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Chapter Text

Valka had never thought she would find herself running for her life, but here she was, trying to make her way through the forests of Berk in the middle of a raid.

When she was arranged to be married to Stoick as part of a peace treaty two years ago, she had been unsure, but willing to go along with it for the sake of her tribe. Stoick had been good to her and she had come to care for him, but she couldn’t say if he felt the same. While he didn’t mistreat her, he also never stood up for her or taught her the ways of his people, which led to her being ostracized by most of the Berkians. Apparently, a peaceful approach to dealing with the dragons was not appreciated here, but she couldn’t stand the violence she saw all around her every day. It may not be their way, but she was not prepared to abandon her morals just to fit in.

The only Berkians who had been kind to her were the village elder, Gothi, and Gobber, the blacksmith. She spent most of her time with one or the other, helping Gothi with creating healing tinctures as she had done back home or doing what she could to assist in the forge. She had no knowledge of smithing when she first arrived at Berk, but she felt bad keeping Gobber company without doing anything to help, so eventually he started teaching her the basics. She would never be a skilled smith, but she did what she could and Gobber appreciated having an extra set of hands around.

She wished things were different, but she wasn’t one to give up, so she held her head high and kept on going, knowing that things would have to shift eventually. She just didn’t expect everything to get so much worse.

She had heard the talk. It was hard not to. Many Berkians were beginning to question her capability of being the Chief’s wife as it had been two years and there was still no heir, or even the signs of one. She could deal with that. After all, it was just talk. But then the accidents started occurring. 

The first one she had passed off as nothing as Gothi’s stairs were not kept in the best repair and a loose plank or two did not seem out of place. But then there were the crates that had almost fallen on her at the docks, and the knives that came flying at her in the forest and she knew something was going on.

She confided in Gobber and Gothi as Stoick was sure to brush it off as her just being paranoid. She was glad that she had gathered the courage to speak to them as they had some information that she did not.

Apparently, it was common knowledge around the village that the Chief’s second-in-command, Spitelout, had wanted Stoick to marry his sister, Helga. While Valka was sure she wasn’t a bad person…well, let’s just say she was definitely a Jorgenson, in temperament and looks. That information added to the fact that Gothi had overheard Spitelout making some less than savory plans… It was too much for this to all be a coincidence.

While she was afraid for her life, it was more than that as she had someone else to think about. Unknown to the rest of the village, she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Gothi knew as she had confirmed her suspicions, but she hadn’t even told Stoick yet, wanting to be sure that there were no complications. With this thought in mind, she tried to be incredibly careful, when she was out and about, especially when she spied Spitelout or Helga nearby.

Things came to a head during the next dragon raid when the Chief’s house caught on fire and she barely made it out in time. While she couldn’t say for sure, she had a strong feeling that Spitelout had been behind it, as the look he gave her as he ran to help douse the flames made her blood run cold.

Even if she carried this baby to term, she was afraid that its life would be in danger as well and that was not something she was willing to risk. Thus, her planning began.

Gothi gave her a sealed letter, attesting that her baby was the rightful heir to Berk, and made her promise that upon the child’s coming of age, they would return. After passing on her most precious possessions to Gobber, he stashed them on his boat and anchored it on the other side of the island, providing her with an escape. She had a satchel filled with a few necessities and all she had to do now was wait until the next raid to use everyone’s distraction to her own advantage.

And now here she was, two days later, running through the forest in an attempt to save her life and that of her unborn child. She was halfway there when she felt a searing pain in her arm before she was tackled to the ground. She could only hope the baby was okay, but it didn’t seem like it would really matter anymore as the pressure on her back increased. Gobber had promised he would do his best to make sure Spitelout didn’t follow her, but he must have slipped by as the hateful man was now pinning her to the ground and yanking his dagger out of her arm. 

She was kicking herself for getting caught when she was so close, but there was no way she was getting away now. It was all over now, she thought as she let her body go limp. 

As she took what she thought would be her final breath, she was surprised to hear a tremendous roar to her right. The pressure on her back was suddenly gone and she slowly rolled over to see a magnificent four-winged dragon stalking her pursuer. Seeing that this was her chance, she gingerly got to her feet, one hand clamped around her bleeding arm, and made her way deeper into the woods, hoping to make it to the beach before the dragon or Spitelout realized she was gone.

She was almost there when her hopes were dashed as the dragon landed in front of her, tilting its head curiously.

Not knowing what else to do and hoping that it was as friendly as it seemed, she began to speak. “Thank you for saving me just now. I would not have been able to escape without your help.” As the dragon seemed to be remaining calm she took a step forward. “I do not want to harm you. I just want to get to that boat and leave this place.”

The dragon came closer, sniffing her thoroughly and crooning in what sounded like concern when it caught sight of her arm. He tried to lick it, but she shied away, afraid that the taste of blood might cause a change to come over the creature. 

The dragon seemed…hurt by her not trusting him, but that couldn’t be right…could it? She had always thought there was more to dragons than even her tribe believed, but this was extraordinary. Even more amazing was when he sniffed her stomach and looked at her in wonder before nuzzling her. This was not some vicious beast, but an intelligent and gentle creature who had saved her life and seemed to recognize the life that was growing inside her.

“I thank you for your help, but I really must be going,” she spoke softly, edging toward the beach as the dragon calmly followed her, acting almost protectively. 

She grabbed her journal from her satchel and tore out a sheet, writing a quick note to Gobber to thank him and Gothi once more and assure him that she had made it safely on her way. With the whole encounter with Spitelout, she wasn’t sure what story would circulate around the village and she wanted to be sure that her two friends knew the truth, especially as they had done so much to help her. 

Tucking the folded piece of parchment halfway under a rock near the path, she made her way to the boat and shoved off, going back to the only place she could call home. Little did she know that high in the sky above her, the four-winged dragon was continuing to follow her.

Chapter Text

It was with a sigh of relief that Valka saw Berserker Island on the horizon. While she knew how to sail, doing it during the daytime with a group of people and doing it by yourself in the middle of the night were two completely different things. At least the sun had come up a few hours ago, making the last part of her journey less perilous.

She guided the ship into the harbor and found a space at the docks to tie up. After grabbing the meager belongings she brought with her, she disembarked, intent on finding her brother. It didn’t take long as he was in the middle of the village helping his people.

She walked up behind him and said, “Hello, Oswald.”

He spun around to face her, the surprise on his face clear to see. “Valka!” He pulled her in for a hug before asking. “What are you doing here?”

She sighed. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

“Come,” he grabbed her hand and led her to his home where she told him all that had been happening. Well, not quite all. She left out the part about being pregnant, wanting to keep that to herself as she was sure if her brother knew, he would send her back. Unfortunately, he proved even less helpful than she had hoped. 

After listening to her tale, he said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what I can do to help you.”

“I just need a place to stay,” she explained, stopping short when Oswald began to shake his head.

“You can’t stay here,” he declared.

“But-”

“No,” he stated firmly. “If Stoick finds out I’m hiding you here, it could break the treaty.”

Valka couldn’t believe the words she was hearing. “Peace is more important to you than your own sister?”

Oswald looked at her with tired eyes. “I have to think of what is best for our entire tribe, Val. I love you, but I can’t risk plunging us into war.” He took a deep breath, then announced, “You can stay for a week, or until I receive a message from Stoick, whichever comes first. You’ll have to be gone before I respond as I will not lie to him.”

“I doubt you’ll hear from him,” she replied bitterly. “I left in the middle of a raid and only made it out because a dragon scared away the man who was trying to kill me. He will probably spread the story that I was taken or eaten.”

Her brother nodded solemnly. “Still, one week at most. I will make sure your boat is fully stocked and supply you with some gold, but I’m afraid that’s all I can do.”

Valka nodded sadly. The Berserkers had few allies due to their colorful past and they could not risk losing the ones who remained loyal to them. It wasn’t like she broke the treaty by leaving though. She had married Stoick in good faith and that was the only thing the treaty required. Yes, she had left, but that was because she feared for her life and that of her child. She had the blessing of the village elder, so surely the Berserkers could not be held at fault. Then again, these were Vikings who acted before they thought, if they even thought at all. She didn’t like her brother’s decision, but she could understand where he was coming from.

She wasn’t left to dwell on her thoughts for long though as the front door burst open and a little redhead soon rammed into her chair, accompanied by squeals of, “Auntie Val!”

“Dagur,” she exclaimed, scooping the five-year-old into her lap and tickling him, his laughter lifting her spirits.

The little boy threw his arms around her neck and told her, “I’ve missed you.”

She squeezed him back and responded, “I’ve missed you, too, sweetheart.”

“It’s not the same without you here, he complained, settling himself in her lap, “and when you come it’s never for long enough.”

“I know, buddy, I feel the same.” Her brother nodded at her as he slipped out the door, leaving her alone with her rambunctious nephew.

“Are you going to stay for longer this time,” Dagur asked hopefully.

“Mmm, I’ll be here for a week, maybe less,” she replied.

Dagur’s face fell and he whined, “But that’s not nearly enough time.”

“I know, buddy,” she pulled him in for another hug, offering what comfort she could.

“Will you come back again soon,” he mumbled into her shirt.

She couldn’t help the bittersweet smile that crept across her face. “I just got here, silly. Let’s enjoy the time we have together first, okay?”

“But when will you come back,” Dagur pressed, not wanting to move on until he had an answer.

Valka sighed. This was probably her biggest regret in this whole situation. Oswald’s wife had died when Dagur was quite young, so the only female influence he had in his life was her. When she moved to Berk, the little boy had taken it very hard and they had only seen each other a few times since then, but now… “I-I don’t know if I will be able to come back.” The look on Dagur’s face was enough to make her cry, but she had to be strong, for herself and for him, even though she was breaking his little heart. She hated herself for having to do this, but she wouldn’t leave him false promises. It was not the Berserker way. “It might be a long, long time before I can see you again,” she explained, “but I promise I will do my best to keep in touch. We could write secret notes to each other. What do you think of that?”

“I’d rather have you here,” he grumbled.

“I would rather be here, too,” she agreed, “but we do not always get what we want and at least this will be better than nothing. You will have to keep it a secret though. Just between you and me. No telling your father. Do you think you can do that?”

Dagur nodded eagerly. “I won’t tell on you, Auntie Val.”

“That’s my boy,” she said proudly, holding him close. “Now, what say we make a trip to the healer’s hut?”

Her nephew’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Why?”

“I need to speak with her about a few things,” she said vaguely. Specifically, she wanted her to take a look at her arm and make sure that everything was proceeding properly with her pregnancy, especially after Spitelout’s attack, but Dagur didn’t need to know all that. “Perhaps, when we are done we can stop by the baker’s.”

At that, Dagur’s eyes lit up and he slid off her lap, grabbed her hand, and began tugging her toward the door. “Come on, Auntie Val. What are we waiting for?”

She laughed and let her nephew tug her along. She would miss these times with him, but she was determined to make as many memories with him while she could. And it may not be easy, but she would find a way for them to keep in touch, somehow.

Chapter Text

The next day found Valka wandering through the forest of her home island. Dagur was spending some time with his Father and she thought to use this time to decide what she was going to do. She had to leave soon, but where would she go?

She couldn’t go to any of their remaining allies, as they might out her to Berk, but she had no knowledge of other villages in the archipelago. She also didn’t have the time to wait until a trader visited to acquire more information. Maybe her brother had a map she could copy that would give her some idea of possible places to go. She would have to ask him. 

She tucked that thought away, as she made her way to what had been her favorite spot growing up, a calm little glen tucked up against the side of the mountain. Finding that little here had changed, she sat down on a rock and lost herself in her thoughts, trying to plan for every possible scenario she might face.

She had been sitting there for a while and was just about to head back to the village when a large shadow passed over her. Curious as to what had caused it, she turned around to discover the same Stormcutter who had helped her to escape.

“You followed me,” she muttered to herself, staring at the dragon in wonder.

She remained still as he crept closer, cautiously sniffing her. He must have been pleased with what he found as he began nuzzling her.

She let out a slight laugh and said, “It’s not that I don’t like you, but it is not safe for you here. Well, it’s safer than Berk, but still, you need to leave.” Her brow furrowed and she sorrowfully added, “I’ll be leaving soon myself.”

The dragon seemed to sense her mood as he trilled in what seemed to be concern.

“It’s okay. It’s for the best,” she reassured the dragon (and herself, if she was being honest). “I just don’t know where I’m going. You wouldn’t by any chance know of somewhere safe I could go, huh?”

She asked the question playfully, not expecting to receive an answer from a dragon, but when he nodded his head, she was relieved she was still sitting down.

“Uh, did you just…” Valka trailed off and shook her head. “No, I must be seeing things. The stress from the past few days and all,” she reasoned. After all, there was no way one could communicate with a dragon. 

But the longer she thought about how she must have imagined it, the more she began to question herself. She knew that dragons were not dumb creatures and from what she had seen so far, this one was clearly quite intelligent.

Feeling that she had nothing to lose and seeing as there was no one around to judge her, she hesitantly asked, “Can you understand me?”

The dragon nodded again and her jaw dropped. While it seemed that her supposition was correct, she wanted to be sure. “Please don’t think me rude, I just want to be certain that this is not all some coincidence. How many fingers am I holding up?”

The dragon looked at her drolly before using his talon to scratch three marks in the dirt. 

“How can this be possible,” she murmured, in shock that the Stormcutter really could understand her. If that was the case, then… “You truly do know of a safe place?”

The dragon nodded solemnly.

“I’ll be leaving by boat in a few days,” she explained. “Could you lead me there? To your safe place?”

The Stormcutter crooned and nuzzled her again, which she took for his agreement. 

“Thank you,” she beamed. Feeling a large weight lifted off her shoulders. She tentatively reached out. “May I-”

Before she could even finish asking, the dragon pressed his muzzle into her palm. She wanted to express how she was feeling, but she couldn’t find the words. That this magnificent creature trusted her and was willing to help her meant more than she could say. She threw her arms around him, feeling his rumble vibrate throughout her body as his wings enclosed her. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe.

-o0o-

After a heart-wrenching goodbye with her young nephew, Valka boarded her ship and set off, heading east as she had promised the Stormcutter. She waved at Dagur until he was nothing more than a small speck, hoping he would continue to practice his reading and writing as he had promised. Otherwise, keeping in touch would prove to be a challenge. 

Once Berserk was nothing but a speck on the horizon, The Stormcutter appeared, hovering over her ship, looking for something, though she wasn’t sure what.

“I’m sorry that the ship is not very large,” she apologized. “I wish there was room for you to land.”

The dragon seemed to shake himself as if that wasn’t what he was concerned about. Without any warning, he grabbed onto the mast with his talons and tried to fly forward, but all that did was almost capsize the ship. 

Valka had barely managed to not be thrown overboard and when she regained her balance she glared up at the Stormcutter. She could swear he had a guilty look on his face, but what had he been trying to do? Valka thought about it for a moment, then asked, “Were you trying to pull the ship forward to make it go faster?”

The dragon bobbed his head before circling the ship, seeming to look for a better place to grip, but Valka had a different idea. She uncoiled a length of rope and tied it to the prow. Holding up the other end, she inquired, “Will this do?”

The Stormcutter swooped down and gently took the rope from her fingers. Before she had a chance to brace herself, the ship lurched forward, flying through the water at twice the speed that would normally be possible.

“You’re simply amazing,” she declared, the statement being further proven when the dragon’s head rotated to glance back at her, giving a draconic grin. The Stomcutter’s head soon returned to its normal position, though he did occasionally look about, presumably to make sure there were no dangers lurking nearby. 

Valka couldn’t help but marvel at this magnificent creature who had accepted her as his friend. She would have to come up with a name for him, but it would need to be something special. It appeared that their journey would be a long one, so at least she had plenty of time to think about it. 

Chapter Text

Valka was ready for this journey to be at an end. One day at sea was okay. And two or three days were tolerable. But by the sixth day, she was ready to call it quits. The first two nights, they had stopped and camped on isolated islands, but since then, nothing they had passed was suitable. Cloudjumper, as she had decided to name her new friend, would occasionally disappear for a few hours or overnight but somehow the ship kept moving at the same speed even without him there. She had finally peeked over the railing and discovered that Cloudjumper had recruited some help from a few Thunderdrums who kept her ship moving and on course. 

They were now in some frozen wasteland and she was seriously beginning to question her sanity for trusting a dragon, especially when he pulled the boat aground what seemed to be an island covered in spikes of ice. 

“Cloudjumper, this is not what I meant when I said somewhere safe,” she scolded the Stormcutter. Looking around the frigid landscape, she wondered what he could have been thinking. “How am I supposed to live here,” she muttered. “It’s much too cold and there is no wood to build a shelter or even a fire. No caves either and what are you doing?” She interrupted her rant to glare irritably at Cloudjumper who had begun to nudge her toward his back. 

The Stormcutter looked at her then at his back and flapped his wings, repeating the motion a few times.

It took Valka a few minutes, but she thought she understood what the dragon was trying to say. “You want to fly…with me on your back?

Cloudjumper bobbed his head as Valka shook hers. 

“I thank you for the offer but I prefer to keep my feet firmly on-” The rest of her sentence turned into a scream as Cloudjumper was not taking no for an answer and carefully used his talons to pick her up, flying straight toward the mountain of ice. Her first instinct was to struggle, but for the most part, she trusted Cloudjumper and she also didn’t want to give him any reason to drop her. 

As they neared the frozen edifice, she saw that there were actually openings in the icy surface. The Stormcutter flew into one of them, following the tunnel with all of its twists and turns. Valka noticed that it didn’t seem to be as cold here as it had been outside and she began to wonder if she had been hasty in her judgement. 

When Cloudjumper emerged into a lush oasis, she gasped in shock at the beauty that surrounded her. But it was more than that. There were dragons everywhere and even though Cloudjumper had set her down, none of them were trying to attack her. They lived here in peace and from the way her new friend was acting, she was invited to live here with them.

She turned to the Stormcutter and said, “Cloudjumper, I’m sorry for doubting you. This is beautiful and much nicer than what I had thought from seeing the outside.” She hesitated before adding, “I thank you for bringing me here, but I’m going to have a baby.” She laid her hand on her stomach. “I’ll need help with that. I need people.”

The dragon seemed to droop, feeling upset that this place wasn’t enough for her.

She sighed, then held out her hand, which Cloudjumper was quick to nuzzle. “I can stay for a bit,” she offered, “but then I’ll have to find a village, okay?”

That seemed to mollify the dragon slightly, so she decided to sweeten the deal. “If all goes well after the babe is born, we can come back here, okay?”

The Stormcutter bobbed his head eagerly and began to shepherd her toward a ledge, clearly wanting to show her something. She just wasn’t expecting the something to be the largest dragon she had ever seen. 

Cloudjumper seemed to be bowing to the mammoth creature so she did the same, wondering if the dragons had a similar hierarchy to Vikings. As she slowly rose to her feet, she was met by a frigid blast, ice particles sticking to her hair and clothes. She glanced up to see that the colossal dragon was close enough that if she stepped to the ledge, she could reach out and touch him. But for all that he was an imposing figure, she did not feel scared. On the contrary, she felt safe and protected. 

Now she understood why Cloudjumper had brought her here.

-o0o-

Valka looked around her home, pleased with what she had been able to accomplish in the last four months. She had managed to create a cozy space for herself in one of the caverns off the main caldera and while there wasn’t much as far as furnishings went, what she had brought with her was more than sufficient. 

She was going to miss this place, but as her pregnancy progressed, she was becoming more anxious to find a village with a healer that she could lodge in. She wasn’t too large just yet, but she was afraid if she waited much longer, she might not be able to fly with Cloudjumper and while her ship was carefully anchored in a hidden inlet, in her current condition, she would much prefer the quicker method of travel.

Deciding that it was past time to broach the subject, she asked Cloudjumper, “Are there any villages near here?”

The Stormcutter huffed and shook his head.

“Of course not,” she muttered to herself. “That was a stupid question, Valka. What were you thinking?” Shaking her head to clear it of metaphorical cobwebs, she rephrased her question. “Do you know of any villages that I could go to?”

Cloudjumper thought for a moment before slowly bobbing his head.

“How far?”

The Stomcutter used his talon to scratch a single line in the dirt.

“One what,” she inquired. “One day?”

At Cloudjumper’s nod, she murmured, “At least it’s not one week.” Needing further clarification, she asked, “Is that one day by ship or one day’s worth of flying?”

The dragon rolled his eyes and she chided herself. “I’m sorry, you’re right. How would you know how long it would take by ship?” She nodded to herself, thinking that one day of flight would be doable. “Flying is most definitely the preferred method right now,” she told her dragon, “but we will need to leave soon.”

The Stormcutter let out a mournful croon and she stepped forward to caress his jaw. “I will come back, Cloudjumper, along with my little one. But I will need help to bring him into this world. Having a baby is a little different than laying an egg,” she explained.

Cloudjumper nuzzled her side, causing her to suggest, “Perhaps if we are very careful, you can stay near this village you know of and I will visit you as often as I can. How does that sound?”

He let out a pleased rumble and she nodded firmly, glad that the problem was resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. “Good. That’s settled then. I’ll work on packing a basket with supplies and perhaps we can leave the day after next?”

The Stormcutter bobbed his head once more and she reached out to wrap her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Cloudjumper. You have taken good care of me,” to which he replied with a deep rumble. 

Chapter Text

Cloudjumper had woken Valka up quite early to set out and they had been flying all day. It was approaching dusk and she hoped the village he was taking her to was not much further as she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, not being used to flying for such long periods. In fact, she had barely flown with him at all, not wanting to risk something happening to the babe she was carrying. 

Valka had assumed that when Cloudjumper told her the village was a day’s flight away, he meant from sunrise to sunset, but she was beginning to doubt herself. She was just about to give up hope when the Stormcutter finally began descending.

“Have we arrived,” she asked him, letting out a sigh of relief at his affirmative croon. 

Though they had not made specific plans, she was expecting Cloudjumper to land on an empty beach where she could dismount and then make her way into the village, so she was quite surprised when he landed in the middle of the plaza. 

Having only had experience with tribes who killed dragons, she was afraid they would have to make a quick retreat, but then she spotted a statue of a Boulder Class dragon. It was not one she had seen before, but even more shocking was the fact that the people here were not attacking, though they did seem wary, not that she could blame them.

Deciding that it would be wise to make her intentions clear, she spoke up. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause such a stir. I asked Cloudjumper to take me to a village,” she reached forward to stroke his neck, “I just did not expect him to land right in the middle of it.”

A blonde man stepped from the crowd, perhaps a few years older than her, and said, “I am Mathias, King Defender of the Wing. Who might you be?”

“Sorry, sorry,” she waved her hand, feeling flustered. “My name is Valka.”

“And why are you searching for a village,” he inquired, his voice kind.

“Well, if someone could please give me a hand down, I think things will be a lot clearer,” Valka replied, not feeling capable of dismounting on her own but needing to get off of Cloudjumper before her legs went completely numb. The King himself stepped forward, his eyes widening once he got a better look at her pregnant state. He took her basket for her before assisting her to the ground. “I’m sure you have more questions,” Valka commented once she was standing on her own two feet. “Is there somewhere a little more private that we could speak?”

“Of course,” the King responded, swinging her basket onto his shoulder before leading her to a hut that seemed a bit larger than the others. Welcoming her inside, he left her to take a seat while he went upstairs, soon returning with a red-headed woman who he introduced as his wife, Eline. “Now, how about we start at the beginning,” he suggested.

Valka took a deep breath and began to explain. “I was married to a Chief of another tribe, but there was a certain family that was not pleased by that fact. I left my home because I was in fear for my life and that of my babe. I almost didn’t make it but Cloudjumper saved me and took me to his home, a nest some hours away.” Seeing the concern of the King and Queen’s face, she hastened to say, “I assure you, due to how I left, the people where I am from think I am dead. They will not come after me and should pose no threat to you or your people.”

The couple exchanged a look before the Queen said, “Though that is a relief, that was not our main concern. Did you have no one you could turn to? No family to help?”

“My brother helped as best he could by providing me with supplies,” Valka shared, “but there were other circumstances that made it impossible for me to stay with him.”

King Mathias nodded, seeming to understand that she was not willing to say more on the subject. “Well, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you please. For now, you can stay in our guest room and later, if you wish, we can make more permanent arrangements.”

Valka let out a breath she had not even realized she was holding. “Thank you. I-” She broke off mid-sentence as she was seized by a strong cramp that spread across her abdomen. She was so focused on trying to breathe through the pain, that she didn’t realize Queen Eline had come to her side until she felt a hand rest on her back.

“How far along are you,” she asked solemnly.

“Not far enough,” Valka muttered.

“But how many months,” Queen Eline pressed.

“Around seven.”

The Queen’s brow furrowed. “It’s not unheard of to have a baby this early. Did you have any contractions on the way here?”

“I-” Valka had been prepared to say no, but… “Perhaps? I thought it was just pain from the long flight, but-” She wasn’t able to finish as at that moment her water broke and she realized that she was far from prepared for what was to come.

She vaguely registered the fact that Queen Eline was speaking to her husband. “Mathias, help me get her to the healer,” she ordered. “Now!”

What followed was a blur of pain that seemed to go on forever, but finally, it was over and she was holding her baby. Her baby boy. He was small, being born so early, but he was healthy and that was all that mattered. Due to the fact that he was so tiny, it was decided that they both would stay in the healer’s hut for a few days, just to make sure that everything was okay.

Two days after she had given birth, Queen Eline came to visit her leading a honey-blonde toddler by the hand. “With all that happened, I did not have a chance to introduce our daughter. This is Mala.” The little girl waved and her mother scooped her up, setting her gently on the bed. “And Mala, this is Valka and her baby.”

Mala looked on in awe. “He’s so little.”

Valka couldn’t help but smile. “That he is, dear, but he’s a fighter. He will be strong like his father.”

“Like his mother, too, I think,” Queen Eline observed. “Have you decided on a name?”

“Yes, his name is Hiccup,” Valka replied.

A look of confusion crossed the Queen’s face. “Hiccup?”

“It is after one of his father’s ancestors, or perhaps I should say two of his ancestors. They both did great things, and I believe he will be the same,” she looked down and smiled at her little boy who was sound asleep in her arms. Looking back up, she said, “I thank you for all your help. I don’t know what I would have done if I had been on my own.”

“We have been pleased to be of assistance,” the Queen replied. “Rest assured that you are welcome to stay for as long as you need.”

“Thank you, Queen Eline.”

The other woman waved her hand dismissively. “Please, let us dispense with the formalities. I have a feeling that the two of us will become firm friends, so please, just call me Eline.”

Valka nodded in acknowledgment and their conversation moved on from there. In the back of her mind, though, Valka couldn’t help but marvel over the fact she had found somewhere she seemed to belong and people who accepted her and supported her. For the first time since she left, she was beginning to feel that she had made the right decision.

Chapter Text

After staying in Caldera Cay for three months, Valka decided it was time for them to head home. Hiccup was doing well, though he was rather fussy, wanting to be held all the time, but she felt that he would be old enough for the trip back to the nest, providing he was wrapped up quite well.

She had taken advantage of her time in Caldera Cay to send a note to Dagur through a trader who frequented the island. She had not received a response by the time they left, but Eline had promised to hold on to any message that arrived. She knew that it could take a while, so she wasn’t particularly worried. 

Saying goodbye to her new friends had been hard, but as much as she enjoyed it there, she could tell that Cloudjumper was missing the nest and she had to admit she did too. It wasn’t like their goodbye was permanent though. The flight was long, so she could not return too often, not while Hiccup was so little, but twice a year to visit and restock on needed supplies was doable. She was already thinking that as Hiccup got older, it might be possible for them to visit more often, but she would have to wait and see.

The return flight to the nest was long, but Hiccup was surprisingly calm, appearing to enjoy flying. They settled back into the nest and all the dragons were quite eager to meet their newest nestmate. They seemed to recognize that he was small and fragile, being very gentle when interacting with him. Hiccup was absolutely fascinated by the dragons and as long as one was near, he was content to stare at them in wonder, freeing up Valka to take care of some much needed chores.

The next few months passed quickly and, for the most part, quietly, until one morning, a dragon that had returned to the nest brought in a baby dragon on its back, though it was clearly not its own. None of the other dragons seemed to be willing to take it in and feeling bad for the poor little thing, Valka brought him into their cavern.

Unlike the other baby dragons she had seen here in the nest, this one did not seem to have teeth yet, but mashing up some fish for him wasn’t too much trouble. Of course, that was the only part of caring for him that was easy. The little black dragon was incredibly curious, sticking his snout into anything and everything he could reach. Valka spent that whole first day trying to keep him out of their supplies and belongings. Finally, the toothless little creature fell asleep and she moved him next to Cloudjumper before heading to bed herself. 

When she woke up the next morning, everything seemed to be quiet, but as she went to check on Hiccup, she was surprised to find the baby dragon curled around him. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about a dragon sleeping next to her son, but when she tried to remove him, the dragon started whimpering which then woke up Hiccup who started crying. She set the dragon back down in the nest of furs, figuring there was no harm in him staying there while she took care of her son, but as soon as she put the hatchling down, Hiccup stopped crying, instead reaching for his new friend. They curled around each other once more and promptly fell asleep.

She decided to leave them for now, but she soon realized there was a bit of a problem. Wherever Hiccup was, the hatchling wanted to be, and visa versa. Anytime they were separated, they would both start crying. 

In a way, it made sense. The little dragon would have normally spent all his time with his clutchmates, but in their absence, he had accepted Hiccup. Her son’s reaction, though, was a little harder to figure out. The best she could determine was that he had bonded with the hatchling in much the same way she had bonded with Cloudjumper. 

Since it seemed that the hatchling was now a part of their little family, she decided to name him Toothless. It wasn’t the most creative of names, but it fit. And as Hiccup got older, if he wanted to change it, he would be more than welcome to.

Their life settled into a steady routine, and soon it was past time for them to visit their friends in Caldera Cay. The flight was one Valka would rather forget, as trying to keep Toothless occupied had been a nightmare. At least Hiccup had been calm, simply looking around at the landscape before settling down for a nap. 

Upon arriving at their destination, Valka was quick to apologize for the additional member of their party, promising that he would cause no harm. Some mischief perhaps, but she would do her best to keep that to a minimum.

She was pleased to find a letter from Dagur waiting for her, though it was not all good news. Apparently, her brother had remarried and her nephew was having a hard time adjusting. She hoped that things would resolve themselves in time, but she would have to wait and see.

After a good night’s rest, Valka spent the day catching up with Eline. As they talked, Hiccup crawled around the room, trying to catch Toothless’ tail with Mala watching the two of them in fascination, even though she was supposed to working on her letters.

Once all their news had been shared, Valka brought up a matter that had been bothering her concerning Hiccup. “I don’t know, Eline. He’s almost one, but as much as I’ve worked with him, he still hasn’t spoken his first word. Should I be worried?”

Her friend inquired, “He is making noises, correct?”

“All the time,” Valka responded.

“Then I would not be too concerned,” Eline replied. “It just takes some children a bit longer.”

“I suppose,” Valka wavered. “I just feel like I’m failing him.”

“You are not failing him,” Eline reassured her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Just look at him. He is happy and healthy and that is all that matters.” At that moment, Hiccup finally caught Toothless’ tail, at which the hatchling let out a surprised shriek that Hiccup was quick to mimic. “Valka, did you notice that?”

“Hmm?” She glanced at her son and his playmate. “Oh, they do that all the time,” she waved her hand dismissively.

“No, the noise he made,” Eline clarified. “It sounded just like Toothless.”

“What?! I- Oh my…” she trailed off, a concerned expression on her face as she went to pick up her son. Of course, Toothless was not about to be neglected, so he scampered after her, climbing up her leg as soon as she sat down.

“Valka, he is speaking,” Eline stated. “It is just the language of the dragons. Didn’t you say these two never leave each other’s side?”

“Yes, but-” Valka cut herself off, realizing this was all her fault. “I should never have allowed this.”

“Valka, calm down,” Eline said. “Hiccup’s been surrounded by dragons for the past eight months. I suppose it is only natural that he picked up on what he was hearing.”

“But he needs to learn to speak Norse,” she insisted.

“And he will,” Eline assured her. “You are more than welcome to extend your stay. Perhaps he just needs more exposure to other humans.”

“Yes,” Valka agreed. “Yes, that’s a good idea.”

Maybe raising a child in a nest of dragons hadn’t been her best idea. She could only hope it wasn’t irreversible.

Chapter Text

Staying in Caldera Cay for a couple of months did make a difference in Hiccup learning to speak Norse, so for the next two years, they spent a third of their time visiting their friends, staying at the nest for four months before returning to the village for two months. By the time Hiccup was three, he was able to understand the difference between the two languages, much to Valka’s relief, as before that, her little boy didn’t always realize she couldn’t understand him when he began growling. 

As Hiccup and Toothless got older, their visiting schedule changed. One month in every four would be spent in Caldera Cay. While Valka did love living in the nest, she cherished the opportunity for adult companionship. It also gave Hiccup a chance to play with other children, though he preferred being around the dragons, but as Toothless was always by his side, he didn’t complain too much. The little Night Fury was also growing and taking short flights on his own now, which was convenient on their journeys as it allowed him to use up some of his energy, much to Valka’s relief.

The only thing worrying her was her nephew. It had now been five years since she left, and though their letters to each other were sporadic, she could tell that not all was well with Dagur. His letters did not sound like the happy boy she knew and she was concerned about how his father’s remarriage was affecting him. She sent a note with the trader who frequented Caldera Cay, arranging a time to meet with Dagur in her little glen. She set the date far enough out that it should get to him in time. The journey for them would be long, but it was not impossible, and it was not nearly as long as when she had first left Berserk, so she was thankful for that. Still, it would take two days for her to arrive. 

She had been planning on leaving Hiccup with Mathias and Eline, but he put up quite a fuss about being left behind. After extracting a promise that he would be on his best behavior, she allowed him to join her, only that meant that Toothless was now accompanying them as well. 

She had worried that Hiccup and Toothless would become bored on the long flight, but thankfully, Hiccup loved flying and was content to watch Toothless on his brief flights or the landscape as it was unfamiliar to him. They stopped early the first day, as she could tell both younglings were getting antsy, but once they fell asleep, she loaded them onto Cloudjumper and they flew for several more hours. This enabled them to make a later start the next day, though it was still becoming a bit too much time on dragonback for little Hiccup.

“Mama, are we there yet,” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

The sun was beginning to set and she didn’t think her little boy would be able to keep his eyes open much longer, despite having had a nap during the journey. “Almost, my love. Do you see that island up ahead?” Hiccup nodded and she continued, “That’s where going.”

“That’s where you lived,” he queried, seeming to perk up a bit.

“Mm-hmm. That’s where I lived when I was your age,” she explained. “We’re going there to see your cousin. He’s a bit older than you.”

Hiccup scrunched up his face in thought. “Like Mala?”

“A little older than her, but yes.”

He looked up at her, brow furrowed. “Do you think he’ll like me?”

“I’m sure he will,” she reassured him, pulling him in a little closer. 

It wasn’t long before Cloudjumper began his descent, landing in the glen where the two of them had first bonded. Once they had dismounted, Valka spoke up, knowing that Dagur would be along any minute. “Cloudjumper, it’s best if you stay hidden for now. You too, Toothless.” The Night Fury hatchling whined, looking at her with sorrowful eyes, but Valka stood firm. “That is not an option. You don’t have to go far, but you need to stay out of sight until I say it’s okay. It’s for your own safety.”

Cloudjumper began to shepherd the hatchling toward the trees on the far side of the glen while Hiccup ran around, exploring the place that had been so dear to her in her youth. It was but a few minutes later that Hiccup ran to hide behind her legs as they heard someone approaching. 

It was with great relief that Valka saw her nephew step into the glen, racing forward to embrace him. “Oh, Dagur. I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you, too, Auntie Val,” he murmured into her shirt, not letting her go. “Where have you been?”

“Up North,” she shared, stepping back slightly and trying not to step on Hiccup as he had followed her over. “I found a safe place, but come now, don’t you want to meet your cousin?” She set a hand atop Hiccup’s head as he peeked around her legs. 

A smile spread across Dagur’s face and he was quick to drop down to his knees. “Hey there, squirt,” he greeted his cousin.

“Hi.” Hiccup waved his little hand and then proceeded to say, “Do you wanna meet my friend?”

Valka should have seen this coming. Hiccup and Toothless hated being separated. It was like they were two halves of one whole, only confident and assured when they were together. She would have liked to speak with Dagur a bit more before introducing him to the dragons, but seeing as Hiccup was already dragging him over to where the dragons were waiting, it didn’t seem like she was going to have much choice. There was one thing she needed to do first though. “Wait just a second. Dagur, could you please hand me your axe and your knife?”

“Why,” her nephew inquired.

“Because I don’t want anyone to get hurt when you meet Hiccup’s friend,” she said, relieved that the explanation seemed to be enough for him. “Okay, Toothless. You can come out now, but please move slowly so as not to startle Dagur.”

Toothless crept from the shadows, his large green eyes being the only thing giving away his location. Hiccup was quick to run to his side, gesturing for his cousin to join him.

Dagur, however, was not so keen on following. “Uh, Auntie Val? Isn’t that a dragon?”

“That it is,” she confirmed with a smile, watching as Hiccup and Toothless began chasing each other around the glen. “The dragons have taken us in and we live with them, though there is a village we regularly visit.” Hearing the leaves behind her rustle, she motioned for the Stormcutter to join them. “In fact, Cloudjumper saved me when I was fleeing Berk and he followed me here.” 

For a minute, she wasn’t sure how Dagur was going to react, but then a huge grin spread across his face. “That’s so cool!”

“There is one last member of our party,” Valka informed him as a mint colored Terrible Terror landed on her shoulder. “This is Mist. I brought her with us because I wanted a more reliable way for us to keep in touch. She now knows where this glen is and can fly letters back and forth between us using this little satchel between her wings. But she and the other dragons must remain a secret between us, just like our letters, okay?” Her nephew nodded eagerly, pleased by the idea. “Now tell me, how are things at home?”

His face immediately fell and he muttered, “It’s fine.”

“Dagur…”

“Okay, it’s not fine,” he declared. “Dad’s new wife is awful.”

“What’s been going on,” she asked. 

“Dad has no time for me anymore,” Dagur complained. “I get that the new baby needs attention, but it’s like he’s replaced me. He never speaks with me unless it’s to yell at me for something I didn’t do. Everything that goes wrong, Agnes blames it on me and it’s not fair. She even treats me like her personal slave,” he huffed.

Valka reached out and drew her nephew in for another hug. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

“Can I please go with you, Auntie Val,” he begged in a small voice. “It’s not like my dad will miss me anyway.”

“Oh, buddy.” She led him to a nearby fallen log and encouraged him to sit down next to her. “Have you tried telling your Father how you feel?”

“Not really,” he muttered.

“Well, you should,” she proclaimed. “I’m sure once he realizes what’s been going on, things will get better.” She paused, then remembering something he had mentioned in his letters, she inquired, “What about Agnes’ daughter? Heather, I think you said? Has she been a problem?”

Dagur shook his head. “Not to me, but her mom hates her. I think it’s cause she wasn’t a boy, so when Agnes’ first husband died, they lost everything because Heather couldn’t inherit. Honestly, she treats her worse than she treats me and she’s only five.”

“Hmm, perhaps you could try to befriend her,” Valka suggested. “I’m sure she could use the support and then you wouldn’t feel so alone.”

“Maybe,” Dagur mumbled, not seeming fully convinced.

She felt for him, but there wasn’t much she could do. She wasn’t outcast per se, but her brother would not be happy to see her back on Berserk and she knew he wouldn’t appreciate her trying to interfere with his family. “I’m sorry, Dagur. I wish I could just make everything better, but unfortunately, we can’t change who our family is. All we can do sometimes is make the best of it.”

“But you left. You made a new life for yourself. Can’t I have that too,” he implored.

The look on his face broke her heart. He had been so little when she left, just older than Hiccup was now, that she hadn’t been able to tell him what really happened, but he was old enough now and he deserved to know the truth. “Dagur, sweetie, you have to understand that the only reason I left was because if I didn’t, I would have been killed. Hiccup would have been killed. And I couldn’t stay here either. Leaving was not the choice I wanted to make, but the only one I had,” she disclosed. “And while I know things are tough, you are still a child. I can’t just take you away from your father. If things don’t get better in a few years, perhaps we can revisit this discussion, okay?”

He seemed to understand, but that didn’t prevent him from hanging his head as he replied, “Yes, Auntie Val.”

“Don’t worry, buddy.” She pulled him in for another hug and assured him, “We’ll figure something out. You just need to be patient.”

He nodded, trying to put on a brave face, but it was not a success as Hiccup crept up to his side and asked, “Are you sad?”

“A little bit,” Dagur hesitantly admitted.

“Do you wanna play with me and Toothless,” Hiccup offered, seeming to have gotten a second wind. “He always makes me smile.”

“Sure,” Dagur agreed, letting his little cousin lead him away. “Why not?”

Valka watched them interact with a smile on her face. She wished she could take Dagur with them, but her brother would have her head for absconding with his heir. No, they would just have to bide their time. But if things didn’t improve, she would help her nephew get away, regardless of the cost. 

Chapter Text

“Do I have to spend the morning with Uncle Mathias,” Hiccup complained. “Couldn’t I go to the forge instead?”

“Hiccup, we’ve discussed this,” Valka reasoned for the umpteenth time. “You’re ten years old now and you need to begin your training so that you know how to govern a tribe. It is your birthright and I’ve promised that you would return, so it will serve you well to learn these things now.” She knew he didn’t care for these lessons, but they were essential. She taught him what she could when they were at the nest, but here he could actually see the practical application which made things much clearer. “How about this? If Uncle Mathias is satisfied with what you do this morning, then you can spend the afternoon in the forge. Deal?”

“Deal,” he grumbled. “Can Toothless at least come with me?”

“No,” she stood firm. “You already know how strong the two of you are together, but you both need to learn to be able to function separately. Toothless has his own tasks to accomplish this morning. Now, go on.”

Her son huffed and trudged over to stand by Mala, who remarked, “You really should take this more seriously, Hiccup.”

He simply rolled his eyes, ignoring his friend.

“Come along, you two,” Mathias shepherded them away but not before glancing over his shoulder and winking at Valka. She knew Hiccup was in good hands, she just wished he wouldn’t be so stubborn. And Mala didn’t always help matters even though she had good intentions. For all that the two children were good friends, sometimes their differences grated on one another rather than balancing each other out. 

Having got Hiccup on his way, she turned to Toothless and sent him out to help the fishing boats. It was the least they could do to help their friends who generously let them stay. 

Valka was just about to meet up with Eline when Mist approached, seeming to be rather anxious. Valka was quick to remove the letter from her satchel, but nothing could have prepared her for what her nephew had written.

Auntie Val,

I know you said I needed to be patient, but I can’t take it anymore. I’m leaving Berserker Island. I’ve been paying attention to the direction Mist flies and I have a good idea where to find you. I’ll see you soon.

D

Nothing more, nothing less. Stubborn, headstrong teenager. Couldn’t he have contacted her first instead of leaving on his own? Berserker Island was at least a week away by boat and she was not comfortable with him sailing that far on his own, even if he was almost sixteen. She ran to Eline and after asking her to look after Hiccup for a few days, she donned her armor and jumped onto Cloudjumper, determined to find her nephew.

While things hadn’t gotten better back home, they hadn’t exactly gotten worse, as Dagur had told her he had taken to spending as much time as he could in the forest. But what happened that caused him to just up and leave? This and similar thoughts swirled through her head for the rest of the day, as Cloudjumper tried to cover as much ground as possible.

They flew all day, only taking short breaks before pressing on. It was nearing midnight when they suddenly veered to the right. 

“What’s wrong, Cloudjumper?”

“Your family is this way,” he replied.

She let out a sigh of relief, feeling incredibly grateful for the Stormcutter’s strong sense of smell and that she had given in to Hiccup’s insistence that she learned the language of the dragons. She could not speak it like her son could, but as time went on, she could understand them and was even able to mimic some of their sounds with the staff she had painstakingly created. It had been an absorbing project that she and Hiccup had tackled two winters ago.

As they neared a cluster of sea stacks, she could see a small ship anchored at the base of one of them. Cloudjumper hovered as close as he could, allowing her to jump onto the deck before he settled on top of the sea stack. Though her landing was light, it was still enough to wake up her nephew.

He shot up to a sitting position and squinted before whispering, “Auntie Val?”

“Yes, dear. It’s me. Are you alright,” she inquired as she approached and sat down next to him.

“Yeah,” he responded sheepishly.

With that settled, she smacked his arm and demanded, “What were you thinking?!”

“That I’m old enough to make my own decisions,” he responded defiantly. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Dagur…”

He crossed his arms in exasperation. “Agnes has been feeding my dad lies, convincing him that I’m a danger to others, which makes absolutely no sense. I didn’t even spend that much time in the village,” he divulged. “I heard them planning to ship me off, though they hadn’t decided where yet. All I did was make that decision for them.”

Valka could tell that Dagur thought he did the right thing, but there was more to this situation than that. “But you’re the heir,” she pressed.

He scoffed. “Not if I’m ‘deranged.’ It took a while for me to put all the pieces together, but I think Agnes has been planning this since she married my dad. He has two more sons now who are more than welcome to take over. I’m done dealing with them.” 

Valka nodded slowly, realizing that there really wasn’t a way to fix this and at least with her, Dagur would be happy.

“There’s just one other thing,” her nephew said hesitantly. 

“What,” she asked warily, her nephew’s tone causing her to think that whatever it was, she might not be pleased.

“I tried to convince Heather to come with me, but she refused. Said you’re my family, not hers, so it wouldn’t be right.” He scrunched up his nose, clearly disagreeing with what his stepsister thought. “I tried to tell her you wouldn’t mind, but…” he trailed off and shrugged. “I did introduce her to Mist, though, before I left,” he confessed, hastening to add, “I couldn’t just leave her there completely alone. I need to be able to be sure she’s okay.”

“It’s alright, Dagur,” Valka reassured him. “You did the best you could in a tough situation and I know you wouldn’t have taken that step unless you knew you could trust her. You keep in touch and if things get worse, we’ll come pull her out.”

A weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. “Thanks, Auntie Val.”

With all of that out of the way, she inquired, “How much did you bring with you?”

“I just have the one basket with my belongings and another with provisions,” he answered her.

“That’s doable,” she nodded. “You can join me on Cloudjumper. It will be much quicker.”

“Huh?”

“If you continue by boat, it will take you five days to get to where we are currently staying, but by dragon, we can do it in one,” she explained. “Get some rest. We’ll leave early.”

Chapter Text

The rest of the journey was long and boring, but Dagur had to admit, it was a lot better than sailing. He could get used to being up here among the clouds. By the time they arrived at their destination, it was already well past sunset. He couldn't see much, but the village they landed in was unlike any he had ever seen before. 

“Come,” his aunt dismounted and beckoned for him to follow her. “We are staying with friends, though now that you’ve joined us, we might need to make other arrangements.”

“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor,” he offered as he slid off Cloudjumper. He honestly wouldn’t even mind camping outdoors. 

“We’ll see,” Valka replied, leading him to a fairly large hut.

They had barely walked in when something slammed into him. “Dagur!”

“Hey, squirt,” he greeted his cousin, ruffling his hair. “Boy, have you grown.”

Hiccup let go and said, “So, has Toothless.”

He soon found that out himself when said Night Fury leaped on him, knocking him to the ground. “I can see that,” he groaned, pushing the over-affectionate reptile off of him and getting to his feet.

He was about to ask his cousin how he had been when his aunt brought his attention to the other people in the room. “Dagur, I would like you to meet our hosts. This is Mathias and Eline, King and Queen of the Defenders of the Wing. And this is their daughter Mala.”

He nodded at each of them in turn, his eyes settling on the girl who looked to be slightly younger than him. “So, does that make you a Princess?”

A look of confusion crossed her face. “Whatever are you talking about?”

“You know, since your parents are King and Queen,” he clarified.

“I am their heir,” she stated primly. “No need for other titles.”

Talk about a stick in the mud. “Whatever you say, Princess.”

She huffed and flicked her hair over her shoulder before stalking up the stairs.

Dagur leaned over and asked his cousin, “Is she always so…prissy?”

“Not always,” Hiccup hedged before whispering, “just most of the time.” He shrugged. “She’s a loyal friend though.”

Their conversation was interrupted, by his aunt informing him that since all the bedrooms were full, he would have to sleep in the living area, but there were extra furs he could use to make things more comfortable.

His cousin’s eyes lit up and he begged his mom, “Can Toothless and I sleep down here with him?”

His Aunt’s eyes narrowed. “I suppose that would be alright,” she acknowledged, “but I expect you to actually be sleeping and not talking all night.”

Both boys hastily agreed. Even Toothless added in what sounded like a croon of acceptance. They soon had the furs arranged, though Hiccup insisted that Dagur take them all as he would sleep in Toothless’ wings.

“Are you sure you’ll fit,” Dagur inquired skeptically, seeing as how his cousin and the dragons were the same size.

Hiccup waved his hand dismissively. “I mostly fit. We’ve been sleeping wrapped around each other since we were little. Well, littler.” Dagur’s skepticism must have been showing as his cousin reassured him, “It’s normal for clutchmates.”

“Clutchmates?”

“Dragons hatched from the same clutch,” Hiccup explained, “so…siblings, I guess?” He made himself comfortable, wrapped in his dragon’s wings before asking, “So, how long are you visiting for?”

“I’m not. I actually came to live with you and your mom,” he admitted.

Hiccup perked up. “Really?!”

Dagur smiled, glad that his cousin seemed pleased at the news. “Yeah, but we better get to sleep now. I don’t want Auntie Val getting mad at me for keeping you up.”

“I’m not that little,” Hiccup retorted.

“You want to explain to your mom why you’re half asleep tomorrow?”

“No…”

“Exactly.” And with that, Hiccup quieted down and went to sleep. Dagur lay there for a few moments, staring up at the ceiling, relieved that he had made it here. Tomorrow would be a fresh start and he was looking forward to it.

-o0o-

The next day dawned bright and early with Toothless pouncing on Dagur’s stomach. Hiccup couldn’t help but snicker at his cousin’s reaction, though he better warn Toothless not to do that again. 

After eating breakfast, Hiccup and Toothless showed Dagur around Caldera Cay. It was nice getting to talk with his cousin in person as though they did send letters back and forth regularly, he had only truly met him that one time when he was four. 

After showing his cousin the best parts of the village, Dagur asked him, “So, what do you do around here?”

“Well, I’ve started having lessons with Uncle Matthias in the mornings, though he and Mom agreed I could have today off since you just got here. He’s teaching me what I need to know to become a Chief.” He pulled a face and continued, “I don’t get why it’s such a big deal, but Mom says she made a promise, so…” he trailed off and shrugged. “And then in the afternoons, it just depends. Sometimes, I’ll go to the forge and Gunnar will teach me something new or sometimes me and Toothless will go flying.” He had a realization and eagerly turned to his cousin. “If you’re going to live with us, then that means you’ll have to find a dragon friend, too. It’ll have to wait until we go back to the nest though,” he lamented.

“Aren’t there dragons around here,” Dagur inquired curiously.

“The Great Protector,” Hiccup gestured toward the statue balanced high above them, “and a few others, but not too many. And the Defenders don’t exactly bond with dragons. They respect them, but while they accept our connection, it goes against their tradition to actually ride them.” He paused and then added, “It’s better to wait for the nest anyway. There are so many different types of dragons there.” Turning to Toothless he said, “What do you think bud? Who would be a good fit?”

Before Toothless could answer, Dagur blurted out, “What was that?”

Hiccup glanced back at his cousin and then blushed. “Oh, sorry. Sometimes I forget.” He smiled awkwardly. “Apparently, I could speak the language of the dragons before I could speak Norse. I grew up being surrounded by it, so, yeah…” He shrugged and continued, “A lot of the dragons can understand Norse, but I normally speak to them in their own language. It just feels more respectful.”

Dagur looked at him quizzically. “How come you never told me in our letters?”

“Well,” Hiccup drawled, “there was always the slightest chance that one of our letters could end up in someone else’s hands. Not that you would show it to anyone else,” he hastened to say, not wanting his cousin to think that he didn’t trust him, “but if something happened to Mist on her journey. It’s a pretty unique talent and Mom has warned me that it could be dangerous if the wrong people found out.”

“Does everyone here know?”

Hiccup thought for a moment before slowly nodding. “I suppose so. They’re,” he paused, searching for the right word, “our allies, I guess you could say. We visit here regularly. You can trust them.”

“Good to know,” Dagur observed. “And Mala? What’s she like?”

“She’s okay, for a girl,” Hiccup shared. “She’s kind of like a big sister, seeing as how she’s always bossing me around and trying to tell me that things are for my own good.” He rolled his eyes. “She means well though and she can be loads of fun when she’s not taking things too seriously.”

“I bet she’s not as much fun as you,” Dagur commented, causing Hiccup to grin up at his older cousin. “So, what weapon do you favor?”

“I’ve only learned to make daggers and swords so far,” Hiccup began, “but-”

Dagur shook his head. “I mean for fighting.”

“Oh, I haven’t started weapons training yet,” Hiccup disclosed hesitantly. “Mom says I can start next time we visit, though.”

His cousin slung an arm around his shoulder and started guiding him back to the hut. “How about we see if we can convince her to let you start now?”

“Really?!”

“Really,” Dagur smiled down at him. “Come on.”

Hiccup eagerly followed his lead, hopeful that he would be able to convince his mom. He had gotten used to having Mala as a sort of sister, but having his cousin around was already proving to be much better.

Chapter Text

While Dagur had enjoyed the time in Caldera Cay, he was eager to see the place his aunt and cousin called home. It was another long flight, about the same length as his first one with his aunt, but this time wasn’t as bad. Watching Hiccup and Toothless perform aerial feats was quite entertaining, and Hiccup would join them on Cloudjumper for brief stretches of time as well, breaking up the monotony of it all.

It was late by the time they arrived at the nest, but Dagur could still see the spikes of ice in the moonlight and he was intrigued. This was nothing like what he had thought a dragon nest would look like and the inside was an even greater surprise. He wasn’t given much of a chance to look around though as Cloudjumper and Toothless landed next to a cavern and Auntie Val was quick to shepherd them in.

“Welcome to our home, Dagur,” she said. “Hiccup, can you show him around our cavern?”

Hiccup nodded and then gestured to the area they were standing in. “So, this is obviously the main living area.” He started walking and beckoned Dagur to follow him. “There’s a few caverns over here that branch off. That one is mom’s and this one is mine,” he stated, stepping into a space cluttered with objects that Dagur could not identify. “You can stay with me or Mom said you can pick your own if you prefer.”

“I don’t think there’s room for another person in here,” Dagur observed, watching as Toothless carefully stepped over a few piles to get to the one open spot on the floor. “What is all this, anyway?”

“Oh, I like to make things,” Hiccup shrugged. “I was trying to find a few blueprints before we left and I didn’t have time to tidy up. It’s normally not quite this bad.” He grabbed a basket from one side of the room and began throwing the scattered odds and ends in it. He pointed to one wall covered in pieces of parchment. “These are some of the ideas I’ve had. Some have been completed, like Toothless’ saddle and Mom’s armor and staff. Others are things I haven’t tried yet.”

Dagur looked over the designs, amazed by his cousin’s creations. But there was one thing he didn’t understand. “Why does Auntie Val need armor? Aren’t you safe here?”

“We are,” Hiccup reassured him, “but she wants to start going out and helping the dragons more. Saving them from trappers and hunters. She hasn’t gone out yet, but I think it’s because she doesn’t want to leave me alone.”

“You couldn’t go with her,” Dagur inquired.

Hiccup scrunched up his face. “She says it’s too dangerous. I’m too young. I don’t know how to handle a weapon,” he listed off. “All that stuff. I think she’s been afraid that if she goes, I would follow her.”

“I’m guessing she’s not wrong?”

“Well, Toothless is awfully fast,” his cousin reasoned. “And we’re both small, so we’d be hard to catch.” He paused as he straightened out a stack of parchment. “We want to help, too.”

“And if you get separated from Toothless, what are you going to do?”

“Ask another dragon for help,” Hiccup replied like it was the obvious answer.

“And if there aren’t any?” Dagur watched as Hiccup’s face screwed up in thought, though no answer was forthcoming. “Exactly,” he pointed out, much to his cousin’s disgruntlement. He couldn’t blame Hiccup as he would want to do the same thing in his shoes, but when he thought about his little cousin being out there, fighting grown men, his blood ran cold. He stepped to the boy’s side and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I get it, Hiccup. I do. And I’ll help you train. But your mom’s concerns are valid. Focus on what you can do for now. I’m sure there’s still a lot for you to help out with around here?”

“I guess,” he hedged. “The dragons all know that this is a safe place and Mom has been teaching me how to heal the ones that come here injured,” he explained. “And I have a forge close to one of the exits, so I can work on projects. And there’s always flying with Toothless and practicing our technique, though we have to stay in the nest unless Mom is with us.” Dagur could tell he was chafing as the limits put on him, but then his cousin’s face brightened up. “And now we’ll have to teach you how to fly, too!” At that, he started growling at Toothless, the two of them quickly becoming absorbed in a conversation.

“Hello,” Dagur interrupted. “I’m still here, you know.”

Hiccup cringed. “Sorry. We really need to start teaching you the language of the dragons, though I’ll try and remember to stick with Norse. Mom used to get really frustrated when I would switch between languages.”

“So, what exactly were you two talking about,” Dagur queried.

“Oh, Toothless and I were discussing possible dragons that might want to bond with you,” Hiccup shared.

“There’s no need to rush into things,” Dagur assured him.

Hiccup just smiled and grabbed his hand, dragging him back to the main cavern. “There’s also no time like the present.” He stopped short and Dagur looked up to see Auntie Val glaring at her son. “But I guess it can wait until tomorrow,” he amended, giving his mom an awkward smile.

“That it can,” she agreed. “Come and eat and then it’s time for bed.”

Dinner was a quiet affair and by the time they finished, Hiccup was already nodding off. Valka sent him off to bed before going to wash the dishes.

Dagur joined her, thinking it was the least he could do. After a few minutes, he said, “Thank you, Auntie Val. I appreciate you letting me come to live with you.”

“You know we’re happy to have you, Dagur,” she smiled softly. “We live and eat rather simply, but it’s sufficient. Now get some rest. It’s been a long day and I’m sure Hiccup will run you off your feet tomorrow.”

Dagur nodded and decided to just bed down in the main room for the night. He would pick a cavern of his own in the morning. Or that was the plan, anyway, but Auntie Val had been correct. He had barely had a chance to eat before Hiccup was dragging him out into the heart of the nest and showing him around. In the light of day, it was even more beautiful than he had thought.

His cousin seemed unable to keep still as he bounced around him, sometimes even on all fours like a dragon. “So, what do you think?”

“It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Dagur replied in awe.

“It is pretty amazing,” Hiccup concurred. “I like visiting the Defenders, but this is home. Now come on. Some of the dragons told me that the King wants to meet you,” he declared before scampering off.

“King? What do you-” Dagur did his best to keep up but broke off when they reached a ledge and a massive dragon appeared in front of them. How did he miss it? The creature was as big as a mountain.

Hiccup elbowed him in the side from where he was bent over and hissed, “Bow.” 

Dagur complied and when he was given permission to stand, he was surprised to find the dragon breathing his frosty breath on him. 

His cousin laughed as he shook the ice particles from his hair. “He likes you,” he declared, before running off to yet another area, calling for him to follow.

Dagur ran after him, finding himself in an open area where several dragons seemed to be waiting for them. He was content to let them be, but then they all started circling him and sniffing at his clothes. He was used to Mist and Cloudjumper and Toothless, but he was not comfortable with these guys being so close. “Uhh, what are they doing?”

“Smelling you,” Hiccup declared, looking at him like that should have been clear.

“I can see that,” Dagur snapped, “but why?”

“Dragons have a strong sense of smell,” Hiccup shared. “They can learn a lot about you that way.” 

Dagur thought his cousin was going to say more, but they were interrupted by a loud roar as a Skrill dived down causing the dragons surrounding him to flee. The Skrill landed and began sniffing him before proceeding to wrap himself around Dagur.

“Woah,” Hiccup uttered. “I can honestly say I did not expect that to happen.”

“What’s he doing,” Dagur asked, afraid to so much as move.

“Bolt is warning the others off,” Hiccup explained. “He’s chosen you, if you’ll have him. He’s always been kind of a loner, though he likes our family. Seems that extends to you,” he grinned.

Not sure what came next, Dagur said, “Am I supposed to do something or…”

“Hold out your hand, like this.” 

Hiccup demonstrated what he wanted Dagur to do and it wasn’t long before the teenager felt a dragon snout resting against his palm. His cousin was bouncing in excitement and he was sure his own face was about to crack, his smile was so wide.

“Now, we’re just going to have to figure out a way to keep you from being electrocuted when you ride him,” Hiccup observed offhandedly.

“Wait, what?!”

Chapter Text

Hiccup was almost done with his breakfast when he noticed that Dagur had barely touched his. He was about to ask if everything was okay when his cousin spoke up. “Auntie Val, I’m getting worried about Heather.”

His mom’s brow furrowed. “Has she not responded to your last letter?”

“No,” Dagur replied, pushing his food around his plate, “and it’s been almost three weeks. I know she can’t always get away to send a response, but it’s never taken her this long before.”

“It is also possible something could have happened to Mist,” Hiccup observed solemnly.

“I didn’t think about that,” Dagur grimaced. “Neither is a favorable outcome.”

“Either way, we should go and make sure everything is alright,” his mom decided. 

“We? Bolt and I can go on our own,” Dagur offered. “We don’t mind.”

“I know you don’t,” she acknowledged, “but it isn’t exactly safe for you to return to Berserker Island.”

“You either,” Dagur retorted, crossing his arms.

“I am aware of that, which is why Hiccup is going to have to be the one to go in and get Heather,” she informed them. “He also has the best stealth skills.” She paused before continuing, “But if you think that I’m going to let the two of you go that far on your own, you have another thing coming to you.”

“Mom! I’m almost fifteen. I can take care of myself,” Hiccup declared.

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, yes. Not like we had to rescue you from trappers the other week.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” he insisted. “They didn’t even have me for five minutes. I would have managed to get myself out if you had just given me a little bit more time before barging in, swinging your staff like some sort of crazy, feral, vigilante dragon lady.” His arms were waving about as he mimicked his mom’s moves, causing Dagur to snort.

“In all fairness, Auntie Val, he was handling himself well and would have been fine on his own.” At her glare, Dagur was quick to add, “Though you were able to speed matters along.”

Hiccup loved his mom, but she could be just a wee bit too overprotective at times. Such as when she said, “Regardless, I am going with you.”

The cousins exchanged glances, and seeing that there was no changing her mind, they gave in to the inevitable and began making plans. As there was nothing holding them back, they decided to leave that day after packing supplies and donning their armor. 

It was three very long days of flying, but they finally made it to Berserker Island, timing it so they arrived well into the night. They went straight to the glen and found Mist sleeping in one of the trees, Dagur’s letter still in her satchel.

“This is not good,” his cousin muttered. “I should never have let her stay behind, even if I had to take her by force.”

His mom laid a comforting hand on Dagur’s arm. “And she might have resented you or us. There’s no telling what could have happened, but what matters is that we’re here now.” Turning to her son, she said, “Hiccup, do you have everything you need?”

“Yup,” he confirmed. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Signal us if you need help,” she called softly,

He rolled his eyes as he turned to head off, glad that he had his helmet on. “Yes, Mom.”

He crept through the forest with Toothless at his side, following the map that Dagur had given him. As the village came into view, he pulled out a Speed Stinger dart, just in case. After all, Toothless had to stay hidden and there was no sense in taking chances.

Fortunately, the Chief’s house was close by and there didn’t seem to be any patrols nearby. He darted toward the hut, quickly scaling the walls, the claws he built into his gloves coming in handy. He peeked in the windows as he went, noticing that everyone was asleep, but none of them matched the description Dagur had given him.

Dropping to the ground, he looked up at the hut and noticed a window placed high on a different wall. Perhaps, that was the one he was searching for. Upon reaching it, he was relieved to see a girl matching Heather’s description. For once, he was glad he was built on the smaller side as getting through the window was a tight fit. Landing quietly, he gently reached over and touched the girl’s shoulder, whispering, “Heather?”

Her eyes shot open and she gasped. “Who are you? And how did you get in here?”

He shushed her and removed his helmet, calmly explaining, “I’m Hiccup, Dagur’s cousin. He hadn’t heard from you and we were getting worried.”

She slowly sat up as her eyes narrowed. “How do I know what you say is true?”

Hiccup stepped back to the window and let out a low whistle. In response, a mint colored Terrible Terror flew in and landed on his shoulder. “This is Mist.” He reached up to scratch the dragon’s chin. “She carries your letters back and forth to Dagur.”

“You could have gleaned that from a letter in her satchel,” Heather accused.

“We really don’t have time for this,” Hiccup grumbled. “Mist trusts me and so can you. Do you want to get out of here or not?”

Her gaze turned hard. “I’m not letting myself be tricked into a situation that is worse than the one I’m already in.”

“Look, the longer I’m here the more chances there are we’re going to be caught,” Hiccup tried to reason with her.

“Tell me something that only Dagur would know,” she demanded.

“Really?” Hiccup stared at her incredulously, but he could see that he wasn’t going to get her to go anywhere until he did as she said. “Okay, uh, when you were little you had a pet rock in the glen named Rocky.” He probably could have picked something less embarrassing, but the look on her face was worth it. Feeling that he had more than proved who he was he said, “Now come on.” He reached forward and grabbed her arm, but when he went to pull her to her feet, she let out a shriek. “Why would you-”

“My arm,” she panted. “I think it’s broken.”

Hiccup froze. “What do you mean ‘you think’? Didn’t you have it checked?”

She shook her head apprehensively. “I’m not allowed to leave the house. Haven’t been for almost a month.”

That would explain why she hadn’t answered Dagur’s letter. “Well, that changes now,” Hiccup declared, holding out his hand in an offer to assist her. It turned out she needed a lot more help than she let on as she could barely stand, leaning heavily against him while cradling her arm. So much for going out the window. But her condition raised a very important question. “What happened,” he asked softly.

She hesitated before saying, “They claimed I was spending too much time away from home when I should be helping with the house and the kids. Then yesterday, I started feeling sick, but they didn’t believe me, thus the broken arm. When it became apparent that I truly was sick, they locked me up here, not wanting me to infect anyone else.”

Hiccup pulled off one of his gloves and held it up to her forehead. She was burning up. Taking a better look around the room they were in, he realized something else. “Did they not bring you any food or water?”

She shook her head, but it seemed to take what little strength she had left. And to make matters even worse, he could hear approaching footsteps. 

“Oh great,” he muttered, carefully setting Heather back down on the pile of rags she called a bed before putting his helmet and glove back on and moving to stand behind the door. 

He heard a key turning in the lock and prepared himself for the door to open, knowing from what Dagur had said that it was likely to be done with force. He was not proved wrong and was able to stop the door from slamming into him. It bought him valuable time as the woman was thrown off and he was able to stab the dart into her arm before she could say anything.

He scooped Heather up, trying not to jostle her arm, while he told Mist to watch their backs as his hands were rather full. He would have tried to help Heather walk out of the house, but it would take too long, and he honestly wasn’t sure if she would be up to it anyway.

“What did you do,” she whispered as he picked her up.

“Just a paralyzing dart. Shouldn’t last long,” he remarked. Turning to face the woman he assumed was Heather’s mom, he said cheerily, “Thanks for unlocking the door. It makes our escape so much easier. Have a nice life,” he paused then added, “or don’t. I couldn’t care less,” before brushing past her and hurrying down the stairs and out the front door. 

By the time he made it to the forest, his arms were screaming in protest. While Heather was a lot lighter than she should probably be, it was still more than he was used to carrying for such a distance. Fortunately, Toothless was waiting just inside the treeline. 

He carefully sat her on the saddle before climbing up behind her. “Normally, I would have you sit behind me and hold on, but with the state you’re in, that’s not going to work.” He reached his arms around her to hold onto the saddle as well as keep her steady. Although she hadn’t raised a fuss with him carrying her out of the house, he could now feel her tensing. “I’m sorry, Heather. I know you’re not comfortable. But I promise I’m not going to hurt you. As soon as we meet up with Dagur and my mom, we can get your arm set and you can choose who you’re most comfortable riding with.” With that said, he encouraged Toothless to run back to the glen as they were too close to the village for them to take off. They may blend in with the night sky, but Heather didn’t and after risking so much to get her, they couldn’t afford to take any more chances.

Chapter Text

“Got her,” Hiccup announced as Toothless burst into the glen. Dagur was quick to rush over and help Heather dismount though Hiccup warned him to be careful. “Her arm is broken and needs to be set.”

“She’s burning up,” Dagur remarked as he carefully set her down. “When did this happen?”

“Yesterday,” Hiccup responded.

“It could be from that,” his mom said as she approached, gesturing to Heather's broken arm.

Hiccup shook his head. “No, she told me she’s sick.”

Heather flinched as Valka rested her hand on the girl’s forehead. His mom glanced back at him. “She’s in no condition to fly.”

“Well, we can’t exactly stay here,” Hiccup revealed. “I had to dart her mother-”

“Hiccup!”

“-at least I’m assuming that’s who it was,” he continued as if his mom hadn’t interrupted him. “It was a really low dose and I had my mask on, not like she would know who I am anyway,” he reassured her. “The venom has probably already worn off. And that’s not our main concern now, anyway,” he finished, glancing toward Heather. 

His mom reluctantly nodded in agreement and started gathering what she needed from the boys’ saddlebags, but Dagur had something else in mind. “No, destroying the Berserkers is,” he stated, his expression foreboding.

“Dagur,” his mom exclaimed. “Now is not the time.”

“If not now, then when,” he demanded. “We’re already here and who knows when we’ll be back in the area. Hopefully never,” he muttered.

His mom and cousin locked eyes until Valka eventually gave in. “One pass,” she proposed. “I’ll aim for the streets, while you focus on the docks. Our goal is to scare them and damage their fleet, not injure or kill. Do you understand?”

Before Dagur could respond, Hiccup jumped in. “Just one problem. Heather will be most comfortable with Dagur.” He turned to his cousin and said, “I know you want vengeance, but Toothless can cause more damage to the docks and Heather’s safety and comfort are the most important thing right now.”

He wasn’t sure if that would be enough to convince his cousin, but fortunately, it was. They worked quickly to set Heather’s arm before wrapping her up in a spare fur and mounting their dragons.

Once Bolt was out of range, his mom gave the signal and Cloudjumper flipped around to rain fire down the streets while Toothless divebombed the docks. By the time Cloudjumper was retreating, Berserker were beginning to run out of their houses, yelling, “Dragon attack!”

As Toothless finished up at the docks, Hiccup realized that would not do. Keeping in mind what his mom had said, he encouraged Toothless to fire next to the Chief’s house, close enough to scare them and maybe singe the wood just a touch, but not causing any major damage. Seeing a middle-aged man and the woman from before run outside, he asked Toothless to land on the roof. “Let this be a warning,” he yelled, all eyes turning toward him. “Treat your people better or next time it will be worse.” 

Toothless leaped from the roof as soon as he finished speaking, the bola thrown their way missing them by a mile, though Hiccup had his dagger ready, just in case it was needed. They quickly caught up with the others and headed east, thought to say his mom was not pleased with the stunt he had just pulled was an understatement.

“Hiccup, what were you doing,” she screamed.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup noticed Heather flinch at his mom’s tone. “I was just giving them a warning,” he explained. “Striking some fear in their hearts.”

“The damage we caused would have been enough,” his mom insisted.

“Not if they just thought it was some random dragon attack,” he reasoned. “They needed to know why it happened.”

“It was brilliant, cuz,” Dagur had left off his helmet and was grinning widely at him.

He smiled in return even though his mom was still glaring daggers at him. He knew he would be in trouble, but it was something that had to be done and it was worth it.

They flew for two hours, trying to put some distance between themselves and Berserker Island before looking for somewhere they could spend the night. It didn’t take too long to find a suitable island, and after making Heather as comfortable as they could, they all settled down for the night. 

The next morning, his mom sent him and Dagur out to see if they could find a few herbs as they hadn’t brought too many with them and Heather would be needing them. It took most of the morning but they managed to find the willow bark and marsh mallow root she requested, bringing them back to the cave they were camping out in. His mom took the herbs from him as Dagur went further into the cave to sit by his sister.

“How is she doing,” Hiccup asked softly.

His mom shook her head. “Not well. She’s in far worse condition than we believed.”

Hiccup’s breath caught. He knew she was sick, but he hadn’t thought it was that bad. “What do you mean?”

“While you boys were out, I got her cleaned up and changed into the extra set of clothes I brought,” his mom paused before pulling him closer to the mouth of the cave. He didn’t think it was possible, but her voice got even softer as she confided, “She’s covered in bruises, and judging by how on edge she was while I was helping her, I am going to have to assume her mom was the one who did all the damage.”

Hiccup’s brow furrowed. “But why would she react that way to you?”

“She doesn’t know me and the only experience she’s had with mothers-”

“-was with one who beat her,” Hiccup finished, his eyes widening as he understood the point his mom was trying to make.

“Exactly,” she confirmed. “We are going to have to be very gentle with her.”

Hiccup nodded slowly. “So, what’s the plan?”

“We get her fever down and then head home,” his mom informed him. “I don’t like us being in unfamiliar territory, but she needs at least a little time to recoup before we set off. We should probably wait until she’s over whatever virus she has, but I don’t want to risk staying here too long.”

“What can I do to help?”

“You’ve already done a lot, perhaps too much,” she eyed him and he knew his mom was thinking about his parting words to the Berserkers, “but finding the herbs will go a long way. All we can do now is be patient and help her when she allows it. She’s never had a loving family, other than Dagur, so this is all going to be new to her,” she explained. “Don’t force your presence on her, but support her in whatever way you can.”

Hiccup tilted his head. “So, basically treat her like an injured dragon new to the nest?”

Valka hesitated before replying, “Yes, but I would not use those words anywhere she can hear them.”

Her warning was clear and Hiccup had spent enough time around Mala to know how horribly that would go over. “Noted,” he responded, already thinking of how he could adapt his normal techniques to suit a human.

Chapter Text

Hiccup had woken up early and since it was his turn to catch breakfast he figured he might as well get an early start. Toothless was still asleep, ruling out their normal method of ocean fishing, but there was a stream nearby that looked promising, so he grabbed his net and the empty canteens and set off. It only took him a few minutes to reach the stream and setting up the net didn’t take much longer. He refilled the canteens before deciding to take a quick swim to pass the time. When he went to retrieve the net, he was pleased to find that he had a decent haul.

Walking back toward the cave, he found his mom standing outside, watching what was left of the sunrise. “Morning, Mom. How’s Heather doing?”

“Better,” she replied, pulling him in for a hug once he set his catch and the canteens inside the cave. “Her fever broke last night. We’ll take today to try and get some food into her and then I will leave tomorrow.”

Hiccup raised one eyebrow. “You mean we?”

“No,” his mom shook her head. “She feels safe with Dagur and she seems to be warming up to you as well, so I’m trusting the two of you to look out for each other and watch over her. She’s still not doing well, but you can probably start heading home the day after tomorrow. I am leaving before you so I can make a stop at Caldera Cay.” Hiccup’s confusion must have shown as she continued, “Heather came to us with the clothes on her back, which are honestly little better than rags. There are some things she is going to need and it’s best if I get them.”

“I can-”

“No, Hiccup,” she cut him off. “I don’t want you flying all that way on your own,” she glared at him, knowing exactly what he was about to offer. “And as I said before, Heather is more comfortable with you than she is with me.”

Hiccup scrunched up his nose. He wasn’t feeling very useful, but he could understand where his mom was coming from. “Okay.”

The rest of the day passed quickly and the next morning he wished his mom a safe journey before she departed. He puttered around the cave for a bit before settling down with his journal, trying to fine tune the design for his latest invention. He had been working steadily when he heard Heather shift and he looked up to find her staring at him.

“Isn’t there something else you’d rather be doing,” she asked.

“Like what,” he inquired, tilting his head.

“I don’t know,” she responded. “What do you normally do?”

“Well, I don’t have a forge here, so that’s out,” he commented, then gestured to Toothless who was curled up behind him. “I could go for a flight with Toothless but he’s passed out and Dagur is fishing, so I can’t spar with him.”

“You could explore the island or something,” she suggested, and Hiccup had the feeling she wanted to get rid of him, which was further confirmed by her next words. “You don’t have to stay here on my account.”

He weighed his words carefully, not wanting her to feel guilty or pressured into anything, but wanting to make sure she understood that he was content where he was. “If you would be more comfortable if I left, I won’t take offense,” he paused before adding, “but what if I want to stay here?”

A look of confusion crossed her face. “Why would you want to do that?”

Hiccup shrugged. “I’m working on plans for a project and this way I’m nearby in case you need help or something.”

“I’m not weak,” she insisted as she struggled to sit up, bristling like a Nadder ready to fight for its honor.

“I never said you were,” he defended himself, holding out his hands in an attempt to placate her. She was still rather weak and he would have rushed over to help her if he thought it wouldn’t spook her. “But you’ve been pretty sick and with your arm splinted, there are certain things that it might be harder to do with one hand.”

“I can manage just fine,” she declared, pushing her hair out of her face.

Hiccup noticed her frustration as her hair swung in front of her face again and he hesitantly offered, “I can braid your hair for you if you like. Or even just pull it back in a ponytail if that’s what you prefer.”

He could see the indecision on her face. While she was more comfortable around him than around his mom, he had kept his distance since he got her out of her house, respecting that she needed space. He didn’t know if she would be okay with him being that close to her for any length of time. 

Instead of responding to his offer, she asked, “How do you know how to braid?”

“My mom taught me,” he explained. “It comes in handy when I’m working with leather.”

She nodded her head slowly before waving her hand dismissively. “It’s okay. I can always ask Dagur later.”

“I hate to disappoint you, but there’s a reason he keeps his hair short. I’m not trying to pressure you into accepting my offer, just laying out the facts so you know that a ponytail is about the best you’re going to get from him,” he explained.

He watched as her face fell. They sat in silence for a few moments before he saw her brace herself and say, “If you’re absolutely sure you don’t mind, then I would appreciate it.”

Hiccup smiled at her and closed his journal, tucking it into his armor before approaching and sitting down behind her. He could tell that she was incredibly tense, so he said, “If you feel too uncomfortable, just let me know and I can stop.”

She took a deep breath and nodded.

He reached up and warned her that he was going to begin by getting the tangles out. He worked methodically, carefully running his fingers through her hair, noticing that gradually she was beginning to relax. 

As he started to section off her hair to start braiding, she whispered, “Thank you.”

He smiled, glad that she was allowing him to assist her. “You’re more than welcome. And if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.” 

He tied off the braid with a strip of leather, declaring it done and she glanced over her shoulder at him. She was still a little on edge, but he could see that she was trying to push past it. Thinking she might like something to take her mind off of things, he offered to show her what he had been working on. 

She nodded and he scooted to sit next to her, pulling his journal back out and opening it up to the page he had been working on before passing it to her.

She looked at his schematics carefully, her brow furrowing. “What exactly is this?”

“Well, it’s supposed to be a sword that lights on fire,” he shared. “I’ve been fiddling with a few designs, but I think this one will meet my needs the best.” He continued to explain the different prototypes he had made and how he wanted it to work, pointing out the notes he had made on ways to make the design better.

By the time he had finished speaking, Heather was leaning heavily against him and almost asleep. He shifted carefully and eased her back down, making sure the furs were wrapped tightly around her. 

He made his way back over to Toothless who was just waking up. “Lazy dragon,” he remarked, to which Toothless snorted. He simply shook his head and thought about how happy he was with the progress he had made with Heather. He hoped that as time went on, she would become more comfortable and learn that she could trust them. 

Still, he couldn’t help but think that something about his interactions with her felt different from how he treated Mala, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was sick and injured. Perhaps once Dagur got back, he and Toothless could go for a flight. That always seemed to help him clear his head. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup was coming back from his forge when he saw Heather sitting outside their cavern in the main caldera. He walked over with Toothless on his heels and remarked, “It’s pretty nice, huh?”

“It’s beautiful,” she replied.

“That it is, but I’m prejudiced,” he grinned.

“Have you always lived here,” she inquired.

“Mm-hmm. I mean, we spend part of the year with our friends on Caldera Cay, you’ll meet them soon, but this is home.” He gestured to the empty spot beside her and asked, “May I?” At her nod, he sat down, with Toothless making himself comfortable next to him. “This is the first time you’ve been out of the cavern, so I assume that means you’re feeling a bit better?”

“For the most part,” she acknowledged. “I don’t feel like I’m going to hack up a lung at least.”

Hiccup winced. The ride home had been less than comfortable for Heather and despite their attempts to wrap her up and keep her warm, she had developed a one of the worst coughs Hiccup had ever heard. “Sorry,” he apologized. “All that flying while you were sick probably made things worse.”

“At least you and Dagur took care of me,” she observed. “It was more than I would have received from my family.”

“Still-”

“It’s okay,” she reassured him, briefly laying a hand on his arm.

For some reason, his stomach suddenly felt lighter than air, though why it felt that way was beyond him. Feeling the need to say something, he sputtered, “W-well, we want you to feel at home here. If you need anything for your cavern, just let one of us know. And Mom’s been working on some new clothes for you. I wanted to start on a weapon for you as well, but I didn’t know what you would prefer,” he trailed off, feeling that he probably said too much and made a fool of himself.

“I don’t know either,” Heather responded introspectively.

Hiccup tilted his head. “Did you never have weapons training?”

She shook her head. “No, I was always needed at home, though Dagur did let me practice once or twice with his axe.”

“Hmm, an axe but maybe a little different? I’ve got a few ideas…” When he heard a soft laugh to his left, he glanced over to see Heather giggling at him. He blushed as he realized he must have spaced out. “Sorry, Dagur will tell you how easily I get swept up into working on new projects.”

“At least you have something you enjoy doing,” she said, a slight smile on her face, though there was something else there. A longing, Hiccup thought, to have something that she felt the same way about. 

With that in mind, he offered, “Well, now that you have more time to do what you want, we’ll have to find something you like doing as well.”

“That would be nice,” she admitted.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, watching the dragons fly around the caldera. Though Hiccup would rather be up there with them in the thick of things, he never got tired of watching it either. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when he noticed Heather scooting closer to him. For all that she had been enjoying watching the dragons from afar, having one approach that she was not familiar with seemed to be a different story.

He patted her leg and informed her, “Don’t worry. All the dragons here are friendly.” 

She seemed to relax a little bit, despite the fact that the Razorwhip was getting closer. While the dragon’s approach was cautious, she did not stop until she was right next to Heather. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, before the Razorwhip began to gently nuzzle the girl, purring the whole time.

“Looks like Windshear has found herself a kindred spirit,” Hiccup commented, a smile on his face. 

Heather’s brow furrowed as she tore her gaze away from the dragon. “What do you mean?”

“Mom brought her in a couple of years ago on one of her rescue missions,” he explained. “She was malnourished and injured and we had to nurse her back to health. Dragons often bond with those who remind them of themselves. At least that’s how they’ve explained it to me, not that we really have that many examples to go off of,” he shrugged.

His explanation only seemed to cause more confusion as Heather asked, “What do you mean, they’ve explained it to you?”

Hiccup scratched the back of his neck. “Oh well, I can kind of speak the language of the dragons,” he shared, smiling awkwardly. He reached over to scratch under the Razorwhip’s chin. “What do you think Windshear? Do you like Heather?”

“She needs help, just like I did,” the dragon replied.

“That’s true. And we’re going to make sure she gets it,” he responded, causing Windshear to rumble in pleasure.

“I’ll help too,” she declared. 

Hiccup smiled. They could use all the help they could get to assist Heather, and having a dragon companion might just be the best way to make her feel more comfortable and like she belonged.

“You-”

He glanced at Heather to see she was at a loss for words. He shrugged and remarked, “One of the side effects of being raised in a dragon nest and your constant companion being a dragon. Mom and Dagur have managed to learn enough that they can understand it, but speaking is a little beyond them. I think it might be something that has to be learned from birth,” he hypothesized. “Most of the dragons can understand Norse though, so it all works out.”

Heather was absentmindedly stroking Windshear’s neck, but Hiccup could tell she was trying to process all that she had just been told. Eventually, she broke her silence. “So, what did Toothless see in you?”

“That’s actually a really good question,” Hiccup acknowledged, a puzzled look on his face.

Heather’s jaw dropped. “You mean you never asked?”

He shrugged. “It honestly never occurred to me. We’ve just always been together and that’s all that mattered. What do you say, bud? Do you remember why you picked me?”

“You were small, just like me,” Toothless responded. “And you’re special. That’s why you can speak with us.”

Hiccup blushed as he interpreted the Night Fury’s answer, adding, “It’s probably not so much that I’m special. I’m just different,” he reasoned.

Toothless was not pleased with that explanation, though, and promptly whacked him in the head with his tailfin. Hiccup glared at the Night Fury as he rubbed his head, but his attention was soon pulled back to Heather, when she said, “Perhaps, but somehow, I think Toothless may have the right of it.” 

Hiccup turned five shades of red and quickly changed the subject, jabbering about Windshear and what a great dragon she was and what the two of them could do to strengthen their bond. When he ran out of things to say, he bid her a hasty farewell and jumped on Toothless for an afternoon flight.

“I don’t get it, bud. What’s going on,” he groaned.

“You like her,” Toothless pointed out.

“Of course I do,” Hiccup confirmed. “She’s Dagur’s sister…well, sort of…so that makes her my cousin.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Toothless responded drily. 

The Night Fury flipped into a series of turns so tight, that all rational thought left Hiccup’s head as he lost himself to the joys of flying. He would come back to this puzzle later. Maybe when Toothless wasn’t being so cryptic.

Chapter Text

Heather was relieved to finally have her splint removed. Her arm did feel a little weak, but she was sure it would regain its strength soon. Even just doing everyday tasks was sure to help and she was eager to be in control of her own life, that never having been an option before. 

It’s not that she didn’t appreciate everyone helping her, even with simple things like braiding her hair, but she hated having to rely on others. It had never been allowed before and some habits were hard to break. At least here, she didn’t have to worry about getting in trouble for the simplest little things. And this new family dynamic was one she was coming to enjoy.

Dagur continued to support her, just like a real brother would, and Hiccup was so sweet, always seeming to know when she needed something without her having to ask. She was even becoming more comfortable with Valka, though their relationship was still a work in progress, but she was beginning to understand that not all mothers were like hers and some of them could, in fact, be quite nice.

Now that her arm was healed, it felt like the whole world had opened up to her. She could start flying with Windshear, as apparently being able to hold on with both hands was required when you were first learning. Hiccup had already made a saddle for her and was helping her learn how to understand what Windshear, and by extension the other dragons, were saying.

The boys were also insistent that she begin weapons training. They even set aside a whole afternoon to show her the basics of each of their weapons. They did not have a mace, but between the two of them, they had every other weapon imaginable, though some of the designs were quite clearly something that Hiccup had thought up, like the shield that turned into a crossbow. They also borrowed Valka’s staff, and once she had a chance to handle all the weapons, Hiccup asked her which ones felt the best.

“Probably either Dagur’s axe or your mom’s staff,” she answered.

“Hmm…” his brow furrowed as he thought. “I’ve got it,” he exclaimed, pulling out his ever present notebook and making some quick sketches before handing it to her. “What do you think?”

For all that Hiccup was a skilled inventor, his creations could be a little beyond her understanding. The idea he had drawn was some kind of a double axe that could somehow be opened up into something like a staff, though she wasn’t quite sure how that was supposed to work. “It’s different,” she observed. “Won’t it be hard to make though?”

“It might be a challenge, but that’s what makes it fun,” he grinned. “I’m going to go get started on it right now.”

As Hiccup ran off to his forge, Dagur remarked, “And that’s the last we’ll see of Hiccup this week.” At her questioning glance, he explained, “Once he gets an idea in his head, prying him away is near impossible. He practically lives in the forge as it is, but when inspiration strikes, he forgets about everything else, including food and sleep.”

It seemed that what Dagur said was true as it was a few days before she saw Hiccup again. He joined them for dinner and he was slightly…singed.

“What happened to you,” Dagur asked, eyeing his cousin skeptically.

Hiccup waved his hand dismissively. “Slight miscalibrations with Inferno.”

“What were you trying to do,” Valka demanded, her motherly instincts on full display.

“Add Zippleback gas,” he said nonchalantly, like it was the most normal thing in the world to add exploding gas to a flaming sword. 

The room went quiet for a moment before his mom began scolding him. “Why would you even do that?!”

“Why not,” Hiccup countered, his eyes alight. “I had some spare time while I was waiting for the iron for Heather’s axe heads to harden and something in the way they’ll be assembled gave me the idea.”

Heather’s eyes widened. “My axe won’t have that feature, right,” she inquired warily.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Hiccup revealed, “but I can make the adjustment if you want me to.”

“No,” she hastened to say. “I’m good.”

Hiccup shrugged, then continued to explain his project and the disaster it had caused. “I think I know where I went wrong, though. The canister-”

“Hiccup,” Valka interrupted him, sighing long-sufferingly. “Before you get carried away with your explanations, eat.” She pointed to his plate, her gaze stern.

He smiled sheepishly and began to dig in. If the way he was inhaling food was any indication, he had definitely been skipping meals. He had done so much for her, maybe she could do something for him and ensure he didn’t get so caught up in his projects that he forgot to eat.

The next day, Heather packed up enough lunch for two and approached her dragon. “Windshear, do you know the way to Hiccup’s forge?” The Razorwhip bobbed her head and led Heather to a tunnel she had not explored yet. Now that she thought about it, it was strange that she hadn’t seen the forge yet, considering she had been here for almost two months. Of course, she had been sick for most of the first month, but still…

As they walked deeper into the tunnel, Heather began to hear the pounding of metal and knew they must be close. As she rounded a corner, she was finally able to see the forge and Hiccup, who was entirely absorbed in his work. She called out his name, hoping not to startle him, but the effect was not quite what she had hoped for.

“Ow,” Hiccup exclaimed as the hammer came down on his thumb instead of the axe head he was trying to shape.

Heather rushed forward as she said, “I’m so sorry.” 

Hiccup waved her off, though, as he rubbed his thumb. “It’s fine. Nothing I haven’t done before.” He gave her a lop-sided smile before asking, “Did you need something?”

“Not exactly. You haven’t been around much lately and Dagur mentioned how sometimes you get so caught up you forget to eat, so I brought you some lunch,” she explained, holding out the small basket. “I thought maybe we could eat together.”

“You didn’t have to,” he commented, a puzzled look on his face.

She shrugged. “I know, but you’ve been working on my axe, so it’s the least I could do.”

“Well, thank you,” he said sincerely before clearing off a space on his workbench and pulling two stools over. He motioned for her to take a seat and shared, “I do keep a bit of food here for the days I’m super busy. Generally Toothless will force me to take breaks, but he’s not always here. He draws the line at being cooped up in the forge for more than two days in a row.” Heather had noticed the distinct lack of Night Fury, which in her experience was something that didn’t happen too often. She was pulled back from her thoughts by Hiccup inquiring, “Is this the first time you’ve been here?”

She nodded and he jumped up to show her around, but she suggested, “How about we eat first, and then you can give me the grand tour.”

He smiled sheepishly as she began to unpack their food. They talked a bit while they ate, mostly Hiccup pointing to different things around the forge and explaining what they did, though at least he did it between bites and not through a mouthful of food. It seemed he couldn’t wait until they finished, so she let him prattle on, as long as he didn’t abandon his meal completely.

She had to admit, she enjoyed watching him speak, his enthusiasm clearly visible. She had thought he was kind of cute the first time she saw him back in her room on Berserker Island, but now, she realized there was so much more to him than that. His creativity and his innate goodness were traits that she found incredibly appealing and she had a feeling that it wouldn’t take much for her to fall in love with him.

She forced herself to focus on what he was saying about an earlier version of his shield that he was showing her, but she couldn’t help but observe, “I noticed the metal you use looks different. At least I think it does.”

“You have a good eye,” he acknowledged. “It’s my own special blend. I call it Dragon Iron. It’s stronger than any other metal I’ve encountered.”

“And the color,” she queried, gesturing to his black dagger that was lying on the workbench.

“One of the ingredients in Dragon Iron is dragon scales, thus the name,” he revealed. “In case you haven’t noticed, the dragons shed a lot, so they’re not too hard to come by. I generally design the weapons to match a person’s bonded, so yours will look fairly normal.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “You mean other than the design?”

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, yeah.” Changing the subject, he pulled out his journal and set it in front of her. “Do you have any preferences for your armor? I’ll be starting on it next. I sketched out a few ideas, but I can make any changes you want. It’ll be a bit different than the rest of ours since most of Windshear’s scales are much larger.”

Her eyes widened as she saw the detailed designs Hiccup had sketched out. “They’re all beautiful,” she whispered admiringly. “I am partial to the skirt on this one,” she admitted, pointing to the second design, “but otherwise, I’m fine with you sticking with whatever you think will serve me the best.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to surprise you,” he said with a smile.

Chapter Text

Mala was incredibly excited, though she was trying not to let it show. She was finally going to get to visit her friends’ home, the nest that they talked so much about. She still couldn’t believe that her parents had actually given her permission to go, especially since she would have to ride dragonback to get there. She wondered if the friendship she had formed with Heather had anything to do with it. Her parents had definitely felt for the girl and all she had been through. She honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Aunt Valka had added her voice to Mala’s plea as well, wanting Heather to have a bit more female companionship in her life.

Either way, she was here, and she had to admit that flying was like nothing she had ever experienced. She wound up riding with Hiccup and Toothless as Heather was still rather new to flying and Aunt Valka rode standing up, something that was born from years of practice. Riding with Dagur was never an option. She would probably wind up shoving him off Bolt before they were even an hour into their journey and she was sure the Skrill would not take kindly to that. 

But she was happy riding with Hiccup. He was practically her little brother and, by extension, so was Toothless. She was sure that would sound weird to others, but the three of them had grown up together, so it made sense to her. Hiccup and Toothless took good care of her on the flight, only attempting what they explained were some of their milder tricks once she had gotten used to the sensation of flying and they had her approval. It was quite invigorating, but nothing could compare to the feeling she got when she saw the nest for the first time.

The sun had almost set, but there was just enough light left to turn the shards of ice that made up her friends’ home into something spectacular. She only had a brief glimpse of the interior as they made their way to the cavern her friends called home, but she was promised a full tour the next day.

And what a tour it was! She had seen many dragons and even helped with healing a few, but the variety of dragons here and what her friends were doing was on a much grander scale than she could have ever imagined. 

Her Aunt Valka had left them to their own devices for the afternoon, leaving to go on a reconnaissance mission. As they were discussing what they should do, Dagur spoke up and suggested, “You could bond with a dragon while you’re here."

“I would like that,” she admitted hesitantly before shaking her head, “but it is not to be. My parents would never approve.”

“Who says they have to find out?”

“Dagur,” Heather yelled.

“I’m just saying,” he shrugged. “You’re going to be the next ruler. Are you going to let your tribe remain stagnant, sticking to old traditions, or will you help them come to know a better way of life?”

Mala really wished that her father had not included Dagur in their chiefing lessons, especially if all he was going to do was twist what they had learned in an effort to cause trouble. “I am not Queen yet,” she stated resolutely. “Going against my parents’ wishes would be insubordination and I-”

“No, no, you’re right,” he interrupted her, though something about the way he said it didn’t seem sincere. “You probably couldn’t manage it anyway, so why embarrass yourself?”

She glared at him. How dare he question her competence? “What did you say,” she growled.

“You heard me, Princess,” he retorted.

“I am perfectly capable of bonding with a dragon,” she declared imperiously, “I just choose not to.”

Dagur smirked, clearly not believing her. “Right, you keep telling yourself that.”

She was doing her best to keep her anger under control, but she couldn’t help letting out a grunt of frustration. Dagur always seemed to know just how to get under her skin and it drove her absolutely crazy.

“You know a Changewing would be perfect,” Hiccup remarked thoughtfully from where he sat watching their altercation. “He could camouflage in the forest and your parents would never know he was there.”

“Hiccup,” Heather hissed as she elbowed him in the ribs.

“What?! I’m just saying it would be a viable option.”

Mala knew she should not even be considering this option, but it would answer everyone all at once. She could prove to Dagur that she could bond with a dragon and she could have a companion just like her friends did. She did feel that hiding a dragon from her parents probably wasn’t the best idea, but she was eighteen and more than capable of making decisions for herself. 

And with that thought in mind, she walked over to Hiccup and pulled him to his feet, hooking her arm in his and saying, “That is a perfect idea, Hiccup. Lead on.” When he made no move to do so, she began dragging him along, hoping that they were going in the right direction, before shooting a glare over her shoulder at Dagur. She would show him.

When she made no sign of stopping, Hiccup finally adjusted their course, commenting, “You do realize that the dragon has to pick you. I can’t guarantee that you will actually bond with a Changewing.”

“You can introduce me to a few and we will go from there,” she reasoned, hoping that she wasn’t making a big mistake.

“Actually, a Changewing would fit in with your tribe really well,” Hiccup thought out loud. “They are incredibly stealthy with great agility, just like your people.”

“Hiccup, focus,” she snapped, already on edge and trying to determine how on earth she would explain this to her parents if she ever got caught.

“Don’t worry, Mala,” Hiccup patted her hand where it rested on his arm. “I don’t think your parents will be too upset with you if they find out. I mean, we’ve been friends with them for years and they’ve never had any problem with us,” he reasoned.

Sometimes Hiccup was just too perceptive, which was both a blessing and a curse. Fortunately, the others were further behind them, so Mala rolled her eyes and replied, “Like anyone could separate you and Toothless anyway. But this is different,” she insisted. “I am their daughter, and the next Queen.”

“True, but they had to have known that you coming here might lead to this. And even if we don’t actively seek out a dragon, like we’re doing right now, the odds are pretty high that one would approach you with that intention,” Hiccup disclosed, adding, “Some of the dragons here would really like a bonded of their own, but there just aren’t enough people to go around. You’d be doing one of them a favor.”

“You do not have to convince me, Hiccup,” she said in exasperation. “I am already willing.”

“I know,” he grinned, leading her toward a group of Changewings. “They are very curious creatures and enjoy mimicry. If there is one you seem to be drawn to, start mimicking its movements.”

“Are you sure you are not trying to embarrass me,” she asked skeptically.

“Not this time,” he smiled cheekily, before turning serious. “I don’t joke about dragons, Mala. Trust me.”

She nodded and approached the dragons slowly, a smaller green Changewing catching her eye. They stared at each other for a moment and as the dragon crept closer, she began to copy its movements, intriguing the dragon further. She felt like a fool, but the Changewing was slowly getting closer and when it finally nuzzled her side, she broke into a grin. She stroked the head of her new friend as it wrapped itself around her and while she was caught up in the moment, she couldn’t help but think that this would teach Dagur that he was wrong about her.

Chapter Text

Mathias was surprised to find Dagur standing on his doorstep, especially as his family was not expected in the village for another week or two. “Is everything alright, lad?”

“Yes, everything’s fine. Everyone’s fine,” he stammered. “I- Could I speak with you, sir?”

Mathias ushered him inside and asked, “How can I help you, Dagur?”

“Well, you see…” The young man seemed to be trying to find the right words but wound up simply speaking what was on his mind. “I would like to court your daughter.”

That was not quite what Mathias was expecting to hear. “I see, and have you spoken with her about this yet?”

“No…” Dagur faltered before saying, “I know she values and respects your opinion highly and so I figured it would be a good idea to get your permission first.”

The young man had clearly thought this through and his plan was sound, though there was one thing that Mathias was curious about. “And why do you want to court her?”

“I like her a lot, sir,” Dagur admitted, albeit a little nervously. “She’s an excellent fighter and she has no problem speaking her mind, but she’s always fair. Life with her would never be dull,” he added with a grin.

“With the way you two interact, that’s for sure,” Mathias mumbled under his breath.

“What was that, sir?”

“Nothing of importance,” he answered, waving off Dagur’s question. “And do you have any notion that she returns your interest?”

Dagur grimaced. “Not exactly, but I would like to give it a try.”

“You have my permission, BUT I have one condition,” Mathias stated. “I want Mala to be sure she is making the right decision for the right reason, therefore she will not be allowed to marry until she turns twenty.” That was only about a year away and he thought it was a fair stricture. 

Dagur nodded in agreement, though his smile was slightly derisive. “Seeing as it might take me that long to convince her, I see no problem with that.” He shook Mathias’ hand and said, “Thank you, sir,” before leaving their hut, presumably to go speak with Mala.

Eline stepped to his side, having been in the room the whole time, though he doubted Dagur had noticed as he was so fixated on his request. “Are you sure about this,” she inquired.

“Dagur can be a touch…wild,” he acknowledged, “and I do realize he drives Mala a bit crazy at times, but they balance each other out as she can be a bit too serious. He helps to shake her out of that, pushing her to do things she would never contemplate on her own, like bonding with a dragon.” He grinned at his wife as he remembered how Mala had been a ball of nerves when she returned from the nest, confessing all to them immediately, even though they had already expected it to happen. “And I think she would be a steadying influence on him.” 

“That is true,” Eline conceded. “He is a good man, I just want to be sure they will be happy together.”

“I don’t think Mala would settle for anything less,” he responded. “Dagur is a son of a Chief, so on that score, he is entirely eligible and I have already been training him. I would not object to him ruling our people alongside her,” he avowed. “Mala will not be easy to convince, so if he can win her hand, he will have proven himself worthy.”

“Too true,” Eline declared, knowing that winning their daughter’s approval would prove to be an uphill battle.

-o0o-

Mala had been in the forest grooming Vail when suddenly the Changewing growled what she had come to recognize as a greeting. She figured it was one of her parents coming to call her back for dinner, so she was thoroughly surprised when Dagur stepped into the clearing.

“Hey, Mala,” he waved awkwardly.

So much for what had been a perfect day, she thought as she crossed her arms. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to speak with you.”

“Why,” she demanded, mentally preparing herself for a war of words.

“Well, I was wondering…”

What was wrong with him? He never took this long to speak his mind. “I do not have all day, Dagur,” she snapped. “What is it?”

“I would like to court you,” he blurted out.

Mala froze for a moment, thinking she must have heard him wrong. “WHAT?!”

“I already got your father’s permission,” he shared somewhat nervously, “and-”

“Why would you want to court me,” she exclaimed.

“Because I like you,” he explained.

She snorted delicately. “I find that hard to believe. You have done nothing but torment me since the day we met.”

“Because that was the only way I seemed to be able to get your attention,” he declared, starting to get riled up as well, though he seemed to calm down as he said, “Plus, you always act so perfect. It was nice to get a glimpse of the real you.” He paused, then added, “And you’re awfully cute when you get all fired up.”

“I-” Where did all that come from? She never would have guessed that Dagur felt that way. It didn’t mean she was ready to fall in love with him, but it did put a different perspective on things. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Maybe you could think about it,” he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. “You can tell me your answer later, though I will warn you that I won’t give up easily.” He grinned at her before turning to walk back to the village, while Mala just stood there in shock.

Vail began to nudge her, and Mala absentmindedly stroked the Changewing’s head. “That was decidedly unexpected,” she observed, only to be stunned further as Vail shook her head. 

Not having the advantage of being surrounded by dragons at all times or having someone to interpret for her, it was taking her longer to learn how to understand the language of the dragons. Though she and Vail had been friends for around nine months, she had not reached the level where she could hold a full conversation with her yet. Fortunately, Mala was quite skilled at asking the right yes or no questions and Vail was very expressive.

She turned to stare at her friend and inquired, “What do you mean no? You saw this coming?”

Vail nodded wisely, leaving Mala dumbfounded. “Could everyone see this except for me or was this more of a dragon thing?”

She held both hands up, one at a time, one for each option, and Vail nosed the second one. At least that made Mala feel a bit better…but if the dragons knew, then that meant Hiccup and Valka probably did too, and maybe even Heather. How embarrassing!

But that still didn’t solve the problem of what she was going to do. She huffed in frustration and returned to grooming Vail, hoping that the repetitive motion would help her calm her mind and come to a decision.

Chapter Text

Valka and Cloudjumper were taking a leisurely flight around the nest when she noticed Hiccup perched on a ledge by himself, not even Toothless in sight. At least he had his armor on, so if he went tumbling he could use his flight suit to catch himself, but that didn’t answer the question of what he was doing up there in the first place.

She encouraged Cloudjumper to approach and jumped from his back to the ledge, Hiccup not even noticing her as he was so lost in his thoughts. Valka waved off Cloudjumper as there was no place to land and inquired, “You alright there, son?”

He visibly startled and glanced up at her. “Yeah,” he replied, absentmindedly. Valka patiently waited as she knew he would eventually share what was on his mind. She was rewarded less than a minute later when he said, “Hey, Mom?”

“Hmm?”

“How do you know if you’re in love,” he asked, a mystified look on his face.

“Ah, you’ve been thinking about Heather,” she responded, much to her son’s chagrin.

“How did you-”

“I’m your mother,” she stated, ruffling his hair as she sat down next to him. “I know everything.”

“Well, I guess that is true,” he admitted, then cringed. “Have I been that obvious?”

“Only to me,” she reassured him. “And probably Toothless.”

“He also knows everything,” Hiccup commented sarcastically. “Or at least he thinks he does.”

Valka couldn’t help but laugh as it was an accurate observation. Returning to Hiccup’s original question, she said, “As for falling in love, I suppose it’s just a feeling you have, more than anything else.”

He nodded slowly, before hesitantly asking. “Did you and Dad…?”

“Ours was an arranged marriage,” she explained. She had shared bits and pieces about Stoick over the years, always doing her best to paint him in a positive light, but there were still some things she had kept from sharing, not wanting to taint Hiccup’s view of the island he was heir to. “I did come to care for your father, but nothing earth-shattering,” she shared. “What brought all this to a head?”

“Dagur and Mala,” he mumbled.

“Ah.” Those two were definitely having a whirlwind courtship, seemingly going from hating each other to being in love almost overnight. She had been grateful for Mathias’ stipulation, as otherwise, those two might have rushed into marriage. With how much time they were spending together, it wasn’t impossible for them to have come to an understanding, but she would rather they had more than two months to truly get to know each other. “You know there’s no need for you to rush. You have plenty of time.”

“I know,” Hiccup conceded, “but I can’t seem to get Heather out of my head. She’s just always there, in a good way, but…” he trailed off, at a loss for words.

“You don’t know what to do about it,” Valka supplied.

“Exactly,” he exclaimed, flinging his arms out.

She bit back a smile at her son’s dramatic flair and suggested, “Why don’t you talk to her about it?”

Hiccup scrunched up his nose. “That’s kind of a big step to take. What if she doesn’t feel the same way?”

She laid a hand on her son’s shoulder and revealed, “Heather has not confided anything to me, not that I would tell you if she had, but I do not believe she’s indifferent to you.” He seemed to perk up a little at that, but she could see that his hesitation still remained. Deciding to give him the push he needed, she observed, “You’ll never know her response unless you try,” and then shoved him off the ledge.

She laughed as he yelled her name, but she wasn’t worried. He had his flight suit and she had seen Toothless flying nearby. Sure enough, the Night Fury caught him, and together they flew back up to the ledge.

“Was that really necessary,” he asked disgruntledly.

Valka quirked an eyebrow. “Like you and Toothless don’t go freefalling for fun all the time,” she waved her hand dismissively, and added, “Plus, you needed a push.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes before flying off with Toothless, but he seemed to be in better spirits than he had been before. She hoped that he would take her advice, but only time would tell.

-o0o-

Hiccup had hidden himself away in his forge over the next couple of days, trying to make sense of his feelings. Unfortunately, he forgot to factor in that Heather would notice after a day or two and stop by to bring him food. The object of his thoughts showing up resulted in a very awkward greeting. “Heather! Hey. Hi Heather. Hi Heather, hi…” he trailed off, having the sense to realize he needed to stop making a fool of himself.

Heather’s brow furrowed as she walked over to his workbench and began clearing a space. “What’s got you so flustered?”

“Oh well, uh…” Hiccup decided it was now or never, so mustering what little courage he could, he said, “You know how Dagur and Mala are courting now?”

She snorted. “Of course. He won’t shut up about it.”

Hiccup laughed awkwardly. “True.” Maybe that wasn’t the best segue, but now he was stuck with it. “So, uh, it got me thinking.”

“About what,” she inquired, beckoning him to come sit down.

He pulled a stool next to hers and sat, hesitantly replying, “About who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

She seemed to freeze for a moment before taking a breath and casually saying, “Oh. Did you think of someone?”

“I did,” he responded. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he forced himself to press on. “You.” At that her eyes flew to his, her surprise clear. “I mean-” His mind went blank as he tried to find the right words to get himself out of this situation. At a loss, he dropped his head onto the table and groaned, “Ugh, this is not coming out at all how I wanted it to.”

“I think you’re doing just fine,” Heather said softly, causing him to jerk upright.

“Wait, really?” He wasn’t sure if he had the right to hope, but he had to know. At Heather’s nod, he allowed himself to release the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Oh, uh, yeah. I really like you a lot, Heather. I know we haven’t known each other that long, but there’s something about you that just feels right. I didn’t want to say anything too soon because you had been through so much and you needed time to adjust and I didn’t want to just spring this on you or anything-”

His babbling was interrupted by Heather resting her hand on his arm. “I like you a lot, too.”

He could feel his face breaking into a huge grin. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm. So, what does this mean now,” she asked.

“Maybe we can start spending more time together, just take things slow? And maybe eventually a courtship,” he suggested.

“I’d like that,” she responded, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

He was positive he was turning bright red, but at least Toothless wasn’t around to tease him about it. Not that he wasn’t sure the useless reptile would be supplied with plenty of fodder in the near future, but glancing at the faint blush spreading across Heather’s cheeks, he thought that it might just be worth it. 

Chapter Text

Valka looked around the table at her family as everyone chatted, catching up with one another as they ate dinner. They were visiting Caldera Cay and staying with Dagur and Mala who had been happily married for a little over two months. This first night had been filled with joy, as they had all missed each other and Valka hated to bring down the mood, but there were some things they needed to discuss. When there was a pause in the conversation, she spoke up. “We are going to need to start making plans soon.”

Hiccup scrunched up his nose, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Do we have to?”

“I made a promise, Hiccup,” she said. “You know that.”

He rolled his eyes. “But shouldn’t Berk have a ruler who, I don’t know, actually cares about their people?”

“I can guarantee that anyone with Jorgenson blood will not care for Berk or its people,” Valka explained, “only the power they can wield. I know that this is not what you want, but it is your birthright. It is the reason you have been training with Mathias all this time.”

“I know,” he grumbled, toying with the food left on his plate. “Doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it, though.”

“So when are we leaving,” Dagur inquired.

Valka turned to look at her nephew, one eyebrow raised. “What do you mean ‘we’?”

Dagur stared at her incredulously. “Auntie Val, are you seriously expecting me to just stay here while you go back to the tribe that almost killed you?! If you didn’t want us to come, then you shouldn’t have started this conversation with us around. Not that I wouldn’t have still found out and joined you, but you know what I mean.”

“Hiccup and I will be fine,” she insisted, adding, “I’m sure you’ll be needed here.”

“No, we will not,” Mala chimed in. “My father will not be giving us any responsibilities until the new year, so we are at your disposal.”

“See, no problem,” Dagur grinned, looking extremely pleased with himself.

“Dagur, what if they recognize you,” Valka pressed.

He snorted and said, “Dad hardly took me anywhere. Stoick is the only one who might recognize me, but he hasn’t seen me since I was six, so it’s highly unlikely.”

“And I was always kept in the house when there were visitors,” Heather put forth, “so no one would know me either.”

Now Heather too? This was beginning to get out of control. “But what about your names?”

“I guess we can use different ones,” Dagur offered with a shrug, “but I honestly don’t care if they know it’s me or not. I’m an adult now. I made my own choice to leave and I have a new life.” He slipped his arm around his wife and kissed her forehead before continuing. “I highly doubt Stoick would care enough to drag me back, especially since that would cause a war. Between the Defenders and the nest, we could squash them like bugs and then this whole problem could be solved in another way.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Hiccup remarked, wanting a way to get out of this situation.

Valka rubbed her temples. “We are not exterminating an entire tribe.” She looked at Dagur, Mala, and Heather and could see the determination on their faces. “I’m not going to be able to convince any of you to stay behind, am I?”

“Nope,” Dagur replied with a smile.

She sighed. “Just don’t start a war, deal?” She glared at her nephew and once he agreed, they started discussing when they should leave. 

After much back and forth, they decided to leave in a month at the end of their visit, making a slight detour to the nest to add a few extra dragons to their party for increased safety. With that settled, Valka stepped outside, needing a breath of fresh air. Cloudjumper came to her side and nuzzled her, sensing how on edge she was. A journey that was already going to be perilous was now made even more so with the addition of more people and dragons. Yes, they could all defend themselves, but against an entire dragon-killing village? She would have much rather not taken the chance.

“Oh Cloudjumper,” she muttered, leaning into his side. “How are we going to get through this?” 

“I will protect you,” he assured her.

She shook her head. “If you come into the village, you’ll be killed on sight. Even having you hide in the forest will be dangerous.”

“I can take care of myself,” he declared.

“I know you can,” she acknowledged with a slight smile, reaching up to scratch behind his crown. “I just worry about Hiccup. He is already opposed to going to Berk and I have a bad feeling that the reaction to our return will just make things worse.”

“Then don’t go back,” Cloudjumper said like it was the obvious conclusion.

“I made a promise,” she maintained. 

Cloudjumper tilted his head. “And do the humans you made that promise to know you are still alive or that Hiccup was born?”

“Well, no,” she faltered.

“Then you have to make the decision that is going to be best and safest for everyone,” he reasoned.

“I will not break my word,” she said adamantly.

Cloudjumper nodded solemnly. He knew her well and knew that she would never break her word, but she could tell that he was hoping she would, just this once. “Just know I will be watching, ready to sweep you away at the first sign of danger.”

“Just like you did all those years ago,” she smiled up at him. “Thank you, my friend.”

He rumbled in response and they stood there in silence for a few moments, taking in the expanse of the night sky. It was not to last though, as they soon heard the door to the hut open and Hiccup came to join them.

Valka could tell he had something on his mind by the distracted way he was scratching Cloudjumper. He finally spoke up, though what he said was not what she was expecting.

“Mom, your marriage was arranged?”

“Yes,” she responded hesitantly, not sure where he was going with this conversation.

“Do you think they would try to do the same thing to me,” he asked, keeping his gaze on Cloudjumper.

“I suppose it is always a possibility,” she speculated.

Hiccup’s brow furrowed. “If they tried to do that, could I refuse?”

Now she understood why he was worried. Unfortunately, she couldn’t offer him much hope. “If that were to happen, I do not think you would be given a choice.”

“Then, I want to marry Heather before we leave,” he declared, straightening his shoulders and looking her in the eye.

He was clearly set on this course, but it was not only up to him. “Have you talked with her about this?”

“I have, and she agrees,” he confirmed. “We don’t want to risk it and if I’m correct, you made no promises about my marital state?”

He had her there. “That is correct.”

“Then, please, let us do this,” he entreated. 

She quickly ran through the possible ramifications and pointed out, “You do realize that this is going to be dangerous. I highly doubt our return will be welcomed by most of Berk and there might still be those who wish us dead. Your being married to Heather will only put her in further danger.”

“We don’t have to tell the Berkians unless it comes up,” he suggested, “and I think I may have a plan to help minimize risks.”

She should have known Hiccup had something up his sleeve. “What exactly do you have in mind?”

Chapter Text

It had been a long journey and Valka could tell that everyone was ready for it to be at an end. They were all tired, and not only because of making this trip. This last month had kept them quite busy, what with Hiccup and Heather’s wedding and finalizing their plans, not to mention all the projects Hiccup had insisted on finishing before they left. Fortunately, this was the last leg, though flying at night was not something anyone particularly cared for. The dragons didn’t mind so much, but the humans were another story. Hiccup and Heather had doubled up on Toothless so they could take turns getting some rest and Dagur and Mala had decided to do the same. Valka knew she could trust Cloudjumper to keep her safe, but she was too nervous to sleep anyway. This part of the archipelago was more populated and crossing it at night was the safest option, though it was not foolproof. Not to mention it was the only way they could arrive on Berk without being seen. That was what had her on edge more than anything else. Hiccup’s plan was sound, but there were so many variables they could not control.

It was a few hours to dawn when Berk finally appeared on the horizon and Valka made sure everyone was awake and prepared for whatever they might face. One of the Changewings that had come with them flew ahead and found a nice cove deep in the forest for them to use as their base. Everyone was quick to dismount and stretch their stiff limbs, and Hiccup spoke with the dragons, setting up their guard schedule, which consisted of the two unattached Changewings having the day shift and the three Speed Stingers the night shift. Their goal was simply to keep Vikings from approaching the cove, ideally without revealing themselves. Valka knew that if the Berkians were aware of dragons hiding in the forest, a hunt would quickly be arranged and that was something they wanted to avoid at all costs.

The dragons, with the exception of Toothless and the Speed Stingers, settled down to get some rest once their saddles and harnesses had been removed, while Valka mounted the Night Fury behind her son.

“Are you sure about this,” Dagur inquired, not caring for this part of the plan, mostly because it left him in a position where he was unable to help them.

Valka nodded. “Gothi’s house is high above the village and Toothless will be invisible against the night sky. No one will even notice. We won’t be too long.” 

Toothless launched himself into the air and Valka directed him to the isolated hut perched precariously on one of Berk’s peaks. The Night Fury landed gently on the porch and allowed them to dismount before taking off to circle the area and make sure they were not disturbed.

Valka stepped to the door and knocked, preparing herself as she knew Gothi hated being woken up in the middle of the night. Sure enough, the little old lady swung open the door and brought her staff down hard, though Valka was able to block it with her own. That was not a typical reaction on Berk and caught Gothi’s attention, causing her to look up, the surprise on her face clear.

“It’s good to see you, too, Gothi, though that was not quite the reception I was hoping for,” Valka said drily, lowering her staff, “but could we maybe continue this reunion inside?”

Gothi nodded and used her staff to usher them inside. 

The smell of all the herbs brought back many fond memories of the times Valka had spent here. In fact, it seemed that little had changed, including Gothi’s lack of patience. She rubbed her head where the old lady had managed to get a hit in and glanced to see her looking questioningly at Hiccup. “Yes, Gothi, this is my son,” she smiled. “Hiccup, this is Gothi. She was one of my few friends here and one of the ones who helped me escape.” 

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” he bowed slightly and Valka had to stifle her laugh when Gothi proceeded to wiggle her fingers at him. Poor Hiccup looked like he was ready to melt through the floor in embarrassment.

“How have things been here,” she asked, hoping to distract her old friend and give Hiccup a chance to regain his composure. They needed this information anyway, so it all worked out.

“Could be better. Could be worse,” she scribbled in the sand in the corner of her hut.

“And Stoick? Did he remarry?”

Gothi nodded and wrote, “To that oaf, Helga Jorgenson.”

“Just as we expected,” Valka observed, finding that she didn’t really care. She had lived apart from Stoick for more years than she had lived with him and the last eighteen years of her life had definitely been better than the couple of years she spent on Berk. “So, I am assuming she gave birth to an heir?”

Gothi shook her head with a twinkle in her eye.

Valka snorted. “Serves them right after all they put me through.”

“I agree,” Gothi scribbled. “That’s why I’ve been giving them tea all these years to prevent her from getting pregnant. Of course, they don’t know what the tea’s actual purpose was.”

Valka let out a bark of laughter. “You sly thing,” she commented before explaining to Hiccup what Gothi said. A smile spread across his face as the little old lady’s revenge was explained to him.

“Well, that makes some things a bit easier,” he remarked. “Who is the current heir, then?”

“Stoick has no other blood relatives,” Gothi shared, “so it’s his wife’s nephew, Snotlout.”

Valka rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, Spitelout’s son?” At Gothi’s nod, she groaned. With a name like that, he was destined to be trouble. ”And is he a typical Jorgenson?”

Gothi nodded again but with an exasperated expression. “Full of himself and overconfident in his abilities.”

“And as a warrior,” Valka pressed. They would need to know what they were up against.

The old woman shrugged. “He’s adequate.”

At least that was a relief to hear. Hiccup was more than skilled and could definitely hold his own. Now to get to the whole reason for their visit. “We have come back as promised, but we need your help. Hiccup has a plan.” She gestured for him to go ahead and he explained as succinctly as possible, seeing as their time was limited. Gothi was quick to agree and promised to follow through on her part. 

With that, they took their leave, warning Gothi that what she was about to see must remain a secret. Hiccup signaled with Inferno and Toothless landed on the porch once more, staring curiously at the little old woman whose twinkle in her eye had returned. 

She beckoned them to the patch of sand just outside her front door and wrote, “I look forward to seeing how this plays out.”

Chapter Text

“Toothless, you can’t come with us,” Hiccup told the agitated Night Fury who was blocking the only exit from the cove. He could probably climb out of here with the help of the claws on his gloves, but that wouldn’t work for everyone else, not to mention the fact that they had to bring their belongings with them. “You have to stay here,” he explained for the fifth time.

“But your mate is going. Why can’t I come too,” Toothless whined.

“Because she’s human,” Hiccup responded. He ran his hand down his face and decided to try this one more time. “Bud, if they see you they will kill you. You know all those kill-on-sight stories Mom’s told us about them. You need to stay hidden for your own safety.”

“I don’t like this,” Toothless complained.

“Me either, but it’s our only option,” he stated. “It’s a good thing I have a fondness for long walks in the forest.” He winked at his best friend, but the Night Fury was not amused.

“And if one of those homicidal maniacs tries to follow you?”

“Vail will be keeping an eye on the village,” Hiccup shared. “She will alert me if anyone is on my trail. Plus, I’ve been keeping up with you my whole life. You think I can’t outrun some oversized Viking?”

Toothless huffed. “I would rather you not take the chance.”

“Don’t worry,” he reassured, stroking the Night Fury’s head. “I’ll be careful. And I’ll have my weapons on me at all times.”

“All of them,” Toothless pressed.

“Yes,” he confirmed. 

“Even the new acid bombs?”

“Yes, even those,” Hiccup said, patting the pouch he had secured to his belt.

“Well, it’s not as much protection as I could provide you, but I guess it will have to do,” Toothless grumbled, finally moving away from the passage. 

Hiccup gave Toothless one last scratch before grabbing his bags. He joined his family and they began their hike to the other side of the island. He carefully eyed everyone’s weapons as they walked, making sure they were in tip-top shape. There was no reason for them not to be as he had serviced them all before they left, even making a few upgrades, but still, he needed to be sure. 

Mala’s longsword remained the same, though he had given it an extra sharpen, making the blade even more dangerous than normal. He had sharpened Dagur’s knives as well, and though his axe only appeared to have minor changes, he had actually replaced the shaft so that it could release Zippleback gas, just like Inferno. Heather still insisted that she didn’t want that feature, but he wasn’t letting her come without some kind of extra protective measures. Therefore, he had installed a complex spring mechanism that allowed her to fire Stinger darts from the shaft of her axe, near the blade. He had also brought extra darts for his mom and Mala to carry on their person as they both refused weapon upgrades.

He had already checked multiple times to make sure he hadn’t forgotten any of his weapons, but one more time wouldn’t hurt. He has his Dragon Iron sword and multipurpose shield, plus Inferno and several daggers, a handful of Stinger darts, and the acid bombs, which he had made with help from Vail. 

If any of their weapon cartridges ran low, he could always refill them, seeing as they had also brought a Zippleback and a Nightmare with them, in addition to the Changewings and Speed Stingers. They should be prepared for every scenario…at least he hoped so. In his eyes, they were going into enemy territory, yet somehow, this ‘mission’ felt more dangerous than the hundreds they’d led to free dragons. Perhaps because their dragons weren’t at their side this time. Or maybe because they were expected to live with these people for however long it took him to convince them that he wasn’t the answer, despite what his mom, and apparently Gothi, thought.

As they approached a beach on the other side of the island, Hiccup noticed a ship and a large man with a long, braided blonde mustache waiting with it. As soon as the man saw them, he surged forward, wrapping Valka in a hug.

“Valka! It’s so good to see ye,” the man exclaimed. “How have ye been?”

“I’ve been good, Gobber,” she replied. “And you?”

“Surviving,” he remarked. “That’s about all one can do here.” He glanced toward the rest of their group and gesturing with his hook hand said, “Are ye gonna introduce me to the rest o’ your group?”

“Of course. I don’t know if you remember my nephew, Dagur?”

“Aye, though he was just a wee tyke. Good to see ye again, lad,” Gobber said slapping Dagur on the back.

“And this is his wife, Mala, and his stepsister, Heather.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet ye both,” he declared, shaking their hands vigorously.

His mom finally turned to him and, with a smile, said, “Lastly, this is my son, Hiccup.”

“I’ve been wanting to meet ye for a long time, lad. Come here,” the large man beamed as he pulled him in for a bear hug.

Hiccup was pretty sure one of his ribs might have cracked, but it was nice to know that they would have at least two allies here on Berk. Once he was released and got some air into his lungs, he responded, “Nice to meet you, too, Gobber.”

“Heather is also Hiccup’s wife,” Valka added.

Hiccup spun to face her. “Mom! I thought we were keeping that quiet.”

“You can trust Gobber,” she proclaimed.

“That ye can, lad, and it’s a good thing yer mother told me,” he said, “otherwise I would’ve tried to separate ye two, seeing as ye all will be staying with me.”

“Are you sure, Gobber,” his mom inquired. “It won’t be too tight?”

“Eh, we’ll manage,” he waved his hand dismissively. “And I don’t suppose any of ye would accept an invitation from Stoick if he was to offer it, am I right?”

“That’s never going to happen,” Dagur piped up.

“Then that’s settled.” Gobber ushered them all toward the boat, lingering behind to walk next to Hiccup. “Don’t worry, lad. Yer secret’s safe with me. So, what do ye like to do fer fun?”

“I like to invent things,” he shared, seeming to remember his mom saying that Gobber was a blacksmith. “I spend a lot of time in the forge.”

The older man’s eyes lit up. “Do ye now? Looks like we have more in common than I thought. Tell me about yer latest project then.”

Hiccup didn’t think the acid bombs were the right thing to start with, especially as how he got the acid could raise some questions, so he settled with showing Gobber his shield and explaining its many functions as they sailed around Berk, heading for the docks.

Chapter Text

As they neared the docks, Hiccup tightened the belt on his leather armor and pulled on his hooded cloak. They had all left their dragon armor back in the cove, not wanting to raise any questions. He just hoped their current attire would give them enough protection.

After their boat was moored, they gathered their bags and made their way up the switchbacks. Hiccup couldn’t help but think this would be so much easier with their dragons. As they made their way into the village, he noticed that with the exception of Gothi, the people of Berk were built on a much larger scale, much like the hunters and trappers they generally faced. And if the glances they garnered were any indication, they were not accustomed to strangers. Of course, the fact that they were all wearing cloaks with the hoods pulled over to hide their faces probably didn’t help.

As they were nearing what seemed to be the main plaza, a redheaded bear of a man approached. Based on his appearance, Hiccup had an idea of who he was, but he was waiting for his mom to make it all clear.

The man stepped in front of them, stopping their progress, and demanded to know who they were. His mom pulled back her hood, revealing her face. The gathering crowd went quiet, and the redheaded Viking stared in shock. “Valka?”

“Hello, Stoick,” she greeted icily.

“How are you here,” he murmured. “They said you were dead.”

“Who? Spitelout,” she responded derisively. “The man who was trying to kill me?!” His mom shook her head. “Did you even look for me, Stoick? Go to see if his story was accurate?”

The look on Stoick’s face was telling and Hiccup was profoundly grateful that he had been raised by his mom and not his dad. Who knew what would have happened to him if he had been brought up here?

“Let me guess,” Valka glared at Stoick. “I was taken by a dragon.”

“Something like that,” he replied hesitantly, still trying to make sense of what was standing in front of him.

“Oh, there was a dragon, alright,” his mom’s voice raised as she stepped forward, her posture one of a dragon defending its territory. “It attacked Spitelout as he was trying to stab me. I took advantage of the distraction and fled.”

Stoick seemed to be at a loss for words, though he finally found his voice and asked, “Where have you been all this time? Why come back now?”

Hiccup couldn’t believe that was the part Stoick chose to focus on. Not the fact that his wife was almost killed. He could tell that his mom felt the same as she was taking a deep breath to try and reign in her temper. “Because I made a promise,” she declared, eyeing Stoick with contempt. “To return with the true heir of Berk.”

Hiccup took his cue and removed his hood to the gasps of the crowd. He knew that it was quite clear he was his mother’s son, though now that he had actually met Stoick, he supposed if you looked close enough you could see bits of his father in him as well.

Stoick stared at Hiccup in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”

He had barely spoken when Gothi whacked him with her staff. Where the little old woman had come from, Hiccup had no idea, but her timing was impeccable.

His mom removed a letter from the folds of her cloak and handed it to Stoick. “I do believe this will explain things,” she informed him scornfully.

Stoick broke the seal and began to read, but stopped before he got halfway through. “This is a trick. It has to be. There is no possible way-” He broke off as Gothi whacked him again before she began scribbling in the dirt.

Gobber stepped over and translated. “The old bag says to take a closer look at the seal.” That comment resulted in the same treatment from Gothi as Stoick had received and left the blacksmith glaring at the old lady as he rubbed his head.

Stoick had not been careful about opening the letter, but enough of the seal was intact that, apparently, he could still make out the design. “The seal this was made with, it was broken years ago,” he stated.

Gobber continued to translate for Gothi as she wrote. “She says, do ye remember when?”

“I-” Stoick paused, seeming to try and think back. Hiccup could pinpoint the moment he remembered as his expression clearly showed his shock. “It was shortly after Valka disappeared.”

“Exactly,” Valka proclaimed. “Gothi helped me to get away and gave me that letter as proof that I was pregnant when I left.” Hiccup could see that Gobber was about to speak up, probably to share that he was aware of what had happened as well, but his mom shook her head minutely before continuing. “The attacks on me were getting worse and I was not about to sit around and risk my life or that of my child.”

“It’s a lie,” Spitelout shouted, pushing his way through the crowd. “All of it is a lie!”

“Your lies are finally catching up to you, aren’t they, Spitelout,” Valka yelled back. “All this just because you wanted to be brother-in-law to the Chief, though I’m sure your sister had her own agenda. But this ends now! I demand justice!”

“How can you know she’s telling the truth,” Spitelout pressed, getting up in Stoick’s face. “She isn’t even one of us,” he sneered. “Not really. And she’s been gone for eighteen years with nary an explanation.”

Hiccup noticed Gobber discreetly pass a folded piece of parchment to Gothi who then proceeded to stubbornly tap Stoick’s shoulder with her staff until he turned around to face her. She passed him the parchment and this time he read it all the way through. Hiccup wondered if that was the note his mom had said she left for Gobber before she sailed away from Berk.

Whatever it was, it had an impact on Stoick. “Gothi, is all of this true?”

“You going to trust that old bat over me,” Spitelout bellowed. “She’s senile!”

Gothi turned on the other man and delivered the strongest blow Hiccup had seen her deal out yet before looking back at Stoick and nodding her head.

“It’s all true,” Gobber declared, going against Valka’s wishes for him to remain quiet. “I helped, too. My ship wasn’t sunk in that raid. I gave it to Valka to help her get away.”

Stoick faced their group and inquired, “Did Oswald know?”

“He did,” Valka revealed. “But only that I left. I stayed on Berserker Island for one week but had to leave as he did not wish to risk your treaty. I have not spoken with him since.”

“Then you don’t know about Dagur?”

“What about me,” Dagur asked, pulling his hood off as he spoke. Crossing his arms, he said, “If you mean that I left that sorry pile of rocks, then Auntie Val knew far before anyone else did. Where do you think I went? And I’m not going back, so don’t even bother. My loyalties lie with my wife’s tribe.” He reached out to grab Mala’s hand, and she smiled at him, having removed her hood as he was speaking.

Stoick glanced at the last member of their small group. “Do I dare want to ask who the last member of your party is?”

She revealed herself and said, “My name is Heather.” Hiccup wished he could offer her some kind of support, but they couldn’t risk it right now. “I’m Dagur’s stepsister,” she explained.

“I’ve never heard of you,” Stoick remarked skeptically.

Dagur snorted. “Tells you what kind of opinion the family held of her. There was a reason we had to get her away from them.”

“It’s in the past Dagur. Let it go,” Mala entreated him softly.

Hiccup’s mom spoke up before things got any further out of control. “Getting back on topic, your second in command attempted to murder me multiple times. If justice is not enacted by tomorrow, then we will be leaving. Now, if you don’t mind. We’ve had a long journey.” She nodded her head toward Stoick in what would have been a sign of respect if it hadn’t been so slight. “If you would excuse us.”

With that she swept off, the rest of them following her, as even though it had been years, she still knew the village better than they did. 

Once they had entered what Hiccup assumed was Gobber’s house, Heather asked his mom, “Do you think that will be enough?”

“Stoick won’t make a decision based solely on what I say, but with Gobber and Gothi supporting me, we have a chance,” she replied. “The council is probably convening at the Great Hall as we speak, thus why Gobber did not come with us.” 

“I would like justice for what Spitelout tried to do, but I won’t object if we have to leave tomorrow,” Hiccup observed. “I mean, you promised we would come back and we did. There was nothing there about us staying.”

His mom turned to him and said, “You saw how Spitelout acted, correct?”

“Yeah,” he answered, unsure of where his mom was going with this.

“His son is sure to be just the same,” she disclosed. “Do you wish to doom anyone to being ruled by that?”

Hiccup scrunched up his nose. “I guess not.”

“Just give it a chance Hiccup.” She pulled him in for a hug, saying, “And if all fails, we can head home.”

Chapter Text

The sleepless night and all the stress finally caught up to Valka and she went to lie down for a while. Mala and Heather were content to get a bit more rest as well, but Hiccup and Dagur were a little too wound up to stay indoors. After promising their wives they would be careful, they set out to stroll around the village.

Hiccup couldn’t help but observe, “The huts here are built so different from what I’m used to. The Berserkers use a similar construction, don’t they?”

“Yeah, though they tend to have a bit more carving,” Dagur responded. “Wouldn’t be worth it here, though.”

“Why is that,” Hiccup asked, his curiosity peaked.

“I remember my father saying that Berk gets raided ten times more than the other tribes,” Dagur divulged. “Have you noticed how many of these huts are brand new?”

Hiccup took another look around. He had been so focused on the construction of the huts that he had missed that fact completely. He really needed to be more alert. Speaking of, footsteps were approaching them quite rapidly from behind. “Incoming,” he muttered under his breath.

Dagur gave a slight nod and just before their assailant reached them, they abruptly stepped apart. The stocky shape went barreling between them, hammer raised, and slammed into a nearby hut.

“That was interesting,” Dagur remarked nonchalantly.

The stocky young man was quick to recover and came storming back toward them. “How dare you?!”

Hiccup couldn’t believe the audacity. He stared at the young man incredulously, feeling that there was something familiar about him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I heard you right. Or do you Berkians have some weird way of apologizing?”

“Why would I do that?” The young man sneered and in that moment Hiccup realized that he was a spitting image of Spitelout. Which would mean that this was probably Snotlout, an unfortunately appropriate name it seemed. 

“I don’t know,” Dagur replied. “Maybe because you tried to mow us down while swinging that hammer like a two year old?!” And there was Dagur’s anger. Just great. Exactly what they needed right now.

“I can do whatever I want,” Snotlout protested haughtily. “You’re the ones who need to leave!”

“Do you treat all visitors this way,” Hiccup inquired. “Because it really makes me wonder why anyone would want to come here in the first place.” Okay, so his sarcasm probably wasn’t helping either, but for someone who was supposed to be Berk’s future Chief, Snotlout had no tact or diplomacy.

“I’m the heir,” there was that theory proved correct, “and you have no right to come in here and push me aside like some, some…”

“Pile of dragon dung,” Dagur supplied.

“Yes! Wait, what?”

“Listen here, Snothat, is it?” Hiccup was glad that Dagur had put the pieces together as well, but he recognized his cousin’s tone and prepared himself to step in if necessary, especially as Dagur was now spinning his axe in a move meant to intimidate his opponent, though Snotlout seemed too dumb to realize that.

“It’s Snotlout,” the stocky young man declared as if they should have already known that. They did, but that was none of his concern.

“Sure it is,” Dagur rolled his eyes, clearly unamused. “The fact of the matter is, you’re only heir because Stoick didn’t know he had a blood relative.”

“You can’t even prove it,” Snotlout argued.

“Pretty sure that’s what those letters were for,” Hiccup chimed in, “but believe what you want.”

“But I’m the Chief’s nephew!”

If they were stating facts, then Hiccup had no problem adding, “And I’m his son.”

“You don’t even know what you’re doing,” Snotlout accused. “How do you expect to be Chief?”

Hiccup could see that Dagur’s self-control was wavering and he couldn’t blame him. He would not stand by while others tried to defame Mala’s father, whether they were aware of it or not. Choosing his words carefully so as not to give any important information away, he said, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I have been trained by the Chief of a tribe near where we live.”

Snotlout snorted. “Yeah, right. And where is that? The middle of ‘I-don’t-care’?”

Hiccup was determined not to start a fight, but if they didn’t get out of there soon, he would not be responsible for his actions. One glance at Dagur told him that his cousin was just as close to snapping as he was. “That is none of your business. Now, if you will excuse us-”

He made to step around the shorter Viking, but the idiot couldn’t see when enough was enough. “No,” he yelled, blocking their path. “I will not have you stealing my position in the tribe!”

By this time, they had accumulated a pretty large crowd and there was no getting around the incensed heir. “Pretty sure that’s not for either of us to decide,” Hiccup observed.

“Fight me like a man,” Snotlout shouted.

Well, that escalated quickly. The best he could do was try to diffuse the situation with humor. “As opposed to what? Fighting like a dragon,” he smiled wryly.

Snotlout let out a bark of laughter. “There’s no way a string bean like you would last ten seconds with a dragon!”

The irony was not lost on Hiccup. “You’d be surprised,” he muttered under his breath.

“That’s it,” Snotlout fumed. “You think you’re some hotshot?” He raised his hammer to attack but didn’t make it far before his hammer was lying at his feet, an axe held to his throat.

“Touch my cousin, and you will be dead where you stand,” Dagur growled.

This was exactly what Hiccup wanted to avoid. “Dagur, calm down. We didn’t come here to fight. We came back because my mother made a promise and she always keeps her word.” Raising his voice so that all who had stopped to watch the altercation could hear, he said, “We will abide by whatever the council decides. I imagine anyone who goes against their decision would find themselves in hot water.” He raised one eyebrow and looked Snotlout in the eye, making sure his message was clear. 

While it was received, he was sure this was not the last they would be hearing from the stocky young man, but at least it was enough to silence him for now. The crowd began to disperse and Hiccup and Dagur were finally able to continue on their way. As they were leaving, he noticed a slim blond eying him appraisingly, but he brushed it aside. He hadn’t spoken to her, he had hardly spoken to anyone here actually, but if things went how he hoped, they would not be here for long and he wouldn’t have to worry about it. Though he had to admit, he was starting to feel a little sorry for the Berkians, being stuck with that idiot for an heir.

Chapter Text

Hiccup and Dagur left the village behind and headed into the forest, wanting to escape from all that crazy for a while. Vail trilled an all-clear signal and they headed toward the cove, having already plotted out a path from the village before they landed last night.

Hiccup let out a sigh of relief as they made their way deeper into the forest, feeling much more comfortable here than around all those Vikings. The Defenders were so different and he was not used to dealing with this kind of people. 

Dagur kept going as he stopped to check in with Thorne and Abelia, the two Changewings who were guarding the area. No humans had been sighted, so that was promising. After thanking the mated pair, he slipped into the cove only to be tackled by an overenthusiastic Night Fury. “Hey, bud.”

“What took you so long,” Toothless exclaimed. “Are we leaving soon?”

“We haven’t even been here for a full day,” Hiccup replied, trying to work his way out from underneath the dragon who was lying on top of him. “Mom issued her ultimatum, but the council is still gathered. We did give them until tomorrow, so…” He shrugged, having at least gotten far enough that he could sit up, though Toothless’ head was still on his legs.

“There is no reason for them to deliberate,” Cloudjumper stated as he made his way over.

“I agree, but Vikings are stubborn and these are especially so,” Hiccup remarked. “At least that’s what mom says.”

“She is fine,” Cloudjumper pressed. “No one attacked?”

“She’s fine, just resting,” he reassured the Stormcutter. “Spitelout tried to claim it was all a lie, but that was as far as he went.” He scratched behind Toothless’ ear nubs, knowing that what he was about to say was sure to rile the Night Fury if he was not being pleasantly distracted. “Oh, and his son came after me and Dagur on our way here, but he was pretty sloppy.”

“I still don’t like you being in that hostile nest without me,” Toothless grumbled.

“I know, bud, but we don’t have any choice right now,” Hiccup reasoned. “If they do decide to accept me as heir, then we’ll have to figure something out, but as for now, any sign of you would be seen as a declaration of war.” Hiccup pulled back from the smoke that suddenly puffed in his face, turning to glare at the green Monstrous Nightmare.

“So? It’s not like any of us want to be here anyway,” Tovar complained as he set himself on fire.

Hiccup rolled his eyes at the Nightmare’s dramatics. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean war is the answer.”

“We could just leave,” Garnet suggested, snaking her neck around him as Ruby did the same on his other side.

He reached up to scratch both Zippleback heads. “There’s a lot more to it than that,” he admitted. “If only Vikings were as easy to understand as dragons, huh?” Wanting to lift the dragons’ moods, he said, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. And at least my plan for introducing us to Berk went well.”

“Were they shocked,” Ruby asked, her eyes alight.

“I think that would be an understatement,” he commented before proceeding to give the dragons a full description of what happened.

He was just finishing up when Dagur yelled from the other side of the cove, “Hiccup, get your butt over here. I need to blow off some steam and Bolt says it’s too dangerous to go flying, so come spar with me.”

“He’s not wrong,” Hiccup called back. “Other than the Changewings, it would be safest for the dragons to only fly at night. Less chances of them being seen.”

“I get that,” Dagur grumbled, “But I need to do something or I’m going to go crazy.”

Hiccup arched an eyebrow. “You sure you aren’t already there?”

Dagur was glaring at him, but even at this distance, he could see that his cousin was trying not to smile. “You are so going down,” he declared. “That is if you’d ever get over here!”

“If you’ve got a complaint, take it up with Toothless,” Hiccup countered. “He’s got me pinned.”

Dagur stomped his way over, but before he could even get close, Hiccup found himself tucked into Toothless’ wings. “Because this is so much better,” he groused, accepting his fate as certain dragons could be more stubborn than the Berkians.

He heard Dagur halt his approach nearby. “Fine, forget about Hiccup,” his cousin said, apparently talking to Toothless.

“Thank a lot,” he yelled from his draconic prison.

“No problem,” Dagur responded before continuing with his proposal. “Wrestling match. You and me. What do you say, T?”

Hiccup found himself promptly dumped on the ground. He sat up and shook his head, wondering if Dagur would ever learn. Why he continued to think that challenging Toothless was a good idea was beyond Hiccup’s comprehension. 

He stood and dusted himself off to hear Cloudjumper observe, “He lasted longer than last time.”

Hiccup glanced over and, sure enough, Dagur was pinned underneath Toothless. “Did he beat his record,” he asked out of curiosity.

Ruby and Garnet bobbed their heads while Tovar said, “He lasted 7 seconds this time.”

Hiccup nodded, slightly impressed. “Two seconds longer. Not bad.” He strolled over and glanced down at his cousin who was struggling to free himself. “So, how’s it going?”

“Would you get this useless reptile off of me,” Dagur shouted, continuing to squirm.

“I don’t know,” Hiccup remarked nonchalantly. “He looks pretty happy like that.” 

Toothless purred in agreement. “YOU challenged ME and I won fair and square.”

“You didn’t make any agreements before you started, so I’m assuming the usual stakes stand,” Hiccup inquired.

“Of course,” Toothless declared, grinning down at Dagur.

“Oh, come on!” Dagur tried even harder to get away, but that was impossible, as Hiccup well knew. Fortunately, by the time they got back to the village it was already dusk and not many people were about to stare at Dagur’s drenched form.

The same could not be said about when they entered Gobber’s house, though the blacksmith seemed to still be absent.

Heather took one look at her brother and asked, “What happened to you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Dagur grumbled.

Mala reached out to comfort him but drew back when she realized he was covered in dragon saliva. “Ugh, that is not water.” She looked over at Hiccup and inquired, “Did he challenge Toothless to some kind of competition again?”

“Yup,” Hiccup responded, trying to hold back a smile.

Mala sighed long-sufferingly. “What was it this time?”

He grinned, unable to do otherwise when he announced, “Wrestling match.” 

Poor Dagur, he thought as he watched Mala berate him for getting himself into this situation. But then again, it was all his own fault. Maybe one day he would actually learn not to challenge Toothless.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Hiccup woke with a start to the loudest horn he had ever heard. Beside him, Heather pulled the fur up over her head, though he doubted it was doing anything to block out that horrible noise.

He peeked out into the main room and saw that his mom was already up. She seemed to be more alert than the rest of them, so he asked her what was going on.

“The horn can be used to signal many things,” she explained. “Most frequently, it warns the village that a raid is approaching. But in this case, it is a signal for the entire tribe to meet in the Great Hall.”

“Why,” Hiccup queried, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

His mom smiled. “I believe it is to see justice enacted.”

That got him to open his eyes all the way. “You really think so?”

She nodded. “If they had decided in Spitelout’s favor, there would be no need to make an announcement. Stoick would simply come to tell us their decision and we would leave.”

“So, we’re going to be here for a while,” he sighed, his shoulders slumping.

“Looks like it,” she responded halfheartedly. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. Just give it a chance,” she requested. “Now, go wake up Heather and finish dressing. We need to get going.”

Hiccup roused his wife and they both donned their leather armor and grabbed their weapons before meeting with the others to make the trek to the Great Hall. The building itself was carved into the mountain and large enough to hold the entire village with room to spare. Hiccup had never seen anything like it, though he could have done without all the tapestries and carvings depicting dragons being killed in a multitude of ways. It was downright disturbing. How could he ever be Chief of a people who glorified fighting to such an extent?

He was pulled from his thoughts by a shout calling everyone to be quiet, though he couldn’t help but think that a dragon roar would’ve been more effective. He joined his family at the spot they had secured against the wall, fairly close to the massive doors. At least if things went south, they could beat a hasty retreat. He hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but it was nice to be prepared for all outcomes. He didn’t think they would even have trouble slipping away as he noticed that no one was paying attention to them, their eyes focused on the raised platform at the other end of the room where Stoick stood. 

The Chief eyed their group briefly before launching into his speech. “I have called you all here so that we can set the record straight once and for all. As I am sure you have heard, yesterday, Spitelout Jorgenson was accused of multiple attempts of murder, his sister Helga being complicit in the whole affair. After a thorough review of the evidence, both have been found guilty and are hereby outcast from Berk.”

“You can’t do this,” Spitelout raged from where he was being held by two guards off to the side of the platform. “You have no proof!”

“He has plenty of proof, ye murderous lout,” Gobber pointed out.

“How dare you repay me like this,” Spitelout continued as if he hadn’t even been interrupted. “After all I’ve done for you and for this tribe. All these years spent kissing your boots, working my way into your family and your good graces. Trying to ensure the best future possible for our people and now you turn on me?!” 

That much anger couldn’t be good for anyone and Hiccup was glad they were so far removed from the action. This scene had the potential to go from bad to worse very quickly.

“You’ve got that backward, Spitelout,” Stoick fumed, “and you betrayed me years ago. Be glad I’m being lenient.”

Spitelout scoffed. “Being lenient, he says. That’s a fat load of yak dung. I’m not going anywhere near Outcast Island! Not when my family has the right to rule!”

In a move so fast Hiccup almost missed it, Spitelout jerked away from the two men who were holding him captive, stealing one of their daggers in the process. He saw what was about to happen and jumped onto an empty bench, removing his shield from his back, and loading and firing a Stinger dart in one smooth motion. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite quick enough, as the dart hit Spitelout just after the dagger left his hand.

It seemed that Stoick had realized Spitelout’s goal as he managed to dodge at the last minute so that the blade grazed his arm instead of piercing his chest. “ENOUGH,” Stoick roared, seeming confused by the fact the Spitelout was frozen. 

Hiccup saw him glance to where they were standing and wondered if Stoick was aware of what he had just done. He had moved quickly and was already leaning back against the wall, but he couldn’t be sure.

Stoick shook his head and spoke to the guards. “You know the sentence for treason. Take him away.” He glanced coldly at Helga, who was fighting her restraints. “Would you care to join your brother?”

She spat at him, screaming, “I was a better wife to you than she ever was!”

“No, you were not. You’re a veritable fishwife,” Stoick thundered. He took a deep breath and then added, “In fact, I’m glad this has all been brought to light because since my first wife never died, that means my marriage to you was invalid.” He glanced at the guards and told them to take her to the docks.

Hiccup was seriously pondering darting her as well, seeing as she was not leaving quietly, but he had already taken enough risks.

Soon enough, order was restored and Stoick continued. “With that settled, there are a few other changes that need to be announced. For what I would think are obvious reasons, Snotlout is no longer my heir. That position belongs to my son.” Stoick beckoned for Hiccup to join him on the platform. He did, though it was done reluctantly. “I would like to present to you Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the true heir to Berk.”

There had been no chance for them to speak with Stoick yesterday other than their brief…discussion…in the plaza, so either Gothi or Gobber must have informed the Chief of his name. Hiccup smiled awkwardly as the Berkians began to cheer, though he wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if they had any idea what kind of Chief he would be. 

He was able to pick out a few faces in the crowd. His family, smiling at him encouragingly. That same blonde from yesterday, though she seemed to have a calculating look in her eye. And Snotlout, who was glowering at him. He was honestly surprised there had been no outburst on the former heir’s part, but he was sure it was only a matter of time.

Chapter Text

Hiccup was not pleased to find himself ushered to the most prominent table for breakfast, though at least the rest of his family was able to join them. With Stoick on one side of him and his mom on the other, he was feeling rather blocked in. He scrunched up his nose in disgust at the oversized slab of mutton that was set in front of him. The smell alone was enough to make him want to vomit.

Stoick slapped him on his shoulder, remarking, “Need to get more meat on your bones, eh son?”

Hiccup knew that Stoick was his father, but he didn’t know the man at all and was incredibly uncomfortable with how he was suddenly being treated as family. “I’m not really a big meat eater,” he confessed, pushing the plate across the table to Dagur who was quick to dig in. He honestly couldn’t understand how people could stomach something so heavy for breakfast. “Our diet consists heavily of fish. It’s what is most readily available where we live and what I prefer, though for breakfast we will generally make some kind of porridge,” he said as he looked around, hoping that something similar might be on offer.

He sighed as two large fish were passed to him instead. At least it was better than the mutton though one fish would have been more than enough. As he took his first bite, he was already plotting how he could avoid the Great Hall in the mornings. Not that he particularly wanted to come here at all, but he was sure he was going to have to make at least a few appearances.

As they were eating, a Berkian approached Stoick and passed him something. Hiccup glanced over and realized it was the Stinger dart he had sent flying.

“We found this in Spitelout’s shoulder,” the other man said.

“Interesting,” Stoick observed before dismissing the man. He examined the dart carefully, before holding it up and turning to look at Hiccup. “Is there something you would care to share?”

Hiccup wasn’t sure how he would be able to explain the dart itself, so he decided to play dumb. “What are you talking about?”

“These are not common around here,” Stoick commented, setting the dart on the table while not breaking eye contact with Hiccup, “meaning that it was used by a foreigner. The only ones who could fit that description would be you five, and I happened to notice you were in a different position after the commotion.”

Hiccup sorted through the words Stoick had used. It seemed that he had not been seen actually shooting the dart, but he couldn’t exactly deny it was him either. Deciding to leave what he had done to Stoick’s imagination, he responded, “I saw what was about to happen and did what I could to try and prevent it. Still wasn’t fast enough,” he shrugged. His action hadn’t been out of love for his father. He didn’t even know the man. But he would not stand by and watch someone be killed in cold blood.

“I doubt anyone could have been fast enough,” Stoick acknowledged, “and you kept him from causing further damage, so thank you.” He picked the dart up once more, taking another look at it. “Where did you get these anyway?”

“They are quite common in our area.” Well, the darts were anyway. He had learned to make them from the Defenders.

“These might come in handy during the next raid. Do you have more,” Stoick inquired.

“Just a handful.” On him, that was, but Stoick didn’t need to know that. 

“But you could make more,” Stoick pressed.

“The poison is not generally available in this area.” Which was true. Of course, there was plenty in the forest right now, what with Lars, Moe, and Curly being there, but that was something the Berkians were best kept in the dark about.

“Too bad,” Stoick murmured. 

The table went silent as everyone returned to their meal, though it wasn’t for long as the blonde Hiccup had seen before soon began to approach their table.

“Ah, Astrid,” Stoick boomed, beckoning her closer. “Have you met my son?”

Her gaze wandered to Hiccup, a glint in her eyes. “Not formally.” 

As Stoick went around the table making introductions, Astrid’s eyes continued to dart back to Hiccup, leaving him feeling rather uneasy. Her gaze was finally torn away when Stoick asked, “How can I help you?”

“Just wanted to see if you had any tasks for me today, sir,” she replied, sneaking another glance at Hiccup.

“Why don’t you give Hiccup a tour of the village,” he suggested, much to Hiccup’s dismay.

“I’d be glad to,” she was quick to accept, turning to Hiccup with a smile that didn’t seem quite genuine.

“I appreciate the offer,” he chimed in before he could be pulled away, “but I had a look around yesterday and I believe I know where everything is.” And if he missed something, he could always ask Gobber.

Astrid eyed him archly. “Well, if you change your mind, the offer stands.” Turning back to the Chief, she inquired, “Anything else, sir?”

Stoick thought for a moment and then shook his head. “Not that I can think of, but thank you for asking, Astrid.”

“Not a problem, sir.” She smiled at the table in general, saying, “Nice to meet you all and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

Hiccup couldn’t be sure, but the last part seemed to be directed at him. He was generally fairly good about reading people, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly Astrid was after. 

His thoughts were interrupted by Stoick standing up and declaring, “I suppose we better get to moving your things.”

Hiccup’s head whipped around. “What are you talking about?”

“Getting you settled,” Stoick replied as if that was the most natural thing in the world.

Hiccup stared at the Chief of Berk for a moment before firmly stating, “I’m content where I am with my family.”

“But we are family,” Stoick reasoned, gesturing between the two of them.

“Only by blood,” Hiccup clarified. “I don’t know you at all.”

“I suppose we could make room,” Stoick wavered but was cut off by Valka.

“As generous as your offer sounds, Stoick, it will not be needed,” she said, her words dripping with contempt. “We will be staying with Gobber for the time being and that is not something that is up for debate.”

Hiccup would have thought that Stoick would know better than to argue with the woman who used to be his wife, but he didn’t factor in the man’s sheer Viking stubbornness.

“I’m sure it’s rather cramped and-”

Valka stood hastily, slamming her palms on the table. “You never listen, do you, Stoick?” With that, she turned on her heel and made for the doors of the Great Hall with Hiccup and the rest of their small family right behind her. 

Chapter Text

Astrid was used to being the best and having the first pick of what Berk had to offer. She had trained hard to gain the respect she now received, and she was not about to settle for anything substandard, be it a weapon or a husband.

She hadn’t cared for Snotlout at all, but her only real options were him or Tuffnut as Ruff and Fishlegs were courting and the few other young men slightly older than her were too brutish for her tastes. She could tolerate Snotlout if need be, primarily because he would become Chief one day. He was fairly easy to lead and the tribe would have flourished under her control, but now things had changed and she wasn’t sure where that left her. 

With Snotlout losing his position as heir, he was no longer an option and she had never really considered Tuff as one in the first place. Hiccup on the other hand seemed like he might be worthy of her. He was tall and handsome and didn’t fly off the handle like most Vikings would, though he did have a smart mouth, but she could deal with that. It was strange, though, that he seemed to prefer peace over fighting and it made her wonder what kind of a Viking he was. The way he had spoken the day before, it appeared he didn’t even care if he was accepted as the heir or not. How could he not see the honor and power that the position would bring?

She couldn’t figure him out, though she had been impressed by the maneuver he had pulled when Spitelout broke free. She didn’t think anyone else had seen it as all eyes were focused on the platform, but it proved that even though he may prefer peace, he knew how to fight. She wouldn’t mind finding out more about him, but her first attempt in trying to spend time with him had failed.

Most of the young men on Berk would have jumped at the opportunity to spend time with her and yet Hiccup did not. She wondered why. She wasn’t obsessed with her looks, but she knew that she was often lauded as the most beautiful maiden on Berk, not that there was much competition. The people here were built to fight, and that was what was most important. That’s why she prided herself on being both beautiful and a warrior. 

Then again, Hiccup hadn’t grown up here. The two young women who were part of his party were both pretty in their own ways, so it stood to reason that while beauty might help, it was in no way guaranteed to catch his eye. 

Astrid kept her eyes open for the rest of the day as she went about her tasks, hoping that her path might cross with the new heir, but there was no sign of Hiccup all morning or at the Great Hall for lunch. Fortunately, as she was descending the stairs after her meal, she spotted him heading off into the forest. Thinking that this would be a perfect opportunity to get to know him without any interruptions, she raced off after him.

She followed the path and soon found him in a clearing she favored, standing with his feet braced and looking directly at her. “Is there something I can do for you,” he inquired.

“What makes you think that I was looking for you,” she countered archly, not intending to give her intentions away that easily.

“You were following me,” he stated matter of factly.

“I happen to use this clearing frequently for training,” she responded. It was the truth, though so was his statement.

“Ah, that would explain the mutilated trees,” he acknowledged, though there was a slight undertone there that told her he wasn’t buying it. Her instinct was proven correct when he crossed his arms and continued, “Despite your convenient excuse, I still know that you were following me. What do you want?”

“You don’t have to be so touchy,” she declared. “I just wanted to get to know you better. We don’t see too many new faces around these parts.”

He eyed her warily and asked, “What did you want to know?”

This was going to be harder than she thought. Deciding to try and get him to relax, she walked over to a boulder and invited him to join her. “No need to be so formal. Take a seat.”

“I’m fine,” he replied stoically.

At least now the similarities between him and the Chief were becoming clearer. “Suit yourself,” she remarked nonchalantly, making herself comfortable. “So, what’s it like where you’re from?”

He shrugged. “Same as most other places in the archipelago.”

“So, you’ve traveled a lot, then?”

“Some, though I wouldn’t say I’ve traveled extensively.”

Could he make his answers any more vague? Thinking that maybe a change of topic would get him to open up more, Astrid asked, “Is that how you learned to fight?”

Hiccup’s brow furrowed. “You haven’t seen me fight.”

“Your aim this morning was perfect,” she recalled, noticing that he tensed as soon as she mentioned it. “What was it you shot? A dart?”

“Yes,” he answered shortly.

Every man she knew liked to brag about their feats and accomplishments, so why wasn’t Hiccup? He did seem rather uneasy…maybe he was shy? There were one or two kids on Berk who would sometimes act that way, but it was always something that they outgrew. If she could just find the right subject to put him at ease… “You know, I’ve never seen a shield like yours.”

“I’m not surprised,” he muttered.

Astrid was getting a little frustrated with his lack of response, but she pushed on, thinking that the end goal would be worth it. “I imagine it comes in handy during a battle. Could you show me how it works?” She got off the boulder and walked over to stand next to him, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. She may be one of Berk’s best warriors, but she also knew how to use her looks to get what she wanted.

“Uh, there’s a trigger on the back that-” Hiccup broke off as she brushed up against him under the guise of getting a better look at what he was talking about. He tensed and stepped to the side before resuming what he was saying. “-that triggers the release. Now you know,” he finished hastily. “Don’t you have something you need to be doing?”

“Not right now,” she smiled up at him coyly.

“Well, I do and I need to get going,” he stated firmly, stepping around her.

He didn’t get far though, as she grabbed his arm. “I’m sure it’s nothing pressing,” she claimed. “We’ve hardly had a chance to get to know one another.”

He glared down at her, removing her hand from his arm. “I think we’ve covered plenty,” he said before storming off deeper into the forest.

Maybe he wasn't shy, just reserved? Still strange for a Viking, but Hiccup wasn't at all what was normal by Berkian standards. She would have followed him, but she didn’t want to push it. There would be time for another attempt and, after all, she was the best option he had. He would need someone by his side who knew Berk well and was prepared to support and defend its people. 

That got her thinking. Maybe she was going about this all wrong. There was a much simpler way and it wouldn’t take much for her to put it into effect. With that thought in mind, she made her way back to the village, the next steps of her plan running through her head.

-o0o-

Hiccup couldn’t understand what Heather found so humorous about this situation. “Why are you laughing? It’s not funny.”

“It’s not that bad and I was honestly expecting something like his to happen,” she admitted. “Plus, you’re so cute when you’re flustered,” she smiled at him slyly.

“Shouldn’t you be mad that she was trying to flirt with me,” he protested, not understanding his wife’s nonchalance.

“Why should I be?”

“Because I’m your husband,” he proclaimed, thinking that was reason enough. He would not tolerate another man trying to flirt with her, so when the roles were reversed, why should it be any different?

Heather caught his arm, stopping his pacing, and pulled him down to sit beside her. “And she is not aware of that fact,” she reasoned. “You are very handsome and as the new heir you are quite a catch.” 

Hiccup supposed that when you thought about it like that, it made sense, but it didn’t mean that he had to like it…or put up with it. The only problem was there was not currently an easy way out of it, seeing as they were trying to keep their marriage a secret.

Heather laid her head on his shoulder, effectively silencing his thoughts and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

“I know you would never look at another girl that way,” she stated, “and as you are aware of what she is doing, you won’t fall into a trap.”

“I suppose,” Hiccup mumbled, “but I’m getting tired of the growing list of people and places I have to avoid around here.”

Heather cuddled up closer to him. “As long as I’m not on that list, then we’re good.”

“Never,” he promised, tilting his head to kiss her soundly.

Chapter Text

The next day, Hiccup was heading toward the forge as he had promised to give Gobber a hand. He didn’t mind and it gave him something to do, not to mention a way to avoid Stoick. Unfortunately, it seemed he would not be avoiding Snotlout as the young man was barreling toward him. “Not again,” he groaned under his breath.

Snotlout stormed up to him and screamed, “It’s your fault my dad is dead!”

This was not where he was expecting this conversation to go. While he did feel bad that Snotlout had lost his father, there was something that the young man needed to understand. “It’s really not. He tried to kill the Chief, an act that is punishable by death.”

“But none of this would have happened if you hadn’t come back,” Snotlout insisted. “He would still be here and I would still be the heir!”

Ah, that last statement shed a bit more light on this…discussion. “And which one of them matters the most to you,” Hiccup inquired.

“That’s none of your business,” he sputtered.

Hiccup had a strong feeling that being removed as heir bothered Snotlout much more than his father’s death did. “Your reluctance to answer is telling,” he observed, frustrating the other young man even further.

“You don’t know anything about me,” he yelled, the confrontation beginning to draw a crowd.

Hiccup simply raised an eyebrow and reasoned, “Either you are trying to hide your grief as it would not be ‘Viking-like’ to express your emotions or you are using your father‘s death as an excuse to bait me into a fight because you want to be heir.”

“You took everything from me,” Snotlout declared.

While that was untrue, Hiccup was not about to bait the young man further. “None of this was my decision,” he pointed out. “I don’t even want to be heir to Berk.”

“Then give it back to me,” Snotlout demanded loudly.

“That’s not my choice,” Hiccup stated. If it was, he would never have been given the position in the first place, though if he had the opportunity to pass it on to someone, Snotlout would probably be his last choice.

“Then I’ll make you give it up,” Snotlout roared. “I challenge you to a duel.”

The crowd began whispering and Hiccup tried to remain calm. He was a good swordsman and he was sure he could defend himself if needed, but he would prefer to avoid this whole situation. “And what would a duel solve?”

“You can’t be heir if you’re dead,” Snotlout growled. “Do you accept or are you too cowardly?”

Hiccup was backed into a corner, metaphorically speaking. Having no choice but to defend his honor, he agreed to the duel but was quick to request that they not have it in the plaza. It wasn’t safe for the bystanders and there was also always the chance that some Berkians may support Snotlout and jump in to aid him before they could be stopped. 

No, if they were going to do this, it had to be done right. “Where are duels normally held?”

“At the arena,” someone from the crowd shouted.

That would make sense. “Then that is where we will meet. Tomorrow at noon?” At Snotlout’s agreement, Hiccup made his last stipulation. “One weapon each and a shield may be brought if desired.”

“Only an incompetent fighter needs a shield,” Snotlout sneered before strutting away.

Hiccup just shook his head. What an idiot. A shield could be just as useful as any weapon, particularly his. He just hoped that his rules didn’t come back to bite him. He would only use one weapon during the duel, his Dragon Iron sword, which should end the fight rather quickly, but that did not mean that he was leaving his other weapons behind. He had several daggers hidden on his person that no one outside of his family knew about, not to mention Inferno, which didn’t even look like a weapon. He might leave the acid bombs and Stinger darts with Heather, though, for his own safety. 

As he pondered over possible defenses for tomorrow, he finished making his way to the forge. Gobber was pleased to see him, though he was quick to ask him about the duel. Apparently, word traveled fast around here.

Hiccup shrugged. “Snotlout didn’t really give me a choice. I just want to get it over with,” he remarked as he looked around the forge. “Any tips on fighting him?”

“He doesn’t think when he fights,” Gobber shared.

“Does he ever think at all,” Hiccup retorted skeptically.

“Eh, not really,” Gobber replied. “Ye do know what yer doing, don’t ye, lad?”

Hiccup could see the concern on the blacksmith’s face, so he hastened to reassure him. “Don’t worry, Gobber. I’ve been trained well and don’t intend to lose.”

“Good,” Gobber nodded decisively. “Now, why don’t ye help me work through this pile,” he said, gesturing to a mangled stack of swords.

Hiccup picked one up to get a better look. “What do these people do to their weapons,” he asked incredulously.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Gobber responded, grabbing a sword himself and getting to work. Hiccup soon joined him and Gobber changed the subject, saying, “Thanks fer yer help, lad. It’s always a push fer me to get everything fixed between raids.”

At that comment, Hiccup froze. “Raids?” His mom had told him about what life on Berk was like, but he hadn’t exactly thought through what helping Gobber would mean. He slowly set the sword down and stepped back. “I’m sorry, Gobber. But I can’t fix these knowing that they’re going to be used to murder innocent creatures.”

“What are ye talking about, lad,” Gobber exclaimed. “Those beasts show us no mercy.”

“Well, they are being attacked,” Hiccup justified. “I would think it’s only natural for them to defend themselves.”

Gobber shook his head. “Ye are yer mother’s son, that’s fer sure, but that’s a dangerous belief to live by around these parts. Ye could get yerself into a lot of trouble if others hear ye talking that way. Ye’d best be careful.”

Hiccup nodded. “I will be.” He looked around the forge once more. “Is there something else that needs to be done that does not pertain to killing dragons? I would still like to help.”

Gobber thought for a moment before asking. “How are ye at making nails? We rebuild so much, there’s always a demand fer them.”

Hiccup grimaced to himself, but accepted the task. Nails were one of his least favorite things to make, being so tedious and repetitive, but he would rather make nails than fix a weapon of some dragon’s demise. 

Chapter Text

There was quite a crowd at the arena the next day, much to Hiccup’s dismay. He really just wanted this done and swept under the rug, but with Stoick here, sitting on a throne, this was clearly being viewed as some kind of entertainment. He noticed that Gobber was next to Stoick…and Astrid was also nearby. That was interesting. She did seem to have a good relationship with the Chief, but for some reason, Hiccup had the sneaking suspicion that she was up to something. 

As he entered the arena, he glanced up to see his family watching him. Needless to say, they were not pleased when they heard about the duel. His mom objected, Heather and Mala protested, and Toothless straight up threatened to kidnap him. Surprisingly enough, Dagur was the only one who was keeping a calm head. Hiccup thought that his cousin would have preferred to fight Snotlout himself, but Dagur knew that Hiccup could handle him quite easily. Between the two of them, they had managed to reason with the women in their family and assure them that everything would be fine. 

But Toothless had been another matter entirely. While none of the dragons were thrilled by this turn of events, they all knew that Hiccup could take care of himself and were therefore not too concerned. Toothless, however, was filled with worry for his brother. He had always been by Hiccup’s side during any confrontation and he worried about what Hiccup would do without him to watch his back. It had taken quite a while for Hiccup to convince the panicking Night Fury that he would be okay. While he always appreciated Toothless’ help when they faced off against hunters and trappers, this situation was a little different. He was fighting just one man, and one who didn’t seem very skilled at that. Toothless had seemed to calm down after he explained further, but it still took an hour for him to convince the stubborn dragon that he couldn’t come as backup. It was much too dangerous.

Hiccup shook his head to clear his thoughts as he stepped further into the arena. His gaze swept over the enclosure, looking for hazards that could throw him off during the duel. Despite the noise of the crowd, though, there were other sounds that he could hear clear as day and that was when he realized that the arena was used for more than just duels. There were dragons locked down here, and considering their panicked cries, he had a bad feeling that they were used to train the youths of the tribe how to fight during raids. 

He wished he could say something to comfort them, but he didn’t dare. Then again, maybe he didn’t have to. Hiccup cautiously looked closer at the chains covering the top of the arena and though most people would see nothing more than air, he knew a Changewing when he saw one.

“Vail, what are you doing here,” he whispered as he glanced down to check his armor, using the movement to hide that he was speaking. As he tightened a buckle, he wished that he could be wearing something a little more protective than leather, but his dragon scale armor would raise too many questions. 

“Keeping an eye on things,” Vail responded quietly. “And if things go south, then I can help you to escape.”

“Thanks for your vote of confidence,” he replied wryly, though he was glad that her roars blended in with the other dragons in the pens. At least her position was safe for now.

“It’s not your skills that have me worried,” she explained, “it’s that one over there. He reeks of desperation. The crowds are also a source of concern. They are quite riled up and could pose a problem.”

“Thanks for your support,” he murmured, not wanting to risk saying too much. “Reassure the dragons that they’re okay for now?”

She chirped in acknowledgment and as the crowds began to settle down, so did the dragons. He would figure out how to help them later, but right now, there were more pressing concerns.

“We don’t have to do this, Snotlout,” he offered, giving the other young man a chance to prevent this farce of a fight.

“Are you afraid because you know you’re going to lose,” Snotlout taunted. “You’re such a twig this fight will be over before it’s even begun.”

Hiccup couldn’t deny that this fight would be over quickly, though not in the way Snotlout thought it would be. “I’m not afraid, but I would rather avoid violence if at all possible.”

“You’re not a Viking,” Snotlout sneered, obviously thinking it was the worst insult he could give.

“Never claimed I was,” Hiccup commented. Seeing that there was no way he was going to be able to convince Snotlout to back down, he settled with saying, “May the better man come out victorious.”

“I will,” Snotlout declared overconfidently before rushing at Hiccup, his mace held high.

Hiccup could tell that the other young man was expecting him to meet him in a clash of metal that required great strength to block. He could have parried the blow, but why waste his energy when there was a simpler solution? He stepped aside at the last minute and Snotlout had too much momentum to stop before he ran into the wall. The crowd laughed uproariously and though Hiccup was not trying to taunt the young man, he couldn’t help but say, “Had enough?”

“Never,” Snotlout growled, approaching slower this time, seemingly not wanting to make the same mistake twice. 

Hiccup widened his stance and prepared to meet Snotlout’s first blow. His opponent was strong, but so was he, having spent years in the forge and training with Dagur. But there was something Hiccup had that Snotlout did not, and that was a weapon made of Dragon Iron. If Snotlout had been using a sword or axe, his weapon would have been shattered after the first blow, but since a mace was a solid ball of iron, it took Hiccup a few tries to get just the right angle. When he did though, the mace broke in two, much to the shock of Snotlout and the crowd. 

Taking advantage of his opponent’s distraction, Hiccup kicked him in the chest, a move he had learned from the Defenders. With Snotlout lying on his back, trying to catch his breath, Hiccup held the sword to his opponent’s throat. “Do you yield?”

“This duel is to the death,” Snotlout spat, staring boldly at Hiccup, wordlessly daring him to end this right now.

Hiccup lowered his sword, but kept his shield ready, not trusting his opponent to act honorably. “Maybe it is for you, but that’s not how I live. I have disarmed you, therefore this duel is over.” He turned on his heel and headed for the exit as the crowd watched in stunned silence. He was grateful for that as he heard the distinctive sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath and whirled around in time to deflect the dagger with his shield.

“Apparently, there is no honor among Berkians,” Hiccup observed, “as that is the second time that trick has been pulled since I arrived. Then again, perhaps it is simply a Jorgenson trait.”

Snotlout screamed in rage and barreled toward him, but Hiccup was prepared. He released one of the catches on the back of his shield and fired a bola that wrapped around his attacker’s legs. Snotlout fell face-first on the arena floor as Hiccup said, “Let me offer a word of advice. Never underestimate your opponent.”

With that, he turned and left the arena to the cheering of the crowds.

Chapter Text

As Hiccup left the arena, he was swarmed by Berkians congratulating him on his win. He honestly didn’t get what the big deal was. The fight hadn’t even lasted two minutes. He tried to extricate himself, but there were just too many people surrounding him. 

The only one who managed to part the crowds was Stoick, who boomed, “Congratulations, son! You did a fine job.”

“Uh, thanks,” he replied hesitantly. Seriously, what was with these people?

Stoick slung an uncomfortably heavy arm around his shoulder and began to steer him back to the village, much to his dismay. “And I have the perfect way to celebrate your victory.”

“By letting me leave,” Hiccup muttered to himself, glancing through the crowd to try and spot his family or a way out. Either would be acceptable.

“Everyone to the Great Hall,” Stoick announced to the cheers of the crowds.

Hiccup stifled a groan. All he wanted was to escape to the forest and spend the day with Toothless. Was that too much to ask? Instead, he was forced to the Great Hall and led to the Chief’s table for a feast in his honor. He was calculating how soon he might be able to sneak away when Stoick stood and called for everyone’s attention.

The crowds silenced and Stoick began a speech that he must have prepared for this occasion. “We gather today to celebrate my son’s strength in battle,” he glanced down at Hiccup with a huge grin, “and to the victor goes the spoils. I am pleased to announce that the contracts have been signed and in one week we will be having another feast, but this time for a wedding. One that will join my son and Astrid Hofferson as man and wife.”

Hiccup choked on his drink, resulting in a coughing fit. He wished his family was nearby, but they had been toward the back of the crowd and were therefore seated on the other side of the Hall. He wondered if that had been planned. He had assumed that Stoick’s arrangements had more to do with having his most trusted supporters at his table, but the fact that Astrid was at his side and trying to help him regain his breath was proving that this might all have been a setup. He scooted away from her and shook his head, managing to tell Stoick, “Sorry, but that’s not going to work.”

“It’s all been arranged,” Stoick said proudly. “You couldn’t look for a better lass than Astrid, and as she knows Berk well, she will be the perfect one to help you as you step into your role as heir and, eventually, Chief.

Hiccup continued to shake his head, boldly saying, “I don’t care if it’s all set. You’re going to have to find a way to undo it.”

“This isn’t an option, son,” Stoick responded sternly.

Hiccup shot to his feet and glared at Stoick. He hated how rarely the man used his name. It was like he didn’t care about him as a person, only that he represented a continuation of his family name. One that, apparently, he wanted to ensure would not end. That had already been taken care of and, boy, was Hiccup glad he had prepared for just such a situation. “Well, it’s not my fault you went ahead and did this without consulting me,” he declared.

“I don’t need to consult you,” Stoick stated matter of factly. “I’m your father and your Chief.”

Hiccup snorted. “I’ll give you the first one, but only in the loosest of terms as you have not been part of my life at all. As for the latter part of your statement, I do not view myself as a Berkian or you as my Chief, therefore, I do not answer to you.” Stoick was turning red with rage, but before he could respond, Hiccup dropped his final zinger. “And it will be a little hard for me to fulfill your contract when I am already married.”

“What do you mean already married,” Astrid screeched from behind him.

He rolled his eyes and drily replied, “I honestly don’t think there’s another way you can interpret that statement.”

“Bah, that’s impossible,” Stoick chimed in, seeming to have calmed down now that he thought Hiccup was just trying to make excuses.

“No, it’s not.” Hiccup stood his ground and continued, “Considering why Mom left in the first place, we knew that coming back here, there would be those who wanted us dead, as was further proved today.” He gestured to Snotlout who had still been allowed in the Great Hall, despite his very public threats. “We decided it would be best if we kept my marriage a secret so that my wife did not also have a target painted on her back.”

Stoick’s eyes narrowed, “What are you saying, Hiccup?”

“Heather is more than just Dagur’s stepsister. She is also my wife,” he explained, hand on the hilt of his sword just in case things turned ugly.

“How long,” Stoick growled.

Hiccup quirked an eyebrow. “Does it matter?”

Stoick glowered at him, but Hiccup was not backing down. He had helped rescue Heather from a bad situation before and he wasn’t about to let her find herself in another one. 

“I already signed a contract,” Stoick maintained, clearly trying to find some way to make this work. 

“And that’s your problem, Stoick, not mine,” Hiccup retorted. “Unless the Chief of Berk being married to two women at a time is a new standard you’re trying to set?” That got Stoick’s hackles up, even if it was a bit of a low blow. “But personally, I don’t want any part in it.” He walked a few steps away before rounding on the Chief. “I don’t want a part in any of this,” he emphasized. “I’m only here because Mom promised she would bring me back. I don’t want to have to be constantly defending myself from attacks on my life, as will apparently be the case with a Jorgenson still on the loose. I also don’t want to live in a place where violence is glorified.” He looked at the crowd in disgust. “This whole celebration is pointless,” he declared, marching out of the Great Hall and making a beeline for the forest. At least there he could have peace and wouldn’t have to deal with all these violent, muttonheaded idiots.

Chapter Text

Heather was about to get up and chase after Hiccup but was stopped by Valka’s hand on her shoulder. 

“This is my fault,” she acknowledged. “I need to be the one to speak with him.”

Heather nodded solemnly and watched her mother-in-law go as chaos erupted around them. It was all becoming a little much for her, so she leaned over and told Dagur she was going to head back to Gobber’s.

“I’ll walk you there,” he offered.

She shook her head. “There’s no need. I can take care of myself.”

“I know, but I don’t trust these Berkians,” he said, eyeing the riotous crowd that Stoick was trying to quiet.

“Everyone is otherwise occupied,” she noted. “No one will even notice I’ve left.” They were only a few tables away from the door and she would have no trouble sneaking out, especially with everyone’s attention on Stoick.

Dagur rolled his eyes. “After Hiccup’s speech, I find that hard to believe.”

Heather appreciated that he wanted to protect her from the Berkian’s wrath, but very little of it was being directed at her. The current dilemma was actually what should be done with Snotlout. If she could get out before their attention turned to her, she should be fine. “I just need to be alone,” she explained. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Mala chimed in before Dagur could respond. “Vail will be watching her and it would behoove us to stay and see how this unfolds. Hiccup and Aunt Valka will need to know.”

Dagur reluctantly agreed with his wife, though he kept his eyes firmly on Heather until she made it through the doors, giving him a slight wave as a thank you. Once out of the hall, Heather took a deep breath. She still wasn’t used to such large crowds and they made her anxious.

She had barely made it down the steps when she heard the doors to the Great Hall open and close. She glanced back to see Astrid hurrying towards her. She had a feeling she knew what the other girl wanted, but Heather was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She did remove her axe from its holster on her back, though, just in case. “Hello, Astrid. I assume you have a reason for following me?”

Astrid stopped a few feet away and said, “I came to make you an offer. Hiccup is a little different. Having been raised as a Berserker, I’m sure you find him lacking. I’d be happy to take him off your hands for you.”

The unmitigated gall! “Are you delusional?! Hiccup and I love each other. We wouldn’t have married otherwise and we take our vow quite seriously. As for me being raised as a Berserker, I have no loyalty to them. They treated me horribly which only gave me further reason to appreciate all of Hiccup’s wonderful qualities that you Berkians seem to stick your noses up at.”

For all that Berk had treated them decently, she could see how different they were, and Hiccup especially. He was too kind and peaceful and, sooner or later, the Berkians would turn on him or think they could bend him to their will. What was she saying? Stoick and Astrid were already trying to manipulate him!

Heather glared at the blonde in disgust. “Don’t think I don’t see what you want. It’s about the power, isn’t it?” Astrid kept her composure fairly well, but the slight twitch of her eye gave away that Heather had hit it on the nose. “And from the way you acted around Hiccup the day before yesterday, I would assume you’re pretty used to getting what you want.” That hit a nerve. Deciding to impress upon the haughty Berkian just how close she and Hiccup were, she added, “Yes, he told me everything. And I’ll warn you now, do not cross us,” she said, her voice hard. “You won’t like the consequences.”

Astrid’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat,” she growled.

“It’s a warning,” Heather stated, not breaking eye contact. 

The two girls glared at each other before Astrid raised her axe and let out a battle cry. Although Hiccup, and probably Dagur, would have encouraged her to just use one of the Stinger darts to freeze her opponent, Heather released the latch on her axe, prepared to fight. She had been a victim plenty of times growing up and now that she had the ability and the skill to fight back, she was not about to take the easy way out.

She blocked Astrid’s first blow with ease, enjoying the look of shock on the blonde’s face. Whether it was from her quick reflexes or her unique weapon, she didn’t care. All she knew was that Astrid was going down. 

It didn’t take long for her to unarm the Berkian and pin her to the ground. Astrid was absolutely livid and Heather had a feeling that Snotlout would no longer be the only one they would have to look out for. Despite the risk, she couldn’t help but rub in her victory just a bit. “I’m guessing that doesn’t happen to you often, does it?” 

Astrid’s only response was to squirm under her, but the blonde wouldn’t be getting away that easy. “This is your last warning,” Heather cautioned. “Keep away from my husband.” She then hit Astrid over the head, just hard enough to knock her out for a few minutes and give her a chance to get away.

-o0o-

Hiccup’s sudden arrival in the cove sent the dragons into a tizzy.

“Is everything okay?”

“Are you hurt?”

“What happened?”

“Are we leaving?”

“I’m fine,” he gasped, having run most of the way. “I’m fine,” he repeated, reassuring the dragons with scratches as he tried to catch his breath. “Everyone’s okay. I just needed to get away.”

He was surprised to hear his mom’s voice behind him. “I’m sorry, Hiccup. This is all my fault.”

He turned around to face her, shaking his head, “It’s-”

“Yes, it is,” she cut him off. “I made the promise. I’m the reason we came back. I’m the one who has been encouraging you to give the Berkians a chance.”

He shrugged, unable to deny what she said. “I can understand what you mean about not wanting to doom them to a Chief like Snotlout, but is our staying here really worth it?” He started pacing as he continued, “I hate the way that everyone jumps to violence as the answer for everything. I’m dreading being here for a raid, unable to do anything to help the dragons. And Stoick…” he trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say about the man that only saw him as a means to an end.

“You’ve been avoiding your father,” his mom stated.

“Not like I’ve been that hard to find,” he mumbled. “And he knows where we’re staying.”

“True,” his mom conceded before sighing. “I have to admit, there have been more issues with our return than I had expected.”

Hiccup could see his mom’s resolve weakening. This was his chance. “Do you want to stay here?”

“Not particularly,” she replied

“Then that settles it,” he declared. “We came back, you kept your promise, now we can leave. Surely there has to be someone here who could take over as Chief to this sorry pile of rocks.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but our decision can not be made in haste,” his mom claimed. “We will not stay here permanently, that I promise you, but let us remain a few days more. We need to at least give Berk a push in the right direction.”

“I suppose we could manage for a few more days,” Hiccup capitulated, “but you have to convince the dragons.” 

He watched as the dragons all ganged up on his mom, trying to convince her that it would be best for them to leave now. He knew his mom would prevail…eventually. But in the meantime, it would be entertaining to watch. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup had been right that while it took time, Valka was able to convince the dragons that they needed to stay for a bit longer. Dagur on the other hand still maintained that they should leave.

“So they put Snotjerk in jail. Who knows how long that will last,” he reasoned as he paced inside Gobber’s hut. “We should leave now before anything else happens.”

Hiccup couldn’t help but notice how quiet his wife was. He had a sneaking suspicion there was something she was not telling them. “Heather? Did something else already happen?”

“Nothing that I couldn’t handle,” she replied.

“Heather…”

She huffed in frustration before saying, “While apparently the village as a whole doesn’t have a problem with you already being married, I can’t say the same about Astrid.”

“Did she follow you when you left the Great Hall,” Mala inquired, her concern evident.

Heather nodded and Dagur slammed his fist on the table. “I told you I should have walked you back!”

“And as Mala said, you needed to stay in the Great Hall to collect information,” Heather countered. “I was fine.”

Hiccup reached over and slipped his hand in hers. “What happened?”

“She offered to take you off my hands,” Heather shared.

Hiccup exploded. “What?! Is she delusional?! That’s not how marriage works! You can’t just swap out-” He paused his rant and glanced at his wife. “What’s so funny?”

“I also called her delusional,” Heather giggled. “Don’t worry, I explained that I was never going to let you go and warned her to stay away from you.”

Hiccup relaxed marginally, but there was something about the way his wife spoke… He quirked an eyebrow and asked, “Did that warning happen to include your axe?”

“Perhaps,” she smiled coyly, “but I had no problem taking her down, even without using a dart.”

He was glad that Heather had been able to defend herself, but he had a bad feeling that this was not going to be a one time thing. “Gobber, how do you think Astrid will react to this?”

The blacksmith shrugged. “The lass prides herself on being the best. She could use being knocked down a peg or two in my opinion, but I have a feeling she won’t appreciate it.”

“Why do we seem to rid ourselves of one enemy only to find another,” Hiccup lamented. Feeling the need to take extra precautions, he said, “Heather, please be careful when you’re out, and don’t go anywhere by yourself.”

“I can take care of myself,” she insisted.

“I know you can,” he assured her, placing a kiss on her temple, “but I don’t trust Astrid not to do something underhanded. She’s already proven that she’s capable of that and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Heather sighed in resignation. “Fine, I suppose I can-”

She never finished as a loud horn was blown, alerting the entire village. They had heard it two days ago, but this time, there were other sounds accompanying it.

“Raid,” Gobber informed them. “Hiccup, I know how ye feel, but if ye could lend me a hand in the forge I’d really appreciate it,” he said before bolting out the door.

“What do we do,” Mala queried.

This was one part of their trip that they had not fully thought through. Fortunately, his mom seemed to have things in hand. “Mala, you had better stay here unless the house catches on fire. You’ve never been into battle like this and-”

“No,” Mala interrupted. “I want to help.”

Hiccup could tell his mom wasn’t thrilled by that, but Mala could be just as stubborn as he was so Valka didn’t have much choice. “Okay, stay with Dagur. Heather, you’re with me,” she instructed. “We’ll do our best to keep the dragons and Vikings from hurting each other. That’s about all we can do. We don’t have our armor, so watch your backs. These attacks are more vicious than anything you have seen before. Hiccup are you going to the forge or with us?”

“Gobber’s expecting me…hopefully, I can find something to do that helps without…well…yeah,” he gestured vaguely, hoping that the others would understand what he meant. 

With a firm nod, his mom led the charge outside with the rest of them quick to follow. Hiccup struck off on his own, heading toward the forge, but was soon distracted as this raid was like nothing he had ever seen. 

His mom wasn’t lying when she said that the attack would be vicious. He had never seen dragons so hostile. Yes, they were being attacked by Vikings, but why come here when the sea had more than enough fish to sate their appetite? He was further puzzled when he realized the storehouses were not the primary target, but rather the livestock. Most dragons didn’t even like red meat, so what was going on? 

He tried to approach a dragon that was in his path, only to be snarled at. The Gronckle’s pupils were slits, almost like… But no, that couldn’t be…could it?

In the heat of the battle, no one was paying attention to him, so he decided to take a chance. “Why are you raiding? There are plenty of rocks on the far side of the island.”

No response. The dragon didn’t even seem to hear him. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He had a half-baked plan forming in his mind and it was risky, but they weren’t planning on staying much longer anyway, so what did he have to lose? Considering the carnage going on around him, things couldn’t get much worse, and he had faith in his brother to keep them both safe. 

His decision made, he pulled his gloves from the pouch on his belt, glad that he had at least kept this part of his armor on him, and quickly slipped them on, scaling the nearest house. Once he reached the roof he let out a Night Fury call and kept his eyes glued on the sky over the forest. When Toothless’ shadow rose from the trees, he lifted his sword and let out a small amount of Zippleback gas, lighting it on fire, so Toothless would know where to find him. 

He raised his other arm to join the first and soon enough he was dangling from the Night Fury’s paws. Once they were out of range of the Viking’s weapons and clear of any dragons in their path, Toothless flipped Hiccup in the air and expertly caught him.

As soon as he was secure in the saddle, he leaned forward and asked, “What’s going on, bud?”

“There’s a voice,” Toothless answered as he circled high above the village and the raiding dragons. “It’s faint, but I can hear it.”

That could pose a problem. “Is it affecting the rest of our pack?”

“No, it’s not as strong down in the cove, but…” Toothless trailed off and Hiccup had a feeling he knew why.

“It’s an Alpha dragon, isn’t it?”

Toothless nodded slowly. “I believe so,” he said. “I think that because we are already loyal to our Alpha, this one is unable to pull us in.”

That seemed to make sense. “I tried talking to a Gronckle,” he shared, “but the Alpha’s control was too strong. It didn’t even hear me.” This was not good. Not good at all. “Why would an Alpha even be doing this? There has to be some reason.”

Toothless rumbled in response, not having an answer either. 

“We’ll do what we can to help,” Hiccup decided. “Try not to hit anyone, dragon or Viking, but we need to warn them away.”

Toothless dove toward the village and did what he did best. Stealthily, he avoided Vikings and their weapons while firing warning shots at the attacking dragons. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you wanted to look at it, the dragons were too far under the Alpha’s control to think about fighting back or maybe they just didn’t want to go head to head with a Night Fury. 

Either were possibilities, but their interference was proving ineffective. It didn’t help that the Vikings seemed to change their tactics, putting all their focus on capturing the elusive Night Fury, making it harder for Hiccup and Toothless to get close enough to scare off the other dragons. With no other options, they fell back, but it seemed like it wouldn’t have made much of a difference anyway as the dragons seemed to be retreating themselves.

“Should we follow them,” Hiccup inquired.

“I don’t know,” Toothless wavered.

That caught Hiccup off guard. “You said you were safe from this Alpha’s call, right?”

“Yes, but I don’t know what we’ll find at the nest or if we’ll be able to escape once we’ve entered,” Toothless explained.“We should try to learn more about this situation first, though I agree with you.”

Hiccup’s brow furrowed. “About what?”

“That we need to free these dragons,” Toothless stated.

“How did you-”

“You really think I’m not aware of what you’re planning in that big brain of yours,” Toothless scoffed. “If you were wearing your armor, you would probably jump off right about now to try and prove how unpredictable you are.”

“Think you know everything,” Hiccup grumbled under his breath, embarrassed that he could be read so easily. Then again, Toothless was basically his brother, so he didn’t mind that much, though he did hate having it rubbed in his face.

Chapter Text

Mala was shocked by the behavior of both the dragons and the Vikings during the raid. The dragons around Caldera Cay had always been peaceful, as had the dragons at the nest, but this was like nothing she had ever seen. She could understand the Berkians wanting to defend their home, but surely there had to be a better way. Maybe using dried eels? Or perhaps the mountains surrounding Berk were simply full of dragonroot. But that didn’t matter now.

She followed Dagur into battle, knowing that he had more experience with this than she did. As they moved through the village he told her that he still remembered the raids on Berserker Island, though they were never quite this bad. She watched his back as he took to smacking dragons on the snout. She winced every time, feeling for the dragons, but nothing else seemed to distract them from their course. What she wouldn’t give for some sagefruit right now. 

Then the plasma blasts started coming and Mala shook her head as she knew that Hiccup was in the middle of something reckless. She heard the cries of Night Fury go up, but it was more than that. She also heard people saying that the dragon had stolen the new heir. Hiccup wasn’t that stupid, was he? To have Toothless come and grab him in the middle of the village? Then again, this was Hiccup. He was going to get himself killed one day, she just knew it.

“Don’t worry,” Dagur whispered, seeming to sense her worry and frustration. “He knows what he’s doing.”

“Are you sure,” she pressed.

“Yes,” Dagur responded before he ran after a Nadder. 

Mala couldn’t help but think that this would be so much easier if they could just use the dragons’ pressure point to knock them out, but if they did that, the Berkians were sure to swoop in for the kill. How they could believe the only good dragon was a dead dragon was beyond her.

She glanced over to see Heather and Valka working together nearby in much the same way she and Dagur were, only Heather was taking a more active part, but they were both so focused on fending off dragons that neither of them saw Astrid creeping forward. While she could have been coming to help with the dragons, Mala had a feeling it was something more sinister. She hated to leave Dagur on his own, but he was in his element and she knew he could take of himself. 

Her decision made, she ran forward and intercepted Astrid, her longsword drawn. “Going somewhere?”

“That’s none of your business,” the blonde fumed, her grip on her axe turning her knuckles white.

“It is if your intentions are what I suspect them to be,” Mala declared. Hoping the girl would come to her senses, she said, “Your village is being attacked and this is how you choose to spend your time? You should be protecting the weak, not setting out in search of your supposed rival.”

“Step down, Mala.” Heather came to stand beside her. “This is between the two of us.”

“But now,” Mala hissed. What was wrong with these girls?

“Of course, because if I was to die in a raid, no one would question it,” Heather reasoned. “But that goes both ways, now doesn’t it?” She glared at the Berkian and Mala could see that Astrid was not quite as confident as she was a minute ago. “I’ve bested you once,” Heather stated. “Care to see how far I’ll go this time?”

Astrid glowered at them for a moment before turning around and running back into the thick of things with a battle cry.

Mala had to admire how well her friend had handled herself, but there was one thing she felt she had to ask. “Would you have? Finished her that is?”

Heather scoffed. “No, but there’s no need for her to know that. She probably only left because you could have testified against her.” Her friend shook her head, then lowered her voice. “Do you mind doing me a favor?”

Mala matched Heather’s tone and replied, “What do you need?”

“Take Vail up and warn Hiccup they think he was taken,” she requested. “You two won’t be spotted, unlike the rest of us, and with all this commotion, I’m sure Vail is close by, keeping an eye out. Hiccup will need to come up with some plan to counteract that story before he comes back.”

Mala nodded, though she couldn’t help but think that Hiccup should have stayed on the ground in the first place. She ran over to Dagur, briefly explaining what was happening so he wouldn’t worry about where she had gone. He covered her on her way to the forest and sure enough, Vail was waiting just inside the treeline.

They were up in the air in seconds and it didn’t take long for the Changewing to find Toothless.

“Mala, what are you doing up here,” Hiccup queried.

“Heather wanted me to warn you,” she disclosed. “The Berkians saw Toothless take you. That is why their focus has been on trying to shoot him down.”

She could tell Hiccup was surprised, but the reason for his reaction was not what she was expecting. “They were trying to save me,” he asked skeptically.

She shrugged. “Well, that and the fact that no one has ever seen a Night Fury. It was about fifty-fifty.”

Hiccup nodded. “That makes more sense.” He thought for a minute then said, “Well, I guess if we’re going to do this, we may as well make it good. Back to the cove, bud.”

As Toothless banked toward the forest, Mala encouraged Vail to follow them. “Where are you going?”

“To get my armor,” Hiccup revealed.

“What?! Why?”

“They’ve already seen me with Toothless, not that they know the truth of it, but trying to explain how I got away would be futile,” he shared. “May as well make the most of this opportunity and put some fear in their hearts.”

Mala couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had everyone gone mad? “Are you seriously thinking of riding back to Berk on Toothless and acting like everything is normal?”

Hiccup waved his hand dismissively. “We’ll be fine.”

“Not if they capture and kill you,” she insisted.

Toothless snorted, clearly offended that she thought he would be captured so easily.

“We won’t be alone,” Hiccup reassured her as they landed in the cove. 

Mala sighed in frustration, knowing exactly where this was going. “Hiccup, now is not the time for your dramatics.”

He lit his fire sword and plunged it into the ground, trying to press his point. “On the contrary, it is the perfect time for them,” he smirked. “The only way I’ll be able to knock sense into their stubborn heads is by showing them just how fearsome we can really be.”

She watched him hasten to get his armor on and murmured, “If that is the case, then we are doomed.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” he snarked as he was fastening his breastplate. “You haven’t been on missions with us. You should hear some of the names they’ve given us.”

“I do not use that kind of language,” she declared primly.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Not those kinds of names. I talking about Dragon Master, Dragon Vigilante, Lightning Rider, those kinds of names.”

Mala could see the pattern, but something was missing. “I am assuming Heather has not acquired her own moniker yet?”

“Not one in particular, but I’ve heard a few names tossed around. It won’t be much longer before one sticks,” Hiccup grinned.

Like Hiccup needed any further encouragement. “Just do not let it go to your head, Dragon Master,” she said sardonically. Seeing that Hiccup was almost finished with his armor, she figured she better make sure he wasn’t going to go and get himself killed as she had predicted. “So, what exactly is the plan?”

Chapter Text

After explaining his plan to Mala, Hiccup sent her and Vail back to the village along with Thorne and Abelia. The three Changewings would remain camouflaged and perch on roofs near the plaza to provide backup in case things did not go well. Lars, Moe, and Curly left behind them, though the Speed Stingers would remain in the forest unless Hiccup or Toothless called for them. 

Allowing enough time for their reinforcements to get into place, Hiccup and Toothless took to the sky and divebombed into the plaza, creating their signature whistle. “Hold your fire,” he called out, seeing that the Berkians were about to start throwing bolas once more. Toothless landed lightly in the plaza, growling menacingly.

Cries of, “The Dragon Master,” were quick to come from the crowd as they looked at him in a mix of awe and fear.

“Good to know you’ve heard of me,” he commented casually.

Of course, not everyone was content to stand there quietly as was proven by Stoick pushing his way through the crowd. “Your dragon took my son,” he roared, coming to a stop in front of his people.

With the way Toothless was snarling, Hiccup couldn’t blame him for keeping his distance. “I’m well aware of that.”

“And what are you planning on doing to him,” Stoick demanded, clearly frustrated with the lack of information he had received. 

“I don’t know.” Hiccup laid his hand on Toothless’ head and said, “What do you think, bud? Should we tell these fine people what’s really going on?”

“You’re so dramatic,” Toothless grumbled. “Just get it over with.”

Hiccup chuckled, setting the Berkians on edge. He was honestly surprised no one had recognized his voice. True, he hadn’t been here for long, but still. “How about this? I’ll tell you where he is if you promise not to hurt me or my friends,” he requested, gesturing to Toothless and the rooftops where the three Changewings briefly revealed themselves before cloaking once more and changing their positions.

Stoick begrudgingly agreed though Hiccup could tell that the Chief was not pleased to be forced into this position. 

He reached up and removed his helmet to the gasps of the crowd. His ‘father’ especially was looking quite shocked. “Toothless did technically take me, but only because I asked him to,” he shared before continuing. “The dragons who raid you are being forced. Something is going on here and I want to get to the bottom of it. I’m assuming from your reactions, you’ve heard about my exploits in assisting the dragons. They need help as much as you do. If all goes well, the raids will be ended permanently, but you have to understand that the dragons are not the enemy, it’s the one who controls them.”

“So you are the one we should be wary of,” a voice from the crowd yelled, quickly rallying others to their side.

Stupid, idiotic Vikings. “I don’t control the dragons,” Hiccup shouted right before Toothless threw him out of the saddle. He stood and dusted himself off, frowning at the Night Fury. “Thanks, bud. Really appreciate the support,” he said drily, only for Toothless to laugh in response. Well, at least his point had been proven. Turning back to the now quiet crowd, he explained, “The dragons listen because we are friends and we trust each other. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“And how are we supposed to believe a word you say,” Stoick inquired, his gaze distrustful.

At that moment Hiccup’s mom came through the crowd to stand at his side. “Because it’s the same thing I was trying to convince you of all those years ago,” she stated, swinging her staff around in the pattern Hiccup recognized was to summon Cloudjumper. The Stormcutter must have been nearby as it was a matter of seconds before he landed in the plaza. His mom reached up to scratch the dragon’s jaw and announced, “This is Cloudjumper. He is the same dragon who prevented Spitelout from killing me when I was fleeing. He followed me and made sure I was safe, even helping me to find a place to live. They are kind, amazing creatures, who protect those they claim as their own.”

Hiccup could see Stoick’s demeanor change, though he wasn’t thrilled with the turn it took. “So you can convince those beasts to help us rather than fight us?”

Hiccup snorted. “I don’t know that I’d trust you that much,” he paused before adding, “I doubt the dragons would either. They are exceptionally good judges of character.” Feeling that there was nothing more to say, he reminded the Berkians of their pledge not to injure any of his friends, human or dragon. “I can promise that if you do, you will not be pleased with the consequences,” he threatened. Beckoning his mom closer, he told her, “I’ll be back later. I have a few questions about the raid that need to be answered.”

She nodded and he mounted Toothless, the Night Fury instantly springing into the air, the other dragons of their pack that were nearby following his lead. Hiccup sent most of them back to the cove, but asked Thorne to come with him and Toothless to the arena. He was hopeful that the dragons imprisoned there had been captured during raids and would therefore be familiar with the local nest and its Alpha.

It was still dark and with the cleanup from the raid in progress, Hiccup didn’t expect anyone to come out this way, but, just in case, he had Thorne stand guard on the bridge connecting the arena to Berk. 

The mechanisms used to open the arena entrance were easy to figure out and as they were not locked, Hiccup had no trouble getting inside. He closed the gate behind him, wanting to speak with the dragons before they bolted to the exit. He could hear them speaking softly to each other, seeming to wonder what someone was doing here so late at night.

Standing in the center of the arena with Toothless by his side, he spoke loudly. “We mean you no harm. We have come to help you, but I would appreciate it if you could tell us more about the local nest in return. I will let you out of your pens if you promise not to attack me.”

After a brief discussion, the dragons agreed to his terms and he began to release them. To say that they were shocked to find a human in their enclosure was an understatement, but once they realized that Hiccup was the one speaking with them, they calmed down rather quickly. 

Altogether, there were four dragons: a Nadder, a Zippleback, a Gronckle, and a Terrible Terror who was already wrapping himself around his shoulders. He scratched the little dragon’s chin and sat in the middle of the arena, leaning back against Toothless. “What can you tell me about the nest?”

“You do not want to go there,” the Gronckle trembled.

“It is a bad place,” the right Zippleback head said. It’s left head echoing the sentiment by saying, “Very bad.”

“I had assumed so,” Hiccup noted. “What of the Alpha?”

“She is awful,” the Nadder responded fearfully.

“She enslaves you,” he asked, needing to be sure he understood the situation fully.

The Nadder squawked in surprise. “Yes. How did you know?”

“I have seen it once or twice,” Hiccup acknowledged, “but never like this. The Alpha from our nest will sometimes use his power, but it is done rarely and only to break up fights.”

“He does not make you bring him food or be eaten?” The Nadder tilted her head curiously.

Hiccup was beginning to feel even worse for these dragons and what they had been through. “Why would he need to do that? He is more than capable of feeding himself and providing for his flock as well.”

“That sounds lovely,” she trilled wistfully, the other dragons content to let her take the lead. “Our Queen is nothing like that.”

“I am so sorry you have been forced to suffer under her reign,” he empathized. “As I said before, we want to help. Not just you, but all the dragons of the nest. In order to do that though, we need to know what we are up against. Will you help us?”

“I do not want to go back there,” the Gronckle shrieked, with the Zippleback being in a similar state of panic.

“And you don’t have to,” Toothless jumped in to reassure them. “All we require is information.”

“I will help you,” the Nadder hastened to offer. “Perhaps it is best if you let them go, though. They have been through a lot.”

Hiccup nodded in understanding. As he walked toward the entrance, he explained, “We are from a large ice nest to the Northeast. If you are looking for a safe place, you would be welcome there.” As soon as the gate was open, the two dragons took off. Whether they heard him or not, he couldn’t say, but wherever they ended up, he wished them well. He glanced at the green Terror who was still sitting on his shoulder and said, “What about you, little guy? Did you want to leave, too?”

“I like you,” he replied, rubbing his head against Hiccup’s jaw. “Can I stay?”

“Of course. We’re always happy to have our family grow.” Hiccup looked up to see the Nadder staring at him in wonder.“That goes for you as well, if you want.”

Her gaze held his for a moment before she bobbed her head. “I would like that.”

Chapter Text

Hiccup stayed in the cove until late morning, discovering all he could about the nest’s Queen from Azia. Now that the sun had come up and he could see her better, he had to admit that she was one of the prettiest Nadders he had ever encountered with her striking green and magenta coloring. His compliments went a long way and they found out everything they could possibly need to know about the nest. Now they just had to come up with a plan.

When Hiccup left the cove, Azia was getting to know the other dragons in their pack, content to stay with them and help when the time came. Of course, not all the dragons were willing to stay behind.

“They already know about me, so there’s no reason for me to stay hidden,” Toothless reasoned, plodding along next to Hiccup as they walked toward the village.

“I still think it would be safer if-”

“You made them promise not to hurt any of us,” Toothless reminded him. “Do you expect them to break it?”

Hiccup screwed up his face and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what they’ll do.”

“All the better reason for me to stick by your side,” he justified. Nodding to the Terror who was still riding on Hiccup’s shoulder, he said, “After all, that little pipsqueak won’t be able to do much.”

“I can do plenty,” Sharpshot proclaimed, sticking his chest out.

Toothless just rolled his eyes. “Sure,” he drawled, clearly unimpressed.

“Mom’s going to kill us,” Hiccup murmured, finally accepting defeat. He would be walking into Berk with two dragons at his side, fervently hoping that no one decided to attack them. Not that they couldn’t defend themselves, but he would prefer not to have to deal with that right now.

“No, she won’t,” Toothless assured him. “I’ll just explain that-”

“Viking coming your way,” Abelia announced from somewhere above them. She must have been trailing them and Hiccup was incredibly grateful for the early warning as no Berkian needed to know that he could understand dragons, much less speak to them. 

It wasn’t long before a rather large, blonde Viking came into view. Hiccup would not make the first move, as he was unsure of the young man’s intentions, but he did rest his hand on the pommel of his sword, just in case.

The Berkian paused, and fiddled with his fingers, his eyes darting between Toothless and Sharpshot before landing on their human companion. “Uh, hi,” he stammered. “It’s Hiccup, right?”

“Yes,” he responded warily.

“I-I haven’t had a chance to meet you yet.” The Viking glanced once more at Toothless and gulped before introducing himself. “My name is Fishlegs.”

“I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but considering my mixed reception in the village so far, I think I’ll reserve judgment,” Hiccup replied.

Fishlegs let out the breath he had been holding and smiled nervously. “I don’t blame you. Berkians can be rather thickheaded.”

“Can’t deny that,” Hiccup remarked. “So, what are you doing out here?”

“I was actually hoping to speak with you,” he revealed.

Hiccup’s eyes narrowed. “About what?”

“Dragons,” Fishlegs blurted out. He blushed, then hastily added, “You seem to know a lot about them and I would love to pick your brain.”

“Why? So you can devise other methods to kill them,” Hiccup accused, curious as to how this Berkian would react.

“No, that’s not it at all,” Fishlegs shook his head rapidly. “Don’t get me wrong. I will defend my home and my family, but I don’t see the need for senseless violence. I mean, look at your dragons,” he gestured to Toothless and Sharpshot who were calmly observing their conversation. “It’s clear that there is another way.”

“He smells sincere,” Toothless observed, easing some of Hiccup’s worries. 

Deciding to take a chance, he asked Fishlegs what he wanted to know. The husky young man lit up and launched into a litany of questions. The walk back to Berk wasn’t too long, but Hiccup did the best he could to answer as many as possible without giving away any information that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Fishlegs paused frequently so he could take notes and Hiccup found himself coming to like the other young man. If they had known each other growing up, he could have seen the two of them being good friends, but their paths in life were quite different and the odds of them seeing each other again after Hiccup left Berk were rather low.

Still, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the young man’s knowledge and reasonableness. He was quick to understand new concepts and adapt his thinking, two qualities that were important for a leader. In fact, Hiccup thought that Fishlegs might just be the answer they were looking for, but first, he needed to get more information. 

Leaving Fishlegs on the outskirts of the village, Hiccup made his way to the forge with his dragon escort. Fortunately, the village was fairly empty, most everyone being at the Great Hall for lunch, so the Night Fury walking through the middle of town went largely unnoticed. As they approached the forge, he could see that Gobber was slaving away, working on a mountainous pile of weapons. 

“Hey, Gobber,” he greeted the blacksmith as he walked in.

Gobber whirled around, shaking his hammer prosthetic in Hiccup’s face. “Ye remember how I told ye to be careful?”

“Yeah…”

“Then what were ye doing swooping down into the middle of the village like that,” Gobber scolded, cuffing him on the back of the head.

“Had to make an entrance,” Hiccup rationalized, rubbing the spot where Gobber had hit him. All in all, it wasn’t too bad. He probably deserved it and he knew his mom would have a lengthy lecture prepared by the time he saw her next. Another reason for him to stay occupied as long as possible.

Toothless was also intent on keeping busy, investigating the forge that was so different from the one they had back home. Gobber froze at the sight of the Night Fury’s prowling around his workspace, and said, “I’m sure ye trust the beastie, but I cannot say I feel the same.”

“You heard the man, Toothless. You’ll have to wait outside.” Toothless grumbled, but willing left, perching on the roof by the sound of it. “Go on, Sharpshot. You too.” With both the dragons gone, Hiccup turned back to Gobber. “Sorry, he’s used to keeping me company when I’m working in my forge back home.”

“Getting back on topic, was that whole display really necessary?!”

Clearly, this wasn’t a subject that could be dropped easily. “Things did get a little out of hand, but there was something about the raid that was not right. I needed Toothless’ help and then everyone thought I was taken…” He trailed off and shrugged. “By that time, it was too late to keep quiet and I figured we might as well show them that we mean business.”

Gobber looked at him incredulously. “Ye want to begin yer rule with fear?”

Hiccup shook his head. “I won’t be sticking around that long. We’re just going to tie up a few loose ends before heading home.”

The mood in the forge quickly turned somber. “I know I’ve just barely gotten to know ye, but I’m gonna miss ye, lad.”

“I’ll miss you too, Gobber,” he replied, smiling softly, “but I think we might be able to figure out a way to stay in touch.”

“I’d like that,” the blacksmith nodded solemnly before breaking out into a grin. “Especially if that means ye’ll tell me how ye made that sword of yers. With all that happened, I never had a chance to ask, but may I?”

Hiccup set his sword in the blacksmith’s outstretched hand. “Sorry, Gobber, but the metal is a trade secret.”

“Pity,” he remarked as he examined the weapon. “It’s a beautiful piece of work,” he observed. “So light, too.”

“Glad you like it,” Hiccup responded as he returned his sword to his scabbard. 

With matters mostly settled, Gobber resumed his work as Hiccup got his station set up, preparing to make more nails. After he had been working for a while, Hiccup casually commented, “You know, I happened to meet Fishlegs on my way here. What’s he like in your opinion?”

“Good lad. Very smart,” Gobber noted between swings of his hammer. “Always wanting to know how things work.”

“What about leadership qualities?”

The Blacksmith was quick to catch on. “Oh ho, is that yer plan?”

“Perhaps,” Hiccup grinned, “if you think he’d be a suitable candidate.”

Gobber scratched his chin. “Wasn’t something I’d given thought to before, but I think ye could be on the right track.” He swung his hammer once more before saying, “By the way, ye wouldn’t by any chance happen to know where the dragons from the arena went, would ye?”

Hiccup looked up with a twinkle in his eye. “Why would I know anything about that?” He knew he wasn’t fooling the blacksmith, but there was no need to outright admit what he had done.

Gobber simply rolled his eyes. “Why, indeed?”

Chapter Text

It was several hours later when Hiccup and Gobber called it quits for the day. As soon as Hiccup stepped out of the forge, Toothless was by his side and Sharpshot resumed his perch on his shoulder.

He scratched the Night Fury’s head and whispered, “Bud, if Gobber is not comfortable with you in the forge, he’s definitely not going to let you in his house. You need to go back to the cove.”

“I’m not leaving you here, not with things so unsettled,” Toothless insisted, his ear nubs twitching. “You didn’t see all the looks cast our way this afternoon.”

Hiccup sighed. He couldn’t prolong this conversation as they were already attracting more attention than he had hoped for. “I’ll make you a deal,” he offered, continuing to keep his voice low. “I’ll meet you in the cove and spend the night there. We’ll need to settle on a plan for attacking the nest anyway and it would be best if we were together for that, so you’ll need to give me enough time to collect our family before heading into the forest. Whether they want to spend the night there as well or decide to come back here, that’s up to them.”

Toothless narrowed his eyes but eventually capitulated. “Fine, but don’t take long,” he grumbled. Glancing at the Terror, he added, “Sharpshot, keep your eyes open. If anything happens to Hiccup, I will hold you responsible.”

The small dragon gulped and bobbed his head.

Hiccup rolled his eyes at his brother’s dramatics. “Not necessary, bud, but it’s nice to know you care.” He gave the Night Fury one more scratch before Toothless launched himself into the air, flying out to sea before banking to fly around the island, leaving any who were watching in doubt of exactly where exactly he was going. 

Hiccup turned around to find Gobber waiting for him and together, they began to walk back to the blacksmith’s house. They were absorbed in a conversation about smithing techniques when, suddenly, Sharpshot growled in his ear.

“Danger.”

Hiccup could hear rapidly approaching footsteps behind him and deftly removed Inferno from its holster, spinning around and releasing the flaming blade just in time to block Astrid’s axe. His weapon and its unique qualities were enough to halt her temporarily, so he raised one eyebrow and calmly said, “Hello, Astrid. Is there something I can help you with?”

Seeming to come back to her senses, she glared at him. “You’re a traitor to Berk, and you’ve seen how we deal with traitors.” 

She resumed her assault, but her anger made her sloppy. At least that was Hiccup’s opinion, but then again, maybe this was just how Berkians fought. As he continued to effortlessly parry her blows, he remarked, “You do realize there’s a major flaw in your reasoning. If I was a traitor, that would imply I was loyal to Berk in the first place.” That seemed to make the blonde warrior even angrier. He would have ended the fight right then, but he needed her to hear this. And if he had her pinned down, her attention would be on escaping, not on listening to what he said. “I don’t wish harm on anyone here, but though I am Berkian by birth, that does not mean that I will put these people above my friends or family. That is where my loyalty lies.”

“Your loyalty lies with the enemy,” she spat. “There is no other way to interpret that.”

Deciding that he had enough of this, Hiccup switched to the offensive, forcing Astrid back toward the edges of the gathering crowd. “And Berk has a treaty with the Berserkers, but you don’t see me lashing out despite how many times they have wronged my family,” he stated. “And there is one thing you seem to be forgetting.”

“What,” she growled as she struggled to gain the upper hand.

He smirked. “Stoick already gave me immunity, promising that my friends and myself would not be attacked. So this little act of yours violates the Chief’s pledge.”

“You violated our trust,” she screamed lashing out with her axe.

“I was never looking for it in the first place,” he retorted. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other, more important things to take care of.” With that, he used the hollow blade of Inferno to hook her axe and pull it out of her grasp. As she stumbled forward, he grabbed her arm and twisted her around so that she was pinned to his chest, with Inferno hovering just in front of her. Having spotted Stoick in the crowd as the fight began, he called out, “I believe the jail just got a tad more crowded, am I right, Stoick?”

He could tell that the Berkian Chief was not pleased by the turn of events, but Hiccup was not about to let him renege on his promise. As it was, Stoick hadn’t even stepped in, which was rather disappointing as it proved he could not be counted on to keep his word.

As he waited for Stoick’s response, Hiccup felt Astrid trying to shift in his grasp. He tightened his grip, just as Sharpshot darted by with a dagger in his mouth. Astrid’s frustrated yell told him just where the Terror had managed to get it from and he was more than glad that the little dragon had decided to stick by his side.

“Well, Stoick,” he drawled, “do you need further proof or should I prepare to declare war?”

Stoick glowered at him before asking Gobber to take Astrid away. 

At least with Gobber taking charge of the wayward blonde, Hiccup knew that she would end up where she belonged. But there was still one more thing that he needed to arrange. Twirling Inferno in a way that he hoped would appear intimidating, he said, “By the way, Stoick, I would like to schedule a meeting with you and the council. We have matters that need to be discussed. Would tomorrow morning be acceptable?”

The Berkian Chief begrudgingly agreed, and with that settled, Hiccup retracted Inferno and turned on his heel, intent on retrieving his family and retreating to the forest. Fortunately, they were all at Gobber’s hut and it didn’t take much to convince them to head to the cove for the evening. 

As they made their way there, they caught him up on all that had happened since the raid began. Hiccup had thought he had a complete picture of what went on as he had been watching the village from the sky, but hearing about Astrid’s attempted attack on Heather completely blindsided him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“There was not much time,” Mala justified, feeling that Hiccup rounding on her was rather unreasonable, “and I was busy ensuring you were not about to do something stupid!”

Hiccup took a deep breath. “I guess, that makes sense.” Pulling Heather close, he asked, “You sure you’re alright?”

“We didn’t even trade blows,” she reassured him, kissing his cheek.

“Wish I could say the same,” he responded, rolling his eyes.

“What do you mean,” his mom inquired suspiciously.

He explained what had happened as he was coming to get them and reactions were varied. Heather and Mala seemed relieved, while his mom just shook her head, disappointed that another person was blinded by power. 

“Look on the bright side,” Dagur declared. “At least we don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

“Too true,” Hiccup agreed as they made their way into the cove.

“So what did you find out about the nest,” his mom queried once they were all settled around a fire.

“Plenty,” Hiccup shared, launching into a lengthy description of the nest and its Queen. They threw around ideas and eventually finalized their plans for the next couple of days before everyone decided to bed down in the cove for the night. Hiccup tucked himself under Toothless’ wings and as Heather curled up in his arms, all Hiccup could think was that he was glad his family was safe. He hoped it would stay that way, especially with the challenges they were about to face. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup made his way to the Great Hall the next morning, stopping by Fishlegs’ house on the way after a slight detour to get directions from Gobber. Though Fishlegs was shocked by his proposal, he was willing to go along with it and joined him for his meeting with the council. 

Hiccup could tell that Stoick was not pleased with the way he was taking charge, but he just wanted this all done and over with so he could leave. Once everyone had settled into their seats, he informed them why he had requested this meeting. “I have a plan to end the raids-”

“Then tell us, son.”

He bristled as Stoick interrupted and once again refused to say his name. “The plan is none of your concern,” he stated coldly. “The reason I needed to meet with you is that as a condition of me ending the raids, I request that Fishlegs be made heir in my place with a second in command of his choosing.”

“But, son, it’s your birthright,” Stoick protested.

“And I couldn’t care less,” he avowed, done with trying to keep up any pretenses. “This isn’t my home and it never will be. You’d be better off with someone who actually cares about Berk and its people, thus my request that Fishlegs be made heir. I don’t exactly care about Berk, but it wouldn’t be responsible for me to leave you without someone who has at least a modicum of sense, unlike your previous heir.” Turning to Fishlegs, Hiccup prompted him. “You said you had someone in mind for your second in command?”

“What about Astrid,” Stoick put forth before Fishlegs had a chance to say anything.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hiccup muttered under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Fortunately, Fishlegs didn’t seem to be thrown off too much and calmly responded, “With all due respect, sir, after yesterday’s…incident, I would rather choose someone else.”

“But she’s the finest warrior of your generation,” Stoick justified. “Her actions yesterday may have been a little misguided, but she only had the tribe’s best interests in mind.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Hiccup murmured, though apparently he wasn’t as quiet as he thought considering the scowl on Stoick’s face.

“Be that as it may,” Fishlegs continued, “she’s power hungry and won’t settle for being second in command. Maybe she hid it better from you, sir, but I was never in doubt that she only tolerated Snotlout because of his position. She would have eventually married him and taken over the tribe, Snotlout being Chief in name only to the satisfaction of them both, and even that may not have lasted long if he harassed her too much.”

“And I’m sure she was planning on using my ignorance of Berk in much the same way,” Hiccup added, “not that it would have worked, but that’s neither here nor there,” he waved his hand dismissively. “Look, she’s already attempted to attack my wife twice, not to mention what happened yesterday. You’ve seen what can happen when the second in command decides they want more power and Astrid has now provided you with a preview of what she is capable of as well. I would hope you are wise enough to see reason so that history does not repeat itself.” Hiccup could tell that Stoick was barely holding onto his temper, but he had one last thing to say on this subject. “And a word of advice. You might want to watch that one. She’s been thwarted several times in the last few days and is not handling it well. There’s no telling what she might try next.”

Stoick clenched his teeth and gruffly inquired, “If not Astrid, then who would you care to recommend?”

“Tuffnut,” Fishlegs nodded decisively.

“WHAT?! That kid’s crazy,” Stoick exploded.

“Not as crazy as you’d think,” Hiccup heard a voice from the rafters state.

Beside him, Fishlegs groaned and muttered, “I should’ve known this would happen.” At Hiccup’s questioning glance, he whispered, “Ruff and Tuff like to sneak in and spy on the council meetings.”

As Fishlegs was explaining, Stoick was yelling for the two troublemakers to come down and explain themselves. The siblings looked somewhat familiar to Hiccup. He thought he’d seen them around the village once or twice and he remembered that Gobber said Fishlegs was dating the female of the trouble-making duo. 

“What do you two think you’re doing,” Stoick thundered as the twins made their way over.

“I think we were listening to you make a fool of yourself,” Ruffnut commented, casually plopping into an empty chair.

“My sister speaks the truth,” Tuffnut concurred. “Only a simpleton would ignore the warning signs like you have.”

“How dare you,” Stoick roared.

“Because with Fishlegs as heir our tribe actually stands a chance,” Tuffnut remarked, before hastily turning to Hiccup. “No offense to you, I’m sure you would be great, but I was talking about our previous heir.”

Hiccup couldn’t help but chuckle. “No offense taken. I must admit, though, I’m curious. What’s your opinion on this whole situation?”

“Fishlegs is obviously the best answer,” Tuffnut declared. “He is smart and well respected, always ready to lend a helping hand. Something which the Chief often says is essential but Snotlout never did, preferring to order others about. Kind of a double standard, don’t you think?” Tuffnut raised one eyebrow quizzically before continuing. “Astrid is also not a good choice as she is blinded by her desires, as was seen yesterday when she attacked the Dragon Master despite the Chief’s promise, which brings us to another interesting topic.”

“Too true, brother,” Ruffnut shot up from her seat and picked up where Tuffnut had left off. “Did you notice how the Chief did nothing to try and keep the fragile peace between our tribe and the Dragon Master? If Hiccup here was not such an upstanding fellow, Berk would already be destroyed. Of course, that’s not even touching upon the fact that your wife, your first wife, I should clarify, had to flee Berk because apparently you did not care enough to protect her.”

Hiccup almost felt bad for Stoick, but everything the twins were saying was the truth.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” Stoick attempted to defend himself.

“Which makes you wonder why? Gobber and Gothi knew,” Ruffnut pointed out. “So, why couldn’t she trust you?”

“Perhaps because she knew you couldn’t be bothered,” Tuffnut supplied.

Hiccup burst into laughter, much to everyone’s confusion.

“What do you find so amusing,” Stoick sneered.

“I don’t even know these two,” Hiccup admitted as he tried to catch his breath. “Haven’t even spoken to them until now, and yet they have summed up everything so accurately with the information they’ve gleaned.” He bowed toward the twins and said, “You have my compliments.”

“It’s a pleasure to serve you, O great Dragon Master,” Tuffnut bowed in return, while Ruffnut boldly winked and blew him a kiss. 

He just shook his head. It was clear that their antics were all in jest and he found himself wishing he had met them before now. His stay would have been much more enjoyable. 

Stoick, however, did not seem able to see the forest for the trees. “But these two are the village pranksters. Idiots, both of them.”

“It would seem that way, wouldn’t it,” Tuffnut observed, “but we only acted that way because no one would take us seriously.”

“So, we gave Berk what they wanted,” Ruffnut shrugged. “You expected us to be crazy, so we leaned into that. Doesn’t mean we were any less smart. Just ask Fishy. He doesn’t just love me because of my looks, ya know.”

Fishlegs blushed as Tuffnut jerked his thumb toward their Chief and noted, “You would think that he would learn not to assume, especially after everything that’s happened these last few days.”

Hiccup could see the potential for multiple arguments to break out after that statement, so he jumped in and with a loud voice summarized what he had brought them together to discuss. “Okay, so Fishlegs as heir with Tuffnut as his second in command. Any objections?”

Everyone stared at him for a moment before Gothi began scribbling in the sand at her side, with Gobber hobbling over to translate for her. “She says to hurry up and write out a contract before anyone has too much time to think about it and change their socks. Ouch!” He rubbed his head where Gothi had hit him and took a better look at what she had written before saying, “Sorry, change their minds. Oh, and she says she supports ye, as do I.”

Hiccup bit back a smile, glad that Gobber and Gothi were both on the council as it made things so much easier. “Thank you, Gothi. An excellent suggestion. I believe we will do just that.”

Chapter Text

A couple of hours past midnight found Hiccup and his family in the cove, checking their saddles one last time and making any final adjustments they deemed necessary. 

“Azia, are you sure you want to come with us,” Hiccup inquired. “You’ve provided us with more information than I could have hoped for and that is more than enough. I don’t want to risk you getting pulled back under the Queen’s control.”

“I will be fine,” she reassured him, nuzzling his side. “By this time of night, any raids have returned and the Queen always falls asleep shortly afterward. She won’t be trying to lure new dragons in for hours and when she does wake, she’ll be too confused to do anything other than try to defend herself.”

“If you’re absolutely sure,” Hiccup pressed.

Azia bobbed her head. “I want to end this more than you do. I am coming.”

“Okay.” Hiccup reached out to scratch her jaw before turning to address the other dragons and his family. “Everyone knows what they’re doing, right?” They had just gone over the plan one last time, but he wanted to be sure as this was the largest enemy they had ever faced. After everyone confirmed their roles, they all mounted and set off for the nest with Azia leading the way.

As they entered the fog bank, all were quiet, their thought focused on the battle ahead as they slalomed through the sea stacks surrounding their final destination. Coming out the other side, Hiccup looked around, and while he knew that the nest would look different during the day, he didn’t think it would make much of a difference. Even without the Queen’s oppressive rule, it appeared such a sad and dismal place to live, causing his heart to ache even more for what the dragons have had to endure. 

But not for much longer, he thought as everyone moved into their positions. Azia’s descriptions had been incredibly detailed and he couldn’t help but be grateful as it made this possible without what could have been a disastrous scouting mission.

Hiccup watched from just inside the fog banks as Azia directed Thorne and Abelia down the mouth of the volcano. Soon, the panicked cries of dragons were heard as the two Changewings began their assault. The plan was for them to attack without injuring by shooting acid near the other dragons, enough so that the Queen would wake up, ready to defend her nest, only you can’t defend against what you can’t see.

Azia was watching over the edge of the volcano mouth and as soon as she saw the Red Death emerge from the magma, she shot straight up, the signal that it was time for Toothless to step in.

“WHAT A COWARDLY, OVERGROWN EEL,” Toothless roared, “TO SIT ON YOUR THRONE AND MAKE YOUR SUBJECTS DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU. NO REAL ALPHA WOULD RULE THROUGH FEAR!”

The mountain rumbled as the Queen bellowed, “I RULE HOW I SEE FIT.”

Toothless snorted before responding, “I KNOW WHAT A TRUE ALPHA LOOKS LIKE AND IT IS NOT YOU, YOU DETESTABLE PILE OF DRAGON DUNG.”

“HOW DARE YOU,” she screeched.

“YOU WANT TO SILENCE ME,” the Night Fury taunted, hovering just above the mouth of the volcano. “THEN COME FIGHT ME YOURSELF,” he challenged, shooting a plasma blast into the depths of the mountain before getting out of range. “You think that did it,” Toothless asked smugly as they circled the island, watching the volcano crumble as dragons fled in every direction.

“Oh, yeah,” Hiccup responded. “There was no way she wouldn’t respond to that, though you didn’t have to go quite that far.”

“Everything I said was true,” Toothless retorted.

Hiccup leaned over to give the Night Fury a scratch. “You got me there, bud. You ready for this?”

“Bring it on,” Toothless roared, diving down and firing a blast at the Queen’s side, further enraging her. Ruby and Garnet, along with Tovar and Azia, began firing as well, keeping the Queen distracted for the next part of their plan.

Hiccup watched as Heather and Mala moved into position and took advantage of the Queen’s blind spot, encouraging their dragons to approach from the rear. As they flew past the Queen’s head, Windshear lashed out at three of her eyes with her tail, while Vail shot acid in the other three.

To say the Queen was mad would be an understatement. With her sight gone, she began firing blindly, causing their pack to scatter and regroup. Unfortunately, she managed to hit Ruby and Garnet, Cloudjumper needing to swoop in to catch them before they hit the ground. Needing to redirect her focus, Dagur and Bolt sent a few lightning blasts toward her head, disorienting her, while Windshear began slicing her wings.

The Queen was beginning to weaken, but it was not enough for them to fire their final shot. Hiccup had one more trick up his sleeve, though he wasn’t sure if it would make enough of an impact. There was only one way to find out. “Come on, bud,” he said. “You know what we need to do.”

Toothless flipped around and began to pick up his speed as he flew around the island, creating his signature whistle. Their plan seemed to be working as the Queen’s head was tracking their course by sound just as they had hoped. Hiccup had his shield ready and as soon as the Queen opened her mouth, he shot the special bola he had made the day before into her gaping maw. 

Generally speaking, throwing a bola at a dragon of this size would be rather pointless, but this bola was not meant to be used as intended. Its only purpose was to serve as a means of getting Hiccup’s acid bombs into the Queen’s mouth, and it performed brilliantly.

The Queen howled in agony as the acid bombs exploded and gas began to billow from her mouth. Hiccup wasn’t quite sure what had happened, but he had no time to think about it as Cloudjumper bellowed for everyone to get clear.

Half of their pack was already on the move and the others were quick to join them. As it was, most of them had to make some hasty adjustments as the Queen exploded and they were tossed through the air. Once everyone had managed to steady themselves, Hiccup directed them to land on the far side of the island, wanting to make sure everyone was okay. 

It seemed that Ruby and Garnet were the only ones who had been hit, but thankfully it hadn’t done any damage, knocking the breath out of them more than anything else. 

“We’re fine now, Hiccup,” Garnet reassured him, with Ruby adding, “We can leave.”

“Well, I guess there’s no sense in us sticking around,” he commented, encouraging everyone to get back in the air and leave this sorry place behind.

Once they had made it outside of the fog banks, Dagur spoke up. “What happened back there? I didn’t think your bola-thingy was supposed to work like that.”

“I honestly don’t know,” Hiccup admitted before turning to his mom’s dragon. “Cloudjumper, you knew enough to get us all away. Do you have an idea of what happened?”

“The acid bombs must have managed to hit her gas chambers,” the Stormcutter supplied. “When a dragon panics, their first instinct is to fire, but the Queen no longer had control of her gas. It was flowing, not just out of her mouth, but also inside of her. An explosion was inevitable.”

“Hmm, well, that was easier than I thought it would be,” Hiccup commented. At least now, there was nothing major keeping them from heading back home, just a few small loose ends that needed to be tied up.

Chapter Text

As they were flying back over Berk, Heather commented on the amount of torches bobbing through the village. “What do you think is going on down there?”

“I don’t know, but I better check it out,” Hiccup responded. “You guys head back to the cove and get some rest. I’ll be there soon.”

“Be careful,” his mom requested as they split off.

He waved in acknowledgment as Toothless angled to fly over the village. Hiccup scanned the faces of those who seemed to be searching for something, looking for someone familiar who could supply him with more information. They eventually landed and Hiccup dismounted, calling out, “Hey Gobber, what is all this?”

The blacksmith turned to face him and said, “The night patrol checked the jail and found the cells empty.”

Hiccup froze momentarily before blurting out, “Astrid and Snotlout escaped?!”

“Aye, that they did,” Gobber confirmed. “Stoick has a skeleton crew looking fer ‘em, didn’t want to disturb the whole village as it’s so early. It seems they’ve packed up their belongings, but other than that, there’s been no further sign of ‘em. Not yet anyways.”

Hiccup shook his head. “I don’t like this, not one bit.” He was about to ask for a more detailed explanation when a shout was heard from the direction of the docks. Assuming that something had been found, he mounted Toothless and asked Gobber if he wanted a lift. 

“Nah,” Gobber waved his hook prosthetic. “I’ll just wait here. Word will reach me soon enough.”

Hiccup nodded in acknowledgment and urged Toothless back into the air and toward the docks. The area was relatively empty, but he was relieved to spot someone who would be willing to help them. Toothless landed on a deserted section of the pier and together they walked over to the male Thorston twin. “Tuffnut, I heard about the jailbreak. Has something more been discovered?”

“Yeah, one of the ships is missing,” he divulged casually, “but I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

Hiccup’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The boat they stole was in for repairs,” Tuffnut shared. “The hull had taken quite a beating in the last storm and was deemed unseaworthy. It would have held long enough for them to get away, but to make it to another island? It’s doubtful. The hull probably broke once they made it out to the major currents and by that point, it would be too far for them to swim back.”

Before Hiccup could say anything, Fishlegs hurried over and interrupted their conversation. “You heard?”

“Yes, I did,” Hiccup informed him. “It’s certain they were both on the boat?”

“As far as we can tell, yes,” Fishlegs confided. “All of the sailors knew that boat was not to be used and it’s not resting at the bottom of the harbor either, so far as we can tell. The only possible explanation left is…”

They stood in silence for a moment, drawing the same conclusion. Even though Snotlout and Astrid had given Hiccup nothing but trouble, he hadn’t wanted them dead. Outcast possibly, but that would have been for the tribe’s safety, though that didn’t discount the fact that they may have tried to return to Berk and take over in some way. Maybe in the end, this was for the best.

“It’s a shame they had to go that way,” Tuffnut muttered, clearly thinking along the same lines.

Hiccup nodded solemnly and then turned to Fishlegs. “At least you won’t have to worry about them trying to oust you as heir or Chief,” he observed.

“I suppose,” Fishlegs acknowledged, seeming to understand the point Hiccup was making. The large Viking glanced at him, a puzzled look suddenly crossing his face. “What are you doing up at this hour anyway?”

“Just got back from the nest,” he revealed. “The raids should be over now.”

Fishlegs let out a sigh of relief. “Really?! That will be a welcome change.” He paused for a moment before inquiring, “You didn’t happen to notice a ship on your return, did you?”

Hiccup shook his head. “I wasn’t really paying close attention, but no.”

“That’s what I thought,” Fishlegs murmured, “but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

“I understand,” Hiccup remarked, trying to put himself in Fishlegs’ shoes. “You grew up with Astrid and Snotlout and despite all their flaws, I’m sure they had their good qualities, too. I’m sorry I never got to see that side of them.” After a moment of silence, he informed the two young men, “My family and I are planning on leaving tonight, so I will say my farewells now and wish you both well. I’m going to make arrangements with Gothi to keep in touch, so if you ever need to get word to me, you can go through her.”

Fishlegs shook himself from his thoughts and said, “Will do. And I know that most of Berk probably won’t say anything, but thank you, Hiccup, for all that you’ve done.”

Hiccup smiled. At least there were a few good eggs on Berk. “Thank you for becoming heir. I’m sure you’ll do a fine job.”

“Seems like everyone got what they wanted,” Tuffnut commented before eyeing Fishlegs. “Well, almost. Ruff is still waiting for you to propose.”

Hiccup burst out laughing as even in the dim lighting, he could see that Fishlegs had turned redder than a Changewing. “A word of advice,” he offered as he mounted Toothless. “Marriage is amazing when you truly love your partner. Don’t keep her waiting too long.” 

As Fishlegs sputtered, Toothless launched himself from the pier. Hiccup had a smile on his face, but it had been a long night and both boy and dragon were more than ready for some rest.

-o0o-

It was late in the day when Hiccup and his family headed back into the village to collect their belongings from Gobber’s house with Toothless joining them. It didn’t take long and they were soon heading back toward the forest with the blacksmith in tow as he wanted to give them a proper send off. They didn’t make it far, though, before their path was blocked by Stoick.

“Are you leaving,” he asked.

“We are,” Hiccup declared, waving for the others to go ahead, though Dagur and Toothless stayed at his side. “In fact, I was just about to go looking for you to let you know that everything proceeded as planned and the dragon Queen is dead. The raids are now a thing of the past and per our agreement there is nothing more holding me here. I’m sure that Fishlegs will serve the people of Berk well-”

“Better than you ever did,” Toothless chimed in, glaring at Stoick even though the Chief could not understand him.

“-and I will remind you once more about your promise to refrain from capturing or killing dragons,” Hiccup finished, ignoring the fact that Dagur was nodding in agreement with Toothless.

“I still think that leaves us at a disadvantage,” Stoick grumbled.

Hiccup clenched his fists and tried to reign in his frustration as he responded. “And, as I already explained, if you do not bother the dragons, they will not bother you. I’ve left Fishlegs with a few tips in case the dragons cause any problems, but I doubt they will be needed.”

He was about to walk away when Stoick said, “Are you sure you won’t change your mind, son? Berk is your birthright.”

Hiccup whirled around, his eyes blazing. That was the final straw! “STOP CALLING ME ‘SON’,” he yelled. “Do you even realize you have hardly referred to me by my given name? It’s always ‘son, this’ and ‘son that.’” He looked at his ‘father’ disdainfully. “You have no concept of what that word really means. ‘Son’ is just a title to you. Something that ties me to you through blood and provides you with an heir. But for all that you love to flaunt that connection, you don’t even know me. Didn’t even make an effort. And you know what? I’m perfectly fine with that because I don’t care to know you,” he spat. Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself, he continued, “I made an agreement and unlike some people I know, I always keep my word. My part of the deal is complete and I owe Berk nothing. But if I hear that anyone breaks the terms set out in our agreement, I will be back,” he threatened, withdrawing Inferno and extending the flaming blade. Giving it a quick spin, he commented, “If we can take down a dragon the size of a mountain, then Berk should be a piece of cake.” He spun on his heel and stomped away, retracting Inferno as he went. 

He heard Toothless let out a warning growl before catching up to him, though it took his cousin a bit longer. When Dagur finally joined him, he asked what had taken him so long.

“Just giving Stoick a warning of my own,” Dagur grinned just a touch maniacally, though he quickly sobered and asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Hiccup replied. “Though I’ll be better once we’ve left this place. And Dagur? Thanks for always having my back.”

“Anytime, cuz.”

When they arrived at the cove, all the dragons were saddled, with Heather and Mala already mounted. As Dagur went to Bolt’s side, Hiccup walked over to his mom in time to hear her say, “Thank you, Gobber, for all your help and support. We promise to keep in touch.”

Hiccup nodded his agreement and held out one of his Dragon Iron daggers. “A little something to remember me by.”

Gobber teared up and pulled him in for a bone-crushing hug. “Ye write me, now, ye hear?”

“I will, Gobber,” Hiccup promised. “Take care, and thank you again.”

“Bah, it was nothing,” he waved his hook dismissively. “Now get outta here before I start blubbering like an old fool.”

Hiccup mounted Toothless with his mom climbing on behind him. “Goodbye, Gobber,” he called as Toothless launched himself into the twilight sky. Hiccup looked around, making sure that their whole flock was there. “Hey, bud? Was Azia coming with us or…?”

“She asked me to let her know when we were leaving,” Toothless shared calling out for the Nadder. “She said she had something she needed to do first.”

Hiccup nodded and then found himself watching in surprise as dragon after dragon rose from the forest. “Uh…Azia, what’s all this,” he asked as the Nadder flew up alongside them.

“These dragons were all freed from the Queen and would like to come with us,” she explained. “They have many bad memories of this place and found the promise of a peaceful nest appealing.”

“Well, that’s fine with us,” Hiccup said, always pleased to offer sanctuary to dragons in need. “It’s a long flight though,” he warned.

“They don’t mind,” Azia assured him.

“Okay, then.” He turned to his mother’s dragon and made a request. “Cloudjumper, do you mind taking the lead? Mom and I have one last stop to make. We won’t be long.”

The Stormcutter bobbed his head and led the group of dragons east, away from Berk. 

With everyone on their way, Toothless flew up to Gothi’s hut with Sharpshot beside him. The little old woman was already on her porch seemingly waiting for them to land. Hiccup’s mom dismounted first and hugged the elder. “Thank you for your help and support, Gothi. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

“And I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way you had hoped,” Hiccup added, stepping closer, “but I think this way will be best for everyone.”

Gothi nodded sagely and his mom translated as she wrote, “You did more for Berk than any other heir has done. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he bowed. “We would like to keep in touch with you and Gobber, possibly Fishlegs as well.” Holding out his arm and providing a place for the Terror to perch, he asked, “Would you mind if Sharpshot here acted as our courier? Your house being so isolated, there are less chances of him being noticed, particularly if he comes at night.”

“You are a smart lad,” Gothi scribbled. “I look forward to your messages.”

He nodded his thanks and remounted Toothless as his mom said, “Thank you, Gothi. We will write soon, but now we must leave.” 

The little old woman waved as Toothless dove off her deck, disappearing into the night.

Chapter Text

Hiccup stretched his back and glanced at the nest, needing a bit of a break from the sketch he was working on. Their home had changed a lot in the last five years, but the sight of it would never get old.

Life had not been without its challenges, but somehow things always found a way of working out. Their nest had grown exponentially when another Bewilderbeast joined their flock after being freed from her master. Turns out that even though good dragons under the control of bad people do bad things, when you remove the bad influence, order and peace are quickly restored. Life even flourishes, as was displayed by the Bewilderbeast hatchling frolicking in the pool in the center of the nest.

Of course, she wasn’t the only hatchling around, Hiccup thought as he looked over at his wife playing with their three-year-old daughter. She was the apple of her father’s eye and the darling of the nest. Of course, soon she would be sharing both titles. 

They would need to start making plans soon to head to Caldera Cay as the birth of their second neared. His mom was planning on going with them, not wanting to miss the birth of her grandchild. Hiccup had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing Dagur and Mala, as well as their little son and his Aunt and Uncle. They had all proven to be his true family and he cherished them dearly.

Last they had heard from Berk, all was well with Chief Fishlegs who had taken over after Stoick had passed away last year. Hiccup couldn’t find it in himself to grieve a man he never knew, but with the last remaining obstacle gone, he was thinking that perhaps it was time for them to go back and visit. Not until after their second child was born, but he would like to see Gobber again and maybe get to know Fishlegs and the twins a bit better. He would wait and see how things went and what Heather thought, but no matter what they decided, he took comfort in knowing that his family, both human and dragons were safe. And as long as he had a say, they always would be.