White Feather, Red Petals

Part 1

A/N: Remembrance Sunday approaches and this year, I wanted to mark it with a story. The centenaries of various battles have been coming and going over the last couple of years and the numbers of dead when you hear them, are staggering. When I was very small, my grandmother used to tell me about her brothers, Victor and Bertie, who died in the Great War (World War I, 1914-8) and especially Bertie, who died in the Battle of the Somme. And while I could see our heroes volunteering to fight for their homes, it was a very dangerous and not everyone came home...

Imagine Berk is somewhere in middle England in 1914...

Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon. Rights remain with Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks.

...

ONE:

The posters had gone up weeks earlier and Snotlout and the twins had been among the first in the small town of Berk to sign up for the Expeditionary Force to France. Spirits had been high and Snotlout had been brash and confident as he went for in fitting his khakis.

"We'll be home by Christmas," he had assured his cousin cheerfully as they stood together for the photograph for the family. A head shorter than his lanky cousin, Snotlout's stocky body looked meant for the uniform, his ice blue eyes glittering with eagerness to do his bit and beat the enemy. Even the fact that Ruffnut had somehow persuaded the recruiter than she was a guy so she could accompany her brother to war hadn't raised any alarm. The sense of confidence and optimism was intoxicating. All the propaganda was unanimous: the enemy would be dealt with easily and then everyone would be home so that life could continue as it always had.

"Shame you can't come with us, Hicc," Tuffnut said amiably. The male twin was lanky and strong, his blonde hair cut to the collar and eyes filed with amusement at his sister suffering the same fate. She looked eerily like him and her determination not to be separated from him had meant she had sacrificed her traditional braids without a murmur.

"I asked-but Spitelout insisted I stay-as the senior engineer for Berk Munitions and Ordnance," Hiccup admitted. He was tall, lean and slightly awkward, with his messy auburn hair framing his sharp-jawed face and expressive emerald eyes. His few faded freckles marked his pale skin and he always managed to look slightly rumpled. "I wish I was going with you guys. It-it won't be the same here without you." Snotlout clapped him on the shoulder so hard he almost fell over.

"Well, we need the best guns and ammunition if we're to finish them off," he said without rancour. "You're as important as we are. I mean, we can't throw rocks at the enemy, can we?" Hiccup shrugged.

"I guess not," he sighed. "I'm gonna miss you guys. Things will just be so quiet around here without you." Predictably, Snotlout burst out laughing and clapped his cousin hard on his shoulder, almost knocking him sideways again.

"Yeah-they won't know what's hit 'em!" he sniggered as the friends laughed and joked and the new recruits showed off their new uniforms. And there in the sunny September day, Hiccup looked at his friends and felt a weird and eerie sense of dislocation, wondering when they would be together again. So he invited them all round to dinner that evening and made sure he warned Astrid to expect guests.

In their beautiful two bedroom house at the edge of town, they welcomed their friends around the heavy oak dining table, Astrid, Hiccup's childhood sweetheart and only love, was in charge, her golden hair swept up into a functional and fashionable braided bun, wisps framing her beautiful face. Her azure eyes sparkled as she carried the bird to the table, her brisk manner very Astrid. Hiccup was an engineer, a creative and brilliant young man who could prevaricate forever but who would do anything for anyone while Astrid was brisk, efficient and practical. She loved Hiccup with all her heart and he had softened her aggressive and angry personality while she had given him confidence in his own abilities. And while she wasn't the best cook, her roast chicken dinner was very acceptable. Hiccup carved and his friends-Snotlout, the twins, Fishlegs Ingerman, Heather Bazerk and Dagur Bazerk-sat round the table.