Unexpected Guest

Reconcile

A month or so passed and winter was setting in. Ships had docked and sailors returned home. Erika didn't know exactly why they had left but she watched as several hooded men gathered at the Chiefs house, and afterwards a town meeting was called.

Hundreds had filed into the Great Hall and Erika was late to the meeting. She stood towards the back and listened. The main table was blocked from her view by the copious large men clad in bushy fur. She could hear Hiccup and Astrid's voices but she couldn't quite tell what they were talking about. There were also other members up there with them but she didn't know them that well.
As the meeting droned on she spotted the twins a short distance away and decided to take a spot next to them. She removed her furs and took a seat next to the rambunctious duo and then turned her attention towards the clan leaders.
She saw Hiccup and Astrid, Hiccup's mother, and another man who stood with his back turned to the crowd as he removed his furs. Erika immediately recognized him as one of the hooded figures that approached Hiccups house. She didn't know the significance of this man but he must have been important.
Ruffnut made a loud "Yeah! take it off!"remark that didn't go unnoticed by the giant man who spun around to glare at the blonde.
Erika paled and her breath caught in her throat. Her hand flew to her mouth to muffle the gasp because she was completely paralyzed at the sight of the man in front of her. She watched as his squinted eyes shot back and forth between the high-fiving twins before the glanced at her for a moment. He turned around only for a split second, his eyes found hers once again and they were blown wide with shock. His lips formed her name and Hiccup turned to the tall brute like he was going mad. She knew he had actually said her name allowed and the chief heard. The hall was silent now that the chief had stopped talking. 
Silent tears had seeped from her eyes but Erika couldn't hold in the sob any long. She stood to her feet and both of her hands reach up to pull the dragon hide mask from her face. A smile made graced her lips as she shrugged her shoulders. "Eret?"

Eret's face lit up and he leapt over the large table to reach the woman with a tear stained smile. He reached her side in seconds flat due to the crowd splitting for him. He cupped her cheek sin his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs.
"Erika, you will be the death of me." Eret's lips met hers in a feverish kiss that felt like forever to the two but it was only a few seconds. They parted and Erika laughed "We've got to stop meeting like this."
By this point the great hall was dead silent and no one dared say a word. Everyone was in complete shock and had no idea what to make of this display of affection. The confusion in the room was palpable.
The couple broke apart and Eret placed his forehead against Erika's and he spoke.
"Love, I have searched the entire archipelago for you. And here you are, right at home." Erika laughed and cupped Eret's hands with her own, and pulled them from her face so she could hold them in front of her.
"I lost hope, I thought you were dead, and I almost died in my search for you. But here you are. Alive and well, right at home." Erika reached up to cup his cheek and he leaned into her touch. Eret embraced her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.
The sound of someone clearing their throat caused the two to turn their heads toward the front.
"Ummmm...  Sorry to interrupt but... what????" The look of confusion that was plastered on both Hiccup and Astrid's faces was priceless.
Eret and Erika looked at each other and started giggling before they broke apart.
"Did you really not tell them?" Eret loudly whispered into her ear.
"Did you really think I would? I couldn't bear to even utter your name!" Erika whisper yelled back and hit him in the chest.
"You know we can hear you right?! You're horrible at whispering." Ruffnut spoke up next to the two.
Erika facepalmed and gave Eret a knowing look that screamed 'You tell them!'Eret rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while he clutched Erika's in the other. He kissed Erika's scarred hand and their smiles grew wider by the second.

"Um-Er-well Hiccup it's kind of a long story but, um, this is my wife."