Final chapter of Arc 3 is coming right up! Just have to check back in with Hiccup and then we'll move on to Arc 4. Hard to believe it's only been a month since the previous chapter was posted. It feels like it's been so much longer. Anyway...hope everyone enjoys the new chapter!

Review Replies:

Dragonbow117: Haha. We'll see soon enough why that's not going to be possible…

Guest (anonymous): I don't think everyone's thinking that. Many, probably, but not everybody. Anyway…because then there'd be no story left to tell and there's still some significant character development for Valka…and Heather too, I suppose, in the future.

Noctus Fury (anonymous): I am so glad that I'm not the only one that doesn't like Star Wars (I actually hate it, but not many will admit to actually hating it). I'm so glad that hype has faded away again. Thanks for the birthday wishes! Well, I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. Hopefully, this one is better (in my opinion and critique of my own writing, if nothing else). I did watch the new batch of episodes. That episode that you referenced was one of my favorites. I also liked the last two episodes. Finally, a scene where Hiccup did not have "main character immunity"! Not that I don't like Hiccup, but…seriously, he was like the only character that did NOT get the eel pox in that one episode. Anyway…I was really sad when I ran out of eps to watch because, as I said, the last two were freaking amazing!


Chapter 37: Valka Explains Everything

Hiccup waited. His mother (Gods, how weird was it to say that!) had promised him that she would explain everything to him, but she still had yet to clear up any details. Why was she so hesitant to tell him about what really happened? Was she waiting for him to ask? Maybe that was it. "Please explain it all to me," he whispered, his voice still soft from disuse.

"Where to start…there's so much that you need to know, Hiccup…" Valka muttered to herself as she debated what to say to the son that she had not seen in seventeen years.

"How about you start at the beginning…whatever that may be?" Hiccup spoke up, his voice becoming more confident.

"Well," Valka began, "Berk was a land of kill-or-be-killed. It was constantly Viking against dragon. Everyone who lived on Berk. Men, women, even children would not hesitate to kill the dragons that ravaged our lands. Well…most would not hesitate. I was always a compassionate soul…and now I can see that you've inherited that trait. Anyway, I tried, begged and pleaded with the other Berkians to reconsider but they would hear none of it. There was one particular night raid, the one when you received that scar, when things began to change. You see, while your father and I were out in the village, defending against the raid, we had left you in your cradle; you were only but a newborn babe at the time. While we were out, a dragon broke into our home and found you in the cradle. Though I did not want to hurt the dragon, I did not want to see it hurt you either. So, I rushed to save you, but when I got to the house, I saw something…something that confirmed everything I'd ever believed. These dragons weren't naturally vicious. They were kind and gentle, misunderstood creatures. Your father, though, did not see any of it. All he saw was the dragon standing over your cradle. He attacked, driving the dragon away. As the dragon flew away, I stood in the doorway and watched it leave. I will never forget every little detail of that night. You were awake in my arms, woken by the commotion that had taken place. The dragon, not a type that we normally saw on Berk, grew smaller in the sky and that's when I knew. I would never be the Viking that Berk expected me to be. I would never be able to kill dragons and so I knew that I had to leave."

She paused there, giving Hiccup some time to process all that he had just heard. In some ways, it made sense. No wonder he was nothing like his father because he had clearly taken after his mother (both physically and emotionally). However, there was much that he still did not understand. "Why, then, does all of Berk believe you are dead? That's all I've ever heard as I grew up. They always said that my mother, the Chieftainess of Berk, was dead."

Valka's expression revealed genuine sadness at what she had just heard from her only son. "I truly am sorry that you had to grow up believing that I was dead, Hiccup. Unfortunately, though, that was the only way that I'd ever be able to leave Berk. For days after that raid, I'd worked to form a plan. With my brother Spitelout Jorgenson's help, I faked my death and left Berk under the cover of night. I guess my plan worked."

At this new revelation, Hiccup almost choked on the breath he'd just taken. After a brief coughing spasm, he blurted out the question that weighed on his mind. "Wait! Wait! Wait! My uncle knew the truth about everything and he never told me…or my dad?"

"I asked him not to tell anyone, Hiccup," Valka answered. "Spitelout's my brother and he trusted my judgment."

Before Valka could react, Hiccup ripped back the blanket that covered him. "We need to go back to Berk. They're probably wondering where I am and they'd want to see you. Just wait until they hear both of our stories."

Hiccup made to swing his legs off the bed, but he was stopped by the firm arm of Valka. "No, Son. You're still recovering. You need to stay in bed. The healer said that you'll be bedridden for at least another week, maybe longer."

Gently, Valka pushed Hiccup back into a resting position and replaced the blanket over his slim form. Hiccup wanted desperately to fight back, insist that he be allowed to return to his home, but he also knew that he was too weak right now to resist. "Fine…but when the healer clears me to leave, I am…and I strongly recommend that you come with me."

"I'll think about it, Hiccup, but I am Chief of this village. Just keep that in mind, okay? Now, get some rest. A little later, someone will be by with your dinner." She turned to leave, her gaze hardening when her back was fully turned to her son.

Watching the door shut behind his mother, Hiccup frowned. "How can she so easily expect me to just linger here? Why doesn't she understand that I need to get home?" Hiccup whispered, angered that his mother so easily dismissed his need to return to Berk. As the minutes passed, though, Hiccup's anger subsided. "I guess she is right, though. I need to recover and then I need to forge a new tailfin for Toothless." Still, Hiccup was restless. What was he supposed to do to pass the time while he was stuck in bed?

888

A few hours later (although, it felt like it had been an eternity), Valka returned, this time carrying a tray on which sat a steaming bowl of stew. She set the stew on a nearby surface and helped her son to sit up before passing him the tray. "Chicken stew with fresh-cut vegetables," she explained. "I told our cooks about your condition and they specially prepared it just for you."

Taking the wooden spoon from the bowl, Hiccup brought it to his lips and carefully slurped down the broth. It was still hot, but he took it slow. Filling the spoon again, Hiccup slowly swallowed. The broth was surprisingly flavorful and the vegetables were tender. "This is…really good," he complimented, bringing a smile to his mother's face.

"I'll pass the compliment along to our village cooks." She turned to leave but stopped. "Oh yes, I almost forgot." From a pocket sewn into the inside of her Chief cloak, she pulled out a small book. "When I found you on that island, I saw that you had a small pad of papers with you. Unfortunately, the one you had was ruined beyond repair, but I did manage to secure a new one for you." Setting it down on the surface where she'd briefly set the tray of food down earlier, Valka left again. "Well, I have much to do, but I'm sure that new sketchbook will come in handy while you're stuck here on bedrest."

Hiccup watched Valka leave and then he returned to his stew. Even though it continued to cool down, it still tasted as delicious as it had when it was steaming hot. Surely, a few meals like this will help me recover at least a little faster…right? Once Hiccup was finished, he carefully set the tray aside and picked up the sketchbook that his mother had set down nearby. She'd even left him a charcoal stick along with the book of blank pages.

Flipping open to the first blank page, Hiccup picked up the charcoal stick in his left hand and began to draw out a shape. He let his thoughts wander as he continued to sketch, adding definition to the shape that he'd started to draw out on the page. The next time he looked down at the sketch, he could see that he'd unconsciously begun to draw a picture of Astrid. Nothing elaborate, but a nice simple sketch of her face, just as he remembered it. Seeing the start of the sketch, Hiccup felt small tears form in the corners of his eyes, but he wiped them away. How had Astrid been doing since he'd left? Had she changed any? Did she still love him? These were all questions that he didn't yet have the answers too…but he would find them…as soon as he could leave and return to Berk.

Not long after Hiccup began his sketch of Astrid, he began to feel tired. It wasn't all that late at night, but the pull of sleep was strong. Closing his new sketchbook, Hiccup set it aside and lay back, succumbing to sleep.

~End Arc 3~


I know…what a horrible ending for an arc. So…plain. Oh, if you only knew the set-up this chapter provides for Arc 4! It wouldn't feel so plain anymore. Anyway…yep, see you all again in Arc 4!

Coming Up Next: Astrid made her decision about her future. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy about it and some will stop at nothing to change her mind.

Thank you all for reading and supporting Wheel in the Sky!

Posted: February 17, 2016