Back at Berk, a small red headed little boy walked with his gaze on the ground. His friends were running ahead of him excitedly with their small hatchling dragons, pretending to be the famous dragon riders of Berk.

They had always fancied the youths – well, for as long as they could remember hearing the tales of them at least. But most of all – they fancied the young lad's father the most. The peacekeeper and dragon master that he once was.

The one person he seemed to know the least about despite him being a topic of everyday life.

Aiden sighed quietly and hugged his arms slightly as he finally lifted his gaze and looked to the clouds on the horizon. He found his feet slowed down until he finally stopped and took in the sight fully. Even though it had been 5 years since his father passed and since his birth, he still felt as though a part of him was missing.

Astrid was doing her best raising him alone. His grandparents were of good help like everyone else, but they all had tasks they needed to get done from the moment they woke and before they slept yet again.

It didn't help that she was still dealing with his loss, and that she knew it took an effect on her son as well. Even though she did take him out on adventures with Stormfly and taught him how to fight, he mirrored his deceased father more than herself;

He went crazy at the thought of exploring, but always tried to hide whenever she or anyone mentioned training. Whether it was dragon training or physical training.

Astrid worried for his sake, despite him being so young still. She wanted him to learn how to fight in the early stages, so it would become easier for him later in life, but Aiden never had his mind set on it when they finally did practice. She could see it in his eyes – his forest green eyes.

The boy was clearly a part of the chieftain family – there was no doubt. He had a small frame just like his father and grandmother, and his hair was as wild and red as the chief's would be if his wife didn't take care of it in the morning.

But as it seemed, he barely showed any sign that he was even Astrid's child. He never wanted to touch a weapon unless he really was forced into it, and he never seemed to race towards the danger (if it ever occurred), like a normal, curious small Viking would.

One thing was sure though – She could see it in his eyes. His beautiful, glossy eyes that shimmered in the morning light.

He didn't fear as much as the other kids did – or as his father had as a child. He was brave in the times he needed to be the most.

The thought had scared Astrid a bit. Her son had often seemed so calm and collected, but deep down she felt as if he was just hiding it all behind a mask; behind a mask someone his age shouldn't even have to wear.

She knew the thought of not having a father – whom everyone talked and praised, was tough for him. But she didn't know what to say or do – whatever came out of her mouth would never bring his father back.

He was gone forever. They both had to learn how to live with that reality.

Aiden squeaked slightly as one of his friends, Garth, jumped in front of him with a green and red monstrous nightmare hatchling in his small arms.

"What do you think?" Garth giggled and looked at Aiden expectantly with his blue, grey eyes. His dark brown hair was ruffled up and greased slightly due to them playing all day.

"Huh?" Aiden looked at him confused. He hadn't paid any attention to his friends at all.

His other friend, Eric, soon hurried up beside them. A Deadly Nadder hopped after the blonde boy and ran around their legs as it tried to play with the Monstrous Nightmare.

Garth whined and cried out as the monstrous nightmare set its head on fire to get free. He dropped it right away and hid behind Eric slightly. They still weren't too used with the responsibility of having a dragon.

Eric giggled. "Do you think your father fly to end of world?"

A small coo left Aiden's mouth. He held his little blue, handmade dragon, that his mother had gifted him, tighter in his arms. Not much later, his eyes fell on it. Whenever he held it, he felt a small presence of safety – of what he liked to imagine was his father, as it had been his. He never wanted to replace it for anything in the world – which was one of the reasons he didn't yet have a dragon.

"I..." Aiden cooed quietly.

"Do you think he trained a really big dwagon?" Garth smiled brightly and moved away from his friends back when he felt safe again. "I heard he fight dwagon as big as this!" He jumped up with his hands in the air.

"And he lost his toe!" Eric fangirled.

"No!" Garth smacked him playfully. "his leg you dummy!"

"I-I think so..." Aiden nodded slightly and hugged his dragon. "Mom don't wanna say-

"Dad told me all stories in bed!" Garth said proudly.

"My dad did too!" Eric smiled happily and started to run ahead playfully with his hands spread out like wings. The two dragons squawked and cooed before following and mimicking the boy. "And how he swooshes and swish with lesstoof!"

Garth giggled and ran after them as well. It didn't take long before the four had left the red-haired boy alone in the middle of the plaza. Vikings were passing by, doing their own tasks and chores. Most of them greeted him but exchanged a worried look with one another as the little Viking stared down at his stuffed animal.

Aiden held it tightly with shaky hands. His father had never read him anything. His grandfather always did, since his grandmother wasn't as good as telling the tales herself. He couldn't quite understand why though. All he understood was that his father was non-existent. And even that, he barely understood anything of.

His eyes watered. He couldn't help but sob at the thought. Where was his father? Mom had said he had gone to heaven, but they always flew around in the sky. Was that not the same thing?

Stoick stopped what he was doing as a Viking hurried up to him and informed him about the heartbroken boy a bit further away from where he was. A sigh escaped his lips as he noticed. With a small nod at the Viking, he went over to the boy and carefully kneeled beside him. His large hand caressed the lad's back gently to not scare him.

Aiden looked up at him with tears streaming non-stop down his cheeks. He ran into his arms and cried into them.

Stoick smiled sadly and hugged him close. He slowly got up with him in his arms. "Shh...It's alright little lad," he stroked his head and back to calm him down. Just the feeling of the quivering boy alone made his heart break. It didn't top it any better hearing him sob his little heart out.

Aiden didn't say anything between his sobs and breaths, and Stoick didn't push him to either. He just kept holding him and soothing him until the little boy exhausted himself.

"Let's head home," Stoick hummed softly and started to walk away from the plaza and towards the house.

The little boy sniffled and looked up at his grandpa. "W-where papa?" he said with a voice that broke mid-sentence. More tears filled his eyes.

Stoick sighed and looked down at him. He then looked up at the sky and soon Aiden did as well. "He's up there, dining with the Gods," he smiled sadly, feeling a tear shed from his eye.

"S-sky..." Aiden cooed quietly. He slowly reached up for it. "Visit papa?" he looked up at Stoick again with a shine of hope in his eyes.

Stoick smiled sadly and wiped away the tears from Aiden's eyes. "One day," he nodded. "One day we'll visit him again, but not yet, okay?"

Aiden slowly smiled at the thought. They would be able to visit him one day! Everyone had always told him it was impossible, but his grandpa believed. And so he did as well.

"But until then," Stoick chuckled and lifted his chin. "You'll have to live on and do enough to keep him awake all day and night with your stories!"

Aiden giggled and squealed at that. He hugged the dragon tightly. "A-advenfure!"

Stoick laughed and ruffled his hair. He held him close as they walked the last steps up to their house where he knew his wife and Daughter-In-Law was.

At the last step, Aiden wiggled his way out of his arms and Stoick had no choice but to set him down and let him run inside before him. While the boy was finally distracted, Stoick couldn't say the same. He had dreaded the day he would have to seriously talk with Astrid about her attitude, and it finally seemed as if the day had come.

He just hoped she would take it the right way. For Aiden's sake.

The little lad's new mood turned the rest of the day into an endless circle of stories after stories. Valka and Stoick took their turns telling him different stories about when he was a baby and when he was older. Of course, Valka didn't have as much experience with it, but she did her best to keep the boy entertained so that the already exhausted chief wouldn't have to do it all alone.

Astrid on the other hand sat with the little boy in her arms the whole time and barely spoke a word. The only times she did was when Stoick tried his best to include her for Aiden's sake. While Aiden saw past it all and enjoyed it with no doubt, Stoick could feel Astrid's impatience rise. How she wanted nothing else but to leave the conversation and head of on her own to throw axes.

When the evening finally came, and Astrid had to put the little one to sleep, Valka suggested she could take him since Stoick had claimed he wanted to speak with her. While Aiden got a little pouty at that, he eventually crawled into his grandmother's arms and let her carry his tired soul and body to bed.

Astrid looked at the fire silently as the footsteps faded onto the creaking wood upstairs.

Stoick cleared his throat and looked at the fire as well. Neither of them was too fond of these conversations which made Stoick strongly believe that he made a mistake – that he should have taken Aiden to bed and let Valka handle the talk instead.

"I guess...You have an idea of what I wanted to talk to you about," Stoick said simply. He looked over at her for a small moment while she looked away.

"Yeah...A part of it," Astrid said in a small whisper.

Stoick nodded at that but decided not to push too far. "Aiden needs you, you know," He said and cut her off before she got to protest. "More than ever."

"I'm trying my best," Astrid sighed and ran her head across her face. "But it's not so easy when everyone brings him up in every conversation we have."

"Aye," Stoick sighed and looked at the fire again. "He left quite a lot behind him."

Astrid hugged herself slightly and looked at the fire as well. "How...do you cope with it? When you see Aiden?"

Stoick curled his lip slightly as he thought. "It's not easy, that's for sure," he said. "But Aiden needs it," he looked at her. "Hiccup...He's not coming back. He's gone."

Astrid looked up at him teary eyed.

"Don't take yourself out of his life as well," Stoick said a bit sternly to make sure she understood the seriousness of the situation. "He resembles him a lot. There's no denying that," he shook his head. "But he's a different person – a young lad, whose dealing with this on his own."

"He's not alone," Astrid argued. "He has me-

"He does," Stoick nodded. "But he doesn't understand it himself."

Astrid went silent.

"He's going through what a child should never have to – yet it's so common," Stoick sighed and looked at the fire again. "Back when we were in war with dragons and other Vikings, numerous of children were left homeless or traumatized with no one to take care of them. Even if they had a parent left, they always took care of themselves first."

"I'm not saying that's what you're doing," Stoick said with a small smile. "I see how you're doing your best at times. You've done amazing these last few years, but lately...It has faded. Is it because of Aiden? Or is it because of Hiccup?"

Astrid looked at him, tears falling silently from her eyes. She gently wiped them away and looked at the fire again. "I see him with his friends," she sighed and looked at her hands. "I see how they only talk about Hiccup around him and how older Vikings do as well. Especially when he doesn't want to hear about it. It's no wonder he prefers to be around you and Valka and Fishlegs as well."

"But...?" Stoick encouraged her.

"But...I never mention him," Astrid sighed and looked up at him. "I never mention Hiccup, yet he seems to distance himself from me too," She said, the last part escaping her lips more quietly.

"Maybe..." Stoick went silent for a moment. "You don't talk enough about him. He's going to learn the harsh truth of what happened one time or another – hel, he might even already know."

"But until then," Stoick encouraged her. "You should fill the happiness that my son left behind. He deserves to know of it all – but only if he wants to himself. You saw how he was when we came home together."

Astrid sighed, feeling guilty of the moment. She nodded. "He came up to me and asked if I could tell him everything about him." And she had refused. Valka had stepped in to make the situation process at least a little in the right direction.

"Aye," Stoick nodded. "My advice to you is to let Aiden decide. He'll know when he wants to hear about him and when he doesn't," Stoick smiled up at her. "It might get a little easier as well since he'll encourage it out of you."

They stayed silent for a bit.

"It helps...doesn't it?" Stoick asked. Astrid looked at him again. "To talk about him?"

Astrid sighed and smiled slightly. "Yeah...It's better than keeping it hidden from him."

Stoick smiled a little more at that. "Keep telling him all the adventures you can remember. He'll appreciate hearing it from you, rather from the village since they all have their own, absurd versions," he laughed.

Astrid laughed a bit at that as well. The first few months, she had heard quite a lot of strange stories in the Great Hall.

"If it helps...I'll talk to the villagers," Stoick suggested. "I'll call in a meeting and tell them to ease off a bit about all the tales and discussions regarding him."

"You could do that?" Astrid smiled slightly and wiped her eyes.

Stoick laughed and slowly lifted himself up from his seat to stretch his body. He could feel that his own back was quite stiff from sitting half of the day. "There's nothing a chieftain can't do."

Astrid was about to get up as well, when Stoick brought up another topic while they had the time to talk together alone.

"Have you thought about finding another father for him?" Stoick asked and picked up a metal rod to move around the burning logs in the fire with.

If it hadn't been for the change in the mood, Astrid would have probably yelled at him for asking her that. Instead, she calmly collected herself and nodded. She couldn't lie after all.

"Yeah," Astrid nodded and sat up slightly. She watched the chief. "It's popped up in my mind a few times..."

"And?" Stoick asked as she didn't continue.

Astrid sighed. "I want Aiden to have a father, but I never had any better relationship with anyone else in Berk. I don't think he has any either."

Stoick shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think that should be entirely up to him, you know. You'll be the one to find your love – and it will be his job to help make Aiden feel safe and welcome."

"I know," Astrid nodded. "But now is not the time. If I can learn to be more with him again, I should be good enough," she smiled slightly. "I'll still have it in mind though."

Stoick nodded with a small smile as well. "Just know that whatever you decide to do, we'll support you all the way," He said and looked at her, nodding his head reassuringly. "Not just because Aiden is a part of our family."

Astrid smiled gratefully at that. "Thank you, chief," she said and slowly got up as Valka walked downstairs.

The woman smiled warmly. "He fell asleep quite quickly," She giggled slightly, but realized it wasn't the right words to use. It only gave away that she had listened in on the conversation.

Astrid thanked her with a smile and decided not to bring it up in the conversation. "I think I will head upstairs and rest as well," she said and made her way to the stairs. The further up she got, the more muffled the noises became downstairs. Both because the two Vikings were quiet and because her mind was blocking out most of it.

When she came up to the bed, she slowly sat down and looked down at her hand. On her finger was a golden ring with a blue orb that reflected her eyes. Valka had given the ring to her, which she later, after Hiccup's funeral, discovered was the ring Hiccup wanted to give her as a betrothal.

Valka had said that when the two talked back at the sanctuary, Hiccup had said the ring was supposed to be a symbol of eternity. It was a tradition he had learned from trader Johann's stories about the roman culture.

Astrid let out a small laugh at the thought. She never had the opportunity to tell him that she despised the romans, but this had changed her view slightly. The idea was cute – there was no doubt. But with him being gone, it was rather sad since she understood there would no longer be an eternity with them together – not before she passed as well.

Carefully, as if it would break and shatter by the slightest of flaw in gravity, she took it off.

The last two years had been the hardest for her and Aiden. With him growing up and learning more about his deceased father, and with him growing up to becoming more and more like his father once was.

And finally, a new door had opened for her – a new door that led her into a life that wasn't filled with sorrow and despair.

But before she could walk into it;

She had to let go of the only man she had ever loved.

Half way into writing this I got pretty guilty about putting you guys through another emotional rollercoaster hahaha xD

Hope you enjoyed though and got a little view on how Astrid and Aiden is handling everything even after all that time having passed.

Let me know what you think will happen next - who the man could possibly be and what those guards were doing?

A hint - It might come a bit more unexpected than you thought it would be ;D

Until next time!