(I SERIOUSLY SUGGEST LISTENING TO 14 OR 15 FROM THE HTTYD2 SOUNDTRACK, ENHANCES THE FEELINGS.)

"Mom, please stay a little longer- Valhalla isn't going anywhere. Please." Hiccup's voice broke into a sob. Valka hadn't really looked at her son in a long time, but now, she could see the clear lines of weariness etched into his face. It comes with being chief, she thought. Stoick had them too.

She knit her brow, coughed, and shook her head. "He's waiting for me, son." Hiccup put his head in his hands. Oh, my boy. My grown up boy.

Beside him, Astrid touched his arm, the other hand on her swelling belly. Valka smiled weakly. "Do me a favour and name your children better than I did." She teased. He'd found such a great woman, she'd stick by him until the end of the line, and wouldn't take anything she didn't have to. She saw a lot of herself in that girl. They both burned brightly, but it was time to pass the torch.

Cloudjumper nuzzled her arm, his eyes wide as moons with worry and confusion. Reaching out a wrinkled hand, she stroked his snout once more. "Don't worry, beastie. You'll see me soon. I bet dragons go to Valhalla too." She flashed a winning smile. "We'll go for a flight then, okay? You can come see me and we'll fly whenever you want. Even if you whine and slobber on me." She whispered, chuckling as much as her frail body would allow, tears spilling on to her cheeks.

Valka licked her thumb and wiped a smudge of dirt from Hiccup's cheek, grinning at Toothless behind him. They always seemed to come home dirty. Even when Hiccup was little, he'd come home, absolutely covered in filth, claiming the trolls got all the mud on him. "But I got rid of them for you, mom." He'd add hurriedly at the end. She'd laugh and brush some hair out of his face. "Did you now! I bet you'll grow up to be as strong as your father." Stoick would beam proudly. Hiccup grew up to be even stronger.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Hiccup took her hand, tracing the rune for love on her papery skin. It was something he'd learnt to do when he was little, he did it absent mindedly, and she did it back. "Don't wait up for me."

That was the last thing she heard.

Waking up, Valka thought Hiccup would be beside her. The bed beneath her felt no different from the one she left, but she was hearing something. Odin, what was that? Opening her bleary eyes, she cupped a hand around her ear.

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning..." His voice was soft, but still raspy, grovelly. Just like she remembered.

With careful feet, Valka padded out into the great hall, where he sat carving what looked like Toothless' likeness. He looked up at her, those grey eyes she loved so much absolutely brimming with love and awe, like they always had. "Val'." He whispered.

Smiling softly, she cupped his cheek.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you."

~i'm not crying you're crying~