A Viking Chief's twins

Pieces

As they rode back to Berk Hiccup was sharing Tooth-less with his father and if you asked him it was really awkward. They did not talk until they got back to Berk. Once back home it was too late to fly back to the Edge and the dragons were tired from all the flying so everyone just retired to their homes. Kai stayed behind at the forge saying he needed to go get something leaving Stoic and Hiccup alone in a very awkward silence as they sat at the dinner table.

"I don't think I've ever seen you that mad," Hiccup said to his father to break the silence. "No one messes with my sons and gets away with it. Either of my sons," Stoic adds the last part with a reassuring squeeze of his one legged son's shoulder. Hiccup felt guilty and told his dad this. "Look dad I know I should have said something about the bounty I should have," Hiccup began. "It's not just that Hiccup. I know I should have told you about your brother, but......I felt guilty," Stoic admits. "Guilty? For what?" Hiccup asks. Stoic sighs. "Gobber lied. I had lied to your mother about which child was the oldest. I knew you were the older one all along," Stoic admits and Hiccup looked at his father in shock. "I'm not going to make excuses," Stoic said regretfully. "Dad?! Why would you do that! Why does everyone prefer Kai over me?! No one prefers Ruff over Tuff or Tuff over Ruff why do you prefer him?" Hiccup asks honestly hurt and made him rethink his entire relationship with his father.

"When you were born....you already know you were small and sickly. Gothy didn't think you would survive the coming winter. As chief I needed to think of what was best for the village, or so I thought. The truth was I was embarrassed and didn't know what to do with you. We weren't even expecting twins because as you know they are rare," Stoic said. "Not rare enough," Hiccup mutters quietly. "Look Hiccup the point is my only regrets in life was lying and thinking you didn't have what it took to be chief before you even opened your eyes. I forgot that the way to be a good chief is not through strength, but heart and mind. My regrets are that I ever doubted you," Stoic the vast said in Hiccup heard a small choke in his voice.

Hiccup knew that his father wishing he had never been born was indeed a reality before he saved the village and lost a limb. He seriously had to loose a leg for his father to call him his son and he is still preying to all the gods that he does not have to loose a arm too, but to know he was almost not chief it made him jealous and bitter once more. He gets his father regrets it, but that does not change that he did it. "I know Kai's more skilled and liked than me. Maybe I should just give it to him," Hiccup sighed when the two heard something weird. They both heard laughter though and looked at the source seeing Kai had come in using the window and was laughing like a mad man.

"Seriously? Bro you need to chill out. I wouldn't know the first thing about running a village. If you ask my adopted sister than she will tell you about the time I was put in charge of a camping trip and nearly created a forest fire," Kai laughs at his family who were both looking at him like a mad man until he calmed down to stop laughing. "Okay seriously though," he said getting serious and sitting at the table in between Hiccup and Stoic. "Hiccup you are a leader. I have met people who have lead wars and created weapons you can't even imagine nor can I describe. It doesn't matter who is older, whose the toughest, or who has power. It's who you are that makes you a leader worth following. Just because I got skill doesn't mean I would ever be a good leader. I've tried being a leader and I just don't have it I follow my leader and I only follow those I respect," Kai than pauses and thought.

"Most of the time," he adds.

"Look the point is do you really think Tooth-less would just let anyone ride him?" Kai asks and Hiccup looks fondly at his sleeping companion who had Ember snuggled like a stuffed bear between his front legs protectively. "Your the perfect leader because people trust you, you think of others, you think of others instead of yourself. I have followed many into battle and met many leaders both bad and good," Kai put his index finger on Hiccup's heart. "Your heart is good and stubborn like me," Kai and Hiccup gave matching smiles. "And dad," Kai looked at Stoic. "I understand you were thinking of the village, but still you should have thought who was the best for the village because what I just said shows that a true leader is the one who cares for everyone and has the brains to do whatever it takes for the good of all. No matter the strength of the muscle it's the determination that makes a leader," Kai finishes.

Both his family members gave him a bit of shocked words from his wisdom. "But I'm not a good leader," Hiccup said sadly. "I lost Berk's gold, I have fallen for Viggo's tricks and people got hurt, I don't trust all my teammates you said it yourself I," Hiccup was ranting. "Berk's gold was my fault too son and a leader doesn't become a leader over night. They learn and grow from their mistakes," Stoic says like a wiseman. "And I never learn from my mistakes. One of my old b-friends Jay actually tricked me into falling into a hole, three times," Kai seemed oddly proud of the fact. Both Stoic and Hiccup looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. "Why did he do that?" Hiccup asks. "Because he could.......and other reasons involving me stealing his pudding," Kai said that last part a little quieter. "He left you in a hole for stealing his pudding?" Stoic asks in shock. "Yeah like I said I don't learn from my mistakes much unless I get taught a lesson. Besides it was his fault for not labeling it," Kai shrugs.

It was silent before the two burst out laughing waking up the dragons and Hiccup hugs his twin. "Thanks Kai I needed that and thanks dad," Hiccup said all smiles as they calmed down. Kai allowed a comfortable silence before he just had to ask. "So I hope you like my gifts than," Kai said pulling something out of his pocket. The two saw that is was a small disk with Viking words in it, but the dragons were a different design. "Fish-legs helped with the translation in exchange for me letting him study Ember," Kai grimaced a little at the idea.

The there were three words and they said said.

Protector

Leader

Warrior

Kai took it apart in four pieces and handed protector to Hiccup, Leader to his dad, and warrior to himself. "It's tradition in Ninjago that once every family member is fifteen they receive a hand crafted crest. I did my best to combine both cultures because I still see Ninjago as one of my homes. The fourth piece is for......" Kai trails off, but it's obvious who the forth blank piece was for. "Mom," Hiccup finished and Kai nodded looking at his father who was quiet. "What was she like?" He asks.

Hiccup expected his father to not saying anything or say something vague like usual. Hiccup knew better than to cross his father on such a tough subject.

Instead though he started talking about the kind of woman she was and opened up more even crying a little. Tooth-less had come over by now resting his head on Hiccup's legs while Ember was perched on Kai's shoulder and Skull crusher came over too though still kind of napped while listening.

Hiccup and Kai listened to him tell stories about their mother and he became so wrapped up in them. He did not notice they had fallen asleep and Stoic chuckles when he realized. They had fallen asleep curled against Tooth-less by the fire. Hiccup had clipped his piece to his tunic while Kai had it on his sleeve like a heart. Stoic looked at his and put it on his belt proudly showing it off. He then looked at the one that was meant to be for his wife and squeezes it in his palms thinking of her. Stoic decides to get a chisel and wrote his word carefully into the precious piece.

Joy