So we recently got How to Train Your Dragon on DVD, and the first thing we did was look for fan-fiction for it. And there are a lot of good stories and a few good authors which I will be recommending or will have put on my favorites list. But of the stories I have read, including a few female Hiccup stories, I have yet to find a berserker Hiccup. And having already seen 300 I kind of like the idea of a Viking going blood drunk. This story has nothing to do with that, really it's more like that Banderas movie, The 13th Warrior. And if none of you know what that is, then it's a movie based on a book about Vikings killing cannibals.
Working Title: The Linguist
Book One: The French Connection*
Chapter One: A Serious Discussion and Preparations
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In a not so large village on a not so large island presumably somewhere in the North Atlantic and somewhat east of modern Norway a rather gangly young man is leaving his job at the smithy for the evening meal. "See you tomorrow Gobber." He calls to the rather portly man inside still cleaning up, "Bright and early Hiccup," he calls back. "We got to finish those spears for the hunting parties."
As Hiccup walked from the smithy to the mead-hall he noticed that there was a new ship at the docks, but thought nothing of it and kept walking. As he walked past the main doors, however one of the villagers called out that his father, Chief Stoick the Vast, wanted to talk to him. With a resigned sigh, he trudged into the hall.
A mead-hall is a large single-room dwelling that can hold a great many people and is usually used for celebrations and gatherings, but also for entertaining guests and storing the barrels of fermented honey and, goats' milk that Vikings normally drank at their meals. They used goats because they ate less than cows and more of them could be stored in one place. And you can separate the long hair from the hide and use both at once.
At the head of the main table, he takes his designated seat at his fathers' right hand. Looking across the table he saw what appeared to be a foreign ambassador who must have come in on the ship he saw, looking around the room he saw another table with what must be his crew. Looking to his left and upward, he saw his father with a rather smug look on his face. "Ah, Hiccup. Good to see you today, this gentleman is Jacques Reucard from France, but luckily he speaks enough English we could figure out what he wanted." Still with that smug look.
"Let me guess, his lord needs help expanding territory," Hiccup asked, somewhat annoyed by that grin. "And he wants our help to do it, and is willing to pay handsomely."
"Exactly," Stoick gestured with one hand, "but, the Thing decided when Berk was founded that only those who could speak the language would lead a mercenary group anywhere, and guess how many people are fluent in French here."
Hiccup glanced around, then blanched,"No, dad. We talked about this last week remember? I'm a blacksmith and more than happy to remain that way"
"Yes, but I also said that you know more about how the village works now than I did when I started my chiefs training." Here hiccup started to interject, "And I said that, barring any unforeseen disasters, you would have to jump through a couple of formality hoops before I could start your official training." He took a deep swig of mead, "This is one of them." Noticing his sons' ineffective glower, he continued "Think of it as a test of the strength of your conviction to the village. If you don't come back, I'll have to declare Snotlout my heir, and who knows how long the village will have to fight with substandard weapons while Gobber trains a replacement for you. And besides, Phlegma said she would kiss your feet if you made it back."
He started at that and replied, "Well then, Phlegma just volunteered to go along and make sure nothing happens to me." A loud clamor rang throughout the hall at that, Hiccup looked around and picked more names, "Skolt, get a shield-wall and spearmen. Edgtho, find more archers, and include me and Phlegma in that list. Helmut, we'll need all the dragon armor you have. Fishface, get a long-boat and a knorr ready, we'll need both to handle eighty people."
The others had slowly quieted during his speech and were now staring in shock. Hiccup had been writing a list of people while he talked and just now looked up, "What? Yes eighty people with dragon armor, with any luck they'll run at just the sight of us. Move it, people! I'll have a list ready by midnight."
At this proclamation, there was a mass exodus out the doors. People either checking ware-houses or preparing personal effects. Stoick looked at the empty tables and whistled, "Well that's one way to clear a hall, I don't think I've ever seen them move like that." He looked at Hiccup, "You're really taking eighty people? That's like half the raiding force I'd picked out for the season."
Hiccup sighed and looked around, "Hopefully, but really I wanted everyone gone so I could talk to this guy without interruption." He looked to Jacques and said in French, "I speak your language friend, now why don't you tell me what you couldn't tell anyone else."
And so, for several hours the Viking and the Frenchman spoke of his lords problems in St. Valery at the mouth of the Somme River. Several times Vikings came to discuss details of the war party, from how many effective archers they could have, to how many Nightmare hide shields they had, but come morning, the troops were ready. The shields and sea-chests were on board. The livestock and supplies were tied down. And Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was readying his first raiding party for departure.
Probably not the best, but I do have to share this computer. Those of you who read my Naruto Pokemon cross-over should not hold their breath while waiting for it to come back. And check my profile for a list of recommended HTTYD stories.
