Soul of a Dragon Chapter 44

"speaking"- human language

"speaking"- dragonese

thinking- human thoughts

thinking- dragon thoughts

I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters

"Drago Bludvist?" Hiccup questioned.

His worst suspicions had been confirmed. Of course it was that man, he knew it but actually hearing it didn't make it any better. His eyes narrowed a little as he remembered all the previous times he had encountered the dragon killer and his armada of brutes. Oh how he dreaded the next time he would come face to face with the man himself. That was something he most definitely wasn't looking forward to.

But now that he was here, he had a bad feeling that might happen at some point in the future. Especially if Toothless and him didn't find a way to get off this island. Just as before, Hiccup kept silent about what he knew and simply titled his head in confusion.

"I don't think I've ever heard of him," he lied, mentally kicking himself once again.

Astrid's eyes widened a little over that fact as she shook her head in disbelief.

"That's impossible!" she remarked. "The guy is a worldwide threat! How could you not know who he is?"

Hiccup simply gave her a shrug of his shoulders, feeling guilty for lying to her over the matter. But if he admitted his connection to the dragon slayer, he feared that it would somehow implicate his ties to the dragons. And that was something he couldn't risk just yet. He raised his hands in a peaceful manner, a sheepish look was on his face as he did so.

"I'm not saying that my people haven't heard of him, but if they have, they've never brought him up to me," he said. "In fact, we don't really know a lot famous Vikings. Like I said we mostly keep to ourselves, we prefer not to get involved with typical Viking affairs."

The answer seemed to placate Astrid a little, but she was still baffled by that very idea.

"I just can't believe that there's a group of people out there who haven't heard of Drago Bludvist," she commented. "It's like your people and you live under a rock or something."

Despite her tone, Hiccup couldn't help but laugh a little. The female Viking didn't realize how close she was when it came that topic. He technically did live under a rock, more specifically inside one. But he supposed the logic still applied.

"What can I say?" he asked. "That's just how my people have been, even before my brother and I were born. It's really our leader's idea that we stay that way."

The young woman let out a small sigh over how innocent this boy truly was. She wondered if the rest of his people were like this, and what of their leader? Astrid was so used to living under strict guidelines that involved fighting and protecting, all thanks to Stoick's influence. In fact, most other Viking leaders seemed to rule with this same philosophy in mind. But the way this boy talked about his tribe, it sounded like his leader operated under a different logic. One that she just couldn't understand.

"Just what exactly is your leader like?" she asked. "He sounds so different compared to other Viking leaders, especially Chief Stoick."

An image of the Bewilderbeast appeared in Hiccup's mind once Astrid brought that up. His one and only leader, the alpha of his pack and in many ways, his mentor as well. The King was a sight to behold, and it was an honor to be graced with his presence. Hiccup owed the dragon his very life. The Bewilderbeast had always supported his brother and him in their endeavors and never once criticized their ideals. In fact, the giant dragon shared the same dream as them.

A dream that involved dragons and humans coming together to live in peace. Which was why Hiccup always sought to make him proud. Hiccup smiled over the memory of the kind, gentle and wise Bewilderbeast. Then she remembered what Astrid had asked him, and it looked like she was waiting for an answer. And so, he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Well, he's big and tall..."

That was putting it gently.

"And he's kind of old, older than most of the adults I would say. Apparently my father was still a young boy when he met him, it seems like he's always been around. Always leading people, new and old. But he never turns anyone away, in fact that's the whole reason he created out tribe."

"Reason?" she asked. "What reason?"

"Well to put it lightly, my leader went through some very tough hardships growing up. He lost a lot of family and friends when he was young… so much so that he grew tired of it. It seemed like every day presented a new loss for him," Hiccup explained. "But he knew that he was fighting a losing battle. As much as he wanted peace, there wasn't really anything he could do. He couldn't reason with his enemies, so he decided to do the next best thing."

That's when Hiccup looked down at his necklace. It had been a gift, one that encompassed his family and friends, but it also embodied his home too. A wondrous haven for all dragon kind, it was all thanks to their King.

"He created a home for people to go to in order to escape the evils of the world. He offered them a chance to live a peaceful existence away from the war. Not surprisingly, many followed. And that's where those people are till this day," Hiccup said. "Many of them have settled down to start families of their own, they had children and their children had children and so on. My brother and I are a part of those generations. And we're just about to welcome the next."

That caught Astrid's attention.

"The next generation?" she asked.

"Yes, we have many families expecting the arrival of their unborn children. It's a miraculous and wonderful event that everybody celebrates. And it adds onto our ever-growing tribe. So much so that we've had to expand our ship to multiple, but we've always stayed together no matter how big the numbers are," Hiccup added. "And none of that would've been possible without our leader. He's truly a remarkable man, I look to him for guidance. He's almost like a second father figure to me, and a mentor as well. He's taught me many things about life, which is why I seek to make him proud. I want to show him that his dream of peace is not impossible. That's why I have to help people Astrid, because if I don't, then who will?"

"Sounds like quite a life," she commented.

That's when a certain thought crossed her mind. One that caused her to blush a little and make her heart beat faster in anticipation. She started to play with a strand of her hair as she looked away from the boy. Despite knowing better, she wanted this topic to be addressed.

"And…" she started. "And… was there a girl?"

At first, Hiccup didn't quite understand what she implying. He gave her a puzzled look.

"There are many girls there," he stated.

Astrid let out an annoyed grunt, clearly not liking his answer. This action surprised Hiccup a little, and after a few seconds of silence, his eyes widen with realization. A blush now adorned his face as well.

"Ohhhhh."

He gave her a sheepish smile as he scratched the back of her head.

"You mean… a girl… the girl."

Astrid just nodded and rubbed her arm a little.

"Y-yeah."

Hiccup let out a small chuckle as he composed himself.

"No," he answered truthfully. "I can't say that any girl has ever captured my attention at my home. They're all good friends and my family… nothing more than that. Besides, my brother and I were always so busy with our work that we didn't really have time for relationships. Although I think he may have taken a liking to one of our childhood friends."

Astrid's nerves went away at that comment, she let out a sigh of relief over that fact. And she also chuckled a little as well. She couldn't believe she allowed herself to stoop so low. These feelings inside her made her do weird things. But she was happy to know more about this boy.

She had listened to how Hiccup described his home, his people and his leader. It all sounded too good to be true. While she didn't necessarily approve of the idea of isolating oneself from the rest of the world, she could understand why the leader felt the need to do so. He had experienced loss just like any other person, and that's why he created his haven. He wanted to protect others, and he felt like that was the only way to do so.

Astrid wondered if maybe that was the better option than doing what her chief did. She didn't mean to disrespect the man, in way he was similar to Hiccup's leader. Their losses motivated their actions. But it was obvious that those actions couldn't have been any different from one another. Stoick decided to lash out in rage against his tormentors, while the Hiccup's leader decided to go the way of silence and isolation.

She supposed that this boy and her were products of those different leaderships. She chose to confront her problems head on. She fought for what she believed was right and she never backed down from a challenge. There without a doubt that she was the ideal Viking for someone her age. And many acknowledged that her skills went beyond that of experts and experienced fighters. Something she couldn't help but take pride in.

And then there was this boy. He couldn't have been any different from her. He obviously didn't feel comfortable with the idea of fighting. Instead, he focused his efforts on using his words. He also chose to protect people in a different manner, he rescued them and brought them to a haven. He was a savior of sorts, she would even describe him as being one's last hope. And that was a perfect way to describe what he represented: hope, a chance for a new future. That was something she was beginning to understand about him. And she wouldn't doubt that his family, wherever they were, were proud of that.

Ironically, and strangely, she was proud of that too. She appreciated knowing that there was more out there than just fighting and surviving. There was a chance to live life, what an incredible concept that was. It now made sense to her why Hiccup's people, and him, had never heard of someone like Drago Bludvist if that's the case.

Drago was a representation of what could cause loss. He presented a risk for them to lose everything they had ever worked for. And she could only imagine how terrible that would've been. No doubt Drago would've taken much more from them than just their lifestyles, but their lives as well. The man took his intolerance for weakness to a whole new level, even ones typical Vikings didn't dare reach.

In that very moment, Astrid wished that Stoick had been more like this mysterious leader. Maybe then, their lives wouldn't be so hectic and stressful. She ran a hand through her blonde hair as she contemplated such an idea. She let out a small sigh.

"I fear that Chief Stoick's loss may have hardened him over the years," she commented. "To the point where he won't listen to reason… and cause more destruction than healing."

That brought Hiccup back to reality.

"His loss?" he asked.

The young Viking simply nodded her head. It was definitely a sore subject amongst the people of Berk, no one dared to utter a word about it. Everyone here in Berk had suffered a loss of some kind in the past, but a loss like Stoick's really made it all pale in comparison. Astrid couldn't imagine losing a child in such a manner. She didn't think she could ever live with the knowledge of not being able to protect a loved one from this dangerous world.

But then she remembered that Hiccup didn't know about the secret. After all, he was still so new here. Plus, it wasn't exactly a topic that everyone was discussing. However, call her crazy, but Astrid felt that Hiccup did need to know about this. Perhaps it would give him more insight on the reality of the situation. He had just found out about Drago Bludvist, what else was he missing?

"Yes," she responded. "I don't think it's my place to tell you but… if you promise to keep quiet about it, I'm sure everything will be fine."

She then leaned closer to him, her eyes spoke of how serious her next statement would be. And it was then that Hiccup felt like he would regret his next decision. But still, he was curious and in a way, it would help him feel closer to his original homeland.

"You won't say anything right?" she asked.

Hiccup nodded and placed a hand over his heart.

"I swear on my family's unwavering support that I won't say anything," he promised.

Astrid smiled a little before turning serious again. She leaned back, her heart beated erratically as her nerves started to get the best of her. Despite that uneasy feeling, she took a deep breath and tucked back a loose strand of hair. All the while Hiccup mentally and physically prepared himself for the story she was about to tell.

"It all started about sixteen years ago…" she started.

Hiccup gave her a small nod.

"I was still just a baby so what I know is all second hand information I've learned over the years," she explained. "But I know it's true because it's literally a story everyone in Berk has heard at least once in their lives, even the children aren't left out of the loop. The story serves as a reminder of how dangerous our enemies are and why we risk so much for peace."

"I see," Hiccup commented.

Astrid continued.

"Anyway, Chief Stoick and his wife, Valka, had been married for some time and they had just welcomed their first child that year," she added. "You can only imagine just how thrilled they were, and the village when they found out. Finally, Berk would have an heir for the future."

"I guess I can," he replied. "If you don't mind me asking, was the baby a boy or a girl?"

"A boy," Astrid said. "I'm told that he was the perfect mixture of both the chief and his wife. He was the light in their life, especially with all the wars going on at the time."

That's when as sad expression spread across her face, dimming the radiance it once held. And this struck Hiccup to the core. Whatever she was going to say next would probably change the way he looked at the chief and his wife. He just hoped that it wouldn't be in a bad way. After all, they had done more than enough for him during his time here.

"Everything was going so well for them… but that all changed one day," Astrid stated.

She looked hesitant to continue. Even though she didn't remember it, or know the baby, she still felt so connected to the story. After all, if something as horrendous as that could happen to the chief, then it could happen to anybody. Astrid feared that if she wasn't too careful, it would happen to her too. She clenched her hands tightly before biting her lip a little. After that little episode of hesitation, she continued.

"One day, the dragons pulled one of their annual raids on our village," she said.

Hiccup started to feel uncomfortable in that moment. He was almost tempted to apologize to the girl, even though he wasn't a dragon. While he understood why dragons felt the need to raid villages, at the same time there was no denying the frustration and annoyance that followed such events. All the more reason to invite the dragons to the sanctuary rather than have them out and about in the world. It was a win-win situation for everyone at the moment, both dragon and human didn't have to worry about such matters if they were separated. It was a fact Hiccup was trying to change, but it required time… and some cooperation from both sides as well.

"Honestly, the dragons are always more interested in our livestock and resources than the people, but they still cause a lot of damage… both to our homes and our families. This time was no different, but they took more than just sheep, cattle and fish," Astrid added. "They took something that can never be replaced."

"And that is?" Hiccup questioned.

Astrid gave him a sorrowful look, showing Hiccup that this story truly didn't have a happy ending. But then again, what did he expect? Normally, there was never a happy ending involved when it concerned Vikings and dragons.

"It wasn't their faults…" Astrid whispered, just loud enough for Hiccup to hear. "The chief was doing his best to protect the village. He fought the beasts… and Valka… she was doing her best to guide the villagers to safety… they were just trying to save their people."

Her grip on her hands tightened some more, and this didn't go unnoticed by Hiccup. In that moment, he felt nothing but sympathy for the girl before him… and for the chief and his wife.

"Well, in doing so, the left one person unattended."

That was when Hiccup realized what Astrid was implying, but he didn't dare to interrupt her at this point.

"Their son, he was in their house at the time… totally oblivious to the entire situation," she said. "Valka ran back to her home once she realized that it had caught fire in the struggle. And when she went to retrieve the baby… she was confronted by a horrific sight."

The young Viking felt her heart break over what she was about to say. But she found the courage to move forward.

"She saw her baby… being hovered over by a large dragon."

Hiccup froze right there and then. He felt his blood turn into ice while the sounds of his heart beat rang in his ears as a cold sweat beaded down his face.

He gave the girl a horrified look, although she didn't seem to notice. She was too caught up in the story to pay him any attention, not that he minded. He didn't want his face to give away how he felt, but he couldn't control himself at the moment.

He had heard this story before… but it came from someone else… and it was told from an entirely different point of view. His father, the dragon who had loved and raised him as his own, had spared no details about his first encounter with him. Honestly, now that he was older, Hiccup understood that Cloudjumper had never lied to him before. Yes, some might find that strange, especially with how Hiccup discovered the truth in the first place. But he didn't consider that to be lying.

Because if Cloudjumper was going to lie to him about his origins, then he wouldn't have brought him here in the first place. Rather than telling Hiccup, he wanted to show him. Plus, he always gave Hiccup the choice of going back. He never forced the young adult to do anything he wasn't comfortable with. He always gave his children the right amount of freedom they needed to strive forward. It was something Hiccup would forever be grateful for.

But he had to be sure that his suspicions were true, thus he allowed Astrid to continue with the tales she had been told.

"Valka reacted in a way any mother would, and she tried to get the dragon away from her baby," Astrid said. "And the dragon did leave… but not without taking something in return."

That's when Astrid returned her gaze back to him, her eyes filled with a sorrow Hiccup had never seen before.

"The dragon took the baby… and both were never seen again," she concluded. "Chief Stoick and Valka lost their one and only child that day Cloudless, and needless to say it's a trauma that still continues to haunt them even now. It's also the motivation the chief needed to side with Drago."

She was done with the story and Hiccup just stared at her, he felt as if his world had just come to a screeching halt. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. The story… the details… the location… the similarities. Everything matched what his father had told him about their first meeting. Stuff like this just couldn't be made up unless it was true.

But he still felt like he needed one more confirmation.

"What was the boy's name?"

It was a forbidden name. One that would never be used ever again. That much Astrid knew, no one in the village ever dared to give their child a similar name to the chief's son. She always found this to be ironic since the name apparently had been used in the chief's family for generations before this one. She had heard that the chief wanted to honor the best of his ancestors, and Valka had agreed with such an action. And thus, their child had been given a name that came from the Vikings before them.

Astrid felt like it had been so long she had allowed herself to utter such a name. But she saw no harm in telling this boy, after all he had given her his promise. Besides, she had already told him so much already, what would be the point in hiding such a detail? And so, Astrid revealed the darkest secret of their village… and spoke the forbidden name.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

That was all Hiccup need to hear to finally realize that he wasn't just any Viking's child. He was the Chief of Berk's son!

Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.