Hey everyone! This is my first story on this website so constructive criticism is very welcome, but please refrain from flaming. If you like or don't like something, please tell me why so I can keep it or fix it. Oh, I should also mention that I co-wrote this with ready-set-fangirl. You should check out her stories too! Alright, I think that's it, virtual cookies to all reviewers! (::) (::) (::) *Mmm, chocolate chip.
Okay, Iris out.
"I don't know about this, mom, I think I'll wait until tomorrow." Hiccup made a move towards the stairs leading to his square-blanket-nest, but was stopped by his mother's long staff.
"Ah, ah, ah, if you don't do this now, you'll never work up the courage for it."
Hiccup's newly found caretaker had recently been pushing him to become more adult. I didn't understand what was so tough for him, I personally loved my new rank as Alpha. But Hiccup was not feeling the same about taking on the role of becoming the Alpha of his kind. But ever since Cloudjumper's rider moved in with all of us, Hiccup had gained some confidence. Confidence that I always knew he had. To be chief, to bring peace, and to finally ask Astrid to become his mate. Well….he was working on that last one.
"I'm supposed to meet her in ten minutes, but I still have no idea about what I'm going to say to her," he shrugged his shoulders in an exasperated manner. "I love her like nothing else-" I interrupted him with a growl, "except you, bud," he said with a scratch under my chin, right where I liked it, "but this is different." He continued his restless pace about his nest.
"Then just tell her how you feel," the nest-queen said.
"It's not that easy, this is Astrid we're talking about! You know, fiercest warrior on Berk."
"And the woman you love," she reminded him gently, placing a reassuring hand on his cheek, a gesture I knew my human was fond of. Don't rehearse too much, or you'll sound like the blubbering fool your father was when he asked me for my hand."
"Dad?" he said with a laugh, "now that is something I don't think I can imagine." It made me happy to see Hiccup able to speak of his late father in such a cheerful manner. For the first several moons after his passing, Stoick could not be mentioned without a tear or two.
"Oh, you would have laughed to see him gibber so, but I loved him anyways. And Astrid loves you, Hiccup. Now stop fussing around like a hatchling and go make her your bride." I agreed with her wholeheartedly and gave a snort of approval to make my opinion know.
"You think so too, bud? Alright, then we best be on our way," he hopped onto the saddle and secured his metal-hindlimb in the stirrup. "Thanks for the advice mom."
"Anything for you, Hiccup, now get," she pushed him away playfully and we exited through the door and took off for the nest of the blond-maiden. After several minutes he made a deviation to the forge where he went in and retrieved a funny metal ring with rock on the top. Such a contraption had no discernable use to me, though I wondered why he made that instead of the gloves he said he would construct when measuring Astrid's hands. It was a pretty thing, a normal looking ring with green and blue inlays intertwined around its gold surface. Hiccup held the ring delicately between his fingers, a small smile appearing on his face. He looked to me and grinned.
"I can do this." He muttered under his breath. He put the ring in the small wooden box and ran out of the forge. I quickly followed suit to make sure he didn't trip or run into anything, he tends to do that when he gets excited. By the time I caught back up with him, he was already almost at Astrid's house.
He knocked on the door, quietly whispering reassurances to himself, but when it opened, he fell into a stuttering mess, "Hi… Astrid, h-hi Astrid, hi Astrid."
She laughed in her light, carefree manner and gave him a quick kiss on the lips to shut him up, a technique she used quite often, and very effectively too. "Let's go, do you want me saddle Stormfly?"
"Uh, I was thinking we could take Toothless this time, maybe a quick flight around the island, stop in the cove to do some stargazing, the whole package. I-if that's okay with- with you I mean, we don't have to if you don't-" he was silenced by another quick peck.
"I think that sounds great," she said pulling back.
"Well," he said regaining some of his earlier confidence, "up you go, milady," he proffered his hand to her. She took it and climbed onto my back, seating herself behind Hiccup. I adjusted to the new weight as Hiccup shifted his metal leg into its gear and we took off, the night sky enveloping around us in a sheet of black and blue.
This was another one of Berks perfectly beautiful nights. It may be a barren, bitter place most of the time, but every once in a while, a night so perfectly beautiful would appear you would think you were flying through Valhalla. "This is just as amazing as I remember it." I heard Astird sigh. She had been very busy training Stormfly lately, I bet she forgot how much more amazing it was to ride with Hiccup and I. After flying for a little while longer, we landed in the familiar area of the cove.
"So many memories here…" Hiccup smiled. I remember my first days here with Hiccup like it was only a sunrise ago. I purred contentedly at the familiar surroundings.
"A lot of amazing things happened here." Astrid commented as she jumped off of me and onto the ground.
"Like, over there!" Hiccup gestured to a large rock. "That's the rock you threatened me at!" He chuckled.
"Don't forget, you also kidnapped me only a few meters away," Astrid scoffed.
"And don't forget," Hiccup took Astrid by the hand and led her over to the small pond. "This is where we first kissed." He sat down and Astrid followed suit. They settled into a comfortable position, their hands softly intertwined as they gazed up at the lights-that-flickered-in-the-night-sky. I decided to rest my own head and burned a small area next to my Rider, setting my head next to his. He rubbed it absentmindedly with his free hand, tracing invisible circles on my scalp. There was comfortable silence for a few minutes, interrupted only by the occasional exclamation of one pattern or the next. After a while though, I decided that Hiccup need to make his move and nudged him with my head. He turned to me and I gave him a meaningful look, gesturing with my tail to Astrid. Hiccup sighed, then his features set into a determined, yet soft look.
Toothless bumped me, implying that I take the next step. I still hadn't decided how I was going to ask her, but then a thought of a past memory entered my mind. I looked to the heavens again, asking that my father be with me as I reached this milestone in my life. Softly, I began to whistle the gently lilting notes of a familiar song, though I had changed some lyrics to better fit our situation. If Astrid recognized it, she made no move but to hold my hand tighter, both of us still caught up in the eternal sky. I began to sing in an equally quite, almost reverent tone as the words came to me.
I'll sail and glide through savage skies
With ne'er a fear of falling
I started out slowly, my voice a little rough from the flight
And gladly brave the windy skies
My voice smoothed, but my words caught on the next line as I cradled her hand between mine and turned to face her.
If you will marry me
Her head turned to face mine, her eyes widening, but no syllables escaped her tender lips, so I continued.
No dragon's fire
Nor Alpha's ice
Will stop me on my journey
If you will promise me your heart
And love me…
I faltered slightly, but before I could continue, Astrid's voice picked up the tune, laying her hand over mine.
…For eternity
My dearest one, my darling dear
Your mighty words astound me
But I've no need for mighty deeds
When I feel your arms around me
I stood to my feet and gently pulled her up with me, our hands now hanging loosely between us. Astrid smiled as she came to her feet which gave me the courage to continue. As I sang we started to move in slow circles, gradually getting faster as the pulse picked up.
For you I'll make an axe of gold
Show you to new territ'tries
And I will keep you from all harm
If you would stay beside me
Astrid picked up the next verse, both of us smiling as we twirled and chanted, Toothless humming along in the background.
I do not need an axe of gold
I care not for new territ'tires
I only want your hand to hold
I only want you near me
Our voices joined in harmony as we sang the last verses together
To fly to train to sweetly glide
Through dancing and the dreaming
Through all life's sorrows and delights
I'll keep your love beside me
I'll sail and glide though savage skies
With ne'er a fear of falling
And gladly brave the windy skies
If you will marry me…
Our voices dwindled off into the night that now fully enveloped us, and before the moment passed, I knelt to one knee and pulled out the box from one of my many pockets and hidden compartments on my person. "Astrid, I have braved every punch you've thrown at me, and despite our many near-death encounters, we made it this far. And so, with blessing from your father, and of my own free will, I would ask you to be my wife." I opened the box and held out the ring I made to her, hope shining desperately in my eyes.
I was surprised when instead of an answer I received a punch to my arm. I glanced at the offended appendage then back at Astrid, confusion clouding my features. She laughed, smirking she said, "That's for the audacity of singing that silly song." I paused, knowing what came next, she leaned in and gave me a long, drawn out kiss. "And that's, for everything else."
"So, does that mean?"
"Must I spell everything out for you? Of course I'll marry you, I was wondering how long it take for you to work up the courage." She offered me her hand, and I slipped the ring on her finger, admiring my handy work, and the hand it rested on.
Then I looked into the eyes of the owner of that hand, "Astrid, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and admittedly the most dangerous." Toothless warbled behind us, and we chuckled. "Thank you, for agreeing to be my bride." I gave her hug, and she returned it, Toothless rubbing up against us, not wanting to be left out.
"Well, should we tell everyone the news?" She asked.
"Uh, my mom, already, um, knows."
"Hm," she grunted, "just like you to be a mama's boy."
"Well, I actually came up with it, she just helped me on the fine details."
"I'm glad you're finally growing some backbone. I must admit you are the most romantic dragon master I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
"I think I'm the only one."
"Well, that's just enough for me." I pulled her close and we sat back down to continue looking at the stars, pondering on our future life together.
And that's a wrap on the first chapter, please look again for more in the next two weeks or so since we will be at a camp all next week. Reviews appreciated, don't forget there are cookies in it for you if you do. (::) (::) (::)
Edit Jan 2017: Originally this was going to be a series of oneshots, heh, life hit ready-set-fangirl and I like a freight train with depression, anxiety, college prep and college all loaded in heaping mounds. I don't think we'll continue this, but leave it as it is; two weeks turned out to be two and half years, yikes.
To our twelve followers, I'm sorry this isn't an update, though I did fix some cringe-y typos, change the summery and status, and take out the part of the foreword saying it was going to be multi-chapter. Other than that I left the story as is so I can see my improvement since then.
To our three (current) reviewers, I love you guys! Here are the extremely belated cookies you all deserve: (::)(::)(::)