=Brenna's POV=
(Frjadgr, Tvimandur; Late Night)
(Berk; Haddock Hut)
I can't believe how time has flown. As of four days ago; Hiccup and I have been married for five months. Next month will make it six, and Hiccup is a wonderful husband. All the Chieftains and Heirs were back on their islands; still letting Drage Riddari do this thing to keep the peace. Valka was re-married to Stoick, performed by Hiccup before the Chieftains left. Stoick wanted to make it part of Hiccup's training since he'd had to do stuff like that all the time. Baby blessings, weddings, problem-solving, leading things, etc. So my mother-in-law was officially back in the tribe and living with Stoick. Everything is going well! Hiccup and I even make love more often. Though I do have some concerns and should address them, I'm not sure how to.
Hiccup and I are having trouble conceiving a baby or holding the pregnancy. We try every month and have missed it. Except for once last month; I got pregnant and made it farther than the first time, but only by three weeks. I suffered another loss, and it hit hard. But Hiccup and I got through it together; we took a break the following month. That happened two months ago, but we're going to try again soon. Hiccup promised we'd try until it happened, so I'm sure we'd be taking some nights to ourselves. Hiccup has been busy with Chieftain training lately because his father, I think, wants to make him Chief by the time he turns nineteen.
Hiccup has incorporated Terror Mail among the islands to help everyone stay in contact. Each Chieftain has a Terrible Terror that Hiccup trained to travel around the islands and deliver letters; this is much faster and easier than using the ships and messengers. All the Terrible Terrors know what island is what by name, and who to go to. I have my Terrible Terror; her name is Rose because she's pink on top and white underbelly with red eyes. I use her to talk to my parents and siblings. Hiccup started the idea when everyone met Sharpshot, Hiccup's green terrible terror with yellow eyes. Hiccup had received a message from Johann about something, and Hiccup explained that he trained the Terror to deliver messages to and from others.
So that's how that idea started, and Hiccup managed to do it all in about three days before the Chieftains, and their Heirs left. Things are much easier now, as far as communications with one another and if there needed to be one message to all; Hiccup would take Hookfang to do it and be back within three to four days if he was going to every Tribe. Hiccup would travel in the main directions and branch off until he made it back to Berk; he had a nice method. However, as good as all that was; things are still rocky with Hiccup and me. Not in a sense he's bad to me, but a lot of things don't add up.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Hiccup is Drage Riddari. I know that's a huge thing to think, but I shake the green eyes among other things I've picked up over the months since living on Berk as a member of the Hooligan Tribe. The first clue was the eyes; Hiccup and Drage share the same green eyes. The second thing was how protective he got over me against the Deadly Nadder, assuring that it would not attack me. Third; Hiccup, his mom, and friends were always talking about this other business they had that no one else was allowed to know. The fourth reason is that Hiccup always seemed to disappear or have some lame excuse as to where he was when Drage showed up. The fifth and final; Hiccup will be gone all night long after he thinks I'm asleep. I feel him get up and leave the bed, and he'll be gone for a while. Sometimes all night, sometimes just a few hours, but he leaves, then returns and acts like he never left the bed.
Currently, Hiccup and I are in bed; he thinks I'm asleep, but I'm wide away. I knew I needed to catch him in the act or talking would prove useless. I felt the bed shift a bit as Hiccup got up and moved to get dressed as we'd made love tonight. Not for baby-making; just spur of the moment. Hiccup slipped on his boots and headed to exit the room; this was my chance. I sat up, looking at him.
"Hiccup?" I said, surprising him; I know I did because he jumped. "Where are you going?"
"I, uh…Just for some water, Milady. Kinda hot tonight," Hiccup chuckled a little. "Go on back to sleep," he said. I sighed. "What's wrong? Are you alright?" I didn't know what to say, just come out and ask him?
"Hiccup, please tell me the truth?" I stated. "I know you're not going to get a cup of water…It's so that I'll go back to sleep and you take off for the night; then sneak back in before first light and act like you've been there the entire time," Hiccup tensed a bit at what said. "You ride and train dragons with ease, you vanish during raids when Drage is around, and you're always talking about secret business. Tell me the truth, Hiccup…" I paused. "Are you Drage Riddari?"
"Yes," Hiccup replied firmly. I was shocked; I didn't expect a straightforward response from him. More excuses or him saying no, but he admitted to it! I was about to ask him something else or say we needed to talk, but Hiccup turned his back to me. "I promise we'll talk tomorrow, but for now…Murderous, Peaceable, and Berserker Island are due for raids tonight…And I need to be there to wrangle the dragons, or they will do as they please, and people will get hurt…I can't have that. Is that acceptable?"
"It is," I managed. Hearing Peaceable was supposed to get raided; I couldn't very well tell Hiccup not to go knowing full well he's Drage Riddari and without him, the dragons roam free and terrorize.
"I will be back by morning, try to get some sleep," Hiccup said.
"What about you?" I asked.
"I will be fine. I'm used to it," Hiccup said as he disappeared into the darkness. I sat in the bed, entirely stunned still that Hiccup confessed with no hesitation whatsoever that he was Drage Riddari. I had my suspicions, yes, but I never expected he'd be so open about being asked, and it was different to know you were right. I couldn't explain it, but I guess Hiccup and I were talking later on about all this. I might as well get some sleep, and maybe Hiccup would want to rest a bit when he got back too. I sighed, laying back down and eventually falling to sleep.
. . .
=Hiccup's POV=
(Laugardgr, Tvimandur; Early Morning)
(Berk; Haddock Hut)
I knew I couldn't lie to her. I could have, but I knew it was wrong. Brenna wouldn't have asked me if she didn't have her suspicions, and she made valid points about her claim before I could even try to deter her thoughts. Brenna is my wife; it was wrong to keep things like this from her. I'd debated many times to tell Brenna the truth but backed out feeling she might not understand, or would tell everyone. But she surprised me last night, asking me in private and not freaking out. Of course, Brenna known didn't mean I could stop what I was doing. No; I had a duty as Drage Riddari to help in raids, which is why I promised that I would speak with her today and she agreed.
Sadly; I didn't expect that I would feel ridiculously sick upon returning. It had been another long week of raids in different places; I'm tired, stressed, have a headache, and my stomach is in knots. I needed some sleep bad; I couldn't keep this up forever. I needed to stop the source, which thankfully, I know now. It's a man by the name of Drago Bludvist; he's a madman with a Bewilderbeast trying to build a dragon army to conquer people. Cheerful, right? Mom has dealt with this guy for years, but he's stepped up his game since gaining a Bewilderbeast that he raised to follow his orders and be as ruthless as he is.
I had a Bewilderbeast too, but he didn't like to fight, and I feared Drago's would kill him as he did to my mom's four months ago. As I said to mom when we got free; this kind of attack takes time to plan out. I'd deal with Drago when it was on my terms, not his. For now, all I could do was observe and interfere with raids. Oh, and hide my identity because I couldn't endanger the Hooligans, or anyone else. I didn't mind being the target; I could handle it, but I won't risk anyone else, and Drago didn't know who I was under the mask.
Getting home, I saw that everyone was starting to wake up and start their day. My father would be along soon enough to collect me for training; we were in the phase that I am running the village and he's watching to see how it goes. I know I'm ready to be Chief in the sense that I know the job, but I'm not ready in other means. I have to give up all my spare time, and the raid things are handled yet. I want to become Chief and usher in a new age of peace. I quickly hurried into the house and found Brenna awake and relaxing on the couch with some tea.
"Welcome home, Hiccup," Brenna smiled a little.
"Hi, Milady," I said calmly.
"How did…The raid on Peaceable go?" Brenna inquired. I knew why she asked that; her family lived there.
"Not too bad, only dealt with about fifteen dragons there. Peaceable is the island I just returned from; it was the last raid I did. Berserker first, Murderous second, and then random raid that I flew past was Visithug. That one didn't take long to deal with," I informed.
"Does that often happen, random raids?" Brenna asked.
"Not always; I have a schedule down for what islands get raided on which nights," I said, yawning.
"I'm sorry; you just got home, and I'm harassing you about stuff," Brenna frowned.
I waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to not getting sleep, I don't feel right now," I told him.
"Oh, go get some rest then. We can talk after," Brenna offered.
"Dad will be here soon," I sighed.
"Hiccup, if you're sick; then you need to sleep. Go upstairs and rest; I will get your dad off your back," Brenna smiled, kissing my cheek. "Go, go…I got it," she assured. I suppose I couldn't argue; I did need to rest.
"Alright, thanks," I said before giving a small smile and heading up to the bedroom to maybe take a hot bath, and then sleep for a few hours; that's all I needed. Hopefully, I'd feel a lot better afterward.
=Normal POV=
No sooner than Hiccup went upstairs; Brenna heard the knock from Stoick. Brenna made her way over to the door and opened it to see Stoick.
"Morning, Stoick," Brenna greeted.
"Morning, lass," Stoick smiled. "Where's Hiccup?" he asked.
Brenna smiled softly. "I think you might have to solo today, Stoick. Hiccup isn't feeling well," Stoick frowned. "He went to bed early last night and woke up late. Complained of being tired still, his stomach and head bothering him," she informed. Before Stoick could reply; puking was heard upstairs. "And that just started,"
"I understand. Take care of him; I'll check in later, or his mother will," Stoick stated.
"I will!" Brenna smiled at him. Stoick turned and left as Brenna closed the door. Brenna finished a few things up on the main level before moving upstairs to check on Hiccup. "Hang in there?" she asked while seeing him in the restroom, sitting in the bath.
"Bath is helping the soreness," Hiccup said. "Stomach and head hurt. How did dad take to hearing I'm sick?"
"Told me to take care of you and he'll check in later," Brenna smiled.
"I should start having you deal with him when I can't do training. Doesn't seem to give you trouble," Hiccup mumbled as he ducked under the water once more, rinsing off the soap from his hair and body. Brenna grabbed a towel and handed it to Hiccup as he wrapped himself up in it and exited the restroom. Hiccup quickly dried off and got dressed before sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Are you alright?" Brenna sat beside him now.
"I'm exhausted, and I feel like I'm gonna throw up again…" Hiccup mumbled, jerking a bit and bringing a hand to his mouth, but no puking. Hiccup swallowed it as Brenna played with the back of his hair.
"You need to get some rest, Hiccup," Brenna said. Hiccup nodded, laying back on the bed as Brenna covered him up. "If you need anything, just give a call to me," she added.
"Okay, thanks, Milady…" Hiccup tried to smile. Brenna drew the curtains shut, gathering a few things, and she left now darkened room as Hiccup drifted off to sleep in mere moments. And he desperately hoped he would feel better when he woke up again.