The Other-worldly Protector

94. Lessons learned

"I think that means they're dating," Tuff murmured.

"Ha! Does Fishlegs know?" said Ruff.

"That's courting, not consorting," Kiara sighed.

Heather stomped up to Hiccup. "But then you teach him how to ride dragons? Have you lost your mind?" she exclaimed, furiously grabbing Hiccup's tunic.

"Heather, he saved my life," he tried to explain while calmly pulling her grip loose. She shoved his hand away.

"I don't care! You can't trust him. You think it's a coincidence that he shows up now before this mission? It's a setup, Hiccup. Can't you see that?"

"To be fair, that was my first thought, too," Astrid said, placing a calming hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"He set me adrift as a child!" she burst out, startling Astrid, and stalked over to Dagur as she ranted. "He killed our father, for Thor's sake. He tried to kill each of us multiple times!"

Dagur glanced away guiltily. "Most, if not all of those things are true," he admitted, "but I am trying to change, sister."

Grabbing his shoulder, she thrust her axe towards his neck. "Don't ever call me that, spy."

"I'm not a spy," he implored, shoving the axe away. "I don't know how I could possibly prove that. I guess you're just gonna have to take my word for it."

He looked around at the silent occupants of the room and hope quickly drained from his eyes. Kiara felt a pang of pity for the man.

"Yeah, I don't think I would take it either if I were you," he said dejectedly. "So, thank you all for the hospitality, but I think Shattermaster and I should be going. Good day." He started walking away.

"Oh, come on. Dagur," Hiccup called after him. "Dagur."

"I said "Good day"," Dagur reiterated, briefly glancing back with misty eyes as he slipped out of the entryway.

"Was he crying?" Snotlout asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Tears of laughter. At us," Heather growled.

"I should probably talk to him before he goes," Hiccup said walking out too.

Kiara carefully watched Heather while approaching her. She was fuming, with her shoulders drawn up and a glare fixed at the point where she last saw Dagur. "I don't think he's faking, Heather."

"Then you're easily fooled," Heather snapped at Kiara and stalked away to the hearth in the centre of the room. She planted her hands on the table and scowled at the fire. Astrid sighed and gave Kiara a shake of her head, warning her to leave Heather be, and then walked after Hiccup.

Kiara felt her chest tighten with the conflicted feeling brewing inside and stepped outside for some fresh air. Maybe she only trusted Dagur because she hadn't suffered at his hands. Maybe she should draw on Heather's experience and not...be so naive? And be hate-fueled and unforgiving instead? No. But wary at the very least.

Whiplash trusts him...

Kiara telepathically reached out to her, yearning for some advice, but pulled away as she realised Whiplash was drifting off to sleep.

The sound of a scuffle drew her eyes towards Hiccup's hut, where she spotted Astrid hauling out Dagur with a grip on his arm which she had twisted behind his back, and Hiccup following. "What the..?" She rushed over to them as they walked in the direction of the dragon pens. "Astrid, what's going on?" Kiara asked. 

"He's seen the plans for the next mission. We can't let him go now."

"Told you he was a spy." Kiara jumped at the sound of Heather's voice and glanced back to see the raven-haired woman's dark expression. The twins had followed her too, with chicken in Tuffnut's arms.