There is a note at the end of this chapter. Please read the entire chapter before reading the note. Thank you and enjoy.

They made it back to the Hall. The king, queen, and the older princess, at a nod from Hiccup, landed on the grass near to the stairs. Half of her honor guard followed, landing in a circle around the royal flock. Hiccup turned to the prince, his mate, and the younger princess. As with Toothless' boys, Hiccup and the queen realized a meeting would bore the younger princess. On the flight over he suggested letting the prince, who had been to the nest before, take his mate and his sister on a tour with the other half of the honor guard. He gave free reign for the prince to shelter in the guest cave, even pointing out its entrance for him, if the princess got tired.

At first the princess protested. She wanted to spend time with Hiccup, a fact that amused all the Berkians, dragon and humans alike. Hiccup noted his dragon father's honor guard and the other Changewings also found that fact amusing. Even still slightly irritated by that amusement, Hiccup did not want the princess to feel bad over the arrangement he worked out with her mother. He wanted to spend time with the princess, showing her the nest as he promised her, but he knew he had a duty to preform first.

Childhood could hold the promise of fun and adventure at all moments of the day, but adulthood held responsibilities. Hiccup knew he and his friends were considered adults since the fight with the Red Death. Besides, he was the heir to the tribe and the alpha to the dragons. That held more responsibilities than any other person or dragon in the nest. Something he was learning from the lessons with both his fathers, the Changewing king, and Moondust's old alpha. Time for enjoyment would come later, after work was done.

"Once the meeting is over with," he said, looking at the young princess, "I'll introduce you to Toothless' boys. They and a few other younglings love to play behind my den and in the woods nearby. If your mother and father are fine with it, I'm sure they'll let you join them."

The princess blinked and Hiccup saw he had successfully pulled her out of her ill mood. She glanced at her mother, a pleading light in her eyes. Hiccup heard the queen chuckle.

[I have no objections,] she said, staring at her daughter. She then looked to Hiccup. [Provided she could still be watched over.]

Hiccup grinned. "A Flame Whipper from Dad Obsidian's honor guard keeps an eye on the boys when they are playing and many Terrors are always nearby in case of anything. If you want one or two of your guard to join the Flame Whipper, I have no objections."

The queen smiled and tipped her head. She then looked to her children and the dragons with them. [Enjoy yourselves,] she said. [I trust you all to represent us in an honorable manner.]

Everyone nodded their heads. They then banked around, heading for the main island. The prince stated he would start the tour over it and finish with the human territory as the meeting might be over by then. Hiccup watched them for a moment before gesturing. Toothless and Shadowfire landed. Irondust had remained at the harbor, joining his patrol flock once more.

Hiccup let Astrid dismount before joining her. Gyda stepped off of Shadowfire's paw and moved to stare up the stairs. Hiccup followed her gaze. He frowned.

"Why are Sunset and Sunrise sitting beside Quickcut's paw?"

Gyda looked back down. Hiccup's eyebrow lifted. She was smirking and he could hear Shadowfire chortling. Hiccup's brow furrowed but Astrid spoke before he could.

"What are you up to?"

Gyda snickered. "You wish those Vikings to see the dragons as they are. Sunset has a surprise for you and them." She paused then titled her head. "If you will allow it, Alpha."

Hiccup frowned. "What surprise?"

Gyda glanced up the stairs and then down back to Hiccup. "He wished that you not be told what the surprise is. He wants to show you most of all, Alpha."

Hiccup sighed. He had not wanted any young dragons in the meeting, knowing it would bore them and cause them to act out. Human children did the same. If an all-tribe meeting was needed, even before the war ended, a few adults were tasked with keeping the youngest amongst the tribe occupied while their parents attended. The adults chosen were always told the points of the meeting later.

Still, he was interested. Gyda would not allow any of the young in the nest to come to harm, human and dragon alike. He knew he could trust her and if she thought Sunset's surprise was worth letting the youngling and his twin into the meeting then he would accept. He heard both Terrors cheer when he nodded his head.

Everyone settled and Hiccup, knowing he had no other reason to delay, stood before the assembled Vikings. Before he could even speak, Henrik stood. He offered no arrogant stance so none of the dragons protested. Hiccup tilted his head. His father had stated the story must come from him. Even with the interruption due to the Changewings, he still had control of the meeting. Henrik standing meant he wished to say something and given the man was silent and staring at Hiccup meant he recognized that Hiccup had to allow him. Intrigued, Hiccup nodded his head at the Shivering Shores chief.

"Me son told me wot he be doin' since he 'n Padrig brought Hilda 'n her boy back, young Hiccup." He paused and looked around. "I nare believed me boy or me general. Wot they be sayin' be so fanciful, so unbelievable." Henrik sighed. "But dat Terror came ta ye, young Hiccup. It bowed ta ye. It growled and ye and yer father reacted as if it gave ye a report."

Hiccup smiled as Henrik paused and gestured to him. The man was giving him a way to start the discussion, something he did not have before Irondust interrupted the meeting.

"The Terror is a he," he began, still bothered that any Viking used the term it as if a dragon was a thing, an animal, and not a loyal member of their nest. He noted Steinar grinned and snorted slightly but continued without calling attention the Shivering Shores heir. "His name is Irondust and he did give me a report. His job in the nest is to deliver messages his patrol flock needs to send. He came to tell us the Changewings were approaching for a visit."

"Yer father called the island a nest," Bertha said, though she did not stand and Henrik sat back down.

Hiccup glanced around, knowing this might make the visitors highly confused. Vikings did not call their home island a nest. A nest meant an animal's home not a place for warriors. They did not realize that to a dragon a nest meant so much more and the humans living in Berk, who also shared the dragons' view of their home, realized that calling it a mere island from now on would never give it justice.

"This island is a nest now," he said. "It became one not long after the battle with the Red Death. The dragons you came to see us about once caused issues even after the war ended. We spoke to them and let them join us. Afterwards we both learned to live with one another and Berk became a nest."

"Ye spoke ta da dragons?" Mogadon questioned, though he seemed to have learned his lesson from before. His tone was respectful even if he could not keep his skepticism out of it.

"Aye," Hiccup said, and he realized the fear he held at speaking to the Vikings was lessening as none seemed inclined to fight him. They were all listening. None were shouting that he was wrong or out of his mind. "We learned once long ago that humans and dragons could converse until incidents broke and damaged that connection."

"How?" Ingvar asked and Hiccup had to give it to the Hopeless chief. His tone did not betray that he alone knew that the dragons could speak though Hiccup suspected he told the other chiefs who remained as soon as he was able.

Hiccup sighed. Of all he was to tell the Vikings, he knew this, and his true status, would cause the most concern. Magic, while known in a vague way, was not something Vikings trusted and his title would not be something they understood until they could speak to the dragons themselves. Hiccup glanced at Gothi who gave him a subtle nod. He turned back to the Vikings.

"Magic," he said. "Magic has to heal the connection so that we can understand each other again."

It caused the commotion he suspected. Human voices clamored for hearing until the point the Vikings were louder than any growls the dragons gave earlier. Hiccup noted Steinar looking around and then staring straight at him. He gave a hand gesture, as Hiccup had no qualms in teaching the man the gestures the Riders used. Hiccup frowned but nodded at Steinars' request for permission to do something. He was not sure what the man could do, or would do, but he would not turn down any help to get the meeting back on track. Steinar then looked to Stoick, who seemed to understand as Stoick stood and bellowed.

"Enough!"

It took a moment for the visitors to respond and quiet down. They stared at Stoick but before any could say anything, Steinar stood and moved to face the visitors.

"Ye all know me," he started. "Ye all know me word ta be true, even if wot I 'ave ta say be fanciful."

From the grunt Henrik gave, Hiccup suspected Steinar gave his father a smirk for the comment from earlier.

"I let Hiccup's volva heal me connection. I been speakin' wiv dese dragons since da winter."

"Ye wot?!"

That question came from Riendar. The Hopeless heir stared at his counterpart as if the man had lost ever sense the gods ever gave him. Steinar snorted then faced Riendar.

"I let Hiccup's volva heal me connection," he repeated, slowly. He shrugged. "It no hurt, iffen ye be 'fraid of dat." Steinar then turned and stared at Toothless before his gaze looked at the other dragons in the Hall, even the Terrors in the rafters. "Be da best decision of me life," he said looking back to the visitors. "Dese dragons no be mindless beast. Dey no be animals. Dey be living, breathin' beings wot believe much as we do. Dey love deir families. Dey protect deir home. Dey seek no violence 'gainst us." He paused then Hiccup noted the man crossed his arms. "I be givin me counterparts a challenge. I be speakin' ta da dragons. Ye be too scared ta do da same?"

Hiccup blinked as Henrik stood before the heirs could respond.

"Ye no need ta issue dat, son," Henrik said. "Ingvar be tellin' us all wot young Hiccup be sayin' at dat trial wot happened earlier." Henrik then looked past his son and stared at Hiccup. "We talk 'mongst ourselves, though we never once be tellin' Snorre or Dagur of dis. We all know wot dem two be doin' wiv dis knowledge and we be seein' ye wished fer none of wot Hagan be fearin'. Young Hiccup, we all stand as one in dis, and our people be followin' us. Let your volva heal our connection. Let us speak wiv dem dragons. Let us learn wot ye and your people 'ave already learned."

Hiccup smiled.

It did not take long all things considered. The heirs, still annoyed by Steinar's challenge, moved before their parents did. Gyda, who stepped forward as soon as Henrik finished, merely snorted. She glanced at Hiccup, who grunted once he realized what she wanted. He nodded his head. She grinned and turned back, gesturing for Riendar to stand before her. She then moved to every visitor in the Hall, pausing only when one flinched. Still, every visitor accepted her hand and as soon as she finished she turned and bowed to Hiccup.

"They are ready, my alpha," she stated. "Might Sunset now give them and you his surprise?"

Hiccup frowned at her use of his official title. That had not fully been covered yet, though he knew they already heard his title when he declared it to Ingvar the day Moondust's old nest-mates landed. No one explained it then because he wanted to wait until after the Vikings chose to understand the dragons. He then caught a glance of Sunset sitting next to his twin as they joined Sharpshot and Sneaky on the table. The young Terror stared up at him with a beseeching look. Hiccup smiled.

"Please give us your surprise," he said.

Sunset shook himself then walked to the edge of the table, facing the visitors who returned to their seat once Gyda finished. Hiccup could see the Vikings glancing around at the dragons when they sat down but all focused upon the youngling and upon Shadowfire who moved from where the Riders were standing and laid down near enough to the table his head could reach close to where Sunset sat. Sunset glanced at the Tall-singer, looked over his wing at Hiccup, and then faced the Vikings.

Hiccup's eyes widen as the youngling began to sing about world he saw when his eyes were closed. He did not know Sunset had even learned to sing but that explained why the Terrors were so often staying with Gyda now that winter was fully over and the Berkians could return to their own huts. He had mind enough to look to the visitors in order to gauge their reactions. All of them stared at the youngling in awe and that awe did not leave when Shadowfire then Gyda joined Sunset as the song progressed.

Hiccup felt his queen squeeze his hand and glanced at her. She tipped her head to the visitors and then smiled at him. Hiccup, unable to resist, lifted her hand, still enclosed in his, and kissed her knuckles. Sunset's song spoke of a world they would make. When he first heard of the Thing and its reason, he had worried. Vikings were stubborn and did not like change. Now, with the ones who remained, and the fact they accepted Gyda healing their connection, he felt they could forge the world Sunset sang about. The world that would allow everyone to live in it.

The song Sunset sang with Shadowfire and Gyda is A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman soundtrack. Their specific version is the one Peter Hollens covered and I highly encourage you all to listen to it.