Hiccup took a deep breath, which was huge considering his size. It would all be back to normal soon.

A small, purple Nadder scuttled out of a small side cave.

(A/N Since it will all be Dragonese in this chapter, I will not be italicising dragon speech.) "Why are you here, O noble Speeding Death?" He squeaked.

"I am here to speak to the King." Hiccup knew this little Nadder well. Royal Purple was tasked with ensuring that all dragons that entered the Nest had pure motives.

"Why do you require an audience with the king?" Ah, yes. Royal Purple always liked long, blown out words and sentences.

"I am a human, in the shape of a dragon. Only the king can change me back. I lost my memory. Most of it returned, but how to change back was one of the many things that were lost."

"Very well, follow me." Royal led Hiccup down a small passage. A few minutes later and Hiccup was thoroughly lost.

"Is it much further?" Hiccup panted. Walking on three legs was tough.

"We are here." Royal stopped, and jerked her wing to the left. "The king is in there."

Hiccup nodded to Royal, and padded down the corridor. He remembered this one.

All the memories. But so long ago, it felt like a thousand years. His father had been alive then. Hiccup sniffed, his eyes suddenly watery at the thought of his father.

Why. Why him, why was it always him!

Hiccup wanted to roar out, to destroy all who had a hand in taking his father from him. He wished he had never recovered that memory.

Life was so unfair.

Hiccup stopped and sighed.

Collect yourself, Haddock. He mentally scolded himself. Get a grip.

He resumed his slow plod down the passage, the ice glinting in the low light that filtered through.

Eventually he came to the end of the tunnel, and the familiar grassy scents and the sounds of a thousand dragons roaring filled his senses. Battling nostalgia, he made his way to the edge of the cliff, beneath which lay the great lake in which the King slept.

Hiccup looked down, and saw the King sleeping, just as he remembered it. So he took a moment, just pretending that his father was still alive.

"O King." He called after a few moments. "I have returned."

The King stirred, lifting his head the exact same way he had when Hiccup first met him, and gave a dragon smile.

"Welcome back, little one."

Short one for the suspense and because I had to write a chapter of TBWG too, but more next week!

🦅—Aquila!