I OWN NOTHING.
Chapter 3
Hiccup woke early to make sure the patrols were on time and active. Once he knew everything was in its rightful place, he met with Astrid and went to his mother's house for breakfast.
"Good morning, sweetheart!" Astrid said with a happy tone. She saw the dark circles underneath her husband's eyes and deeply worried look that wouldn't leave his face. "Are...are you okay? You came home late last night and it seems like you didn't get much sleep."
Hiccup let out a sigh as they approached Valka's home. He stopped Astrid before they could go inside.
"No, there are some things I'd like you tell you and mom this morning. Something Fishlegs saw on his morning patrol yesterday." Hiccup said, not looking at his wife.
Astrid was taken aback. She hasn't heard anything like this in 5 years. She stared as her husband opened the door to his mother's house.
"Hiccup! Astrid! Such a beautiful morning, isn't it, my children? I am so happy to see both of you." Valka hugged her son and daughter-in-law. It wasn't often they got to have breakfast together. She had no idea of the news Hiccup had brought.
"Hey, mom," Hiccup sounded less than enthused, "Thank you for having us. I'm sorry but we need to talk."
Valka already had the table set. She brought plates for them to eat off of, and sat down with her own, listening intently. Her motherly gaze never left Hiccup's distraught face.
"Mom..."
"What's wrong, Hiccup?" Valka was worried now.
Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other and he continued, "Fishlegs had some interesting findings on his patrol yesterday."
"Is that right?" questioned Valka.
"He saw Drago, mom"
Valka dropped her bread after hearing his name and her mood quickly turned to anger.
"He's sure of it, son?"
"Yes. He said there was a woman and two children with him, all three of them dressed in rags on their knees as if they were bowing before him. I don't know exactly, but something hasn't been right in the air now for a couple of days." Hiccup said with a stern voice.
"Did he notice any men? Is he building another army?" asked Valka.
"Fishlegs said he didn't notice anyone else there, but that doesn't mean anything at this point."
Astrid stared in shock as her husband told them of the grave news. Just before she could say anything to Hiccup or Valka, she was interrupted as two tall, lanky figures burst through the door unannounced.
Hiccup turned around with a frown on his face, only to see Ruffnut and Tuffnut trying to repair his mother's door.
"What's the meaning of this? Don't you guys know how to knock?" Hiccup yelled.
"Sorry chief, my idiot brother doesn't have any manners..." Ruffnut defended herself. Before her brother could even protest, she continued, "I'm sorry to bother you guys and all, but Hiccup, you may want to come outside and see what the morning patrol has brought in."
Hiccup, Astrid, and Valka all looked at each other for a second and left their breakfast untouched to see what was outside. They were all taken aback.
The mighty Hookfang, who belonged to Snotlout, carried another passenger as it landed in front of Valka's home. Snotlout jumped off first, then helped his passenger off second. As the passenger slid down the dragon, Meatlug had also landed carrying his rider. Hiccup noticed that the passenger was a woman, wearing tattered rags and beaten within an inch of her life.
"Astrid! Please, can you summon Gothi? It looks like this woman needs help." Hiccup watched his wife nod in agreement and turn in the other direction. He then turned his attention to the battered woman. It was Magatha.
His voice calmer now, "Hey... miss?" Hiccup picked her up lightly and brought her into his mother's house, sitting her down in a chair. "Can you speak? Who did this to you?"
Hiccup's heart was pure, Magatha could see this. She could not see an ounce of hate in this man, no matter how hard she looked. Even then, it was hard for her to even look Hiccup in the eye, knowing that she was supposed to murder him. Could she go through with this? Could she kill an innocent man to save her kin?
She had to.