Bittersweet Memories

Chapter 6

"No! Absolutely not. My son has been through enough. I will not have him made a spectacle of."

"Valka," urged Gobber, "I too care for the lad. This is not abou' making a spectacle of him. The people hold your son in the highest regard and all they want is to celebrate his return."

It was late evening and the two of them sat inside the Haddock cabin round the table drinking ale. News about Hiccup's current state of health and his now impending return to Berk had spread like wild fire round the village: it was all anyone could talk about. This fact bothered Valka. She didn't take kindly to those gossiping about him and raged at anyone she caught doing so.

"It will be too much for him. In Astrid's last letter it plainly states he still has no recollection of himself or others and he won't know how to cope with all the fuss."

"Aye, I am aware of tha'. But think, Valka. All I'm asking is a chance for the people to welcome their chief home. Once they've had their cosy little hello, all they will want to do is to feast and be merry. Hiccup doesn't have to attend the do if he's not up to it. Please, Valka. Satisfy them. Give them tha' and then they will leave him alone. They won't let him be if ya don't."

Valka was defeated. Still new to Berk herself and only two months in the role of acting-chief, she relied heavily on Gobber for moral support and advice, but when it came to Hiccup's well-being, the twenty-year separation they'd had vanished and her motherly instincts to protect him were as strong as ever. She would not allow anyone to upset him. However, she could see Gobber was right. Being in the position of chief, Hiccup was going to be harassed by the people of Berk one way or another and allowing them one evening where they could burn off steam may work in his favour.

"Oh, alright. Let them have their party, but we must notify Astrid immediately so she may prepare him. And don't for one minute think I'm happy with the idea."

"Thank you, Valka," said Gobber. Sensing his dismissal, he nodded a bow and left.

"Hey! Who put you in charge?" whinged Fishlegs.

"The banner was my idea. I get to decide what goes on it," retorted Snotlout.

"No, it wasn't. Gobber asked both of us to make it."

"And Gobber has already decided on the design," interjected Heather as she walked past them on the grass, making her way up the long, stone steps towards The Great Hall, arms filled with pots and pans. "It will say 'Welcome Back Hiccup'. Nice and simple."

"Shut up, Heather," Snotlout grumbled to himself. The twins lay on the grass just above smirking.

"We've all been given a task to do," Heather went on. "I'm leading the banquet, Ruff and Tuff, are creating zippleback gas filled balloons and lighting a fire image in the sky and you and Fishlegs are making the banner. You've only got a few short hours to do it in or it won't be ready. He's coming back tonight so you'd better get a move on."

"She's getting worse," muttered Tuffnut to Ruffnut. "More like Astrid every day."

"Have you two sorted out your sky picture yet?" Heather said turning on them.

"Not quite. Ruffnut keeps making Hiccup's nose too small. It needs to be bigger. More authoritarian like. Impressive enough to be a Berkian chief's nose."

"What do you mean I keep making it too small? If it got any bigger he'd have no face left. He'd be nothing but nose."

"Hiccup as a big nose... Very suitable. A nosey Hiccup. Nosey, snoopy, meddlesome, intrusive, sneaky, officious, nosey..."