Author's Note: Hello, readers! Congratulations, you have clicked on my newest oneshot series: The First 21 Years of Grey Bergman! Obviously, my fellow RPers on Tumblr know who this is, but for those who don't, allow me to explain.

See, about three years ago, after How to Train Your Dragon 2 was released, there was a lot of commotion in the HTTYD fandom regarding that scene that involved Hiccup's father dying. There were people going around creating "dead!Stoick" jokes, and most people responded by saying that the people who made these jokes were to be "sent to a dungeon." Obviously this was all in good fun, but eventually, long story short, thanks to what was meant to be a prank, this led to start of a Tumblr roleplay know as "Battle of the Grounded Dungeon."

As I mention in my profile, BOTGD is a Tumblr-based roleplay game loosely based on the How to Train Your Dragon universe, and my OC was a 21-year-old girl named Grey Bergman, who joins the Rebellion that takes place throughout the story, owns a Night Fury, named Shadow, and eventually becomes the second-in-command of the Rebellion. She was my very first OC, and I just loved her so much that I went above and beyond developing her character in the story, her story after the RP storyline ends, and her backstory.

And this is the result of her backstory! This is a oneshot series I had been meaning to work on for a long time! Since Grey is 21 years old in the RP, this series will only be 21 chapters representing an event from each year starting from the day she was born all the way up to the day before she leaves for the Rebellion.

As you probably figured, this first chapter is the day Grey is born! I wrote this chapter based on the information from a Tumblr user dyannehs, who is very knowledgeable on Viking culture. The information can be found under "Birth" under "Posts on Viking Culture."

Disclaimer: I only own Grey Bergman, her parents, the Chief, and other secondary characters. I do NOT own anything related to the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Chapter 1—Grey's Birth (January 10, 1024)

Off the coast of the Wilderwest region of the continent of Aidorin, there stood a small group of islands, and a small tribe, known as the Haligan Tribe. The Haligan Tribe had inhibited this small island for four years after they were forced to retreat from their original location on the mainland after it was since that awful day, the tribe, led by Chief Hroar, a wise and benevolent leader, had been living peacefully on their new home, Haligan Island. However, the chief wasn't too focused on leading the village at the moment on this particular day. Not only was it because of a snowstorm raging outside restraining him to his dear friends' house, but it was also because he needed to be there for his best friend and general, Sven Bergman and his wife Ingrid.

Hroar stood next to the door leading into Sven and Ingrid's bedroom in the Bergman household listening to Ingrid's ear-piercing screams coming from behind the wooden door. He could somehow make out one of the midwives and Sven telling Ingrid to push despite her screams, and the louder they got, the more nervous the Chief became. Hroar wanted more than anything to help said friend's wife, but he didn't think that was going to help. If there was one thing he knew about Sven due to their lifelong friendship, it was that he loved Ingrid more than anything, and he was no doubt in there worrying about not just one life…but two lives as he continued to support his wife during the childbirth and to wait for their first-born child. The Chief stepped away from the door and removed his helmet placing it on his chest.

"Odin, Hel, all gods above," he prayed, "please watch over Ingrid and the baby. Please, keep them both safe."

Ingrid let out another scream as she tried again to push. Never in her life had she experienced so much pain, and she silently begged for it to stop as she leaned back against her husband's chest behind her breathing heavily. However, the pain refused to go away and persisted.

"You're doing great, Ingrid," a midwife exclaimed from the end of the bed, "but I need you to keep pushing!"

"I'm sorry! I can't!" Ingrid shouted as another midwife wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Make it stop!" Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I can't take it anymore! I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can, Ingrid!" Sven cried as he hugged his wife from where he sat on the bed behind her. His heart broke seeing the tears trailing down her cheeks mixing with the sweat on her cheeks. He wanted more than ever to get this baby out for her, but he knew that it was wishful thinking. He could only watch and try to support his wife as she went through the pains of childbirth. "You can do it, and you will! You're almost there!"

"Okay!" she shouted in reply. No one really had time to question her sudden change of heart as she continued to push.

However, for Ingrid, the fact that her husband was telling her that it was going to be over soon was more than enough for her. She had to keep going…to keep pushing if she wanted the pain to go away and to see her baby. She closed her eyes tightly as she gripped her husband's hands as tightly as she could, trying her hardest to focus on being in his strong protective arms. She then continued to scream and to push.

"Keep going! Keep going!" the first midwife cried. "I can see the head! Keep pushing!"

"You're almost there!" the second midwife said continuing to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"Come on, my dear!" Sven cried before kissing her on the top of her head. "You can do it! The baby's almost here!"

Ingrid nodded as she kept her eyes screwed shut, took another deep breath, and let out one last scream and one last push. Next thing she knew, she heard something.

"It's a girl!" the first midwife exclaimed as she took the wailing newborn into her arms.

Ingrid let out a huge breath and plopped herself against her husband's chest behind her breathing heavily as soon as she heard the midwife proclaim the gender of the baby. Within seconds, the baby's crying was the only sound that rang in the bedroom proving to Ingrid that this wasn't a dream. She had just given birth to her and Sven's first-born child…a baby girl, and from the sound of her cries, she sounded healthy. The new mother silently laughed as she tried to get a look at the new baby, but unfortunately, the midwife, who held the baby, had her back to them blocking their view as she stood at the desk across the room with a basin of water beside her.

"Sven…where is she? Where's my baby?" she asked near tears as the other midwives and her husband gently began to guide her out of bed.

"Shhh…it's alright, my love," Sven replied gently before kissing her head. "She's just getting cleaned up."

"But when can I see her?" Ingrid asked pleadingly already feeling protective over the crying newborn. "I want to see our baby."

"You will, dearie," the second midwife said in a gentle tone, "but, first, let's get you cleaned up as well, alright?"

The new mother nodded shakily as she let the midwives and her husband guide her off the bed to the bathtub that waited for her on the far side of the room.

"I'm going to go outside to talk to Hroar, alright?" Sven said to his wife as soon as she stood up. "I'll come back when you're done."

Ingrid gave her husband a small tired smile and nodded before the midwives gently guided her over to the tub. Once he was sure his wife and…his newborn daughter were both being taken care of, Sven walked outside to the main room of the house where he found the Chief of the tribe stoking the firepit.

The Chief looked up at the man and quickly stood up so that they were at eye-level silently waiting for the news.

Sven could only smile. "It's a girl," he said.

Hroar smiled and sighed in relief as he walked over and pulled Sven into a bear hug. "Congratulations, my friend. How's Ingrid?"

Sven could only sigh at first. "Tired," he replied, "but she's strong."

"Of course she is," Hroar replied patting his best friend on the shoulder. "She has you, and now your new daughter."

The new father could only chuckle at the sound of that last part of Hroar's statement. He was a father now. He shook his head as his smile widened. "I can't believe it," he said. "I'm…I'm a father, Hroar. I'm actually a father now."

"I know," the Chief replied smiling at his old friend, "I couldn't be more happy for you, Sven. That baby in there has been blessed with you and Ingrid as her parents."

Sven was about to respond when someone cleared their throat behind them causing both men to turn to the doorway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," one of the midwives said, "but we just got Ingrid settled back into bed."

Sven and Hroar knew immediately what this meant. It was time for the new mother to accept the new baby. She was about to hold their new baby for the very first time, and of course, as the father, Sven was expected to be present. It was Viking tradition going back generations that the mother held the baby first to nurse her. Not that he was complaining. He wanted so badly to see his newborn daughter, and now it was finally going to happen.

"Great," he said smiling at the midwife. He then gestured for the Chief to follow him inside the room. The midwife stepped aside to allow him to enter, and as soon as he walked in, he paused in his tracks. His eyes immediately went to his wife sitting in their bed waiting. Ingrid turned to him and smiled. Sven smiled in return as he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. "I'm so proud of you, my love," he said.

Ingrid smiled wider. "I couldn't have done it without you," she said.

Sven widened his smile as well, but before he could say anything else, the midwife walked over to them with a bundle wrapped in a white blanket that squirmed and prepared to cry again in his arms.

"Sven, Ingrid, say hello…to your daughter," she said as she handed the bundle to the new parents.

Neither of the new parents said anything as Ingrid took the bundle into her arms and stared at the little face poking out of the blanket while making sure that her husband had a good view as well. The little face was still scrunched up as the baby continued to cry but slowly calmed down as she relaxed in Ingrid's comforting arms. The whole time, both Ingrid and Sven could only stare at the baby…their baby…their daughter. Ingrid couldn't believe it. After nine months of waiting, she and Sven now had a beautiful baby daughter…their beautiful little baby girl. Tears formed in her eyes as the baby finally calmed down and looked up at her.

"Hi…hi there, little one," she said gently stroking the baby's cheek. "I'm your mommy. Yes, I am."

"And…I'm your daddy," Sven said with tears in his eyes as he ran his meaty hand through the baby's fine brown hair. "She's so beautiful." He then kissed both his daughter and his wife. "You both are beautiful."

"Congratulations, you two," Hroar said as he and the midwife walked in. "She's adorable."

"Thank you, Hroar," Ingrid said staring at the baby girl as she squirmed and cooed in her mother's arms.

"So, do we have a name for the little one?" the midwife asked the new proud parents.

"Not yet," Sven replied. "We couldn't come up with anything."

"I want her to have a name that stands out…that has a special meaning," Ingrid said as the wheels began to turn. She and Sven had nine months to think of their name for their first child, and they were never able to agree on a name for a girl. They had decided to name the child after Sven, should the baby be a boy, but nothing stuck when it came to naming the child if it turned out to be a girl. However, now that their firstborn daughter was finally here, Ingrid was determined to give her the perfect name.

"Well, you have some time before her vatni ausinn," Hroar suggested.

Before anyone could reply, a huge gust of wind suddenly burst into the room through the shutters prompting the midwife to run over and to close them before the baby froze. However, in the brief seconds that the window was open, Ingrid was able to see the grey winter sky that brought that raging storm all day, and that was when it hit her. Despite the bleak, stormy day in the middle of winter, the light that was the baby girl in her arms shined through. To the new mother, it felt as if the gods blessed them with this little light with the help of that grey sky.

"Grey," she simply said.

"What was that, dear?" Sven asked his wife.

"Grey…" the new mother replied happily looking down at the baby. "For the grey sky that helped the gods to bring her to us…in a way."

The chief and the midwives didn't dare to say anything, so they stared at each other for a few seconds. Sven could only look at Ingrid and then at their daughter in her arms thinking deeply about the unusual name. His wife was in fact right. In a way, their newborn daughter came to them because of the grey sky above them…perhaps the gods brought the storm for that reason.

"Grey…" he said aloud. "That's a perfect name for her…Grey Bergman…"

"Grey Hertha Bergman," Ingrid added beaming from ear to ear.

The chief smiled as he walked closer to the two parents so that he had a closer look at the baby, who was about to be nursed by her mother.

"Well then, Grey Hertha Bergman," he began, "welcome to the Haligan Tribe."

January 19, 1024—nine days after Grey was born

Sven knelt down next to the bucket with his nine-day-old daughter on his knee and his wife next to him. He then looked up at Chief Hroar and his younger brother, Einar, who were there as witnesses for the ceremony.

"My wife and I would like to thank you both for coming today," he began. "As you know, we decided a name for our little girl." He looked at the little baby girl. "My daughter, from this day forward, you," he dipped a bundle of fur into the bucket of water, "shall forever be known as Grey Hertha Bergman, daughter of Sven and Ingrid Bergman." He then sprinkled the water on baby Grey's head. "Your first name comes from the grey sky that helped to bring you to us nine days ago. It may have been stormy that day, but you were the little light that shined through it. May you always be a little light to everyone around you."

With that, everyone in the room applauded as Sven welcomed the baby Grey into the Bergman household.

Author's Note: Annnnnnnnd that was the first chapter, boys and girls! I really hope you enjoyed it! I honestly hadn't written a childbirth scene before this…especially one that didn't take place in modern times, but I felt pretty confident about it when I wrote it.

Now that I gave you background info, I do want to mention that updates to this one will be a bit sporadic to say the least. I have other fanfics I'm currently writing, and since this is a oneshot series. It's likely that updates will be few and far between. I will update as soon as I can, but my other fanfics have a bit more priority right now. Thank you in advance for understanding!

Again, I really hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to favorite and to review!

Next up is Grey's very first birthday!