As she walked along the shores of the new land, she let her thoughts drift. She thought about the island she called home. She thought of the people she called he family and her friends. But the her thoughts drifted to the boy that she had once known. The son of the chief had mysteriously disappeared almost 7 years ago without a trace. Leaving the village and the chief in grief. And though Astrid hadn't actually gotten to know hiccup, she still grieved over his disappearance. They had searched for him for alms a year before they presumed him dead.
As she walked along the beach, the other teens came to her mind. They had not been close to hiccup and they had mourned his death to, even snotlout had been upset. She saw the islands village come into view. The village of Felton, or ' land near pasture'. The chief walked up to her, " welcome miss. We thank you for visiting us and will show you to you're chambers" he said. She nodded and followed the chief to the village. As they walked through the village, they passed the several buildings and shops that lined the streets. On building in particular spiked Astrid's curiosity. "What's in there?" she asked. The chief sighed. "That is where we keep the, especially dangerous criminals. But currently there is only one man in there." He said. Astrid nodded, and tried to peep through a doorway. " would you like to see him?" he asked. Astrid nodded and they walked into the building. The walls were lined with cells made of a metal that Astrid had never seen before. They stopped in front of one of the cells. It was slightly Darker inside. "This is where we keep the 'dragon criminal'." He said. Astrid peered into the cell. At first she saw nothing. But as her eyes adjusted he began to see a man. He looked to be 22 years old. His long auburn hair spilled down his back. He was thin, his cheekbones defined. He had dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were green. They looked wiser than his age. He looked up at her, making eye contact with her. Suddenly he ran at the cage on all fours. "help! Pleased I'm innocent. I didn't do it. Please " he said. Astrid gave the man a pitiful look. "what is he do?" she asked. The chief sighed. "7 years ago we found him injured on our island. And despite us wanting to help, he began to hit us and one of us got hurt by him" he paused when the man groaned "we locked him up here and here he has remained. He has been very friendly to us as of late." He finished.
Astrid smiled to the man in the cell. He returned it. "what's his name?" she asked. The chief went to respond but the man in the cell beat him to it. "hiccup" he said.
Astrid felt her jaw drop. "hiccup? She asked. The man nodded. "i… I feel like I know you" he said. Astrid nodded. " I.. could say the same." she said. The Chief gave a strange look to Astrid. " what do you mean you know him.?" he asked her. Astrid looked at the chief. " my… the village i live in.. the son of the chief passed away about 7 years ago and his name.. was hiccup." she said.
The man in the… no Hiccup, he pressed his face up against the bars if the cell. Astrid had a better look at him. his limbs were long and lanky. his brownish green tunic was tight against his body, ripping in some places. his leggings were ripped to a point to where they looked like shorts.
" yes YES its me! Astrid please i'm innocent i didn't do anything!" he shouted. She gave him a small sad smile. " chief.. has he been let out of the cell at all?" she asked. the chief shook his head." he has not been let out except to get exercise… would you like to walk with him.?" he asked. Astrid nodded.
they chained Hiccup's hands together so he couldn't hurt anybody. "is that to tight?" the guard asked. Hiccup shook his head. " no thank you " he murmured. they set off, walking across the village. at first it was slightly awkward. " so… what happened?" astrid asked. HIccup sighed, knowing that this would come. " I… the day I left, my father had yelled at me about being… well.. me. and I was not very… happy about it so I went out into the woods to cool off and…" he paused. Astrid stopped him from walking. " and what?" she asked.
hiccup looked away. " pirates.." he said. she gasped softly. how had they not heard that. why hadn't they seen the signs. Hiccup must have saw the look on her face. " they didn't hurt me too badly. just a few gashes" he said. she looked into his eyes. they were dull but they shone with happiness. and what looked like relief. he smiled softly at her.
" they kept me for about a month then dumped me on this island. and the only reason i attacked these people was because i was confused and didn't want to get hurt" he said. she nodded in sympathy. " are they going to let you go?" she sakde. he shrugged. "I think they were planning on pawning me off on someone soon" he said. astrid perked up. "have them pawn you off on me!" she said. hiccup looked at her. " why, it's not like you guys want me back on berk" he said. she shook her head. " no we do, the chief has been so sad without you!... he blames himself" she said. he sighed. "...I guess… yeah.." he said. she nodded. " great!" she said.
she grabbed his hand and began to drag him. soon they found the chief and that's was when they finally stopped walking. " sir, I would like to take the prisoner off of your hands!" she said. the chief frowned. "why would you like to do that. he is a criminal?" the chief said. hiccup sighed. " it's less work for you to deal with… sir." he said. the chief stroked his chin. " well… alright." he said. astrid smiled at hiccup who sighed in gratitude. the chief motioned for the guards to un-cuff hiccup's hands. they did so and hiccup rubbed his wrists. " wow… thanks" he said.
soon hiccup was on the boat back to berk. he sat below deck listening to astrid babble on about the changes. he stretched his arms. his arms almost hitting astrid in the face. she stopped talking suddenly. " do… hey do you want some… larger cloths?" she asked. hiccup smiled. " yeah.. if it's not too much trouble" he said. astrid smiled to him and then got up and went to a chest. when she came back she had a dark green tunic and some trousers. he took them gratefully. she went up on deck to give him some privacy. he slowly put the cloths on himself thaen smoothed his hand over the tunic. he ran his hands through his hair in a way of brushing it. i still stuck up in places but it was better. astrid came back down and froze. " wow.. hiccup you cleaned up good" she said.. hiccup blushed. " thanks" he said. he yawned all of the sudden. " hey you look tired. you should go rest" she said. he smiled tiredly. " thanks" he whispered. he sat on the ground. " woah… there's a bed right there stupid" astrid said. he looked up at the bed and shrugged. " to late now" he said. then he laid down and went to sleep.
it took them two days to get to berk and hiccup slept through most of it, only occasionally talking to astrid when he woke. when they got to berk, the boat hit the docks. astrid went down below decks to wake hiccup, but found him already awake. " we're here" she said. hiccup looked away. he looked distressed. " don't worry, they'll be glad to have you back." she said. he looked up at her. " i'm a bit… nervous" he said. she nodded. " come on." she said.
as the sun hit his face, he winced. he put up a hand to shield his face. when his eyes adjusted, he saw many of the villagers crowding him." astrid come here" he said. she appeared by his side. " what" she said. he frowned. " can… if i see my dad… can you just…. stay.. quiet about me being who i am" he asked. she nodded. "yes" she said. hiccup and astrid weaved their way through the crowded docks and made their way to the village. once they got to the square, astrid left hiccup to wander on his own. he immediately went to the forge. where, just as he thought, gobber was hammering away at the anvil. hiccup thought about visiting him. in the end, he decided to go to the mead hall. when he walked in the doors, he immediately saw his dad. luckily, stoick didn't see him. he walked around for a bit. his mind wandering.
he came across the table he used to sit at and eat his meals alone. it was empty now, only a dead candle sitting on it now. melted. "hey!" someone said. hiccup turned around. " who are you!?" the man said. hiccup could immediately tell that it was his cousin snotlout. " hey are you deaf" he said. hiccup sighed. oh how he missed his cousin. "relax man." he said. he stood up. snotlout was a considerably short person nowadays. he was at least a foot shorter than hiccup. " who are you to be able to sit in the chief's sons spot" snotlout said. hiccup furrowed his brow. "what" he said. snotlout growled. he gave hiccup a little shove, sending him flying backwards. despite his age, he was still weak. he was never given a chance to work out while he was in captivity. he fell onto his back with a grunt. snotlout stood above him. " stay off of that bench" he said. hiccup stared at his cousin. " snotlout " he said. his voice was smaller that he wished it to be. snotlout flinched back. " how do you know my name… i've never seen you before." Just then, gobber came up, grabbing snotlout by the shoulder. " alright, break it up" he said. he reached a hand down for hiccup to grab. he did so and gobber hoisted him to his feet. " you alright lad?" he asked. hiccup nodded. " yeah, thanks" he said. snotlout growled at him. " he sat in hiccups spot" he said. hiccup looked up at the sound of his name. gobber looked at hiccup. " ye sat in the boys spot.. you must be new here.. nobody sits in that spot" he said. hiccup looked down. " ok gobber" he said. gobber furrowed his brow. " how do ya know my name" he asked. snotlout nodded. "he knows my name too" he said. hiccup broke free from gobbers grip. then he walked away quickly.