Lykke was feeling a little bit deterred and underwhelming unsuccessful. In her days of wandering, she wondered if she'd fully thought this through. She wondered if this was all together the best choice she'd ever made.
Then she would want to slap herself. She'd been waiting ten years for an opportunity like this, and she'd taken it. Hans would have been proud. She remembered her anguish when she'd arrived on the other side and looked in her pocket for her portrait of him, but found it gone. That had almost broken her; it was the only thing left she had of him. All of his personal belongings had been disturbed between his brothers, burned, or sold. She hadn't been allowed to take anything that was ever of meaning to him. Not even his ascot, which had been a gift from his mother on his thirteenth birthday. She recalled with a rueful smile his obsession about keeping the little purple piece of fabric pristine. He wasn't a real materialistic type of guy, and that was as much as he held onto anything.
He'd been stripped of that, and it was where the hell knows know. Lykke's teeth ground in anger as she imagined a lowly peasant using it to tie a wound or mark a tree or something. That something so beautiful should not be used as something so disgustingly plebeian.
She'd wandered through what was not quite yet Europe as a whole for weeks, spending as little money as possible, stowing away on ships, and talking to those at the ports. She recalled from her time in the Southern Isles as a child when she would sneak down to the docks and give the navy men and the traders some fresh food from the castle for a bit of gossip about anywhere and everywhere. From these men, coincidentally, she'd heard first about the peculiarity of the Kingdome of Arendelle shutting it's doors and firing the staff. It piqued her interest enough to try to keep updated. And she wondered often what kind of daughter Elsa must have been to cause this?
It was clear now; Elsa was a monster.
There was an abrupt rocking of the ship and Lykke raised her head above the barrels of fish, feeling a chill in her bones. She had no clue where she was now, but she got up, like she did each time she'd done this, counted her gold coins, hid them tight away, and straightened her dress. She was angry with herself for trading in her warm clothes when she arrived, but it was heavy to carry, and if she looked cold, no doubt some horny seaman would take pity on her.
She slid from the ship like a fox, and felt a thrill of triumph that once again, she'd gone un-noticed. After splashing some water from the icy-cold harbor onto her face, doing up her hair in the water's reflection, and using some precious rouge that she had left, she returned back to the docks, making herself look as presentable as possible.
There were catcalls. There were invitations to stay warm in random beds. Lykke's eyes gazed around with a careful selection; she knew the types that spilled their lips easily without much prompting. Couldn't get someone too smart, or someone too stupid that wouldn't pick up on her hints and nudging. In the end, she walked up to a guy who looked to be not the bottom rung, but no the highest on a ship either.
"Hi." He greeted, stumbling over a barrel as she approached, straightening up and coughing in surprise.
"I'm going to cut to the chase. You look like a smart enough guy not to want to be fooled, eh?" She asked. The man blushed at the compliment, nodding furiously.
"I'm wondering if you've ever heard of a Viking named Hiccup or his wife named Elsa?" She asked. In all the previous places, there had either been straight up 'no' replies, or the occasional scratching of head and saying it sounded 'familiar' but no one seemed sure. She was almost ready for disappointment again, but the man's eyes lit up in recognition.
"Hiccup the Dragon Rider!" He said, clapping his hands, "Awee, man everyone around here knows about him! He'd like a ledged, not that I've ever seen him, you know. They say he rides dragons-,"
"As his name suggests," Lykke muttered sarcastically, but the man hadn't noticed.
"And his wife! Geeze, they say she can control ice. Some stories, eh?" He said, and then let out a low whistle, "Soon as I have enough money, I'm going to go down to see if it's true. Get a dragon of my own, I reckon."
"Great. So they do exist." Lykke murmured in relief. She'd been beginning to think she'd been in the totally wrong time period, or that all of Elsa's letters had been a sham.
"Why do you ask?" He asked, catching Lykke of guard, "Are you going there?" He seemed really interested, leaning in, "Have room for one more?"
"I don't know yet. I hope to be going." Lykke answered honestly, "But I believe you wouldn't find it as what you hoped to be. I'm on a revenge mission." She said, "I have a bone to pick." She said. The man looked taken aback.
"You? A girl? What could you possibly do to them?" He laughed, his face turning red in amusement. Lykke's lips turned down into a frown. She quietly moved her robes aside to reveal a long knife hanging at her hips. His laughing ceased, and his eyes widened.
"As I said, I have a bone to pick. Now I'm not around here, so I need someone. I'm assuming a 'great' leader like Hiccup must have...enemies?" She finished carefully. The man floundered for words. When he suddenly seemed unwilling to talk, Lykke gave a sigh, and took out a single gold coin, "I can make it worth your while."
The man's eyes greedily sized up the coin. "There's a guy that appeared in town a couple years ago. He's a burly looking type, none too happy at all. Whenever someone says Hiccup or Elsa or anything about the other Vikings down there, he gets all shifty. There's something about him, but I don't know what."
He reached for the coin, but Lykke pulled it back from his reach, "Where can I find him?" She asked, her heart racing in joy.
I'll avenge you Hans, don't you worry! I'm nearly there!
"He has a ship. It's docked on the far side of the harbor, just over that crest." The man pointed, "He never leaves except to get drunk at the tavern." He said. Lykke flipped the coin his way, and it rolled around the dock. She watched with amusement as he scrambled to catch it, turning.
"You've been most helpful."
OMPHALOS
"Well I find it coincidental that Calder, his son, gets an invincible dragon right before this happens." Asgar snapped, and a few people murmured in agreement, "Who else finds this fishy!"
"He's had that egg for years, Asgar," Elsa replied back, "We had no idea when it would hatch."
"But it hatched right before this happened." Asgar muttered.
"What do you want us to do, slay an innocent dragon? A boy who is hated because he was born?" Elsa asked, and to her horror there were some yells in agreement.
It was far mast sunrise and it seemed a thousand or more people had squeezed themselves into the Great Hall on Berk, from all tribes, with more and more spilling out the door, banging to get in. If Elsa had thought that news traveled fast before, the news of the dead body had seemed to reach everywhere before she could blink. Before she knew it, the whole of all the tribes were banging on her door, demanding answers.
All the leaders, all the elders, and all other people with any sort of authority had pushed themselves into the council meeting, and the rest of the island had followed.
"Calder didn't ask for his father to be a monster!" Someone from the refugee group from the Lava Louts called out, "You can't blame us for the sins of a faulty leader!"
"A destructive leader! A dangerous leader!" Wolfen thundered, and even if he'd once sworn alliance to Unn sometime before, he was past that now, "That man was my brother-in-law. I saw we kill him! Kill them all! Any followers. If they dare come here-,"
"They know what's here for them." Hiccup cut in quietly, unusually quiet. He'd been shocked into a silence, darkened, angry, and it worried Elsa, "But they are not alone. I don't think Drago nor Unn would come back unless the thought they could win."
"It's coming to war." Thuggury gave a firm shake of his head, sadly, "We've come close- between our own, when Drago took our Dragons and threatened us, but never before have we faced such a savagery that has called upon us."
"Thuggury is right." Elsa cut in, since her husband didn't talk much now, and glanced at him, hoping he'd jump in, "This should not be breaking us apart. Blaming one another won't help us. We need to prepare for whatever is coming. He sent us a warning; scary as it is, it gives us time. We need to make weapons. Train people. Ration food. Prepare." She pressed.
"What do you know about war?" Someone muttered, "Palace girl!"
The blood on Elsa's face rose. The air dropped a couple temperatures, and frost began to crack on the windows.
"What do I know of war? Do you not recall the events that brought me here? The burning of my castle? The raping of my people? The destruction of my land? I may be from a palace far away from here, but I am not naieve nor am I weak!" She cried. While the story of how she came was a ruse, of course, she had seen war. There had been a distress call from a neighboring village, and Arendelle's army had been too late.
Elsa had seen it though. She'd been with the King when he'd died. It had been her father's best friend, but she felt the blow, the loss, like it had been her best mate. She'd seen war. She'd seen horrors. She also was terrified, not just for herself, but her children. They'd been lucky with the peace they had, but Elsa would never forgive herself if something happened to Ophelia.
The man that had called out shut up immediately, and Elsa relaxed back into her chair, and saw Ragnar give a sigh and a shake of his head.
"Ragnar." Hiccup's voice broke through the silence, and he jumped, "How many weapons can you make and how fast?"
"We can get started right away. Armor too, or you could take that here." He asked, "We can provide everyone who wants to take our side with proper things to help themselves." He said with a reassuring nod to the crowd.
"We will begin battle training." Thuggury said, "Some of us have surely gotten rusty during these ten years. Any man who needs to practice up, come to the Meathead island."
"Any female that wants to participate," Camacazi pushed in, "Come to me. I'll get you right up there with the men."
"We can provide extra food," Runa said, "We always have extra, and usually eat well. But in times of war, we would be proud to share with our brother and sister tribes." She said, and Tore gave an 'aye' of agreement to her declaration. The meeting was quickly disbanded, because Elsa pointed out as it was, their time was thin. All normal procedures were cancelled, and there was a plan that any children in the event of a battle should go to Berk, because that's where the most dragons were. They would hide with the abandoned or rider-less dragons, because Hiccup was sure that those dragons would give their lives to protect the young ones.
Hiccup seemed dazed, being pulled aside by villages were questions, and Elsa grabbed Gnaw's arm from the crowd.
"Do you think any of the tribes will side with Unn?" She asked in a low voice, pushing him into the clamor of the bedlam.
"Wolfen's pissed, he won't. But he does not speak for his whole tribe. They have a long time history with the Lava Louts. I could see him declaring himself impartial. My tribe, I do worry about. We have many that still support Unn. Sweyn and Hobslag," Gnaw gave a sharp sigh, "I think we have to watch them. Notice how neither offered any help against? I think they still are loyal to him." He said.
"Sweyn has a son." Elsa hissed, "He must realize that if he cares at all about Olik, he'd side with us. Unn will not protect him."
"The crazy can't be reasoned with." Gnaw shrugged, "I will keep you updated. But Elsa, in the event something happens, Rika will come with me. I will keep her safe." He said.
"You wouldn't fight?" Elsa said, shocked.
"I will protect her first. You as a mother have to understand that." He said. Elsa's insides twisted painfully.
"I'm also a queen. Everyone is my child." She replied with a sandy dryness in her mouth, pushing herself away and adverting her eyes. She would fight with her people, and would die to protect them, as she would do with any of her children. That's the sacrifice a queen made.
Elsa hurried back to the house, and when she opened the door, all of her children jumped up; even Bjorn technically sat up and looked curiously, as if he had some sense of the gravity of the situation. She was pleased to see Calder still around, although he did not look happy, which she wasn't all too surprised about.
"What's happening?" Ophelia demanded, "Mom." She said, grabbing her mother before Elsa could vanish into her room. Elsa turned, gulping deeply. She could face a room of a hundred people; surely, she could face her children.
"We are banding together. Preparing. Fighting, making weapons, rationing." She said simply, "When the time comes, all the children- all of you- will go to the Dragon Reserve here, where you'll be best protected."
"Hold up." Ophelia shook her head, "I'm nineteen mother, I can fight. I'm well above the age of maturity."
"I'm fourteen!" Rika cut in, "I want to fight for my people too!"
"If Rika's fighting, I sure as hell can." Are said, "I'm big enough, mom."
"No!" Elsa snapped, "None of you will fight. You will all listen to me!" She said, and felt her control slipping, "I will not see any of your deaths!"
"But others our age will fight." Rika said, "I'm not a coward. I want to rip Unn's throat out." She said, baring her teeth.
"And this is why you will not fight," Elsa said, her eyes turning icy, "A mature fighter knows that their number one reason for fighting should be to protect, not to further the violence." She said, "You are too young, Rika."
"You can't tell me I'm too young." Ophelia said, turning Elsa's attention to where she, Ull, and Calder stood, "We are old enough. You can't decide! If this is coming to war, I am a part of this tribe! I will fight!"
"If you had just let me go and find him before, we wouldn't have this problem..." Calder hissed under his breath, but no one much noticed him.
"Ophelia! You will not! I promised your mother I would protect you, and sending you into a war that is not yours is not the way to do that!"
Ophelia's eyes widened, and she scoffed. Her body shook. "My mother?" She repeated, spitting it out like a disgusting bug, "My mother? That memory at the back of my mind, that one that wants me to take my away from my friends? My life here? No, you can't say that. I'm an adult, and this 'mother' of mine can't control me anymore than you can." She said, and she felt a tear slip down her face, "You're more of a mother than this 'Anna' ever could be, don't you understand? I would rather die a Viking in my Village than ever go back to Arendelle!" She said.
Elsa nearly chocked on her words, feeling a deep pain in her stomach. "Ophelia..." Elsa whispered in shock, "You don't mean that," She said, reaching for her cautiously, but Ophelia jerked back.
"No! Don't touch me! Don't you understand? I'm not a princess, I'm a Viking, Mo-Elsa?" She said, pushing herself into a corner, and at Elsa's pleading eyes, she shook her head, "You still don't understand. You'd push me through a portal first chance back because of some promise you feel you need to fulfill about a six-year-old. Well guess what? That little girl is gone." Ophelia said, and before anyone could anything else, she pushed past Elsa into the night.
Elsa stood frozen, staring at the place she'd been. She had never realized that Ophelia had such strong feeling against her birth mother...and it hurt. She wanted Ophelia to love her mother the way she loved her sister. Calder's jaw was hanging open, and him and Ull shared a similar look before the pair bolted after Ophelia.
"So...Ophelia can choose to fight. I choose to as well." Rika said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Me too!" Are chipped in. Elsa spun on them.
"To your rooms. Now. This discussion is closed." She said, pointing to the door. Both looked ready to argue, but as the temperature dropped, they took their siblings hands and slinked into their rooms. When gone, Elsa collapsed on the couch. How had she been so blind to realize that Anna's daughter was long gone? That in it's place was a girl who was indeed a grown woman? It was if she'd always seen her as that little girl who found Toothless' scale so many eons ago, and now, the mist cleared and she saw her differently.
And deep down, she did feel as though it was her daughter. She'd been with Ophelia through some of the most developmental stages of her life; been there when she'd been crying about boys, moody and unpredictable, when she'd gone through many major milestones...and for the first time, Elsa didn't feel guilty about thinking about it. For all she knew, Anna wasn't even searching anymore.
OMPHALOS
"How could I have been so stupid, Kristoff?" Anna asked, angrily balling a skirt and throwing it into the suitcase, closing it with an furious bang. Her husband jumped at the noise, turning to answer, but Astrid came forward first.
"We were all idiots!" She was sharpening a knife in the corner, furiously scrapping it against a stone, "None of us saw it. I can't believe I never saw it." She said, "I should have realized it. She was always a little too perfect at her job."
"It's not a bad thing to be good at your job," Kristoff frowned, "I wish I'd really done that background check all those years ago."
"It's all my fault." Anna collapsed on the bed, covering her face in her hands, "I hired her. I never once suspected everything she told me was a lie."
"Queenie, you're gullible." Astrid scoffed.
"Then what does that make us?" Kristoff asked in a low growl, glaring meaningfully at Astrid.
"Unperceptive." She said, looking at the ground, throwing the knife deep into the earth. She grabbed the next one, continuing her work.
There was a flap of the tent's fabric, and all three adults turned to see Aldrich and Cyril enter. They all rose together, holding their breaths.
"Good news; they agreed that it was not your fault what happened." Aldrich said, "We swore up and down that even we didn't see anything amiss with this servant girl, and we were just as surprised as you. We know you wouldn't have anything to do with someone like her." Aldrich's eyes hardened in anger.
"You spoke for us?" Kristoff raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You didn't need to do that, you could have gotten in trouble too."
"We're a family now, Kristoff." Cyril said, clapping his back, "I'm the crazy Uncle, remember? We couldn't let anything happen to you all and us get off free."
"That was stupid of you all," Astrid said, but when they turned, she offered a small smile, and Anna was almost sure there was a glisten of tears in her eyes, "But brave." She admitted.
"Aww!" Cyril said, coming forth to hug her, albeit with some hesitation on her part, "Look! Astrid is acknowledging our skills, Aldrich!"
"What happens now?" Kristoff broke in, "Do we know what Lykke did?"
"No, we don't." Aldrich's smile fell. It had already been nearly a month of deliberations and work, "Whatever she did to close it followed her. But we won't stop looking. And what happens now, I..." He paused, wringing his hands, "Don't know."
"Well, we have a country to get back to." Kristoff said, "We've been here awhile, and we can't stay forever." He said, and Anna gave a slow and hard nod in agreement. It was painful to admit, but they couldn't.
"Well I'm not going anywhere!" Astrid stopped her foot, causing the little dragon her shoulder to flutter off to a bed, "I will stay here until that damn portal is open again." She said.
"I think they'd very much enjoy your knowledge on where you come from. We have a few historians that have been dying to talk to you." Aldrich said, "I can talk to the leader."
"I think I should follow this lead; go to the Southern Isles." Anna said, "Kristoff, can you take the children home?"
"Should you really go alone, after someone from there sabotaged us? How can we be sure this isn't some elaborate trap?" Kristoff asked worriedly.
"A ten-year trap?" Anna laughed, "Stranger things have happened, I suppose, but I doubt it. We made a peace treaty a long time ago. Han's brothers are surprisingly good men. We can trust them. Someone there has to know this girl." Anna said, pulling the picture from Hans from her pocket, "Or how she knew Hans."
"My bet is still a family member." Cyril piped in.
"No one's taking bets." Aldrich said, appalled.
"Well, none of us. Most of the guys around this site, on the other hand..."
"You can't go alone." Kristoff grabbed her wrists hard, "I don't want to lose you too."
"I'll go with her!" Cyril said, raising a hand, "Aldrich is staying here to help with the investigation, but that's not my cup of vodka."
"Can you take Osanna back with you? She shouldn't be in a place like this. She'd be more comfortable at the castle, I'm sure." Aldrich agreed, sighing but ignoring Cyril.
"So it's decided." Astrid said, "We're splitting up." Anna couldn't read her expression; was she relieved? A little sad? Happy?
"And you'll call us the moment the portals open up?" Kristoff said, glaring at her hard.
She looked ready to refuse, but then gave a long-winded sigh. "Of course I will." She admitted, "Without you all, I wouldn't be here. I suppose I owe you one."
"Come on, Astrid. Let's get this settled. Cyril, go and pack Osanna's things?"
"Why can't you do it?" He asked.
"Because I'm busy."
"You know you'll just repack it, you crazy OCD husband of mine." Cyril muttered sarcastically as he left. With just Anna and Kristoff left, he glanced to see his wife shaking.
"Hey." He said, grabbing her shoulders, "They'll still be there when they figure this out." He said.
"How can you be so sure?" Anna asked, aghast, "How can I believe you?"
"I guess you can't." Kristoff admitted, and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, "But I have this little feeling inside of me that I will see Ophelia again, and that's my faith. It's working so far." Anna stepped back to lock her suitcase.
"I wish that was enough for me."
OMPHALOS
"Dad, she insisted she come aboard and talk to you."
Unn turned to see his men holding a woman between them, where she was attempting to wrench away from their grip, her eyes lightened with fire. Even so, he gave a dismissive shrug.
"I doubt she has much to say. She almost looks like a night-walker." He said, eyeing her ratty clothes and ripped dress. Her cheeks flushed with anger, and she stomped hard on the foot of one of her captors, enough to make him loosen his grip long enough for her to push herself eye-to-eye to Unn. The one that had called their leader 'dad' reached out for her, but Unn held up a hand to stop him.
"I heard you have a problem with Hiccup and Elsa." She said straightaway, and Unn's eyes flashed.
"Where did you hear something like that." He said, taking a step back, surprised by her forwardness.
"It doesn't matter. Do you, or don't you?" She asked firmly, "Because if so, we have a common enemy."
"And if I do?" He asked, "I don't know what you expect of me." He answered honestly.
"Well we should take back what's rightfully ours." The son muttered from the back of the room, raising a sharp glare from Unn, "Honestly, dad. I'm tired of living on a ship. We're not pirates, we're Vikings."
"Einar, stop." Unn said, "Go upstairs." He ordered, "You too." He said to the other guard. Once they were gone, Unn gave a long sigh.
"I apologize for my idiotic son."
"No, I agree with him. I've heard what you've lost, and I feel your pain. I think it's time we do something about it." She said. Unn's face stayed the same, so Lykke continued, "I already have an army too."
"You? An army?" He scoffed.
"I found a friend of ours on the way over here, coincidentally." She said. Unn looked at her with careful eyes.
"I doubt we have any mutual's here." He scoffed.
"The enemy of our enemy is our friend, I think it goes." Lykke tilted her head, "He'd heard about my...distaste for the pair of Vikings that caused you to lose your land." She said, "That mocked you. That made you a laughing stock of the islands." She pressed.
"Enough!" Unn slammed his fist down, shaking the table, and then looked at her with a calculation look. A most pleasant light seeped into his eyes...the look of a crazed man who wanted revenge. She recognized it like she was looking into a mirror, "Who is this 'friend' you speak of?"
"Drago Bludvist." Lykke said, and although she knew little of him, the effect of his name caused Unn to straighten and stare at her with wide eyes, "That enough of an army for you?"
Unn began to pace. Finally he turned, a savage grin on his face. "Can I have the pair to personally kill?" He asked.
"No." Lykke said, but quickly spoke to explain, "Elsa is mine. Hiccup...he can be yours." She said. Unn gave a hearty laugh.
"Really?" He asked, "You, a tiny girl, are going to kill the Ice-Queen Elsa?"
"No," Lykke said, stopping his laughter, "I'm going to do so much worse. Can I count you in, or not?" Unn paused for a couple moments, then gave a slow nod. She gave a smile, "Good, then come with me."
Finding himself curious, Unn followed her up to the top deck, where his people were all staring in a circle at something. Lykke pushed her way through easily, and there he saw Drago holding a man by his shirt.
"That is not-," Unn blinked in surprise, but Lykke gave smile.
"Wolfen's brother-in-law? So Drago claims, but by your reaction, I now believe it." The man was gagged and already bleeding heavily.
"What are we doing with him?" Unn asked. Drago pulled them man more to his feet.
"Sending a message." He said gruffly.
"Is that wise?" Unn asked, frowning, "They'd know we're coming, then."
"By the time they do," Lykke said, pulling a knife from her robes, causing the man to squirm desperately away, kicking and screaming behind his gag, "It will be far too late. It will inspire fear, and the realzation there is nothing that can be done." She held the knife out to him, handle facing him, "If you would do the honors, Unn? I think this alliangce will turn out most profitable for all of us."
Unn paused, glancing at the man. He, on one hand, wished that it was someone else, for Wolfen had been mostly in agreement with him during his time as part of the tribes. But he was sure that others would come to his aid, make the army stronger. And Woflen would soon realize that it was for the greater good.
The hesitation was only momentary. He grabbed the knife and advanced on the man. It felt good to be back.
OMPHALOS
"Ophelia!"
Ophelia turned to hear the yells of Ull and Calder, and spun to greet them. It had taken them much too long to find her, she decided. She was surprised the stable was not the first place they'd checked. She was almost about to leave, good thing they arrived in time.
They stood with confused faces in the stable doorway, and she watched Calder's eyes flicker between the open door of Achilles' door and the large canvas bag in her hands, now empty. But he had a feeling it soon wouldn't be.
"What are you doing?" He asked, his eyes wide.
"You were right." Ophelia snapped, throwing the bag on the ground next to the door, and grabbing her saddle, "You should have gone after Unn a long time ago."
"Ophelia-," Ull began, but Calder's strangled sound of surprise stopped him.
"What do you think you're doing now?" Calder asked, eyes wide.
"What the hell does it look like?" She snapped, "We're going to find him! Mom won't let me fight, fine. I'll stop the war before it ever comes here." She muttered.
"Ophelia, listen to yourself." Ull said, grabbing her arm, "You're crazy."
"I didn't ask your opinion, Ull." Ophelia hissed violently, and turned to Calder, "You're coming with me, right? This is what you wanted?" She prompted. Calder's jaw fell open. This had been what he wanted, but he didn't want Ophelia risking her life to do it.
"I..."
"Shit, Calder. You can't be thinking about this seriously too!" Ull said, pulling his brother and Ophelia into the center of the stables.
"Maybe she's right." Calder gave a low sigh, "We can't let this war reach the islands. We should cut it off right at the head of it all." He said.
"So you're just going to leave? Without saying anything to Elsa or Hiccup?" Ull shook his head in disbelief. Ophelia stiffened.
"It's clear she wants me gone. So I'll leave." She said.
"That's not what's going on at all and you know it, Ophelia! I don't see Hubert here, you're not leaving without him, are you?" He said, thinking he'd found a way to make her go back to the house where he would shut her inside her room for being such an idiot.
Ophelia instead gave a smile, a condescending one, and he realized there was clearly something that he was missing. In that moment, there were footsteps approaching. He turned, hoping it was Elsa to talk some sense into both his brother and Ophelia now, but found it to be Sigrid, Hijordis, and Gustav...and Hijordis was holding Hubert.
"We got your message, Ophelia!" Sigrid said, waving a sheet of paper, "And we're totally in! Let's kick some Unn but! No offence, Calder and Ull." She said, glancing at them.
"What's Gustav doing here?" Ophelia muttered to Hijordis.
"If my little flower insists on going somewhere that's likely a suicide mission, I'm going with her." Gustav said.
"We could use the extra guy." Calder said reasonably to Ophelia, "We know he's a good fighter and rider."
Ophelia locked her jaw. She couldn't argue with his logic.
"Oh, you're going?" Jor said, and then looked at Ull, "Are you?" She asked.
"This is ridiculous. Where are you going to get food? Weapons? You'd have to go back to our house to get those, and Elsa will stop you."
"Randolph owes me a favor." Calder said, going to the stable where Isis was, and scratching her head, "He can get us weapons. He'll probably join up too."
"If we're bringing future leaders," Sigirid said, looking at Ophelia with a sly smile, "I think it's only fair we ask Lyal too. I mean, he's the only other one our age." She said. Ophelia stifled a laugh.
"Good idea." Calder said, once again failing to notice her obvious attraction for him, "He might be able to get supplies too. Are your dragons here?" He asked.
"We're ready." Jor said, and although her voice was soft, it was firm, "Our dragons and our supplies are outside. With all the excitement and fear going around, I think if we leave now, we'll be able to get away before anyone can stop us."
"You're all mad!" Ull cried, "You can't be serious!" He cussed.
"We are." Ophelia said, tucking a knife into her boots, "Deadly serious."
"None of you have killed anyone before. And these guys, they're seasoned killers. We don't even know who the Southern Isles person is." He said.
"Gotta start somewhere." Sigrid said, coming by and patting his head, "Now, whose dragon are you riding on, Calder? Will you be going by water on Isis?"
"She's fast in the water on her own, she can keep up. I don't want to keep her waiting with me. I'll take Ull's dragon." He said with a leery, sly grin.
"No." Ull said, running to stand in between his dragon and his brother.
"Awe, come on. You're not going to need it as much as we do." Ophelia scoffed. Ull glanced around at all the faces, locking his jaw.
"I'm going to regret this." He muttered," But someone has to keep you all alive." He raised his voice, "Fine! Fine. I'll go. Calder can ride with me."
"Good." Ophelia said, giving a nod of triumph. Someone he got the feeling she knew all along he'd be joining them. He watched with hooded eyes as she tacked a pre-written note on Achilles' cage. He nuzzled the side of her face, and the others lead their dragons outside of the cage.
There was a cry of alarm from Toothless and Ophelia turned to see her father and Toothless coming up over the ledge, not yet in the air. They still had time.
"Let's go!" Ophelia cried, jumping on her dragon and leading the group into the sky. Achilles shot off like a rocket, and she turned to see with a sigh of relief that Isis had disappeared into the water to follow them out to sea, and everyone else had followed. She knew that Toothless was one of the fastest dragons out there, but they had a head start. She prayed they were all out range to still be caught back by the Alpha's call.
"Ophelia!" Hiccup's cries ride on the wind, calling her back, "Elsa didn't mean it! Come back!"
Ophelia didn't look back though. Jor called to her that Hiccup was still following, so she pushed the dragons faster, telling them to all split up and meet at the first location- they all knew where, where Rudolph was. She pulled Achilles up into the clouds, and hoped that Hiccup wouldn't catch any of them. He'd have to drag her back kicking and screaming if he did, though, and even then, she'd still get back out there to her team.
She wasn't going to sit this war out; in fact, she was going to be the one to end it before it began.