44. After the Battle

Hours after the battle, night had fallen.

Reactions were mixed.

Isabela and Camilo were quite proud of how they’d handled themselves. Luisa wished she could’ve made sure no one got hurt, though come suppertime they wouldn’t have to worry about any injuries. Antonio simply seemed to think it was fun, except for the parts where Hiccup was hurting and Mirabel got hit. Mirabel, Dolores, and the other adults were just glad it was over. Hiccup was tired.

And hungry.

Lucky for him, it was time for dinner.

Mariano and Valentina had insisted on a retelling of the fight. As they all ate, Camilo acted out the evening’s events. Transforming into each person as he did.

“So then the big guy comes rushing in, and he punches Luisa!” He spoke, in Stoick’s body. Miming a mighty swing.

“But Luisa takes the hit like it’s nothing!”  He exclaimed, now in his cousin’s form and posing like a hero.

“It was still pretty scary…” Luisa murmured, as she was reminded of the harrowing experience. She smiled as Mirabel placed a supportive hand on her arm.

Isabela scoffed, smugly. “The only thing scary about those guys is how dumb they were!”

Camilo grew a teasing grin. “But Isa, what about your new boyfriend?” He turned into Snotlout, flexing his muscles and wiggling his eyebrows.

He ducked as she threw a fork at him.

“Dang, I should’ve been there…” Sighed Valentina, speaking with her mouth full. She swallowed, and continued. “I could have taken those guys, easy! Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve had a good fight.”

“I-I don’t think any fight is a good fight…” Bruno chuckled nervously. Valentina stuck her tongue out at him.

“I agree.” Alma nodded sagely from her end of the table. “It was very unfortunate that we got involved with those…brutes!” She grimaced at the memory of the Vikings, but she then smiled as she glanced at her granddaughter and the boy sitting next to her.

“But thankfully, we had Mirabel! Who found a way, as she always does, to save us once again!” The bespectacled girl blushed, as she received claps and cheers. “And Hiccup, who found the courage to stand up to those ruffians!” The tired boy weakly smiled, as he too was showered with praise.

“But wait…what about the monster?” Asked Mariano.

“We kinda got sidetracked by the whole ‘Vikings are trying to kidnap our dweeb’ situation.” Camilo snarked.

“It’s still there.” Dolores stated, quietly. “I heard it an hour ago, at their camp. It’s the axe girl’s pet.”

At the mention of Astrid, everyone developed a frown. After how she attacked Mirabel, no one could say they were fond of her.

Especially Hiccup, who couldn’t believe there was a time when he’d had a crush on her.

Though he still wasn't entirely sure what she of all people was doing with a dragon.

“She probably sent that thing to snatch you..” Luisa warily pointed out to Hiccup.

The boy sighed. “I wouldn’t put it past her…she really seemed to want me to go with them.”

“But why?” Pepa asked. “Didn’t you say they hated you? Why would she want you back? Why would any of them want you back?”

“With the chief…I really do believe that he’s sorry, but he wants to kill Toothless. I can’t let that happen. And he’s not gonna change his mind about it…” He poked his food with a fork, and shrugged. “With the others, I dunno. Probably to execute me or something…” He didn’t catch the horrified looks his last comment garnered.

“Well whatever the reason, it’s not happening!” Mirabel declared, looking at Hiccup with sparkling eyes. “You’re staying right here!”

Julieta smiled, overflowing with motherly affection. “With us!”

“And we’ll never have to worry about those nasty Vikings ever again!” Declared Augustin.

But Camilo didn’t seem to agree. “Uh…aren’t they still out there? I don’t think they’re gonna leave until they get what they want.”

A disconcerted silence fell upon the table, as nobody enjoyed the thought of those barbarians loitering just outside their home. Waiting for their chance to strike. They still needed to figure out what to do with them.

“About that…” Dolores started, as she shared a sullen glance with her fiancé. “Mariano and I have come to a decision.”

She sighed deeply, as all eyes turned to them. “We’re going to postpone the wedding.”

Mariano swiftly moved to cover her ears, as a chorus of shocked gasps and exclamations resounded around the table.

“What? NO! Why? Why would you do that!?” Pepa asked, disheartened. Clutching at her braid.

“We don’t want the Vikings ruining it.” Mariano spoke. Softly, as to not disturb Dolores more. “Hiccup’s obviously gonna be there, they might try something.”

Dolores nodded. “It wouldn’t be for too long, just until things cool down.”

Reluctantly, the family agreed. It’d be a shame if Dolores’ special day was crashed by another kidnapping attempt. It was still disappointing to hear, though.

Dinner progressed, with Camilo finishing up his story. He embellished some details, such as the stupidity of the Vikings or the vulgarity of Bruno’s prophecy. Making the man cover his face in embarrassment.

He also diminished some details, like how close they were to losing at the end. Though he was sure to emphasize how Mirabel’s idea won the day.

Soon, their meal was concluded. Mariano and Valentina left to return to their homes. Hiccup had the same idea.

“Well, today was certainly…something. I’ll see you- “As he stood from his seat and began to walk to the courtyard, he suddenly tripped and fell over.

Casita quickly moved his chair to catch him. As he sat, thanking the house for the assist, he was surprised at the abrupt wave of fatigue that washed over him. “I guess I was more tired than I thought…”

As Toothless sent him a concerned croon, Mirabel approached. “Are you alright? Do you need any help getting home?”

He tried to wave off her concerns, swaying woozily as he stood. “Don’t-Don’t worry about me, it’s not a long walk…” He tried to move, but he tripped once more. Mirabel caught him this time.

“Yeah, no. You’re not going anywhere.” She decided. “You can stay here tonight!”

“No, No, I wouldn’t want to impose…” Upon seeing the deadpan stare she was giving him, he knew resistance was futile. “…Yeah, okay.”

He still had a question, however. “But where do I sleep? Last time I checked, there wasn’t a guest room.”

Mirabel thought on this for a moment.

He could sleep in her room, but that might be seen as…inappropriate. And they didn’t want him imposing on anyone’s privacy by staying in their room either. There was the living room, but that was so informal. He deserved an actual space meant for resting!

And that left one option.

“Well…there is one other room…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brightly colored walls, decorated with cutesy animals and supplementary learning material. Shelves lined with an array of toys and books meant to encourage young imaginations. And beds way too small to be comfortable for anyone over the age of five.

Such described the nursery.

Hiccup’s dwellings for the night.

As Toothless made himself comfortable amongst a pile of plushies, Hiccup sat on a tiny bed and took in his surroundings. “Oh yeah, sleeping here won’t be degrading. Not at all…” He snarked.

Mirabel chuckled in the doorway, ruefully. “You get used to it.”

He was suddenly reminded that she’d spent a good decade in a room just like this, and felt really, really bad.

“W-Well it’s not so bad!” He sputtered, trying to salvage the situation. “I mean, it’s got nice colors! There’s reading material, that’s quality entertainment! A-And uh- “

He was cut off by a giggle, one more earnest. “It’s alright! I know you didn’t mean it like that.”

As he sighed in relief, she approached. “So..”

“So?” He repeated, confused.

“So how’re you holding up? After…everything?” She asked, taking a seat next to him on the far too small bed.

He released another sigh. “Well, considering my past came back to haunt me, attacked the people I care about, and is sitting out just there waiting for another opportunity to abduct me…” He grinned. “I’m doing pretty good.”

“Are you really?” She pressed.

He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I…I don’t even wanna think about it. I just want them to go away, so everything can go back to normal…” He groaned.

She said nothing more, as she didn’t have an answer to this predicament. She simply hugged him from the side, laying her head on his shoulder.

“…What about you? How are you feeling about this?” Hiccup asked, after a while. “It was your family who got attacked, after all. Not to mention you got punched by Astrid.”

Something he said made Mirabel pause. “Is that her name? Astrid?” He nodded, and her brow furrowed in confusion. “That’s like, a normal name! Why do the others have names like Fishlegs or Snotlout or…I dunno, Fartmuncher? But she just has a regular name?”

“What makes you think I know?” Hiccup laughed. After a moment, she was laughing too.

Then, she answered his question. “It was scary. I’d never been in any kind of fight before, none of us have. I’m just glad no one was hurt.” She sent an apologetic glance his way. “Except for you…”

“I don’t want something like that to happen again. They have to leave. Though…I feel like they’re not gonna leave you alone.” She spoke, looking a bit fearful.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s not worry about that right now. We’re all okay, and we’re together. That’s what matters.” He then smiled. “And I gotta say, you guys handled that battle really well!”

She lightly jabbed his arm. “That’s what happens when you hurt a Madrigal! You mess with one of us, you get all of us!”

“I’m not a Madrigal!” He said, to which she rolled her eyes.

“You’re honorary!” She responded.

There was a moment of silence. The only noises filling the small room were Toothless’ snoring.

“So…” Hiccup started. “We both agree that we have to name our kid Fartmuncher, right?”

She laughed hard, snorting at his joke. When she was done, she smirked teasingly.

“Are you saying you want to have kids with me?” She asked.

He smile faded, and was replaced with a shocked expression. His face burning red. “I mean-I wasn’t-Not to say-That is-Wait-I- “

She chuckled at his stammering, and rose from the bed. It was time for her to go to her own room.

“I’ll get you up for breakfast, okay?” She spoke from the doorway. “Good night!”

After wishing her a good night as well, Hiccup lied back on the bed.

“Night, Toothless.” He muttered softly, knowing the dragon wouldn’t hear him.

The windows creaked and waved about, and Hiccup remembered they technically weren’t alone in the room. “Good night to you too, Casita!” He chuckled. It seemed the house didn’t like being left out.

Satisfied, the windows ceased their noisemaking. And closed, but not all the way. Enough to allow a pleasant breeze to flow through the room.

Now in the dark, Hiccup didn’t even bother trying to think back on the day’s events. He was passed out for most of them, anyway. Though he did wish he could’ve seen the Madrigals in that fight. It sounded pretty cool.

And it warmed his heart to know that he was the one they were defending. They protected him like he was one of their own.

He didn’t spare a single thought to Snotlout, the twins, Fishlegs, or Astrid.

…He thought a bit of Gobber, and how it was nice to see him in person again. He wished it was under better circumstances.

And when the chief’s face entered his mind, he immediately shut the thought down and turned over in the bed. Drifting into sleep.

…And occasionally waking back up.

Seriously, this bed is awful…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Berkians sat around the campfire, under the light of the moon, wondering just what in Thor’s name had happened.

First they get zapped to this strange land by a magic storm. They still had no idea just where they were exactly.

Then they encounter this strange village, where violence doesn’t seem to be a concept.

Then they actually find Hiccup, but it turns out he’s been adopted by a family of witches and warlocks, and he refuses to come back with them.

It’s been a very tiring day.

Stoick sat on his log, confounded. Not even noticing when the fish he was roasting on a stick started to burn.

He thought he’d had it figured out.

Hiccup was just rebelling, wasn’t he?

Then why did he seem so insistent on staying with those witches? Was he under some kind of spell?

Why did the witches rush to his defense like that? Did they truly love him? Or were they using him for a potion or something?

Why did he seem so upset when he suggested that they kill the Night Fury, if he was just using the dragon to defy him?

He’d apologized with everything he had, it should all be okay now. They should be going home now.

“I just don’t get it…” Stoick mumbled, as he’d done multiple times this evening.

Gobber shrugged, as he turned his stick around to ensure the fish was roasted evenly. “I dunno, maybe witches make for pleasant company?”

“Or maybe they cursed him!” Tuffnut suggested.

Astrid rolled her eyes. “Don’t be stupid, he didn’t look cursed…”

“But he did!” Stoick suddenly shouted, much to everyone’s surprise. “He was on the ground, in horrible pain! He was unconscious for most of the battle! They had to have done something to him!”

Both Snotlout and Ruffnut stayed completely silent…

But Tuffnut laughed.

“No, no, no, that wasn’t the witches…” He spoke, while shaking his head. “That was us!”

He gestured to himself, his sister, and Snotlout. The last two now looking petrified.

Astrid, Fishlegs, and Gobber looked very surprised. Stoick grew a deep, dark scowl.

“Explain.” He demanded, so softly that it felt like yelling.

Ruffnut and Snotlout tried to sputter out responses, excuses, anything that would save their lives, but Tuffnut interjected again.

“The Nadder dropped Hiccup here, and Snotlout decided to kick the crap out of him. Because he thought if he kicked his butt you’d make him chief. So he pushed him around a bit, until Hiccup started fighting back! And then we got involved, mostly because we were bored. Then this girl came, with the Night Fury, that was weird!. Then the witches showed up, then you showed up, and you know the rest...” He clarified, merrily.

“From Hiccup’s symptoms, he looked to be suffering from blunt abdominal trauma. Which he probably developed from Snotlout kicking his stomach like, a million times.” He finished his story with a smile. Not sensing the trouble he’d just landed himself and his partners in crime in. “It was really funny, you should’ve been there!”

Both Snotlout and Ruffnut glared daggers at him.

“What is wrong with you!?” Snotlout cried. “Why’d you tell him all that!?”

Tuffnut grinned, obliviously. “Because I believe in crediting artists for their work!”

Snotlout was wondering what Valhalla would be like.

Ruffnut was already writing her will.

And Stoick was insanely pissed off.

Astrid, Fishlegs, and Gobber were forced to cover their ears as Stoic unleashed a mighty verbal onslaught against the three. They couldn’t even make out what he was saying. They couldn’t even tell if he knew what he was saying.

But one message was received loud and clear.

Snotlout would never be chief.

The boy was in shambles.

It lasted about half an hour. After which, he commanded the trio to dig one hole each.

With their bare hands.

At first they thought it was a joke, but Stoick made sure they knew it wasn’t by brandishing his axe. “Dig. Now.”

They frantically shoveled dirt with their fingers, getting mud and soil stuck beneath their nails. Anytime one of them slacked, Stoick would start yelling again.

After an hour, they gave up. Their hands tired and bruised. The pits they’d dug were shallow, and could barely be described as holes at all.

And that’s where they’d have to sleep. For the duration of their time here.

The three, shivering and sniveling, lied in their rugged pits. Cursing Hiccup’s name, as if he was responsible for this.

Stoick, tired from his tirade, readied himself to retire for the night as well.

But before he could, Gobber spoke up from his seat on the log. “…I’m gonna try and talk to him, tomorrow. There’s something going on here that we’re not quite getting, and I figure it’d be best to ask him directly.”

Stoick nodded. “Good idea. We’ll go in the- “

“Not WE, me.” Gobber emphasized. “I don’t think he’d be too happy to see you, right now.”

The chief could only sigh at that. But he nodded again, and went to bed. Gobber did as well.

Not that they had beds.

Astrid and Fishlegs, the last ones awake, sat on adjacent logs. As Astrid polished her axe, the Nadder she’d christened Stormfly sleeping behind her, she spoke to the boy.

“Gobber’s plan won’t work. Hiccup is too wrapped up in fantasy land, he’s not coming with us willingly…” She sneered. “We’re gonna have to force him.”

Fishlegs balked. “W-What do you mean, force him?”

“I mean threaten him!” She snapped. “Or that dragon, or that witch with the glasses who was making googly eyes at him! He has to come back to Berk, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens!”

For once, Fishlegs didn’t look nervous or scared. Instead he looked frustrated. “Come on, Astrid! You’re smarter than this!” He groaned. “What’s gonna happen if you threaten his life?”

“Uh…he’ll come with us, obviously…” She spoke, as if it was basic knowledge.

“No!” The round boy exclaimed. “The Night Fury, or the twelve people willing to defend him, will kick your butt! And then what?”

She didn’t have an answer, and he sighed. “Look, Astrid. There’s a very simple solution here.” She nodded for him to explain. “We ask him nicely!”

…Astrid hadn’t considered that.

She thought for a moment. Envisioning a scenario where she acted…cordially with the boy.

That nerdy, wormy, annoying, obnoxious, disaster-prone boy.

And knew it wouldn’t work.

“Not gonna happen.” She said.

“If we just tell him about the nest, about ending the war, he’ll come with us. He doesn’t want anybody to get hurt!” Insisted the chubby boy. “I’m telling you, this is the only way our plan works. No insults, no fighting, just tell him what’s going on.”

Astrid was definitely not doing this.

“I’ll think about it.” She lied.

Fishlegs nodded, satisfied.

He put out the campfire, and the two went to sleep themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning, Stoick had an announcement to make.

“We are not leaving this place without Hiccup!” He declared. “Here’s what’s going to happen.”

He pointed to the one-legged man. “Today, Gobber will go and speak with him. Get some answers, and try to convince him to join us.” He pointed to the shield maiden next. “If that doesn’t work, Astrid will speak with him tomorrow.”

Fishlegs raised his hand. “I’ll go with her!” He had to make sure she didn’t fly off the handle.

Stoick nodded. “Very well. And if that too should fail, I’ll try to speak with him the next day.” His brow furrowed as he made his next point. “We are not to engage in any sort of violence, understood? We need him to want to come home.”

“Uh, and what about us?” Ruffnut asked arrogantly. Snotlout sniffling as he stood beside her.

“You three are going to stay at the camp until I decide you can leave!” Stoick shouted.

Tuffnut, picking his nose, asked his own question. “And how long will that be?”

The chief huffed. “Every time you ask, I make it three days longer.”

Snotlout crossed his arms and pouted, but the twins simply grinned.

There was no way they weren’t going into town. Loki was there!

As Gobber began to hobble towards the cracked mountain, Stoick ran up to him. “Please, talk some sense into him.” He pleaded.

Gobber sighed. “I can’t make any promises, Stoick. But I’ll try…”

With that, Gobber left in search of his apprentice.