I neither own nor claim any rights to How To Train Your Dragon

ISN'T SHE HIS AUNT?

A month had passed since the death of Stoick the Vast, the defeat of Drago Bludvist, and the ascension of Hiccup Haddock to the role of Chief of Berk. Finally, the last chunk of bewilderbeast ice had been removed from Berk. The stuff did not want to melt, and any kind of fire resulted in a foul-smelling cloud of steam that made people's skin itch. Otherwise, it would have been cleared away within a day. And it didn't break like normal ice, either. More like solid granite. So it took a full month with Gronkle Iron pickaxes to break it all up. This was a testament to the raw power Toothless demonstrated after going into what Fishlegs had decided to call his "Alpha Mode." The Night Fury and Berks new chief had been encased in Bewilderbeast ice, and it had shattered into dust at Toothless' initial use of that power. At any rate, the last remnants of Drago's attack on Berk had been cleared away, and Chief Hiccup had called for a celebration. And Vikings never needed much to motivate them to celebrate. Lots and lots of Mead was consumed, by everyone except Hiccup and Astrid.

Snotlout didn't have any such reservations, and a little too much a little too quickly with to little food on his stomach. And he danced with Valka, who also was a bit under the influence in spite of not drinking much at all. But she never really drank much when she lived on Berk before being carried off by a dragon, and she likely didn't have access to much more than water in her twenty year stay at the dragon sanctuary. So Snotlout and she danced, none-too-steadily on their feet. Then they fell when Snotlout tripped over his own foot. He had landed on top of her and their eyes met. Without thinking, he kissed her on the cheek before managing to get back on his feet and then helping her up.

Everyone saw it, and the Mead Hall went totally silent. Chief Hiccup frowned as he eyed the two, waiting to see what his mother would do.

Valka just laughed, patted Snotlout on the shoulder, and said, "You dance just like Stoick did when he and I were your age." And as if the kiss never happened, she just turned and walked away, leaving a confused Snotlout standing there looking silly as he swayed on his feet.

Hiccup shared a glance with Astrid and shrugged. His mother didn't make any kind of scene over the incidemt, and he could tell that his cousin was drunk. And when it was clear he was not going to make an issue out of it, the revelry resumed.

Eret, son of Eret, who was sitting next to Gobber, leaned over and asked, "Isn't she his aunt?"

Gobber burst out laughing. "Odin's Beard, no."

"But Snotlout is Chief Hiccup's cousin, and his father was Stoick's brother-in-law," Eret's confusion was obvious. "Right?"

Gobber shook his head. "Step brother. Stoick's mother died of a fever when he was five. His father married Spitelout's mother a year later. She had lost her husband, Ragnar Jorgensen, in a dragon raid not long before. This ended a long-running feud between the Haddock and Jorgensen clan, and Spitelout and Stoick grew up together."

"So Snotlout and Valka aren't blood-relatives?"

"No," Gobber said. "She was born Valhalarama Svensen. Daughter of Ogart Svensen, a fisherman. She caught Stoick's eye when he was about thirteen, and they got along really well. His father originally forbid the relationship because she was just a Fisherman's daughter, but Stoick was adamant about seeing her. I remember him telling his father that if he couldn't seek her hand, he would outright refuse any other potential wife he tried to arrange, and would renounce his family name if he had to. As it happened, one of the council members was retiring, and Val's father was offered the position. He may have been a fisherman, but the man had proven himself to be quite capable in matters of finance, and the retiring councilor had recommended him. This presented a solution to the issue of Stoick and Val's relationship. A Councilor's daughter was at least bare minimum in status for a Chief's son to marry. As much as he loved his wife, he was not willing to see Spitelout as chief. He was a good warrior, but not chief material. Within a week of Ogart's appointment to the council, the marriage contract was signed, and the rest is history."

Eret nodded, now understanding more of Berk's ruling family's background.