Rainnnn: I love their interactions too. It's a little reminder that no matter what else has changed about him, Hiccup is still a young man with a sense of humour. As for his swords, they have other powers that will come to light along the way. Baby steps :) I do enjoy keeping people guessing, just like with the Romans. True, he has dealt with that little problem now. Roman emperors did get assassinated by rivals all the time, and like you said, a soul for a soul ;)
Mark Andrew: Hiccup's 'relationship with Cuithanna is a complicated one, but not in the way that you think. As for children, I agree that it would be nice to see him have at least one, but I doubt that will happen in this first story. (By the way, Hicca is a great name! Lol)
Eris: I'll give you that. It was a very dark chapter. Who knows what the future will hold for Valka...
DeathBerryHime: I know how you feel, and it's coming! I promise! Lol. I also Stan murderous darkcup in skin tight leather ;)
CB73: I agree, she did get off easy. All thanks to Toothless. Hadrian got off relatively easy as well, all things considered. He is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, after all. As for Stormfly...I'll leave that to the predictors. :P
_
Ilweran had been helping Valka tend to the refugee dragons of the nest for the past five days. Ever since Hiccup and Minden had left, he had been listening to Valka's worries about her son. How did Hiccup really feel about her? What had happened to him? Had he been joking about wanting to kill her? Where were he and Minden right now? So far, Ilweran had not expended any effort in trying to dispel her worries or explain anything. Unsure how he felt about this whole situation, and not really wanting to ease her burden. She deserved it.
As a father himself, Ilweran couldn't imagine ever willingly walking away from his child. He had gone to extraordinary means to protect Minden. Some that she knew about. Many that she didn't. Every time that he had left her to return to Alfheim, another small piece of him had broken.
What if something happened to her while he was away? He wanted to stay with her and her mother, but he couldn't. It was the most terrible feeling he had ever experienced. Thankfully his elven heritage had hidden his pain from nearly everyone. His mother, Queen Lerina, had noticed that something was wrong of course. She knew him too well to be fooled by his lies, but she would never reveal his secret.
For most of his life, Ilweran had never even considered what it might be like to have children. Though he was half human, he was born on Alfheim to an elf mother. Shortly after his birth it had become clear that he was more elf than human, despite his appearance. As soon as he was old enough to understand it, his mother had explained his new reality to him. He was essentially immortal. This meant that he was also infertile. Living amongst other immortals, he had never thought to question this assumption.
At 400-years-old, he had been around. Eternal youth, unmatched beauty, and the alluring wild magic of his people meant that most elves were quite promiscuous. As were the other eternal races, if not to quite the same extent. It's just the way they have always been. Ilweran had only been half joking when he reminded Hiccup that elves were not particular in their fancies. They certainly weren't, as Hiccup had discovered soon after arriving in Alfheim. The elves had found his exotic looks appealing, and many of both sexes had tried to pair with him at that first fall festival.
Hiccup had been quite shocked at first, but had eventually learned to laugh it off with Ilweran. Both of them spurning the advances of the others with good humour. Both of them watching as Cuithanna approached them in her pregnant form. Ilweran had thought she was going to choose him again. Then as she had chosen Hiccup, he had been as stunned as everyone else when her mark began to glow on the Dark Rider's forehead. That had never happened before. She had placed her permanent seal on him.
No one knew what would happen now. If the seal would change him or not. At least it did help to keep the others somewhat at bay, if only for that one evening. Only from Hiccup, though. The young man had laughed himself to tears at Ilweran as more and more men made suggestive passes at him. Some even getting a bit handsy in their drunken desire. The others had never been able to understand why their prince was so strangely reluctant when it came to bedmates. Especially during the Sabbats when the liquors were flowing freely.
In truth, Hiccup was right when he had said that they were both very particular. Ilweran had always been the odd one out in that regard, before. Most of his kin were free spirits that gave in to whatever whim caught their fancy at the moment. He could just never manage it. Likely due to the human in him. He was more emotion bound than the rest of them.
Despite centuries of wishing he could just blend in, Ilweran had still only ever desired beautiful women, but it was also so much more complicated than that. Though satisfied in the moment, he would always end up feeling curiously empty after he had them. Not because he didn't want women. He did. Very much so. It just felt like something important was missing from the union.
It wasn't until after he had bonded with Tintallë and became free to roam the other realms that Ilweran realized he was maybe not so strange after all. After meeting the humans, it had all started to make sense. With their considerably shorter life expectancies, they tended to form bonds of love and companionship. This had intrigued Ilweran greatly. Having grown up without this, he longed to know more of how these bonds were formed. Opting to spend more and more time with the humans as he began to study them and their curious habits.
That was how he had met Minden's mother. She was beautiful, for a human. Willowy and graceful, with long black hair and bright blue eyes in a delicately proportioned face. So kind and gentle. Quiet and wise in surprising ways, while bearing an almost childlike innocence towards life that he found nearly irresistible. She seemed almost too fragile and perfect for this world of hard living and cruelty.
He had fallen for her. Experienced feelings that he had never known existed. Elves did not fall in love for companionship. Love, in a romantic sense, was not logical for immortals so they saw no purpose in it. Lust, certainly, but never love. When he was around her though, the curious emptiness inside him began to disappear.
His natural elven allure had sung to her. Calling her to him like a moth to fire. This delicate flower that he coveted soon began to seek him out, even though they both knew it was wrong. When Ilweran had finally allowed himself to give into his desires, it had never occurred to him to be careful. He was sterile, after all. An infertile sex god, put here to give and receive pleasure but never reproduce. Why would he need offspring if he would never die?
How foolish and arrogant he had been back then. Despicably cocksure of his own prowess. Utterly convinced that he knew it all. Simply giving her what they both wanted, before flying off into the night. Leaving her satisfied, and maybe a little confused, but likely no worse off for it. It wasn't until years later that he had learned this assumption was wrong.
When Ilweran had at last returned to Midgard to find his Flower, she had presented him with the most beautiful girlchild he had ever seen. She had her mother's willowy frame and delicate features. Somehow, she also had his tanned skin, white-blonde hair, and amber eyes. Stronger, faster, and smarter than any young child should be, as well. He knew right away that this child was his. As utterly impossible as that seemed.
He also knew with a cold certainty that he needed to keep his daughter's existence a secret. Odin Allfather could never know. Ilweran had never sworn fealty to the Order, so he did not owe them anything. Thanks to his half human heritage Ilweran was also able to lie, unlike his elf kin. Two facts that had angered the self-proclaimed god greatly. Ilweran just hadn't trusted him. Likely due to the human in him again. He had been raised with the knowledge of the real history of the nine realms, after all.
The elves shared these true histories as cautionary tales. Used to warn of the dangers of power and never being satisfied. He, on the other hand, had seen them for what they were. Proof that no matter what they said, Odin and his brothers were no better than Loki. They would use any means they could find to gain complete control over a desired asset. Still, he had agreed to keep his role in the ranks a secret from everyone, for the sake of maintaining stability among the Riders.
So it was that Ilweran had made his decision. Hiding his Flower and their daughter in a small village in the eastern lands where none would recognize the girl for what she was. Providing financial support for them so that they would never go without. Visiting them whenever he could, but only when it wouldn't draw suspicion from the Order or Æsir. Instructing his young daughter in the ways of the arcane and the languages of her people, while using his magic to carefully shield his family from Odin's sight whenever he was with them. Making it clear to his daughter that she needed to keep her magic hidden when he wasn't.
He wanted her to be as prepared for the world as possible. Nearly loosing his mind with worry every time he had to leave and return to Alfheim. For his own peace of mind, he had eventually taught her how to fight too. Despite the fact that the other villagers considered it improper for a girl to take up a weapon. Ilweran didn't care what anyone else thought. His only concern was to keep his daughter safe.
When Ilweran had learned that his Flower had died and Minden was on her own, he had wanted to bring the young girl home with him. She had a dragon as a companion now. It would be so easy. Except that she was not a bonded rider. Unfortunately, despite being part elf, Minden was still a mortal. There was just too much human in her. He was not able to cross the boundary safely with her.
Still, he had taught her well. Instead of accepting her fate and letting herself be married off, she had become a mercenary like him. Ilweran knew he would never be able to talk her out of it, so he began to seek out new ways to keep her safe. Hating the rules about mortals that the Allfather had set down. Resenting the Allfather more and more, Ilweran had finally decided to go to the cave where Loki was held captive. Wanting to ask the clever man about possible ways to protect and shield his daughter.
He had felt a strange sort of kinship towards the Trickster, almost immediately. Both of them were fathers. Both had tried to protect their children from Odin and his need for power. Loki understood Ilweran's distress. The man had been forced to watch his own sons fight until one killed the other, after all. Then the Æsir had bound him to a stone using his dead sons entrails, as punishment for falling out of their favour. And they had the nerve to call him evil.
Unfortunately, the method that Loki had suggested was darker than Ilweran was prepared for. He did not know how to channel a soul into an object, and he knew that if he tried, he would likely die. Or go insane from the darkness. So instead, he continued to protect Minden when he was on Midgard, and worry endlessly when he wasn't. Then he found Hiccup. They had gotten along so well that he had decided to trust the young man. A human and a rebel like himself, with the additional benefit of this new rider having some foolproof method of blocking Odin's sight. He had taken Hiccup with him to visit Minden.
His daughter had been instantly smitten with the tall and handsome Dark Rider. Ilweran had not been overly surprised by this. She did seem to have just enough of the elven free-spirit to drive her father to distraction. Hiccup, in his defence, had been respectful and friendly, but had shut down her advances promptly. This had made Ilweran like Hiccup even more, but he couldn't pretend that it didn't also confuse him a little too. Even he couldn't deny that his daughter was an extraordinarily beautiful woman. What man would turn that away?
At first Ilweran had assumed that Hiccup just felt too much loyalty to Cuithanna. Despite the fact that the union with the mother goddess did not require exclusivity, some that were chosen by her did get strangely attached. Seeing the fertility ritual as more than a necessary one to bring about the next year. Then he had seen the pain in his friend's eyes when the festival season came around. It was the same pain he, himself had felt when Cuithanna had chosen him.
Ilweran had performed his own role in the previous festivals with the same weight of guilt bearing down on him. He was betraying his Flower. It didn't matter that it was simply a ritual. It didn't matter that is was with the mother goddess herself. It still felt like a burden.
Cuithanna had known and apologized for causing him pain, but when she chose you, that was that. You did not deny the goddess. Watching Hiccup, he had realized that his friend had his own Flower somewhere. A woman that he could never be with, still tearing at his soul. A woman he never spoke of. Keeping his pain carefully concealed from all that may use it against him.
Now Odin had tried to find a different woman to use against Hiccup. Now that he knew who Valka really was, Ilweran had no misconceptions about why they had been sent here. Odin had to have known that this person was not a bonded rider. He had just wanted to spring a surprise on Hiccup to see how he would react. It was very likely that their next task would be one that placed them in close proximity to Odin. He would want Hiccup on Asgard so that he could be watched, since Odin could not scry him. Too bad for the Allfather that Hiccup would have seen right through his games.
As he watched Valka bustle around with the baby dragons, Ilweran remembered again the unsettling display from the other day. The way that Hiccup had actually snarled at his mother. His lips pulling back menacingly over the glistening white teeth with the near-fangs. Ilweran had already suspected that his friend had become something entirely different than that which he appeared to be. Much more than just a bonded rider and elf. Now he was more certain than ever, but he chose not to press the issue. If Hiccup wanted to tell him, he would. He was also certain that Valka had experienced a very close brush with death that day, too.
Valka turned to look at him then. Distracting him from his thoughts. "Are you even listening to me," she asked as she put her hands on her hips.
"Nope," Ilweran replied honestly. Shrugging at her look of surprise. "Why? What were you saying? Please do not tell me that it was something else about Hiccup," he added with a sigh.
She scowled at him. "They've been gone for days! You're not even a little bit worried about them?"
Seeing that she was not going to let this drop, Ilweran crossed his arms and gazed back at her. "No, I am not worried about them. Hiccup would never let anything happen to Minden. I expect they will be back soon enough. Besides, you did not worry about Hiccup enough to stay with him when he was a baby. I am not sure why you are bothering to worry now that he is a grown man."
She may not like to hear it, but it was the truth. Ilweran couldn't keep from feeling a sort of vindictive glee as he watched the flicker of pain cross her face now. Then she carefully schooled her features again. "You and Hiccup seem very close. He and Minden as well. They seem rather... friendly... with each other."
That had him barking out a surprised laugh as he watched her struggling for an appropriate word. Though he couldn't really blame her for her assumption. Watching the two together, it was one that anyone would make. "No, Hiccup and Minden are not lovers. They tease and joke with each other, but their relationship has never been a romantic one. As for Hiccup and I, he has become like a little brother to me. As such, I feel rather protective of him at times. Even if I know that he is fully capable of looking after himself."
Valka looked surprised for a moment, but then she smiled at him in understanding. Dropping her gaze from his to glance at the baby dragons beside them instead. He could tell that she was looking around for a change of topic. The new one that she settled on was not likely to be any less uncomfortable, though. "So, where do you think they went?" she asked after a moment's awkward silence.
With a resigned sigh, Ilweran told her the truth. "You heard what Hiccup said. They went to visit an old friend of his. Although I strongly suspect that they have actually gone to kill this person."
She dropped the water jug she had been holding as she turned abruptly to face him again. Her face pale in the blue-green light filtering through the ice. "Kill someone..."
"Really Val, Hiccup is a bonded dragon rider and a member of the Order. All of the Order members have had to take a life at one point or other. I, myself, have murdered many people. So many that I do not even remember all of them, to be honest. Hiccup is still a good man with a good heart, and one that I greatly respect. Just be thankful that he did not decide to attack you. Though I am certain he was considering it."
Valka looked into his face for a long moment before speaking. Searching his eyes for anything familiar to grab hold of in the sea of conflicting emotions. "I wouldn't have blamed him if he had," she finally sighed. "What am I going to do? I don't know him at all, Ilweran."
"I have regretted my decision to stay away every day since I made it. Not that it matters, though," she added bitterly. The barest hint of self-loathing leaking into her tone. "So many times I wanted to sneak back and check on them. Just to make sure that they were alright without me. For one silly reason or another, I didn't. I never imagined that one day Hiccup would find me instead."
Settling herself on a rock then, Valka stared down at her hands. "Somehow, I never paid attention to the passing of time. Never realized that all the years I wasted were taking my son farther and farther away from me. When he was born, he was so small. So fragile. I always thought that he would have a hard enough time fitting in with the other villagers, without his crazy mother around as well. They do not treat the weak or different very kindly where we are from. I think I always pictured him as still being that helpless and delicate child."
When Valka met his eyes again, there was so much hurt there, it softened his anger despite himself. "He is so different from that tiny baby. More so than I could have ever dreamed possible. Tall, strong, confident, and handsome. He looks so much like his father did at that age," she confessed. Her green eyes, so much like Hiccup's, almost gazing through him as she lost herself in memories of what used to be.
"He even carries himself like a chief, and I had no part in any of it. I never got to see him grow up. Never got to see the innocent years when family means so very much. I can never get that time back. Now he is all grown up and hardened. A Rider, a soldier, a leader, and a killer. With no room in his heart to love a mother that turned her back on him."
Gazing back at the woman that he had known and considered a friend for many years, Ilweran sighed softly. "I am not sure what you want me to say, Val. Would you like me to tell you that it is okay? That I understand, and Hiccup will forgive you one day? I cannot say either, and you know that. However, Hiccup has decided to give you a second chance, whether you deserve it or not. My only suggestion is that you do not waste the time you have received."
Valka looked back down at her twined fingers again, before nodding and pushing to her feet. Without another word, they went back to feeding the babies. They had just finished when a loud and familiar screech rang through the air. Ilweran smiled at Valka's startled look. "They are back. I told you they would be." Laughing and smiling as the night fury and hobblegrunt swooped in through the fissure in the ice cap, Ilweran raised his hand in greeting to the two riders. Both waved back as they caught sight of him and Valka.
Minden jumped down as soon as they were on the ground. Practically skipping in her glee as she ran up to Ilweran. "Dad, you should have been there. It was awesome," she gushed as she hugged him happily.
Hugging her back, Ilweran shot a look at Hiccup over Minden's shoulder. "Should have been where, exactly," he asked the young man. More for Valka than for himself. She was currently standing off to the side of the group and looking distinctly lost.
Hiccup simply met his gaze and smiled darkly. "Rome," was all he said, and Ilweran nodded.
"It was so much fun dad," Minden cut in then. Unable to hold back her excitement any longer. "We went to the palace at night, and Hiccup took out the guards on the wall while I distracted the soldiers in the courtyard. The idiots actually thought that I was offering my body to them for the night. Gross! Anyways, so I killed a bunch of them. Then Hiccup comes in all Mr. Sexy Warrior with his swords and kills the rest of the unit by himself while I took care of their little reinforcement buddies."
"Then we snuck inside and I stood watch while Hiccup dealt with the main target. He comes back out and we leave without anyone else seeing us. Well, first Hiccup did something fancy with one of his swords to clean up our mess, so that no one would ever know. It was a perfect job. Very clean. They would have all assumed that it was a poisoning arranged by a rival or something. I mean, we probably didn't really have to kill all of those soldiers just to get in, but that was half the fun."
Ilweran couldn't help laughing at his daughter's exuberance. Still chuckling, he glanced towards Hiccup. "That is not a usual assassination tactic. Storming the gates and taking out an entire unit of armed guards. What happened to the old sneak in, sneak out unseen method? Especially in this realm."
Hiccup smirked and shrugged at him. "That method is great if you only have one target. I know for a fact that many of those soldiers were guilty of raping and killing women and children. I feel that it was sweet justice that many of them were, in turn, slain by this beautiful goddess. A number of them even briefly considered raping her if she did not come willingly. At least, that is until she put a blade through them." He gestured towards Minden as she cackled evilly, and Ilweran caught the glint of a newly acquired ring on his finger.
Focusing on it for barely a second, he saw that it was a black ring in the shape of a coiled serpent eating its own tale. Two emeralds for eyes as the repositories of its power. It was a ring that Ilweran recognized immediately. Clearly Hiccup had been to visit the Trickster as well. If Ilweran's suspicions were correct, Loki had told Hiccup how to make a concealment ring of his own. Apparently, his little brother did know how to channel the dark energies of the magic without losing his sanity.
He felt Tintallë come up behind him at that moment. The dragon taking note of the black ring on Hiccup's hand as well. "Perhaps we could ask him to help us hide Minden," came her voice in Ilweran's head as she gazed thoughtfully at the dark rider joking and laughing with his daughter. "I guess the only question is, how much do you trust him?"
"I would trust him with my life and hers, Tintallë," Ilweran replied promptly. "I'm just not sure how to broach the subject without revealing that I know he has been visiting Loki. While at the same time also revealing that I have done the same. He may not react well to that if he's a traitor, though I doubt very much that he is. I suspect that he is just a free-agent, like myself. I will try to think up some way to ask him about it before we leave here though."
*
Hiccup had seen Ilweran eyeing his ring. It didn't concern him much. None but the Allfather and Loki himself knew about the concealment ring the Trickster wore. Well, them and Hiccup. He would think up some, less dark, way to explain the ring's powers to Ilweran once they had left Midgard. Though he trusted Ilweran like a big brother, he did not want to put the man in an uncomfortable situation.
If Ilweran knew that Hiccup had been to visit Loki, he would be required to tell the Council. That was part of the fealty oath after all. Hiccup would not make his friend choose between his loyalty to his 'brother' and his loyalty to the Order. Though he sometimes wished that he could tell his friend everything. Especially since something of this sort would work well to conceal Minden from the Allfather.
Hiccup sighed to himself as he laughed with Minden about the adventure at the palace. Thinking that he would need to talk to Toothless about that specific problem now that Minden was with his mother, whom Odin would be keeping close tabs on. The other half of his attention focused on Valka's face and thoughts as Minden spoke of their deeds in Rome. The shock and horror written across both as plain as day while the young woman described their ruthless murder of over a hundred men.
Her mouth was now hanging slightly open. A spark of uneasy fear in her eyes as she gaped between Minden and Hiccup in speechless astonishment. As promised, Minden was being deliberately gory in her narrative and it was having exactly the effect she had been hoping for. Good, Hiccup thought. Valka should realize how easy it would have been for me to end her.
He grinned darkly at his mother as Minden finished her story. "Do not feel too bad for them, mother," he stated. Injecting a heavy helping of sarcasm into the undeserved title. "I usually only kill the ones that deserve it. I may be many things, but I am not much of a sadist."
"Ya, but I might be," Minden cackled, and everyone started laughing.
"That is true. I know that Ilweran says he is your father, but now I am not so sure," Hiccup agreed with a chuckle. "I think that you may actually be a draugr simply masquerading as a pretty lady. Beckoning your victims to their sweet death at your lovely hands."
She winked and wiggled her fingers at him. "Are my feminine charms singing to you Hiccup? Come here and let me kill you, my dark prince."
"You can kill me anytime you want, my delicious seductress," Hiccup replied in a suggestive tone.
"Watch it, little brother. I may like you, but I will still take your life," Ilweran growled. Hiccup held his hands up in a display of mock surrender as everyone laughed again. Valka even seeming slightly more at ease after watching the playful banter between the group. Though she was still throwing the occasional nervous glance Hiccup's way as they all went back into the cave. Not that Hiccup cared. Nervous glances were just a typical greeting when you were the Dark Rider.
As the rest of the group talked over their recent sightings of trapper ships, Hiccup and Toothless were trying to figure out how to hide Minden instead. As well as how to broach the subject with Ilweran. "I think I might have a way, brother," Toothless was saying. "I have been experimenting with my magic, and I think that I can make something strong enough to shield her without drawing on our power. If I could bless an object that she would then keep on her, it might work. I could always just bestow the blessing directly on her, but I'm not that confident with my abilities yet."
"You really think you can do that bud? Blessings can be pretty risky... You'll have to be very specific about what you want it to do." Hiccup couldn't help worrying. Though Toothless had gained some control of his arcane powers after the ritual, it was still so new to him. Any distraction or errant thought could cause unexpected, and often dangerous, magic to burst from him instead.
"I'm pretty sure. I'll spend the next few days working with the Bewilderbeast to figure it out. Make sure that I have it just right. You can find an object to carry the blessing." Hiccup nodded his agreement. Feeling immense pride in his dragon brother. If this worked, then he wouldn't have to tell Ilweran the truth about how the ring worked just yet. He had been saving the ring as a last, desperate option. Not that he was too keen to make another one. He'd rather not resort to stealing more souls if there was any way around it.
That night, while Valka and Minden slept, Hiccup decided to talk to Ilweran about Toothless' plan. As they sat on a ledge overlooking the nest, he watched the light of gratitude kindle in his friend's eyes. "Actually, I was planning to talk to you about that, Hiccup. Especially now that we know Odin will be checking on your mother." Ilweran scratched his chin for a moment, clearly deep in thought. Then he smiled and pulled a small amulet on a leather chord out from under his tunic.
Passing it to Hiccup as he said, "here. Toothless can use this. It was made for me long ago by Minden's mother. I have worn it for many years, but it is only right that she carry it now. Perhaps her mother's love will even serve to make the blessing stronger."
Looking at the pendant in his hand, Hiccup saw that it was fashioned in the shape of a heart. Carved from some sort of pink crystal. Veins of darker pink and white streaking through it, emphasizing the stylized monstrous nightmare engraved into the centre. It was a beautiful and delicate thing that spoke of immense love and careful time. He, himself, had put a similar amount of effort into a pendant once. Not even really understanding what it had meant at the time. He did now, as his heart ached for his friend and himself.
Hiccup met Ilweran's eyes with a soft smile of his own. "I am sorry for your loss, my brother. Hopefully with this we will be able to prevent any more pain for you. I promise that we will do whatever we can to protect Minden."
"Thank you brother," Ilweran said with a slight bow of his head. Hiccup reaching out to place a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. Just then, a ghostly white shape swooped in through the opening in the ice above their heads. Both men watched as the small shape got closer. Looking startlingly white against the green glow of the ice cap in the moonlight.
Hiccup sighed as the barn owl make straight for them. "Well, that will be our next mission from Elder Noldo I imagine. What do you think it will be this time? A shipwrecked aunt? A kidnapped cousin? I am almost certain that I do not have any more lost relatives for Odin to spring on me."
Ilweran barked a laugh at the bold, yet undeniably true, statement. "I expect that it will be something dreadfully dull that will likely require us to spend an unfortunate amount of time on Asgard," he replied dryly. Giving another chuckle at the eye roll Hiccup gave him.
The elegant tyto spread her wings wide to land silently on Hiccup's shoulder. Reaching up, he retrieved the scroll that was tied to the bird's leg before stroking the owl's chest feathers lightly. "Thank you Saira," he said as she nipped his finger affectionately. Then she lifted off from his shoulder again and took off towards the fissure. After watching her go for a moment, Hiccup unrolled the scroll and glanced at it briefly, before groaning loudly and handing it over to Ilweran.
The blonde man groaned just as loudly when he read it. "We have been assigned to dragon training? What horrible trick is this? That is a job for the apprentices, not experienced Riders!"
Hiccup couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him at that. "I guess you were right. Did you read the whole thing though? They want us to take four separate groups through the initial training phase of dragon riding. All un-bonded riders, so they will be green as a spring morning."
Ilweran opened the scroll again to quickly check it over. Then he looked up in horror as he met Hiccup's eyes. "Four separate groups of un-bonded riders? At eight months each, at least, that puts us on Asgard for well over two years! I can barely stand that place for two days! This is going to suck so hard."
Patting his friend on the shoulder, Hiccup laughed again at how much Ilweran sounded like his daughter right now. Though, he had to agree with the man. "That it is, brother. So hard." Then with a shrug, he added, "at least we get the small pleasure of separating out the snakes from the bird's nest again. I do enjoy scaring the awful cretins. Testing the recruits for purity of heart will be a lot easier with Guruthos. Maybe this time around, they will actually let us kill the slimy little eels who's parents try to buy their way into the training."
Ilweran grinned wickedly at the thought. "That would almost make it worth it. How those high and mighty nobles can sleep at night, knowing the things that some of their precious children have done? Rapists, thieves, and woman beaters, all walking free because their powerful parents bought the victims' silence. Clearing their little bastard's name with gold. Then they think we are going to give the kid a dragon and teach them to ride it, just because they want us to? I would rather feed them to a dragon instead."
"I tried that once," Hiccup deadpanned. "Toothless says that assholes give him indigestion."
Ilweran looked at him for a minute, then burst out laughing. Reaching out and pretending to shove Hiccup off the ledge. "You are ridiculous, Haddock. Assholes give him indigestion... Unbelievable! Why are we even friends?" Hiccup just smirked at him before playfully shoving him back.
*
When the ladies woke up, Ilweran and Hiccup gave them a brief rundown of the new mission they had received. Minden laughed until her ribs ached at the thought. Clearly picturing the two seasoned warriors spending their time putting up with the chosen riders-in-training. More often than not, they were the bratty sons and daughters of the upper classes from Asgard and Vanaheim (not that Valka knew that particular bit). Selected to be part of the mounted cavalry because they didn't want to be with the common infantry soldiers. Ultimately turning Hiccup and Ilweran into greatly overqualified babysitters for snobby youths.
Though Hiccup had only instructed the training once shortly after joining the Order, it had been exhausting. The wealthy young recruits were typically volunteered by their parents. Usually with the hopes that the training would whip some discipline into their unmanageable offspring. The Riders made certain that it did. With physical and mental training tasks designed to emotionally break those going through it. Teaching them to stop focusing on the self and see the bigger picture instead. To appreciate the magic of outthinking your opponent instead of resorting to violence.
The Riders of the Order were tasked to instruct any new recruits through the toughest first months of their training. Often forced to drag it out longer than necessary or desired, due to the fact that the children of nobility were not particularly used to hard physical activity. Nor were they trained in regularly battle tactics, or possessing of sparring skills that were viable in a real war. In short, the Riders had to start from scratch with the recruits and give them plenty of breaks to recover from the physical and mental tortures of the lessons. During that first round, Hiccup had often found himself imagining how much quicker the training would go if the recruits were Vikings from Midgard instead. Strong and disciplined (sort of) youths already trained in combat and experienced in taking orders.
"Astrid would destroy all the others as she soared through the training," Hiccup had joked with Toothless. "Honestly, she'd probably even be instructing the lessons herself within a month's time." Toothless grinned as he pictured that. Chuckling his agreement. He had seen Astrid in action through Hiccup's memories, after all. Both he and Hiccup getting particular enjoyment from the way she used to beat up Snotlout.
At least the Riders were only responsible for the initial training of the recruits. After the little bastards had covered the basics, learned respect, and gotten comfortable on a dragon, the experienced Calvary soldiers would take over to continue their training. Still, with the looming prospect of months of tedium ahead of them, Hiccup and Ilweran decided to make the most of their last few days on Midgard. Going along with Valka and Minden to raid hunter ships to burn off steam.
Soon after finding the first ship, it became clear that these were relatively green trappers. Likely pushed this far north by the more established groups to the south. The riders attacking the small fleets under cover of night and with the unnaturally massive bonded dragons staying mostly out of sight. Hiccup and Ilweran simply distracting the hunters while the ladies snuck aboard to free any captured beasts from the holds. Still, Hiccup and Toothless made sure to let the men catch glimpses of them. Hopefully striking enough fear into the men to encourage most to seek out a different profession once they docked again.
Raiding the ships was fun, but not nearly distracting enough. Hiccup kept finding his thoughts wandering back to Astrid. Especially with how close he was to Berk. He could be there and back in a matter of hours on Toothless. Maybe he should just fly down and visit her. Just once to make sure she was okay.
Every time he was about to leave though, he always talked himself out of it. Astrid probably hated him by now after what he did to her. She wouldn't want to see him, unless it was to yell at him. He didn't need to inflict that sort of pain on her. Did not need to remind her of a past mistake that she had likely done her best to forget. So he carried on as if he had nowhere else that he would rather be. The empty hole in his chest remaining at a constant dull ache the entire time.
On the last night, Toothless told Hiccup that he was ready to bless the necklace. The whole group gathering in the nest to watch as the dragons of the sanctuary looked on excitedly. Most having never even heard of magic before. Toothless and Minden stood in the centre of the circle. Ilweran and Hiccup standing close. Ready to intervene if something started to go wrong.
Hiccup stepped forward and laid the necklace on the ground in front of Toothless. Minden kneeling down to place her hand on it as she looked up into the acid green eyes of the dragon. Toothless met her gaze for a moment, before leaning his nose down. Touching it gently to the pendant at his feet. At first nothing seemed to happen. Then a strange blue-purple light began to grow at the point where snout touched crystal.
The dragon's glowing magic swelled to cover the pendant, then flowed up the leather chord to the point where Minden's hand touched it. It grew brighter and brighter before suddenly flaring to a painful intensity and then fading out entirely. Toothless looked up at Hiccup then with slightly anxious eyes. Asking for him to confirm the blessing as Minden gazed at her hand in wonder. Her finger tips still glowing slightly from the contact with the blue-purple light.
When he picked up the necklace, Hiccup could feel the power thrumming through it. The tips of his fingers actually tingling a bit from where he touched it. Flipping it over, he found the shape of a bright starburst now engraved into the back of it. Seeming to glow faintly with the same blue-purple light. Probing it carefully, Hiccup could sense only light energy filling the crystal. No dark essence to mar the magic. As far as he could tell, it was safe to wear the necklace.
Nodding, he handed it to Minden. "Put it on, then I will test out whether or not I can see you." She smiled and took the necklace. Looking at it once before placing the chord over her head. Picking up a bowl of water that he had kept ready for this, Hiccup looked into it and muttered the scrying spell. Trying every variation of the magic that he could think of. The surface of the water stayed stubbornly blank.
"It works," he stated with a grin. Watching the relief cross Ilweran's face. The blonde man moving to scratch Toothless under the chin.
"Thank you, Toothless," Ilweran chuckled as the black dragon leaned into his touch. Purring loudly and making everyone laugh. Minden came over to scratch Toothless as well then. The two of them succeeding in making the dragon's legs give out. Then all of them were laughing as the silly reptile rolled on the ground in his ecstasy.
The rest of the evening passed in a mixture of both joy and sadness as farewell loomed over the group. When it came time for the men to leave, Minden hugged both of them tight. Giving Hiccup a squeeze on the butt for good measure before releasing him. "I know that you two will be very busy with babysitting for the next couple years, but don't stay away too long okay. I miss you when you're not around." Hiccup chuckled and hugged her again. Then he moved to face his mother.
Valka looked uncomfortable and unsure of herself. When she met his eyes, she offered him a tentative smile, which Hiccup returned. "I really am sorry Hiccup," Valka repeated. Extending her hand towards him as she spoke. "I wish that I could take back all of the lost time and get to know you as I should. You are a good man. I can see that now. Though you still feel like a dangerous stranger to me, and I know that is all my fault."
Hiccup gazed at this woman who was not so different from him. Was he really going to reject what little family he could be almost honest with? He didn't want to. Still, could he honestly forgive her for leaving him alone to face his horrible childhood on Berk without her? Maybe one day, but not yet.
The thoughts had flown through his head so quickly that she likely would not have even noticed his hesitation. Reaching out his own hand, Hiccup grasped hers and shook it. "I expect that we will see each other again someday," he offered in return. "Perhaps, over time, we will get to know each other. I will keep in touch if I can, but my boss will be watching me. I do not want to put you in danger by letting the him think that he can use you to get to me. You take care of yourself, and Minden."
Valka smiled at him again as a tear slid down her cheek. "Goodbye Hiccup," she choked. Ilweran coming over to say his farewell to her too, before both men moved to mount their dragons. "Take care, and have fun at dragon training," Valka and Minden both called out. Laughing as both men and both dragons rolled their eyes in nearly identical exasperation. Then the huge, bonded dragons spread their wings and took off.
Looking back, Hiccup waved at the women on the ground once more before crossing through the fissure in the ice. He and Ilweran making their way south towards Bifröst, and two and a half years of mind numbing lessons with entitled little jerks. As he remembered this, Hiccup looked over at Ilweran and grinned. "You ready for this, brother?"
"Not really," Ilweran grumbled with another eye roll. "Though who knows. Maybe they will give us more suitable recruits this time around..." He trailed off as Hiccup cocked an eyebrow at him skeptically. "Yes, you are right. It will be just as terrible as every other time."
Hiccup chuckled at that. "Yep, it will. As a wise man once said to me, this is going to suck so hard." Both of them burst out laughing now as they soared through the icy Midgard sky. Hiccup gazing around at the familiar ocean passing by underneath them and the familiar stars shining above. "Goodbye Astrid. I miss you," he whispered into the night air, as the hole in his chest gave one more painful twinge.
_
I wanted to give Ilweran and Minden a fair amount of time to be developed over these two chapters. They are important characters in the story and I love both of them. Minden is just barely 20-years-old, young, carefree, and tons of fun. At 400-years-old, Ilweran is also still very young for an elf. Hence, he and Hiccup can banter like young men. They both, technically, are.
The next chapter will be a time jump, but I don't really want to devote page time to dragon training with snobby brats on Asgard when there are much more exciting things ahead...