My Hiccup 51

There was a notable change in Hiccup when he stopped visiting the prisoners on Outcast Island. He was moody and moping around Berk with Toothless tailing behind him like a kicked puppy, Woden lounging on his shoulders and Sharpshot, who normally followed Stoick around now that Thornado was gone, hovering around him and occasionally darting in to rub heads. The young heir didn't hang out with his friends as much as before. With the war over everyone had sort of wandered off to do their own thing and Hiccup had gone back to being Gobber's apprentice but his heart wasn't in it and there were entire days when he would simply forget he even had a job. Gobber usually had to search for him but only when he really needed the boy otherwise he gave Hiccup his space as he tried to figure what to do.

"You really cared for this Dagur," Woden whispered softly in his ear one night when Hiccup was laying on his roof with Toothless curled around him.

The youth made a noncommittal sound and gazed up at the stars.

"You stiffened each time he called you brother," the ancient dragon pried.

"We're not brothers," Hiccup grumbled. He leaned into Toothless and closed his eyes. His right hand ran up and down the length of tail that curled around him. "He started calling me that after he thought I battled Toothless to save his life. I don't know why he still calls me it. We haven't even been friends since I was fourteen and he tried to drown me."

"Why would he do that?"

"If I could understand his mind I might have been able to help him." Hiccup sighed and propped his arms under his head. "His name says it all. He's deranged. He used to throw knives at me for the fun of it and I would just duck and say nothing. I thought it was a Berserker thing not because he actually thought it was funny. I used to think he was the only other heir with the exception of Camicazi…that cared about me. The only friend I had after Fishlegs left me."

"You've had a tough childhood," Woden said gently as he climbed down to Hiccup's chest.

The heir shook his head. "No…maybe…no worse than anyone else. I'm just a little different than the others. I tried being like them but that only made things worse. Toothless helped me show everyone different wasn't always bad."

The little dragon nodded wisely and gave Toothless an appreciative smile. "You're a lot like my Hiccup. Ah…he was different, too. A might bit small and gangly, always falling over himself trying to be the best at what he did. He found me as a hatchling and hid me from his father until I was too big to hide any longer. By then he was learning to speak Dragonese much like you, but it was horribly butchered. I learned Norse before my mother language."

Hiccup jerked into a sitting position. "You speak Norse?" he nearly yelled before he realized just how loud he was and his father was asleep down below on the main floor of the hut. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought you preferred Dragonese. Your dialect needs improvement but otherwise you're doing a fine job for a human."

"I…thanks, I guess." He lay back against Toothless and frowned up at the stars. "How many dialects of Dragonese are there?"

"Thousands. As many dialects as there are species."

"I wish I could see them all."

"You sound so much like my Hiccup."

The present Hiccup was silent for a long time, his mind finally fading from Dagur to the curiosity of his ancestors. "All I know about the previous Hiccups are the stories my father and grandfather told me. Hamish…I mean Hiccup the First, what was he like? How did he die?"

"An old man," Woden assured. "But he had a complicated life. He was the first human to raise a dragon and ride one, amongst Vikings at least."

"There goes my fame," Hiccup chuckled, cracking a small smile. But then again that was three centuries ago and supposedly there was no record of it. According to records that was when the war with the dragons started but it seemed those records, like many other things in Viking history, had been doctored at some point. Hiccup was beginning to suspect that either Grimbeard or one of his surviving sons had done it.

Toothless pleated softly and licked his cheek lovingly. "My first, Little Freckle," he purred reassuringly, nosing his cheek.

Hiccup giggled and rubbed his face into the black scales. "You're my first, too, Toothless."

"Little Freckle? Very sweet," Woden whispered. "My Hiccup was sweet. Very sweet boy. He liked to sing and dance and draw and tell tall tales. Why those men said he was bad luck for being so small and different is beyond me. They made his tribe go to war to protect him. His father was a great chief, a big man with an even bigger heart. He protected his son until his dying breath and when his heart stopped my Hiccup took the dragons and ended the war. He united our species and became king of the Archipelago, the first to rule man and dragon alike. Ah…he was a good man and I served him until the day he died then watched over his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren but by then dragons were no longer seen as equals. We became pets and slaves, no better than cattle. And it only got worse when Grimbeard came into power. That was a tragedy."

"How so?"

The old dragon grew silent and shook his head sadly. "That is a story I will save for another time," he said gently as he curled up on Hiccup's chest. "There is much sadness when soulmates are torn away from one another."

"Lovers?" Hiccup asked, now curious. Obviously Grimbeard had a wife but he never heard of a tragedy between them.

Woden gave a hollow laugh. "Hardly. Brothers, not by blood but a bond far stronger. Hiccup the Second was a born tragedy, cursed from birth and whose death brought the worse Viking/dragon war to ever befall us until you came along and ended it. There are some who will be happy with the peace you've brought back."

Hiccup stared down at the little dragon in confusion. "Why?"

"There are those who want war, Hiccup. Those like your Dagur who do not understand peace." He gave a large, wide yawn and rested his head on Hiccup's slight chest.

Hiccup yawned as well and ran his fingers over Woden's spiky back. There was a little jealousy feud going on between his three dragons. Each battled for his attention. They didn't have to, Hiccup tried to treat them equally even though Toothless tended to win out because he could easily flatten his rider when he felt Hiccup was ignoring him too much. Besides, no matter how many dragons Hiccup decided to personally take care of none would be as special or as close to him as Toothless. They were more than dragon and rider, more than best friends, they were as close to brothers as any blood kin could be, something no one, definitely not Dagur, could ever understand, except perhaps his father.

And that was where Stoick found his boys. He chuckle softly to himself when he spotted them early the next morning laying curled together on top of their hut. It was nothing new to find Hiccup and Toothless up there on warm nights and some nights a whole pack of Terrible Terrors would join them thinking Hiccup made a nice comfy pillow. It was mornings like this Stoick could almost imagine his son as some feral dragon boy sleeping with a nest of dragons much like his ancestor of the same name. He wasn't the only to think so. Alvin, who Stoick had invited to Berk on a personal matter, was quite amused when he spotted the boy and his dragons. By then other dragons were up and about and many of the small ones decided to see why the lithe teen was still asleep with his Nightfury rather than greeting the morning sun.

Woden's story wasn't well known to the Viking nation, at least not his version. Not everyone knew about the previous Hiccups. The first was known primarily as Hamish and the second died at such a young age and by the hand of his own father that the stories of his demise were often over looked by many but those of Grimbeard's direct bloodline, those like Flashburn, Stoick and Alvin. It was why Alvin had been called to Berk.

Of all Grimbeard's descendants Alvin had been the most interested in his families' history, particularly after discovering Hiccup Horrendous the Third could not only train dragons but speak Dragonese, something outlawed since the death of the previous Hiccup. It bothered Stoick greatly when he first learned of Alvin's fascination with his son but his old rival knew more about their ancestors than anyone and knew how to gain and keep Hiccup attention if only because they had once been enemies and Hiccup still say him as a threat even after nearly a year of peace.

"You might want to tie a harness to him," Alvin observed with a broad grin as Hiccup twisted in his sleep and turned his face into Toothless's side. "I think that dragon's the only thing keeping him up there."

Stoick chuckled in agreement. "Toothless won't let him fall. But I have considered setting up some sort of harness system to keep him safe…not that he'll ever use it. I'm amazed when he remembers to strap himself to his saddle."

"Teenagers," Alvin chuckled.

"Aye, teenagers."

They let the boy and dragons sleep and sat down to discuss the rather hopeful plan Stoick had for Hiccup. He was still determined to make Hiccup into a sword master and since Flashburn refused to teach him despite his obvious skill with a blade, and Hiccup couldn't keep focus not matter how many time Stoick reprimanded him, the only other person Stoick could turn to was Alvin, a master in his own right and someone was not afraid to do what was necessary to keep Hiccup focused. Stoick only hoped he made the right decision and intended to be there for every step of Hiccup's training.

The problem was Hiccup wasn't interested in training anymore. He looked at Alvin blankly, no quip or sarcastic remarks, just a sigh and flabbergasted look at his father before walking away with Toothless and Woden. "I'm not doing it," he told his father later when Stoick cornered him outside the Great Hall. "Not with him. What can he teach me that you can't?"

"Hiccup, you and I both know I can't teach you. We don't work well together unless on dragon back. You're grandfather taught you to read and write and foreign languages. Gobber taught you to be a smithy. All I've ever been able to offer you are navigation and to lead. Alvin can teach you how to fight."

"Sure, by flattening me out or running a sword through my gullet. Thanks but no thanks. I'd have a better time locked in a cell with Dagur and a basket full of freshly sharpened daggers for him to throw at me."

"Now you're exaggerating."

"I can arrange that if it'll make you feel better," Alvin crooned as he stalked toward them, a twisted grin on his lips. "Dagur's been anxious to see you."

Hiccup perked up slightly. "Really?"

Alvin's grin grew. "Not in a good way."

"Oh." Hiccup's shoulders feel. "Figured as much. Look, no offense but you don't want to train me. I'm not the easiest student and…well, I don't like you."

"Good, I don't like you either. Now get your skinny but to your hut and fetch your swords. I expect you to be waiting for me out back in five minutes," Alvin said sternly, his arms folded across his massive chest with a classic "do as I say or else look" on his grim face.

Hiccup cocked one hip and stared him down as he often did on the battle field. Except this time his father was on Alvin's side and a small cuff to the head made Hiccup stand up straight.

"Quit being so cocky and get your swords," Stoick told him, his face a hard mask that left no room for argument.

Hiccup gave a huff, rubbed the back of his head, the surprise of the slap more bothersome than any pain he might have felt. He grumbled under his breath in Latin as he trudged away. Toothless gave Stoick a questioning look, unsure of the manner in which the chief had reprimanded Little Freckle. He didn't approve of such ways but the boy appeared unharmed so he kept his opinions to himself, however he wasn't going to leave his boy with the stinking treacherous man.

"I've never seen you with a blade," Alvin remarked when Hiccup finally emerged in the back of the Haddock home a half hour past the time specified. Stoick actually had to go in and drag him out since the boy had decided to back up and runaway for a few days rather than let Alvin train him. Luckily when the boy was angry he tended to argue with himself about what he needed and what he didn't for such an excursion that he lost track of time and was easy to catch up with. Now the boy stood awkwardly before him with two swords in hand and looking a might bit upset to be forced into such a position.

"Yeah…well it's not like I really needed one with Toothless around," was the boy's grumpy response.

Alvin grinned and Stoick gave a cough, both remembering the number of times Hiccup had been captured and taken away from Toothless. Even Toothless rolled his eyes at his rider's rather arrogant response.

"You may be right, boy," Alvin crooned as he flexed his shoulders. "It's not as if you could take down a full grown man with one sword let alone two. Maybe I should fine that Gustav boy that seems to hang around your academy. Perhaps he'd be a worthy opponent for you."

Hiccup's lips formed a tight line as he glared up at him and his fingers flexed around the hilts of his swords. "As I recall Dagur handed your ass to you before his Skrill tried to fry you. You sure you're not too old to be giving lessons? I'm sure Mildew has an extra staff lying around."

It was meant to throw Alvin off but the Outcast chief just laughed, not offended in the least. "Ah, there's that wit. It might suit you well in battle."

The boy sighed and looked to his father, silently pleading to be let out of this madness but his Dad raised his chin and gestured toward Alvin with a firm sense of pay attention, something he would be doing quite often the first few days.

"Show me everything you know," Alvin instructed; his voice commanding and firm, going from enemy to instructor.

He said nothing as Hiccup displayed his lunges and parries, his thrusts and blocks. He had no opponent and was not afraid of hurting anyone so his displayed all his skill to its fullest. Alvin had to admit the boy had skill. By all right Hiccup should already have a gold belt but the problem came when he was faced with an opponent. He was more interested in defence and disarming his opponent then fighting offensively and attacking and this was where the problem came in. Hiccup would not kill even if it was an enemy out for his blood. He was good at defense but that would only save him for so long. After several long hours Alvin called an end to their first session.

"Whoever told you that you were useless with a blade is a liar," he declared, shocking Hiccup who obviously expected to hear the worse about his swordsmanship despite how much his father and Gobber applauded him. "Take the rest of the day and relax. I do have one bit of homework for you."

Hiccup groaned, his swords hanging at his sides as his shoulders slumped. "Just when I was starting to think you might be cool."

The Outcast chief glanced at Stoick who was grinning proudly at his son despite Hiccup's disgruntle behaviour. "Well this is just up your alley, boy," Alvin purred as he stepped up to Hiccup and took his swords. He handed them to Stoick before turning back to his young student. "I want you to spend the day with your dragons. Watch how they move, how they play, fight and hunt, especially the way their wings move. Tomorrow you'll tell me."

Hiccup's brows furrowed and he looked at his Dad in confusion.

Stoick shrugged, just as confused.

"Okay," Hiccup said slowly, one brow quirking when he turned back to Alvin.

"Good, not off with you. Take the lizard with you. He's your teacher for the rest of the day," Alvin instructed as he strolled toward Stoick and joined him on the log his friend was sitting on. He gave Hiccup an annoyed look. "What are you waiting? Go and do what you do best and watch dragons."

Hiccup stared at him for a moment longer, pointedly ignoring the way Toothless was laughing at him over the whole being the teacher remark. Then, as if realizing that he had been dismissed, he hurriedly mounted the Nightfury and gave a happy whoop to finally be free again. He and Toothless flew away as fast as they could before Alvin changed his mind and drag him back and make him train until late evening as Flashburn had when he refused to fight offensively. Flying while the flying was good seemed like a good idea.

"What are you up to?" Stoick asked as he handed Alvin a bladder or cold water he had been refilling every hour for Hiccup to keep him from overheating during the vigorous training session.

Alvin took a deep swig from it and pointed to the fleeing form of the young heir and ebony dragon. "He's good, Stoick, real good. Flashburn was a fool to deny him but I do understand his concerns. If Hiccup refuses to fight offensively or attack without being provoked to the point he can't think straight then you might as well set a pyre to Valhalla for him now."

Stoick's eyes narrowed and he glared at the other man.

Alvin either didn't notice or didn't care. "But he does have a lot of fight in him, I give him that."

"So why send him to study dragons?"

The Outcast took another deep drink of water and licked his dry cracked lips. "Because, if Hiccup can't fight like a Viking then perhaps it's time he learned to fight like a dragon."