"Are you sure you don't know where she is?" asked Stoick the Vast.
Johann shrugged as he answered, "I'm positive, Master Stoick. I haven't the slightest clue. if I find anything that hints to Hiccup Haddock's location, I assure you, you will be the first to know."
Stoick sighed, "Okay. Thanks anyway, Johann. Just, please keep an eye out for her while you're away."
The merchant bowed, "I give you my word, sir."
Stoick stared beyond the merchant's ship as it disappeared over the horizon. A year and a half had passed, and there had been no sign of Hiccup. She hadn't even sent a dragon to communicate with Draymore. Stoick feared that something had happened to her, but refused to let himself believe it. Hiccup was alive and well. He knew it. He could feel it.
Stoick walked through the village to the Great Hall and sat in his throne. He sat in the throne for a long time, looking through Hiccup's old sketch book. Until Hiccup left, Stoick had never noticed what Hiccup did in her spare time. Now that he had looked through her sketch book, he began to remember his wife.
Stoick began to realize that Hiccup was so much like her mother. She loved to draw and had an interest with dragons and animals. Stoick felt like he was losing his wife all over again.
"Dad?"
Stoick looked up from Hiccup's sketchbook to Draymore. The young boy pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, "Someone's here to see you. It's about Hiccup."
Stoick's posture straightened at the mentioning of Hiccup's name. "Let him in."
"Uh.." Draymore stuttered, "Actually, she's a 'she'."
The doors to the Great Hall creaked open to give Stoick a clear view of the visitor. The individual wore a black cloak over her shoulders and a mask o her face. She slowly walked closer to Stoick. The stranger stopped at the steps leading to the throne and slowly raised her hand. In her hand, she held a letter with Stoick's initials on it.
Stoick stepped closer and accepted the note. He observed it before looking up to question the visitor further, but when he looked up, the visitor was walking away. Stoick didn't follow her. He wanted to read the note.
Draymore watched as Stoick opened the letter and read it. Stoick's expressions were curious, but quickly turned to anger. Stoick finished reading the letter and gave it to Draymore.
Stoick shook his head as he stomped out of the Great Hall, waving to Astro and the others as he passed them.
Astro turned to face Draymore, "What happened to Stoick?"
Draymore read the letter to explain, "The letter's from Alvin."
Astro sighed. "What does he want now?"
Draymore continued reading, "He says that he has Hiccup, and he's agreed to leave us alone. He and Hiccup have a deal. He'll leave us alone if Hiccup gives him... You son of a bitch!" Draymore threw the letter to the floor.
Astro reached down to retrieve the letter, but Draymore stopped him.
"You don't want to read it."
"What?" questioned Astro, "What does Alvin want from Hiccup?"
"You don't want to know."
"Well, Astro may not want to know," said Snotlout, "but I do. What does the note say?"
Draymore looked to his friends, tears swelling in his eyes. "Alvin wants a son."