A.N. - And because I've been working on it, here is chapter 12. I feel so bad for leaving it for months, but a whole lot of life came up and therefore halted all work on this. Luckily, I've started work on it again and I must say that I'm pleased with it! Enjoy!
"Son of man, look to the sky.
Lift your spirit, set it free.
Some day you'll walk tall with pride.
Son of man, a man in time you'll be."
This is it, the moment we've been waiting for, what I'd been working so hard to achieve and now I'm so nervous I can hardly breathe. Taking slow, deep breaths and I overlooked my cheat sheet again so that I'd know what does what. Toothless was watching me; he was excited but confused as to my sudden nervousness. Running my fingers through my hair as I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"You're gonna have to give me a second buddy. I know you're antsy to get in the air again, I'm excited too but I've never been flying before and this is the first real test flight that we'll be running. So far, we've returned to the ground after a couple of minutes…but this…this is different. I've just gotta get my bearings first."
Groaning he shook his head at me and huffed. He started nudging me with his head, making growling, and grunting noises trying to get me to move. I looked up at him in mild annoyance, but I paused due to the look in those green eyes, he was beyond ready. He needed this, heaving a sigh I stood up.
"You're right bud! You've been waiting long enough. How can I keep you waiting any longer?" A smile broke out on my face as he gave me that toothless grin again and I could swear I saw him twitching with excitement. Taking one final breath to steel my nerves I leaped on my saddle hooking my feet to the pedals, I whispered a silent prayer before we took off.
My heart was pounding so hard in my ears; the only thing that drowned it out was the sound of the rushing wind that whipped all around me and pushed my hair back. I had to close my eyes as I flicked my ankle and popped the fin out. I could feel the adrenaline racing through my being and fear pushed out through my feet and left it somewhere on the ground.
I could feel the muscles in his shoulders stretch and contract with every stroke of his wings. Taking another deep breath I cracked my eyes open, it was kind of hard at first because of the force of the wind, but after blinking several times they became accustomed to the wind. Forcing myself to breathe I slowly I sat up on Toothless and what I saw astounded me.
"This is…amazing…" From where I was, I could see the ocean stretch out endlessly with the sun glinting off it. The clouds that dotted the sky reflected some of the light making it look like little white islands were in the sky. I mouthed a silent wow and it took me a moment to realize that we were over the water…wait we were already over the water? I turned my head to look back and the island wasn't to far back, but still I had no idea that we were that far, he really is fast.
"Oh, man…" Taking a deep breath, I looked up, daring to want to go higher. So, I flicked my ankle and tugged the collar back and Toothless was more then happy to oblige. I let him take me as far as the lower hanging clouds and I thanked Thor that it was nice out today, if I could dare say a perfect day for flying. I couldn't help myself, I reached out to touch the clouds that had so far been so high above me.
They were cold, strangely wet and swirled around my hand as it moved through them. Pulling my hand back, I observed that my hand was slightly wet as if I'd reached down and skimmed the surface on the water. 'Interesting…they are wet even when it's not raining…weird.' I had to remember to make a note of that for later. I'd really only thought that the clouds held water in them while it was raining, but it seemed that they were made out of it. Shaking my head, I turned my attention ahead looking down at the dragon beneath me.
"Okay there bud! We're gonna take this nice and slow!" I reached down and patted the side of his neck. Furrowing my brows, I looked for the fin position to get us to glide more easily. "Okay here we go…position…three, no four!" Looking back as I flicked my foot and the fin changed positions. I could hear Toothless groan and shake his head at me. Never minding him, I checked to make sure that I was safely attached to the saddle and then looked back to double check to see if the tail fin was at risk of closing, it wasn't.
Grinning, I pulled Toothless higher, my excitement building as we leveled out again, I breathed a sigh of relief that the tail fin had stood up against the force of the wind going up and staying level. Taking a deep breath, I watched it flap in the wind and knew I had to see how it would work on a dive. That's exactly what I wanted to do, taking a deep breath and trying to swallow my heart back to my chest I closed my eyes.
"Okay, here we go. Here we go!" Pressing my self against his saddle, I pushed Toothless downward and I saw the water coming at me at an incredible rate. Pushing my heart to beat faster and faster, feeling him leveling out I felt a spray of water hit me as one of his wings skimmed the water.
"Come on buddy! Come on!" My heart was pushing so much adrenaline through me and I kept thinking that I was gonna pass out whether it was due to going from high up to where I was now, or from fear, I didn't know, but I took a few deep breathes to keep from passing out. Lifting my eyes to look at the height of the rock above us, and seeing how high the birds were above us. 'Oh Gods!' I swallowed my heart again before I looked ahead again.
I heard Toothless groan and shake his head again at me. Probably shaking his head at me for freaking out so much. He couldn't really blame me, I've never done this before. I've never felt such a rush or air swirling around me, to feel it buffet me as I soared through the air. Never felt this much adrenaline, fear, excitement, accomplishment and freedom all rolled into one inside me. It was amazing; the feeling that was overwhelming me right now was accomplishment because the tail fin had stayed open for the duration for our test, which meant that it was working great so far!
"Yes, it worked!" I cheered as I looked around to double check to see that we were still going. I was holding onto the subtle fear that the fin was going to break off from the force we were subjecting it to, and so far it held up and I was feeling good about my self. Until I heard Toothless growl at me and just realized we were head toward a boulder, out of reflex I pulled up on his collar trying to avoid it, unfortunately we hit it anyway.
"Sorry! Sorry!" I felt Toothless shove off it and start to fly in the other direction, trying to avoid the next boulder I pulled on his collar again, only to collide with it on his side, using his front paw he pushed himself off the rock again. Guess I didn't have as much control over it like I thought I did. "Sorry, that was my fault." I looked down at the sheet see what position we'd need next when I felt a sharp pain on my right cheek. I don't believe it, he just smacked me with his ear! "Ah! Yeah, yeah I'm on it!" I growled as he huffed at me.
"Position four...uh...three." Reaching down I fiddled with the right pedal before flicking my ankle to position the tail so we could jolt higher in the sky. My adrenaline was soaring higher and higher as we gained altitude. I could feel it fill me up, with as much as I had going through me I didn't even feel the cold. It was amazing, we just kept going higher and higher!
"Yeah! Go baby go!" At this moment, all fear had been swooped out of me and I felt nothing but the joy and the freedom of nothing holding me down. To go to places we only thought Gods could go to and to see above the clouds and have the wind whip past me, but not knock me down. Now I know how Toothless feels all the time, to be able experience this was just…irreplaceable!
"Oh this is amazing! The wind in my…" at that moment, fate felt the need to knock me down, my cheat sheet was cruelly yanked from it's spot on Toothless' collar and began to be swept back, my eyes opened in horror and my heart dropped. "Cheat sheet! STOP!" Luckily, my hand grasped the sheet, unluckily I felt Toothless actually stop and my body still wanted to keep going, so it did and by the time I realized this; I was staring in horror at the ocean thousands of feet below me. I briefly looked up and Toothless mirrored my horror look right before we both lost the momentum and started to plummet.
"Oh, gods! Oh no!" I tried to reach out to Toothless but with the force that I was falling, it just knocked my hands off and sent me spiraling faster to the ground. 'Okay Hiccup come on think, think!' I could hear Toothless' panicked roaring, and that only added to my own. Looking down I could see the ocean coming fast toward us, so I chose to look at the panicked dragon and try to get him to shift toward me.
"Okay, now you've just got to angle your self! No, no, no, no! Come back down toward me, down toward me, come back…OW!" the spinning dragon had indeed come toward me, but unfortunately his tail smacked me on the cheek knocking me away again. I had to do something otherwise, or this could end badly. Looking around, with my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I reached out for Toothless once again. Somehow, his momentum sped up placing him beneath me. 'Come on, come on…just a little closer…' Stretching my hand as far as it would go, I finally grasped onto the metal hook on his collar. Placing the cheat sheet in my mouth, I slid back onto the saddle and quickly placed my feet in the pedals.
Toothless' groaning reached my ears and at that moment, and with all the strength that I had left, I pulled back on the collar forcing Toothless wings to spread out and slow our momentum…it didn't do much because we were still plummeting toward the jagged rocks below, I had to even us out! My heart was stuck in my throat and I felt like I was gonna die any moment, but regardless of how I felt, I had to get Toothless evened out so he wouldn't get hurt.
Yanking the sheet out of my mouth I tried to catch a glimpse of the fin position we needed, but with the wind flapping it so much I couldn't make it out. My eyes shifted from the paper to the rocks, and they were getting closer every second. My eyes glanced between both again before I just let the wind take it, and out of reflex I just twitched my ankle which caused us to bank away from the rocks. I knew we weren't out of the woods yet, so pressing my self to his back I just continued to twitch my ankle so we were going in and out of the jagged rocks and boulders that littered the water.
I had no idea what came over me, it seemed that I maneuvered my ankle to just the right position, to get us out of harms way and as we cleared the final rock and came out of the fog, it took me a moment to bring my thoughts up to where we were right now. It felt that I'd let everything go into the wind, and now that we were slowing down, it had time to catch up with me. Taking deep breathes, I realized that not only were we alive, but the tail fin actually worked. 'I did…I really did it! We did it!'
Feeling a surge of joy, I could help but pump both my fists in the air and shout my excitement!
"YEAH!"
Toothless apparently shared my enthusiasm because when he shouted, out burst a flame…and we headed straight for it. Groaning my hands fell to my sides, "Come on…" I just couldn't win today, so I closed my eyes as I felt the heat surround me.
"Ah!" I could feel the heat push my hair back, and I smelt it burn part of my clothes. "Toothless!" His head veered to look back at me, and I scowled as I saw his toothless smile. "Yeah I bet you think this is pretty funny huh?" I could feel a rumbling as he chuckled. "Well thank you for nothing, you useless reptile, now find some where for us to land…I need to feel the security of the ground beneath my feet for awhile."
With a twitch of my ankle and movement of his wings, we turned in the air and headed back for land. I closed my eyes, and let the wind caress my face. At this steady pace, it felt nice, calm and peaceful. It was actually soothing for me; I closed my eyes and rested my head on the back of his neck. I focused on the sound of his beating wings, and the sound of the ocean washing up onto the land that we were coming to.
-Break-
I shut my eyes as Toothless released a blast to light the fire in front of me. I was already tired of being singed today. Sighing I skewed a fish and held it over the fire. It hadn't taken me that long to catch the fish, I just has to fish for myself Toothless caught all his own. Since he can fly, it's easier for him to sneak up and dive in to catch them.
Heaving a heavy sigh I laid back against his side, and opened them so that I could look at the cloudy sky. Smiling as I remembered being as high as they were, the feeling of the cloud dissolving into water at my touch was weird but fascinating at the same time. That was when I felt Toothless start hacking again, blinking out of my daze, I looked at the dragon and cringed when a fish head landed beside me, and he then looked at me.
"Uhhh…no thanks, I'm good." I signaled with my fish that I was covered in the food department. I glanced at it and realized that my fish was cooked. Toothless shook his head at my decline and faced his pile of fish. Shaking my head, I was ready to eat mine, when I heard chattering, looking up I saw a small flock of Terrible Terrors flying toward us. Feeling a deep rumbling vibrate out of his throat, I nervously glanced at Toothless. From personal experience, I knew that stealing from Toothless wasn't a good idea, if there was one thing he was particular about it was his fish.
One of them approached Toothless' pile and as I predicted, he snarled at it, then a green one snatched the fish head that Toothless had regurgitated and drug it further away where another Terror tried to sneak it from him but, snarling, the green one hunched down and growled angrily at the red one. I couldn't help but chuckle at the two of them fighting over the fish.
It was strange that the more I watched them, fire breathing aside; they reminded me of normal house pets. I slowly started eating my fish as I watched Toothless yank forward to pull at the fish that a little orange- yellow looking one had managed to snatch, and ended up pulling the fish out of its mouth leaving it with just a fin. I slide my hand down my face as he emitted that laughing sound again. Thinning my lips I peeked at the dragon, as he hunkered down, like the other two had and started rearing back to fire a blast but then Toothless spat a small flame in his mouth.
I couldn't help but laugh as the little dragon blew up and fell to the ground. I elbowed Toothless before I watched the Terror fumble away. "Not so fireproof on the inside are you?" I couldn't help but feel bad for him as those big eyes peered up at me, biting my lip, I pulled the rest of the fish off the end of the stick and threw it at the poor thing.
"Okay, here you go."
After he ate it the Terror looked happily up at me and I grinned back at him. Sighing I leaned back on Toothless, who'd resumed eating. I was surprised when I felt a slight nudge on my arm. A slight gasp escaped my lips as I lifted up my arm to allow the Terror that I'd given the last half of my fish too, was now cuddled by my leg and under my hand. It was then that I realized that it wasn't just Toothless that had pet like qualities.
"Everything we know about you guys…is wrong!"
Letting a small sigh escape my lips, I stroked the Terrors' head and he started softly purring. 'Oh Thor's great hammer…this…screws with everything that I've been taught! They aren't what we think they are…so if they don't kill on sight…why do they attack us?' Carefully, I picked up the little dragon, and he stirred slowly opening up his big eyes at me. I think his tail started wagging at me, this really shouldn't surprise me due to my many escapades with Toothless, but really? Tail wagging?
Sighing, I gently placed him on my lap and he cuddled next to my abdomen. "You know when you're not biting peoples' noses off, you're not so bad." That was when I heard a deep-throated growl, and I looked at Toothless curiously. His eyes were slits and he was glaring at the dragon on my lap.
"Toothless, what is wrong with you? He's not trying to steal your fish, leave him alone!"
Before I could do anything else, I was snatched from off the ground, knocking the Terror of my lap, and he held me to his chest, snarling at the little dragon that started flying off, whimpering. Growling, as he placed me on the ground I turned and glared at him, which he then looked at me confused.
"What was that Toothless? He wasn't even doing anything! Remember what I said about losing control, you need to learn how to curb your…your…whatever it is! It wasn't very nice."
His ears fell back and he whimpered, looking like beaten dog. Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose and that's when I felt him nudge my elbow, hearing him purr softly I couldn't help but look down at him again. His eyes were big and looking at me apologetically. A chuckle escaped my lips as I reached down and stroked his head behind his ears. He really was nothing but a big cat.
"Okay bud, what do you say we go home huh? We've had enough fun for one day." I leaped on his back, he snorted happily, and for the second time today, we flew.
-Break-
After I'd gotten back to the village I didn't go straight home, I figured that the dragons we had in the training area weren't dangerous…just scared and hurt. I had thrown a quick bag of fish together and made my way down to the ring. Crossing the bridge was what startled me the most; it was the only thing that I had to cross without any form of cover. Sighing I pressed my back to the wall and checked again to see if I was being followed or watched, I wasn't.
It took me awhile to open the gate, because not only was it heavy it was noisy. I was sure that someone would have heard me. Not wanting it all the way up, I lifted it enough for me to slide the basket, then my self through. I then propped a rock under so it wouldn't close on me.
'Really hope I know what I'm doing…' I repeated the same thoughts that went through my head the day that went to bring Toothless a fish; I hope I'd get the same results. Just like Toothless, they'd been trapped. Unlike Toothless, they'd been jabbed; stabbed, hit and used for sport…I stopped. This really may not be the best idea…but then I thought of the Terrible Terrors that didn't attack me, and Toothless who hadn't eaten me yet. Closing my eyes, I moved to the first cage.
I pulled the lever for the first cage, and groaned when I found this one was just as quiet as the first door. Thinning my lips I slowly pushed the door open a sliver so I could slide through. The moonlight that shown down through the top of the cage was enough for my eyes to adjust and see the Gronkle lying on the floor. It's beady eyes were on me, and a low growl escaped it's throat. Slowly standing on it's hind legs, I crouched down and held out a couple of blades of the grass that drove the dragons nuts.
"It's okay…I'm not here to hurt you."
Seeing the grass, it eyed me for a bit and then slowly approached me sniffing it. His eyes closed as I rubbed it on his snout, then his stubby tail started wagging. A smile pulled at my lips as I stayed crouching, not wanting to startle him by standing up, he could still bite my hand off. Slowly reaching behind me, I pulled out a fish from the bag.
It pulled its head back and started sniffing my other hand as it caught the fishes scent, he was hungry, my brows furrowed at this thought. They weren't feeding them properly, of course they wouldn't they hate them. At this, I dropped a couple of fish, and he devoured them. I could see his beady yellow eyes regard me, only this time it was as if he recognized me. That was when I felt him lick my face and make small growling, grunting noises. I couldn't help but laugh and try to pull away from him.
"Well, I'm glad that you don't want to burn me to a crisp! You really aren't dangerous…just hungry and alone." Seeing the Gronkle reminded me of how I'd found Toothlesss; trapped, hungry, and alone probably scared too. I really couldn't help but feel sorry for him, for all of them. He snuggled his head against my chest, and lay there. I softly stroked his bumpy head as he closed his eyes.
I had to find out if the others would be just as…welcome to my presence. Peeling myself away from the Gronkle, I could here him almost whimper. I picked up the bag of fish and slung it over my shoulder and that was when I felt a tug on my vest. Turning I saw his beady eyes begging me not to leave him. Closing my eyes, I pulled my vest from his mouth.
"I'm sorry, I can't let you out right now…I will find a way too though. I promise."
With that, I slipped out of the cage and locked it. Closing my eyes I looked at the next cage, it was the Deadly Nadder. With the noise I'd been making, it was already awake but surprisingly wasn't thrashing against door. So, I carefully pulled the lever and slowly opened the door. They really weren't as aggressive at night as they were in the day. The thought that they prodded them into being angry before unleashing them angered me slightly. All though if I were stuck in a cage, I would get restless too.
As I went toward it, I saw it's eyes peering dangerously at me. She was definitely on her guard. So, I stopped where I was so I wouldn't trigger her to attack me. I crouched down slowly and carefully pulled out some fish and placed them on the ground in front of me. Her eyes were watching me warily, but slowly stood up and made her way over to where the fish were. She never stopped watching me as she did so, sniffing the fish first before deciding that it was good to eat and devoured them like the Gronkle had.
Shaking her head, her attention had been drawn back to me. Purring softly she approached me, as Toothless had after I'd fed him. She sniffed me and slowly circled me, becoming satisfied that I wasn't armed, she stood in front of me, watching me. I slowly reached out to touch her, and couldn't help but stop when she flinched at the approach of my hand.
"Hey, it's okay…I won't hurt you." I held my hand at that same distance it had stopped at, watching her. Her yellow eyes regarded my hand warily, probably wondering why I'd stopped. We held that pose for what seemed like hours, until she leaned forward and touched my hand. I gently stroked her nose and moved up to her horn. It was cold, but smooth under the touch. I then slowly moved my hand across her face, over her scales that were just as smooth as her horn. "You're a beautiful one, aren't you?" I started softly scratching her cheek and moved down to her chin.
I grinned as she started making a trilling sound and closed her eyes. I gently placed my other hand on the other side of her face and she nudged me with her nose again. This made me chuckle slightly, and I moved my hand to her chin and pinched the nerve that made her coo before falling to the ground.
"Sorry, I don't think that I could stop you from leaving if I opened the door."
Picking up my bag of fish, I slung it over my shoulder; locked the gate and moved to the Terror's gate next. Placing my hand on the door, I heard a slight scratching sound and watched as the small door was wiggling. Shaking my head, I slowly lifted the wooden latch, and held I fish in my left hand. As the Terror slinked out, his eyes darted around and landed on the fish in my hand.
Sliding over toward me, his big eyes were one me but his nose was going the direction of the fish. Crouching down slowly, I held it at his level so he could better grab it. When he got close, he snatched the fish out of my hand and slid it away, like the Terrors did this afternoon. I just smiled and waited as he finished the fish, when he did he waddled up and watched me.
"Hey there little guy, you still hungry?"
Then in a flash, he had slithered up my arm and rested on my shoulder. I then felt him nuzzle his head on my cheek, purring next to my ear. I couldn't help but laugh as he nuzzled under my neck, like a cat rubs against a humans leg.
"Okay, okay! You're welcome!"
I reached up and stroked the little dragon and he slunk into my arms where he curled up again. It was amazing how not dangerous they were, at least when they weren't burning down our homes and stealing our livestock. If they didn't instantly attack without cause then why did they attack us? I looked down at the Terror that rested in my arms, and after spending these last few weeks with Toothless, I couldn't help but see more characteristics in them then just, dangerous.
I pressed my back against the wall and slid down it, where my knees pulled up against my chest. This proves to me that they really aren't what we think they are. They are completely different from how we learned, or experienced. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly tilted toward the Terrors cage door. I then quietly pushed the door open, and even more carefully picked up the Terror and placed him on the other side of the door before pulling my hand back and closing the door.
Closing my eyes, I pressed my head on the cold metal of the door trying to calm my racing mind. It was just too much information that just clashed with everything that I grew up believing! Oh, all my fears that I'd thought when I first got into this were coming back, only it wasn't just Toothless…I believe that it was all of them! All the dragons were…were…were not monsters.
In frustration, I bolted from the ring, kicking the boulder out from under the door before I ran all the way to the Blacksmith's shop. It was the only place I felt that I could think, aside from Toothless' Valley. I made my way all the way to my back room and laid my head on the desk. Everything is different now, I really didn't want to kill dragons anymore…but I didn't want to disappoint Gobber and my father. I couldn't keep Toothless a secret for long, and I don't know how long I'd be able to let those others stay in their cages.
'What am I gonna do now? This is quite a mess that I got myself into.'
I started lightly flicking a pencil that lay to my right. Thinning my lips, I closed my eyes as I heard heavy thumping steps. I really wasn't in the mood to talk to Gobber right now, so I turned and my heart nearly leaped into my throat when I saw my father peek through the door.
"DAD! You're back!" I immediately jumped up and started trying to hide the drawings of Toothless under my notebook. "Uh…uh…Gobber's not here…so…"
"I know, I came lookin' fer you." I carefully closed my notebook as my heart continued to hammer in my chest.
"Y-yo-you did?"
"You've been keeping secrets."
I almost lost my balance as he said this and I felt my heart jump into my throat, "Uhh..I-I-I have?"
"How long did you think you could hide him from me?"
'Gods this can't be happening!' At this point I couldn't look at him and I started fiddling with my notebook. "I don't know what you're-" Very convincing.
"Nothin' happens on this island withou' me hearin' abou' it!" His voice shook me to the core and made me want to shrink into the shadows that were thrown on the wall. He still has that affect where he made me feel small with just his tone. Heart hammering in my chest, I chanced a look at him.
"Oh?"
"So le's talk…abou' tha' dragon."
My heart plummeted when he said this and made my blood run cold as the arctic water in the winter. "Oh gods! Dad I'm so sorry! I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how to uh-"
That was when he let out the deepest, freest laugh I've ever heard him let go, but this also left me confused. I couldn't help but force a slightly strangled laugh from my throat before I looked at him nervously.
"So you're…not…upset?"
"What! No, I was hopin' fer this?"
My mouth fell open, as confusion hit me in waves. "Uh, You were?"
"An' believe me it only ge's better! Wait until you spill a Nadder's guts fer th' firs' time!
An' mount yer firs' Gronkle head on a spear! Oh wha' a feelin'!"
In his complete joy, he punched my shoulder, which caused me to fly back into a basket that was sitting behind me. This would explain it, he thinks I've been holding out on him. I struggled with getting out, when he said something that made me stop completely.
"Yeh really had me goin' there son! All those years of the wors' Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough and I almos' gave up on yah an' all the while yeh were holdin' ou' on me! Oh Thor almighty! With you doin' so well in th' ring…we finally have somethin' teh talk abou'."
I'd never seen my father look so pleased, excited and proud. This is exactly what I'd been waiting for…but…I felt like I didn't deserve his praise. I looked down, wishing I could sit and tell him about how I brought down the dragons in the ring, how thrilled I am to be getting closer to slaying the Monstrous Nightmare…but I really wasn't. I was on the opposite end of the spectrum of all this.
Taking a deep breath, I released an uneasy sigh and looked away from my fathers eager face. I felt bad, I really did. Here he is thinking that I've become the son he's always wanted, when really I wasn't. After awhile of me not saying anything he finally started moving.
"Oh…I…I brough' you somethin'."
My heart stopped when he brought out a helmet, which would fit my head. My mouth opened in surprise. It's been years since my father has given me anything, I slowly reached out and took the helmet from my father.
"It's to help…keep…keep yeh safe, in th' rin'."
"Wow…thanks." I was touched, this is the first thing in years my father has given me. It really had been well made, save for a few dents on the side but overall, it was really cool.
"Ah, yer mother woulda wanted yeh teh have it." My grin got bigger at the thought of my mother being apart of me getting this gift. "I's half o'her breast plate."
My mouth fell open and I pulled my hand off it. He was kidding right? I forced a laugh and looked up at him quietly asking if he was serious and I suppressed a shudder as he tapped his helmet.
"Matchin' set. It keeps…keeps her close."
My eyes widened at the thought of this being part of her breast plate…it really was disturbing. It took me a second to realize that my father had started talking again.
"Wear it proudly, yeh deserve it. Yeh've held yer end o'th' deal."
This brought me back to my senses, and I looked up at him. Swallowing hard, I carefully placed the hat on the desk as guilt swarmed around me. I didn't really…well I kind of did. I had trained hard…just not in the way that my father was thinking. So, as carefully as I could, I did my best fake yawn.
"Oh, man I should really…get to bed right about now!"
"Oh, righ', good talk!"
"Yeah I'll see you back at the house! Thanks for stoppin' by and for the uh…" I cleared my throat. "Breast hat…"
"Oh righ' th'…th' hat." He looked like he was fumbling for something else to say, and I just wanted him to leave. Which sounds bad because he's been gone for weeks…but uh…I really needed to think. After a couple of seconds, he said good night and left.
I let out a breath that I didn't know that I was holding, and jumped as I heard clatter of things falling on the floor. He never could make a quiet exit. Slumping back in my chair, I eyed the hat. He'd said that I deserved it, finally I accomplish something in my dads eyes and it was all a farce. Tears burned my eyes and I closed them as I laid my forehead on my arms. I couldn't keep this up for long, and for once I wish that I had someone to talk to.
Tears blurred my vision and fell down my cheeks as I looked at the hat again and thought of my mother. She always did know what to say.
"What am I suppose to do mom? I'm so lost."
A.N.- And thus ends Chapter 12! Now Hiccup is really feeling the pressure of keep his new found discovery a secret. Stoick's back, but it really hasn't even begun to get out of control. Stay tuned.