The Dragon Whisperer

Hiccup stretched as he woke up. He and Astrid had been up late telling her dad their story. He hadn't once blown up at her, accepting it all and agreeing with many of their choices. Alvar was so different from his wife, who had rejected his and Astrid's relationship, but he accepted it. He was sad that Astrid would have no family soon, but he had promised Alvar to take care of her.

He looked over to his side, seeing Toothless sleeping on the floor. He knew Stormfly was on the other side of the table they were sleeping on, protecting them from any perceived harm.

He nudged Astrid, who was resting on his chest, waking her up. "Morning," she said tiredly. "What time is it?"

"Not sure, but I am hungry and would like to eat," Hiccup answered.

"So have the dragons get breakfast," Astrid said.

"They aren't exactly animals we can order around, you know that," Hiccup reminded.

"Don't care, still tired," Astrid said, lying her head back down.

Hiccup sighed. He stretched his arm out and managed to scratch Toothless behind his ear flaps. He kept scratching until the Night Fury woke up.

He yawned, opening his mouth and stretching. "What is it?" he asked.

"Can you get us some breakfast? I don't think Goethi wants us walking on our own outside the Great Hall," Hiccup requested.

"Fine," Toothless grumbled. "Only because the cranky old lady says so. Come on, Stormfly." Toothless took three paces before he realized the Nadder wasn't following. "Um… Stormfly?"

Hiccup looked over and realized that Stormfly was still fast asleep. "I think you might have to get some fish for her, too," Hiccup guessed.

Toothless grumbled as he walked away. He made sure he didn't step on any of the sleeping Vikings that had yet to wake up.

By the time Toothless returned, Astrid had finally woken up. He laid down three fish for the humans before he started eating from the pile he had brought in his mouth. "I'm not getting any fish for Stormfly," he said. "She can have one of the dragons out catching fish for the others do it."

"Um, bud, we can't eat fish raw, remember?" Hiccup reminded, holding up one of the slimy fish.

Toothless rolled his eyes before grabbing the fish and flash cooking them. "Don't expect me to always do this for you. When you're both better, you can do it yourselves."

Hiccup took one of the fish and started eating, Astrid doing the same. Stormfly woke up eventually and Toothless told her to get her own fish.

After they finished eating, they watched as several Vikings got up to begin working. They had overheard conversations about rebuilding the village by cutting down trees to get the needed wood, though without the forge they wouldn't have much metal, so that was being repaired first.

Gobber eventually came around to greet the couple. "Mornin', glad to see yer both up," he said.

"Hey," Hiccup greeted, Astrid giving a sadder one. "What's going on?"

"Well, I just need to get some measurements from the both of you so I can design your new legs," Gobber said.

"I've got a few ideas for our prosthetics," Hiccup said. "If I could have some parchment, I could sketch the designs for you."

"I've already got a good idea for your new legs. They can't be too fancy, though. I've got orders up to my skivvies. Mostly bolts and hinges, but various other things, like weapons." Gobber held up a rope. "Now, if you can show me your legs, I can get to work."

Hiccup took off the cloak, allowing Gobber to use the rope to measure what was left of their limbs, along with the other leg to get a good idea as to how tall to make them.

Goethi came up a moment after Gobber was done. "Alright, that's everything. I'll get to work as soon as I've got a chance." Gobber then noticed Goethi. "Ah, you here on your rounds?"

Goethi nodded, though Hiccup noticed that she looked anxious to say something. Before she could even begin to write on the ground, Stoick and Valka came up.

"Glad to you see you're up, son," Stoick said. "Your mother and I were just taking care of a few things outside. Be glad you can't leave yet, it's a mess out there."

"Well, they can't leave until they've got two legs, and they can't get a second because I'm too busy making stuff for the rest of the village. All. By. Myself," Gobber said.

"Goethi will decide when they're ready to leave," Valka reminded.

The short woman banged her staff to get their attention. "What is it?" Gobber asked. Goethi wrote on the ground, Gobber reading her writing. As he read, his face fell.

"What is it?" Astrid asked.

Gobber looked up, his expression pitying. "Your father is dead," he said bluntly. "He passed away in his sleep."

Astrid looked down, the joyful mood gone with that.

"Do you have any other family?" Valka asked.

Astrid shook her head. "My uncle died ten years ago and any other close relatives I had died in the various raids."

Hiccup laid a hand on her shoulder, and she buried her face in his chest. She didn't cry, as she felt she had spent all her tears already. "I'm all alone, now," she whimpered.

"Not alone," Hiccup said. "I promised your dad I would take care of you, and I will."

Stoick watched and knew Hiccup was serious. Astrid had no family and her home was burned, so she would have nowhere else to go. Stoick laid a large hand on her shoulder. "As will I. If my son has made a promise to your father, then I will aid that. You must stay with me in my hut, when it's rebuilt."

Astrid pulled away, nodding. "Yes, sir," she said, gratitude coloring her tone.

"Call me Stoick," he insisted.

Gobber looked between the exchange, surprised, but also concerned. He heard Valka promise the same, then Goethi gestured for them to leave so she could get to work. The three left the Great Hall, walking out into the ash-coated ruins of the village. Huts had been reduced to piles of ash, and Vikings were combing through the layers of ash, looking for anything that could be salvaged. Dragons were also flying about, aiding by using their wings to blow the ash piles away, some were out at sea catching fish and leaving them in a pile in a dirt patch so they could eat, the humans able to take as much as they wanted as well.

They walked to a cliff where the Bewilderbeast was resting. Valka leapt onto Cloudjumper and flew up to check him out. As she did, Gobber spoke to Stoick.

"You know you can't have Astrid living under the same roof as you," Gobber said.

"And why not?" Stoick questioned. He had already made up his mind and this was a way to fix the damage he had caused to them both.

"She's not kin and she's almost a woman to boot," Gobber pointed out. "She's also too old for you to adopt and Valka will be living with you again."

"Valka hasn't said anything about that, but she is agreeable to having Astrid around," Stoick rebutted.

"But what about the other tribes?" Gobber reminded. "Some of them might not like that you have an unmarried woman living with you that isn't related to you by blood. Having Astrid live with you can cause all sorts of problems."

"But she's all alone, Gobber. She has no home and now no family. If I don't, what will become of her then?" Stoick questioned. The two were unaware that the Bewilderbeast was watching the exchange with interest.

"I know you care for her and so does Hiccup, but she can't stay with you," Gobber restated.

Valka had Cloudjumper land next to them. "We can't not offer her support," Valka said. "There must be a way to help her."

"I wish there was, but we need to rebuild the entire village to boot," Gobber said, gesturing to the ash-coated remains. "I'm not against it, but tradition says that you can't have her live with you, and she won't be able to rebuild her own hut, either."

The Bewilderbeast set one of his tusks down to get their attention. "Valka, if you would translate?" he asked. She nodded. "I cannot help but overhear your dilemma. Is it really not possible for her to live with you without social repercussions?"

Stoick sighed, facing the Bewilderbeast. "If it were just my tribe, yes. But eventually, the others will learn and they may take exception to my choice to adopt a girl into my family. As I am the chief, that would make the position of heir confusing, as she and Hiccup are the same age."

The Bewilderbeast hummed in thought. "You should not discard Astrid. If it were not for her, I would not have come. She is the one who ultimately convinced me to come to your aid. You owe her much."

"That won't matter much," Stoick said. "She's not kin, and that makes it difficult to have her in my family. I'm not sure there is a way."

The Bewilderbeast snorted. "Human rules. So difficult at times. I suppose I must learn many of them if I wish to stay. Perhaps I can help you find a way around those rules."

"How? You don't know them," Stoick asked.

"But you do. As an alpha, I assume you know many, if not all, of the rules."

"I do," he confirmed.

The Bewilderbeast laid his tusk down next to Stoick. "Then may I have your permission to examine your mind and analyze the rules?"

Stoick was taken aback by that. "You can do that?" Even Gobber looked surprised after Valka had translated.

"Only if you make direct contact. Humans are much harder than dragons to mentally examine, so you must lay your paw on my tusk for me to look into your mind."

"This… won't hurt, will it?"

The Bewilderbeast chuckled. "I am told it is a painless experience and I have enough power and skill to do it without the subject knowing. It is why I ask for permission. I limit myself and my subjects can rest easy knowing they will never be invaded and never know."

Stoick looked at the tusk next to him, worried about this. Ultimately, he decided to go ahead with it. "Okay, you have my permission, but only examine the rules to find a loophole to this problem."

"Very well. Lay your paw on my tusk when you are ready." Stoick anxiously rubbed his fingers together before placing his hand on the dragon's large tusk. At once, he felt something happen and then heard the Bewilderbeast's voice in his head. "Your mind is quite interesting," the dragon said to him. "You are older than Valka, so you have more in your mind."

"This is incredible," Stoick breathed. "But it won't… do anything, will it?"

"No. I'm careful enough that I won't leave any residual scars. Now, as I am examining your memories, perhaps we could discuss the potential future of our coexistence?"

"You can do both of those at the same time?" Stoick was more amazed than ever. Was there no limit to what this dragon could do? As he thought that, he remembered how bad this dragon's fight with the Red Death went. He does have limits.

"Yes. It is a trait of my species. I am very capable of doing more than one thing. Now then, as my nest is gone, I have been searching for a new one. When your village is repaired, might we stay? I vow that we will not get in your way and we can even aid your people. I have fished for those under my care for centuries, it would be no bother to do the same for you."

"I suppose, so long as you don't hurt my people," Stoick said.

"I will request the same condition for mine."

"That will be acceptable."

"We are much alike, it seems. We are both large compared to our respective peoples, both leaders, and quite old for our kind."

Stoick couldn't argue that, though he wasn't going to comment on the slight insults to both his weight and age.

"I also request, that in all manners pertaining to dragons, I must have absolute authority. I will also have your mate, Valka, speak for me in the village as your kind cannot understand us. I also see you have something of a council. I request that I represent my people on this council."

"Not sure how that last one could possibly work. We normally hold our meetings in the Great Hall, and you would have problems getting through the door, let alone staying in it."

"Then Valka will speak for me in that. I trust her enough to make the same choices I would make."

"Very well. I will agree to all of that."

"Good. Now then, I have finished my examination and I have found a solution to your problem."

"What is it?" Stoick wondered what a dragon that had little contact with human culture could come up with that two Vikings who knew all the rules could not.

"It is an odd rule, but I suppose it works in the long run. According to your rules, she could live with her husband or rather future husband's family if she has no home of her own. There are reasons for that, but those are not relevant to this, as she has nothing anyways."

"Yes."

"Well, do you not have a son, who is in love with her and she reciprocates the feelings and has for quite some time?" Stoick's jaw dropped at that. "Hiccup and Astrid have already had something of a betrothal, though it was a false one. You could make it real this time."

"But… normally a chief's son marries to seal an alliance or gain power. Astrid has…"

"Nothing, I know. But there are other ways to gain both of those. Far better ways as well. I have not examined Hiccup's mind, but Astrid is not averse to the idea of marrying him. What is to stop them from being betrothed?"

Stoick couldn't think of anything to negate that. Apparently, the only thing that had stopped them before was Ingrid, and she was dead. They could actually be together like they wanted and as she had no home or family, by law, he would have to offer her his home to stay in. "That will work. Thank you."

"You are most welcome." The Bewilderbeast pulled his tusk away, and Stoick felt the connection break.

"I overheard," Valka said.

"I didn't," Gobber said. "What will work?"

"I'll explain later. I have to tell them." Stoick marched up to the Great Hall, eager to tell his son and his girlfriend the news.

Stoick reached the Great Hall and he walked over to the table where the young couple were resting. Toothless and Stormfly were apparently conversing with them, the dragons occasionally nuzzling Astrid. He walked up and Hiccup saw him first.

"Dad? What are you doing back so soon?" he asked.

"I need to speak with you both," Stoick explained. He clasped his hands together and took a breath. "I have promised to take care of you, Astrid. However, the laws of our tribe make that difficult. As you are not my daughter or kin in any way, I cannot offer you permanent residence. Additionally, you are beyond the age where I can adopt you."

"What are you saying?" Astrid asked. Stoick knew he was going to have to do this carefully. Astrid looked really fragile right now and saying the wrong thing could utterly break her.

"Do not worry Astrid, it is not all bad. Because of our laws, just letting you live in my hut can't be done, as it would be difficult to explain to the other tribes why I have taken you in. But, with the Bewilderbeast's help, I have found a way around that."

"What?" Astrid asked.

"Fortunately, the laws do permit me to have an unrelated woman in my hut if she is engaged to someone in my family." Stoick looked pointedly at Hiccup, who's eyes widened.

"Me?" Hiccup asked.

"We don't have to wed you two yet, but you can be engaged and it would allow Astrid to live with us, and frankly, son, it is time. Normally, I would arrange a contract, but Astrid's parents are both dead, and I would prefer if you both agreed to it instead."

The couple looked at each other, taken away. Marriage had seemed impossible and while they were both too young to really think about it like that, they had already agreed to be betrothed to one another. "Well, Astrid?" Hiccup asked. "What do you think? I'm all for it, but you should make the choice yourself."

Astrid seemed to stutter before she responded. "I-I'm not entirely sure. I never thought we could be, you know. It seemed impossible and I was happy to just be your girlfriend, but fiancé?"

"Does that mean no?" Hiccup asked, disappointed.

"Well, it's just… I never really thought we could be anything more than secret lovers, but I would very much love to spend my life with you. I do love you, and I would love to be married someday, but not today."

"So is that yes?" Hiccup asked, now confused.

"Well, yes," she said after a moment. "Yes, I would love to marry you, very much."

Hiccup hugged her, happy beyond words.

Stoick chuckled after they pulled apart. "Very good. I'll announce the betrothal soon. There's something else we must do first." He turned and left before the couple could ask any questions. Astrid hugged Hiccup, smiling.

"It's not going to happen for a while, I'm sure," she said.

"No. Considering the village has to be repaired first, we aren't going to be married for at least a year, maybe more."

"Well, whatever happens, at least we'll be together now," Astrid said.

Hiccup wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah, always together."

End of Chapter 29