CHAPTER 7

"Hiccup! Your breakfast's ready!" cried his mother from downstairs.

Hiccup didn't answer. Too engrossed in what he was doing to have heard her. He was once more sitting cross-legged on his bed with pictures scattered all around him. A loud knock resonated through the room, making him jump.

"Come in," he called.

"Hiccup, I've got to rush off now but I've left your breakfast on the table. Your favourite – eggs and boar rashers."

"Err… thanks. I'll be right down." He sounded distracted.

"What are you up to?" Curious, Valka walked over to see what had caught Hiccup's attention.

"Just having a look at these." Hiccup selected a picture and offered it to Valka.

"Is this really my father?"

"Yes. That's him."

"I don't think I look very much like him," he said, subdued.

"You're more alike than you know."

Hiccup doubted that. "He's a very 'large' man. And…I'm…"

"I suppose he was." Valka studied Hiccup. This was the first time since Stoick's death that Hiccup had ever talked about his father to her. When she thought about it, she noted he had always changed the subject whenever she had mentioned him.

There was something in his expression now she didn't like. She could tell something was wrong and it bothered her, but she had to go. She perched herself on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup. I feel awful to have to leave you on your first day home, but I really must go. I do want to talk more about this with you. Can we find a time tonight when I get back?"

Hiccup felt himself clam up. "Sure," he said strained, not looking at her. Valka felt awful but there was little she could do. She was busy filling in for him as acting-chief and there was just so much to be done. She bent forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, son. I am really, very sorry, but Astrid will be here soon to take you out and we'll have a chat tonight. I really want to listen to you. Make sure you eat now," and with that she left.

Hiccup sat rigid on his bed for a long time after, still looking over the sketches of his father. He really was a large man. How could such a great man like his father produce such a scrawny offspring such as himself?

Sighing, he cleared the pictures off the bed, placed them on the bedside table and went to have his breakfast.


A short time later there came a knock at the door. Astrid. Hiccup's heart leapt. He wolfed down the last of his overdone eggs and raced to answer the door.

"Hey."

"Hey." It was lovely to see her. The morning sun made her blonde hair glow and her eyes sparkle. She really was very pretty he admitted to himself.

"So, are you ready to go?" she asked, brushing her fringe away like she did whenever she was nervous. He liked that about her.

"Hiccup?"

He realised he'd been staring.

"Err… yes. Yes, I am. Umm… I'll just get Toothless," and he dashed back inside.

Astrid smiled to herself. She had noticed the way he'd looked at her and it made her feel giddy. Tread carefully, she thought to herself. Don't push him.

They decided to exercise their dragons first and explore Berk from above. Hiccup was fairly used to riding Toothless by now and was even able to attempt some of his more simple spins and dives. The two dragons and their riders swooped across the sky in a beautiful aerobatic dance. Hiccup felt happy, enjoying this time with this amazing girl. She really was something.

As they flew back towards Berk Hiccup took in the sights. It had been dark when they had arrived yesterday evening and there had been so much going on that Hiccup hadn't been able to take any of it in. Now, in the light of the day, looking down, he could see Berk was quite a large village resting on top of a high, steep island formed with many levels. Two watch towers that were stuck about half a mile out to sea were carved, from stone, to resemble very disturbing Vikings. There was a flame burning inside each mouth and the left one had part of his helmet horn missing. They were obviously there to look menacing, to help ward off intruders, but Hiccup thought they looked rather silly.

As they flew nearer, Hiccup saw lots of weird and wonderful things scattered amongst the village huts.

"Those are the dragon stables to your right," Astrid began to describe the place to him. He could see a strange looking green, decorated shelter jutting out of the rock with a supported platform in front. "That's just the entrance you can see. The actual stables lie inside a great cavern beneath our village which was formed by a whispering death attack a few years ago. I can take you there later for a closer look. And over there is our rainwater reservoir linked into the aqueduct system which runs right through our village. It provides us with instant water for whenever we need to douse fires, which occur quite frequently living amongst dragons. You and Gobber designed all of it.

"That over there, up those long, stone steps, is The Great Hall where meetings, ceremonies, banquets, amongst other things go on. And over there is the One-Stop Dragon Service Centre where we build fire-proof saddles, wing slings and even practise dragon dentistry. It used to be Gobber's blacksmiths where you and he made weapons back in the day when we fought dragons."

Astrid continued to describe the place to him. There was a lot to take in but he didn't mind. He enjoyed listening to her.

Then something caught his eye. He flew off leaving Astrid in mid-sentence. Carved into the island was a massive statue in the image of his father.

Astrid caught up with him.

"What is it?"

Hiccup didn't answer. He was lost in thought.

"Hiccup?"

"That's my father, isn't it?"

"Yes. How did you…?"

"I've seen him from pictures I have in my room."

"Yes, it's your dad. It was one of your first orders to have it made after you became chief." Astrid noticed he had the same faraway expression he'd had about him the day before his accident. He'd mentioned his father then. "What's wrong?"

"Err…" It was still hard to open up. Why was it so hard? "I don't know," he said at last. It was kind of true. Whenever he looked at this man, he experienced feelings of inadequacy and the need to prove himself but he didn't know why and he didn't know how to explain this to her.

"Well, okay. Maybe we should move on then. I'll take you round the rest of Berk." She seemed dejected. He hadn't meant to upset her but what else was he supposed to have said?

Next, Astrid took him round Berk's agricultural fields. He met Sven, the shepherd, who had lost his prized black sheep again. Then he met Mulch and Bucket – Mulch was busy trying to teach Bucket the difference between a chicken and a yak which amused Hiccup to no end.

"Is he usually like this?" whispered Hiccup as they walked away.

"You have no idea," she giggled.

As they re-entered the village with their dragons in tow, lots of people waved to him wishing him good morning. He noted pretty much all the men were built like his father – large and bulky, unlike him. He waved back at them sheepishly while Astrid continued to explain things to him.

"Arrrgh!" he cried out as something struck the back of his head, erupting in pain.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Astrid bent down next to Hiccup where he'd fallen. "Hiccup! Hiccup! Are you okay? Talk to me."

"I'm okay." Determined to show her he was alright, he rolled himself back up. But he'd tried to move too quickly and his head span and his legs shook, threatening to give way. Astrid quickly moved towards him to steady him. As the pain eased off, he opened his eyes and saw Astrid looking back at him full of concern. "I'm okay," he repeated.

Tuffnut approached him.

"Hey, H. Feel any different? Remember anything? Can you tell me, who am I?"

"What? Who…?" Then turning to Astrid, "Who are they, and what are they talking about?"

"I guess it didn't work."

"What's wrong with you?" yelled Astrid, turning on the twins. "If I catch either one of you doing that again I'll… I'll…"

"Hey, chill out, Astrid. Jeez. We were only trying to help," grumbled Ruffnut.

"If that's your idea of help then don't bother."

Ruffnut muttered something to herself. Hiccup didn't hear it but apparently Astrid had. She snapped and lunged for Ruffnut. Hiccup quickly placed himself between the two girls.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down. It's okay. I'm okay, see? You don't have to do this."

With clenched fists and her chest heaving, Astrid reluctantly let the twins walk away. Slowly, she began to calm down and her anger was replaced with sorrow. She buried her face in her hands.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"I'm sorry. I was just scared. I don't know if I could go through it all again." Without hesitation, she flung herself on him giving him a tight squeeze. Hiccup was taken aback by her sudden affection and gingerly placed his arms around her.

They stayed like that for a while until Astrid realised and broke away.

"Err…"

"So…"

"Where to next?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid smiled and thumped him on the arm. "This way."


"But we can't put it there. It'll be too close to where we have the other storehouse. If we can't place it in any of these other locations then it brings us back to my original suggestion for it to be over here, south of Breakneck Bog."

Gobber and Valka were in Hiccup's private workshop, borrowing it for their meeting. Gobber waited for a reply but none came.

"Valka?"

"Oh. Sorry. What?"

"You've been distracted with summat all morning. Come on, out with it."

"Sorry, Gobber. I'm just concerned about Hiccup. I might be imagining things but I feel there's something wrong. He's not right."

"Tha' boy's had a nasty accident and not been back a day. O' course he's not right."

"No, it's more than that. I found him looking through his sketches of his father and… Gobber. What was his relationship with Stoick like when he was growing up?"

Since Valka had returned to Berk she had been busy settling back into village life and this thought hadn't occurred to her before.

"By the Gods, Valka. That's a fair old question. Not sure how to answer tha'."

"Try."

"Well, where to begin." Valka glared at him. "Umm… well, you have to understand it wasn't easy for Stoick after you left. He took it pretty hard to be honest. Hid himself in his work he did and was rarely home. I had to babysit the lad a lot when he was young.

"When Hiccup was five he came and worked with me as my apprentice. Made it easier looking after him that way, see, and he enjoyed making things. Brilliant lad. Tonnes of imagination. Stoick didn't understand it. Wanted Hiccup more like him. A real Viking. And Hiccup spent a lot of time alone too. Not many friends I happen to remember. Being a wee, fragile thing, not beefy lookin' like the other lads his age, I think he felt ridiculed for it and had a need to prove himself. Think he thought Stoick thought this too, but Stoick didn't really mind tha'. He was just hung up on Hiccup being disobedient and not following simple orders. Stoick did the best he could as a father. Loved the boy, but for a long time they struggled to bond."

"I had no idea. I should never had left."

"Look. It sounds bad when ya put it like tha', but the boy has more spunk than anyone I know. I mean, he went behind all our backs and befriended a dragon for Thor's sake. A night fury no less! Because of him we wouldn't be where we are today."

Valka didn't find that fact very comforting. Her poor boy. Because of her, Stoick, a new father, had run the village on his own whilst grieving for her and because of that Hiccup had suffered as a result, with no mother and not much of a father. She had not considered it before. When she had found Hiccup and Stoick during the battle with Drago, they had seemed close. She had had no reason to think otherwise and when she returned to Berk she figured she had been focused on herself and hadn't realised fully the efforts Hiccup had gone to, to make sure she'd settled in well. But now that she stopped to think of his behaviour in the last few months, it all seemed to make sense.

"Gobber, cancel all my appointments tomorrow please. I'm going to spend the day with my son."


Next, Astrid took Hiccup to Berk's Dragon Training Academy where Fishlegs was doing his morning's teaching.

"Oh, look everybody. We're now in the presence of greatness. Here comes the world's supreme dragon master and our fine Chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third."

Hiccup froze as all eyes turned and faced him. Astrid took hold of his hand and he clenched onto hers tightly. His palm was sweaty again like last night. What was going on?

"Now everyone. I think that will be all for today. Don't forget to hand in your boulder class dissertations to me by the end of the week. I expect good work from you all." The children picked up their books and giggled as they left.

"You didn't have to stop your lesson on our account, Fishlegs. I'm just showing Hiccup around Berk. Hiccup, this is Fishlegs. He is one of two of Berk Dragon Training Academy's teachers. He teaches the young children all about the health and well-being of dragons while Snotlout, who you've yet to meet, takes the older ones and teaches them how to fly them."

"Hey," said Hiccup in greeting.

"Oh, Hiccup, it's so good to see you! We were all so worried about you!" Fishlegs gave him a huge, crushing bear hug.

"That's enough Fishlegs. Put him down now."

"Oh, sorry. I guess I got a little carried away. It's just so great to have you back." Toothless wandered over to him for some fuss. "Hey there, Toothless. Who's a good boy? Been looking after him for us have you?"

"As you know, Fishlegs, Hiccup has lost his memory. Well, it also means he doesn't know much about dragons anymore. We were wondering whether you would have any spare time to give him a few lessons."

"Me? Teach Hiccup? Eeeeeeee! I don't believe it! That would be incredible!" Then gathering himself, "Of course I will. It would be an honour. When would you like to start? I could fit you in early morning before my morning lesson or mid-afternoon."

"We'll have a think. Thank you."

"Yes, thank you… err… Fishlegs."

They said their goodbyes and went to find Snotlout who was quite amused by the concept of teaching Hiccup.

"Ha! In your face! Me? Teaching you? Oh, man, this is going to be epic."


Before lunch they had time to make one last stop so they made their way to the dragon service centre. As they approached they found a crowd of people waiting to be served.

"Thirty-nine!" cried out a hulk of a man from behind an open hatch – Gobber.

"Me! That's me!" rang out someone from behind and muscled to get passed. "Right. I want one of those new saddles with extra cushioning."

"Right you are." He got to work straight away.

"Hello, Gobber," said Astrid as they entered the building from a side entrance.

"Hello, lass. And Hiccup! Nice to see ya. How are you settling in?"

"Good, I guess."

"I'm taking him round Berk today, showing him everything."

"That's a swell idea. Well, lad. Welcome to the One-Stop Dragon Service Centre. Here we cater for all your dragon needs."

Hiccup was mesmerised by the place. He began to wander off studying all the gadgetry and contraptions around him.

"How's he getting on?" Gobber lowered his voice so only Astrid could hear and continued with his work.

"Alright I think."

"His mother spoke to me this mornin'. Seems to think something might be troubling him. You haven't noticed anything odd in his behaviour have ya?"

"Well," thought Astrid, "his confidence seems to have waned. Whenever…"

"What's this over here?" called Hiccup from the other side of the room.

"Oh, that. That's just a little project I started a while ago. Trying something new. Can't get the blessed thing to work though. The suspension's all wrong."

"Have you got two spanner wrenches? About this size?"

"Yes, I believe I do." He found two in a nearby drawer and passed them to Hiccup.

"I think it should work if you adjust the coil-over spring preload so it's further down. Do you mind if I...?"

"Not at all." Both Gobber and Astrid exchanged glances. They watched in amazement as Hiccup toyed with the machine.

"I'll just loosen these upper rings. This one to the left… this one right… try to get it to the desired preload then it should… yes!"

The contraption came to life. It whirred, shook, then a wing-nut flew off at high speed across the room and smashed a goblet on a shelf above.

"Oops! Sorry."

Gobber and Astrid were astounded.

"I-I-I'll replace that for you. I promise."

"That's great, lad," Gobber said snapping out of his trance. "You know, I could do with a bit of extra help around here. Would you like to come work with me?"

"Really? Here?"

"You could even have the spare room through there as your own workshop if ya like."

"You mean that? Wow," Hiccup said running his fingers through his hair. "I mean, thanks. Thanks, Gobber. That would be great."

Seeing Hiccup like this made Astrid so happy. It was lovely to see part of the old Hiccup she knew and loved was still there.


Later, they were sitting inside The Great Hall having lunch. They ran through all the things they had already managed to do and what they planned to cover that afternoon. Astrid did most of the talking while Hiccup listened as he ate. He felt relaxed watching her.

"And you were amazing helping Gobber like that. He was so pleased."

Hiccup flushed.

"I-I-I- don't know. I didn't mean to break the…"

"Hiccup. Stop putting yourself down like that. You were great." She reached over the table and placed her hand over his. He had clammed up again. What was she supposed to do?

"Hey, Astrid. Hey, Hiccup. Mind if we join you? I need to ask you a few things, Astrid if that's okay." It was Heather with Fishlegs.

Hiccup released his hand and continued to eat not looking at anyone.

"We're not interrupting are we?"

"No, it's okay. What did you want to know?"

As they sat themselves down, the twins and Snotlout appeared and plonked themselves either side of Hiccup. Before he knew it Fishlegs was busy talking to Snotlout about children who were nearly ready to graduate, the girls were discussing wartime tactics and the twins were seeing who could pull the most gruesome facial expression. He felt completely out of place.

"So, H," said Tuffnut turning to him. "Sorry about the whole knocking-you-over-the-head thing earlier. We just thought as a head injury caused you to forget, maybe another would bring your memory back.

"Uh-huh."

"It must be a bummer not knowing who you are. Not knowing anything. A mind a complete and utter void spreading through all eternity... wow!"

"Are you okay?" This guy, thought Hiccup, seemed to have lost it.

"Or maybe it's not so bad. Yeah, thinking about it, it must be pretty cool seeing everything for the first time. You get to start again, anew as it were." Then turning to Ruffnut, who was now licking and stroking Snotlout's arm, "Hey, sis, see if you can knock me out."

Hiccup didn't know what to make of this charade. He decided to ignore them and continue eating.

"So anyway," the guy started up again. "Have you and Astrid set a new date? I mean, it's dragging on a bit now don't you think?"

"Date? For what?"

"The big day."

"What big day?"

"You and Astrid getting hitched, being betrothed and all."

"Be-what?"

"Betrothed. You know, engaged, affianced. Thor! I thought you were supposed to be smart."

Everyone around the table had stopped.

Aghast, Hiccup looked over at Astrid. She was looking back at him in horror.

Astrid scrambled to her feet and flew out of the hall, Heather in close pursuit.

"You can be so unsubtle sometimes, you know that," Fishlegs said glaring at Tuff.

"Is… is it true?" The silence said it all. "Excuse me," and he went after her.

He found her standing on the grassy verge to the side of the steps just outside the doors. After noticing him, Heather stepped away to give them space.

"So… I take it we… we were…" Astrid nodded in reply. So, this was what she had been holding back. Suddenly, all her behaviour, her level of affection towards him, all made sense. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't," and she turned away from him.

They stood there in silence. Both feeling wretched.

Then, all of a sudden, Astrid blurted out, "Why did this have to happen? We were supposed to get knot-tied. In three days. Three measly days! But because you were working so hard, burning yourself out, I thought it best we postpone it a while and I told you to go have a vacation. But instead you had that accident and… and… oh! It's all my fault! It's all my fault!"

He didn't know what to say. He wanted to console her somehow. He didn't like seeing her so upset, but he didn't know his own feelings on the matter let alone what to do about them.

Panicking with what to do he stammered out, "I… err… well… maybe we… maybe we could try...?"

"Don't!" cut in Astrid. "Just don't! I can't bear to hear you say it if you don't mean it."

She glanced behind her shoulder at him, her face etched with raw emotion. Then, not being able to stand it any longer, she turned and ran.


"Hiccup! I'm home! Are you here?"

He didn't reply. He had been home all afternoon thinking over the events of the day and now lay on his bed, back to the door facing the pictures around his walls, feeling numb. He wanted to be alone. He had just started to experience feelings for this amazing girl he had not long known and now it seemed it was already over. He wasn't ready to feel quite the way she did about him, but if there had been any shred of a chance for developing a relationship with her it had been snuffed right out. He didn't know what to make of it all. She had been his only friend.

The door to his room opened and his mother poked her head through.

"Oh, Hiccup. What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," he said flatly.

He wasn't fine. She could see that.

"Did something happen today?"

"I said, I'm fine."

Valka didn't know what to do. She wasn't very practised at this mothering thing but something was definitely up and she couldn't bear to see him suffer like this. How could she get him to open up? She perched herself at the edge of his bed as a thought occurred to her.

"I don't know whether Astrid has told you this, but I'm fairly new to Berk too, in a way."

This grabbed Hiccup's curiosity. He remained still on the bed, listening.

"I've been back only a few short months and we've not long known each other. You see, son, when you were still only a babe in arms there was a dragon attack in our village. I was the only one trying to prevent the fighting but no one listened.

"Then, a dragon broke into our home and you were lying there in your cradle. I rushed in to protect you but the dragon wasn't harming you. Then your father came in having followed me and Cloudjumper, recognising me as a kindred spirit, took me away. I believed you and your father would have died that night just because I couldn't kill a dragon. I thought staying away would keep you safe but in reality I had left your father to run the village and raise our child all alone.

"Twenty years later, you and your father found me and persuaded me to come home. Though, sadly, that very day he died trying to save you. I know now that I should never have stayed away. I am so sorry, Hiccup, but I can't undo what I've done. All I can do is to try to be a good mother to you now, if you'll let me.

"I tell you all this, not to put any pressure on you, son, but just to say I think we have something in common. We both feel new to this place, both trying to find our feet."

Hiccup sat up, arms wrapped round his knees.

"I…," he struggled to speak. The words stuck in his throat and his heart rate increased. His mother had opened up to him. Telling him all that couldn't have been easy. Surely he should be able to try as well. ""I… I-I found out today that… Astrid and I… we-we were… betrothed."

Valka kept silent, allowing him to talk.

"She… it happened… I don't know… it was all so fast. She ran off… I… I don't know what to do…"

Valka turned round to sit beside him and placed a hand on his back.

"I-I-I don't know… it's like… it's like… my soul has been torn from my body and shaken out like a rug. S-so, all my experiences… naught to twenty-one… they're all gone. I feel crazy. I mean, they're my memories. M-Memories are what create you. Wh-what I created in myself is… gone and it's… it's really…," he sighed, "it's really… different. No one can understand. No one."

Valka put her arms around him. He needed to cry. He could feel pressure building inside him but it wouldn't give; something within was blocking the way.

"We can spend the day together tomorrow if you like," Valka spoke with a calming tone.

"But, the people… the village…"

"Will just have to manage without me."

Touched, Hiccup leaned into his mother's embrace, resting his head on her shoulder. His whole body tensed and shook, his face flushed and his chest heaved but his eyes remained dry. It was so painful but tears would not fall.

As they sat there together he took comfort in the fact that his mother was with him. He didn't have a father, he didn't know what to do about Astrid, but at least he had his mother.