Thank you all for dealing with that quick update of the previous chapters. I do believe all the little bits have been fixed, and since I didn't do the chapters in order it was fun to get the story out of order… Seriously, it was weird…
Review answering time!
Bookwormac ~ It is nice to know that my writing is more important then your sleep. Though please, try to get said sleep. Sleep is a good thing.
Tichiharahara ~ The Berkians will see Hiccup fight along side dragons eventually, but not right now. To Hiccup, Berk is just a place full of dragon killers. He is not a fan of dragon killers seeing as he has seen the effects of if one doesn't complete the job (Summer Breeze), and he is friends with quite a few dragons himself. Valka will mostly stay out of the fights herself. She will join in if she is needed and she will have her connections to dragons, however in this story no one's connection will ever be deeper than Hiccup's. He is going to be far more likely to fight for dragons than his mother.
Sairey13 ~ No they won't, however the raids will stop and they will be seeing a lot less of the dragons. Read on in this chapter to see if he does or not.
Lindz101 ~ Eventually. Not just yet, more needs to happen first.
A Lane ~ The only changes I am making to character will be what makes sense to me. Hiccup for example has grown up around dragons. He trusts them and considers them family. Valka, while getting to know dragons herself, is really more of Hiccup's mother trying to grasp just how close he is to dragons. She understands the basics of it and is now knowledgable enough about dragons to be able to understand much of his actions. It won't be like the movies were her connection runs as deep as Hiccup's. She can't claim to be their kin like Hiccup can.
And folks I'm sorry that I am not sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chapter. I seriously debated for all of five seconds on if I leave it as a cliffhanger or if I should let you know the fall out. I feel as if I should inform you now that I am a bit of a sadist. The more feels you have, the happier I am.
Onwards!
Stormfly caught Hiccup before he could fall into the water. She put him on Toothless' back and stayed nearby in case he slipped off on the journey back to the sanctuary. Several of the dragons that had been under the Queen's control joined them while most flew off to both spread the tale of the Prince of Dragons and live their lives free of evil command.
Valka gasped seeing Hiccup on Toothless' back once they returned. She ran over just as they landed and looked him over. A sigh of relief escaped her. "He is just unconscious." She said out loud. "He needs rest, and some ice for that bump on his head." Toothless walked to the cave to put Hiccup in his bed while Valka picked up the ice fragments the White King created.
"Thank you for saving my son once again." She said with a small bow. She turned and followed Toothless to begin tending to her son.
A few days later Hiccup woke up with a headache. "You broke curfew." Valka said brushing hair from his face. Her face was blank as she watched him.
"Sorry, but they were going to kill those dragons." He said staying where he was. He didn't feel much like getting up.
"Where did you go this time?" She asked moving to get him some of the broth she had cooked.
"A dragon killer village not too far from here." Hiccup said slowly moving to sit up now. "Their leader, I've heard of him before. He is happy when someone kills a dragon. Goes by the name Stoick." Hiccup was frowning.
Valka tensed over the pot. "You've never bothered to learn the name of a dragon killer before." She said trying to remain calm. She was sure there were plenty of islands whose leader was named Stoick. "Why this one?"
"I heard about him that first time I left." Hiccup said pulling his legs to himself as he waited for his food. "It just stuck. So when I saw him… He took down a Monstrous Nightmare with his bare hands."
Valka turned to look at Hiccup with sad eyes. "What did he look like?" She asked now growing more fearful.
"Large." Hiccup commented. "Lots of reddish brown hair. He talked with another dragon killer, one who had lost his left hand and right leg, Gobber is what he called him."
Valka sighed walking over with the bowl and sitting on the edge of the bed. "I think I should tell you of the place Cloudjumper took us from." She said handing the bowl over. "You will not like it."
Hiccup's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why not?" He asked.
"Because, I think you just visited the place you were born." She said softly watching his eyes widen and his pupils dilate. "I didn't much like the idea of killing dragons myself while I was there. There had to be a reason why they raided us, but the night we were taken was particularly bad. Your father had me take you out the back door and run into the woods. Cloudjumper found us there, and well, I was a mother with a baby who was far too tiny, you were born earlier than you should have been and even I doubted you would last your first winter." She gave a sad smile remembering how she would feel her heart stop every time she couldn't hear Hiccup breathing.
"Anyway, Cloudjumper picked me up being careful of you." She continued shaking her head of the distant thoughts. "He brought me here, but not before your father saw him taking us. He tried so hard to get at least you back. He loved us both dearly Hiccup, and I know if he had saved you all those years ago he would love you for everything you would be. However Cloudjumper flew too high for us to be saved and brought us here to the White King. The rest of that story you know…"
"So my father is a dragon killer?" Hiccup asked setting the bowl aside. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I could see how much you loved the dragons." Valka said smiling at him. "Your connection with them is so deep that you would never be able to look them in eye if you had known. I shouldn't have kept it from you, I know that, but please believe me when I say I know we could never go back to Berk. Not with the way your eyes are."
Hiccup looked at Valka carefully. "Who is my father?" He asked.
Valka closed her eyes letting out a breath of air. "Stoick." She didn't look up as she heard he sound of Hiccup tossing the covers away from him and walking off. He was going to the forge, she knew that, it was the forge or the skies when he needed to vent. The sounds of a hammer hitting metal sounded a while later as she finally moved to pick up his uneaten bowl of broth.
Night had fallen when Hiccup finally came back out of the forge. He hadn't really done anything besides pound away at some metal. He sighed heading over to the cliff face and sitting on the edge. "Did you know?"
"Know what?" The White King said looking at Hiccup.
"About where I came from?" Hiccup asked.
"I had suspected you were from a village of dragon killers yes." He answered lifting his head so Hiccup could slide onto his tusk. "Though you should not be hard on your mother."
"I know." Hiccup said with a sigh. "But… My supposed father is… He's the one I've come to think of most when I think of dragon killers. Before he was just some name, then I saw him and he then became a real threat. Now knowing he's my father?"
The White King watched Hiccup. "Do you like killing dragons?"
"What?" Hiccup asked surprised. "I don't kill dragons!"
"You killed the Queen."
"She was forcing her subjects to risk their lives!" Hiccup protested. "I couldn't let her do that!"
"Why not?"
"Because… Just because!" Hiccup threw his hands up earning a chuckle from the White King. The great dragon looked up at the mass of flying dragons, Hiccup followed his gaze and relaxed at the sight. "You don't do that to kin..."
"You wanted to protect your own." The dragon said softly. "You acted as any leader would. Today you found out more about your human family. Yet can you say that it has made you want to leave this family?"
"I never want to leave this family." Hiccup answered. "I may not be able to breathe fire, or fly on my own, but every dragon here is family. These dragons are as much my kin as my mother."
"Then you already have your answer." The White King said. "Your father may be a dragon killer, but he is not your only family. Nor is he you. You took no pleasure in killing the Queen. You did it because you had to in order to protect those you consider kin."
Hiccup looked at the great dragon with a soft smile. He looked back up at the dragons. Hookfang caught his attention. He watched as she lit herself on fire. Other Monstrous Nightmares followed suit. Hiccup tilted his head in thought.
"What if I could wield fire…" He mused. The White King looked at him watching him figure something out. He watched as a grin broke out onto Hiccup's face.
"What is going on in your mind young prince?" He questioned amused.
"I'm the Prince of Dragons right?" Hiccup asked standing up again. "Maybe it's time I start looking the part."
The White King lifted his head as Hiccup went to the cliff. "Time indeed…" He said in a soft chuckle.
Hiccup ran back into the cave he shared with Valka. He pulled out some paper and began to sketch out his plans. Valka smiled seeing a spark of something in him. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, but she knew it had to be something good.
Hiccup pulled the sleeveless jacket on himself securing it in place with a belt. It had been three years since he visited Berk. Three years since he defeated the Queen. He had grown quite a bit in that time, most of it having happened on another long trip.
The map that hung on the wall behind him was filled with his discoveries. Hiccup had gone west and was away from home for half of a year. He came in from the east much to the surprise of Valka. Hiccup had lunched into explaining why that was as he filled in the map.
She had to laugh; the earth was round and not flat. Who knew? She had been amazed at how much her son had grown and even more so when he offered to help her make his new clothes. She watched him from the doorway now.
It was mostly dark leather. It offered protection while still letting him move freely. Hiccup picked up a device strapping it to the belt. It was what he had designed three years ago, a sword of sorts. It was collapsed right now, but when opened flames engulfed it like the Monstrous Nightmare. The dragons had loved it. The next gadget Hiccup came up with allowed him to store Zibbleback gas. The dragons were thrilled to help with the donation of the gas. Hiccup was able to carry several cartages on him at a time and still have tons of spares. The smoke bombs were combined with a quick spar of the sword to help with a quick diversion in case Hiccup needed a get away.
It was helpful as when the boy returned he began helping to free dragons from various traps. Injured ones came back with him to be fitted for new limbs if they had lost them, or taken care of until able to fly again. Valka helped in the care of the dragons bringing fish and offering comfort to the various dragons. It helped that she now could speak enough dragon to reassure them.
"Quite the impressive look." She said walking towards him. Hiccup smiled as he looked over to her. "You look like a Prince of Dragons now."
"I didn't before?" Hiccup asked correcting the hood of his jacket so it laid flat. When flipped up it would cast his face in shadow leaving only his mouth and chin visible. He picked up his gloves next pulling them on. They stopped at his fingers leaving them free to work.
"Oh you always looked like you." Valka said. "Though now anyone who sees you would think you were of the dragon kind."
Hiccup chuckled. "And you have the tamest outfit ever." He said gesturing to the dragon-like armor his mother would don when she helped Hiccup every so often.
"And a mother can't take pride in her son?" She asked brushing the hair from his forehead. She placed a hand on the back of his head pulling him down to kiss the top of his head. "I'm so proud of the young man you've become."
Hiccup smiled slightly. "Thank you." He said giving her a quick hug. "Got to fly though." With that he took off around her and to Toothless who was waiting with the new saddle Hiccup had made.
He jumped on and the pair was off shooting through the opening at the top.
They were flying all that day before finding what they were looking for. Dragon trappers. If there was anything Hiccup now hated more than dragon killers, it was dragon trappers. They were far more likely to cause permeate harm to a dragon. He looked down at the water to make sure the tidal dragons were following them. "Okay, show time." Hiccup said pulling his hood up.
They flew silently into the main arena. Hiccup dropped into a set of shadows as Toothless curved back up into the night waiting for when Hiccup needed him.
"Be sure to separate those Berkian dragons from the lot going to Drago." A voice shouted. Hiccup's eyes narrowed. Drago seemed to be a constant name he heard now. He seemed to be creating a dragon army of sorts. Hiccup didn't know much of this new man's plans but he didn't like the idea of forcing dragons to fight for any cause.
He watched as the men walked about moving dragons about to various cages. There was quite the collection here. Thankfully none of them seemed injured this time. He pulled his blade from his belt getting ready to surprise the unarmed guards when another voice stole his attention. He knew that voice.
"Eret!" She said coming into the light. "Stoick is getting impatient for our dragons." Yes, it was indeed the person who had entertained him three years ago. She was older, but that was indeed Astrid. She was even prettier than the last time. Time had done her well; giving her the correct curves were they were needed. She still had to be one of the best dragon fighters. Her lean form gave way to nothing else.
Hiccup found himself freezing in place as his eyes followed her. She was talking to one of the men, most likely Eret. Her eyes flickered over to the dragons being lead to cages, her eyes lingered a bit longer on the single Deadly Nadder that was there, almost as if she was admiring it for a moment. He tilted his head now interested in how she became interested in dragons beyond killing them.
She turned and began to walk away finally breaking him out of his trance. He refocused on the men before him. First order of business, render the guards useless, then free the dragons. He waited for them to settle from the alert that Astrid had put them on.
When the time came he leapt from the shadows ignoring the shouts as he clicked his sword cutting through one of the locks and kicking it open. Four dragons rushed out of the cage. "Can you help distract them while I free the others?" Hiccup asked of them. They nodded and began shooting fire at the guards. Well that took care of that. He ran to the other doors burning through all the locks and letting the dragons burst forth on their own.
"ARAGH!" He heard spinning around and blocking an axe with his blade. Astrid had heard the noise and came running to see what was going on. If Hiccup thought she was pretty at a distance, it was nothing compared to up close. He however had a mission and it did not involve staring at beautiful angry shield maidens.
He pushed her away and tossed one of the smoke bombs swishing his sword through the gas. It was all the signal Toothless needed to swoop down and roll letting Hiccup grab the saddle and swing around with his friend and into place. His sword collapsed and he tucked it on his belt again.
They circled overhead waiting for all the dragons to fly away shooting down any nets sent towards the fleeing reptiles. Hiccup looked back at the arena staring at Astrid. "Pick her up." He said turning Toothless towards her.
"What?!" Toothless screeched. "Have you lost your mind?!"
"That's Astrid." Hiccup responded. "We take her with us."
"I seriously doubt you are thinking with your head on this one." Toothless said as they began to dive. They dodged the thrown axe without much change in their course. "I just hope you know what you are doing."
Toothless reached out and picked her off the ground. "PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed. She looked up to see the dragon had a rider. Her brow knit in confusion before her anger returned. "I'll kill you both!"
Hiccup said nothing as they flew on. "Are we taking her to the sanctuary?" Toothless asked. "I don't think it is a good idea if we are…"
"No, the forest." Hiccup answered. "She stays there until she calms down."
"Hiccup, I doubt you can keep her as a pet."
"Just fly will you?" Hiccup looked down at their hostage. She was still squirming. "The more you struggle the more likely he is to drop you." He told her watching with slight satisfaction as she froze looking up at him. She clearly wasn't expecting him to talk to her.
Toothless dropped her in a small clearing in the forest of the island before heading towards the sanctuary at top speeds. "Hey!" She yelled. "You can't just leave me here! Get back here!"