CH33: Let It Be
I do not own HTTYD. OC and OOC, their here.
After the fuss with Mom and Hiccup this morning the rest of the day seemed to fly by for Shazz.
I managed to catch Cal and persuaded her to fix things with the help of the chief who came to see what was causing such a ruckus. I told her what really happened and apologized for the mess I caused by yelling that out to the village. She said she would tell the village the truth, but I imagine she only said yes because the chief ordered her to.
I really hate the mess that kid Hiccup keeps causing for my mom. And I really hate that they are hiding something me.
I don't know what it is but I know my mom, she has a tell when she lies and I saw that tell here today. I saw it also when she left for the forest the other day and again when she returned.
My mom's hiding something from me and it's driving me crazy!
And it's all started with him.
What makes this worse are the rumors that have spread today about them. The whole village seems to really be taken in by any little gossip about them. The day he got here everyone couldn't stop yammering different stories about why he was here or how.
Actually there was this really good one about how he was taken by dragons and they just dropped him because he was too scrawny. Before hearing from Hiccup that's what I had my bet on.
However after hearing the story from them however really does make me feel sorry for Hiccup, makes me feel bad for all the jokes and theories that were going around. But it doesn't resolve this feeling I get of secrecy between them, like they're in some other world with different rules. I feel it every time I go home, like suddenly it's no longer mom and me but her and Hiccup.
Rhhgghh! I feel like what's going on between them….between mom and Hiccup is driving me crazy!
"AHHHH this is insane!" I start scratching my head furiously and screaming to the sky.
"I really hope I don't become that crazy when I get married." I look and see my friends, the sisters Red and Kendra, looking at me and shaking their heads in disapproval.
"Don't give me that."
"Hey I just calling it as I see, and I see something driving you up the wall."
"Well it's not the wedding….entirely."
"Then what is it?"
"Is it Lanie's new patient?" Kendra asked. I nod to answer not sure if I say something that it will make me sound crazier to them. I can tell they already have that image of me with how I was just acting.
"I'm sure if my mom was rumored to be sleeping with anyone it would drive me insane too."
"And dad?"
"Pfft he'd kill him." They both seem to gain this immediate understanding of something and look at me.
"What?"
"Nothing." They both answer.
"Look Shazz what's the point in worrying about your mom and your husband's clone or whatever? In the end I doubt that it's your job as much as hers" Red brashly commented.
"Red they only look alike, no way he's some Loki made clone or something. And why does it sound like you buy them together? You don't think that's possible, huh Kendra?"
"Hey I heard all this from Red. I mean I haven't seen Lanie since the freeze came." Kendra defended herself.
Now Red was looking with her eyes darting around like she was desperately trying to find a scapegoat. "Ok Shazz listen we all heard it from you so I don't know what you want me to say. You're a liar, your delusional, you're crazy?"
"How about you just forget it all."
"Just so know with the way you were just screaming then and now how do you expect anyone to forget anything?" Kendra asked me.
"If it makes you feel better we just finished on damage control over what you yelled. I won't say how but we did. The thought will still be their but at least people won't be saying Hiccup x Lanie." Why do I feel she left something out? "Either way I wish you would have help Kendra. Like old times." Red directed at Kendra.
"I feel better leaving the chatter chatter to mom, Hemi, Mayra, and you. Beside I'd rather not say anything about Lanie, good or bad. She is my master after all, rather not disparage her name in any way."
"Thanks for doing that Red."
"Eh what are friend for if not cleaning up their messes. So how are the wedding preparation coming? We heard that you two still have some things to set up."
"Me and Red came wondering if you need any help."
True friends to the rescue. The three of us are from the same dragon training group and were friend even before that.
Reds always be a bit of an intrusive chatter box, but she really has always come through for us and she never needs to be asked for help she does it herself before we get the chance, even if we don't want it. She's a great fighter in the village and has proven herself in raids, enough so that she has been considered for a title, but her skills she's shown even better is in negotiations like her mother, who is the trade dealer between villages along with chief Stickstone.
Kendra's Red's adopted sister, she supportive and caring but tends to sulk back when dealing with things, she's really shy with anyone who she doesn't know. She can kinda fight but she never really took too well to dragon slaying, no aptitude for it. She just couldn't keep up with it. Since she didn't take to well to the training she's been instead apprenticing with my mom to become a healer. We worked together in the training, I stopped two years ago but she's still at it.
"I'd appreciate it, I still need help with the dinner preparations and the hall isn't how I want it set up and the ceremony alter set up is well I actually don't know how that is coming along. And of course Chapskin has his own issues to deal with."
"Yeah we heard he still doesn't have a Best man right now with Coralmold gone."
"Well that's not true now. He's getting that Hiccup kid to agree to it."
"Don't you hate him though? You're not like going to kill him in the middle of the ceremony or something right?"
"Yeah that might be bad if you do that in the middle of your wedding."
"This and that have nothing to do with each other, and I don't hate him. I just think he's a bit unusual and creepy to look at."
"Is it cause he looks like Chapskin? Or that he's staying with your mom. We know she practically kicked you two out the first day he got here. Does that have anything to do with what you think about him?"
I wish Red didn't bring that up. Thinking about it paranoidedly the way she kicked us out was almost like how I used to kick her out of my room when I had Chapskin over.
"I know how that looks suspicious, that there is something between them but I'm sure it's only because she thinks it's necessary. He was pretty messed up when we found him. Personally I'll be happy once he's better and my mom doesn't have to see him again. Actually here's a thought Kendra why don't you take care of him? I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind, she does say you need the experience."
"Shazz I hope you realize that it sounds like you just want to get rid of the kid and dump him on Kendra."
"Yeah the way you're talking Shazz is like you were her mom and she was the daughter dating a boy you didn't approve of, so you're trying to get him into some other girl."
"Ok that is so not true. I just want to protect her. I mean I'm no longer going to be living with her so she's going to be living their alone. Alone with that guy!"
"Let me stop you right there and say that your choses involving Lanie are to either get married and trust that she knows what she's doing or put off getting married and like coddle her like like uhmmm? Kendra help me out here."
"Like a big fluffy hen sitting over her eggs. Or like a giant grizzly bear guarding his honey. Or or"
"Ok Kendra we got the image. So yeah Shazz be a woman and just go and get married or are you going to be little girl and go crying for mommy?"
"Haaa! But I don't wanna!" I exclaim to Red whose lecture is right. But I really don't like it.
"Shazz I'm sure that it's not that great of an idea for you obsess over this especially since it's not your problem. I know your mom, I've been working real close with both you and her, so I'm sure if she is up to anything with him it's important to one or both of them."
"I can tell Hiccup has problems, if he does need help he just needs to ask. Gods knows he could use it if he was banished or worse. But if he really does need help for whatever he should be asking all of us not my mom. Just how bad could his problems be?"
I expected Red to be the one to reply to my retort about Hiccup but it was Kendra who spoke up to me with a bit of disappointment in her voice. "Shazz that's not fair to the kid. Don't forget that he's an outsider here, it's not easy to open up to people you don't know. You wouldn't be able to trust random strangers you just met would you? Especially if you're here alone, it brings feelings of being surrounded. You two said he looked weak and wimpy like Chapskin used to be, right? Here in Grissgom he probably feels like a rabbit surrounded by a pack of wolves. Your mom's probably trying to get him to relax and feel safe here, but you're not helping her by antagonizing him and accusing him of things. If you don't like him then that's your problem but don't force that on you mom. She's just doing her job to help."
I think about what she said. She's is probably right about how he feels. He's in unknown territory alone, and he was just recently hurt by his own people. If I were him I'd be scared to approach new people. But once I get over the fear I'd want payback, revenge against those that hurt me, no matter who they were.
"Your right, my mom probably is just doing what she can to help. It would be better to get him used to someone before tossing him to like you would say 'the pack'. I guess considering how I just saw her with him, it makes me forget that she is a professional. I've seen her work on lots of people but it's something about him that I don't know. I feel like I could like him if I get to know him but right now he's just creepy."
"Like Kendra said that's just what you think. Anyways Shazz I want to know if are you serious that that Hiccup kid is going to be Chapskin's new Best man? Cause that's kinda weird in my opinion."
"Why?" I ask while vaguely knowing what she means.
"Well you know isn't he kinda young to do it? How old you say he was?"
"He 14. And the chief said that it was no problem, traditionally or otherwise."
"Wasn't he also injured? Word is he was tortured to near death. Is it such a good idea to have a wounded person do something like that?"
"I don't see it as a problem. It's not like he's going to be fighting a dragon or anything, he just needs to be able to walk and talk. Trust me he's got the talking part down pat, I'm sure he can give a quick rehearsal speech on the spot if he needed to, how hard could that be? As for walking, well I'm sure we can get him standing at least."
"Why not just ask someone from the village?"
"Think about that for a second, remember who you're considering Red."
I can see their mind scrolling thru the list of candidates and reach the same conclusion Chap and I did.
I give another reason before Red could bring it up. "We know that traditionally the Best man is a close friend or family and we don't really know him but I don't think that that's a problem considering it's those two, seriously you should see how they act around each other. If you didn't know any better you would think they were brothers or long lost friends."
"Well if that's the case here's another good question, are we gonna have to have another bachelor party?"
"I hope not." For Coralmold's Party he had for Chap, they like everyone else traditionally went on a dragon hunting trip. Don't know why or how but every one that went all came back so smashed and drunk that they not only can't remember leaving for the trip, they didn't even return in the same ship they left on. They also don't know why they came back with matching tattoos of colorful bird in a cage, which we found a similar cage on the ship when they returned. Regardless of the missing time they seemed to have a great time those two days they were gone.
"And I doubt it. They already had one, no need for another especially this close to the wedding. So as far as I can tell he's ready. I'm the one that needs to hurry and get my end of the preparations ready. So as fun as it's been going around the rumor mill with you Red, I need to get back to work."
"Alright then, we wanted to help you Shazz so tell us what we can do for you." Red reminded me why she and Kendra approached me in the first place.
"Well I could use help with the dinner preparations. Apparently getting shark for a main course is proving to be a problem."
"Shark?" Both of them looked like I was joking.
"You can't be serious." Kendra continued equally confused.
"Yeah cause if you haven't noticed the sea is just a bit frozen."
"How do you imagine them getting shark in this season and this weather?"
"I'm sure it can be done."
We kept walking but as we got to the door Kendra said something. "Hey I just realized. It's probably unimportant now. But maybe it's not so much that you don't like Hiccup but rather you don't like how he looks like Chapskin. Cause you know if he looks like younger Chapskin and since your mom resembles you, well isn't that basically them reminding you of how Chapskin and you look like together?"
"You want to do what where?" Hiccup asked Lanie confused and a bit offended at her request.
She ended up having to give me a crash course in weddings. Defiantly necessary since I just traded my compliance for forge time. If I'm going to do this then I might as well do it as perfectly as I can.
But with my record on 'perfect' I can pretty much guess it's not going to go that smoothly. I'm just hoping I can plan against whatever that will be if I hear what I'm going to be doing.
From what Lanie's telling me all I need to do is look good and talk. I can fake it at least.
During the lecture we hit a topic that reminded her of something she needed to do for the wedding, prepare a wedding gift.
Guests are supposed to bring a present to congratulate the newlyweds. Lanie said she had an idea for a present but hasn't had the time or ingredients to make it.
Which brought up her request. "Hiccup I want you to take me to a nearby island where I can get what I need."
"Do I look like a ferry man? How do you expect me to take you there?"
She huffs and points to the ceiling. Looking up I see a pair of green eyes looking down at us. "Oh." I let out in obvious realization at what she meant. Toothless.
"Ok let me rephrase this, do we look like ferry men?"
"No you look like you shouldn't be walking around at all, you should be resting and healing. But you are not going to do that, you insist on working on something at the forge and you will also be acting as the Best man in the coming wedding. So if you insist on working on your own project then you could help me gather my ingredients just like I will help you however I can in your endeavors."
"Alright I guess that's fair, but really do you need to fly to another island to get this stuff? You can't get them here?"
"No I can't. The plant I need only grows on this specific island. Also because of the plants purpose I don't carry it in great amounts like other practical used ingredients. It is only used very rarely."
"And that why you don't have it in stock but think that it would make a great present for them now."
I'm curious as to what this thing she wants to cook up is. Common used medicines include treating wounds, burns, or illnesses. So what is something that isn't commonly used in a village but only used every now and then?
"I don't think I should tell you. You may not even know what it is in the first place."
"I didn't even ask yet! Don't answer me before I get the chance to ask!"
"So will you two do it?"
"Just so you know I'm only saying yes because the situation is in your favor." I don't like that she so persistent on helping me, but since she is it's only fair to do this for her since she's really sticking her neck out for Toothless and me.
"Thank you Hiccup."
"Well anyways I just hope I can make the cane I need by the end of the day."
"Why do you need to make a cane? I have some that you could use. Or if I need to I could carve one to fit your size."
"Did you just call me small?"
"No, I'm just saying that I usually only have adult sizes."
"Ok I can buy that, but what I need to make is a bit more than just a cane. I need something with more than one use. You know, with my own little style."
"I do not know what you mean by your own style but I guess you have something in mind. But can you forge?"
"Yeah I learned from Berks best blacksmith. I was his apprentice for years and I always thought I was ok at it, so yeah I can forge. I made Toothless's saddle if that helps convince you."
"That is most leatherwork not blacksmithing. It is not the same but I guess that is fine. Does that mean that you made this knife you had?" She pulled out Gobber's knife that she has been holding since I got them back from Chapskin.
I shake my head to show my answer. "I got it from my Blacksmith master before I left. He said I needed it."
"From what Chapskin told us it is not a very good knife for any purpose."
"It has a purpose just not one that Vikings would find very useful for daily use. It's more of a tool then a weapon."
"Like my plant, not for common use."
"Yeah sound about the same."
"So what is it for if not cutting or stabbing?"
"It's a lock pick."
"A lock pick? Was your master a thief or something along that profession?"
"That is…. not very clear. He never told my why he had it. He only used it around the village for the occasional locked house or chest."
"Interesting. Kind of represents you don't you think?"
"How so?"
"Well? It's like something that looks obvious but is oddly different because in actuality it is something else with a completely different purpose. Creatively made and crafted and useful only when it's real purpose is discovered. It takes a special eye to see its real use and an even better man to make use of it for anything other than violence, because it's not a weapon to hurt or kill but rather a tool used to help."
"I don't get it."
"Think of it like this:
It's not a puny knife but rather a small useful knife looking lock pick.
It's not a puny Viking but rather a small useful Viking looking Hiccup.
Just change the item referred and it still means the same for both things."
"Ok that time you definitely called me small."
"I cannot believe that is the part you are focusing on."
"Hey I was always the runt of the village, the hiccup, of course it's going to bother me. Anyways can I have my stuff back?"
"Hahhh, very well." She passed the knife, notebook, but she kept the money. "I will hold this for you till you need it."
My comeback had to wait till later cause someone was knocking at the door. "Lanie! Chapskin told me to come and fetch Hiccup." It was a new voice belonging to someone I haven't met yet. But like I would expect from someone who lives here Lanie knew who they were.
"Come on in Red." The door swings open to let four new people inside. 2 older girls and 2 new guys. "How can I help you all?"
"Chapskin asked Shazz to bring you him to the forge but she busy so she sent us in her place. The chief's also their waiting for you." Explained the dark red haired girl whose hair was tied up short on one side and hanging loose and long on the other.
Four people to take me somewhere, feels more like a prison transfer. Well at least Chapskin seems to be holding his promise to borrow the forge.
"Ok then thank you kids." Lanie responds standing up and pulling me to my feet. This is first time I've stood up on my own since I've been here so I feel like my knees will give out on me without any support. I felt exhaustedly weak after I fled Berk and ever since, but it's really is hitting me hard now.
Lanie said that I have some permanent internal injury that's crippling the way my body reacts. She says that the damage to my leg muscles is actually bad enough that if I received any more damage I could have be permanently paralyzed.
That's not a thought I care to entertain. Hearing that is almost like death threat. If I can't work my legs I couldn't work Toohtless's riding gear. We'd be stuck here or where ever we were until I managed to make something new to control the tailgear, like maybe hand controls in place of the current foot pedals.
"So this is your new guy huh Lanie. Wow he really looks like Chapskin a few years ago." One of the new guys exclaimed. He was a bald, chubby faced guy but the rest of him looked like bulk of fat and muscle that was just made for taking hits.
"Actually he looks even more breakable than he was." The other new guy added. The guys a giant! I mean he needs to bend down to look thru the door giant. He's a teen? He had a beard half the size of my dad. Actually you couldn't even see his face it was all covered in shiny blond hair. He looks like a walking reflective tree.
"Oh lay off him you two. Can you make it? No offence but you look, well not that great really."
"I'm good. Just lead the way. Don't worry about whether I can get there, let me worry about that."
"Stubborn, I like it. Alright then let's go see your twin." The first guy compliments while saying something stupid.
"Kendra, could you support him there. He won't make it their with how weak his walking is." Lanie called out to one of the girls. She then leaned and whispered to me. "I will stay here and watch over Toothless for now. Kendra is my apprentice so he will take care of you."
"All right then." The other girl who I assume is Kendra comes over and holds me up softly underarm. She was careful not to grab the bandaged parts of my arm where my arm was skinned raw. "Does that hurt?"
"Nah I'm fine, thanks."
The guys leave the crowded doorway allowing me to follow them while being supported arm in arm by Kendra. Walking was more like her holding me up while my legs dragged on the ground.
I don't even what to know how it looks to others cause the leading group gave some odd glances our way.
"Ah we should introduce ourselves. I'm Kendra Grafawn it's nice to meet you Hiccup." The girl who was Lanie apprentice fully introduced herself. She was only a little taller than me and heavily layered in clothe but her very long black braid was wrapped twice around her neck like a scarf.
"I'm her sister, Red Grafawn." The first red headed girl introduced herself with a pointing at herself. "And these two are Dryfins and Hangnail." The two waved when called. Dryfins being the first fat guy and Hangnail the giant.
"Nice to meet you meet you guys."
Red kept the conversation going. "So we hear your going to be the Best man in the wedding. Did you volunteer or"
"He asked first."
"You up for it, cause you could give the job to someone else. You know if you really wanted to." Hangnail informed me sounding excited.
"He's not doing that, so you two and anybody else better not do anything to force him. Shazz's words to you two. Clear?" Red defended.
"Why not? We could do it!"
The girls turn their heads to look off at one of the larger buildings that you could see at the edge of the village. If I had to guess, a store house for either weapons or food stuffs.
"That wasn't our fault." Dryfin tells the displeased girls.
"Entirely." Hangnail added as if it made a difference.
"Either way it's not happening." Red concluded in a way that said it was not debatable. "Not without one of you being killed that is."
They start to argue between themselves but I don't put too much effort to hearing their arguments and comebacks.
"Sorry about them Hiccup. They like to fight."
"Yeah I can tell but I'm not too surprised. So what did they do?"
"Curious what we are talking about Hiccup." Kendra asked.
"Just a little, but I can guess. They messed up and broke something right?"
"Yep. A lot of something. They destroyed an entire weapon storage. Nothing was left useable."
"That couldn't have gone over too well."
"It didn't. You sound familiar with that kind of story."
"Story of my life. Broke it and got yelled at."
"Hah see Red we're not the only ones!" I didn't notice that the others were listening to me talk to Kendra about village destruction.
"I'd love to hear some Berk style fun! So what's best you got?" I look at them waiting for me to tell them what I've done. I got a long list of damage I could tell about that I did while still in Berk.
"I destroyed two watchtowers, half our docks, four and a half houses, and freed several dragons that were captured. In less than two minutes."
Everyone seemed shocked by what I said. "Too much?"
Everyone started laughing. I felt a bit a embarrassed by them Laughing but I noticed it wasn't that same as when people laughed at me for what I did. No it was almost like they were laughing with me. I let out a shy snicker to match the others but I was really not sure if I should.
"Well that's hells as hard to top!"
"You got that right Hangnail. What we do doesn't even come close!" The guys come over and slap me hard on the back. It was a really heavy slap that both knocked the air out of me causing me to choke as I tried to breath and caused me to fall out of Kendra's hold and onto my knees. Seeing this Kendra stands up to defend me. "Leave him alone, he's hurt remember! You guys could probably break him in two with your normal roughhousing!"
"Whoa whoa we don't mean any harm."
"Stand down Kendra I think he's already spoken for. Lanie right?" I saw that she seemed offended and disturbed by what he said.
Red notice her reaction and retaliated with a hard sweeping kick to Hangnail's knees knocking him off his feet and causing him to land on-top of Dryfin. "It's definitely not like that, right sis?"
"Definetly."
Kendra helped me back up again as I could barely lift myself of my knees. I had a hard time catching my breath but my coughing fit settled once I got back on my feet.
"Woa kah kah!" I exclaimed between coughs at the sight of Red blowing away the giant Hangnail.
"Let move on. Chapskin and the chief are waiting for us." Red orders us ignoring the boys.
"Right we can leave them there for later."
"Ughh Hey!"
We leave to the forge with Red leading while she chatted happily with Kendra, who kept me up and helped me walk, about how things were at home. Following close behind hind us were the downed boys who talked about one more prank before the wedding.
We reach the forge and I see a huge man waiting for us by the door with Chapskin. "Looks like you brought quiet the crowd with you, Loser." Chapskin calls out. Loser huh? Sounds about right.
"First time for everything, Winner."
"Like weddings?"
"Exactly. It's important after all."
"You know, some would say that the only important wedding is your own."
"How do parents fit in that? I'd think it's important for them to be at the wedding of their children."
"Second most important, or maybe just an equal thing. There's also the birth of one's children, that an important day as well."
"Well that's true. But if were thinking along those lines it could be generally considered that an important day is the day you gain something precious to protect. You know like a wife or child."
"That's true but that seems more like your labeling what's more important to you; your friends, present family, or future family."
"When you put it like that it sounds like your abandoning one thing for another. Is that what you're doing Winner?"
"Not at all, I value all my relationships equally."
"And the wife?"
"If she asks, tell her 'I put her above all of you'."
"Future husbands, 'for her I will' is that it?"
"Exactly. Cause when she's not happy I'm really not happy."
"Could that translate in 'if she's not happy I'm not getting any'?"
"Well, that's just changing the wording. It all means the same thing in the end."
"Make her happy. So do you?"
"Absolutely, and she makes me happy, Loser."
The others present just watch and listen to Chapskin's and my dialogue. "Whoa whoa whoa!? What the hell? We can't slap him on the back to say your badass destroyer but Chapskin can go around calling him a loser?"
"What's up with that? I demand an apology!" Dryfin continues Hangnail's rant.
"You two shut up can't you feel the brotherly love and respect they use when they call each other names." Red barked at them. I'm glad she feels it that way because I don't. Loser means loser no matter how nice you say it.
"Yeah you two were just hurting an injured kid. You're the ones that need to say sorry. You were pushing him around like a dog pushing a new puppy around to show who's bigger." Kendra agreed.
"We were not doing that!"
"No actually you were."
"Alright alright that's enough on whose beating what." The huge man standing next to Chapskin interrupted. I kinda remember him from a few years ago, he is the chief of Grissgom, Stickstone.
"Cause none of us win really. So back to business." I add to their chiefs words.
"I don't think I should be letting you do anything in my forge. Not like that. You can barely stand Loser."
"I can manage if you give me a few minutes to get used to your forge." I tell Chapskin. I then look at the Chief who was looking at angry at being ignored by me. "You are the chief. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Right, it nice to finally meet you Hiccup. So do you remember me?"
"Vaguely. Thank you for the help you and your people have offered me, I'm sorry that I had to impose on your village."
"You're being too considerate son. No need to say sorry for receiving help. Especially if it's true what I had heard happened to you." He stepped over beside Kendra and gestured to take the spot of holding me up. He placed his hands on my shoulder and leads me to the inside of the forge followed by Chapskin. "I would like to have a few words with you in private. Chapskin you actually don't need to listen to this, but do you mind if we use the forge to talk?"
"Uh yeah sure but are you sure I don't need to hear this?"
"Yes, I think it better to talk to him without the humor you two seem to play around with. In the meantime keep them in line." Saying that I knew it was his turn to question me about being here.