Chapter 7: Royalty

Right away entering the room Hiccup was intimidated, here before him was his supposed adoptive grandfather. This man had a towering presence and from what he had heard he wasn't easy to please, that is unless you were Thor. He must have made the big guy pretty happy by destroying a humongous dragon queen and putting down rebellious tribes and keeping his safe. Hiccup took a moment to think of the appropriate way to respond.

"Thank you, I am very pleased to be here and thank you for the attention."

"You may introduce your son to the others now." His speech seemed to please Odin.

"Come along Hiccup."

"Farewell!"

Loki turned to Hiccup with a smile on his face. Slapping his son back he let out a laugh. Hiccup turned to him surprised. Loki was so supportive of a son he just met. Why was Stoick never this way?

"Good job with talking to Odin. Luckily you stayed out of trouble."

"I have practice with Stoick he is the same way." Loki looked upset at that.

"So who are the others?" Hiccup continued.

"I am now to introduce you to my brother and his friends."

"Thor?"

"Who else! As well as Sif, Hogan, Volstagg and Fandral."

"Astrid will be so jealous I got to meet Sif!"

"Yes I imagine the two would get along well."

"Maybe one day I can tell her about all this and introduce her to you."

"I would like that my son."

"I would too."

/

Loki led Hiccup into a huge arena where four people were, all engaged in several activities. The first man was HUGE, he had a large red beard matching his red face probably from drinking to much ale. He was laughing at another man who was looking into a mirror combing his hair and twirling the end of his moustache. This must be Volstagg the Vast and Fandral the dashing. Hiccup turned his direction to the two sparring in the arena. A man dressed in furs was trying and failing to get a strike in at the women in red and silver armor. The woman managed to jump and lunge at the man. He fell startled before she pulled him up laughing. This was obviously Sif and the last man must be Hogan. Before Loki could stop him Hiccup let out a chuckle. These people reminded him of his friends in ways or at least different combinations of them. It seems the gods weren't so scary after all.

Hiccup's chuckle was loud enough to gain the attention of Sif and Hogun who stopped their fight. Hogun then nudged Fandral who fell into Volstagg's feast. This caused Hiccup to laugh even louder. They were so normal! Now that all their attention was on him they looked confused. Who was this child with Loki? Most asgardians stayed away from him. They still were upset by his actions it would take another few decades to forgive him. Sif was the one that stepped forward.

"Loki, who is this?"

"Is this poor child being punished?" joked Fandral.

"Look at his eyes Sif and tell me who he is." Loki said coldly.

The warriors three confusion to Loki's question accompanied by Sif's gasp reminded Hiccup of what he had seen before. This woman had helped Thor drag his father away from his son. His son who had just lost his mother. His son who was left with Stoick! That enough killed all the reverence he had in his eyes for the warrior woman. He looked at his father's face where there was no emotion. It seemed his father was as skilled at hiding his emotions as Hiccup was. Years of practice and disappointment at not being accepted had made him a master at keeping a straight but masked face.

"Him?" Sif asked, "He's here? Odin would never allow this!"

"But he did!" Loki replied calmly.

"Why?"

"Because my son is a Hero, to his tribe and all of Norseheim!"

"A son?" Volstagg questioned Loki.

"You have no son, just as you have no wife!" Fandral agreed.

"If you had a son we would know! " Hogan added quietly.

Seeing his father's disappointment hidden behind his mask, Hiccup got upset. Did no one believe he could be a hero! A son of the Stoick the Vast sure but of Loki? No, Loki was the trickster. He probably would have it better back home than on Asgard. Here at least his father was proud. He showed his pride. Loki was a better father than Stoick had ever been. He would show these warriors to who they talked.

"Why don't you ask the so called son?" Hiccup asked turning heads.

"Let me take care of this one Hiccup," Loki smiled at Hiccup.

"Hiccup? What kind of name is that?" Fandral chuckled.

"The name of the runt!" Hiccup answered bitterly.

"I've always hated the name Stoick gave you." Loki looked at his son.

"Who is this Stoick?" Fandral was becoming frustrated

"Stoick is my adoptive father," Hiccup replied calmly.

"Still how do we know Loki told you the truth?" Hogun replied.

"I do," Sif whispered turning the attention towards her.

"Of course you do." Loki said with venom, " You and Thor always did."

" We did what the allfather asked." Sif stayed firm standing her ground.

"You played Odin's mindless servant. My son needed me!"

"I am sure he was fine." Sif's eyes betrayed that she knew that was false.

"Fine! Sure, Fine! Let me give you a taste of fine!"

Loki reached out to his son, understanding that he was getting too upset. It started chilling and the moisture in the air turned to ice. Shards of ice started flying towards Sif and the warriors three. Only quick reflexes and many years of fighting saved her. She raised her shield but looked to Loki her stormy gray eyes filled with alarm. Was he doing this or was the child already this powerful? His worried green eyes were enough to tell her it was the boy. As he tried to get closer green wisps and tendrils of magic surrounded the boy picking him up. They touched Sif, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg and Loki, pulling them closer to Hiccup. Then it all went black!