A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I have been working on the next several chapters for a long time. Originally I was trying to write one longer chapter with the aftermath of Healer's Island, but it turned into a giant monstrosity of a chapter at more than 80 pages long and still going. So, finally, I decided that I should be cutting it into multiple, shorter chapters that I could post more frequently. These chapters have gone through so much editing as I reformatted, messed with the order of events, and added or took away scenes.
Finally, here is the next chapter, and I know it doesn't go into all the stuff that you're all waiting for just yet, just know there's a lot of set up here for addressing everything as the story continues. And the wait for the next chapter will be a lot shorter, since it's already written and just needs some more editing. We will get to all the stuff you're all eager to see- more talks with Hiccup and his parents, Hiccup being reunited with Toothless and Astrid, Hiccup and his friends dealing with things, what is to come of Katla, etc. Don't worry, it is all coming in the next several chapters!
Hiccup and Astrid, Part 1
Astrid felt like she and Hiccup had been through it all. Each new trial or struggle met with teamwork, determination, and a growing bond between them. There had been misunderstandings, the occasional disagreement, health problems, enemies to fight, and even war. Not to mention Hiccup's various near death experiences that always made Astrid's heart seize up in fear, but all of it had been overcome, and the fear never lasted long before they triumphed.
Really, she figured, it shouldn't have been that different an experience, or even a surprise at all, that Hiccup's life had been in danger again. However, this time… it was different. This time she'd had no control, his fate had been in the hands of someone unwilling to cooperate, no matter how much she pushed or threatened. Ullr didn't want anything but for Hiccup to suffer, and he reveled in her anguish and fear.
This time, as she had fought to rescue her best friend and betrothed, she didn't even know if he was still alive while she was looking for him. For all she knew, she was searching for a corpse, and that had nearly been the case.
It reminded her of when he'd been taken from Berk because of the bounty on his head, passed from enemy to enemy as they searched for him. She had been pretty sure that he was alive, since he had been wanted in exchange for a prize. So long as they got to him before that prize could be claimed, he had to have been alive, at least that had been what she had told herself, and that hope had kept her going. However, in this case, Ullr had outright told her, Hiccup was probably already dead.
Those words had made her go cold, had struck her enough to make her falter as she was threatening him for information. She had been faced with the jarring realization that this time, she might actually be too late to save him.
Scrambling for anything, desperate to find something to latch onto, to provide that hope that she needed, Toothless' connection to Hiccup had come to mind. Toothless had known Hiccup was in trouble, he would know if he had died, wouldn't he? Astrid thought that she would know too, in her heart, if Hiccup was actually gone. He couldn't be dead, if he was, she was sure the world would immediately feel more dark, and she would feel empty.
They knew Hiccup was injured, they knew he didn't have a lot of time, that while they had been searching aimlessly, he could have slipped away into death, like Ullr had said, but Toothless' renewed vigor to find his best friend had given them the boost they needed and they had raced through the forest, eager and hopeful.
Astrid couldn't stop thinking about it, even as she was sure Toothless was on the right trail. The thought of Hiccup being alive, waiting to be saved, just to die because they hadn't known where to search for him, when they were so close, almost made her furious despite her fear.
The panic ate away at her, her heart pounded so hard it threatened to burst from her chest, she felt fear with an intensity like she'd never experienced before. Damn Ullr, his words were getting to her. That's what he had wanted, to get a reaction out of her, and she hated that he had succeeded. He was definitely Ryker's son.
Even now, knowing that Hiccup was actually okay, that he was alive and safe, she couldn't stop herself from lingering on that heart stopping moment, when they'd uncovered his makeshift grave to reveal his still, pale body, beat up, bloody, covered in dirt, unmoving.
She had never been so afraid. The overwhelming grief had been building and waiting, threatening to completely overwhelm and consume her if he had not made it, she had been dreading it, fearing having to face an outcome that she could not cope with ever since Ullr had put the idea in her head that her beloved was dead.
If Hiccup hadn't been alive, she would've curled up next to him, in the bottom of that pit, ready to die alongside him.
Thank the gods he had still been breathing. They had not been too late.
The rush of relief that flooded her had not lasted long, however, as Hiccup struggled to gain consciousness, so on edge and instilled with terror that his first reaction was to lash out in self defense.
He managed to blindly whack her in the face, and even though it stung for a moment, she didn't care, and she would never blame him for it. He was not in the right state of mind, he was still battling for survival, trying to take on a new threat that wasn't there, and she felt an uncomfortable pressure in her chest as she realized that his battle was not yet over. This was all going to stick with him for a while, and she wasn't sure how he was going to handle it, emotionally or mentally.
After his fist had connected with her cheek, Stoick and Valka rushed to restrain him, only serving to panic him further.
It broke Astrid's heart to see him like that and she recovered quickly, instantly by his side, telling him to stop, assuring him that he was safe as she cupped his face with her hands, something familiar to him.
That had been enough to draw him out, to help ground him in reality. He stopped lashing out, his parents able to let him go. His eyes opened and met hers, their foreheads touching for a moment before he broke down in her arms, holding onto her as if he never intended to let her go again, and she held him right back, not even caring that they had an audience, that they'd never shown such affection in front of so many people before.
Even after he calmed, his face tucked into the crook of her neck, his body still shook.
"You're safe. I'm here." Astrid said, combing her fingers through his hair and kissing the top of his head.
She wasn't sure how to feel. Even though she had failed to be there for him, had stopped Toothless from going to his aid, even though she could have prevented all of this if she had just listened, he still sought her comforting touch and embrace, and she loved that he felt safe with her. However, a part of her now wondered if he should want her in that moment. That if he knew that she hadn't listened to Toothless, just so that she could say that she had done her best as interim chief, that he would be upset at what she made him go through, and all after she had promised to be someone he could trust after the talk they'd had, what seemed like years ago.
In that moment, still unknowing, he trusted her more than anyone, though she knew that if he was more coherent, he'd have reached out for Toothless as well, who had remained close by, occasionally licking at Hiccup's shoulder or arm and making that familiar, purring sound that she knew would help Hiccup to relax and feel secure. He was probably aware of Toothless' presence, in the same way that Toothless had known about Hiccup being in danger and where to find him on the island, however that worked, whatever connection had caused it, it was the last thing on Astrid's mind at the moment.
Eventually, Valka approached, sitting next to her and reaching a gentle hand out for her son. "Do you think he's calm enough for me to look over his injuries?"
For some reason, she felt like she needed to ask Astrid for permission. Hiccup had clung to her for comfort and Astrid had seemed to need that touch too, having almost lost the one she was meant to marry. No one had had the heart to separate them, but Valka knew Hiccup had some serious injuries, and she wanted to tend to him.
Astrid nodded, concerned for Hiccup as well. He had calmed some, had recognized her there, but he had still been confused and a little out of it. On top of that, he was exhausted and in pain, and both those things had caused him to slip back into unconsciousness as she'd held him.
Both Valka and Astrid, together, gently moved Hiccup onto his back, keeping his head resting in Astrid's lap, and reciting reassurances to him the whole time, even though he probably wasn't hearing them in his state.
The most obvious injuries were checked first. There was a lot of dried blood on his shoulder that had dripped down his front and back, due to a nasty looking gash, caused by an arrow, most likely, according to Valka.
"They were hunting us." Stoick said, adding context to the injury and causing members of their little group to feel indignation on Hiccup's behalf. Stoick, himself, clenched his fists in fury. Ullr had been that close to skewering his son with an arrow, an injury that could have done lasting damage if it didn't kill him. Fortunately, it had only managed to cut skin, and it would heal, even if it left a scar.
"Ryker and his family are going to pay." Snotlout grumbled quietly, though everyone still heard him, and agreed. Even Katla agreed that her family needed to pay for their wrongs, but she also wondered what it would mean for her.
Astrid had originally thought that the blood on Hiccup's shoulder, that had run down his chest and back, leaving behind stained clothing, was related to whatever had caused him pain when she had simply tried to move his arm earlier. But no, his arm was also dislocated, and that was going to be the worst thing to tend.
The arm had to be put back in place as soon as possible, before it could get any worse. Valka said that it was already starting to swell, and that putting it back into place would be very painful.
As Valka started to maneuver the arm back into place, Astrid could feel the atmosphere around them change as they were all forced to watch Hiccup pant as he writhed in pain. His reaction was immediate— no longer calm from Astrid's comforting— he tensed and groaned.
It took several tries to put it back in place, the swelling making it difficult, and the entire time Valka was feeling around and moving his arm, Hiccup was crying out in agony, sounding much like he had when his parents had heard his tortured cries, far off in the woods, and had been desperately trying to find him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Valka hated that she was hurting him, but it had to be done.
When Hiccup started thrashing, trying to fight off an enemy that was no longer there, likely reminded of Ullr torturing him, Stoick, Snotlout, and Tuffnut had run forward before any of the others could, and helped to hold him, each taking a limb— not because he was too strong for any of them, but because it was simply easier that way— as he struggled and tried to lash out again.
They all felt his pain as he screamed and thrashed, faces grim, blinking hard to hold back their own tears at their loved one's suffering.
Astrid felt her heart begin to race, her eyes sting, and her heart ache. She wished that there was something she could do to take away all of his pain, or to take his place and endure it for him. If only she had insisted on going with them to Healer's Island, or forced them to take Toothless, or if she had just listened to the dragon in the first place when he had known something was wrong, maybe she could have prevented this. She could have prevented Hiccup's pain.
Once Hiccup's arm was finally back in place and he was left panting and crying, unable to help himself, and jarred back into a semi-conscious state, Astrid had been right there again. His head was resting in her lap and she bent down so she could kiss his cheek and whisper reassurances to him again as he breathed hard, body shaking. And they weren't even done with him yet.
"We need to clean and dress his wounds." Valka said after giving her son a moment to catch his breath and calm down as much as he could. Astrid nodded, not sure if her voice would work if she tried, the strain in her throat from all the emotions she was feeling, too much.
The gash on his shoulder was caked with a mixture of dirt and blood, creating a disgusting, morbid mud. Blood soaked through his sleeve where it looked like he had some wrappings that were coming undone from a previously treated wound.
As Valka helped Astrid to lift a mostly unconscious Hiccup, gently, needing to remove his shirt so they could clean him off, his good arm was lifted so his bracers could be removed and his hand could be slipped out of his sleeve.
Astrid froze, holding Hiccup's hand in hers. She swallowed, hard.
Hiccup's fingers were torn up and bloody, and a vision of him desperately trying to claw his way out of his makeshift coffin became so clear in her mind.
There was no stopping the tears now as she imagined his devastating fear and desperation. She brought his hand to her lips as she tried to reign in her emotions. He had fought to the end, had probably come to the conclusion that he was going to die there, under the ground, where no one would ever find him.
Distantly, she heard a low growl coming from Toothless and she knew that the dragon shared her feelings— actually, that the dragon was capable of sharing Hiccup's real feelings, somehow. He had been pacing restlessly, crying out alongside Hiccup as they had relocated his arm. Astrid had been too focused on Hiccup to do anything about it, but was sure that Fishlegs was doing what he could to calm him, while also taking care of Sharpshot.
"Astrid." Valka's voice caused Astrid to open her eyes and they looked at each other, understanding of how she felt, reflected back at her. "I know, but we have to push forward, so we can help him."
Astrid nodded, the tears in her eyes spilling over, realizing that her own hand was now shaking as she held onto him. She had been so close to losing him. She knew that was something she wouldn't be able to handle and thanked the gods that they had gotten there in time.
Unfortunately, it only got worse from there. After Hiccup's leather arm bracers had been removed, his shirt was slipped off, and the bandages unwound, she'd been faced with another sad reality. He still had those scars on his arms and at this point, there was no denying what they were. No accidental injury looked like that.
"What're those from?" Snotlout asked as he kneeled down next to Hiccup again, but this time with some of the healing supplies they'd brought with them. His words broke the tense silence, his confusion almost coming off as curt as he referred to the scars on Hiccup's arms.
The exchanged glances that Valka and Stoick shared did nothing but confuse Snotlout further. The way Astrid avoided his eye and looked down, made him almost suspicious.
Tuffnut, who had not moved from his spot since helping to hold Hiccup down, narrowed his eyes, leaning over to get a better look at what Snotlout was talking about, to see a cluster of faded, white lines on Hiccup's wrist that became more spread out as they went up his arm a couple inches. "How does that even happen?" Tuffnut looked up at Gobber. "From the forge?"
Gobber went pale, not answering other than giving a slight shake of the head as Tuffnut lifted Hiccup's arm to show him the scars, also displaying them for everyone else there at the same time.
"Stop." Astrid smacked Tuffnut's hand and gently lowered Hiccup's arm back down, knowing that if Hiccup were awake, that he'd be mortified.
Tuffnut flinched and rubbed at his own hand, even though it didn't really hurt. It wasn't the slap that had affected him so much as the shock of what was being implied.
"You seem to know what happened." Snotlout leveled Astrid with a suspicious gaze.
"Just drop it." Astrid didn't meet his eyes, instead, grabbing some of the supplies that he'd brought over and dabbing at the gash on Hiccup's forearm, oozing blood where some of the stitches had popped.
"Did someone do this to him?" Snotlout asked, feeling both angry on Hiccup's behalf and frustrated that he couldn't get an answer.
"We need to thoroughly clean out his wound before I can stitch him back up." Valka told Astrid, also trying to move on from Hiccup's emotional scars being put out on display. She hadn't meant for that to happen, but they needed to tend to him before infection set in.
"Astrid." Snotlout all but talked over Valka. "Was it while we were on Dragon's Edge? Did someone torture Hiccup? Why wouldn't you guys tell us?"
"Snotlout, maybe we should-" Fishlegs tried to intervene, feeling incredibly uncomfortable at the revelation of just how deep Hiccup's pains really went.
"Those aren't normal scars." Snotlout interrupted.
"Why can't you just leave it alone?!" Astrid burst out, looking like she was ready to chase Snotlout out of there, maybe with her ax.
"Because I need to know if it was my fault!" Snotlout shouted back, and it was as if the entire forest went silent.
Astrid finally met Snotlout's eyes with a look of surprise on her face, seeing a mix of anguish, sadness, and guilt reflected back at her. She understood exactly how he felt, and yet, she didn't have the words to tell him that it wasn't. It was his fault, it was her fault, it was his parents' fault, it was their people's fault, it was all of their fault. They had all done this to Hiccup.
Her hesitation to answer didn't help Snotlout feel any better and he suddenly looked completely lost as he looked down at his friend.
"Snotlout, let's go take a walk." Ruffnut had moved to stand behind him, touching his arm to help guide him up from his spot. He followed, letting her escort him away as he stared blankly ahead.
As Astrid watched them leave she knew she'd have to talk to them about it later. They'd all have a lot of questions now, and she didn't want to leave them, and especially Snotlout, with any lingering feelings of guilt.
She should have said something to reassure him as he stared back at her, looking more broken than she thought she'd even seen Snotlout before, but she hadn't known what to say. And really, it wasn't her place to tell him he hadn't done anything wrong, or that he was forgiven, that was Hiccup's job, and he was currently unconscious.
The uncomfortable silence was broken as everyone tried to move on. Valka asked for the supplies Astrid had been using, and began to dab at the nasty gash again. Stoick exchanged a glance with Gobber that all but confirmed what the old blacksmith had been just thinking about; Hiccup's emotional pains went so much deeper than any of them had realized. Not even Gobber had known and he thought that he'd used to be the one who knew Hiccup the best, previously having to be the mediator between father and son, and the only person on Berk willing to talk to him.
Eret and Katla, the two who had known Hiccup for the least amount of time, watched with concern. Eret only knew what Gobber had shared with him about Hiccup's past or the few things that Hiccup had told him, himself, and Katla only knew that he and his parents had been struggling to connect, seeming to be trying to overcome something together while on the island.
"Stoick? Can you find him some new clothes from those piles?" Valka indicated the clothing that had been in the cache of goods, strewn about to make room for Hiccup in the crate. At least they were coming in handy now.
Stoick nodded and made himself busy, still unable to fully wrap his mind around just how far he'd pushed Hiccup in the past. Still unable to fully comprehend his son's trauma and pains that had led him to such actions.
Valka continued to give out instructions and orders, keeping people busy, knowing that if Hiccup were awake, that he'd hate the attention, he'd hate that everyone now knew something so private about himself.
Valka cleaned out the gash again, redoing the stitches, and bandaging his arm once more. They removed his prosthetic and tended to the raw stump. They wiped as much dirt off of him as they could manage without giving him an actual bath— which was entirely a possibility if he didn't wake once they got him back home even though Stoick and Valka knew Hiccup would hate that too, even if he was unconscious for the entire thing, especially if he was unconscious for the entire thing and the realization that someone had bathed him dawned on him— but the dirt would have to go to prevent infection. They cleaned his wounds as thoroughly as they could, applying medicinal herbs found on the island, and wrapping them. They put him in a new shirt, found from the cache of clothing and fabrics that he'd been buried alive in.
While Hiccup was being tended to, some of the group were tasked with gathering the Haddock family's things. The Berkian boat would stay there for now, next to the traders' ship that they left untouched, but the family's personal items were to be brought back to Berk with them, including the things that had to be gathered from their abandoned campsite and that had been scattered along the route to where they'd tied up their boat when it had gone missing.
Once their things were gathered, Stoick and Valka packed up the dragons while Astrid stayed by Hiccup's side. The others had the much more grim task of wrapping Yrsa's body in cloths and burying her near the hut that wasn't supposed to be there. At some point, the body might have to be moved, according to Stoick, but for the time being, that was what was to be done with it.
Once she was taken care of, an unconscious Ryker and a seething, tied up Ullr were brought to their gathering spot.
Ullr was clearly upset that he'd failed, his glower settled on Hiccup as he rested against Astrid, her hand holding onto one of his. He had failed, and Hiccup was laying there, bandaged and taken care of, while his girlfriend held him close and comforted him.
Ullr despised the very sight, but not as much as he hated seeing his sister there with the group, looking very much like one of them despite the rope around her wrists. He didn't bother to acknowledge Katla in any way. She was nothing to him now, having sided with the enemy. She was no longer his sister, in fact, she was his enemy now, too.
—
It had taken longer than they had wanted to prepare to leave, there had been so much to do, and there was still so much more that had to be done, but finally, they were ready to leave Healer's Island behind them.
"Alright, we'll meet you back home in a couple days." Gobber said with a wave of his hand as he sat atop Grump, ready to take lead of his group, when they flew off.
Stoick nodded. "Thank you."
"Just take care of Hiccup, we'll take care of everything else." Gobber assured, gesturing to his group of dragon riders.
Snotlout rode with Ullr who was tied up so tightly that he could barely move. Ryker rode with the twins who couldn't have cared less about the man's dignity, tying his unconscious body to the top of their dragon to the best of their ability, and calling it good enough, and nobody else bothering to do anything about it. Fishlegs tailed behind the group, having passed Sharpshot off to Valka, ready to assist if anyone should need it.
Stoick and Valka watched as they flew off before turning their attention back to their group.
"Are you sure that the prison on Outcast Island is the right place for them?" Astrid asked from where she sat on the ground, Hiccup's head still cradled in her lap.
"It's the biggest prison on this side of the Archipelago." Stoick said.
"Yeah, but even Dagur escaped from it, along with a lot of other prisoners." Astrid pointed out. "I mean, Dagur changed and became our friend, but still. There was a big prison break while we were living on The Edge."
"Outcast Island isn't what it used to be, Alvin has been leading them differently, and a lot of the traitors have been weeded out." Stoick said, Valka remembering all that he had told her about what had happened while she'd been away. It had surprised her, she had been sure that her husband and Alvin would remain enemies for life. "And besides, they just have to stay there until I can convene a council of chiefs with all the tribes involved in the Healer's Island Treaty. They need to be made aware of what happened, what state the island is in, and be involved in the decision of what to do about it, and about Ullr and Ryker. Gobber will fill Alvin in on everything while he's there."
"Um, what about me?" Katla asked, more timidly than she'd been the entire time they'd been there.
"We'll figure that out amongst ourselves." Valka interjected, before her husband could make any kind of decision. She knew that Stoick and Astrid were on the fence about her, but she didn't blame the girl like she blamed the rest of the Grimborn family.
"For now, you'll come to Berk with us." Stoick said after a moment. He'd given his wife a look before making his decision. He had to admit, he felt sorry for Katla, but he had the safety of his family and his people to consider.
Katla nodded, slowly, intending on being as cooperative as she could be.
"What do you need from me, chief?" Eret asked, the only one of the dragon riders to have stayed behind.
"All our gear is packed on the dragons, just lead Stormfly and Heimdall back to Berk." Stoick answered, then turned to his wife. "The girl can ride with you, if you think you can handle her?"
"She won't give me any trouble." Valka looked to Katla, an almost stern expression on her face that said that she had better behave and yet, still seemed motherly at the same time.
Valka was confident that Katla would cooperate, but still intended to be wary. She would just have to tuck Sharpshot back into Hiccup's satchel where he'd be safe and cozy, while she watched Katla and directed Cloudjumper as they flew.
"I can ride with Hiccup." Stoick decided, turning to Astrid. "You're probably the best at using Toothless' riding gear."
"Probably." Astrid agreed with that. "But, Hiccup should ride with me. He'll feel calmed being close to Toothless."
Stoick hesitated for a moment, the fatherly side of him wanting to hold his son close, to make sure he could keep a close eye on him, but he did see Astrid's point. There was something about Hiccup and Toothless' connection that was so much stronger than before.
"I'll watch him closely, I can handle that and fly Toothless." Astrid assured him, Toothless making a cooing sound in agreement, wanting Hiccup to ride with him, like he was supposed to.
Stoick nodded, relenting, not just because of the fact that the familiarity of riding on Toothless would soothe Hiccup, but because of the desperate look that Astrid didn't seem to realize was on her face. She had nearly broken down once Hiccup had been safe, because she'd come to realize how close she'd been to losing her love, and Stoick knew exactly how that felt. If she needed to hold on to her betrothed, then he was inclined to let her.
It wasn't long before all of them were mounted on their dragons and flying back home. Stoick and Valka couldn't have been more relieved to be leaving, and to be reunited with their dragons. Their family trip hadn't been what they had hoped it would be, not even close. They had gotten Hiccup to open up to them some, but they had wanted to really bond and become closer as a family. After everything that had happened, they wondered if Hiccup would end up worse off than when they had first arrived.
Stoick let out a sigh as they finally put the island behind them, knowing that though everyone was now safe, there was still a lot to be done, a lot to address in the aftermath of what had happened on Healer's Island. It helped that he now had his wife with him to be by his side through it all. If anything good had happened on Healer's Island, it had at least solidified his relationship with his long lost wife. They were a team once more.
Astrid glanced back, checking on Stormfly as she flew behind them with Heimdall and Amethyst. It seemed that Stormfly had caught on, knowing to help guide Heimdall. As Astrid rode with Toothless, she held Hiccup firmly from behind, arms wrapped around his waist, her head next to his as he leaned heavily against her. He was in and out of consciousness, every now and then mumbling something that she couldn't make out but seeming to be aware that he was safe on his dragon, with her, as she continued to calmly reassure him that everything was okay, he was okay, he was safe.
As they flew home, Astrid clung to him, more for her own comfort than for his, still contemplating how close she had been to losing him. She wished that she had listened to Toothless sooner, then maybe they could have rescued them before things had gotten as bad as they had. Maybe Hiccup could have been spared some of his pain, the pain she had caused him.
She could barely stand the guilt she felt.
A/N: I hope you liked the new chapter! We see things from Astrid's perspective as well as set things up for everything to come. I promise not to make you wait as long for the next chapter. I can probably have it ready within the next week or so. The Hiccup and Astrid chapters will, obviously, focus more on them. And we'll finally see that conversation that this story keeps mentioning, of when Hiccup and Astrid aired everything out between them and were able to strengthen their relationship. Lots of Hicstrid for the Hicstrid-deprived, Hicstrid lovers who missed them together while Hiccup was away.
Review Responses:
CallMeUrmo: No, this story isn't over! I have written out plans to go all the way through the third movie and maybe even a little beyond that. I couldn't end the story with Hiccup buried alive! Sorry I made you wait though, haha. I hope you're still reading and enjoying this story!
Silver Sentinel: Ryker being alive and having a family they didn't know about was definitely a shock to them. Maybe they will wonder about Viggo, but what are the chances that Viggo and Ryker keep surviving when they are thought to be dead? That's a lot of coincidences, but you never know. Ullr has a complicated relationship with his father. Ullr has been looking up to Ryker his whole life, has been willing to do everything that he was asked, always seeking approval. And then what did Ryker do? He slapped Ullr across the face and sent him after Hiccup, who he had let get away. Ullr feels betrayed, frustrated that his father only ever sees his failures and nothing else, as well as feeling like he should be loyal to his father like he has been. At the same time, wouldn't it also be a relief to finally be free of Ryker? To no longer be living for his father's approval and to always come up short? Ullr had a lot going through his mind when he saw his fallen father. He almost had his way out, but he couldn't do it. Yes, Astrid was determined and was not holding back. She is a force to be reckoned with! And Toothless had the motivation to access this new power of his in order to help Hiccup. That was how his new Night Fury powers were first realized, right? When Hiccup was in danger and Toothless protected him from Drago?
Livre'YsARI: Lindsey Stirling is one of my favorites! I'll have to look into Kurt Hugo Schneider, I love violin and orchestra-type music. That's true, Hiccup does have a long recovery ahead of him, and not just physical, but mentally and emotionally. There are plenty of emotional, hurt/comfort moments and deep talks coming. And I still need to get Forge Window done!
lizzielou525: Thanks! I'm happy to hear that this is one of your favorites! And you will get your wish, more to come with Katla and Valka, and… some Tuffnut/Katla potential. Of course, these next couple chapters will be heavy on the Hicstrid! Hiccup and his parents also have some more things to discuss and figure out between them. I hope you liked this chapter! There should be some more frequent updates since I've written so far ahead.
gandalf nho: They all tried to find Hiccup, but in the end it was Toothless who succeeded.
Jhousa: I didn't think the last chapter was that short. I don't determine when a chapter is finished by how long it is, it is finished when it feels rounded off and complete. Sometimes it is longer, sometimes it is shorter. Chapter 30 ended up shorter too, but there was no better place to cut it off unless I made the chapter super, super long. However, since I'm splitting everything I have been writing over the past year or so into shorter chapters, at least there will be more frequent updates. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, regardless!
CHSHicstrid: Ullr is acting pretty crazy, isn't he? He's only sinking further into madness, it seems, after everything that happened. He has complicated feelings when it comes to his father. Don't be too annoyed with Astrid, haha, she didn't know! She doesn't know Katla yet, but she is super protective of Hiccup. I'm glad you like Katla so much! I think you'll like the coming chapters because we see more of Katla and what is to come of her. I'm glad I picked the right song, I thought it suited Hiccup very well, haha.
Arashi Uzukaze: That is a good question, and I can confidently tell you, no. This story will not follow HTTYD3's "terrible story of abandoning everything." I didn't like that they left Berk, their home of what, more than 400 years? I also didn't like the dragons leaving at the end. This story will go into third movie type stuff, and I already have it planned out. It will be almost unrecognizable in comparison to what happens in HTTYD3.
Whiskerface: Seeing Ryker alive would be a shock for them, and to find out he had a family they didn't know about, too. Ullr is complicated. He's looked up to his father his whole life, always seeking approval and never getting it. He wonders what it would be like to be free of his dad, while also not being able to go through with it. I hadn't really thought about Astrid checking to see if Hiccup was alive being similar to Stoick checking to see if he is alive at the end of the first movie, until you pointed it out. You're right, they are similar scenes. They've come a long way in five years, and yet find themselves in a similar situation. Hiccup finding himself in near death experiences hasn't changed though. Ryker's and Ullr's fates will be addressed more later, but for now we're going to focus on Hiccup and all the things he needs resolved. I hope you liked the new chapter!
Guest: I'm not sure what the monsterverse is. I'm not a fan of the dragons leaving at the end of the third movie, but that won't happen in my story.
csabi1brutus: Thank you! I agree, it is a shame that the characters from the series couldn't be in the movies. I can see why, but it also adds a lot of inconsistency that I have been trying to smooth out and fix in this story. Thanks, I'm glad the Ryker family come off as believable characters and that they feel right. Haha, sorry for the wait! I hope you like this new chapter! There should be more frequent updates since I've got a lot written for this story right now, it just has to be split into chapters and edited.
Guest: You read the entire story in two nights? Wow! That's a lot of reading, and thanks! I'm glad to hear that you liked it that much! I hope you liked this chapter as well.
Romantica 21: Ullr telling Astrid that Hiccup was dead made quite an impact on her. There will be so many Hicstrid scenes coming! I hope they make up for the lack of Hicstrid scenes during all the Healer's Island chapters. Hiccup did eventually find a way to calm himself down while buried alive, and Stoick is already concerned after learning everything about how Hiccup felt in the past, and the fact that he even harmed himself. There is definitely a scene about all that coming up. There is so much to address in the aftermath of the Healer's Island chapters, that's part of what made writing it so difficult. I kept rearranging the sequence of events, remembering other things that needed to be added, and trying to fit all of that into one longer chapter, and then I finally had to be like, no, this needs to be multiple, shorter chapters, and then had to edit it into separate chapters. It has taken some time! But I think I finally got it where I want it, and breaking it down made it easier to handle. It will take several chapters to address it all, though. I hope you liked this new chapter!
PEGASUS258: I'm glad that you are liking the story! I hope you liked this chapter as well. Haha, I actually saw that in another fan fiction, where Toothless refers to Stoick as "dad," and I loved it so much I asked the author if I could borrow the idea and she said yes. It's so cute, isn't it? Toothless hears Hiccup calling him dad all the time, it makes sense that Toothless would pick up on that. Also, I'm going to have to look up that song now!
LizAme-38: Stoick and Valka have made a lot of mistakes, but they are genuinely trying to make things better. If Hiccup decided that he couldn't give them any more chances, they would step back, but Hiccup is notoriously forgiving. Haha, Zephyr and Nuffink will come along eventually… Um no, they have not done "the thing," if "the thing" is what I think it is. Astrid even admits to as much when she shares Hiccup's room with Valka, after the battle with Drago wrecks part of Berk. Hiccup is just a blusher in this story, haha. Wow, haha, sorry if my story caused some emotional distress. Apologize to your family for me, haha.
lionkingfactsguy3: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the story. I think the dragon communication thing will be unique to Hiccup and Toothless. Toothless accessed some kind of new power when he protected Hiccup from Drago, and he's an alpha, it isn't the same situation with the other riders and their dragons.
Waric-124: Haha, sorry, I made everybody so mad at Stoick and Valka with that chapter! Would you believe that I actually really like Stoick and Valka's characters? They're realizing their mistakes and working to fix them, and change. They had good intentions when they decided to go on this trip, but you're right, they did separate Hiccup from Toothless and Astrid, the two he depends on, and that was a mistake. And no worries, Sharpshot isn't dead! You can put the sword away.
TheBeard263: Aw, thank you so much! That compliment means a lot to me, I'm glad you like it! I'm glad you like the changes I made to canon. I'm trying to fix the inconsistencies between the movies and the TV shows, as well as fix all the things that I wish they had done differently in the films (example: Stoick not dying!). There's so much angst and emotional stuff that the movies and shows don't go into, that I'm trying to expand on. Hiccup accepted Valka soooo easily, without having much of a problem with her and what she did. Stoick and Hiccup had unresolved issues between them that were introduced at the beginning of HTTYD2 and never really resolved because Stoick died. I think killing off Stoick was a mistake because it took away Hiccup's ability to learn a lesson from him, to bond with his dad more, to resolve things between their entire family with Valka being there, and in the third movie Hiccup has proven that he isn't a confident leader, after everything he did at the end of the second movie. Hiccup still needed his dad, to teach him and guide him into becoming the best chief he could be. And I just don't like that the theme at the end of HTTYD2 is that Hiccup and Toothless are stronger together and will lead together, just for Toothless to ignore Hiccup in the third movie because he becomes lovestruck by an annoying female. Ugh, I hate that. And then the dragons leave and undo all the themes of the second movie! What?! Anyway, I will fix it in this story. You're right, not that much time has passed in this story, but I have so much planned, very far out, I just have to write it all, haha. I have been writing since I last updated, but it has taken me a while to get all that I have written for this story in the right order and edited to my liking. I do intend to finish it!
Jay: Ah! I'm so sorry for the wait! I hope this new chapter helped!