I awake the following morning entangled with Dagur, our bodies sharing their heat on the cold night. We both lay on our sides, my leg wrapping around his hip, one of his legs wrapped between mine, and his arms around my waist, one flopped on the sheet we sleep on and the other pressed flat against my lower back. He's holding me like he needs me in his life, and as I come to consciousness, I see I am holding him similarly. I breathe in his scent, the scent I am all too familiar with these passed years, the scent that brings me waves and waves of comfort when I feel weight pressing me into the Earth. His nostrils flare and his parted lips release breaths and soft sounds of snoring, a sign of a peaceful sleep.
How can he sleep so soundly the night before war?
I carefully sit up, untangling our bodies and look out the crack of the tent, where I see the sky. I must have only gotten a few minutes sleep since my return from Berk, it's still pitch black, not nearly a peak from the dawn light echoes the sky, but stars. Stars that call out to me. I glance back at Dagur before standing and exiting the tent. I don't travel far, I stay close to the campsite, not wanting to alarm the new guard on duty, who no doubt wonders where the other guard – never mind he's asleep.
I cackle a little and wonder if an alternative outcome would've come from my encounter with that baboon if I simply just waited an extra few minutes for the shifts to change. Oh well.
I climb a tree and set myself on a branch, overlooking the horizon, the mirrored night sky on the calm waters. Strange how the sea can be so wild one minute than as still as glass the next. It reflects the stars and moon flawlessly. I can't help but smile and breathe in the fresh sea air that I'm so used to, but along with the smell of sand and wet grass, I get a hint of Dagur's comfort.
"Atalia?"
I look down in response to the whisper and find Dagur making his way up the tree after me. "I'm sorry to wake you–"
"Oh stop with that." He chuckles at a hushed volume as he settles onto the branch next to mine. "What's got you awake, my love? Don't think I didn't noticed this being the second time you weren't by my side tonight." He asked, a tone of genuine sincerity, genuine concern. I almost scrunch my expression at it.
"Since you've told me...very little about what we're doing tomorrow, I grow concerned. I'm not a fan of surprises, especially surprises that very well might cost lives, whether that life is yours, mine or the tribesmen." I twist the truth and lie through my teeth to the man I love. "I understand my place as your wife is also as a leader to your people, to protect them, and to protect my chief... so with that in mind, I would appreciate it if I was kept in the loop when we undergo tasks as important as this."
Dagur nods understandingly, looking down then back up at me. Only his eyes narrow and his teeth are bared, only for him to gasp and jump back. "Your pants are on fire!" I look down, and shockingly enough, he wasn't lying. My trousers had caught on fire and began burning my legs. They burn through the branch that I sat on and I fall through, hitting every other branch on the way. My plummet was agonising but I muster the strength to roll around and put the fire out on the moist ground.
I look up at Dagur as he jumps down and lands perfectly on his feet, only to get down on one knee, and whisper. "I am betrothed to a liar." He stares down at me like I betrayed him. "You choose the people you hate over the people you love!"
"No!" I'm helpless against him, my legs are singed and my arms don't seem to be cooperating with my brain. "No, it's not like that."
"Then why were you conspiring with Hiccup?!" He points over to Hiccup's little one legged figure tied up with a sack around his head, just behind him Valkyrie, muzzled and chained and struggling against nobody's grip because it's just us four in the forest.
"I-I did! Because I don't want a war! I don't want dragons, innocent people to die!" He rolls his eyes and fired a crossbow at Hiccup.
"Whoops there goes an innocent person!" He chimes. I scream and try move but I can't, it's like I'm tied down by some invisible force. "Ready for the dragon..?"
"Dagur no!" He raises his crossbow and takes aim at Valkyrie's helpless body struggling to move, just like me. "This is a dream. A nightmare. It's not real." I keep telling myself. I squeeze my eyes shut and try force myself awake.
"It's going to be real!"
I hear Dagur whisper before scrambling awake, shaking, sweating, violently breathing and with both my knives out, one in front of me and the other elsewhere...and I slowly turn to see it pressed against a wide awake Dagur's throat.
I don't pull it back straight away. I can barely move now, when I first woke up it's like I needed to move to remind myself I was awake, and what happened was a dream, but now I know I'm awake and I'm back to paralysis. "Atalia..." His voice makes my eyes well up with tears, and suddenly they start to fall as I drop the knives, my muscles too stressed to put them back as I fall apart.
Dagur is quick to take me into his arms, sitting us both up and holding me tightly, pulling me onto his lap as my tears roll down and I silently scream and hyperventilate into my hand, trying not to wake anybody up. I feel Dagur stroking my hair, shushing me gently and squeezing my frame slightly. "Was just a nightmare." He whispers softly, reassuring me that I am real, that he is real, that this is real. All the comfort I needed to be torn from my argument with reality.
We stay like this for a minute before I look up at him and he loosens his grip on me, adjusts it so he can look down at me comfortably. His eyes, his beautiful green eyes are something I don't think I could live without, something I don't think I could go a day without gazing upon. They are my tether to sanity I've come to learn, when I don't have access to them, I feel the discomfort in my mind, feel his absence and feel a wound that cannot be healed until I see him, and know that he is mine.
"Let's get married." I say suddenly.
"What?"
"Right now." I'm so awake now, I wipe my eyes dry of the tears and smile, hopelessly in love in my gaze that feasts on his surprised expression, I chuckle a little and place my hand on his cheek. "I want to be married to you right now."
His expression shifts from surprise and confusion to...relief it looks like, as he exhales and squeezes me into an embrace. "If that is what you wish, my love, it would be an honour to be your husband come the dawn."
***
I see Dagur standing at the cliffside, staring out as the dawn threatens to show itself, he's staring at it but not in a reconsidering way, almost like he's eager to view the horizons, and while I can't tell if he's focussed on the literal horizon: Berk, or the symbolic horizon of our future. I don't care. By Viking law, he will be mine and I will be his after I walk down this makeshift isle.
He had his entire armada awakened at last hour of night to prep for this, demanded I took time to myself, away from him, as he strongly believes in the superstition of seeing the bride before the ceremony.
I do my best with the materials I have to look presentable as a bride, and a chieftess. I have never put much thought into my appearance, aside from my hair and the multiple braids I like to put each strand in, other than that it's mostly just general hygiene...but today I cared.
I let my wet hair flow instead of putting it up in my usual braids. Messy blonde curls meets the sun, and it looks golden, and I can actually see it, and it makes me smile. It's beautiful hair. I have beautiful hair.
I look down at my reflection and smile this big, bright smile, and for a moment I almost don't recognise myself. I decided it would be rather symbolic for me to wear my armour, to wear the Berserker crest with pride on such an important day. No shoes, I want to feel every step I take down that isle. I had brought a cotton tunic to wear beneath the iron as a layer of comfort, I wasn't thinking much for it's aesthetic appeal but now that I view it, in all its glory, I truly do feel like a warrior, like a chieftess, like I am the wife of Dagur the Deranged.
I glance up at Valkyrie in the trees, only to blink and flinch at the leaves from the tree fall due to her shaking of the lush branches, she could tell this was a special moment, and it seemed she got second hand excitement. I laugh and whistle for her.
She lands on my back and I want her to stay there while I walk down the isle, like she is giving me away in a sense. I look back at Dagur, and look at the Armada he has brought for my honour, all their tired faces half-asleep from the rush to get this done and from waking up so early. I laugh again and lift my head high. Valkyrie whistles a roar into the air and heads turn, all but Dagur's.
And I walk.
The grass against my bare feet is so welcomed, as I lift my foot and take the next step it feels like I'm leaping away from my worries, my fears and uncertainty. I know what I want, I thought it was confusing but it's so clear. I want Dagur, and I don't want war. That is it. That is all I want from life, and I can have both, I don't need to sacrifice one for the other.
Dagur finally turns around and Valkyrie's wings spread, I wasn't expecting this but it provided a shock factor, because with her silver wings and the dawn's sun, it looks as though we were shining, that we were glowing together, and it makes Dagur blink away his smile, and stare in awe, to a point I see his muscles shift between tension to relaxing, only to tense again as he breathes heavily, with a smile growing on his face, bursting into laughter that is so contagious I can't help but mimic.
I pick my pace up to a run nearly and Valkyrie is separated from my back, hovering in the air still on the isle while I run onto the small slope and Dagur spreads his arms for me, and I jump into them without hesitation.
For a moment, nobody is here. Not a soul on this forsaken and doomed world. No blood nor wine spilled, no dreams crushed, no debts needing payment, no villainy or anything of the sort. Nobody exists in this moment as Dagur spins me briefly in the air. I feel like I'm flying, I didn't think I could feel that without Valkyrie. He sets me down and I'm back on Earth, but it's still only us two, even though I can hear Savage officiating with a surprisingly beautiful speech, I can't take my eyes or focus off Dagur, and he can't take his eyes or focus off me.
"Dagur the Deranged, Chief of the proud Berserkers, do you take Atalia Hofferson-
"Atalia the Ablazed, Savage." I turn to correct him, but I still view Dagur in my line of sight and he is astonished to hear my correction. I can feel smiles from every corner of the cliffside.
"Atalia the Ablazed, to be your lawfully wedded Chieftess, partner in tyranny, and in life?" Savage repeats, with a smile as I return my gaze to Dagur, who waste no time in taking my hands in his.
"I do." And I can't help but lose my smile, not in a doubtful way or anything negative, but I exhale and let my eyes shut in a kind of relief I can't explain with words, and before Savage can even turn to me I pull Dagur in with our hands interlocked and kiss him, I wrap my arms around his neck while he adjusts to what I had done, accepting it and wrapping his arms around me.
I pull back and whisper "I love you" for his ears and his ears alone, so quiet even he could barely hear me but he read the movement of my lips and smiles, wrapping me in a loose embrace, loose so he can still stare down at me.
"Ask the question, Savage." Dagur demands, not breaking away from my gaze.
"Atalia the Ablazed, Berserker Champion, do you take our beloved Dagur the Deranged as your husband, your chief, partner in tyranny and in life?"
"Yes." I push the words from my throat before they consumed me from the tip of my tongue, and give myself to Dagur. Within moments, we're kissing passionately, and the crowd of Berserkers suddenly had a lot of energy as they erupted in cheers.
"You may now kiss." Savage announced even though there was really no point, as our lips were already engaging in a poetic ritual of sorts.
I break away for a moment, and it's back to Dagur and I being the only people in the whole world. "It took me ages to prepare vows that Savage didn't even ask for..." I whisper, somewhat breathless as I hold onto Dagur's embrace while his eyes dart between my lips and eyes. "I will read them to you upon our return to Berserker Island."
"No doubt in victorious return, with triumphant overtones as we succeed in our battle." He spoke with such enthusiasm, and I felt able to match it because I know for a fact that no war shall come from today. There is a plan in place, and it will work, I am confident.
"A glorious return indeed." I smile and kiss him again. His lips hold onto mine, softly biting my lower lip as he pulls back ever so slightly.
"Such a glorious return shall hold not a card upon our marriage consummation." His tone was dark, and yet so inviting and suggestive. I do look forward to our consummation, I hadn't given it much thought since it wouldn't be our first time, but now that we are married it will be a first time, it will be a beautiful act to solidify our bond. He pushes his lips back against mine and we are suddenly back in the real world, where the crowd of Berserkers are roaring in celebration.
With Dagur's lips on mine I feel strong, I feel capable of conquering and claiming victory in any battle, I feel all powerful, like a dragon that first learns to fly. I feel the fire between us merge into a great passion, one that makes me pity the vikings that surround us, but none seem to care. Dagur carries me into the air without breaking away from my kiss and I laugh against his lips as he holds me tightly.
We are now officially the great rulers of the proud Berserker tribe, and we shall henceforth be known as such.
The battle that awaits shall be our first victory, Dagur might not see it as such, but I will rest peacefully at night knowing that my chief is safe, as are my childhood memories and blood.
A/N
Had this half written for two weeks and rushed to finish it now without a grammar, spelling, or plot checks so forgive me for mistakes.
Comment literally anything I love reading them.