Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or dragons from 'How to train you Dragon'
The most common occurrence on the Isle of Berk, other than arctic snow storms, flooding and the deadly hail storms, were dragon attacks. The residences of Berk were always ready for these attacks, never far from a weapon or short of courage to face the beasts. They were Vikings. They never fled, for they were too stubborn for that.
Though not all of them fought dragons.
In one of the small houses located in the heart of the village, a man sat but his hearth and listened to the battle raging outside his door. He was called Rodan. He wore not armour but a plain red jerkin, covered by a black vest. He did not need armour for he was a healer, and healers do not kill. His wife was a true Viking, brave, proud and honourable Odin rest her soul.
Perhaps too honourable. Rodan often felt it was her sense of honour that took her from this world, rather than an Outcast.
He sat stirring a large pot of green liquid that perfumed the house with its stench. He would use it later along with the rest of his concoctions to treat the burns of the injured Vikings.
His young daughter sat at his side, playing with a wooden dragon quietly as he worked. The house suddenly shook and Rodan stopped his work. A fearsome roar emanated from above the roof and young child crawled closer to Rodan, pressing her face into his leg in fright.
"It's alright Ryyan," Rodan placed a hand on the child's sable coloured hair, "You're safe here."
She looked up at him and nodded, but still clung to him. Rodan moved the black pot away from the flame for the medicine to cool.
"It smells funny." Ryyan muttered.
"Go on. Have a whiff." Rodan brought a small spoonful closer her, "What do you smell?"
Ryyan scrunched up her little button nose. Rodan chuckled, "You'll need to know these things lass. One day you will have to make this."
"When?"
"When I'm stiff and old. This leg of mine will not hold out forever." Rodan absentmindedly rubbed his upper right leg at the thought of the old wound.
Ryyan gave a huff and sat up on her knees, examining the cooling liquid. "There's ... Comfrey ... sap from a Loki tree ... and Barberry?"
"Very good Ryyan."
The little girl smiled, and for a moment it seemed she had forgotten about the dragons. That is until to door crashed open. Ryan screamed and hid her face again. Rodan turned and faced the intruder, who happened to be the chief of the village, Stoick the Vast.
He barely fit through the door and blocked the view of the battle outside, which Rodan was grateful of. At Stoick's stood a boy so small he appeared to be made of twigs, covered in black soot.
"Rodan." The giant man boomed, the edges of his fur cloak were singed from dragon fire. "Keep an eye on this one. He keeps sneaking off." Stoick gave the boy a push into the house, who stumbled to his knees.
"Stoick." Rodan stood and slowly limped towards the boy, "Where is Gobber?"
"The damn forge is on fire. The Nadders escaped the traps and lit it up like a candle." The chief threw an accusing glance at his son before turned away to leave.
"Please! I can help Dad!"
"No Hiccup. For once do as you're told and stay inside." Stoick ordered his son. The door slammed shut and Rodan was left was shaking boy along with his frightened daughter.
"Come along Hiccup." Rodan coaxed to boy away from the door. "It's warmer by the fire. Ryyan will keep you company."
Hiccup shuffled towards fire, his head down to hide his frown. This wasn't the first time Hiccup had made a mistake that had led to disaster. Ryyan watched the boy curiously as she clutched her wooden dragon under her chin.
Rodan and Stoick had known eachother for many years, yet their children were but strangers to one another.
"Hello." Ryyan mumbled.
"... Hello." Hiccup mumbled back as he sat down and Ryyan moved aside a little to make room for him. Hiccup kept his eyes on the fire while Ryyan stared at the black smudges all over his skin and over sized green tunic.
Rodan lifted the pot off the hook and took it to his work bench to finish it. The two children sat side by side in silence for a time as the shouting from outside moved further away. The battle had moved towards the docks.
"You're injured." Ryyan finally said, pointing at the angry red rash on Hiccup's hand. He looked down at it before hiding it with his sleeve.
"It doesn't hurt."
"Liar."
Hiccup looked wounded by her words. Ryyan stood up and hurried over to the table to retrieve a cloth and a water pitcher.
"First rule of tending a wound is to clean it." Ryyan was speaking more to herself than to Hiccup while placed the pitcher and cloth down. "Minimises the risk of infections." She ran off again, this time to her father's cupboard. She scanned the many apothecary jars until she came across what she wanted. A tiny red clay pot.
Ryyan peeked over at her father to see that he wasn't looking, but he was still busy with the green medicine. She quickly pocketed the jar and closed the cupboard. A Monstrous Nightmare roared and Ryyan froze on the spot until the dragon passed by completely. She returned to Hiccup, who was holding her wooden dragon.
"What are you doing?"
Hiccup was so caught off guard that he dropped the toy. The already fragile wing broke off when it hit the floor.
"I I I Iyayaya ... I'm so sorry." Hiccup scrambled to pick up the pieces. Ryyan was lost for words.
"Ryyan. Is everything alright?"
Both children looked over at Rodan, who still had his back to them.
Ryyan took one last look at Hiccup's guilt ridden face before calling back to him, "Yes Dad." She swallowed any anger she had and focused on herself appointed task.
She sat abruptly and went to grab Hiccup's hand. The boy sharply pulled away from her hand in fear. "I said I was sorry, you don't have to ..."
"I'm not going to hit you." Said Ryyan. She took a more gentle approach and asked him politely for his hand. He gave it to her once he was sure she would not hurt him. She wet the cloth and wiped away the dirt on his skin.
"Why are you so dirty anyway?" Ryyan asked innocently. Hiccup bit his lip and used his free hand to fiddle with the fur on his boots. "I wanted to see how hot a Nadder's fire got." He confessed, "I didn't think they would find me."
"Oh."
Ryyan finished cleaning the wound and got a better look at it. The redness had grown a little worse and it had already begun to flake.
"It's only minor, should only take a few days." She told Hiccup as she pulled out the clay jar. She removed the lid and dipped two fingers into it, collecting a small amount of its pale paste. She applied it to the rash with care and it took effect as she moved her fingers back and forth.
"What is that stuff." He asked but Ryyan quickly hushed him.
"It's a special medicine, called Aloe or something. Dad gets it from Trader Johann but it is really rare and only comes in small jars." Ryyan looked over her shoulder then back to Hiccup. "I'm not allowed to use it without permission."
She let go of his hand and cleaned her fingers on the cloth. "All done." She smiled and placed the top of the jar back on.
"Thanks." Hiccup stared at the paste on his hand, transfixed at its colour in the fire light as Ryyan picked up the remains of the dragon toy and stared at them despondently.
She had really liked the toy.
"I could..." Hiccup's mouth started to speak before he was ready to and he quickly shut his together. Ryyan looked at his confused, "Yes?"
"It's nothing ... Nothing at all."
"You could what?" Ryyan pressured him to talk.
"Well I ... could ... try and fix it ... maybe." When he spoke, it looked he was chewing on a rotten piece of salmon. Ryyan almost giggled at loud at the thought.
"But I better not." Hiccup pulled himself away from the girl.
"Why not?"
"All I do is make things worse."
Ryyan frowned. He looked more upset than before. Ryyan looked at the two pieces, then at Hiccup.
"You can still try." She held the toy as an offering to him. "Please."
Hiccup reluctantly took the pieces from her and slowly began working out how to attach them back together. Ryyan watched with great patience and enthusiasm as he twisted the wing back into its place, his nibble fingers adjusting the wood here and there. "Okay then, all I need is a piece of string then."
Ryyan pulled the green ribbon that held her braid together out and handed it to him, "Will this do?"
"Yes." Hiccup wrapped the ribbon around both the wings and doubled knotted the ends. The finishing result was a little clunky, but it still worked. "There, not so good as new but ..."
"You did it. Thank you Hiccup." Ryyan gave a little clap of joy at the sight of her fixed toy, her fuzzy curls bouncing along with her. Hiccup was a little unsure how to react. No one ever thanked him for anything before. "Ummm I .. umm..."
"This is where you say 'You're Welcome' and smile." Ryyan giggled as she plucked the toy from his open palm, cuddling it close to her chest.
"Um ... you're welcome ... Ryyan." Hiccup finally gave a little smile. Ryyan returned it tenfold "See you didn't make things worse, you actually made them better." Ryyan was sure he was blushing underneath all the soot covering his cheeks.
Neither of the children had realized that they were being watched for the last few minutes. Rodan's ever watchful gaze observed the two, a soft smile etched his careworn face as Ryyan cleaned Hiccup face. The small boy just sat silently as Ryyan mumbled on and on in an attempt to connect with him, the mended toy now cradled in his hands with utmost care.
Two motherless children. One born to leader Vikings, one born to heal them. Rodan knew this meeting would not be the last between the two, but for what the Gods had in store for their futures Rodan could not predicted. All he could do was watch and wait.
