Friend, Husband, Father, Chief

*Nuffink's Point of View*

He looked so eerily peaceful, laying on the bed in the center of the boat. His eyes were closed and I wished I could see his goofy smile one more time. His arms were crossed over his chest and his sword, Inferno, was placed underneath his clasped hands.

The blunt force of the massive dragon ramming into him and then landing on the ground so hard had been too much on his body. He was gone.

All the villagers approached the bed and placed sticks around the base, whispering their final respects to the man who had led them through so much.

Toothless approached next, his eyes wide and sad. He nuzzled against his friend, hoping the man would wake up and it would all just be a joke. Toothless pressed his head to his rider's forehead before turning away and walking to the Light Fury. The Night Lights all nuzzled against their father comfortingly.

Snotlout and Willow were next. Snotlout wiped at a tear that had dared slide down his face.

"He was annoying and scrawny and a big hiccup…" Snotlout said, "but he was a good leader. And he was my friend. And he wasn't my friend just because we are cousins, he was my friend because he wanted to be. He saw the potential I had when I was younger and put me to work in ways to strengthen what I was good at. I owe a lot to this man and I am going to miss him." He laid a misshapen sword down at the foot of the bed the chief was resting on.

"I, uh, made this for you. It took me a lot longer than it would have taken you, and it is definitely not nearly as good as your work… but you always made me amazing things and I figured I owed you one," Snotlout said.

He sniffed and Willow took his hand and they walked away from the boat.

Fishlegs and Heather approached their chief. Fishlegs was openly crying.

"He was my friend when I was still a bit of an outcast. He was more of an outcast at the time, but he was still nice to me. He was my best friend, like a brother to me. My favorite memories with Hiccup are when we were on the Edge and we would stay up at all hours of the night studying the Dragon Eye or the new dragon species we were discovering. We could talk for hours about pretty much anything. He was a good man and will be remembered," he choked out.

"Hiccup, uh…" Heather started, "Hiccup believed in me when nobody else would. He believed in me even when he probably shouldn't have. I tried so many times to make things difficult for you guys, all because I was looking for a family in the wrong places. I didn't realize that I had one waiting for me on Dragon's Edge. I didn't realize it, but he knew. He always knew. I will never forget all he did for me and my brother."

Heather opened a bag she had hanging around her shoulders and pulled out the horn that she had gotten from her father all those years ago.

"Um, your dad gave this to my dad when I was born. When I showed it to you we both thought we could have been siblings. I was a little disappointed when I found out we weren't, but I learned that family doesn't need to be blood. Family can be whoever you want it to be. And I found my family with you guys. I want to thank you for that," Heather whispered as she put the horn by the bed.

The twins approached. They were both completely silent, which was unlike them. The dramatic flair and sarcastic attitudes had left momentarily as they realized the gravity of what had happened. They silently put down a golden coin. Nobody knew what it meant because the twins refused to say a word.

"Hey, laddie," Gobber said quietly, "I never thought I would have to live through your father's funeral and yours. You were the son I never had. I am going to miss seeing you around, laddie. Say hi to your old man for me, okay? And don't worry about the kids, I'll keep an eye on them," he glanced over at us with a sad smile and finished, "They will be fine." He sighed and rested his hand on the chief's chest.

"Hey there, son," Grandma Valka whispered. "I never thought I would outlive my own child. No parent should have to lay their child to rest. But I am getting older. I am guessing it won't be too long before I am able to be with you and your father in Valhalla. I will see you again. This isn't goodbye forever. Just make sure your father isn't doing anything stupid, okay? Keep an eye on each other. I love you, my son." she smiled and put a small dragon stuffie that she had made for Hiccup when he was young by the bed.

We were the only ones left. Eira, Zephyr, and I all approached dad. My sisters were crying, but I refused to cry. I needed to be strong.

Eira glared at our father's body.

"He just had to go and die…" she muttered quietly. Zephyr wrapped her arm around Eira's shoulder.

"It isn't his fault Eira. It just happened. It could not have been prevented. It was the will of the gods," she said softly.

My sisters said their goodbyes and turned away with tearful eyes.

"Hey, dad," I whispered, "I, uh, I know that I wasn't always the best student when it came to your lessons in being chief, but I will do my best to make you proud. I just wish you could be here to watch and to give me advice. I haven't even had my first day as chief yet and I already feel like I am messing up. How can I follow behind a man who was probably the best chief Berk has ever had? I won't do the title justice, but I will try. I will make you proud, dad," I wiped at the tears in my eyes. I felt a soft hand on my shoulder and turned to see Ragnhild. She lifted my arm to wrap it around her and slid her arms around me comfortingly.

"I'll keep an eye on him, chief, don't worry," she said with a soft smile.

I sighed and turned around. There was only one person left - my mother.

She had a blank, emotionless expression on her face. In her hands was a necklace with a single dragon scale on it. She numbly stepped forward and reached out to hold my dad's hand.

"Hey babe," she sniffed and wiped her eyes. "You made these long ago when the dragons first left. A necklace with one of Stormfly's scales for me and one with one of Toothless's scales for you. I hope you don't mind, but I switched them. I wanted the one from Toothless to keep you close. But I want you to have Stormfly's," she said as she placed the necklace with the blue scale against his chest.

"I love you. I don't think I will ever be able to love somebody as much as I love you. We have been through everything together, survived multiple attacks on Berk and The Edge, raised three amazing kids… I don't know how I am going to do this without you…" she paused to wipe her eyes as a sob escaped her lips. When she continued her voice was tight. "You showed me that I don't have to eb the tough fearless warrior all the time, that it shows strength to be able to show weakness. We are all going to miss you here, babe, but we will make it through. Don't worry about us. Enjoy being with your father. Give him a hug for me. Don't worry about Berk, my love," she glanced back at me, "you have left it in good hands."

She pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand then gently pressed her hand to my father's cheek.

Once she was off the boat we all lined up with our flaming arrows ready. Gobber pushed the boat out into the open water, the sail looked like a large version of Toothless's red tail. We all aimed and shot our arrows, causing the kindling beneath my father's bed to set fire. Our dragons all shot at the boat as well as one last goodbye to the man who had allowed them to be friends with humans. My mother and sisters held each other close, tears streaming down their cheeks.

We all jumped when Toothless let out the most pain-filled scream we had ever heard from him. I quickly walked over to him and held my hands out to him. He rested his head in them, one hand under his chin, the other on his forehead. I pressed my forehead to his.

"I miss him too," I whispered. Toothless groaned as if he was in pain as the ship holding his best friend sank beneath the waves.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. Gothi had passed several years ago, but she had been replaced as medicine woman by a younger girl called Lori. She motioned for me to kneel down as she reached to cover her fingers in the soot from the fire that had lit our arrows. I knew what was coming next.

Lori reached her hand out and drew the symbol for chief on my forehead. "As we lay our chief to rest, a new one rises from the ashes to lead Berk into new victories," she said with a soft smile.

I took a deep breath. This was it. This was the moment that would change my life forever.

"Do you accept this incredible job as the new chief of Berk?" she asked.

I looked over at Ragnhild. She had a proud smile on her face. "I do," I replied.

"Then rise, Nuffink Stoick Haddock, as the new chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe, the people of Berk," she announced so everyone could hear. Usually this would be followed by cheers and a great feast, but these circumstances were different. I silently vowed to be present when my future child becomes chief.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned, expecting to see Ragnhild, but it was my mother. She raised her arms to hug me tightly. "I'm proud of you," she whispered, "and if he was here, he would be even more proud than anybody else on this island." I smiled as I pictured my dad's smiling face. He would help me. He wasn't really gone. We just couldn't see him.

When my mom released me from her embrace I held my hand out to my fiance.

"Hello, chief," she whispered.

I smiled sadly at her. "I have big boots to fill, or I guess one big boot to fill," I said, thinking of how my father only ever wore a right boot.

"And you will be amazing at it," she reassured me.

The Dragon Riders and the Descendants sat on the beach long after everyone else had left. Soon even the Dragon Riders got up and left to get some sleep before the work on rebuilding our village started in the morning. This left me and my team by ourselves on the shore. My eyes wandered over the group of strong vikings I had around me. Buff and Eira were splashing at each other in the shallow water where they were wading. Spike and Zephyr were sitting with their son, smiling as he practiced standing on his own. Mila, Ozzy, and Marina were on their backs, pointing out constellations together. Marina's son Arlo was sleeping peacefully in her arms. I made a note in my head to make sure that child didn't grow up without strong male role models in his life since his father had left, never to return. The fear of failing as chief was still very real in my mind, but I knew that with these guys backing me up, Berk would prosper.

Ragnhild leaned her head on my shoulder and I turned so I could breathe in the scent of her hair. It always relaxed me.

"Hey, we got this, new chief," Buffnut shouted from where he and Eira were wading in the water. I smiled.

"Oh, I know, Buff," I replied. My arm slid around Ragnhild's shoulders.

"We got this," I thought to myself. I slowly stood and the Descendants and I all walked back into town together, ready to face whatever life could throw at us together as a team.

Well, guys, it has been a while.

Things have been crazy with the virus and having to leave school early. I decided to finish the final chapter for you guys today. An epilogue will follow.

That's it for our Descendants, everyone. I hope you all enjoyed reading these characters' adventures as much as I enjoyed writing them. It is a bittersweet thing to finish the final chapter of a story you have worked so hard on with characters that you created yourself. I'll miss writing about these guys.

But I still have an epilogue to write so there is still one more thing to come!

Thank you for all your support in this trilogy. You have all been the best readers!

Sincerely,

EverAfterWritings