Viking Heart & Dragon Soul

Author: Nightstar Fury

Rated: M

Pairing: HiccupXAstrid

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from HTTYD movies, series, or shorts.

Brighter Beginning

Screams of pain filled the island as everyone waited in silence and anticipation for the birth of the Heir. Their chief stood pacing outside of his own home awaiting for the news his wife had given birth, it had been a long time coming after what happened three years two years ago. Each cry of pain he heard from his wife made him wince and pray she was alright. The chieftess had been in labor for seven hours. The chief wanted nothing more than to be beside her, but alas, men were forbidden during the birthing process. The man had been kicked out as soon as it was made known his wife would start pushing soon. That was thirty minutes ago that she'd begun pushing.

"You must push, chieftess!" a woman inside with the chieftess said firmly to her. "The young one is almost out," she added. Another painful grunt and yelling as a loud wail filled the area. Everything fell silent hearing the cry, everyone waiting for the news. The crying ceased as the man looked to his home and waited nervously for the helper to the village elder to exit and tell him he could enter again. Another ten minutes passed before that happened, the door opened slowly as the woman stepped out with a soft smile.

"Congratulations, Chief Stoick. You have a healthy and beautiful baby girl," the woman informed him. The man, Stoick's eyes widened. A little girl? He was beyond happy.

"Thank you, Ina. How is Valka?" Stoick asked quickly.

"She's just fine, she did wonderfully. The chieftess is feeding the little one now, and Gothi is cleaning everything up. You can go in now," Ina smiled to him. Stoick felt relief wash over him as he quickly turned and headed inside the house to see his wife, Valka sitting up on the bed and in her arms was a baby girl latched onto her mother's breast to feed.

"Come, Stoick. Meet our daughter who still needs a name," Valka smiled to him, Stoick came over beside her as the elder Gothi offered a bow and exited the room. Stoick looked over his wife's shoulder to see the face of their daughter.

"She's beautiful, just like you, Val," Stoick smiled as he lightly touched the child's forehead. It was then that he heard light crying as he saw tears slowly falling from his wife's blue-green eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"I never...thought we'd have this again after what happened two years ago with losing our little Hiccup," Valka admitted, Stoick hugged her carefully and tried to soothe her.

"Ssh now, I know. Easy now, I miss him too and nothing will ever replace him in our hearts. He was taken too soon from us, that is a night I will never forget." Stoick told her as he laid his head upon hers and both of them closed their eyes thinking back to that horrid night where their young eighteen-month-old son was taken from them by a dragon during a raid.

~Flashback; Two Years Prior~

The morning was early, the sun hadn't even begun to rise as dragons roaring overhead alerted the small village on the island of Berk that a raid was beginning. The chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Stoick the Vast Haddock rushed from his bed to get outside. Stoick was a twenty-five-year-old man with red/orange hair and green eyes, and though young, he ran his village every bit the way his father had before him. Valka, his wife, had long autumn hair and blue-green eyes, she was twenty-four and they had their first child, a son, eighteen months ago. His name: Hiccup Haddock the Third.

"Valka, stay with Hiccup!" Stoick called while grabbing his two-headed ax off the wall. Valka sat up on the bed as she pulling her crying son into her arms and tried to soothe him. His name was given to him because he was born two months early and almost did not survive his birth, but the young parents never gave up hope for him. Hiccup pulled through and was now the happiest baby around. He was one of five others born around the same time, a few months apart in fact.

"It's alright, Hiccup...Ssh now, everything is okay. Mommy will protect you," Valka told him gently. Hiccup calmed and snuggled into her chest as she began to hum to him. "The sky is dark and the hills are white, as the Storm King speeds from the North tonight. And this is the song, the Storm King sings, as over the world his cloak he flings. Sleep sleep, little one sleep. He rustles his wings and gruffly sings. Sleep, little one sleep." she sang to him as his eyes closed and he returned to his peaceful sleep. Valka placed Hiccup back in his cradle beside her as she got out of the bed and got her sword, she went downstairs to guard the house against dragon attacks.

In the midst of all the confusion, a large four-winged dragon with the face of an owl swooped down and landed on the roof of the house and broke it apart. Valka rushed in to save her son, she saw it playing with Hiccup and allowing him to hold it's claw. Valka could only watch in surprise, a noise outside distracted the dragon as it's claw shifted and cut Hiccup's chin open and he began to cry. The house began to shake and beams falling after another dragon set it on fire. Valka panicked and tried to get to Hiccup who was scared of everyone going on around him.

"Hang on baby, Mommy is coming for you!" Valka called to him as she dodged another beam falling and then one fell between her and Hiccup's cradle as it knocked her back, another came crashing down and trapping her beneath it. Valka yelled out in pain as she tried to lift it but couldn't. The fire began to encase around Hiccup as Valka was useless to stop it, she felt something hit her in the back of her head and her vision began to go blurry. "Hiccup," she whispered as the smoke was causing her to cough hard.

It was then Valka saw the four-winged dragon return to the house and grab the cradle in its claws then hover outside of the house. "No! Hiccup! Please, please bring him back!" Valka pleaded the dragon as she was losing consciousness. Outside, at the sound of Valka yelling, Stoick turned and saw his house on fire and falling apart. In fear for his wife and young son, he raced back and reached upstairs to see his wife trapped and the dragon holding his son in the cradle, gripped in its claws while flying away with the others as the sun was rising.

"HICCUP!" Stoick yelled out. Worry washing over him, he brought Valka outside as the house continued to crumble to the ground. The two parents looked up as the dragon was flying out of sight.

"My baby...Stoick, where's Hiccup!?" Valka cried in fear that her son was trapped in the house.

"Val, there...was nothing I could do. That dragon with four wings has him...carrying him in the cradle..." Stoick said sadly. Valka screamed out in anguish as she fell to her knees, Stoick hugged her tightly, tears falling from his own eyes at the loss of their young son who was taken by a dragon. Searches were ordered immediately to sail in the direction the dragons had gone, but after three weeks, there was nothing and no sign of the dragon or Hiccup.

Valka and Stoick were trapped in grief over the loss, Valka barely left the house the entire first month. Stoick was a mess while still running the village the best he could. When the searches had stopped, a memorial was held for Hiccup. Hanging in the Great Hall was a shield with Hiccup's portrait on it, him as they last saw him. Green eyes, auburn hair and wrapped leathers and furs. It only had the name Hiccup Haddock III written on a piece of wood over the shield.

~End Flashback~

The whole village was upset over the loss of their first Heir, they believed Stoick and Valka would never have another child but here they were, two years later with a new child. It was decided a year after Hiccup was taken that Valka wanted to have another child, knowing it would never fill the void of the child they lost that night. It wasn't easy for them either, Valka had a hard time conceiving Hiccup originally, and he was born early. It took a long time but finally, nine months ago they conceived and tonight that child had been born.

"What should we name her?" Valka asked after wiping her eyes of tears.

"Hilda. Hilda Haddock the First," Stoick smiled some.

"Hilda it is then, tomorrow we can announce it to everyone. I'm much too tired this evening to do it," Valka yawned after Hilda was done eating and had been burped, now was lying in Valka's arms and fast asleep.

"Aye, agreed. I know you miss Hiccup, Val. Everyone does..." Stoick reminded her.

"He would have been three and a half, Stoick..." Valka sighed.

"I know, he will always be part of us...in here, Valka." Stoick put his hand over his own heart and hers. Valka and he shared a kiss as they continued to admire their daughter for a while longer before Stoick exited the house to let everyone know there would be a formal announcing the birth of the Heiress tomorrow morning, but for now, Valka was tired and rest was needed. The village dispersed to return to their homes, at least they knew the chief and chieftess had a daughter and they'd all get to meet her tomorrow. It was exciting.

(The Next Day)

All were gathered in the Great Hall awaiting their chief and chieftess to arrive with the newest addition into the Tribe, also...the Heir of Hairy Hooligans and throne of Berk. It was going to be a good day for the Tribe, but of course, nothing would ever replace the Heir they lost two years ago. The time was 8:00 am according to the sundial just outside the hall when the doors opened revealing Stoick, Valka, and the little bundle wrapped in furs and leathers for warmth in her arms. Everyone stayed quiet and smiling as they made their way inside proudly. Stoick helped Valka to sit down as he took Hilda from her with a smile and stood before everyone.

"As the chief of Hairy Hooligans Tribe residing on the island of Berk, it is my great honor to welcome to the Tribe your Heiress, Hilda Haddock the First!" Stoick announced. The room erupted into applause for the news as Stoick slowly made his way around the room to let everyone get a better look. He passed his council members; five of them with their kids sitting among them.

"She'll make a fine Heiress, Stoick. Beautiful," said one of them.

"Thank you, Colby," Stoick replied. His council consisted of six people, and they all had kids of their own. Colby Hofferson, Spitelout Jorgenson, Bearlegs Ingerman, Sharpnut Thorston, and Gobber Belchmund. Their kids were the ones who were born shortly after Hiccup was. Colby had a daughter named Astrid, Spitelout with a son named Snotlout, Bearlegs had a son named Fishlegs, and finally Sharpnut had twins, Tuffnut and Ruffnut. Gobber had no kids, that man was married to his job of being the village blacksmith. Never married, never had kids.

"She's so pretty, chief," came little Astrid' voice.

"Aye, thank you, Astrid." Stoick smiled as they were admiring Hilda in his arms. The chief looked back and saw Valka staring at the shield with Hiccup's picture painted on it. Stoick saw her shaking a bit, trying not to cry as he walked over to her. The room a bit quiet listening to the chief soothe his wife who missed the son they had lost to a dragon. It was still hard when the time of year came around which was now. Young Hiccup had been taken this time of year two years ago at the small age of eighteen months old, it was hard to celebrate the birth of the one child while mourning the death of another.

"I miss him so much," Valka whimpered against him.

"Ssh, I know, Love. It will be okay, we have...Hilda now and Hiccup...is watching over us with Odin. He'll keep us and his little sister safe from a distance. Come now, we have a celebration to put on..." Stoick told her lightly.

"Yes, you're right...I'm sorry. It's just the time of year," Valka wiped her eyes. The party continued from there, everyone enjoying the new Heiress. Few times she opened her eyes and people were able to see them. Forest green with very light brown hair that would likely darken as she got older, but who knew right now. Everyone was just glad she was there safely and healthy.

(Beyond Archipelago Boundaries)

A young three and a half-year-old boy with auburn hair and green eyes giggled as he hid behind a bush that was in the ice fortress he lived in with his father and thousands of dragons. He saw his father walk by trying to find him and covered his mouth to keep quiet.

"Henrik!" he called out and sighed heavily, "Henrik Andarsen, you come out this instance!" he said again. The little boy jumped out and hugged his leg smiling.

"Got ya, Daddy Reynir!" Henrik giggled again, the man covered his chest taking in a deep breath.

"Oh my, Henrik! You can't keep scaring me like that..." the man, Reynir breathed out as he leaned down and picked up his son.

"I'm sorry, Dada. Is it time to eat, I'm so hungry can eat three whole fish!" Henrik told him after hugging him tightly.

"We'll see, first...you need to go wash up and then I have a surprise for you." Reynir smiled as he put Henrik down to go wash up inside the small home built into the rock formations on the left of them. The man chuckled a bit shaking his head as a dragon came beside him, it had an owl-like face and four wings. "Hello Cloud Jumper," Reynir greeted while rubbing under his chin.

"Greetings to you too, Reynir. Little one keeping you on your feet?" the dragon replied to him.

"Always my friend. He's such a good boy, I can't believe it's been two years already since you brought him to me." Reynir replied in dragonese to his friend. "I still remember it like it was yesterday,"

~Flashback; Two Years Ago~

Reynir sat in the the ice nest, his home for the thirty or so years. He came across it after crashing his boat on a fishing trip where he was caught in a bad storm. Upon waking up, he made his way around blindly in the nest looking for people to help him get home. He stumbled into a large area and saw a mass amount of dragons flying around, it frightened him at first. Alas, he noticed something different about them, they weren't attacking or being vicious. They were calm and looked relaxed enjoying themselves. Dragons often took off at night and returned later by morning, one morning, Cloud Jumper returned with a baby boy in a cradle. Auburn hair and green eyes. He was such a little thing, little older than a year old.

"Cloud Jumper, you normally return with fish...not babies," Reynir chuckled a bit.

"I saved him, Reynir. The child was alone in the house, it was burning and falling apart. The mother was trapped, and afraid for him. I don't know if she made it or not, but I took him out of the house before he was injured. I do not know the child's name." Cloud Jumper replied.

"His family will worry for him, Cloud Jumper...the child must be returned," Reynir informed softly rubbing under the dragon's chin.

"I can't, Reynir. The village he was taken from, they are dragon killers. It's not safe for us to return without our own lives being at risk. They left the child alone upstairs while we flew over," Cloud Jumper replied.

Reynir sighed a bit, it was too much a risk to return the young child to the village for the dragons. Reynir supposed he didn't have a choice, he would have to keep him and raise him. Then hope when he was older he could be returned home some. Reynir knew what it was like to lose family, he tried to return to his own after getting to the ice nest on one of the dragons after learning to ride Cloud Jumper. The village threw him out, and he never saw his daughter again after she married and moved to her new island with her husband.

Reynir returned to the nest after being thrown out from his home, that's when he learned dragonese from the Bewilderbeast. The king of all dragons. This dragon could speak to both species, human and dragon. As Reynir came to get used to living among dragons, he built his own home within the large ice nest. He had a small forge, food store area, place to wash and dry clothes, and he could relax. It was built like a normal Viking home within in the nest with a full opening area to see all the dragons and the Bewilderbeast who was named as Icefire by Henrik just a few months ago in fact. Since the child didn't have a name or Cloud Jumper didn't know it, Reynir named the child as Henrik Andarsen.

~End Flashback~

Two years since that day and Reynir had never been happier with his choice to essentially adopt the boy as his own son since he never had one. Sure, he was sixty-six years old but that meant nothing. He would get to see Henrik grow up and have his own life, carrying out his work of protecting dragons and living among them. Reynir was already starting to teach Henrik how to speak dragonese, he was doing really well. Very bright young boy and always happy with a ton of energy.

"What surprise did you get him?" Cloud Jumper asked looking over at Reynir now.

"You'll see," Reynir smiled as Henrik rushed out happily and showed his hands to his father.

"I'm all clean, Daddy Reynir! What's my surprise?" Henrik asked excitedly. Reynir picked him up in his arms and led down towards the water where Icefire was with a bunch of smaller dragons.

"Well, I think it's time to show you how to take care of your own dragon like how me and Cloud Jumper are. A friend for you to have and take care of and when you're older...I teach you how to ride a dragon. How does that sound?" Reynir asked him.

"Really, Daddy?! I can have my own dragon?" Henrik exclaimed happily, Reynir nodded to him. Henrik always called him Dada, Daddy, or Daddy Reynir, it was easier to use in Reynir's eyes that way he'd know the name of the person who raised him.

"Yes, you can. But it's a big responsibility. Icefire here rounded up all the dragons your age to pick from, so go on." Reynir told him, Henrik rushed over to look at them all. There were so many types that his father had told him about. Deadly Nadders, Monstrous Nightmares, Gronckles, Hobblegrunts, and more! Henrik observed each one and couldn't seem to find the perfect one for him. Henrik sighed a bit and sat down on the rocks watching all the dragons run around and play with each other. "What's wrong son?" Reynir asked.

"Nothing, Daddy, Just...none of 'dese dwagons are fer me..." Henrik replied quietly. From above there was a loud screech and black blur shot past them while trying to stay in the air, but the wing seemed to be injured as it crashed into the water near Icefire who used his massive tusks to lift the dragon up from the water and onto the rocks so it could catch it's breath. Henrik was of course, curious about it.

"Stay back, Henrik, let Icefire talk to him first..." Reynir warned as Henrik nodded. The two dragons spoke for a few minutes be Icefire turned his attention to Reynir.

"This dragon is a Night Fury, and wounded on his left wing. It was injured by humans of a village South of here. There are not many left of this species, very few still exist like me." Icefire informed Reynir.

"Will the wing heal?" Reynir replied to the dragon.

"It will and I said he could stay here to avoid Vikings who wish it harm, he's decided to accept. He's young, three-year-old himself." Icefire answered. While they spoke, Henrik carefully made his way over to the all black dragon that had slightly lighter patterns on its neck and sides. The dragon's eyes were a lighter green than his own and it intrigued him. The Night Fury backed up a little as Henrik put his hand out softly.

"It's okay, Mr. Fury...I won't hurt you..." Henrik assured the dragon, "I wanna be fwends with you if you let me?" he added as the Night Fury sniffed his hand and looked at him hesitantly. Henrik got an idea as he ran over to a bucket near the rock wall and pulled out two fish and placed them before the dragon slowly. The Night Fury now gave a gummy smile after retracting his teeth and pressing his snout to Henrik's palm, then licking his cheek before eating. "Daddy, I found my dwagon! And I know esactly what I'm gonna call him...Toothless because he can make his teeth go away." Henrik giggled.

Reynir smiled gently with a nod and Icefire did the same, "Alright, Henrik. Toothless is your responsibility then."

"Okay, Daddy! Me and Toothless are gonna be the best of friends!" Henrik cheered as Toothless nuzzled against his face after eating the three fish given to him.

"Alright, time to come inside and eat. Toothless can come too," Reynir smiled.

"Come on, Tooth! Let's get you all settled in my room," Henrik told him as Toothless followed happily behind Henrik into the home, Cloud Jumper followed Reynir in as Icefire laid comfortably in the water once more. Reynir loved how his life had been since living in the nest, and these last two years with Henrik were amazing. He hoped to have many more, and teach him everything he knew. Reynir would tell Henrik when he was older about being taken from his original home, and Reynir hoped Henrik would be able to do what he could not and that was to show people the truth about dragons, that fighting was needed and the two species could live in peace together. That was Reynir's hope for Henrik's life, to succeed where he failed. Henrik making friends with a Night Fury of all dragons, it was already the start of a brighter beginning.