Disclaimer: Any characters mentioned are all under copyright. This work is purely fan-made.

Title: From Asgard to Midgard

Author: Scarabeye 3000

Chapter 4: 'Silver tongued son of a HALF TROLL!'

.

.

Berk

.

The setting sun blazed a dazzling array of colors as the somber mood of the small fledgling town settled down from the charged mood of the morning. War is Hel, before during and after, and clean-up was a mess. The dragons after a while woke up to find the Vikings welcoming them once more into their midst, they were all mind-controlled anyway so it was not like they wanted to burn the town they were living in. Repairs certainly became much faster as they have the dragons to help them once again, dead bodies, both allied and foe were carefully collected and set before the surviving long boats. Death was a big business for every Viking as everyone strives to die honorably in battle to hasten their place in Valhalla. So, loading the funeral ships with ample provisions they all stood at the edge of the docks as the preparation were finished for the massive funeral pyres.

Stoick, Chief of Berk, stood on the fore of the assembled people as the longboats were set adrift. It was unusually calm this time and the boats sailed without guidance and without direction.

.

Gothi, unnoticed due to her height threw something in the air while shaking a box with some runes in it, she was chanting some ancient prayer as the Chief raised his right hand and numerous flaming arrows were raised. As they were released, all arrows finds it mark and lit the tinder and the firewood gathered for the pyre. Numerous small fires, for the enemy, and for the poor folks that died but cannot fit in the longboat was set into smaller boats and cast adrift with them.

.

"May you all find the way to Valhalla," Stoick said in a somber voice as he looked up into the sky, "... to the join the halls of your Fathers, and your father's father before them... " the fleet of funeral ships continued towards the strong currents that would take them out into the open sea as they all turned back towards the Great Hall, "... and in their mighty company and kinship, you all will not be ashamed."

As the people walked up to the Great Hall to share the mead, the Riders of Berk all huddled together their de-facto leader, Astrid, still supported by a cane hobbled up to the great steps. The wound on her hip was still throbbing and she could only grit her teeth in pain as they mounted the steps, she looked up and breathed deep. Before she could mount it however, a hand grabbed her right hand and swung her arm over its shoulders. Now, not many people can make her embarrassed, there was the Chief, her parents, then Gothi and also Gobber, but she turned to the one who grabbed her and saw bright green eyes, a freckled nose and a small smile on his lips.

.

Thor's hammer, it was Hiccup who grabbed her.

.

Not asked to grab her, just grabbed her.

.

"What are you doing?" she was trying to sound hard and unflinching, but deep inside her emotions are doing the conga, "I don't need anyone's help."

"Sure you do milady," he half-carried her up to the steps as he draped her arm to his shoulders and his left hand grabbed her hips unashamed of their closeness. Well, it was actually Astrid that was blushing and- wooh- and she just realized he had become stronger through the years, the cold armor rubbed against her as she shivered a bit at their closeness. Even at their younger teens they were never this close, well, maybe that kiss was evident, but that was just a spur of the moment she would rather forget now that he's right beside her.

"I guess I don't need to ask where you've been huh?"

.

"Well, it is kinda obvious where I've been," they finally reached the top stairs and both reluctantly lets go, "I'll talk to you again sometime milady," he bows with a little flourish and steps away from her. Astrid blushed at his actions and it was unnatural, sure, both of them were quite awkward and the wall that's usually around both of them is now gone. Plus, the battle with the Red Death actually gave her an assurance of what she felt for him. It was attraction, and now that he's back from Asgard no less, then it suddenly dawned on her that she probably should not be left alone with him. Nor Ruffnut, nor any other girl at Berk right now.

.

"Blessed Frigga, what is wrong with me."

.
His smile made her shiver as he made his way towards the table near his father, pats on the back were given as Gobber ruffled his already unruly hair. A fire roared in the middle of the Hall as a few Vikings have already went to their tables and to their kinsmen. As the Vikings sat on their respective places, the mead was passed around for the ceremonial first drink after the battle. The funeral preparations took most of the day and the funeral boats burned good up to the horizons ensuring the souls of the dead passed on into Valhalla. It was quiet now, none would dare attack Berk on its days of grieving since no village would like to incur the wrath of the Gods. And finally, after the last of the Vikings took their place on the Great Hall, Stoick the Vast cleared his throat and raised a tankard of ale, "Tonight, we celebrate our kinsmen that have passed onto Valhalla, may they drink honeyed mead by the tankard- may their fathers be proud of their prowess in battle... and may they save us a seat as we follow them in our own time."

.

"Hagl! Ao Sigur Dauour!"

.

"HAIL!" The Vikings raised their mugs above their heads and drank sloppily.

.

Stoick nodded his head and music sounded from the far corner, cauldrons, pots and pans were opened revealing stews cooked prior to the celebration, as all of Berk began its celebrations. Astrid slipped out a side door and headed for her house, she was about to escape when Hiccup stepped from the shadows and got in front of her.

"Going somewhere milady?"

Instinctively raising her two bladed axe above her head she flinched as her hip wound moved excitedly, in almost a blink of an eye, Hiccup had grab a hold of both her arms and was steadily holding her up. She looked up at him, his green eyes shining in the twilight sky of Berk and she blushed. Again. Huffing a puff of air she pushed herself from him and pointed her battleaxe at him menacingly.

.

"What are you doing?"

"Doing what?"

"This!" she jerked her hands over him.

.

Laughing a bit he said, "You just gestured to all of me."

.

"Your impossible!" Frustrated she shook her head and smiled, "What do you want Hiccup?"

.

"You."

.

Woah! She did not just hear that. Is he for real? I mean sure they kissed, and they showed genuine- CONCERN, with each other so there's no explanation why he should say that! Her mind still reeling from his answer, she could only clear her throat trying to reestablish her footing on the hard ground. Ok, this conversation was going south and her mind is loosing it, and its like every time he speaks something- something tugs at her heart and she's just on so... so enamored at him. Like, he's putting her under a spell with his words, he doesn't stutter, his eyes convey a mysterious message and by the Gods its as if- wait a second. She looked at him closely and his eyes were still holding hers, confidently eyeing her and giving a small smile, opening his mouth to speak she looked at his body language and stopped herself from sidling next to him.

.

What in blessed Frigga- it's like he's stroking her with a silver tongue!

.

"Hiccup," she tried to reign in her feelings and she took deep breaths to calm herself, "I have a question-"

"Anything milady, for you I'll even give my eternal servitude-"

She almost swooned at his words, but she shook her head and focused, "What is all this? I mean, are you seriously hitting me!?" anger, annoyance, yes that's good, she built up her emotions and opened her eyes, fury rising in her gaze, "Are you seriously trying to hit on me!?"

.

Finally, she saw him falter a bit and he backed away slowly, bowing a bit as he removed himself from her path, "Not at all my lady, I only wish to convey my feelings to you- I- when- when I was in the home of the Gods- my thoughts were always with you- I mean, here at Berk... and I missed you too. You were the first one to believe in me- maybe we can talk when you are well-rested. Your were the reason why- well, one of the reasons I suppose- why I came back."

"Watch yourself Haddock." the pain on her hip as she walked she hardly banished on the back of her mind as the young man backed away from her, "I'm not some wench you can swing to your palm. Your acting weird- well, weirder last time I checked," yep, he was weirder, and still a shadow of the boy she once knew surfaced, but he was holding her gaze with a controlled intensity that she could not fathom nor see where he's going at.

"I'm sorry Lady Astrid, if I- I have offended you with my... presence," he bowed a little again and showed his two palms, a general term of non-aggression, "Please, I will never- never mistook you as such, you are a maiden Valkyrie, worthy to ride in the halls of the Gods- and uh, uh well- I can attest to that since I've already seen them."

Now he tells her she's as beautiful and frightening as a Valkyrie? By the Gods, she could not tell if he was lying or not, being in their midst and all. But there was just too many questions that she had no answer yet, and he had not the inkling to answer. He just stood there, his weight put on his right leg as if his left is injured and Astrid gripped her battleaxe tighter. Her blush almost non-existent with the air of indignant and righteous fury that she has to show.

.

Oh, for the sake of Valhalla, she almost swooned again anyway! The hesitancy, the backing away, the sheepishness, it was a master at work, but she didn't have the skill to distinguish all of that and she only hardened herself. For now, at least she can give a heavy huff of air and stomped forwards even with a bad hip on her. The young man made a move to assist her, but she hissed menacingly and he immediately pulled away giving her ample space. It wasn't that she didn't like the attention, rather she was not just used to it and she would just fight five Vikings at the same time than be alone with him, while he's acting weird and all that stuff. Passing by him, he remained silent and looked at her with a haughty gaze on his eyes, reaching the threshold of her house she mounted the steps and looked back at the Great Hall. Merry-making can be heard over the din as she then turned to look at where she left him.

.

There was nobody there.

.

Inside the Great Hall, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the 3rd opened his eyes and took a swig of mead, that did not go well with Astrid. He was pretty sure that it would work out fine, but then again he was not his teacher, looking down at the ornate silver ring that adorns his right finger. It was a snake with two heads, with green emerald eyes, one biting a star, the other head biting its twin on the back. Stoick, noticing his son's discomfort craned his to him. "Son, are you alright? Are you tired?"

"No dad, I'm- I'm good, its just- just feels good to be back."

His father smiled as Gobber walked over to them, "Well, lad... I thought your were waiting for us at Valhalla-" his cheeks were red, definitely inebriated and very tactless Gobber, "- of course, you already were at Valhalla- but- but I'm just so happy your alive boy." He ruffled the young man's head, and sobbed a bit, "We thought we lost you for sure!"

.

"I'm glad I'm alive too Gobber-" he turned to Stoick and smiled at him, "- and thanks dad, for calling out to Lord Odin making him give me a second chance."

.

Stoicks eyes grew wide and his brow vanished into his braided hair, his cheeks tinted a bit and his ears heated up. How in the Gods did he- Oh yeah. "I was never afraid of fighting dragons son, you know that, because you know me. I feel no fear, towards the battle, because I know that if I do good in battle, then my father would gladly welcome me at his halls- however, I can admit that I felt fear only five times in my life-" he held up his one hand and began to count one by one.

"The first one, was when I asked your mother to marry me-"

Hiccup frowned, "You were afraid of a question?"

"Oh! Your heart is young, and I think no lass have wiggled its way into your heart yet," Gobber shrugged his shoulders, "You should have seen your dad's face- it was like he drank a bag of fermented yak's milk gone bad."

.

"Alright, that's very funny, anyway, the second time was when your mother gave birth to you."

.

"I can understand that, Lady Frigga wanted me to go with her whenever a new Asgardian is born so that I may- experience child birth and know what to do when it is finally my wife's turn to do so," Both Stoick and Gobber shook their heads as if in pain of his misfortune, "- it was quite the scare, when you see the head of the baby come out-"

"Oh enough! Ok! Ok! I don't want to hear that!" The Chief cuts him off and held out his third finger, somehow he enjoys tormenting his father with this female anatomy stuff, "The third was when you were born, I umm- umm- accidentally dropped you from my grasp."

Hiccup looked at his father, horrified at what he heard, "You what!?"

"Your mother was so angry at him," Gobber shivered as he remembered the memory, "All because he doesn't know HOW TO HOLD A BABY!"

"Wait a second," the young man looked at his father with wide eyes, "Is this true? You dropped me when I was a kid?"

.

Stoick blushed and said gruffly, "Well, child-rearing was not my special skill... it was killing dragons of course-"

"- but he was so excited of your birth that he carried you in his arms and almost squeezed you to death," the blacksmith gave a small laugh and said, "then you cried and he panicked so much that you seem to pop out of his arms, oh your mother furious with him!"

"She broke my arm with my war hammer," he rubbed a small scar on his forearm just below the arm joints, "I've never been so scared of a woman in my life."

.

"- and then you made up right?"

"No," his father's voice noticeably grew smaller as the party noise go louder, "It was the night of the dragon raid that I lost her, I was fighting with Spitelout on the center of the village, when someone from the vanguard and pulled me aside- I think it was Eorn? or was it Eoden?"

"It was Eorn, his brother Eoden died that night," Gobber said and belched loudly, "Wooh! Where did that came from- got to have one more of course," and he shoved off to get another barrel of mead.

The Chief continued his tale and Hiccup listened intently, "I was so afraid when I saw the house shingles and roof burning, I ran all the way, I was so angry son. Angry at the dragons for attacking, angry at your mother for hitting me since I feel so weak that night, angry at the Gods- and fear, overwhelming fear of losing your mother and you-"

.

He wiped a tear from his cheek that escaped from his eyes and cleared his throat as Gobber sat next to them again, clutching a smaller barrel of mead, "It helps with the flow of the story if we wash it with some mead first."

"Aye..."

"So, uh... when was the last time your were afraid-

.

"When you came crashing down, fighting the monstrosity you saved us from- I was afraid to lose what my beloved wife left for me. I was afraid to lose my son, even when you dissapointed me-" Hiccup noticeably frowned and looked down to the ground, "-or when you do something to endanger the village, I always knew that I'll see you again- but that time, when I saw you fall from that height, and the firestorm waiting for both of you down below. I couldn't help the cold dread that washed over me."

"It's okay dad-"

Stoick sighed sadly and rubbed his son's shoulder, "Forgive me son- I knew I should have paid attention to more of this.."

"You just gestured to all of me," he said testily with a small grin on his face, answered with a bearded smile from his father.

.

.

Asgard

.

Warriors filed outside from their latest skirmish in Midgard, the victorious nursing their scars, the dead carried by their still living brethren and the Warrior's Three speaking animatedly. They were all happy, the young Haddock was finally back to where he belongs and as the last of the warriors filed out of the Bifrost chambers. Heimdall, Guardian of the Rainbow Bridge Bifrost looked at his right side and saw a man clad in golden and green artificer armor seemingly to appear out of nowhere. The man took off his helm and mask revealing a black haired, pale God that was so handsome, his intellectual appearance didn't seemed to faze too much of the sophistication he carried himself with. With matching green tunic that reached his ankles, his armored and body adorned with jewels finely crafted and designed with snake figures. Walking forward out to the chambers, the almost giant man spoke in a deep voice, "You were hidden from my sight for an undetermined amount of time. Where did you go?"

.

"Really? The great God Heimdall's sight is faltering? Then I think you need a rest," his voice was alluring, sure, soothing and mesmerizing, "I'm pretty sure that's fatigue kicking in, you should take a vacation, leave your post, travel to one of the nine realms. I'm sure father would understand."

.

"Do you think your silver tongue would work on me Loki Odinson!?" the Guardian God bristled as he shook off the obvious discomfort of his words.

.

"Of course not," there it was again, the calm soothing voice, it demanded things, declared sweet nothings and yet- "I was merely opening the windows of opportunity for you."

.

With a swish of his hair Loki stepped out of the chamber, but before he was out of earshot, he whispered in the air as Heimdall turned towards him, "Guardian, where is Hiccup?"

.

Not used to lie, and unable to deny a just answer from him, he spoke out with his deep voice, grasping his sword and resisting to strike the cunning monster, "He has returned to his home at Midgard."

.

Loki turned to the Asgardian city away from the Bifrost chamber, his black eyes shining and laughed evily revealing a sliver of silver embedded on his tongue, "Mjog gott."

.

.

.

To be continued... Author's note

I am elated to see such numbers of readers in this story, I mean, its not one of my best ideas that I had but it seems to turn out well. Also, I would like to thank Arnar since he's helping me with the translations. I think he means to be gentle with me, but I felt that I botched some translations from the Old Norse to Icelandic.

Also, I'm using Old Norse to depict the way the Gods speak, as someone pointed out to me of what's the point of using translated words. Well, I just want to ok? Deal with it.

AND! Since, there are relative peace for now, I can focus on the gang and their movements from now on.

.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, I always reply to them, as Private Messages or for Guest right down below.

flame (Guest): Well, I'm not very good at Norse. I have an acquaintance, which happens to be from Iceland named Arnar (of the Ice) and he actually pointed out that some phrases and sentences that I made can be quite confusing, but all in all since its old Norse it doesn't look too painful to read. (Thank god of course)

I have to admit I'm not the best one when it comes to writing Norse, I have some errors, but he forgave me. Thank God again!

.

Cheers everyone,

Scarabeye3000