The Lost Boy V - Short stories

My family

(set at the end of Book 3 but before the last chapter)

It felt like his whole body was aching. His ears buzzed at the memory of the husterical yells from the twins. His head was throbbing, as if someone was repeatedly hitting him with a hammer. His back was hurting as if he had carried a Gronckle on his spine for the whole afternoon. Even his arms and tights were complaining, his muscles turning sore. The stump of his leg was also irritated by the repeated friction with his peg leg.

He only wanted one thing, and it was collapsing on his bed and sleep. Maybe he would have enough energy to hug his husband before falling asleep ?

He already felt a bit better when he closed the door of his home behind him. He sighed deeply and breathed in the familiar scent of his home. It smelt like wood, furs, a bit of charcoal from the fireplace, but mostly a mixture of the plants and medicinal herbs Joke was storing on shelves and the drying bouquets hanging from the beams in the living-room.

The chief opened up his eyes and removed his fur cloak, which he hung to its usual place near the fireplace, far enough so it won't catch fire but close enough for it to stay warm and dry. Then the viking bent and picked up an iron stick to shake the ambers and add another piece of wood.

The silence filling the hutt puzzled him. He had expected Joke to come and welcome him, just like usual. Seeing it was late, his husband had to be back already, and the cloak hanging behind the door proved it. Hiccup frowned and looked up to the ceiling, listening for any noise. He heard a faint creak above him, due to someone walking slowly. Suspicious, he decided to check it out.

Thought, once he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a faint sound that instantly chased away his worry. He smiled and listened to it, slowly making his way towards the door of their bedroom. Wary of making any sound, he slowly pushed it open and peered inside.

Instantly, the sound grew louder and what sounded like a hum turned out to be a voice. Hiccup's smile widened and softened as he took in the sight in front of him, and he leant to the door frame so he could just watch it. He forgot everything about his long and tiresome day, forgetting about his sore muscles, his headache and his tiredness. He watched his family as warmth spread in his chest.

Joke was standing a few steps away from the bed, taking slow and slightly bouncing steps as he was rocking the tiny baby in his arms, to whom he was softly singing a lullaby Hiccup had only heard once before. It wasn't even Joke who had sung it the first time, but Elska. It was Elska who sang it to her son, the day they had been reunited. She had been singing it to him countless times when he was baby and toddler, though those precious memories had been stolen from him and has never returned.

''A dragon flies into the moonlight
The cold snowstorm
He has a message to spread around
The kingdom will sing and rejoy

The witches and demons have come to deny
The beauty and peace of our homeland
We have a message to spread around
The princess of the north is born''

And now, it was Joke singing it to their daughter Alwine.