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A/N: So like I said, for the next story I want to write it out properly before I post…but I won't be gone from the web entirely! Below is a link to my new Tumblr page. If you want you can follow me there, I'll post silly pictures, updates on the story or anything else I'm working on, you can ask me anything (within reason, obviously). That's where I'll let you guys know what's going on if the next story is delayed for some reason, or if there's something I want to share with you. So be sure to check in now and then!
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Warrior or Whisperer – Part Six
"Captain! Captain, wake up!" Noam cried, shaking Eret by the shoulders. He groaned and blearily opened his eyes, still dazed. Noam cried urgently, "The dragons are gone!"
That woke Eret up. He sat bolt upright and scrambled to his feet, looking around wildly. "Sky Fire?!"
Noam was already waking up the others; of all their dragons, only Flash&Fog, Cinder, and of course Limestone had been spared. The rest had been taken. Then Eret noticed the absence of a certain jet black dragon, and more importantly his rider, and swore.
He was furious – at Isak, mostly, but also at himself. He should have realised how suspicious it all was! They'd been tricked, betrayed. "Someone sold us out!"
"It wasn't me."
"Damn it, Noam, we know it wasn't you! It can't have been any of us. Either someone was eavesdropping or…no. Ormar. That lying son of a snake!"
"Captain!" called Tinni, "there's a tunnel back here. It looks like it might lead back towards the town."
Eret frowned, then demanded of Noam, "Where are Alfgautr and Andvari? Did they go to get help?"
"Yes, Captain, they're on their way right now with Ragnar and his warriors."
"Alright, here's the plan. Safira and I will ride with Aksel; Oskar, Jorge, you ride with the brothers. First, I need to have a word with Ragnar."
They mounted up, and the dragons flew out of the cavern to land in front of the Vikings approaching it. Eret dismounted and strode forwards, jaw set. "Captain Eret! Your crewmen said you were under attack, what is…" Ragnar began, but Eret didn't let him finish.
"Yeah, I'd really like to know what's going on as well!" he fumed, "What the heck is a dragon proof mesh doing bolted above the mouth of that cave? Isak and his cronies had sleeper darts, net catapults, dragon-root arrows – Chief Ragnar, I told you to get rid of everything from the war! It all should have been destroyed!"
"It was!" Ragnar shouted right back. "Our guards were under strict instructions to have it all burned. That cave was used to capture dragons, but the winches needs to be unlocked, and only I have the key."
"Does Ormar know where the key is?"
"Of course. He's my second in command, I trust him."
Eret's eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you" he declared, before glaring and pointing at Ormar. "Chief Ragnar, this man is a traitor."
There were gasps. "I am nothing of the sort!" Ormar snapped indignantly.
"Those are dangerous words, captain" warned Ragnar, "Ormar has been loyal to me and to the tribe for decades. What proof do you have of his treachery?"
"Chief, they took almost all of our dragons. They took Hiccup as well, and the only reason they would bother is because of what he told you!" Eret said accusingly to Ormar, whose eyes widened in shock.
"Told him what?" demanded Ragnar.
"Hiccup was captured?!" Ormar cried.
"Yes, he's captured, because you" –
"I did not betray him!" Ormar shouted, "For Odin's sake, Captain, think for once! I was not the only one present when Hiccup explained his plan" –
"We didn't tell them!"
"Shut up, Noam!"
"Sorry."
"Of course you didn't, and neither myself nor Ragnar would betray our people or you…" Realisation dawned, and Ragnar swore. "My guards. They were there, they must have eavesdropped on your plan…and on my talk with Hiccup. That is why Isak knew of his secret, Captain."
Eret glared at him. "You really expect me to believe that?"
Before Ormar could retort, Alfgautr stepped forward and said, "Captain, I am just as suspicious as you are, but this is getting us no closer to rescuing Hiccup and the dragons. What do you need us to do?"
Eret sighed. "You're right. Chief, there's a tunnel in that cave, do you know where it lets out?"
"Of course."
"Then go there, you might find a clue as to who else was involved here. Alfgautr, Andvari, you two go with them."
"Captain, let me go with you" Ormar insisted, "I want to help! Let me prove that I am not a traitor."
"Look, even if I believed you, you can't come. Our dragons are gonna be weighed down enough as it is."
"I understand" Ormar said curtly, "Then I suggest you head south-east, if you want any hope of catching them. There's a dragon hunter port in the Isles of Faroe; if Isak is taking your dragons anywhere, it's there."
Eret frowned. He still didn't trust the man, but it was the only lead they had…and he did know about the dragon hunters at Faroe. He and his crew were fierce competitors –some would say enemies – with them.
He strode back over to Cinder and mounted up behind Aksel, who asked "Do you think they're okay?"
"I'm sure they're fine, Aksel. If Isak is planning to sell them, then he won't hurt them. Besides, if I know Hiccup, he'll have already figured out a way to escape and we can get our dragons back in midair."
As soon as he was sure Isak had gone, Hiccup said sarcastically, *This has been fun, let's not do it again*.
*Alpha-Hiccup, do you have a plan?* asked Sky Fire.
*I think so. Although, given how the last one turned out…* He grimaced, chagrined.
*Stop it* Toothless scolded, *Hiccup, this wasn't your fault. They were waiting for us, they knew we'd be there*. His eyes narrowed as he added, *It must have been Ormar; he's the only one who could have…I am going to kill him. I warned him!* he snarled.
*No! No killing, no deaths. I'm sick of it. Do you want people to think you're murderous and vengeful, or that I am?* Hiccup demanded, glaring at his dragon. Toothless cringed, pupils widening, and he immediately felt awful.
*Oh, I'm sorry, bud. I know you don't…I'm sorry. I didn't mean it* he apologised.
*It's okay* Toothless replied after a moment, *I'm sorry too. So, what's your plan?*
Hiccup glanced over his shoulder and said, *Well, first I've got to get out of these ropes*. He looked around the cell for anything sharp. *Then I'll pick the locks and free the rest of you, or better yet steal the keys off someone if I can…Toothless, you and I'll blast out of the ship and hold Isak and his men off long enough for everyone to get in the air. Then we'll go find the others*.
*I hope they're okay* said Ruby, *Alpha-Hiccup, why didn't they capture all of us?*
*These cages aren't that big…my guess is they couldn't fit Cinder or Flash&Fog below deck* Hiccup explained. The only sharp thing in the cage with him was his spare dagger; he could feel that the one usually strapped to his left forearm had been removed. Bracing himself against one wall, he struggled to pick the second smaller knife out of his belt. It was placed just so, so that if his hands were tied behind his back, he could reach it.
*Actually* he changed his mind, *we'll wait until the others catch up, so there's more of a distraction*.
*Do you think they can catch up?*
*Of course, Varikas. Nothing's going to stop them coming to get us back, trust me* Hiccup assured him, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. The last thing he wanted was to put everyone at unnecessary risk, again, so he racked his brains trying to think of any flaws in the plan he'd come up with.
Who was he kidding? There were too many to count. Someone could come down and catch him picking the locks; he might not even be able to pick these locks. Eret and the others might not know where to look for them. The ocean was a big place, even if Ragnar had given them some idea of where to look…
Thinking of Ragnar made him think of Ormar. He could swear the men who had attacked him were Ormar's guards. They must have been the ones to eavesdrop…but had they done so at Ormar's behest, or were they working against him? Surely the man would know if his warriors were loyal to him. If they were, then…
They had talked about the plan indoors, in a windowless room where nobody should have been able to hear them. He thought he could trust everyone in there…he'd given no thought to the men standing right outside.
By now he'd tugged the small but sharp knife from his belt, and was sawing through the ropes. Hopefully the sound of the waves and the creaking planks of the deck would hide the shh-shh-shh sound it made. As he worked he shared his thoughts with Toothless.
*I don't even know if Ormar did betray us. His two guards definitely have, but they might have been working against him as well*. He sighed and berated himself, *I shouldn't have told him about being able to understand you guys. Now these traitors know, and they'll spread the word…*.
Toothless whined quietly with guilt and gazed longingly at Hiccup through the bars of the cage. *I'm the one who pushed you to tell him. I should have been warier when you told him. As usual, it's just as much my fault as yours*.
Hiccup felt the ropes loosen. *You know I don't blame you…and blaming myself isn't going to help us now. People have known for years that I can understand dragons; something like this was going to happen sooner or later*. The ropes loosened a bit more. They would get out of there…but then what?
Five minutes later, he'd cut through the ropes and freed his hands. Now he was working on picking the padlock of his cell. The twins, of all people, had taught him how to do it. Toothless kept watch for him. The last thing they needed was Isak or one of the other outcasts coming down and catching them trying to escape.
Most of his attention was on listening for the click of the lock, or Toothless's warning. The monotony made his mind wander, and he wondered what he could possibly do about Isak and the others. He was so sick of people assuming the worst about him, about dragons…but at the same time, he shouldn't have to bend over backwards to please everyone!
It wasn't fair. They were the traitors, Isak was the one who had stirred them up, Adulfr was the one who got Isak's brother killed…and yet everyone kept blaming him. Part of him wanted to leave them all to their fate, he shouldn't care what happened to them, how they were punished. They deserved it. Yet at the same time…
*What's wrong?* Toothless asked him, sensing his frustration and crooning comfortingly.
Hiccup sighed and told him. *I feel like they're going to blame me no matter what I do. I'm sick of making enemies, of being blamed for no reason…but if I don't bury the hatchet, then who will? The last thing I need is Isak resenting me the way Adulfr did – but damn it, how am I supposed to forgive him? He wants to enslave us!*
*You don't have to forgive him. Any of them. They're in the wrong, Hiccup, not you. If you show mercy, don't show it for their sake; if you ask me, they don't deserve it. But if you really want to, do it for yourself. You know I'm on your side no matter what. You're not alone. If Isak or anyone else comes after you, they'll have to get past me first*.
Hiccup paused in his attempts to pick the lock, and looked over at Toothless and smiled. *Thanks, bud. That really means a lot*.
*It's what I'm here for* Toothless purred back to him.
Trying to pick the padlock was slow going. It was on the other side of the bars, so Hiccup had to be twisted awkwardly to reach it. The clasp was stubbornly refusing to budge no matter how much he poked at it. The lock-pick became wedged in the mechanism and snapped; Hiccup bit back a curse and took out one of the spares.
Suddenly, they heard the trapdoor rattle. Hiccup swiftly took the lock-pick out and put his hands behind his back. Someone came down the ladder, carrying a burlap sack. To his relief, it wasn't Isak; he didn't think the man would be so easily fooled.
The Viking gestured to the sack and explained, "It's fish. For the dragons." He hesitated, and then asked, "Are you hungry?"
"…Uh, no. I'm fine" Hiccup answered after a moment. He watched silently as the man unlocked each cage door and tossed a handful of stiff, salty fish into the cells. When he passed again, Hiccup suddenly exclaimed, "Wait!"
Caught off guard, the man stopped and turned to face him. Hiccup stepped closer to the bars and held his gaze earnestly. "You don't have to do this" he begged, "you don't have to sell the dragons. I can talk to your chief, persuade him not to exile you. Do you really want to leave your home and your family over this? Don't you think this has gone too far?"
The Viking looked uncomfortable. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he said. "It's just…we're traitors. Chief Ragnar is going to exile us anyway, says Isak, and we need the money, so we have to sell these dragons. It's nothing personal." He shrugged in a sort of apologetic way and moved to climb back up the ladder with the empty sack.
Hiccup waited until the hatch had closed once more, and he was sure the man had gone. *Well, he was unobservant* he remarked, reaching through the bars to unlock his cell with the key that he'd taken from the man.
After all, locks weren't the only thing the twins had taught him to pick.
Despite the muzzle, Toothless gave him a gummy smile, and the dragons laughed. *You sneaky little thief!*
Hiccup slid the door open and slipped out, darting across the companionway to Toothless' cell and unlocking it. He slid it open wide enough for Toothless to squeeze through, and unclasped the muzzle from around his jaws. Then he hurried to unlock Sky Fire's cage. It was only a matter of time before the man realised his keys had been stolen and came back.
In fact, he managed to unlock every cage but one, Kivia's, before the hatch was opened again. The same man came down the ladder…and found himself face to face with five uncaged, unmuzzled, rather angry looking dragons. He gulped, and glanced past them at Hiccup, who merely put a finger to his lips.
The Viking froze, trying to watch all the dragons at once. Trusting the others to keep an eye on their unexpected guest, Hiccup unlocked Kivia's cage and unmuzzled her. *Thank you, Alpha-Hiccup* she purred at him.
*You're welcome* he replied, smiling at her. Then he went back up the passage to the hapless Viking, and murmured to him, "Nobody needs to know." He pushed the keys back into the man's hand, and stepped back, motioning for the dragons to stand down as well.
Somebody shouted down from the deck, "Hey! What's taking so long?!"
Hiccup tensed – if the man gave them away then things were about to explode – but instead, to his relief and slight surprise, the man called back, "Nothing! I dropped the keys, but I've found them! I'll be right back!"
Then he dropped his voice and begged in a fearful whisper, "Please don't let them kill me!"
Hiccup resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "They won't" he hissed back. The man hesitated, and then turned and climbed back up the ladder as fast as he could.
*Now we're in trouble* said Hiccup, climbing into the saddle. The man might not have given them away when he was faced with six dragons, but Hiccup suspected that he would start talking as soon as he was out of the line of fire, so to speak.
*Why didn't you stop him?* asked Toothless, *You could have tied him up*.
*You heard that other guy. They would have gotten suspicious if he hadn't gone back up, and come to investigate. Besides, there is a….very, very small chance that he won't give us away* Hiccup replied, ever the optimist. Toothless rolled his eyes and pricked his ear-flaps up, listening closely.
There was no commotion on the deck – no sound of shouted orders or the hollow thud of running boots. It was too quiet, and after being ambushed once, Toothless was far more wary. *Now would be a really good time for the others to show up* he remarked, sensing that if they tried to escape now, they wouldn't get very far.
Then – to their relief – they heard a shout of "Dragons!"
Cinder, Flash&Fog and Limestone had finally caught up with the ship. Eret peered through a spyglass over Aksel's shoulder, and saw that everyone on board was aiming crossbows at the hatch that led below deck. "Looks like they're trying to play the ambush card again" he remarked, "Alright lads! And Safira! Hiccup and Toothless need a distraction, by the look of it, so let's oblige!"
The dragons flew to surround the ship, and dived on it flaming and roaring. The humans on the boat startled, shouted and turned their arrows upwards. Cinder spat flames at them, and Limestone crunched down the rocks they flung. Flash&Fog circled the ship and surrounded it in poison-gas, making it harder for the humans to aim.
"What are you waiting for?" Isak demanded, "Fire!"
"At what?!"
"Err…does anyone else hear that?"
'That' was a high-pitched, ever louder, unmistakable whistling sound. "Night Fury" Isak breathed, "Get down!"
They all dived for cover – moments before the hatch exploded into burning splinters. Toothless leapt out of the hole in the deck, snarling, his spikes glowing a vivid blue. The other dragons darted out after him, climbing up into the sky to reunite with their riders.
All eyes were on the Night Fury, and the few people still holding weapons aimed but did not shoot. Hiccup looked at the Vikings, and at the dragon riders poised to attack, and decided, Enough. "Hold your fire!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Don't shoot!"
The dragons obeyed out of respect for him as an alpha; the men stopped in confusion, staring at him warily. He had to keep talking. "This has gone far enough. I was wrong, okay? I shouldn't have expected things to change so easily...but none of you had to turn traitor and exile yourselves just to make a point! What about your families; are you really going to leave them behind over this?"
The would-be outcasts faltered, glancing uncomfortably at each other. Hiccup met Isak's cold gaze and insisted, "I'm sorry that Hafni is dead, but it is not my fault. It isn't the dragons faults. It's Adulfr, he's the one who started a war that I never even wanted. I told you, I was trying to help. I was trying to bring peace!"
Isak glared at him, and replied coldly, "Nobody asked you to."
"Actually, mate, someone did ask him" Eret chimed in, as Sky Fire landed on the deck. "Your chief. Ragnar invited Hiccup to the Althing so he could explain how dragons and humans can live alongside one another. It was never about turning your town into a...a village-nest hybrid" he explained. Then he frowned thoughtfully, and remarked to Hiccup, "You know, we should think of a name for when a village and a dragon nest are combined."
"Maybe not right now" Hiccup said pointedly. Now where were we? "Is Ormar part of this?" he asked. He needed to know how much betrayal he was facing.
"Hardly" Isak scoffed, "He's too close to the Chief, that selfish buffoon. You think we didn't try to tell him we were displeased? You heard him – he wants dragons living amongst us, never mind what we want, he's the Chief. He wasn't going to change his mind, we had to make him."
"There were better ways to do that than sabotage" Hiccup insisted. "No offence, but it wasn't even very good sabotage. Fine, maybe your Chief didn't think this through, but I didn't come here to lead some sort of dragon takeover, you know."
They looked like they were beginning to regret the whole mess. "I'll talk to your chief" Hiccup offered, "I'll convince him not to exile you all, but only if you surrender. If you don't…then I don't care what happens to you. I am done with this" he declared firmly.
There was a long silence, broken only by the steady lapping of the waves against the hull. Then the Vikings. slowly lowered their weapons; they looked like they were regretting the whole mess. Only Isak kept a blade in his hands, scowling, holding onto his anger.
Hiccup looked him right in the eye and told him, "You know that nothing either of us say or do is going to bring your brother back. Adulfr held onto his anger at me for six years, and it ended up costing lives. Don't be like him, Isak. You can be better. You want to honour your brother's memory? Then don't become like the man who led to his death!"
Isak glared at him. "You think I'm just going to forgive and forget, just like that?"
"Of course not. I don't expect you to be okay all of a sudden…but if you stay angry like this, you never will be. You were going to sell me into slavery, for Thor's sake, and I have every reason to hate you for it…but I don't."
Isak grit his teeth and glared at Hiccup. As much as he hated to admit it…the man had a point. Holding onto his anger was getting him nowhere – and yet! "You're nothing but a charlatan, Haddock. A liar. Pretending dragons can understand us, that you can understand them…how do we know you won't break your word as soon as we return to shore?"
At that point, Hiccup gave up. Isak was clearly not going to believe him, and he'd just have to deal with having another person resent him for years. Story of my freaking life he sighed. "You're just going to have to trust me."
Isak frowned…but finally, to Hiccup's relief, he threw his weapon down. It clattered to the deck at Toothless' paws. The Vikings surrendered, and because the winds had dropped and they were essentially stranded, the dragons towed them back towards the shore.
True to his word, when they returned to Smoking Bay Hiccup persuaded the chief not to severely punish the traitors. No real harm had been done, he argued, and besides, if they had tried to exile themselves then it would be better to punish them by doing the exact opposite.
Ragnar ordered that everyone who was complicit in Isak's treachery come forward; if they did, he would be merciful. Given the alternative was to be exiled as traitors, they gave themselves up. Nikolas and the ones who had returned rather than try to escape were let off with little more than a stern talking to, and a warning that they would only get one second chance.
As for the ones who had kidnapped Hiccup and the dragons…they were jailed for several months, Ormar's guards were dismissed from his service, and Isak was tasked with removing and destroying the chain mesh in the sea cave. By himself.
None of this was decided on the night. When they returned to shore, the riders gave their 'captives' over to Ragnar and his men. A few explanations were shared, and after the wrongdoers were locked up nearly everyone was more than willing to go to bed. It had been a long night.
Hiccup wasn't tired, so he and Toothless stayed out, gliding aimlessly above the cliffs and the ocean. They found a sea stack to land on, and Hiccup sat on the edge with his back against Toothless' chest. He could feel more than hear his dragon-half purring, and his heart beating.
His contentment was interrupted slightly when Toothless leaned down and licked his hair. "Thanks" he said sarcastically, grimacing. He knew Toothless was only reassuring himself, and he didn't really mind it…but it was still gross. Still, he supposed getting his hair wet and sticky wasn't so bad. At least it wasn't his face this time.
Toothless warbled happily. *I'm really proud of you* he told his other half. It was in Hiccup's nature to be merciful, to reach out with a hand instead of lash out with a weapon. Toothless owed his life to Hiccup's mercy, and it was one of the many, many reasons that…*I love you*.
Hiccup smiled up at him, and twisted round so he could hug the dragon properly. Toothless folded a paw over his back and held him close. *I love you too*.
They stayed out there for a while, talking quietly about what to do next. It was clear that Smoking Bay wasn't ready for dragons, but at the same time, Flare Twirl and her pack had a claim to this land too. At last they agreed on what they should do, and then Toothless nudged at his partner until Hiccup got back in the saddle. The man was starting to doze off against his shoulder, and a sea stack was not the place for him to be falling asleep.
The following day, Hiccup asked Ragnar and Ormar to meet him and Toothless at the outskirts of the town. The latter"s first words to them were, "I am deeply sorry. If I had had any idea that there were traitors in our midst I would have" –
Hiccup held a hand up. "It's alright, Ormar. You didn't know, and you didn't betray us. There's no harm done."
Ormar looked relieved, and mildly impressed. "Thank you. I'm glad to be forgiven…and surprised that you forgave Isak, to be honest. Your sense of mercy is admirable."
"Well, one of us had to bury the hatchet first, you know" Hiccup shrugged, "and the last guy who resented me started a war over it. Besides, I know the good that can come from showing mercy, even if it seems foolish" he explained, stroking Toothless' head affectionately.
"Why did you ask us to come out here?" asked Ragnar.
Hiccup took a deep breath and explained, "Your people clearly aren't ready to have dragons living amongst them. I thought perhaps they could be, but I was wrong. You need to do what is best for your tribe, and I respect that, but I need to think of the needs of the dragons as well.
"So…I'm a fan of negotiating, no surprise, and since I don't live here, it's better if you negotiate with the Queen. Of the dragons, I mean. The local pack. You've met her, she's the red, uh…" Hiccup gestured above his head to indicate something tall, and winced when Toothless swatted him upside the head with his tail. "Ow!"
*You're rambling* the dragon said pointedly, amused.
"Right. Sorry."
Ragnar frowned, clearly bewildered. "Negotiate? With that red Typhoomerang, the one you say is the dragon's leader? But to do that I'd have to…to talk to her. Even if she can understand what I say, it's not like she can talk back!" he protested, incredulous.
Hiccup swallowed. "Ah, well, the thing is…they can talk back, you just wouldn't be able to hear them. But I can – Toothless and I can let you hear them. The dragons. I shouldn't really be doing this, it's a huge risk, but I can't think of how else to…um, that's why I asked you to come, Ormar. As a witness. I'll let you hear them too, obviously, you and I can mediate. If that's okay?"
Ormar raised an eyebrow at him, and then looked at Toothless. "Nervous, isn't he?"
The dragon nodded. "I assure you, Hiccup, you have my solemn word that when you share your remarkable gift with us, neither I nor my chief will betray your trust" Ormar promised. Hiccup gave him a grateful nod.
Ragnar was looking more confused and annoyed by the moment. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "What do you mean, let me hear the dragons? I'm not deaf, you know, I can hear them just fine!"
"Okay, let me rephrase that. I can let you understand them. Look, just trust me" Hiccup insisted, when Ragnar looked sceptical.
He and Toothless brought first Ormar, then Ragnar into the pack web. The look on the chief's face when he first heard Toothless talk was priceless. Then they called in Flare Twirl; they had already persuaded her to talk to Ragnar, which had been much easier said than done.
Hiccup was very pleased to be able to call to order the first official peace talk between the chief of a Viking tribe and the queen of a dragon pack. Ragnar and Flare Twirl talked – well, mostly argued – for hours over how to please both sides. Ormar and Hiccup offered suggestions, doing their best to keep the peace.
At long last, they agreed that so long as nobody on either side harmed anyone on the other, they could live and let live. The humans could come into the dragon's territory, just not at night and not with weapons or trapping things. The dragons could come to the lagoon and the hot springs around Smoking Bay, just not into the town itself. If either a human or a dragon broke the rules, Ragnar and Flare Twirl would punish their own kind; neither would punish the other's people.
"I think that went rather well" Hiccup remarked to Ormar, after Flare Twirl left. The 'magic translator' had worn off, and Ragnar actually looked disappointed when he realised he could no longer understand what the dragons were saying. In fact he looked like he wanted to do it again, but Hiccup had already explained that it gave him a headache.
"Indeed. I may be a warrior, but I know that if one can talk, better to do that than merely fight" Ormar agreed. "Now then, I think there's just one mystery left."
"Oh?"
"You have the ability to understand dragons, Hiccup. You can give this gift to others, but what I have to ask is…who gave the gift to you?" Ormar asked.
Hiccup hesitated. "Err, well, I can't really give you the details…but if you must know, Toothless did, I suppose. I just can't tell you how" he explained vaguely.
Ormar looked thoughtful. "I see. It wouldn't happen to be anything to do with a, ah, heart bind, would it?"
Now both Hiccup and Toothless stared at him in shock, and he almost laughed at their expressions. "How – what – who – how did you – ?" Hiccup stammered.
The older man held up his hands placatingly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you. I don't know what it is, exactly, but whenever I heard rumours of you being able to talk to dragons, two words tended to come up. Heart bound. I assume it is some kind of…what's the word…life bond, between you two?"
Hiccup gulped. "S-something like that, yeah" he admitted reluctantly. Toothless curled his tail around possessively and gave Ormar a warning glare. Somewhat to their surprise, the man merely nodded.
"I see. I won't ask how that came to be; I can tell you don't want to talk about it" he acknowledged. "I will say this, though; you possess a gift that is both a great strength, and a great weakness. I suggest you are very careful about with whom you share this secret of yours, Hiccup Haddock."
Tell me something I don't know. Out loud, Hiccup merely replied, "I know. I will…and thank you, Ormar. For keeping our secret and, well, for everything" he smiled. Ormar smiled and nodded in return.
They spent the last day in Iceland exploring, seeing the sights…and buying souvenirs. Hiccup went berry picking with Mik, and the teen bribed Toothless with fish into letting him have a ride. He showed them all the interesting places nearby; the caves, the geysers, the glacier…that rock that everyone scratched their names into.
Hiccup scratched out 'T-H were here' just for the fun of it.
Ragnar threw a great feast in their honour for their last night in Smoking Bay. "A toast!" he cried, "To the Dragon Whisperer, and his loyal friends. So long as I am Chief, Hiccup Haddock, you and your dragon will always be welcome here."
"Yeah!" Mik exclaimed, "and when I'm Chief…one day…you and Toothless can totally come and hang out. Oh, and bring your wife and kid, I'd love to meet them!"
Hiccup chuckled. "I might just do that. Thank you, both of you. It's been an honour" he replied.
"To Hiccup and Toothless!" Eret exclaimed, raising his tankard. Everybody cheered and knocked their drinks back. Hiccup blushed and tried not to look too embarrassed…Toothless, on the other hand, preened at all the attention.
Toothless wasn't exactly thrilled to have to go back on board the Crashing Tide II. He and Hiccup stayed in the air for as long as they could. When they finally did land, Toothless balked at the thought of going below deck. He just felt too entrapped...boats, for him, held too many bad memories. Only it started raining, so they couldn't sleep on deck. They had to go right below, where the rocking was felt less. Hiccup stroked him and soothed him until Toothless fell asleep, and he did the same soon after.
It was such a joy to see Berk again…Hiccup genuinely hadn't realised how much he'd missed home until it appeared on the horizon. Iceland was a beautiful place, and he'd like to go back there one day, but this was their nest, their home.
What seemed like every dragon in the pack came swarming to greet their returned Alphas; even Urchin poked his head out of the water and crooned loudly, happy to see them. Well, probably mostly Hiccup. He and Toothless landed outside their home, where their family was waiting for them.
Helena was jumping up and down in excitement; as soon as Hiccup dismounted, she tackled him and hugged him tight around the middle. "You're back, you're back, you're baaaack!"
"Yes, I'm back!" Hiccup laughed, scooping her up to hug her properly. Toothless nuzzled and licked Selena and Ebony, who both purred at him…or rather, Selena purred, and Ebony tried to climb on him. Selena picked her up in gummy jaws and set her on his back, and he rolled his eyes in good-natured exasperation at her.
"Welcome home, babe" Astrid smiled, rescuing her husband from their daughter. She went off to greet Toothless, and Astrid took advantage of this to pull Hiccup into a deep kiss. Never mind that the whole village could see them. Besides, the look on his face when she pulled away was adorable. "Did you have a good time?"
"It was…interesting, you could say" Hiccup admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Hiccup…"
"I'll tell you all about it later" he said hastily, "but first…I got you presents."
"Presents?!" Helena cried in delight, rushing over and tackling him all over again, knocking the wind out of him.
It was good to be home.