Hey!

So, I've had this idea for awhile. I'm not sure if it's any good, but it's worth a shot. :-)

This takes place maybe from a couple of weeks to a month or two after Hiccup becomes the chief.

I hope you like it! Apologies to any mistakes... *cough* I was NOT in the mood to edit... heheh...

The Haddock Family

Hiccup's life...

In a word, stressed. The young man was struggling with his new role as "Chief." He found himself nearing his breaking point at many times. Suddenly switching from mapping the archipelago with Toothless to becoming such a busy man as the chief… it was a little unsettling, and difficult to process.

Hiccup pushed himself hard to be the man his father was. Strong. Confident. Orderly. Yet, he slipped up many times. Made the wrong decision. Wasn't firm enough. He cursed himself for these mistakes… he should've been more like Stoick… more like… like his father…

His friends were concerned about him. Especially Astrid. The pair had not wedded, though Hiccup was planning to propose soon. Just after he had settled into the job a little more. Astrid understood, and didn't bring it up on the few breaks Hiccup got.

Hiccup was now spending a late night working on paperwork. Papers the chief had to sign to renew a trade treaty with the Meatheads, or write a good-will get well card to Alfa, the chief of the Peaceable tribe. She had come down with a rather nasty illness.

The chief was, in a word, exhausted. He hadn't slept at all last night, and it was nearing midnight today. He was very sleep-deprived, he knew, but couldn't bring himself to go to bed yet. He just had to read that last paper. Sign that last treaty… just a little more…

Finally, Hiccup's eyes were drooping to a concerning amount, and he knew he should get to bed… he'd wake up early to finish the work… yes… but he wanted to sleep now…

Yawning, he looked over at Toothless, who was sitting on the floor beside him. The alpha dragon was still as loyal as ever to Hiccup. The chief believed that the reason the Night Fury wasn't spending as much time with his subject dragons was because he felt guilty for kill… for killing Stoick.

"I think I'm going to call it a night, bud," said Hiccup.

Toothless clambered to his feet, glad that his rider was finally taking a break. Hiccup was working too hard. He needed to relax. The dragon strolled over to his platform and curled up, asleep only a minute later.

Hiccup stood from his chair, then winced. He had been sitting down so long that his muscles weren't used to the sudden movement.

He felt guilty as he walked away from the desk. He shouldn't need to sleep. He needed to help his village. Keep on working… his father wouldn't have required rest… yes… he would've kept on working… throughout the entire night, if needed...

Hiccup stopped working, a shadow crossed over his face.

Dad.

I… I need you…

Blinking back unshed tears, Hiccup rubbed his forehead to pacify the headache he had acquired while staring at papers too long.

He shouldn't have thought that.

Stoick was gone… and he was never coming back…

With a choked sigh, Hiccup continued across the room, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to harness his thoughts… can't be weak… go on… do what's best for the village… you have to…

Yes.

He would do it.

Starting tomorrow, he would give more. Be more. Do more. Yes. He would satisfy his village's needs, become like his-

"Agh!"

Of course, the chief tripped over something. His eyes flew open as he collapsed to the ground, grunting. He rubbed his good leg. He'd definitely have a bruise there tomorrow.

"Stupid mess," he muttered, looking around at the stacks of papers and trinkets of Stoick's he couldn't bare to throw away. "What'd I trip on now… better toss it out, whatever it is…"

He looked around the pile and found the culprit immediately. A worn brown box. Well, that could be thrown away. He reached over and picked it up, ready to toss it in his trash bin.

And then he looked at it.

He gasped. Because… because there was a piece of paper tied to the box. It was small and a little ripped. The words written on the paper were smudged. But Hiccup could read them as if they were written in the finest of charcoal.

For Hiccup.

And that wasn't all…

It was written in Stoick's handwriting.

Hiccup could hardly believe it. He had just been thinking about his father. This was… some coincidence. Stoick had left something for him in this box. Something that must've been important. And he must've gotten it shortly before… before he died.

Hiccup swallowed.

Did he even want to open it?

Deep down, he knew that he did. He really did. He missed his father… a lot. He needed some consolation in this difficult time. Plus, the package was addressed to him, after all… Stoick had been going to give it to him… so why not? Why not open it now?

He nodded in decision, then sat down in a more comfortable position.

With shaking hands, the chief opened the box.

He stared.

All that was in there was a slab of what appeared to be grimy and battered metal.

He sucked in a breath, and couldn't help but feel disappointed. This was what his father wanted to give him? Great gift, Dad… reaalllllll comforting…

And then he saw the letter.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, then reached forward and took it. Perhaps Stoick would explain why he had given his son… this.

He unfolded the musty paper, his brow crinkling.

Hiccup will be wondering why on Odin's flat earth I have given this to him.

Hiccup's lips twisted into a smile. Stoick had gotten that right.

He continued…

This piece actually has an amazing and wonderful story. One that I have to tell Hiccup.

What you see, a metal slab, is actually a piece of armor that is hundreds of years old. It is pure silver- quite valuable. But that is not the tale of it. The tale is that this armor has been part of the Haddock family for many generations. I recently acquired this piece from an old family friend- but that is a story for later.

One of the first chiefs of Berk, Halvor Haddock, was a man who liked to pick fights, which would often lead to wars. One of my family's occupational hazards.

Hiccup bit back tears. He could just hear his father saying that…

Anyways, Halvor was a man of battle himself, and would lead these wars. However, one battle was going to be particularly nasty, so Halvor had himself made an unusual suit of armor. It was crafted of pure silver. This silver piece is part of the set.

Halvor wore the armor as he ran into battle. It was a bloody and gruesome one. Every one of his warriors died horrible deaths… but Halvor himself emerged unscathed. It was a wonder. The villagers excused it with that he was just lucky.

Halvor passed the suit of armor down to his son. I think that he knew that the armor was somehow special and had kept him safe in battle.

This son, Oddvar, one day tried on the armor. Then, he heard that something was wrong at the docks and rushed outside, not having time to change out of the outfit. On his way, a female Viking Oddvar was sweet on saw him and swooned. For a soothsayer had told her that she was to wed 'a man clothed in silver shine.'

She had refused to marry Oddvar before, though she loved him, not wanting to disobey the soothsayer. But now Oddvar got to marry his true love. All because of his armor.

The chief was amused. This armor was so lucky? Huh… What was his father trying to tell him through this?

Since Hiccup couldn't tell by just pondering the previous words, he began to read again.

Oddvar's son, however, was much less careful than his predecessors. He ended up using nearly all of Berk's gold supply, sending them all into debt and starvation. He ended up having to trade the armor set, which was actually worth a lot, and managed to save Berk. He kept the tiny piece of armor for himself, but it was now considered a stolen artifact.

He passed the piece of armor onto his son, who was a great warrior who could boast of his skill in battle. The son, Cadby, one day went into a war between a tribe- at that time, Vikings were very sensitive to insults back then and skirmishes were common. Anyways, he decided to put the silver into his breast pocket as he stormed into battle for good luck.

Cadby was later shot in that very place by an arrow. But because the armor was there, he survived without even a mark to show the absolute miracle.

Cadby then handed the silver down to his son, but the word had leaked out about it being stolen. The armor was taken by the buyer of the original armor set.

Hiccup cocked his head. If it was taken back, then how did Stoick get it? This story was fascinating him so far. How had one odd suit of armor caused so many men to come out of precarious situations fortunate?

The silver has been lost for generations… but I recently tracked it down by that old family friend I mentioned earlier- and with a little help from Trader Johann. My father had told me this story when I was a wee lad, and I just remembered it a fortnight ago.

Some people say that the story of this armor is all coincidences. Perhaps the Haddocks were all just in the right place at the right time.

But I don't believe in coincidences. This silver has kept the Haddock family safe.

I tracked this piece down to keep my son safe.

A jolt ran through Hiccup. What? Stoick had found the armor just for- just for him? Hiccup wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to that.

Hiccup is always out exploring the archipelago with that dragon of his, the letter read. Someday, I feel that something will go wrong and he'll get hurt. After his battle with the Red Death, I cannot risk that. I have sworn to myself that Hiccup will never come out like that again.

Hiccup's hands gripped the letter. His father had been worried about him… but… how had Hiccup never noticed before? His throat felt strangely tight.

And now, I must go. Hiccup is visiting me today, and I can't wait to see him. He's always out, after all, and it's rare to catch him these days.

A tear slid down Hiccup's cheek.

I miss him sometimes, but I know that aching in a boy's heart that calls him to do what he must. So, I must do what is hardest for a father, and let him go. I will, of course, enjoy those few times when we spend time together. I would like to have more time with Hiccup. Making up fifteen years of neglect isn't easy. Sometimes, I wonder if Hiccup forgives me for that, for I cannot forgive myself.

"Oh, Dad," Hiccup whispered, gently brushing the charcoal marks of his father. "You… you could've told me…"

I have just looked out the window, and I see Hiccup approaching on his Night Fury. I must go. Soon, I will give this trinket to him. For it is a legacy- one that should not be forgotten. And, of course, I want my son to be protected in those wild expeditions of his.

I also want to tell Hiccup that he's working hard enough… he tries to be the best he can be every day, but I can tell he doesn't believe it's a suitable amount. That is a fatal flaw for a chief, who can get so wrapped in in the whispers that he's not doing his best even when he's giving beyond what he should. I hope that whenever my boy takes my place, this does not happen to him.

Tears were freely pouring down the young chief's face. His father… even from death… was sending him a message…

I, too, am proud of my boy. May he carry down the legacy of the Haddock family with pride.

That was the end of the letter.

Hiccup sniffed and wiped away falling tears. He picked up the slab of silver in his hands and gripped it tightly. It was his last memoir of his father, after all. Like the rest of the armor, Stoick was gone. He only had this one piece of it. One memory. And the chief would hold onto it with everything in him.

"You kept me safe," he said into the stillness of his nearly empty house.

He swallowed.

"Thanks, Dad."

And at that moment, he promised that he would continue the legacy of the Haddock family.

There were no such thing as coincidences. His father… right now… was telling him that he was watching.

And how proud he was of his son.

Hiccup pushed himself to his feet, feeling some wall he had built up ever since becoming chief just break. He had been trying so hard. He hadn't had time to grieve, or cry, or yell about how unfair the world was being.

Hiccup put the piece of armor on his desk, the only thing laying there besides his notebook.

He sat down on his bed and buried his face in his hands. "I miss you, Dad." He fought for breath through a sob. "I-I miss you."

After a long minute, Hiccup took in a steady breath and forced himself to wipe his tears away. He stared at the piece of armor on his desk, a brimming sense of determination swallowing up his grief.

"I am a Haddock," said Hiccup carefully. "I… am a Haddock. And I will carry on this account. I will make sure it is never forgotten… nor the story of you, Dad… yes… I will carry on your tale… for it is the legacy of the Haddock family."

Sorry if Stoick's story was boring, or anything... I like it alright, but I always have fears that someone doesn't...

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you all enjoyed! Also, a review or two would make my day. ;-)