A/N: Alright folks, a little later than intended, but here is chapter 3. Thank you to NaddersoftheStar and FictionLOver11 for the reviews on the previous chapter. Hope everyone enjoys!
Disclimer: I do not own HTTYD or any of the characters, Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks do.
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"So, what's your name?"
The girl's question took Hiccup aback slightly.
"H-huh?" he asked, wondering if he had heard her right.
"Your name?" the girl raised her dark eyebrows. "You do have one, I imagine."
"Yeah, I do," he replied. "Hiccup."
"Hiccup?" the girl smirked. "Just Hiccup?"
Hiccup didn't feel comfortable laying out his life's story before a total stranger, even if that stranger might be able to provide him and Toothless shelter. After all, she hadn't given him many reasons to trust her.
"Yes," he answered in a snarky tone. "I'll bet you have a name too, and since I already told you mine, I wouldn't mind you telling me yours."
"My name is Idunnr Thorvaldsdottir," the girl said. "My father, Thorvald, is the chief of the Ice-Shelf Isles. And I don't know why, but for some reason, I feel like he might be very interested to meet you."
Before Hiccup could say a word, Idunnr's gaze fell upon Toothless, who visibly bristled under her stare and glowered at her.
"Toothless," Hiccup tossed the Night Fury a look of warning.
Toothless's gaze shifted to him and the dragon whined softly.
"I don't care if she started it," Hiccup frowned.
"What is that on the dragon's back?" Idunnr asked.
"You mean the saddle?"
"Saddle?" Idunnr's grey eyes widened. "You mean you…ride this thing?"
"Alright, first off, I will thank you to stop referring to him as a 'beast' or a 'thing'," Hiccup said firmly. "He can understand you, and he does have feelings too. Second, yes, I am able to ride him."
"I've never known of any man able to ride a dragon," Idunnr's tone was a combination of uncertain and impressed. "So, you're a dragon conqueror then…"
"I don't know if I'd put it exactly like that, but-"
"Oh, yes!" Idunnr grinned. "My father will definitely want to meet you, Hiccup!"
For a few moments, the two teens and dragon walked along the tundra-like landscape, and before long Hiccup could see a village coming into view.
The houses were built very unlike the ones back on Berk; they had timber frames, with walls of wattle and daub and thatched roofs, which while somewhat similar to the style Hiccup had seen in his former home, was completely off-set by the turf lining the lower portions of the walls.
"Mornin', Idunnr!" called a boy who looked to be much younger than Hiccup and Idunnr.
"Mornin' to you, Horik!" Idunnr greeted. "I see you're up and about. Finally, huh?"
"Feeling much better today," Horik grinned. "Thanks to you!"
"It's what I do, little one!" Idunnr laughed. "You get back in before your mother comes out here and scolds us both!"
"Alright," Horik frowned, but nodded and retreated into one of the odd-looking houses.
"That boy's going to get sick again if he's out too long," Idunnr muttered as she sighed and shook her head.
"What did he mean, that he felt better 'thanks to you'?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow.
"If you must know, I'm a healer," Idunnr answered, but she did not elaborate. And from the cold look in her eyes, Hiccup decided it would be best not to ask.
Soon, they came to a house a bit bigger than most of the rest in what appeared to be the center of the village. The curved walls almost made the roof look like a ship flipped on its head. The walls were either made from clay or wood planks, also lined with turf along the lower halves.
Idunnr walked up to the door, but before she pushed it open, she turned to Hiccup.
"Your dragon will have to wait outside," she said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Toothless rumbled in protest, but Hiccup patted his head gently.
"It'll be okay, Bud," he muttered and gave him a lopsided smile to set him at ease. "You'll be right out here. It'll be fine."
In truth, he did not know if that would be the case, but they couldn't afford to be choosy.
Toothless grumbled, but complied and sat down, watching as Hiccup followed Idunnr and she pushed the great wooden door open.
"Father, I have somewhere here you must meet," she spoke as she and Hiccup entered.
"By all means," a great, booming voice replied.
As the door closed, Hiccup was immediately greeted with the smell of burning firewood and roasted pork. His stomach rumbled in desperation at the aroma.
"And who are you?" the booming voice asked.
As Hiccup glanced in the direction of the voice, his eyes landed upon a man sitting in a carved chair near the firepit.
The man was a bear-like figure with an immense black beard that ended at the man's chest, portions of it braided and the braids fastened with what appeared to be silver rings. He also had equally black hair, half of it pulled back and the rest left to fall down his shoulders and halfway down his back. His eyes, which were a steely blue regarded Hiccup as he stood up from the carved chair.
He wore a dark grey woolen tunic, brown trousers, and a pair of boots trimmed with what looked to be bear fur. And hanging from the great leather belt about his waist, a large knife.
"My name is Hiccup," Hiccup answered before hastily adding "Sir."
"Hiccup, eh?" the chief chuckled.
"He is a dragon conqueror, Father," Idunnr stated, trying to keep her tone steady, but Hiccup could hear the excitement in her words. "He brought his beast with him. I saw it with my own eyes, it's just outside."
"Actually, if I could-" Hiccup tried to speak over her, but he was immediately cut off.
"Idunnr, let the boy speak!" the chief thundered before turning back to the boy. "Go on then."
"I do have a dragon with me," Hiccup began hesitantly, "I'm not his master or conqueror. He is my friend. If anything, I'm a dragon…trainer."
For a moment, Chief Thorvald looked incredulous at this, but then he tossed back his head and let out a hearty laugh.
"Dragon Trainer, is it?" he asked through his guffaws. "Well, let's have a look at this dragon of yours, boy. Did you train a little Terrible Terror to fetch for you?"
Hiccup looked to Idunnr, who merely shook her head and pressed a finger to her lips before grinning again, a glint of mischief in those silvery eyes.
Almost immediately Hiccup understood, but it didn't make him feel any less uneasy; he knew Idunnr was counting on her father being shocked at seeing Toothless. And yet, she seemed to hate Toothless.
Girls had confused him before, but this was ridiculous.
The moment Thorvald exited the dwelling, he caught sight of Toothless.
"Great beard of Thor!" he roared. "What kind of dragon is that?!"
"That would be a Night Fury, chief," Hiccup answered as Toothless bounded toward him.
"The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…" Thorvald muttered dumbfoundedly.
"Yes, that would be the one," Hiccup answered dryly.
"You are a Dragon Conqueror!" Thorvald laughed and clapped Hiccup on the shoulder, earning a slight wince from the thin teen.
"Like I said, more of a Dragon Trainer," Hiccup said once more.
"Well, as long as you don't bring a whole army of them here, I suppose there wouldn't be harm in letting you stay," Thorvald said, seemingly oblivious to what Hiccup had just told him, which reminded the latter a bit eerily of his own father. "Especially if you could keep them from attacking. We don't have much trouble with them here, but when we do, it's bad."
"My mother was killed in a dragon attack," Idunnr stated bitterly, tossing a dirty look at Toothless, which the Night Fury returned in kind.
Hiccup felt a sense of empathy for the girl, having lost his own mother in a dragon attack as well. Maybe that explained the girl's distrust of dragons.
Perhaps if he stayed here long enough, he could make the people of the Ice-Shelf Isles see what the people of Berk could not.
It'd be worth a try at least.
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Alright, I hope you all enjoyed that and the next chapter will be out on Monday, September 14th. Until then, everyone.
