For Milady

THIRTY-TWO: Heading Home

THIRTY-TWO: Heading Home

The others seemed to put his quietness and turmoil down to exhaustion as they chatted late, catching up with adventures and swapping tales. Heather was fascinated by the fact that Astrid had fought off raiders, saved a village and fought a combat and become a Chief while in late pregnancy and the blonde had clearly loved having her best friend back to talk to. Snotlout was paying excessive compliments and hinting that as the new Heir to Berk, he would make a perfect partner for her and the twins were joking with him and pointing out how little chance he had. Fishlegs was squealing with excitement at the story of the new dragons Astrid had encountered on the Healers' Isle and he was begging her for details so he could put them in the Book of Dragons...or check them out on the DragonEye 2.

It was a relief when Valkana woke and automatically, Hiccup got up and scooped up his daughter, snuggling the warm wriggly body to his chest. She was fretting but she wasn't really hungry, instead just wanting a cuddle so he sat at the back, by her crib, and rocked her gently against him. She gave a little murmur and Astrid half-turned her head, seeing him cuddling her and a small smile lifted her lips at his devotion before she turned back to her friends. But Dagur watched the tall, lean Night Fury Rider and knew there was something troubling his brother so quietly, he got up and sat by the troubled Hiccup.

"She's incredibly cute," he commented. "I can't believe my brother is a father."

"Most of the time, nor can I," Hiccup confessed. "I look at her and wonder if I'm dreaming and instead, I'm still back in that cage on the Captain's ship, slowly dying and this is just the last dream I have before the end." A warm hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up with a small smile. "Yeah-pretty morbid I know...but I just can believe I got here in time..."

"Better believe it-because Astrid says you were awesome, brother," Dagur reminded him. "But something has changed. When we arrived, you were smiling, cheerful...happy...and now you look...morose." Hiccup flicked a thoughtful emerald glance at his friend. Dagur tended to head off in his own direction and sometimes Hiccup couldn't fathom what went on in his brain...but occasionally, he picked up on things that no one else did.

"Well-what about you?" he replied. "Engaged to Mala? How-how did that happen?" There was a pause and Dagur scratched his stubbly beard, a small smile lifting his lips.

"I was at a meeting with Mala and the Defenders of the Wing discussing and sharing information about the King of Dragons, Johann and Krogan-who is attacking everything...and I butted heads agains Mala," the Berserker explained. "I mean, she was so amazingly stubborn and disagreed with everything I said and everything I suggested! I mean, I was being very reasonable and she was just impossible..."

"I'll bet," Hiccup commented, rocking Valkana, who was falling asleep again. When they met Mala and the Defenders of the Wing, they had tried to execute him...twice...while Dagur had tried to kill him innumerable times. Suddenly, he could see what the pair had in common.

"And then that twin...the idiot with the chicken and the other one-are you sure she's a girl?-put us through a load of silly exercises and we just agreed how stupid they were and...that was it. We clicked...and I have never felt so complete as when I realised I had found my soul mate."

The older man's shocked and joyful tone-mixed with the slightly goofy expression that Hiccup recognised as one he had worn more times than he could recall-brought a smile to his lips.

"I am truly happy for you," he said honestly. "Wow. This is seriously the last thing I would have expected when you escaped from Outcast Island..." Dagur scratched the back of his neck and nodded.

"Yeah-was pretty certain one of us would be dead by now," he admitted with a shrug.

"There's still time with Krogan and Johann," Hiccup pointed out. "We have to find the King of Dragons first and save him from Johann. Otherwise...it will all have been in vain." Dagur slapped him on the back and then apologised as Valkana whimpered and woke.