Chapter 1 - Lies
The night sky stood an inky canopy of darkness, a few stars scattered across it. The moon was not out this night which rendered the sky almost pitch black, the perfect camouflage for the rider atop his Night Fury patrolling the Isle of Berk. Since the peace between Vikings and dragons almost two years ago, the residents of Berk had finally been able to relax at night without the fear of dragon attacks. The village chief - Stoick the Vast however had warned the village not to become complacent and let their guard down. There were other threats out there like The Outcasts and Dagur the Deranged, he had ordered that the island be regularly patrolled from atop dragons now that half of the village were riding them.
Stoicks son and heir, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third had been the sole reason for the peace with the dragons. It was he who had befriended the Night Fury in the woods, defeated the infamous Red Death and founded the dragon training academy where Vikings and dragons were taught that they could co-exist. He was finally shown the respect he deserved after being scolded and beaten down the first fifteen years of his life, all for being a 'Hiccup', a small, clumsy walking disaster that caused nothing but pain and destruction in the eyes of the village.
But here he was now, sitting atop his Night Fury he had named Toothless after discovering he had retractable teeth. The so called 'Unholy offspring of lightning and death itself', admiring the soft glow from the torches that illuminated the tribe he would one day lead. His farther was proud of him and he was respected by his friends and the rest of the village. He was no longer known as 'Hiccup the Useless', he had made it clear that he would no longer tolerate the nickname when Snotlout had muttered it under his breath last year and lost two teeth as a result. What he appreciated most however was that his closest human friend was none other than Astrid Hofferson, the most beautiful shield maiden in all of Berk.
Hiccup sighed happily at just the thought of her. Her long golden hair tied into a single braid that hung over her left shoulder. Her sky blue eyes that radiated kindness but could also harden to a point where even the fiercest Viking would cower and tremble in fear. Her pale skin that...
"Ouch!" Something hard hit the back of his head. "What the..." He snapped his head around and was confronted by the twins riding Barf and Belch. "Ruff! Tuff! What have I told you about sneaking up on me!"
"Not our fault H! We called you like...three times!" Tuffnut defended. "He was dreaming about Astrid again" Ruffnut interrupted shooting a wink at Hiccup.
Hiccup's eyes widened slightly "N-N-No I wasn't!" He shook his head, feeling the slight blush coming to his cheeks. "I was...just enjoying the view" his cheeks reddened when he remembered just what 'view' he was thinking about. 'Damn it' he cursed himself inwardly, especially considering the fact that Ruffnut is Astrid's best friend and would likely tell her all about this later.
Ruffnut rolled her eyes knowingly. "Anyway we came to take over patrol..." She looked thoughtful for a second. "Oh and your dads looking for you, said he wants you back at the house in an hour. It sounded important"
"It always is" Hiccup groaned sarcastically. "Okay, I'll be there in an hour. I have some things to take care of first"
"With Astrid?" Ruffnut asked raising a brow, lips creeping up into a sly grin.
Hiccup was blushing again 'Damn it, damn it, damn it!' "Yes with A-Astrid" he attempted to say in an even tone but failed. His face was beet red now. 'Fuck' "Academy business" he lied before guiding Toothless around and shooting off into the night.
The twins watched them disappear with amused smiles on their faces. "I think there may be love on the battlefield after all" Ruffnut turned to her twin, a mischievous look in her eyes. "I concur sister" Tuffnut chuckled before they headed off on patrol, or blow something up.
Hiccup was deep in thought throughout the flight back to the village. "Is it that obvious bud...that I want to be more than just friends with Astrid?" Toothless warbled a laugh as if to say 'You're joking right?' "Yeah thanks for nothing" He trailed off, deep in thought again. 'How would I tell her? How would she react? Would she kill me? Would she feel the same way? What if I ruined the friendship we have? What if...' his trail of thoughts were broken by a low growl from Toothless. "What is it bud?" Toothless gestured to the village square. A large crowd had formed in the centre around three figures he couldn't identify. "Come on Toothless, lets see what's going on"
They landed at the docks, Hiccup quickly unclipped his metal leg from the saddle and dismounted. He sprinted towards the main square with Toothless hot on his heels. As he approached the square and rounded the final corner he crashed into a large object and fell to the ground with an "Ooft!" When he looked up dazed, he realised it wasn't an object he'd crashed into, but a Viking.
"Hiccup!" A familiar voice gasped nervously.
"Fishlegs?" He wheezed, winded by the sudden impact. "Fishlegs what's going on?"
Fishlegs' face noticeably paled. He swallowed and whispered. "It's Astrid..."
"What about Astrid, is she alright?!" Hiccup stood and strode towards the crowd. Fishlegs grabbed both his shoulders and pulled him back. "What're you doing Leg's!? I need to see if she's okay!" They were too far away from the crowd to be noticed.
"Hiccup, I don't know what's going on but -"
"Yeah me neither!" Hiccup froze and turned to the source of the voice. Snotlout was sat on a barrel resting against a house. His eye badly bruised and he held a block of ice to his groin.
"What happened to you!? you try flirting with her again?" Hiccup resisted smirking at his cousin. Snotlout may have bullied him the most when he was younger but since Hiccup punched him last year, Snotlout seemed to show him more respect and actually act like a cousin.
"Pfft... You wish! I gave up on that after the last time..." His eyes widened, sheer terror in his eyes as he recalled that memory. 'Snotlout was on his back, jaw throbbing in pain. He looked up to see her looming over him, eyes wild with fury. She was gripping the collar of his fur vest with one hand, her other held her axe between his legs. "If you ever touch me like that again!" she looked down to where her axe was situated. "I'll chop your balls off and shove them down your throat" She smiled wickedly and whispered into his ear "That's a promise..."' Snotlout shuddered when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Its okay 'Lout" Hiccup smiled at him reassuringly. "I'll try to find out what's going on and diffuse this okay?"
"O-Okay..." Snotlout sighed. "But you might need backup so I'll go with you 'future' Chief" he winked. Hiccup smiled.
"Me too! Logically speaking we have more of a chance of calming her down if she see's more friendly faces...right?" Fishlegs shifted nervously all of a sudden.
"It'll be alright Fishlegs" Hiccup soothed, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find out what's going on and get through it like we always do...as a team" He gestured toward the crowd where Astrid was at the centre. "You okay? You're shaking 'Legs"
"I'm okay..."
Snotlout rolled his eyes at Fishlegs' cowardice. "Me too, lets do this cuz" even his voice wavered slightly.
"Thanks guys" Hiccup smiled genuinely at them both.
Hiccup, Snotlout and Fishlegs walked towards the crowd in silence.
Toothless crept between the two other riders until he was at Hiccups side. He could sense the nervousness radiating from his best friend and nudged his hand with his nose. "I'm okay bud" he smiled at his dragon. "It'll be al-"
"...HICCUP!"
Hiccups head snapped forward hearing Astrid scream his name. Snotlout and Fishlegs froze watching Hiccup closely, his eyes narrowed, searching for her amongst the sea of faces that was his tribe. His hand lowered to his belt and he un-clipped 'Inferno' "She needs our help, she nee-"
"I WILL NEVER MARRY HICCUP!"
"Astrid, dear"
He couldn't clearly make out the woman's voice over the crowd but Hiccup was sure it was Ingrid, Astrid's mother.
"NEVER, MOM. NOT EVEN IF HE IS THE SON OF THE CHIEF, NOT IF HE WAS THE LAST VIKING ALIVE"
Hiccup froze again, Snotlout winced at the way Hiccups shoulders dropped. Fishlegs raised both of his hands to his mouth, trying to suppress his surprised gasp. Hiccup didn't want to move closer but he had to know, he had to hear what Astrid had to say.
Both of his friends tried to hold him back but he shrugged them off. They watched Hiccup approach, he was just about to push his way through the crowd when suddenly he froze again.
"I HATE HIM!"
"YOU DON'T HATE HIM ASTRID!"
Hiccup recognised that voice instantly, it was Egil Hofferson, Astrid's father.
"I HATE HIM DAD, I HATE HIM"
Both Snotlout and Fishlegs cringed. They knew Astrid didn't hate Hiccup. They were best friends and obviously had deeper feelings for each other. Fishlegs tried to pull Hiccup away, save him from this torture. But Hiccup didn't even sway when Fishlegs grabbed his shoulder. Hiccup rounded on Fishlegs in an instant, his eyes sad and tears brimming. "I..I n-need to hear this" Fishlegs let go and just nodded.
"I'm sorry Hiccup" he backed away shaking his head and then looked to Snotlout. "This is wrong..."
Snotlout just nodded in agreement and looked down. They both backed away when they heard Astrid cry.
"HE'S WEAK!"
Their eyes shot to Hiccup again, his posture dropped to the lowest they'd ever seen. Shoulders hunched, head low, eyes staring at the ground in front of him.
"WHY WOULD I WANT TO MARRY SOMEONE LIKE HICCUP!"
Hiccup heard Ingrid's voice then. "We thought you liked him dear. You're always smiling when you're around him, holding hands when you walk together, you kissed him in front of the whole vill-"
"HE'S SPINELESS...CLUMSY AND USELESS! WHY WOULD I MARRY HICCUP THE USELESS!"
The crowd shared a collected gasp and an erie silence crept over the main square. Nobody, especially Astrid's parents could believed what she had just said. Toothless noticed his best friends depressed state and grumbled sympathetically, earning the crowds and Astrid's attention.
She turned to face the direction of that familiar sound, unable to see the source through the mass of villagers all looking in that same direction. 'I know that dragon' she thought to herself. Her eyes shot wider than ever when the realisation hit her. 'Toothless? Then that means...oh no' "Hiccup?!" She called pushing her way through the crowd. "Hiccup I didn't mean any of it! I can explain!" She pushed through to the front and saw him standing motionless before her, Toothless at his side crooning softly in an attempt to comfort him. Fishlegs and Snotlout behind him to his right, staring at her with disappointed expressions. She looked back to Hiccup, he was stood stiff, fists clenched and eyes pinned to the floor refusing to look at her. Tears welled in her eyes as she finally spoke. "Hiccup I -"
Hiccup raised his hand, cutting her off and immediately silencing her.
Everyone gasped, never had Hiccup made such an authoritative gesture. Silence once again fell on the square, all eyes watching apprehensively for his next action.
"You hate me." He finally spoke, his voice low and emotionless. It was more a statement than a question.
"No, of course not I -"
"Stop!" He cut her off again, voice raising slightly. "You think I'm useless...still 'Hiccup the Useless'" he spat his old nickname.
Astrid couldn't say anything, she'd never seen Hiccup this upset and it broke her heart. A single tear ran down her cheek. She looked down to her feet, ashamed at what she'd done, at the lies she shouted just to get out of a marriage contract. She didn't actually mind the idea of one day marrying Hiccup, it was the whole concept of marriage in general that she hated. It meant she could no longer be a shield maiden and would have to become a housewife. She hated the idea of that.
"This is over" Hiccup said in a hushed voice.
Her head snapped up "What?! What's over?"
"This" he gestured between the two of them. "Whatever 'this' is, its over. I'm done" he firmly stated then turned to mount Toothless.
Astrid stood motionless as she digested Hiccups words 'This is over...I'm done' then the gravity of her mistake hit her. "Wait! Hiccup please, please don't do this! Please let me explain!" she reached for his shoulder in an attempt to get him to face her and immediately regretted it.
He rounded on her with an expression so furious she actually jumped back. His usually kind green eyes were blazing with hurt and fury, tears rimming the edges. His jaw was set and mouth curled into an angry snarl. He looked like Stoick, for the first time in her life she was afraid of Hiccup.
"Explain what exactly?" His voice was low but carried his anger. "I heard all I needed to hear Astrid. I thought things were good between us, Hel, I was actually building up the courage to tell you that I wanted to be more than just friends with you on my way here!" He sighed taking a step back, increasing the distance between them. Face softening to a defeated look. Then hardening again slightly. "I guess I must truly be useless for believing that could ever happen!"
Astrid didn't respond, she couldn't. Nothing she could say would make a difference, would repair the hurt she caused him. She'd made him feel useless again. She couldn't look him in the eye so she kept her head bowed.
"Hiccup?" Fishlegs approached slowly but he ignored him. "You're not use -"
Hiccups scowl returned and he glared at his friend. Fishlegs shrieked and stumbled back. His gaze returned to Astrid. "Like I said... this" he gestured between them again. "Is over, and you needn't worry about any punishments from my dad because of this, I care..." He shook his head. "Cared about you too much"
She raised her head to look him in the eye, tears streaming down her face. She searched his eyes for something, anything that meant this could be fixed. But she found nothing, his eyes were cold and determined. He turned and mounted Toothless.
"Snotlout!" he barked.
"Uh...yeah Hiccup?" Snotlout asked warily.
"Tell my dad I'll be a couple of hours late, I need time to think"
"Sure"
"Thanks" Hiccup cast one last look at Astrid. He let out a heavy sigh and looked down shaking his head again. "Lets go bud" With that they shot into the air as fast as they could, trying to get as far away from Berk as possible. He looked ahead through blurry eyes and noticed the twins returning from patrol.
"Hey Hiccup! How'd things go with Ast-" "SHUT UP!" was all they heard as he screamed past. Both twins looked back at his disappearing figure. "Jeez, who yacked in his mutton?" Tuff looked over to his sister when she failed to respond. "What's up sis?" She was studying the packed square below her. "I dunno bro but something doesn't feel right" She pointed to the crowd slowly dispersing below them. "DAMN, WE MISSED A FIGHT?!... OW!" He shot a his sister a glare. "TUFF! lets just get down there, something's wrong!" Tuffnut looked back to the square where now only five figures remained. "Fine" he snorted and with a light nudge of his feet they begun their decent toward the village.