Hi guys, GuardianDragon98 here with a little special side story to The Fiersome Chronicles.

Now as you all know, Zenna's older brother, Elias, died in a dragon raid that occurred a few years before the first HTTYD film. And Zenna took his death pretty hard…

I realized that I needed a little side fic to show you guys how hard she really took it and how her friendship with Hiccup had evolved during that tough time.

So I give you…this.

Disclaimer Note: All rights to HTTYD go to its respective owners and I own nothing.

Coming Back from Pain

Chapter 1: Numb

Numb

That's what 12 year old Zenna Fiersome felt when she saw her parents' anguished faces and her older brother Elias' battle sticks and black horned helmet, without their owner. It didn't take a genius to know what had happened to the spirited 13 year old Fiersome boy. The dragons had just left and the acrid smell of smoke still hung in the air. Outside the Fiersome household, Vikings were cleaning up wreckage, helping the injured and either quietly or loudly bewailing their losses.

In Zenna's house, there was nothing but thick and heavy silence.

Then the small whimper came from Zenna, followed by a sob and then, a loud wail of pain. The young girl fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she cried. Her crying pattern was irregular. First, she'd cry softly, stifle her sobs and then, scream loudly. Gothi, the village elder, tried to comfort her but Zenna just screamed at her and continued to wail.

"Zenna, my dear…" Henna whispered as she and her husband, Edgar, made a move to comfortingly wrap their daughter in their loving embrace. Zenna merely whimpered and scrambled to her feet before running upstairs.

"Zenna love, wait!" Edgar shouted after her but Henna held him back. Tears trickling down her face, Henna shook her head. They had to leave their daughter alone to grieve…for now.

Zenna had stopped crying and was now lying on her bed on her side, curled into a tiny ball, unable to look at Elias' empty bed. She looked at her family's shield portrait and then realized that she couldn't bear to look at it either so she threw a blanket over herself. Tears still continued to well up in her violet eyes and roll down her cheeks. The young girl stayed like this for Odin knows how long until she ran out of tears to cry out.

'Eli…why…? Why did you have to leave me…? Why? Why? WHY?' Zenna thought miserably. Then, she heard footsteps approaching, probably her Mom and Dad…

"Zen…?"

It was Hiccup.

Zenna felt someone sit by her on the bed and a small hand touch her blanket covered form but made no sound and made no move to get up. So she just kept still and quiet while Hiccup murmured soothingly to her.

"I know you're hurting, Zen. It hurts for me too…Elias was the best…and he was my best friend too…" the 12 year old Haddock said in a small voice. He found the place where Zenna's arm was and gently patted it.

"We're gonna get through this, Zen…We're gonna get through this together." Hiccup whispered to her. That's when Zenna lowered the blanket just a bit to look at her best friend. Hiccup's emerald green eyes were also puffy and red, indicating that he had cried too but his expression was one of bravery.

"We're gonna be okay." Hiccup said firmly. "Promise?" Zenna whispered brokenly. Hiccup gently brushed away a small tear from her tear stained face. "Promise." Hiccup whispered back.

Zenna sniffed and closed her eyes to try to get some sleep. Hiccup stroked her head comfortingly and softly hummed lullabies to her until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

"Good night, Zenna…" Hiccup said softly and kissed his best friend's forehead.

If the young boy had just looked, he would've seen his father silently watching him along with Zenna's parents. The three adults quickly went downstairs before Hiccup could notice.

"I'm sorry for your loss…He was a great warrior, your son." Stoick said to Henna and Edgar. Henna silently nodded, tears streaming down her face. Edgar then clasped Stoick's hand in his. "My daughter…is blessed to have your son as her friend." He said gratefully just as Hiccup had come downstairs.

"It's time to go, Hiccup. We've got a full day tomorrow." Stoick told his son. "Okay, Dad." Hiccup nodded before looking at Zenna's parents.

"Dad…if Eli's funeral is going to be tomorrow, can I stay beside Zenna during the whole thing?"

It felt strange for Hiccup to request for this. Whenever there was a funeral, he made sure to keep a respectable distance from the mourners. Partially because he was afraid he would make them even more upset and partially because he was afraid he could even mess up the funeral by accident.

But now, Hiccup wanted to be by someone grieving because he was grieving as well…

Elias, along with Zenna, had been his best friend for life. He was like a big brother to Hiccup. He had protected him from bullies like Snotlout and the Twins, gave him great tips and tricks on how to fend for himself in his own special way, made him laugh with Zen with his silly pranks and jokes and taught him so much. Now that he was gone…it felt like Hiccup had lost a really important part of himself.

Before Stoick could even answer his son, Henna swept the boy up in a hug. "Of course, Hiccup. It would make us feel so much better if you do that." She said lovingly.

Nodding sheepishly, Hiccup asked to be put down and then went back home with his father. Later that night, Hiccup prayed to the gods, 'Please let Zenna be okay…Please help me find a way to make her smile again…' and also fell into a dreamless sleep.

This chapter is a bit suckish, I admit. Updating schedule is pretty random for this, I apologize but I have priorities to attend to.

But please feel free to read and review. Those two things make me happy.