And right on top of that...
Sixteen years earlier, in the Hooligan smithy on Eigg, Hiccup puts the finishing touches on that very instrument of far-seeing. In the chieftain's hut back on Berk, Astrid is pleasantly surprised and surprisingly pleased with the results. Down in Cors Fochno, Bertha says her sad farewells to Godwif, one of a number of Bog Burglars who can't be part of the Hooligans (chapter trigger warning: implied reference to past non-con). At the Hypsikrates' fort north of Constantinople, Sigurd talks of various matters with Domestikos Dalassenos (whom I did not, for one, know was an historical figure until I got down to the author's note). In Berk's mead hall, Stoick calls to order the Thing that will decide on the Burglars' and Meatheads' petition to become allied tribes under Hooligan leadership. In the master bedroom of his estate, Sigurd learns that he and his loves have not been quite as discreet as they thought. Over Berk, Astrid collects on a prize long anticipated. At Baoji, along the Silk Road, Mulan gets down to business, as Shang continues trying to make a man warrior out of her. In the central marketplace on Eigg, Eret gets squired around by Cami and Merida. From Inbhir Aora, Toiréasa, Dagur, and the rest of the Berserker party depart for their meeting with Mac Bethad. And we close in the chief's hut again, where Esther works on codifying law and judgment across Hooligan lands -- and on finding a solution to a problem she didn't realize she still had...
https://archiveofourown.org/works/104089...s/72707529
Hiccup Haddock, in his journal entry of June 22, AD 1059, Wrote:There are mountains on Magni's back.
I have just seen them for myself, and wonder at the literal new world that my son has just shown me.
Recording this now, so Fishlegs doesn't get upset with me later…
After dinner, my son Magni came to me, holding a synlengra clutched in his hands, and wanting to show me something. For a moment, I almost told him later, due to my duties, but I remembered being fifteen and my father not being interested in what I had to show him—and how I had vowed to do better.
So I did.
He took me up to the rooftop and told me to point the synlengra at the moon, which was a quarter full. I did so, after joking with him for a moment. And once I did so, I almost fell down in shock.
There are mountains on Magni's back. I could see their shadows, cast by the light of the sun. There are great circular scars on his flanks, caused by what, I do not know. I have done my best to sketch what I saw below.
But my son wasn't content with merely showing me his namesake. He told me to look at Odin next. Still stunned, I did so.
And I saw.
Odin's single eye peered back at me. Surrounding him were four others—who I can only assume to be Huginn and Munnin, and Geri and Freki.
I made these synlengra for looking down at the ground from dragonback. And all of this time, I never thought to look up with them.
Tomorrow, I am going to the lens-grinders, and we are going to plan how to make the biggest lenses we can and how to mount them in a synlengra tube.
My son opened my eyes, and I didn't even know they were closed.
I'm going to give him even better ones.
Sixteen years earlier, in the Hooligan smithy on Eigg, Hiccup puts the finishing touches on that very instrument of far-seeing. In the chieftain's hut back on Berk, Astrid is pleasantly surprised and surprisingly pleased with the results. Down in Cors Fochno, Bertha says her sad farewells to Godwif, one of a number of Bog Burglars who can't be part of the Hooligans (chapter trigger warning: implied reference to past non-con). At the Hypsikrates' fort north of Constantinople, Sigurd talks of various matters with Domestikos Dalassenos (whom I did not, for one, know was an historical figure until I got down to the author's note). In Berk's mead hall, Stoick calls to order the Thing that will decide on the Burglars' and Meatheads' petition to become allied tribes under Hooligan leadership. In the master bedroom of his estate, Sigurd learns that he and his loves have not been quite as discreet as they thought. Over Berk, Astrid collects on a prize long anticipated. At Baoji, along the Silk Road, Mulan gets down to business, as Shang continues trying to make a man warrior out of her. In the central marketplace on Eigg, Eret gets squired around by Cami and Merida. From Inbhir Aora, Toiréasa, Dagur, and the rest of the Berserker party depart for their meeting with Mac Bethad. And we close in the chief's hut again, where Esther works on codifying law and judgment across Hooligan lands -- and on finding a solution to a problem she didn't realize she still had...
https://archiveofourown.org/works/104089...s/72707529