The gem is on the sword, a beautiful combination, really, what with the golden hilt and the 'special iron' (not so much a magic trick as a I really do know a special iron) which is silver-ish in color, but not actually silver, I call it, Gronkle Iron.

I set it up and leave it on my workbench. Tomorrow is my birthday.

I walk into the forge and pick up the sword real early, wanting to make it to the Chief's hut so I could deliver it to him personally. So I'd had o-two bad encounters with my father, he didn't even know it was me! Also, they weren't technically with me-me, see, one was with that witch-girl, and the other was me breaking into his house and using magic… oh, did I tell you they're still hunting for 'the' sorcerer?

I walk to his hut with a small skip and notice that people are coming out and setting up decorations. I see parents hugging they're children, and the atmosphere feels very tense…

I knock on my father's door and after about a minute, a rather angry-tired looking man storms out (my dad) looking ready to burst, when he sees me and stops.

"Hiccup?" he asks, confused.

"It's done, sir," I hand him the sword.

Yeah, one more thing I should probably mention was that my parents hadn't even named me yet, they were going to take me to the Naming Dame the day after my birth before I, well, you know…

But either way, I knew I was going to be named Hiccup. My cousin, Amaira, performed by naming ceremony. She once worked for the Naming Dame… over a hundred years ago (sorcerers age very slowly after age eighteen) and before she'd been discovered, she'd actually taken over from the old one, so yeah. Funny enough, soon after my birth, the Archipelago had named me the same thing. Like I said, she'd good.

He takes it, says thank you, and closes the door… OK… wow…

I walk back to my rental accommodation… I'm considering building a hut, quick question. Does it look like I used magic if there's a nice, big hut between the town and the lake maybe with a second story by tomorrow? No? Good, it's settled, I'll build a hut!

For now though, I want to celebrate my birthday, so I take out ten gold pieces, seven silver ones and tree copper ones, deciding to splurge! The job I have at the forge pays a gold piece per day as well as a percentage of what I earn from the things I make, which amounts to a total of roughly twelve gold pieces per week, sometimes more. I also run a few errands for people because there's no harm in a little extra cash, right?

So yeah, for someone who busts their butt to make about twenty gold pieces a week (after tax, which I hate!), this is splurging.

I buy a pastry from the baker and try to ignore the sad, morose mood around Berk. When I see Astrid, I decide to ask what this is all about.

She tells me a tale, a tale as old as I am. The tale of the missing child.

Long ago, the chief and his wife were trying for a child. They'd tried for years and years to no avail, visited priests, priestesses and elders throughout the twelve kingdoms. Finally, on the day of the summer solstice, shortly after the festival, the chiefess became pregnant, the village was thrilled. They'd expected the baby to be born around March-April, but the baby had been born early, and was on the small side. A runt.

Still, the two were happy. They finally had a baby, and a boy at that! The next day they were to visit the Naming Dame, and they knew she'd name him 'Hiccup' (like your name, she comments, smiling sadly) but he'd be their Hiccup… that night there was a bit of a scuffle. Five sorcerers had broken into town and kidnapped the child. The parents were devastated.

"That's why everyone's hanging up sad-decorations and not going outside," she says, "It's the village's mourning day. The day we lost our heir, our hope." She looks down at the ground sadly.

It dawns on me now why my father hadn't really been happy today. Today was my sixteenth birthday, sure, but it had been sixteen years today since they had lost me, and that wound had not healed yet.

I think of the money in my pouch… suddenly I don't feel as eager to spend it.

I decide to go back to my home- well, not my home, but, well, you get the idea. Mind you, I still haven't decided on where to settle down yet. But, I think if it's going to be anywhere, it's most likely to be here.

.

Today is my birthday. Yup. That's right. Eleven years since my father abandoned me on a mountain, in the hopes that some dragon would eat me. The people of my village, however, seem to forget about their role in my would-be-death as they set up for the festivities taking place this afternoon.

Furious is still here. My father hasn't said it, but I think he wants him out- not that Furious has been causing trouble, no, that pretty much stopped at the news of our parents' death, but that doesn't mean that it's not irritating to have a guest over for a long period of time. I think the only reason that my father is allowing it is because Furious, in his human form especially, is a child. A small, helpless child. Nevertheless, I've considered asking for permission to build him a hut. Even if I didn't receive it, I would build one. Far, on the other side of the island, near a lake, perhaps. I smile. That would be nice, I would visit him everyday and while I would be gone, well, Furious knows how to take care of himself…

I walk on to the events. There is a tournament, celebrating the 'first official' birthday of the King of the Wilderwest's youngest son. It's a sword-fighting match. I sit on the right of my father in the box, a space usually reserved for my brother/the guest of honor. Well, today I'm the guest of honor, so, yeah.

The best swordfighters from all over the land have come to represent their island. My brother would fight, he loves fighting, however he's only sixteen, and the rules say you must be eighteen. He sits there grumpily as my father and I make comments about the sword-fighting techniques of the contesters. None of them are very good.

The reward that they get for winning is a 'surprise' to them, but I know what it is. One of the first spells I ever knew was one to eavesdrop.

Whichever sucker won would be fighting my dad for a chance to become King of the Wilderwest… a fight to the death…

.

Today is my birthday, not that anyone cares. Except for my uncle, I guess. I didn't tell the Wodensfang because, well, it's not something I really care about. Why would I? Today marks ten years since my mother died giving birth to me.

I still haven't gotten my answer, but that's OK. The Wodensfang and I are becoming pretty good friends.

I walk back to my village ignoring the nasty stares I still receive, and go into my house.

My father is there, waiting.

"Hiccup," he says, sternly in that harsh, accented voice of his, "We need to talk."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

O.o what did Hiccup do now?

-httyd4eva

peace out yo;P