Book I, Chapter 7
Burh— Old English fortified settlement or fortification, as a response to the threat of Viking raids of the 8th to 11th centuries. Conceived of as a network of forts containing detachments of local defense militia and roads (known as herepaths) connecting them, they were intended to act as a place to shelter the populace against Viking attack, as well as allowing the English forces to concentrate quickly in the event of a raid or invasion. Until the 1040s, and the domestication of dragons by the Norse, the burh and herepath system was notably effective in repulsing Viking raids.
— A History Of Old England, 1451, Oxford Press
Tropes That Appear In This Chapter:
- Actually a Good Idea:"Okaaaay then," he said. He looked up. "Tell you what," he said, heaving himself onto Meatlug's saddle, "I'll go back and keep an eye on things, make sure there isn't a problem and Snotlout's not intending to proclaim himself chief or something like that. You two…" he gestured vaguely to Hiccup and Astrid, "well, you stay here and… talk about whatever it is you're going to talk about. But at the very least, I'll be your eyes and ears back there. Okay?"Astrid nodded. "That sounds like a great idea," she said sincerely. "Thanks, 'legs."
- Dramatically Missing the Point: Snotlout decides to round up some friends and go on a second raid. While they were successful this time, looting a burh for its heaping load of treasure, it still misses the point that he did this behind Stoick's back and is inadvertently teaching the dragons to steal for something, something stressed as being similar to thralldom.
- Erotic Dream: Hiccup and Astrid confess that they have them of each other.
- Mating Dance: The dragons think Hiccup and Astrid's flirtatious antics are the human equivalent of a mating dance.
- Sexy Soaked Shirt: After Astrid throws Hiccup in the pond and he pulls her in after him, they have to remove their soaked clothing to get warm. Astrid's linen undershirt, clinging to her body, doesn't leave much to the imagination.
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man:After her lungs started to burn from lack of air, she broke the kiss. He looked a trifle dazed. And very wet. But much warmer than he had been when they had been dunked into her father's new millpond two months previously."And that's for being the person that you are. You are a good, kind, and decent person, and I'm sorry that I never saw past the disasters to see that before. I was an idiot. But you're not 'Hiccup the Useless' anymore." She leaned in close until their foreheads were touching. "I won't let you be that anymore."
- Vocal Minority: In-Universe. When Hiccup pointed out the Hooligans cheering from Snotlout's accomplishments, Astrid points out that they were all just Jorgenson cronies.
