A Storm from the East (A Viggo Lovestory)

Chapter 20

When the Riders woke up the next day, they were all completely chilled to the bone. The fire had gone out at some point in the night and had left them vulnerable for the cold temperatures from the glacier.
Deciding that it was about time they got out of there, they packed their stuff and got back to finding food, water and maybe even a way out of there. This time around though, Hiccup seemed way chattier. He was talking to Eos about his plans for after the war. Where he wanted to go, what he wanted to do. At first Viggo was fine with it, but then he started to grow a little worried.

".. and you and Eurus could come with me! We could discover the great beyond together and safe tons of dragons while we're at it! Just us and the dragons, like it was always meant to be!", Hiccup declared loudly. Eos was smiling widely and nodded in agreement.

" Totally! We have to use the time before we have to act in our respective roles. A life as general would be even harder, knowing that I didn't even try to be out there to discover.", she replied.

"Does that mean you don't want to-", Viggo started, but was cut off by Hiccup. The two didn't even seem to notice that he had spoken up.

"Actually, I was thinking, we could run away. You know, to dedicate our life to dragons. Our future isn't set in stone just because our parents say so, don't you think?", Hiccup said that so nonchalantly, it shocked Eos.

"Hiccup, it sounds like a dream, b-", Eos was cut off when Viggo suddenly stepped in front of them and whispered "Quiet!".

"What? Viggo, what is going on?" Hiccup whispered back.

"Listen." he replied curtly.

The three stood completely still, Viggo standing in front of them, a protective arm stretched out in front of Eos. Then they heard it. Soft footsteps approaching. It was hard to tell if they came from a human or an animal, but they were growing closer and closer.

"Do you think Krogan and Johann got here first?" Eos whispered to Hiccup. He just gave her an unknowing look, not being sure himself.

The footsteps got even closer. Viggo now had his hand on his sword. The other two were imitating his motion and also laid their hands on their weapons. They slowly started to take a few steps backwards, getting a bit of ground between them and whatever was approaching them. Eos, knowing Hiccup wasn't paying attention to them, slipped her good hand from the handle of her sword and into Viggo's free hand. His hand wrapped around hers and his thumb started to softly stroke it. The tension in the air was so thick, it could have been cut with a knife.
Whatever it was, was now rounding the corner and in that very second Eos let go of Viggo's hand. She started to laugh softly and Hiccup soon joined her. Viggo just shook his head in embarrassment of his own stupidity. There, in front of them, stood a yak. He'd tried to protect them from a yak.
Eos, knowing her boyfriend, noticed his obvious shame and motioned for Hiccup to stop laughing.

"Well, we were looking for food as well, weren't we?", Hiccup said.

A few hours later, when it was time for lunch, the three were cooking some of the yaks' meat over a campfire. They had rationed everything out between them and each of them had enough food to last them a few days.
This time, Eos was sitting next to Viggo. The two of them were talking about Eos' island. Viggo seemed to be asking a thousand questions about her house, her family, her people and Eos answered every single one with a very detailed reply. This got Hiccup thinking again. Eos wouldn't just share this with anyone, especially a former Dragon Hunter who was known to be deceptive. And then he noticed Viggo's hand on Eos' leg and something inside him clicked. He had finally solved the puzzle of Eos and Viggo. Hiccup shot his best friend and all to knowing look which she first didn't notice, but when she finally did turn to him she seemed rather confused.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all. You and I just need to talk." and with that he grabbed Eos and pulled her to the side. They stood a bit further away from the camp, Viggo shooting Hiccup an angry look for taking his girlfriend away mid conversation. She just motioned for him to stay calm, so, with a bit of disagreement he continued his meal.

"Eos say, did Viggo ever.. get to close?" he whispered.

"... I'm sorry, what?" Eos asked completely astonished.

"You know you don't have to allow him to do whatever, just because your family wants you to marry early. And I know the boys on your island aren't exactly gentlemen, but they must be better than Viggo, right?", Hiccup said carefully.

"Woah, okay, let me take a look at that wound again, I think there might be an infection that spread to your brain. What in the name of God are you talking about?" Eos questioned, getting a bit angry.

"The fact that you are getting defensive just proves my point. Stop lying." he demanded.

"Hiccup, I swear, there is nothing you should worry about. Everything is fine.", Eos tried to calm him but Hiccup wouldn't have any of it.

"You're just saying that to protect him! Eos, he's manipulating you into thinking what he's doing is okay!", he yelled now. Viggo surly heard that.

"I'm saying that because it's the truth, Hiccup. Viggo's not doing anything that I don't agree with.", she said, ending the conversation and walking back to the camp. She sat back down next to Viggo who silently handed her a full plate of meat. She gratefully took it with her good hand and started eating.