Home-Bound: Broken Ties

15 - Queen of Dragons

5k words :))

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flashback...

Hiccup threw off his leather armor without even bothering to put it away and collapsed heavily on the bed. Some of the pine needles in the walls of the treehouse shook from the intensity. Luneah looked up from her book with a raised eyebrow, wincing in sympathy at how exhausted he looked. Hiccup had been Chief of Isunder for a little over six months now, and the workload was particularly intense since winter was approaching.

It didn't freeze over on Isunder like it did on Berk, but preparations still needed to be made. Isunder had a horrid stormy season during late autumn and early winter so the buildings needed checks to make sure they were waterproof. The storm drains and sewer systems would need cleaning. The cobblestone roads needed repairs. The docks needed reinforcements and the boats needed tying.

There was so much work to be done and Hiccup, barely seventeen, was having trouble balancing it all. Andreas was gone, and Andreas' father—the Chief two generations ago—was old and deaf. There was no one to help Hiccup through his first year of Chiefing. He would have to learn it all on his own.

Luneah pushed her chair back from her desk, shoving a spare piece of paper into the pages of her book and closing it. She walked over to Hiccup's bed and sat down on the other side, brushing his bangs back gently. Hiccup mumbled in his daze, nuzzling into the comforting touch.

"Rough day?" She asked although she knew the answer. His exhaustion was painfully obvious.

"Yes," he groaned, turning his head down into the comforter. He let out one loud moan into the blanket, displeasure radiating off his shoulders in waves.

Luneah chuckled and stood up, prying the blanket from underneath him and setting them on top of his body. "Well, sleep. You have another long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Don't remind me!"

She laughed at his annoyance, crossing the room to her own bed and fluffing up the pillows so she could sit up against the headboard.

"Amare," Hiccup prompted, causing Luneah to turn her head and look at him curiously. He was still bundled up under his covers with his eyes closed and if it wasn't for him speaking, the Elite would think he was already asleep. "Come here for a second?"

Luneah rolled her eyes fondly but crossed back to Hiccup's side of the room, laying down on top of the covers as Hiccup nuzzled closer into her side. She simply sighed and ran her fingers through his hair. "Where's Toothless?"

"Down at the stables with Midnight. Shhh... no more talking. It's time to sleep."

"Love, it's eight o'clock in the evening—"

"And I woke up at four so just... shhh..."

Luneah winced and quieted down. When she woke up, Hiccup's bed was already vacant but she thought nothing of it. Hiccup always got up early. She just didn't know how early. How long had Hiccup been sacrificing sleep for the sake of the village?

"Why'd you get up that early?"

"The fishermen leave the docks at that time."

"Ah," she didn't really understand why he needed to be there for the fishermen leaving port but Hiccup was in no condition to argue or explain his actions so she just left it there.

She turned her gaze over to Hiccup, his face mushed against his pillow and the comforter tucked all the way up to his chin. His hair was wild as always and was now long enough to cover his eyes. His cheeks were beginning to show freckles, especially since he spent a lot of time out in the sun. They covered his nose and cheeks and looked like constellations.