Love is for Fools
I do not own How to Train your Dragon.
One Shot
Summary:
Astrid idolized her Uncle. Fearless Finn Hofferson was a great warrior. He wasn't married and didn't have children and he was fine with it. He told her feelings get you distracted, getting distracted gets you killed. "Love is for fools, not warriors".
Astrid Hofferson sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Arvendole's Fire was glowing in the sky above. Her dragon, Stormfly, sat off to the side curled up and snoring lightly. Every time the lights spread across the sky she always thought about her uncle. For as long as she could remember she had wanted to be a warrior, or more accurately a shield maiden. It was her dream. Her Uncle, Fearless Finn Hofferson was one of the most recognized warriors on the island. He was exactly as his name described, fearless. She wanted to be just like him when she grew up.
She remembered always following him around, asking questions to learn more about fighting and dragon killing. She always thought he had the best advice.
"Aye little one. You got to be strong, wise; you have to be able to out think your opponents. Confuse them. Find any way to give you an advantage. If they're bigger than you use your speed and agility. Tire them out. And remember, whatever you do, DON'T get distracted. Keep all this in mind and you'll beat them don't you worry."
She'd watch for him in the raids though the windows of her parents' house. She could never keep track of him so when everyone was gone and people were too distracted fighting dragons to notice her, she'd run through the village searching for her uncle. Every time she found him she'd look at him with awe. He'd stare down any dragon that came near him. He'd yell and charge straight for them. Watching him in battle she finally knew how he got his nickname.
One night the raid was worse. There were way more dragons out than what she was used to seeing. That didn't stop her though. As soon as her parents were gone she was running out the door. When she found her uncle she'd hide and study his movements so the next day she could go out and practice them herself. He'd roll away then strike the dragons with his axe. He would hop to the side to avoid a blaze of fire before running straight first towards the beasts. Never once had she seen him lose concentration. Not once had he ever lost focus. Not once had he ever gotten distracted.
That night she had hurried back to her home before her parents. She was lying in bed when she heard the door being slammed open. She quietly moved down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. She remembered that night like it was yesterday.
Her mother and uncle smacked the door open. Her father was in between them with his arms around each of their shoulders for support. From her viewpoint she could see that her dad was in pain. His face was beaded with sweat and his skin was pale. He was barely walking, mostly being dragged by her mother and uncle. When she saw the gash across her father's stomach she panicked.
"Daddy!" her mother looked up shocked.
"Honey you're supposed to be in bed! Go. Go upstairs now!" Astrid didn't listen. She tried to go over to her father but her uncle picked her up and started carrying her up the stairs.
"Uncle Finn no! Put me down!"
"Aye lassie you need to calm down. Your father will be fine but we can't help him if we have to worry about you getting in the way. For now just go to sleep and he'll be better in the morning." Although she didn't want to she nodded and let her uncle go back to her parents.
The next morning she had woken up and rushed down the stairs to check on her father. His stomach was wrapped in bandages and her mother was sitting beside him. Her face was red showing she had been crying and her eyes showed she had been up all night. She had walked over to her mother looking for answers.
"Mommy what happened?" Her mom looked up and sniffled. She quickly rubbed her eyes and gently patted her knee. Astrid made her way over and her mom picked her up and sat her on her lap.
"Oh honey these things happen sometimes. People get hurt but, just because they get hurt it doesn't mean they won't make it through. Your father is going to be alright."
"I know but dad never came home hurt before. He's like Uncle Finn. He's a good warrior. Why did he get hurt?" Her mother gave her a sad look.
"Well honey I guess he got distracted. I was in trouble because a dragon came out of nowhere and startled me. He got worried and tried to help but the dragon he was fighting took a swipe at him. He was just trying to see if I was okay when he got hurt." Her father started to move and her mother took her off her lap and told her to run along but be home for dinner.
At the time she was confused. She went looking for her uncle and finally found him at the armoury. She was frantic and frustrated. How could her father have gotten distracted? She had so many questions she was rambling. He uncle put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down and led her towards their training spot in the forest.
"Why did he get distracted Uncle Finn? He's a warrior like you. You once told me that whatever happens don't get distracted. So why did my father?" She was pacing back and forth and her uncle calmly sat there and let her calm down. When she stopped pacing he patted the trunk of the tree he was sitting on and told her to sit down.
"Listen lassie, even the best warriors make mistakes. Sometimes they even get distracted." Astrid scoffed and stood up.
"But you don't! I've seen you in battle. You're completely fearless you never lose focus and I've NEVER seen you get distracted. I want to become a great warrior! I want to be just like you. Fearless Astrid Hofferson." Her uncle sighed and looked down. He took a moment before looking back up at his niece.
"Astrid listen, your father is a great warrior. He got distracted because his wife, your mother, was in trouble. He wished to protect her as he wishes to protect you. I protect my village and my family but having a wife and child versus having a village and a family is a lot different. I don't have a wife and I have no children and I am fine with it because it allows me to keep all my focus on training and battling. Your father fell in love with your mother and they had you. I was focused on training and battling. Your father and I took different paths but we are both warriors." Astrid looked at her uncle and came to a conclusion.
"Love is a distraction." She didn't say it as a question but as a statement.
"Precisely what I think. Astrid I always wanted to become a warrior and nothing was going to get in my way. Growing up with that goal in mind I always though love was for fools."
"Love is for fools? So if I want to become a great warrior than I'll just become a shield maiden! I won't marry or fall in love I'll just focus on training and becoming the best shield maiden Berk has ever had!" Astrid was pacing excitedly. She knew now what she had to do. In the midst of pacing she slowed as something dawned on her.
"Hey Uncle Finn?" said uncle looked up at his niece. "If love is for fools does that mean my parents are fools?" Her uncle chuckled and stood up from his spot on the trunk. He walked towards her and looked down at her.
"In a way yes, but that's not always a bad thing." Astrid looked up at her uncle and scrunched her face.
"What do you mean?" He put his hand on her head and guided her back towards the village.
"Maybe one day you'll figure it out." Her uncle couldn't help but laugh at the confusion and irritation on his nieces' face.
She was so mad at her uncle. For years she had kept trying to figure out what he had meant by that. She had given up for a long time but recently she believed she had finally figured out what her uncle had meant that day.
"Milady isn't it a little cold to be watching Arvendole's Fire alone?" She smiled to herself as she felt Hiccup sit down behind her and pull her into his lap. She tilted her head back and nuzzled into his neck.
"I'm not alone anymore though. You're here now." He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. She sighed and relaxed into him more.
"So what are you thinking about?" When he got no answer he nudged her and she groaned in complaint. "Astrid come on I know you. What's on your mind?"
"This time of year reminds me of my uncle that's all. I'm just… thinking of some of the things he said to me. There was one thing I remember him telling me, or rather I remember something he didn't tell me." She turned to look back at Hiccup and giggled at his confused face.
"We were talking and at the end of our conversation he told me that maybe one day I'd figure out what he meant." She stared into his eyes as they glowed a nice green in the light of the fire above.
"Well don't just leave me hanging here. Did you? Figure it out I mean?"
"Yeah. I think I did."
"You're not going to tell me are you?"
"Hmm… nope." And she leaned in and gave him a kiss. He kissed her back easily and after a few seconds she pulled away and as she sat back against his chest she couldn't help but think;
"Love is for fools. But I suppose everyone is a fool at some point in their life."
The End
This was just a little one shot that popped into my head. Hope you enjoyed it.