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chapter thirty-one
grimmel's promise

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    THE GROWL GREW louder. Valkyrie recognised it and felt her stomach drop. Her breath hitched and she glanced over her shoulder━her knees started to tremble. In complete sync with Hiccup, the two Vikings let out groans of, "Oh, no━!"

    The Rumblehorn could be at least twice the size of Skullcrusher━a deadly creature with twisted, sharp horns and battle-armour that was thicker than stone. Shimmering in colours of pink and purple, the dragon extending his wings and reared back his head; he must have sniffed them out, sensed there wasn't something right ... and by the Gods he wasn't happy to see them here. 

    Valkyrie gasped as she shuffled back, trying to drag Hiccup with her━but when her feet touched the edge of the clearing, sending loose rocks and dirt over the side, she had no choice but to stop. She clutched his arm tight, nails digging into the scales of his dragon armour. The Rumblehorn towered over them, his growls getting louder and louder and louder━

     Hiccup shuffled her behind him as he anxiously inched out his palm to the dragon━his breaths were heavy, he knew it was no hope; as soon as he got close, the Rumblehorn threw his head back and roared. 

     Valkyrie spun around, eyes wide as she saw each and every dragon raise their heads━hundreds; even thousands glanced backwards, and their eyes set upon the two of them standing on the edge ... and collectively, their growls and roars vibrated the earth beneath their feet. 

     Yet still, she managed a dumb, "Oh, no."

     "Go━!" Hiccup shouted, pushing her forward and she knew what he meant. Just as the Rumblehorn snapped his jaw closed where they had been moments before, the two Vikings leapt off the edge and started to slide down the slope. 

     As they did, Valkyrie shouted as loud as she could━desperate and terrified, "ZEPHYR━!"

     The descent wasn't smooth. Valkyrie gritted her teeth as the stone grazed through her leggings and nicked her skin━crystal splintered above and showed them; they held their arms up, trying to shield themselves from cascading stone and dragon claws. With the Rumblehorn following at a steep descent, snapping his jaws and clambering faster than Valkyrie felt comfortable, the other dragons started to swoop; and she gasped, pained when one talon cut a shallow gash on her arm. 

     She could hear Hiccup behind her━barely over all the roars, growls, bellows and squawks. She just hoped he wasn't far behind. She cried out his name, hoping he'd reply━if he did, she didn't know; the sound of crashing stone, angry dragons and her own heartbeat had grown too loud. 

     They were getting close to another ledge━Valkyrie's heart stopped. She screamed; she felt Hiccup crash into her. His arms latched around her as they tumbled over the side, keeping her close. The jolt of the ground painfully shook through her bones, but it didn't hurt as much as it would have if Hiccup hadn't taken most of the blow. Groaning beneath her, tucked in his armour, she knew his was in a lot of pain. But they couldn't waste a moment. They were alive. They were bruised, they were both bleeding, but they were alive. 

     Even before she knew whether she could stand, Valkyrie was on her feet. "Come on!" she tugged her husband up━he stumbled, but she caught him. She secured an arm around his waist and dragged him across the shattered crystal ground to shelter from the swooping dragons━as fast as they could manage. 

     The thundering thud behind them told Valkyrie the Rumblehorn had followed. "Go!" she shouted, frantic. "Go!" She tried to search for Zephyr amongst the chaos, crying out his name once again. She didn't know where he was━she didn't know where Toothless was. But if they couldn't fly out of here, they were dead. 

     They ran━they sprinted; stumbling down slopes and skidding around corners; they rushed through the exotic maze of the Hidden World, and the brilliant, glowing lights no longer felt beautiful. They should have never come here in the first place. This was not a place meant for them. 

     She and Hiccup narrowly missed the jaws of the Rumblehorn yet again━almost tripping over as the slope took a drastic dip. Her arm seared with pain, her back and her sides ached, her cheeks stung━though none of it really mattered with her blood pumping and her heart pounding so fast she barely remembered to breathe. 

     They were reaching another ledge. They couldn't jump off it this time. Valkyrie cried her dragon's name once more, for they didn't stop. As the ledge grew closer and closer, they didn't slow down━

    Just as they were about to race over, something dark and strong swooped down and grasped his claws around their arms. 

     Toothless pulled the two of them to safety, holding them close to his underbelly as his wings beat harshly to shoot them upwards. He snapped growls and roars to the dragons that followed, and they stopped in their paths, confused━and yet yielding. The squawk beside them told Valkyrie that Zephyr was right by their side. She glanced over to meet her dragon's gaze, and just as he was glad she was okay, she was glad he hadn't been hurt in the frenzy, too. 

      But she couldn't find relief. As Toothless's grip tightened around her torso to keep her secure, all she felt was guilt. She could hear his ragged breaths━feel the anger burning off his scales. Hiccup felt it, too. He glanced up at his dragon as they flew further and further away from the centre of the Hidden World. His voice cracked, "I━I━I'm sorry, bud. I━I just━"

     He couldn't finish. He couldn't find the words. Hiccup hung his head, face clouded with shame. 

     Valkyrie didn't say a word as Toothless dropped her down to Zephyr's saddle beneath. There was nothing to say━other than Hiccup had been faced with the truth, and it broke him. 

     In dreadful silence, the two of them flew up the waterfalls and to the ocean, away from the Hidden World. 

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    THE FLIGHT BACK to New Berk was tense. Neither Valkyrie or Hiccup uttered a single word, both of them sombre in a grave silence. The dawn had turned into a late morning, blinking over to the afternoon as the sun shined in the centre of the sky. Valkyrie ran her fingers along Zephyr's neck, her furs off her arms as she checked the scratches from the dragon's claws. None would scar, not that was what was on her mind. All she thought of, all she could feel, was Toothless's anger like a raging fire beside her. 

    There, he had felt at home. There, the dragons felt at home. They had a place to live that could inhabit them all━a true Utopia that was where they all originated from; a fable that became true, but a place never meant for the like of Vikings. They lived in peace, they lived in harmony ... because they lived without them. 

     Valkyrie's brows furrowed. She pursed her lips, feeling something grow heavy in her throat; it ached as she continued to rub Zephyr's scales━not sure whether she was calming him or herself. That had been the longest it had taken him to reach her after she called his name. The longest it took him to find her, to help her, to save her from danger. Because before, he had always been at her side. He had always taken care of her. He had always cherished her and protected her. Ever since she was a child, fifteen and bitter. He opened up her heart, he showed her glimpses of freedom, he showed her a window to herself in a creature that couldn't be more far from the same. 

     And yet, he had been in the position where he didn't think of her. For once, Zephyr had been in the Hidden World and he thought of himself━found a place where he knew he belonged. 

     Valkyrie brushed her thumb across the sunburst yellow amongst his white and blue scales. He squawked, glancing back with his long neck━he knew she was upset about something. 

     She didn't know why there was such an ache in the pit of her stomach. Something that made her feel so sick she could lurch over the side━something was telling her a truth she wasn't prepared to understand; but whatever it was, it made her feel lost and alone ... like some part of her was tearing away. 

      Valkyrie found herself glancing up, wanting to meet Hiccup's gaze━and as if he was feeling the same, he looked over, too. A sad moment settled between them. 

      She didn't know what happened next. All she knew she wanted was to get back to New Berk, to hold Linnea, and to be by a warm fire━to be home. Home under a roof, home amongst blankets, home with her daughter and at her husband's side. No matter where that may be. 

      New Berk slowly rose in the distance━glorious, basked in the afternoon sunlight. Valkyrie saw the cliffs, the waterfalls and the overflowing shores; she saw the dragons crossing over the treetops of vast woodland, carrying wood from string to the highest slope of the pasture they had originally landed. There, a house was at its mere foundations━but it was tall, it was grand, but it was also cozy ... secluded and alone, and yet looking over the production of a bustling village filled with the most interesting (and very stubborn) Vikings she always loved with every inch of her heart. 

     Berk wasn't an island. It wasn't its walkways and its cliffs. Berk was its people; it always has been. 

     Home ... Valkyrie found herself thinking as she gazed upon the construction of the Chief's house. 

      They stopped to hover over a cliff that stretched out from the island; lodging itself in an arch down towards the sea far below. The grass was long; reaching up Zephyr's legs as they landed. Valkyrie winced as she slipped off her saddle, stumbling a little as her feet hit the grass. Zephyr quickly swept his snout underneath her arms to keep her up. 

     She clung on a little longer than she had to, but Valkyrie found herself needing her dragon's embrace━she wasn't particularly sure why. 

     When she pulled away, she rubbed her dragon's wing to let him know he was okay to leave. He was hesitant, but she knew he was hungry, and so with a final glance, he took off for the lake in the centre of the island, nestled amongst a valley of cliffs. 

     Once she did, she immediately felt a gentle hand cup her cheek, making her turn around. Hiccup didn't say a word, just careful as he checked up on her━the thumb of his other hand gently pressing the skin around the gash on her arm. She could see the blame in his eyes━on no one other than himself. 

      "Hiccup," whispered Valkyrie; her voice stuck in the back of her throat. He met her gaze and she saw that he was tearful. She grew tearful herself, knowing that finally, he understood. She didn't chide him for being so torn, she didn't sigh and complain he wasn't seeing the truth. Instead, Valkyrie sympathised━more than that, she realised just how hard this was. She remembered the days where Hiccup and Toothless tried to take on the world, and now that story was starting to end. 

     She set her forehead against his and he slumped, sighing out a long sigh. "It's okay," she told him softly. "You'll be okay. He'll be okay. You can do this."

     Hiccup pulled away, rubbing her shoulder sadly. He glanced back at Toothless who sat with his back facing them, brooding off back the way they came; alone amongst the green pasture. For the first time, Toothless felt alone in a way not even Hiccup could be there for him. 

     Valkyrie gave Hiccup a final, reassuring nod. She squeezed his gloved hand. Then, she stepped back, giving the two of them some space. 

      Her husband took a deep, long breath and sighed it all out. He nodded to himself before slowly approaching his dragon; his best friend. Hesitant, he walked in front so Toothless would meet his gaze, and his dragon looked down━as if he, too, knew what Hiccup had come to say. 

      It was beautiful, but it was sad to see━the love they had for each other, the way they could understand each other in everything they did. 

     Hiccup gave Toothless a small, bittersweet smile, "It's okay, bud," he told him. His dragon glanced back up, "You ... you belong there, with her━" Hiccup's voice cracked, and for a moment, he sounded like that young boy all over again━alone and scared in that forest, and yet filled with awe. He sighed. "We don't."

     Toothless warbled━careful and mournful. Hiccup tilted his head, finding it hard to speak. "And━and that's all right." He cupped his dragon's snout and the Night Fury closed his eyes, tender. "We'll find a way to manag━"

     A soft mewl cut him off. Hiccup frowned. Toothless piqued up, his eyes brightening━he glanced over to the long grass at the edge of the cliff. Valkyrie spun around, too, confused. 

    Toothless sat up straighter━his feet shuffled amongst the dirt, excited. And then, over the edge of the long grass, a pure-white, gorgeous dragon poked her bright blue eyes out. 

    Valkyrie gaped, amazed. 

     There she was; hiding amongst the green: The Light Fury. Probably terrified, probably wanting to cower away. Unsure and nervous, untrusting and hesitant of them all━and yet she had followed. She had made her way back here. For Toothless. All for Toothless. 

     And he was ecstatic. 

    Hiccup laughed in his delight and disbelief. "H━Hey━!" he chuckled, turning to face his dragon━he matched Toothless's might grin, throwing his arms out in celebration. Toothless danced on the spot, so happy he leaned in and licked Hiccup right across the face. Her husband hunched up, laughing. 

     He let his dragon go━bounding through the pasture towards the Light Fury, his heart light and his smile wide. Valkyrie ran over, grabbing his arm and shaking her head, unable to belief it herself.

     "She followed us back!" exclaimed Hiccup with glee. "She followed us back!"

      "She loves him," Valkyrie murmured, her heart warm as the two dragons circled each other━rubbing their slender bodies in a sweet, caring hug that made her lean her head against Hiccup's chest; the gesture making her think of him. The two of them chuckled as the Light Fury leapt up and tackled Toothless to the earth, bright and cheerful. 

     Hiccup held Valkyrie close, the two of them watch a dragon who has been alone all his life find someone else that could understand him better than they've tried. And it was emotional. He was happy. He was truly happy. 

     Night Fury's mated for life. It was part of their being to find their other half, somewhere out there in the world. 

     Hiccup squeezed Valkyrie, grinning down at her with the same love, "We might not have to say goodbye after all."

     And perhaps she was being childish━naive, even, but deep down, Valkyrie hoped for that, too. 

     Toothless glanced back at them. Smiling, he started to bound back towards his family━slow, at first. When the Light Fury didn't follow, he stopped and looked over his shoulder, coaxing her forward with caring purrs. Valkyrie smiled, gentle and careful as the Light Fury lifted her ears, tilting her head to peer at the two of them━checking for any signs of danger. 

     "Come on," whispered Hiccup, reaching out his palm, "it's okay━you're safe, here. Luna," he decided to call her as she inched a foot towards them; and it seemed fitting. She glowed, like the light of the moon. "You're okay, Luna..."

     And yet, it seemed so tame━so domestic, that at the same time, it did not suit her at all. 

     "WOO-HOO━!"

     Ruffnut's voice startled Valkyrie so much she squealed, jumping away from Hiccup and nearly tripping over. The Light Fury hunched up━she darted back, spooked. Though, Val paid little mind━she swivelled in her boots, realising that it was Ruffnut's voice━

     For a moment, Valkyrie didn't care how she was here, or why she was on an adolescent Scuttleclaw, or how she managed to escape Grimmel's clutches. All she cared about was that her friend was back, and she was safe and Valkyrie threw her arms out, "Ruffnut!" she cried out. 

     Running forward as the older Twin leapt off the baby Scuttleclaw's back, Valkyrie threw her arms around Ruff's shoulders. "You're alive! You're okay!"

     "Ew━!" Ruff pushed her away, "━You stink like you've just been in a boar pit. That doesn't suit you." 

     Valkyrie scoffed, shocked as she grinned, stepping back. Hiccup was soon hovering over her shoulder. "Ruffnut?" he let out, just as surprised.

      Ruffnut Thorston swept around in her armour, showing off her long, dangling braids with a flirtatious smile. She threw them off her shoulder, "Miss me?" she asked Hiccup and his shoulders dropped, annoyed. (But relieved━by the Gods, were they relieved to see her). 

     (And very surprised. Did Valkyrie mention the surprise?).

     "H━how did you escape?" asked Valkyrie as the initial happiness to see her settled, and the incredulous confused replaced it. "Grimmel━Grimmel would have men, and━and dragons━"

     "Traps━" added Hiccup, who had been there to see it, "━plenty of traps━"

     "━and more dragons!"

     Ruffnut shrugged, coy as she played modesty━but there was only smugness in her voice. "I annoyed them 'till they let me go," she said through batted eyelashes. She cackled.

     "What do you mean you annoyed them━?"

     A horrible feeling rose in her chest. Valkyrie cut herself off mid-sentence. There was a low hum in her ear, muffling out the sounds of Ruffnut's boastful retelling of her ability to annoy others to stupidity as she started to realise. Her gaze darted to Hiccup beside her. He thought the same. 

      "Wait," his breath hitched, eyes growing dark with dread. He surged forward, trying to interrupt Ruffnut━to make her focus, she wouldn't. "Ruffnut, Ruff━Ruff━" she faced him, miffed he stopped her story. Hiccup held a hand out, dead serious. "Grimmel let you go?"

      She scoffed, the smirk still on her lips. She held up her hand, as if checking her nails, even though she had gloves on. "I know right?" she snorted. "So dumb." She grabbed her braids and swung them around, turning to the Scuttleclaw that scurried back, a little terrified of her. "They couldn't handle me. Right, Fart? See, everyone thinks Tuffnut's more annoying, but..."

     She kept going. Valkyrie wasn't listening. She knew her mind crossed the same path as her husband's, and it wasn't good. She was on edge━she tried to think: why would Grimmel let Ruffnut go? She was a strategic capture. She could've been used for ransom, for questioning, for anything other than just letting her go ... 

     There was a sinking feeling inside her. Valkyrie cursed. Their friend did not realise. She did not even think. She didn't even stop to realise━

      "Wait, hold on━" Valkyrie grew frantic once more. Her heart raced. Ruffnut continued to talk. "Ruff━Ruff, hey━Ruffnut, would you focus?!"

     Ruffnut made a face at her, completely ignorant to the situation. "You're angry━is it the comment I made? Sorry," she bounced her brows, not at all apologetic, "but it's the truth, Val━you should go have a bath━"

      Valkyrie clenched her hands. She almost lost it if Hiccup didn't step forward and stop her. Calmer, and yet stern, the Chief demanded Ruffnut to answer: "Listen to me, right now, Ruff━were you followed?"

      Her scoff didn't make them feel better. Valkyrie's heart-rate grew. Ruffnut arched a brow at them; shooting a sultry glance over her shoulder, "I never look back, Hiccup."

      And just like that, their fears dawned on them with harsh punches to the gut. Hiccup stumbled back, his eyes growing wide with terror━ "Toothless━"

    He tripped, he threw himself around, desperately reaching out to his dragon playing in the field who was completely vulnerable. "Toothless!"

     Valkyrie rushed after him, pushing herself through the long grass. Ruffnut followed, confused━but when they heard the deranged cry of the Light Fury, even she realised. She took to the air, trying to get away━when a dragon root dart lodged itself into her neck; and she dropped, rolling across the grass to the very edge.

      "No!" Hiccup cried. He ran━he ran as fast as he could through the dense grass, pushing and shoving it aside. Toothless raced after the Light Fury, he did not see━ "TOOTHLESS! COME BACK━!"

     "TOOTHLESS!" even tried Valkyrie, stumbling over her own feet. He didn't listen. They were too far away. 

     They heard his cry in the distance. Hiccup pushed himself to run even faster, ignoring the pain in his leg as he pounded the ground too hard with his prosthetic. The three of them reached the edge of the grass, but they were too late. 

      Grimmel stood over their limp bodies, chained and captured. Valkyrie heaved with anger as she watched him step up, chuckling at their feeble attempts━he knew he had won. He knew damned well. From the cliff's edge, Death Grippers rose. Attached to their strong wings followed a scaffold━a flying contraption that dragged Toothless and the Light Fury from the grass and into the air; taking Grimmel with them. 

     They soared, dangling from it, away from the cliffside of New Berk. Valkyrie heard Grimmel's laughter. She clenched her hands ... completely helpless as she watched them drift away. 

      "And now━" called the Night Fury Slayer down to the Chief, "━our little game must come to an end!"

     Before Hiccup could say anything the entire forest behind them erupted with the fury of hundreds of dragons. The entire flock of Berk darted out in a burst of colour; every dragon on this island surged forward with their claws extended and their teeth bared. The roars were deafening; an entire army coming to defend their King.

     Grimmel clambered up the chain and into the depths of his flying contraption. He climbed to the top and grasped the metal arms of a crossbow, "Call them off, Alpha!" he bellowed. He turned the large weapon onto the Light Fury, still dazed and unconscious within her flying cage. Toothless's eyes widened. He woke; he struggled to reach her. He noticed the arrow aimed straight for her heart. "No reason for her to die, too."

     He watched the army of dragons get closer and closer. Valkyrie had her hands to her lips. In their shadow, rushed forth the rest of their team; stumbling through the long grass much like they had to reach the edge. 

     When they drew nearer, Grimmel locked the arrow into place━Toothless shrieked through the iron muzzle; and like that, the entire flock flung out their wings and abruptly stopped in their path. They hovered above, unsure and startled. Their shadow loomed over the Vikings beneath. Apprehensive, they squawked and they threw their heads, though they did not move. 

     Snotlout reached them first. He skidded to a stop, horrified at the dragons above, "What are they doing?!" he cried. "They could totally take him!"

     Hiccup shook his head. He glowered up at Grimmel with a burning blaze, "Not with her life on the line!"

     Death Grippers growled; taunting the Light Fury who could do nothing to stop them. Toothless swung in his cage, growling and trying to startle them away; Grimmel laughed at the sight. Valkyrie's blood boiled. "Save your breath! The only Alpha they respond to is me." He noticed their glowers miles below, and he tsked━shaking his head with disappointment. "Oh━" he crooned at the Chief of Berk, "━don't feel too badly. You tried your best. But you are nothing without your dragon."

     His words struck Hiccup's glower away. He staggered there for a moment, like he had been shot with the bolt himself━eyes wide, he stared at Toothless swaying, helpless in the sky ... he called down to him, and there he stood ... completely Useless. 

      Completely and utterly useless as Toothless was taken from him. Unable to do anything as the rest of the dragon's followed, under his reluctant command to protect the Light Fury. Ashamed as like many times before, they were left alone ... helpless, vulnerable, defeated ... all because of him. 

     Like a child━like a lost, forgotten and broken child, Hiccup ran to the very edge of the cliff. "TOOTHLESS!" he cried, almost falling over the side. He stopped himself, choking up as he saw the entire fleet down below. Hundreds and hundreds of ships at their shore.

     Their dragons flocked after their Alpha to their capture. And he let it happen. 

      He had failed them. Again. 

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     "OH, THAT is just great! Now what?!"

     Tuffnut stamped his foot onto the grass, crossing his arms from the edge of the cliff. Valkyrie glanced at him, horrified by his lack of faith. The rest of the team stood around her, startled, angry, upset and horrified all at the same time. They were left alone, defenceless with a war at their doorsteps━barely any weapons, minimal catapults and no way to take on the fleet Grimmel had at his command. They had been silent, for a moment, so shocked that everything had happened so quickly━but none more struck than Valkyrie. Everything had changed in a matter of seconds, she did not even know where to begin. Thousands of questions were asked upon her without any of her friends uttering a word. They expected her to answer them. They expected her to make a decision. They waited for her to give a solution to what seemed the impossible.

    And it frustrated her. She might've always been the leader when they were kids, but she wasn't the leader now. She could not give them their answers. She could not have them rely on her in battle━hold belief in her over Hiccup, because deep down, somewhere along the line, they decided she was better off. 

     Her gaze lifted from glowering at the grass to her husband pacing the cliffside━she remembered the first time Toothless had been taken from him, and felt as if she had stepped back in time. 

     "We can't just let Grimmel take the dragons," Hott was saying, flustered at the cheeks with fury. "We can't let him win!"

     "What do you suppose we do?" said Ruffnut, utterly defeated. "We can't take all of that on━" she gestured wildly to the fleet. 

     "It'd be suicide," agreed Astrid sadly, her entire face falling. 

     Snotlout scoffed to himself. He pushed Eret out of the way who stumbled, shooting him a small frown, "I think it's time for number two━" he gestured to himself, "━to become number one."

     "Yeah," grumbled Fishlegs. He clutched Fishmeat to his chest. "That's helpful, Snotlout━really."

     Valkyrie had drowned them all out. She didn't know what to do. She was just as lost as the rest of them━standing alone in a field with her husband defeated at the other end. Time and time again, she stood there, and time and time again ... she never seemed to be able to show him just how great he was. 

     Suddenly, she was fifteen. She was unsure, and she was scared━she had just watched everything in Hiccup's plan fall apart and they were left at Berk, helpless as their family started a voyage that would ultimately lead to their deaths. She hadn't known what to say to him, or what to do, seeing him so upset on that walkway ... but it had just felt right to walk up to him, and the words just flowed out ... and here they were, years later, right back where they had started. 

       Amongst all of their mutters and their complains━and their arguments on what they were supposed to do now━a voice broke through. A hand settled gently on Valkyrie's shoulder, and her mother-in-law murmured, "He'll listen to you."

     Valkyrie gazed at Hiccup, her heart in her throat. What could she tell him now that would be different? That would change anything? How could he see what she had seen the moment he changed her entire life━for the better. 

     How could he listen to her? How could she make him listen to her?

     She was fifteen all over again━just as scared, just as hesitant, just as unsure as to where the future would lead them. 

     But filled with just the same amount of loyal, true and soaring belief in the man she loved. That never once changed. 

     Valkyrie briefly glanced at Valka. She sent her a small smile. 

     Val took a deep breath. Just as always, she knew what she had to do. 

     Fixing her eyes upon her pacing husband, Valkyrie Haddock marched forward. He didn't even look up to know she made her way over. Before she could even say a word, he threw his hand up and stormed past her, "Don't say it!"

     Valkyrie held up her own in surrender, letting his anger and frustration explode. "I wasn't going to."

     "I shouldn't have dragged you out there," he went on, his hands flying out in wild gestures. "He wouldn't have flown me back. She wouldn't have followed."

     "You summed it up, not me."

     Hiccup exclaimed in frustration, spinning on his heel to storm past her once again. She let him go, leaning back to avoid his arm that swung around without thought. "I feel like the same screwup I was before I met Toothless!"

     She sighed, exasperated. Rolling her eyes a little to herself, Valkyrie propped her hands on her hips to tell him, "You're making that blatantly obvious."

     He spun back to her, annoyed. But she made him stop pacing, at least. Hiccup gestured angrily to his wife, "Are you just gonna stand there and agree with everything?"

      Valkyrie stared at him, growing just as frustrated and annoyed. "I'm not agreeing with you," she told him, matching his voice momentarily. Hiccup rolled his eyes, too. "Don't tell me I'm agreeing that you're some screwup. I never thought you were a screwup."

      He chuckled at her, scoffing in bitter resentment. "Valkyrie, you hated me before Toothless. Don't lie."

     She couldn't believe him. Her eyes widened, her brows lifted in shock. For a moment, she couldn't find any words to say to think that this entire time, he thought that. He doesn't, she reminded herself. He never did; he's upset. 

     Soft, gentle, Valkyrie Haddock swallowed back her anger to tell him the truth: "I didn't."

     He frowned at her; though she saw something lift off his shoulders. Valkyrie shook her head, her voice cracking as she stared at a man she loved with everything she had who couldn't love himself. "I didn't hate you," she whispered. "I never hated you. You frustrated me, and you annoyed me━and you threw me into strife back in Dragon Training━" he made a face, like she was only proving his point so she quickly added, "━but I never hated you. You━you were so different, and so free ... you turned everything in my world around and made me reconsider everything I thought I knew about myself. I didn't know how to handle it. I never understood it. But I always watched you, I always saw you, I always heard you."

      His attention was fixed. Hiccup's angry breaths softened, his shoulders slumped, his eyes widened━he was speechless; breathless from what she said. From her. 

     "But maybe you are right about one thing," then said Valkyrie, fighting back tears as everything they've been through; all of their adventures, all of their conversations, all of their growth━everything from the very beginning, even before that night in the forest, seemed to finally come together. To finally meet today and make all of their hardships, all of their times together over the years finally make sense; finally reach its destination. "You are back to where you started. But, Hiccup ..."

      She stepped closer to him as he glanced away yet again, gesturing to her heart with a desperate breath━right where her betrothal necklace and the brooch he made settled against her chest. "I was the first to believe in you. And I have watched you doubt whether you're worthy ever since! But you know what?" her breath hitched once more. Valkyrie couldn't fight her tears any longer. She's never looked at someone as she did Hiccup ... she ... she loved him so much it hurt, it made her, it soared within her and swelled her heart a thousand times its size. He was her everything. He had been her rival, he had been her frustration, he had been her change and he became her friend. He became her partner in battle. He became her heart, her home, her level head and her comfort. He became her family. He became the father of their child. He became something more than that: he became her life. 

     She sighed ... and her next words became the truth she never once spoke: "You know what ... I ... I am the person I am today because of you."      She watched as he slowly turned, completely taken-aback. Gentle gaze filled with shock, and yet such love landed on her━and it did not leave. Valkyrie managed a smile for her husband, and she knew he finally saw just how much she meant every word. "I never told you that but it's true.

     "You are the bravest, the most stubborn━" his brows bounced, and he chuckled, expecting the word, "━most determined knucklehead I know! That person you are━who you've always been ... that's who made me see the truth as it had been from the beginning. That's who makes me follow you to the end of the earth and beyond━through everything, Hiccup, you, just you, has inspired me, has given me hope, has made me want to be a better person; continues to make me fall more and more in love every single day." 

     Soon, they were standing toe-to-toe. Valkyrie tapped a finger at his chest, "Toothless never gave you that, Hiccup ... he just made it━"

     "Easier," he finished, locked in her gaze. 

     Valkyrie nodded. "And now, it's gonna be a lot harder." 

     She saw it. She saw a flicker of something in his eyes; his shoulders rose━his jaw set. Valkyrie didn't feel any satisfaction, she didn't feel smug ... she felt nothing else except blinding pride. As he set his determined gaze forward onto the fleet below, her heart fluttered, and she knew: there he was. There was the boy in that forest, the boy who was so stubborn he would never give up━the man who was a Viking; a Chief. 

     Valkyrie smirked, "So?" she asked him, eyes bright and shining. "What are you gonna do about it, huh?"

     "Eh ..." shrugged Hiccup, meeting her gaze once more to grin━knowing all too well where she was heading with this, "... probably something stupid."

      Her smirk turned into a grin, "Okay," she said. "But you already did that...?"

     Hiccup matched her grin, "Then something crazy."

     Valkyrie huffed out a long breath. Tenderly, she tapped his chest, right over his heart. "There you are," she told him lovingly.

      Her husband brushed her hair off her face, as if he never knew how he got so lucky. He leaned in and gently kissed her cheek. Then, taking her hand, he led her back to their friends waiting in the pasture, determined. 

     "Suit up, gang!" he told them and Valkyrie smiled, proud. "We're going to get them back."

     Fishlegs's eyes widened. "What?" Ruffnut stared at Hiccup. Her jaw dropped. "He's lost his mind," she then told the others. 

     But Tuffnut━oh, Tuffnut━he might be even prouder than Valkyrie was. He teared up, his bottom lip trembling before he threw out his arms and marched towards Hiccup, tugging him away from Val to squeeze him into a bone-crushing hug. "Now━that's father material!"

     Holding him at arm's length, Tuffnut blubbered: "At last, faithful pupil, you are ready!" Hiccup sighed, but just nodded, accepting his friend's dramatic ways. Valkyrie laughed, shaking her head at them. "Now, all you need to do is grow a beard like mine, and come up with some amazing Dad Jokes, and you will be my greatest graduate yet━"

     "Yeah, Hiccup," taunted Snotlout, "grow a beard. Valkyrie likes that sort of thing." The Chief shot his cousin a scowl. He just smirked, very smug of his joke.

    Hott made a face━as he did in any instance regarding his sister's relationship, "Gross."

     Fishlegs butted in, peering at Hiccup from his shoulder. "Uh ... sorry, but━how are we gonna get our dragons back without dragons?"

     Hiccup didn't give him an answer. He only grinned, "Trust me."

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

    a/n: actually cried writing this chapter. they've gown up so much, i-

    (and no, I haven't forgotten about linnea, she shows up next chapter).

     but let's just take a moment to focus on how valkyrie and hiccup were FIFTEEN and now they're married, and they have a kid and they've figured it all out and i'm super EMOTIONAL OKAY?!!

    (little did snotlout know, hiccup did grow a beard--)

     drawing! 

    let's imagine I didn't accidentally make valkyrie look too much like astrid it's hard when you're drawing off a reference. 

    anyway there are more to come next chapter and after all that!! (only a few remaining chapters left ... I need to start drawing everything I wanted to with all my emotional parallels and then just do a drawing chapter in this book cos I don't think I ever will stop drawing these two and their story)

     (plus do all the drawings for the rtte book but like, lets be emotional guys they're growing up-)

     (minimal editing)

    valkyrie loves hiccup so much I just can't--

    I really hope I'm serving you guys the best emotional shit for httyd 3 as the main storyline comes to a close.