I do not own any of HTTYD or The Book of Life.

I didn't see this theaters, so I boarded a DVD copy from a friend and I could not stop re-watching it. Especially most of the songs. And when Manolo was facing off against that giant flaming bull near the end, I eminently thought of Hiccup with Hookfang in the ring in the first movie.

Draco: Latin for Dragon (short A, not like 'Draco' from Harry Potter)


Hiccup stood there, the angry Monstrous Nightmare in full flame, glaring down at him with hate. Seeing the small human's shield, dagger and horned helmet, he sees this boy as 'one of them.' Hiccup starts to back up slowly, the Nightmare following him, not taking his eyes off him.

Just behind the teen is one of his most prized possessions; an old but still good, light brown lute.

Gobber had given it to Hiccup for his ninth birthday, after he saw how much the young boy loved it when Gobber played. So he cleaned up one of his old lutes from when he was a younger man, gave to Hiccup, and spent the following few years teaching him not only blacksmithing, but how to play.

Even since Hiccup meet Toothless in the woods days ago, they have been the best of friends. They learned a lot from each other, Hiccup played and sang for him, and he helped the downed dragon fly again; because he knew of course it was his fault in the first place. But as much as he had wished at the time that he wasn't the winner who gets to kill their first dragon in front of the whole village, from his time with Toothless, he knew he was the only one who could finish this right. Finish everything for good.

As Hiccup neared his lute, he tossed the dagger clear aside and dropped the shield. But he was not empty handed for long. Once the fifteen year old's foot hit the side of the instrument, Hiccup slowly bent down, still facing forward not taking his eyes off the large flaming dragon for a moment, reached back behind him, and grabbed his lute.

After he was standing tall again, Hiccup took a deep breath, then began to strum the strings with his left hand. The Nightmare heard the music and seemed calm for a moment, but he still looked a Hiccup with fury and gave a deep, menacing growl.

Hiccup stopped strumming, worried his plan wasn't going to work out like he had hoped. But then he realized, the Nightmare was not staring at him, but his helmet.

"It's okay," Hiccup tried to sooth the angered creature, moving his hand from the front of his lute, offering it forward to him. The Nightmare still growled. Hiccup brought his hand up to his helmet, grabbed one of the horns, lifted it off his head and tossed it aside.

"What is he doing?" Stoick asked quietly to Gobber, but mostly to himself really. The chief was confused, now his son was only armed with his lute and not even a helmet. But Gobber placed his right hand (only hand) on his old friend's arm, Stoick looked to him and understood. Nothing is happening, yet. He shouldn't interfere. This was Hiccup's time. Hiccup's chance to finally be one of them. He needs to let his son do this.

He just does know it's not 'their way' exactly.

The dragon's eyes softened a bit, but Hiccup knew he wasn't out of the woods just yet. He came into this pit to do something his people should have done ages ago, so he was going to do it now.

Hiccup once again began to strum the same notes he was a minute ago, but he did not stop. And then, he began to sing:

Draco, I am humble, for quite some time I've known,

Your royal blood was never meant to be painted on this stone.

You've suffered great injustice, so have thousands before you.

I offer an apology, and one long overdue.

The Nightmare raised his head up, as if preparing to blast the boy before him with his fiery breath, but Hiccup did not stop, and continued his song to the next line without hesitance, but the Nightmare did stop. His head still high up, looking down at the boy singing respectfully to him.

I- am sorry,

Draco I am sorry.

Hear my song, and know I sing the truth.

Although we were raised to hate,

I reach for kindness in your heart this day.

And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive,

Love can truly live.

And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive,

Love can truly live.

Everyone outside the arena chain net were all, in a word, bewildered. They did not know how exactly to react to what they were seeing down there. Astrid however, watching from the grate that lead directly into the pit, looked upon the seen with a smile that was equally filled with pride and relief.

Draco, I am frightened. But I stand before you still,

To tell you that I'm sorry, I'm not in this ring to kill.

Three centuries of agony, to all your hearts we've sent.

Here now with my amends,

Let the senseless killing end.

I- am sorry,

Draco I am sorry.

Hear my song, and know I sing the truth.

Although we were raised to hate,

I reach for kindness in your heart this day.

Hiccup smiles up to the Nightmare, still fully flaming, as he continues to sing out his sincerity. The Nightmare then lowers his head back down to Hiccup's level, his pupils dilated and large.

And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive,

Love can truly live.

And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive,

Love can truly live.

Hiccup lowers his lute, takes a few steps forward, and extends his hand out to the Nightmares snout. Just as his hand is able to make contact, the Nightmare starts to extinguish himself, starting with his snout, lowering himself further to lay on his belly. Hiccup places his hand tenderly on the calm dragon's nose as he finishes putting himself out and gives a deep, relaxed purr.

Hiccup smiles wider, giving the Nightmare's snout a quick rub before turning his head up to look at all the shocked faces of his people. Hiccup lifts his lute back into place in front of him and starts to play again. Singing this time, directly to them.

And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive,

Love—,

Love will truly live.

Hiccup just stood where he was for a minute. Worried what the crowd might do to him, or the dragon. Or what the dragon might do to them if he feels threatened again.

But, after the longest minute of Hiccup's life, he hears the sound of a pair of meaty hands clapping. Surprised, Hiccup turns and saw something he never thought he'd see, directed to him anyway.

His father, Stoick the Vast, was standing from his throne, clapping. For him. And he was smiling. The chief had a thick beard, and it was hard to tell his expressions most of the time, but he was smiling.

Gobber started clapping as well. Then his cousin and the other Viking teens he had been training with started clapping too. And before Hiccup knew it, everyone else surrounding the ring all started joining in as well.

Astrid slipped through the grate where she had been watching the whole time, ran up to Hiccup and wrapped her arms around his middle. Hiccup hugged her back warmly, his lute still in his hand, and the crowd of Vikings still cheering all around them.

Hiccup may have been afraid of dragons when he was younger. But that day, Hiccup conquered his true greatest fear.

Being himself. All of himself.


I plan to have Hiccup playing the lute for at least a few more other one-shot songs.

And before anyone comments to ask, I also plan to make one of Hiccup sing 'I Love You too Much' to Astrid.