Dragon Tales

by HorrorFan6

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Hiccup, a girl named Astrid, and a dragon named Toothless. And only with love and a little magic would they be able to find their happily ever after. A series of fairy tale retellings featuring the HTTYD characters. Tales include Cinderella, Thumbelina, Rapunzel, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, and more.

1. The Servant and the Heiress

The Servant and the Heiress

A/N: This is the first of a series of fairy tale retellings I have written featuring the How to Train Your Dragon characters. I originally posted them in my collection of one-shots, but now with so many I figured they ought to be published on their own. So here they are. I have the first six complete, and I will post them one per week. To those of you who are reading this for the first time, I sincerely hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I've enjoyed writing them. I love fairy tales, and these retellings have been a blast to work on. To those of you who have read them in my one-shots, I hope you will continue to enjoy them.

This first installment is "The Servant and the Heiress," based on the story of "Cinderella" by both Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. Like all these fairy tales, it is an AU story, so do bear that in mind. Enjoy!

Once upon a time, on a tiny island in the North Sea, there lived a boy named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. He was a small, skinny lad, and his slight stature was quite noticeable when he stood next to other Vikings his age. But what he lacked in size he made up for in intelligence and kindness, and he was among the most beloved children that inhabited the Isle of Berk.

Hiccup lived with his father Stoick the Vast and his mother Valka, and for several years the family knew nothing but bliss. But when Hiccup was only a child, his mother died of a terrible illness and was buried in an earthen mound in the wooded hills of the island. A little sapling was planted over the spot, a final tribute to a woman who had loved nature. Hiccup visited his mother's grave every day, and his tears watered the infant plant so that it grew into a magnificent tree. This tree, unlike the others on Berk, never lost its leaves and stayed vibrantly green throughout the year. There was something truly special about it, something almost magical, and Hiccup swore that if he was perfectly still and listened carefully, he could hear his mother's gentle laughter in the breeze as it rustled the sturdy branches.

After his wife's death, Stoick moved in with his younger brother, a sour-faced Viking named Spitelout, who was also a widower with a young son. Hiccup and his cousin Snotlout were nothing alike. Snotlout was big, brawny, reveled in violence, and was regrettably dim of mind, whereas Hiccup was small, skinny, loved peace and tranquility, and had more than enough intelligence and wit to outsmart his cousin. Spitelout, of course, could hardly fail to notice how daft his son could be, particularly when compared to his nephew, and black jealousy began to brew in his heart.

But Hiccup and Stoick knew nothing of Spitelout's slowly-mounting ire. The two were perfectly content together. They didn't always see eye-to-eye on things – Stoick was a bit too "traditionally Viking" for Hiccup's liking – but they loved each other dearly and wasted no opportunity to show it.

And then tragedy struck again: a neighboring tribe raided the island, and in the heat of the fight Stoick was killed. His body was burned upon a pyre, as was custom for those who die in battle, and Hiccup, just ten years old, fell into the custody of his uncle Spitelout.

It was then that the jealous Viking's true nature was revealed to the boy. Once surrounded by love and showered with affection, Hiccup became a servant in his own home. He was forced to work each and every day from sunrise to sunset with absolutely no time to himself. He only saw his friends in the village when his uncle sent him to the marketplace to do the family's shopping, and even then there was barely any time for hurried hellos, much less any actual conversation. At all other times he was busy with whatever chore Spitelout or Snotlout – who reveled in making his cousin cater to his every whim – assigned to him. He was evicted from his bedroom and forced to sleep on a bench in the kitchen at the back of the house. It was often cold and drafty, but he was forced to bear it in silence. And at any rate, by the time he was done with work, he was usually too tired to be bothered by the chill or discomfort.

But Hiccup's life was not without its pleasures. While he lost almost all contact with his human friends, he was very popular among the dragons that roamed the island. In fact, there was one dragon in particular that Hiccup felt a strong connection with, and it was the rarest dragon in the known world: a Night Fury. The boy had met the injured dragon one afternoon while retrieving water from a lake in the forest (the wells had run dry due to a drought) and nursed him back to health. Since then, the black dragon – which Hiccup had named Toothless because of his retractable teeth – had become the boy's closest friend and companion.

Spitelout, of course, forbade Hiccup from keeping the dragon in the house or even in the village stables, where Snotlout kept his own Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang. So Toothless was forced to stay in the forest surrounding the town, although he would often sneak into the village and lurk unseen around the house where his friend lived and worked. Seeing the dragon hiding in the shadows was always enough to bring a smile to Hiccup's face, and his presence made the boy's life more bearable.

The years passed, and to Spitelout's utter rage Hiccup grew into a handsome young man, far more handsome than Snotlout had turned out to be. To help quench his jealous fury, the cruel Viking forced his nephew to wear the dirtiest and most faded of tunics. And while his uncle and cousin's clothes were always spotless, Hiccup never had the time to clean his own garments, with the result he was perpetually dirty. He bathed as often as he could, but it wasn't enough to stop himself from looking the part of the household slave he had become.

More than once Hiccup wondered why he didn't just leave Berk. After all, he had no ties to the island with both of his parents dead, and he could easily leave on Toothless' back. But he could never bring himself to do it. After all, where else did he have to go? And anyway, his parents had always taught him that those who were good and kind would always receive true happiness someday. And so Hiccup worked on, day in and day out, always obeying every command, never snapping back at his uncle or cousin, always treating them kindly despite his hardship, and each day hoping that he would find his well-earned happiness.

…

Hiccup was roused from sleep one morning before the sun had even risen. Straining his eyes to see through the darkness, he discerned a black mass hovering above him, nudging him. Then he saw the two glowing green eyes.

He clapped a hand to his mouth to stop himself from yelping aloud. Then he lowered it and hissed, "Toothless! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? Odin above, you scared me half to death!"

Toothless purred quietly and nudged his human friend a little more insistently. Hiccup sighed and whispered, "All right, all right, I'm up! Settle down. If Uncle Spitelout hears you we'll both be in big trouble."

Toothless backed away and allowed Hiccup to rise to his feet. The boy stretched his stiff muscles and yawned before leading the dragon to the open back door, which the Night Fury had learned to open on his own. Once they were outdoors, Hiccup climbed onto Toothless' back, and without further ado they launched into the air. Hiccup laughed breathlessly as the chilly morning air rushed past his face, blowing his auburn hair back and making his green eyes water. As they rose higher and higher he felt his sadness and bitterness falling rapidly away. This was the one time each day that he didn't have to wonder what Spitelout or his son would order him to do or worry about the consequences of a job not done to their satisfaction. He was totally and completely free, unfettered, unbound, unchained.

Toothless spent the next ten minutes exhausting himself with dives, spirals, loops, and various other aerial stunts. Hiccup clung to the dragon's body with leg muscles strengthened by years of hard work and rough rides and cheered happily. (They were far enough away from the village that he didn't have to worry about waking anyone with the noise.) Once the dragon's excess energy was spent, he leveled off and turned toward the forest, heading for the one spot he and Hiccup always visited together each day: Valka's grave.

Toothless landed gracefully a few feet away from the burial mound, and Hiccup slid from his back before making his way slowly, reverently up to the magnificent tree that covered it. He reached out and gently ran his hand down a length of root that lay exposed atop the earthen mound. "Hi, Mom," he said quietly. "It's me…Hiccup…" He paused, his fingers still caressing the tree as if of their own accord. "I really miss you, Mom. And Dad too. I miss you both so much. I…" He trailed off and fell silent.

"Things are about the same as usual," he resumed after a moment. "Uncle Spitelout has me working hard, and Snotlout likes to make things as difficult for me as possible. But I'm used to that by now, I suppose. Things really aren't so bad. At least not as bad as they could be. Still, though…" He hesitated, trying to find a way to phrase his feelings. "I wish…I just wish something would happen, you know? Something different. Something to break the monotony of working each and every day from dawn to dusk. I…I just want…" He almost choked over the words as they finally spilled from his mouth. "I just want a moment of happiness. It doesn't have to be much. I'm not asking for a whole lifetime of ease, but just a few hours, or even a few minutes. That's all I want. Is it really too much to ask? You and Dad always told me that if I was good I'd be happy but…but I've been good my whole life and I'm miserable. Can't I just have a few moments of joy? Please? Just a few minutes?"

He stopped talking for a few seconds. Then he sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't complain. Things could be worse, I know. I can be patient. I can wait. I'll keep working hard and I'll keep being good and nice. I won't give you or Dad a reason to be disappointed in me. I promise." He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to the tree's bark. "I love you, Mom."

He stayed still for a moment as a soft wind picked up around him, rustling the leaves on their branches. Hiccup, they seemed to whisper. My Hiccup…be strong…be strong…

"I will," Hiccup murmured. "I will be strong."

Toothless, who had been hanging back respectfully, now approached his human and nuzzled him comfortingly. Hiccup smiled weakly at him, reaching out to scratch a spot on the dragon's chin. "Thanks bud."

He looked up and saw that the sky was starting to lighten. Dawn was approaching. His time was up: he had to get back to the house before Spitelout noticed his absence. He turned away from the tree and climbed onto Toothless' back once more. "Come on, bud," he said, forcing a bit of cheer into his voice. "Let's go."

Toothless crooned, spread his wings, and took off. Hiccup allowed himself one last glance back at the tree before turning his gaze forward, watching as the horizon began to glow with the promise of a new day.

…

By the time Spitelout made his way downstairs that morning, Hiccup was already busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast. "Good morning," he said cordially as his uncle stepped into the room.

Spitelout grunted and sat down at the table, barely glancing at his nephew.

Still keeping his voice light and easy, Hiccup said, "I've got some eggs frying and some mutton cooking, but we're running low on both. If you'd like, I'll run to town later today and pick up some more."

Spitelout merely nodded and grunted again. Hiccup took that as assent and nodded too, hoping his uncle wouldn't pick up on his little smile. His trip to town would give him a chance to see his friends again, even if only for a moment.

Soon breakfast was ready, and Hiccup plated three portions, carefully making his own much smaller than his uncle's and cousin's. He had given himself an equal portion only once and knew better than to make that mistake a second time. His cheek still stung whenever he thought about the backhanded slap he'd been given for that offense.

He put two of the plates on the table and placed his own on the bench in the corner where he slept. But before he could take a bite Spitelout ordered, "Go wake my son. Tell him to get down here." The command was slightly muffled, for he was already stuffing his face.

Hiccup's stomach growled loudly in complaint, but he merely said, "Yes, Uncle," and retreated from the room, heading up the stairs and knocking on his cousin's bedroom door. "Snotlout?" he called. "It's time to get up. Breakfast is ready."

There was silence from the other side of the door. Hiccup knocked again, louder, silently cursing his cousin's laziness. "Come on, Snotlout, get up! Your father asked me to wake you. Your breakfast is going to get cold."

Which will be my fault, as always, he added silently.

There was still no sound from inside. Hiccup sighed irritably and reached out to open the door. He stepped into the room…

…and was suddenly drenched as he triggered a booby-trapped bucket of water perched over the doorframe.

Snotlout roared with laughter as Hiccup stood there, soaking wet from head to toe. The water was icy and he suddenly had a hard time drawing in a complete breath. He was already starting to shiver as his tunic clung to his thin, wiry body.

"What's the matter, Hiccup?" Snotlout snickered in between great, booming laughs. "Is it raining outside?"

I really should have seen this one coming, Hiccup thought, but he said instead, "Very funny, Snotlout. You really got me."

He knew his cousin was too dim to catch the cool, sarcastic note in his voice.

"Sure did!" Snotlout chortled, wiping tears of mirth away. "You said breakfast was ready?"

Hiccup nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak: his teeth were already starting to chatter and he didn't want to give Snotlout another excuse to laugh at him.

"Great!" Snotlout said, bounding off the bed and shoving his cousin aside as he headed out the door.

Hiccup stood still for a moment or two longer to compose himself as best he could. Then he turned and followed Snotlout down the stairs and back into the kitchen. He froze on the threshold. His plate of food had been upended, and bits of egg and mutton littered the floor.

He glanced over at his uncle and cousin, neither of whom even glanced his way. Suppressing a sigh, he walked over to the mess and started to clean it up, trying to ignore the rumbling of his stomach as he threw out the ruined food.

"After you return from the market," Spitelout said suddenly, and Hiccup looked up from his work to listen, "I want you to sweep the floors upstairs. They're filthy. And be sure to scrub the floor in the den: you did a rotten job of it yesterday. Exactly what kind of image do you think that presents to people when they visit?"

Hiccup knew perfectly well that the floors both upstairs and down were perfectly clean: he'd swept them all the previous day and they'd been absolutely spotless. As for Spitelout's image, he knew that no amount of dirt could possibly change what the other villagers thought about him. He was a war hero and adored by most of the population of Berk. A dirty floor wasn't going to tarnish his reputation. But he didn't say any of this. He merely nodded and murmured, "Yes, sir."

"And clean up that wet spot in my bedroom," Snotlout added, grinning wickedly.

Hiccup bit his tongue and nodded in assent.

…

It was a relief to escape the house. With a bag slung over his shoulder, Hiccup hurried down to the marketplace in town square. Toothless followed along behind him, bounding about like a playful kitten and making Hiccup smile in spite of his misery. His tunic had not yet fully dried and the cool breeze seemed to penetrate all the way down to his bones, and the thought of the work he had to do made his stomach drop a few inches. But he couldn't help but grin at the sight of his dragon friend acting so silly.

He visited the butcher's shop first and picked up some more mutton. He then bought some eggs from Mulch and Bucket, a friendly pair of Vikings who had once been good friends with Stoick. "How're you doing, Hiccup?" Mulch asked as he carefully loaded a dozen eggs into a cushioned box.

Hiccup almost said, "I'm fine," but he knew he couldn't make the lie ring true. So he settled for, "Oh, you know. Same old."

Mulch's eyebrows raised but he didn't comment.

Hiccup also bought some more fish from the men at the docks, which turned into quite a chore as Toothless kept hungrily sniffing at the merchandise. Then he headed up to the bakery for some bread.

"Hiccup!" called Fishlegs as he entered. "Good to see you!"

Hiccup smiled at his old friend. "Hi, Fishlegs," he said. "I need to pick up a loaf of bread."

"Sure thing." Fishlegs selected a loaf and started to wrap it. Then he frowned. "Uh…Hiccup, why are you all wet?"

Hiccup glanced down at himself and sighed. "Snotlout," he said by way of explanation.

Fishlegs hummed in understanding and sympathy. "Well. Other than that, how are you doing?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I'm okay, I suppose. Can't complain."

Fishlegs looked like he'd like to argue that point but refrained. He finished wrapping the bread and handed it over. As Hiccup took it, his stomach growled fiercely. The smell of freshly baked bread was almost too much for him to bear.

Fishleg's eyes widened. "Have you not eaten today?"

Hiccup blushed slightly and tried to shrug it off, handing over some money to pay for the bread. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Thank you. I'll see you later."

He turned and left the bakery, pausing outside the door to check his purchases. Satisfied that he'd bought everything he needed, he turned toward his uncle's house.

"Hiccup, wait!"

Hiccup turned, surprised, to see Fishlegs jogging toward him, carrying half of another loaf of bread. "Here," he said, handing it over. "Eat this, all right?"

"What?" Hiccup said. "No, Fishlegs, I'm—"

His own stomach interrupted him with a thunderous roar.

"Go ahead," Fishlegs said. "Take it."

"I don't have anything to pay for it with," Hiccup said sadly, eyeing the bread longingly.

"It's fine," Fishlegs insisted. "I'll have Dad take it out of my pay. He'll understand."

Hiccup hesitated for only another second. Then he took the bread and tore a large chunk off with his teeth. "Thank you," he mumbled.

"What are friends for?" Fishlegs asked, grinning. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes, which were dark with concern.

Hiccup finished the bread in record time, not missing even a single crumb. He thanked Fishlegs again, and his friend waved it off. "Don't mention it," he said. "I've got to get back to the shop. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yeah," Hiccup replied, and the two friends went their separate ways.

Toothless hung back as Hiccup opened the door of Spitelout's house and slipped inside. He hurried to the kitchen and set his bag on the table. As he set to work putting his purchases away, he continued to think about Fishlegs and his gift of bread. He couldn't help but marvel over it. It had been so long since anyone had shown him that much kindness that he couldn't quite wrap his mind around it.

"You're back."

Hiccup turned to see his uncle standing in the doorway.

"Took you long enough," Spitelout grumbled. "Once the food's put away, get to work on the floors."

Hiccup nodded. "Yes, Uncle."

…

It was shortly after lunch that afternoon when the visitor arrived.

Hiccup had finished sweeping upstairs and was busy scrubbing the floor of the den. Cheered slightly by the memory of Fishlegs' kindness, he hummed quietly to himself as he worked, a small smile turning the corners of his mouth. Spitelout and Snotlout were both seated in their chairs, sharpening their axes. Every once in a while Spitelout would glance over at Hiccup with a slight frown, as if wondering what in Thor's name was wrong with the boy. After all, who could ever be happy while doing such menial labor?

There was a knock on the door.

"Let them in, Hiccup," Spitelout ordered.

Hiccup stood up, wincing as his lower back popped, and hurried to the door, opening it.

"Good afternoon," said the man on the threshold, smiling politely. "May I speak to the owner of this residence?"

"Yes," Hiccup replied, stepping out of the way. "Come in, please. He's in here."

The man stepped into the house and his eyes fell on Spitelout. "Good afternoon," he said as the burly Viking rose to his feet. "Are you the owner of his residence?"

"I am," Spitelout said. "Who wants to know?"

The visitor inhaled deeply. Hiccup, who had returned to his scrubbing, got the impression that he was preparing to launch into a memorized spiel.

He was right.

"I am Gobber," said the big blond Viking, "advisor to the heiress of the Meathead Tribe, Astrid Hofferson. It is my pleasure to announce that each and every eligible bachelor in the Archipelago is invited to attend a three-night festival on Meathead Island in her honor. The festival starts tonight at sundown and will continue until the early hours of the next morning. It will resume at sundown tomorrow night and the night following as well."

"A festival?" Snotlout repeated, sounding excited over the prospect of a party.

"The heiress?" Spitelout breathed, his wicked little mind already plotting.

"Every eligible bachelor?" Hiccup inquired from his spot on the floor.

He wished at once that he hadn't spoken. Every eye in the room turned toward him.

"Yes," Gobber said cheerfully. Then he leaned in and added conspiratorially, "You're welcome to attend too, lad. Everyone deserves a chance to party." He winked.

Hiccup couldn't help but smile. He decided that he liked Gobber. A lot.

"Thank you for the invitation," Spitelout said. "We will be there."

"Excellent!" Gobber boomed. "Well, I'd best be off. Still got a lot of people to invite. See you tonight!"

He left. For a moment all three people in the house were silent, each lost in his own thoughts.

A festival. The Meathead Tribe was hosting a festival in honor of their heiress. Hiccup's heart was pounding excitedly. This was it! This was the very thing he'd been hoping for! Something new, something different, something exciting! Three whole nights of revelry, three nights he wouldn't have to spend at home working!

"Don't look so excited, boy," Spitelout snapped, and Hiccup looked up at him, surprised. "You're not going."

Hiccup's smile vanished at once. "What?" he gasped. "But Uncle—!"

"The Meatheads are trying to find a suitable husband for their heiress," Spitelout said in a tone that suggested he thought Hiccup of subpar intelligence. "That's why all the eligible bachelors have been invited. Don't you see that?"

Hiccup didn't answer. He hadn't thought of that. He probably would have figured it out sooner or later, once his excitement wore off a little. But still, it didn't really matter to him. He wasn't interested in being the heiress' suitor. He just wanted to go to the festival, to let go, to not have to work for once in his life.

"So you see," Spitelout continued, "there's no reason for you to go. None whatsoever. You will help Snotlout look as presentable as possible, however. You see, he's eligible, and he stands a good chance of winning the heiress' heart."

Apparently believing the discussion closed, Spitelout turned away and returned to his axe sharpening.

"Uncle Spitelout," Hiccup said nervously, as his uncle looked up in surprise. Hiccup had never done more than say, "Yes, sir," when Spitelout gave an order. This attempt at persuasion was totally new and unexpected. "Please…please let me go to the festival. I promise I won't get in your or Snotlout's way, he can pursue the heiress all he wants. I…I just want to attend, that's all. I just want to…you know, have fun for a few nights. That's all. I swear, my work around the house won't get worse. In fact if you want, I'll even do some extra work to make up for the lost time. I'll do anything you want. Just please…please let me come with you to the festival."

He fell silent, holding his breath, praying to every god he knew of that his uncle would show some mercy for once and let him go…

"What'll you wear?" Snotlout said with a bark of laughter. "You planning on going in that?" He gestured at Hiccup, who looked down at his filthy work tunic.

"No," Hiccup said hurriedly, "I've still got some of my dad's old clothes packed away. They'll be a bit large but they'll be presentable."

Spitelout continued to stare at Hiccup, considering in silence. Then he said, "Come with me, Hiccup. I'll make a deal with you."

Feeling his heart rise hopefully, Hiccup stood and followed Spitelout out the door. They walked down to the family sheep pen, and Hiccup's spirits rose even more. If all he had to do was tend to the sheep, he could see no reason why he couldn't attend the festival.

But to his utter bewilderment, Spitelout opened the gate and stepped aside, allowing all twenty of the sheep to escape. They scattered in every direction, most of them heading into the nearby forest and others heading toward the village. Hiccup watched with his mouth hanging open in shock. What was his uncle thinking?

"Gather up these sheep," Spitelout ordered. "You have one hour. If you can get all twenty sheep back in the pen in that time in addition to completing your other chores, then you may go to the festival with us. Understood?"

Hiccup's spirits were rapidly falling, but he nodded in grim determination and said, "Yes, sir."

"Then get to it." Chuckling to himself, Spitelout returned to the house, certain that there was no possible way for the boy to complete this task in the allotted time.

For a minute or two, Hiccup just stood there, at a total loss. Where did he even begin? Did he get the ones in town first? Or did he go after the ones in the forest before they became too scattered to find? And how in Odin's name was he supposed to find them all in just one hour?

Then it hit him: he needed some help.

He looked around and sighed in relief. Toothless was snoozing in the shadows spreading behind Spitelout's house. "Toothless!" Hiccup called, and the dragon looked up, blinking sleepily. "Come here, bud! I need your help."

Toothless rose to his feet and bounded over, warbling questioningly. "We have to catch the escaped sheep," Hiccup explained, jumping onto the dragon's back. "And we only have an hour. If we can get them back in the pen in time, Uncle Spitelout will allow me to go to a festival!"

Toothless had no understanding of what a festival was or why it was so important to his human friend, but his excitement was clear in his voice, and that was all the dragon needed to put his every effort into the task at hand…or claw.

Boy and dragon rushed into town, where the six or seven sheep were wreaking havoc. Toothless seized one in each of his four paws while Hiccup carried a fifth in his arms. "Five down!" he cheered as they deposited the escapees in the closed pen. "Only fifteen to go!"

Soon all the sheep that had run into the village were safely back in their pen, and Hiccup and Toothless moved their search to the forest. The going was a bit more difficult and time consuming, but the gods must have been on their side, for by the end of the hour, all twenty sheep were back home where they belonged.

"Thanks, bud!" Hiccup called, jumping off his dragon's back and hurrying back up to the house. He rushed into the den, and Spitelout looked up. Before his uncle could even open his mouth to ask, Hiccup announced, "Finished!" with an unmistakable note of pride in his voice. "And in under an hour!"

Spitelout stood up and rushed out the door to see if Hiccup was telling the truth. He counted the sheep three times and was forced to concede that his nephew had done what he thought impossible. Hiccup stood beside him, waiting expectantly for his uncle to say those magic words…

"Right," he said gruffly. "Well, get back to work. Remember, you still have to finish scrubbing the floor and you have to make both Snotlout and yourself presentable."

Then he headed back up to the house. His heart leaping, Hiccup followed. He returned to work at once, determined to be done with plenty of time to spare.

His smile didn't last long. He hadn't been scrubbing for two minutes when Snotlout traipsed into the room, kicking over the water bucket with an exaggerated, "Oops!" Hiccup gazed sadly down at the puddle spreading across the freshly-scrubbed floor. Odin above, it was going to be a long afternoon.

And it was. By the time he was finished cleaning the floor, the afternoon was halfway over. He stood up and stretched his tired, stiff muscles, but he wasn't given a moment's reprieve. Snotlout commanded his complete attention, presenting him with a nice green tunic that was in need of some repair and a black fur vest that needed cleaning. Hiccup dove into the work, hurriedly sewing the tear in the tunic and washing the stains out of the vest as fast as he could. He resumed humming under his breath as he worked, determinedly thinking only of the festival. Just a little longer and he'd be there, relaxing and feasting and perhaps even dancing, if the urge hit him.

At last, at long last, the work was done. Snotlout was dressed and looked quite impressive. The house was clean, the floors in particular practically sparkling. Hiccup hurried to the kitchen and pulled out a small trunk from underneath his sleeping bench. In this trunk were the only worldly possessions he had: a charm necklace that had belonged to his mother, his helmet that his mother had given him, his father's wedding ring, a stuffed dragon toy his mother had made, and some of his father's old clothes. Hiccup donned one of his father's tunics, the one he'd reserved for special occasions. It was a rich blue in color with gold trim and came with a matching belt with a golden weave in the fabric. As he'd figured, it was a bit large and hung off his body rather awkwardly. But it was better than his work tunic, anyway, and as he examined his reflection in a bucket of water he thought he looked just as presentable as his cousin. When he added his mother's helmet to the mix, he even thought he looked rather handsome.

With his heart feeling lighter than it had in years, Hiccup joined his uncle and cousin in the den as they prepared to depart. "I'm ready," he said, unable to keep the excited quiver from his voice.

Spitelout and Snotlout stared critically at him for a moment, and Hiccup's smile slipped a little.

"You're wearing that old thing?" Spitelout asked, stepping forward and taking a closer look at Hiccup's clothes.

Hiccup's smile faded a little more and he nodded.

Spitelout laughed. "You stupid boy, you'd be the laughingstock of the party! That thing is so old-fashioned, so out of date! You're practically a relic from the past! And besides…" He reached out and fingered at a small split in the shoulder seam that Hiccup hadn't had a chance to mend. "…it looks like it's been damaged…"

And without any warning, Spitelout seized the weakened sleeve and tugged. The seam popped and tore with a horrible ripping sound, and before Hiccup knew what had happened, his right shoulder was totally exposed to open air, the tattered remnants of the sleeve dangling uselessly at his side.

Hiccup gasped and recoiled away, staring down at the ruined sleeve in shock and dismay. "No…" he choked. "Oh gods, no…"

"And that belt," Spitelout continued, reaching out again and taking the decorative fabric in his rough fingers. "It doesn't look strong enough to properly do its job."

He jerked his hand back and the belt ripped cleanly in two. "No!" Hiccup cried, trying to draw away, but there was nowhere for him to go. He was cornered.

And now Snotlout reached out and took his cousin's helmet in his hands, plucking it from Hiccup's head. Hiccup felt his heart constrict and tried to grab it, but Snotlout was too quick.

"Whoops!" he cried, and he tossed the helmet into the air. It landed on the floor with a clang, denting the metal surface and snapping one of the horns cleanly in half.

Hiccup couldn't move. His body seemed to be disconnected from his brain. It couldn't have happened. This couldn't be happening to him. There was no way…

"Looks like you're not in any shape to be attending a festival," Spitelout observed with a cruel smile. "Stay here, Hiccup. Stay where you belong."

Hiccup just gaped at him. His mouth was open but no sound came out.

Spitelout and Snotlout headed for the door. On the threshold, the elder Viking paused and glanced back. "Oh by the way, go ahead and clean the kitchen table while we're gone. It's looking a little dingy."

And with that, they departed, slamming the door behind them. Hiccup could hear their laughter echoing back up the hill as they headed off to the festival, leaving him behind. Alone.

Slowly, very slowly, Hiccup stumbled forward and bent down to pick up his helmet. He ran a shaky hand along the dented surface, his fingers lingering in one of the worst dings on the front. His eyes fixed on the damaged horn as he slowly turned the piece of headgear over, studying the clean-cut edge.

Then his face crumpled and he clutched the helmet to his chest. He whirled around and bolted through the house, leaving through the back door and running toward the forest. "Toothless!" he cried, his voice breaking as tears started to slip from his eyes.

As he ran blindly, the Night Fury looked up and rushed over, crooning in bewildered concern. Hiccup collapsed over the dragon's neck and dissolved into wordless sobs. Poor Toothless, not knowing what he could possibly do to help, warbled and nuzzled his human. Hiccup looked up and wiped his tear-streaked cheeks. He opened his mouth but nothing came out except a faint croak.

Warbling, Toothless turned so that Hiccup was facing his side. Understanding the invitation, Hiccup clambered rather awkwardly onto the dragon's back. Once he was settled, Toothless took flight, heading for the one spot he knew his human could find some kind of peace: his mother's grave.

Hiccup dismounted the moment they reached the burial mound. Still clutching the damaged helmet, he walked up to the base of the tree, staring up at its many branches and leaves. He was silent for several minutes. Then he finally whispered, "I don't understand."

He looked down at the helmet, running his hands over its dents and hollows again. "I never asked for much," he mumbled. "All I wanted was a little bit of happiness. Just a little. A break. Some time to relax. That's all. It isn't like I asked to be the chief or something like that." He paused, and when he resumed his voice was trembling with unshed tears. "You once told me that if I was good, that if I was always kind no matter what I faced, that I would find happiness someday. I believed you. I've always believed you. For years I've slaved and toiled, patiently waiting for that promised happiness. And today I thought that I finally had a shot at it. I thought the festival would be a great chance to be happy, even if just for a few hours. But now…" He dropped the helmet and sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands. He was sobbing as he continued, "…how can I believe now? I've been waiting for so long now. I can't keep going on like this! How can I? I'll never find my happiness! Never!"

The wind rustled the branches of the great tree. Hiccup, it seemed to breathe, my sweet Hiccup…

"I can't believe in happiness," Hiccup went on, unaware that behind him, Toothless' eyes had grown wide with shock. "Not now. Not anymore. It's hopeless."

It's never hopeless, the voice in the wind seemed to say. There is always room for hope.

"Not for me," Hiccup answered the voice. "Not me. I'm just a servant in my uncle's house, and I always will be. There's no room for hope in my life. There never will be."

"Hiccup…"

Hiccup's eyes opened and he lifted his head. His jaw dropped. A woman stood before him, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had long brown hair and wore a perfectly white tunic. She was smiling gently, lovingly at him. Oddly enough, she didn't seem to be fully there. There was a strange, transparent quality to her, as if a strong wind would blow her away.

Hiccup knew immediately who it was. But the shock of seeing her here before him rendered him momentarily speechless. It was several seconds before he was able to croak out, "Mom?"

"Yes, my dear," said Valka, holding her arms out. "It's me."

Hiccup rose unsteadily to his feet and reached for her, but his hand passed through her outstretched fingers. She sighed a little sadly. "I'm only a spirit, Hiccup. I haven't returned to life."

"But…but how…" Hiccup couldn't get the words out.

Valka's smile returned. "Your faith brought me here," she explained. "Your faith and your goodness. You came here every day, kept this tree alive…" She gestured at the burial mound behind her. "…talked to me every time you visited. You might not have known it, but I was always here, listening."

Hiccup stared at his mother's spirit for a few seconds more. Then he smiled and choked, "Mom…oh gods, Mom…I've missed you…"

"I've missed you too, Hiccup," Valka replied. "But I haven't much time. I've come back here to grant your wish."

"My wish?" Hiccup repeated blankly.

"You wished to go to the festival on Meathead Island, yes?"

"Well, yeah," Hiccup replied. "But I can't possibly go…"

"Of course you can!" Valka said with a laugh. "You just need a little help, that's all. Here…" She turned toward Toothless, who was watching the exchange in silent bemusement. "Call your dragon to us."

"Uh…okay…?" Hiccup turned and said, "Come here, bud. It's fine. This is my…my mother." The words sounded strange yet wonderful.

Toothless approached cautiously, sniffing at the translucent spirit before him. Apparently satisfied that she presented no threat, he crooned. "Oh, he's beautiful," Valka said. "You're very lucky to have such a great companion, Hiccup."

"Yeah," Hiccup said, grinning at his friend. "I am."

Valka considered the dragon for a moment. "You'll need a means of transportation to get to the festival," she said. "Toothless can get you there, I have no doubt of that. But…" A little smile played at the corners of her mouth. "…let's see if I can't get you there in style."

And without explaining anything more, she raised her hands, pointing the fingers at Toothless. All at once, the dragon was engulfed in a golden light. Toothless roared in confusion as Hiccup gasped, "What—"

Valka chuckled at his expression and lowered her hands. The glow faded to reveal that Toothless was now decked out in the finest saddle ever to be placed upon a dragon's back. The leather was as black as the Night Fury's scales and decorated with gold and silver trim. It was so clean that it shone in the moonlight, as reflective as a pool of water.

"Oh my…" Hiccup took a step closer to his friend, staring at the new saddle in awe. "How…how did you…"

"Oh, just a little magic spell," Valka said airily, shrugging. "One of the perks of being a spirit."

"You can do magic?" Hiccup asked, eyes widening.

"Mm-hmm," Valka confirmed, now gazing at Hiccup's ruined tunic, a slight frown creasing her features. "And I'm going to need a little magic to fix that up…"

Hiccup looked down at himself and felt his heart constrict painfully at the memory of Spitelout's assault. "It was Dad's," he mumbled.

"I know, dear," Valka said. "I'm afraid I can't mend it for you. My power is limited. But I can give you something else to wear for the night." She paused, pondering. Then she smiled. "I have just the thing, too…"

She raised her hands again, and this time it was Hiccup who was engulfed in the golden light. He inhaled sharply as the tattered tunic was replaced by another, one of rich black fabric with the same gold and silver trim that covered Toothless' new saddle. The belt was inlaid with sparkling jewels, and the boots were lined with thick silver fur. The whole thing was topped off with a cloak of black fur.

As the glow faded from around him, Hiccup ran his hands down his new apparel, his mouth hanging open. "Wow…Mom, this is amazing! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, son," Valka said. Then she added, "Hmm…something's missing…ah-ha!" Her eyes had fallen on the helmet Hiccup had dropped. She snapped her fingers, and the dents vanished at once. The horn repaired itself, and the metal shone in the moonlight. It looked just as perfect as it had the day it was made.

Hiccup bent down and picked it up, turning it over slowly in his hands. He felt tears fill his eyes. "Mom, I…I don't know how to thank you enough…"

"You don't have to, Hiccup," Valka said as her son placed the helmet atop his head, completing the regal image. "But there's something you must know. The magic won't last forever. You have only until midnight. You must leave the festival then, for the spell will break and everything will return to the way it was before."

"Midnight?" Hiccup repeated. "That's plenty of time! Thank you, Mom. This is…" He looked back down at his clothes. "…this is so much more than I ever dreamed of."

Valka smiled. "You're welcome, my dear son. But go on! The festival has already started! Go, have fun, dance, throw your cares away! Don't worry about your uncle and cousin, they won't recognize you. You have a full night of freedom ahead of you, so don't waste another minute!"

Hiccup, beaming, hurried over to his dragon and mounted, settling in the brand-new saddle. "Return here tomorrow night, and I'll prepare you once more for the second part of the festival," Valka called out. Already her image was starting to fade. "Have fun, Hiccup, and be happy!"

Then she was gone.

Toothless took to the sky, and Hiccup directed him toward Meathead Island. It was a short journey, and they arrived in only a few minutes. The dragon landed at the edge of the forest, which stretched partway around a large hill situated in the middle of the island. Atop this hill was the Great Hall, immediately identifiable by the blazing lights pouring from its open doors and windows. The festival was no doubt being held there.

Hiccup told Toothless to wait there for him and set off up the hill, his heart pounding with anticipation. Reaching the hall, he peered cautiously inside. The party was in full swing. Vikings were talking, laughing, joking, eating, drinking, and dancing all without a care in the world. Hiccup slipped in relatively unnoticed, although those who did see him enter ogled his fine clothes with awe and more than a little envy.

He made his way to the refreshment table and poured himself a glass of ale, hoping to ease the trembling of his hands. He was so excited and nervous that he was shaking like a leaf in the breeze. He took a sip and breathed deeply, looking around the hall and wondering what he ought to do. He saw his uncle and cousin laughing loudly and rather drunkenly in a huddle of Vikings near the back of the hall, and he made a note to stay as far away as possible from them. Valka had said they wouldn't recognize him, but he still had no desire to test her promise.

And then he saw her.

She was standing a few feet away, listening to a young man who was talking energetically to her. She looked rather bored with the one-sided conversation and was allowing her eyes to wander. She was stunningly beautiful. Her hair was gold in color and arranged in a braid that ran down the length of her back. She wore a traditional headband that was partially covered by her bangs, which reached far enough down to almost cover her eyes. And those eyes…! Hiccup could see them sparkling in the bright lights of the hall. They were sapphire blue in color, lovely, captivating…

…and they were suddenly looking at him.

In that moment the rest of the festival ceased to exist in Hiccup's mind. It was just he and the girl gazing at each other. There was no one else on the entire island, or even in the whole Archipelago. The girl's expression went blank with surprise as she observed him. Their eyes remained locked for several seconds, though to Hiccup it felt like hours. It was as if time had come to a stop.

Then the moment passed. The girl glanced back at her companion and excused herself before heading toward him. Hiccup felt his heart start beating twice as fast as she drew nearer. He tried to smile and hoped it didn't look frantic or scared.

"Hello," said the girl as she reached the spot where he stood.

"Hi," Hiccup returned weakly. Then he cleared his throat awkwardly and bowed. "I trust I am speaking to the heiress of the Meathead Tribe?"

The girl laughed pleasantly. "Yes, you are. My name is Astrid."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," Hiccup said with complete sincerity. He decided to forgo the opportunity to give her his name.

"Likewise," Astrid replied, inclining her head.

The band in the corner of the hall launched into a new song, a light and playful tune. Astrid asked, "Would you like to dance?"

Hiccup grinned. "Sure. Although," he added as they headed toward the center of the hall, "I should warn you, I'm a terrible dancer."

Astrid laughed again. "Then you're in good company: I am too."

Hiccup chuckled but didn't say anything more: they had reached the dance floor. He was suddenly aware of the other people in the room, many of whom were now staring at this stranger who had accompanied the heiress into the throng with the intention of dancing with her. He took a deep breath to calm himself before taking her hand in his and stepping lightly into a jig. Astrid mimicked him, her radiant smile lighting up her face as they spun and twirled. Now every eye in the hall was upon them, but Hiccup no longer cared. He was too entranced by his dancing partner to give the others a passing thought. There was only one moment, just a moment, when he noticed the people surrounding them: it was when he caught sight of Spitelout and Snotlout, both of whom were gaping openly at him in confusion. He could tell they didn't know who he was and felt a moment of giddy satisfaction before returning his attention to Astrid.

He really wasn't a great dancer, but he managed quite well, and in the end it didn't matter how many times he missed a step. By the time the song was over, both he and Astrid were out of breath but grinning widely, their faces flushed and their hair a little damp with sweat.

They stepped off the dance floor and picked up a couple of glasses of ale to quench their thirst. "You're too hard on yourself," Astrid remarked pleasantly. "You're not all that bad a dancer, really. You're better than most of the others, anyway."

Hiccup chuckled. "Thanks. You're pretty good yourself."

Astrid's cheeks went pink at this – or had they already been that shade from the dancing? Hiccup couldn't tell – and she thanked him.

They were silent for a few minutes, but it wasn't awkward. It was a companionable silence, a kind of serene quiet that didn't need to be interrupted by mere words. They both looked with mild interest at a pair of blond twins, one male and one female, who were cutting up in a far corner of the hall. Apparently they were having a contest to see who could punch each other the hardest, though Hiccup couldn't imagine a single good reason for such a challenge.

"Those are the Thorston twins," Astrid explained. "Ruffnut and Tuffnut. They're a bit, well…" She shrugged. "…weird. But they're okay, overall. As long as you have plenty of patience for their antics."

Hiccup chuckled. "They seem like quite a pair."

"Oh, they are," Astrid laughed, though she did not elaborate. Silence fell again between them. Hiccup finished his mug of ale and set it down, making a mental note not to drink any more tonight. He didn't want to lose any memories of this night to a drunken blur.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Astrid asked after another few minutes. "I could use a bit of fresh air."

Hiccup agreed without a moment's hesitation and followed Astrid to the doors, feeling the stares of every Viking in the room on his back. The cool night air was refreshing after the stuffy warmth of the Great Hall, and they both breathed deeply for a moment, relishing their relief.

"This is quite a party," Hiccup remarked as they wandered away from the hall.

"Yes," Astrid sighed. "It was my parents' idea. I'm sure you've figured out why, of course."

"They're looking for a suitable husband for you," Hiccup said. There was no inflection in his voice to indicate what he thought about this. He was merely stating fact.

"Mm-hmm," Astrid replied. "According to good old Meathead tradition, I can't accept a position of power in this society unless I have a husband to counsel me." She rolled her eyes. "It's a stupid law, really. I'm more than capable of making decisions without having to ask for help."

"I'm sure you are," Hiccup said. Then, afraid that this might have sounded condescending, he added, "You strike me as a very intelligent young woman. I have no doubt whatsoever that you'd make a fine cheiftainess."

Astrid smiled. "Thank you." Then she went on, "Forgive me, I don't mean to complain. My mom and dad are both very nice and want what's best for me. I hope I didn't give you the impression they were bad parents or anything."

"No, not at all," Hiccup assured her. "Parents are human. They mean well, but not every decision they make is good. And the same can be said for all of us. It's just part of being what we are."

Astrid regarded him thoughtfully. "You're very well-spoken," she said. "Are you a philosopher of some kind?"

Hiccup laughed. "No, not hardly. Just someone who's had plenty of time to do a lot of thinking."

They came to a stop at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The moonlight shone and reflected off the calm waters below, and a light sea breeze toyed with Hiccup's fur vest, making it flap slightly at his ankles.

"It's a beautiful night," he sighed, gazing out over the endless expanse of ocean stretching out before them.

Astrid hummed in agreement and shivered as the wind picked up. Her arms were bare and she was feeling rather chilled. Hiccup noticed and immediately pulled the fur cape from his shoulders, placing it around her body. She smiled gratefully and thanked him. He grinned wordlessly at her, suddenly aware of their closeness, of just how lovely she was…

Hiccup lost track of how long they stood there like that. They talked and laughed pleasantly, and time seemed to slip away like water sliding from the surface of a rock. He didn't want the night to ever end. He'd never known this kind of peace and contentment, the serenity that stole over him as he talked to this amazing young woman beside him.

And then…

From somewhere up the hill, in the direction of the Great Hall, someone blew a large horn, the sound carrying and echoing all the way down to the cliff where they stood. Hiccup looked sharply around and said, "What was that?"

"It's just the signal to say that it's midnight," Astrid said easily.

"Midnight?!" Hiccup yelped, remembering his mother's warning. "Already?! Oh my gods, I…I didn't realize it had gotten so late…!"

"Hey," Astrid said, frowning with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I have to go now," Hiccup said, stepping back away from her, his heart pounding. "I need to leave."

"Leave?" Astrid repeated blankly. "But the festival won't end for another few hours."

"I know, but I really must go now," Hiccup said, taking another few steps away from Astrid. "I'm sorry to leave so abruptly, but…"

"Are you sure you must go?" Astrid asked, sounding disappointed.

Hiccup paused for a moment, and he knew that if he had a choice he would never leave, that he would stay by her side until the festival ended. But already he could tell his time was winding down. It might have been his imagination, but he rather thought his clothes were already starting to fade back to their original mangled state.

"Yes," he answered, "I'm afraid so. I'm sorry."

Astrid nodded, unable to keep the displeasure from her expression. "Here," she said, taking his fur cloak off her shoulders and handing it over. "Thank you for letting me borrow it."

Hiccup took it back with a mumbled, "You're welcome." He paused for a moment, not sure what to do. He knew he had to depart, but he hated to leave on such a sour note.

"Will you come back tomorrow night?" Astrid asked, and she sounded hopeful. "You know the festival continues for two more nights."

Hiccup smiled. "Wild dragons couldn't keep me away."

Astrid's face relaxed. "Good," she said, obviously relieved. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Hiccup agreed. Then he reached out, took Astrid's hand in his, and kissed her knuckles. "Until then, my lady."

Then he turned and ran into the darkness. Astrid watched him go, feeling her heart sink slowly as he vanished.

It wasn't until he had been totally swallowed by the night that she realized that she didn't even know his name.

…

By the time Hiccup had mounted Toothless and the pair took flight, his regal attire was once again reduced to the tattered remnants of his father's old tunic. The shiny new saddle disappeared from underneath him, and the helmet on his head was returned to its dented state. But this didn't bother him. He was too elated by what he had experienced that night to have any room left for disappointment or regret.

"Gods, Toothless," he said to his dragon friend as they flew toward Berk. "I had such a wonderful time tonight! The festival was…it was…" He struggled to find the right words. "…it was magical. It was like nothing I've ever experienced. And the heiress! Astrid…" He sighed. "Whoever marries her is a lucky man indeed."

Toothless crooned, not really understanding why his human was so jubilant but happy for him nonetheless.

The rest of the trip was made in relative silence. When they returned home, Hiccup dismounted, said good night to his dragon, and headed into the house with a smile still spread across his face.

The first thing he did was clean the kitchen table as Spitelout had ordered him to. He didn't want to raise his uncle's suspicions by making him think his nephew had left the house. Once that was done, he retrieved a needle and some thread, sat down upon his bench, and started repairing the damaged tunic. He'd become rather proficient at sewing over the years, what with having to fix his uncle and cousin's clothes anytime they received even the most minor tear, and he'd found he even rather enjoyed the work. He sang quietly as he repaired the ripped sleeve and was just getting started on the tattered belt when the front door opened. He fell silent and looked up as Spitelout and Snotlout entered the room, both looking rather bewildered.

"How was the festival?" Hiccup asked, trying to sound indifferent, returning his eyes to his work.

"It was a great party," Snotlout declared. "You should have been there, cousin." He snorted with laughter.

Hiccup ignored the jibe. "I'm glad you had fun," he said seriously. "How was the heiress?"

"Busy," remarked Spitelout, and Hiccup looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "She spent most of the night with one man."

"Oh?" Hiccup said, hoping he seemed only mildly interested. "Who was he?"

"No idea," Spitelout grunted, sitting down at the table. "He showed up an hour or two after the festival started. By his clothes, I'd guess he's the son of a really important and wealthy chief. I've never seen clothes like that in my life." He sighed longingly, and Hiccup knew he was thinking of what it would be like to be that rich.

"And then he vanished without a trace," Snotlout interjected. "At midnight, he just took off and disappeared. No one knows why or where he went. The heiress said he told her he just had to go and didn't explain why."

"Wow," Hiccup said. "That's strange."

"Yes," Spitelout agreed. "And the heiress said he'd be back tomorrow night as well. Which means," he added, looking sternly at Hiccup, "you'll need to help Snotlout look as attractive as possible for tomorrow."

"Help?" Hiccup repeated. "How can I help?"

"You can fix up Snotlout's best clothes to make sure they're perfect," Spitelout commanded. "Fix any tears, clean any stains, do whatever you have to do to make them shine. If he's to have any hope of getting the heiress' attention, then he has to be impressive enough to distract her from her mysterious pretty boy when he shows up. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Hiccup replied, meekly bowing his head. "I'll get on that first thing tomorrow."

"Good." Spitelout stood up and jerked his head to the side, silently ordering Snotlout from the room. He followed his son to the door but paused on the threshold, looking back over his shoulder at his nephew. "I trust you've removed all silly notions about going to the festival yourself out of your head?"

"Yes, Uncle," Hiccup said. It wasn't hard to sound upset by this. The injustice of his earlier treatment still stung. "I won't ask again."

Spitelout nodded, satisfied, and left without another word.

Once he was out of earshot, Hiccup muttered, "I won't ask…but I'll still be at the festival tomorrow night." He grinned to himself as he continued fixing the belt in his hands. "And you can't stop me."

…

Hiccup was in high spirits the next day, though if Spitelout or Snotlout noticed this, neither mentioned it. As promised, Hiccup spent the entire morning and a good portion of the afternoon fixing Snotlout's best tunic. "You're taking forever!" Snotlout complained when he checked up on his cousin's progress for the seventh time.

"I'm going as fast as I can," Hiccup replied patiently as he scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain. "This tunic was in bad shape. I'm almost done, though. It should be ready in another hour or so."

Snotlout groaned and grumbled as he left the room, but he couldn't fault Hiccup's handiwork when he received his tunic just under an hour later. "This looks great!" he crowed as he held it up for inspection. "I can't even tell it was damaged!"

"You'd better get ready," Hiccup said, inwardly glowing at Snotlout's inadvertent praise. "The festival will be starting soon. Don't want to be late."

Snotlout chuckled. "The heiress isn't going to be able to keep her hands off me," he said as he hurried from the room.

Hiccup covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing aloud.

The moment Spitelout and Snotlout were mounted on their dragons and on their way to the festival, Hiccup rushed into the forest with Toothless. They flew to Valka's burial mound, which was deserted as usual. "Mom?" Hiccup called, stepping up to the great tree. "Where are you?"

"Over here, Hiccup."

Hiccup looked around and saw Valka's spirit standing a few feet away. She was smiling sweetly at him.

"How was the festival last night?"

"Oh Mom," Hiccup said, "it was…I mean…I can't even…"

Valka laughed. "I guess that means you had a good time."

"The best!" Hiccup exclaimed. "I've never had so much fun in my whole life! I met the heiress of the Meathead Tribe, Astrid Hofferson. We danced, we talked, we laughed, we walked…it was the most amazing night…!"

Valka's eyebrows rose. "The heiress?" she repeated. "Well, well…it sounds like you had quite a night." She raised her hands. "Maybe tonight will be just as good."

Hiccup and Toothless were engulfed in golden light once again. When it faded, they were once again decked out in the finest material Hiccup had ever seen. This time the saddle was plated with silver, and his tunic was woven out of matching-colored fabric with gold and sapphire-blue trim. The cloak around his shoulders was made from dark blue fur speckled with silver. His helmet, which he'd been unable to fix, was restored once again.

"Oh my…" Hiccup breathed as he gazed down upon his new clothes. "Mom, these are amazing! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, dear," Valka said. "Just remember, the spell will break at midnight again, so be sure to be well away from the festival by then."

"Got it," Hiccup said, heading over to Toothless and mounting the dragon's back.

"Have fun!" Valka called, waving.

"I will!" Hiccup returned. "And thank you again!"

Toothless took off, and Valka's spirit vanished.

The festival was once again fully underway by the time they arrived. Hiccup left Toothless by the edge of the forest and headed up the hill toward the Great Hall. He felt a moment of discomfort as he entered and every eye in the room turned to stare at him, but it lasted only for a few seconds. When Astrid saw him and their eyes met, all nervousness slipped away. She excused herself from her conversation with Snotlout and walked up to meet him, smiling widely.

"Thank Odin," she said. "You saved me from an absolutely unbearable suitor."

Hiccup glanced up at his cousin, who was glowering over his failed advance, and grinned. "Happy to be of service, my lady."

"You have no idea," Astrid laughed. "Have you ever been forced into conversation with that guy? I've never talked to someone so full of himself!"

Hiccup chuckled and said, "I've met him before. Believe me when I say that I know your pain."

Astrid made a face. "In that case, I'm truly sorry."

Hiccup grinned and held out his hand. In the corner, the band had started an upbeat tune. "Care to dance?"

Astrid smiled and nodded, and they headed into the center of the hall. As they started dancing, again under the scrutiny of the other Vikings, Hiccup took a moment to observe his partner. She was looking radiant in a blue dress, the kind of outfit he'd expect a chieftainess to wear. "You look lovely tonight," he observed.

Astrid scoffed. "Thanks, but I really hate these clothes." Seeing Hiccup's look of mild surprise, she went on, "I'm much more of an axe-throwing kind of girl, to be honest."

"So," Hiccup said as they spun about, "all this dancing and partying isn't really your thing, is it?"

"Oh I don't mind dancing and partying every once in a while," Astrid corrected. "Though I have to admit, three nights in a row is a bit excessive. No, my real problem is that everyone expects me to be this docile little thing. I'm the heiress, a girl, so I'm supposed to stand back and let the men do all the fighting and decision-making. And that's really not who I am. I don't like getting all dressed up like this. But hand me a shield and an axe and watch out!"

Hiccup chuckled. "I'll be sure to bear that in mind. Note to self: never get on your bad side."

"Better believe it," Astrid said, and they both laughed.

The song ended and they stepped off the dance floor, their hands still entwined. Hiccup noticed this and felt the heat rise in his face but didn't let go, and neither did Astrid.

They decided on another walk around the island and were soon standing on the edge of the cliff once again. They didn't talk as much tonight as they had the previous evening, preferring to stand in companionable silence. Astrid was wearing Hiccup's cloak to protect her from the chill and had her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"I have to admit, I'm worried about this whole marriage thing," Astrid said after awhile. "The whole purpose of this festival is for me to find someone my parents would think to be a suitable match. But I have other ideas. You see…" She paused. "…if I'm going to be forced into the marriage, then I at least want to like the man I end up with, you know?"

"It makes sense," Hiccup agreed, nodding.

"My parents are willing to let me find someone I like," Astrid went on. "But if I'm unsuccessful, then they will make a selection for me. That's the part that's got me worried the most."

Hiccup didn't reply. He didn't know what to say. The subject of marriage was so serious and so weighty that he suddenly felt afraid. When he'd first come to the festival, he'd only been looking to have a good time, a party, a break from his normal routine. He hadn't been thinking about marriage, much less marriage to the heiress of the tribe. Sure, he'd danced with her, talked with her, and laughed with her, but it had all seemed like a lark, a time for lighthearted and carefree revelry.

But now…

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the horn blowing.

"Midnight already?" he asked.

"Yeah," Astrid said, her expression turning sad. "You have to go again?"

"I'm afraid so," Hiccup replied. He didn't move, though.

Astrid handed his cloak back to him and he took it wordlessly. Still he made no move to depart. "Are you sure you have to leave?"

Hiccup hesitated. "If it were up to me, I'd stay," he admitted. "But I'm afraid it's not possible."

"Why?" Astrid asked bluntly.

Hiccup tried to find a way to explain his situation. Thinking of none, he settled for, "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." Then, before she could respond, he kissed her hand and said, "Until tomorrow night, Astrid."

"So you'll be back tomorrow?" Astrid asked.

"Of course," Hiccup promised. "I wouldn't miss it."

Then he turned and ran.

Astrid watched him for only a moment before she too whirled around, hurrying back up to the Great Hall. "Gobber!" she said as she found her friend and advisor laughing with some of the party guests. "I need your help."

…

Hiccup, his regal clothes back to their original shabby shape, was riding his dragon up into the clouds when he heard a roar from behind him. He looked around and felt his stomach turn to stone. There was a dragon pursuing them. And a large, burly Viking with a long blond mustache was riding that dragon.

Hiccup recognized the man as the one who had delivered the invitation the day before. Gobber.

"Oh no," Hiccup moaned. "Quick, Toothless, let's get out of here! We have to lose him!"

Toothless snorted and shot skyward, his lean black form disappearing into the darkness. Hiccup heard Gobber cry out in surprise and smiled in satisfaction. The Night Fury's stealth skills were clearly far better than the Meathead advisor had anticipated. "All right, bud," Hiccup whispered. "Time to put on some extra speed."

Toothless trilled and took off, leaving a bewildered Gobber far behind them.

Hiccup was silent for the rest of the flight home, but rather than the easy silence of the previous night's journey, this one was tense and uncomfortable. Hiccup was doing some serious thinking.

Gobber was following him. And he could think of only one reason why he'd be doing that: Astrid had told him to.

Which must mean that Astrid liked him enough to know who he was and where he came from.

Hiccup was suddenly very afraid. What had once seemed like innocent fun now felt like a web of lies he'd trapped himself in. He'd never told Astrid anything about himself, not even his name. With the clothes he'd been wearing, it was only natural for her – and everyone else present – to assume that he was from a wealthy family, the son of a chief, an heir, a respectable suitor for the Meathead heiress. But he was nothing more than a common servant, a slave. If Astrid was to choose one of the invited bachelors to be her husband, he was the very last person she should pick. Yet…if she was sending Gobber to find out who he was, then it seemed she was actually considering him as a potential suitor.

And the truly frightening part was…he actually didn't mind.

"Oh gods," he moaned as he entered his uncle's house, leaning against the door as his legs threatened to collapse from underneath him. "I love her. I'm in love with Astrid Hofferson."

He had to stop this. He couldn't continue to lead her on like this. He had to tell her the truth: he was a servant, a servant who was lucky enough to have been given the chance to meet her, but only a servant. He wasn't someone she should consider as a potential husband.

Or better yet, he should stay away from the festival tomorrow night. He needed to disappear, give another suitor a chance to win her heart.

But he'd promised he'd see her again tomorrow. And there'd been no mistaking the look of joy in her eyes when he'd said he'd be back.

And besides, he wasn't sure he could stay away now. He cared about her too much.

"What am I gonna do?" he whispered. "Great Thor Almighty, what am I gonna do?"

…

The Great Hall doors opened, and Astrid jumped to her feet as Gobber stepped inside.

"Did you find him?" she asked, hating the note of desperation she couldn't keep from her voice.

"Afraid not, lass," Gobber replied, shaking his head. "He was riding a Night Fury. He totally disappeared. There was no way to track him."

Astrid sighed, sitting back down and resting her head in her hands. She was suddenly very tired, and she still had one more night of the festival to get through.

"I'm sorry, Astrid," Gobber added, coming over to sit down beside her.

"It's not your fault," she answered, looking up. She considered for a moment. "He said he'd be back tomorrow night," she mused. "What I need is a way to keep him past midnight. If I can keep him here, then maybe I can start getting some answers…"

She suddenly stiffened. A smile slowly spread across her face.

"Gobber," she said, "I've got an idea. And I'll need your help."

Gobber raised his eyebrows. "I'm all ears, lass."

…

When Hiccup woke up the next morning, he was still no closer to figuring out what he was going to do. He was quiet and subdued throughout most of the day, doing what was asked of him without comment as usual. Spitelout gave him one major chore to complete. "This was what I wore to my wedding," he explained, handing Hiccup an old, fancy-looking tunic. "Snotlout's going to wear it tonight to the festival's conclusion. It is the single finest piece of clothing in this house, and if anything's going to get the heiress' attention, this is it. I want you to examine it carefully, fix any tears, and clean any stains before it's time for us to leave. Understand?"

Hiccup knew that this tunic, which paled in comparison to both outfits he'd worn to the festival, would do nothing to win Astrid's favor. But he merely nodded and said, "Yes, sir." He set to work at once but without the cheer he'd possessed the previous day. He did not hum or sing, nor did he smile. He was running through potential conversations in his head, trying to figure out how to explain who he was and what he'd done. But each explanation he attempted sounded worse than the last.

When Spitelout and Snotlout left for the final night of the festival, Hiccup and Toothless returned to Valka's grave. She noticed at once that something was wrong. "What is it, Hiccup?" she asked. "You seem troubled."

Hiccup hesitated. "It's just…" Then he sighed and launched into an explanation of what he was feeling and the dilemma he now faced.

When he finished, she considered for a moment before saying, "It is a difficult situation, to be sure. What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know!" Hiccup cried, throwing his hands into the air. "I don't know what to do! Part of me thinks I shouldn't go at all tonight and let her meet a suitor that would make a better match than me. But then I'd be breaking my promise to her because I told her I'd be there tonight. But if I do go, then I don't know what I should say. How do I tell her that I'm not the heir she must think I am? How do I say that I'm just a servant whose mother is a spirit with amazing magical powers? At best she'll think I'm joking or crazy. At worst she'll think I've betrayed her, lied to her, and taken advantage of her. There's no easy out. No matter what I do I feel like I'm going to hurt her or disappoint her." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I should never have gone to the festival in the first place. I was so intent on getting a break from work that I never considered the consequences of my actions. And now I've fallen into a trap with no clear way out."

He fell silent, looking imploringly at his mother, who said nothing. "What should I do, Mom? What can I do?"

Valka shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't help you, son," she said sadly. "This is something you have to decide for yourself. But," she added thoughtfully, "if you want a word of advice, then I would say to be yourself. Be open and honest with her. If she really loves you, then she will appreciate it and even love you more for it."

Hiccup looked doubtful but didn't contradict her. Valka held her hands up. "Do you still wish to go tonight?"

Hiccup sighed and nodded. Valka pointed her fingers toward her son and his dragon. For the third time they were engulfed in golden light. The resulting clothes were the most magnificent yet: a tunic of pure gold with a jewel-studded belt, a fur cloak of a darker shade of the same color. The leggings and boots were as black as Toothless' scales. The Night Fury's saddle was black again as well, though now there was a golden blanket nestled between the leather and the dragon's back.

Despite his worry and apprehension, Hiccup couldn't help but be impressed by this. "You are amazing," he breathed, and Valka laughed pleasantly.

"I must admit, it's been fun to dress you up for this festival," she chortled.

Hiccup smiled, but the expression slowly faded away. "So…is this good-bye?" he asked sadly. "Since it's the last night, does this mean I'll never see you again?"

Valka shook her head. "Of course not, dear," she said, stepping a little closer. "It's not good-bye. It's never been good-bye. You see, I never really left you. And I never will." She pointed toward Hiccup's chest and added, "I'll always be right there when you need me. Always."

Hiccup smiled weakly. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, my son," Valka replied, and tears welled in her eyes. "Now go on. You're missing the fun and you only have till midnight."

Hiccup nodded and mounted his dragon. He waved one last time, and Valka blew him a kiss before she faded away once again.

…

By now Hiccup was expecting the Great Hall to fall silent upon his arrival, though it didn't make the experience any less awkward or uncomfortable. He saw Astrid and felt his heart bound with joy, though it did little to quell the nerves that were jangling inside him. He still had no idea what he was going to say to her.

The night went as the others had: they danced, they talked, they laughed, they walked to the cliff and gazed out over the ocean. Hiccup lent her his cloak as they stood together, occasionally speaking but more often just staying comfortably silent. And all the while Hiccup struggled to find some way to tell her what he knew he must say. Time was running out. Midnight couldn't be too far away by now. He had to come up with something and fast.

But before he could articulate a word, Astrid turned and asked bluntly, "Who exactly are you?"

Hiccup opened his mouth to reply but no sound came out. He closed it and opened it again, though all he managed was a spluttered, "W-what do you—"

"This is the third night of the festival," Astrid said, her eyes locked with his. "I know a few things about you, like you love animals, especially dragons, you tend to be rather clumsy at times, you hate being the center of attention, you prefer being gentle to using brute force, you're intellectual and smart, you have a sarcastic sense of humor…but I don't know who you are. I don't know where you're from, what you do for a living, or even your name. Please…" She placed a hand on his and held it tightly. "…please tell me who you are. I need to know, I'm dying to know who you are."

Hiccup tore his eyes away from her. "I…I don't know what to say," he admitted. "I fear how you would react if you knew the truth."

Astrid blinked. "You don't have anything to fear from me," she insisted. "Please tell me who you are. Please."

Hiccup smiled weakly. "Nothing to fear? I seem to recall you're pretty good with an axe."

Astrid scoffed. "It can't be that bad," she said. Then she paused and added, "Right?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly. He considered for a moment before continuing, "I'm not who you think I am, Astrid. I'm not what you think I am."

"And who or what exactly is that?" Astrid asked, bewildered.

"I'm not an heir," Hiccup said, turning and walking a few paces away. Looking back at her, he went on, "I don't come from a noble family or even a wealthy one. These clothes…" He gestured down at himself. "…are a gift from my mother, who has been dead since I was a child. I have no title, no money, not even a life of my own, really." He shook his head. "I can't tell you who I am because I don't really know myself. I am nobody."

Astrid listened to all this in silence. When he was finished, she took a step toward him. He didn't retreat. "You are not nobody," she said. Her voice was firm yet gentle, pitying. "You are a someone. It doesn't matter to me if you're rich or not, if you have a title, or whether you come from an important family. I know your heart, and I know it to be a kind and gentle heart, the heart of a man who listens, who understands, who believes in all things good and right. It is that heart I've grown to love. Those things you mentioned don't mean anything to me. Wealth and power are temporary, but inner goodness lasts forever." She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. He inhaled sharply at her touch but didn't draw away. "I wish you could see yourself the way I do. Then you would see, you would know…" She was leaning in closer. She filled his vision completely. "…you would know that you are someone…" His heart pounded in his chest, his breathing was rapid and shallow. "…someone who matters…someone I can love."

And then she was kissing him. His eyes flew open in shock but then fluttered closed as the sheer ecstasy of the moment overwhelmed him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back with every ounce of fervor and passion he could muster. Her fingers ran through his hair as his arms tightened around her, threatening to never let go, to hold her close to him for all eternity. They broke apart once in order to breathe but returned to their kiss a second later, and in that moment Hiccup didn't care about anything else. He didn't care that there was a hall full of Vikings just a few yards away. He didn't care that his uncle and cousin were nearby. He didn't care that midnight was rapidly approaching. All he cared about was that Astrid Hofferson was in his arms, her lips pressed to his, her scent filling his nostrils and turning his legs to water. His heart swelled in his chest till he thought it would burst, and he didn't really care if it did. All that mattered was her, this girl, this woman that he now knew for certain that he loved, loved more than anything else in existence, even more than his own life.

He would never know for certain how long they remained locked at the lips. It might have been seconds or it could have been an hour. Either way, the kiss ended far too soon for his liking. Astrid drew back, breathing a little heavily but smiling sweetly up at him. He grinned back, certain that his face was dorky-looking but not really caring all that much. For a while they simply stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, their bodies trembling with newfound joy as their minds tried to absorb and cope with what had just passed between them.

And then the horn sounded. It was midnight.

Hiccup stiffened and looked around. Astrid tightened her hold on him. "Please don't go," she begged. "Please…please stay with me."

Hiccup looked back at her sadly. He kissed her again, softly, gently. When he pulled back he murmured, "I love you, Astrid Hofferson. You have made these past three days the best of my entire life. And for that I thank you." He pulled back, breaking the contact between them. He took his cloak gently from her shoulders and threw it over his own. "We will probably never see each other again," he told her. "But I wanted you to know that I love you. And I'm so sorry for having to leave you like this." He took her outstretched hand and gave it one last kiss. "Good-bye, my lady. I will never forget you."

Then he turned and ran.

"No!" Astrid cried. "No, please! Please wait! Don't go, please!"

Hiccup did not heed her, nor did he look back. He continued to run down the hill in the direction of the forest.

But he did not know of the plan Astrid and Gobber had concocted. The moment he'd entered the hall that night, Gobber had sneaked off into the night to lay a trap for him. A trap that he was running straight into.

When his foot first connected with the great tree trunk that was suddenly in his path, his first thought was that he had taken a wrong turn somehow. After all, he hadn't encountered a fallen tree on his walk up to the Great Hall. But as he tripped and fell spectacularly over the obstacle before him, he understood. Someone had put this here. Put it here to stop him, to slow him down, to catch him.

Then he hit the ground, and he felt his helmet fly from his head. He heard it thud on the knoll somewhere nearby, but the night was so dark that he couldn't see it.

Starting to panic, imagining a swarm of Vikings descending upon him where he lay, he scrambled to his feet, paused for just a second in deliberation, and then resumed running, leaving his helmet behind.

He threw himself upon Toothless' back, aware that his clothes were already starting to unravel and shift back to their original state. The dragon took off and soared toward Berk, leaving Meathead Island far behind in moments. Hiccup looked back occasionally to make sure they weren't being followed, but he was soon convinced that there was no pursuit.

"I lost my helmet," he muttered. "I can't believe I lost my mother's helmet." He laughed once. "That was clever of them. They almost caught me…"

For a moment he allowed himself to wonder what might have happened if he'd actually been stopped. They'd have seen him for who he really was, and for all Astrid's insistences that she only cared about who he was on the inside, he doubted she'd have looked at him with the same adoration if she saw him in his dirty old work tunic. No, it was better that he'd gotten away. Better for all of them. Now they could all move on with their lives.

When they reached Spitelout's house, Hiccup said good night to Toothless and slipped inside, heading straight to his bench in the kitchen. He sat down and pondered, his mind running over his final encounter with the heiress.

He loved her. He knew that for certain now. And he knew that she loved him. And he still hadn't told her who he was. He hadn't come clean. He'd had one last chance to do so and he'd failed.

But it was done now. It was all over. The festival was finished and tomorrow everything would go back to the way it was before.

Well…not everything…

Hiccup smiled and lay back upon the bench, gazing up at the ceiling. Now he knew what it was to be truly happy. He'd gotten a taste of it tonight. And, he thought as sleep started to scoop him away into oblivion, that little taste would be enough to keep him satisfied for the rest of his life.

…

The Meathead Great Hall was all but deserted. The festival was over, and everyone was on their way home. Only a few workers remained to clean up the mess, as well as a few drunks who had passed out on a few of the scattered benches.

And then there was the girl. The heiress.

Astrid leapt to her feet when the doors opened and Gobber walked in. "Did you get him?" she asked excitedly. "Did the trap work?"

"Well," Gobber said slowly, "the trap did work, lass. He tripped over it, all right. But…" He sighed. "…I'm afraid he got away again."

Astrid felt her heart break. "He…he's gone?" she croaked. "That's it? After everything, it's just…over?"

"I didn't say that, lass," Gobber said, and he was smiling. "We didn't get him, but we did find this…"

He held out his hand, and Astrid looked down at the object held in its grasp. It was an ordinary, commonplace object, but she recognized it at once with a thrill of delight.

It was a helmet.

…

While he couldn't honestly say he was totally happy with how things had turned out, Hiccup could at least admit that he was content, now that the festival was over. It had been fun, he'd gotten out of three nights of work, and he'd met the woman of his dreams. These were sweet memories that he cherished, and while he yearned to be able to be with Astrid, he accepted that it was simply not to be and tried to move on.

The day after the festival ended, his daily routine returned to normal. He served breakfast to his grumpy uncle and disgruntled cousin while trying to maintain an air of cheerfulness. Spitelout, still obviously peeved about his son's failure to win the heiress' heart, ordered him to sweep the kitchen, which Hiccup immediately set to doing. He hummed under his breath as he worked, his mind wandering back to that cliff overlooking the ocean surrounding Meathead Island. In his vision he was standing next to Astrid under the moonlight. She was wearing his fur cape and leaning into him comfortably. He knew the clock was ticking and that midnight was fast approaching but it didn't matter, not in this fantasy world. He had all the time in the world to be with her and to kiss her and to love her…

A knock on the door startled him from his daydream. He hurried into the den to answer it but Spitelout was closer and got there first. He talked to the visitor in what appeared to be rushed, excited tones before slamming the door shut once again. "Boy!" he barked, and Hiccup stepped forward at once, suddenly alarmed and confused.

"Yes, Uncle?" he asked.

Spitelout looked down at him, his eyes glinting wildly. "Get my son ready," he ordered.

"Ready?" Hiccup repeated blankly. "For what?"

"The heiress is coming here!" Spitelout said. "Apparently the mystery man left his helmet behind last night, and the Meatheads are going around from island to island to find its owner. The heiress has declared that whoever the helmet fits will be her husband. They'll be here any minute to see if it fits Snotlout, so I need him to look as presentable as possible. Put him in the tunic he was wearing last night, and hurry!"

Hiccup nodded and rushed off to find his cousin, his brain suddenly whirring and his heart hammering in his chest. Astrid was here! She was here! On Berk! Looking for him!

He wasn't really focused on his cousin as he helped him back into the fine tunic from the night before. He was too busy trying to figure out what his next move should be.

I'm being given a last chance, he thought. One last chance. If I stay hidden and don't try on the helmet, then she'll leave my life forever and that will be that. But if I do…what then? What then?

Would she turn away in disgust? There were no fancy clothes to hide behind this time. She would see him for who he really was. Would her eyes turn cold with revulsion when they landed on him? Or…or would she light up like she had at the festival? Would she run to him and embrace him and declare that he was the one she loved?

Yes…yes, she might…at any rate, he had to come clean. He had to try. This was his chance to escape a life he hated. It was a long shot but…

…but it's worth the risk.

There was another knock on the front door.

"They're here!" Spitelout hissed. "Get over here, son!"

Snotlout rushed to the door. As Spitelout opened it, he glanced back over his shoulder and commanded, "Stay here, boy."

Hiccup nodded, but the moment the door was shut he hurried forward and opened it a crack so that he could see what was going on.

And there she was.

She was accompanied by Gobber and a few others, but he had eyes only for her. She looked different in daylight somehow…livelier, more radiant. Perhaps it was the way the sunlight shone off her golden hair. Or maybe it was that he'd never seen her in usual street attire before. Either way, he was awed at the sight of her and felt his heart soar. Now all he had to do was wait for the right moment to reveal himself…

Gobber stepped forward, carrying the helmet. Spitelout's eyes fell on it, and all color drained from his face. He recognized that helmet. Slowly he turned to stare in stunned disbelief at Hiccup, who suddenly realized that he was in serious trouble.

He retreated into the house and tried to busy himself with the broom, but he was suddenly afraid. His uncle had seen the helmet and recognized it as his. How in Thor's name was he going to get out of this?

Spitelout, having excused himself from the gathering for a moment, walked in and closed the door behind him. "So," he growled, "you were at the festival. You were the heiress' mystery man."

Hiccup tried to play innocent. "What? Me? Uncle, I was here at home all three nights."

"Don't lie to me!" Spitelout barked, advancing. "I recognize that helmet! It's yours! The one your mother gave to you!"

"That's ridiculous," Hiccup said, trying to laugh. The sound was far too hysterical to be believable. "How would my helmet end up at the festival if I didn't…ow!"

Spitelout grabbed Hiccup forcibly by the upper arm and dragged him into the kitchen. He released his nephew and pointed to the trunk sitting under the bench where he slept. "Open it," he ordered. "Now."

Hiccup hesitated. He knew as his uncle did that opening that chest, the chest which held all his material possessions, would reveal an item missing. But to refuse only cemented his guilt further. There was nothing else to do.

So he reached down and lifted the lid up.

"No helmet," Spitelout observed with a sneer. "Care to explain that one, boy?"

Hiccup didn't know what to say so remained silent.

"I don't know how you managed to pull it off, getting to the festival without anyone knowing," Spitelout snarled. "But it doesn't matter now. What matters is that Snotlout is going to be the next chief of Meathead Island. He will try on that helmet and it will fit, and he will marry the heiress. And you will not show yourself to her at all. Do you understand me?"

Years of Hiccup's unwavering submission made Spitelout complacent. He expected his nephew to fully obey these demands.

So he was utterly shocked when Hiccup stood up straighter, looked him in the eye, and said, "No, Uncle. I will not do as you say."

Spitelout's jaw dropped.

"For years I've waited on you hand and foot," Hiccup said, his face set in a defiant scowl. "I've cooked for you, I've cleaned your house, I've fixed your clothes, and all without a word of complaint. But not anymore. I'm tired of being your doormat, Uncle. I finally have a chance at happiness, real happiness, the kind of happiness I never imagined possible. And I'm not going to stand back and let it pass me by."

For a long time, several minutes perhaps, the two stared each other down, one stunned into silence, the other shocked and emboldened by his own daring.

Then Spitelout's face contorted. He let out a roar of fury and swung his arm. Hiccup didn't duck in time and took the blow full in the face. He grunted and hit the floor, his hand coming up to cover the scarlet patch of skin on his cheek. But before he could do anything else, Spitelout seized his arm and hauled him toward a broom closet, tossing him inside as easily as if he'd been a ragdoll. Then he slammed the door shut and barred it with Hiccup's own sleeping bench.

For a second or two, Hiccup was too bewildered to do anything. Then he launched himself at the door, pushing and shoving with all his might but unable to budge it. "No!" he yelled. "No, you can't do this! You can't do this to me! Let me out! Uncle, let me out of here! You can't do this! You can't! Please!"

Spitelout ignored his nephew's cries and turned away, heading back to the party congregated outside the front door. "Sorry," he said as he emerged. "A little trouble with my servant."

Gobber nodded. "Very well, then. Let's proceed with the fitting."

Hiccup continued to pound on the closet door and screamed as loud as he could, but he couldn't free himself, and his calls for help went unheard.

By human ears at least.

But dragon ears are much more sensitive than a human's.

On the outer edge of the forest, Toothless heard Hiccup's voice and stiffened. Something was wrong, he could tell. His boy was in trouble.

With a roar he bounded toward the village.

…

Gobber placed the helmet on Snotlout's head and stepped back. "Ha!" Snotlout crowed. "A perfect fit!"

But it wasn't. The young man's head was too big for the rather small helmet. One wrong tilt sent it toppling to the ground.

Snotlout seized it and crammed it on his head again, grunting in pain as he tried to forcibly squeeze his head into the narrow opening. But all his efforts were in vain, for Hiccup, being such a slighter figure than other Vikings his age, had a smaller head than his cousin. Astrid sighed and rolled her eyes. Clearly this wasn't her mystery man. She still had a lot of ground to cover and she felt it best not to waste any more time.

"Are you sure there are no other young men in your household?" she asked Spitelout.

"No, there are none," Spitelout said, disappointment plain in his voice.

Gobber raised his eyebrows. "What about that servant boy you had the other day?"

Spitelout's cheeks colored slightly. "He…ran off," he replied. "Left us."

"Oh." It wasn't clear from his voice whether or not Gobber believed this story. "All right then, sir. Have a nice day."

He turned to leave, carrying the helmet in the crook of his arm…

"Wait!"

Everyone turned in unison to face the front door of Spitelout's house, which had swung open to reveal Hiccup standing on the threshold. Behind him was Toothless, who had entered through the back door and pushed the bench away from the closet, setting his friend free. He growled at Spitelout, who was slowly turning a nasty shade of purple with suppressed fury.

But Hiccup didn't look at his uncle. Nor did he look at Snotlout, who was gaping openly at him.

He was looking at Astrid.

The heiress' eyes had gone wide with recognition, and for a moment the surprise of it was the only emotion he could see in their sapphire depths. He held his breath and waited for the shock to turn to disdain or disappointment or even anger.

But that didn't happen. Instead her entire face seemed to light up with joy and relief. She smiled at him warmly and said, "It's you."

Hiccup grinned back and nodded, but he found it too difficult to speak.

Gobber cleared his throat, and Hiccup looked over at him. He was beaming and holding the helmet out for him to try on. His heart thumping with wild excitement, Hiccup stepped forward and inclined his head, inviting Gobber to place the helmet where it belonged.

It was, of course, a perfect fit.

And then all at once he was engulfed in dazzling light. He gasped as his golden tunic and fur cape returned to replace his work clothes, and the battered old helmet shone good as new. Everyone around him yelped and cried out in fright, but Hiccup merely grinned and looked over his shoulder. Valka's spirit stood in the shadows of the house, smiling at her son with tears of joy running down her cheeks.

"Thanks, Mom," he said.

"You're welcome, my son," Valka replied, blowing him a kiss. "Be happy. I love you, my dear."

"I love you too," Hiccup said, a single tear slipping from his eye. He blinked it away, and in that moment, Valka's spirit vanished for good.

"Wow," Astrid remarked after a moment. "When you told me your clothes were a gift from your mother, that wasn't exactly what I imagined."

Hiccup laughed, but then he sobered pretty quickly. "Astrid," he said, taking the heiress' hands in his own, "I hope and pray you can forgive me for deceiving you. I never meant to make you believe that I was an heir or…or someone of wealth. And…" He leaned in closer, reaching up to cup her face with his trembling fingers. "…I didn't mean to fall in love. But I did."

"As did I," Astrid said softly, leaning into his touch. "And quite unexpectedly, I must admit. But I forgive you, and I love you."

She tilted her face upwards, and that was the only cue he needed to kiss her. He took her into his arms once more and held her as close as he could. His heart threatened to burst from his chest but he didn't care. He was too happy to care about anything in the entire Archipelago.

When they broke apart, Astrid giggled, a rather girlish sound that was quite unlike her yet rather endearing. "I just have one question for you."

"Yes?"

Still giggling, she asked, "What is your name?"

Hiccup chuckled and told her, "Hiccup. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

"Wow, that's a mouthful," Astrid remarked. Then she leaned into his embrace and added, "I like it. It suits a chief."

Hiccup's wildly-beating heart suddenly stood still. "Do you mean…are you asking me…?"

"Yes," Astrid said simply, looking up at him imploringly. "Will you?"

Hiccup beamed. "I will."

And that was that. The heiress of the Meathead Tribe had decided on a suitor and was officially engaged. Gobber and the others that had accompanied him cheered loudly in joy, though their delight paled in comparison to Hiccup's. He lifted her and spun her around and pulled her into another kiss, just as passionate as the last. The announcement was made to the Isle of Berk and was met with varying degrees of incredulity. Hiccup's friend Fishlegs nearly crushed him in a bear hug that left him gasping for breath. Toothless fired three bolts of purple fire into the sky in celebration.

Hiccup excused himself so that he could pack, promising he wouldn't be long. After all, he didn't have much in the way of belongings. He rushed back into the house, seized a bag, and started emptying his old trunk into it.

About halfway through this task, he felt eyes upon him and looked up to see Spitelout and Snotlout staring him down. Their faces were oddly blank, though their eyes revealed the level of bewilderment and fury they felt over this tremendous upset. Hiccup turned his back on them and continued packing, and when he had finished he walked past them into the den without even glancing at them.

Then, on the threshold, he paused and looked back. They hadn't moved from where they stood, and their expressions hadn't changed.

For a long stretch of time – Hiccup would never know in retrospect how long it was – they simply stared at each other, as if each was waiting for the other to speak.

And then Hiccup broke the silence with a simple, "Good-bye."

And he turned his back on them both forever.

Smiling once again, he rejoined Astrid and the other Meatheads, and without further ado he mounted Toothless, holding out a hand in invitation for Astrid to join him. She did, and together they flew away from Berk, away from the misery Hiccup hoped to soon forget and toward a new life which they would forge together.

Hiccup and Astrid were married in a magnificent ceremony later that month, and everyone present agreed that it was the most splendid wedding ever to be conducted on Meathead Island. Spitelout and Snotlout were in attendance, hoping to curry some favor with the upper class, but by now the truth of their cruelty was known throughout the Archipelago and they were shunned by all they met. In the end they went home in shame, a shame they would never be able to lift for the rest of their days.

But neither Hiccup nor Astrid had time to worry about that. They were too busy enjoying their own wedding and being congratulated by everyone present. There was music and dancing and singing, and Hiccup never left his new bride's side for a moment. For her part, Astrid kept his hand firmly clasped within her own throughout the celebration, and whenever their eyes met they would smile with unspoken promises of love and eternal devotion.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but it shall be said regardless: Hiccup and Astrid had both found true happiness, and they lived happily ever after.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that! The next fairy tale, which I will post on Wednesday of next week (provided, of course, nothing comes up between now and then) will be "Little Hiccup," based on Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina." The other tales I have lined up for this collection are: "Rapunzel," "The Little Mermaid," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Sleeping Beauty." If there are any others you'd like to see, feel free to let me know via review or private message. I won't guarantee I'll do all of them, but there are countless fairy tales out there, so I may try to tackle some if I feel I can work with them. So don't hold back: the worst I can do is say no. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy what is to come.