Gobber entered his workshop, like normal. And, like normal, he began to attach his forge hammer prosthetic. He stopped when he saw a small corner of parchment sticking out of it. Upon inspection, it appeared to be two carefully folded pieces of parchment, stuffed inside his secret compartment. He tentatively opened them and began to read the first.
'Gobber. I felt I owed you an apology and an explanation. Not an apology for anything I did. But an apology for not trying harder to explain, at least to you. But I have learned that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, I have only a few things to say.
First: I hated lying to you more than I hated lying to anyone else in the village. You were like a surrogate father to me, or maybe a crazy uncle. But it was necessary. I only wish it hadn't been.
Second: I shot down a Night Fury during the last raid in which I used an invention of mine.
Third: If you want to understand what happened after that if you think you can handle the truth, ask Trader Johann for the book. He'll know which one. If he doesn't, tell him it's the one that made him throw up. He'll definitely remember that. I finished it. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Fourth: I want you to know that I didn't want to leave Berk the way I did. But I don't regret it, and I won't be coming back. I have a home now, and something better.
Fifth: I don't go by Hiccup anymore. I was given a better name. See the other parchment for details.
-Not Hiccup. Not anymore.'
Gobber reread the letter twice. He carefully set it aside and unfolded the other parchment.
This parchment was much larger and contained an image that made him blink. The image, which took up the entire page, showed Hiccup and four Night Furies. The two largest Night Furies were sitting on their hind legs behind Hiccup. One was bent over slightly, apparently nuzzling his hair with its eyes closed. There was a distinct fractal scar on that one's back.
The other was staring directly at Gobber from the parchment, eyes challenging. It had a paw on Hiccup's shoulder. On Hiccup's immediate right stood a slightly smaller Fury, on all four legs. That one was standing close to Hiccup. And the fourth Fury was in the process of having his head scratched. He was on Hiccup's left and had a distinctive saddle and prosthetic tail. Hiccup's expression in the picture was one of contentment.
The image was incredibly detailed. Over or under each Fury was a set of two names, one strange and one simple. Gobber didn't recognize any of the strange names, but he understood the simple ones below.
Cloey, Shadow, Von, and Toothless, respectively. Hiccup also had a set of two names. The simple one was Maour. As a caption to the entire picture as a whole was a single phrase.
'The Svartur Family.'
Author's Note: No, of course, the story doesn't end here! That would be cruel, and frankly a waste of an immense amount of setup and foreshadowing. This is, however, the end of book 1. Book 2, Living Anonymously, will begin posting next week at the usual time. I'll also put up a few short deleted scenes at that time here, so don't worry about not seeing it, I'll be sure to mention it there too.