How To Train Your Dragon 3 - A Tale of Two Tails -

Chapter Thirty-One: Romantic Flight

The Great Hall buzzed with loud chatter, though none louder than Snotlout, who grumbled in humiliation as he sat on the short stool, surrounded by his friends who shook their heads at him in amusement. His cheek, nose and forehead were splotched a dark red and purple from where Sirena knocked him. The twins snickered at his sullen look and he threatened to hit them with the ice block he was holding to his bruises.

Sirena winced at his grumpy expression.

"Y'know what, maybe I should say sorry again--"

"Sirena, you've already apologised eight times," Hiccup pointed out.

"Yeah, and that was when we started counting. I didn't know you were that strong!" 

"I'm not!" she squeaked, "But I'm really really sorry! I didn't even know!"

"That's what makes it even better!" she continued and burst out laughing.

Sirena looked at her feet and turned a bright pink.

"Don't worry, lass. He'll get over it."

She glanced at Eret, craning her neck because he loomed over her. He wasn't as tall as Toothless but she found that she still had to look way up to see his face.

"I didn't mean to..."

"Yeah, you don't look like the type to purposely beat people up," he joked and leaned against the pillar, earning a chuckle from the couple.

The chief and general excused themselves from the two after they shared a brief conversation, and went to enjoy the delicacies laid out on one of the tables. Sirena waved them goodbye, politely denying Astrid's offer to join them because she wasn't particularly hungry.

Eret ran a hand through his hair before crossing his arms, shoulder still pressed against the cool stone surface.

There was a long awkward silence between them before Sirena turned to him shyly.

"Congratulations on winning the race! I-I don't think I said it just now."

"Thank you, lass. But if I'm being honest, I really didn't think I'd win."

"A real underdog, huh?"

They shared a small laugh before they looked around at the hall. A party had been thrown to kickstart the first game of the season. There were banners all around, the tables were piled high with food, but to her disappointment, the usual pretty lanterns were nowhere in sight.

Sirena was beginning to wonder where Toothless was. She'd assumed he would be up on the chief's platform with Hiccup but he wasn't there. She didn't see him anywhere in the crowd either. Most of the time, all she had to do was look for tallest figure dressed in black and that would usually be him but she couldn't find him anywhere.

Eret saw that she was standing on her tip-toes and looking at the crowd. He raised an eyebrow in amusement at her odd behaviour.

"Lookin' for someone?"

"Y-yes, actually! I haven't seen Toothless anywhere..."

"O-oh..."

He looked around coolly, not seeing the man anywhere.

"Maybe he's not here."

"Yeah, maybe..."

"Wanna get a drink?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Sure! C-can we hurry? I can feel them doing it again," she grimaced nervously.

Eret looked at her, confused, before he glanced behind her and saw that Fishlegs, Tuffnut and Snotlout were smiling at her flirtatiously, though Snotlout was doing it with a slight wince. He was still holding the ice block to his face, but that didn't stop him from puckering his lips at her.