A/N: Good job to everyone who noticed that Hiccup already has a prosthetic! More will be explained soon.

Without further ado, let's get into the action:

Chapter 4: A fight is won.

"I'd like to challenge"

Hiccup did his best to ignore the laughs and teasing comments heard from the crowd, focusing his gaze on the fierce and beautiful girl in front of him, who was looking at him skeptically.

She said nothing, but thankfully Gobber spoke up, "Alright Hiccup, if yer sure" he said with a warning look. Clearly, he didn't trust Hiccup's modified shield plan.

Hiccup gulped nervously before stepping closer to Astrid and handing her a small and crumpled bunch of flowers he'd picked last evening.

"What's this?" she asked, with a hint of irritation.

"Um- I got those for you... Happy birthday."

Her expression softened and she asked, "birthday?" as if she'd not even realized it amongst all the trouble it had brought her.

She lifted them up to breathe in the fragrance before meeting his eyes and giving him the tiniest hint of a smile.

"Hiccup, thank you. But I have to say, please, back out now. I know you mean well but I have no wish to hurt you. You've got nothing to prove to me"

"I know... just, let me do this okay, please?" He said with a pleading look. Her eyes stayed locked on his for a long moment before she sighed with lips pursed and said, "Don't say I didn't warn you"

"On yer marks" called out Gobber.

Astrid picked up her axe and kept it in her left hand, apparently thinking she could deal with Hiccup without using it.

Hiccup readied his shield, and saw Astrid's eyes linger on it for a moment before they were back on his. Good. She didn't suspect anything yet.

"Let the duel commence!"

Astrid moved instantly, intending to pin him down and get this over with. Hiccup backed up with his shield held out in front, not letting her past it.

"Finish the little runt!" someone hollered. "Make useless suffer!"

Astrid still wasn't using the axe, trying to sidestep around the shield to get to him.

This isn't working, Hiccup thought. I need to get her to strike!

"That all you got?" Hiccup said to her, trying to do his best impression of Snotlout. It ended up sounding nothing like him but did the trick anyway.

Her eyes narrowed instantly. "You little-" She transferred her axe to her right hand and swung, and Hiccup braced himself against the shield, but the impact still sent him sprawling to the ground, shield still on his arm.

He groaned in pain, when he felt Astrid step on his shield and tug hard. She managed to pull the shield out of his grasp but the axe was still stuck firm. Confused murmurs were heard from the crowd.

Hiccup groggily stood up while she was still trying to push the shield free, brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm afraid that's not coming out" wheezed Hiccup. He instantly regretted it when Astrid turned her extremely annoyed gaze on him.

"What kind of trick is this?!" She snapped, her tone making him flinch.

Hiccup didn't know what to reply, so he just raised his fists, inviting her to a hand to hand fight.

Astrid stepped away from the fallen shield-axe on the ground, and stalked towards him.

This was it. This was his shot. Now or never.

Hiccup stepped and swung his fist, not fast enough as Astrid swatted it away.

Good, he thought. This first punch was intended to reassure her that she didn't have to worry, despite the tricked shield, he was still the same old weak Hiccup.

Then, she swung at his chest but it was slow, as she was probably going easy on him to avoid hurting him too badly. Hiccup caught the punch, and countered with his own fist into her side. Astrid gasped in surprise, clearly taken aback by the force his fist had carried. She faltered for a second. Only a second. But it was all he needed.

As he had rehearsed, he used his prosthetic leg to sweep her legs out from under her, and she fell backwards with an "ouch!", but her grasp had tightened on his collar and he was pulled down too.

Astrid let out a pained grunt as her back hit the dusty ground, knocking the wind out of her.

Hiccup's fall wasn't as hard as he had her to cushion his fall, and he enough awareness to quickly pin his elbow against her throat, pinning her down with his full body weight.

He tried his best to avoid hurting her without releasing his hold, as Astrid flailed her legs wildly, trying to push him off. Each second felt like a lifetime as Hiccup held on for his literal life. Her blue eyes were so close that they filled his vision. "I swear to gods Hiccup I'm gonna-" started Astrid but was interrupted by a ding of a bell.

Both their confused gazes turned towards a bewildered Gobber, a bell in his hand and mouth hanging open. He swallowed before speaking, "T-that's ten seconds... Hiccup wins"

Hiccup heaved a relieved breath as he fell back on the ground beside her, not even registering the sudden silence that had fallen on the arena.

Astrid stood up on shaky legs, disbelief plastered all over her face. It had been so fast. The duel had ended before it had started. One minute Gobber was signaling the start and the other, Astrid had been bested by the scrawny heir to the chief.

"It's not possible" she muttered, more to herself than anyone. She glanced at Hiccup now standing to the side, looking at her with an apologetic expression.

"Well- uh" Gobber said awkwardly. "I guess it's time for Hiccup to face the monstrous nightmare. Unless you've changed your mind?" He gestured to Astrid, hoping to save his apprentice from being seriously injured.

Her voice was calm but laced with seething anger as she replied, "I haven't."

Hiccup had known she would hate him for this, but that didn't mean it stung any less. She would be thinking that Hiccup stood no chance against the vicious dragon, but he had still did enough damage by humiliating her in front of everyone.

Gobber asked Hiccup, "what weapon would ye-"

"I don't need it" Hiccup said quickly. He gave his best 'trust me' look to Gobber, satisfied when his mentor started ambling towards the large metal gate at the back of the arena.

The crowd had apparently found its wits again, and was now buzzing with questions and accusations and surprise all rolled into one homogeneous noise.

Astrid took her seat in the crowd near her parents while rubbing her sore elbow and nodded to Gobber, who muttered a small prayer to the gods to protect Hiccup before sliding the gate open.

Hiccup's three minutes to survive had officially begun.

Hiccup felt the dragon before he saw it, felt it's heat as it emerged, already on fire, a snarling and angry shape which did a couple of loops around the arena before setting his gaze on the unarmed Hiccup standing in the middle.

The dragon eyed the small figure, standing rooted to the spot, apparently not interested in either running away or fighting, the two things vikings usually did. Weird.

Hiccup forced himself to keep from trembling as the massive beast's eyes locked on him. "It's just like toothless, it's just like toothless" he kept reminding himself as the dragon stalked closer, and the flames surrounding its body slowly died away.

"It's okay" he said softly, raising an open palm like he'd done with toothless all those weeks ago. "I'm not gonna hurt you"

Hiccup braved a glance towards the crowd, where Astrid's shocked gaze met his. He quickly turned back to the dragon, inexplicably feeling a surge of confidence welling up inside. It has got to be over a minute by now, right?

The warm and scaly skin of the dragon met his calloused palm, and he flinched at the strange sensation.

"I'm not one of them" he cooed quietly, giving it a light scratch. He heard gasps of surprise from behind him but he kept his gaze firmly on the dragon.

He noticed scars on its neck and back from months of fighting in captivity. He closed his eyes in sadness, before whispering "I'll get you out one day, I promise."

The dragon seemed to hum in agreement, and Hiccup took a minute to appreciate the magnificent creature from closer than he'd ever been. He had just managed to calm his racing heart when the silence was broken by Gobber. "That's- that's three minutes"

Hiccup felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders, and he gently coaxed the beast back inside, closing the large metal gate with a thud.

After all those weeks of spending time with toothless, this was the first time he'd demonstrated his 'skills' in public.

The secret's out, he thought. But it was for Astrid, and she's worth it.

He turned back towards the stunned crowd, which finally erupted into cheers and congratulations. The twins were going crazy, Fishlegs and Snotlout were slack jawed and Astrid's parents looked equal parts surprised and confused.

Then his eyes finally fell on Astrid, whose expression was one of utter shock and dismay. He was too far to hear her but he saw her mouth the word, "No" before she turned and ran out of the arena, wiping at her eyes.

As Hiccup stared in the direction she'd gone and realized he'd brought the girl he loved to tears, his sensational victory felt unbearably hollow.

Hiccup forced a smile as the horde of vikings surrounded him, congratulating him, shaking his hands, and asking what on earth had enabled him to tame the nightmare.

It was all quite overwhelming, especially since he was still processing the events of the duel earlier. He couldn't believe it! He had beaten Astrid Hofferson in a hand to hand fight! Granted, he had used some deception and trickery, but it still counts, right? He hadn't broken any rules.

Hiccup did his best to avoid people and their curious questions as he made it back to his house, happy to find it empty.

Safe in his room, he collapsed in his bed with a sigh as his thoughts caught up with him. He had won... what had he won? Hiccup had did his best to not think it till now lest he collapse in a daze. He had won Astrid Hofferson's hand in marriage! That thought alone made his his face erupt in flames and a wide grin appeared on his lips.

But then he remembered Astrid's crestfallen, almost betrayed expression, and his own smile faltered. She clearly despised the idea of marriage, and to her, marrying Hiccup would be the worst possible outcome. Was Hiccup wrong to have done this? In his defense, he thought, He hadn't done anything wrong.

Astrid had set the terms. Astrid had helped him train. But still she hadn't accepted his win. Was Hiccup a horrible person for doing this? Did he even deserve her?

Toothless seemed to like Hiccup, even though he had scarred him for life in a moment of reckless and blind ambition. Hiccup didn't deserve this loyal and compassionate treatment, but he was receiving it anyway.

His only hope was that if Toothless saw something in his heart that even he didn't know, maybe Astrid would see it too? If only she'd give him a chance? If only she'd just look at him long enough to see he was more than the failure he was considered by the village.

Hiccup was so deep in thinking that he almost missed the sound of his father entering the house.

Hiccup wasn't sure if he was ready for this conversation yet, maybe Stoick didn't know yet about-

"HICCUP!" boomed his voice from downstairs.

Oh, great.

Hiccup trudged downstairs to find his father standing in the main room, looking jubilant.

"What is it I'm hearing around the village? You beat Astrid and the monstrous nightmare in the arena?"

"Umm.."

"Great Odin's beard, I don't believe this!" He put his giant arm around Hiccup's shoulders, nearly crushing him in the process.

"I knew ye had it in you, I knew that Viking was hidden in there somewhere"

Hiccup merely forced a smile and nodded, wishing to get out of this situation.

"And ye won yerself a wife! The best warrior for the future chief. It's only fitting"

Hiccup felt his throat close up. Wife. A single word and his knees were threatening to buckle. What on earth had he gotten himself into?

"Well.. I'm not sure if she'll agree.."

"Agree? Ye won the trial fair and square! Of course she'll agree! It's the law!"

"Okay.."

"There is so much work ta be done! Will have to sign the marriage contract and manage the wedding preparations and-"

Hiccup had zoned out, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by it all. The air of the room felt suffocating, and after making some excuse, he snuck out the back door and started off towards the woods.

The cool air on his face felt like sweet relief as made his way towards the cove.

Hiccup has won and (surprising to no one) Astrid is not happy. How will Hiccup confront her? We'll have to wait and see ;)

Appreciate all the support! :)