Run and Hide

Chapter 1: Family, Enemy and Blood

Berk. It's a peaceful island on the north of hopelessness, friend to the dragons and neighbouring islands. Who wouldn't want to live there? It's snow-capped peak on the mountain, the friendly communication which echoes through the village, the laughs and parties taken place in the Great Hall and the island's safety is in the hands of Stoick the Vast a chief loved by all his people. However not everyone has the luxury to an island such as Berk. Some people live in the shadows; they hide away because of the wrong path they take in life. But this dark path can lead to unspeakable things you can't walk away from. The Grimborns'. They see the world through a different set of eyes, they see no care, no passion and no respect but there isn't much some people can do about that. You can't change a person, they can only change themselves. But the luxuries that Berk contains and the high ground they hold they pose a threat towards the Grimborns'. And I guess that's where this story begins. The night everything went wrong for the family on Berk and unfortunately...this was my family.

Stoick

The fire crackled burning away the crisp cold which made its way through the peaks in the walls and the opening of the door. Chiefly duties tire me out every time my feet walk through the door but apart from those worries the thing that pulls them away is my wife and son. Each and every night I step through the door I watch my wife entertaining out son. Valka is like my rock, she helps me get through the worst of days as well as take care of our son. I love the way her emerald eyes flicker like stars at me and the way her brunette hair falls down her back and the way her smile lights up the room and her efforts she puts into everything, I love her like there's no tomorrow. Our little Hiccup looks just like his mother, he shares her emerald eyes, her chestnut hair and her smile and I know he will grow up to do such great things in life. I walk through the warmth of the house to see those two sets of emerald eyes pear at me "Daddy!" Hiccup squirms through his mother's arms, a smile creeps on my lips as my son is let on the ground and runs into my arms. My warm hands wrap themselves around the figure lifting him into the air.

I twirled him around in a circle before placing him in a sitting position in my arms "What's my son been up to today then?" I beamed a smile towards him as he started playing with tuffs of my beard; Valka made her way towards us leaning to kiss me on the cheek before pulling Hiccup's soft hands away from my hair replying "You went and played with the other kids today didn't you Hiccup," I looked at him wide eyed as he buried his head against me "Still shy as usual I see," I teased him placing him on the ground tickling him under his chin making him release a giggle which echoed through the room. My smile beamed brighter knowing I had such a lovely family before my eyes and my heart would be torn if it were taken away from me. Valka headed into the back of the house as I stayed with Hiccup; he was a little trouble maker when he wanted to be, his habit of breaking objects in the house while trying to lift an axe for instance and the habit of tormenting Skullcrusher whenever he could.

I made my way over to my chair and watched him play with his dragon toy Valka made him before crawling over towards me. I looked down at him with his forest eyes gazing at me, his arms lifted towards me so I took him in my grasp and sat him on my lap. I ran my fingers through his shaggy auburn hair as he laid his head against my chest closing his eyes. I leant down and kissed him on his forehead "He hates it when you're gone all day you know?" Valka came back into the room taking her seat in front of me after placing a cup of mead and food in front of me. "I know and I wish I can spend more time with him, I do, there's just so much that needs to be done," I felt defeated as she nodded at me "I understand that Stoick but maybe you could release a bit of time for him as well," I looked down at the fragile figure that laid against me and nodded "I'll see what I can do tomorrow," I looked back at my wife as she raised her eyebrow "You promise?" I slammed my eyes at her "I promise," she let her eyebrows relax as she leant back in her chair and smiled "Good." Her eyes landed on the figure in my arms sighing deeply "I think it's time he went to bed don't you think?" she questioned as I nodded. She raised her arms ready to take our son but instead I stood myself "I'll do it."

Valka's smiled increased as I went to the stairs. My heavy foot hollowed with each step I took up the steps but it reflected off the gentle breathing against my skin as Hiccup slept peacefully. I laid him down on his bed gently as possible; I shifted his head onto his pillow followed by the swift movement of the blankets covering his fragile shape. I leant in and kissed his forehead before heading back to the stairs "Daddy..." I looked back round to see the emerald shine towards me, he looked sad and emotional so I made my way over to him "What's wrong son?" I grabbed a stool to sit facing him "What's this?" he moved his hands out from under the blankets; within his hands he held a small piece of parchment, he raised it towards me so I took it willingly and slowly. The parchment showed location by location of Berks enemy. Their symbol etched in the corner of the parchment. My eyes wandered between my son and the locations until I placed it neatly in my lap "Hiccup did you go through my things again?" he clutched hold of his blanket "No...Maybe...yes...I was curious," I ran my hand through the bangs that hung across his face "Because you're a curious child Hiccup, forget about it, forget you ever saw it okay," he slowly nodded at me releasing a small yawn "Good night Hiccup." I kissed him one last time before making a final exit.

I took my seat and held the map in front of me examining it closely "Stoick stress yourself about it now, we have tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that," Valka placed her hand on my shoulder as I looked up at her "I worry about him Val," she shook her head at me as she released the parchment from my hand to the table to make me look her in the eye "I know but he's gonna be fine we'll make sure of that," her words do make me feel calmer but something just didn't feel right in the air. The fire was deepening as the wood was scorching away so the ice wind came creeping back through the walls. It was getting late and I knew I had to go to sleep but the noise and light outside diverted my attention. Valka and I sprinted outside the door, the village was bliss. The fires scattered from one corner of the village to the other, my people were running around defending themselves, putting out the fires and when my eyes gained focus on who these people attacking Berk were fire boiled within me and I knew I had to protect my family and people. The orders I would shout people would obey. I made sure that all the children were protected in the Great Hall.

I would swing mysword at the attacking enemy as they would blow a strike at me. With each man Itook down the docks were visible to me and I could see amidst the flames thebloody fist as their symbol – the Grimborns'. Their men were completelyunbalanced against our own making them stand no chance against us and soon thecries were heard from above as the dragons descended against them causing mostof their men to retreat. "I'm not leaving here empty handed!" I heard the cryof the Grimborn leader make his presence and mission known aloud. "Daddy!"Immediately my body spun as I saw my son race towards me "Hiccup! Get backinside now!" the fear in my voice vibrated through the whole village as eyeslanded on us through the flames. Valka and I started racing towards him but itwas too late. "Daddy!!" His screams echoed through the whole village he waslifted from the ground and chucked over the back of one of the Grimborns' men. "Hiccup!!Hiccup hold on!!" The Hooligans saw the matter at hand so began racing towardsmy son but then the bomb hit pushing everyone backwards. The flames descendedupwards into the air blocking the way to reach the enemy and the last thing we could hear were the cries of my son being drifted away from me.