd taken charge of helping him with his dragon training problems and by Odin, she was going to fix it.

"No, you stubborn beast, go left, LEFT!" Eret shouted. Skullcrusher growled and shook his head.

"Eret," Astrid shouted, "Let's land."

"How?" Eret shouted, his irritation obvious and loud.

Astrid groaned. She padded Stormfly's side and she emitted a series of trills and Skullcrusher responded with his own. An island appeared beneath them and the two dragons began their decent.

"I didn't tell him to do that!"

"You have to let him fly, Eret, trust the dragon."

Stormfly landed softly whereas Skullcrusher slammed his weight onto the ground, thudding hard, and sent Eret skidding off the saddle. He yelped and landed in a heap several steps away from the dragon.

"Damn beast." Eret spat.

"Eret," Astrid said, a bit more forcibly.

Skullcrusher exhaled, a puff of fire lighting the air a little too close to Eret's fur lined shirt. The heat sent him backwards but the momentary flame made him panic. He cried out, a bit higher pitched than normal, and yanked the shirt up and over his heard and tossed it feverishly to the ground.

Astrid bit her tongue as he stomped on it. He was trying to put out a flame that wasn't there. Eret was not unattractive. There wasn't an once of fat on him, anywhere. He seemed to be made entirely of muscle. His pale skin was firm and pulled tight over his back and chest. Foreign tattoos covered most of his back, a few stretched onto his chest and sides, and were mostly nautical-looking symbols but she caught sight of a few that resembled dragons.

Eret's foot came to a halt as he realized that his shirt as not actually on fire. He looked down at it, then at Skullcrusher, who seemed to be watching his ridiculousness with sadistic glee.

"So that's how it's going to be?" Eret said. His eyes darted to Astrid who hadn't realized that she'd been staring until she'd been caught. Eret raised a brown. A humored smile twisted his lips and he purposefully rotated his hips when he bent down to pick up his discarded and slightly singed shirt.

Astrid adverted her eyes, pretending that the red on her face wasn't there, and scratched Stormfly's chin.

X

From underneath the water the storm was completely muffled. The only thing Astrid could hear was the swishing of the water around her. She ran her fingers through her hair until she was sure most of the mud was cleaned out. She resurfaced and took a deep breath while the water ran down her face. Her hair was soaked, plastered to her skin, and she began to untangle it, searching for residual mud clumps.

Eret wasn't what she had first thought. She remembered landing on the deck of his ship, after falling when he's shot Stormfly down, ready to knock him out if she had to. He was hardheaded, arrogant, and an attention whore. But he had a softer core than his tough-guy attitude let on. He'd seen another way of life other than Drago's and he went for it. He was kind-hearted, brave, and strong.

Astrid splashed her face with the hot water.

X

Eret and Skullcrusher had seemed to be getting along, but it was inevitable that they'd start up again. Astrid sighed, they'd been doing so well.

"Alright, we're landing." Astrid yelled.

Eret and Skullcrusher had both stopped questioning her authority. Eret's shoulder slumped like a child being lectures. Skullcrusher's head bobbed downward in a similar fashion. They drooped downward, toward a bit of land that jutting up out of the ocean like a fattened sea stack.

Eret slipped of the saddle and gave the dragon a stern glare. Skullcrusher growled, snarling back at him.

"Oh, gods, Eret, it's not about ordering your dragon around." Astrid yelled. Eret adverted his eyes to the ground. "It's about listening to each other, trusting each other, understanding. You have to have faith that Skullcrusher will take care of you. If you don't trust him then he isn't going to trust you."

Eret shrugged, throwing his shoulders roughly. Skullcrusher growled.

Astrid groaned, "You're both being so fucking stubborn!"

Eret looked at her, an eyebrow raised, "Such language for a lady."

"Excuse me?" Astrid glared.

Eret took her glare and faced it with his own humor. If he was bothered at all by it he didn't let his intimidation show. He instead smiled, "I didn't think you knew such harsh words. It's unbecoming on you."

"Oh, I'm sure it's lovely on you."

"It is, trust me." Eret said, a humored glint in his eye, "A distinguished vocabulary makes a sailor look educated and well versed on the waters."

"I'm sure it does." Astrid crossed her arms.

Eret smiled, and Astrid caught the slightest vertical shift of his dark eyes, and she crossed her arms over her chest. His smile widened ever so slightly.

"Alright, let's try this again. But this time I want you to let Skullcrusher lead. Trust me, he knows what he's doing. This isn't his first time." Astrid climbed back onto Stormfly's saddle.

Eret was looking at her with a peculiar stare that Astrid choose to ignore.

X

Eret relaxed into the water and leaned back against the side of spring. The water came up to his neck and slopped up almost to his ears. After being in the cold, the heat and humidity of this place felt amazing. He didn't eagerly wash the mud from his skin but the warm water was slowly dissolving in. He lifted an arm above the water. His skin had a reddish twinge from the water.

He sighed, that Astrid was something else. She was smart, strong, independent, and also incredibly attractive. Eret glanced toward the rocky wall that separated them. He could be daring and join her, forgo inhibitions, take the risk, but he stayed where he was. Those thoughts weren't productive. Drooling over her wasn't either. She was the Chief's girl.

Still, girls like her were rare. The loose women that loitered in taverns and port town couldn't compare to her. They were poor conversation and only good for one thing. Beyond the bedroom they were useless. Girls like Astrid were the once-in-a-lifetime kind, the forever kind. But, Hiccup was a good guy. If it wasn't for him then Eret would still be trapping dragons for Drago and lost with the rest of his men.

X

It had stared out so well. Eret was doing better. Skullcrusher wasn't being as much of a brute with him and they were beginning to understand each other. Admittedly, Eret's rashness was a shift from Stoick's even temper, so for Skullcrusher, Astrid understood his stubbornness.

"Stupid beast," Eret spat.

Astrid sighed. And it came crashing down.

Skullcrusher was soon bucking, threatening to throw him off, baring his teeth.

"Boys," Astrid called out as a warning.

"It's not my fault!" Eret shouted back. "This damned dragon won't listen to me!"

Skullcrusher shook and fluttered his wings that sent a violent jerk into the saddle. Eret yelped and latched onto the leather for his life. When he was certain that he was safely attached, his face scowled.

"See what I mean?" Eret motioned toward the dragon.

Astrid groaned. She saw land coming up on their left and ordered them down. As soon as the dragons had touched down Eret was dismounting. He glared at the dragon and kicked at the ground. A tuff of dirt flew up and came back down.

"Alright, walk it off." Astrid ordered.

"Walk what off?" Eret spat.

"You bad attitude. It's effecting the dragons."

"My 'bad attitude'?" Eret repeated.

"Yes." Astrid said. "The dragons are sensitive to things like that."

Eret groaned and threw his fists into the air. He mumbled something under his breath and glared at the ground.

"Come on, let's walk," Astrid said. She motioned for Eret to follow. She started a slow pace, giving him time to catch up, toward a rocky outcropping that spread along the island, rising upward throw a heavy fog that curled around it's highest peaks.

"What about the dragons?"

"They'll be fine. They'll stick together." Astrid said.

Stormfly settled in for a rest and Skullcrusher did the same, but his eyes followed Eret and Astrid as they walked away.

"The first time I flew by myself, Stormfly argued with me the entire time. I wasn't used to sharing control. I wanted to have it all. But I learned that it's a sharing experience." Astrid told him as they walked around a ragged stack of weather-worn boulders.

"You can't share control. It's how a ship works. One person tells the other what to do. If control was shared then everyone would be yelling and nothing would get done." Eret argued.

"A dragon isn't a ship, Eret." Astrid said, coming to a stop. "It is a creature."

"I know that, Astrid." Eret spat.

"Apparently, you don't." Astrid spat back. "Rider and dragon need to be able to understand each other, think with one mind, and trust each other to be there."

"You say that like it's the easiest thing in the world." Eret shrugged.

"It's not. You need to spend time with your dragon. Be friends with him. Learn from him." Astrid said.

Eret had opened his mouth, but closed it slightly, his eyes trailing off beyond her shoulder. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

She listened. She could hear a steady sound, like rushing water, and a lot of it. Eret began to walk around the rocky wall. Curious, Astrid followed him. The rushing grew louder and soon they came to a opening in the rock, underneath a jagged bluff, a slit lead into the mountain. The rushing water was echoing within the darkness.

"What is that?" Eret walked into the narrow cave with little trepidation. Astrid hesitated, but followed.

"Eret, it's too dark to see anything. Let's go back." Astrid said. She was feeling along the walls as she stepped, following Eret's footsteps. "The dragons can light the way."

Eret ignored her and kept walking. Astrid followed his footsteps and kept a hand along the rocky wall to keep her bearings. A dim light began to glow ahead of them and the cavern opened up. There was a crack in the high ceiling that let in enough sunlight to illuminate the area.

"It's humid in here," Astrid said. The air was thick and oppressive and much warmer than the outside.

"Yeah," Eret answered absently. He was looking at the far side of the cavern where a natural corridor wound into the mountain. The sound of water seemed to be coming from it.

Astrid walked over to look passed him. The sunlight didn't reach all the way down the corridor but it was enough to see the sputtering of a waterfall, quite a ways into the mountain. It drained into a series of pools from which steam was emanating like smoke.

"Hot springs?" Eret said, a mixture of triumph and disbelief. "Huh, you could really make a business out of a place like this. Pirates and sailors would spend decent coin to relax in hot water, and even more to do so with lovely company. Add a tavern, maybe an inn, and this could be the next big stop on the sea."

"Hm." Astrid had been listening. There was a hot spring south of Berk, about an hour's flight, that she had picnicked at with Hiccup a few times. Thor, that had been…a year ago, at least.

"Judging by the mountain, and the sound, there could be hundreds of pools here."

"It's too hot in here," Astrid complained. The humidity was settling on her skin and sticking to her clothes. With all her fur-lined cold-prevention Viking attire the warmth was uncomfortable. "Let's go back."

"Fine, fine," Eret sighed.

X

Astrid didn't like the feeling of wet hair against her neck. It was slimy and sticky and she couldn't wait to tie it back. With wet hands it was more difficult and she kept pulling hairs. She braided like her mother did, to keep it up, and tied it in a bun on the top of her head. She wiped a wet hand along her neck. A knot in her shoulder twitched.

She groaned and dropped her arm. It splashed into the water. She reached around with the opposite hand and tried to rub the knot. She couldn't really reach it.

Hiccup used to rub her shoulders. He'd gotten good at it, too.

Astrid sighed. He'd been so busy lately. She hadn't seen him hardly at all, but she understood. Being Chief meant he had a lot of responsibilities. And after Drago's attack Berk had been left with a lot of holes. He'd be busy for a while. Months, probably.

Astrid sank into the water.

He'd always be busy. Stoick had always been busy. He would be working most of the day and spending his spare time either at the forge or in the air with Toothless. His time with her had been limited to sparse passing-bys in the village or quick stolen kisses early in the morning.

X

The soreness in his legs was finally beginning to subside. Dragon riding sounds fun and excited but it worked a number on his thighs. Fresh from lunch, Eret had made it to the bottom of the Great Hall's steps just in time to see Astrid's blonde head dart into the stable that connected to her house, followed immediately by her warbling dragon, whose wings were poised slightly outward. She held her tail at the ready to attack.

Intrigued, Eret made his way there, cautious of the dragon. He stopped at the open side of the stable and amid the dragon's breathing he could hear the unmistakable sound of a contained sob. Was that Astrid? He didn't believe it. Astrid didn't cry. He walked into the stable, not hushing his steps, to make sure that the dragon knew he was there. Stormfly turned her head enough to look at him. Her yellow eyes blinked at him.

"Go away!" Astrid warned, her strong voice marred by tears.

Eret stepped around the dragon to where Astrid was sitting on the other side of the stable. She was leaning haphazardly against the wall like shed thrown herself down. The straw crackled under his feet.

"Go away, Hiccup!" She spat, turning sharply with her arm outstretched, a curled fist ready to strike. Her face was twisted in anger and tears welled along the rim of her eyes. When she saw Eret her anger was joined with surprise and embarrassment.

"Hiccup?" Eret asked.

Astrid turned away from him, shaking her head, and stifling a sob.

Eret stepped closer, "Did something happen?"

"Don't worry about it."

"I can't 'not worry about it' now." Eret said. "If it was enough to make you cry I can't imagine what happened. Do I need to beat him up?"

Astrid wiped her eyes, attempting to shield the act from his view, and inhaled, although shakily, "It's nothing,"

Eret slowly exhaled. These emotional things weren't particularly one of his talents. But it was worth a try, wasn't it? He cautiously sat down with her. "It doesn't look like nothing."

Astrid sighed, "I went to see Hiccup. I saw him sneak into the smithy, and I thought…and I complained that I hadn't seen him, and…we ended up yelling. He said I was being clingy and unsupportive and overprotective." Astrid inhaled, sucking back in whatever words she'd almost spewed. She swallowed, "He was busy. He had more important things to worry about."

What should he say? Eret chewed on the inside of his cheek. His experience with females was limited to bedrooms and tavern tables, with the fuck-and-leave type, not with the intelligent forever kind. "I'm sure it'll be fine,"

Astrid glared at him, as if to say, what the hell do you know? What did he know?

"It's not clinginess if you love them, right? And it's normal to want to be around the ones that you love." Eret said, a bit strained, because the words sounded odd on his tongue. "You know, let's go flying. It'll distress you."

Astrid seemed to consider it, then sighed, "Okay."

X

Astrid sighed as she glanced toward her clothes. She'd washed them out and they were free of mud, but they were soaked. Of course, it was raining outside, heavily, and wet clothes wouldn't be a surprise to anyone. And being wet was more understandable than being covered in mud.

A severe clap of thunder shook the entire mountain and rattled rocks loose. They clanks to the floor, a few plopping into hot springs. Astrid was listening to the rock-rain when she heard something else, something much more lively…humming. She listened over the storm. It was humming, Eret's humming. He wasn't that far away, just on the other side of the rock wall, a side-step, a skip, and half a jump away.

X

Eret begrudging began to work with Skullcrusher like Astrid had said. After spending time with him, Eret was beginning to understand what she meant about trusting the dragon, even if he wasn't going to admit it to her. But the next time they flew together she'd pointed it out. She'd complimented him on it. And he'd felt his face go a little red but he shrugged it off.

They flew away from Berk for an undeterminable amount of time. The sky had been cloudy when they left but the gray soon took control of the sky. It darkened, an ominous black pushing through the gray, threatening wind and rain to throw even the strongest dragons into the wild ocean below.

The rain came fast, pelting them mercilessly with hard cold drops, and lightning flashed too close for comfort. Thunder shook the sky.

"Where did this even come from?" Eret complained. It was getting hard to see.

"We need to land! Now!" Astrid shouted.

They flew lower and landed on the first bit of land that they saw. It was a rocky island with trees and bushes shaking in the wind. The dragons skidded in the mud, the entire island floor had been slickened by the sudden downpour. Eret slid from the saddle and nearly fell, his left foot sliding out from underneath him, but he caught himself and paused at the awkward angle.

"Great," Astrid mumbled.

Astrid stepped down and almost lost her balance. She looked at the sky in disdain. Eret looked down between his legs at the mud. An idea crept into his brain. He reached down and grabbed a fistful of the slick mud. It was cold, sticky, and thick. Astrid's back was turned and he lobbed it at her. The mug glob explored on her back and left a brown splat on her red shirt.

She turned on her heel with a look of surprised how-dare-you stretching her eyes into a wide glare.

Eret grinned and threw his arms out, "What are you going to do about it?"

Her glare narrowed and a refreshing smile stretched across her lips. She reached down to the mud and lobbed a clog of it at Eret. She barely missed.

"Oh, come on, you can do better than that," Eret taunted.

Astrid snorted, not hesitating to throw another which landed squarely on his chest. It exploded on his shirt and splashed up on his chin.

X

Astrid listen to Eret's hum, interrupted with the occasional mumbled word, trying to place the tune. It was lively like a song sailors would sing in a tavern, as loud as they could, swinging their mugs with the melody. Overcome with a devious sense of curiosity, she bit her lip and slowly crept to the edge of the hot spring, careful not to splash the water too much, and pulled herself out. The air had once been so warm but now that she'd been in the water it felt a bit chilled.

She tiptoes along the warm stone floor and crept to the rock wall. She could hear the water moving around him, swishing and splashing. Slowly she crept to the edge of the wall and risked peeking around it. Eret stood waist deep in the spring. His back was to her and firelight reflected on the lingering dampness on his taught skin. He turned halfway, stretching his arms, and Astrid held her breath.

She wanted to turn away and stick her head into the cold rain. She wanted to stay until he left the spring. She wanted to leave and forget this ever happened but she wanted to see more.

X

The lightning drew closer and the wind picked up. The rain thickened and the thunder hammered. Eret and Astrid were both covered in mud, breathless, and laughing. She was beautiful when she smiled, even filthy. He wasn't aware that he'd been smiling at her until she looked back at him. Her smile shifted downward slightly and he moved his eyes.

"Well, genius, now what?" Astrid asked, feigning anger but unable to fade her smile.

"It's just mud," Eret said.

"Yeah, but most people don't come home looking like they rolled in it." Astrid argued, her smile fading a little.

"You want to wash before we head home?' Eret smiled, wicked thoughts running though his mind in a flash too fast for words.

Astrid glared at him, forming her lips for words that didn't come, and sighed sharply. "Yes, I would."

"Great, because if I'm right then those hot springs should be somewhere in that direction," Eret pointed to the east.

He saw Astrid's immediate reaction on her face but he couldn't tell what she was thinking. She closed her mouth, waited, and them nodded, "Really?"

"Of course, it'll be fun. Where's your sense of adventure?" Eret called, swaying back toward the dragons. They'd stayed clear of the mud-fight.

X

Astrid wasn't a stranger to men. She would not admit it, but her future marriage had already been consummated, a while ago, and the shame she knew she should have felt by looking at Eret's nakedness wasn't very powerful. It wasn't enough to avert her eyes. He was still humming, perfectly content with their proximity, despite them both being very naked.

Astrid stopped watching him and pressed her back against the stone that separated them. She thought about going back to her own hot spring and letting this moment fall to the side. But something in her mind wasn't working. Logic seemed disjointed. It must have been disconfigured by the steam. Yes, it was the steam.

"Where's that from?" Astrid asked.

"What?" Eret piped, "Where's what from?"

"The song,"

"Oh, it's just a song we used to sing on the ship. It's stupid, really, I can't remembered but a couple of lines."

"What's it about?"

"Drinking, mostly, and falling of the ship, drowning, I think. It goes on for a while. I think eventually one verse is about fucking a mermaid, but I've only heard that one once or twice."

"How do you fuck a mermaid?"

"You know, I'm not sure. I've never tried. I'd think I'd drown first."

Astrid smiled, a little glad that he couldn't see. It was a stupid joke.

"Are you peeking?"

Astrid's breath was caught in her throat. Had he seen her? "No,"

Eret laughed. "You don't sound very sure of yourself."

Had he seen her? She bit her lip. She had been looking. But he couldn't know that. Tentatively, and a little deviously, she crept to the edge of the stone wall. Eret was standing where he'd been, only this time he was facing her, his head titled in curiosity.

"Are you sure?" he asked, a grin cocked on his face.

Astrid giggled, quite an un-Viking like sound. Eret's grin grew wider and he stepped toward the edge of the pool. The water grew shallow and a little bit more of him was uncovered with each step. Astrid drew her bottom lip to her teeth. The muscles on his abdomen angled toward his groin and it tugged on something in her own gut that made her toes curl. Dark hair scattered across his chest, narrowed down his stomach, and thickened just as it dipped beneath the water.

"What are you going to do about it?" Astrid teased, daring him.

Eret's smile turned devious as he leaned on the edge of the spring. Astrid kept her eyes on him, daring him each step further. He hesitated before he lifted himself out of the water with deliberate slowness. The water dripped down his waist, streamed along his built thighs, and pools on the floor. Seeing all of him was tightening her stomach into painfully excited knots. He was firm, from head to tow, strong but not too bulky, with a half-up manhood that reminded Astrid of what they teased at. Her own inhale surprised her and suddenly she was aware of the gravity of her actions.

Her excitement turned into panic and she tore her eyes away from him. She pressed her back up against the rock wall.

What the hell, Astrid?

"Are you alright?" Eret asked, paused at the wall where he couldn't see her.

"Eret," Astrid blurted out, "We can't,"

"Can't what?" Eret asked.

He slowly stepped around the wall. She saw him in her peripheral. She was naked and she should be ashamed. But, she wasn't. Her legs were bare and her breasts were exposed and her hair was loose. Eret came over to her and stood beside her.

"What can't we do, Astrid?" Eret asked. "Enjoy each other's company? Why not? Who here is going to slap your wrist? Who will ever know?"

Who would know?

Astrid turned her head toward him. His hair was wet and flat against his head. He was watching her like she was a wild dragon whose next action was as unpredictable as the weather.

"You deserve more," Eret said. "You amazing, Astrid, more than any woman I've met, and most men."

She didn't know how to take this oddly timed compliment. Was it because they were naked and alone? She stepped away from the wall, away from him and his confusing compliment, and slid back into her own spring.

"And you've got a great ass," Eret said.

Astrid turned sharply, splashing water. Eret was standing against the wall and smiling at her without embarrassment. She felt the blush on her face spread across her cheeks and nose. She lifted her arms and crossed them over her chest.

"I'm not just saying that, either. I've seen a lot of women, naked, and you've got a great…everything, really." Eret sighed. "Any man would be the luckiest on this side if Asgard to have you. And the other side, too,"

Eret took several steps toward her and he turned to keep her eyes on him. He stopped at the edge of the spring. He tentatively climbed inside, watching her, waiting for a negative reaction, but she didn't give him one. He walked through the spring and stopped at arm's length from her.

She caught his eyes flicker downward and she felt a flutter in her stomach.

"No one would know," Astrid repeated. Gods, she wanted to.

"No one would know." Eret said.

He leaned in and she met him halfway. She plastered her lips onto his, unsure of what she was doing and completely aware of it. He kissed her roughly but with a gentle intention. She traced her fingertips along his sculpted chest and onto his broad shoulders. His muscles were firm and warm under her touch. Suddenly, she wanted to touch more of him, all of him. He bit at her lip, pulled it with his teeth, and licked her top lip. With her mouth open he latched his tongue onto hers, starting a rash war that crossed teeth and air, pulling out playful groans and laughs from both sides.

He reached around her and rested one large hand on her lower back and traced his other across her back and up to her shoulder. Using both of them he pressed her against him. She gasped into his mouth when she felt him. His previous half-up had gone full-up. It poked at her abdomen and sent waves of excitement and fear through her nerves. In a rush of feverish emotion she retracted on of her hands from his shoulders and traced it down his chest, fingering the hair that gathered on his lower abdomen, and slipped below the water to fasten around his erection.

The sound he made was incredibly enticing. She tightened her grip and pushed a similar groan from the back of his throat. Gods, he was big. Bigger than Hiccup, at least, which didn't mean much as he was the only other man who'd she's seen up. She stroked him, wanting to hear that sound again.

What were they doing? No one would know. Eret was attractive. Very attractive. No one would know. She wasn't a virgin. No one would know. Hiccup hadn't so much as look her way in weeks, save for their argument, which had ended with him denying her importance. Besides, no one would know.

"I could make you feel great," Eret breathed against her lips. He left them and began to leave hot kisses across her cheek and to her ear, "I could do things to you that you've never dreamed of,"

He pressed his hand to her hip, running his fingers along the top of her thigh, pulling her to him, pressing against her.

Her breathing was erratic and his was hot on her neck. She clamped her nails on his shoulders as his teeth gently bit at the side of her neck, teasing a sensitivity she'd been unaware of. She gasped as he paved a trail down her neck, landing his tongue alone her collarbone, dragging it purposefully across her throat. He kissed up the other side to her ear.

This was taboo, she knew, being with a man that wasn't her husband. However, as of the moment, she didn't have a husband. But being with a man out of wedlock was equally taboo, if not a little more, but still, no one would know. She doubted that Hiccup would look at her and be able to tell that someone else had been there.

Eret was kissing her neck, suckling her humid-sensitive skin, gasping as her hand explored the parts of him that she wasn't supposed to see. No one would know. These things happen and no one has been struck by lightning. No one was around. No one was looking for them. It could be their secret. No one would know.

His lips found hers again. "It's alright if you don't want to," he spoke direction into her mouth, "I won't make you."

In a sudden and rash decision, her grip tightened on his erection and she pulled him close, into her thigh. He gasped, his hot breath hitting onto her lips, groaning with her touch. His lips were on hers, harder this time, clasping at her waist. He slid a hand up to her chest and took a breast into his hand. He squeezed it playfully, teasing her nipple with his thumb, pulling sounds out of her that she didn't know she could make.

Thunder shook the cavern as he clasped onto her waist and hoisted her out of the water. He carried her out of the spring and onto the smooth stone floor. He laid her down and knelt over her, holding himself up with one hand while exploring her body with the other, and she did the same. She tangled his dark hair and relished the pressure he added against her.

He stroked her outer thigh and gradually worked his way between her legs. He pressed himself against the inside of her thigh and the hardness of his flesh sent shivers along her skin where he touched her. She scratched at his shoulders. He was poised above her, surely ready by now, she could feel his readiness.

"What are you waiting for?" Astrid said into his mouth.

"Hmm?" Eret mouthed, "Do you need something?"

Astrid moaned when she felt his hand slide across her hip bone and down between her legs, fingering her opening and sliding a finger inside, reaching as far in as he could. Involuntary spasms sprang along her back and she thrust her hips into his hand. He withdrew his hand and repositioned himself over her and without warning he thrust himself inside her.

She gasped with the sharp pain of disuse.

"Are you okay?" Eret said quickly, like he'd just run up the Great Hall stairs.

"Yeah," Astrid breathed, "It's just…been a while,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be, keep going,"

He did and within a few stokes the pain was gone. It was the familiar feeling of fullness, of emotional overwhelming, of physical pleasure, that brought about the treacherous satisfaction. She worked with him, supplementing his rhythm with her own, hips to hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

Eret groaned, "Odin's breath…"

"…harder,"

Eret paused before thrusting back inside her with force. It knock a gasp from her throat and sent her nails digging into the skin of his back.

"How's that?" Eret teased at her ear.

"Again," she commanded, "…ahh,"

Eret pulled out but didn't replace. In the momentarily lapse Astrid looked up at him with a glare in her eye. "What?"

"Get up," Eret said, standing on his knees.

"What?" Astrid repeated.

"I'm showing you something," Eret said, a wicked grin on his face. "Come on, get up. Turn around, yeah, like that. Now, get on your knees."

She followed his instructions. She was kneeling on her hands and knees with her palms flat on the warm stone ground. Her hair fell around her face and her vision was obscured. Eret positioned himself behind her and held onto her hips. He used his legs to part her thighs.

"Get lower,"

This angle felt ridiculous and a little demeaning. She wasn't some farm animal. She was about to voice these thoughts when he thrust into her, hard, sending her to the ground. She managed to protect herself from the floor by her elbows. He pulled her hips toward him and thrust his into hers, the combined action enticed more than a moan, it was a gasp, a cry of unexpected sensation.

"Oh, gods," Astrid cried toward the floor, "It's…deep,"

"Do you want to switch back?" Eret asked, a husk in his voice sent shivers down her spine.

"No," she said, unable to ignore the pleading in her own voice.

He continued, with every thrust she could feel the sensation intensifying, sending shockwaves through her back and down her legs. She gasped, feeling the steadiness of her limbs decreasing, but was desperate to not stop. She never wanted it to stop. It was coming closer, a fire sparking between her legs, spreading upwards into her abdomen and down her legs.

"Oh…don't stop,"

He thrust into her harder and pushed out a cry. He increased his speed and gasped between his own pleasure and exhaustion. He grunted against her back, rolling his tongue along a growl, pushing her far closer than she thought possible. She couldn't take it anymore and she knew she would black out or collapse when it erupted, sending a white-hot wave of pleasure surging through her muscles and veins.

She cried out, relieved and exhausted, but altogether saddened that it was over. Eret's grip on her hips was firm. He was sure to leave bruises but she didn't mind, not today anyway. He grunted against her, keeping his quick pace, and at last he gasped to her back. His thrusting paused and slowed and he pulled out with a shuttering inhale. He collapsed to the floor and she crashed beside him.

The thunder rattled the world outside but the steam inside the hot springs was unaffected. Lying there, breathless, together on the stone floor, the steam sucked the sweat away and replaced it with healthy humidity. The rain had lifted some but was still audible over the rushing of the hot springs.

"We should totally do that more often," Eret nodded toward her.

"No one has to know," Astrid said, breathless still.

"No one has to know." Eret repeated.

It was a silent agreement, double-sided satisfaction, a secret that would remained between them and no other, not even a dragon. It was the beginning of a secret affair that they both knew was doomed. He was a discarded pirate. She was the Chief's wife. It would someday implode from the sneaking and the sex and leave them simmering in ashes of broken hearts and sour betrayal. That day was far and currently nonexistent. It was a warning gone unheard until it was too late.

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