The House of the Haddocks

Due to it being wintertime the sun was already setting by the time Hiccup and his siblings came flying swiftly home with the injured Sylt and her so far unnamed human son.

Though hurrying outside of both homes to greet them were of course their wives and mother who were demanding an explanation since they'd heard both Snotlout's horn and Brimstone had called them up using Una's Dragon Voice Box System to call them from the Watchtower.

"Hiccup! What happened?! Brimstone said there was some kind of foolish attack going on?! What did those knuckleheads do?!" screamed Astrid as she came rushing over to her husband of three years in a panic.

"Yes tell us what is going on could hear the sounds of the melee from here! It was really upsetting the children! And I don't need to get my blood pressure up! Boden what is going on?" asked a hysterically Asta who he was rushing over to try and sooth.

"Please both of you calm down and give your husbands some breathing room! And let them speak! Neither one of you need to get super excited it's not healthy for either of you to get super excited right now," chided Valka to her daughters-in-laws thinking of the very young grandchildren inside the house.

Then turning to eldest she asked calmly, "Hiccup can you please calmly explain what you can?"

"We're trying to walk off the terrible pain from earlier when Snotlout blew his horn, we happened to be near a Watchtower. So Una flew up and Brimstone told us someone was in trouble.

We went to save them from Snotlout and the Twins who attacked first without finding out who had entered our airspace," he started to explain and then Boden took over.

"Hiccup took over getting Snotlout and the Twins under control while I went about helping this Rumblehorn here who was badly injured in the unprovoked attack and Una saved her Rider whom is her son."

"And we've offered them a full apology on behalf of our family and told them we would heal them and offer them food and shelter for now." Una finished explaining while still struggling to hold the young man in her arms.

"We are most aggrieved for the unprovoked attack on you and your son, ma'am. My husband and I will make sure to have a serious talk with the dragons in question and have them formally reprimanded for this. I assure you on that matter," Moon Shadow stepped into the flickering torch light.

Sylt looked at the Queen of Dragons and her breath was instantly stolen away from her. She was a vision of pure beauty and magnificent. She moved with such grace and her silver eyes were full of so much love and compassion only matched by the kind, gentle motherly voice of hers.

And then you saw the snow white crescent moon on her forehead and you could somehow sense both a power and a strength that the Queen possess wasn't just that of a mother and wife but something that was greatly enhanced by an inner power that magnified her own natural strength.

"My Queen, it is an honor to be in your presence. I'm Sylt and if I was to die tomorrow it would be worth to meet the King and Queen of Dragons and know they are two as loving and wonderful as you."

Blushing she smiled toothlessly. "We are flattered by your words, Sylt, but the honor is meeting each dragon and helping them by making them have happier lives.

Allow me to take care of your more serious injuries," she spoke politely and before Sylt could ask what she meant Moon Shadow's eyes and crescent moon glimmered and she touched her with her right front foot and a silver glow flood her body.

The more serious burns and bruises faded and broken bones in back leg healed as did the break in her wings that she barely been able to fly with. Though all Moon Shadow had been able to do was reduce the injures from serious to the point they were closer to being healed.

"How did you do that?!" Sylt asked stunned as she looked at herself and then noticed Hiccup was doing a similar thing to her human son. Reducing the serious injuries to a point they weren't fatal but would heal sooner.

"What's going on?! How are you able to do this?! What is going on?!"

"We will give you a brief explanation, Sylt, but you can understand we cannot trust you or your son just yet with all our secrets. You do understand about trust and secrets, I assume? Speaking one mother to another?" Valka asked the Rumblehorn who turned to face her and look at her.

"You are the mother of these three who are born with human bodies but carry dragon souls?"

"Yes, they are my children who have the hearts of chiefs but souls of dragons. My eldest is my son Hiccup, my second is Boden and my daughter is Una. My name is Valka," as she introduce herself and her family pointing to them in turn.

"My name is Toothless and this is my wife Moon Shadow. My sister is Stardust and our little brother is Nightrainbow. My children are hopefully inside the Dragon House right now, right Moon Shadow?"

"Yes, they are. We have ten children. Five daughters and five sons. Our daughters are Sari, Luna, Selena, Lucelia, and Hope. Our sons are Black, Gray, Majestic, Firethorn and Lightning"

"And these are our wives and mother of our children. Astrid is my wife and mother of my two children and Asta is Boden wife and mother of his daughter and mother to be of their second child," Hiccup explained.

"My son name is Orus Unn if you need to know his name and I will tell you the truth he is gonna to be terrible frighten when he wakes up. He does not do well… with humans."

"We won't pry into the reasons why and I think you know why," spoke Valka kindly to the mother dragon who nodded.

"I understand about trust and secrets and that is trust must be earned and when it comes to one's secrets that too must be earn before they are given and only when the person they belong to feel they've rightfully earned the right to be told."

"Yes, we will at least tell you this much truth as you'll be staying with us in our home, the Dragon Home. A lost secret of the Night Furies is each Night Fury is born with we'll call it a unique talent; an ability that is unique to them.

Our children have only recently discovered their talents and are currently trying to learn to control them so it's only fair to warn you that there will be a lot of strange things going on in the house with them struggling to master their gifts," Moon Shadow explained.

"I'm assuming that explains why you and your husband both have many talents. Not just as Night Furies but because you're the King and Queen as well?"

"More or less and a few other unsaid reasons for now," Toothless allowed.

"And we will say as this is truly impossible to hide but the three of us are blessed in many ways too as you most likely figured out." Hiccup told the dragon who nodded.

"Any fool can see that and if they can they are really dumb. I can smell your dragon souls and I already sense you three have strange energy and other blessing around you.

Your dragons more or less confirmed that already about you boys and I sense you Una are very powerful. So that I do understand. Orus might not pick it up. Though please be gentle with him," she requested and they all nodded and assured she would.

"We better get inside, it's only gonna get colder now that the sun is down. We'll make sure Sylt is well taken care of in our home. You take care of her son. We'll talk more in the morning," Moon Shadow assured the family and they all hugged and hurried into their homes only after Sylt said goodnight to her son.

"I'll take care of him as I'm sure Sylt would prefer a mother to care for his son till he regains conscious. Beside it's about time you two relieve your wives of their duties and let them rest," Valka informed her sons as she and Una took Orus over to her bed.

"Yes, Mom. We understand," Hiccup and Boden nodded in understanding who then turn to their wives.

"Astrid, why don't you go take a nice long hot bath? I can make sure Breena takes her medicine for her sore throat and that Brant gets his own bath before putting him to bed." Hiccup suggested.

"As for you Asta? After Astrid done using the bath why don't you enjoy a good soak as long as it's not too hot. I'll go give Edyis her bath and get her to bed."

"You sure you both can handle the children? You know it's not just giving them a bath you know. You have to give them some dinner and change them before putting them to bed," their wives reminded them and they told them they could handle it.

So while Astrid and Asta went about to go relax in the tub and Hiccup and Boden went to do their daddies duties Una whom didn't have much else to do took over the rest of the domestic duties of the household so their mother could give her full attention to attending to the injured Orus.

Though Una couldn't help throughout that night and into the next day keep glancing at the boy and she wasn't sure why. She guessed it had to do with what had to do with what he'd said to her.

Una knew personally a Valkyrie since her family was protected by one and had met several others who all called each other sisters. But she somehow couldn't help but feel this was like a very high compliment.

Since in Valhalla next to Frigga the Valkyries were consider the most beautiful women in all the Nine Realms. It just being told that made her think of her daddy as he always was saying throughout her childhood that she and her mommy were the two most beautiful women in the Nine Realms.

So the next day after Orus arrived Una went about the village gathering food from various places to make little feast so when he wake up he'd have at least a better impression of Berk.

Hiccup was spending that morning giving a serious lecture to Snotlout and the Twins about what they'd done while Toothless and Moon Shadow were handling Hookfang and Barf and Belch.

Boden was spending the day helping Eret and Gobber do some repair work on the Dragon House. Between some very strong winds, heavy snow and the Night Fury children having a hard time controlling their powers part of the roof had caved in that morning.

And that required immediate attention to get fixed as it was the middle of devastating winter which was what every Berkian called January when winter was at its worst.

Though it did seem the worst of winter always seemed to blow over by their next holiday which was Freya Day which was the 14th of February when they honored Freya by dedicating the day to celebrating love in all shapes and forms and hoisting a huge party.

As Una finished getting things for the small feast she planned to make for Orus her mouth couldn't help but twitch into a smile thinking about Freya Day. For a couple of reasons.

On one hand Berk did have a lot of secrets that needed to be kept even from those in the Dragon Harmony Alliance. On the other hand certain holidays and special days of the year the people of Berk looked forward to special reasons that were alone know them and them alone.

There was a very good reasons why Freya Day; a day to celebrate love and being with your true love and having a huge party meant a lot more these days than it did in the past. Why it always made their family particular their mother very happy.

Though as she enter the house as she gazed at Orus she starting to think perhaps this year that reason might not happen. However a new friend and a new member of the tribe hopefully was also another reason to celebrate, that's if he wanted it.

So she just washed her hands and started working on the small feast and humming as she worked while her mother continued to tend Orus's injuries. Again Hiccup's healing powers had a least reduces them from serious to halfway healed.

"How is he doing Mommy?" Una called out without looking up from the meal she was making.

"He still out cold but the way his eyes are moving I say his dreams are anything but peaceful. I can't say how but I sense this boy carries a lot of scars within both his heart and soul. Call it mother's intuition but this boy is in a lot of pain."

"Did Sylt offer any more information?"

"No and we aren't gonna press her for it either. We want to establish trust remember and that's letting them trust us on their own on their terms."

"Well, did she at least sleep well last night in the dragon house with ten rambunctious ten ten year old dragon children?" Una was curious to know.

"From what the ladies of the Dragon House told me this morning she said she hasn't felt so alive in her life. She loved the animated atmosphere and all different personalities of the children.

She said she's missed the days when Orus was a little boy and it was just joyous to be with all the kids and Cloudwings. She was very happy and entertained. Plus I think she's got another reason to be very happy a rather good reason to be happy."

'Oh what's that Mommy?"

"Someone your father loved very much seems have bitten Sylt with the love bug. They couldn't take their eyes off each other the whole time the roof was supposed to be repaired," chuckled Valka with a knowing smile.

"Oh, so Skullcrusher shot Sylt through the heart with his dashing smile?" giggled Una instantly making the connection.

"Well I don't think either Skullcrusher or Sylt ever seen another of the kind let alone the opposite sex. And both are rather attractive in many ways plus they are still well within the age of having eggs so who knows?" Can you please bring me some more bandages and some of that cream Lily made for burns?"

"Will Orus make a recovery? I know Hiccup usually can heal anything in an instant but he's been trying to avoid pushing himself lately since we have to let our own bodies learn to heal. And also we can't expend too much of our own energy."

"Yes, even with you all wearing your gifts with the gods you have to be careful with how much energy you expand. Especially now with all the work we've done in the last 10 going on 11 years. You three need to be more careful now about overexerting yourselves."

"Because we don't know when we will have a real threat or crises and we will really need them. So best not to overexert ourselves."

"Yes, you go back to finishing that small feast and I'll finish changing his bandages, okay? I'm at least glad your brother's power healed all the broken bones at least!"

"Me too, Mommy."

It wasn't till almost sunset when Orus finally woke up. Valka had been right his dreams had been anything but peaceful, it was just the same old nightmares of the trauma drama he carried with him. And he absolutely refusal to deal with it emotionally and truly grief. But even as the nightmares from the ghosts of the past still plagued and haunted him the dream did end a little different.

The beautiful girl who saved him from dying soared in this time. He could feel the softness of her skin, the warmth of her smile, the kindness in voice and those amazing blue eyes and how that golden and lilac hair glisten like magic.

And he woke up gasping for breath like he was a fish out of water. He was trembling badly as he couldn't remember what happened and didn't know where he was and then heard a voice say soothingly to his right.

"Shush, calm down, your safe, everything is alright. Shush everything is alright. Your safe, everything is alright."

Orus tried to stop hyperventilating but it took him a few minutes to realize he was in the one place he had not been in for 13 long years a place he had sworn never to set foot in again.

He was lying in a bed in a house; a human home. He was with people real people! He was in someone home! THERE WERE ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE. HUMANS EVERYWHERE! PEOPLE!

"Okay! Don't panic, calm down. No-one is gonna hurt you, Orus, you're safe. Take some deep breaths. You're safe," spoke a very motherly voice to his right and slowly he turned and saw a face identical to the one who saved him, except she was older with graying auburn hair.

"Who are you?! Where am I?! What's going on?! Where is Sylt?!" he demanded trying to sit up and the woman gently pushed him down.

"Please don't try to sit up your still badly hurt, not seriously, but enough you're not going anywhere for at least another eight to nine days," the mother woman told him as she got him to lie down in the bed and pulled up what was more like a fur cape not a blanket up to his chin.

Then all of a sudden the beautiful blond Valkyrie walked into view holding a large tray full of food. Their eyes meet again and she turned a very vivid shade of pink and she stammered.

"I….thought…you…might…be…hungry when you woke up. So…um…I went around today to get the best food Berk had to offer!" she spoke a little louder than necessary and finally pulled herself together and went over and laid it in his lap.

"We've my mother's hot chocolate and my brother's berry juice to drink. For protein there is some lamb chops, fish and scrambled eggs, for veggies we have a berry salad, and for dessert we have some mix berry pie plus some strawberry flavor ruff-cream.

I hope you enjoy it all as I did my best to prepare it just for you," she finished explaining all that was in the meal and seemed to be waiting for something.

But it been so long since Orus had been in contact with humans it seemed he'd forgotten what some basic manners were like saying "Please, thank you and welcome"

Valka sensing that Orus wasn't trying to be rude but just honestly didn't know what to do quickly said to her daughter, "Una, sweetheart we appreciate the kind gesture. Though you should hurry to the Great Hall. It's Music Night and you're the Music Teacher."

"I forget that it was Music Night! Oh Gods! The choir and the little kids! C'mon Nightrainbow we are running late! I'm happy to see you're awake, Orus. But I'm late for my music class. Love you, Mommy! I'll be home later than normal since class is gonna start later tonight! Gotta go!" as she hurried out the room on her dragon.

Orus was so shocked he didn't say anything for minutes then spoke. "You're the mother of that beautiful Valkyrie who saved my life?"

Valka looked at him with a twinkle to her beautiful eyes that her daughter inherited from her and shook her head before explaining. "My husband Stoick always said that he knew the two most beautiful women in all the Nine Realms which were myself and his daughter.

That's our daughter, Una and while she's indeed very beautiful she's not a Valkyrie or a Goddess. She's human, Orus."

"Wait! How do you know my name?"

"Your mother told us. She was very worried about you and told us you would probably be very frighten when you regain conscience because you weren't use to human company." Valka explained calmly and his eyes bugged out.

"That's impossible! My mother is a dragon! She couldn't tell you!"

"Your mother name is Sylt and she's a Rumblehorn and she did indeed told us. You'll find Berk is full of both surprises and many secrets. But there is one thing we cannot hide is the fact any dragon or human who sets foot on our island can speak to one another in the same language."

"You mean if saw my mother she and I could finally talk really talk to each other?!"

"We have achieved spiritual enlightenment here we will leave it at that. But let me at least fill in some blanks for you. My name is Valka Haddock and you are on Berk.

My three children are the current leaders of this island. My eldest is Hiccup and he's the Chief, my middle Boden is the second in command and my youngest and only daughter Una is personal advisor.

Their dragons Toothless, Stardust and Nightrainbow hold the same positions in dragon society only Toothless is known as the King of Dragons with his wife Moon Shadow as Queen.

You are currently in the house we all live in together along with my sons' wives and their children. My eldest son has a 2 year old daughter Breena and a 1 year old son Brant. Boden has a 1 year old daughter and his wife is now 4 months pregnant with their second child.

All the dragons live in a house of their own behind this one. Which includes my own dragon Cloudjumper his wife Azurewings whom everyone calls Azure whom is the spiritual leader of the dragons and their 8 year old daughter Cloudwings.

Also in the Dragon House is Toothless and Moon Shadow's ten children. Five daughters and five sons and Astrid and Asta's dragons.

Are you following along so far?"

"So you're saying on this island every person has a dragon of their own?"

"Yes, as my children coined it years ago. There is dragon for every Viking and a Viking for every dragon. Meaning everyone is destined to find their best friend that shares their heart and soul."

He seem to be listening, though he was still showing the unmistakable signs of being scared and wanting to bolt. Using her motherly instincts Valka began to hum the lullaby she use to sing for her own children when they're little and slowly he started to relax.

"Orus, please, I know you're very scared and feel like your trapped in a cage and want out, but please just hear me out, okay?"

"Alright," still clutching the fur blanket which was in fact one of Stoick's old spare fur capes that they used as blankets when they needed to feel extra warmth, love and comfort.

"I may not know what you've been through or really anything about you, but there are just some things a mother is always able to tell. Even if it not their child a mother is always able to tell these things.

My motherly instincts are telling me you've a lot of deep-rooted pain that you've kept locked up in your heart and soul and never dealt with. That you've spent a long time simply existing and not living.

If you let us heal yours and your mother's bodies perhaps we can also heal your hearts and souls. Then maybe you'll both be able to finally truly live again and not simply exist."

"I'm alive, how can I not be living? And isn't existing and living the same thing?"

"No, Orus," Valka shook her head slowly, "Existing and living are two entirely different things. Existing is simply surviving. You are just doing what you need to live day by day.

LIVING is being a part of life experiencing all life has to offer. Seeing and feeling with all your senses and that includes your heart and soul. Letting your spirit be free and jumping off the cliff and finding out what your true gifts are.

Learning the lessons of life that truly matter and learning there more to life than just surviving. Living is quite different then just existing, Orus," she informed him.

He looked confused by her words and she then saw clearly in his eyes something that answered at least one question.

"You are lost in more than one way that's for sure. You didn't just arrive here on Berk by just because you lost your way in the directional sense. You're lost in both your mind and spirit."

"To be honest I just had a crazy dream that I was supposed to come here and then a crazy voice told me to come here and if I didn't I be sorry! I must be crazy to believe that."

"I believe there a reason for everything in this world and all the Nine Realms. That everything is part of a greater design. You were given this dream to come here for a reason."

"What could be the reason to come here and nearly get killed when I show up?"

"Well you have nine or eight days to figure out that because that's how long it's gonna take for you and Sylt to heal up enough before you can leave. That's if at the end of that time period you want.

We can't force you to stay but perhaps you were sent our way so we could help you and in some way you'd help us. Just think about it. You can't go anywhere for nine days at least.

So just think while we care for you and when you're well enough to travel we won't stop you if you wish to go back to how you chose to live your life. Just think it over is all we ask of you. Now eat that dinner Una made you before it gets cold. She put a lot of love into it."

So nine days passed slowly for Sylt and Orus and neither left the Haddocks home. They spent the time getting to know the human and dragon family who were just very kind and caring.

During that time period strange and wonderful things were going on. Sylt kept getting a visit every day from Skullcrusher who came over every day at 10:00. He would bring her everyday some ice lilies; bluish-violet flowers from Plant Island.

And then they'd just spend two hours doing nothing but simply talking. It was never anything particular. It could be talking about the weather or were sunrises prettier then sunsets. They just liked talking and getting to know each other.

She also just loved being around the dragons in the Dragon House and talking and getting to know them. These new feelings were so welcoming she never knew that friendship could make you feel so good or whatever she was feeling so strongly towards Skullcrusher.

Orus himself was slowly becoming less frighten being in the Haddock House and though he'd sworn never to become attach to another place he was finding it impossible not get attached to where he was.

Valka was treating him like he was a son and her own sons treated him like a little brother. Astrid and Asta were kind to him as well and even the little children were amusing to play with even if they could be annoying as toddlers and babies were.

But it was Una he couldn't get his mind off of and for some reasons she couldn't get him off hers. For those nine days she went out of her way to make him feel better and that they made up for the attack on him. She even one night played her lyre for him and sang to him an original piece of hers.

Finally the nine days ended and Valka came to the bedside to ask him a question. "So you can leave in the morning if you chose to. So should we not set a place for you at the breakfast table?"

He looked deep in thought as he was thinking of everything that happened and said. "I need to speak to my mother."

"Fair enough. There an extra fur coat by the backdoor. Be careful of the ice."

He got slowly out of the bed for the first time since he was put in it and got the extra warm fur coat and went outside and called for his mother. "Sylt we need to talk!"

"Orus! You look so well!" she came hurrying out of the Dragon House and saw he did look better. He looked like he'd gotten several good meals in him, that he was very warm and toasty and all his injuries were gone.

"You look even more beautiful. Almost like you're reborn. I can't believe I'm really hearing you talk!"

"It's a shock that these people would get to the point of such spiritual enlightenment to hear dragons speak but they did. They really do have pure hearts and good intentions."

"What do you think about us being here a week and half? I mean I've never left the bed. So I really don't know what you've been up too."

"Well, the King and Queen and their family are absolutely wonderful. So far living with them and the rest of their extended family is amazing. It's a wonderful feeling to be with others and there something else."

"What?"

"Orus…I know we've always agreed that we never need anyone else. But there is another Rumblehorn here. And I think…I think he may care for me. He's really kindhearted, valiant, and loyal and he's a protector. His name is Skullcrusher."

Orus felt funny and looked away for a second before turning to asked his mother, "Mom are you saying you think your falling in love?"

"Orus…"

"Please just be honest. Do you think you're falling in love with Skullcrusher?"

She turned away and finally nodded, "I think we may both be falling in love son. Honey, if you're not happy I don't want to stay if you're not wanting to stay. Even if it cost my happiness. I'll be willing to give up my love for you."

"Mom…I do want to stay. I can't explain it but Valka said a lot of things that made sense. There are a lot of things I don't know and I don't understand and I don't think I can learn them by continuing to hide away from humans."

"But there something more is there? There another reason you want to stay isn't there?"

"I can't get Una off my mind. I don't get it, I really don't. I still have my night terrors every night but she always there at the end of them to save me like she saved me from that attack.

And there is something about her. I don't know but I can't leave. I can't go without figure out why I can't get her out of mind."

"Then let's inform the Haddocks we're staying," as mother and son hugged and Orus walked back inside the house to inform Valka they're staying even though she already knew that was the answer and pointed to a small bed she'd Gobber make for him set up in the corner.

"Welcome to Berk, Orus Unn, we are happy to have you part of the Berk family," she told him as she wrapped her arms around him in big hug.