{Hiccup's POV}
It was hard to hear mom tell me that Rosethorn was dying, but holding on or Sylvi's sake. It was even harder to have to tell Sylvi that she had to say goodbye to her dragon but I knew we had too. I had a feeling that once I told Rosethorn it was okay, she would either let go or fly off. I told Sylvi it was time to say goodbye and I felt an ungodly pain in my chest seeing her face afterwards. The area was silent not understanding what was going on but Valka was explaining to them quietly, my focus was on my wife of course. This wasn't going to be easy to accept or go through with but it needed to be done. Rosethorn was probably in a lot of pain and this trip alone wasn't making that any better. Sylvi hadn't even said anything yet, she was just standing there in shock of what I said.
Finally after a moment she shook her head, "No...Hiccup, no. Rosethorn is just tired...She's never...had to make a trip like this before and we haven't flown...in a while because I was pregnant..." Sylvi said but I knew what she was doing, trying to convince herself it wasn't true. Even though I hadn't even told her that Rosethorn was dying, what I'd said about time to say goodbye was more than enough to get the point across.
"Yes...Yes she is tired babe...And the trip is making it worse on her..." I say softly.
"Hiccup...I mean it. Stop scaring me...Rosethorn...is fine." Sylvi said firmly now, she didn't like when I was this serious because it was never good.
"Syl...I wish I could tell you she is...But she isn't. I can't...lie to you. Rosethorn isn't okay...You know that yourself, you've known something was wrong since the day we left for this trip when she didn't catch you." I held my wife's arms staring into her eyes. "Her eyes and scales are fading in color, she refuses to eat, she can't make her targets because she can't see anymore, and she can't hear well. She can't remember commands, and her flying is getting worse too. She dips out of the sky, and is falling behind and you know that's not like her. Nadder's had the second fastest speed next to Night Furies...I know you don't want to hear this, and I know it hurts to think about...But its time to say goodbye to her...Its her time." I say as I felt Sylvi begin to shake.
This was hard for me too, I'd trained Rosethorn myself for Sylvi to ride when I taught her to be a dragon rider. Sylvi wasn't the only one who had to say goodbye. I did too and I didn't think I was ready to. "I can't...say goodbye to her...Its not...her time, Hiccup...It...can't be..." Sylvi cried. I pulled her into my arms as she whimpered softly against my chest.
"I know you don't want to believe it...But you know in your heart that its time...Its why you've been scared and worried this whole trip...She's in pain, Sylvi...But she's trying to hold on for you...And you know that's not fair to her...We have to let her go." I tell her as calmly as I can manage. "Even the dragons know...You see them all watching her closely, trying to lay with her and keep her comfortable...Mom doesn't think she'll make the rest of the trip to Berk and we can't risk her going in flight...Its time, Sylvi..." I myself am trying to keep it together but it wasn't easy.
"We're not...just leaving her here to...die alone! Hiccup, I refuse to leave her..." Sylvi backed up quickly.
"Hey hey...ssh...I know. I wasn't planning to just leave her...But, its best to say our goodbyes now...She needs to hear it from you, that its okay for her to let go..." I said gently.
"I can't...I can't say goodbye...She's...my dragon. What...would you do if it was Toothless?! You couldn't do it, you wouldn't want to let go." Sylvi protested quickly.
Okay she had me there. If I lost Toothless, I don't know what I would do. I'd be in the same situation, not wanting to say goodbye or let go but regardless...I would because I knew I had too. I wouldn't be unfair to Toothless, not after all he's done for me. I stare into Sylvi's eyes. "You're right...If I lost Toothless, I'd be a mess. I don't think I'd ever fly again because it would never be the same given Toothless and I work together to fly him...I wouldn't want to let go, and it would be one of the hardest things I'd ever do...But...I would do it." I saw her stare at me in shock. "Because I'd know I had too. I'm not Odin, Syl...Its not my choice who stays and who goes in this life...If I had my way, there would be no death, no wars...Just peace and happiness. But its not my way, its not my choice. If I had to lose Toothless...I'd painfully...say my goodbyes and then sit with him until he passed on. So he wouldn't be alone, and know I was there with him..."
Sylvi lowered her head crying more as she looked over to Rosethorn who was laying down, she knew it in her heart and I could see that. Sylvi walked over to Rosethorn slowly and knelt down in front of her with her hand on Rosethorn's nose, the dragon squawked lowly trying to look at her. Sylvi tried to smile but couldn't, she hugged Rosethorn crying. "I love you..." She said. I watched with much difficulty, how was I going to help her through this since I was barely keeping it together. I saw Sylvi lay down against Rosethorn's chest stroking her face. "I'll never forget you, Rosethorn...I know...you're tired...Its...okay...You can...rest now. We won't leave without you girl...I promise..." Sylvi said trying not to choke up.
I walked over now as I sat down beside Sylvi and rubbed Rosethorn's head softly. "Rest, Rosethorn...You'll need it to fly." I say as Rosethorn's eyes looked my way now.
"When I think back on these times, and the dreams we left behind. I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed to get to have you in my life. When I look back on these days, I'll look and see your face. You were right there for me..." Sylvi began singing, she took a breath closing her eyes now as tears fell. "In my dreams I'll always see you soaring by the sky. In my heart there'll always be a place for you, for all my life. I'll keep a part of you with me. And everywhere I am there you'll be. And everywhere I am there you'll be." Rosethorn moved her head to look Sylvi's way more now.
"Well you showed me how it feels, to feel the sky within my reach. And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me. Your love made me make it through. Oh I owe so much to you. You were right there for me..." Sylvi looked towards the star filled sky now. It was such a clear night, barely a cloud could be seen. "In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky. In my heart there'll always be a place for you, for all my life. I'll keep a part of you with me. nd everywhere I am there you'll be." More tears began to fall from her eyes as I put my hand on her leg.
"Cause I always saw in you my light, my strength. And I want to thank you now for all the ways. You were right there for me...You were right there for me. For always!" Sylvi sang out.
"In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky. In my heart there'll always be a place for you. For all my life! I'll keep a part of you with me." I watched as Rosethorn pulled one of the scales off her chest near her heart and hand it to Sylvi who began to cry harder as she held it close and continued to sing. "And everywhere I am there you'll be...And everywhere I am there you'll be. There you'll be..." Sylvi finished slowly as she closed her eyes snuggling against Rosethorn. "Its okay...I know its time...You don't...have to hold on for me anymore...I'm going to miss you..." Sylvi whimpered. I felt Rosethorn's breathing slow as I stared at the sky then looked to my mom who nodded to me. I closed my eyes as a tear slipped from my eye and rolled down my left cheek.
I forced myself to my feet and moved in front of Rosethorn now as I put my hand to her snout and she pushed against it, nuzzling. Her faded eyes met mine sadly, looking for confirmation almost. I nodded knowing she couldn't see me, "She'll be okay...I promise, Rosethorn. We're going to miss you, but I know you'll always be with us. Its okay girl..." I rubbed her head as she licked my cheek and closed her eyes. "You...can let go now." I forced out putting my head against hers. The whole area was quiet, everyone watching sadly. The dragons moved and formed around Rosethorn as she only lasted another moment or two before the breathing stopped and I knew that because I heard Sylvi cry harder.
The other dragons aside from Toothless lifted into the sky and looked down at Rosethorn's body. I already anticipated what they were going to do. A dragon funeral of sorts, I'd never seen it but it was my guess that this is how they did it. I got up and moved to Sylvi and pulled her away from Rosethorn, she fought me trying to get back to her but I was stronger and held her back. I nodded to Toothless to go ahead. He gave the command as Flameburst lifted Rosethorn's body and moved into the forest a little but still we could see them. Spinewhip, Skullcrusher, and Toothless dug a hole, more like melted one and laid Rosethorn in it.
"There do I see my father, my mother, and my brothers and my sisters. They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla. Where the brave shall live forever." I said as the dragons lit their blasts and fired into the hole. I felt Sylvi go weak and I held her up, she clutched the scale from Rosethorn's chest tightly crying hard as I held her close to me. The dragons returned to the beach area after covering the body of Rosethorn and all stood in a circle with their heads raised. They released their blasts together and when they collided above, it sparked like fireworks. The dragons returned to their places sadly, I sat against Toothless as Sylvi got Thurmond from Gobber and sat between my legs laying against me. The twins laid on either side of me. "Everyone...get some sleep." I said.
What else could I say. Rosethorn was gone, and we had to keep going or Sylvi would just shut down being so close still. As soon as the sun rose, we were leaving back to Berk and if we were lucky we'd make it there by lunch time tomorrow. Sylvi's cries lessened in the hour, and she fell asleep. I opened my eyes and looked over to see everyone still awake. I sighed, I was too tired to care. Today had been hard, I reached my hand over and rubbed Toothless's head. He warbled at me sadly, I knew he was hurting too. Rosethorn was the second dragon I ever trained, and now she was gone. And it wasn't fair. But since when was life fair? Finally I fell asleep.
(The Next Morning)
It was quiet when the sun began to rise, I took care of breakfast as usual while Sylvi fed Thurmond. What more could we do than this, it was the first of many that Rosethorn wouldn't be there to greet Sylvi, Toothless, and I. Everyone was eating silently, I felt their eyes on me. "Am I...riding with you?" Sylvi asked without looking up.
"Unless you want to ride with Alva or your dad..." I replied softly.
"I can't...ride another nadder...Its...too soon. And I only feel comfortable...riding with you." Sylvi said sadly.
"That's fine babe...Whatever you want to do is okay..." I tell her as I rubbed her shoulders slightly, she finished feeding Thurmond and he was back to sleep soon after. I took him so she could eat something, not that she ate a lot but I didn't expect her too either. She took Thurmond back after eating some bread and I saw the scale beside her, I picked it up and took out my dagger. Setting it on a rock, I carefully stabbed a hole through it, then grabbed a small silver, metal chain. I put the chain through the hole and had Toothless seal the two ends together with his fire. When it was done, I dipped it in the sea water to cool it down. I placed the necklace around her head and offered a smile.
"What's...this?" Sylvi asked.
"When she gave you that, you were singing about always having a part of her with you and now that can stay true. I made it into a necklace, with a gronckle iron chain so it will never break. It will hang there over your heart because that is where Rosethorn will continue to live on." I said stroking her cheek a bit, she cried lightly.
"Thank you..." She whispered as I kissed her once.
"Anything I can do to make this easier...and I will. You know that...Just think...She's with dad now. Maybe he'll finally learn to fly a dragon since I never got the chance to teach him..." I tried to smile at her. She nodded as I moved to Rosethorn's single spineshot still in the tree from last night. I pulled it out and stuck in Toothless's bag.
"What are you gonna do with that lad?" Gobber asked.
"You'll find out when we get back to Berk...If everyone is ready...Then its wings up." I stated. No one argued with me as I expected. Now wasn't the time to make me upset. The Hooligan's got on Torch and Scorch, then mom on Cloud Jumper, Alva on her nadder, Audun on his nightmare. Eret with the twins on Skullcrusher. I got on Toothless and Sylvi behind me holding Thurmond. I saw Sylvi look back to where Rosethorn was buried.
"Hiccup...Did we ever name this island?" Sylvi asked softly.
"I don't believe so. Why?" I asked curiously, then I saw it. A small smile on her lips.
"Isle Of Rose..." Sylvi said gently. "That's what I want to call it..." I smiled as I got off Toothless and pulled my map out, I unfolded it and located the island we were on. I pulled the pencil from Toothless's bag and sharpened it with my dagger and then wrote in 'Isle of Rose' in the center of the island drawing.
"Isle of Rose it is then." I said folding the map up and putting it back in its spot under my chest armor and snapping it back in place before I climbed back on Toothless and kissed her gently. "Alright Toothless...Wings up bud!" I called to my friend, Toothless roared out and launched into the blue sky overhead. The others soon followed as we were on our way to Berk.
{Regular POV}
It was emotional to watch everything Sylvi had just gone through, first having to give birth early to save her life and the baby's. Then this with her dragon dying from old age, the Hooligans felt bad in a way but were definitely able to see that things were indeed different. They saw the bonds Hiccup and his riders had with their dragons, yet he stayed so strong, they all did. They were shocked to see how fast Hiccup made the scale necklace, and then when Sylvi smiled naming the island after Rosethorn. The coolest thing was seeing Hiccup's map, it was huge. It looked like a notebook but then it unfolded to reveal the entire Archipelago drawn out and named islands. They even saw Berk on it, explains how Hiccup knew where they going, he was following the islands between Fury Isle and Berk.
"Chief...Hiccup?" Astrid asked.
"Just Hiccup is fine, you're not members of the Dragon Rider tribe so you don't have to call me that." Hiccup replied.
"Oh, sorry. Just...wondering how we're getting into Berk without being shot down...Berk doesn't know about all this...Or you." Astrid questioned.
"I'll drop you off on the far side of the island and you can walk in. They don't have to know..." Hiccup said.
"They'll want to know how we got back..." Fishlegs pointed out.
"You saying I should have the largest dragon known to man land in the village square and you climb off saying don't panic?" Hiccup looking back arching a brow at them.
"Well if Stoick tells them not too shoot...They won't? And we've never had a daytime raid, I don't think they'll attack when they see us." Spitelout said now.
Hiccup rolled his eyes now and look forward, what was he going to do? If he landed the others would see him and it would rise questions or start a riot. Though Stoick and Snotlout said he was allowed there whenever, Hiccup didn't have an intention of returning. He had self exiled himself, he never wanted to come back to Berk. After this, he was planning on sticking to that. "Are you staying the night lad?" Gobber's voice cut through Hiccup's thoughts.
"No. Just bringing you all back and we're leaving ourselves." Hiccup said.
"You need to rest..." Valka said.
"She's right Hiccup...This has been a long trip. The dragons could use a day and night to rest before the return..." Sylvi added in now. Great, now they all wanted to rest up. Hiccup sighed.
"Fine. One night. We leave tomorrow at sunrise." Hiccup mumbled. A few hours later they were in Berk's waters and Hiccup already hated it, even Toothless growled a little. "We'll set down in the cove...Follow me." Hiccup said. He wasn't going to have the dragons land in the village square, but landing in the cove offered cover and they could walk through the forest into the village. Hiccup took them around the back of the island and up to the cove. He landed, then the others did as well. Hiccup actually didn't get off Toothless right away, he was just looking around.
"Something wrong?" Ruffnut asked.
"Nope...The last time I was in this cove...I was leaving Berk. This is where I said goodbye to Gobber and never looked back. Never thought I'd be here again..." Hiccup replied slowly before he finally got off Toothless. "You stay here with the dragons bud...We'll be back by sundown okay?" Hiccup smiled rubbing his head. Toothless crooned and nodded. "Lets go." Hiccup pulled something from Toothless's saddlebag.
"Why are you wearing that?" Sylvi asked.
"Precautionary measure..." Hiccup said as he slipped on the metal mask and faced the Hooligans, they only saw his green eyes through it. "Move out." Hiccup said.
"Hiccup, you...don't have to hide here. This is your home." Gobber said.
"This isn't my home anymore. I do not show myself to outsiders...I rarely leave Fury Isle, until I know they won't turn on me...I won't reveal myself." Hiccup stated, the others nodded as Hiccup led them out of the cove and through the forest. Hiccup was holding Thurmond while the twins were walking or being held by Sylvi and Audun. Eret and Alva were keeping guard as the Hooligans stayed grouped together. The walk to the village entrance took a good 30 minutes but finally they made it, before stepping out of the treeline, Hiccup took a deep breath. This was it. The last years of avoiding this place like the plague and he was back where he left originally. Hiccup stopped now, and motioned for Stoick to go ahead of him. Would look a little weird if he walked out in the mask holding a newborn and so on and so forth.
Stoick exited the forest with the group of Hooligans. Valka stayed back with Hiccup and the others and she was hidden in her riding outfit, the one that Hiccup met her in to conceal herself. This was going to be confusing enough as it was to explain that not only was Stoick saved by Hiccup but also that Hiccup found his mother alive and well. Stoick took a breath himself as people saw him entering, they burst into cheers for the return. Hiccup stayed hidden with his tribe members until it was time. He knew Stoick would announce him so until then he was staying put. "Chief! Thank Thor you've returned. The others came back and said a storm separated you and we haven't been able to send search parties out yet..." Said one member.
"Aye aye, yes. We're all okay, we were shipwrecked and blown way off course. Our boat was destroyed and we were rescued by members of another tribe. We've been on their island healing and rode out a snow storm there since..." Stoick informed the Hooligans.
"We were scared we'd lost you chief, and the heir. We already lost one heir though he was pretty useless to us but never the less." Said one person, then some began to laugh. Hiccup only listened, they were talking about him. 7 years and they still thought of him as Hiccup the Useless did they? He grinned, he couldn't wait for Stoick to reveal who saved them from death by sea.
"The man who saved us was a chief of another tribe residing on Fury Isle. This man saved us and let us stay on his island with his tribe, and family out of the kindness of his heart. He is the man who brought us home and he is a man...we we all know." Stoick looked to the forest and Hiccup took that as a queue to come out, so he did holding Thurmond still. Sylvi, Eret, Audun, and Alva were right behind quietly. The hooligans began talking, whispering about the masked man. "And his name is Hiccup Hagebak." Stoick said as Hiccup handed Thurmond to Sylvi and he removed his mask, the area fell silent as Hiccup tucked the helmet under his arm. "Formally known as Hiccup Haddock the Third." Everyone gasped seeing Hiccup standing there before them.