Chapter 14: His Worst Nightmare
The first part of this takes place during HTTYD3, what would have occurred, had Grimmel shot Becky with a dart filled with Deathgripper venom. Contains spoilers for How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. The rest of this takes place after HTTYD3, but just before Eret and Becky's child is born. I'll let you know when it takes place after HTTYD3.
"Patience, Griselda. I have a new plan on how to get Hiccup's Night Fury. Involving the annoying one's sister." Grimmel says, taking out a dart with Deathgripper venom.
~.~
"Eret, get Becky out of here. Now. If she gets hit with that venom…" Hiccup turns and sees me cradling my now unconscious wife in my arms.
A dart sticking out of her arm.
Hiccup rushes over and pulls the dart out of Becky's arm.
"We need a doctor! Now!"
"Oh, your doctors can't do anything for her, Chief. Once the venom is spread into her veins, the effects won't wear off for a few hours. She'll be under my control when she wakes up. If she wakes up." Grimmel says on his airship. Hiccup turns to face him.
"You're heartless enough to poison a pregnant woman? That's a new low, even for you."
"Oh, but I'm just getting started." Hiccup turns and sees Toothless following the Light Fury.
"Toothless! Come back!"
Toothless continues to run towards the Light Fury but then Grimmel points his bow at Toothless, who gets ready to fire a plasma blast but Grimmel shoots first, knocking him unconscious.
"No!"
Grimmel captures Toothless and the Light Fury, Toothless roaring at the other dragons to not follow.
Meanwhile…
"We can't risk moving her, Eret. The venom will spread that much quicker." Valka says.
"What can be done to save her?"
"Healers are working on an antidote as we speak."
"And the baby?"
"We won't know if the baby has been affected until it's born. What Grimmel has done may cause premature labor."
"No…I should've been the one to get hit. Not her. Why do the gods keep punishing her? She's done nothing wrong!"
"That I don't know, Eret. But the best we can do is pray and hope for the best. She may develop a fever before the real effects begin."
"What are the real effects?"
"She'll be controlled by Grimmel, if he gets near her. If he does…the results won't be good, I can tell you that."
"What can be done to stop her from being controlled?"
"Keeping an eye on her. Making sure there are no sharp objects around so she can't harm herself or any of us."
Becky sits up, awake but dazed. She draws her sword…
"My love, what are you doing?"
"Doing what Grimmel wants. Causing great pain to Hiccup and his family and friends."
She says it completely monotone…
Before plunging her sword into her stomach. She collapses.
Dead.
"NO!"
I'm suddenly knocked on my back, and a branding iron is put on my chest.
By Drago.
"Wake up…wake up. Please, for the love of Thor, wake up!"
I bolt up, shaken awake by Ruffnut.
"R-Ruffnut?"
"You fell asleep. They've given Becky the antidote."
"Is she going to be alright?"
"We don't know yet. And we don't know about the baby either."
I sit up. Ruffnut sits next to me.
We've since moved Becky to Gothi's tent.
"This is all my fault. If only I'd looked back…"
I don't respond.
"That baby could be gone because of me. Gods, I hate myself!"
I've never seen Ruffnut more defeated.
"Don't you dare talk like that, Ruffnut Thorston! That baby couldn't be gone because of you. It'd be all because of Grimmel, and him alone."
"But I blabbed about Becky, and how she tried to kill herself before she was taken in…how you guys were expecting a baby…about Drago…"
"We've all made mistakes, Ruffnut. But Grimmel reacted in a way that you couldn't have expected."
I look back and see Valka and my mother-in-law at Becky's bedside, keeping her cool as the fever drags on.
"Eret…she's waking up." Valka says, turning to look at me.
Ruffnut and I immediately rush over, Tuffnut following. He's been outside the tent, pacing.
"Mmmm…mmmm…"
"Shhh. It's alright, dear. You're going to be alright." Lily says, stroking back her daughter's hair.
"Baby?"
"We won't know for sure until the baby's born."
"When will that be?" I ask.
"We don't know for sure, Eret. Could be in two months, could be sooner." Valka says.
A panic attack suddenly forms in Becky as her chronic pain takes over.
"Easy…easy…breathe, sis. You've got to breathe."
"Dear, I don't think that was your chronic pain. I think that was a contraction."
"Real?"
"I don't know, sweetheart."
Some time passes and the pains do come back.
"I think this baby might be coming a couple months early."
"Not ready."
"I know. I know. But we don't have a choice here, dear."
"Eret…"
"Shhh. I'm here, my love. I'm right here."
"Go. I don't want you to suffer through this, too."
"But, my love…"
"Please."
I leave and wait outside the tent with my brother-in-law.
I see Astrid and Hiccup talking up ahead.
Hours pass as Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs leave to rescue the dragons.
The baby still hasn't come.
With every wail of agony from my wife, comes another step in my pacing.
Night comes, and Valka steps out of the tent, covered in blood.
"Valka, is she alright? Is the baby alright?"
"I'm…I'm so sorry, Eret. Neither of them made it."
"No…no…gods, no…"
I break down, not knowing what to do.
The riders come back with the dragons, but I barely notice, even as Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs walk over to us.
"How's Becky doing?" Hiccup asks.
I look up and shake my head, tears falling down my cheeks.
"Oh, my gods." Astrid says.
"Grimmel will pay for this. He'll pay for killing my Becky and our baby."
"Eret, Grimmel's gone. He drowned."
"Eret?" I look up and see my mother-in-law.
"Would you like to hold your daughter?"
I numbly nod and take my lifeless daughter from Lily.
So beautiful.
Eret…
Eret…
Eret!
(After HTTYD3)
I bolt up in bed, shakily breathing, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Baby, you okay?" Becky asks me.
"I just had one of the worst nightmares." I lean on my wife and she wraps her arms around me as best she can.
"What about?"
"Grimmel…he shot you with a dart filled with Deathgripper venom…and…and the baby came early after you fought off the venom…neither of you made it…"
"Oh, Eret. I'm so sorry."
"It was a girl."
"It was?"
"Yeah."
"Wow. Are you okay?"
"I think so."
A few silent minutes pass before Becky puts a hand to her belly.
"Baby, you okay?"
"I think I just felt an actual contraction."
"Are you sure?"
"No. I won't know unless I feel another one and they increase in strength. I'll let you know."
"Okay."
"You nervous?"
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Of course not, Eret."
"Are…are you nervous?"
"A little bit, even if this is my second baby. But as long as I've got you around, I'll be okay."
"I feel the same way about you."
