Family comes first.
Such a simply said phrase. But Vikings were held to it. Especially in Berk.
Hiccup rubbed his temples. Back in Midgard two weeks and he was already thrown into all new problems and horse crap.
A sea serpent loose around the Viking Islands, an upcoming summit to teach at least one hundred other teens about how to train dragons as opposed to killing them, and of course the fresh new Hel that his father had laid upon him right before his comatose. The only upside being he didn't have any "divinely inspired" headaches in awhile.
From Thor or Loki.
But this matter that Stoick had tossed on his plate was the most immediate of his problems.
Hiccup stepped away from his latest plans he had drawn out on his desk. They were garbage anyway. He was trying desperately to build something to capture the serpent but nothing came to mind. They were... sliperier? Is that a word? Point being not as easy to capture as a dragon. Not that the later was a piece of cake to capture if it's being hostile.
Hiccup sighed as he gazed out of his window toward the sky. It was night and remarkably there were no clouds.
Hopefully that stayed for his trip tomorrow. This new stage in his life was going to be rough. What was worse was that he had to make it alone. Well not alone. He had his bestfriend.
Toothless slept peacefully despite Hiccup's restlessness. It was good. He had a long flight ahead of him.
The Isle of Klorn. Home of the Reckless Pillagers. From what Stoick told Hiccup they were open-minded to the idea of riding dragons. Apparently their Chief decided to ask for the favor he had discussed with Stoick at the Conference.
The message had just arrived by ship today. It was urgent and recquired Stoick's "fastest ship" to come. Well Stoick is someone who takes urgent to a different level. His ally cried for help in the form of his fastest ship and Stoick replies with his son on the fastest dragon they had.
"Thanks Dad," Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It'll only be two days," A voice said from behind him.
Hiccup nearly jumped out of his leg.
"Been awhile since I got you that bad Haddock," Loki said with amusement.
"You purposely waited two weeks so my guard would be down," Hiccup said his heart still racing.
"Nail on the head," Loki said. "But yeah it's only two days...that will change your life...permanently."
"Thanks," Hiccup said. "No stress though,"
"You'll be fine," Loki said.
"Yeah but this is whole new territory that I'm not used to. This is completely different and new and frightening and I haven't even told Astrid."
"Hiccup, I'm gonna need you to take a big sip of Chill the Hel Out and sit down."
Hiccup listened and seated himself on the window sill.
"Only a few months ago training dragons was new territory. So was going out on adventures to protect your people or free other dragons or fighting in Asgard or Hel for you having a relationship. Life is uncharted waters full of frightening crap. But the best part about it is sometimes you stumble upon paradise."
"And what about when you find the opposite?"
"Then you don't stop sailing." Loki stated simply.
Hiccup mulled it over. He looked down at his feet. Another new experience he had come to live with. It made sense to him and gave him new motivation for tomorrow. He could do this. The journey meant little to him. It was what the journey brought into his life that was going to be hard.
"Thank..." Hiccup looked up to only see his sleeping dragon. "...you."
Hiccup walked over to his desk and blew out his candle. He sat down on his bed and removed his leg. He laid down and stared at the ceiling. In no time he was asleep.
The Next Morning
Hiccup awoke to his father shaking him.
"Are ya ready Son?" Stoick asked.
"As much as I can be," Hiccup smiled.
In no time Hiccup dressed for the trip. He packed his saddle bags. He made sure to put his crossbow on board Toothless He armed himself with his sword and declared he was ready.
"Excellent," Stoick said. "Let's go grab some breakfast."
Hiccup agreed and as father and son they walked down to the Great Hall. They entered and ate together. Hiccup finished his food quickly and made his way over to his friends.
"Hey guys," he said walking up to them.
He gave a quick kiss to Astrid. And sat down.
"So, when do you plan on telling us what this is about?" Tuffnut asked.
Hiccup fell silent. He may have been in more of a leadership role latley but he was still awkward Hiccup anfd he had no good cover for this. Covering the Loki thing was hard enough.
"It's more of a family thing than a friend thing," Snotlout said.
"And how much do you know about?" Ruffnut asked.
Hiccup could sense a coming argument so he sipped on his water trying to be as far from the epicenter as possible.
Snotlout looked away. "Not much, but I'm still going with Hiccup,"
Hiccup began choking and almost spewed his water everywhere. He started coughing violently as all attention at the table and some of the Hall centered on him.
"You okay?" Astrid asked concerned.
Hiccup gave a thumbs up. After a brief moment of regaining his breath he calmly addressed Snot's statement.
"When the Hel were you told you were coming? And who in the Nine Realms planned on informing me about this freaking change?"
Maybe not so calmly.
"For Odin's sake you'd think I'd be told," Hicup was somewhere in between mad, confused, and scared.
"I assumed your dad did," Snot said.
Hiccup would have been okay with taking this trip with someone. Provided their name didn't rhyme with Motlout.
Okay yes they were on much better terms than before. In fact even more so since Hiccup woke up. But to deal with him for such a long flight... alone... and to do this... and alone.
"I'll be right back," Hiccup said. He quickly walked off towards his father.
Astrid rushed after him. "Hiccup wait."
He turned around. "What?"
"Calm down," She said. "Maybe this could be good."
"Good?" Hiccup asked. "How?"
"If it really is family business maybe you could use a family member with you," Astrid said.
"How has he ever been family to me?"
"You said you forgave him remember?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to be alone with the guy. What are just me and him gonna talk about for such a long flight?"
"I don't know but maybe you can come back with a stronger bond to your cousin."
"I hate it when you're right."
"You must hate all time then." Astrid said slyly. Hiccup smiled at it. She could always talk him out of doing somehing stupid.
After that Stoick came up to him to tell him about the fact that Snotlout would be going with him. Hiccup nodded ignoring the fact that Stoick had waited so long to tell him.
Hiccup quickly kissed Astrid goodbye. He didn't want to linger.
"Please be careful," Astrid whispered. "With whatever this is."
"Is careful really me?" Hiccup asked.
She hit him. "You know what I mean,"
"I will," Hiccup nodded.
The cousins quickly mounted up and set forth on their day long flight to Klorn.
"So what are we doing anyway?" Snotlout asked as soon as they were cruising.
This really was going to be a long flight.