Peter Mercier and the Hunters of Artemis

Chapter 5

Peter sat quietly in his chair, resisting the urge to fall asleep at the table. He rested his fist on his chin, half-listening to Tuffnut explain why it was technically his birthday and not his sister's. "I was born first," he said, his energetic tone making Peter's head ache. "A few minutes is a long time, you know. It should count for something!"

"It's a birthday, Tuff," Peter groaned, blocking the light from the lantern above with his hand. "Give it a rest."

The smell of food was overwhelming now, as everyone put their dishes on the counter and let it waft around the kitchen.  Valka, Gobber, and Astrid gathered around the counter, waiting for the chief to arrive before preparing any food. Hiccup was the only one not present besides Amber, who was still resting, and Eret, who had gone to his ship to get some sleep. Peter envied him.

"Everyone knows I'm the more attractive sibling," the twin continued, looking around the half-empty table. He leaned over to Snotlout, who sat to the right of Peter. "Wouldn't you agree, my friend?"

Snotlout's face reddened, and he fidgeted with his helmet. "Yeah," he laughed nervously, tapping his fingers on the table. He glared at Tuff, who was avoiding eye contact with him. "Mhm."

"No way," Tuff's sister huffed. "I'm clearly the prettier one."

"Can't argue with that," Fishlegs chimed in, sitting across from Snotlout. He, too, had shaved off the long spindly mustache he once had. The golden ring on his finger flickered firelight onto the ceiling as he went to hold his wife's hand. She smiled as he did. "I think even Freya might be a bit jealous."

"Don't say that, she'll smite us," Gobber warned, overhearing from the counter. He was talking to Valka, who carried a steaming pie with an oven mitt. "Someone would talk her out of it, killing half of Midgard's heroes all sudden like that," Peter suggested. "At the least, she'd take you out one by one."

A few Berkians groaned, dismissing the praise. Valka glanced towards the front door, setting down her pie on the counter next to several other dishes. "Speaking of which," she frowned, taking off her oven mitt. "Where's Hiccup?"

Astrid scoffed, taking it from her and setting it aside. "I'll go get him," she said, walking to the now-closed door, Peter's straw hat still on the handle. "Let's hope he hasn't accidentally welded his butt to his chair. Again."

After she left, Valka and Gobber took their spots at the table, the former calling for the kids, who swiftly came in and helped by taking the mugs outside and filling them with water. Valka sat next to Peter, and Gobber took the chair next to Fishlegs. Nuffink and Zephyr filed around the other end after they were done, their chairs across from one another. There were two empty seats at the other head that remained; the chief and chieftess.

"So, how was your wedding?" Peter asked Fishlegs. He smiled, gently squeezing Ruffnut's hand. "Perfect," he beamed without hesitation. "Happiest day of my life."

"Mine too," she agreed, blushing. Her flaxen hair hung down mid-chest, it having been cut and braided nicely. "It even beat out the first time I rode Barf. Believe me, I thought that would've been harder to do."

"I'm glad everything worked out," Peter said, looking at his reflection in the wooden cup. "Sorry I couldn't be there to see it. Had some issues with transportation."

"Expensive?" Valka guessed. Peter nodded. "You have to pay a fee to enter and exit the market," he explained. "Twenty pieces. Or, if they don't like you, whatever they want. I just couldn't find the money."