Four. Friends and Family

Astrid found Hiccup in the forge after dusk, sitting aimlessly by the fire and staring vacantly into the flames. He looked pale and unhappy-but he forced himself to look up and he smiled as he saw the beautiful blonde approach with a covered bowl and hunk of bread wrapped in rags to keep it warm.

"Evening, Milady!" he said with forced cheerfulness. She frowned as she saw him and settled at his side, handing over the meal.

"The jailer said you'd been freed this afternoon-by the Chief?" she asked and he took an urgent mouthful of his stew, giving a little sigh at the sensation of hot food warming his body. He nodded.

"Yeah…um, that was something unexpected," he mumbled. "Not especially comfortable, to be honest, since he was pretty blunt about what he thinks of me." Her azure gaze slid over him and found it: the sorrow lurking behind his brave smile and light words. "But he let me out because he has a task for me…" His shoulders slumped and she scooched a little closer.

"What task?" she asked and he stiffened. "Or is it a secret?" He shrugged and chewed another mouthful of stew.

"Everyone will find out soon enough so you may as well know now," he admitted. "The Chief has asked me to act as his Heir for the Meathead visit-because I think he's worried Snotlout will make us a laughing-stock or start a war…" Astrid sighed.

"Both of those are a real possibility," she admitted, stretching her legs out in front of her and eyeing her scuffed boots. They were starting to give at the seams and she would need new ones by the end of the year. "He was put in charge of rounding up a herd of wild boars that had been raiding Mildew's cabbage fields. He ended up destroying most of the cabbage crop, half of the fencing and flattening the twins, Mildew and Gustav! Of course, he tried to blame everyone else-but he was in charge and it was a disaster. He just wanted to showboat and couldn't give any clear orders. He's not a leader." Hiccup glanced up and managed a small smile.

"So what did you do?" he asked her, knowing Astrid's no-nonsense approach and her complete lack of patience with fools. She smirked.

"I rounded up the rest of the team, we corralled the boars and trapped them in Sven's barn and I made the twins and Snotlout repair the fences before we left the farm," she said calmly. "I also reported to the Chief…though he had already received a report from Snotlout who tried to take all the credit for the mission." There was a tightness in her voice. "But Hoark and Mildew actually both told the Chief what actually happened-and who sorted things out." Hiccup grinned as he finished his meal.

"I have every faith in you," he said proudly. "Gods, you were head and shoulders above the rest of us in Dragon Training. I know the Chief trusts you. Odin help us when the Chief is gone and that idiot is supposedly in charge!" She patted his shoulder.

"That will be the reason why Stoick would want you to act as his Heir," she admitted. "Because you can act like a Chief. You can answer thoughtfully and avoid being baited. You can talk like an adult…"

"Sometimes," Hiccup put in with a small smile.

"And you can make plans, act decisively and you aren't afraid to do what is necessary," she told him. His emerald eyes flicked up to inspect her lovely face, her cheeks warmed by reflections from the fire.

"I think you may be confusing me with someone else," he mumbled self-consciously. Her hand tightened on his shoulder.

"Hiccup-you were prepared to go to jail to make sure I kept my axe," she told him more gently. "If that isn't brave, decisive and-and amazing…I don't know what is…" He blushed.

"Um…I would do anything for you-because you're my friend," he murmured. "Thanks, Astrid." She smiled and then stared at her feet, looking self-conscious.

"I-I er need to ask you a favour," she said very self consciously. He looked up and his eyes widened.

"Of course," he said immediately. "Anything." She looked into his familiar face and then she stared at the ground again.

"I need to stay here," she said, her cheeks scarlet with embarrassment. His eyes widened.

"Um…I thought you stayed up in the Hall?" he gabbled. "Not that I don't want you here-Thor, that would be my greatest wish-but it gets cold and is pretty lonely here…"

"I know," she murmured. "I've been staying here since you were jailed." His eyes widened in astonishment, his face filled with shock.

"H-here?' he stammered. "Um-in the workshop?" She nodded and she saw his head drop. He swallowed. Then he nodded. "It's-it's okay. I understand…"

"No, Hiccup," she said gently. "They wanted me out of the Great Hall because it's being readied for the visit…so Gobber said I could stay here. But I won't steal your home. I can only stay if you will let me…I can sleep in the forge itself…" He was already shaking his head.

"Oh no, Astrid," he said immediately, gesturing to the practical surroundings. "I can't do that to you. The forge is open to the elements and gets really drafty at night. Um…really, definitely. And it's really not safe…You take the workshop and I-I'll sleep in the forge." She folded her arms and glared at him.

"Or we could both sleep in the workshop," she said definitely and she smiled as he blushed scarlet.

"Aargh! I mean…what-what about your reputation, your honour?" he asked urgently. "Please, Astrid-don't risk it just to be nice to me…" His face was stricken and she turned and wrapped a hug around him, feeling his arms self-consciously wind around her.

"Idiot," she sighed. "My reputation means nothing. It's worthless. Because, though I am brave, dedicated and peerless with my axe, no one will lift a finger to help me. My parents died and not even the few distant relatives will give me the time of day, let alone a few feet of floor space to sleep. No one will offer me shelter. No one has volunteered to help me rebuild my home. So all I have is one small trunk, my axe and my precious honour!" The last word was spat out. "But what exactly is that worth? Because no one would marry me without a dowry and even Snotlout-who has flirted with me for years-has told me he wouldn't marry me because I have no family so there is no advantage to his marrying me. I won't bring him any wealth or influence so I am…unwanted."

Hiccup's eyes widened, feeling her arms tighten fiercely around him and he hugged her harder. Of course, he hadn't realised. No one spoke to him about anything-though he had wondered why the best warrior was disrespected so. He sighed.

"You're wanted by me," he murmured. "You're amazing-brave, fierce, beautiful, smart, determined-everything anyone could want. Gods, anyone who thinks you're not worthy of them is an utter idiot! But if you want to stay, of course you can. I-I would be honoured. Though I think I may snore…" She buried her face in his shoulder for a long moment and then smiled.

"I'm a Viking," she said firmly. "I can deal with a little snoring."

But bedtime was very awkward, as Hiccup insisted she slept in the most sheltered spot-his-while he took his furs and curled up awkwardly by the door. He had lain very anxious and had stared at her as she settled down, methodically wrapping herself in her furs and blanket, loosening her hair and carefully laying her Kransen at her side, by her axe. He buried his face in the roll of old material that acted as his pillow and groaned: this was incredibly unwise and he slowly began to get up to move out into the main forge in the hope of salvaging something of her reputation…

"Move another inch and I'll knock you senseless," Astrid said quietly from the gloom. The faintest flickers from the fire outlined her golden hair and glittered in her eyes and he knew she could see him, silhouetted against the glow. He froze.

"Please, let me," he begged her softly. "I'm disgraced and dishonoured. Don't let that happen to you as well."

"For some reason, it already has," she said in a toneless voice. "At least for once, I have some company-and the company of a friend. So please-stay, Hiccup. Let me wake up for once with someone who cares-even a little-for me."

He stared at her. She was strong and she was tough and no one would dare to call her anything but brave…yet that tiny plea had broken his heart because it betrayed how much she had missed her family. Mourning her parents, she had found scant succour from her neighbours and what distant kin she had and she had essentially become a vagrant, unsupported by the village and Tribe she was so admired by. He shook his head.

"I care more than a little," he sighed and guiltily lay back down. "You are always welcome here, Astrid. You don't have to ask. And I wish…I wish I had the means to help rebuild your family home as well." She blinked hard, her vision swimming at the simple sincerity in his words. She took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Hiccup," she said softly. "Now get some rest."

But as her breathing evened into sleep, he wondered what the true reason was why she was treated so unfairly and promised if there was anything he could do about it, he would.

oOo

The next morning, he was up before she was, rolling his furs up and sneaking out into the forge to stretch and take a few deep breaths of the cold morning air. The little workshop had been appreciably warmer with two people in it and he had found her soft, sighing breaths soothing. It was an impossible dream, of course, but he had allowed himself to imagine that this was more than an awkward act-of-necessity thing but that he could hope to wake to Astrid Hofferson every morning, hope to spend his life with her. He shook himself and stared across the slowly-waking village. It was the ultimate fantasy and would never come true…but a guy had to dream.

He had rekindled the fire in the forge and had fetched some water from the well when she emerged, her hair rebraided and Kransen back in place. She smiled as she saw him and he returned it, emerald eyes glittering with happiness he got to spend some time with her. She gratefully used the water he had fetched to wash her face and then she stared around.

"So…what do you do for entertainment around here?" she asked him casually and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Usually, I get the fire going and then get to work…" he admitted and then he gestured to the large pile of weapons needing servicing. "And I guess Gobber will expect me to make up for my little holiday…" She sighed then looked round the forge and grabbed a pair of swords.

"I usually train a little before I eat," she told him and tossed one to him. He caught it with much more ease than she remembered-but then, she hadn't trained or seen him in action with a weapon since he was that scrawny fishbone of a fifteen year old. Eighteen year old Hiccup was taller and three years stronger though still very lean and lanky. She noted he held the sword in his left hand with relative comfort. He looked self-conscious.

"Um…not got anyone to train with," he mumbled but she smiled and led him round the back of the forge.

"You have now," she told him, lifting her sword. He backed up a pace, then adopted a balanced stance and rested his sword against hers.

"Go easy on me," he murmured. "I mean, I'm pretty hopeless…" She grinned and slammed her sword straight into his and he parried with a very sturdy grip. She swiftly began to rain blows on his weapon and he steadfastly parried, backing away slowly, his eyes locked on her.

"Come on, Hiccup," she encouraged him. "I'm sure you can manage a little aggression…" He swatted two furious blows at his head away and shook his head.

"Not really an aggressive sort of guy," he admitted. "I just need to defend myself…" She switched, dropping to a knee and slamming a blow at his body. He swiftly spun and blocked, continuing the spin and swatting her sword up before his backswing slapped it from her hand. Her eyes widened in utter shock. He backed up a pace and offered her his hand. "Um…sorry…" he apologised. "You are okay, aren't you?" She accepted his hand and for a second, there was a look of annoyance in her sea-blue eyes-swiftly replaced by admiration.

"That was…amazing!" she told him, a broad smile lighting her face. "Hiccup-that was really great!"

"Just…lucky? I guess?" he said uncertainly but she smiled and collected her sword.

"Hiccup-none of the others have come close to beating me for years!" she told him matter-of-factly. "Not even Snotlout, by the way! So that is really…"

"Lucky," Hiccup said with a small grin. "I'll take lucky, every day of the week." She stared into his kindly face and briefly pressed a hand to his cheek, her fingers warm on the fading bruise.

"Why do you do this?" she asked softly. "Why do you keep putting yourself down?" He briefly closed his eyes and leaned slightly into her touch before opening them again.

"Just sticking with the general consensus," he reminded her with a smile. She winked at him.

"It won't get you an easy time off me again," she teased him with a smirk. "Okay-take your stance, sword boy!"

"Sword boy?"

"Hey, if it fits, run with it," Astrid smirked and rested her sword against his.

"I think that's a very mixed metaphor, by the way," Hiccup pointed out, smiling as well.

"If it works, why worry?" she grinned and attacked.

They finished when Gobber finally got up, half an hour later. The honours had evened up and Astrid had beaten Hiccup as much as she had lost-but she had relished the challenge of someone who was actually skilled at the sword-not that Hiccup would admit to anything. She knew his father, the Chief, was an excellent swordsman, and she wondered if he had inherited his aptitude with the blade. Certainly, he had been practising-though probably on his own, since he was extremely self-conscious about his ability-but his grip was good, his eye excellent and reflexes very fast. She gave him some pointers as they sparred and he picked up on them swiftly, improving with every bout. It gave a warm feeling of accomplishment that she could help him improve his swordsmanship along with a sense of sadness that he would have loved to make his father proud with his skill-but that it was too late. Stoick would never forgive Hiccup for being…well, Hiccup.

Heading off to her chores, Hiccup turned back to his work, grabbing the first damaged sword and dipping it into the fire, his green gaze sweeping across the chaos in the forge. Sighing, he set to work tidying and reordering the space and then turning back to the red-hot sword. He stuffed another couple into the fire, pumped the bellows a couple of times and pulled his leather apron on, then began to pound the sword back into shape.

"Yer better mending them than playing with them," Gobber commented, perching on his stool by the hatch and swigging from a flask of mead.

"Yeah-but Astrid wanted to practice so…" Hiccup mumbled, his hammer clanging regularly against the metal. He paused, adjusted the sword and recommenced his repair.

"Yer sweet on her, aren't you?" Gobber commented. Hiccup sighed.

"Most of my life," he admitted, "but she doesn't feel the same so friendship is as good as it can gets. I would do anything for her-because, quite frankly, she is about my only friend! So if she wants to practice with the sword, I'll practice with her-no matter how useless I am." Gobber took another gulp and his eyes narrowed.

"Yer know why yer father let yer out of the jail?" Gobber asked him and he sighed.

"Yeah," he said bitterly and the blacksmith looked at his assistant. The edge to Hiccup's tone told his mentor more than he usually revealed and Gobber frowned.

"Why didn't yer turn him down?" he asked bluntly and Hiccup laid his hammer down, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"He's my Chief as well as my-well, former-father," Hiccup reminded him. "I would always do what he asked. It is my duty." And it may keep Astrid safe-at least for the moment.

"It was his duty as a father to protect and prepare you for life in Berk," Gobber reminded him and Hiccup sighed, covering his eyes with his hand for a second.

"Never said he wasn't a lousy father," he mumbled. "Doesn't mean I should be a lousy son-or subject." Gobber looked an him and gently reached forward, patting the lad on the shoulder. Hiccup stiffened for the briefest of moments until the man withdrew.

"You're a more forgiving man than most of this village," he commented and Hiccup sighed.

"Rub it in, why don't you?" he complained. Gobber glanced up the Plaza and sighed.

"Yer know, when yer see Snotlout, what were ye planning on saying tae him?" he asked thoughtfully. Hiccup scratched the back of his neck.

"Byeeee," he sighed, looking at his boss. "And then hiding in the caves by Thor's beach for the next month, probably."

"I think ye need a better plan," Gobber pointed out, "'coz he's heading straight down the hill towards yer!" Hiccup snapped round to see Snotlout and the twins mere yards away. Turning in a panic, he threw off his leather apron and chased out of the back of the forge-to find Gustav and Else grabbing him. He shrugged them off-but they had delayed him long enough for the twins to grab his arms and haul him back. Snotlout glared as the auburn-haired young man was pressed back against the wall of the forge and the Heir swaggered forward, an unpleasant smile crossing his features.

"Hello, Useless," he snarked. Hiccup swallowed.

"I have a name, you know," he replied. Snotlout inspected his fingernails, picking at one nonchalantly.

"Yeah-and it's Useless!" he sneered. "So why am I having to let the Chief pretend you are the Heir instead of me? What did you say to make him treat you special?"

He's never treated me specially, Hiccup thought miserably. Nope. Always thinks the worst of me in any situation. "He came to me with the order." He emphasised the word as he finally answered aloud. "Said I had to do it for the good of the Tribe. I told him you wouldn't be happy-and that it was probably a really bad idea…but he's the Chief…"

Snotlout rammed his fist into Hiccup's midriff and the taller young man gasped in pain, bowing forward as far as the twins would allow him.

"I bet you could always turn him down," he leered. Hiccup coughed in pain, his face suddenly pale.

"Don't think so," he groaned. Snotlout punched his body again.

"I could make you," he threatened and Hiccup closed this eyes in pain.

"Didn't the Chief order you not to beat me up before the Meathead delegation came?" he groaned. There was a pause.

"How did you know about that?" Snotlout growled, his tone annoyed that his victim was aware of the order and Hiccup forced his bleary green gaze to inspect the stocky and powerful young man whose cold blue eyes held only menace.

"Because he told me," he wheezed. There was a jerk on his arms.

"Before the delegation comes," Ruffnut murmured. "He didn't say anything about after, did he?"

Oh Gods…

"No," Snotlout said with a nasty grin. "Okay, Useless-be seeing ya! Once they've gone, we'll pick this up-and we can have a proper talk in case you get any ideas above your place…"

"Can't see that happening," Hiccup mumbled, earning himself a final blow in to gut. It was like being hit by an iron mace.

"Don't get comfortable," Snotlout warned him and nodded. With a laugh, the twins threw him to the ground and the walked off, laughing.

"Oh Gods," he groaned. "I mean why when they're so amazingly mutton-headed do they pick up on that? Is this some kind of joke, Thor?"

"Nah, he's just a Viking," Gobber commented from the forge. "And Vikings are good at being cruel and vicious…" Hiccup staggered to his feet, his arms wrapped around his abused middle.

"And you couldn't…?" he asked dryly.

"I knew ye'd do fine, lad," he commented and took another swig. Hiccup shook his head and limped back into the forge, slumping by Gobber, grabbing the flask and taking a swig as well.

"That makes one of us," he said painfully. "And the damned Meatheads haven't even arrived yet."