Where the Ravens Fly (Dragons RTTE Fanfic)

Chapter 18 - Diverging Paths

Revna stared back at Hiccup, an avalanche of thoughts tumbling before her. Hiccup was her brother? No, he couldn't be... How? It didn't make any sense. Surely, they'd both jumped to an absurd conclusion. There must be some sort of misunderstanding. Otherwise...

"You're my...sister?" Hiccup said shakily, reaching out his hand towards Revna. She examined it closely. A small flicker ignited within her, a small part of her wanting to reach out and touch his hand. But no, she kept her arms by her side, and her expression cold.

"There must be something wrong." she concluded. "My father died before I was born." she added. That was what she had always been told. Nevertheless, the irrepressible doubts continued to invade her mind. She had felt a connection to Hiccup from the start...

"I don't see why Stoick would keep this from me..." Hiccup muttered to himself, deep in thought, as he carefully considered his options.

"Stoick?" Revna questioned.

"My, I mean our, father." Hiccup clarified. "Stoick the Vast. He's the chief of Berk."

'Berk.' The name rang a bell in Revna's mind. It was a word she was sure she'd heard a long time ago. But, that didn't mean anything, did it?

"Well, there's only one way to find out for sure." Hiccup said eventually. "We go to Berk and question him." He continued resolutely, his hands on his hips. This did seem like the logical step to take.

But, leaving now? Leaving now, in pursuit of answers about herself, when Krogan and Viggo were still at large and had the Dragon Eye? Revna shook her head, trying to discard the thoughts that pestered her mind.

What had her mother always said? 'We must protect our own.' And Revna's own were the dragons. Protecting them came before any sort of personal quest. She couldn't afford to be side-tracked by some far-fetched, long lost sibling story. It sounded ridiculous and it probably was. But, she still had to do something to get Hiccup off her scent, something that would stop him interfering with her priorities again.

"Maybe it would be better for you to speak to Stoick alone." Revna suggested. "After all, if we're wrong, my being there would be strange."

"True..." Hiccup pondered, "Well, you can wait outside while I speak to him and, when he confirms that we are siblings, you can come in." He quickly said. The blank expression on Revna's face perfectly contrasted Hiccup's now excited grin. He was attached to one of his crazy, Hiccupy plans, it seemed. As much as Revna recognized his enthusiasm, she just couldn't feel the same way. He was too idealistic, as though he hadn't yet seen how cruel the world could be. The hope in his eyes almost saddened her.

"You need to see Berk, Revna - our home." He continued, unabashed, and his face alight with excitement.

That word took Revna aback. Home? An island full of other vikings? That wasn't her home. The closest thing she had to a home was... Astrid's words  drifted into her head: 'Where the ravens fly, right?'

'Yes.' Revna reminded herself in her head. That was where she belonged.

"Hiccup, I-" Revna began, but Hiccup seemed far too keen with his own assumptions to hear her doubts.

"I know, I know." he said quickly. "This is a lot to take in." He used even more hand gestures when he was excited. "For both of us. You need time, I get it." Revna tried to make a reply, but Hiccup hadn't finished. "I'll go, leave you time to think this over." He suggested. That sounded better.  "I can start preparing supplies for our trip to Berk."

"Wait, Hiccup!" Revna cut in, as he began walking away. She weighed up her options carefully.

"Just, don't tell anyone yet." she eventually spluttered. Hiccup gave a brief nod, before climbing onto Toothless and taking to the air.