━━ chapter fifteen
this is berk
part two!

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    ━━Here, at Berk, life used to be one way. Traditional; kept the same for three hundred years and plenty of generations of Vikings (and far more generations of sheep). But even Vikings can sometimes accept change, especially when it came in the form of reptiles with intelligent eyes, leathery wings and an appetite for mischief and most importantly of all: affection. Valkyrie used to feel trapped in who she was meant to be: in the life that had been picked out for her ever since she was given her name, and perhaps, every other Viking in Berk found themselves having been trapped one way or another, too. That is until Hiccup showed them all a path towards freedom. A way to feel the wind in their hair, to feel the love of an animal who would protect them once their trust was won, to experience something they had never experienced before.

    Valkyrie could explain Berk to you. She could tell you how you might find it; to see the mountainous landscape and rocky cliffs that sprung out of the water like arms and hands grasping towards the heavens, but what fun would that be? She liked mystery━always had and will continue to love mystery. The mystery of freedom, of feeling the wind in her hair, or hearing the roars of triumph sent up to the flock of birds that nestled on Old Björn's Well. Valkyrie the Vicious might not be vicious anymore. No, instead, she was Valkyrie the Mysterious; Valkyrie the Windstruck; Valkyrie the Dragon Rider.

    So, no, instead she'll explain to you what happened next. A lot of things in Berk changed in the time Hiccup took to recover. Dragons no longer threatened the villagers of Berk, or their livestock grazing in the fields. They instead took shelter on top of their homes, within their arms, welcomed to their shores with bright smiles on their faces. Valkyrie's family━much like many others in Berk━weaved the dragons into their everyday life. Zephyr was given a home in the extensions built on. Not just for him, but for Valkyrie to spend her time with him as well. Mallory the Dragonbone was no longer the head of a house that decorated its walls with dragon heads, and its weapons with dragon teeth. Instead, the stone around the fire was the perfect resting place for Mak and Erik's Terrible Terrors, and under the table was the place for Asrifth's Gronckle who liked to eat the scraps of their dinner. Hott found a Deadly Nadder to keep him company as he drew and created pieces of art, one that spiked his paper to the walls with a quick flick of his tail. They were a big family, but that family only just grew and grew. They used to slay dragons; dragons were the Frode Clan's enemy ... now, they were like blood.

    Valkyrie spent most of her time in the sky, flying through the rocks, trees and clouds with Zephyr. The two were a team; a pair to be reckoned with. She'd race with Astrid and her Deadly Nadder she named Stormfly to see who was the fastest. They taught their dragons tricks, taught themselves tricks, and created a bond that was unbreakable━one that none of them could have even seen at the beginning. Dragons had changed Berk, and so had Hiccup, for the better.

    (Who would have thought?).

    When Val wasn't riding Zephyr, or spending time with her family and brothers (who she was getting along with much better now), or her dear friends and their dragons, she was keeping Toothless company. The Night Fury wouldn't leave Hiccup's side, watching him rest in his bed for the days it took for him to recover. Valkyrie and Zephyr kept him company as he did, watching Hiccup themselves. Val would keep her gaze fixed on the rise and fall of his chest as she made flower crowns for the dragons, just to be sure he wouldn't stop breathing on her.

    So, in the end, Valkyrie Frode made a lot of flower crowns. Toothless━at first━wouldn't let her put them on him, playing games in ducking away from her hands. But by the end of it, he loved them. They had a whole collection of dried out flowers that were wilting around Toothless's makeshift bed by Hiccup's, but he still loved them. Valkyrie made him a new one each day, just as she did for her (and Zephyr, of course, who would snort and act as if he hated them, but Valkyrie knew that was far from the truth, obviously). She'd make ones for Hiccup, hoping that each day she visited, would be the day he woke up. Toothless kept those ones, too, waiting just like her to put them on his head and celebrate his return.

    And like she said, they soon had a whole collection.

   But the day Hiccup did return; did wake up, was the day that Berk truly changed, forever, in ways that no one, not even Valkyrie could guess. At it started (can you guess), the moment Hiccup opened up his door and took in the brave new world that Berk had become. Valkyrie heard the cheers from miles away, and she looked up from the water station Zephyr and Stormfly were drinking from, Astrid with her. The two girls grinned to see him: standing and very much alive.

    They raced over with the rest of the village, grins on their faces and their hearts exploding out of their chests. Valkyrie pulled Zephyr along with her, and soon met up with the twins, Ruff and Tuff, Fishlegs and Snotlout. The group of teenagers all skidded to a stop to see their best friend awake and still in one piece ... well ... except for his foot, that now supported a metal contraption of Gobbers work. But Valkyrie thought it was perfect━it screamed Hiccup. It was small, and thin, and quirky, just like the rest of him.

    Under his father's arm, he was led down the stairs and towards the crowd, eyes wide at all the dragons that flew around Berk without a worry in the world. "Turns out," he said, with a proud smile, "all we needed was a little more of this."

    Hiccup frowned up at him, and pointed, unsure to himself. "But ... You just gestured to all of me...?"

    Stoick nodded, smiling through his beard. Hiccup's shoulders slumped, realising, and Valkyrie felt her heart warm.

    "Well," Gobber pushed through to the front, "Most of you━" he pointed to the metal foot. "That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flair thrown in. You think it'll do?"

    With on hand on his father's arm for support, Hiccup glanced down at his new metal foot, and shrugged. "I might make a few tweaks."

    Valkyrie joined in with the laughter, the sound resonating through her throat. It was new, but she liked it. It felt more her. That was until Astrid decide to push her in front of the crowd. She stumbled slightly, shooting her a glare over her shoulder. But, now that she was here, Valkyrie met Hiccup's gaze, and felt her whole chest flutter; just happy he was alive. He gave her a small, sheepish and shy smile, skin still red with a few burns and grazes.

    Who knew Hicccup the Horrendous could be such a hero of Berk? So small, and so fragile━the size of a fish-bone, but he had the heart the size of a mammoth, and courage to most certainly match it (as well as a Viking stubborness), and all of that made him stand the size of his father━perhaps even taller so that he gleamed in the sun ... or was that just Valkyrie?

    Her stomach fluttered again as she thought on what to do, or say. She had been so worried, so scared ... which seemed absurd, considering how they felt about each other just a week ago. So much had changed, she realised. And it was for the better. All thanks to Hiccup.

    So, she stepped forward and did the best she could do━what came natural ... and that was to punch him right across the shoulder. Hiccup frowned, "Ow!" he let out, holding his arm where she had hit. "What was that for━?"

    "That's for scaring me and almost dying, you absolute idiot," she told him.

    Hiccup's frown turned blank, "Oh," he let out, tone filled with sarcasm, "I'm sorry, Valkyrie━ow!"

    She punched him again, "And that is for being all smart about it."

    He gaped at her. "W━what? Is it━is it always going to be this way? 'Cause━"

    Valkyrie just rolled her eyes and tugged him closer. Planting a quick kiss on his cheek, she then pulled Hiccup into a tight hug. He stood there, stunned for a second, but soon she felt his arms hold her━gentle and hesitant, and she smiled as she pulled away. "You were saying?"

    Hiccup━bright red and flustered━shook his shoulders, "━I guess I could get used to it, Milady."

    Her smile brightened.

    Gobber returned, holding something else in his arms. Valkyrie glanced at Hiccup to see his reaction at the saddle and new tail for Toothless; his eyes widened, and the grin on his face grew. He took them into his own arms. "Welcome home," said Gobber warmly.

    The door to Hiccup's home burst open, and Toothless roared in glee, jumping onto Vikings' shoulders to reach his best friend. Laughter echoed, playful comments were thrown, and Valkyrie glanced at Hiccup. She saw the look on his face; the bright eagerness in his green eyes. They turned back to Toothless, who's ears twitched patiently.

    Valkyrie grinned and looked back at Zephyr, "Come on, boy!" she said.

    Hopping onto his back, she fixed the reins and waited for Hiccup to set up the saddle on Toothless. He slipped in his metal foot into the special lever connected to Toothless's tail, and it clicked right in. He glanced up at Valkyrie beside him, and Zephyr, who swished his spiked tail eagerly.

    Hiccup rubbed Toothless's neck, "You ready?"

    He growled as a yes.

    Around them, the rest of the dragon riders got on their steeds. Astrid leapt up onto Stormfly, securing herself with the rope. Ruff and Tuff fought their way onto their respective Zippleback heads called Barf and Belch. Snotlout wrestled to reach Hookfang's neck, and Fishlegs happily climbed onto Meatlug's back.

    Hiccup met Valkyrie's eyes once more, and with a nod, they set off into the sky. Valkryie let out a cheer as the wind met her face. They soared around their home, taking swift turns amongst the wooden cottages and cliff-faced walks; they spun through the docks, laughing as they shot up back into the clouds. The others followed, shouting comments at one another, daring this and that, but Valkyrie didn't focus on them much. Instead, she focused on the feeling of wind in her hair, the beating of her tunic, the freedom that swallowed her heart and lifted it high up into the sky with her dragon. This was it. This was freedom.

    And this, was Berk. Her home. Valkyrie might not pin-point it's exact location on the map, because where was the freedom and mystery within that? But she will tell you of it's beauty, of it's treachery, of the flowers that bloomed in the trees, bushes and on the sides of the pathways. She'll tell you it snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three. And while the plants and scenery is said to be that of a beautiful haven, any food that grew here was tough and tasteless (and the people that grew here were even more so).

    "Catch up if you can slow poke!" she shouted over her shoulder at Hiccup, taking a sharp left towards Mulch and Bucket's farm, sending the sheep and yacks into a frenzy. He laughed after her, diving Toothless down and spinning along the cliffs to catch up. They flew neck and neck, through a canyon of mountain cliffs and into the roar of the ocean.

    And so, while the food, and the people who grow on Berk are quite tasteless, with thick skulls and even thicker beards, one of the only upsides (apart from the flowers) were the pets. Now, you see, you would guess that most places have poinies, or parrots ...

    No, no, no, they had ...

    Dragons.

    Valkyrie grinned at Astrid who managed to swoop in from underneath, taking the lead. Snotlout whined from the back, pushing past Fishlegs to get closer and leaving the twins shoving and cursing each other in the back. Val tilted Zephyr down, and flew upside down next to Hiccup. She met his gaze, and he shook his head at her, amused. Toothless gave her a gummy grin.

    And sure, you probably think this is the end of the story? Well, Valkyrie can assure you that, no, it isn't. Because, let her say, that there is much, much more to come.

END OF PART ONE

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a/n: oH mY gOD thAt WAS QUICK OMFG!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Cant wait for the next part hehehehe 😉😉😉 we shall have a small interlude of fun and games before returning to the program of Riders of Berk WHICH WILL BE SO EXCITED AGHRJKELLCLLWLWLKCKKWKCKLQLWOIVJE

hope you guys loved this chapter and part! Imma miss writing valkyrie who hates hiccup it was fun ahahaha. See y'all soon!!!!