A/N: I'm back! I didn't think I was going to upload this soon. I've been out with the family again...so yeah.
The next morning, Gothi found her chief sitting down at the steps of his house. The old woman walked up to him and saw blood on his hand. The Chief looked up and tried to hide his bloody hand. "I know what you're going to say, so don't say it." Gothi glared at him and started to write in the dirt.
"Sir, you need to tell your son. He has to know." He nodded after he read her writing. "I know I need to, but I don't want to worry him."
"He's already worried. I don't want to wake up and hear that your son found you dead because you didn't say anything. He has to know!"
"You're right, I need to tell him. I'll try to tell him tonight."
~oOo~
Later, Stoick was outside with his father learning how to chief some more. He watched how his dad tried to solve a domestic dispute. After a few more minutes, the two men shook hands and walked away.
"Just to let you know son, that problem was a whole lot easier than other disputes."
"I'll keep that in mind." He grumbled as they walked towards the middle of the village.
"You know son, I really do think that you'll be a great chief."
"Well thanks dad, but I don't think I'll be as good as you."
"Oh, well you never know. You might even be better than me."
Stoick breathed a laughed as they kept walking, but he started to notice his father slagging behind. He turned around and saw his father standing still and held his stomach. Stoick walked back towards him and saw his father blinking fast. "Dad, what's wrong?"
Without warning, The Chief collapsed to the ground. Stoick heard people gasping around him and started to asked questions. Stoick rolled his father over and saw blood dripping out of his mouth. "Someone help me!" before he could blink, men ran towards him and picked up their chief. In the distance Gothi saw the event happening and ran as fast as she could. She didn't think this would be happening now!
The men met their elder as they ran. She put her ear on his chest and heard a faint beat. She gave them a hand motion to follow her. They were all running to her hut on the tip of Berk, until they heard someone screaming. "Over here! Over here!" They saw Mr. Thorston holding his door open. The men and Gothi ran inside and placed him on the bed.
Gothi pushed everyone out. Stoick froze when Gothi shut the door. He couldn't believe this was happening. Everyone who helped him carry his father patted him on the shoulder and told him not to worry. "Stoick!" he turned around and saw his wife running. "I heard what happened, is he okay?"
"I don't know what's going on, Gothi just pushed me out."
"Can you tell me what all happened?"
"We were talking, then he stopped, and then he fell and I saw blood dripping out of his mouth."
"Oh my gods." Valka whispered.
~oOo~
Gothi set her cane down and placed her fingers and pinched on his nose. It took a few seconds, but The Chief woke up and took small breaths. He looked around the room and could taste something copper like in his mouth. "It's my time isn't it?"
Gothi slowly nodded. The Chief sighed and said "can you at least let me die in my home?" The old woman walked out the door and let Stoick in. "Dad, are you okay?"
"Just help me go home and rest in my own bed."
"Okay."
~oOo~
Within minutes, Stoick helped his father in bed. The Chief knew that it was time to tell his son what was going on.
"Son, I have something to tell you." Stoick took a seat by the bed. He saw his father biting his lip and taking a deep breath. "Son, I'm dying, and I think today might be my last." Stoick's eyes widened and he jumped out of his seat.
"What?! Is this what Gothi was trying to hide from me? What you were trying to hide from me?!"
"I know, I know. I thought it was best for you."
"What's best for me?! This is not how I want to find out that you are dying!"
"Stoick, just listen to me, I didn't want you to worry. I thought I was doing the right thing."
The young man buried his face in his hands and groaned. He was having a mix of anger, depression, and even betrayal. He didn't think this would be happening so soon. He lost his mother almost ten years ago; he couldn't be losing his father.
~oOo~
"I can't believe this is happening." Valka said as she and her husband sat outside of their house. After he told her what he just found out, she fell to the ground on her knees. Stoick kneeled down next to her and put his hand on her back.
"I know, I guess it explains why he's been training me so hard."
Valka didn't do anything but just stared at the ground. She was having a hard time comprehending this. She felt her stomach go in knots and a lump stuck in her throat. She tried to swallow the thickness away, but couldn't. She pressed her face in the palm of her hands.
Stoick felt her back shaking under his palm and heard her muffled cries. Stoick bit his lip and took deep breaths. He was trying so hard not to cry himself, but he did feel tears swelling up.
~oOo~
Stoick told the town that evening that The Chief was dying, and that he had little time left. Many people were in pre-mourning and visited him not long after they heard the news. The Chief even quit eating and just stayed in bed. Stoick became acting chief, but was not official yet. The stress of being chief was heavy on him. The thought of losing his father made it too painful to take leadership, but he had to. The Village needed a leader and now people had to look to him for guidance, not his father.
Valka stayed with her father-in-law while Stoick was out. She watched the blood drain from his face and his bright blue eyes were now cloudy and grey. They both knew it was almost time to say their goodbyes. The Chief asked for his son hoarsely. Valka nodded and left instantly to find her husband. The couple stayed with him until his death. It was now late at night and The Chief could fell his time nearing. "Can I talk to my daughter-in-law alone for a moment?" The Chief asked roughly. Stoick nodded and left his wife and father alone.
"Valka, I know that you married so young. That was a hard decision to make, but it was the right one. You and my son have been so good together, and I'm glad to have called you my daughter-in-law." Valka felt thickness rise in her throat and smiled painfully. "I'm also glad to have called you my father-in-law and…." Valka sighed; she knew that he always wanted to hear this. She had to say it to make his death more peaceful for him. "…..I just found out that…..I'm pregnant." She saw her chief stare at her and smiled. "Really?"
Valka swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah I am and….and I have a feeling that…..it's going to be a boy." His smiled grew; his cloudy eyes were now filled with tears. "I'll never get to see him, or watch him grow, but I know that he'll grow to be a great leader and change this village for the better." He reached out his hand and placed on her empty womb. She flinched when his cold fingers touched her. After a few seconds, she gently lifted his hand up and placed it on his chest. "I'll go get Stoick." The Chief nodded as he watched her leave the room.
Suddenly, his son ran in and keeled at his father's bedside. "Hey dad." The Chief smiled and held out his hand. Stoick grabbed his cold hand and look at his father. "Son, I know that this is hard for you, but I just want to say how proud I am of you. You are going to an amazing chief. There are so many things I want to say to you, but I can't."
"Dad?"
"Just remember this son; you need to do what's best for this village, and your family. A chief protects his own, don't forget that." Stoick stared at his father and held his hand firmly. "I will protect his village, and my family. You have no need to worry about that." His father nodded and started to relax his body. Stoick watched his father's eyes shut and felt his father's grip loosen around his. He let go of his father's hand and walked out of the house.
He looked down and saw his wife holding her knees to her chest. She looked up at him when she heard the door shut. He saw the tears in her eyes and felt his forming. "He's gone." He breathed to her. Valka nodded and he heard her muffled cries as she buried her face in her knees. He dropped down next to her and held her as he cried with her.
~oOo~
After Stoick announced that The Chief was dead, a group of men pulled out a ship while others gathered their bows and arrows. Stoick and other men placed his father's treasures in the boat and helped place his deceased father on it. Stoick looked at his father one last time before putting the cloth over his body. He stepped off of the ship and pushed it out to sea. Once he got back on shore, he was given a bow and arrow from his wife. Different parts of Berk had fire set up where all the people stood.
Shoutlout was chosen to recite the farewell to their leader. He stood next to his son-in-law and stated, "May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battle field. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla. And know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of Kings. For a great man has fallen: A chief, a warrior, a colleague, and a father." After the recitation, Shoutlout nodded to his son-in-law.
Stoick placed the tip of the arrow in the fire and aimed it to the sailing ship. Once the arrow landed, the citizens then released all of their arrows together and watched the ship burn in the night. Stoick was the last one to leave; he stayed outside until he couldn't see the burning ship any longer. Once the glow of the fire was out of site, he turned around and looked at all of the houses that held his people. How was he going to be chief? How can he lead these people? It would take a miracle for him to be The Chief that his father wanted him to be. He was also determined to be that chief.
A/N: Was that depressing enough for you? Because I tried, I suck at writing depressing scenes.
Also, a little cameo of Ruff and Tuff's grandfather.
Anyway, I'll try to upload on Tuesday next week and don't forget to review and please be nice.