Sigrid The Relentless - How to Train your Dragon

34. A Talk With Dad

Hiccup was worried. Very worried.

Sigrid had been doing nothing but hitting trees and throwing axes for days, almost like that was all she could do. She'd barely said a word to any of them, ever since their talk after they saved the Eruptodon, and now Hiccup didn't know what to do.

So, what do you do when your sister doesn't want to talk to you? You get your dad.

Stoick - understandably - was flooded with concern the second his son came flying in, rambling about Sigrid's problems. He was brought back to that dreaded day, almost nineteen years ago, when he'd lost the love of his life, the mother of his children.

Back then, Stoick was in a similar position that Hiccup was now. His only daughter, Sigrid, seemed to be a hopeless cause. Four years old at the time, she used to stand outside on the edge of Berk for hours, waiting for her mother to come home. But, she never did. Sigrid wouldn't listen to her father when he begged her to get back inside, and would cry when he carried her away from her spot. It broke Stoick's heart to see his daughter cry, knowing it was about something he couldn't fix.

Then, a year went by, and Sigrid stopped sitting outside in the cold, much to her father's joy. Only to find out that instead of that, she was now determined to train until she could train no more. She could barely lift an axe at the time, but the little girl was so sure she could do it. So, when the frustration of not being able to lift the heavy metal became too much, she decided to use her fists - and even her head - to slam against the tree bark. That's why she got her helmet, so she wouldn't get a concussion from bonking her head on every hard surface she could find. Rocks, trees, even people, it didn't matter.

Stoick was convinced that it was Gobber's fault, he was the one who'd told the girl legends about her great father, after all. Gobber still denies it 'till this day, and Sigrid didn't remember 'why' anymore, so Stoick had no actual proof for his accusation.

Now, he saw the same patterns that he had seen all those years ago. His little girl - not so little anymore - in a grieving faze. Hiccup had already told him what they had spoken about nights before; Dagur's death, Sigrid's promise, and her deep feelings of guilt.

"You're going to break that poor axe if you keep handling it like that." Stoick raised his brow at the harsh and improper way his daughter slammed her dearest weapon into the tree bark.

Sigrid jumped, obviously not having noticed her father's arrival. Turning around, she faked a smirk. Although she was happy to see him, she realised the circumstances probably weren't the best.

"When did you become so sneaky, dad?" Sigrid chuckled, keeping up appearances. "Never tagged you for the silent type."

"I'm not."

Sigrid's usual defense of deflection wasn't working, she realised that with a frown. Her father knew her too well.

"So..." Stoick started. "I spoke with your brother-"

"Oh boy." Sigrid muttered.

"-and he's confessed to me that he's worried about you. Which makes me very concerned."

Sigrid sighed. "I already told Hiccup, dad. He's got nothing to worry about, I'll be fine."

"I know that. I've seen it before." Stoick nodded, approaching Sigrid's hunched figure. "You're allowed to grieve, but this isn't healthy, lass."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Stoick raised his brow, crossing his arms.

"You're working yourself to the brim, so you'll be able to stop the possible danger from even coming." Sigrid stared at the ground in shame, realising she'd been found out. "I know that, because I wanted to do the same, when we lost your mother."

When we lost your mother.

Sigrid snorted, she couldn't imagine her father - the Great Stoick the Vast - in such a state as she was right now.

"Well, then you sure had a good way of hiding it." Sigrid chuckled with tearful eyes.

Stoick nodded.

"That I did." He admitted. "Because I had more to worry about. You, your brother, and our tribe. I couldn't afford to just... sit there, I had to stand up and be the Chief you all needed."

"I can imagine what that feels like." The woman sighed.

Her whole life, she felt like she always had to step up and be better; for her family, and the other people on Berk. She didn't show weakness, only her family got to see that, no one else. For the people of Berk, she needed to stay strong. After so many things, and so many years, her walls had broken. Now she felt like she was back at square one, when she first made her eternal promise.

"It's okay to tell others how you're feeling." Stoick spoke. "Odin knows, if I didn't have Gobber, I would've lost my mind."

Sigrid had to laugh at that one, a genuine laugh.

"So you're saying I should be honest with them?"

Stoick shrugged, smiling. Not really giving her an answer, he let her figure that out for herself.

His daughter sighed. It was going to be difficult, but her father was right; she had to tell them.

It was hard, and Sigrid stuttered the whole way through, but she did it. She told them... well, everything.

"So you were dating Dagur!" Was Tuffnut's conclusion, after everything.

Astrid slapped him upside the head for it.

Sigrid raised her brow, arms curved at her side shock.

"Really, that's what you got from that?" She groaned. "And for the record, no, we were not dating."

"It's okay, Sig." Heather put a hand on her shoulder.

Astrid joined them. "Yeah, don't listen to him. We get it, trust me."

Wrapping an arm around both shorter girls' shoulders, Sigrid laughed. "At least some of you do."

"Hey!" Snotlout cried out in offense, wiping a tear away from his eye. "I was listening! And I definitely heard everything."

Hiccup smiled, looking at his sister as if to say "see? Told you they'd understand."

"My brother's death hit me hard, too. So, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here." Heather smiled.

Astrid grinned. "Count me in as well."

"Absolutely." Fishlegs agreed.

Snotlout exclaimed. "So do I! I listen."

"We don't." The twins called out, fair enough.

Hiccup didn't speak as he joined the tearful group hug. Sigrid smiled at him, mouthing a 'thank you'.

"We love you, Sig." Hiccup spoke.

Sigrid awed. "I love you guys too."

A happy moment... short lived.

"Yeah, you're like our other mother! Mommy Sigrid" Tuffnut smiled, and his sister agreed.

Sigrid cringed. "Please, never call me that again."