Roughly a year later.

It was a dark and gloomy night. Rain made a constant downpour, raising the water level in the lake. In Wales, sunset came around 5 o'clock in late October. And here at Hofferson castle a quarter past 8, all was near invisible in the dark and rain.

But tonight was Halloween, a grand Halloween party was in the midst. The castle shown like a beacon in the night, to all of those who were brave enough to venture out into the storm.

"Mala! I'm so glad you could make it!" Astrid cheered, hugging her friend.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss this halloween party! Not after the smashing success of last year!"

Astrid smiled. With the money that was recovered from the North Tower, Astrid and company had decided to pour it back into the castle, making it a museum during the year, and a haunted maze in the North Tower during the fall. Lasers, holograms, and traps all fell together for a spectacular scare of their guests.

And of course, the life-like 'animatronic' dragon in the basement was a nice touch. It was only fair that Toothless also got to be involved in the new life they were creating.

Yes, it seemed like things were finally normal again in the Hofferson castle.

"Oh, we've got plenty of surprises in store for the evening."

"I'm so excited!"

"Well, help yourself to some free food, and the Livery has some select wines for tasting. Make yourself at home."

There was roughly 40 guests at the party, not including the 20 or so Vikings that worked the floor. The quaint victorian decor remained on the home, and only a few things were added here and there. Track lights under the suits of armor, black lights in the corners, a well placed spiderweb here and there…all just enough to be eerie, but not unwelcoming.

"Oh honey," Phillis cooed, after she arrived with her husband, "everything looks so good. Just spooky enough!"

Astrid grinned. "I just tried to copy the Haunted Mansion in Disneyworld."

"Well, the cobwebs are a nice touch. They are fake, right?"

"Yes! Stoick is very anal about the castle being clean. I think some of the others are too."

"Good, I was going to be angry if that was all real."

Hiccup joined the group, wearing bloody rags with dirt smeared all over the front. "Hello Phillis, Axel," He greeted.

"Well hi! What's this get up?" She snickered.

"Did you forget this was a fancy party?" Axel reprimanded.

"Oh, sorry." He chuckled, raising his arms. "I was a draugr in the tower. I wiped the makeup off and took off the armor, I just forgot about the clothes."

"Draugr?" Asked Phillis.

"It's a viking version of your 'zombies'. The living undead."

"Well, this is a Halloween party, you fit right in."

"Thanks! But this is genuine dirt, so I'm going to get changed."

"Ah ah!" Phillis interrupted. "Astrid said you both had some important news to share with us. And I can't wait another moment!" She demanded.

Astrid stifled the snort that threatened to give everything away. She threaded an arm around Hiccup's and snuggled up to his side. In return, he covered her hand with his and met her eyes with a gaze of adoration. They bumped shoulders coyly.

"Mom…dad…" Astrid began. "Hiccup and I have decided to make the next step…"

Phillis gasped while all the color from Axel's face drained. They couldn't be…he was only learning how to be human again…and they hadn't been together long enough…

"We've decided…" Astrid bit her lip in anticipation, "to be nationally registered as a Museum by the Association of Independent Museums!"
"Oh THANK JESUS!" Axel nearly shouted.

Phillis clutched her chest and laughed loudly. "Oh darling, don't do that."

"Oh what? Did you—did you think we were engaged?!" Astrid asked, feigning indignation.

Phillis rolled her eyes. "With you, nothing is off the table. Or did you forget that just last year, your house was literally haunted?"

"Oh trust me, I couldn't forget if I wanted to." Astrid bumped Hiccup playfully.

Stoick wandered over to the group, his third ale in hand. "Oh Hoffersons! Great ta see you. Did the kids spook ya, too?"

"Spook is an understatement," Axel muttered.

In a sweeping hug, the chief pulled the two kids to his side. "Oh, but it's so hard not to love them, even if they are conniving troll-brains."

"Troll-brains, huh?" Axel mused. "Never heard that one before."

"Oh, if you want more prehistoric insults, we've got a ton of them. Dragon breath, dunga, milk drinker, dwarven footed bastard…"

"Stupid?"

Astrid laughed as she watched her parents get along with the chief. It was nice to know that they approved of her being with Hiccup. "But really," she interrupted, "Does anyone actually care that we're being accredited?"

"Oh! Why yes!" Stoick recovered, "of course we're all so proud that this little pet project has taken off so well…but what does it mean to be accredited?"

"It means that we can apply for grants, money. Not that we really need it, but we'll be added to the national registry and other museums can lend us stuff for exhibits or loans. It also is good for insurance."

"So, it's a good thing?"

"The best thing that could have happened to us."

"Besides the removal of the curse." Hiccup muttered under his breath.

"Well, of course," Astrid assured. "But that was obvious."

It was then that more guests arrived, such as Astrid's other family from around Wales, including her cousin Dale. He looked around the castle appreciatively.

"Hey Astrid! You finally got that ghost problem under control?" He called.

"Yep! This was the last one!" She shook Hiccup by the shoulder. Now you can come in and relax!"

Though he smiled, there was still an air of unease around him.

Astrid didn't pay too much attention to it.

About 15 minutes before 9, Astrid tinged a fork on her glass, gathering everyone's attention. She stood on the staircase up to the dining room.

"Hello everyone! We're so glad you all could make our Halloween party this year! Before we get started, we just wanted to make the announcement, that we have officially been accredited by the Association of Independent Museums! We can now actually call ourselves a Museum and not just a bed and breakfast!"

There was a round of applause as some guests laughed.

Once things calmed down, she continued. "The entertainment will start at 9 o'clock if everyone wants to make their way to the Ballroom. The vikings have planned something great! I don't know what it is, but I've been told it's going to be exciting!"

So the guests slowly poured into the Ballroom, where chairs were set up around the edge of the room. The fireplace was not ignited, due to the number of guests in the room. The windows were opened slightly, letting the sound of the rain into the room. On the East side of the room, another double staircase stood, leading up into the East Tower. This was where the vikings would make their entrance.

Once upon a time, the ballroom had been a throne room, as Astrid had seen in her vision with Drago. For the performance, the Throne had been recovered from the cellar and sat in it's place at the base of the stairs.

Hiccup held his arm out as a gesture to escort her to her seat. She met it, and followed along willingly. He gestured at the throne. She supposed it was appropriate, given she was the mistress of the house, but she imagined the sword that plunged through the back and became nervous.

Hiccup gave her a quick smooch to the cheek and then hurried up the stairs.

Astrid looked out on her guests like a queen looking out on her kingdom. Everyone was excitedly chatting and over all having a good time.

The grandfather clock in the Grand Hall struck 9 and everyone grew quiet.

The electric lights on the iron chandeliers blew out one at a time in a flurry of sparks. Astrid jumped a little in her seat. The fireplace went up in smoke before a roaring green fire took place. Those seated nearby leapt from their chairs and scooted away. Then the windows blew all the way open and cold air and rain came in. The guests cried out and scurried away from that wall as well.

This all seemed very cool and spooky, until the main chandelier on the ceiling glowed green. This chandelier was very very old, and very fragile. Several centuries ago, the apparatus to lower it had broken, and the only way to get it to it was with a very tall ladder. It was the only fixture in the castle that had not been outfitted with electricity in the turn of the century. If the castle was still haunted, she wouldn't have even batted an eyelash at it, but now, with what she knew…there was no way that light should have been on.

Hiccup, in the midst of putting on a costume, snuck down the stairs and knelt to speak in her ear. "What's going on?"

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean? Isn't this you guys?"

"No..." He looked around the room, "unless the twins are up to something…but they were just back with me."

"I'm going to talk to them."

Another spark of electricity blew off the sconces on the stairs and Astrid had to shield herself against it. Before she reached the door, Ruff and Tuff threw open the door and shouted, "It's not us this time!"
"We swear!"

"Then what—?"

When they turned back around, a woman in white robes stood in the middle of the room, sparks falling around her like snow. In one hand, she held a sickle, and in the other, an oak staff. Her face was concealed with the hood.

Astrid glanced at her friends, who all looked confused.

So she made her way carefully back down to the main floor. "Uh, hi? Can I help you?"

"Young Hofferson…" She spoke, with a haunting voice. "Mistress of a curse, and hollow walls with bloodstained decor."

Astrid stood a little taller, glancing over at the interested guests. They assumed this was part of the show. So she would pretend.

"Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance, but know that I am the rightful owner to this castle. And I have come to reclaim it."

Ah, one of those people. "Ma'am, this Castle has been in the Hofferson name for over a thousand years."

"And who owned the castle before? Surely, if you have made it this far, the origins of the castle are not a mystery to you."

Astrid crossed her arms, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "The castle was built by druids."

"My people! The castle was built by my people!" She threw back her hood, displaying the horror underneath. A gruesome skull, with remains still hanging on for dear life. "You and your kind have rotted here for too long. Now, on the eve of Samhaim, we desire our great hall again."

Stoick, red in the face, hurried down the stairs and stepped between Astrid and the woman. "Your people!? You mean you're a druid?!"

"That which was in those days, a priest of Arianrhod and that which the aos sí fear. A druid I am, and in the lake I wait for the Samhain where the Invaders have gone."

"Look here!" Stoick called, walking up to her bravely, sticking a finger in her chest. "Me and my kind have continued to exist in this castle of over a thousand years because your people decided cursing us would be a fun revenge plot. Now that's all over, you want it back?! I hardly call that fair! Especially since the Hoffersons were the ones preserving the castle all this time! You'd let it all go to ruin!"

It was pretty ballsy for Stoick to antagonize her like that, Astrid had to admit.

"Regardless of time and sentimentality, this land belonged to the Celtic Druids of Arianrhod, and by rite, it remains in our hands. It was not given, but taken by brute strength and callous hearts."

Hiccup interjected, "Wait, you have the wrong idea! We were told a bunch of murderers and bandits lived here with their hoard! We wouldn't have come if we had known!"

"Viggo Ryker fed you these lies, did he not? Fear not, young chief, for his justice has been served."

"Yeah, I'm sure being immortal sucked…" Snotlout muttered from the top of the stairs. The twins elbowed him to keep him silent.

"Still after all this time, have you not learned your lesson?"

Astrid wormed her way around to talk to the woman again. "Hi, me again, I'm only 23. I had nothing to do with your castle being raided, and I've taken good care of it. Why punish me?"

"Silly simple girl. Yours is blood that hath spilt thousands. Your nature is power and destruction. You would as soon give into that as the vikings you cherish. Though born of another era, you can not deny what you are. You are a viking. A thief, a liar, and a desecrator."

Astrid puffed up her chest. "If I'm a viking, then you forget that I'm also loyal, kind, and willing to fight for my home."

The woman snarled, taking a step back. She held her arms up and her robes began to swirl in the wind. "Then suffer for your stubbornness! Tonight your head shall not rest on down, but on a pike!"

A severe rattling noise came from outside and in the Grand Hall, followed shortly with grunts and groans.

Then, a young guest peeked out the door and let out a shriek. "ZOMBIE!" She cried.

"Draugar…" Hiccup whispered.

Astrid acted quickly. "Everyone quick! This is not part of the show! Barricade the doors!"

The once interested crowd turned panicked. Men threw themselves against the doors to the Grand hall, just as it swelled from the other side.

"What do we do?!" A woman screamed.

"There is a way," the druid spoke. "If you kill the Hoffersons and the vikings, you will be spared from their fate."

"No!" Declared Gobber, appearing from the North Tower. His arms were filled with weapons from the armory. "We fight!"

The vikings on the stairs cheered out a 'here, here!' and scrambled to get a weapon. Gobber reached them and held out Stoick's Hammer and a short sword handle for Hiccup. "The draugar are coming in the front door. The North Tower is the safest place. And I was able to reach the armory." Finally, he handed Astrid her axe. "Well lass? Are you a viking?"

She took it with a sure grip. "I am."

Hiccup pressed a button on his handle and his sword burst into flames. They both looked at the woman.

"You got a problem with us fighting for our freedom?"

She laughed. "Be my guest. Now you can suffer and watch each of your family and loved ones be slowly picked apart by invaders. I will stay and enjoy your demise."

Hiccup frowned at her. "Ruff, Tuff, Snotlout, and Fish. I'm giving you charge of the guests. Escort them to chapel! After everyone is safe, let Toothless out! Go! Go now!"

"You heard the man!" Snotlout shouted to the guests. "Let's move!"

A handful of vikings with weapons took over the spots of those holding the door closed.

As Astrid took up her spot next to Hiccup, her axe at the ready, she saw her cousin Dale climbing out a window on the opposite side of the room. She didn't have time to stop and think about it, as a bony fist punched a hole through the door.

"We can't hold them off much longer!" A man called.

"Just a bit longer…" Hiccup stated, his eyes closed. He seemed to be concentrating on something, but what?

A distant roar called over from the South Tower.

"Now!"

The vikings let go of the doors and prepared their weapons.

Draugar came spilling in, all smelling of death and decay. They reminded Astrid of the bodies that she first saw opening the crypt, but these were much more heinous in sight and movement. And they had a low green glow to them.

The hall was alive with violence. Hacking, slashing, and gnawing…there was not a soul that wasn't fighting for their life, or death as the case may be. Despite how many draugar had fallen, it was a miracle no viking had yet.

A resilient people indeed.

"More and more keep coming!" Gobber shouted helplessly.

"And where are they coming from?!" Stoick added, sending a skull flying off into a wall.

"The lake!" Astrid cried out in realization. "Dale saw statues under the water! I bet that's where they're all coming from!"

"Keen and clever is she," said the druid, standing by the windows. "Those that were forgotten, dead and alive again. Waiting restlessly in the murky depths."

A strong jaw clamped onto Astrid's ankle, a previously decapitated head. She swung her leg and kicked the skull off of her, tearing her flesh at the same time.

A bony hand caught the skull, and reattached it to it's shoulders.

"Guys…they aren't dying!"

"For how could those that have died before truly die again?"

Meanwhile, outside, Dale had lowered himself onto the roof of the Northwest hall. In the cover of darkness and rain, he carefully made his way over to the parking lot. The draugar were coming from the lake, around both sides of the castle to the front door. This all would have been a hopeless endeavor, if he had not parked next to the shed on the Southwest wall. So he carefully shimmied along the edge of the West Tower and back down to the Southwest hall. The shed was within jumping distance, but only if he did it right. The draugar were close below, preparing to raid the castle.

A lighting strike came, and he leapt, hitting the roof of the shed at the same time as thunder cracked. From there, he slid into the bed of his truck and opened the slightly cracked window to the cabin.

He was terrified, but there was a thrill of adrenaline. "God, I've always wanted to do this."

Astrid was having a hard time staying on her feet. Her leg hurt terribly as it bled. She retreated to the back of the pack. She didn't want her friends to worry about her, and she could admit that they were better trained fighters than she was.

"Will this ever end?" She wondered out loud.

She glanced around the room, hoping for some sort of way to turn the tide. That miracle appeared in the form of Dale, climbing back in the window, a shotgun in hand.

She knew there was a reason he was her favorite cousin.

"Eat lead, bitch!" He shouted, before firing a slug at the druid.

Juice splattered on Astrid, and the room went silent.

As she wiped the slime from her face, she opened her eyes to find all the draugar limp on the ground.

No one knew what to say for a minute.

"Es tha' it?" Gobber asked.

Astrid sighed, looking at the white robes that only held dust. "I…I can only hope."

Dale fell into a chair. "That's what I saw in the lake," he explained. "When my mom said we were going to a party here, I couldn't help but feel paranoid enough to put my shotgun in my truck."

"And thank God that you did!" Astrid laughed breathlessly.

Gobber put his hands on his hips. "I SAID—GUNS CANNOT KILL GHOSTS! AN' WHAT TO YA DOO? YA KILL THE GHOST—WITH A GUN! UNBELIEVABLE!"

That night was awful. Refunds were made to all the guests that checked in for the weekend, and they returned with plenty of promises for lawsuits.

Then the clean up began. All the windows were opened because of the awful stench. In all, their had to be about 50 draugar pulled out of the castle and put in stacks outside.

According the the vikings, the draugar had to be burned, or they could be revived once again. But of course, it was raining, so all they could do was pile them up and cover the bodies with tarps.

It was truly a barbaric night.

Then everyone set to work cleaning the rest of the castle. It was a complete and total mess. The floor felt slimy in every step, either with mud or other questionable fluids.

Toothless was forced outside because of his filth. "You did a good job, bud. You're just…really gross."

The dragon didn't quite mind, and frolicked out in the rain.

Astrid shook her head. "What an absolute nightmare. Look at this place! It's a total wreck! I don't even know if professionals could get these carpets clean! And the smell…" She lamented.

"Hey," Hiccup nudged her. "Don't worry, we'll get it all cleaned up. Why don't you go take a shower?"

"But everyone else is cleaning…"

"Aww lass, it's alright. You spent the whole day setting this party up. You must be exhausted."

Phillis and Axel came into the room, looking less than enthused with the situation. "Well, another fun holiday at the castle." Axel said, sarcastically.

"I'm sorry guys, I was really hoping this was all behind us."

Phillis hugged her. "Oh honey, ghosts, vikings, zombies and curses…they've all been here before us. You have nothing to feel bad about, you're just stuck in the middle of it. And we're here for you. I know we had that incident last year—"

"Oh my god, Astrid! What happened to your leg!?" Snotlout shouted.

Everyone immediately looked down to her leg, to see the calf of her khaki pants totally red. But it was Hiccup who acted first. He lifted her up, bridal style, to get her weight off of it. "What happened?"

On reflex, she put her arms around his shoulders. "I'm fine. I just got bit by a decapitated head...wait…I'm not going to turn into a zombie, am I?"

"That's just those movies you showed us, lass." Stoick assured.

"But you really should let me look at that." Hiccup adjusted his grip on her.

"And make sure it gets sanitized! Human mouths are filthy!" Phillis added.

"Go ahead," Stoick waved them off. "We can handle this."

And so Hiccup carried her up to her room and into the bathroom. Blessedly, the bedrooms were clean and clear of any filth, since the draugar had been on a pretty clear path.

Hiccup turned on the water in the tub to draw her a bath.

"Can you take off your pants?"

She shimmied out of her ruined dress pants and sat on the toilet, while he sat on the edge of the tub and eased her leg into his lap. He poked and prodded and listened to her wince.

"Well, the wound isn't as deep as I thought. Just enough to cause bleeding."

"That's good at least. I have some hydrogen peroxide in the top drawer, if you could dab that on there."

So he cleaned and cared for her wound, being delicate and soft as he did. Once it was cleaned and wrapped, he turned around so that she could have some privacy.

"What are you doing?" She asked, noticing that he hadn't left the room.

"I...just wanted to talk for a bit. If that's okay."

She settled into the water, her bad leg hanging over the edge. "Okay…"

He still didn't turn around. Only moved so he could sit next to the tub. His hand touched her leg absently. He was quiet a long time, trying to find his words.

"Hiccup?"

"You know I love you, right?"

She was surprised. "Of course, you tell me every day."

"Well…I've never loved anybody else. I doubt I ever will again."

"I love you too…" She agreed.

He turned his head slightly to smile softly at her. "So here's the thing…I want to marry you. I know we've only been together a few months, but in our culture, there isn't really a dating stage. You find someone you're interested in, and then you get engaged. So to me…this has felt like forever. Is that crazy? It's just…I can't see myself with anyone else after all you've done for us…" He barely noticed that her leg had moved until her damp arms were around his shoulders and she kissed the back of his neck.

He shivered.

"Hiccup, I understand completely." She spoke softly against his skin, giving him goosebumps. It was a feeling he was still getting used to. "Honestly, I think I loved you a long time before I said I did. I don't think I would have come for you in that tower if I didn't."

He turned slowly, locking his eyes with hers.

"I want to marry you too." She smiled. "After everything we've been through, I don't think I could be with anybody else." She cupped his face and rubbed her thumb over his cheek. "And experiences aside, you're the most wonderful person I've ever met. Kind, smart, cute."

A wrinkle formed at his lip where he smiled. "You're pretty cute, yourself."

She pecked him on the nose. "So, my advice…get a ring. Ask my parents for permission. Then, ask me officially."

"What do I say, when I ask?"

"My full name."

"Astrid Sojornor Hofferson…"

"That's not my middle name."

"Astrid…Shieldmaiden—"

"Try again."

Hiccup grinned. "Astrid Lee Hofferson…now what?"

"'Will you marry me?'"

"Will you marry me?"

"And then, I say, 'yes.' Or some other affirmative."

He leaned a little closer, only a breath away. "Then what?"

"Then…we kiss."

"Like this?" He pressed his lips to hers in a soft caress.

She hummed against him, and then pulled away. "No, more like this." She pulled him closer and kissed him soundly and sweetly. Her hands wandering up into his hair as he sighed in ecstasy.

He pulled away for half a second, "I can do that," before he was pulled against her again.

—

Gobber knocked at her bedroom door. "Astrid? Hiccup?"

He poked his head in, glancing around and seeing nothing. But then he heard the distinct sound of splashing and giggling.

"Nevermind, I don't want to know."

—

The next day, around noon, Eret puttered home in his truck. Normally, he would have loved to stay for the party, but he went to a friend's party instead….and ended up passing out on the couch. It had been a rough night. Awkward flirting with a girl in a sexy nurse outfit, then some beer…then some jello shots…then the beer keg…He hadn't partied like that since college, and he promised he never would again.

When he finally pulled up to the castle, their were several police cars there. Along with piles and piles of dead, rotting bodies, being drenched in gasoline.

He stepped out of the truck with clear confusion.

"Oh, hello Eret! Ya missed all the fun last night!"

Eret didn't know how to respond, and simply meandered into the house. A steam cleaning service was in the middle of cleaning what looked like blood and…green slime off the antique carpets.

Astrid was on the phone when he spotted her. "—no we have electricity, we just need to have our chandeliers looked at—"

He tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh hi," she mouthed.

With a silent questioning look, he gestured around the chaos of the room.

"Zombies," she answered simply.

Eret nodded.

That made perfect sense.

Okay, now it's actually finished! I finished the last chapter at like 3 am, and I didn't want to think off the story anymore, so I marked it as complete. The next day I kind of thought 'oh wait, I still have that thing…'

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews that have been left over the last…oh 12 chapters. That's just about how long Roses and Lilies is too. (One of my other favorites of mine.) Your kind words really keep me going and give me inspiration to write (and paint).

Now, I have a matter of business to mention. I have a P atreon! Now, I'm not asking for any money, but if you like what I do, I would be eternally grateful if you were to head over there and support me. You'll notice if you give 2 bucks a month, you get the reward of seeing my new chapters 3 days before anyone else! Isn't that neat?! And there's more fun prizes as the tiers raise.

Also on my page is my invoice document that you can view, and it has all the information you need to commission me for a drawing OR a fanfic! I'm only asking $10 per thousand word.

Are you broke like me? Still like my work? No problem! Like my Facebook page and find me on Tumblr, all at P-Artsypants! Maybe also leave a comment down below? I need constant validation.

Now, I bet you're wondering what's next? I'm still working on my goal to reach 1,000,000 words by the end of the year, and we have quite a bit to go.

Well, here's the summary for my next fic, coming…sometime…

"Far From Home-

NEW YORK TIMES: GREATEST HISTORICAL DISCOVERY FOUND OUTSIDE ICELAND

What might be the greatest historical, biological, medical, and zoological discovery has been made by a curious archaeologist, Prof. Susan Bleu and a dedicated Doctor of Cryogentics, Dr. John Black. A dragon, identified to be called a Nightfury, was perfectly preserved in ice and thawed to live again. Along with the dragon was a young man, a viking, who has also survived a long freeze in the ice for over a thousand years. Prof. Bleu and Dr. Black will be presenting the find in August at a conference at Cambridge. More on page 3."