Astrid's luck had finally run out.
After a long and frustrating day, she'd felt she needed to take a long walk to clear her head. It had seemed like a great idea…up until she passed the forge and found herself unceremoniously yanked through the open doorway.
Her training kicked in, muscles tensing as she prepared for a fight. Then her eyes settled on Gobber, and she knew that trouble lay ahead.
It was rare that she was on the receiving end of the man's disapproving gaze, but now she found herself under the full weight of that somber expression. Dread pooled in her belly as realization kicked in – there could only be one reason he'd be upset with her now.
He knows.
"Ya got some explainin' to do, lass," Gobber stated firmly, not an ounce of his signature humor in his voice.
"Huh?" She cocked her head, raising her eyebrows in question.
While playing dumb was far from one of Astrid's preferred techniques, it could get her out of a bad situation. She wasn't above taking the risk.
"No." Gobber snapped, shaking his head. His lips curled down in a frown. "There'll be non o' tha' denial tonight. Hiccup is missin', and if anyone knows where tha' boy's gone, it's you."
"Missing?" Astrid asked, trying to keep the strain from her tone. She wracked her brain, wondering what could have possibly brought on this new suspicion. She'd been so careful. "What are you talking about? No, of course he's not missing. I just saw him last night! If you can't find him, he's probably out exploring, like always."
"I kno' my apprentice," argued Gobber without pause, "and 'e never misses a shift."
"I'm sure–"
"No' a single tool was so much as shifted last nigh'," Gobber insisted, cutting her off. He gestured widely around the room with his hook, eyebrows furrowing. "He never came in. Now, lass, I'm givin' ya one more chance to tell me wha's going on."
Astrid felt her mouth go dry. Swallowing hard, she scrambled for an excuse, "I'm sure he's just been busy with other things. He's got a long way to go with weapons training, and he can't exactly practice during the day. And besides, he's still working on that map of his – you know how he gets with that thing!"
Gobber scuffed, tapping his fingers against his side, "do ya think I'm a fool, Astrid?"
"What?" She sputtered, surprised by the accusation. "No, of course not."
"Then don' keep insultin' me with these lies."
Astrid exhaled heavily, feeling as if there were a deep pressure settling on her chest. She'd found herself in a particularly tight spot: she didn't want to betray Hiccup's trust, nor did she want to lose Gobber's respect. He clearly wasn't satisfied with her excuses or evasions, so doubling down on them was unlikely to do her any good.
It was best to tread carefully. If the blacksmith truly believed his apprentice had disappeared once more, he'd likely see fit to alert the entire village. It would be enough to whip the tribe into a full-blown frenzy and considering Hiccup was trying to avoid attention, that would be a catastrophe. One that Stoick would undoubtedly hear about upon his return.
She needed to find a way to diffuse the situation, or at least to contain it.
Astrid knew Gobber meant well. He cared deeply for his apprentice, that much had always been obvious. His intensity now was a reflection of that very sentiment. She wondered if he'd be willing to keep the secret…or at least part of it, in order to respect Hiccup's wishes. Still…
"Now's th' part where ya 'fess up to wha' you kno', lass."
Ancients. She'd have to take the risk.
"He didn't want anyone to know," she admitted, unable to meet Gobber's gaze any longer. Her eyes swept over the forge, taking note of its current state. She'd grown used to seeing it only after Hiccup had started his shift, feeling no need to visit during normal hours. Seeing it now, in the wake of Gobber's shift, she could spot clear differences in how things were arranged.
Gobber's mess was less…chaotic than Hiccup's. Tools were stacked in piles rather than scattered across open surfaces. Tools still on shelves were grouped differently, more precisely organized by size and use.
She cursed internally, wishing she'd had the foresight to check on the forge. It hadn't crossed her mind, but now it felt like a sloppy mistake…after all, she knew Hiccup's schedule better than anyone. Of course he'd have gone to the forge! If she'd known how obvious it would be, she'd have reset the shop herself.
"Astrid, I 'ave a responsibility to look ou' for 'im while Stoick's away," Gobber prodded, "I need to know."
"He…" Astrid paused, trying to find the best way to give Gobber the information that he needed without completely sacrificing Hiccup's privacy. She steeled herself, meeting the man's eyes once more. "He wants to know more about dragons. He can't learn that on Berk so let's just say he's…chasing a very promising theory. He needs a few days off-island to see it through."
Gobber searched her gaze, looking for any sign of a lie. After a tense moment, he sighed heavily, shoulders visibly deflating. His voice was strained when he responded, "tha' boy's gettin' too damn reckless for 'is own good."
Huh?
Whatever Astrid had expected him to say…it hadn't been that. She'd expected a bit more prodding, maybe even a little anger. She'd just admitted that she'd let him leave without telling anyone, and that she'd covered for that absence!
Reading her confusion, Gobber said, "Well, it's no' like I expect ya to be able to stop 'im from goin' anywhere," he snorted, "Th' boy's as stubborn as 'is father after all, and a Night Fury to boot!"
It was true. If Hiccup really wanted off Berk, it would be quite a challenge for anyone to stop him during the day. The tribe wasn't exactly trained in restraining dragons. At least, not without doing them any serious harm. And if someone were to accidentally injure the chief's son, quick healing or not…well, they'd be sure to suffer the full force of Stoick's wrath.
Only a fool would take that risk.
"I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone else," she pleaded, biting her lip. "Hiccup should be back before the chief, so no one has to know he was ever gone!"
"And if he isn't?" Gobber challenged. "I'll no' be makin' any promises before ya explain it all, Astrid. You need to tell me everythin' ya know abou' where 'e's gone and what 'e's doin'."
Gods…
"Where in Thor's name are ya takin' me?"
Astrid kept her pace steady, rolling her eyes at the man's words. Though he was putting up quite a fuss following her through the woods, she knew he was far too curious to resist following. A part of her wondered if all his complaining was just a manifestation of the blacksmith's flair for the dramatic.
"This way," was all she said in response, following the path that she'd now committed to memory.
Gobber grunted, but she could hear his uneven gait continue to advance.
Astrid was relieved when she reached the dropoff. The whole way there, she'd been battling with the small part of herself that feared her whole idea was a mistake. Now she could silence those whispers, if only because it was too late to back out of the plan.
She was really doing this.
Gobber huffed when he caught up with her, taking a moment to pluck off the leaves that had caught in his tunic. He eyed the cove below, arching an eyebrow dubiously.
"Would ya look at that," he said, irritation bleeding into his voice. "Did ya really drag me all th' way ou' into the woods for some bloody sightseein'? What does any o' this 'ave to do with Hiccup?"
Astrid couldn't blame him for his impatience. She hadn't felt comfortable sharing much of Hiccup's discovery, so the bits she had shared didn't do much to assuage the man's fears.
"I'm going to show you why Hiccup's gone," she explained, feeling a rush of nervous energy build inside her. What she was about to share, she'd only ever experienced with Hiccup. Bringing in someone else, someone without an innate fascination for dragons…was a gamble. "You wanted an explanation, so let me show you."
"The 'why's no' so much the problem, so much as th' 'where.' "
Astrid sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I can't tell you where! I couldn't even if I wanted to – I honestly don't know. He only told me what it looked like, not where it's located. He didn't even add it to the map!"
That gave Gobber pause. "Is tha' so?"
She nodded, hoping he could see the sincerity in her face. "Yeah," she admitted, "but even if he had told me, I wouldn't tell you. He's trusting me with this, Gobber. Surely you have to understand that – I mean, you've kept secrets for Stoick, haven't you? Things that weren't yours to share?"
Astrid knew he had – after all, the man had been one of the first to learn of Hiccup's cursed status. He'd had to keep that massive secret under wraps.
Gobber watched her for a long moment, contemplating her words. Some of the agitation had leaked from his expression and he appeared to be reassessing her, as if she'd surprised him. "Aye," he agreed. "Tha' I 'ave."
"Learning about dragons means a lot to Hiccup," she continued carefully. "It's not just curiosity – although that is part of it, of course, because it's Hiccup – but it's also…personal. He needs to do this, and no one else will."
Her words seemed to strike something within the man, as his expression shifted to something more understanding. The fight had finally died out of him when he replied, "I suppose I can't fault the boy for needin' some answers. It must be hard…bein' the only one like 'imself. He does a good job o' hidin' it, but I'd imagine…"
Astrid nodded, having thought the same thing herself. Despite being surrounded by loved ones, there had to be a level of loneliness that went hand-in-hand with the curse. In being a dragon amongst vikings.
She only hoped their efforts to befriend the dragons could help ease that, helping Berkians gain a real understanding for the creatures.
"He needs to do this," she repeated, this time more forcefully. Then, before she lost the nerve, she gestured for him to follow her. "Now, let me show you what he's learned so far."
Hours later, when Astrid had finally climbed into her bed for the night, she found herself reflecting back on the night with an almost giddy sense of relief.
It had taken some carefully extracted promises, but she'd gotten an unarmed Gobber to quietly watch her interact with Stormfly – without any intervention. She'd thought the man would break his word when she'd clambered onto the Nadder's back, but he'd only let his jaw hang open in stunned surprise.
After demonstrating a few tight circles in the air, she'd directed Stormfly to land. It wasn't the most impressive flight by any means, but it was far more than any Berkian had ever seen. She hoped that would be enough to impress the blacksmith.
It had.
Only after her demonstration did she dare reintroduce Stormfly and Gobber. He'd been wary of approaching the former training dragon without his trusty hook, but had agreed to the risk after seeing how calmly the Nadder had interacted with Astrid.
Seeing the wonder and joy in the man's eyes had been something special – she only wished Hiccup had been around to see it for himself. She was certain the boy would be elated to see his mentor's awestruck reaction, especially considering the man's complicated history with the training dragons. There had been a clear shift in his expression, one that showed he'd been willing to reevaluate his long-held opinions.
"Incredible," he'd admitted.
Astrid had used the opportunity to explain that Hiccup had learned this much when he was out exploring, and that he believed it was just the tip of the iceberg. She made it clear that she agreed, pointing out her own progress with Stormfly.
"Aye," Gobber had agreed, looking contemplative. "It appears we may 'ave a lot to learn, after all. Perhaps…perhaps it's time we consider a new type o' dragon training."
Valka continued to grow paler as the hours ticked on. Hiccup had bound her wound with some bandages he'd retrieved from her chambers, but he'd been careful to keep it loose. He wanted to protect the injury without creating an extra obstacle for the mysterious 'Mala' to have to navigate around.
They needed to get the antidote to her as fast as possible.
After taking care of her wound, Hiccup had helped move Valka up to a grassy hill to rest more comfortably. To his alarm, she'd seemed even weaker on that journey…leaning like a dead weight against his shoulder. The poison was progressing.
He sat beside her, trying to stamp down his internal panic as they waited in the night's quiet. Much of the nest had settled, save for a few nocturnal species milling about. It made the waiting feel all the more ominous, as any sudden sound could fracture everything.
Hiccup's own breaths felt deafening to his ears, hitching as worst-case scenarios surfaced in his mind. He'd only just found his mother and now fate may take her away once more. It was a grim realization.
Finally, the distant sound of wingbeats came into focus. The noise grew louder and louder until the Stormcutter dove down into the nest.
Hiccup exhaled heavily, lurching to his feet.
Thank the gods.
To his surprise, there was no one on Cloudjumper's back. His fears grew as he considered that the dragon may not have been able to find Valka's ally. Or worse, that ally hadn't been able to help.
Cloudjumper shrieked, angling down towards him. With that movement, Hiccup noticed the dragon had something clutched in its back claws.
The Stormcutter landed oddly, bearing the brunt of the impact on its front wings before rolling onto its side. In doing so, the figure of a slim woman was revealed. The stranger was quick to extract herself from the dragon's grip, finding her footing on the grassy hill.
"Thank you," she said, addressing Cloudjumper directly. She dipped her head low in a respectful bow. "It was a great honor to fly with you today."
The woman stood tall, with bright blonde hair cropped short and a regal set of black and gold armor. She carried herself in a way that distinctly reminded Hiccup of many of the chieftains he'd met in his youth: both determined and fiercely confident. Whoever she was, he was willing to bet that she was a leader amongst her tribe.
"Mala?" Valka asked, voice sounding breathy and full of urgency.
The woman – Mala – spun to face them. Her eyes barely slid over Hiccup before latching onto Valka's slumped form. She wasted no time in rushing over, dropping to her knees beside Valka throwing her satchel down between them.
"How long has it been?" She asked, digging through her bag with urgency.
"Less than a day," rasped Valka, "perhaps twelve hours."
"The same poison as the last time?"
"Yes."
Mala nodded, pulling out a series of jars and vials as well as a large wooden bowl. She lifted each vial, appraising it, before carefully adding a portion of the contents to the bowl.
"Probably best to do a dose and a half," murmured Mala, more to herself than her patient. She continued to add to the bowl, biting her lip in concentration.
Hiccup recognized a few ingredients from his visits to Gothi's home, though he was certain he'd never seen half of the herbs and flowers Mala was using. More puzzling still were the vials of liquids – some thick like sap, others appearing almost like water.
She pulled a blunt, stone object out her bag and proceeded to grind the ingredients together into a thick paste.
It smelled awful, and the more it mixed, the more potent the smell got. Hiccup felt his eyes water, having to blink away the wetness. He was grateful it was night – he couldn't bear to think of how much worse it would be for a dragon's senses.
Mala separated the mixture in half, scooping half of it into a cup. "Drink this," she instructed, passing it to Valka.
Hiccup's stomach turned as he watched his mother drink the concoction – if it tasted half as bad as it smelled, it had to be absolutely foul.
Mala stood, bringing the bowl with her as she approached a large, flat rock. She dumped the rest of the mixture onto it, before turning her attention to Cloudjumper.
"If you would?"
The dragon needed no further prompting, setting the mixture on fire. It burned quickly, flames dying out in a matter of seconds and leaving behind a grainy, ashy substance. Bits of it glittered, as if they'd been crystalized by the heat. Mala gathered up a handful of the charred mixture and returned to Valka's side.
"Unwrap the bandage," she instructed, acknowledging Hiccup for the first time, though her attention appeared fixed on sorting through the mixture.
He did so quickly, hands shaking as he fumbled with the wrappings. Still, he was able to get them off and moved aside.
"Done," he said.
Mala nodded, turning her attention back to her patient. She began to press the burned mixture into the wound, caking it into the cut until a thick layer coated her wrist. She reached a hand out blindly towards Hiccup, who dropped the wrappings into her outstretched fingers. With practiced ease, Mala bound the materials securely around the injury.
"That should do it," said Mala, dusting off her hands. She gave Valka an appraising look, posture loosening. Her voice remained brisk and businesslike as she spoke, though the urgency had faded. "I'll keep an eye on you for an hour to make sure your body isn't fighting the antidote, but as it's been less than a full day since you were poisoned – I'm rather confident that you'll recover. This remedy has yet to fail a human or dragon."
Hiccup's relief was nearly eclipsed by his surprise. Had she just implied that she, or perhaps her people, had healed dragons? It appeared his mother's allies were just as interesting as she was.
"Once again, I am in your debt," said Valka, a tight smile stretching across her face. Some of the color had returned to her cheeks, but she still looked far from healthy.
"There is no debt between friends," dismissed Mala, shaking her head. She busied herself with returning her supplies to her satchel, glass bottles clinking together. "Though I do wish you'd try harder to avoid those poisoned blades. We haven't studied the effects of multiple poisonings on the body…we've never needed to – please do not give us reason to change that."
Valka rolled her eyes but said nothing.
"Thank you," said Hiccup, taking advantage of the lull in conversation, "for saving her."
Mala glanced over, attention fully focusing on him for the first time. Her gaze was strikingly sharp, boring into his features as her eyes began to sweep over him. "Ah yes, who are you?"
"Mala, I'd like you to meet Hiccup Haddock," explained Valka, "My son."
"Your son? But, I thought…" Mala shook her head, expression softening. "Forgive me, it doesn't matter what I thought. Introductions are in order. I am Mala, Queen of the Defenders of the Wing. It is an honor to meet any child of Valka's."
A queen? Should he bow?
"Uh, it's an honor to meet you too, Queen Mala." He racked his brain for the etiquette lessons he'd been given in childhood, trying to recall how one might greet a foreign leader of such high status. Nothing specific came to his mind in that moment and he didn't want to hesitate too long, so he settled on stretching out his hand to shake.
The polite smile died on the queen's face, a gasp slipping through her lips.
Mala took a startled step backwards, swiftly drawing a weapon from her belt. A deep crease had formed between her brows, and her voice was venomous when she spoke. "You dare to craft clothing from the pelts of dragons?"
Huh?
Hiccup followed her gaze, taking in the sight of his outstretched left hand.
Oh…well, that's a new one.
Mala seemed to think his hand was a glove, fashioned from the hide of a dead dragon. It was the first time he'd gotten that assumption, but now that he considered it…he could admit it was a more logical leap than the truth.
"It's not clothing," interjected Valka, catching on as well. "Those scales are Hiccup's own."
"Impossible."
Hiccup gripped the bottom of his tunic in his other hand, swiftly pulling it up and over his head. "It's true," he assured, shivering as the night air hit his bare skin. He felt awkward and exposed, but he could think of no faster way to quell the woman's doubts. "I know it's, uh, weird and all...but this is me."
Mala approached him slowly, weapon still raised threateningly in her hand. Her brow remained furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line as she considered the seamless blend of skin and scale with critical eyes.
Hiccup gripped his tunic tighter in his right hand, trying not to let his fear show. For as kind as the queen had been to his mother, he feared that kindness would not be extended to him. Mala clearly possessed a warrior's heart and would not hesitate to fight if she felt the situation called for such measures.
He was stuck by the knowledge that he was unarmed and essentially at her mercy. With his mother in her current state of recovery, he was on his own. Suddenly his father's insistence on weapons training didn't seem quite so crazy.
"May I?" Mala nodded towards him.
Hiccup blinked, surprised she'd even asked. "Uh, sure."
The queen tested the line where the scales began, nails tracing around them as if looking for an edge to slip under. Looking for proof that he was wearing the scales…that they weren't a part of him.
Mala made a sound of surprise when she found none, but didn't give up. She shifted her attention to his arm, first attempting to bunch up the scales by his elbow and then at his wrist, as if the whole thing were merely a complicated sleeve.
Hiccup had to fight the urge to roll his eyes, feeling like the whole exercise was ridiculous. No clothing or armor followed the lines of the body that naturally.
Finally, Mala drew her blade to his arm, moving so quickly he didn't have time to react. In seconds, she'd slipped the blade under a scale by his elbow, removing it in a single fluid motion.
"Ouch!" He tried to pull away, but her trip only tightened.
"Hiccup?" Valka asked, sounding much steadier than before. "Mala, is this really necessary?"
The queen didn't respond, grip remaining tight on Hiccup's arm. She seemed frozen, fixed on sight of the injury.
HIccup followed her gaze, seeing the dark Night Fury skin that had been exposed by the slice. The cut itself was healing, but a few beads of blood clung to the line. She'd cut far enough to draw blood and she hadn't found human skin – instead, she'd found dragon skin.
"How?"
"It would seem a Night Fury saw fit to bless my son," explained Valka, who was shakily making her way over to them. She placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, squeezing lightly, "that same dragon's magic now runs through his veins."
Mala sheathed her weapon, attention shifting to Hiccup's nervous face. She considered him for a moment, and the silence did little to comfort him, instead launching his racing heart into overdrive.
"Remarkable," She finally spoke, cutting the tension. "It would appear that I have misjudged you greatly, Hiccup Haddock. If it is true that the dragons honor you, then you must be someone very special, indeed. I apologize for my actions and for any fright that I've caused you."
Hiccup exhaled, feeling his face flush. Whatever he'd been expecting her to say, it hadn't been that . "I, uh, I think you've got the wrong idea. I'm really no one special–"
"Do not be so quick to judge yourself," interrupted Mala with a raised hand, looking thoughtful. "Your very being has been reforged by a dragon's magic, and that is no small thing. I expect it means your life will burn quite brightly, and that we can expect to see great things from you in the future."
He shuffled his feet, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Just a year ago he'd thought that he had no future – now queens of foreign lands believed that he was destined to have a remarkable one? It was…hard to envision.
Mala seemed to read the doubt in his face, giving him a wry smile. "It is never easy accepting one's destiny, is it? You are not the first, nor will you be the last to feel this way. Do not let it burden you – it is not a weight that you should feel hanging over you, but rather an opportunity to seek something outside the ordinary. Should you ever need guidance, or a place to explore that destiny, you will always be welcome amongst the Defenders of the Wing."
"B-but…you don't even know me," he sputtered out.
"The judgement of man is flawed," she said firmly, "but amongst my people, the judgement of dragons is absolute. You have been judged by a dragon, Hiccup Haddock, and blessed by its magic in a way that I have never before seen. That is all I need to know."
Blessed.
He wanted to correct her, to explain that the curse hadn't been some kindness offered to him by a dragon. Perhaps if she knew that it was all fueled by revenge …that a dragon had cursed him for his actions…she'd feel differently about his worth. She didn't have the whole picture. Hel, she didn't even know about the transformation.
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he locked his jaw to keep quiet. Instead, he gave a quick nod to acknowledge her words before stepping away, taking the opportunity to pull his tunic back on. No matter how this woman regarded dragons, his secret was meant to be just that: a secret. It was so important to his father to keep the knowledge contained...he didn't want to be the one to risk letting it spread. His mother knowing was one thing...but a stranger? He couldn't take that chance.
When he looked back, Valka and Mala were exchanging a quick embrace.
"You seem to be healing up just fine," said the queen with a satisfied smile. "So I'll leave you to it. I hate to leave so soon, but your son can watch over you in my absence. I think it best that I head back to my island before sunrise…things were a bit of a mess when I left and I worry that my absence will only escalate the situation."
"A mess? Is there anything I can help with?" Valka asked, swaying slightly on her feet.
"Nothing that you need concern yourself with. You must take time to rest and recover, I can handle things," insisted Mala. She turned to Hiccup, nodding once in farewell. "Until we meet again, Hiccup Haddock."
"Your majesty."
Mala bent down, retrieving her satchel. Without any fanfare, she slung it over one shoulder and strode off towards Cloudjumper. The dragon had not gone far, laying a few paces away and watching Valka's recovery with anxious eyes.
The queen bowed deeply to the Stormcutter, voice almost reverent when she spoke. "Great dragon, if it pleases you, would you return me to my people?"