Hiccup was now faced with a choice.

Take his mother back to Berk and explain everything to his father, or continue to Ectacos with you... and his mother. She was very much interested in learning about hybrida too.

On the one hand he knew his father would be overjoyed to see his long thought to be dead  wife, and he could finally have a full family for the first time since he was a baby. On the other, he didn't want to put you at any risk by going back to Berk too early while Dagur and his crew were still in the area.

And the other option, continue onward. He was absolutely loving the adventure so far, and was having a blast seeing all these new lands and reaching outside the archipelago, but he'd also be basically keeping his mothers whereabouts secret from his father for a while longer. The guilt... it might get to him.

You were fine with either option, the detour back home or continuing onward. Even though heading back now could be potentially dangerous, you had armour and a group of friends behind you to help fight this time.

For now though, you were spending the night in the sanctuary. Sleeping on a bedroll woven from the fibres of flaxen and wool. Well... more like Toothless was sleeping on it and you were using his wing as a blanket. He was a very clingy dragon that boy, kicking his rider and friends off their beds trying to snuggle up to them. He was certainly not lap dragon sized but he acted like it. Not that anyone minded really, they all loved Toothless.

Hiccup tried to sleep, but he was having too many racing thoughts about what to do. So he'd ended up sitting by the mouth of the cave to the sanctuary and watching the wind in the leaves and dragons toss in their sleep.

"Talk to me Hiccup, your father had the same look on his face whenever he didn't know what to do"

Hiccup jumped slightly at the sudden voice, turning to find his mother coming to sit down beside him.

"You should be asleep" he replied.

"So should you" Valka replied.

Couldn't argue with that.

"What's wrong son?" She added.

Hiccup thought for a moment, trying to find the right words.

"I'm just... torn. I want to reunite you with dad, show you how much Berk has progressed. But... I also don't want to risk (y/n)a safety. Not while there's hunters after them in the area, they can fight but... after what happened to them last time we both know they're not invincible" Hiccup sighed.

Valka gave him a knowing smile, to which he gave her a squint.

"You're not subtle Hiccup" she replied.

"About?" He asked.

"Your ocean sized crush on them"

Immediately he felt his face turn red, and he stammered out trying to explain that you were just friends, only for his mother to laugh and shake her head.

"It's obvious to a mother, Hiccup. And they're a great pick too! So kind, raring for adventure, unique in so many ways... you'd be a fool not to at least TRY and peruse them" she assured.

Hiccup sighed, looking over at you across the floor where you slept next to his beloved dragon. Anyone who had the Toothless seal of approval was in Hiccups good books as it was, but the connection you shared with his dragon rivalled his own, and it made him only like you more knowing you cared for someone he loved so much as well. He trusted you with Toothless, which said a lot. He didn't trust many with Toothless beyond a quick dragon sitting favour.

"Yeah... yeah maybe I do..." He admitted.

"As much as I'm glad Berk has changed, that I'd love to see your father again, I also don't want to potentially put them in danger either. I can wait Hiccup, go with them for now" Valka assured.

"Are you sure? I feel a little guilty essentially keeping you secret from dad..."

"It'll be fine, Hiccup. We can say it was my idea... plus I need some time to think about what I'm even going to say to him, and my own curiosity about your lovers land is just as big as yours"

"W-we're not lovers... yet..." Hiccup stammered.

Valka chuckled, ruffled her sons hair. She regretted not being there to raise him, but there was still a childish wonder in him even as an adult that gave her a warm filling similar to that of watching your young child grow up. No matter how old he got, or how far away he was, he'd always been her baby boy.

"I highly doubt they'd turn you down, but just go at whatever pace comes naturally. Things will happen as they happen, you can't force love" Valka explained.

Again Hiccup looked over at you, thinking about his mothers words and how things had progressed so far. From simply being focused on keeping you alive to being close enough his very protective dragon could sleep next to you calmly. He couldn't deny it, he'd definitely fallen for you over the course of knowing you and living with you.

"Alright, we can keep going to Ectacos. I don't want them in any danger, it's best we keep going until we can loose the hunters" Hiccup said.

"It's for the best, we can't have them on the brink of death again now can we? Plus, it'll give you plenty of time to get closer, just pretend I'm not even there ok?" Valka smiled.

Well, that was sorted then. You'd continue on, until you've lost the trail of Dagur and his hunters, share your land with Hiccup and Valka for a while and come back home safe with stories to tell, and a long lost wife to reunite with the Chief.

Satisfied and much more at ease about the situation. Hiccup felt the tension leave his shoulders, and the weight of the sleepiness he'd been distracted from set in on him. It was definitely time for bed, especially if he'd be heading out with you for the next land tomorrow. He'd lay across from you and Toothless on his own bedroll for now, but he hoped, deep down, that by the end of this trip it'd be both you and him snuggled up together under Toothless' protective wing.