Authors Note: Yay! Two updates in one day! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter 9: For The Dancing And Dreaming
"Well bud," I say as I tighten several straps on my arm wraps sliding Dagur's dagger into it's place and give a half look towards Toothless. He's curled up a few feet away resting, but not asleep. Mom and Cloudjumper left a few minutes ago saying that they were going somewhere and would be back soon. I'm not entirely sure where they're going and I keep trying to ignore the stab of guilt that rings through me at leaving her abruptly without a word.
"We can't wait around for Drago to attack this place, we have to find him first." I say and look down at Toothless as he smacks several hatchlings away as they bite at his ears and other body parts happily.
Toothless growls at all of them and I smile slightly watching him as he stares proudly around himself for several seconds before a gnawing sound catches both of our attention. Toothless lifts up his tail and the hatchling's jaw clamped to it gives a guilty look before scampering off. "Let's go." I say and start to turn around before a hand clamps over my jaw.
A startled murmur of words leaves my lips muffled by the hand and I lift my hands up as Toothless snaps his head around growling, "Easy now." Dad's voice rings out and I pull away from him staring at the Viking in shock.
"Are you kidding me!?" I hiss staring at him for several long seconds, "how did you get in here?"
"The same way we're getting you out." Dad answers and shoves Lighten into my arms. I take the metal and slide it onto my back shaking my head back and forth. We? We who. There is no we.
"We?" I hiss.
"All clear." Gobber's voice rings out and I snap my head up looking at him for several long seconds. Oh boy. Before we leave I should probably tell him about Mom. Dad grabs my elbow and starts to drag me forward.
"Toothless come." Dad commands and my eyes widen. This is bad. Like there is not good and bad and this is bad.
"Uh wait. Uh, dad, t-there's something you should know." I say as he releases my arm starting to drag me through the tunnels.
"Yeah, yeah, tell me on the way." Dad commands and I shake my head back and forth climbing over a large rock. Mom isn't going to be "on the way."
"Yeah, well this isn't an "on the way" kind of update actually." I argue.
"I've heard enough, Iyn." Dad says firmly looking back at me with an annoyed stare.
I swing over a large rock, "More of the Earth shattering development variety." Dad shoves in between a smaller gap sideways.
"Yeah, just add it onto the pile." He commands. I shake my head going through the same gap with ease.
"Wait, uh, oh, Dad! U-unlike most surprises I spring on you this is one you'll like. I promise." I assure as we finally break through the rocks, I stare at his long cloak for several seconds, "You just have to handle it delicately so…" I trail off as we reach where Gobber is standing next to a large opening with a soft glow.
He turns and rests a hand on Dad's shoulder as he passes, "Uh, you might want to take this one." Oh, and it appears it has seen Mom. Gobber sits down with shock for several moments. Dad grumbles something under his breath before he grabs his sword and pulls it from his sheathe moving forward through the gabs his eyes hard.
"Uh Dad, you really should put the sword down." I comment and he stares through the gap walking forward as if in a trance. The sword hits the ground with a clatter as I spot Mom standing ontop of a small hill of snow murmurs a soft, "oh."
I move next to Dad's side wringing my fingers over my other hands knuckle watching them for several seconds as Dad removes his helmet and moves up towards the hill as if slowly being dragged. Mom clenches her staff her lips pursing together, "I know what you're going to say Stoick." She says softly. "How could I have done this? Stayed away all these years and why didn't I come back to you, to our child?"
Dad starts to climb the hill, saying nothing.
"Well, what sign did I have that you could change, Stoick? That anyone on Berk could. I pleaded so hard to stop the fighting and find another answer but did any of you listen?" Mom asks, several dragons start to move towards Mom and Gobber nudges my arm softly.
"This is why I never married." He comments softly. I shoot him an annoyed look. Not the time. Toothless and I share a look before returning our gazes towards the two adult Vikings.
"I know that I left you to raise Haedryin on your own; but I thought she'd be be'tter off without me. I was wrong I can see that now." Mom says, Dad is less than a foot away from her and I can't see their faces anymore only the long fur cloak spreading down Dad's back. This can go two ways.
"Oh stop being so stoic Stoick! Go on, shout, scream, say something!"
"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you." Dad murmurs softly before leaning forward and embracing Mom in a kiss. The dragon's retreat and I rest a hand on Toothless's neck giving a soft smile. YES! YES! YES!
000o000
"Mom, you'd never even recognize it." I declare later that night as we prepare dinner. The small living space that Mom has been living in for the last few years is big and has a small bed in the corner and a counter against the top wall. I move back and shove open a basket pulling out several fish shoving Toothless's head away as he tries to dig into it, "Where we used to build weapons we now build saddles, wing slings, we even fix dragon teeth! You wouldn't believe how much everything's changed." I say and move forward handing the fish to Dad.
"Mm, your daughter's changed Berk for the better. I think we did well with this on Val." Dad says.
"Thanks dad."
Dad rests his hands on her shoulders and she jerks forward in surprise the fish spilling across the floor. "Oh," I murmur. Cloudjumper eats the fish in a quick movement and Toothless looks at him unhappily with a sad look. The Stormcutter stares at him for several moments before regurgitating the fish.
Mom's face flushes with embarrassment, "I'm a little out of practice."
Dad laughs and sets several more sticks covered in fish onto the plate, "Well you know, I didn't marry you for your cooking." I take the plate from Mom's hands and move back towards Gobber smiling as he shakes his head.
"Good. Her meatballs could kill more beasts than a battle axe." Gobber says and looks at Grump smirking, "I've still got a few knocking around in here."
I set the plate down and move back towards my parents. My parents. The thought is weird and hard to process. I'm not sure how to process it honestly.
"Once you move back in with all your dragons, oh Drago won't even stand a chance. Everything will be okay." I say and draw out the word slightly. Mom picks up a pot and moves away from both of us. Dad rests his hands on my shoulders smiling but there's a strict look behind the soft gaze.
"Slow down, Iyn. It's a lot to take in." Dad says and puts his hand around my shoulders both of us staring at Mom's back. Oh. Oh. She might not want to come back with us. She hasn't exactly been jumping up for joy since Dad showed himself to her.
"Oh, right, gotcha." I say and move back towards Gobber plopping down on the log being used as a seat watching both of them. My dad starts to softly whistle and the Mom's hands jerk back from the water dripping down the ice as she stares forward with shock. Gobber grins and leans back.
"Oh I love this one." He declares.
My eyes widen as I recognize it, Valka's soft voice ringing through my head. She used to sing it to me when I was little before she was taken by Cloudjumper. I sung it when I was captured by the dragon hunters less than a eight ago.
Dad moves towards Mom as she stares forward frozen in shock. He takes the pitcher from her hands and rests it on the "counter." I stare at them in shock my eyes widening with happiness, "Remember our song Val?" Dad asks softly.
My heart picks up speed watching them, "I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me-e." Dad says and Valka remains stoic. "No scorching sun nor freezing cold will stop me on my-"
"STOP ME ON ME JOURN-ey" Gobber starts and his voice dies as he sits back down prusing his lips shut. "Sorry." Really. Just really?
Dad looks back at the blacksmith and gives an angry huff before returning to his wife, "If you will promise me your heart." Dad takes his hand in her own clasping their fingers together there's a moment of silence, "And love..." he prompts. Mom says nothing and Dad sighs slowly lowering their hands.
"And love me for eternity." Mom moves past him taking in a shaky breath as my heart leaps into my throat with happiness. I rest a hand on Toothless's neck both of us grinning wildly. "My dearest one my darling dear, your mighty words astound me," Valka lifts her hand up and Dad rests his against it both of them starting to dance, "but I have no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me."
"Ha, ha, ha! But I will bring you rings of gold and even sing you poetry-"
"Oh would ya'?"
"-and I will keep you from all harm, if you would stay beside me!"
"I have no use for rings of gold I care not for your poetry-"
My face breaks into a stupid smile and I look at Gobber in near bliss my fingers tightening on Toothless's neck. Both of them are laughing now, smiling like they haven't been apart for nearly twenty years.
"-I only want your hand to hold."
"I only want you near me."
"To love and kiss to sweetly hold for the dancing and the dreaming!" They chorus. Gobber leaps to his feet and pulls me to mine.
"Come on, Iyn!" He chants.
"Through all life's sorrows and delights, I'll keep your love beside me! I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me!" Both sing laughing so hard they can't breath at the end. Gobber singing with them throws out his arm.
"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I'm still gooooinnnggggg!" I nudge his arm and he stops sending me a sheepish smile, "I'm done." I laugh openly my heart jumping in such immense joy I'm surprised it hasn't left my chest. My parents hug tightly before they pull away resting their hands on each others shoulders.
"I'd though I'd have to die before we did that dance again." Dad says and Mom laughs.
"No need for drastic measures." The two laugh again. Dad gets onto one knee and holds Mom's hand in his own starring up at her.
"For you my dear, anything." Dad promises and my smile widens if possible even more. "Will you come home, Val? Will you be my wife once again?" Mom stares at him for several seconds and Toothless shoves against her back forcing him next to Dad. I inwardly cheer and give my brother a tiny thumbs up as I move towards my parents rubbing Toothless's head.
Dad wraps his arms around my shoulders his fingers twitching but remaining firm, "We can be a family. What do you say?" He asks. Toothless shoves his head up next to her and she looks down at him smiling before looking at me then Dad.
"Yes."
My heart leaps again and I look up at Dad with a large smile. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Gobber leaps up next to us resting a hand on my shoulder, "Great." He agrees smiling, "I'll do the cooking."
We all laugh.
"Thank Odin you didn't listen to me Iyn," Dad says and the two break off from me and Toothless moving forward hands intertwined. Toothless looks up at me happily before his eyes narrow and he turns around looking back at the entrance of the cave his eyes slitting.
"Toothless?" I ask in confusion. I stare back at what he's looking at and see the dragons fleeing around the nest, "What's happening?" I question staring at my mom. A thunderous boom echoes through the air and the nest shakes deeply. A small twist of pain rings through me as the ice snaps and I twist around as Mom breaks into a run racing from us.
We all chase after her and my eyes widen as she races onto a large stalk of ice spreading out over the small island the nest is resting on. A giant army rests at the foot.
Cats.
I race up behind her and my eyes widen, "Oh no." I murmur.
Mom turns around her eyes narrowed angrily and Dad grabs her hand, "Val, val, it's alright, it's alright, we're a team now. What do you want to do?" Dad asks and she rests a hand on his then on my shoulder her fingers twitching slightly.
"We have to save the dragons." She says firmly and Dad nods.
"Aye, you've got it." He says and I start to race after my mother, "Come on Iyn!"
Authors Note: :)
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