Chapter 1
Welcome to the island of Berk, closer to the edge of the world than any Viking would like. Sure, no one has actually been to the edge of the world, but it was so far south of, well, anything, that it was fairly safe to claim so. Located twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death, you'll find us smack-bang in the middle of the Meridian of Misery in the barbaric Archipelago. Interesting names, I know. However, it is the inhabitants of this tiny island that are really interesting. Sure, we've got the usual sheep and yak herds and chickens farms, but there is one particular animal on this island that we are renowned for….dragons.
As the newest and still fairly 'green' Chief of Berk, Hiccup seemed like a rather odd choice for candidacy, let alone being the one who actually held the title. However, it was his courage, determination, along with his dragon, Toothless (now the Alpha dragon), that gave the residents of Berk all that they needed. Although, his courage, determination, and even Toothless, fled when he realised the task that he was now facing.
"I should do what?" Hiccup exclaimed after Gobber and his mother, Valka, finished their discussion. It had been fairly one-sided really, in fact, these were the first words Hiccup had spoken since the two of them had asked to speak with him after his morning meeting with the Council.
"Son, you've been Chief for just over a year now. You've repaired the damage inflicted by Drago, its time you finally made it official. The village will start asking questions if you don't." Gobber said, as if their explanation hadn't been thorough enough. Make what official, you may ask? Well, Gobber and Valka thought it finally time for Hiccup to propose to Astrid.
"You're of age, son, you don't need any more stress with the villagers needling you. If you don't do something soon, you'll have the other mothers in town trying to marry their daughters off to you." Valka interjected, before Gobber started again.
"I just don't see Astrid taking too kindly to it. She's only just managed to call me her boyfriend in the last year and a half, when we've been seeing each other going on six years now. I think the village would prefer it if the Chief's head wasn't severed by an axe blow so soon after Dad…" Hiccup trailed off. At that moment Gobber and Valka knew they had Hiccup cornered, and oh did he know it as well. Of course, Stoick would have wanted an announcement as soon as Hiccup had been named Chief a year ago. Hiccup looked at Toothless, who had until this moment been entertaining himself with Cloudjumper's company. He smiled as Toothless grin as he walked over to Hiccup.
"Well then bud, shall we go see Astrid? I think I'll need your help." With the meaning up Hiccup's words suddenly dawning on him, Toothless shrunk his head and gurgled quietly, and suddenly galloped out of the Great Hall. Toothless had a fairly rough idea of what was going on, and he did not want to be caught between the two. Hiccup ran after him, stopping at the top step. "For the Alpha of all dragons, you're a big scaredy cat!" he yelled at Toothless disappeared round the corner.
"Scared of what?" said a voice from above, accompanied by a very familiar squawk. Hiccup knew it was Astrid as soon as she spoke, and yet he still prayed to Odin and the gods that it wasn't her. Alas, he wasn't so lucky.
"Astrid! Hi, hi…..Astrid hi!" Hiccup stuttered, cursing himself mentally. Astrid knew he stuttered when he was hiding something. She dismounted Stormfly, and raised her eyebrows expectantly as she turned and faced him. Hiccup turned a glorious shade of red as he racked his brain for an excuse. "Um, oh, um crap! I uh, uh, need to go to the um, to my workshop! Yes, to my workshop!" Hiccup gave Astrid a quick kiss on the cheek and bolted down the steps, his metal leg chinking every time it hit the stones.
Astrid turned, processing what had just happened. Valka quietly walked out of the Great Hall, a silent witness to what had just transpired, as Cloudjumper followed silently behind. She put her arm around Astrid's shoulders as they both watched Hiccup disappear from their sight. "Don't push him love, he'll tell you soon enough," she said to Astrid, who sighed in reply.