Future Chief!
Even though he is not chief yet, Hiccup has started putting his inner circle together.
Disclaimer: I rarely, if ever, write cannon. I write how the story takes me.
Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD or their characters. In other words, I Own Nothing.
Chapter 6: HFSM and Death Squad
Sven sat looking at his daughter as though she had grown another head. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Could you repeat that please?" he asked.
"Sure dad" Astrid responded. "When Hiccup becomes chief, he is going to put me in charge of Berks defense. We are going to have an air brigade which I will command and a ground brigade which you will command. We will each assign Generals in our brigades to lead forces if we have to split up our brigades.
Sven couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had no problem with the concept as it was brilliant; he was just finding it hard to believe that he was being put in charge of the ground brigade. He also found it a bold move to put Astrid in charge of Berks defense. He had no doubt that she could do it but he just didn't think anyone else would.
Hiccup was certainly making moves that would shake up Berk. Sven knew Hiccup had a shrewd mind but every time he thought he was beginning to understand how Hiccups mind worked, he would go and do something like this and throw Sven totally off kilter again. Sven was beginning to understand why his daughter had complete faith in Hiccup. It would probably serve him better if he did also instead of being surprised by everything Hiccup did. Maybe he should just get on board and go along with it like his daughter and trust that the young man knew what he was doing.
"Ok Astrid, I like the idea but can you give me some more background? Say for instance; what was his reasoning for putting you in charge of Berks defense and why me for the ground defense and what is the purpose for all of this?"
"Well dad, this is the way Hiccup explained it to me. He told me I was young and strong; bold and fearless and swift and deadly. He said I was the best skilled fighter of our generation. I don't know if that's exactly true anymore after watching what he did to you but that's his opinion of me. He also said that the thing that made me best for the position was that I have a battle technician mind. He said I don't just charge right in; I plan and strategize. He said I was a true warrior in both body and mind and that's what made me the perfect person to oversee Berks defense." Astrid finished
Sven sat there with his mouth hanging open pretty much the same way Astrid had done when Hiccup had told her. Astrid put her hand under her father's chin and lifted, effectively closing his mouth much the same way Hiccup had done to her. Astrid sat back with a smirk on her face as her father was having a bit of a problem grasping all this. Finally, her father spoke.
"Astrid, I don't have one thing to say against Hiccup's choice to put you in charge of Berk's defense because I agree 100 percent with his assessment about you possessing all the qualities needed to fulfill that role. I guess it sort of took me by surprise that he not only saw those qualities in you but was also bold enough to make his decision based on those qualities. Now tell me more about this air brigade and ground brigade."
"Well, since Hiccup wants me to lead the air brigade, he is also putting me in charge of the Dragon Academy."
"WHAT! Is he out of his mind? Why would he do something foolish like that? You're already going to have your hands full with Berk's defense. Why would that idiot pile all of these responsibilities on you?" Sven shouted.
"First of all, dad, I love you but watch the way you speak about my husband and your future chief. Secondly, if you had let me explain before you started shouting about things you know nothing about, you would see that it does make sense."
Sven took a good look at his daughter and thought he had better tread carefully. Astrid had made no secret of the fact that she was deeply in love with her husband and would gut anyone who tried to harm him. She was, after all, her mother's daughter and he knew firsthand what her mother was capable of if you got on her wrong side.
"Ok Astrid, why don't you let me in on this brilliant plan to work you into an early grave?" Sven asked sarcastically.
Astrid gave her father a look at that last comment and he held his hands up in the air in the I surrender fashion.
"Since I'm going to lead the air brigade, Hiccup believes there is no better way for me to select the members of my air brigade than to be the instructor of the flying school. He says I will know firsthand who has the skill to be in my brigade and who doesn't. I wouldn't have to worry about their training since I'm the one training them."
Sven didn't want to admit it but Hiccups plan was brilliant. He couldn't find fault in it anywhere.
"So, Astrid, was it your idea to select me to lead the ground force?" Sven asked.
Astrid smirked before answering "No, that was Hiccups idea also." She answered.
This took Sven totally by surprise. "But why would he suggest me?"
"Hiccup believes there is no other person who is better for me to work with than the person I've trusted all of my life? He said it's a bonus that that person happens to also be the one who trained me as a warrior. Hiccup said we think alike and strategize alike; it's like we can practically read each other minds when it comes to fighting. That means whatever battle plan I come up with, you will be able to absorb it quickly and convey it accurately to your ground force."
"So, simply put" Astrid continued, "you will be my second in command. You will lead the ground brigade. I will be the overall leader of Berks defense but in battle, I will lead the air attack and you will lead the ground attack. We will work in tandem. We will both have Generals in our ranks, at least three, so when we have to split our forces, we will still have someone in charge of those split forces. I will select the Generals for my air brigade and you will select the Generals for your ground brigade."
Sven sat mulling over all the information Astrid had given him. He was trying to find holes in Hiccups plan but for the life of him he couldn't. Hiccup had sound reasoning for each and every decision he made. As Sven continued to try to punch holes in Hiccups plan, his wife, who had been secretly listening, walked into the room.
"Give it up Sven; you're not going to find fault with his plan. That boys a genius and has put a plan together that has the best people in place to give Berks it's best option for its defense. I, for one, will feel much safer knowing you and Astrid oversee Berks defense."
While Astrid was having her meeting with her dad, Hiccup was busy having a meeting with three other teenagers of his generation.
"I don't understand" Tuffnut exclaimed. "We're a part of Berk's defense but at the same time we're not a part of Berks defense?" He asked confused.
Snotlout and Ruffnut were also having trouble understanding what Hiccup wanted them to do. This was the exact reason Hiccup didn't want them as part of Berks primary defense. They were not very smart and had trouble with understanding and following simple instructions. They were good at destruction and Hiccup knew exactly how he wanted to use them but he had to make his instructions very simple so they could understand them.
"Ok guys, let me put it this way. There are just two things you need to remember. One, when I am chief, during times of war you will only take orders from me. Two, the only order I will give you is a location or target. When I give you that location or target, all you have to do is go completely destroy that location or target. That's it." Hiccup finished.
The three looked at each other and started smiling.
"We don't have to hold back or be careful of anything?" Tuffnut asked in amazement.
"Nope" Hiccup replied. "You guys will be Berks secret weapon. You won't be a part of the primary fighting. You will be hidden in a concealed location and when I give you the word, you will go to whatever location I give you and destroy everything completely."
The three teenagers were practically vibrating with excitement at getting to go destroy stuff. They were really looking forward to Hiccup being Chief now. Snotlout was not keen on his cousin being chief since he thought he would make a better chief but the job Hiccup was giving him and the twins actually made him look forward to his cousin becoming chief.
"Hey cuz, do we get a cool name to go with our cool jobs?" Snotlout asked.
The twins looked at Hiccup expectantly also wanting know what cool name they would be given.
"Of course, you do Snotlout" Hiccup replied. "You guys are going to be my Death Squad."
The three teenagers loved the name and started chanting death squad, death squad, death squad.
When Hiccup was finally able to get away from the idiots uh death squad, he headed to the Hofferson's home. He knocked on the door and it was opened by the one person he wanted to speak with.
"Hello Mrs. Hofferson" Hiccup greeted.
"Hiccup! This is a surprise. Come on in and have a seat. I'm afraid you just missed Astrid and Sven. They went to take a flight around the island to start putting a defense plan together." Ingrid explained.
"That's exactly why I wanted those two to oversee Berks defense; I knew they would take the job seriously and make sure we are all safe. But I didn't come here for them; I wanted to speak with you." Hiccup stated.
That took Ingrid by surprise. "Now why on earth would you want to talk to me young man? What have you got rattling around in that head of yours now?"
"Well, I would like you to be my Head Food Supply Monitor or HFSM for short." Hiccup said with a smile on his face.
Ingrid just sat there staring at Hiccup as though he had lost his mind. She was starting to understand why Sven was so shocked every time Hiccup announced a new part of his plan. There was just no way to figure out what Hiccup would say or do next. The last thing she expected was for him to offer her a job.
"Mrs. Hofferson, are you all right?" Hiccup asked while trying to keep the smile off of his face.
Ingrid blinked at the question and then blinked again finally pulling herself out of the trance she had been in.
"Hiccup, what did you just ask me?" Ingrid asked in a whisper.
"I asked you to become my head food supply monitor. We have never had one before. Basically, all the chiefs before me would just wing it. There was never a written coherent plan in place as far as how much food we would need in reserve during the winter or in case of an emergency. I want you to take that on."
Still in somewhat of a shock, Ingrid asked the job would entail.
"Bucket and Mulch would be your head fishermen; Zorin would be your head huntsman; Frode would be your head Harvester and Gunhild would be your head cook. They would all report directly to you. The other cooks report to Gunhild. You would work most closely with Gunhild as she and her team of cooks would know how much food is needed per day, per week or per month. With that information, you would be able to put a plan together and instruct your heads of food gathering how much of what is needed."
"Now, as for storage, my dad gave me the leeway to have the builders start making better storage sheds for the food reserve. Your job will not only be one of the most important jobs but one of the biggest to maintain. I suggest you pick out some qualified people as your assistants; and by qualified, I mean they can at least read, write and count."
"Lastly, I want you as part of my inner circle. I will have a regular council which will include the heads that report to you but my inner circle will be smaller and consist of only people I completely trust. At the present, those people are Astrid, my second-in-command and head of defense; Fishlegs, my head counselor; Sven, my deputy head of defense; Edna and Groff Ingerman, my emissary's and hopefully you, my head food supply monitor."
Ingrid was finally able to get her bearings and set her mind to what Hiccup was asking of her. She wholeheartedly approved of all the choices Hiccup had made so far for his inner circle and their new roles. She also liked the fact that if she accepted, there would be three women in his inner circle and more on his chief's council. It was quite a daunting role that Hiccup had requested she take on, but Hiccup had faith in her that she could do this and she wanted nothing more than to reward that faith.
"Hiccup, I will accept this position on one condition." Ingrid stated.
Hiccup got nervous. He just did not understand women. Whenever he thought he was getting a handle on how their minds worked, something would happen to throw a monkey wrench in that thought process. Hel, he was still trying to figure out his wife let alone trying to figure out his wife's mother.
"Ok Mrs. Hofferson, what is your one condition?"
Ingrid smiled at Hiccup.
"That you stop calling me Mrs. Hofferson. Your mother was my best friend and we watched you and Astrid grow up together until she was taken. You are now my son-in-law and even though you will be my chief soon, you will still be family so no more Mrs. Hofferson."
Hiccup smiled and thought to himself, 'yep, I know absolutely nothing about how a woman's mind works.'
"Ok Mrs. Hoffaaaahhhhh, I mean ok, you have a deal. But what would you like me to call you? There is no way I'm calling you Ingrid." Hiccup stated.
Ingrid just smiled at him.
"How about mom." She stated quietly.
Hiccup thought about that and concluded that he liked that a lot.
"Ok, mom it is." Hiccup declared with a big smile on his face. "Now, I have taken up enough of your time so I will take my leave." Hiccup said as he started to get up.
"Oh no you don't Hiccup" Ingrid said. "You just sit yourself right back down."
Hiccup sat back down slowly wondering what he had done now.
"Have you had anything to eat today?" Ingrid asked him already knowing the answer from her daughter.
Hiccup thought back through his day and found that he hadn't eaten anything today.
"Uh, no I haven't but I can just" that was as far as Hiccup got before Ingrid cut him off.
"You can just sit right there and let me whip you up something right quick. It will also give us a chance to talk more about this HFSM position you created that you want me to run." Ingrid informed him.
Hiccup realized he really didn't have a choice and he found that he didn't mind that one bit. Ingrid was a terrific cook and they did have a lot to discuss since this was a new position so there was no manual to follow on how it was to be done.
"Ok mom, you twisted my arm into having some of your delicious cooking." Hiccup stated with a smile on his face.
Ingrid got a warm glow inside when he called her mom but she wasn't going to let him get away with the arm-twisting comment.
"What arm twisting would that be Hiccup? I think the fact that you like to eat good food and are probably starving at the moment, since you haven't eaten today, is more the case than any arm twisting." Ingrid told him as she waved her spoon at him.
Hiccup laughed and stated, "Ok, you got me. Anytime I have a chance to eat your wonderful cooking, you better believe I'm taking it."
Laughing herself, Ingrid turned to get started on her task as she talked with her son-in-law about the future for Berk and their roles in that future.
Later that evening, Astrid and Sven were flying back home from their reconnaissance around the island. They had looked the island over carefully to see what the weakest points were and were astonished how right Hiccup had been. They had found much more than they had expected. They couldn't believe Berk had been this vulnerable all these years and no one had done anything about it; that is, until a soon to be chief had stated that time was of the essence and started putting the right people in the right jobs.
As they were flying over the Hofferson's home, Sven called over to Astrid, who was headed for her home, and pointed down to the front of his house. There sleeping beside the front door was Toothless. Astrid smiled knowing there was no point in going home as her husband was apparently at her parent's house.
The two of them landed and dismounted their dragons. Toothless raised his head and gave them a bored look before putting his head back on his paws and closing his eyes again. Both gave a chuckle at Toothless lack of enthusiasm in seeing them. As they approached the door, they heard the sound of laughter from both of their spouses.
Astrid opened the door and proceeded her father in. They both stopped and stared at their spouses who were laughing their heads off over something. Ingrid and Hiccup looked up, took one look at their spouses faces and started laughing even harder. Astrid got a warm glow inside of her watching her husband and mother getting along so well. It had been a long time since she had heard either one of them laugh like this.
With a smile on her face, Astrid walked over and sat on Hiccups lap and gave him a kiss. She didn't realize how much she had missed him until he was there in front of her. Sven walked over and sat down at the table still staring at his wife. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard her laugh like this. Her laughter was one of the things he loved most about her.
"So, this is where you've been hiding out today" Astrid stated. And what in the world was so funny?"
"Well, aren't we the nosy one" Hiccup stated as he nuzzled his wife neck.
Astrid started giggling and told him to stop even though she had her arms wrapped around his neck holding his head in place where it was. Hiccup took full advantage, continuing to nuzzle her eliciting more giggles from Astrid. They both had completely forgotten about Astrid's parents sitting right there with them.
Ingrid had the satisfied smile of a contented mother seeing her child blissfully happy. Sven didn't have a smile on his face, but he couldn't deny the fact that Hiccup did make his daughter happier than he had ever seen her. Still, he thought he had better put an end to this before these two did something that he would never be able to be unsee.
"So, Hiccup, we took a flight around the island and you were right; there are several vulnerable spots on Berk that need to be fixed as soon as possible." Sven stated.
Hiccup had to tickle Astrid to get her to let go of his neck so he could pull his face away from her neck to talk to Sven. It didn't go unnoticed by either parent that Astrid was in no hurry to have her husband stop nuzzling her even with her parents right there with them.
"I'm glad you guys took that flight and saw it firsthand. I have some thoughts on some new techniques to mix in with some of the older ones to secure the island. I want to fly out with you two tomorrow and discuss it with you. As for now" Hiccup said as he scooted Astrid off of his lap so he could stand. "I think it's time for us to head for home. Sven, I'm sure your wife has some news to discuss with you and I need to brief my second in command on some new developments."
Sven looked over at his wife and she just looked back at him with her normal face that gave nothing away. The Hofferson's said their goodbyes to their daughter and son-in law and watched as they started walking home instead of flying with their dragons trailing behind them. They watched as their daughter suddenly jumped on her husband's back demanding he carry her home. Hiccup had no problem with this as he hooked his arms around her legs and adjusted Astrid into a more comfortable position on his back before continuing home. The Hofferson's could still hear their daughter giggling and they both smiled at the happiness that could be heard in her voice.
When they couldn't see or hear them anymore, they headed into their home. Ingrid placed dinner on the table in front of Sven and started cleaning the kitchen. Sven sat at the table watching his wife. She made no attempt to inform him of whatever news Hiccup had hinted at. Sven sat there until he couldn't take it anymore.
"What is this news Hiccup said you had to discuss with me?" Sven asked.
"Oh, its nothing and its late. We can discuss it tomorrow. Now eat your dinner and come to bed" Ingrid said as she left Sven in the kitchen to eat his dinner.
Sven didn't know it but he had the same thought running through his mind that Hiccup had earlier, 'He would never understand women'. He gave up trying to figure out what his wife was keeping from him and began to eat his meal.