Stoick The Vast met with a lone ship on a dark, cloudy night. No one accompanied him to the docks, and it appeared that no one was on the boat. It was long, made of dark wood with richly detailed, bright red carvings. A great wall of a man rose from below the deck of the small vessel, toting with him a much smaller figure. They silently stepped off onto the docks, thickly furred cloaks obscurring their faces.
"Stoick, is lovely to see ye again." The man said in a thick accent, greeting him with a small bow.
"Likewise, Ice-veins. But we aren't here for pleasantries. You said you'd explain everything right here, right now. Why so sneaky, old friend?" Stoick crossed his arms, making note of the woman standing beside him, dwarfed by Ice-Vein's height.
"I want ye to train her," he gently pushed the woman in front of him, "to be a dragon rider. The chief has even agreed to pay you in gold and well-oiled leather." Stoick rose a brow at that, why would they have to meet in secrecy for this? He had never met the chief of Ice-Veins clan, but he couldn't fathom why he was trying to pawn off one of his youth.
"Why do you think I would need to be paid? Our allies are always welcome to send their youth to learn how to ride a dragon." He stroked his beard thoughtfully, noting the girl had not uttered a word. Ice-Veins pulled down his hood, his long, matted auburn hair framing a strong jaw and weathered skin. A deep sadness was settled into his blue eyes, his mouth set into a thin line.
"Because he doesn't want her coming back." His voice nearly broke, but stayed strong and deep. Stoick gave him a confused look, switching between his friend and the girl. "Please, Stoick, she's expressed interest in riding dragons ever since you, our allies, learned to tame the beasts. This is all we could think of...If I go back with her, things won't end well."
"And just why is that? And who is she? I won't have danger coming into my village, not even for you, old friend." Ice-Veins sighed, motioning for the girl to lower her hood.
She was short, standing probably a half-a-head shorter than his son, with olive skin, shaggy copper hair and pale blue eyes. Purple war paint decorated her face, but even under that you could tell she was Ice-Veins flesh and blood. "I swear, she's not a danger to anyone, but I'm not who I used to be, Stoick. Not since the new chief took over years ago..." he sighed with melancholy, staring his friend square in the eyes. "Please, she's all I have, and I have nowhere else to take her where she'll be safe...I'm begging you, old friend."
Stoick stared at him, before turning his gaze to the young woman. No older than 20, he surmised. He stared deep into her eyes, her cold gaze as unrelenting as her fathers, yet he saw no malice in that cold glare. He sighed, nodding and clasping his friends shoulder.
"No need for payment, we have all we need here. I'll leave you two alone for a minute, say your goodbyes." Ice-Veins thanked him as he walked towards the steps that lead up to the island, before turning to his daughter.
"Now Rotti, you're a woman now and, and you've got to go on your own now," He sniffled, pulling his daughter into an embrace. "You're mother is going to be so proud of you and who you're going to become, as am I."
She returned the embrace, inhaling the deep scent of leather, iron, and fur. "I know, father."
With one last, tearful farewell, Rotti Ice-Veins joined Stoick in watching the little boat leave. They walked up to the island in silence, Rotti thinking of home and Stoick thinking of the only other time he had seen her. He shook the bad memory from his head, instead giving Rotti a quiet tour of his home.
"I would introduce you to my son but he and the other dragon riders live away at the moment. None of the riders here are equipped to be trainers, though, and I'll have them called back to discuss whether one will stay here to train you, or whether you will go stay with them on the edge." Stoick half-lied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. The village where she was from, he knew there were very few people her age, and maybe staying on the edge with his son and his friends would be good for her. There was another reason, but he chose not to dwell on it.
He pushed open the door to a small guest room, sparsely furnished save for a chair, a small table, and a bed made of stretched leather and furs.
"Make yourself at home, you're probably tired and frankly, so am I." He smiled at the girl, who gave him a nervous half-smile in return. Bah, he wasn't good with young people. He dropped a few logs into the small fireplace, calling a terrible terror over to light it. She stared at the small dragon in complete fascination, reaching out to touch it before getting a nip on the fingers.
"Ack! What a foul little beast..." She grumbled, sticking her bloody fingers in her mouth. Stoick quickly shooed the dragon out of the house, before apologizing.
"Sorry, the terrors are a little bit temperamental with new people. I'll get you a bandage." She waved him off, shedding her cloak.
"It's fine, sir. You've done enough for me already, and I thank ye for that." She bowed slightly to him, and he bid a quick goodnight before leaving her to her own devices.
She sighed, shedding the rest of her clothes. The dragon scale armor on her left shoulder, the wolf skull on her right, and the thick leather wrappings around her torso. When all that was left was her soft linens, she dipped a worn rag into a small water bowl on the table, wiping off the purple war paint on her face. All that was left now was her, no armor or warpaint to hide under. Climbing into the thick furs of the bed, she stared longingly at the fire, mind traveling to better times in a better place. She put her head in her hands and cried, and cried, and cried until there were no more tears. She felt smaller, lighter, and less of a burden. Curling up under the furs, she fell asleep.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning on their new outpost, Dragons Edge. The night terrors were sleeping in their roosts, the twins were scheming instead of causing chaos, and Snotlout was still asleep. Hiccup looked up from his diagrams as a messenger dragon perched on the railing outside of his hut. He cocked a brow, walking over and unfurling the note attached to it's leg.
Son, I need you and the riders to come back to Berk. There's no emergency, but I've been asked a favor by an old and dear friend. There's someone I'd like you to meet.
See you soon,
Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk
Hiccup folded the note up, wondering who could be so important that they're all being called back to the island. He shook his head, figuring he might as well find out sooner or later. He sighed, calling everyone together.
"What gives man? I was getting' my beauty sleep!" Snotlout whined, rubbing his eyes and earning an elbow in the side from Astrid
"Hiccup probably has something important to tell us." Astrid declared, to which Hiccup gave an "eh" look and a shrug.
"Ooh! Did you get anything new out of the dragon eye?" Fishlegs asked excitedly.
"No, no. It doesn't have anything to do with the dragon eye. I just got a letter from my dad, he says he wants all of us back on Berk."
"What, why!? I was just about to mount Ser Boaris's head on the wall of the hut!" Ruffnut protested, earning a nod from her brother.
"Ah, noble Ser Boaris, he was as voracious as he was old. May he carry on in Valhalla" Tuffnut clasped a hand on his sisters shoulder, eyes closed in respect for the boar.
"Look he didn't put that much detail in the letter. Only that he wants us to meet someone. If we leave now we can be back by tonight. Now everyone saddle up, no ifs ands or buts about it." Hiccup had taken some time to settle in as the de-facto leader of the group, and they didn't necessarily have to leave so soon but he was just itching to see who his dad wants him to meet, and how they factor into a favor he'd been asked.
As he was tightening the straps on Toothless's saddle, Astrid brought the dragon eye over to him.
"So do you really have no idea who your dad wants us to meet?" She asked, stuffing the eye into his satchel. Hiccup shook his head, just as bewildered as his companions.
The flight there was long, but the weather was fair and the silent was filled with small talk, as well as conjecture and gossip about who they could possibly be meeting on the island.
Rotti nervously fiddled with the fur lining her belt, having shed her cloak and sleeves due to the fair weather. She couldn't help but notice how different she was from the other viking women. She was similar enough to them in build, with an ample bosom and wide hips, but her hair was shorter than everyone elses, unbraided and wild. Nobody here wore warpaint daily, but in her home, well, former home, she wore it every day. It was normal to her, and she couldn't imagine a morning where she didn't mix the paint fresh from berry juice and clay.
She saw the dragons in the distance, and sighed as Stoick put a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry lass, I'm sure they'll like you just fine." But his words of comfort fell on deaf ears, for she wasn't worried about whether or not they would like her. She was worried about whether she would like them.
The group landed, Hiccup taking the lead as he greeted his father, before examining the woman standing beside him.
"Ahem, Hiccup and company, I'd like you to meet Rotti Ice-Veins, she's the daughter of an old friend of mine and I, uh, would like you to train her to be a dragon rider." Hiccup rose a brow as the group muttered amongst themselves.
"Why us? We just got settled at the outpost and I'm sure someone on the island could train her." Stoick motioned for him to come to the side, and Rotti stood awkwardly by under the gaze and scrutiny of the other riders.
"Hiccup, Rotti is from Vyrmir, and there aren't a lot of other people her age there. I was just hoping it would do her some good to be around people her own age, and I would like you to take her back to Dragons Edge with you." Stoick said softly, glancing at the girl. A viking her age should be wild, loud, and free-spirited, but all he saw in her was melancholy. Hiccup looked at her, and back to his father, giving a firm nod. Stoick smiled, "Thank you son."
Hiccup walked back to the group, getting all of their attention. "Okay guys, looks like Rotti is coming back to the Edge with us. Now I'm doing this because dad asked me to, and I'd appreciate it if we made her feel welcome, at least." Astrid nodded, the twins and Fishlegs shrugged, while Snotlout snickered.
"Oh I'm sure I can make her feel verrry welcom-OW!" Astrid had smacked him on the head, giving him a warning glare.
Rotti shuffled over to them, eager to introduce herself. "Uhm, you must be Hiccup, right?"
"Yep, that's me. And this is Astrid," Astrid smiled and waved, "the twins, Tuffnut and Ruffnut Thorston," they gave her a friendly wave before going right back to plotting, "Fishlegs," the man in question gave her a warm smile and handshake, "Annnd finally my cousin, Snotlout." Hiccup's voice flattened as Snotlout gave her an eyebrow wiggle.
She shifted from foot to foot, examining the six of them. She figured she'd get along well enough with Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs, though she wasn't quite sure of the twins, and Snotlout gave her the creeps. "Well, uh, if you want to leave now, I can go get my stuff."
"You can ride with me if you want~" Snotlout leaned over to her with an attempt at a charming smirk, but she simply pushed his face away with a sneer before scampering up to the chief's house.
"Ha! I think I'll like her." Astrid laughed as Snotlout mumbled dejectedly. The twins nodded in agreement, and Fishlegs was practically vibrating with excitement at having someone who he can teach about all of the dragon species. She finally came back down with a cloak and a leather bag thrown over her shoulder. She had opted to join Astrid on Stormfly, admiring the bright coloration of the dragon. Hiccup thought maybe a nadder would be a good choice for her.
"So, Rotti, what's it like to live on Vyrmir? Isn't it all ice and snow, all year round?" Astrid asked, glancing behind her.
"Uh, yeah. Sometimes the snow melts on the shore, but it's basically an icebox 99% of the time." Rotti sighed, longing for the vast tundra of her home.
"So what'd you do there? You don't dress like a warrior." Ruffnut sidled up to the nadder on her zippleback, giving Rotti an appraising look.
"I guess I was a healer, I mean, I can fight too but I mostly work with herbs and medicines..."
"Pfft, lame." Tuffnut snorted, before earning a glare from his sister.
"Well I, personally, think it would be great to have a healer on the island. Maybe she can come up with a cure for your fat head!" She laughed at Tuffnut, who pulled on her braid, resulting in a boot in the face and so on and so fourth.
Rotti leaned closer to Astrid, "Are they always like that?" She quietly asked.
"Yeah, pretty much. You learn to deal with it...most of the time." she sighed.
Most of the flight passed in silence, and Rotti eagerly hopped off the dragon to stretch her legs when they landed. She marveled at their outpost, it was unlike anything she had seen on Vyrmir. The setting sun was warm on her typically cold skin, and the forest surrounding the base was thick and lush.
"I'll set up a cot in my room for you until you can get your own space, that okay?" Astrid smiled at her, and she fidgeted, so unused to socializing. Most of the group wandered off to do their own thing, making sure everything was still in order after their short day-trip.
"Yeah, that's fine. Thank you." She felt a nudge on her leg, and looked down to see a tiny white dragon, sleepily blinking at her. She cautiously reached down to scratch under it's chin, and it greedily welcomed the attention.
"See you've met Smidvarg." She jumped, spooked by the sudden conversation. She turned to see Tuffnut, holding a tiny chicken in his arms. She looked at the dragon, then to him, then to the chicken, and back at the dragon.
"Smidvarg…?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. What a dumb name for a dragon, she thought.
"Yes, Smidvarg. And this is chicken, say hello chicken." The tiny fowl in his arms clucked at her, it's vacant stare boring into her soul. "Smidvarg is the head of the gang, a group of "Night Terrors" that defend the island."
"Ha! Defends? But they're so tiny." She kneeled down to give the small dragon a proper scritching, finding "the spot" right under it's jaw.
"So? Tiny things can be deadly! Even moreso than bigger things!" He defended. "Ah, whatever. You'll see the light, one day. Oh, and Hiccup wanted me to tell you that dinner is in 10. Hope you like yak." And with that, Tuffnut wandered off, leaving Rotti with a bewildered expression.
"What a strange guy..." She muttered, standing up and walking where her nose led her. The smell of roasting yak meat drew her to a small hut with tables, chairs, mead barrels and spit-roast in the far end of it. Fishlegs was tending to the food, turning the meat and poking at the leeks being grilled
"So you're the one who cooks around here, hm?" She didn't mean to startle him, but she did, and he nearly knocked the whole spit over when he jumped.
"Oh! It's just you. Heheh." He laughed nervously, "Not really, each of us takes turns with cooking. Word of advice, when either Tuffnut or Astrid are cooking, just sneak some dried meat from the pantry." He slyly grinned and went back to sprinkling herbs on the meat. Rotti chuckled, sitting on a nearby chair and watching him work in silence. She wondered if she, too, would be asked to cook. She wasn't quite sure of her standing with the group. They were nice to her, sure, but she wasn't sure if she would truly be able to integrate herself in, and if not she saw herself leaving within a few weeks.
But where would she go? She couldn't go home, at least not now, and a modest living on Berk seemed do-able but not very...appealing. She sighed, thanking Thor when everyone else shuffled in for dinner. She grabbed a plate, a big mug of mead, and settled down between Fishlegs and Astrid, across from the twins and farthest from Snotlout. The air was filled with talks of saddles and flying maneuvers and whatnot, and she mostly ate silently, taking big gulps of the sweet drink in an effort to loosen her tongue. Maybe if she was tipsy she would be more approachable.
"Woah-oh-oh, slow down there, unless you wanna start a drinking contest with the twins." Astrid chuckled and whispered to her, though not quiet enough, apparently.
"Did someone say, drinking contest?" The twins eyes darted to her, an intense, identical gaze that stoked the growing fire in her belly. She slowly stood up, and they followed suit.
"Maybe. What's your wager?" She asked, voice laced with apprehension and interest in equal measures. The rest of the group shook their heads, batting down the hatches for what was going to come.
"If we win, you do our chores for a week!" They grinned, earning a scoff from Hiccup.
"Way to make her feel welcome..."He grumbled, crossing his arms.
"And if I win...you do my gatherings for me, for a week." They gave her a confused stare, and she huffed and rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't notice, I didn't bring a lot with me. I thrive in dried herbs, potions, all that fun stuff."
"Ohhh..." they nodded in understanding, before grinning malevolently and filling up three large tankards with the strongest mead they had. The contest had begun.
A/N: Hello readers! This is something new for me, I've never written for HTTYD before and I'd REALLLLLLY appreciate some reviews. It takes less than 30 seconds of your time and literally makes my day, and motivates me to write more. I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts about how i'm writing the characters, Rotti, etc. Please and thank you!
