Hooooly shit. Okay I was NOT expecting that much feedback. So let's see if I can do it a second time round. Deep thanks to everyone who reviewed and favourite. A special thanks to those that gave me suggestions and ideas. I did consider what you said when writing this.

But a couple things I'll point out now. Someone asked if Hiccup should have a different personality if Valka was raising him as well. My answer is…no. At least I don't feel like Hiccup character should be 100% different. This is partly just me because I really, really hate it when characters are being OOC for pretty much no reason.

Also on Valka herself, for those wondering, she no longer tries to bring peace with dragons. She still doesn't approve of killing them, but she just keeps her opinions to herself, even from Hiccup. There'll be reasons for this later, some of it in this chapter. But a big reason is that she never met Cloudjumper( Also someone pointed out that Cloudjumper is from the Bewilderbeasts nest, but in Valka's flashback he was attacking Berk with dragons from the Red Death's nest, which is a little confusing, but for the sake of simplicity I'm just going to say that yes, Cloudjumper is part of the Red Death's nest)


Let's Talk

Inside of the great hall, Stoick and the other Vikings were gathered around the massive table. Stoick loomed over a map of the sea. Valka was standing on his right side, looking serious.

"Either we finish them or they'll finish us!" Stoick voiced boomed in the hall. "It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home"

Stoick stabbed his knife into uncharted section of the map, representing the dragons nest.

"One more search. Before the ice sets in" he said

"Those ships never come back!" someone called out.

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard! Now who's with me?"

Everyone in the hall looked hesitant and some of them began to mention feeble excuses. Stoick knew where this was going.

"Alright" he said. "Those who stay will look after Hiccup".

Beside him, Valka blinked for a second and just turned to Stoick with an indignant look.

However as soon as he had said it, everyone in the hall threw their hands into the air, all of them now brimming with enthusiasm. Valka looked around, her mouth gaping and rolling her eyes in disbelief.

"That's more like it" Stoick said in approval, ignoring Valka's reaction.

Stoick nodded with approval as everyone left to go prepare for the voyage. However his smile soon dropped when he came face to face with Valka who had her hands on her hips

"It's funny how you get everybody to go with you by offering them to do my job" she said in humourless voice

"Oh. Yes, well you see uh… Well what I meant was….uh" For a minute, Stoick's imposing confidence was now gone and he began to splutter awkwardly in front of his wife as she stare hard at him. He looked to Gobber for some support, but this looked like a situation Gobber wanted to stay out of.

"Well you two seem like your busy, so I'll just go pack my undies". He quickly finished his drink and made a move to get up from the table but Stoick raised his hand up to stop him.

"No wait. I need you to stay here and train some new recruits" he said quickly, regaining his composure as they changed the subject.

"What about Hiccup?" Valka asked hesitantly.

"Leave him at the stall" Stoick said simply.

"Oh, perfect" Gobber said drearily. "While I'm busy, Hiccup covers the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself. What could possibly go wrong?"

Stoick shook his head and heaved a sigh. He sat down on the beach beside Gobber and rubbed his forehead.

"What are we going to do with him Val?" he said, looking at his wife.

"Put him in training with the others" Gobber said.

"No, Gobber we're been serious here" Stoick said,

"So am I"

"He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage" Stoick said incredulously.

"Oh, you don't know that" Gobber said, waving his hand.

"I do know that, actually" Stoick replied pointedly.

"No you don't"

"Yes, I do"

"You don't"

Valka didn't say anything as Stoick and Gobber bantered with each other. Instead she seemed to be focused on collecting and cleaning some empty mugs around the table.

"For last time, I do!" Stoick snapped at Gobber. Stoick then turned to Valka.

"Val, are you listening to this? Hiccup and Dragon Training? We may as well throw him off the cliff". Despite himself, Stoick let out small chuckle.

"I think you should put him in training Stoick" Valka said without even turning around.

"…What?" Stoick said, turning to look at Valka, thinking he must have head wrong. Beside him, Gobber also lifted his head up with a confusion expression.

"I think you should put Hiccup in Dragon Training" Valka said, turning to look at him, pokerfaced. Both Stoick and Gobber looked stunned by what she had said and shared a look with each other.

"Val, are you being serious?" Stoick asked uncertainly

"Yes" she said stiffly. She turned away from Stoick and went back to cleaning the mugs. "I think it'd be best for him"

Stoick however did not seem convinced. "But Val, I thought that you didn't want Hiccup to fight dragons? You always said he should be helping you with the wounded"

Valka hung her head down low. She set mugs down on the table, turning back to Stoick again.

"That's not going to work Stoick" she said shaking her head, despondent. "I thought maybe after a while he'd come around. But the truth is he doesn't want to be like me. Why would anyone want to be like me?" she added bitterly.

Stoick now looked at Valka sympathetically. He glanced at Gobber who cleared his throat and had his eyes firmly on the celling."

"Look Val" Stoick sighed. "I know that you've never liked all the killing and before Hiccup was born you always said..."

"Yes I know what I said Stoick!" she snapped quickly, looking angry. She then took a deep breath and seemed to calm herself. "But this isn't about me, it's about our son. It was hard enough on me. I don't want to see it happen to him as well."

Stoick grunted in frustration

"Valka listen, you know what he's like! From the time he could crawl he's been different. He doesn't listen. He has the attention span of a sparrow. I take him fishing and he goes hunting for…trolls"

"Trolls exist!" Gobber said earnestly. "They steal your socks. But only the left ones. What's with that?"

Valka and Stoick eyed Gobber and then looked back at each other.

"He's still your son Stoick" Valka said placidly, walking over to him and placing her hand on his thick arm. Stoick looked at Valka, before stood up again and started to pace up the room for a second.

"I mean when I was a boy…" he said after a pause.

"Oh here we go" Gobber muttered.

"Uh better take a seat" Valka sighed tiredly, seating down right beside Gobber.

"My father told me to bang my head against a rock"

"Oh joy, the rock story" Valka mumbled, sharing a knowing look with Gobber.

"I thought he was crazy" Stoick went on. "But I didn't question him. And you know what happened?"

"You got a headache?" Gobber said dully, messing with his metal tooth. Beside him, Valka suddenly put on a serious and gruff like face. She then started to mouth Stoick's words perfectly as he spoke and copied his gestures. Stoick didn't even take any notice of what she was doing as he continued his monologue.

"That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do. He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas!"

Stoick sighed and sat down beside Valka. "Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become, but Hiccup is not that boy".

"Stoick, he's a lot more like you than you care to realise" Valka said with a slight grin.

"Well except that he's really scrawny and weak" Gobber said bluntly, picking his teeth. He abruptly fell silent when he noticed the angry glare in Valka's eyes. Valka then looked back to Stoick

"He's stubborn, he's reckless and he doesn't quit no matter how hopeless it gets for him. All he wants Stoick, is to be like you. He wants to be the son you want. It's just...hard for him"

Valka placed her hand on Stoick's face and gently rubbed his cheek.

"Maybe…maybe you should give him a chance. That's all he wants. Let him try and we just have to…" Valka seemed to struggle on her words. "Hope for the best"

"Valka's right Stoick" Gobber said heavily. "You can't stop him. You can only prepare him. The truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now"

Stoick looked at Gobber, taking in his words and then back at Valka. Slowly, Stoick nodded, realising that they were right.


Later Stoick and Valka returned home, expecting to find Hiccup.

"Hiccup!" Valka called up the stairs. She tried again but there was no answer.

"He's gone" Stoick said glumly.

"I'll go look for him" Valka said quickly, heading for the door, but Stoick pulled her back.

"No stop. Gobber was right. He's not going to stop this". Stoick moved to the empty fire place and began to light the fire. When he was finished, the flames light up the dark house. Valka had sat down and was staring in the fire impassively. Stoick kneeled down beside.

"Now Val, you're defiantly sure for your ready for him to do this? Because when we go through with this, we won't look back". Stoick said, sounding deadly serious. "You understand?"

"Yes" Valka said quietly, nodding her head.

"Good". Stoick nodded approving and gripped her forearm for a moment in assurance. "So you tell him when he gets back. I must get ready for the search". Valka jerked her head up and watched as Stoick tried to leave.

"Stop!" she said, now sounding stern herself. Stoick froze on the spot. " Get back here"

Stoick slowly turned around and seemed to be a little taken back by her tone.

"You have to tell him this" Valka said.

"Me?" Stoick said. "Oh no no. You tell. You can talk to him better than me"

"Yes well only because you never try to talk to him" Valka said disapprovingly.

"I talk to him all the time" Stoick said a little indignant. "I was talking him just this morning

"No you just yelled at him" Valka said in a low voice. "Like you yell at everything else"

"Yelling counts as talking" Stoick said feebly

"No it dosnet!" she snapped. "Now Stoick, he is your son and you will talk to him about this and show him you support him"

Stoick opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find any words after he noticed the dangerous glare in Valka's eyes.

"Okay. You're right". Stoick nodded solemnly and then looked serious again. "I'll tell him."


Later in the evening, Hiccup finally managed to make his way back home. He was still shaking slightly and all he wanted was to get bed and pretend everything that just happened was a dream. He opened the front door, but tensed up when he saw Stoick and Valka were sitting around the fire place. He tried to move as quietly as he could to the stairs. However Valka soon saw him and quickly stood up as he scrambled up the stairs.

"Hiccup"

He froze and gulped tightly.

"Mom. Dad" he said as he moved down the stairs, avoiding eye contact with both of them. "I uh... I have to talk to you about… something"

"Yes, well. Hiccup" Valka walked up to him first. "Your father" She shot a look at Stoick. "And I need to talk to you as well."

"Ahem, yes that's right son" Stoick said a little awkwardly. He walked over to join them and stood facing Hiccup directly. Stoick straighten himself as he prepared to speak. Hiccup did the same and together the two of them spoke in unison.

"I have decided I don't want/time for you to learn to fight dragons. What?"

Valka looked between them in confusion, having no idea what either one of them just said. Stoick briefly glanced at Valka and to Hiccup

"Ah you go first" Stoick said.

"No no, you go first" Hiccup offered

"Alright". Stoick took a deep breath and clasped his hands. "Your mother and I have been talking and…you get your wish. Dragon training. You start in the morning"

Hiccup reaction wasn't what Valka had expected. She thought he would be surprised but grateful, but instead he suddenly looked like he might have a heart attack.

"Oh man, I should've gone first" he said in a panic. "Uh because I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings or small home repair Vikings"

Stoick didn't pay attention to Hiccup and just dropped a nearby axe into his hands. "You'll need this"

"I don't want to fight dragons" Hiccup finally managed to say as he tried to hold the axe up.

"What?" Valka said in surprise.

"I don't want to fight dragons" Hiccup repeated desperately to his mother.

"Oh come on" Stoick chuckled lightly as if Hiccup made a joke. "Yes, you do"

"Rephrase. Dad, I can't kill dragons"

"But you will kill dragons"

"No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't" Hiccup stressed.

"Wait, wait" Valka said bemused. "Hiccup, what's gotten into you? This morning you were out trying to kill a Night Fury"

Hiccup winched slightly at the last two words.

"Exactly" Stoick said. "It's time Hiccup"

"No but I can't"

"Sweetheart what's the matter?" Valka asked with worry, moving closer to Hiccup. "Did something happen?"

"No, well I mean I just-"

Stoick looked back and forward between Hiccup and Valka as they both began to talk frantically. Scowling, he inhaled deeply and raised his hand up. He didn't shout, but both Hiccup and Valka fell silent regardless. Once they were, Stoick turned to Hiccup again.

"Now this is serious son" he said sternly.

Stoick pulled the axe in Hiccup's hands up, so that he was holding straight

"When you carry this axe you carry all of us with you. That means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of..."

Stoick waved his hands around and pointed at Hiccup. "This"

"You just gestured to all of me" Hiccup said, sounding annoyed.

"Stoick!" Valka said reproachfully. Stoick didn't give look at Valka this time, but just kept his eyes firmly on Hiccup.

"Deal?" he said.

"This conversation is feeling very one-sided" Hiccup said bitterly.

"Deal?!" Stoick said with more force. Hiccup just sighed and dropped his shoulders in defeat.

"Deal" he mumbled.

"Good" Stoick accepted. "Train hard". He roughly pated Hiccup on the back. He then walked over to the fire place and slung a duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Hold on" Valka said quickly as Stoick headed for the door. "Stoick, maybe we should discuss this a little more before-"

"Look I have no more time for this" Stoick said dismissively, putting on his helmet. "The ships are waiting and I have to go"

"But-"

"Valka, I need to go"

"Alright" Valka resigned. "But please be careful".

Stoick looked back at his wife with longing. He put his hand on her face and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Don't worry, I'll be back" he promised. As he made to the door, he paused for a second and then looked back at Valka.

"Probably" he added, a little dubiously.

Valka watched with a heavy heart as Stoick went out the door and prayed that it wouldn't be the last time she'd see him. She turned back to Hiccup and opened her mouth to speak, but she saw he was already gone up the stairs. Valka was now left standing alone in the den, looking between where her husband and son had been.


Valka opened the door to Hiccup's room and peeked inside. She saw Hiccup was sitting on his bed, hunched over. The axe his father had given him was leaning up against the frame of the bed.

"Hiccup" she said, entering the room. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" he said. "Oh no. Things are great aren't they? Dad put me in Dragon Training, just like I always wanted. Everything's…just great".

Valka was more than familiar with that level of sarcasm from her son and knew immediately that this is clearly not what Hiccup had wanted.

"Hiccup, what's the matter?" she asked taking a seat beside him. "Did something happen when you were out? Did someone say something to you?"

"Well I…." Hiccup bit back his mouth, trying to think of how to answer.

"Yes?" Valka urged him on. "Come on, you can tell me"

"Well, I just think that….maybe I'm not cut out for killing dragons" he said quietly.

"Not cut out?" Valka repeated.

"Yeah. I mean how am I supposed to stop all…". He gestured with his hands and sighed as he pointed to himself in defeat. "This. What if I don't have it in me to kill dragons?"

"I've never killed a dragon before" Valka said, out of nowhere.

"Really?" Hiccup said, turning to her with surprise. "Ever?"

"No, never" she said, shaking her head.

"Well, that's not so bad then" Hiccup said, sounding slightly hopeful. "I mean if you've never killed one before and you turned out okay. Right?"

Valka stared at Hiccup thoughtfully as she took in his words. She didn't say anything and Hiccup noticed that for a minute she seemed like she was conflicted about something. She looked around the room and then her eyes fell on an empty corner. A smile slowly crept onto her face.

"You know… I remember back when you just a babe" she said. "You use to lay in your cot right over there. You had such a small face and a puff of brown hair". Valka lightly brushed her hand through Hiccup's hair. "And you had these tiny little feet that kicked in the air".

Valka chuckled happily as she pinched the air. Hiccup looked at her, a little bewildered.

"Okay. I don't really get where this is going" he admitted.

"I always wondered who you'd take after more" Valka said. "Me or your father. I guess, deep down, I wished it was going to me. I've never killed a dragon before so I took up being a healer instead. Your father's never said anything against it, even when…."

Valka trailed off, as if was difficult for her to speak.

"When what?" Hiccup asked. Valka looked up at Hiccup and then took a deep breath.

"One night, years ago when you were still a baby, the village was being raided again. It was madness. Vikings. Dragons. Killing each other. It was horrible. And I just thought that if…!"

For a second Valka's voice became higher pitch and she looked agitated, taking Hiccup by surprise. But in the next second she seemed to correct herself and continued.

"That's when I saw it. A dragon attacking our house, clawing it way through the roof and I felt my heart race, because that's where you were. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I knew you were in danger and I knew that had to protect you no matter what. By the time I got there, the dragon had made its way through the roof, right into this room and was slowly pacing right up to your cot. I grabbed a sword from the shelf and threw myself right between it and you. The dragon snarled and bared its fangs as I lifted up my sword. My hands, my whole body was shaking like crazy"

"I stared right it and it stared right back at me. It looked at me with….with those eyes and roared at me. I had never felt so scared in all my life"

Hiccup felt a shiver run down his spin as this scenario began to feel very familiar.

"I panicked" Valka continued, her voice close to breaking. "And the sword just slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor. So I turned back to your cot and just grabbed you. I tried run for the door, hoping to get you to safety, but the dragon jumped in front of us. I froze. I couldn't do anything, not even scream. All I could do was hold you as tight as I could"

Hiccup was now holding his breath in anticipation.

"Then your father burst in. He did what he does best and fought the dragon off. After it was gone, he turned back to me. I was huddled in the corner, still holding on to you and sobbing to myself. I had never felt so ashamed. You almost died that night Hiccup. You and your father, all because I couldn't kill a dragon, not even to protect my family"

When Valka had finished her story, Hiccup saw a small tear trailing down her cheek. He looked down at the floor, feeling a like something really heavy had been dropped into his stomach. Valka reached out and lifted his face up to hers.

"I know it seems hard right now, but it's for the best". She leaned forward and kissed Hiccup on the forehead. She cupped his face with her hands and looked at him right in the eye, her face filled with sorrow.

"Don't be like me, Hiccup" she said regretfully. Letting go of him, Valka stood up off the bed and left the room.

"Too late for that" Hiccup sighed. He buried his face in his hands, feeling miserable.


Okay so on that last bit, my idea was that Valka dosent want Hiccup to be different because she dosent want him to feel like an outcast, even though its hard on herself. She thinks it'd be better for him just to be like everyone else and she thinks that its want Hiccup wants himself. At least that was my line of thinking. So please review, tell me your thoughts, try and avoid flames, and I'll see you next time. Peace out.