This takes place long before Hiccup was born, around the time Valka would have been in dragon training and then some time later.
HTTYD © DreamWorks
The huge spines grazed within an inch of Skullette Thakursten's ear and the words of her father blazed through her mind. One slip up in the Ring and you're dead. Dragons have no sense of mercy for humans and they won't start with you.
The sound of the Deadly Nadder breathing its white hot flames blazed over her as she rolled to the ground, swinging her axe upwards into the hard flesh of the purple and blue Nadder's legs. The Nadder howled painfully and hobbled away from her. One of Skullette's fellow trainees, the blond Gruffnut, ran at the retreating Nadder, screeching at it threateningly. The Nadder ducked its head and limbed into the pen where it was kept, wings and tail tucking against its body fearfully. Gruffnut straightened his posture as Stoick, the trainees teacher, walked out, stopping beside Skullette briefly.
"You ok? That Nadder's got some nasty poison in those spikes. You should have it checked out," Stoick said to her quietly, wrapping an arm around her waist as he helped her stand up.
"No Stoick I'm fine," Skullette's eye caught on Spitelout Jorgenson, Stoick's younger half-brother by four years, watching her, a smug smile on his face. Skullette stuck her tongue out at the taller Viking, whisking a strand of her jet-black hair out of her face as she strode out of the Kill Ring.
"Hey Skull! Wait for me!" The sound of Valka rushing up beside her stopped the finely muscled girl, who turned to see her brown haired friend smiling slightly. "You did well today!"
"Sure," Skullette frowned, pulling her hand through her shoulder length hair absentmindedly. "But Gruffnut got to the Nadder before I could. He's purposefully doing this to me. Gruffnut knows my parents will send me off if I don't get the privilege of killing the Nightmare on Thorsdagr. I need to win. I need to."
Valka frowned slightly as she bent down to Skullette's eye level, her green eyes glowing with an emotion Skullette couldn't figure out. "Why is it always killing with you guys? Can't we find a different way than always killing?"
"No. Dragons are evil. You need to stop being soft on dragons Valka, it's not going to get you anywhere but in a Nightmare's belly." Skullette rolled her eyes, releasing a tired sigh. She was so tired of Valka's every day speel about the "kindness" of dragons. Kindness. My round ass.
Valka frowned at her friend's words, gritting her teeth softly. "You don't really know that Skull. That Nadder could have killed you today but it didn't."
"Bah. That's because Gruffnut chased it off before it could even try. Not that it would be able to anyways. I'm much too fierce for that," Skullette snapped, turning on her heel as she stomped away from Valka, who watched her with an exasperated expression.
The cold mist seemed to cling to the rocks as Skullette walked along the road back towards Berk and her house. Bitterness burned her chest, the thought of losing the training match haunting her mind. If I lose I'll never get get to live here. Stupid parents…
Skullette stopped walking, sliding her back against a large boulder, a small sigh escaping her lips. Her mind kept playing back the image of the Nadder, its tail snapping sideways, poisonous spines flying from the thick hide, slicing her cheek. She had fallen and then the dragon had its chance to kill her, and Stoick had constantly told them the dragon would, but the Nadder instead turned away and attacked Igna. Why though? Could Valka be right? Could dragons have feelings like us? That dragon hesitated, its eyes... No.
"Hey Skull! Skullette!" Spitelout's voice caused her to jump up from her sitting position, the thoughts of the Nadder quickly leaving her mind as the muscular Viking strolled up to her, an air of smugness rolling off his body.
Skullette bristled slightly, anger rising in her chest as Spitelout sidled up to her. "What do you want Spitelout?"
Spitelout frowned slightly at her affronted tone but still moved his body unpleasantly close to hers. "I just want to talk, babe."
"Would you please not call me babe, Spitelout," Skullette hissed, shoving the black-haired Viking away from her forcefully. Spitelout stared after her, a confused frown on his face.
"Babe wait! Get back here Skull! I need to talk to you!"
"No Spitelout. Leave. Me. Alone." Skull's whole body flushed with anger as she shot a deadly glare towards the male, an unwanted feeling of shock pulsing through her body when she saw the way he looked worried for her. Her.
Spitelout walked up to her, placing one of his large hands on her shoulder. "I need to talk to you. Give me a minute please."
Skullette nodded faintly, as she looked into his blue eyes. "One minute. I'm counting."
"I overheard my parents talking yesterday and they were talking about you. Apparently they talked with your father and made a deal. They want to arrange a marriage between you and me, since your father apparently was too lazy to find you a suitor who actually would want you elsewhere. I think they already finalized it Skull."
"What?! No!" Skull snarled, shoving Spitelout away from her with a dragon-like snarl escaping her lips as she bolted away from the male Viking. Her father couldn't marry her off to him. He was obnoxious and rude. Mostly likely he saw it fit that I marry somebody who had some form of wealth. Pfft. How disgusting.
Spitelout watched Skull flee, a disheartened sigh escaping his lips as he turned away and headed towards his house, groaning slightly at the knowledge that his brother would be congratulated on his "amazingness" and "future-chief-instincts". It made him sick hearing how much his parents doted on his then blatantly ignored him. So frustrating. And now my father wants to me to marry her for what? To make the Thakursten's be in our dept? That's just wrong. I don't even like her all that much.
Spitelout topped at the door of his house, glancing back in the direction of Skull's house in time to see her slam the door, her long black hair whisking as she disappeared behind the door. Well I guess I could get to like her.
Spitelout opened the door to his house, wincing at the sound of his father, Regin, and step-mother, Dalla, arguing. Ever since Stoick's father was brutally murdered by a red Nightmare, Stoick's mother Dalla, having had an affair with Regin before Stoick's father died, had been married to Regin. Regin had been overjoyed at his new status, though he did mourn chief Haggard's death; yet as the years passed Dalla and Regin became angrier and angrier with each other, so much so that Stoick would purposefully make an excuse about meeting his friends or talking with the elder men for advice. Spitelout though, had no wealth of excuses to escape from his parents and occasionally they would turn on him as a sponge for their hateful comments.
"Son you are late. You know we don't accept you being late in this house, and care to tell us where you were?" Regin snapped, casting a spiteful glance towards Spitelout, who stared at his father defiantly.
"Oh just hanging out with Skull. She hates me by the way now, so I just know the marriage is going to go so smoothly." Spitelout grinned at the enraged look his father had at his words, the older man's fists clenching slightly as his green eyes glittered angrily.
"You were eavesdropping yesterday son?"
"It was sort of hard not to. You and Kormak weren't really trying to be quiet father," Spitelout said snidely, turning away from his father as he headed up the stairs to his room. Spitelout could hear Regin screaming for him to come back but he ignored him, plopping onto his bed with a satisfied sigh. He loved riling up his father, mainly because he hated him for being a cheat and to garner some amount of notice from Regin.
Soon Spitelout could feel the weariness dragging at his bones and without another thought of his impending marriage or who would go on to kill the Nightmare on Thorsdagr, he fell into a dreamless sleep.
"Why do you have to do this Father? Why?! I don't want to marry Spitelout! He's crude and... and obnoxious, and he likes Igna anyways. It would be better if you called off this marriage for both of us, please," Skullette begged, grasping at her father's large arm pleadingly.
Kormak Thakurson looked down at his daughter slowly, his eyes glinting carelessly as he pulled his arm from her grasp. "I cannot do that daughter. Regin has already paid for your hand, even if you do fail at getting to the Nightmare killing final exam, to his son and I will not go back on such a generous offer by our chief. At the moment you are worth more to me being married than not. Though if you do defeat the Nightmare I might rethink this proposal. Might."
"What? MY WORTH?! I am a human, not a money bag for you! Shouldn't you care about my happiness Father, not just money so you can drown away the memories of killing Mother?" Skullette retorted, her silver-blue eyes blazing with rage at her father's words.
Kormak twitched, a vein popping in his jaw as he glared down at his daughter. "How dare you speak like that to me. To your father Skullette. You dare mention her again and I will not allow you in this house ever again."
Skullette smiled happily as she backed away from her father slightly, "Maybe that's what I want Father. I want to be free from you forever, so I will say whatever I want to about you and Mother."
"That's it," Kormak growled, "you are out of this house now. Pack your things and go to one of your friends homes. And never step foot in here ever again."
"Gladly," Skullette responded, stomping away from her father with a flick of her black hair. Barely restraining her rage as she stomped up the stairs to her room. Skullette sighed softly as she plopped down on her bed, glancing around her small room wistfully. I'm not going to miss living here that's for sure.
Skullette glanced around the room then stood up, bending under her bed, pulling a small book out from under it. She smiled as her hand ran across the imprinted leather, stopping at the name dug into the leather. Skala. Her mother.
I will finally be free Mother like you always wanted me to be. I just have to prove myself in the ring on Thorsdagr and then no one will say I'm the useless daughter of Kormak. Just a bit longer Mom.
Skull dug around the rest of her room, pulling small bolts of cloth and leathers from her dressers along with her battle armor and beloved sword. She twisted the blade of the sword slightly, grinning at the large design of a dragon twirling around the mast, its mouth holding the blade of the sword, making it look like the dragon was breathing out the steel of the sword as a huge plume of flame.
Shoving the sword into its scabbard gently, then hooking it to her waist, Skull began working methodically, piling clothing and armor into a small wicker basket that was sitting next to her bed to the brim. She wiggled the book of her mother's in between the clothing as she scoured around the room, pulling a large necklace studded with dragon teeth. Her mother had owned this too before her untimely death when Skull was ten.
Help me win this Mother. Please.
Skullette stood up, lugging the heavy basket over her shoulder as she walked out of her room and out of her old house. Permanently.
"Hey Skull wake up. Dragon Training is in just an hour. We're fighting the Zippleback one last time."
Skullette snapped awake at the sound of Valka's voice, along with the gentle prodding of her hand against Skull's arm.
Skull looked around, groggily rubbing sleep from her eyes as she glanced around her room- no, Valka's room. The memories from the night before slowly slipped into her mind, her father, leaving her house, coming to Valka's and explaining what had happened. Valka and her mother had been overjoyed about taking her in, Valka's mother even offering her own bed to her for the night. Skull had refused, not wanting to intrude into the Sturladòttir's life more than she already had.
Valka watched her friend for a moment or two longer then leapt down the stairs nimbly, sliding into her chair as her mother placed a small plate of cooked eggs and gruel in front of Valka and Skullette, who had followed closely behind Valka.
Both trainees dug into their meals, Skull eating as fast as she could so she could get out to the Kill Ring early, Valka on the other hand taking her time with each bite.
"Good luck you two. Do us proud Valka," Valka's mother said gently, ruffling Valka's hair casually. Valka grumbled her annoyance, huffing moodily when she heard Skullette's snickers beside her.
Skullette smiled at Valka's mother who smiled back at her happily, then with a short thanks walked out the door, her sword hooked to her belt. Skull walked with purpose, her head held up as as she marched towards the Kill Ring.
Her eyes caught the sight of Igna and Gruffnut marching side by side, the unlikely brother - sister duo looking more serious than they ever had before. They want to win also. I'm not gonna let that happen.
By the time she reached the bridge that connected the Kill Ring to the main parts of the village Brambletooth and Eris, another brother-sister duo had joined her, their eyes reflecting seriousness. No one talked as the large group of trainees reached the Kill Ring, Spitelout and Stoick were already waiting for them, an air of impatience reeking over the older of the two.
"Nice to see you decide to show up Skull. Gruffnut. Igna. Brambletooth and Eris? Could you be any later by any chance?" Stoick grumbled, shooting each trainee an acidic glare that made Igna squeak.
Gruffnut frowned, placing a comforting hand on his younger sister's shoulder. "Calm down Stoick. Just because you're our teacher doesn't mean you can bitch at us for every little slight you think you think we have caused."
Stoick didn't reply to Gruffnut though he did narrow his eyes at the blond with a vicious snarl. Gruffnut frowned at Stoick, who continued glaring at the younger man. Spitelout looked between his half-brother and Gruffnut, an eyebrow raised in clear disinterest.
"Okay, okay. Stoick. Come on," Spitelout said as he pulled the chief-to-be away from Gruffnut, who looked on with a pointed look of triumph. "We've got to get this match started soon."
Stoick closed his eyes, breathed in a deep breath and nodded. "Ok class, today we see how much your training has grown since the beginning of training, one month ago. You must get past the Zippleback once more. Show us you can and you will graduate. Show us you can't and you will become like Mildew. Whoever beats this Zippleback - remember no killing the dragon - gets the honor of taking down the mighty Monstrous Nightmare." Every trainee, except Valka, all smiled, Eris and Brambletooth both fist-pumping each other as their eyes glittered with excitement.
Brambletooth frowned at Mildew's name, giving a pleading look towards Skull as he mouthed, "Please Thor no." Skull shrugged slightly, turning away from her younger friend as Spitelout and Stoick led the group to the entrance of the Kill Ring.
Stoick bent down to the gate and pulled up the gate of the training up with a strong growl. Skull walked in first, spinning her sword slowly. Brambletooth followed close after, his mossy green eyes flicking around the ring in anticipation. Valka followed last, her green eyes fixating on the stone floor of the Kill Ring, her steps slow and shoulders slumped.
When every trainee was inside the ring Stoick slammed the gate closed, his booming voice echoing as the huge block of wood holding the Zippleback's cage closed creaked apart. "Good luck! And don't make me come in there and save you guys!"
A large explosion threw the dragon cage doors open and the large purple and black Zippleback erupted from its cage, feet smashing to the ground. Skull narrowed her eyes and lunged forwards, a dragon-like roar escaping her lips. I will win!
"Good job in the ring today Skullette. I would never have guessed you would defeat that Zippleback so easily. The last time we battled it you did not fare at all well," Brambletooth's chatter was now getting heavily on Skullette's nerves, so much so that she seriously wanted to stab him in the eye with her sword.
Eris' smile was forced, her enthusiasm for Skull's victory against the Zippleback no where near the level of her excitable brother's. "Yes. Congrats."
Skull looked over at Eris, no ounce of surprise in her mind as the blonde glared at her, eyes smoking with jealousy. Typical Eris. Always wishing she could be the best but never able to.
Both Gruffnut and Igna were silent, Gruffnut barely picking at his plate of food as Igna attempted to comfort him.
Valka sat two tables away, her hands covering her face, her teeth gritted. Skull wondered what was wrong with her, wanting to walk up to her friend but realizing the lithe girl most likely needed space.
Brambletooth's babbling interrupted Skull's musing and, with a hard glare at the young Viking, Skull stood and stomped out the Great Hall.
Skull dove, avoiding the liquid hot blast of kerosene flame shooting over her head. She rolled sideways, sword in hand as the obsidian colored Nightmare snapped its steaming jaws shut, yellow eyes tracking Skull around the arena.
The cheers and screams from her fellow Berkians filled her ears but she only cared about the dragon. She had one goal, and one only. Even if it meant that the mighty Nightmare, with its sleek scales and powerful wings, would have to die for it.
Skull anticipated the Nightmare's next move, ducking from a savage swing of its tail and slicing her sword down the dragon's tail. The Nightmare roared angrily, kicking Skull in the chest, sending her against the wall of the Ring. Skull looked up, her vision spotty from pain, and saw the fast - charging Nightmare lunging towards her. Skull braced herself and caught the Nightmare's horns in her hands, pushing with all her might against the snapping jaws of the black dragon. As Skullette strained harder against the Nightmare, the dragon's wing lunged towards her, the talons slicing across her chest.
Skull let out a scream of rage, and threw the Nightmare's head to the ground. Skull leapt away from the Nightmare, catching her breath quickly as the Nightmare struggled upwards, eyes fixating on her with rage. Skull swing her sword in the air and charged towards the dragon with a challenging roar. The Nightmare opened its wings and shot upwards, dodging Skull's sword slice as it hooked onto the chains that covered the top of the Ring.
Skull's eye fell on an extra sword laying on the ground near her, she hit it with her heel, snatching it in her hand and threw the sword at the Nightmare, which had lunged down at her.
The sword met its target, stabbing into the Nightmare's neck. The dragon reared backwards, wings flailing and flames blasting from its mouth with a screech of pain.
The cheers from the crowd echoed in Skull's ear, and she lunged towards the Nightmare, who was trying to pull the sword from its hide. The Nightmare noticed her coming and opened its mouth to blast her with its flames but she rolled under the blast of heat, and swung her word upwards.
Blood sprayed from the Nightmare's neck, falling onto Skull's skin with a hot sizzle. Skull gritted her teeth and leapt away from the Nightmare, whose body was quaking, blood pooling from its mouth. Skull glared into the beast's eyes, surprise flickering through her as the dragon's eyes filled with pain and sadness.
Skull hesitated for a moment, staring at the dragon when its body promptly collapsed, legs and wings folding under its body as its head smashed to the ground.
"Skullette! Skullette!" The cheers from Skull's fellow villagers were loud and joyous, but for some reason Skull felt nothing. The look in the Monstrous Nightmare's eyes as it died haunted her. The pain, the sadness, it couldn't leave her mind and in that moment collapsed to her knees, tears falling down her face. Soon she could feel hands rest gently on her shoulders and a voice call out distantly, "Someone help me over here, take her to my house. She needs rest." It felt like forever to Skull when she felt someone pick her up, the warmth of their body lulling her mind into the depths of unconsciousness.
"Skull come on, it's not going to be that bad," Igna urged as she tied Skullette's shoulder length hair into a tight braid that looped around her head in a bun shape. "Spitelout isn't that horrible... If you can get past his self-glorifying and such, then he can be a really nice guy."
"Oh sure, sure. Spitelout Jorgenson has a nice streak. I sincerely doubt that Igna," Skull hissed, glaring down at the soft dress wrapped around her stocky frame. "I don't want to get married this young, I'm just barely nineteen years old and and Spitelout is twenty four. How come I can't wait until I'm ready to be married? And why can't I choose who I want to marry. You and Gruffnut get to choose... but me?" Skullette sighed, rubbing the plus of her hands into her eyes miserably.
"Oh Skull... Just imagine though, you have freedom from your father because of this-"
"Yes and now I am trapped in marriage. I wanted to be truly free not shoved into doing the bidding of another man, Igna. I know you wouldn't understand now that you have Hagrard. You're lucky. You got to pick who you love. I don't get that freedom!"
Igna froze, her eyes falling at Skull's words. "I'm sorry… I didn't think about that Skull. I…" Igna stopped talking, instead going back to busying herself with making Skullette look presentable.
Skull's anger had been noticed by everyone on Berk, most of whom began to avoid her after she had defeated the Monstrous Nightmare and thus been officially announced to marry Spitelout. Her father had done nothing to hide his triumph over selling her off to the Jorgenson family, even throwing parties for every member of Berk.
It was frustrating.
The plan had only been a fragment in her mind, something she didn't really take seriously until the Nightmare came.
Five years had passed since Skull and Spitelout had gotten married and only a few weeks ago her son, Snotlout, had been born. Spitelout had been ecstatic but Skull felt nothing. Her mind by then had become a cold, shattered half of what it had once been, caused by years of abuse from Spitelout and her father.
But she was done with it all.
She stood before the huge Nightmare, defenseless and weaponless before the great red and purple dragon. The Nightmare hesitated every so briefly then reared up, wings flaring out, maw opening with a sizzling crack and then a burst of liquid flame poured over Skull's entire body.
She did not scream, nor cry, but instead let out an sky-splitting roar of joy for she would finally be free.
Long story short, this story was started in 2014 and I never got in the mood to finish it. There was supposed to be a lot more to this story, but I decided that I was done with it (after two years) and so here is this.