Zenna's POV
The day my little brother was born was a day like any other. By that time, Berk was completely rebuilt. I'd lucked out and had gotten a brand-new Dragon Clinic built in the village. But don't let the name fool you. My Clinic caters to both Dragons and Vikings. Most of the time I worked alone, but Auntie Valka and Gothi always stopped by when I had a lot of patients. I'd even hired Eret to be my assistant, on account that he wasn't too busy being Gobber's new apprentice in the Dragon Armory.
Anyway, it was an ordinary day. I had just finished giving Gustav his scheduled checkup that morning when both Hiccup and Eret came in and Stoick flew in on their dragons. Skullcrusher bowed to Toothless, who stood proudly and held his head high, and Stryka, who was at the Clinic with me.
"Morning, Hicc. You and Toothless are both right on time for your checkups." I greeted my surrogate brother before smiling at Stoick.
"And I guess you just wanted to visit me?" I asked knowingly. "I do this every day, Zen. You know that." Stoick chuckled.
"Hiccup, time for your checkup." I told him primly as I got to work. I checked Hiccup's heartbeat and vitals, noted the slight bags under his eyes, advised him to take it easy on chiefing and reminded him to get enough sleep every night along with a special health tonic I gave him. Stoick reassured him that he would always be there to help and guide him whenever he needed it.
I put Eret in charge of examining Toothless.
"No health problems, Dr. Zenna. But it appears that Toothless has gotten a bit bigger. The saddle might need a few alterations." Eret reported.
"Then it looks like you're gonna be pretty busy in the Armory later crafting a saddle for the Alpha, Eret." I winked at him.
That was when Fishlegs and Snotlout practically crashed right in front of the Clinic on Meatlug and Hookfang, raising up a cloud of dust!
"Guys, this is a clinic! The last thing I want to happen to my patients is getting their lungs irritated from dust clouds whenever you crash land in front of here!" I said crossly, covering my mouth, while Hiccup and Eret coughed a little from the dust. Toothless, Stryka and Skullcrusher sneezed, warbling indignantly. Fishlegs and Snotlout didn't seem to mind me getting mad, for they quickly slid off of their dragons' backs and ran up to me.
"Zenna! Zen…! Mom…! Baby…!" Fishlegs panted, winded. "Fishlegs, use your words." Hiccup advised him. Meatlug and Hookfang were panting along with their Riders, I figured that they must have flown in here in a panic. "Have to…! Hurry…! Zen, Mom…!" Snotlout wheezed out, also out of breath. "What are you two talking about? Complete sentence, please!" Eret told them, rolling his eyes a little.
"You two need water or something…?" I managed to ask before they finally got the words out.
"Zenna, your Mom's having the baby!"
And, just like that, I went into total panic mode.
"WHAT?!" Hiccup, Eret and I shrieked in shock. I immediately got my medical kit ready and mounted Stryka. "If anyone asks, tell them I'm on emergency house call duties!" I yelled to Hiccup and Eret before Stryka spread her wings and took to the skies. 'The baby's coming…the baby's coming…the baby's coming!' I thought, excited, worried and utterly terrified all at the same time.
The flight to my house was short, but it felt like it lasted hours to me until Stryka had landed in front of the house. To my shock, Dad was outside with Serpent and Serpentine! "Dad! What are you doing here?!" I asked frantically, already worried for Mom and the baby. "I don't think I can handle seeing your mother in pain, my dear…" Dad mumbled worriedly, his face pale.
And, man, was Mom in a lot of pain. I could hear her screaming out profanities every few seconds as her contractions came quicker and quicker.
"Dad, Mom's having the baby and she needs your support." I told Dad firmly as Hiccup, Aurora, Eret, Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the Twins and their dragons arrived.
"But…" Dad managed to say before Stryka and I both lost our patience and yelled, "JUST GET IN THERE!" and pushed him towards the house, Serpent and Serpentine helping us.
Once Dad was inside, he yelled, "Don't worry, Henna love! I'm here!" followed by Mom's guttural scream of, "Oh Thor's Beard! AAAAHHH!"
"Zenna, we need your doctor's hands now!" Auntie Valka's voice called out from behind the door. I quickly rushed to the door. But, all of a sudden, I just…froze.
The reality that I was about to become a big sister and that I might not be ready decided to rear its ugly head and I was suddenly getting the cold feet. I mean…I've always been either the little sister or just the sister…I never thought that I'd become a big sister until now…
"Zen?"
I then felt Eret's hand on my shoulder. When I turned around, I saw all my friends looking at me with concern. "You okay?" Astrid asked me. I was silent for a few minutes, listening to my mother's screams, before whispering, "I'm scared…"
"Who are you and what have you done with the real Zenna?!" Ruffnut gasped in mock horror. "What's so scary about delivering a baby? You've done that before, right?" Tuffnut asked, raising an eyebrow. "This is different!" I said, extremely stressed out now.
Was I ready for this? Was I ready to become an older sister? Would my younger sibling even like me? Even if we were years apart in age? Argh! It was just so frustrating to even think about!
I looked at my friends solemnly. "Do you…do you all think I'll be good enough…to be a big sister?" I asked timidly. "Seriously, you ask us that now?" Snotlout asked exasperatedly. "Zen, that's so unlike you to lose confidence." Fishlegs said in surprise. I sighed and looked at Eret. He smiled at me reassuringly. "You're gonna do great." He said softly. Then Hiccup spoke up.
"If you survived taking care of me for seven years, how hard can taking care of a younger sibling be?" he asked me jokingly.
That made all of us laugh!
"Point taken." I giggled before Mom let out another almighty scream. My morale boosted, I took a deep breath, let it out and squared my shoulders. "Wish me luck…" I said and bravely went inside.
Mom was struggling to push the baby out, Gothi and Auntie Valka helping her, while Dad stood by her side and held her hand. To be honest, I think Mom was close to crushing his hand. I rushed to Mom's side with the necessary equipment, which were really just my stethoscope and a clean rag to clean up once the delivery was over.
"Holy Shields…Mom, if this was how delivering Maria, Eli and me felt like, I am so sorry for causing you so much pain…" I mumbled apologetically to Mom. She smiled tiredly at me.
"There's nothing to apologize for, love…And the pain was all worth it…for I got to have your brother…and you…" she breathed out, gently stroking my cheek.
"The head's crowning! She's ready, Zen!" Auntie Valka alerted me. I nodded and looked at Mom, who nodded back at me along with Dad.
"Okay, Mom, on three…two…one…PUSH!"
My mother is tough as nails, no matter how painful circumstances may be. Even as she screamed, she remained strong as she pushed and pushed and pushed. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she gave one last push…
"Waaaaahhh! Waaaahhhh! WAAAAAAHHHH!"
I breathed out a huge sigh of relief, along with my father, as I cut the umbilical cord and Gothi and Auntie Valka took the baby to clean up. Mom had tears in her eyes and smiled as Dad lovingly kissed her forehead. "You did it, Henna…You did it, my love…" Dad whispered, tears of joy welling up in his eyes. "I can't believe I'm a big sister already…" I murmured in awe. "And you'll be the greatest big sister ever, Zenna…I know it…" Mom told me softly as she rested.
Then Valka came to me with a big smile on her face. "We're still cleaning the babe but it's healthy and active…and it's a boy. You have a brother, Zenna…Congratulations." She beamed at me. My heart burst with happiness at those words.
A baby brother…
Then I remembered my friends. "Could you excuse me for a moment?" I asked politely. My parents and Valka nodded. Smiling, I took off my slightly bloodstained white coat and rushed outside. Stryka crooned and nudged me, wondering if I was okay. Maria, Hiccup, Eret and the gang were still there along with Gobber. Upon seeing me, they immediately surrounded me.
"How's your Mom?" Hiccup asked. "She's fine!" I said, grinning. "And the baby?" Eret asked. My grin widened. "He's fine!" I said excitedly. "He?" Astrid asked, her eyes shining with joy. I nodded excitedly. "It's a boy…A brother…I have a little brother…" I said joyfully before looking at Hiccup. "We have a little brother…" I added. And then, I got on Stryka, flew up high into the air and joyfully proclaimed,
"We have a little brother, Eli! A little brother!"
My friends were all chuckling at my excitement as Stryka and I landed. "I've been wanting to yell that out for months!" I giggled as Hiccup gently kissed my forehead while Eret picked me up and joyfully spun me around!
"That's awesome!" "Congratulations, Zenna!" "I bet the baby's gonna be like you and Eli!" Everyone congratulated me. Then Valka came out. We all fell silent. "Zenna…there's someone who wants to meet you." Valka smiled at me.
The minute I saw my baby brother in Mom's arms, my heart already melted. His eyes were still closed, his skin still red and wrinkly, but he was so beautiful…
"Hasn't opened his eyes yet…I do wonder what they look like…" Dad said softly with a smile.
"Come here, love…" Mom called me over. I sat at Mom's bedside without question. Carefully Mom handed the baby over to Dad, who gave him a little cuddle, before passing him onto me.
Aurora looked at the little fella, "He's precious." she cooed.
I held my breath as my baby brother suddenly wriggled in my arms…and opened his eyes. My heart leaped into my throat and tears of joy welled up in my eye. My brother's eyes...
They were the exact same shade of violet as mine…
"Hi…I'm your big sister…I've waited so long to meet you…I'm so happy you're finally here…I'm gonna take such good care of you…I promise…" I whispered to him softly. My baby brother blinked his sweet, innocent violet eyes at me before letting out a giggle and reached up his tiny, pudgy hand to touch my eye patch.
"I love you…my baby brother…" I whispered, letting the tears flow at last.
Slowly, the visitors came in. Stryka approached my baby brother with caution and sniffed the sheets covering him. "Hwellwo, bwabwy…" she crooned softly. My baby brother squealed in delight and grabbed at her nostrils. Luckily Stryka didn't mind. Toothless smiled toothlessly at my baby brother, eliciting another happy squeal from him. Winter came up and nuzzled the tiny baby, making him giggle.
"He's so cute!" Astrid gushed.
"And he's got Zenna's eyes!" Fishlegs cooed.
"Don't you mean eye?" Tuffnut asked while my baby brother tried to grab his dreadlocks.
"He's a feisty one! Ow!" Ruffnut winced slightly as she let my little sibling pull on her braids.
"He kind of looks like Eli." Snotlout commented.
I held my baby brother, my precious little brother, the whole time until I decided to let Eret hold him. Eret looked at me apprehensively. "I don't know about this, Zen…" he said hesitatingly. "Oh come on, Eret, just support his head like this and your other arm like this…" I guided his arms into the right position and gently placed my baby brother in his arms. Eret's nervousness immediately vanished once the baby giggled and placed his pudgy hands on his chin, liking his tribal tattoos. "He's gonna grow into a strong, fine warrior…He's gonna take after you and Eli for sure…" he told me softly. I smiled and then took my little brother off his hands so Hiccup could have a turn.
"As village custom, the Chief must welcome the child into the clan." Gobber informed us. Hiccup smiled, excited, and gently cradled my baby brother in his arms.
"Hey, buddy…" he cooed. My little brother giggled and latched onto one of his fingers. "As the Chief of Berk, I now welcome this baby into the Hooligan Clan and pronounce the name to be…" Hiccup began formally before looking at my parents.
"Oh you should ask Zenna, Chief." Edgar chuckled.
"She's the one who came up with the name." Mom informed him and everyone else. Hiccup looked at me expectantly.
"Should I mention the full name?" I asked curiously. "If you want to." Hiccup smiled at me. Lovingly gazing at my baby brother, I told Hiccup and everyone his name.
"Elias…Elias II Stoick Fiersome."
Everyone practically went 'aaawww!' once I said the name. And when I looked at Hiccup, he was smiling widely with his eyes shining with joy and gratitude. I smiled and winked at him. I knew that he loved the name just as much as I did.
"Nice middle name." Stoick said with pride. Hiccup rolled his eyes at his father, "That's because its' yours." Everyone chuckled.
Then Hiccup and I decided to take El out to see the sun and get some fresh air. Hiccup, of course, handed him back to me first. With Toothless and Stryka at our sides, we walked outside. El giggled and looked around Berk in awe.
"Welcome to your home, El…" Hiccup said softly, already knowing his nickname.
"Well, El…this, is Berk." I said grandly, gesturing to the entire dragon-filled land. El giggled and looked around, his big violet eyes wide in wonder.
Then and there, I felt nothing but joy. My baby brother was finally here…Eret and I are together again…Hiccup is now Chief... Aurora is now Queen…and life on Berk…just got even more amazing.
And so ends another adventure…But I know that my friends and I will have even more epic adventures. And as long as we and our dragons stayed together…well, every day's an adventure!