"So Rider HQ is coming along well, don't you think?" Hiccup asks a few days later.
"Could use paint," Thorve says jokingly.
"And a second floor," Astrid says looking at the first floor with its temporary roof.
"We'll build that. We just need to build upon what it needs to have with areas where we can add stuff if need be later on. So we have a lot to account for," Thorve reassures.
"Well, at least tonight we all get to sleep in a real bed," Hiccup says.
"You sure you don't want to join?" Astrid asks teasingly.
"I still want to train Blazesnap a bit more before turning in," Hiccup says.
"Then we'll take Toothless off to bed," Thorve says.
"Yeah, she can use the rest. Blazesnap and the terrors have been running her ragged with their playing with her," Hiccup says patting the tired dragoness' head.
Toothless yawns widely before smacking her lips and then lays her head on his shoulder as she closes her eyes.
"If I didn't know better Hiccup, it looks like you are the husband," Astrid says grinning.
"Hah hah," Hiccup says sarcastically as Thorve gets Toothless to follow her with a rib of boar meat.
"You have to admit, you do make an honest guy out of yourself with Toothless," Astrid admits smirking.
"Oh, when did I say I would marry you?" Hiccup asks, making her blush badly.
"Shut up," Astrid mutters.
"So Astrid, you going to focus on Stormfly's training?" Hiccup asks seriously as they hadn't talked about their plans yet.
"Yeah. We really need to ramp up training for all our dragons," Astrid says as she looks at the direction of the arena.
"Well, Thorve and I will be busy training both Toothless and Blazesnap," Hiccup says.
"That seems fine. Just don't make Thorve move her arm in ways it wasn't meant to," Astrid warns.
"I should be saying that to you," Hiccup informs.
"I'm not the one training with her," Astrid points out.
"But you are sharing a bed with her right now," Hiccup says.
Astrid lightly knocks on his head. "Shut up and get to work."
"I am, but you are a bit of a distraction in a good sort of way," Hiccup says.
Astrid raises an eyebrow at him.
"Well, you draw my eye," Hiccup says intentionally, trying to be corny to amuse her.
Astrid crosses her arms now. "Prove it."
"How can I prove you draw my eye?" Hiccup asks sweat dropping as Blazesnap seemed to be snickering at this.
Astrid hums knowingly. "I don't know. It's usually the guy who talks first."
"Astrid, quit tormenting Hiccup and come on!" Thorve calls.
Astrid smiles as Hiccup sighs in relief. "Don't relax yet young chief," she says chuckling walking past him and gives him a small kiss on the cheek and makes him blush. "You still got a long way to go with us," she informs walking off.
"I think you are my greatest challenge," Hiccup mutters.
"I would bet," Astrid laughs.
"Come on Blazesnap. We have work to do," Hiccup informs.
Blazesnap growls as he seems to be still snickering.
The next morning, Stoick came and informed them all the trader had left and they could all come back with their dragons.
"About time. Hookfang was getting all antsy about being locked up again," Snotlout complains as Hookfang growls in some agreement.
"Relax guys. We will get this all sorted out once the word gets out. More or less from us or not," Hiccup explains.
"We also need to focus on our two building projects," Thorve says.
"And how they are going?" Hiccup asks, turning to her.
"I have been with you guys the whole time and we need to work on the HQ more," Thorve says.
"HQ?" Stoick asks.
"Well, yeah. It's the place we are setting up to be a hideout and a fallback point for the riders in case something happens," Hiccup says trying to explain without getting in trouble.
Stoick hums. "Can it house the dragons and riders? All of them?"
"Well…we only have the first level really worked on and still need to build up," Hiccup says as Stoick saw it not even having a proper roof, but a makeshift one.
"Keep working on it. Some dragons and even future riders might not make it to the stables. And try to dig underground later on," Stoick advises.
"We are thinking of making hidden defenses for it as well," Thorve says.
"Such as?" Stoick asks curiously.
"That is a secret Thorve," Hiccup quickly says.
"Oopsy. Sorry," Thorve apologizes smiling.
"Basically chief, they haven't yet decided," Astrid informs.
"Astrid!" Thorve and Hiccup yell at her annoyed.
"Alright, I understand," Stoick says smirking.
Hiccup and Thorve both facepalmed at this point as Stoick chuckle at them. "Astrid, we are going to bring up your training more," Hiccup promises.
"So what will you be doing now?" Stoick asks.
"We will keep working on the HQ, for now, I would think," Hiccup says.
"Still have to plan. Still, have to build," Thorve says smiling.
"And also, have to keep training our dragons," Hiccup adds.
"That too," Thorve agreed pointing to him.
"I will send Gobber to help. Just come home soon," Stoick says.
"We will. Just going to finish up for the day really," Hiccup promises.
A few days later, the dragon rider HQ was coming along quite well to where Gobber brought a few of the stingers he had made to the building.
"We could do a few modifications. Maybe a little longer and another fast acting for short?" Thorve suggested while she and Hiccup look over the stingers.
"They aren't made for very long distances," Hiccup says as they secured it on the new second floor's balconies.
"We could tighten the strings," Thorve says, struggling a bit as she uses one arm to secure it to the firing post while leaning against the wall.
"Only so much this design can do," Hiccup thinks aloud as Blazesnap soared around the building with Astrid and Stormfly seeing as the others had gone home for a bit.
"We could try. See how much limit we can have," Thorve says, trying a balancing act now on as she kept placing the stinger before crying out as she fell and the stinger fell on top of her. "Ow."
"Thorve. Please let me do it," Hiccup requests lifting it off her and back upright.
"Sorry…maybe should get a box next time," Thorve groans as she rubs her head.
"Come here," Hiccup says lifting her up.
"Thorve pushing herself?" Astrid asks flying up with Stormfly.
"Yeah," Hiccup says holding her now.
"Well, she shouldn't. Not with her arm like this," Astrid says seeing Thorve rub her head. "Get her inside. The plans still need to be drawn up so might as well set her there. At least she won't hurt herself."
"Right. Get your wife inside," Hiccup jokes to Thorve's amusement.
Astrid growls to herself blushing while Thorve giggles. "I'm not that useless guys."
"We know, but your arm still needs rest," Hiccup says leading her in as Blazesnap grabs Astrid off Stormfly's back and flies around with her.
"Hey! Put me down!" Astrid yells annoyed.
"Looks like Blazesnap is doing well, don't you think?" Hiccup asks spying this from a window.
"Yeah," Thorve says at her desk as she writes. "Got some strong flying too."
"So what do you think Toothless, Blazesnap doing alright?" Hiccup asks.
Toothless growls questionably as she seems to think about it before giving a sly smirk and then a growl.
"You like having someone who likes boar as much as you do, don't you?" Hiccup asks petting her.
Toothless growls happily and nuzzles him back.
"You know, what we should start on next after the HQ is finished?" Hiccup asks.
"Well…we could…hmmm…" Thorve thinks to herself before noticing him walking over. "Maybe more defense?"
"I am thinking of starting to make obstacle courses to fly through and shoot fire at," Hiccup says.
"Oh right…a full HQ. And here I was thinking home for us," Thorve says smiling.
"It will be both," Hiccup says.
"I can draw something in," Thorve says looking to her plans. "Going to need more paper though."
"Yeah, we will. As for the course, that we won't start yet," Hiccup says drawing something that looked like a large landing and launching platform on top of the building's design.
"Hmm…maybe…covering…" Thorve mumbles to herself as she thinks about how to improve the design.
"We should build it up higher than the rest of the building in case we keep building up later," Hiccup says.
"Yeah…or maybe to the side…" Thorve says out loud.
"Turn the entire grotto into our HQ?" Hiccup asks.
"You may need to ask Stoick permission for that. Still…at least we are getting something," Thorve informs smiling at him.
"Yes, now once we get both Toothless and Blazesnap trained to a degree, will you find another dragon to train?" Hiccup asks.
Thorve hums. "Don't know…I always worked better with Toothless. Even an arm down."
"So you are leaving your boyfriend with your part of the training of dragons?" Hiccup asks.
"What?!" Thorve yells embarrassed and a bit shocked.
"That is what I am to you, right?" Hiccup asks.
"Doesn't mean I am leaving…jerk," Thorve huffs pouting as she turns back to her drawings.
"Any requests? A nadder, a zippleback, a gronckle, or maybe another nightmare?" Hiccup asks hugging her, making her smile.
"Let's wait until we can see what's out there. Who knows? Maybe this dragon might come to me," Thorve says leaning against him.
"Alright," Hiccup says before the sound of someone coming up the stairs were heard.
"Son, we need to talk," Stoick says looking like he had just come from the village.
"And you are sure that Barf and Belch did this?" Hiccup asks looking around the village where a lot of vikings were walking barefoot and there were zippleback tracks in the village. Not convinced, he looked closer at the print with Thorve.
"Well, of course, it was dragon w…" Mildew started too calm in Hiccup's opinion before being cut off by Hiccup.
"Did I ask your opinion Mildew?" Hiccup asks glaring at him now.
"You can't talk to me like that," Mildew yells at him.
"Mildew, shut up before I actually shoot you," Hiccup threatens, fully meaning the threat.
Thorve tries to ignore this as she presses down on the print. "Maybe we should at least check on Barf and Belch. If they really did this, then there would be prints of them moving around near their sleeping spot. Not just one big divot."
"There isn't any need for that. These are fake," Hiccup says getting up surprising several of the vikings there.
"Considering not too deep. I was playing Loki's advocate here," Thorve says shrugging.
"Dad, tell me, you have hunted dragons in the past. Do they not seem even the slightest bit off and I am not asking the chief, I am asking the warrior my father," Hiccup says surprising Stoick and Gobber chuckled at that before Stoick did bend down to take a closer look with many others.
As everyone looked at it more and more became suspicious with how shallow they were and how heavy a normal dragon, especially a zippleback, weighed. "You are right Hiccup. These are too shallow," Stoick says.
"You know what this means. Someone trying to frame the dragons," Gobber says.
"We can worry about that later though. For now, those boots need to be fixed," Hiccup says derailing the subject as this caused many to call in agreement and start to complain to Stoick and Gobber who started to go to his shop to work.
"It's Mildew who did it, dad," Hiccup says that night while eating with his dad, Thorve, Snotlout, and Spitelout in the chief's house.
"Okay. Say he did it. What proof do you have?" Stoick asks.
"I have none yet, but he gave himself away dad. If he didn't do it, why was he so calm and not yelling and demanding they be banished like every other time he has complained?" Hiccup asks.
"Maybe because all that yelling has got to his throat. Hiccup, I can't accuse a viking that freely. I need proof. We all do. Find the proof that says Mildew is responsible and then we'll see. Just try to get it respectfully and not by breaking into his home," Stoick explains.
"I am not saying we do that, but if we did know it was him, then we watch him carefully to catch him in the act. That is, if he does something else," Hiccup says trying to be as reasonable as possible.
"Then go ahead. But do not make other crimes while watching for anything of the sort," Stoick advises.
"I won't dad, but do you mind watching Blazesnap tonight. We are going to patrol the village to make sure nothing like that happens again tonight," Hiccup says as Snotlout looks prideful in the fact thinking his dad would approve.
The patrol went well enough and never seen everything, but the entire great hall was messed up. Hiccup was not pleased as Blazesnap or Hookfang was suspected, but no one dared accuse his nightmare after Stoick informed them all he had looked after the dragon last night.
"Mildew must be using a boar cover," Thorve says offhandedly.
Hiccup examined the entire great hall, looking over the claw marks and the food that was left out as vikings yelled out for something to be done as he had both Hookfang and Blazesnap compare their claws to the line and looked for any signs of one thing as quite a few were now watching closely, very confused about what he was doing. After a bit, he walked up to his father with Blazesnap who was at the center trying to calm all the vikings down. "Blazesnap, shut them up," Hiccup instructs.
Blazesnap seems to grin before starting to roar loudly at them and even pushes others back a little before he stops and looks proud.
"Thank you. Now, dad, I examined them closely and there is evidence that says this not a monstrous nightmare's doing," Hiccup says before an uproar from the crowd started again and a pat on Blazesnap made him roar at them again silencing them once more.
"And what makes you say that son?" Stoick asks.
"Well, for one, no food has been disturbed," Hiccup says making many quickly look at the table full of food from yesterday still sitting there untouched. This caused many to mutter to themselves as it was very strange for that to be untouched. "Second, I have compared the claws of both Blazesnap and Hookfang to them and found neither match the marks so even if it was a nightmare, it wasn't one of ours. And finally, most importantly, not a single scorch mark anywhere and as all of us should know from the attacks on us previously when a nightmare is angry, they light themselves ablaze and spits fire everywhere," Hiccup says explaining calmly.
The hall was silent as many considered this as Gothi as took to examining it along with many of the vikings followed suit some examining the food as well. "The boy is right," Gobber proclaims as Stoick stood they're impressed by his son's observation skills.
"Sometimes I wonder if being a dragon rider is the wrong profession for you," Thorve jokes smiling at him.
Hiccup and Stoick share an unspoken conversation between the two. Stoick obviously knowing who Hiccup thought was behind this and Hiccup understanding he was to wait for proof as he spotted Mildew walking out of the great hall, displeased obviously. Eventually, the hall was starting to be repaired as Hiccup pets Blazesnap and Toothless's heads and his father supervised. Neither speaking to the other as both waited for the other to start.
"Chief," Thorve says deciding to end this standoff.
"I know, but not without p…" Stoick started
"What will they try next?" Hiccup asks.
"Pardon?" Stoick asks.
"Both the boots and the hall failed them so they would try something more desperate," Hiccup says.
"And what do you think will be next?" Stoick asks.
Hiccup was silent for a bit before he got up and went to Astrid and whispered something to her and she gave him her ax which he held up looking at his father then pointed at it hard. Stoick was confused for a moment then realized he was insinuating they would target the weapons next to a big enough crime to force him to banish the dragons.
"The forge?" Stoick asks and Hiccup shakes his head, making him think about it more then his eyes widen when he thought of the armory. "He wouldn't dare," Stoick says.
"He would," Hiccup says giving the ax back to Astrid.
"That much hatred of dragons…most would do anything to deal with them," Thorve says sighing sadly.
"So what is the plan you got Hiccup?" Stoick whispers before Hiccup whispers his plan to him and he nods before Hiccup goes to Astrid, Thorve, and Snotlout and whispers the plan.
Later that day, Gobber lugged a cart to right in front of the armory. Obvious going somewhere out of the village with it when Hookfang came roaring as he ran through the streets, seemingly out of control and his tail smacked off the wheel of the cart, sending it flying and grounding the cart. Gobber 'unhappily' started working on fixing the cart of wood and nails while no one noticed Hiccup and Astrid sneaking out of the armory and quietly as they could, putting weapons and armor into it. Taking out nearly a hundred while Thorve and Toothless kept watching while pretending to practice maneuvers on Toothless and draw attention so no one noticed this.
That night, Hiccup stayed hidden behind a 'full' rack of weapons as he waited. Soon the door creaked open and Hiccup heard someone come out of it. After a bit, Hiccup silently drew an arrow on his new bow and stepped out in between the door and the one who looked to be setting something up. "Hello, Mildew."
"Wha…Hiccup? What are you doing here?" Mildew almost demanded angrily.
"Waiting for you to try this…what is the word? Treason," Hiccup says aiming his arrow right at Mildew, far enough away where Mildew wouldn't be able to charge forward and knock the bow away before he could shoot. "It's over Mildew. I caught you red-handed and I can shoot you here no questions asked. Now then, I can take you to my father who can sentence you or shoot you dead here, but I have another idea which doesn't end in your death or your banishment," Hiccup says.
Mildew only growls behind his crooked teeth as he glares at him.
"You can leave now, but you will owe me a debt and one day, I come to collect, deal?" Hiccup asks.
Mildew huffs. "Fine."
"Your word of honor. That if you break this oath, you will forfeit Valhalla forever," Hiccup adds.
Mildew growls more. "Fine. On my word."
"You may go now," Hiccup says letting the bowstring move back into place before taking the arrow out of its notch and stands aside.
Mildew huffs and lumbers off, all the while, glaring at Hiccup as he left out of the building.
"You sure about that?" Astrid asks coming out of her hiding space.
"Better to have an enemy that you know than the one you didn't," Hiccup says as they got the things Mildew had brought and taken it to his house.
"We did well," Hiccup says smiling in the morning where he had been sleeping with Thorve in the bed.
"Don't count yourself as the best," Thorve says smiling as she still tries to sleep.
"Well, look at the bright side. Mildew won't dare try anything for a bit as I can now prove what he did thanks to you sneaking into his house and stealing those," Hiccup says referring to the zippleback boots and nightmare claw stick.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Thorve says sneakily.
"You going to sleep longer?" Hiccup asks.
"Maybe…why? Waiting for Astrid to take over?" Thorve asks chuckling.
"Was thinking we go on a flight," Hiccup says.
"Want me to join?" Thorve asks sitting up now.
"Sure," Hiccup says starting to get his helmet.
Thorve yawns as she gets up as well. "So…you going to give your betrothed a gift?" she asks teasingly.
"I think that will wait a few more years as we haven't announced it yet," Hiccup says.
Thorve giggles. "At least Astrid will enjoy a second gift from you…or should it be the first?"
"Yeah, yeah. I will wait outside while you braid your hair. Also heads Toothless and tails Blazesnap?" Hiccup asks getting out a gold piece to flip to decide what dragons they rode on as the four terrors that were sleeping all over the room started to rouse.
"Heads," Thorve plays along as she goes to the mirror.
Hiccup flipped the coin and as he started back down one of the terrors lunged at it and grabbed it in its mouth, landing on Thorve's good shoulder.
Thorve giggles as she takes the coin out of its mouth and throws it onto the table before it flips and ends up on tails. "Looks like Blazesnap."
"Then I will take Toothless," Hiccup says smirking.
"And here I thought we would be flying together," Thorve says grinning.
"Blazesnap still needs more training with a rider. Don't you think?" Hiccup asks.
Thorve sighs. "Fine. I'll get ready. You ready the dragons."
"Alright…we also need a saddle for Blazesnap…will we be making it today, alone, together?" Hiccup asks.
"Maybe," Thorve says simply as she kept smirking at him.