The Eternal Valkyrie: War of the Realms (HTTYD fic)

Part 39

Chapter 38

Hiccup was a nervous wreck. No, he was worse than a nervous wreck. Astrid had used the ring on both Stoick and Valka and now all he could do was wait. It was all anyone could do. There was a clock on the wall. Always ticking, ticking, ticking. At some point Hiccup got so annoyed by the ticking sound that Toothless plasma-blasted the clock.

Meixiu jumped at the sudden destruction and even the twins looked shocked. Normally they would be cheering on chaos and destruction but even they knew now was not the time. Astrid sat next to Hiccup and held his hand on her lap. She stroked slow circles on his palm to try and calm him down. Stormfly was seated next to her and the bird-like dragon let out cooing sounds.

Hiccup was silent for the most part and he kept his head down. He didn't want to show how nervous he was but his girlfriend and his friends knew. The entire waiting room was silent as minutes past. Then Hiccup stood up suddenly. "Can you...... can you guys give me a moment with them?" He managed to ask.

The Healer who was overseeing their vitals of course stepped aside, allowing Hiccup entrance into the room. Toothless, with his gummy maw, picked up the bow that Hiccup had left on the chair. Everyone saw it but no one said anything about it right now.

Gobber placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder before he entered the room. "Lad, I....."

"I know Gobber. I know." Hiccup mumbled as he gave Gobber's hand a squeeze. Without another word he went into the room and the door closed behind him.

"I'm worried Gobber," Astrid near whispered as she placed Stormfly on her lap and began stroking her as a means of distraction. "Two hours..... It might not be enough time,"

"Don't think like that lass," Gobber soothed. "They'll pull through. They just have to. They are some of the most stubborn people I know."

Astrid nodded but she still felt uneasy. With the clock destroyed they had almost no way to tell the time. Only Frigg or Odin could warn them if their stasis spell started failing. It was eerily quiet in the waiting room. Ten minutes later they heard a shout of surprise out of the room Hiccup had entered.

Gobber quickly opened the door and everyone's eyes widened. Hiccup stood motionless near the beds, having probably jumped out of the seat that Gobber had previously occupied. There on Valka's bed, next to her head, sat a tiny owl-like dragon. It gave a purr before nuzzling Valka's still sleeping form.

"Mom!" Hiccup exclaimed as tears of joy prickled his eyes. He stared at her still sleeping form and then turned towards father. But Stoick's bed was empty. There was no little dragon there and as he looked at Frigg and Odin's expressions who were standing behind Gobber and the rest, he just knew. The stasis spell was fading.

"No no no no!" Hiccup shouted as he grabbed his father's hand. "Dad, please no........"

Everyone was silent for a moment. The twins looked sad, Fishlegs bunched up his shirt, Heather hugged Windshear close, Eret and Meixiu had their heads down, Snotlout was gripping the doorway and Astrid was biting her lip. "No......." Hiccup murmured as he looked back down at Stoick. "Please dad........... Please........" Hiccup now begged. "Please!"

Then suddenly a light enveloped Stoick as well and before Hiccup and the others even had time to even blink back their tears, they were greeted with a happy yip from a small green armored dragon that lay on Stoick's rotund belly.

Hiccup sank back into the chair that was in the room and clutched his chest. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't know how to react. Astrid walked towards Hiccup slowly and tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder before enveloping him in a hug.