Hehe, just a side note, if you are reading this I have this story figured out, so please don't think I forgot something important, trust me. Enjoy.
Hiccup held his head low, his mind was elsewhere. Thinking about leaving Ander, he felt terrible. Ander knew Hiccup wouldn't leave his friends behind, he had it all planned out before Hiccup did. Every little detail.
He should have gone back, but he would of risked his freedom, Astrids, and Toothless' as well. He felt sick, his head hurt too, he could decided whether or not if it was from the air and flying or from the thought of losing another companion.
They had only flew for close to an hour now, neither had said anything to one another. HIccup didn't feel like talking, but Astrid had something else on her mind, she kept examining the dragon she was riding on.
Probably because she was terrified of his dragon, but something popped up in his head.
After a minute with arguing with himself in his head he finally spoke.
"Sorry." He blurted out, breaking the dead silence between the two.
Astrid cocked her head at him."What?"
Hiccup sat up and looked back."For dragging you on the dragon, sorry, it was that or becoming prisoners."
Her eyes drifted to Toothless' head. He was focused on flying forward." It took me by surprise, but I guess it was a little scary. Next time warn me when you want me you rode a dragon to save me."
"How?" Hiccup shifted in his spot, he threw his leg over so both were next to each other and locked Toothless' tail in place."Don't worry about him, he knows his way back." He said after noticing the look from Astrid.
"How did it surprise you?" He asked again.
Astrid shrugged and hugged herself, flinching when touching her injured arm."Well, it's surprising because you were one of the first people I have seen in a long time riding a dragon…"She stopped and brushed over the scales of Toothless's back."You and this dragon remind me of someone I used to know."
Hiccup froze for a second. Another decision he had to fight. She knew, did she?
"Uhm, how so?" He asked looking directly at her, making sure his voice was disguised.
Astrid brushed her hair out of her face shaking her head in the process."It was six years ago or sometime close to that, he had a nightfury just like this, was one of the best...The best a getting a dragon to obey him."
Hiccup lowered his head, those memories came flooding back into his mind, the ones he wanted so badly to be flushed away, out of his mind, never again to be thought of, those days when everyone pretty much put him down.
"Unfortunately the ones he love and raised him, drove him away due to him taking care of a dragon, a night fury like this one. Hasn't been heard of since. It's why we don't like dragons, why we protect our village from the. I bet Stoick thinks about him everyday."
That hit Hiccup heard, he felt his heart sink a farther down into the bottomless pit. He knew his father would never accept him for who he is, then again things might have just changed over the years he has been gone.
"I was friends with him, a good one. He showed me how kind and caring dragons, can be when I found him hiding one in the forest. The very next day is when he was driven away by his father."
"But you continued to fight dragons?" Hiccup spat out on accident.
Astrid glared at him."It's more of me being force. I don't want to be driven away for loving dragons, just like he was, even though I would do anything to see him again."
Hiccup was speechless, never in all of his years of growing up with her and being around her, never once had he ever heard her talk about anyone like that.
"Well, that's upsetting." He patted Toothless' saddle."Been with him ever since I was born. My father gave him to me as a gift, he found him as a baby in the forest near our home. He brought him home and cared for him. We kept as the years past and as we grew up we became good friends, I guess you could say." He lied, it was the only way he could take her suspicions away.
He looked up at her, her face dulled a little. He really did take her hopes away.
"Again, I am sorry for dragging you into this whole thing, Wolf was only taking you to draw me away from Berk, which is why I only took Ander with me."
"Why would you come after me?" She asked.
Hiccup shrugged and started to shuffle to his old sitting position grabbing the handles of the saddle."Like I said, I volunteered and your vikings boats wouldn't be able to catch Wolf's ship in time, he has a specially made boat."
"Hm." Astrid decided it was most likely best if she kept quiet for the rest of the time they were going to fly.
XX
It was becoming darker and dark by the second in Berk, it was dinner time, for most of the people.
Eria and Siv had gone down to the village in search of Ren, they had found him down by the ring, where he had been showing Snotlout how to fight better.
He rested his head on his forearms, he stood gazing into the pit, there wasn't anything going on, he just found a comfortable place to chill for a while.
"Where have you been?" Siv asked from behind.
Ren sighed," Ya know, doing stuff, just be happy I haven't gotten into trouble."
Both women joined his side.
"No, but we heard something about you training someone, who was it again?" Eria tried to think of the name, but couldn't remember.
"It was Snotlout, not the best at fighting hand to hand combat with a person." He looked at them."They use dragons to practice to fight, doesn't help with hand to hand combat with a person. I told him to meet me near the beaches tomorrow morning, gonna give him a few more tips."
"Please tell me you aren't going to beat him up because you are still mad at Hiccup for not taking you." Siv crossed her arms.
Ren rolled his eyes and scoffed at her comment."No, he needs the help, and yes I am still mad."
"Well he should be back any minute now, you can thank him when he arrives, I am gonna go wait on the far side beaches for him." Siv walked away, glancing back for a moment."Keep and eye on him." She mouthed to Eria, who nodded with a smile.
Eria turned back to Ren and laid her head on his shoulder and held his hand, she felt him squeeze hers tight.
"Love ya." He whispered into her ear.
XX
"That's Berk." Hiccup said pointed in the distance, they were fairly close to the island.
"Finally." Astrid mumbled, she was a bit tired.
Hiccup leaned over the saddle and patted Toothless' head."Alright, time to get her home."
Astrid cocked her head confused on what he meant. Within two seconds Toothless increased his speed, this was way too fast for her.
Astrid reached forward and wrapped her arms around Hiccup's waste so she wouldn't fly off.
They flew close to the water, so whenever Toothless flapped his wings, water would fly up and land on the two riders.
"Okay, easy!" Hiccup shouted as he pulled back on the handles of the saddle. They arrived. Toothless came to a halt and slowly landed on the soft beach."See, wasn't so bad."
He hopped down from his seat and offered Astrid a hand, she took it, but flinched when she landed on the ground. Hiccup could tell she hurt more than what she showed.
"You gonna be okay?"
Astrid nodded cradling her arm."I am fine. Thank you...again."
Hiccup sighed in satisfaction, but he wasn't done yet."We aren't done yet. I am going to take you to the chief to show him that I am a trustworthy person."
"You're back." Another voice came, a female, and all too familiar to Hiccup.
"Siv, just in time. Come take care of the him, I am taking " Hiccup stated smiling behind his mask.
"I see you were successful."
His heart sank, he almost forgot about Ander. He and Astrid began to walk towards the village."Mostly." He mumbled as he passed Siv. She looked back at him confused, but it all made sense when she realized who wasn't there.
"What happened?!" She called.
Hiccup stopped, but Astrid kept going."He told me to leave him Siv. We had to or else we were going to be shot down."
"Did you find Davin?" She asked. Her heart was racing faster by the second.
He shook his head."He wasn't in the ship."
XX
Hiccup and Astrid walked side by side to the great hall, it only took around fifteen minutes to get there.
He forgot how small Berk really was. You could circle the island within a day, probably half a day. This is how he knew Drago had a big advantage, his army was the size of Berk's population, most likely bigger.
Even if they started right at this moment to prepare and train themselves for Drago's attack, his army would quickly wipe out Berk, Hiccup would have to come up with the craziest plan, which apparently he has part of already done.
When they neared the hall, many of the vikings noticed Astrid was brought back and chatter started up, spreading across the whole village.
As they entered the large doorway of the great hall, Hiccup spotted Gobber and Stoick sitting at a table.
Stoick looked stressed, his head was in one of his hands while the other was resting on the table. His eyes slowly rose up to get at look at who had 's eyes lit up as the two entered, he looked to Stoick who stood up, a bit speechless.
Silence.
Hiccup was the first to speak."I believe this young woman is now home safe."
Stoick took steps forward."Indeed, I see that."
"Unfortunately two of my men-uhm-companions were taken as captives. One was captured at night yesterday, the other was left so Astrid and I could get away." He used a bit deeper voice when speaking, he felt as if he needed to do his absolute best to disguise his voice and anything his father would recognize.
Stoick scanned Astrid, both him and Gobber noticed she was in pain, as she was still cradling her injured arm with her other.
"Gobber, please take her to Gothi, she needs care."
Without hesitation Gobber nodded and started towards the door. He suppressed a breath that would have been loud.
Hiccup glanced over his shoulder at Astrid, she didn't look back, he turned his head back and was met with Stoick, who was dangerously close to him. His arms were crossed and a glare was plastered as his unchanging expression.
"Alright, spit it out young man. What do you want from me." He began to walk circles around Hiccup again, as he did the day before.
He clenched his fist to calm his nerves down. He was a bit confused, from what he was thinking, Stoick must think he was some sort of pirate.
Hiccup exhaled slowly."All I am asking is that you allow my companions and I stay here, we will do our business and leave."
"If your work is putting my village in danger I will not allow this to happen. Take your helmet off, so we can have a conversation, without hiding anything."
"No." That quickly came out of Hiccup's lips."I prefer not to."
"Why." Stoick began to stroke his beard, his glared didn't leave though.
"It's best if it stays on, my face isn't exactly likeable...I have no reason to show my face to you, much less a man who doesn't need to be in my business."
"YOUR business?!" Stoick rose his voice, Hiccup began to think about all the wrong in his statement, it just came out without thought."I believe it is my business just as much as it is yours, especially since the attack we had was YOUR fault. If this involves my village being in the way I want to know what exactly was going on."
Hiccup realised that this was true, there was no way of avoiding this problem, it was hard enough to evade his helmet being removed.
He looked around then stopped at his father. No one else was in the great hall. Stoick was also becoming angrier every second.
"There is a chance that these attacks might continued until one large army will wipe out your entire village."
He saw fear in Stoick's eyes, although he didn't physically show it." What madness have you brought upon Berk?!"
"Easy." Hiccup took a step back as Stoick reached out and grabbed a front strap on his chest, pulling him close."I have come to aid you."
"Who?" He demanded as he tightened his grip while Hiccup backed up into a pillar.
Hiccup took a deep breath to stop his quiet panicked breathing."I man who goes by the name of Drago Bludfist, a maniac."
Suddenly a forced hit his chest and he was being held up against the pillar, he opened his eyes to see rage on Stoick's face.
"Drago Bludfist? The man is a murderer, selfless human being who cares for no one, but himself, a man I have avoided to protect my people. Now you go and bring him here like it is not big deal?!"
"If you would let me go I can explain it all." Hiccup said.
Stoick let go and shook his head, shaming the man.
"Drago wants to attack Berk, he wants to defeat and burn down your village. Trust me when I say I am on your side, I have come to help you defend. His army is twice the size of your village."
"With what? You are two men down, what can three people do for me? Drago will kill us all!" Stoick started to pace again while shaking his head." Tell me boy, what power do you have to harm him and why is his going after Berk?"
"That's what I need to figure out, all I know is that he is coming here." Hiccup smiled in his mask, if only he could say his plan."It's complicated, but the first thing you might wanna do if up your guard, twenty four-seven hour watch. I will take care of the rest, you take care of your village."
"Hm." Stoick looked straight at Hiccup."I have respect for you, going after Astrid and bringing her back this quickly. Tell you what, you take care of whatever you are going to do, I will up the guard and you will be able to stay here until this is all over."
A wave of relief wash over him, he sighed and nodded."Thank you-"
"But!" Stoick said abruptly as he held out his hand."You must reveal your face to me at the end, if you successfully help defend Berk."
Hiccup's heart dropped, this really was the only way." Fine." He took his hand and shook it.
"Now, I am going to see my returned warrior, feel free to join. We shall discuss more later."