Hey everyone!... Okay, I'm really sorry for not posting for like... three months? *bangs head* I'm a terrible human being. ANYWAYS. I apologize profusely for not posting but the truth is that I honestly didn't think that anyone would like this so I had no plot when I started this... which basically means that for the past three months I've been really confused as to where I should take this. And I have come to the conclusion that I have absolutely no idea. (Wonderful)
And so I'm asking you guys, (as apparently my brain is just being Dan Howell when the weather gets hot), to put suggestions in the comments as to where I should take this as I have no idea. But yeah, I have written something over the past three months so if I can't come up with a plot with help from you guys, this'll be my last post on this story. D:
Again, hope you enjoy and please comment for an idea because it would really help me and I would really appreciate it! Thanks!
—- A Few Days Later —
"So, I was thinking-"
"You can think?" I tease Aster who punches my arm.
"Continue." Mom motions for Aster to continue.
"My rib is all healed, and I was wondering when I'd return to Berk." he says. I drop my fork. We'd all known his rib had been healed for a while now, though no one had really cared or wanted to mention it. Mom had said that he could go back to Berk when his rib healed, which I'd forgotten about. So many fun things had happened since then, I hadn't remembered.
"Do you not like it here?" I surprise myself when my voice wavers.
"No, I do. I really love it here." he says, a smile on his face which relaxes me some. "But, I won't say that I haven't missed my home."
An anvil dropped through my stomach. Something foreign begins churning in my stomach and I feel like I'm going to be sick. Tears blur my vision and my heart begins going wild in my chest and for the first time in a long time, I'm scared. I don't know what's going on or why I'm so upset.
Before I know it, I'm already out the door, running so fast that I know I'm just a movement. Aster calls after me, and I hear Toothless and Cloudjumper yelling too, though I don't pay attention to what they're saying. I just sprint on, climbing through my home before I find myself at the top tier of the nest. And that is when the sobbing begins.
Honestly I'm not really sure why I'm sobbing, or what purpose it serves, I just sob. And I feel so ridiculously stupid and useless and that doesn't help me stop sobbing so I take deep, hiccuping breaths to try to calm myself down. I hadn't cried in a long time. Somehow that damn boy had made me cry. Twice! In the past two months! The tears still slipped down my face as I wondered how. How had he gotten under my skin? How had he burrowed his way into my mind? From my travels I'd seen many things. Children who were starving and scrounging for their next meal. Families torn apart by death. I'd seen monstrosity after monstrosity that the human race had created and still I was crying over a few stupid words and my own concerns. Maybe it made me weak.
"Hicca?"
Even though I felt in a daze, I was up in an instant, a dagger drawn at Aster. Pathetically I plopped back down, sheathing the dagger. Looking around I find myself in an abandoned cave carved into the rock at the top tier of the nest. The gap in front of us has a small ledge so we won't fall off but the entire nest is spread before us.
"You okay?" he asks and edges closer.
"Sure. I'm grand." I mumble sarcastically.
"Why did you run away?" he sits down next to me.
"I don't know why. Maybe because one of my only friends wants to leave me alone." I send an accusing glance towards him. He doesn't respond.
"You didn't let me finish."
"What?" I squeak and snap towards him where his impossibly impossible blue eyes are looking at me.
"I said you didn't let me finish." he repeats.
"Okay, either I'm rubbing off on you, or you're just trying to be difficult." I tell him and he laughs lightly.
"Well," he begins, looking down again, "I wanted to know if you and your mom would like to come with me. Back to Berk."
"Why would I want to go back to Berk?" the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them and I expect him to leave. Thank Odin's beard he just looks at me. Okay, don't thank Odin, cause he's still staring at me.
"Because we can convince them." Aster tells me.
I scoffed. "As if. Since when do you think just mom and I can convince a village of vikings that their life long enemies are actually not?"
"You convinced me." he points out, and I honestly have nothing to say back. So, we lapse into silence.
"Besides, I'd really like you do come to Berk."
Again, I glance over at him to see him staring at me. What is it with him and the staring? But, I already know that I'm going to end up at Berk eventually. Wether I like it or not.
"Fine." I grumble. But it's all worth it when he hugs me. Well, mostly worth it. I'd learned what a hug was after a while of him wrapping his arms around me and not knowing what to do. Dragons showed affection through nuzzling, not hugs. Though, hugs often left me with a really warm feeling so I liked them.
"C'mon then! You're mom's already packing!" he jumps up and heads to the mouth of the cave.
"So I really didn't have a choice if we were going or not?" I ask and take the lead, weaving through the caves of my home.
"Nope." he says.
"And the King already knows of this?" I ask.
"Yup. In fact, he was really excited for you guys, though he made Valka promise that you guys would come visit." he says as we are let out into the main cavern. Moonlight streams through the small holes in the top, though I can see our house is still lit.
"How long was I up there?"
"A few hours. I've been looking for you forever." he smiles. "Race ya!" he shouts suddenly, taking off.
"Nice try, viking!" I yell and sprint after him, easily beating him to the house where mom is packing in the kitchen.
"Oh good, you're done moping." she exclaims and Aster laughs through his panting.
"Toothless c'mon!" I ghost across the sleeping dragon's back, waking him up.
"Why?"
"We need to pack for Berk and I need my pack from your saddle." I say as he follows me into my room.
"Oh yeah!" he perks up. "Mom seems really excited to go back to Berk."
"Yeah." I agree, already snatching the empty pack from his saddle. I place some clothes in, along with socks and extra wrappings and several tunics and pants. Plus some polishing and maintenance stuff for my armor. Then goes a couple of my many unfinished trinkets and some tools, filling it. Next I slip in a few daggers in the pockets lining the bag. The pack that is attached to the saddle is already filled with food and a few canteens so I don't have to worry.
"When do we leave?" I ask as I walk back into the kitchen.
"Tomorrow." mom says instantly from where she's just finished packing her own pack. "We can fly to a trading post not too far from Berk and get there in a days time."
"Are the dragons going to follow us?" Aster asks from where he's sitting at the table. He doesn't have much to pack besides a few extra shirts and pants that we'd gotten him, though it isn't really that necessary as he has a home at Berk.
"Yes. I remember there being a hidden cove on Berk. They can rest there." mom replies.
"I was actually kind of wondering if, uh, StormFly could come?" Aster asks, looking more at me as I sit down next to him at the table.
"Sure, I think she'd love to come." I smile.
"Thanks Hicca." he smiles and the dragons poke at the inside of my stomach for the millionth time in two months. Stupid lizards.
—- A Stupid, Wobbly Boat Ride Later—
"You okay?" Aster asks, moving to stand beside me where I stood at the front of the merchant's ship.
"Wonderful." I replied, pulling my hood up a bit more over my face. While mom was old enough that she could generally control the dilation of her pupils, I was not. So, I had to keep my stupid hood up all the time. The merchants didn't ask question, though I could hear them whispering behind my back when they thought I couldn't hear.
"I don't need any sarcasm missy." Aster said back, smirking and bopping my nose which then caused me to sneeze.
"Whoa!" he said and laughed. I felt a growl building in my throat but a scuffle behind us reminded me where we were and I just shook my head. I might've had a smile on my face. Maybe.
"But yeah, we'll be there within an hour, according to the crew." he said and his arm slid over to touch mine. Instinctively I moved mine away and looked away.
"So, tell me about Berk. Are all of the vikings as stubborn as you?" I turn back to him and raise an eyebrow.
He almost seems to jump out of a daze. "Oh yeah! And often times they're worse. Though, we have a blacksmith named Gobber, I think you'll like him." he says and nudges my shoulder.
"Yes, well that'll all depend if Stoick tries to murder us." I grumble.
"Why do you call him Stoick?" Aster asks. "Why not dad?"
For a second I pause, remembering all of the years I'd asked myself the same question. "I guess, I never considered myself to have a father. For a long time, I only had a mother. And then when I learned who my dad was, I didn't identify with him. The dragons were family enough for me, I felt like I didn't need him."
For a bit we lapse into silence. He'd told me about how he only had his father left as his mother had died in a raid and I feel a bit guilty.
"There's Berk." Aster says suddenly and nods straight ahead of the ship. In the distance I see several stone figures with fire kindling within them. It's about mid day but the torches are still lit. And then behind it I see the island. I can't make out much but the island is fairly large.
"Let's get ready then." I say and turn back towards the quarters where we'd been staying.
The interior was simple, four hammocks hung from the ceiling, one unoccupied. I'd placed my packs under my hammock, though even after a day a few springs and tools had settled into my hammock.
"How did this happen?" Aster gestured to the small mess in my hammock.
"It must've been a fairy." I say innocently and he laughs and I clean up quickly. My helmet is at my hip and as we near the island I feel an itch to pull it on. Just one more thing between the people and my eyes.
"Ready?" mom asks from beside me as we pass by the stone vikings. Her grey eyes are normal, not slitted like a dragon's which seems very abnormal.
If I was to tell the truth, I'd say there were bubbles inside of me. Some are bubbles of excitement at finally returning to the place I'd been wondering about since I was a little girl. Some of them were of nervousness or of fear of what they might do to mom.
But instead I responded, "As I'll ever be." and she laughed before slinging on her pack.
We were getting even closer to the island and it seemed eons before we were even remotely near the docks. The two of us were waiting by the hull as the crew of merchants were bustling around the ship, shouting orders and pulling in sails.
"Sorry I'm a bit late." Aster said as he pulled up next to me.
"It's okay." I replied when really I couldn't take my eyes off of the island.
It was fairly large, Aster had told us that the Berkians had begun to grow in population since the last twenty years since we'd been here. I'd never seen so many houses. From the last time that I was here several weeks ago they seemed to have recovered. The houses looked brand new -they probably were- with only one or two still being worked on. It was the place I'd dreamed of since I was twelve, and eight years is a long time to dream of something. A wooden dock extended out into the water and several slots were empty from fishing boats and other merchant boats having left. It was impressive compared to most of the towns we'd ever been to, though those towns were never too massive or particularly special in any way.
Behind the village a forest which draped across the island and up the cliffs which hung over the relentless sea.
"Drop the anchor!" someone yelled and it wasn't until we heard a splash that mom walked off the deck and onto the dock. Solid land was nice. Not as nice as air, but definitely better than water.
"Ma'am, your payment?" a merchant by the name of Himeere asked. Mom wordlessly handed him a pouch of coins which he then insisted on counting before letting us go down the dock. Humans are obsessed with coins. I know how the system works as I have to trade, but it honestly seems a bit stupid sometimes.
I couldn't help but fidget with my hood, making sure it was pulled over my head. Mom's draped down over her face and fell behind her. Her cloak was brown while mine was black but I was glad for the warmth as it was turning to fall and it was definitely colder here than the nest.
In the village everyone seemed to be doing something. Doing laundry, running around, taking stock, herding cattle, everyone was doing something. As we entered the village I instinctively settled beside mom as we walked behind Aster.
"Aster!" a large viking called out. He had on one of their ridiculous hats -I needed to get Aster to explain to me what the hats were for- with a mop of blond hair under it and was wearing a fur shirt. He was very broad and chubby though he was smiling as he ran towards us.
"Hey Fishlegs." Aster responded. We'd already figured out what we'd tell everyone who asked about Aster's disappearance.
"Where have you been for these past nine weeks?" Fishlegs asked as he puffed from his run.
"Well, during the raid I was carried off. Thankfully I escaped and was helped along the way. Now I'm back here." he says and I shift as the boy's eyes fall on us. I'd doubted the story would be believable but mom and Aster had both told me that things like this happened all of the time. Though, no one had ever brought company back with them.
"Who are these people?" he asks and gestures to us.
"Oh, these two helped me and nursed me back to health." he sent me a funny face that Fishlegs couldn't see and I bit back a grin.
"Well you should probably take them back to the chief. And see your dad, he's been pretty distraught since you've been gone, but glad you're back." he clasped his forearm with Aster's for a second before walking off.
"Let's go see the chief." Aster said and began leading us off towards a large building at the top of a hill.
"You should go see your dad." I whispered back. He'd told me stories of how he and his dad were fairly close and nine weeks was a very long time to be away from a father. So was twenty years.
He shook his head as we made our way through the village. People often stopped their business and stared at us. Children ceased their playing and watched as the cloaked strangers and one of their best fighters walked through town.
Some people called out and others hurried towards Aster to ask him what happened, eyeing us suspiciously as we stood as silent as shadows as he explained the exact same thing over and over.
I continued to stand there as a shadow, observing and watching the people around us. Some were gripping swords or axes which seemed to be an unsaid threat towards mom and I.
"I'd rather stay with you guys." he finally replied and soon enough we were finally at the Mead Hall.
People continued to stare as we made our way through the village. Children halted their playing to stare at mom and I as Aster led us through the streets. Even adults stopped to stare for a second before snapping out of it and continuing their work. The walk seemed to continue on and on until finally we were walking up hill.
I could see the tension in mom's shoulders which sent my stomach into barrel rolls. The building was large and built out of wood -like everything else, everywhere- and had designs carved into the doors, a dragon head at the very top. A wooden head, of course. Couldn't have dragon blood dripping everywhere.
Aster stopped and stepped aside for mom which she paused before stepping forwards. An instinct to stop her rose in my chest but I pushed it down. Behind this door was the man I'd dreamed of and wondered about for twenty years. Maybe he wasn't all I'd given him to be? Maybe he was better. There was honestly, no expectation for him in my head, and I kind of wanted to leave it like that. Leave him a mystery and whisk mom and Aster back to the nest where it's so easy to let nine weeks slip by.
When mom opens the door I'm greeted with arguing. Or what some vikings would consider holding a conversation.
There were about four or five people in the hall, all gathered near a fire pit. There were two older people and then a girl who looked vaguely familiar with black, greasy hair and an older man who looked very similar. And then, standing at the head of the fire, with his hands pressed down into the table, pausing mid-yell at the creak of a door, was my father.
He was a mountain of a man, probably the largest viking I'd ever seen, with thick red hair braided in several sections. He was wearing armor, with two metal shoulder plates and another weird hat thingy -why?- was perched atop his head. His beard fell well down his chest but it was his eyes that startled me the most. Out of the few times I'd looked into a reflection of myself, the most prominent thing about me was my eyes. Not only were they slitted like a dragon's, but they were a crazy rare green that was like the pines. But my eyes always had the black slits stretching down the middle. His did not, instead replaced with small black coals in the middle of his eye. I had my father's eyes.
"Aster!" he said, extending his arms in a welcome, "it's good to have you back. I'd thought we'd lost one of our best fighters." he says and Aster walks forwards as mom and I follow him.
"Stoick, I really thi-" the greasy haired man began but was silenced by a glare from Stoick.
"Ah, you must tell us your thrilling tale of returning. But for now could you please escort Snoutlout and her father back to their house?" he asked as he walked forwards and clasping Aster's arm the same way Fishlegs had done. And then he noticed us.
It was almost as if a curtain had been pulled over his previous demeanor and his face hardened, his eyes turning to stone in an expression I'd probably worn so many times before.
"Chief, well, I actually brought two people wh-"
"Who are you." he demanded and shouldered past Aster, beginning to draw his axe. In an instant I had my sword out, not on fire though, and it was pointed straight at him. He hadn't even gotten his axe halfway off of his belt.
"We request a private audience with you." I demand and even my own voice is cold and stone hard as my father's own gaze.
To my surprise, he laughs, a loud hearty laugh where he throws his head back and smiles wide.
"As if I would take orders from an outsider." he scoffed. Instantly my pride kicked in and a rage flared up inside of me. But almost just as instantly mom put her hand on my shoulder which signaled me to calm down. I took a few deep breaths but steadied myself and drew back my sword.
"Well, if you really want a private audience with me," he turned back to where Aster and the four others were. "you are all dismissed. Aster, you may wait outside." he says and they instantly obey him.
The elder people send mom and I wary glares that are supposed to instill fear in us. They fail. Soon we're left in the dead silence of the crackling fire as the three of us stand, a would be family.
"So, I take it you have something to say?" he asks and raises his chin, expecting an answer.
Suddenly my heart is pounding in my chest. I know the risks, I know the probably outcomes, I've prepared myself for the worst. I'm just worried mom hasn't. I'm worried that if he rejects us, she'll be crushed. Or maybe he'll hurt us. Despite the fear, rage flickers back in me and I know that if he tries to hurt us, he will fail. I'll make sure of that. Dragon slayer or not. Family or not. Father or not.
"Stoick." mom says and takes a small step forwards so that the two of us are shoulder to shoulder in front of the mountain of a man. For a second he pauses, his eyes wide as he gazes down at mom.
I know what she's going to do next, but I want to stop it all. I want to grab her hand and drag her and Aster out of the village, back to the nest where I know neither of them will get hurt and where I can protect them. Because here, we are at the disadvantage. Here we are at their mercy, my father's mercy.
She flips her hood down.
Her eyes are still perfect marbles and something about them sets me at an unease. For a second he doesn't move, he just stares at her as she stares back. Tears are already welling in her eyes.
"Valka." he whispers and all of the sudden, the emotions vanish. All of them, the anger at him for being so mean just moments earlier, the resentment for never knowing him, the fear that he would be a terrible person. I watch as he brings a hand to cup mom's face, a large smile on his face.
"Hello." she says with a laugh and leans into him. I don't think I'd ever seen such a content and happy smile on her face. Then he turns to me. Instantly I take a step back as his eyes comb over me.
"Hicca?" he asks and steps forwards and pats my head through my hood. It feels kinda weird, probably because his hand is roughly the size of my head, but he's smiling and I see tears welling up in his eyes too.
"Hello dad." the word is foreign on my tongue but it feels nice.
And then he takes off my hood. I hadn't expected it, my reflexes didn't even catch it as I was too distracted. The smile is wiped off his face and he takes a step back like he'd been burned. The happy moment leaves. I know what is going to come.
"Stoick,"
"Valka, how could you let them do this to our child?" he accused her, continuing to step away from us. Then his eyes widen once again and I guess that mom let her own eyes go to slits.
"Stoick-"
"No. My family has been replaced my monsters." me mumbles to himself, continuing to back up. "My daughter and wife died years ago. They were taken by a dragon. This isn't them, this isn't my family."
The words don't hit me like a fatal blow, but they hit mom. She physically reels back and I catch her as she leans against me, her breathing shallow and tears flowing down her face. I regret something that wasn't my fault, that only happened seconds ago.
"Leave my village." he demands, his voice shaky and powerful. The rage from before returns. How could he have ruined everything because of his pride? Why would he? We're still the same, we're just better. Our eyes were opened, but his will never be pried to see the light. His eyes are sealed shut. They aren't like mine.
"You, you hurt my mother." I growl and my limbs begin to shake in fury but I don't care anymore. "I will make you pay. You will pay for hurting her. We aren't your family you say? Well you're not my father! And I will not take orders from the likes of you." I scream at him before turning around, leading her through the doors.
I slam them open which startles Aster who had been waiting outside for us. Yanking my hood up, I pull mom into a hug as she sobs. That monster.
"Hicca, what happened?" Aster asked, concern lacing his voice.
"My old man decided to reject us." I growled and his breathing hitched.
"I'm sure he's ju-"
"No, he made it loud and clear he wants us to leave." I say and look at Aster. He's observing me with wide eyes and I realize why he is. He's seeing me be cold for the first time in nine weeks. Mom is still leaning on my shoulder as I comfort her while she sobs.
The sun is setting to the east and it casts a warm orange upon us that contrasts to our mood.
"So, you're going to leave?" Aster asks and anyone could hear the defeat in his voice. An arrow flicks my heart and I forced a smile and a laugh.
"What? Want me to leave already?" I joke and he smiles and punches my shoulder.
"Nah, you can stick around." he smirks.
"Besides," I say as mom begins to calm down, "I've got to piss off my old man. He deserves it too." we both look at mom who is still recovering. Her sobs turn into tears which slowly dry into salt tracks down her face which are then whisked away .
"I'm sorry." she mumbles before standing up straight, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes.
"Right. So, where should we stay?"
Thank you so much if you've commented or even if you just generally like my work. Never thought that people would actually like my 2 a.m. rambling but yeah! :)