Epilogue

Starfire is eighteen now

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I skipped through the lively village, Emerald at my heels. The air boiled with frost and cheer, and noises of almost finished preparation littered every path.

Bard was coming to visit, and I was excited to see his reaction of the changes we made in the summer months. It wasn't much, but it did make the village look less cluttered.

Bard had wed an only child/ daughter of a neighboring island when he was nineteen, and became chief over there. Mom and Dad weren't upset, and supported him fully.

It didn't hurt that I volunteered to be chieftess, spending hours and even days a week to learn how to be chief. Dad wanted to teach us (Bard before he moved and me now) in case something ever happened to him, since he didn't know much about being chief when he became chief.

Anyways, Ty (my betrothed) and I juggled a relationship, chieftain lessons, siblings, dragons, and exploring, but had the perfect relationship.

"Morning, love," Ty greeted when I finally made it to the docks. The sea was frozen along the coast, but dragons helped boats get safely to the docks. Besides, the people we were meeting were flying in on dragons (but the landing strip for dragons was right next to the docks). "You sure took your time." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me as close as he could with our winter coats on. Though, being vikings, we weren't big on big and heavy coats that restricted movements and sleeves that caught on things.

"Yeah, I felt like walking."

He played with the bracelet he gave me for the gift exchange (the one that happens within six months of a couples engagement announcement). It had been his father's engagement gift to his mother, and he gave it to me for ours.

"Are you excited?" he hummed in my ear.

"Yes, for many things, but I have a feeling you're talking about a specific."

"Snoggletog, of course. Luna can't stop talking about it. She's so excited to give Blade his gift." It was a long established tradition that Tyson and Luna joined us on Snoggletog, and it filled each and every Snoggletog with lifelong memories.

I giggled, "Yes, I'm very excited for Snoggletog. Blade is, too."

"Star! Ty!" Bard's voice called from the right. His youngest child in tow, he rushed for us as the boy allowed, stumbling on his little legs.

The little boy's eyes lit up in recognition, for he had visited just months before for dad's (his grandfather's) birthday. "Auntie!"

"Hic!" I cheered back at the little boy, named after his grandfather.

I scooped the giggling bundle into my arms as soon as he was in reach, hugging my twenty three year old brother around the squirming boy.

"Eira!" I hugged Bard's wife, who was extra careful at the fragile bundle curled in her arms. "Is this her?" I asked the obvious, eager to see my new niece.

"Yes," she laughed, softly. "Her name is Valka, after her great grandmother."

I smiled, missing the woman who passed away before I was eleven. "She would be honored. May I hold her?" I asked, passing an excited Hiccup IV to Ty, who was great with kids.

"Yes, but be careful. She's kinda cranky today."

I gently cradled the sleeping girl in my arms. I knew from Bard's Terror Mails that she was born shortly after dad's birthday, so she was just shy of three months old.

"So, when can she start expecting cousins?" Bard teased.

Ty and I froze, glancing at each other, but thankfully didn't have to answer.

"Not anytime soon!" Dad interrupted, landing nearby on Toothless.

Tyson chuckled, nervously, though he was relaxed with any other topic, especially when my dad was around.

"I'm with dad on that," I said as Ty agreed with, "I have to agree with him on that." We glanced at each other again before laughing.

"I mean, we both want kids, but we plan on waiting a bit like you and dad," I explained to Bard.

"Whatever. Have you guys decided on a wedding date?"

"We're thinking sometime in the late spring, maybe early summer," Ty answered with ease.

"Anyways, this is Snoggletog, let's not waste it on wedding planning," I brushed the topic away. "How long are you guys staying?"

"A week," Eira said, smiling as I handed Valka back to her.

"Let's go home," Dad suggested. "Your mother is waiting."

Bard smiled, calling his dragon. Spikestone stomped over with Chase, Eira's dragon.

"Can I take him?" Dad asked Ty, politely. He never treated Tyson poorly, another thing I loved about my dad, though he still would sometimes give Ty the 'you're a boy and dating my daughter' grief.

"Sure." Hiccup IV eagerly went to Dad, adoring his grandfather and Toothless.

The day passed quickly, sharing memories and the occasional thing that Dad and I left to help with or fix around the village.

Stoick II- who was eight- had friends came over after lunch, filling house with shouts and laughs. The only friends Blade and I had over were Tyson and Luna (besides Emerald and Sunray, Blade's dragon, but they lived with us).

All too soon, the day came to an end. Tyson and Luna made home in the living room, Bard and his growing family went to his old room, and the rest of us went to our respective rooms.

And I went to sleep with a smile, rolling over another perfect day to a perfect life.

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A year later (had nothing to do with this book but has a lot to do with the next book)

I didn't sob, but my heart felt like it was ripped into a thousand pieces as Blade clung to my arm.

The Dragon Scourge had spread through Berk quickly, and our dragons were some of the last to survive, but they, too, eventually passed.

Tears slipped freely down my face, but tears had been widely accepted since the first dragon passed from the Scourge. Tears were no longer something to be ashamed of.

Dad rested a hand on my shoulder, and I looked back to see his grief filled face. The old and the young dragons were the first to pass, Toothless among them.

No words were passed as a handful of ships were floated in the ocean. Blade, myself, and two other people were handed bows and arrows. A row of family and friends behind us already had their arrows flamed. We lit our arrows, shared depressed glances, aimed for the ships carrying out best friends, then fired, ending the days of peace, love, and friendship with the dragons.

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On that cheery note, THE END!