Ch26: Trust Your Truth

I do not own HTTYD or their characters. Here I made OC, OOC, and ? Ok I don't know if there is a short hand for Original/Modified Character Past but I also do that too.

The night passed with no sleep for Lanie.

The dragons claim that my daughter was pregnant had stunned me so much that I could not think straight.

"Does she know?" I asked but the only person to answer was that dragon who had told my in the first place. I have no doubt in his claim, I had seen his skills with his nose back at the ring when he figured out the dragons deaths that had occurred there.

He did answer my question with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Considering how much they have been together lately really supports your idea."

The dragon only laid his head down like he didn't care. 'It's your child that's soon to have young ones of her own. You should be excited; at least I think that's what the proper human response should be.'

"I should be excited for her but… I honestly do not think you are the right person to talk about this to."

'Probably not. The only family I've ever had is Hiccup. So I can only guess how you feel with a coming hatchling.'

The chief came by the following day to tell me the results of the search. Like I expected they found nothing, no ship or other people. He was rather disappointed at the results but he did not let it show much.

"Stickstone did you know Hiccup?" I ask him. He knew who he was when he came so it is a valid question to ask him.

He sat down to tell me this story. "Do you remember eight years ago when me and several others left for the traditional Village Summit?" I nod recalling when the elders and chief left for the meeting.

"Well it was their on Berk that I met Stoic and his son." That would make sense. All the chiefs and heirs would have met with all the other tribe chief's and their heirs.

"What did you make of him?"

"Truthfully, he was the hiccup of all hiccups. Scrawniest little thing I'd ever seen. The first though in my head when I looked at him was 'How was this boy alive?' He didn't even seem fit for a dragon appetizer let alone fighting."

"Truthfully?"

"Yes truthfully. Seems an exaggeration but it was true. Remember the days when Chapskin was still the wimpy crybaby in the village. Remember how weak and frail he was despite being the tallest back then?"

"Hard to forget. Treating him was like dealing with a tall set up pile of fruit at the market, if I picked the wrong one the whole thing would fall apart. He was tall compared to kids his age but he was more like a lanky scarecrow. He had no substance to his height. He never looked like a hiccup as tall as he was but he was weak and that was no different than being a runt."

"Well Hiccup seemed worse than that. He was more like a statue of a fish bone made of sand. I felt if my son just looked at him he would crumble."

"Did that happen? Did Splinterbone do anything to him? You know like he used to do to Chapskin." I ask.

"Do you really wish to know what happened? It was so unbelievable I or any of the other chief couldn't believe it either, even Stoic."

"Ok you got me curious. What happened?"

"Do you know Dagur from Breserker Island? Now he's known as Dagur the Insane. His title should say enough. Well he went to pick on the poor boy, threw a knife at the boy which made him cry."

"You're right he deserves his title. By the way how old were they?"

"Hiccup if I remember was six. Dagur was seven. Well after that first knife was thrown Dagur found himself in a world of hurt. There were these five other children from Berk the same age as Hiccup. The moment he started crying they literally stormed the docks."

"Stormed? Aren't you exaggerating a little, their only six year olds." I ask with skepticism.

He was slowly shaking his head to deny my skepticism. "I would have thought the same if I hadn't seen it myself. But no they attacked those docks like it was Dragon Island itself. The two largest boys plowed thru the crowd and knocked everyone in their way into the water. A pair of twins came with a length of rope which they tied to two posts and a little blond girl who attacked, disarmed, and restrained Dagur. Once they captured him, all six of them used the rope the twins tied like a bow and Dagur like an arrow was shot into the ocean."

"They shot him into the ocean?! Really?"

"Oh it's true. That boy got some real distances in the air too. But it's what we saw after they were done, THAT really left an impression. Those kids went to help Hiccup, but it wasn't like 'Pick him up and be on our way.' Nope this was 'My family is in danger; Villagers grab you pitchforks and your torches and HANG the enemy!' Their devotion to the frail boy left no doubt as to why the boy made it as far as he did in life despite his weak looks and even weaker presence."

"Wow."

"There's more. Once we were all fished out of the water and onto land we saw those kids go everywhere together. Especially that blond girl and Hiccup. The only thing I could compare it to was a guard dog loyally staying close to their master. She even had a growl to match. You could see bloody murder in her eyes whenever any of the other chief heirs went to see him."

"Anything else happen? Like say dragon related?"

"Only the ending dragon kill done together by all the chiefs. The rest of the summit was the same as any other I'd been to."

I take in the new information and realize something that doesn't fit the contents of his story.

"If he was so close to those kids that they'd protect him so fiercely back then, where were they now to allow this to happen to him?"

He thought but could only come to one conclusion. The same one I had. "They must be dead."

He started to leave after that answer. His past experience with the boy left more questions than it really answered about him.

Just before he left I figure before he left I should tell him what I knew about Shazz and Chapskin. He is involved in this as well since they are going to be the chief family soon.

"Stickstone, I have something important to tell you."

"What is it Lanie? You sound depressed."

There really is no other way to tell him but to simply say it. "It's Shazz, She's pregnant."

He stood silent for some time before he broke out in thunderous laughter. "Oh Lanie, that's a good one, pregnant. Listen I know that they go fooling around a lot but don't let it concern you too much, don't let your imagination run to far from you. They're not pregnant. If they were Cal would be running around telling everybody in the village about it." He is right about his last statement; Cal the village gossip vulture is usually the first to know things like that, she also twist the truth and spread slander to the rest of the village with the help of her daughters.

But not this time. This is something I know before her. "Sir I'm sure. I don't even think that they themselves know."

This time he did not laugh. "You're that sure? How? And why tell me? They're the ones that need to know."

"I am sure, I learned about it last night thru a new healers trick. And I'm telling you because you are the one that is to wed them. Not only that but he is going to become the chief soon. Doesn't that complicate matter or such?"

"Mmmmh it does not really affect the line of succession. It's actually a very good thing, remember that one of the primary duties of the chief is to have an heir. If what you're saying is true then they already have that covered. I really see no problems with it. Do you think it's a problem?"

As a healer and as a member of the village of Grissgom, no I do not. Having children is a blessing. But as a mother I can't help but feel angry with her for not waiting till she was married. "I suppose not. Just that their impatience is exasperating."

'HA HA that's true. The kids these days have very little interest in following with the traditions and simply want to skip ahead to the end or to the good parts. But don't let that concern you. What's done is done and it's not hurting anyone. At least not just yet for her. HAHAHA"

"Very funny." Not really but still I humor him.

"Anyways Lanie, do you intend to tell them or would you like me to do it?"

"I will tell them." I just have to figure if it should be before or after the wedding.

"Well if that's all then I'll leave. I have to go and see if the ships are still sea worthy for when the ice breaks."

Once he left I worked on some salves and potions while the dragon resumed his sentinel position acting as a pillow for Hiccup's head. He was hiding in the ceiling while the chief was here. I told him to stay out of sight and it seems that that is one skill he excelled at.

It was quiet and slow for the rest of the day. The dragon still had the same depressed expression on his face but not as much as before. After what happened in the kill ring he seemed to think I would do something to him but after we talked, or in his case listened and nodded, he seemed to feel better.

One thing is now bothering me now that I have the chance to think about it. "I doubt that Hiccup just calls you Dragon." I call over to the big black head rest. He slowly looks at me and wonders what I mean.

"Hiccup must call you something you respond to. I wonder what your name is."

He only looked at Hiccup like he expected him to answer from his sleep. He then shifts his gaze to me and lifts half his brow. 'Hey if you're going to ask for someone's name you should tell yours first.'

"Just too many questions. But there is one I should be pondering; when he wakes do we tell the village about you?"

This got the dragons attention. He shook his head to tell me not a good idea. "Do not worry, I will not do anything till he wakes."

He sighed with relief and went back to staring at Hiccup. I went back to work. Truthfully it felt too much like talking to myself when I tried to talk to the dragon. I know he responds with nonverbal cues but it's awkward every time since I expect speech from someone that's not a patient.

I hear the dragon moaning and when I look at him I see he's looking at the tools I have set on the wall. "He doesn't need any of those. He just needs to rest now."

He keeps moaning. He's way too concerned over his health.

I kept trying to tell him no but he was persistent. Our debate must have disturbed Hiccup because he started to stir in his sleep. He didn't wake before but he was moaning a bit now. It was with the moaning that the dragon stopped complaining and curled up and covered his ears with his paws.

"Now what are you doing?"

'Stop it' It was a whisper but you could hear Hiccup say something. I go over to him and see if he woke up. He was still asleep but he's action means that he is improving.

'Don't kill them dad, wrong Mistake Toothless No need Dead Killed him Wrong Astrid Finish Return Mixed Friends Miss Gobber stood Home Dead gone.'

It kept getting worse. He was having a nightmare and it was exiting his dreams from his mouth for everyone to hear, which was why the dragon was covering his ears, to block out his pain.

I wanted answers and his sleeptalking was giving them to me. It wasn't a full story but I got some key points.

Someone died, he ran, and now he can't return home.

Hiccup kept moaning with his dragon trying to stay close keeping close to him in worry. He squeezed his eyes shut whenever he spoke. "You've been hearing this for a while, haven't you?" He didn't nod since he had his ears covered by his paws.

His sleep talk now wasn't randomly mumbled words like before, this was a coherent story. 'Mom when you left'

This was his story up till now.

For a while now Hiccups been watching his life over and over trying to see what went astray.

My memories were always clear but there's something about seeing my life in my dreams rather than while conscious that points out little details that I never put much thought into.

It all starts for me with my earliest memories of my mom. She was always the first thing I could always remember when I think back that far. Back then I was never alone with my dad, if I remember anything about him then I clearly remember it was always with my mom. I always saw mom and him but never just him alone.

Then the day came that she went out the door one day and never came back.

Something connected that I couldn't remember about that day, like snap details rushed me and filled in gaps I didn't know I had. That day my mom took me to the home of a friend to take care of me while she ran out to do an errand. "Ok Hiccup you stay here with the Hoffersons while I'm gone. I have to get ready for your birthdays. So stay with Astrid till I get back and both of you stay out of trouble, kay."

We both responded with a loud and ready "YES!" We had our own thing to get ready for our third Birthday.

Yeah that right I remember that we had such close births that our parents celebrated them as the same day. We were born in the same week so we used to celebrate our birthdays at the same time.

Seeing her leave thru the door was the last time I saw mom. She just disappeared that night. There was a raid but it wasn't a huge one just a small one with just a couple of dragons that came that night. We never found her body.

That day was the first time I cried so hard and the first that I knew my dad was there with me without her. I remember his anger that night as he stormed thru our house in his misery before he took me to bed.

The next few days I stayed with the Hoffersons. That was the time that my dad began his insane hunts to Helheims gate to take the dragons nest. This was the time I first got closer to anyone else that wasn't mom. Me and Astrid stayed together the whole time along with the other kids, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut. We stayed close, real close. That first month since my mom was taken the six of us practically lived together at one of their houses. The others parents took turns to watch over us but for the most part we were left alone to grow together as a group simply moving from house to house.

When my dad returned from his hunt we had to be split up but every day afterwards we kept coming back together. In the village if you saw one of us you knew that the other five were no less the ten feet away. We just did everything together from chores to games.

A few years later when I was five my clumsiness brings me to the doors of Gobber. I broke something at home because I wasn't strong enough to hold it. My dad figured that the best punishment was to send me to work with his best friend. I hated it at first since it meant I couldn't be with the others. I told them not to worry and that they should go out and have fun without me. I was the one being punished and that they don't have to suffer in the forge with me.

I hated the work because all I did was make a mess of things, it seemed that no matter what I couldn't get anything right in the forge. But regardless of what bad I did in the forge Gobber didn't take it as harshly as I expected from a friend of my dad. I first expected him to yell and smack me to do this or that, but that wasn't how it was. He took my mistakes with a laugh and told me joyously to try again with just a little hint of what I could try next to do better.

I never understood why but I grew comfortable around Gobber, like like? Well like he was just another one of the kids. It was amazing to know an adult that I could be close with since my dad never was. If it wasn't the hunts he led then it was one thing or another in the village so the only time I saw Stoic was in passing in the village, late at home when we would have a silent dinner, or when he was scolding me for another one of my screw-ups.

Eventually the kids and I turned Gobber's shop into our hangout. That's when Gobber first showed us the back room. He said it was payment for the good work that I did with him. He gave us the back room for us to do what we want so long as it didn't bother with work.

We turned that room into our hide out. Even made the door smaller just to show that it was just for us kids. We could spend days in that hangout and no one would bother us. It stayed just the six of us in that room or in the village or in the woods.

We stayed six till we hit a junction. It was a moment that seems to change and alter everything we did.

We started training when we were seven. We learned what weapons we liked and eventually found something that we took home with us. A broad ax for Astrid, a spiked mace for Snotlout, identical spears for the twins, and a hammer for the beefy Fishlegs, and a small sword for myself.

Well even in sparing and training I showed no affinity to fighting. But when I saw the others doing their best and becoming stronger I couldn't help but want to help in my own way. It wasn't much but I could forge. Or help in forging.

So the deal was made. "Gobber I want to make a deal with you. Make me your apprentice. Make me your apprentice so I can make perfect weapons for Stridy Lout Legs and the Nuts, please."

He accepted my plead. In a few mouths six new weapons were made, perfect. They would last and be ideal for them for years to come. Even as adults they would still be the perfect weapons for them.

And with six weapons born were six names and the oaths that stayed in them. "Da names ye givs dem mak dm yr oathkeepers. Dis name must mean everythin to ya as a Viking. To doses dat ye care about an fer doses that ya lay yer life down in dis village. Tis not somthin ta take lightly or to do witout thinkin. Da name is with ya fereva and that means that wha ya say now to all dos present will mark who ya are fer da rest of ya life." Those were Gobbers words and lecture to us. He was trying to tell us to wait till we were adults to make such important promises.

That didn't stop us we went right ahead and named our weapons with our oaths on the spot.

Broken promises mean nothing now to me but the names stay in my mind nonetheless. The name and their reasons.

"Stormcutter, You will be Stormcutter. And one day I will learn to throw you so great that you could fly and cut straight into anything, thru anything even the worst of the worst."

"Um well I guess uhh Littlesticker. I'm sure you could stab and stick into a dragons scales. I think."

"Crushlout! OiOiOi!"

"Pokey. You look like a pokey."

"Pointy! See see best and pointest out of all of them!"

"Well I guess that makes you Rocky. Cause you also look like a Rocky."

Six names six promises and life went on. We played, we practiced, and I got stabbed in the back, yep normal days…. No that's not right. Oh yeah that's right three days later I got stabbed.

It was while we were playing in the woods. We split into teams of three. Snotlout, Fishlegs, and me vs the twins and Astrid. We were playing capture the flag. We each had a red or blue flag and we had to capture the other teams colored flag. I got separated from my team but by the time Snotlout found me I was on the ground with a knife softly sticking out of my back.

'It was done by someone who had never killed someone before.'

'I promise that this will never happen again! Right guys!'

'Whoever has done this will rue the day the EVER crossed paths with my boy!'

Other than some sobbing and crying these were the only words I can remember while I lay in my bed. It was all really hazy.

But now another connection. Something that is clear now that I couldn't remember before.

The timeline. I gave my first journal of inventions to Johan only a week before I gave the weapons to the guys. Johan left the day after I gave them their presents, and I got attacked two days later. By ship even for Johan it a two week trip to the continent minimum. By that math….

I have to say it regardless of what it means. It's truth. Something I've had to deny because I couldn't stand it. The truth doesn't mean anything now that I'm away from it all, it's now only something I can wallow in and either confront or just completely forget.

But that latter option is not me, so I have to go back to that moment that I was stabbed and see what happened in reality.

I have to remember that everyone in Berk was in the Village in a meeting concerning the hunt for Dragon Island. I have to remember there were only six people in those woods. I have to remember that none of us kids brought any of our weapons into the woods. And I have to remember that at this time based on the math of the timeline at this point in my life. At this point in my life….I still wasn't a target to Dessida, they didn't even know of me yet.

So the truth is one of five tried to kill me. Not accident, tried.

And I know who it was. I saw their brawny arm dripping with my blood as they let go of the plunged knife. I saw their face shadowed by the sun as I fell. I saw them as the pretended to be the one who found me. He didn't find me; Snotlout did it and called the other to seem innocent.

But why?

It all comes back to that thing that there still is so much that others were keeping from me that I should have been told. I just never really knew myself.

It was also after this incident that we all started to drift apart. I became more serious in my inventing and the others became engrossed in their own dragon training. With my inventing came the bulling and the scorn over what I did. And with that came the segregation of myself from everyone else. The friends I had close to me started separating themselves from me and either turned their back on me or joined the laughter.

It was humiliating and lonely but I made it in one piece for the most part.

There were three other times I got attacked. My head is clear now so I can remember the things that happened better than before. The second and third time it was done by a man not of Berk, someone who held a strange gold crest chanting nonsense while he looked down at me. Dessidian. Their assassin that come for my life.

But the fourth time wasn't Dessida. Snotlout came for a second shot. In his right hand his dagger, in his left a familiar gold crest. And he wasn't alone, Tuffnut was there too.

Snotlout betrayed Berk for another shot at me and got Tuffnut to join him.

"You Brat! Because of you because you existed he can never be chief! He can never take his true destiny in his hands because of you! Because you lived!"

So that's what Spitlout meant by that. He joins a religion and tried to take me out in their name, his punishment he lost his chiefdom rights.

I joined a dragon and I get hunted down to death. Where's fairness when you need it.

No, that's not all. Something more happened that I don't know. They by all rights willingly betrayed Berk so they should have been exiled but they weren't. That can only mean that some under the table dealings had been taking place. A trade for their lives.

All this truth is starting to make me sick. They betrayed for a foreign religion and get gods know what punishment. I make a frienemy and I get tortured and chased out.

Eh, fair enough I guess. Religion trumps brotherhood. At least to them it's fair. After all religion is still a human thing.

Well hardship and loneliness aside I guess we can skip seven years to bring me to the beginning of dragon training.

Wait I'm forgetting something else. Something small. It's so small and forgettable that I'm not thinking of it. Something in that seven year gap from then till now. Something that happed recently that makes that event stand out more.

"I'll be gon fer a few weeks Hiccup so no playn in da forge. Clear." Gobber left for a few weeks. He was gone for five months. But that's not what's important. His personal effects.

When he left he had his basic Viking travel set plus "Extra undies." Ughe.

When he came back he returned with it. "You'll nee it fer proof."

After that trip was the first time I saw that lockpicking knife of his. He didn't have it before. So where did he go that he got it? In fact he never said how or even if he made it or bought it. But there's more I need to remember.

"Gobber what's the metal sliver you've got?"

"Dis. Wel ya see lad I got dis ta make a pair. An from dat something important ta me. I promised er I wouldn't but one day ya'll know da truth and see da other half as well as many other thins. Dat is if da miss feisty don't an go killin me first fer tellan ya."

"Who's Miss feisty?"

"Shes jus someone dat I'm deeply connected deeply ta, Lik ya an Astrid. Right so ya made ya move yet?"

"Pffh! Yeah right."

Now I'm regretting not pressing the issue. But it all comes back to that issue that I really didn't know before.

But then I skip to just a week ago and realize that now I can't get my answers. Not from Gobber or Berk at least.

But there is more about the day I asked about that knife that I needed to remember other than the knife. It was what he was doing when I asked him. And it adds truth to what I thought was just a rumor before.

His talk with her, Gothi, about what was happening that day. She had it with her.

Gothi's journal. A comprehensive record of all that happens in Berk, from the raids to everyday life. A journal written in the language of the gods known only to her and Gobber.

I have to get it. The answers I want could be in it.

And so I have to go back. If not for goodbye then for the truth I want.

Lanie heard the story up till the part where he wants to return to get the journal.

I had to step out for a moment to get some air.

The whole story left a bad taste in my mouth. Not only did I eavesdrop on someone else's personal story. But hearing that whole thing and how he was betrayed as a child and now mostly alone.

I know of loneliness having known Chapskin's story to be similar. But that's all, it's only similar not the same. Chapskin still managed to live and grow up with his mother and father for several years before illness took her. He may have been bullied but the bullies were punished when it happened. And most distinctive was that Chapskin never had someone try and kill him.

There were still several issues that I still didn't understand like what happened to the other teens, who died, and what really happened to lead up to torturing a child.

As a mother I can't help but feel that this is the worst thing that can happen to the young. Dragons are one thing but humans and family no less torturing them? Unforgivable for any reason.

Period.

Thinking of that happening to my Shazz makes me pray to Odin to have the strength to tear any island and village apart just to rescue her and spare her the pain. Even if I had to take her place. Especially now that I know she's pregnant.

I head back inside and sit next to the dragon. He watched me wondering if I was alright. "I'm fine just had to clear my head."

He snorted at my comment and looked at the shelves with my herb line on it. "Not because of that. Those are good for your health." But he just snorts again. Makes me wonder if it's good for his health.

It was now dark out and the day seemed to drift thru listening to Hiccup keep muttering things in his sleep, but it wasn't anything complete like his story before. Just things that add to the knowledge that he is deeply tormented both in body and mind.

The dragon seems to understand this as well because every time the talks his expression drops and he looks like someone left helpless in the face of danger. He wants to help relive his nightmares but can't do anything about it.

"He'll wake up soon just wait for him."

But now that's all we could do, wait. Wait for him to wake up on his own.

It night now and I was close to falling asleep when Hiccup moaning changed.

"Mmmh? Wha where?" He was waking up. This instance makes me nervous as to what I should say.

But the dragon beats me to him. "Tooth buddy what?... Where are we now? Look like someone's house."

The dragons' happiness and joy to see him awake was funny. He shook and waged like he was ready to explode.

"Are you feeling better Hiccup?" I ask from his left side.

He tensed when he when he heard my voice. "Whose their?" His weak voice was raspy, dry, and weak.

So what do you say to someone obviously suspicious, deeply wounded mentally and physically, and probably scared out of his mind for fear of repeating past mistakes?

"Hiccup, my name is Lanie Hotchette. I'm a healer and I'm here to help you."

I could see he was confused. He turned his head to look at me but once he did I could see the same fear in his eyes as before. But this time he looked at his brother and back at me and relaxed. "Why are you helping me? You should be able to see I have a situation that'll be a problem right. So why?"

Why? "Because I'm your ally."

He takes my answer and closes his eyes again like he was going to sleep. "Stupid dream."

"This isn't a dream!"