The Change...

Chapter 7

(Stoick's P.O.V.)

I walked outside with a spring in my step, and a smile on my lips. I had almost reached the docks, where I would check on yesterday's fishing reports, when I heard someone call my name.

"Stoick!"

I turned to see Gobber loping down the hill towards me. I smiled, but my smile turned to confusion when he didn't appear to be slowing down. I stepped aside as he flew past me, and then proceeded to stumble to a stop at the bottom of the hill. I chuckled and walked down the hill to speak with my friend. When I reached the bottom of the hill Gobber was still breathing hard, and red-faced. I slapped him on the back.

"I haven't seen you run that fast since the day you stampeded Eirendor's yaks when we were kids."

He finally caught his breath, and then said with a laugh.

"Yeah, old Eiry sure was fired up about that one wasn't he? Although that's not nearly as bad as the time you took yer dad's ceremonial belt, and used it as a sled."

We both laughed at the memory...It had been a winter's day, and Gobber and I had been really young. Probably no older than four at the time. Anyway, we had wanted to go sledding, but neither of us had a sled of our own. So, I had come up with the ingenious idea of using my father's enormous (well, it was huge to a kid) ceremonial belt to sled on. So, I had sneaked into my parent's room, and gotten the belt. We then hiked up to a remote spot on Berk, and started our fun. The sledding was great, and we sneaked the belt back in no problem. However, unbeknownst to us while we had been using it the crest had gotten scuffed, and scratched by hitting various rocks, and other bramble. We hadn't wanted to sit on it, because it would have been too uncomfortable. My father was irate when he found out. We both had been punished by scraping barnacles off boat's hulls for two months. Oh, good times......

After we had finished laughing I looked to Gobber.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Gobber gave me a blank look, then he furrowed his eyebrows. 

"Well, what was it?"

"Hold on a minute. I think I left it at the top of the hill. It'll catch up with me."

He stood there for a moment concentrating, then his eyes widened and his eyebrows raised.

"Oh yeah, I remember now!"

"Well?!"

"How was your anniversary? Anything exciting happen?"

I looked at my friend with an incredulous look. 

"Gobber, I think that what happens in my house is my business." 

Gobber's eyes got even wider, and then he laughed and said.

"Not that! I mean did Valka have anything interesting to tell you?"

I looked around the dock, and the pulled my friend over to a more covered area.

"Did she tell you?"

"Well, not in so many words...."

I felt my mouth go dry, and a sinking feeling enter my chest.

"She told you before she told me! You knew before I did!"

Gobber put a hand on my shoulder, and shook his head.

"No, and yes...No, she didn't tell me before you, but I did know before you."

"Well, how could you have known if she didn't tell you?"