The Eternal Valkyrie

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Yes......... your older brother." The sentence caused everyone to stop talking and stare at Valka in shock.

"Hiccup has an older brother?" Tuffnut questioned.

"Had Tuffnut. He had one." Stoick answered with a weary sigh before looking at his son. "How did you find out?"

"Toothless and I overheard you two talking at Gobber's house." Hiccup confessed.

"I always dreaded when this day would come." Valka mumbled as she gave Hiccup a sad look.

"Mom..........Who is Stephen and why did you give them our location?" Hiccup now asked. He really couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he had a brother but he still couldn't understand how this all added up. In truth he didn't think his mother would have confessed at all.

Valka motioned for them to head towards the campfire they had previously lit. Valka moved to sit on one of the logs around the fire as her husband sat next to her and kept his arm around her waist. Gobber was stoking the fire while the others all took a seat.

"Stephen was...." Valka hesitated, hunching over slightly, before taking a deep breath and continuing. "He was born five years before you were. Twenty five years ago both Stoick and I were fresh out of University. We started both our careers and family at the same time. Stephen grew up at the dig sites and he was the curious type. He loved to watch Stoick dig up pottery." She smiled slightly as if remembering a funny moment.

"It was on one of our digs near Russia when it happened. A gang of bandits came through one of the little towns that we had been traveling through and they started shooting up the place." Valka tried to not sob. "We took cover but it was too late. A stray bullet had hit Stephen and the doctors couldn't help him." Valka tried to dry some of her tears as Hiccup leaned in to give her a hug. "My baby! I never wanted anything like that to happen to you so.... I.... I.... wanted to keep you safe." She cried.

Stoick, looking weary himself, took over and said "Your mother was blaming herself after it happened and it was a couple of years afterwards that we were approached by the Society." He explained. "We were trying to have a family again at that time and when Valka found out she was pregnant with you she made a deal with the Society that you'd never be put into danger or involved in the affairs of our research."

"So..... mom being that overprotective......."

"I just didn't want my baby to get hurt!" Valka sniffed. "I already lost one child.... I... I didn't want to lose another. When you did get involved in this mess I gave Alvin and the rest a good talking to. They assured me that you wouldn't get hurt if I provided them with the locations. I figured that you'd rethink this entire quest and come back home if the Society interfered." Valka managed to get out. "I just didn't count on that damn Haddock stubbornness."

"Yeah... That stubbornness is really something." Gobber mumbled breaking the sad atmosphere.

"Gobber really now!" Stoick admonished.

"I'm just saying that it wasn't your 'smooth' pick up lines that won Valka over!" Gobber snorted and then ducked when Valka picked up a log for the fire and threw it at Gobber.

"Hey!" Gobber exclaimed.

Hiccup turned to his mother to ask if she'd be alright. "I'll be fine Hiccup." Valka mumbled. "I should have seen it sooner. I should have never trusted The Society." She then looked at Heather and Dagur. "That bastard sent you to get rid of us if I'm correct."

"Well......." Dagur trailed off. "Yes" Heather deadpanned. She wasn't going to sugar coat it. "But we already failed when I called the truce. The Society will either send another group or The Master himself will step in to tie up loose ends."