Brotherly Love
While Hel, and her family, along with their mysterious unknown collaborator were busy attempting to conquer Valhalla, things on Berk weren't getting along much better. Right now Hiccup had called a meeting to try and come up with some ideas on how to do this miracle that Una's friend Kara expected both of them too do. While it was easy to say what was expect of him, doing it was quite another. Una looked like she was gonna have a mental breakdown. She felt even more overwhelmed then her older brother. She was just five years old for crying out loud! And yet it was expected of her to one way or another save the entire afterlife along with the rest of the Nine Realms? No wonder both she and Hiccup looked like they're going to collapse and both so panicky.
Valka at the moment was doing her best to keep both her son and her new foster daughter from going all to pieces. It wasn't easy thing to do. Made much harder by the fact that no-one really seem to know what to think. At the moment they're all in the Great Hall and listening to the small child in her lap. She was holding her close to her so she wouldn't be too scared. Her son was busy pacing up and down with Toothless doing the same thing. So far they'd worn quite a hole in the floor, yet no-one really notice that. What everyone was noticing that this may be the first real test of Hiccup's role as Chief since wining the battle against Drago. Though this was actually worse then just an evil dragon army, given this was both worlds, one of the living and one of the dead! And they couldn't loose this or the worlds would be forever out of balance!
"So, let's go over the facts again," Hiccup started to say as he stopped pacing. "We know that right at this moment something very sinister is happening in Valhalla. Something that could throw everything out of balance."
"It sounds to us like its chaos at a level even greater then that time we stop Dagur!" interrupted Tuffnut as he sighed in a dreamy way as if to remember a fond memory. He looked at his twin who was also grinning madly at him. They smacked their heads together and laughed a bit.
Ruffnut was still smiling elatedly at her own memory of that chaotic day when they'd stopped both Dagur and the Screaming Death. "That day was so much fun and so wild and crazy! I mean it was beyond cool! What's wrong with a little chaos, anyway? Life is so dull to begin with, chaos at least adds a bit of spice to the droll."
"Yeah, life does need a little spice. And maybe some chaos is better then a dull day. However, I don't think this is a good reason for chaos. It's one thing for a crazy day to happen, yet it's quite another, you two, to want to upset the delicate balance of life and death. This isn't a good thing, regardless of how much you find pain, chaos and bloodshed to be so tantalizing. This is serious and I hope you grasp that it's serious," Valka told the twins in a serious tone, though like her late husband before her, she was sure that they didn't grasp how serious the matter was.
"Valka-mommy is right! This is a serious matter! Can't you be serious about anything? I mean you cannot be that dumb!" Una beseeched them in an exasperated tone of voice. Though judging from their blank looks they still didn't get how serious the matter was.
"I'm sure, Una, that they'll get it sooner or later how serious this is, till then lets try to come up with a plan, shall we?" whispered Hiccup into his little sister's left ear. She nodded and smiled at him.
"Hiccup got a good point though; we can't take this threat lightly. This is serious and we've faced the Red Death, Outcasts, Berserkers, and the Screaming Death! Not mention we faced Drago and his dragon army! So yes we've dealt with quite a bit of evils. Nonetheless, this is possibly bigger then any other threat we've face in the past, or might encounter in the future. So please let's put our heads together and try and come up with a good idea to deal with this?" Astrid asked to the whole group. Flicking her long blond braid over her right shoulder she gazed at all of them and tried to think.
"Well? Any ideas? Anyone?" inquired Hiccup desperately.
"Well, we should go over what we do know and maybe we'll be able to understand what happening a bit better. So, Una tell us all you know of what happened in the afterlife before you came here?" Fishlegs suggested attentively. Meatlug his dragon smiled her big toothy grin and licked him. "Oh, I love you too girl! Who's a good girl? Yes you are!"
"Oh gross! Hookfang do me a favor and roast his big blubbery butt!" muttered Snotlout in a disgusting tone to his dragon. Hookfang then nodded and snorted a small flame from his left nostril and burned Fishlegs' bottom.
It took Fishlegs about roughly 30 seconds to become conscious to the fact he was on fire. So he then ran around for a few moments like a chicken with its head cut off and then landed in a bucket of dirty water. He first let out a great sigh of relief. Then he started glaring angrily at the jerk that set him aflame. He yelled out in an outrageous tone "Ouch! Snotlout!"
The young Viking just snorted himself and laughed. "So, sorry, Fishlegs, but enough with the mushy stuff, alright? It's been grossing me out for five years now! I mean come on! Even Hiccup ain't that gross though he still can be a bit of a weirdo at times. I mean he may've finally stopped being a scrawny little twig and finally gained a real Viking body. Took him long enough. Still let's skip the mushy crap and find out what we can from this stupid little nobody, alright?"
Before anyone else could speak something happened really fast. One minute Snotlout was standing the next moment, SMACK! He was sent toppling over his chair and onto the worn wooden floor. Una was still punching and kicking at him like she was a rabid dragon and was trying to get any inch of him she could get. She kicked him hard in the groin and yelled at him at this point. "Don't you dare insult me or my big brother you ass! I mean it you idiotic insensitive piece of…" she was yelling with a fiery passion when Hiccup pried her off him and held her close to him.
"Una, Una! It's okay. It's alright. Calm down, sis. It's alright," he spoke soothingly as he rocked her slowly, and stroked her blond and lilac locks gently. Again everyone was taken aback by how strong the bond between these two was. At least for both Astrid and Valka it was extremely special without a doubt. For seeing the bond between these two made them both happy and proud at the same time. They both also felt strongly that Hiccup did really need Una to give himself something he didn't have anywhere else. Someone who loved him in a way he'd almost never felt till about five years ago.
As if Una could read their minds she spoke the words they're thinking as Hiccup hugged her. "But, brother, he was insulting you! You're not stupid at all! You're very courageous, compassionate, and have a caring heart! I won't let anyone talk badly about you! Nor will I let any speak ill of me either! You've got a lot more guts and heart then anyone else in this room!"
He blushed immensely from the compliment and a proud smile emerged upon his handsome features. Smiling he kissed her forehead gently and spoke, "Una, I'm elated you wish to defend my honor, and I know as your brother I'd do the same thing. You remember what I told you about myself the first time we met?"
"Of course! How could I possibly fail to remember that? You told me that you use to think every person on Berk thought you're too weak and too small. Not a Viking at all. You told me you felt you're stuck in a place you obviously didn't belong in! That you felt the whole village and your father thought you're nothing but the village disappointment. But that change one day, didn't it?"
"Like I said someday things change for everyone. Now thanks to you and what's happened in the last five years I know people are proud of me and…"
"They listen to you and your ideas! And just so you know, big brother, you did show Stoick-daddy that you could fend for yourself and that you're not soft! Stoick-daddy did say to me shortly after he arrived in Valhalla me and Boden something important. Something you need to hear. And that something was he was incredibly sorry for not accepting you sooner for who you were and not what he thought you should be. A lot has changed since the first time you touched an ebony colored dragon, hasn't it, big brother?"
"Everything changes, that's a fact of life, sis. All the same thank you for telling me that my or should I say our father is proud of me. I want to save him from whatever evil is threatening his afterlife. I know you're scared, Una, and that you're just five years old. Yet I believe in you as you believe in me and one way or another, Una, we're going to save the afterlife and everyone will be resting in peace again. I promise you that."
"I love you, Hiccup! I love you so much!"
"I love you too, Una, and I always will."
"UGH! I thought I said I didn't want anymore of the mushy lovey-dovey nonsense! Though for a girl she's got a great right hook."
"Watch it, Snotlout, or I'll thump you even worse then I already did! My other brother Boden and Stoick-daddy have taught me well, as did my friend Kara. So shut up, you jerk!" she commanded ardently as she stuck her tongue out of him. The raven haired Viking, was still rubbing the shiner that she gave him, and he was still in pain. Thus he thought twice about making the little girl angry. He was also a bit embarrassed that a child, especially a girl had whooped his ass. Therefore to save face and make sure he wasn't pummeled more he shut his big trap up.
"So, how about we get back to business, already? Una, darling, can you please tell us what you know? Then we'll figure out the rest of it later."
"Alright, Valka-mommy, if it means helping my other brother Boden and Stoick-daddy I'm up for it. That is if no-one," she shot an angry glance to Snotlout and the others before continuing, "interrupts me. I'll tell you what I know."
"Here, before you tell us, please take a sip of some berry juice, Una. You strained your voice some. Here enjoy." Hiccup told her kindly as he offered her a big jug of freshly made ice-cold berry juice. She quickly drained half of it and got a purplish mustache from the drink. She giggled and he wiped the purple mustache off her upper lip.
"Alright, now that I've gotten a drink, I'll tell you all I know. As I told you earlier what occurred back in Valhalla, ensue so quickly and swiftly that there aren't a lot of facts. What I also know are the rules of the dead which cannot be changed, or at least we're taught when we get to the afterlife, that there are some things we cannot change as I told you before now. I'm already breaking the most essential law of the departed with this Resurrection Amulet. I can only guess that the Gods and Valkyries came up with the Resurrection Amulet I'm wearing in case a crisis such as this did a occur. Still I highly doubt they intended a child to wear it. If the chaos hadn't been so bad I'm sure they'd pick someone else to come to Earth to recruit help to restore the balance for life and death. Someone like Stoick-Daddy or some other great and heroically brave and more able body Viking to do this job, not a silly little girl. I'm just a child and what can I do to really help?"
"You've done the most brave and important thing that needed to be done already, my child. You've come here and you're already helping us figure out what needs to be done to save the world. So please continue, my child," Valka requested kindly to the girl.
"Well, I did hear stories from the Valkyries as did most of the departed. You all know of the Gods of Asgard and the rest of the Nine Realms. And the only Goddess I think would've both enough of a grudge and power to try and take over the backyard of Asgard would be Loki's daughter Hel. After all I've been told by Kara this is the only person I can think of who might've something to gain from trying to take over Valhalla."
"I'd have to agree with you on that account, Una. We all know the stories of Odin, Thor and the rest of the Gods and Goddess of Asgard and the neighboring realms. We've heard of Hel's reputation quite well, haven't we, guys?" Astrid remarked as she looked at the other Riders.
"Yeah, we have, since we're babies we've heard the stories of the Gods." Fishlegs agreed with the flaxen haired Viking beauty.
"Yeah, Mom used to tell the both of us after singing "Hush Little Viking" all about the Gods. I'd always dreamed of getting hit in the butt by Thor's lighting! I wanted to see if it falls off!" exclaimed Tuffnut excitedly.
"You know, Tuff, if you wanted I could get my ax and my mace and we love our wives with the ugly faces and chomp off your butt. We're Vikings through and through. And then we'll get our club and bludgeons and locked sixteen Berserks in the dungeon and again be Viking through and through!" sang Ruffnut in her surprisingly good singing voice.
"Don't steal my song, girl. Still you sang it better then even I could. So good voice," Gobber remarked proudly as he rested his sore bottom on one of the rickety wooden chairs.
"You came up with those songs, Gobber?" asked Una curiously. She'd been hearing a lot of the villagers singing them and also a few lyrics from "Hush Little Viking" so she'd been wondering who composed them. And she agreed with Gobber that Ruffnut did indeed have a good singing voice.
'Yep, sure did, kiddo. I needed something to sing while working at the smithy."
"Can we please get back on track?"
"Sorry, Hiccup. Although what Astrid and Una both said seems to ring with the most truth. If anyone's going to go after Valhalla, and willing to take on the Gods' wrath for such a wicked deed, I'd say it would be most definitely Hel and her wicked brothers," Gobber stated strongly and everyone else nodded.
"It does make the most logical sense, my son. We do know from the stories and legends passed down from generation to generation all about the Gods and their worlds. We all know Hel was very angered when her brothers were locked up and she was banished to the Land of Dishonorable Dead just because she wasn't pretty enough to be part of the main realm. Though I'd hardly think she's working alone. There no way even a Goddess can take on Odin and his brethren all on her own. She must have a dance partner for this sweet battle dance."
Hiccup looked up at his mom first then gazed around at everyone else. He then turned his lovely green eyes into the blue ones of his sister and asked her, "Would you agree with everyone, sis? That who might be threatening the afterlife and our father and brother?"
"I cannot say for sure seeing how Kara and I weren't with the main chaos. But I'd say your girlfriend and mentor have come up with the only plausible answer I can think of. I don't know much else only that I was told by Kara to get you all. I can tell you this though. If Hel is behind this attack and she's got a dance partner for this attack that I'd think her partner is mortal. Valka-Mommy is right. She wouldn't be able to do it all by herself. The Gods have mighty powers and the old saying is "Hell knows no fury like a woman scorned" is true. Yet I've got a gut feeling that she's working with a mortal. And there is only one thing a mortal can offer to a God to cut a deal. And you know what that is, don't you?"
"Yes, I do."
"Wait! Let us guess! Is it a mace?" asked Tuffnut.
"No! It's a shield with bloody flowers on it!" squealed his sister.
"You two don't get the seriousness of this, do you?"
"Are we allowed a third guess?" they asked in unison.
Everyone else sighed in both disgust and exasperation. "No, you two, it ain't weapons that cut a deal with the Gods. The only thing a mortal can offer as payment in a deadly bargain with the Gods or Goddess is their immortal soul." Hiccup explained and now it finally looked like the twins got it and so did everyone else.
"WOW! That is…" Tuffnut started and Ruffnut finished "Bad!"
"Yeah! It is and I'd gotta say for a Viking warrior like me, even I would never sell my soul even if it did mean eternal glory and power! Even I'm not that stupid or reckless!" Snotlout stated as he rubbed his black eye again.
"Well that is actually good to know, Snotlout. At least you ain't a complete fool." Fishlegs muttered under his breath as he rubbed his sore bottom. It was still very red from Hookfang's fire and he was still steaming mad at dolt who did it. Yet that wouldn't have been productive to get into a fight with him when they'd more pressing manners to attend too.
"So, we at least can all agree that we've got the general idea of who on the God side is attack the afterlife. No clue who the mortal partner. And we still don't have any idea how we're suppose to get to the afterlife to see if we can even set things right. Unless you've got something useful to tell us, Una, do you?" inquired Astrid
The little girl shook her head and informed her new friends sadly the awful truth. "There are some rules and laws that living must follow like the dead have their own rules and laws that they must obey. And one of the rules is this. The Living belongs in the mortal world and only the dead belong in the afterlife. When my brother and I first met in the Spirit Cavern that wasn't technically the afterlife so his soul and mine could interact even though I was already dead and he wasn't. But no-one living can come to the afterlife. Unless there a way to bend the rule without breaking it. Kinda of what I'm doing now I guess. But I can assure you of this. Only the Dead can come to Valhalla. That much I'm sure of."
"Well, we're just gonna have to find a loophole somehow. And we better do it fast or all will be lost. Though right now I can't think of anything myself. So for now let's get some sleep. We'll take shifts guarding Berk and then by morning after a good hearty breakfast maybe we can figure out someway to do this impossible deed expected of us. Una? Time for you to go to bed. You need to get some sleep. Come on. Toothless and I'll tuck you in for night," he said as he scooped her up and she was yawning with droopy eyes.
"Sing me a story about once upon a time, please," she whispered as he took her back to his home.
"Of course, Una. I've got a great story to tell you and I'll stay with you all night. Now come on. Bath and bed now, little girls shouldn't be up so late." Hiccup said as the pair vanished. Everyone was just staring at his fading back and looked at each other in wonder.
"He really thinks that shrimpy brat is his sister. Wow!"
"Snotlout! If you do say something more offensive or rude I'll thump you for Una! Hiccup's been alone for a long time and you know something? Even after all we've done he still must at times remember how bad the past was. How alone and friendless and mocked he was. Having Una makes him feel like there is at least one person who loves and looks up to him. So don't say anything stupid or I'll behead you! Got it?" Astrid demanded and he nodded.
They quickly decided who do what shift and all hoped by dawn fair light that they'd get a better idea on how to do this task they'd been tasked with. But for now the brother and sister bond between Hiccup and Una was becoming stronger then ever. Hopefully it'd be powerful enough to stop this evil and whoever was behind it. Only time would tell.
