Not as many reviews as last time but you guys, seriously, I feel so much luff from you all you get another chapter and I know I will be getting my Merlin readers on my case for this…
By the way, you guys are quickly over taking my most popular Merlin fic… Really it makes me happy to know you guys enjoy this so much.
Also, yes I have seen HTTYD 2. I will be trying not to give out any spoilers. I ask that you guys try to not comment any spoilers, even in question form. Not everyone is able to see the movie opening night and there are people from other countries who have yet to be able to see it. So let us try to show respect to our dear fellow fans who would like to avoid spoilers.
Now question answering time!
Random Guest ~ I hope I answered your question above. I will do my best to avoid spoilers. It is an amazing movie and I highly recommend.
Breyannia ~ Oh do I have ideas on them questions, but a few things must happen in the life of our dear Hiccup and Toothless first.
Sairey13 ~ I am debating on this issue. Not 100% sure yet but so far he appears to be alive.
Tichiharahara ~ Cloudjumper has his name in this AU. Valka came to be good friends with him and he will be the one she will ride most of the time. Bonding is going to be done a bit differently here. I hope to explain this process later on.
Now onto the story!
Hiccup and Toothless burst from the tree line and onto the rocky beach at the same time. "Are you even trying to win these races anymore?" Hiccup asked climbing onto Toothless' back. The young dragon was large enough now to support both their weight, not that Hiccup weighed much anyway. He was small in frame for one his age.
Hiccup stretched out on the black scales before reaching a hand down to scratch Toothless' chin. He smiled at the answering purr of contentment and glanced up. What he saw made him push himself upright.
"What's that?" He questioned. A little ways off a broken ship rested. Hiccup tilted his head at it. He had never seen a ship before, though his mother told him stories about them. "Let's go check it out."
"But you said we won't leave the island…" Toothless said a bit unsure of the vessel. "What if there's humans there?"
"Mom's a human." Hiccup said urging Toothless foreword. "Or are you still just a hatchling?"
"I'm no hatchling!" Toothless growled before pushing off and flying the short distance. "Hey!" Hiccup had slid off his back as soon as they landed. "We saw the place now let's go back!"
"Come on, we only just got here and there seems to be no one but us." Hiccup moved towards a doorway and poked his head inside. It was a staircase down to the lower portions of the ship. Toothless followed Hiccup down below.
There were many strange things. Hiccup picked up a bit of leather and turned it over in his hands. There was quite a bit of it here. There were also strange hard objects that could be opened; the inside was far more delicate. Some of them had strange markings on them, while others were completely blank. Hiccup set them aside for now as he looked at the other strange objects about.
"Maybe mom knows more about this." Hiccup said moving back above deck. "It does look like human stuff."
"She isn't going to like this…" Toothless grumbled as Hiccup climbed on his back again.
"Technically we didn't leave the island though…" Hiccup pointed out. "At low tide at least. This is that rock with that path we can walk on remember?"
"True…" Toothless answered already in flight. "She still isn't going to like this…"
It didn't take them long to get back while flying. Valka was just about to start cooking when Hiccup ran into their cave Toothless right behind him. "I expected you two to be out for a bit longer." She said with a smile. "Normally you try and find some new aspect about this island."
"Mom I saw a ship!" Hiccup said, Valka dropped the jug in her hands as she whipped around to them.
"A ship this close to the island?" She questioned.
"No one was on it though!" Hiccup said.
"How do you know that?"
"We flew to it!" Hiccup was all sorts of excited. "There is so many strange things on there, I thought you co-"
"You told me you were not going to leave the island!" Valka could feel her nerves becoming more frayed.
"We didn't." Hiccup said with a grin. "The ship's on the rock at the end of that path revealed at low tide!"
Valka could feel herself relaxing slightly. "You still shouldn't have gone. What if someone was there? Both you and Toothless would have been in danger."
"But no one was there!" Hiccup protested. "I'm ten now! I should be allowed off the island."
"There is nothing interesting off this island for you." Valka said setting the cooking aside. "Now show me this ship so I can put it out of your head. Cloudjumper, I'll need you."
The four of them landed on the ship, Hiccup began to pull Valka down the stairs. "I'm coming dear." She said before he let go and went right over to the same objects that caught his attention before.
"What are these?" He asked holding up a few of them. Valka smiled walking over and looking at them.
"They are called books." She answered. "Some of them have writing in them, and some are waiting to be written in."
"What's writing?" Hiccup asked looking at the book in his mother's hands.
"I can teach you if you like." She offered picking several of the books up and tucking them in a bag she soon found. "How to read and write. Then you can read the books and maybe even write your own."
"Neat." Hiccup said looking around for anything else interesting. He held up another object.
"Bellows." Valka answered nearing him. "They are often seen in a Blacksmith's shop." She took the handles and squeezed. Hiccup laughed a bit at the burst of air that hit him in the face. She looked at the space he had found them in. "A lot of the things here are for a Blacksmith… Might have been a merchant vessel heading to a village in need of the supplies. Shame really, now they will need to wait for another merchant to bring them these goods."
Hiccup remembered what he was told about blacksmiths. "Do they only make weapons?" He asked looking at the supplies.
"No, they can also make tools." She answered setting the bellows down. "They can also make saddles from leather, or even prosthetics for those who lost limbs."
"Like Summer Breeze?" He asked remembering the older Deadly Nadder who was missing her right leg.
"Yes, like Summer Breeze." Valka said smiling. "Though I don't know of a blacksmith who would create a limb for a dragon. Very few humans don't hate dragons, and even less like them."
"Could I learn how to do this?" Hiccup asked gesturing to the objects before them.
"You could…" Valka answered carefully. "But it would be a lot of trial and error. We wouldn't be able to get you a teacher and I fear you will get burned quite frequently."
"I want to try though." Hiccup said looking determined. "The dragons gave us a home and even helped heal me. I want to help them. Summer Breeze can be my first. I've seen her, she wants to fly again… But she can't land without hurting herself…"
"No she cannot…" Valka agreed. She always felt a pang of sympathy for the old dragon. She must have been quite the sight in her prime. Royal purple scales glinting in the sun as she flew. Now she was quite the bitter old thing. She tolerated Valka, but did seem to like Hiccup well enough. Maybe even enough to let him try and help her.
"If this is what you want to do, then we can bring this to the island. There is another cave that you can use as your forge. Though we will need some help in getting this all there." Valka began putting the smaller things in the bags. "Pack the leather and cloth as well, we can use it to make more clothes. If you find a sewing kit pack that as well."
Hiccup picked up a few of the bags and began to do as he was told. Toothless began taking bags up to the deck as they filled. Hiccup had gone with him on the first trip to explain to Cloudjumper the help they needed and the dragon flew off to get the needed aid.
The first batch of dragons that came picked up the bags and carried them back while the Gronkles stayed to break the wood so the others could carry the larger pieces needed to create the forge. It had been a good thing that Stoick's best friend Gobber was the Blacksmith of Berk. Valka knew about how things went for the basic set up. She would let Hiccup set it as he liked as time went on.
"Lunch first and then lessons." Valka said once everything was on the island and divided between the two caves. "You can work in your forge in your free time."
"Yes mom." Hiccup said casting one longing look at the beginnings of his workspace.
Three years passed after the discovery of the merchant ship. Valka had been able to set up a small dock for smaller trade vessels to stop at. It proved useful as about once a month she could go and trade whatever clothes she crafted or tools Hiccup made for more material for them both.
"I would love to met the craftsman who makes these tools." The captain often said. "Some of the best work I've ever seen. I get complements from every one that uses them."
"He is very shy my son." Valka would always explain. "Not used to people."
"Shame." The captain would say before they would get on with the finals of their trade. Valka would then load up the bags on the saddle Hiccup made for Cloudjumper in the shadows before making the journey back to the caves.
She smiled watching Hiccup, who was still fairly thin for one his age, working on adjusting the leg for Summer Breeze. The dragon was pleased with her new leg and it only made her like Hiccup even more. Once it was done she took off to fly with the rest of the dragons.
A few of them had some of Hiccup's works on them. Once Summer Breeze gained a new leg, other injured dragons were brought in to be given the same. Hiccup had come to know dragons better than Valka ever could have dreamed. He still had accidents though, but no were near the frequency as before.
"New supplies Hiccup!" She said walking over to her son. "Compliments from the captain as always."
"I could go with you." Hiccup said.
"You know why you can't." Valka said holding his face in her hands. She was watching his eyes. The pupils were full and looked almost human, yet she knew at any moment they could constrict and their dragon-like nature would be revealed. "I know you have gotten better at holding them so they appear human, but what if something surprised you?"
"Yeah…" Hiccup said with a sigh. He walked over to the bags on Cloudjumper and started to unpack. Toothless ambled over waiting to carry the supplies for the forge. It was mostly leather that he received; canvas was also a frequently refilled supply. The Gronkles always enjoyed making him their special metal, then again they were able to eat their favorite rocks as a result. It is what made his tools so much better. All his metal work was made of it.
It made him often work shirtless, as it needed very high temperatures to melt down. He didn't seem to mind it though; in fact he seemed to almost thrive in the workspace. Valka sighed watching him head towards the forge with his things. She followed after him and ran a hand over the saddle he had made for Toothless.
"How about you take a break from the forge for a bit?" She asked not looking as he turned to stare at her. She knew this was one of the few pleasures he was allowed. "You are thirteen now… Surely your itch to explore hasn't been dampened."
She smiled feeling the sudden force hugging her around the middle. She was able to turn in his grip and return the hug. "Stay out of sight." She said. "Only fly at night, Toothless can blend in better that way. Don't be gone for longer than three days at a time."
Hiccup looked up at her with a nod. "We'll be careful." He answered her. Valka smiled down at him.
"I know you will." She said before hugging him close. "Yet it is a mother's job to worry. Now, let me get some measurements. I'll make you a good set of riding clothes."