Chapter 5- Two Surprises

Four years after the last chapter

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I took off my special flight suit and placed it in the basket that stayed at the cove.

"Later, Em. See ya tomorrow," I told Emerald, before heading home early, as mom told me too.

"Hey, Star," Bard said as we met at the door.

"Hey, Bard." Bard was fourteen, while I was to turn ten in just nine months.

"Star! Bard!" Blade yelled, running to give us a hug.

Four years ago, mom and dad adopted a baby boy, since his mother died and his father didn't want him. Blade, I had named him, by accident. The afternoon he came to live with us, I had cut my arm on a blade, so we called him Blade.

"Hey, Blade. How are you?" I asked the energetic boy.

"Me happy. You?"

"I'm happy as well. How about you, Bard?"

"Me happy too," he joked, imitating Blade's bad grammar.

"Brothers," I muttered, lifting Blade into my arms with some difficulty. "Mom! We're home!"

"Children! Good, you're here. Your daddy will be here soon. And then we have a surprise for you three."

Bard and I looked at each other and frowned. Last time they had a surprise for us, it was Blade, and Bard slapped me, causing me to run away and stay with Emerald for the night, not that they knew that last part. They just knew that I ran into the woods and cried myself to sleep. When I woke up, I found Gobber, and he took me home. Two days later, Blade came into our family.

From what Bard told me, mom and dad told him they had a 'surprise' for him when they told him about me. He was happy to have a baby sister at first, but was also use to having the spotlight on him for five years before I came along.

Of course, I was use to the spotlight as well, but about that time I needed it off of me. Once Blade came it definitely took most the attention off me. Now if only if I wasn't Blade's favorite person. When he was a toddler and baby, I took him to Emerald a few times, but little kids aren't known for keeping secrets, so I hadn't taken him in a while.

"Star! Smart!" Blade shouted. "Good smart! Star, clever! Secrets she keep well!" He laughed as he ran out of the room.

Mom looked at Blade for a moment, eyes wide, before returning to making dinner.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Yes, dear?"

"What's Blade talking about?" I kinda liked that mom talked about me in a good way, not bad.

"He probably just overheard someone talking about you."

"Thanks, mommy." I gave her a kiss on the cheek before I went up to Blade's room to play with him.

"Starfire, I want to see Emerald again," he demanded.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

He looked out of his room before he shut the door and sat down next to me, moving his toys to the side.

"I want see night fury Emerald again. Tomorrow. I won't tell unless you want me to, okay? I can keep secret, I haven't told mom and dad yet." He spoke quite well, still sounded like a child but could speak full sentences nonetheless. He was smart, not as smart as me when I was his age, but still smart. He was smart enough not to show it often, taking my warning when he was younger. I didn't think he'd actually do it but he did. Clever little boy.

"Fine," I sighed. "But tell anyone, and I mean one person, then you will never see her again, got it?"

He nodded, "Okay."

"And it'll be a few days till you can go flying, because I'll have to make you a harness or a flight suit, like mine, that will stop you from falling off. Dad has seen Em a few times, but he hasn't recognised me since I wear a special suit and helmet that no one in the village has seen. He does know Em is a night fury, though."

"Em?"

"Em. Short for Emerald. Sometimes I call her girl, Em, or Emmy."

"Okay. How many days?"

"I'll make something quick, so a few days. If you come often I'll make something better."

I took him to my room and did some measurements so it would fit him. I tried one of my old helmets and it fit him. So did one of my old flight suits I'd grown out of. I kept them hidden in a box under my bed.

"You're lucky you asked me today," I said, hiding the stuff again. "I was going to throw these out tomorrow."

"Did daddy catch you? You know, when he sees you flying?"

"Uh, no, not so far. He chases me a bit, but I always manage to loose him. I don't think he knows it's me. And you better not tell him."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, smiling. "Can I go tomorrow?"

"Lets see. You won't be able to go everyday until the new baby come and distracts attention from you."

"New baby? What do you mean?"

"Kids! Come down here please!" Dad called us.

"Oh, come on. It's obvious what's going on," I told Blade as we walked downstairs. "They said the same thing when we were told you were joining the family. They told Bard the same thing when I joined the family."

"Is that so?" dad asked, picking me up, hearing only that last little paragraph.

"Yes, it is."

"So you know the surprise?"

"Well I'm not certain, but I can guess. I believe Bard has the same guess as I do." He put me down.

"I think I do, too," Bard said, at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well, well, well," mom said, a hand on her hip as she smiled at us. "We have two surprises for you so ha!"

"Actually, honey," dad started, moving to her side. "I can't do it tomorrow but the day after is fine."

"Fine," she sighed. "First of all," she placed hers hands on her stomach, dad put his hands around her and over her hands. "As I'm sure you have guessed, we are having another addition to the family. And the last," mom added, looking at dad.

He looked shocked and asked, "W- w- what?"

"Ha ha! You heard her dad! No more additions to the family." Bard laughed. He quit laughing and his eyes widened. "Speaking of which, when did you have time to make a baby? Gross. Never mind. I don't even want to think about it."

"Make a baby? Mommy, daddy, what does Bard mean?" I asked. "You told me they-"

"I know what I told you," dad rushed.

Mom glared at him. "Hiccup, what did you tell Star?"

"I might have sorta kinda told her that babies are a present the gods send us and they appear on the doorstep in a basket with a blue or pink blanket to tell us if it's a girl or boy. Nothing major," he said, uncertainty, with a small shrug.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third! You are going to tell her where they actually come from!"

"Me too!" Blade yelled, raising his hand.

"No!" everyone but me yelled.

"Not yet, pumpkin. You're too young for that," mom said, softly.

"Astrid, the most beautiful girl in the world, do I have to tell her?" dad begged.

"Yes."

"Can't we make an agreement?"

"Sure. I'll give birth and have the baby inside me for nine months, you give them 'the talk', once they are old enough. Glad it's settled."

"W- wait! All of them?"

"Yes, dear. You can tell Star when she's thirteen. Same with Blade and the new baby."

"But Astrid-" dad whined.

"No buts, Hiccup," she said, her voice daring him to continue.

"Yes, dear," dad sighed, defeated.

"Okay. Subject change. Star, your special day is coming up," Bard smirked. I glared at him. I hated the spotlight. He knew that.

"Yes, it is, Star," dad said, cheering up. Anything dragon related and he was excited, especially when it came to us getting a dragon.

"Yeah, in, like, a year," I said, bitterly. I needed to come up with a plan on not getting a dragon without hurting dad's feelings.

Disappear for a few days surrounding Dragon day, that idea came in my head again. I'd probably end up doing that, but once they notice I'm gone there's going to be a search. Of course they'll also might spend a day searching for me just on Berk before searching the surrounding islands. But they also might postpone the choosing day, which will not be helpful. I might just have to show Emerald to the village.

"As for the second surprise," mom continued. "We are going for a little picnic at the cove not tomorrow but the day after. Star, Bard, Blade, tomorrow you will help me pack for the picnic so be home before three, got it?"

"Got it," I mumbled. I need to get Emerald out of there and find her a place to hid for the day. Normally when mom and dad took us to the cove for a day I moved Emerald back to a cave that was a bit farther than the cove but still closer compared to the cave I found her in. I would have to do that.

A knock on the door interrupted my thought.

"Oh, hey Gobber," dad said, after he answered the door.

I froze. Gobber was an old friend of mom and dad and the teacher to dragon training this year. I hadn't exactly been going to dragon training lately, been to caught up with Emerald. If dad found out, which he was about to, I would be in big trouble.

I walked slowly towards the back door and had just shut it when, "STARFIRE HADDOCK!"

"Shoot," I yelled, running into the woods.

"Starfire, you get back here now!" Dad yelled just as I barely made it to the forest. I slowly walked back, knowing that it was useless to run.

"Bard, Blade, go up to your rooms. Go to bed," mom said, leaving no room for arguments. They went straight up to their rooms, basically running.

I sat down in a chair.

"Starfire Haddock, what were you thinking skipping dragon training?" dad asked, angry but also slightly hurt, not that he'd ever admit that though.

I was thinking I didn't need to go, and I wouldn't get caught- therefore this moment would not happen and I wouldn't have to explain myself.

"I don't know, daddy."

"Why are you always skipping dragon training?"

To spend time with Emerald. I didn't answer him out loud.

"Answer me."

"I can't tell you," I said, not looking at him.

"Why can't you?" mom asked, worried. "You can tell us anything, dear."

"I can't tell you this."

"Why?" dad demanded, somewhat angry but also concerned.

"Be- b- because I'm s- scared," I confessed, not only to them but also to myself. I knew I had only a small handful of reasons to hid Emerald. Most of which were preposterous but kept me from revealing Emerald to the village.

"Why are you scared, dear?" mom asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't know how y'all will react. But eventually, everyone will know. And when I'm ready to tell y'all will be the first people I tell. Promise," I said, standing up. "And dad, don't worry I'm still learning about dragons, just by someone else."

"Who? Who is teaching you?"

"Don't worry. They are very skilled in the subject, but I can't tell you who. Just, please don't worry."

He sighed, "Okay. But at least go to dragon training. It's only four days a week, a few hours a day."

"Fine. I'll try not to forget."

"Hey, Star," mom called as I was at the bottom of the staircase.

"Yes, mommy?"

"First, stop growing. Second, I thought you spent your days playing with Emerald?" Although my parents didn't know who Emerald was, I talked about her a lot. I was careful though, making sure I didn't talk too much, but they were my parents and were curious to what I did all day. Also they were worried that I only had one friend, whom they have never met.

"I do. We learn together." Is wasn't a complete lie, but not totally the truth either.

"Star," dad said, as I was halfway up the stairs. "You're still in trouble for skipping dragon training. Grounded, one week, no playing outside."

"But daddy," I whined.

"Don't you 'daddy' me, missy. You can tell Emerald tomorrow but be back before noon. And you can't go outside, but she can come in to play with you here, okay?"

"Okay. Night," I agreed, knowing that Emerald couldn't come over here. They thought Emerald was human, I never told them that, but I also didn't tell them they were wrong.

"Hey, Star," Blade said, sitting at my desk, going through a few of my journals.

"Blade!" I complained once I shut my door. "Why are you going through my stuff. Those journals were the secret box!" I whispered, so the others wouldn't hear.

"I know. I'm curious about Emerald though."

Her flying has gotten better over the years, and I have made it to where I don't need to be on and controlling her tail- like dad did with Toothless- but it's feeble. She can't go as fast, nor does she like it very much, so I end up controlling her most of the time, but I let her have her freedom as well.

"How's her tail?" he asked, looking at one of my designs. Everything I knew about Emerald was in the journal on his left. The one on the right had my designs for my flight suit, her tail, and other stuff.

I had another journal full of dragons other than the night fury, one I drew in, and another I wrote my thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, and fears in; my real journal that mom gave me when I turn six. She gave me tons every year, and I loved them. I had to have an extra journal for drawing with nothing to do with Emerald so I could show her some of my drawings, which she often liked to watch me make. Both her and dad loved looking at my drawings, and my parents gave me tons of pencils and journals to keep making more.

"Good," I answered his question. "We're working on it, and it's getting better. I'm grounded for the next week. I can't see Emerald. Dad is allowing me to tell her, but I have to be home before noon." I looked over my shoulder to see if the door was open or not. Still closed. "I also have to move her and our stuff for when we go to the cove. I'll be out early tomorrow morning, but I'll be back by noon. I will have all week to adjust your new flight suit and add few things that are on my current one but not on yours yet."

"Things you didn't have at my age?"

"Correct. Now get to bed before mom and dad wonder where you are."

"Can I stay here with you?"

"Sure. Sure." I put the journals back and we laid down in my bed, which is just hard wood that I put a few blankets on. Most Vikings don't put blankets on their beds (as cushions), but I do. So does Blade, Bard, and mom and dad; all of them copied me.

"Night, Star," he said, cuddling up beside me.

"Night, Blade."

A few minutes later Blade was asleep and mom came in. "Is Blade in- oh thank the gods," she said when she spotted him next to me.

"He's fine," I told her, quietly.

"Is he in there?" I faintly heard dad ask.

"Yes! I'll be there in a minute!" mom whispered yelled back before walking over to my bed. "Star, about earlier-"

"No. It's fine. I knew I should have gone to dragon training, but I didn't. I was bound to get caught, it wasn't a surprise."

"Not about that. That secret of yours, it has something to do with Emerald, right?" I loved my parents, but dad sometimes didn't know when to stop prodding in other people's business. Luckily, normally mom knew when to stop. I was hoping she would know now as well.

"Yes, it is."

"Okay, dear," she stopped pushing the subject. "Just remember that your father and I love you very much. We want you and your brothers to be safe and happy. And remember, you can talk to us about anything. Anything."

"Thanks, mommy," I smiled. She gave me a kiss on the forehead, and I gave her one on the cheek before she stood up and left. "Night, mommy," I whispered, waiting for sleep to overcome me.

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