I am soooooo sorry this took so long, but to fix this issue I'm going to be shortening the chapters from now on. Hope everyone enjoys the chapter.
Chapter Five: To be a Man
That time had come once again, the yearly meeting of the chiefs of the Archipelago and this year it was being held on Berk. The chiefs of the five other tribes of the Archipelago stood in the center of the Great Hall: Big Boobied Bertha, chief of the Bog Burglars tribe, Mogadon, chief of the Meathead tribe, Madguts, chief of the Murderous tribe, Magnus, chief of the Shivering Shores and Dagur the Deranged, chief of the Berserkers.
It had been three years since his only son Hiccup disappeared and ever since dragon raids had been increasing in size and frequency. Berk used to bear the brunt of the raids but now every single Viking tribe in the Archipelago suffered dragon attacks as bad as Berk did three years ago, if not worse. Now the meeting was coming to a close, battle strategies had been discussed, alternate trade routes had been set, but one more matter arose, one that Stoick had been trying to avoid being brought up.
"Stoick, we've noticed ya still haven't chosen a new heir for tha Hooligan tribe." Mogadon piped up.
"Yes I know tha Mogadon, but things have gotten... complicated since then."
"Complicated how?" Bertha joined in on the conversation.
"Well the girl I was going to announce as the new heir has gone a tad... over the edge shall we say." The recent events surrounding Astrid had really unsettled the village.
Now it was Madguts' turn to get involved. "What, ya mean she's gone mad!"
"No, she hasn't gone mad, as you all know last year Astrid suffered a life threatening injury which resulted in her being unconscious for a few weeks, but since then she's been more volatile than usual."
"So she's caused trouble in tha village before?" Bertha offered.
"No, she was never a trouble maker, she was a good kid and was the best fighter of her age, still is too. Though not long after last years meeting one of tha boys her age tried to sway her and it didn't go so well for him." Now Dagur cut in.
"Oh, oh, let me guess, it was the Jorgenson. Snothat was it?"
"Snotlout, and yes it was him. Astrid hit the boy so hard she dislocated his jaw."
"Serves him right, tha way he treats women is appalling." Bertha butted in.
"Get to tha point Stoick, what's this all about." Madguts bellowed. He never was one for patience.
"My point is Madguts, that its not only Snotlout she's being more aggressive with. If just about anyone looks at her the wrong way she lashes out at them. So I'm afraid that she isn't fit for leadership over the tribe." Stoick finished.
"So what about the others her age, surely one of them would be fit to lead." Bertha suggested.
"I don't think so, Fishlegs is smart and would be able to run the village but he cracks under pressure and he'd never hold up in fight, Snotlout's too cocky for his own good and don't even get me started on the Thornston twins."
The Chiefs sat in silence for a few moments until Magnus spoke up. "You could wait a couple of years, see if the next generation have what it takes, tha or ya could see if Hiccup returns, he did say in his letter that he would come back."
Madguts slammed his fist down onto the table, he had called Hiccup a disgrace even before he left his tribe and now he had ever more reason to do so.
"That twerp was never a viking and never will be! Why do ye insist tha we wait for him to come back, in fact why do we even believe he is coming back, he ran away because he was a COWARD-"
"THATS ENOUGH MADGUTS! IF YE CAME LOOKING FOR A FIGHT THEN YE'LL FUCKING GET ONE, OTHERWISE YE CAN TAKE YER LEAVE!" Stoick's voice echoed across the walls, threatening to deafen the other chiefs present. Madguts gave him a long hard stare before he got up and stormed out of the Great Hall, his guards waiting for him on the other side of the massive doors.
Stoick fell back into his seat with a huff. "Anyone else got anything to share?" He said in a voice far too calm for the situation he was just in. A moment passed before Dagur answered.
"Actually I have something to share, but its going to sound a bit crazy."
"Dagur, every time ye have something to say its crazy."
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that. Anyway, one month ago we got reports of ships going missing, the ships we not armed, they would be carrying resources. I sent out two ships to safeguard a trading ship to its destination, but only one of them returned with half the crew. At first I didn't believe the things they were saying but..." Dagur trailed off.
"What are ye talking about Dagur, what were they saying?"
"They said... they were attacked by a dragon, one none of them recognised."
"It was just one dragon, why didn't ya just kill it, plain and simple."
"That wasn't all Stoick, apparently someone was riding the damn dragon, controlling it-
Bertha stood up from her seat and interrupted him. "What! That's lunacy, no one can control those beasts, I say ye've finally gone off the deep end Dagur."
"Gone off the deep- WHAT! YOU- I KNOW WHAT I SAW SO DON'T TELL ME I'M CRAZY!"
"Enough, the both of you, Dagur are ye sure this is what ye saw?"
"YES!"
"Really Stoick! Yer listening to this yak crap!"
"As hard as it may be to believe, I have seen this before, many years ago." Stoick recalled the horrific events of that night and the stranger who showed up to a meeting of the chiefs uninvited.
"I alone can control the dragons."
They all laughed at him, if they had considered his offer then the war between the dragons and vikings might have ended.
"See how well you do without me!"
Moments after he left dragons burned the building to it's foundations, Stoick was the only one to escape the fire alive.
"Stoick, what do ye mean ye've seen this before and why was none of us told about it?" Mogadon was just as confused as the rest of them.
"Almost thirty years ago now a man by the name of Drago Bludvist showed up at a meeting of the chiefs. He said he could control the dragons, told us he'd get them off our backs for good if we bowed down to his new empire. We laughed at him, called him a madman, a fool. He said we would regret our decision, something about seeing how well we would do without him, mere seconds after he left dragons burned the Great Hall to the ground, I was the only one to escape the fire." All the chiefs sat in solemn silence.
"So, anyone got any ideas on how we deal with this new problem?" Mogadon asked.
"We kill 'em on sight, just like we would any other dragon." Stoick answered.
"Actually I would like to question this dragon rider myself, I hear he or she had something to do with the death of my father Oswald. So bring them to me alive if you can."
"Alright Dagur, we'll do what we can. Anyone else have anything too add?" There was a moments silence at the table. "Good. well then everyone, till next year."
All the chiefs of every tribe left the table and headed for the port to go back to their islands for another year. Another year and Stoick still had no word on Hiccup, the chief wanted to believe his son would return one day, but as the years passed his hope had drained away.
Stoick had lost everything, his wife, his son and now he was at a loss for who would be the next chief of Berk. All he could think of was how much he missed his son, it had been that way for the past two and a half years, first he was furious with Hiccup but as time went on and the grieving process took its course he came to miss his son no matter his past mistakes.
He stared out into the orange, sunset sky and just stood at the top of the steps to the Great Hall, thinking about his son, really thinking. It would be Hiccup's eighteenth birthday tomorrow, if he were still on Berk there would be a massive party in the Great Hall with tables decked with food and barrels filled to the brim with mead, speaking of which his son would probably be having his first hangover the morning after, Stoick remembered his first hangover and his dads reaction.
"Son, if there were ever a perfect time for ye to come home, it'd be now." He whispered softly to himself.
Forest
Traders Port
"Happy birthday Hiccup!" Khaine congratulated. Today was Hiccup's eighteenth birthday and they had returned to the training port to celebrate. They had returned to the port earlier this year to stock up on a few things, he even paid Magnus a visit to have his sword spear tuned up, now the shaft and the guard were metal, not wood. Even the blade needed replacing, sharpening the weapon that you rely on in battle with a rock can only take you so far.
Toothless warbled his happy birthday to Hiccup
*Happy day-of-birth to you Hiccup, you are eighteen winters old today.*
"Hey thanks guys, but I'm just gonna say I don't want a repeat of last year, ya hear me. I mean we barely escaped those hunters with our lives."
"Alright we get it, no fireworks. Besides, I've got another idea."
"Oh, and what would that be?"
"Well back in Farrenheim when someone turns eighteen it was seen as a coming of age, when a boy finally becomes a man."
"Yeah?" Hiccup was honestly lost as to where Khaine was going with this.
"Well the coming of age comes with a few benefits."
"What kind of benefits?"
"Alcohol, getting your own place... and a few women if your lucky." Khaine whispered the last part to Hiccup in a very sly manner and the two of them burst with laughter while Toothless sat with head cocked to the side, confused as to what they were laughing at.
*What are you two finding so funny. Is it one of those human jokes again, I never understand them.*
"What makes you think I'm gonna try and land a girl just because its my eighteenth birthday?"
"Why not, its your choice to do what you want with your life. Why not make the most of it?" Khaine reasoned.
"I believe that when the right moment comes, I'll find the person I want to settle down with and- wait, what was the point of this conversation again?" This question caught Khaine unawares and set his train of though back on track.
"Oh right, I was going to suggest you go into town and get a big ol' barrel of mead and bring it out here for us to celebrate! What do ya think?" Hiccup stopped to contemplate this before answering.
"Yeah. That sounds great, but do we even have any gold left, I'm sure we've spent it all already."
"Don't worry, got it covered." Khaine tossed Hiccup a small pouch of gold coins. "Don't spend it all, its the last we have."
"Got it. I'll go right now and we'll have the party underway as soon as I get back." Hiccup picked up his cloak and headed for the port. "Bye Khaine, see ya Toothless."
"Bye."
*Bye.*
Traders Port
Hiccup strolled through the streets of the port in his pitch black cloak and hood, earning strange glances from passers by and people turning onto different streets just to avoid him. It was only a couple of minutes before sun down so a man walking around in a black cloak at night would give people a pretty good reason to stay away.
It didn't take Hiccup long to find the local inn, it was called Sailors Paradise, a fitting name, some sailors would be away from home weeks or sometimes months at a time, away from their families, they would relish a good drink after being away for so long. Hiccup walked into the inn and almost instantly he was getting stares from people all around. He stopped at the bar where the bar tender was polishing a mug.
The bar tender gave Hiccup a sceptical look. "Can I get ye something ta drink?"
"Do you happen to have any barrels of mead for sale do ya?" Hiccup asked masking his voice in a deep Norse accent.
"Come again?"
"Will this cover it?" Hiccup handed him the small pouch of gold coins. The man was shocked when he looked in the bag, it was probably more gold than he had ever seen at one time.
"Uh... I'll look out back see what I can get ya." The bar tender hurried through a doorway behind the counter to go get his mysterious customer what he wanted. Minutes passed and Hiccup wondered if the bar tender had gotten lost back there, he didn't want to have to steal one but he'd be damned if he didn't get what he paid for.
"Looks like I'm gonna have to steal one after all." He was about to leave when a loud crash erupted from the other end of the bar.
"WHAT THE BLEEDIN' HELL DID YE JUST SAY TO ME BITCH!" A big hulking brute of a viking flipped a table and proceeded to yell at a going woman who looked like she had been serving them.
"I called you a disgusting old pig, ye think its acceptable to just grab women whenever ya feel like it, this is a bar not a brothel, so ye can leave now or we can get the town guard in here and see what they have to say, your choice." The man went a deep red scarlet at such an accusation, either out of anger or embarrassment.
"What- you- I- HOW DARE YA ACCUSE ME OF SUCH AN ACT YE LITTLE SHIT! I SHOULD RUN YA THROUGH RIGHT NOW!"
"OH REALLY, WHATS STOPPING YOU!"
The vikings tone turned low and murderous. "Good point, maybe I will!" He grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt and lifted her of the ground.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" The girl warned.
"And why not?"
"You really think these people are gonna stand for this, you hurt me and this bar becomes a fucking warzone, ya hear me!"
"Well then, let's see if they do." He waved to a table farther back and two more vikings armed with weapons came and stood at his side. "Anyone wanna save this little brat, anyone wanna be a hero!" No one dared move, instead they all sunk back into their seats, clearly these men had a fearsome reputation and everyone knew it.
Hiccup couldn't just sit idly anymore, he had to step in. He started a fast walk to the other end of the bar, all eyes were on him once again. "Well lookie here, we've got ourselves a vigilante folks."
"Hiccup's voice dropped down low and cold. "Let the girl go and none of you have to get your asses handed to you."
"Or what, there's three of us and one of you, you're not even armed."
Hiccup took off his cloak and set it down on the counter, revealing his face to everyone present, he just hoped no one recognised him as the lost heir of Berk. "Let. Her. Go."
The three men just laughed at him and the leader made a high pitched mocking voice. "Oh no, little fishbone's gonna teach us a lesson." Hiccup was done listening to them, he made a move towards them.
"Alright I've had enough, take care of this little piss ant!" The two armed men charged Hiccup, a sword wielder on the left and an axe wielder on the right, but he was ready.
The swordsman reached him first and swung for his head, Hiccup ducked the blow and tripped the man sending him hurtling into a table. The axe wielder tried an overhead swing that Hiccup simply side stepped then landed a punch to his face and kicked him in the side, then Hiccup span on the spot and his heel connected with the viking's head, rendering him unconscious. The first viking was back on his feet and making his way towards Hiccup, he thrust his sword forward only to jam it into the counter, the boy's reflexes were far too sharp. Hiccup kicked the backs of the vikings legs, sending him to his knees then he slammed the man's face into the iron butt of the sword with a resounding crack, giving him a broken nose and knocking him out cold.
Only the leading viking remained. "DON'T THINK YE'VE WON, I'VE STILL GOT THE GIRL! YE LET ME GO AND SHE GOES FREE, TRY ANYTHING AND I KILL HER!" Hiccup had no choice, he wouldn't be able to reach her in time if he tried to attack.
"Alright, go. But if I ever see you again I will kill you!"
The guy let her drop and bolted through the door into the night. Hiccup stared after him, partly wishing he could have smashed his teeth in.
"You saved me!" The girl hugged him around the middle making him jump slightly.
"Uh you're welcome." She let go and looked up at him with beautiful brown eyes, now Hiccup realised he was talking to a cute girl and his nerves came flooding back.
"Well I- uh yeah I've got to- gotta go so-" Hiccup was about to go when she took hold of his hand.
"Don't go just yet, I still haven't thanked you yet."
"Uh no need to thank me, just uh- just doing my part but I've- I've really gotta go-" Hiccup tried to get away but she still had a firm grasp of his hand.
"Come on, just stay for a few drinks 'ey, please." Hiccup probably could've worked his way out of the situation somehow but she looked genuinely upset that he was going to leave.
"OK but just for one drink."
Half an hour passed and Hiccup was still talking to this girl he now knew was called Dahlia. The bar tender had given him free drinks for the night as thanks for saving Dahlia's life. Hiccup had downed two mugs of mead already and was working his way through a third.
If only he knew when to stop, now Hiccup was spouting on about his adventures with Khaine and Toothless.
"So Toothless is a dragon that you named and Khaine is a revenant from the underworld, hand picked to guide you towards your destiny?" Dahlia was taking in everything he was saying, luckily she thought it was all just a story formed from the mind of a drunken young man.
"Toothless issssn't just an- any dragon, he's a NIGHT FURY!" Hiccup waved his arms around in his drunken stupor, some others who were just as drunk as he was jumped and fell from their chairs at the familiar yet terror inflicting mention of such a beast.
"Ooooh a night fury, I've heard of that dragon, they say its scales are as black as night and it never misses its target, is it true." Dahlia was playing along with his little fairytale at this point, as ridiculous as it was it was very amusing.
"YEAH! Wait the- the first one or... uh... w- wait why are we talking about this again?
"Hahahaha! You're so silly!"
"I'm not ssssssilly! I'm awesome, I kicked those guyses asses all the way down ta Nifelheim!" Hiccup threw a fist in the air, cheering himself on apparently while the surrounding drunken men and women cheered with him. Dahlia came round the table to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Has anybody ever told you how handsome you are?" Dahlia asked while caressing his jaw that had grown a lot of stubble as of the last few months.
"Uh d-duh no, no one has ever said that to me actually." Despite his drunken state, Hiccup's mood had dropped now that he was thinking about all those times he tried to win Astrid's affection only to come up short and be pushed away.
"Aw don't be upset, I think you're handsome."
"Yeah thanks but I don't think I'm cheering up any time soon, I should probably just leave." Before Hiccup could stand up out of his chair, or try to anyway, Dahlia pulled his face towards her and before he even registered this she was kissing him, she was kissing him, a beautiful young woman was kissing Hiccup. He hardly had any time to kiss back before she broke away from him.
"Still wanna leave?" She teased him
"I uh... guess I could stay a little while longer." A small mischievous smirk was growing on Hiccup's face.
"Good, because I've just thought of something special we can do together."
"Lead the way milady." Dahlia took Hiccup by the hand and dragged him up a set of stairs not far from their table, Hiccup stumbled most of the way but managed to make it to the stairs without falling over. The bartender watched from across the room, knowing no doubt what they were up to.
"Well, guess I could hold onto this for him til tha mornin'."
Tavern
The next morning
Hiccup woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and slight nausea, his vision was blurred when he first opened his eyes but soon they adjusted. When his vision cleared the first thing he saw was a wooden ceiling and the first rays of morning light shining through the window.
Hiccup turned onto his other side to try and get some more sleep, then his face came into contact with something soft and silky, it smelled sweet but had a distinct hint of body odour. He opened his eyes to find a mop of blonde hair on his pillow. WAIT. Hair?
Hiccup then noticed he had his arm wrapped around something warm, he looked down and saw a woman laying next to him, but one particular detail made his heart stop for a moment, they were both naked. Hiccup's face turned bright red, he'd done it, he'd actually gone and done it.
This situation had disaster written all over it, if he'd gotten her pregnant he would be tied down for life, he'd be forced to marry and he'd be lucky to ever see anyone from Berk ever again or even Toothless. If he just walked away from this he would be a monster and he'd wouldn't be able to live with himself. What if her father found out, he would be a dead man, that's if the woman herself didn't beat him to it.
"Oh dear Thor, Khaine and Toothless are never gonna let me live this down." Just as he spoke Dahlia was waking up, Hiccup prepared himself for the bombardment of abuse he was about to receive.
"Morning handsome." Her voice was barely above a whisper, she was probably just groggy from being asleep.
"Uh-hi I um- I- so-so we um... Yeah." Hiccup tried his best to look casual but it clearly wasn't working.
"What? Don't you remember what happened last night?" She had a cheeky smile on her face.
"Uhhhhhhhhhh..." Hiccup's face cringed inwards, he was too embarrassed to even say the word.
"Oh don't be like that, we had fun, a lot of fun." Dahlia shuffled over to his side of the bed and hugged him, Hiccup felt even more awkward being able to feel her breasts against his side.
"So you're um... not mad?" Dahlia laughed at his absurd question.
"Why would I be mad, you gave me a night to remember." She said gently drawing circles on his chest with her fingernail.
"B-but what if I-" She quickly silenced him with a deep but brief kiss.
"Don't you go worrying about that, I drink my maidens tea every morning just in case something like this happens, not that I didn't want this to happen or anything."
"Uh, OK that's good, but I've really got to get going." Hiccup tried to wriggle his way out of bed and to the door, but Dahlia pulled him closer and wrapped her legs around his right one.
"Where are you going, off to go find your dragon friend?" Hiccup's entire body stiffened, and not in a good way.
"Wait, wait, dragon friend?"
"Do you seriously not remember anything about last night?"
"Uh no, no I don't."
"Well you told me about your dragon friend, Toothless I think you called him, and the big guy, Khaine, all mighty champion of the underworld, you have quite the imagination when your drunk."
"I do? Yeah I do. Hehehe." Now he was laughing awkwardly, could this get any worse?
"I know that laugh, why are you so nervous?"
"Uh w-well this... has never happened before, no one's ever been remotely interested in me, I never even had any friends back home."
"What? Look at you. You're a woman's dream come true, you're strong, you're handsome, caring, and you respect women." Dahlia came close and whispered in his ear. "And between you and me, you're pretty good in bed too." They both chuckled softly, Dahlia noticed Hiccup's laugh was genuine this time, but she didn't want to tell him and have him go straight back to square one.
"Yeah well I didn't always look like this ya know, I used to be small, skinny, everyone made fun of me because I couldn't even raise a sword."
"Well, I bet you could do that now, you could go back and kick their asses."
"Dahlia, can you keep a secret."
"Uh, yeah sure."
"I... I ran away from home three years ago, and I was heir to the tribe, if I go back now what are they going to think of me."
"Oh... well that... complicates things."
"Yeah, it does. But I will go back, some day."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said, but I left a note for my father before I left saying that I would return some day. Will go back one day, not any time soon, but one day." The two sat in silence for a minute before Dahlia decided to break the tense atmosphere.
"Well this has really killed the mood."
"Yeah... I'm just gonna go if that's OK with you." Hiccup was about to get up and leave when-
"Wait." Dahlia grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Um, OK."
"I can't let you leave knowing you're alone and unhappy."
"Look Dahlia, I can't take you with me."
"I'm not asking to go with you, I'm asking how I can make you feel better."
"Listen, I know you're just trying to help but something like this I need time to get over, not much is gonna make me smile now." Hiccup turned over and stared blankly at the wall.
"I can think of one thing."
"Oh really, and what would tha-" as Hiccup turned over to look at her again she embraced him in a passionate kiss and dragged him back towards her. Just like that, Dahlia had won him all over again.
Hiccup walked through the port with a content smile adorning his face, he still couldn't believe what had happened, he'd actually had a one night stand, sort of. This was like something he would dream about when he lived back on Berk, there were times he feared he would never find anyone who loved him and that he would die alone, everything that had happened in the past three years had changed his perspective completely, and he was all the happier for it.
Hiccup was snapped out of his thoughts when a bird flew right past his face. He looked in the direction from which it came and saw a stall with a sign above it saying "Air mail".
"Air mail?" Send a bird to deliver a message, but how would someone train a bird, they where but simple creatures unlike dragons. But maybe they weren't, maybe he just didn't understand them, just like vikings didn't understand dragons, he walked up to the stall to find out more.
A young woman was stood behind the stall, she regarded him with a warm smile. "Anythin' I can help ya with sir?"
"So these birds can deliver a message anywhere and they will come straight back here, how does that work exactly?"
"Well, each bird is trained to go to a different island in the Archipelago and back, it can take a few days depending on how far the message is going, also its still kind of a 'work in progress' so the bird will fly to the right island but it doesn't always find the right person."
Hiccup wasn't entirely listening to her however, he was thinking about Berk. If he just showed up out of the blue years after running away he would probably be killed on sight for outright treason, he needed to maintain a small connection with them so he could stay in their good books, sort of.
"Could I send a message to Berk?"
"Of course, would ya like me to write it for you?"
"No thanks, I'd rather write it myself." She handed him a stick of charcoal and a piece of paper. Hiccup hoped is father would get this message.
Adressed to Stoick the Vast, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe of Berk
Hey dad, I know its been a few years since I left and I know you probably still hate me for leaving, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm OK.
The past few years have been tough but I've found a couple of friends to watch my back, a rare thing to come across when your on the run and I've found more than a few ways to keep my pockets full.
I know you're probably wondering where I am and when I'll be back, truth is I don't know when I'll be back and I can't tell you where I am now, but don't worry, I promise one day I will come back to Berk, if you'll have me back.
Love from your son
Hiccup
"Hope this works." Hiccup gave the letter over to the woman.
"That would be one gold piece please."
"Huh, oh right." Hiccup dug around in his pockets and found what so happened to be his last gold piece. "Here."
"Thank you." She opened one of the cages and pick out a bird to send the message with, she clamped both the birds wings with one hand while she tied the note to its foot with the other. She released the bird and it shot forth into the sky, becoming a faint dot in the distance. "That should find its way to Berk in a couple days."
"Well thank you for your help."
"No problem, bye." She waved goodbye and Hiccup waved back as he headed back in the direction of the camp.
Hiccup made it back to camp and found no one there.
"Hello, anyone here." Hiccup heard a rustle in the bushes and as soon as he turned around he was tackled to the floor and covered in saliva.
*Hiccup where were you? You were gone all night and you made me worry.*
"Toothless come on bud, you know that doesn't wash out." Hiccup was wringing his hands to get the sticky saliva off.
*I know, that's the idea.*
Before Hiccup had the chance to stand back up, Toothless laid down on top of him, pinning him to the dirt.
"Ow! Hey come on Toothless knock it off. Look I'm sorry for being gone all night, I was... uh... preoccupied, now can you please get off me so can go find Khaine.
*Fine, but you owe me a lot of cod for making me worry so much." Toothless sat back on his hind legs to let Hiccup back up, though he had to stretch his back out from having been sat on by a several hundred pound dragon.
"Well look who decided to drop by." Khaine emerged from the tree line with two big baskets full of fish. "So where were you when we were here waiting for you to come back. I mean I had to hold Toothless down to stop him from taking off into the port to look for you." Now Hiccup felt guilty, he hadn't even thought about them getting worried about him, mainly because he was drunk. Now Khaine was going to shout at him like whenever he did something wrong.
"Hiccup what do we always talk about?" And so began the usual lecture of Khaine explaining to Hiccup why they had to stay hidden from society and Hiccup would usually just ignore him, as much as Khaine tried to make him listen.
"Khaine you don't have to sit me down and have this talk every time I do something you don't like."
"Its not about what I like Hiccup, its about staying safe. For all you knew there could've been someone waiting for who could've attacked you."
"Khaine no one was going to be waiting for me, I've been 'missing' for three years, it would been impossible for anyone to track me down. Besides, two guys picked a fight with me at the bar and I kicked their asses, its not like I'm going to be outmatched if anyone does jump me."
Khaine huffed. "Oh great, now we're gonna have the town guard out searching for us!"
Hiccup's head still hurt from the hangover and Khaine's loud voice was not helping. "Khaine can you keep your voice down, I have a headache."
"How much did you have to drink?"
"Uh... I don't exactly know."
"I suppose you woke up in the back alley or something."
Hiccup, remembering where and who he woke up with, started blushing as an image of Dahlia naked planted itself in his head. Hiccup was praying to every deity he could think of that Khaine didn't notice, Khaine was good at reading people and if he saw him blushing he would quickly put the pieces together and find out what had happened.
Unfortunately the gods were not smiling on him today.
First Khaine's eyes widened, then a smile crept across his face. Hiccup knew he'd figured it out.
"N-no no, stop, its not what you're thinking!"
"Hahahaha! Oh yes it is. You got lucky last night, its written all over your face!" Hiccup's face turned a dark shade off red.
"Alright fine! Maybe I... slept with someone I met at the bar, she was very uh... grateful when I saved her from some guys trying to hurt her. We had a few drinks and things kinda took off from there."
"Well I say you got more than you bargained for, hahaha!" Now that Hiccup was thoroughly embarrassed, Khaine walked over to Hiccup and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"But I'm proud of you, you're not a boy anymore, you're a man now. You have to make your own decisions and learn to accept the consequences that come with them, and that applies to you more than most, one day you will have to rise above all others, to protect the world from those who wish to destroy it. You Hiccup will grown to be a great man." Khaine was always a hardy, disciplined and harsh person, but he could be very caring and inspirational when it counted.
"Wow uh thanks Khaine that's-"
"Which reminds me, if you're gonna save the world then you need to keep up with your training." And the mood dropped like a rock.
"Aw come on, I've still got a headache."
"And now you learn to accept the consequences." Toothless laughed at Hiccup.
*Haha, have fun training. I'll be here laying in the sun if you need me.*
"I don't know why your laughing Toothless, you have to train as well, Hiccup can't save the world on his own now can he."
*But I was just starting to enjoy my day off.* Toothless gave Khaine a pair of adorable puppy eyes to try and persuade him to let him off.
"Nice try Toothless but that trick won't work on me, now get to it, we don't have all day." Toothless stood up from his relaxing position on his back with his ears flattened.
*Fine, but only so Hiccup can't call me a lazy reptile again.*
Berk
Four days later
It had been a long day at the forge for Gobber, he was just closing up shop and every bone in his body ached.
"Am gettin' too old fer this." Ever since the raids started getting worse Gobber's work load had been getting bigger, his old body just couldn't keep up anymore. He'd thought about talking to Stoick about getting a new apprentice but that would mean he would have to clear out Hiccup's old things, he treasured those things, from his ludicrous inventions to his amazingly detailed drawings, these things hardly anyone appreciated about the boy even after he went missing.
But the needs of the village outweighed the need for a few dusty old projects.
"Hope Stoick's in a talkin' mood." Gobber hobbled his way over to the chief's house and up the steps to knock on the door.
"Stoick, ye in, I wanted to talk to ye 'bout ma work in tha forge." Stoick opened the front door, Gobber immediately saw that the chief's cheeks were all red and puffy, tears ran streams down his face.
"Stoick, are ye alright."
"I've never been happier Gobber." Stoick held out a piece of paper to him. "Its from Hiccup."
The blacksmith's eyes were fixed on the letter from that point on until he finished reading it, by that point Gobber was crying as well.
"He's alive?" He couldn't believe it, he'd almost given up hope that he was still alive and now here was proof that he was still out there somewhere.
"He's alive." Stoick invited Gobber in and they cried and discussed what was written in the letter, but they were both over the moon that after all this time when they had sought closure they were granted salvation.
"Ah don't believe it Gobber, three years and he's been out there braving the world."
"Ah know Stoick, tha's the fifth time tonight ye've told me."
"And these friends he's talkin' 'bout, who are they?"
"Ah don't know, but they've probably been keepin' him outta all sorts ah trouble."
"It would've been his eighteenth birthday last week, he would've become a man and I wasn't there to watch ma boy grow up."
"Ah wouldn't worry Stoick, if he's anythin' like how I was at tha age he would've definitely enjoyed himself, haha."
"But tha last part 'will you have me back'?"
"Will ye Stoick?" Stoick look at Gobber as if he were speaking a different language.
"What?"
"Will ye have him back?"
"Gobber, ah prayed to every god ah could think of tha ah would see him again, I'd do anything just to hold him in ma arms again, if course I'd have him back." The two aged men sat in silence until it got late and Gobber had to head back home, both of them slept soundly knowing that the boy they had missed for three years was safe and well.
That will be all for a while, feel free to leave a review if you so wish, until next time.