{Hiccup's POV}
I was appalled by the things Stoick was saying to me so early in the morning. I had literally just woken up and he was acting like things were okay and I hadn't been gone 7 years. Pfft. Wasn't falling for the act, I knew better. He was just trying to get on my good side. Because I had totally forgotten the neglect of the last 7 years? Yeah, no. A lot of people were still asleep and the storm wasn't over yet so we were stuck in here longer. Great. I decided to just relax against Toothless, things were calm at first. Just a casual conversation with the Hooligans. Why be hateful towards them, that wasn't the type of guy I was regardless of what they'd done. They were here for at least two weeks and longer with these ship delays. That's how I was sending them home to Berk, a map and a ship to take them back when one could get made.
All my boats were small fishing ones, not made for a day day trip at sea. Somehow things turned to Snotlout asking me about how it was to be chief. I told him what I could, why not. It came to my attention that Stoick actually held off making Snotlout chief because he didn't feel he could do it. That actually made me mad, Stoick still hadn't learned from my leaving to just trust someone. So I told Snotlout what it meant to be chief in my eyes, and Stoick argued with me about it. That's when I decided not to hold back, I wasn't going to sit there and listen to him tell me I didn't know what it meant to be chief. But then...I let something slip. That I knew the truth of why my mother was taken by a dragon all those years ago and I knew I couldn't hide it after Astrid pointed out what I'd said.
Quietly, I got up after seeing that Sylvi was still asleep. I was actually a little worried because it wasn't something she did often, sleep in that is. Right now I had to shut my ex father up and it was going to be so satisfying to see the look on his face. "As I said, not everything is as it seems. Follow me." I said calmly as I moved to the center of the room and opening the bunker entrance, I climbed down the ladder and waited for them to get down below the tunnels. I look up at Eret, "I'll be back in a moment." He nodded as I began walking. It was dark so I gave a whistle and the fireworm dragons lit it up for me. I reached about 10 caves down and turned left I stopped and had them wait as I took a few steps in.
"Cloud Jumper, come here boy." I called down the tunnel. A large four winged dragon came out with an owl like face, I heard the others back up a bit at the size of him. "This dragon, Cloud Jumper is the one that took her." I say as they gasp. I saw a figure poke its head out of the cave down the tunnel, I smiled wider now. Time to show them the truth, I motioned for her to come forward and she did. I heard Stoick gasp and from the corner of my eye saw his mouth drop open. "I know the truth because my mom isn't dead." I say proudly.
"Hello Stoick." She said to him calmly.
"V-Val...ka?" Stoick whispered out, clearly still in shock. I faced him now as mom stood beside me, I saw all their shocked faces.
"Ya know lad...I think this qualifies as leaving something out of the whole story we asked for yesterday..." Gobber blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, I might'a left out that I found my mother about 2 years ago." I chuckled at Gobber.
"Hiccup...How did...I don't...under...stand...Val you...you're alive?" Stoick said trying to find his words.
"Its another story all its own. Lets go back up to the hall and I'll explain..." Valka said softly.
"You sure mom? Cloud Jumper is too big to be up there with us..." I asked her.
"He'll be okay down here as long as he's close to me. Go lay down boy, I'm alright." Valka said to Cloud Jumper who nuzzled against her and then went to lay down. I nod as I begin leading them out and back up to the hall. Once there, I closed the passage and Stoick still stood there in shock of seeing his wife whom he believed to be dead there, alive and in the flesh.
"Hey Val." Some of the villagers greeted, the guards nodded and offered a bow.
"Hello boys." Valka smiled to them.
"They knew she was here?" Fishlegs asked curiously.
"Of course, she was in the hall the day I announced you'd be with us a while. Since she's been hiding out, she likes being close to Cloud Jumper. Sorry I blew your secret mom...It slipped out." I say.
"Don't worry about it son. We couldn't hide it forever, they know now so we'll just tell them and be done with it." Valka smiled ruffling my hair.
"Nana!" Selena and Solana cheer rushing up to her.
"Hi babies." Valka hugged them tightly, I look back and see Sylvi still asleep. I was getting worried now, it was almost 7:30am and she was still out? I'd give her another hour before waking her up and finding out if she was okay. The guards and some of the women were working on breakfast so we had time for my mom and I to tell the story of how we ran into one another.
"So uh...How you been, Val?" Gobber asked curiously.
"Well Gobber. I've been well." Valka replied softly. We looked at Stoick who was still shocked to see her there. "I suppose you'd like to know how this came to be?" Stoick forced a nod. "Very well then. Hiccup, why don't you lead off since it was you who found me." I nod taking a breath.
"It happened two years ago. The twins were a little over a year old, Sylvi and I were taking a flight together with Toothless and Rosethorn..."
/Flashback/
"Come on Hiccup! You can't catch me." Sylvi teased with a laugh as we were racing through the skies over the island, we weren't far off either. I grinned as I adjusted Toothless's tail and sped after her, we had decided to just take a flight together and it turned into a race. The girls were with their uncle so Sylvi and I could get some alone time as husband and wife since most of my time was taken by the fact I was chief of the village. I raced so far ahead of her that we lost her with a mile between us. I laughed knowing easily I'd won then I heard a roar, I looked ahead then left, finally right and Toothless began to turn back after seeing nothing. That wasn't the case, we crashed right into another dragon. It was big too, I didn't know there had been a rider until it fell off. Toothless and I dove down to catch the rider but then the dragon made it first.
We stared at one another a while before she asked, "You're...a dragon rider?" So it was a girl.
"Yes. You are one too?" I question.
"Have been for 19 years...Who are you?" She asked me.
"Chief Hiccup Hagebak of Fury Isle and the Dragon Rider tribe..." I reply, I watched her freeze. "Is...everything alright?" I asked next. Her dragon inched towards Toothless as she looked over me through her mask. "Well I'm...sorry for crashing into you..." I say preparing to leave.
"Oh...No it was my fault. We've never...seen another rider before. Got curious and were going too fast. Sorry we got so close...You looked like someone from my past..." She admitted softly.
"Who...did you think I was?" I asked her.
"My son. His name was Hiccup too. But he's probably back on Berk with his father and a great...dragon killer by now." The woman sighed, now it was my turn to freeze. Her son...was from Berk and thought I was...him? Hold up just a Thor damn minute. My name was Hiccup and I was from Berk... "I guess he turned out like his father...Sorry again." She said to me.
"Wait...Hold on...What was...your son's last name?" I asked slowly.
"Hm...Oh...Haddock. His father was chief of Berk...I was taken by a dragon 19 years ago and learned the truth about them...And I just couldn't return to the lifestyle of killing them." The woman said. My eyes widened now, "Is...something wrong?" She asked seeing my face. I began to breath heavily.
"Yo-You're...my...mother?" I forced out.
"I'm the mother of...Hiccup Haddock, you said your name was Hiccup Hageback." The woman said firmly.
"Hagebak...is my adopted name. I was born Hiccup Haddock to chief of the tribe, Stoick the Vast Haddock and Valka Haddock...My mother was taken by a dragon when I was a baby..." I admit.
"You're...Hiccup Haddock?..." She asked, I nodded. She moved closer again and ran her hand on my cheek to my chin, I felt her thumb run over scar and she gasped taking off her mask quickly. I saw her brown hair, and blue-green eyes. More green than blue though. "Hiccup...My little baby boy Hiccup, is that...really you?" She asked me shakily.
"Yeah...Its me. I guess...we have a lot to talk about don't we?" I laughed a bit. I couldn't believe it, she was...my mother. My mom...was actually alive!? I had so many emotions flowing through me but I contained myself. Sylvi found me and saw the woman.
"We certainly do." Valka said to me.
/End Flashback/
"After that, we returned to Fury Isle and started talking. I told him about how after Cloud Jumper took me to his nest, I met the Bewilderbeast, the alpha species. I learned the truth of dragons. That they were simple, intelligent creatures. I explained that I never returned to Berk because I couldn't kill dragons, and I knew...you'd never listen to me when I tried to explain the truth to you, Stoick...So I stayed away." Valka said softly as Stoick only stared not sure what to say.
"And then I told her what happened to me while on Berk, and after I left up until she and I met in the sky that day. She's...been here ever since." I added.
"I know what you're thinking...How could I of done this. Stayed away all these years and why didn't I come back to you, to our son...Well..." Valka trailed off trying to keep from crying as Stoick just sat there, dumbfounded. "What sign did I have that you could change Stoick, that anyone on Berk could. I pleaded so many times to stop the fighting but did anyone of you listen to me. I know that I left ya to raise Hiccup alone, and I was wrong...I see that now. But..."
"Mom you don't have to explain to him. You didn't come back because you knew he wouldn't change. Because you knew he'd keep killin dragons and not see the peace that was possible..." I retort. "And I don't blame you for not coming back. I left too because I couldn't kill a dragon and no one would listen to me...Like mother, like son." I huff. I heard whimpering and turned my head seeing Sylvi on her side with a hand on her stomach. "Babe? Are you alright?" I asked walking over to her.
"I don't...feel..." I saw her face go pale as I reached for a bucket and handed it to her, Toothless got up and raised his wings to keep her shielded from everyone. I watched Sylvi throw up, I moved her hair and rubbed her back.
"Ssh, its alright...Get it out..." I soothe her. After 2 minutes, she laid back down groaning. "You probably caught what I had...Explains why you slept in so late." I say softly. "Feel up to eating?" She shook her head. "You should try for the baby...Some bread and water." I offered.
"I'll...try." Sylvi coughed. I frowned, I didn't like her sick. I could tell she had a fever, and was in a little pain. On top of being pregnant, she really had to feel shitty right now. Eret brought over some bread and water for her, she sat up eating it slowly. "How's the storm?" She asked.
"Still to bad to leave the hall, hoping by tomorrow it will be." I said. "You just rest, I'll take care of everything..." I say kissing her forehead. She nodded finishing her food slow as I got up to address everyone. "Alright everyone, attention over here..." Everyone quieted down and looked at him. "The snow is knee length out there, falling light. However its the large, fast falling hail that concerns me. Its already destroyed and we'll have a lot of work to clean things up, but...As always we will pull through. So we're gonna sit tight and ride it out, I thank you all for being so patient. We've had a pretty bad winter. Means a lot you all stand together and not want to kill one another while we're hunkered down." I announced.
"Because we know you'll take care of us!" Someone shouted at him. I chuckled.
"I do my best." I replied bashfully.
"You're the best chief this village has ever had!" Another said.
"I beg to differ, my father is the best." I replied.
"But you're his son. So we get both of you ruling over us." A woman said gently.
"Awe, you guys are the best." I smiled.
"Long live the chief! Long live the chief!" They began chanting. I saw the Hooligans looking a bit shocked at them chanting towards me. "Dragonborn, dragonborn, dragonborn!" They chanted now.
"Alright settle down." I chuckled at them, they clapped for me and soon relaxed talking among themselves and eating breakfast. I saw that Sylvi was laying down, she looked miserable and in so much pain but I didn't what I could do for her to make it better. She'd thrown up a little again and was crying, I sat back down beside and put my hand behind her back trying to massage her neck with my fingers to soothe her.
"You should...be so close or you'll get sick again..." Sylvi mumbled.
"I'd gladly be sick if it means you're not..." I tell her lightly, she offered a weak smile to me before whimpering in pain again. I didn't know what to do so I'd just sit there beside her rubbing her back. Iris said that Sylvi would be uncomfortable towards the end of the pregnancy but this seemed like too much.
(Dinner Time)
{Regular POV}
All day it had been like this, Sylvi in pain, sick and crying. She barely ate and she kept getting weaker, Sylvi had told me her pain was unbearable just before dinner. Yeah something wasn't right. "Syl, I want Iris to look over you...Please..." Hiccup pleaded.
"No...Its...okay Hiccup..." Sylvi coughed hard into her her sleeve, Hiccup saw tinges of blood and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Syl...But I'm not asking anymore. Something is wrong and I want to know what it is. IRIS!" Hiccup called out, the room fell quiet hearing their chief's tone. It wasn't like him to yell but Sylvi had been sick all day, crying in pain and throwing up. Even the Hooligan's were worried. And they'd been quiet since the reveal of Hiccup's mother being alive still, the storm was lightening up but it still wasn't safe to go outside yet. Iris hustled over hearing the urgency in Hiccup's voice.
"You summoned me chief?" Iris asked.
"I want you to look over Sylvi...That fever hasn't faded, she can't keep anything down, she's coughing hard, throwing up...and now she's coughing up blood. Something isn't right...I feel it." Hiccup said. Iris nodded as moved near Sylvi and began to look over her carefully, checking her temperature, looking in her mouth, how weak she was. Even Iris started to look concerned. The room was watching too as Iris put her hand on Sylvi's belly and moved it around slowly.
"Syl, when's the last time the baby kicked?" Iris asked, hearing this Hiccup's pacing stopped and he whipped around looking to his wife and Iris.
"I don't...know...few hours before dinner?" Sylvi replied. Iris closed her eyes worried before motioning for Hiccup to come down to their level.
"Chief...Your wife is very ill. Its not some cold, its...a virus and it can kill her..." Iris began.
"What!" Hiccup said in fear with wide, worried eyes.
"Please...allow me to finish...There is a cure, I can make it...But...If I give it to her now, the baby won't survive. And if we wait another two months until she gives birth...she won't survive the birth. And the baby might not either with how weak Sylvi is already." Iris said.
"No...Iris, no! There has to be something else you can do...I know you, your the best healer in the Archipelago..." Hiccup said quickly.
Iris looked at him sadly biting her bottom lip. "There is one thing...I can do...And even then...there are no guarantees." Iris said softly.
"Tell me..." Hiccup urged.
"I can take the baby out now...Two months early. Give Sylvi the cure...The only thing I don't know...is if the baby will survive out this early...Its risky. The baby could still die...This is...your choice chief. I'll do whatever you want me to do but its your choice..." Hiccup's eyes widened now. It was his choice?! Did she have any idea how hard a decision that was to make with so little time. Sylvi was only getting sicker, she could be saved now but they'd lose the baby. If they waited, Sylvi wouldn't survive the birth. And if they took the baby early, Sylvi would live and the baby might. He was juggling with lives here and he didn't like that. Everyone was quiet, waiting to see what he'd do. This was a hard choice to make, scary too.
"Hiccup..." Valka began.
"Not right now mom...I need to think..." Hiccup lowered his head. What did he do here? Sylvi was whimpering in pain, the baby hadn't moved in a few hours. Did that mean the baby was in distress with how sick Sylvi was? He might lose them both regardless and he couldn't do that. He wouldn't lose Sylvi, he couldn't. Sighing, he lifted his head and looked at Iris. "Deliver the baby, give Sylvi the cure." Hiccup said.
"Hiccup...No...the baby...might not make it...Just let me carry it another to months...I'll be...okay..." Sylvi pleaded. Hiccup took Sylvi's hand in his and kissed her knuckes, smiling weakly hoping he was making the right choice. He had tears in his eyes but they hadn't fallen.
"I know the baby might not make it Sylvi...I know that but if I let you carry another two months...You won't make it. And that isn't something I can deal with..." Hiccup admitted.
"But the baby...I don't want to lose the baby..." Sylvi cried.
"Sylvi...I don't want to lose you. I can't...I'm sorry but I can't risk you. I know possibly losing the baby scares you, it scares me too...And if the baby doesn't make it...I'll be just as upset as you...I know the risk of doing this..." Hiccup trailed off slowly as the tears slipped from his eyes, he didn't care who saw them. "But Syl...We can make another baby, we can try again after your cured, right away even. I won't argue with you about it...But if don't do this...I could lose you both. I can't risk losing you both...But most of all, as much as it would hurt me to lose our child in this...I couldn't live without you. I can make another baby with you, but another you can't be made...I'm sorry, Syl...This is the only choice I have right now. If I do this...I have a chance to save you and the baby. If I don't, I could lose you both...and that's not a risk I'm going to take..." Hiccup said softly.
"Don't I get a choice in this..." Sylvi asked.
"Not when its your life on the line..." Hiccup replied.
"But..." Sylvi began.
"Sylvi! I can't lose you!" Hiccup said firmly, he lowered his head now crying. "I can't...lose you. I can't...I will do anything else you ask of me, I will give you whatever you want...Whenever you ask. But I refuse to lose you...I can't lose you. I'm sorry...I can't...And if I don't do this...I will lose you, and the baby...That's not a loss I'm willing to take. I can survive if we lose the baby, as long as there is me and you...We can try again. But I can't survive without you...Please...Please don't fight me on this..." Hiccup pleaded her. Though upset Sylvi saw the distress in her husband's eyes. She looked to Iris now and nodded.
"Do it..." She said, Hiccup kissed her softly.
"When my chieftess?" Iris asked.
"Right now. There's no point in wasting time." Sylvi said.
"Aye ma'am. Dagny, Alva. Lets get ready." Iris said firmly. Everyone was suddenly confused as to what was going on, things began to start happening a lot faster. All anyone knew was that tonight, they would get to meet their chief and chieftess's new child.