The Haddocks

Chapter 16

Jack paused, "What?" he blankly asked, looking at North but focusing on something else.
"Her name... It's Rapunzel..."
Jack's heart rate and his breathing increased.
"What is it, boy? Do you know what happened to her?"
Jack slowly nodded, unable to look North in the eye.
"Uh... Yeah... Sort of..."
"Is she alright?"
"Yeah... Yeah, definitely."
"Then what's the matter?"
Jack pressed his lips together, "Uhm... well... she is kind of that girl... that I told you about... just now when I came in."

~

Rapunzel and Hiccup both watched their father with intrigue as he placed the crate on the coffee table.
He avoided eye contact with both of them, staring into the box.
"You aren't mine."
"What?" Hiccup asked.
"You aren't my kid."
There was a short pause before Hiccup stood to his feet, "Yeah. I kind of always knew it. Let's be honest, we look nothing alike. Seriously, a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead? We all have extremely different features and at this point the only thing we had going for each other we're our eye colors."
Stoick grabbed Hiccup's shoulder and forced him back down into the seat, "No, Hiccup, you're mine."
He finally looked back at Rapunzel, "You... you aren't."
"What...?" she silently asked, distraught.
"Genetically, you aren't my child. You aren't Hiccup's biological sister either. I found you in the woods out back, I kept you to give Hiccup a reason to fight, and you did it."
Hiccup turned his gaze to Rapunzel who was still struggling to comprehend everything her 'father' had been telling her.
"Rapunzel, we don't agree on anything. Our morals could not be more different. But you're still my daughter. I waited until now to tell you because you served your purpose. Hiccup is a Viking now and it's thanks to you."
They sat in silence before Stoick handed the crate over to Rapunzel.
"This is what you were found with. Two sheets of paper and a blanket with your name on it. I never understood why you were left in those woods. It seemed that whoever left you there was unfit for taking care of you. I don't know."
He got up and nudged his head as he stood in the doorway, "Come on Hiccup. You have a busy day today. Everyone is preparing the ring for when you kill your first dragon." he finished, leaving the building.
Hiccup lingered for a moment, "Rapunzel--"
She looked up from the box and forced a smile, "Hey Hic, everything's gonna be alright. I'll be fine. Go."
He hesitated but complied nonetheless, leaving her alone in the big house that wasn't hers.

Stoick stood above a crowd, festive banners hanging to celebrate Hiccup's first time slaying a dragon.
Everyone had shown up. His fellow recruits, the other Vikings, and even his father.
Except he couldn't see Rapunzel anywhere.
"Well, I can show my face in public again." Stoick started, already in an uplifted mood from before. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in dragon training... I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it!" he joked as the crowd laughed.
"But here we are, and no one's more surprised..."
Hiccup stood at the entrance to the ring, listening in and looking burdened.
"...or more proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY HE BECOMES ONE OF US!" he shouted as cheers erupted throughout the crowd.
Stoick continued to feed the crowd with banter but Hiccup couldn't focus. He didn't want to kill any dragon. And he was worried about Rapunzel, who no matter what, will always be his little sister.

Hiccup has to put an end to this.