CHAPTER 38: RETURN TO BOG

Hiccup sent three letters by falcon mail. He wanted to prepare Big Boobied Bertha for the arrival of two Dragon Riders. He kept it simple and to the point. He merely explained how the Hooligan tribe had discovered the real cause of the dragon raids, and how they had put an end to them. In so doing the dragons had lost all their hostility, and they had actually trained several dragons. Hiccup also added that he and Astrid would be coming by dragon back in two days time, "So please inform your patrol guards not to shoot us down."

Astrid was hyped about returning for another visit to see her favourite professor, Esdra, at the Scholars Institute. She was even more excited about getting to introduce Hiccup to her.

Astrid had invited her mom to join her, but as brave as Énjal was against ground based dangers, she would never conquer her fear of heights, let alone go up on a dragon. She loved dragons, but "On the ground thank you very much."

While Hiccup crated the Door Winker metal components, Astrid did the same for the glass globes and ceramic pots for the lanterns. Hiccup would carry his crates on Toothless. He had devised a saddlebag system for the saddles of both Toothless and Stormfly. Toothless being the smaller Dragon would carry Hiccup's smaller crates of metal components. Hiccup could have put all his units in one case, but he wanted to balance the load for Toothless. Astrid did the same for Stormfly, but her load was split into four wooden boxes. The glass globes and pots were a bulkier affair. In terms of weight both dragons carried about the same, but the larger dragon, Stormfly carried the bulkier load.

Astrid turned to Hiccup to ask him a question and saw him slip an elaborately decorated tube shaped wooden box into one of his saddlebags. She thought nothing of it other than it must be a gift he'd made for Esdra. When she tapped his shoulder to get his attention Hiccup jumped with a squeak. "Sorry, Hiccup." That was a little odd, Astrid thought as Hiccup had long since gotten used to people tapping him. "Have you seen the box of wicks?"

Thank goodness for ASL Hiccup thought. No stuttering. He really didn't have to say anything either way in this case. He just reached down behind two large jugs of lamp fuel and handed her the box.

"Thank you." Astrid signed with a kiss. "Why are you so edgy?"

"I guess I'm just nervous about meeting your professor?" He signed in answer. "I don't think I'm exactly super fluent in ASL yet, and I don't want to make your mom or you look bad as teachers." He thought he'd done well there in covering up his nerves, since that was a true reason as well.

Astrid thought Hiccup was endearing. Even when he was the brightest guy she knew, he would never play it up. "Relax, Hiccup. I can't believe how far you have come along in such a short time. You will do fine. She's not going to expect you to have mastered a lifetime of ASL in a few short months. Speaking of which, where are those diagrams of the alphabet you drew up?

Smiling with a twinkle, he pulled out the tube. Astrid gasped at the beauty of the carvings and engravings on it. "Oh Hiccup, she'll love this. Can I get a sneak peek?" As she reached for the tube of wonder.

Hiccup batted her hands away and signed, "No, no, no. The Master will reveal his work only at the appointed time." Astrid pouted, so to distract her he explained, "Dad carved the dragons for me and paid for the silver that I used on the engravings." It was basically a very brief pictogram of how peace was made with the dragons. The wood had been dry brush stained in a way that seemed to bring the dragons to three dimensional life, and sealed with some kind of clear lacquer.

To distract her further, he told her about the new lamp fuel he'd created. It was a mixture of Monstrous Nightmare secretions mixed in with cold pressed flaxseed seed oil. This had been a highly renewable source of lamp oil. And it only took a little of the dragon's oil mixed in to produce a lamp flame perhaps three times brighter than they currently produced. Still safe to use in the lamps.

They finished packing up the goods and supplies, kissed their parents farewell and headed off to Bog Island. Communication was a lot easier this time as they could both sign to each other across the air space between them, and not worry about the noise of the rushing wind of their passage. Of course that didn't bother Hiccup but Astrid used her ear stoppers to protect her hearing.

Even though Hiccup was deaf he realised that air rushing past your head could be extremely noisy. So when they got back he was going to work on a helmet design with glass eye covers to better protect the riders.

They flew nice and high to avoid possible contact with any ships below. Hiccup was not blind to the fact that until word got around, many more people would still be highly hostile to dragons. It would still take a long time to overcome three hundred years of hostility between the species.

As he and Astrid approached Big Boobied Bertha's Island they still came in carefully in a descending orbit to make sure her patrols were not going to take any drastic actions against them. Apparently they got the messages. The lookouts sounded trumpet blasts of welcome, and they came into land near the Great Hall. Bertha joyously greeted Hiccup and Astrid. Hiccup groaned in the grip of Bertha's bear hug. "Easy, Bertha, please. I'm not exactly my dad you know." As if remembering who she was embracing she lowered Hiccup back down like he was a china doll. Recalling his father's warning he gave himself a quick pat down, but Bertha had her standards and wouldn't snitch anything from the son of an allied chieftain.

Bertha gave Astrid a peculiar glance as to why she was here with Stoick's son? "So what brings you to my Island Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third? And with such impressive steeds no less? When I received your falcon mail, I thought you had been making up a grand fairy tale." Then Bertha did give Astrid a very odd look. "Why is Astrid waving her hands at you for?"

"Several months ago I lost my hearing because of a freak accident. That's why my dad had come to visit you about hiring an interpreter, only back then he didn't realise that I didn't understand ASL. Astrid and her mom had received the Scholars Institute's blessing to teach me and any other Berkians interested. I'm actually here to return the favour. I invented a new type of signaling system for the deaf to use on their doorways, so the institute bought some and I'm here to install them."

"You always were tinkering around, and now something has actually come out of it, eh?" Bertha stated looking him over. She gasped when she noticed his prosthetic. "What happened to you, boy?"

To answer her Hiccup asked a question of his own. "When's the last time any dragons raided your Island?"

Bertha pondered this a few moments. "I'd say about two to three moons ago. Why?"

Hiccup smiled at Astrid and then answered his host. "That confirms my theory. Astrid and I discovered a queen dragon on what we now call Dragon Island at Helheim's Gate. She had some sort of control over these dragons and they were forced to bring her food." Pointing to their dragons to introduce them Hiccup continued, "It's thanks to Stormfly, Toothless, and three other dragons back on Berk, and their riders, we were able to defeat and kill her." Hiccup didn't sound proud of this. Had there been another way, he would have preferred not to kill the queen. Regrettably she was just too dangerous. "When Toothless ultimately shot her down, her tail hit my leg. She was a giant of a dragon. That's how I lost my leg. Astrid saved my life."

A bold voice from a petite young blonde behind Astrid made her jump. "I always knew you had greatness in you, Hiccup!" Astrid interpreted as she looked around to see a remarkably pretty girl, perhaps a year younger than Hiccup. It was hard to guess because of her petite size. Astrid felt a little ashamed as a pang of jealousy made her tense.

"Camicazi!" Hiccup cheered. He hadn't seen his old childhood friend in years. She was the daughter of Big Boobied Bertha and one of the few in his past who had never tormented him. He welcomed her with a hug and introduced her to Astrid.

"Astrid, this is Bertha's daughter Camicazi. We became friends a long time ago when I spent a couple of moons here one summer."

This disturbed Astrid even more. Two heirs who were seemingly close friends. This was the stuff arranged marriages were made from. Astrid hid it well but inside she felt her heart begin to crumble.

"As usual Camicazi, you exaggerate, but thanks for the compliment anyway." Hiccup quirked with a grin.

A grin Astrid thought was reserved for her. She berated herself for her anxiety. Hiccup hadn't had many friends, so she shouldn't get upset over one who seemed genuine.

Camicazi asked Hiccup a question before Bertha could. "How long are you on Bog for?"

"Two nights for sure. Astrid and I are here to install some stuff I made for the Scholars Institute."

Camicazi gave Hiccup a strange look. "But I thought she was your interpreter?"

"She is, but she also helped me with two prototypes I made." Then Hiccup took her hand and continued, "She's also my girlfriend."

Internally Astrid breathed a sigh of relief bigger than the downed queen. She was pretty sure now that if he asked her to marry him, she wouldn't hesitate at all to say yes.

Camicazi looked a little disappointed but asked them both to join her for supper in the Great Hall.

"Thanks Camicazi." Then looking to Astrid for confirmation Hiccup added, "We will. Thank you, Bertha, for your hospitality. See you both for supper time then."

Astrid and Hiccup carried on. Hiccup was debating with himself whether or not to spring his surprise on Astrid when he met Esdra, or on the last day. As hyped up as he was, he resolved to save it for the last day when he would present Esdra with his tube of scrolls.

Hiccup and the dragons followed Astrid. He had a general idea where the Institute was, but Astrid would know the ins and outs better for certain.

Hiccup was thoroughly impressed with the Scholars centre. A wooden structure of two levels, with what seemed like ten windows per level. Certainly huge by Berkian standards. That was only the main structure. There were at least six other large single level buildings forming a hexagon around the main building. That's when Hiccup realised the main facility was also six sided.

"How old is the Institute? It certainly wasn't here when I stayed with Camicazi eight summers ago." Hiccup signed to Astrid his question.

In reply Astrid told him, "I think it's only seven years old. They must have started building it around the time you were here, but we were pretty young back then. Not something we necessarily would have noticed. I enrolled only three years ago, so they had already finished what you see now. As far as I know it's the only formal education centre in all the archipelago. I was really lucky to be accepted. I've only been on Bog five years with my mom. And the way things are going with your dad and my mom, this might be my last year here." Astrid said prophetically, unbeknownst to her.

Excitedly Hiccup asked, "Does that mean if your mom stays on Berk you will as well?"

"That now will be up to her in a way. I've never wanted to leave her alone since I'm her only family. If mom chooses to stay with your dad then I know she has someone to be with. Now that I have Stormfly I have more freedom to work anywhere in the Archipelago." Why did this sadden Hiccup? "That wouldn't stop me from calling Berk my home, if mom chooses to stay however." Now he brightened again.

"That's great. You nearly broke my heart there." Hiccup confessed with a wink.

"Not unless you give me a really good reason to." She said with a threatening jab to his shoulder.

"Never milady! Never!"

"That's an awfully long time." She quipped.

Not long enough for me. Hiccup thought to himself.

Several early arrivals for the start of the fall agenda, were startled to see two dragons nonchalantly strolling along behind a young couple. Stranger than that, the dragons had saddles and bags like pack horses.

"Wait here, Hiccup. I'll go get Director Esdra. I want her to come and see Stormfly and Toothless." Astrid instructed.

Hiccup was fine with that, so while he waited he started to unburden the dragons. Having finished with Stormfly he started on his dragon's rigging when Astrid tapped him on his shoulder. This time he calmly turned around. There before him stood Astrid's professor of deaf culture. The only other truly deaf person besides Énjal he had yet to encounter. She was shorter and heavier set than Énjal with oddly dark orange blond hair. He wondered if she might have come from one of the mainland countries his dad told him about.

Astrid began her silent introductions. "Director Esdra, this is Blacksmith Journeyman and Dragon Master Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third. Hope and Heir to the Hooligan tribe of Berk."

Hiccup gave Astrid an embarrassed look as if to say, "Don't go overboard there."

Esdra was amused by his look of chagrin. Esdra held out her hand for a shake, but when when Hiccup took it she pulled him in for a bear hug. When she broke it off she immediately signed, "Nice to meet you. Astrid has told me so much about you." She ended with a wink and a smile embarrassing both teens to blushing.

"Nice to meet you too. Astrid has told me a lot about you as well." Hiccup returned her greeting.

Crossing her flattened "O" shaped hands at the wrist to pull them apart like two swords sliding off each other, then touching her right flattened hand to her chin palm in, and pushing it out while twisting her hand palm out, and down Esdra asked, "Nothing bad I hope?"

Astrid gave her a light punch and Hiccup laughed and signed, "No no no, all good-" here Hiccup grinned and winked himself, "-grandma."

Esdra laughed herself when Astrid punched him hard enough to make him wince. "She will keep you tough if you stay with my Astrid."

Hiccup laughed and replied with, "Or tenderized." He had to fingerspell the last word since he didn't know if there was a sign for it."

Esdra was instantly charmed by this young man. Bright, intelligent, and witty. She could easily understand why her favourite pupil found him to be so appealing. "Well young man. Astrid told me briefly about your predicament on her first return visit here. I'm quite surprised at how well you have come to know your new language."

With a respectful bow Hiccup replied, "Thank you Master Esdra." Hiccup wanted to convey his appreciation for allowing the Hoffersons to teach him. "Astrid and Mrs. Hofferson have been great teachers. Thank you for allowing Astrid to help teach me. She had explained how it was not proper for the hearing to teach ASL."

"You are very welcome." Hiccup and Astrid were surprised when Esdra again gave him a warm hug.

"Now Astrid, why did you fib to me when you said your young man had invented a way to come here faster than falcons? Surely he didn't create a dragon."

Hiccup couldn't keep a smirk from appearing on his face as Astrid became a little flustered. "Well Master Esdra, no, he didn't create a dragon, but come and see."

Esdra nearly fell on her arse when Astrid signed to Toothless, "Please extend your tail straight out Toothless." and the black dragon bowed to Esdra and complied.

Esdra just had to ask, "Is the dragon deaf?"

Both Hiccup and Astrid couldn't help laughing. Astrid answered. "No, but it turns out dragons are far more intelligent than we ever thought possible. They understand a lot of human speech, and with instruction ASL. They can even mimic some signs, at least the few their paws allow."

As if to prove her point, both Toothless and Stormfly signed "Yes" and "Thank you" right to Esdra. Stormfly could only sign "Yes" with her wing claw. She couldn't maneuver it for the sign of "Thank you".

Esdra had to breathe deeply or risk fainting. Astrid nearly became concerned until she saw Esdra ask Toothless a question.

Esdra could see right away she would have to ask her questions allowing for yes or no answers. "Why Thank you? For allowing Astrid to teach Hiccup?" She now really loved Hiccup's name sign. So appropriate.

Toothless paw signed "Yes" while nodding his head. Stormfly also nodded.

Esdra just had to ask another question. "Why are you called Toothless?"

Even though this was not a yes or no question, Toothless was able to answer in his DSL (Dragon Sign Language). First he made the pads of both forepaws face each other up and down, moved them back and forth alternatingly for the sign of laugh, and Esdra's eyes opened wide when she also saw his throat vibrating. She looked quickly at her hearing student who was indeed laughing. She looked back to Toothless who then opened his jaw, pointed to his mouth with his left claw to reveal his teeth. Esdra had to laugh herself when all of a sudden a mouthful of deadly looking teeth vanished into his gums.

Hiccup had to volunteer more information. "The first time I met him up close, he had smiled at me toothlessly, then nearly took off my hand for the fish I was holding. That's how I gave him his name."

"And how you derived his name sign." Esdra stated matter-of-factly.

"Exactly." Hiccup affirmed.

"Alright, Astrid, please continue."

Astrid walked Esdra around to the left side of Toothless. She thought Hiccup ought to do this, but in this she enjoyed bragging on Hiccup's behalf. Astrid retold Hiccup's story of how Toothless lost his tail, and then showed off the prosthetic tail fin and control assembly he created to help his dragon fly again. "I saw both units. His first used a foot pedal but since he lost his leg to the Red Death queen, he reinvented it to this hand control."

Esdra looked carefully at the hand control. It looked so complicated to her, she couldn't imagine how it worked. Esdra was thoroughly impressed and was now really looking forward to see the devices Astrid and Hiccup had created for her.

Esdra and Astrid got caught up on the Island news, gossip and happenings while Hiccup continued to un-harness Toothless.

Hiccup spotted a young girl and boy staring at him and the dragons. Assuming they could hear he called out to them. "Hey! Would you like to come and see Stormfly and Toothless?" No reaction. They saw him speak, looked at each other, and signed to him they were deaf. Hiccup then repeated his question in sign. They nodded and signed excitedly but still approached with caution. Hiccup introduced himself and the dragons. They in turn introduced themselves as Svanhild and Harald. Hiccup asked the dragons to squat down and to allow the children to pet them. "Don't be afraid. They are very friendly and love kids." Tentatively the children reached out. The boy gravitated to Toothless, and Svanhild moved towards Stormfly. The dragons purred for them upon contact and the kids glowed in delight. Then they swapped dragons, rubbing and hugging.

"I have some work to do here, could you take the dragons to your fishery and buy them each a basket of fish please?" He squatted down to their level and gave them each a single silver mark. "This is for the fish." Then he gave them each a ten copper piece. "And this is for you." The boy and girl looked at him in amazement and delight to be given this privilege.

Turning to the dragons he attached to them two leather tethers and handed them to the children. He explained to the dragons, "This is just for show. Friendly dragons are new to everyone here, and if they see you being lead on a leash, they will be much less likely to become agitated. Besides, you could easily break away if you run into trouble."

The dragons nodded in understanding and happily followed the children to their breakfast.

Hiccup turned around to see Astrid admiring him with the sweetest smile he'd seen yet. What was that look on her face? Were her eyes glistening?

"Did I ever tell you how awesome you are?" She asked him.

"That's a new one." He replied. "But what for? I swear you like to confuse me."

She walked up to him, kissed him and said, "Just for being your loveable oblivious self."

Hiccup saw Esdra smiling at them and he blushed. He would never figure out women.

Sign of the Chapter - Story: Each hand takes on the "B" shape. Fingers closed together and flat with the thumbs tucked into the palm. Finger tips facing each other on a horizontal plain, you bring the hands together with the thumbs open, then pull them apart as you close the thumbs. The dominant hand will be turned slightly in relation to the other. Kind of like two sock puppets kissing each other. The motion is repeated two times.