Till We Meet Again
AN
This is my first story that I've written for fan fiction. Positive and constructive criticism is always appreciated but any kind of suggestion you want to give, I'll wholeheartedly accept it and will try to implement it and make it better next time. Hope you enjoy reading, and please review. It will really motivates me to write more.
This is Berk. A place where both dragons and humans live in peace. And it has been since last 15 years. Considered as the strongest island in the whole of archipelago, Berk has everything provided and thus making it self-sufficient to keep harmony around the place. Due to the efforts taken by the village as a whole, many islands were tempted to adapt the lifestyle of Berk and tried their very best to become an ally of Berk.
Their chief Hiccup Horrendous The Third was more than happy to lead the village now. The elders looked on him for advice, mostly on the matters of dragons and the young generation looked towards him as an inspiration. Hiccup, now much older and wiser, juggled between his duties as a chief and as a single father to his only daughter.
Facom Astrid Haddock, the 8 year old was the daughter of chief Hiccup. She had mostly got her physical features from her father. Short, scrawny and messy auburn hair, she was almost a resemblance of her father save for some of the features of her mother which was her eyes which was hazel coloured. But her love for dragons was immense which made the talk of the village as she was always curious about them and was always loitering around the stables. This was, however not an issue that troubled the people but the reason was completely logical and an obvious one.
As one would have thought, Hiccup taught Facom dragon riding at the age of six. Facom, as a result, got a passion for dragon riding and would always tried to find some reason or the other to escape the clutches of the ground and fly into the blissful abyss of the skies. Hiccup had put much methods and rules to limit her flying only near the island and always made someone in charge to keep a watch over her but many a times she was able to escape without being noticed by anyone else.
Hiccup at first made his most trusted friend and his precious dragon Toothless to keep an eye on her. A few days later at the time of lunch, when Hiccup came back home, he found both his dragon and daughter to be missing from the house. He mentally face palmed himself and ordered the villagers to find her and bring her to him. Toothless, though came back with his precious daughter after an hour or so, riding her on his back. Before Hiccup can give her an earful, Facom beat her to his dad apologising to him and smiling innocently. Hiccup was never able to resist her sweet and charming smile and instead hugged her and made her promise him not to commit such an act ever again without his knowledge. The only thing that changed that day was toothless was never given the responsibility of looking after Facom.
After many failed attempts, Hiccup was able to come up with a solution that astonished and amused him equally. Because the only person Facom listened to and who was able to convince her and who can come up with some ridiculous idea to amuse her was no other than Snotlout Jogerson. Even after his teenage years, his soft spot for women was something he was not able to overpower. This made him Facom's favourite uncle who had an affinity to make her laugh on almost most of the occasions and who always spoiled her with gifts and presents. Hiccup was mostly assured about Facom with Snotlout as their relationship reminded him of his relationship with Gobber, The Belch.
So, when she was not under the watchful eyes of her father, she was to stay with her uncle Snotlout and aunt Ruffnut. And she was not the one to complain as it meant that she got more time to play with her friends Wiggins Jogerson and Arya Ingerman, daughter of her uncle Fishlegs and aunt Heather. So most of Facom's problems were sorted out and life was going good for the chief.
Then came a time a week before Facom's 9 ninth birthday which nobody knew was going to send the Haddock family frenzy.
Hiccup and most of the original riders i.e. Snotlout, Ruffnut, Heather and Fishlegs were one day sitting in the great hall just discussing trifling matters of the village and mostly trying to come up with something for Facom's birthday."You know, I was thinking to allow her a to keep a dragon as she looks capable enough to look herself now.", Snotlout stated drinking his ale and leaning on his chair lazily. His bulky body had somewhat lessened in these years and came to more on a leaner side. His jet black hair got a lot big and they now reach the base his shoulders.
"And I guess she was the one to persuade you to talk into me for such a demand", Hiccup retorted sharply. Then exhaling some air, he again calmly replied," She is just going to be nine years old. How can you trust her with such a task. She can barely look after herself let alone looking after a dragon."
"I completely agree with Hiccup on this matter. She cannot be entrusted with a dragon of hers at such a young age", Heather replied. Hiccup looked towards her with an air of appreciation. Finally someone with some sense got talking. Fishlegs was immersed in the book of dragons looking at the old and some new dragons they stumbled across. His wife looked at him and asked," When are Tuffnut and Eret are coming back from their expedition?"
"On the eve of Facom's birthday.", he replied without looking at her. Both of them had been sent to look out for some dragon problem regarding a rogue monstrous nightmare. Tuffnut had insisted on going alone but knowing his disastrous nature, Eret was sent along with him.
Ruffnut piped in," Maybe we should organise something related to head-butting and bashing things up." She looked rather hopeful of this suggestion. "NO way we'll be doing any rash things like that. My still hurts from the night you knocked your head with mine. And you know what guys…..it was freaking in the middle of the night. I felt as if a groncle had slapped me with it's tail."
"Hey I was dreaming of our glory, dragon finding days. I thought Tuff was sitting beside me on Barf's head." she retorted embarrassingly. She might be a saner person now but old habits still die hard for her in some aspects. Hiccup sighed again, looking at their bickering and smiling slightly to himself. "Ruff's is right on one thing though. Dragon finding days were surely our glory days. I still miss those days on the edge that we spent together." He said looking at the sky and indulging himself in the depths of the memories of his earlier days.
"Yeah what you said is true Hiccup. I still have an urge to go out and explore some or the other dragon species," Fishlegs replied without looking up from the book." Just the five of us again. No one else than you, me, Ruff-Tuff, Snotlout and Astrid. I wish we can all go to an adven….." he trailed off without completing the sentence and for the first time in their session looked away from his book. He hung his mouth open in an 'o' shape as he realised his big mistake. 'Ouch! mental note to self, never speak without thinking it's consequences, especially if a touchy topic is raised' he thought looking over the table to observe Hiccup and assess any damage he may have made. Other's however were gaping at as if he had suddenly grew another pair of head. Simultaneously, they looked towards the chief fearing his breakdown or to witness his somewhat depressed state.
Hiccup stood up from his place and stared at everyone before he fixed his gaze upon Fislegs. He spoke in a neutral tone filled with no emotion," Those days are long gone Fishlegs. They are not coming back again. Our days of adventure are gone." Then he turned away with a far away look in his eyes and set them at nothing specific, he further spoke but this time his tone was more softer and carried a load of guilt," As well as Astrid. She is gone too. And all because of my fault." The gang looked at vulnerable state of their chief and debated with themselves whether to argue with him in thinking otherwise or to remain silent. After twenty seconds of complete silence, Heather broke the tension in the room. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulders squeezing gently and spoke softly," It was not your entire fault Hiccup. We are to be blamed equally in this matter as well."
"No it is not. It is because of my doings she has suffered. It is because my decisions she has gone." He said harshly waving her hands away. "I was a fool not to look through the wicked game that was played against us. And IT WAS I who banished her from the village." At that point he broke down and sat on his knees unable to control his tears. Heather too not knowing anything better to comfort him, too sat down with him and hugged him, in hope to ease his pain. She had somewhat gotten close to Hiccup and they were almost like siblings now. He had become a big brother of hers which she was never able to relish despite having an elder brother.
Ruffnut, Fishlegs and Snotlout were also disheartened too see the plight state of their chief. A few tense moments later, Hiccup gained enough strength to stand up and freed himself from Heather's grasp. Glancing at everyone one more time, he turned around and without one word walked down the steps, leaving the hall. They heard his steps getting faded and were again consumed in complete silence.
Snotlout finally found his voice again, turning towards Fishlegs spoke angrily," You really can't keep your f***ing mouth shut, can you Fishy boy." Fishlegs kept his mouth shut already regretting the words that escaped his mouth. They all kept silent for the greater part of that night together and finally decided to retire for the night. Going back towards their houses Ruffnut looked up towards them and as if remembering something exclaimed," Hey everyone, we were never able to come something for Facom's birthday." Fishlegs and Heather literally face palmed themselves and Snotlout's face looked murderous enough to silent her for the rest of the night.
ELSEWHERE
Meanwhile in some other island barren of any human population, a small hut was seen to be present near the beach. Inside the hut, nothing much was present other than the basic necessities like a basic bed for one person, a small slightly worn out chair and a table. The only exceptional items present was a double edged axe of pure metal hanging on the wall. It's metal was shining brightly under the light of the candle and illuminating on the other side of the wall. Beside the hut was a shed where a single dragon was present. It's blue scales were also shining under the moonlight and the dragons mane was facing towards the outstretched ocean. She squinted her eyes to look at a lone figure sitting by the banks of water and looking up at the sky. She walked towards the figure, which was her own rider and sat down next to her.
"Stormfly? You should get some sleep girl" A womanly, concerned yet cold, voice rang out in the silence of the forest. The rider ran her hands on the dragon's body trying to calm both her anxious friend and herself. The woman's blonde hair was in a braid and the length of her hair ran down the length of her back and rested just below her hip. Her ocean blue eyes were fixed at nothing particular and she began to gaze at the water. She looked down at the meeting point of sea and sand, seeing the water sweeping the sand away with every wave that came gushing there. Finally feeling tired enough to retire to the bed, she coaxed her dragon to walk into her shed for further sleep and began walking towards her hut. As she crossed through the entrance, a single letter name could be seen at the entrance of the hut. It was scribbled on the wood of the hut by a knife and spelled only a single word, Astrid.
Hope you enjoyed fav, follow and review.
~hellishway
