Little Hiccup

A/N: Thank you all so much for the feedback on "The Servant and the Heiress." I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :) And thank you too for the suggestions! I'll take them all into consideration, and I'll go ahead and promise adaptations of "The Frog Prince" and "Aladdin" in the future. Please continue making requests if there's a story you want me to try, and I'll take a look.

I know I said it wouldn't be here till Wednesday, but I saw no point in waiting any longer. Here's the second installment of my fairy tale retellings: "Little Hiccup," based on Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina." Fair warning, the nature of the story makes this a strange one, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.

Once upon a time, there was a tiny village that sat upon the cliffs of an island called Berk, which sat in the cold and treacherous North Sea. The chief of this village was named Stoick the Vast, and he lived with his beloved wife Valka in a big house on the top of a hill overlooking the town. He was a popular and wise chief, respected and revered by everyone he came into contact with, for he was known to be a kind and fair man in every way.

He and his wife were happy in all regards except for one: they wanted to have a child of their own. But so far, they had been unsuccessful. In desperation, they visited a small cove in the forest that they knew to be inhabited by a kingdom of fairies, with the intent of asking the fairy king and queen for their help. The monarchs heard their pleas and were full of sympathy, so they gave the chief and his wife a tiny little seed. "Plant this in the ground outside your house at sunset tonight," the king instructed. "When you awake in the morning, it will have grown into a beautiful flower." He looked at Valka and said, "You must kiss the petals of the flower. If you do as I have said, you shall have your child."

Naturally, Stoick and Valka were skeptical of this, but they thanked the fairies and returned home. There, they did as the king had directed, planting the little seed outside their front door as the sun was sinking toward the horizon. They then retired for the night, each silently hoping and praying that their efforts would not be in vain.

The next morning, they stepped out of the house and saw that the fairy king's prediction had come true: the seed had sprouted into a lovely flower with petals as red as blood. Valka leaned down and kissed the plant as instructed, and the moment her lips touched the velvety flower, it opened to reveal a tiny little boy lying in the center of the blossom. He stood no more than two inches high, with a mop of untidy auburn hair and bright green eyes.

Stoick and Valka named the boy Hiccup – as was traditional for Viking children that were born small – and loved him with everything they had. They cared for him in every way possible and showered him with affection. Soon he grew into a fine young man, although he never got any taller than he was at birth. Thus he received the nickname "Little Hiccup" throughout the village. Nevertheless, Hiccup was a happy boy who never seemed to be bothered by his diminutive size.

At least, not until he was older…

Summer was just starting to turn into autumn. The days were becoming shorter and cooler, and the leaves in the trees were beginning to go from green to varying shades of red, yellow, and brown. The villagers were busy with preparations for the harvest, for once the first big frost hit they would need to rely on their stocks for the duration of the winter. The cold seasons were brutal on the Isle of Berk.

But they were particularly awful to Little Hiccup. Being as small as he was, he had a hard time keeping himself warm. He'd spent every winter thus far huddled with his parents by the fireplace in their hut on top of the hill and fully intended to do the same this year. He loathed the cold months. He hated having to stay cooped up in the house while outside the other kids played in the snow, hated being so tiny that he couldn't withstand the icy temperature or freezing winds. And he also hated the feeling of loneliness that always accompanied winter. For whenever he'd look out the window at the villagers, he'd yearn for companionship, for a friend he could spend time with and relate to.

It was this longing that led him to ask one starry evening, "Mom? Dad? Are there…are there any other people like me in the world?"

Stoick looked up from his papers and Valka paused in her sewing. They both looked down at him in confusion. "How do you mean, dear?" Valka asked.

"I mean…" Hiccup paused, trying to find the right words. "…I mean people my size. Are there any other, well…little people? Or am I the only one?"

Stoick and Valka exchanged sad glances. They had known this day would soon be coming, but it didn't make it any easier to handle. "We don't know, Hiccup," Valka said, putting her needlework aside and leaning down to address her son standing on the table. "It's a big world out there. For all we know, there very well may be another person your size somewhere."

"Oh," Hiccup said, looking at his feet, discouraged.

"Well, there are the fairies," Stoick pointed out hopefully.

Hiccup looked up at him. "Fairies?" he repeated. "They're small like me?"

"Yes," Stoick said, smiling gently. "At least the ones who gave us the seed from which you were born are. In fact, the only difference between them and you is that they have wings." He suddenly frowned. "Come to think of it, I think the king and queen have a daughter who's about your age."

"They do?" Hiccup sounded excited.

"Yes," Stoick confirmed, nodding. "If you'd like, perhaps I could arrange a visit."

"That would be wonderful!" Hiccup cried. "Thank you, Dad!"

"You're welcome, son," Stoick replied with a chuckle. "I'll go visit them tomorrow."

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly. Bolstered by the thought of meeting some people his own size – including a princess! – Hiccup sang, his lovely little voice filling the whole house with joyful music. Stoick and Valka danced in tune to his song, and even Hiccup did a little jig here and there.

None of them noticed the two toads sitting on the windowsill, watching them intently. They were siblings and twins, identical in almost every respect: green, squat, and ugly. The only difference was that one was male and the other was female. They watched the impromptu party in silence for a while, the male toad's attention on the chief and his wife, his sister's on the tiny human singing and dancing on the table.

"Mm," the female toad croaked after a while. "I like the looks of that one."

Her brother followed her gaze and frowned. "Really?" he said, sounding bemused. "I'd have thought you'd be after someone a little more, I don't know, green and warty."

"Nope, he's the one," the sister replied. Then she looked over at her companion and added in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Tuffnut, dearest brother of mine, will you get him for me?"

"Why me?" Tuffnut moaned with a faint ribbit. "Why can't you get him yourself, Ruffnut?"

Ruffnut didn't answer his questions. She said instead, "If you do, I'll give you my favorite stick."

Tuffnut's expression brightened. The stick in question was his sister's favorite weapon to use against him. He'd lost count of how many times he'd been whacked over the head with it (though to be fair, he couldn't count that high anyway). If he had possession of it, not only could she not use it on him, but perhaps he could even the score a bit.

So he croaked, "Okay. But let's wait until they're all asleep."

And so they did, watching the family wordlessly until they began winding down for the night. Hiccup settled down in a tiny wooden box that had been outfitted as a comfy little bed. "Good night," he said to his parents.

"Good night, son," Stoick replied. "Sleep well."

"Pleasant dreams," Valka whispered, leaning down to kiss him delicately on the head. "We love you very much, dear. No matter what size you are."

Hiccup smiled. "I love you too."

The chief and his wife departed to their bedroom, blowing out the candles as they went. Hiccup raised his sheets to his chin and rolled over, closing his eyes. He thought of meeting the fairies and wondered what the princess looked like. With these images filling his mind, he slipped into an easy, pleasant sleep.

Once they were certain their target was safely unconscious, the twin toads jumped from the windowsill and onto the table. "Ooh," Ruffnut sighed as she got a closer look at the sleeping boy. "He's really cute…"

Tuffnut rolled his eyes. "Come on, sis, help me out," he hissed, hefting up on one end of Hiccup's bed. Still gazing dreamily at the tiny Viking, Ruffnut did as told, lifting up on the other end. Together they hopped to the edge of the table, where they crouched low and leapt across the gap to the window. Then, laughing quietly at their success, they jumped down to the ground below.

The landing was a bit harder than they'd anticipated. The wooden bed jolted and Hiccup stirred. The toads froze, watching him with bated breath. But Hiccup was a heavy sleeper. He merely rolled over and did not wake.

Sighing with relief, the twins hopped into the woods, carrying the unwary Hiccup away from the warmth and safety of his house, the love of his parents, and the only home he'd ever known.

The first thing Hiccup noticed when he awoke was how cold he was. He shivered and pulled his blanket up a little more, not even opening his eyes. But as his body slowly rose out of its slumber, he started to realize that something was very wrong. For some reason, his house was very noisy, and these were noises he often associated with the outdoors: the hum of bugs flying overhead, the rustling of wind through the trees, the singing of birds, the faint lapping of water against the shore…what, had the forest moved into the house?

Then he opened his eyes, and he blinked in confusion as he realized that it was the other way around: he'd been moved into the forest.

He sat up and looked from side to side, his eyes wide and filled with bemused wonder. His bed was sitting in the middle of a lily pad, which was anchored in a small, gently moving river. Weeds and tall grass lined the banks on either side and trees towered overhead, the morning sunlight streaming down through their shivering leaves. It was a lovely, tranquil scene, but Hiccup was far from tranquil. He climbed out of bed and said aloud, "Where am I?"

"You're in our river, duh."

Hiccup whipped around and let out a strangled yelp. There were two toads sitting on another lily pad just downriver from his that he hadn't noticed before. They were both staring at him, one in apparent boredom, the other in what might have been desire. Hiccup felt his heart stutter.

"Wh-who are you?" he stammered.

"I'm Tuffnut," said the toad on the left with a faint croak. "And this is my sister Ruffnut."

"Hi there, handsome," Ruffnut crooned, winking lewdly at him. Hiccup barely stopped himself from shuddering.

"Uh…hello," he said uncertainly. "It's, um…nice to meet you…" Liar, a nasty voice in his head observed. "May I ask why you've brought me here?"

"Oh, my sister here thinks you're cute or something," Tuffnut explained, sounding totally unconcerned. "So we've brought you to our home so she can marry you."

Hiccup's jaw dropped and his face took on a my-ears-are-deceiving-me expression. He tried to speak, couldn't, closed his mouth, cleared his throat, and tried again, but all that came out was a faint croak.

"Oh look, he's trying to learn how to croak like us!" Ruffnut sighed. "How thoughtful! He's going to make such a fine husband…"

Hiccup unstuck his throat. "No!" he gasped, stepping backward. "No, I…I can't marry you!"

Ruffnut's warty smile slipped a notch. "Why not?"

"Because…" Because I'm a human and you're a toad? Because we're two totally different creatures? Because this violates Thor only knows how many laws of nature? But he had a feeling that she wouldn't heed these responses, so he settled for, "Because, um…my parents, uh…they don't want me to marry until I'm older…"

He continued to step back as he spoke until his feet suddenly came to the edge of the lily pad. He gasped and spun his arms for a moment, trying to regain his balance as he looked fearfully down at the water below. "I can't swim!" he cried as he toppled forward and scrambled away from the edge.

"You can't?" Ruffnut said, sounding surprised. "Oh…well, I'll just have to teach you then, won't I?"

She hopped onto his lily pad, and Hiccup briefly entertained the thought of taking his chances in the river. She wasn't exactly pretty at a distance, but up close…

"Mm," the toad hummed appreciatively as she observed him. "You've got nice legs. You'll be swimming laps in no time!" She reached out with one webbed foot and rubbed his left calf. She seemed to be enjoying this immensely, whereas Hiccup was almost certain that drowning would be better than suffering through swimming lessons with her.

Luckily for him, Tuffnut called, "Hey sis! We'd better go get the family and let them know. They'll want to be here for the wedding."

Ruffnut didn't reply. She was still admiring Hiccup, who was trying to figure out a way to escape her clutches and coming up with nothing.

"Ruff, come on!" Tuffnut said more insistently.

Ruffnut huffed. "Oka-ay," she whined, releasing Hiccup and returning to her brother's side. Hiccup couldn't help but sigh in relief.

That relief rapidly vanished when Tuffnut said to him, "We'll be right back, okay? We're gonna go fetch Mama and Papa Toad and the rest of them. Then we'll come back and you two can get hitched!"

Hiccup felt the bile rising up his throat and fought to keep himself from vomiting.

Ruffnut blew a kiss at him before hopping into the river and swimming to shore, followed closely by her brother. A moment later, they had vanished into the weeds, leaving Hiccup totally alone.

"Oh gods," Hiccup moaned, standing up and starting to pace around the lily pad. "Oh gods this can't be happening. Wake up, Hiccup. You've gotta wake up. This has to be a really bad dream, a nightmare. No way can this actually be real…"

But he wasn't going to wake up from this dream. It was real. And if he didn't find a way out of it, he was going to wind up married to a toad by noon.

And he could think of only one thing to do.

"Help!" he yelled as loud as he could. "Someone help me, please! Hello?! Is there anyone there?! Can someone help me?! Please?! Help me! Please, Thor, Odin, Freya, anyone up there, help me! Help!"

No one answered.

"Well so much for that idea," he grumbled, sinking to his knees.

There was a faint splash from behind him. He turned to look and saw the surface of the river being disturbed by something swimming beneath it.

Without even thinking about it, Hiccup rushed to the edge, stuck his head in the water, and bellowed, "Help me please!"

It came out muffled and garbled, but it worked. He withdrew, sputtering, and a moment later a fish poked its head from the river, gazing up at him in confusion. "Did you ask for help, lad?"

"Yes!" Hiccup said, wiping his wet hair from his eyes. "Thank Thor!"

"Name's Gobber," the fish said. "What's yours?"

"Hiccup," he said, and then he proceeded to explain his predicament. As he spoke, Gobber's eyes widened in surprise and disgust.

"Those toads," he snorted when Hiccup had finished his tale. "This isn't the first harebrained scheme of theirs, lad. Though I have to admit, I never thought they'd pull something like this…" He paused to consider, then his face brightened. "I've got an idea! I'll chew through the stem of the lily pad. Then you can float away on down the river and begin trying to find your way home. How's that sound?"

"Great!" Hiccup said enthusiastically. "Thank you!"

"Be right back," Gobber said, and without another word he slipped beneath the surface. For a few moments everything was still and silent. Hiccup kept shooting worried glances over at the shore, hoping and praying that the toads were still far enough away to allow him to escape.

Then with a faint lurch the lily pad began to move.

"That oughta do it, lad!" Gobber said as he surfaced again. "Good luck to you!"

"Thank you!" Hiccup called as the lily pad started picking up speed. "Thank you so much!"

"Anytime!" Gobber replied, and then he disappeared beneath the waters once more.

Now that he was free of Ruffnut and his impending nuptials, Hiccup allowed himself to relax and enjoy the trip downstream. The day was bright, the birds were singing, and there was just the barest hint of a breeze to cool his sun-warmed face.

But soon, his relief began to fade and was replaced with worry. He had absolutely no idea where he was. His experiences on Berk had been limited to the village save for two or three trips into the woods, always accompanied by one of his parents. This terrain was totally alien to him. He recognized nothing, not a single tree or shrub. For all he knew, the river was carrying him in the wrong direction.

"I should have asked Gobber if he knew the way to the village," Hiccup muttered. Then he frowned. "Well…there is a river that runs alongside the town…if this is the same river, then it must pass right by Berk eventually…as long as it's the same river, of course…"

His musings were interrupted by a faint buzzing noise. Looking up, he saw a bug flying overhead, circling the air a couple of feet above his head. Dismissing it, Hiccup returned his gaze to the stream, but as the buzzing persisted he looked up again. Was he imagining it, or had the bug gotten a little closer?

His heart missed a beat. No, he wasn't imagining it. The bug was definitely descending on him.

He leapt to his feet and ran to his wooden bed, which still sat in the center of the lily pad. He pulled his bed sheet out and started waving it through the air, hoping to scare the bug away. It did no good. If anything, the bug seemed to take this as a challenge and moved in closer. Hiccup could now see that it was a beetle, and its beady little eyes were fixed firmly on him.

"Oh perfect," Hiccup grumbled.

The beetle dove toward him, and Hiccup ducked with a faint cry of fright. The beetle zoomed over his head and had to make a wide turn in order to come back for a second attempt. It dove again, and Hiccup waved his sheet more vigorously.

Then the sheet was ripped from his hands by the beetle, who flew overhead and promptly dropped it on him. "Hey!" Hiccup yelped as he fought to free himself from his own blanket. He lifted it off his head…

…just in time to be seized in the beetle's six arms and lifted bodily into the air.

"No!" Hiccup cried, squirming and writhing in the bug's grip. "Let me go! Do you hear me? Let me go!"

The beetle ignored his demands. "Shut up or I'll drop you," he barked.

Hiccup looked down to see that the ground was rapidly plunging away. A fall from this height would certainly be fatal. He gulped and fell silent, though not before muttering under his breath, "This just isn't my day."

The beetle flew to its nest, which was in the bark of an old tree. Once inside, he released Hiccup, who staggered and collapsed in a heap. With more than a little trepidation he looked up at his new captor, who was surveying him impassively. "Um…" he began hesitantly. "Who are you?"

"The name's Snotlout," said the beetle in a haughty, self-sure voice. "The boldest and bravest beetle in the whole forest."

"Oh." Hiccup didn't know if he should be impressed or not. Snotlout struck him as rather stuck-up and thus he wasn't sure whether or not to take him seriously. "Well, I'm Hiccup…"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Snotlout said dismissively, turning his black-shell-clad back to him and peering out of the tree as if searching for something. "Pleased to meet you and all that jazz."

Hiccup frowned but decided it was in his best interest to not point out Snotlout's rudeness aloud. He asked instead, "Why did you grab me?"

Still not looking at him, Snotlout replied, "I got you for my dad, who should be home any time now."

Hiccup gulped. "Does your dad, uh…eat little people?"

Snotlout scoffed. "Yuck! No way! He collects things that are unique and valuable. See?" He gestured with one of his wings at the den, and Hiccup took a moment to examine the objects cluttering the space that he hadn't noticed before: a couple of coins, a gold ring with a red stone in it, and what looked like a diamond-encrusted crown. "I got you for him 'cause I've never seen a human so small before. Maybe he'll want to keep you as a pet or something." He sounded hopeful, and Hiccup rather got the impression he was yearning for his father's approval.

Then Snotlout's last sentence echoed in his head, and he flared up. "Excuse me?" he gasped, standing and crossing his arms. "I am not a pet! I'll have you know that I'm—"

"Shut up," Snotlout interrupted, sounding excited. "He's here!"

Hiccup fell silent and took a startled step backward as another beetle entered the little nest. He was even bigger and, if possible, uglier than his son, and he surveyed his domain with an imperial air that made Hiccup shrink back, intimidated.

The beetle's eyes landed on him and he did a double take. "What's this?" he boomed.

"I found him, Dad!" Snotlout said proudly. "What d'ya think, huh? Never seen a human this small before, have you? I thought he was a fairy at first, but look! No wings! Isn't…isn't that something, Dad?"

Snotlout's father didn't answer. He was still staring at Hiccup with a blank expression that made the little Viking squirm uncomfortably.

"I know you," the bigger beetle said after a moment. "You're the chief's son, aren't you? The heir of Berk?"

Hiccup nodded nervously, not sure if that was good or bad in the bug's mind.

Then, to his surprise, the beetle turned on his son and whacked him hard over the head with his wing. "Ow!" Snotlout yelped. "What?!"

"You fool!" his father snarled. "You kidnapped the son of a chief! Do you have any idea what could happen to us if the chief found out we'd taken his heir?!"

"How would he possibly find out?" Snotlout whined.

"He will squash us!" the older beetle roared, cuffing his son again with his wing. "Release him at once, you hear me? Get rid of him this instant!"

"Fine, fine," Snotlout grumbled, and before Hiccup could move he had once more been snatched up into the bug's many legs.

"Besides," the beetle added as an afterthought, "he's too ugly. I don't want something that hideous in my collection."

Hiccup was stung by this last comment but tried to push those feelings aside. "Uh, Mr. Beetle sir?" he asked hurriedly as Snotlout carried him from the den. "I'm afraid I'm lost. Could you possibly point me toward the village?"

But the beetle, apparently wanting nothing to do with him, did not answer.

Snotlout carried Hiccup back to the ground without a word. Despite his frustration, Hiccup couldn't help but feel a little pity for him. "I'm sorry it didn't work out," he said as the beetle released him. "I hope things get better between you. Really."

Snotlout looked at him for a moment, apparently gauging the sincerity of his words. Then he huffed, "Whatever," but Hiccup was almost certain there was a faint tremor in his voice.

He flew away and disappeared, once again leaving Hiccup alone in the woods with no idea which way to go. He spun slowly in a circle, his eyes scanning the forest around him, but each tree looked identical to the last. There was no sign of the river he'd been drifting down earlier that day, and there were no other markers to give him any indication which direction he should try.

So he sighed and, praying to every god he knew of, started his long trek through the woods.

Upon finding their son missing that morning, Stoick and Valka put the entire village on high alert. "Search everywhere!" the chief boomed to the Vikings gathered in the Great Hall. "Comb the entire town, the cliffs, the valleys, the farms…spread through the forests and look there! Leave no stone unturned and no bush unchecked! Find my son and bring him home!"

The search party departed and did as Stoick instructed, but hours turned into days, days into weeks, and weeks into months. The days grew colder and darker as summer faded to autumn, and autumn into winter. Snow began to fall, coating the island in a layer of white. Remembering how Hiccup hated the cold, Stoick and Valka feared for the boy's safety. "He's a resourceful lad," the chief tried to reassure his wife, though in truth he couldn't even reassure himself. "He'll find a way to keep warm."

Valka didn't reply. She merely gazed mutely out the window at the snow gathering on the ground outside. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill. It was almost Snoggletog and still there was no sign of Hiccup. The villagers were still searching wherever and whenever they could, but the boy had simply vanished. Some whispered that he had run away, but Stoick and Valka knew better. He'd been kidnapped, they were sure of it. Hiccup wouldn't have just up and left without telling them. Besides, he'd been happy here. Why would he have left? That and the fact that his bed had been missing too indicated to them that he had been taken forcefully. And Thor only knew what his captors had done to him…

Her thoughts were interrupted when Stoick approached her cautiously. "Val?" he asked gently.

Valka turned to him and opened her mouth to reply, but her words got lost between her brain and her lips and a sob burst forth instead. She started crying and fell into her husband's arms. Stoick held her, cradled her, and rocked her gently. He didn't say anything; indeed, he didn't know what he could possibly say to make this seem better.

"St-Stoick," Valka gasped. "Oh Stoick…where is he? Where is our Little Hiccup? Our baby boy…he's out there in the cold somewhere…when will he come home? When?" She dissolved into wordless tears and couldn't speak another word.

Stoick didn't know how to answer her questions, so he just held her in his arms, tears snaking their way silently into his big red beard. Outside in the village below preparations were underway for the big Snoggletog celebration, but the chief and his wife had never felt less like celebrating.

All they could do was hope and pray their son was safe.

Hiccup was freezing.

He was huddled under the flimsy, tattered remains of a leaf, a makeshift shelter he'd made for himself at the onset of winter, which was doing nothing to protect him from the snow that lay all around him. His clothes were torn and ragged, and the bits of skin showing through the holes were blue from cold. He shivered uncontrollably, his every breath puffing out in a faint cloud that vanished at once. He was slowly but surely dying. If he remained exposed to the elements much longer he would freeze to death. There was no getting around it.

Things hadn't been so bad at first. He'd lived on the nectar of the flowers he found in the forest and drank the morning dew as well as from puddles left over from recent rainstorms. When it became obvious that he wasn't going to find his way home in time to escape the winter freeze, he grabbed a leaf that had fallen from its tree and used it to create a little home for himself.

But now that leaf was all but withered away, and with the bitter wind that continued to blow his shelter was rendered practically useless. Hiccup despaired, knowing that he wasn't going to survive. He was never going to see his parents again. How worried they must be about him…!

Feeling hopeless and forlorn, Hiccup started to cry. This hardly helped as his tears froze on his cheeks, but they continued to fall regardless. He was so weak and stiff from the cold that he simply couldn't stop himself. He sniffled and rubbed his bright red nose with a trembling hand, shivering as the wind blew a flurry of snow into his face.

Then he heard a new sound above that of his own sobbing. It was very faint but getting slowly louder: a kind of shuffling that seemed to be getting nearer. He looked around, turning his stiff and aching neck, and saw a shape moving around in the snow. He squinted and saw that it was a fat mouse that was looking directly at him. Its big black eyes widened as they took in his bedraggled, half-frozen state.

"Oh my goodness!" it squeaked, hurrying over. "You poor thing! What are you doing out here in this weather? Why aren't you inside where it's warm?"

Hiccup tried to answer but his teeth were chattering so hard he couldn't get a word out. The mouse tittered in pity and said, "Come along, come along, I'll bring you home with me. My burrow is nice and warm and dry, and I have some food to spare so you can regain your strength."

Hiccup tried to thank the mouse but again couldn't speak. The mouse seemed to understand, however, for he said, "Don't mention it. Now come on, come on…" He helped Hiccup to his feet and allowed him to lean on his soft, furry body as they made their way through the frozen wasteland.

Looking back on it, Hiccup would never remember exactly how he'd gotten into the mouse's home. He'd faded in and out of consciousness as he staggered through the snow with the friendly mouse at his side, and the mouse later told him that he'd had to carry the poor boy on his back for the last part of the trip.

When he came to, Hiccup was huddled in a wonderfully soft bed. His eyelids fluttered open, his vision fuzzy for a few seconds before everything came into clearer focus. He was in a small earthen den of some kind. It was softly lit by a single candle in the corner, which also provided warmth that filled the entire dwelling.

The fat mouse was watching him. "Ah, you're awake!" he said, sounding relieved. "I was starting to fear I'd found you too late."

Hiccup tried to speak but could only croak.

"Shh," the mouse said, carrying him a little cup made from a hollow acorn shell. It was filled with water. "Drink this up."

Hiccup did as told and cleared his throat. "Thank you," he said hoarsely.

"You're welcome," said the mouse, smiling. "My name is Fishlegs. What's yours?"

"H-Hiccup," the boy managed.

Fishlegs' eyes widened. "Hiccup?" he repeated, his nose twitching excitedly. "The heir of Berk? The chief's son?"

Surprised, Hiccup nodded.

"Oh!" Fishlegs squeaked. "You're the talk of the woods! Your father has had search parties scouring the island looking for you!"

"Really?" Hiccup gasped, sitting up. "He and Mom must be worried sick about me! I've got to get home…" He tried to get out of bed but swayed dizzily.

"Whoa, there!" Fishlegs said, gently pushing Hiccup back into the bed. "You're not going anywhere till you've regained your strength. Besides, there's no way you'll get back there with this weather. You'll have to wait until spring, I'm afraid."

"Spring?" Hiccup repeated, his voice breaking in desperation. "But…but my parents…!"

"I'm sorry," Fishlegs said with a sympathetic tut. "But I'm afraid there's no choice." He turned away from the bed as Hiccup slumped down in exhaustion and defeat. "You need some nourishment," he added. "I've got some soup cooking. It should be ready in a few…"

He trailed off and smiled sadly. Hiccup had fallen back onto the bed and was once again fast asleep. Fishlegs tiptoed over and pulled the covers back up to the boy's chin. "It can wait till you're awake."

Hiccup didn't wake up again until the next morning. Fishlegs fed him a bowl of hot soup, which did wonders to restore his strength. "Thank you," he said as he set the empty dish down on the table. "You've been so kind to me."

Fishlegs smiled. "Don't mention it," he replied. He finished his own soup and sighed with satisfaction. Then he stood up and said, "Well, I hope you're up to visiting. I always go see my friend and neighbor Heather the mole at least twice a week. I think she'd be delighted to meet you."

Thinking he would do anything to please the creature that had saved his life, Hiccup nodded and said, "Sure, I'll come along."

"Great!" Fishlegs beamed. "Let's go, then. She lives just a little way down the tunnel."

He opened the door to his den and led Hiccup into the burrow beyond, a system of interconnecting passageways that seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkness. "Watch your step," Fishlegs directed, ducking through a section that had a low ceiling.

They walked only a hundred or so paces before coming to another door. Fishlegs knocked on it, looking excited, and a moment later it was opened to reveal a black-furred mole with bright green eyes. "Fishlegs!" she said happily, and then she inhaled sharply upon seeing Hiccup. "Hello, what do we have here?"

"This is Hiccup," Fishlegs said, motioning toward his guest. "You know, the boy that they've been searching for in the village?"

"Oh my, yes!" Heather gasped. "Well well, it's good to see that you're still alive! So many are starting to lose hope."

"Uh…" Hiccup didn't know how to process that information. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you." I think, he added silently.

"Likewise, likewise," Heather said, stepping back. "Do come in, both of you. It's so cold and drafty in these tunnels."

Fishlegs stepped into Heather's den and Hiccup followed. He noticed that Heather seemed to be watching him intently, and he wasn't sure why. Feeling self-conscious and hoping to redirect her attention, he said, "You have a nice home, Heather."

"Thank you," she replied warmly. "Have a seat, you two. I was just making some corn muffins. Your favorite," she added playfully to Fishlegs, who blushed under his fur. Hiccup raised his eyebrows but didn't comment.

While Heather busied herself at her oven, Fishlegs and Hiccup sat down at a little table. Carrying a platter of muffins, Heather said, "So tell me, Hiccup, how did you wind up down in our tunnels? And how is it that you're so far away from home?"

"Yes," Fishlegs said, leaning forward eagerly and taking a bite out of a corn muffin. "I'd like to know that myself."

So Hiccup launched into his story, explaining how he was kidnapped by toads in the dead of night. "Ugh, toads," Heather said with a shudder. "Nasty creatures."

He told her about the arranged marriage, to which she and Fishlegs were appropriately horrified. "How awful!" the fat mouse said. "How did you get out of that one?"

Hiccup explained how Gobber the fish had set him free, and then he told them about his run-in with Snotlout the beetle and his father. "Snotlout's father decided that he wanted nothing to do with me, so he let me go, and I've been wandering around trying to find my way back home ever since," Hiccup finished, sighing. "Fishlegs found me yesterday, nearly frozen. I would have died if he hadn't taken me in."

"Oh, that was so sweet of you, Fishlegs!" Heather crooned, and Fishlegs blushed in pleasure again.

"Do…do either of you know where the village is?" Hiccup asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"I'm afraid not," Heather replied. "I don't venture out of these tunnels if I can avoid it. The sunlight's too bright for me. I prefer staying in the dark."

Fishlegs also didn't know. "Humans don't like mice," he explained. "So I've always stayed clear of the town. I don't even know how far away it is."

Hiccup lowered his head in disappointment. He'd been afraid of that.

"Oh, don't worry," Fishlegs went on hurriedly. "I have some friends in the forest. Once spring comes and the weather clears, I'll ask around and see if anyone else might know."

Hiccup smiled weakly. "Thank you," he murmured.

Heather stood up and took the empty tray back to the stove. (Fishlegs had eaten most of the muffins; Heather and Hiccup had only had one apiece.) "Well," she said, turning back to the others. "Would you two like to accompany me on a stroll through the tunnels?"

"I'd be delighted!" Fishlegs replied, bolting to his feet and showering Hiccup with muffin crumbs.

"Sure," Hiccup answered, brushing crumbs out of his hair.

"Wonderful!" Heather seemed very pleased at their agreement. Or was Hiccup overanalyzing things?

She led them both out into the dark, dank passage, holding a tiny torch aloft in her paw. "I should warn you," she said, glancing back over her shoulder, "we'll be coming across a dead dragon on our way."

"A dead dragon?" Fishlegs repeated, sounding surprised. "However did a dragon get down here?"

"Oh, it's a small one," Heather explained. "A nanodragon, I believe they're called. I found it last night when I ventured out. I don't know what killed it, though." They rounded a corner and Heather pulled up, pointing. "There it is."

Hiccup looked and felt his heart still for a moment. The dragon was black as night and lying down on its side, its wings sprawled out uselessly. On its feet it might have stood as tall as Hiccup's waist. No doubt it would have been a magnificent creature. But it wasn't so magnificent right now. In fact, it looked rather pathetic.

"Oh…" he breathed, stepping forward and kneeling in front of the dead reptile and resting his hand on its scaly body. "The poor thing…"

On closer inspection, he could see how the dragon had ended up in Heather's tunnel: one of its tailfins had been totally sheared off. He couldn't imagine what must have happened to cause that kind of damage, but it had clearly been enough to render the creature unable to fly. It had probably been battered by heavy winter winds and frozen to death.

Behind him, Fishlegs made the same deduction. "Its tailfin is ruined," he observed. "That's what killed it, I suppose. A downed dragon is a dead dragon."

Hiccup flinched. Fishlegs' voice seemed so cold, so clinical, like he was commenting on the weather. He was interested, but only as a casual, uninvolved outsider. Hiccup, on the other hand, felt dearly for the little dragon.

"Dead is fine by me," Heather said in response to Fishlegs' statement. "I hate dragons. So loud and noisy and annoying, don't you agree?"

"Oh," Fishlegs said quickly, "yes…yes of course."

Hiccup felt a flash of irritation at the two of them, but this was immediately quelled by a sudden shock: the dragon had moved underneath his fingers.

He barely stopped himself from gasping aloud. It's alive! he thought, his heart leaping for joy. It's not dead at all! But he said nothing, feeling certain that neither Fishlegs nor Heather would care to know that the supposedly dead reptile was still breathing. So he continued to gently stroke and caress its scales wordlessly.

Heather watched him with a thoughtful expression on her whiskered face. "Such a tenderhearted man, isn't he?" she remarked.

"Hmm?" Fishlegs looked back at Hiccup. "Oh! Yes…yes he is…" He glanced back at Heather, frowning a little at the odd look in her eyes. She didn't notice.

"Well, let's continue, shall we?" she said. "Come along, Hiccup. There's more of the tunnels to see."

Hiccup nodded, but before he rose he whispered faintly to the dragon, "I'll come back tonight. I'll help you. I promise."

Then he stood and joined the others, fighting the urge to glance back over his shoulder as they left the injured dragon behind.

That night, once Hiccup was sure Fishlegs was sound asleep, he sneaked out of the mouse's dwelling, carrying several blankets and a little jar of nectar. He found the dragon in the same spot; it didn't seem to have moved at all.

Hiccup knelt down and wrapped the dragon up in the blankets he'd brought. "Come on," he whispered gently. "Wake up. You need to wake up if you ever want to get out of these tunnels. I have some food for you. Nanodragons eat nectar, right? Here…"

He held the open jar out under the dragon's nose, and then he gasped as the creature's face twitched. Slowly, groggily, its big green eyes opened and looked around, settling on the little human. They widened in…what? Surprise? Fear? Anger? Hiccup couldn't tell.

But the low growl it made in its throat was unmistakable. Its eyes narrowed and it bared its sharp teeth at him. Hiccup knew without having to be told that if the dragon had been capable, it would have killed him.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Hiccup held out the jar of nectar again. "Here you go, boy. This…this will help…"

The dragon sniffed the nectar and hesitated. Then it stuck its tongue out weakly and started to lap the tender liquid into its mouth. "There," Hiccup sighed in relief. "You'll be feeling better soon. Before long you'll be able to hunt for bugs here in the tunnel. Nanodragons eat bugs, don't they?" He frowned for a moment, trying to remember.

His thoughts were interrupted when the dragon finished the nectar with a sigh, licking its lips and eyeing him warily. Hiccup didn't know how to interpret this stare, but he was slightly comforted that it was no longer growling.

The dragon yawned widely, and Hiccup frowned, noticing its mouth was totally empty. "Toothless?" he murmured. "I could've sworn you had…"

As if in response, the dragon's teeth suddenly emerged from its gums. Hiccup's eyes widened in surprise. "…teeth…" he finished weakly.

The dragon, done yawning, continued to gaze at him, apparently deciding the little human presented no threat. Cautiously, Hiccup held out his hand, intending to touch the creature's snout. The dragon narrowed its eyes and let out the faintest of growls, and Hiccup backed off uneasily. But it didn't seem to be angry, merely wary.

So Hiccup closed his eyes and turned his head away, holding his hand out once again.

For a moment, nothing happened. Hiccup held his breath, half-expecting the dragon to chomp his fingers off entirely.

Then he felt the dragon's skin press into his palm.

His eyes snapped open and he peered cautiously over his shoulder. The dragon had closed its eyes and pushed its muzzle into his hand. His mouth fell open, and a smile slowly turned the corners of his lips. The dragon opened its eyes and drew back. They held each other's gaze for a moment longer.

Then the dragon snorted and turned away.

This apparent dismissal did nothing to dampen Hiccup's suddenly soaring spirits. He returned the next night and the night after and the night after that. With each visit the dragon, who he'd christened Toothless, grew stronger. He started hunting for bugs that dwelt in the tunnels and was able to live on what he could find. His damaged tail was a problem, though, one that Hiccup didn't know how to deal with. And he didn't dare approach Fishlegs or Heather about it, knowing that neither of them would offer any assistance. So he continued his nightly visits in secret, and the bond of friendship budding between them strengthened with each passing day.

The winter passed slowly. When he wasn't visiting Toothless, Hiccup spent his time with Fishlegs, helping him with his housework or simply lounging around with him. They visited Heather at least twice a week, and Hiccup could never really decide if he liked her or not. She seemed nice enough, but he always suspected there was something else there, an ulterior motive to her kindness. Perhaps it was something in her smile, a glint that hinted that she had something planned.

And he soon found out what it was.

Hiccup entered Fishlegs' den one afternoon to find the mouse waiting for him. He raised his eyebrows. "Uh…everything okay there, Fishlegs?"

"Yeah," Fishlegs replied, though his voice betrayed otherwise. "I have some exciting news for you."

Hiccup's heart leapt. "My parents?" he asked. "You know where they are?"

But Fishlegs shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not," he said. "I haven't been able to contact any of my friends to see if they know where to find them. No, my friend, my news is much more exciting."

Hiccup frowned. Fishlegs' tone suggested that the news was actually disappointing. He seemed distinctly disgruntled.

He realized why when Fishlegs said, "You and Heather are engaged to be married."

Hiccup blinked as a thousand thoughts ran through his head at once. Engaged? Married? Heather? Heather the mole? So that was why she was always looking at him like he was a prize? This was why Fishlegs was so obviously upset? After all, he seemed to have a thing for her. And what about finding his parents? Hadn't he promised he'd do his best to find them? How would he be able to meet with Toothless if he was Heather's husband? She hated dragons. Would he ever see the sun again if he married a mole? Dear Thor Almighty, was he actually going to marry a mole?!

It was this last thought that made him sputter, "What?! But…but I…I can't marry Heather!"

Fishlegs raised his bushy eyebrows. "Oh? And why not?"

No doubt about it: Fishlegs was definitely miffed about this arrangement.

"Because she's a mole!" Hiccup cried. "I'm a human! A small one, it's true, but a human nonetheless! What is it with you forest creatures trying to marry me off to females of other species?! I can't marry her! We're totally incompatible! Besides, I don't love her! It's an awful match! And what about trying to find my parents? You said you'd help me get home when spring came!"

Fishlegs crossed his forelegs impatiently and glared at him. "These are all minor inconveniences, Hiccup. I'm surprised at you. After everything she and I have done for you I'd have thought you'd be more grateful. Do you remember how I saved your life when you would have frozen to death?"

"Of course I do!" Hiccup said a little angrily. "And please don't think I'm ungrateful. But don't expect me to be happy over this match. And don't take out your broken heart on me, either! It's not my fault Heather doesn't love you."

He regretted his words almost at once. Fishlegs' eyes flashed, and he knew that any chance he might have had at changing his mind had been destroyed. "Heather wants to marry you. She asked me this morning and I told her I'd see to it that you accepted. Whatever Heather wants, Heather gets. So you'd better resign yourself to marriage. I'm sure you'll come to love her in time." He turned away, officially closing the discussion. "You will be married in the spring."

Spring. He had one month of bachelorhood left before he'd be married to Heather the mole. And he had no say in it whatsoever.

He told Toothless everything when he visited that night, his voice strained with dread and outrage. "What am I gonna do?" he moaned, pacing back and forth across the width of the tunnel. "How can I get out of this? I can't leave, not with winter still raging out there. I can't talk either of them out of it: Heather's too determined to have me and Fishlegs is too jealous to let me off the hook. I just don't know what I can do to escape this!"

He sank to his knees with a groan. Toothless crooned and nudged him gently. He couldn't help but smile a little. "Thanks bud…I'll think of something, I guess. I'd better. And I have a month to figure it out." His eyes fell on the dragon's damaged tailfin. He sighed. "If only you still had your tail. Then the two of us could just fly away together…"

His eyes suddenly widened as an idea occurred to him. It was a long shot, but what did he have to lose? He stood and hurried over to the dragon's tail, examining the intact fin with close scrutiny. Toothless hummed questioningly. "Hang on, bud," Hiccup said, not looking up. "I'm trying to figure out the way your tail is supposed to work. You see…" He cracked a smile. "I'm going to rebuild it."

And he did just that. It took quite a bit of time and a great deal of planning, but he soon figured out how to go about reconstructing Toothless' tailfin. He used twigs he found at the entrance to the tunnels for the frame and then covered them with blankets he stole from Fishlegs' den, sewing it all together using the silk of a spider's web. It was a crude job, but it would hopefully suffice.

The bigger challenge was figuring out how to keep the fin open so that Toothless could fly. On their rare test flights (it was getting warm enough for them to venture out into the night for short periods of time) Hiccup found that the tail was all but useless as the dragon couldn't control whether the fin opened or closed. So he set to work rigging a system of twigs and leaf stems controlled via a stirrup he would put his foot in, which he connected to a saddle made from a scrap of cloth.

It was the night before Hiccup's wedding and they were ready to go. Hiccup stole away in the night once more and jumped into the saddle, sliding his foot into the stirrup. "You ready, bud?" he asked, and Toothless snorted in reply. "All right then. Let's go!"

Toothless took off at a run, heading toward the tunnel opening and the freedom that lay beyond. His heart was bounding in his chest with anticipation. Soon he would be home again with his mother and father. How they must have worried all this time! They must believe him to be dead by now…

He was so lost in his excited thoughts that he failed to notice the tree root protruding from the tunnel ceiling. But he couldn't fail to hear the awful ripping sound that came when it snagged the prosthetic fin and tore it in two.

Hiccup felt his heart turn to ice. "No!" he moaned. "No, no, no!" He dismounted and examined the damaged fin. It was in no shape to fly. The twig frame was still intact, but the fabric stretched over it was in tatters. "I can fix it…" he muttered. "I have to…tonight…now…"

He nodded resolutely and ran back down the passage to Fishlegs' home, intending on sneaking in and grabbing a needle and another blanket so that he could make the necessary repairs. But luck was not on his side: Fishlegs was awake upon his return.

"There you are!" he said. "I woke up and saw you were missing! I didn't know where you'd gone!"

"Sorry, Fishlegs," Hiccup said, trying not to let his disappointment show and struggling to come up with a new plan. "I just…I couldn't sleep, so I went for a little walk. You know, to ease the pre-wedding jitters…"

The excuse seemed to mollify Fishlegs, who ushered him back into bed. Hiccup was determined to stay awake until the mouse had fallen asleep once more, but his own exhaustion took control. One moment he was staring at the earthen wall next to the bed, and the next he was sitting up to Fishlegs saying, "Get up, get up! We've got a busy day ahead of us!"

He'd slept the night away. And today was the day of his wedding.

Feeling like a prisoner on his way to his execution, Hiccup donned the suit that Fishlegs had lent him for the occasion. "You look quite dashing," he said cheerfully. He was apparently determined to ease the tension that had sprung up between them following his engagement.

Hiccup tried to smile but couldn't. He sincerely doubted he'd ever smile again.

"Hmm…" Fishlegs hummed. "There's a small tear in the sleeve. Let me fix it real quick. You want to look your best for your wedding, after all."

Hiccup's heart missed a beat. Fishlegs pulled out a needle and thread and started mending the small split seam. When he was done, he put the supplies on a shelf and busied himself with his own clothing.

Hiccup didn't even pause to think. He seized the needle and thread and slid them into the pocket of his leggings. The suit jacket would be sufficient to repair the damaged fin. There was still a chance he might escape after all!

"Uh…" He cleared his throat and tried to still the excited tremble in his voice. "Fishlegs, could I…well, could I have a moment alone, please?"

"Whatever for?" Fishlegs asked, frowning.

"Well…a wedding is a huge event," Hiccup invented quickly. "And I'd like to take a moment to…to mull it over, to come to terms with it, you know? It'll only take a few minutes."

Fishlegs considered him for a moment, and Hiccup held his breath.

"I suppose," he said at last, and Hiccup's heart leapt. "But don't be long!"

Hiccup was out the door before he'd finished speaking. He ran as fast as he could down the tunnel toward the entrance, where Toothless was still waiting for him. He pulled the jacket off his body and withdrew the needle and thread from his pocket. Without even saying a word to Toothless, he started making the repairs, straining his ears for any sign of pursuit. Surely Fishlegs must have realized by now that he was up to something…?

He was almost done patching the tailfin when he heard Fishlegs calling his name.

Panicking, he picked up the pace, jabbing his finger with the needle but not even pausing to wipe away the bead of blood. There. It was done.

And just in time. Fishlegs rounded the corner, followed closely by Heather, who was wearing a long, flowing white wedding dress.

They stared at Hiccup in blank shock for a long moment, unable to move. Hiccup took his chance: he leapt onto Toothless' back and once again put his foot in the stirrup.

"Hiccup, wait!" Heather cried.

"What're you doing?!" Fishlegs demanded.

Hiccup glanced back over his shoulder. "I'm taking control of my own life," he replied simply.

And then Toothless shot out of the tunnel and took off into the cool spring morning, leaving Fishlegs and Heather in his dust.

Hiccup whooped and cheered as he emerged at long last into daylight, reveling in the feel of the sun on his face. "We did it!" he cried. "We're free!"

Toothless roared happily in reply and did a loop in midair to celebrate. Hiccup yelped in surprise but managed to stay seated in the saddle. He chuckled at the dragon's enthusiasm and said, "All right, bud. Let's see if I can find my way home…"

But Toothless seemed to have his own agenda. He roared again and turned, streaking off into the forest. "Whoa!" Hiccup gasped, leaning forward. "Where are we heading, bud?"

Toothless didn't answer, but Hiccup merely shrugged and let him go where he pleased, adjusting the tailfin with his stirrup as needed.

Before long, they had reached a small cove in the middle of the woods. It was a lovely spot, with lush green grass and beautiful flowers of all shapes and colors growing along the banks of a blue pond. Toothless rumbled happily and came in for a landing, hitting the ground with a little more force than Hiccup anticipated. He launched over the dragon's head with a cry of surprise and rolled in the dirt. He rose unsteadily to his feet and looked over at Toothless, who was rolling in the earth with apparent relish. Hiccup snorted, though he couldn't quite muster up enough ire to seem seriously upset when he said, "Useless reptile."

Then he looked up at the blades of grass that towered over him. "Wow," he breathed. "It's so pretty here…and so warm…it feels like summer instead of early spring. I wonder where we are…"

"How about we start with who you are and what you're doing here?"

Hiccup jumped and spun around. His jaw dropped and he inhaled sharply. Hovering a short distance away was a stunningly beautiful young woman. She was about his height with a slender, graceful body and lovely blond hair that she had tied in a braid running down her back. She had a pair of silvery, vaguely transparent wings that were keeping her airborne. Her eyes were as blue as the water of the pond and currently narrowed in suspicion.

She also, Hiccup noticed, held an axe, the blade of which was pointed at his neck.

"I'll say it again," the woman said when he didn't respond. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I…" Hiccup stammered. He couldn't quite form a complete sentence out of shock. He'd never seen anything quite so enchanting in his whole life. "I…I'm…are you…you're a…you're a fairy, aren't you?"

The girl looked at him like he'd spoken gibberish. "Yes, I'm a fairy," she said. "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Oh!" Hiccup shook his head to clear it and explained, "I'm Hiccup. Hiccup Haddock. And I—"

"Hiccup?" the fairy repeated, her eyes widening in recognition. "You mean Little Hiccup? The chief's son?"

"Yes!" Hiccup cried, relieved. She knew of him, then. Maybe she'd be able to help. "That's me!"

"Don't you know that your parents are worried sick about you?" the fairy asked, lowering her axe and drifting down so that she stood before him. "They've been looking all over the island for you."

"I know," Hiccup said. "I've been trying to find my way home, but I don't know where I am or how to get back." He took a cautious step forward. "Do…do you think maybe you can help me? Could you perhaps take me to see the king and queen so that I may ask them for guidance?"

The fairy nodded. "Certainly. Come on, Mama and Papa will be glad to meet you."

Hiccup's heart missed a beat. "Mama and Papa?" he repeated. "You mean…they're your…so you're…the princess?"

"I am," the fairy replied, nodding. "My name is Astrid. Oh please get up!" she added when Hiccup bowed low to her. "I hate all that bowing and nonsense."

"Sorry, Your Highness," Hiccup said, blushing furiously as he straightened.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Call me Astrid, okay? I'm not exactly one for formality."

Hiccup grinned a little sheepishly. "Okay…Astrid…it's a nice name."

Astrid smiled faintly. "Come on. This way." She led him deeper into the grass in the direction of the pond. Toothless ambled along behind them, occasionally purring contentedly. They came to a stop at a small clearing, where sat the thrones of the fairy king and his queen. They looked down kindly at Astrid and raised their eyebrows on seeing Hiccup and Toothless. "Hello, young man," said the king. "How may we help you?"

Hiccup bowed to them and said, "Your Majesties, my name is Hiccup Haddock." As he predicted, they clearly recognized his name. "I've been wandering this forest for a long time trying to find my way home. You see, I was kidnapped one night by a pair of toads…"

He told the whole story, leaving nothing out. The king, queen, and princess were a rapt audience, drinking in every word and reacting at all the right moments. When he had finished, the king remarked, "Well, you are certainly a resourceful young man, I must say. Not many would have thought to repair the dragon's tailfin the way you did. What did you call him again?"

"Toothless," Hiccup answered, and the dragon perked up at the sound of his name. "He has retractable teeth."

The king laughed pleasantly. "Yes, so they do," he remarked. He rose and stepped down from his throne to take a closer look at the artificial fin. "These dragons are native to this spot on the island. It is always warm here, thanks to our magic. Nanodragons don't have a high tolerance for the cold, so they generally spend all winter here with us. I wonder what happened to separate this one from the rest…and how he was wounded." He frowned in thought for a moment. Then he said, "Would you be so kind as to remove the artificial fin, please?"

Hiccup did as told, and the king placed his hand over the injured tail. He closed his eyes, apparently concentrating hard.

And then Toothless' tail was engulfed in golden light. Hiccup gasped and stepped back in alarm but watched with fascination as the ruined tailfin suddenly grew back, leaving no trace of injury behind. "That…that was incredible!" he breathed as the king stepped back, smiling.

The old fairy chuckled. "Thank you. Our magic is very powerful, but also very limited. For example, we tried to find you throughout the winter but were unable to do so, even with our abilities. We are very glad that you are safe, young Hiccup. Now…" He returned to his throne and sat down once more. "Astrid, would you accompany this man back home and see that he gets there safely? Have him ride the dragon to his parents' house. He may stay with the boy if he so desires."

"Yes, Papa," Astrid said, then he turned to Hiccup and added, "Climb on, I'll lead the way."

Hiccup's heart bounded as he seated himself once more on Toothless' back. There was no need for the special stirrup this time, for the dragon's tail was as good as new. Toothless, who had spent the last several minutes waving his healed tail back and forth and opening and closing the fins as he pleased, roared in joy as he prepared to take off. "Thank you!" Hiccup called over his shoulder to the king and queen. "Thank you so much!"

They smiled and waved as Toothless launched into the air, following Astrid as she flew in the direction of Berk.

"So you were almost married to a mole?" the fairy princess asked as they rose above the trees.

"Yes," Hiccup replied, shuddering. "And a toad."

"Gods, you've had some close calls," Astrid remarked, and Hiccup chuckled. They spent some minutes in silence, and Hiccup kept sneaking glances at her. Noticing, she asked, "What? Is there something on my face?"

"No, not at all!" Hiccup gasped, blushing and looking away. "I'm sorry. It's just…my whole life I've believed I was the only person my size in the whole world. And now I've met others like me. I mean yeah, you have wings and I don't, but still…you're more or less human. I just…I don't know, it makes me happy to see that, I guess…"

Astrid smiled gently at him. "Well, you're welcome to visit us anytime you wish," she said. "I know I for one would be delighted with the company."

Hiccup's heart swelled at her words but he merely smiled and nodded and did not reply.

They passed the rest of the trip home in silence. But the moment Hiccup saw the familiar buildings of Berk, he cried, "There it is! I'm home! I'm home!"

Toothless dove at his command toward the house atop the hill looking over the village. The dragon landed on the windowsill, and Hiccup was off his back in a flash. "Mom! Dad! It's me, Hiccup! I'm home!"

Stoick and Valka, who were seated in front of the fire, looked around at the sound of his voice, hardly daring to believe their ears. Their jaws dropped in unison as they saw their son standing before them once again, waving enthusiastically with tears swimming in his eyes. For a moment neither of them moved.

And then Valka screamed, "Hiccup!" and bolted from her chair. She scooped her son into her hands and held him close to her face. "My son! My baby! You're home! Thank the gods, you're safe! Oh I've been so worried about you!"

She dissolved into wordless tears punctuated with an occasional laugh of joy. Stoick too hurried over and proclaimed his delight and relief, and the happy little family spent several minutes merely huddled together in bliss.

The whole story eventually came out. Hiccup explained everything once again, aided by Astrid, who watched their reunion with a small smile turning the corners of her mouth. Stoick and Valka were beside themselves with rage when he told them about the toad twins and Snotlout the beetle and nearly started crying again when he described his experiences with trying to survive the winter alone. They were happy for him when he mentioned the mouse's help, though their relief quickly turned to anger again when he related how Fishlegs had turned on him when the mole asked for his hand in marriage. Their eyes were wide when he explained how he escaped the tunnels on the back of the dragon Toothless, and identical smiles of elation crossed their faces when he ended with his arrival in the fairy kingdom.

"You've had quite an adventure," Stoick remarked. "More than any single person should have to face. My son, I am so proud of you, for you have shown yourself to be a strong, capable young man with the ingenuity and resourcefulness of men a hundred times your size." He lifted Hiccup in his palm and hugged him close to his chest. "I'm so glad you're home, Hiccup. We've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Hiccup mumbled into Stoick's beard.

Things returned to some semblance of normality after that. Stoick and Valka announced Hiccup's safe return to the village and a great celebration was held. Toothless stayed with his new friend and rarely left his side, which made him feel much safer. The chief and his wife welcomed the little dragon into their home and agreed that he made a wonderful protector for their little boy.

The only real thing that was different from before was Hiccup's sudden desire to spend more time with the fairy princess.

He visited the kingdom in the cove as often as he could, and soon he and Astrid were the closest of friends. It wasn't much longer before they fell deeply in love and Hiccup approached the fairy king for his permission to marry his daughter. The king smiled warmly and said, "Nothing would make me happier than to bring you into our family, Hiccup. You have my full blessing."

Overjoyed, Hiccup asked Astrid to marry him that very afternoon, and she accepted enthusiastically. Soon the arrangements were all made, and they were joined in a beautiful ceremony that very summer. The cove had never hosted such a celebration before, for not only were all the local fairies there but the whole village as well.

Hiccup's joy was made complete when the fairy king approached him and said, "I have a gift for you, my son. Please turn around."

Hiccup did as told, and the king placed his hands on the young man's back, right between the shoulder blades. A moment later, Hiccup felt a hot rush run through his body as a pair of beautiful golden wings sprouted from the spot under the king's hands. "Oh my…!" he breathed as he stared back at the newest addition to his body. "These…these are wonderful! Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Hiccup," the king said with a smile. "Though I think from now on it is acceptable for you to call me 'Papa.'"

Hiccup beamed at him and nodded.

"Now if you ever get lost," Astrid said with a small laugh, "you'll be able to find your way back again."

Grinning, Hiccup took her into his arms and murmured, "Yes. I'll always find my way back home. To you. For wherever you are is where I belong."

Astrid's eyes watered but she merely smiled. Hiccup bent down and kissed her tenderly, a gesture that she returned with all the passion she could muster. The crowd around them cheered with delight, and Hiccup, with his new wife, parents, and dragon friend, lived happily ever after.

A/N: I think I'll start updating this collection twice a week instead of once. Say, Mondays and Thursdays? At least until I run out of competed fairy tales to post. So on Thursday I'll have the next story up: "The Girl in the Tower," based on "Rapunzel." As always, I hope you enjoyed this! :)