Mind Games
Hiccup's fingers ghosted over his left arm bracer, sensing the absence of a tool that was usually there. That was what his dagger was to him, a tool more than it was a weapon. He had reached for it without thinking, wanting to sharpen his charcoal pencil as he thought about how to respond to Astrid, but then he remembered that his mom still had the dagger. She hadn't given it back. She still didn't trust him with it. So... she still didn't believe him.
Hiccup had put on his arm bracers as soon as they had gotten back to camp, wanting that extra layer of security, especially since his parents' gazes kept wandering to his right forearm and the lump of bandages under his sleeve. He hadn't put on the chest guard or the parts of his flight suit, he wouldn't be needing those on a boat ride back home.
With a sigh, Hiccup tucked the blank paper between the pages of his sketchbook and closed his charcoal pencil inside of it, wrapping a cord around it to keep it shut. He slipped the sketchbook into his satchel and stood. He could always write back to her on the journey back, on the boat. He wouldn't mind if Sharpshot stuck around for a little while longer anyway, he had missed the dragon. Though, he felt somewhat guilty for making Astrid and Toothless wait longer for a reply, especially since the Night Fury seemed to be getting antsy by his absence.
The family was just finishing up breakfast and while his parents dealt with the clean up, Hiccup decided to get started on folding up blankets and bedding. They had managed to pack up a lot of their things onto their boat the previous day, and planned to finish up that morning before heading out.
"I'm going to take this to the boat." Stoick indicated a pack full of their food stores and few dishes they had brought with them, and headed down the trail. Valka acknowledged him with a hum and finished scrubbing off the cooking pot. Standing, Valka looked around for the sack that she had wrapped the pot in for transport. It took her only a few seconds to locate it, sitting on the ground in a heap, next to the log.
Snatching up the bag, Valka made quick work of wrapping up the cooking pot and hefting it up in her arms. It was then, that Valka realized that she should have gone slower. Hiccup was still working on his task and now she had to linger so that he wouldn't be left alone, she didn't want Hiccup on his own, she was worried about him.
Shifting the pot in her arms because of its weight, Valka waited, sensing Hiccup's discomfort at her lingering behind him. He knew what she was doing, and he didn't like it. Still, she wasn't about to leave him even if that was what he wanted.
Hiccup was trying to untangle some cord so that he could wrap it around the blankets and furs for easier transport. He seemed frustrated, not liking being waited on or having to detangle the mess. Finally, after a small growl of frustration, Hiccup stood abruptly and turned to his mom, tangled ropes in hand and an expectant look on his face.
Valka hesitated, knowing what he wanted and not sure if she was willing to give it to him just yet. She looked around herself in indecision before setting the pot back down. She reached for her waist, Hiccup's dagger attached to her side and wrapped in leather since the sheath was attached to her son's arm bracer. She unwrapped it quickly and reached out for the rope at the same time that Hiccup reached for his dagger. They met each other's eyes awkwardly and after a moment, Hiccup gave in with a sigh and handed over the rope.
"Hiccup..." Valka said distractedly as she cut off the hopelessly knotted end. She met her son's eyes again once she finished even though he hadn't acknowledged that she had said his name. She could see the frustration in his features, maybe even a little bit of bitterness. "I hope you know that we're only doing this for your own good. It's not that I don't trust you." She gestured slightly with the hand holding the dagger, indicating what she was referring to. "I just want to make sure you're okay."
Hiccup looked down but didn't reply. The frustration seemed to be gone for the moment, but Valka didn't like how lost he suddenly seemed.
"Are you alright?" Valka asked, concerned by Hiccup's reaction. Hiccup blinked a few times, then reached out to take back the rope.
"I'm just... confused." Hiccup answered as he glanced at the dagger she held in her hand— his dagger.
"Sometimes... when someone goes through something traumatic... they remember things... differently. To protect themselves from the truth." Valka tried to reason as delicately as she could, though Hiccup only gave her an annoyed look. She really didn't believe his story, not completely.
"Sure." Hiccup responded coldly, before turning around and continuing his task of stacking blankets so that he could bind them together. Whatever, it didn't matter. They were leaving this place anyway. He wouldn't have to deal with weird happenings anymore, just his overbearing parents.
Valka winced as Hiccup walked away from her. She didn't want to upset him, but the fact that things hadn't added up the way he told them only served to discredit his story. She didn't want to believe that Hiccup had been in such a state of trauma that he had imagined what had happened the other night, but that seemed the most likely explanation. She also wanted to be supportive of him, but she didn't know how to when he believed something that couldn't have happened. Valka wanted Hiccup to heal. She didn't ever want to have to stitch her son up like that again, hoping that everything she had done was enough to help him pull through. There had been so much blood on him... Valka briefly closed her eyes at the memory, trying to reign in the feelings that those thoughts brought back to her. She loved Hiccup and no matter what was going on with him, whatever the truth was, she was going to be there for him.
Stoick was supporting him, he had told his son that he believed him, though Valka knew he doubted too. There had been a ship, at least. That part was true. But the supposed man showing up and acting crazy when Hiccup wasn't in the best place mentally or emotionally that night, and then the man having killed himself... it just seemed to parallel what she had thought happened that night, to her son, before Hiccup had come running back to them in a flurry. He must have misremembered what had happened upon waking. The trauma too much for him to handle, so, he had remembered things happening differently. He'd had his dagger, apparently, but not his sword— though he remembered it the opposite. He had been very upset, and so had the man Hiccup told them about. Hiccup had told them that the man had fought with him, had slashed his arm with a dagger... but Valka was pretty sure Hiccup had done that to himself.
She shook her head of the thought, before tears could come to her eyes again. She carefully wrapped the dagger and replaced it at her side.
It was a good thing that they were leaving. Valka had always had good memories of Healer's Island, and she knew her husband did as well. It was a shame that the place felt tainted now. But then, the place hadn't quite felt the same ever since they had arrived. She had been surprised, when Hiccup had asked her and Stoick if they had noticed anything strange about Healer's Island. Her first thought had been, 'yes.' She hadn't mentioned it though, dismissing the feelings she'd had whenever on her own. Almost like she was being watched. She didn't normally mind being on her own, but for some reason, being alone here had made her a little uneasy. It was probably nothing.
Valka bent over to retrieve the pot, holding it with both arms— it was rather heavy— and looked over to her son. He was just about done. "I'm going to take this pot to the ship." She paused for a second. "You won't be far behind, right?"
Hiccup finally looked back at her and she could see the irritation in his features. He liked his freedom, she knew that, and she wasn't giving it to him. She'd been watching him closely.
"Yeah, I'll bring the blankets in a moment." Hiccup confirmed, then went back to tying a knot on a bundle of blankets.
Valka opened her mouth to respond, hesitated, then left.
—
There was no weapon out there like Hiccup's. The Dragon Blade was unique, he had designed it himself. He put a lot of effort into everything he made and always gave it a special touch. As such, that meant that his dagger was also unique. He knew that the dagger found at the site of that crazy man's death, was his, no doubt. He didn't even have to be holding it to know, he could tell by seeing it. His mom had been able to tell that it was his too, and likely his dad as well. And that... was driving Hiccup insane. It made no sense to him. How had his dagger ended up out there and in that man's possession? Had he been the one Hiccup had seen at their campsite, that second night? It seemed unlikely. The man would have attacked them if he had found them in such a vulnerable position, as they slept.
Nothing had been as it should have been, as Hiccup remembered them being. He wasn't crazy. He wasn't... His hand ran over the arm wrapped in bandages. He wouldn't have done that to himself. He and Astrid wanted a family someday... Toothless needed him.
Though... his mom's explanation made some sense, but only if Hiccup admitted to himself that things hadn't gone the way he remembered them.
It wasn't unheard of, people going through traumatic experiences and then remembering things differently than they had really happened. It was as if the mind was protecting itself from the horrible truth. Had that happened to him? He didn't think so. His mind was certainly doing a good job of reminding him of every traumatic event from his past, in his dreams. But Hiccup didn't know for sure how things like that worked.
The only way to know what had happened, was to find evidence and figure it out. Putting his task aside for the moment, Hiccup retrieved his satchel with purpose, remembering something in his possession that at least proved something odd was happening on Healer's Island. Once he had his satchel he carefully withdrew a long, thin bundle and unwrapped it. Hiccup closed his eyes in unexpected relief as he was able to confirm that it was real.
He had found an arrow, complete with blood and clothing fibers, a few days ago, and it was still there, right where he had left it, where it was supposed to be. He wrapped it back up, replaced it inside the bag, and hung the satchel across his shoulder. Now he wanted to see if the trap was still there.
—
Valka was no weakling, but the pot she was carrying was rather heavy. She had already set it down a couple times on her way to the ship and was about ready to set it down for one last break before she made it to her destination. Stoick could have carried the thing without breaking a sweat, across the entire island, Valka was sure. She should have left the pot for her husband to carry and helped Hiccup with the blankets instead.
With the amount of time it had taken her to get this far, she had thought Hiccup would have caught up with her by now. No doubt he would have offered to carry the pot himself, because he was kind like that, even when he was upset with her. However, he had not caught up with her and that made Valka a little nervous. Looking back the way she had come, she considered going back to make sure he was okay, but he wouldn't like that. He would give her another annoyed look and maybe say something in denial of what had happened. Valka was very worried about her son.
"Val!" Stoick called for her from further down the trail. Valka hadn't noticed her husband as he approached, too busy worrying about Hiccup and debating if it was worth it to go back.
"Stoick?" Valka turned to her husband, waiting as he made it up the trail to her. He looked concerned. "Is something wrong?"
"The boat, it's gone." Stoick told her in both confusion and disbelief.
"...gone?" Valka wasn't understanding. That made no sense. "How could it just be gone?"
"It's not at the dock, not adrift at sea. I walked up and down the shore a ways, I didn't see it anywhere."
"It was secure, I remember. We checked when we packed up yesterday."
"It's not there." Stoick stated again, with a more serious tone. It didn't make sense to him either. There had been no storms or heavy wind. The boat had been secure. There was no one around to take it, or at least that was extremely unlikely.
"Okay..." Valka was trying to wrap her head around the strange turn of events. Hiccup was at least right about one thing, odd things had been happening on this island. "Now what?"
Stoick shrugged, surprisingly not seeming very upset about their missing property. He had been making an effort to be more even-tempered as of late, for Hiccup's sake. "We can send Sharpshot back to Berk with a message, tell them to send our dragons for us."
Valka sighed. She had really wanted to get Hiccup back home as soon as possible. She was ready to leave. Her things... her special armor and her staff were on that boat. That would be a pain to replace. "I suppose we don't have much of a choice."
"We still have the food, it's back at the dock. We have the bedding. We have the things we will need most, we'll be fine for the next day or two." Stoick tried to assure his wife.
"That's true." Valka agreed. "I just wish I hadn't packed up my armor and my staff. It's all gone now."
"So are my axe and hammer." Stoick had lost his customized weapons too, both of them. "When the dragons get here, we can have Skullcrusher try and track down our boat."
"I suppose that's the best we can do." She bent down to pick the cooking pot back up. It had been pointless carrying it all this way. "What are the chances though? Our boat disappearing as soon as we're about to leave? The ship Hiccup said he saw disappeared too."
Stoick took the pot from his wife without a word and led the way back to their camp. "I thought that was odd too. Maybe Hiccup really did meet someone out there."
"I don't know... I suppose it's possible." Valka still doubted. "But then where is he? Nothing adds up."
"I've been thinking about that." Stoick responded thoughtfully. He had been contemplating a lot. He had been devastated when Hiccup had returned injured and when he had seen the scars on his arms. However, when Hiccup had told them what he thought had really happened, it had gotten Stoick thinking. He couldn't dismiss what Hiccup had said, not when he had done so in the past with such negative results. When Hiccup tried so hard to tell him something, it was always best to listen. "It's always possible that Hiccup did fight someone, to defend himself, and that could be how he was slashed on the arm. But if Hiccup took someone's life... he might not want to remember it. I don't think he has ever taken a life directly before. He's too soft-hearted. It would tear him apart."
"There was no body." Valka countered. She wanted to believe something else had happened out there, that Hiccup hadn't been in such a dark place, but she still saw flaws in the story.
"Hiccup said the man had mentioned a partner, or a brother." Stoick was ready with another answer, having given it a lot of thought. He had been distraught when he had thought Hiccup had tried to end his own life, but when he had told them what had happened to him, it filled Stoick with hope that his son wasn't that far gone. Things didn't add up with Hiccup's story, but that didn't mean parts of it weren't true. Hiccup was not a liar, he believed what he said to be true. There had to be an explanation.
"I was under the impression that this... partner, was gone?" Valka didn't think that the conversation Hiccup remembered between himself and the crazy man made much sense.
"They could have lost each other." Stoick tried to explain.
"And the man went insane because he lost his friend on a relatively small island for a while?" Valka questioned.
Stoick remained quiet for a few minutes, thinking things over. "Val... have you noticed anything odd about this place?"
Valka stopped walking and looked up at her husband. Hiccup had asked that question too. Stoick hadn't answered then, more concerned with Hiccup's well-being at the time. "You have too?"
Stoick simply nodded. "Sometimes I feel like I'm being watched."
"I've felt that too."
"I found some plants the other day, Angelica plants, I believe. They'd been uprooted and tossed aside in a heap. The ground was disturbed, like something had been dug up. I thought an animal had done it." Stoick admitted.
"I haven't experienced anything like that. Just an... off feeling about the place. It doesn't have the same feel that it used to, when I came here with Gothi."
"I didn't think much of it before..." Stoick confided. "A few days ago, I woke up under the impression that I had heard someone screaming."
Valka gave Stoick an alarmed expression before he continued.
"I didn't hear anything else when I woke, just found Hiccup tossing in his sleep, muttering something. I figured, he must have woken me with his fitful sleeping." Stoick finished explaining. "I dismissed it." Stoick thought back. "Hiccup mentioned some other things... We didn't address them. I think he mentioned a trap?"
"And an arrow." Valka remembered. Stoick was right, they hadn't ever addressed those things. They'd seen that there was no body, just a bloody dagger, and that the ship was gone. After that, they'd returned to camp and packed up to ready for their departure the next day. "If something is going on, we need to figure it out soon..." She suddenly felt alarmed. "We're trapped here."
—
There was only one thing on Hiccup's mind now, and that was to see if that trap was still there. The arrow was real, the trap had to have been real too— he had found those things before he had left camp in a flurry of hurt and anger the other night. Therefore, if his mind was playing tricks on him and he was remembering something that hadn't happened the night he'd run off, it had no affect on things he had experienced before that. At least, that was how Hiccup's logic played out.
Hiccup walked through the field of chamomile for the third time since arriving at Healer's Island, Sharpshot perched on his shoulder once more. Hiccup hadn't returned to this place after being surprised by the trap. The area had felt tainted after that, had made him feel uneasy. However, now he was just determined to figure out what was going on. He needed to know if he could trust his own mind.
Knowing better this time around, Hiccup examined the area carefully for lines of thread or signs of another trap. The trap had been near invisible during the night, when he hadn't been expecting it. During the day, it would be easier to find. However, this time, there was no trap to be found.
"What do you make of that?" Hiccup asked his dragon friend as he indicated the ground in front of them, but only received a coo in return.
There were drag marks in the ground. Had those been there before? Hiccup had been too startled to look that carefully last time. It was possible that whoever set the trap had come to retrieve their supplies and had dragged the rope behind them. Either way, it was a trail that Hiccup could easily follow, so he did.
The trail didn't let up, in fact, the marks in the ground became even more apparent. It appeared as if the trap had caught something, and that something had been thrashing around. Hiccup was getting an increasing feeling that something was wrong. The feeling only escalated when he saw the rope up ahead, in a heap.
Upon closer inspection, Hiccup found stains of blood on parts of the rope. The former trap was tangled and sliced through in some places. Whatever had been captured had been cut free and then... Hiccup wasn't sure. A hunted animal would typically be butchered by that point, but there wasn't enough blood to indicate that.
Hiccup looked around. The dirt path had turned into a grassy area without much to make indentations into while walking around. If the trail had been fresh, Hiccup was sure he would have been able to find a sign of footprints, however, it didn't seem likely. He sighed in frustration, receiving a comforting nuzzle from the dragon on his shoulder in return.
"Thanks, Sharpshot." Hiccup pat the dragon on the head.
So, he was still no closer to any answers. Someone had hunted on this island, that much was true. That still didn't tell him what had really happened the other night.
His parents were likely waiting for him. His mom was probably worrying, she'd been hovering near him since he had woken up after being injured. It was annoying, but a part of Hiccup was slightly touched by it. The gesture implied that his mom cared about his well-being, that she would actually be sad if he had died.
It was probably best if he just forgot about all of this and returned to the boat. He'd left some blankets on the trail, intending to go back and take them to the boat after investigating and getting some answers.
"We might as well head back." Hiccup told Sharpshot in disappointment, reaching up to pet the dragon. Before Hiccup made contact, the little dragon jumped off his shoulder and landed on the bundle of rope. "Sharpshot?"
The Terrible Terror squeaked at his human before using his mouth to pull something out from between some folds of the rope. Hiccup kneeled down next to his dragon, curious as to what he had found.
After a few tugs, Sharpshot managed to free an object, rolling back as the power behind his pulling caused him to fall when the object released. Righting himself, the dragon proudly presented a piece of cloth to his favorite person. The Terror had recognized the scent of the cloth, from something Hiccup had pulled out of his bag earlier. Maybe the object belonged to his person and he needed it back. Sharpshot was good at bringing things to his friend.
"What have you got there?" Hiccup asked. He reached out, palm up, and Sharpshot dropped the piece of cloth in his hand. Hiccup held it up and examined it. It looked like a torn piece of clothing...
Hiccup gasped in recognition. Immediately he fumbled for his satchel and dug around for the wrapped up item he'd been carrying around with him for days now. He unwrapped the arrow once more and held it up in one hand, the torn piece of clothing held in the other. The fibers stuck to the arrow matched the fibers from the clothing.
Narrowing his eyes, Hiccup lowered his arms as he thought things through. He knew what this revelation implied, but he wasn't willing to accept it as the answer.
It looked like... someone had been shot by an arrow... and that same someone had been caught in a trap.
That couldn't be right.
Hiccup stood, tucking both the arrow and the cloth into his bag. Something wasn't right here and the only thing Hiccup could think to do, was to return to the place where he had stumbled across that deranged man. That man's clothing... no, it didn't match the cloth. But, he had mentioned a partner. That man had been afraid of something that was after him... maybe the same thing that had gotten his friend.
Hiccup was going to find out what that something was.
—
There was a feeling of urgency and alarm in the air as things stopped seeming like coincidence and everyone stopped brushing off past experiences as having been nothing of significance. Stoick and Valka had been focused on their family, on fixing things, and so the oddity of the island that they had both used to know so well, had been dismissed.
"What's that, up ahead?" Valka pointed up the trail as she and her husband walked with haste back to camp. They intended to talk to Hiccup further, about the things he had seen while on the island. They wanted to make sure they would all be safe while they waited for Sharpshot to send word to Berk that they had been stranded.
"I'm not sure." Stoick answered, quickening his pace to see what was blocking the path further along the trail. As the husband and wife neared the object of their curiosity, they both stopped.
"Hiccup." Valka closed her eyes in exasperation. "He was supposed to bring the bundles of blankets to the boat."
There were a couple bundles of blankets left on the pathway, but no sign of Hiccup.
"He's not here." Stoick stated the obvious as he looked around. "Isn't this where he left the trail, when we first got here? To gather chamomile?"
Valka perked up as she realized that her husband was right. Maybe that was why Hiccup had been taking so long to catch up to her, he had stopped for more chamomile before they left. Without a word, she started down the incline that led to the patch of chamomile. Last time, she had been able to spot Hiccup from up on the trail, this time, however, she couldn't see him. She only hoped he was nearby and safe.
Setting down the cooking pot next to the pile of blankets, Stoick followed his wife down the incline and into a small field of chamomile. Hiccup still wasn't within sight. "Hiccup?"
"Hiccup!" Valka called louder. "Why would he wander off?"
"That's what he does." Stoick responded, not at all surprised that Hiccup hadn't been where he was supposed to have been. Valka sighed in exasperation next to him.
"I should have stayed with him so we could walk to the boat together. I thought he would be right behind me." She looked as if she was about to panic. "What if he's not okay this time? Stoick..."
"We'll find him,Val."
"He was upset with me when I left." Her husband's reassurances did nothing to calm her. "He didn't like me hovering nearby... I wanted to give him a little bit of space... gods."
"I don't think he did it." Stoick stated, gaining a look of confusion from his wife. "Remember when we overheard his and Astrid's conversation?" Valka looked down in thought. "We left when Astrid told Hiccup that they would have a family of their own one day. He wouldn't risk that." He continued when Valka took a slow breath to calm herself, his words seeming to be helping her. "I don't know if things really happened the way Hiccup told us, it doesn't make sense. What I do know, is that Hiccup loves Astrid. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her."
"He does, doesn't he?" Valka agreed, remembering how the young couple interacted with each other. They sometimes reminded her of how she and Stoick had been. Back when they had been a couple with a healthy relationship and such promise. They had wanted to start a family too... The intense feeling of guilt returned to her. Stoick knew their son so well, had at least been there. She had ruined her family and was still making wrong assumptions about her son. "I more or less told him outright, that I thought he had tried to end his own life." She said with shame. "That's what I believed. But you... you believed in him."
"I still don't know what happened for sure."
"But that didn't stop you from supporting him." Valka continued, her eyes becoming watery. "I don't know how to be a mom."
"You'll learn. I'll help you." Stoick assured with earnest, wiping a tear from her cheek. "We'll help each other. You've already done a lot for us, just on this trip." Valka shook her head in disagreement. "You were right about the miscommunication between Hiccup and I. I do have a tendency to express my concern with anger. I make Hiccup feel like he has to defend all of his actions to me. It shouldn't be that way."
Valka looked up at her husband, feeling just a little more hopeful.
"We'll find Hiccup and Sharpshot, we'll figure out what's going on here." Stoick continued to reassure his wife. "Someone's probably just trying to profit off of this place."
"You said you found some medicinal plants that were dug up." Valka mentioned as she wiped away her remaining tears. "Is that place nearby?"
Stoick looked around them, mapping the place out in his head. "It was over that way, not far from where we sparred."
With a new destination in mind, Stoick led the way along a narrow hiking path, common plants having grown over stretches of the dirt walkway. There wasn't much foot traffic along the routes anymore, so the worn paths were now littered with patches of grass and weeds. But it was a path Stoick knew by heart, having walked it with his own father when he had been younger.
As the married couple walked away, neither noticed the pile of rope from the former trap, laying in a small, grassy clearing.
—
A/N: I can't believe this story is already 20 chapters long! And there is still so much more to happen. It will be going through the third movie and perhaps a little beyond that. Thanks to everyone who is reading and supporting this story! I hope you continue to enjoy!
Silver Sentinel: The self reflection was good for Stoick and Valka, they needed to realize just what role they played in harming Hiccup. Hiccup is more comfortable around the dragons, back when he had no one, he had Toothless. Now he has Sharpshot to keep him company. Way to predict the story, the boat did disappear!
Jazmine Ashley: Hello again! I do appreciate your reviews! Thanks for taking the time to write such a long one for me. I'm glad you like the dark, angsty stuff, that's what I have a tendency to write. Hiccup's parents are coming to all sorts of realizations, they do want what is best for him. Thanks for the compliments and I hope you continue to enjoy. Things might get more tense from here!
Oragonking: Thanks for reviewing, but I'm not entirely sure what you mean. The Light Fury hasn't shown up in this story yet.
Night Star Dragon: Lots of things are being revealed and there's plenty more action and drama to come! Thanks for reviewing, I hope you continue to enjoy the story!
CHSHiccstrid: Haha, I'm sorry to cause you pain with the Haddock family drama. They do want to be a family, so they will keep working toward that goal. Don't give up on them! Healer's Island isn't done with them yet!
Ysabelle Anne R. Inoncillo: Thanks for the reviews! I'm so happy to hear that you are liking the story. I'm flattered that you like the story so much in comparison to the movies. Stoick really should have lived in the movies, right? I have every intention of finishing this story! Though after I finish this Healer's Island section of the story, I'll probably take a couple week's break from this story and really focus on my other one, "What Lies Beneath." But this story will be completed, all of my stories will be, one day. Thanks again for the review and the compliments, they make my day!
Romantica 543: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I don't think Hiccup would get upset with Astrid over what she did. I think he was surprised to hear that she finally brought the issue up, but with someone else instead of himself. He might have been slightly annoyed, but he knows Astrid loves him and cares about his well-being. There is danger out there and there is plenty of action and drama to come in the next few chapters! Thanks for the review!
