CHAPTER 1

Berk, a cold and tough place to live, with it's people even tougher. Berk has survived many trials that should have wiped it, along with it's people, from the history books. But, our chief, Hiccup, along with his dragon rider, saved us. He brought dragon riding to the known world. He saved his people from the threat of several armies, and worst of all, a dragon army. This tale is not about him, but the legacy he has allowed to continue.

The air was cool and all was quiet as the sun rose past the horizon. A terrible terror is perched on a roof in the village of Berk. Suddenly something fast is flying by, which startles the terrible terror.

A black winged figure is flying through the sky, dodging and twisting through the trees.

"WOOO HOOOO!" A voice of a girl can be heard.

A 15 year old girl, with auburn hair and deep blue eyes, was riding a black dragon.

" COME ON TOOTHLESS! FASTER! WE'VE GOT TO BEAT OUR RECORD!" she yelled over the howling wind. He held his tongue out in agreeance and flapped his wings harder.

They flew higher and higher at faster speeds, until finally….. they burst through the clouds. The girl threw her hands up. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The adrenaline, and excitement seemed to make the experience seem almost perfect. The girl lye on Toothless' back in victory.

"I love the sunrise Toothless. Don't you?" She said with a huge smile.

The sky was split into two worlds. The stars still showing on one side with the sun slowly creeping up on the other. A perfect mixture of colors. It seems almost surreal.

She leaned forward and rubbed behind his head. "Good job bud."

He makes a purring noise saying thanks.

"Well, we better head back before mom and dad wake up." she says.

...some time later….

They land on the roof of her house.

Thud!

"Quiet Toothless." she whispers.

He makes some soft grunting saying sorry.

She opens the roof entrance to her room as carefully as possible. She steps in and peers around the room. Making sure the thud wasn't heard. She holds the shutter for Toothless to step through. He walks to his corner of the room. He usually sleeps in the main room of the house next to the fireplace, but he knows why he has to stay in the room. Toothless has become wise in his 35 years. Though, that is nothing to a dragon.

Her eyes are heavy. She stands over her bed debating if she wants to undress. She just drops on her bed and pulls the cover up to her shoulders and drifts away.

She wakes up to the terrible terrors and roosters battling over who can be louder. Both equally obnoxious in her opinion. She then begins to smell breakfast.

'yes! Moms up!' she thought excitedly.

She jumps out of bed excited and runs down the stairs. Toothless perks his ears to the thumping of her feet on the floor. He jumps up and follows her downstairs.

"Mornin Mom" she says as she pounces in her chair at the table.

Toothless runs to his usual spot. He heats up the stone slab and curls up on it seeming satisfied.

"Morning Aerolyth (Air-a-lith)" she says, never turning around.

Her back is to Aerolyth, hunched over the fire.

'Mom is so pretty.'She thought to herself. She always has her hair in a beautiful braid down her back. I wish I had her blonde color. Instead, I'm stuck with dads brown hair. 'Ugh!' At least I got her eyes.

" So, why isn't dad cooking breakfast?" She ask.

Usually dad cooks all our meals when he's not being the chief. She turns around and looks at Aerolyth.

"Why? My cooking not good enough?" She says with a playful scowl on her face.

" No, no, it's fine." she lies.

It's a hit or miss with her cooking. It's either awful or amazing. There is no in between.

"Mmhmm..." She says with disbelief. "Your father was out late last night helping with our food storage." She pauses for a minute. "so tell me….. "

'Uh oh' Aerolyth winced.

"You were riding Toothless again this morning weren't you?"

Aerolyth jumps. 'How did she know?'

" Um… yeah." she buries her head in her arms. " You.. aren't going to tell dad are you?"

"You know what your father will say if he catches you riding again." she says sternly. Pointing her metal spatula at aerolyth.

At this point she was setting out the food on the table.

" I don't see a problem with it. You and dad road, and still ride, your dragons when you were my age. You even saved Berk and fought a huge dragon."

" Actually several…..." she interrupts. " but that was when Berk needed us. We've been at piece for a long time now." She begins to ramble.

Aerolyth just pokes at her food. Putting on a pouting face.

"Look sweetie. We just want to protect you…." she says but was interrupted by foot steps coming down the stairs.

Thump…. Tic…. Thump….. Tic

It was my dad. He was up later than usual.

" What are my two favorite girls talking about?" dad ask. Rubbing his short beard, which had signs of greying.

"It's girl talk. You're not allowed to know." mom teases.

" Oh is that so." He walks to mom and kisses her on the cheek. "Good morning m'lady." He looks at Aerolyth. "Oh, I mean, m'ladies." He kisses Aerolyth on her forehead.

"Good morning love." mom says in response, blushing.

Even after many years of marriage they still love each other so strongly. Aerolyth wondered if she would find a love such as theirs. Though she didn't think it possible. She was different and not very lady like. Most of the boys were scared of her. She always beat them up.

"So, what's on the agenda today, CHIEF?" Mom teases with the obvious emphasis on chief.

"Ah, come on Astrid, you know I don't like being called that in my own house. I get enough of it outside." He complains.

" Oh, stop complaining Hiccup. I was only teasing." Astrid smirks. "I didn't realize I was raising two children." She continues.

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny. I just…. You know… want to be normal here….with my family." He says with half sad, half longing eyes.

"I know love." Astrid comforts as she puts her hand on his shoulder and reaches down to kiss him on the cheek. Hiccup turns the tables and puts lips in place of his cheek. Her eyes spring open to the unexpected terrain then closes, realizing what had just happened. They had a deep kiss. Aerolyth was grossed out and proud, all at the same time. When Hiccup was finished, he let his bride go. She had a dumb grin on her face, then punched him in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" Hiccup complained.

"That was for tricking me." She exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. She grabs his shirt and kisses him again. "That was for the first kiss."

(Yes… I used the cliche Astrid line. I had to. It's just part of what makes Astrid, Astrid.)

Hiccup just rubs his arm with his usual goofy grin. He looks over and the grin disappears. He was so caught in swooning his wife, that he had forgotten his daughter was sitting there the whole time. He begins to scratch the back of his head.

"Uh… well… hows your training with Gobber going at the forge." He ask awkwardly.

Aerolyth expected his question. He ask the same question every morning and she was tired of hearing it.

"Same as always dad." she snapped

By this time he was up, putting food in his bowl.

"Life of a blacksmith may be boring, but it is safe."

"It is safe."

She knew what he was going to say and spoke the in sync with him.

"You say this all the time. I don't want to be a blacksmith. I want to be a rider. Everyone my age has a dragon of their own and..." she was interrupted.

"Exactly! Dragons of their own. Aera, (air-a) you can't seem to connect with any dragon. Everytime you try to find one as a companion, a problem seems to arise and…. " He sees his daughter's disappointed face. He stops talking. Sometimes he rambles without realising what he's saying. He walks over to her and kneels down beside her. He puts his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Aera. I just… don't want something to happen to you. You're the most precious person in my life and dragons are dangerous. They could…."

" Then why not train me to handle them. You are the dragon master. You taught yourself train and ride them. If anyone can teach me, it's you." She interrupts with a raised voice.

Hiccup opens his mouth to say something, but stops himself. He stops to think. He looked at his daughter, knowing she was right.

After a long pause. " Okay."

Her face lit up like it was Snoggletogg. " Thank….."

" BUT….. We do it my way. If I feel it gets to dangerous, we're going to stop. Understood." Hiccup interrupts.

" Yes! We can start with the smaller dragons like a terrible terror, then a gronkle then…." She begins to ramble.

Astrid smiles and puts a hand on Hiccups shoulder.

" So dad, When do we start?" She asks brimming with excitement.

" We start tomorrow around noon. Make sure you finish you work with gobber and your chores before then ok." He says.

"Ok" She squeezes out, grinning from ear to ear.

Aerolyth was brimming with joy to the point where she couldn't contain herself. She scarfs down her breakfast so fast Astrid thought she was going to choke. She ran upstairs, grabbed her supplies for the day, bolted downstairs, kissed he mom and dad, and flew out the door without it hitting her on the way out.

Hiccup and Astrid just sat watch as they witnessed the fastest viking in history.

"Thank you love. You've made her happy." She says kissing him again.

"Yeah…." He says with a bittersweet smile.

Astrid looks puzzled at him.

"What's wrong Hiccup?" She ask.

"I… just… I'm worried Astrid. …...I just don't want to lose her again." He says. His eyes welling up.

"I know love, but she's growing up. There's nothing we can do about that. All we can do is guider her." She consoles, with sadness filling her words.

The both look at the door as if watching their life disappear before their eyes. Both knowing the dark secret they would one day have to tell her.

Hiccup takes a spoon full of porridge. He slows his chewing and puts the spoon down with a disgusted face.

" Astrid….. This is terrible."

She look down at him with a sour expression and punches him the shoulder.

"Ow!"