"Dear Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruff and Tuff.
I write to you, my dearest friends to say the battle has been won. The last remnants of Viggo Grimborn's armada have been destroyed and the Shell Fire dragon relocated to deeper waters away from any islands. Both Dagur and I have returned to our people on Beserker Island where we are helping to rebuild the last of our village. Trade is blooming again but we've still had to source some individual recourses. Because of this, Windshear and I have travelled to the small province Autumn Island, south of where Dragon's Edge use to be for the supplies but Windshear starting acting strangely. I think she has fallen ill with something. We are in trouble and need your help. Come to Autumn Island and please hurry!
Heather"
Hiccup looked around at his people. A certain unease had befallen them, small bands were sharing looks of confusion, others concern as they muttered amongst themselves; perhaps some didn't even know who Heather was. Hiccup knew it was his duty to give them all the information he had, however small the amount. "Heather is one of our offshore dragon riders. She is a Berserker and also Daugur the Deranged's sister. She has come to Berk a couple of times in the past," he said. "When I was sixteen and the dragon riders first met her, she was not the most helpful and tried to steal Stormfly and the book of dragons for Alvin," Beside him, Astrid subtly huffed and chuckled at the memory, for the two young women, despite early complications, had quickly become good friends by the end of that little adventure. "We ran into her again when we were living at Dragon's Edge a little while ago. She visited twice and eventually ended up staying with her Razorwhip, Windshear for a while. She was in our show at Berk's 400th anniversary celebration," Hiccup rubbed his neck sheepishly at the strife "The one where I also had a bounty on my head and pretty much everyone was trying to capture me and 'keep me from running away'",. He gestured to the metal leg and got a good number of laughs for this.
Looking back on the harrowing mishaps of his escorting across the archipelago in the hand of several bandits and bounty hunters, he truly wished that would be the last. Though, considering the past month, the horrifically vexing ordeal with Drago Bluvist and the small altercations with a confused Calder on Nepenthe, those long past prospects didn't look so bleak anymore.
Hiccup looked back to the message for reference, "Now, the message doesn't give much detail. It basically says, 'Windshear is sick, we are in trouble and need your help. Come to Autumn Island and please hurry,' It isn't a lot, but we should go help her. Especially since we haven't seen her in years," Hiccup continued.
"We owe it to her", Astrid added. "She stood by us in all our battles, even when that horrible sickness hit the Edge and this idiot-" She gave a soft slug across Hiccup's shoulder and he turned to grimace at the ground in embarrassment. "Yeah, yeah, I remember." Fishlegs chipped in, "The Terror of Thorns' luckily it didn't spread back to Berk. Ooh this is kind of exciting! We finally get to see Heather again."
Astrid cast Fishlegs a quizzical look, "Wait aren't you and Snotlout competing for Ruffnut still?" She whispered loud enough for only Hiccup to hear, "How is she going to take "
Fishlegs was quick to cut her off whispering back for fear of being overheard by Snotlout and the twins who had joined the crowds, "No we're not- not anymore since Snotlout sort of won in the end. I've moved on, there will be others. I'm sure it'll be fine," he reassured unconvincingly, a small squeak of nervousness seeping through.
Astrid took this revelation to her advantage, "We're coming," she said pulling on Fishlegs furring vest, despite his protest.
"That's all great, guys," Hiccup said, "But I'm needed here to govern the village. If I leave and take the most competent riders with me, not counting the twins, they are many things but competent is not one of them, you know what I mean. Then who will oversee Berk? Ok, I promised I would be here to help out in every way I can and not just run away to the edge of the world like we use to," Hiccup took a moment to think about his options, "And I can't just ask Gobber again, he's busy with both Grump and Bonesnarl now training what we thought were untrainable baby scuttleclaws."
The others seemed at a loss. They all wanted to fly out and help their old friend but with Stoick's passing, their new duties to Berk complicated the matter. Valka stood idly by watching as Hiccup and Astrid compiled thoughts for a compromise. Her time away from Berk had meant she had missed an entire generation, she missed watching as the families she left behind grew and adjusted to the new life here. As much as she would have loved to travel out to Autumn Island to meet Heather and windshear, she felt she could use this as an opportunity to really step back into the village routine. Valka stepped forth, "I can do it", she said, "If you could take the twins with you too, there will be a lot fewer mishaps to deal with. If there are any problems or arguments, I'm sure Cloudjumper and Eret would be more than happy to give me hand,"
Hiccup considered this for a moment. "Well alright, but are you sure you won't need someone else to help you?" Valka looked at him. "If I need help, I'll find it. Don't worry son, I'll be fine," Astrid's lips curled mischievously at the thought, "And unlike you," she poked Hiccup lightly on the chest, "Your mother knows when to ask for help, so we can believe she'll be fine," The villagers laughed again. A warm feeling spread through Hiccup's chest. "Whatever you say, milady. And, thanks Mom," Hiccup added.
Valka smiled. She loved it every time he called her that, cherishing the moments she never got to see. Some days were hard for her, watching as the people of Berk went about their life in peace. How Valka often wished she could have been there for Berk's transformation, to watch as her son grew into the brave leader he was now. To hear and occasionally witness solemn moments like this one. The silent tears she would spill, over grief for their great loss but overwhelming joy for what she had gained; A new Berk, peace for her dragons. Her son and future daughter in law.
"I'm going over to the forge to pick up a few things we can bring with us," Hiccup called to the other riders. Gradually the crowd dispersed, until Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins were the only ones left in the center of town. Tuff looked worried. "Valka said there would be fewer mishaps while we're gone!" he cried, "We cannot allow Berk's mayhem level to drop. I forbid it!"
"Whatever you say, bro", Ruffnut replied dreamily. She was leaning on Snotlout's arm, fingering his biceps while Astrid furrowed her eyebrows in disgust, groaning out a sound to match her expression and leaving the lovesick couple to their own.
Meanwhile, over at the forge, Hiccup had finished filling his satchel with a notebook and charcoal, his little dagger which he had adap into a miniature Dragon Blade, in case of any unwelcome meetings with the Death Song and its amber and a few small hand-to-hand combat weapons. He checked the straps and buckles on his flight suit making sure it was secure. Gobber appeared from the back, balancing a finely wrought silver ring on the point of his hook, "I think ye forgettin' somethin', laddie," Hiccup looked up, then after a moment's hesitation took the ring tenderly in his hands, "Maybe ye'll find the right moment while yer away", Gobber commented. "Maybe", Hiccup murmured distractedly. -
He circled his thumb tentatively over the ring's curved edge as it reflected the fire light from the furnace. Unclipping the straps on his chest armour, Hiccup pulled out his map journal and slipped the ring safely inside the pages. It would be safe there. Toothless was watching intently with wide eyes of curiosity as Hiccup fastened the chest piece back. He offered an encouraging coo nudging his companion. Hiccup ran his hands across the dragon's head in comfort, "What do you say bud, let's go to Autumn Island,"