Quick story info:

In my opinion, Hiccup was around thirteen, going on fourteen in the movies, so this takes place about two-three years after. He's still the same freckled, sarcastic dork, just slightly less scrawny and older.

And, although the main plot will be told in Hiccup's POV, there will be others in italic paragraphs. They'll be at the beginning of a chapter, so you'll know.

Hope you like it! :)

Toothless waited impatiently for the sun to appear over the horizon. He knew his human friend, Hiccup, was okay to wake up early, as long as it was after the sun came up. Toothless swished his tail back and forth. Over the years, he had gotten used the strange feeling of only having one tail fin, though his mechanical tail made up for the loss of flight. Toothless put his head down on his front paws and let out a soft sigh/groan/gurgling noise and stared over the island of Berk that he had come to call home.

Where I receive some horrible, life-altering news, but first, I fall into the ocean...

I absolutely have the worst luck of any Viking in all of history.

My name is Hiccup Haddock Horrendous the III. My unfortunate name was only the start of my bad luck. For the first thirteen and a half years of my life, I was the odd one out. I was always being picked on, excluded, and patronized for not being big and strong enough. I'm still the scrawniest teen on all Berk, despite having bulked up a bit from the time I was thirteen.

I lost half my leg in a fight with a terrifying dragon and I'm able to find the perfect ways to annoy my girlfriend, Astrid, without even trying. I have fallen into the ocean while trying a new trick with Toothless, my pet dragon, at least eight times in the past two months, and almost been killed on numerous other occasions.

However, some of the worst of my luck came when I was sixteen years old through some rather unfortunate news.

It was April 3rd. It was drizzling lightly. I woke up early, as usual, to take Toothless out for a quick ride.

"Come on, bud!" I called. Toothless leaped down for the roof and waited anxiously while I strapped on his tail fin and saddle. Just before we were about to take off, my father, Stoick the Vast, chief of the tribe, came outside.

"Hiccup, I have to talk to you," he said. He twisted the ring on his finger a few times, what he did when he was nervous. My father didn't get nervous often, so I knew he must've been thinking of something important.

"Sure, what is it?" I asked. Toothless whimpered and nodded his head towards the sky. "I know you want to go. Just one minute," I murmured, patting his neck.

"Can you come inside?" my dad asked.

"I was just about to go out with Toothless," I said slowly. I prepared for him to tell me that Toothless could wait a few minutes, and to come inside, but he just sighed and looked at me with dull eyes.

"Oh... well... we're having a town meeting later, so I'll tell you then," I looked at him skeptically.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, go have fun," he said, waving his hand dismissively and walking back into the house.

"Huh," I murmured. "Alright then, Toothless. Let's g-whoa!" I exclaimed, almost falling backwards. Toothless had already taken off, spiraling into the sky. I laughed and switched the position of his tail, which had become a reflex of mine.

I looked down at Berk below us. Everyone was still in their homes, probably sleeping or getting ready for the day.

We passed over the island and shot through the sky. We flew for about half an hour, warming up and goofing off, before we started the new maneuver we had been working on lately

"Alright Toothless, let's try this," I said, readying myself. I locked his tail into place and slowly put knees behind me on the saddle. "Steady. Stay straight," I said. I was on my hands and knees. Slowly and carefully, I stood up, squaring my feet. A wide smile split across my face.

"Woo! Yes Toothless! We did it! We-"

SPLASH!

I fell into the freezing cold water, Toothless disappearing into the ocean. Luckily, the ring that attached my riding vest to his saddle came undone before he could pull me down with him. Toothless resurfaced with a fish in his mouth a moment later. He gobbled it up innocently and waded over to me.

"Thanks, I really do enjoy when you decide to have your breakfast while I'm standing here," I said sarcastically, scrambling up onto Toothless's back. I rubbed my arms for warmth and blew into my hands.

"Let's go home," I sighed. "I'm freezing," Toothless spread his wings and raised himself out of the water. It was even colder up in the air, but at least it was dryer.

We soared towards the now waking Berk. People went about their regular day routines. As we circled over the village a few times, I spotted Astrid sitting outside her house, sharpening her favourite axe. Toothless and I landed on the other side of her house. I put a finger to my lips, telling Toothless to stay quiet.

I crept behind her slowly, intending to give her a soaking-surprise hug. Toothless followed my example, arching his back and stepping lightly, ducking his head low like he was sneaking up on prey.

"Don't even think about it, Hiccup," Astrid said, not even looking up from her axe. I dropped my shoulders in disappointment. Toothless, however, didn't catch on and leaped in front of Astrid, expecting to spook her. She just laughed and pat him on the head.

"How'd you know it was me?" I asked, sitting down beside her. She was dressed in her normal attire, except her hair was different than normally. She still wore her headband around her head, but she hadn't braided her long blonde hair yet, so it ran freely down her back.

"Well, only you would be trying to sneak up on me," she replied, holding her axe up and examining her work. She seemed satisfied and put it down beside her.

"Get that new trick yet?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just jumped into the ocean on purpose because I felt like going for a nice swim," I said sarcastically.

"You're so weird," she said, and kissed me.

"You're pretty weird too. I mean, you're the one dating me," I said, smiling widely. I wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Ugh, Hiccup!" she yelled, pushing me away. "You're going to get me soaked! You're can be so infuriating sometimes," she muttered, reaching behind her head and braiding her hair. I smiled sheepishly.

A bell rang in the distance. One. Two. Three. Four. Four rings, everyone was supposed to gather in the town hall* to listen to whatever it was my dad had to say.

"What is that about?" Astrid wondered.

I shrugged. "My dad said something about a meeting earlier," I hopped on Toothless's back. "I've got to drop Toothless's stuff at home," I told Astrid. "Can you tell my dad I'll be a bit late?"

"Sure, I'll meet you there," she said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and taking off.

We flew to my house in under a minute and I slipped off Toothless's back. I took off his saddle and tail fin and leaned them against the side of the house.

"Okay, I'll see you later," I said, scratching under his chin before heading down to the meeting.

I was the last person to arrive. I tried to enter the hall without being noticed, but I didn't have that kind of luck.

"Ah, Hiccup, perfect!" my father's voice echoed through the hall. "Come up here," I reluctantly joined my father in the center of the crowd.

"Oi, Stoick! Why'd you call us here?" Gobber called out. Gobber was my father's long time friend and he had taught me everything I know about working in the forge. A murmur of questions and comments rippled throughout the hall.

"I have a very important announcement to make," my father said, his powerful voice silencing everyone else in the room. "Ever since we befriended the dragons, many of the surrounding clans and kingdoms were frightened that we would use the dragons to conquer new lands and wage war against them. We have tried to put many alliances and peace treaties into action. I am pleased to announce that King Fergus of the Clan Dunbroch has agreed to form an alliance. The terms, however, require for an unbreakable vow to be made to link us. So, I would like to announce a wedding will be held as a joining of the two kingdoms,"

My whole world seemed to slow down. A wedding. He couldn't be talking about me getting married, could he? No way... it was him. It was someone else. Anyone else. Anyone but me.

"So, it is with peace in mind that I wish to declare that my one and only son, Hiccup, will be marrying the Princess Merida of Dunbroch. We will be departing tomorrow," he finished, looking at me with apologetic eyes as if to say "It's for the best" or "Sorry that I just ruined your entire life,"

"NO!" I blurted out. "You can't- I won't- dad!" I struggled to find the right words to express my absolute rage and surprise.

"Hiccup, we are on the brink of war with them. I have to think about the village," he said in a tight voice.

"Did you ever think about me?" I yelled, tears stinging my eyes. I blinked them away before he, or anyone else could see. I ran out of the room as fast as my feet (foot) could take me. I had to get out of there.

*I didn't know what else to call the hall where Stoick gathered the adult Vikings in the movie to discuss finding the dragons' nest.

I'm actually watching How To Train Your Dragon right now! :D LOVE THIS MOVIE!

I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING! I WROTE THE DATE IN THIS CHAPTER AS APRIL THIRD AND NOW I'M ACTUALLY UPLOADING IT ON APRIL THIRD! (at least, it is where I am right now)

Okay, that's all for now!