p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Chapter 1/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD or any of its characters. All rights go to DreamWorks Animation, Dean DeBlois and Cressida Cowell. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"So, before we begin emMeans of the Eternal, /emI'd like to point out something. Please imagine T.J. Miller as the voice of Tuffnut while you're reading, not Justin Rupple. T.J. will always be Tuffnut in my eyes, and I'm sure some of you feel the same./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Also, this story will take place in Eret's POV./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"On with the story!/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"(Eret's POV)/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"This is Berk. A stunning, one-styled, all expenses paid dream destination. So settle in and let your worries melt away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Well, most of your worries, anyway. In my case, at least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"I'm Eret. More commonly known as Eret, Son of Eret. My full name is Eret William Nordisk, Jr. I'm new to Berk, only been here a year or so. I'm married to the gorgeous love of my life, Becky, who is currently seven months pregnant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"In the seven months prior, Becky had been experiencing mood swings, throwing up, cravings, tiredness, among other things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"We both had a hunch that we were expecting, but we couldn't be sure until the fifth month when we'd feel movement. As soon as we felt movement during that fifth month right around Becky's 22nd birthday, we went to Gothi, the village healer, who confirmed our suspicions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Just two months to go until Becky's a mother for the second time and I'm a father for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"This is our home. The service here soars, cuisine's fiery, and the locals – the dragons, at least – are as colorful as you get. Any run of the mill paradise boasts beaches and sunshine. Well, not us. We've got something no one else can touch. We, dear reader, have dragons. Lots and lots of dragons!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Becky and I are currently putting things together in the baby's room…well, I am, since someone isn't supposed to be doing any heavy –/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Hey! My love, how many times do I have to tell you? No heavy lifting." I tell her as she tries to lift a heavy crate full of toys./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know. I know. But while you were over there talking to yourself…or Odin knows who…I thought I'd give you a hand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""You heard what Gothi said…sort of…no heavy lifting. It could cause premature birth and a low birth weight. You're already high risk being born premature yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I hear you. I hear you loud and clear. I'll go keep working on the baby's stuffed Thunderclaw."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Good. I don't want anything happening to you or the baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""The baby is fine. I'm fine. Oooh." Becky puts a hand to her belly. I immediately go over to her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Are you alright, darling?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I'm okay. I'm fine. That was just a practice contraction."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Are you sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Eret, I have gone through this before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Every pregnancy and labor are different, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know. I know. But trust me, I know what real contractions feel like. I'll be okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""If you're sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I am."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know how worried you are about this baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Worried? Who said anything about me being worried? I'm not worried." Becky says, before getting up in my face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Why? Are people talking about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""People do talk, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""What are they saying?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I don't really pay attention…" Becky glares at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""People have been saying that you're not strong enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Even after everything I went through with Dr…with Dr…with you-know-who?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Honey, it's been a year since we've been free. He is gone. Surely you can say his name."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I can't. I just can't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Can we just move on? Before I get stressed out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"I nod and she gets back to work on the stuffed Thunderclaw for our child, and I get back to work on setting up the baby's room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD or any of its characters. All rights go to DreamWorks Animation, Dean DeBlois and Cressida Cowell. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"So, before we begin emMeans of the Eternal, /emI'd like to point out something. Please imagine T.J. Miller as the voice of Tuffnut while you're reading, not Justin Rupple. T.J. will always be Tuffnut in my eyes, and I'm sure some of you feel the same./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Also, this story will take place in Eret's POV./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"On with the story!/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongspan style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"(Eret's POV)/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"This is Berk. A stunning, one-styled, all expenses paid dream destination. So settle in and let your worries melt away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Well, most of your worries, anyway. In my case, at least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"I'm Eret. More commonly known as Eret, Son of Eret. My full name is Eret William Nordisk, Jr. I'm new to Berk, only been here a year or so. I'm married to the gorgeous love of my life, Becky, who is currently seven months pregnant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"In the seven months prior, Becky had been experiencing mood swings, throwing up, cravings, tiredness, among other things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"We both had a hunch that we were expecting, but we couldn't be sure until the fifth month when we'd feel movement. As soon as we felt movement during that fifth month right around Becky's 22nd birthday, we went to Gothi, the village healer, who confirmed our suspicions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Just two months to go until Becky's a mother for the second time and I'm a father for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"This is our home. The service here soars, cuisine's fiery, and the locals – the dragons, at least – are as colorful as you get. Any run of the mill paradise boasts beaches and sunshine. Well, not us. We've got something no one else can touch. We, dear reader, have dragons. Lots and lots of dragons!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"Becky and I are currently putting things together in the baby's room…well, I am, since someone isn't supposed to be doing any heavy –/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Hey! My love, how many times do I have to tell you? No heavy lifting." I tell her as she tries to lift a heavy crate full of toys./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know. I know. But while you were over there talking to yourself…or Odin knows who…I thought I'd give you a hand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""You heard what Gothi said…sort of…no heavy lifting. It could cause premature birth and a low birth weight. You're already high risk being born premature yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I hear you. I hear you loud and clear. I'll go keep working on the baby's stuffed Thunderclaw."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Good. I don't want anything happening to you or the baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""The baby is fine. I'm fine. Oooh." Becky puts a hand to her belly. I immediately go over to her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Are you alright, darling?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I'm okay. I'm fine. That was just a practice contraction."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Are you sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Eret, I have gone through this before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Every pregnancy and labor are different, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know. I know. But trust me, I know what real contractions feel like. I'll be okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""If you're sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I am."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I know how worried you are about this baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Worried? Who said anything about me being worried? I'm not worried." Becky says, before getting up in my face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Why? Are people talking about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""People do talk, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""What are they saying?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I don't really pay attention…" Becky glares at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""People have been saying that you're not strong enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Even after everything I went through with Dr…with Dr…with you-know-who?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Honey, it's been a year since we've been free. He is gone. Surely you can say his name."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""I can't. I just can't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;""Can we just move on? Before I get stressed out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"I nod and she gets back to work on the stuffed Thunderclaw for our child, and I get back to work on setting up the baby's room./span/p