It's a sunny afternoon in Berk with a chilling breeze blowing through the air. All of the villagers are gathered in the killing ring to discover who is going to face the Monstrous Nightmare when they catch another one. Because unfortunately both of the Terrible Terror and Monstrous Nightmare had escaped late last night somehow. It's been the topic of discussion among the villagers as they all try to figure out how that happened. The guards thought they had seen a small person but they weren't sure because of how dark it was. They had even tried throwing some bola at the retreating dragons but sadly they missed them. Standing and waiting impatiently inside the killing ring is one Astrid Hofferson. Unfortunately, it would seem like Hiccup Haddock is running hours late.
Astrid is a fifteen-year-old girl with a pair of sapphire eyes and blonde hair. Ever since the death of her beloved uncle Finn to the fearsome Flightmare years ago. The events that occur that faithful night had forced Astrid to become more determined to transform into the greatest warrior Berk had ever seen. That's not the only reason for molding herself into a powerful warrior. Second reason is to prove that the Hofferson family are truly fearless. Because her uncle died paralyzed in fear had made her family woefully be dishonored as cowards. The teenage girl is hellbent on changing that. The first step of reaching her goals is to win the prestigious honor of killing the Monstrous Nightmare in front of her village. Sounds easy enough right? But there is an unexpected problem in her way. In this case a Hiccup size issue was most likely what you would call it.
Ever since the day of when the recruits went against the Hideous Zippleback, the village screw up had miraculously became the top student seemingly overnight. It infuriated her to no ends. She had felt like that the twerp of a Viking was cheating his way to the top. What she was livid most about this whole situation with Hiccup? Is that it seems like she was the only one that noticed that Hiccup wasn't using the natural way of dealing with the dragons. It also wasn't possible for someone as clumsy as Hiccup to make 180 degree turn around seemingly overnight. She knows that nobody could have gotten that good and in that short amount of time. Astrid wishes that she knows how Hiccup is doing all of this. Regrettably she was unable to discover Hiccup's secret, because every time she was sure she was about to find out what he is hiding. Just for the small teenage boy would just eluded her at the last possible moment.
But deep down inside her soul she is afraid that all of her work was for nothing. All of the restless nights where she would be pushing herself pass her limits. All of the blood, sweat, and tears she put into being the best. It all seemed like that was a massive waste of time and energy all because of Hiccup. She just wasn't used to having someone her age as a rival. It felt strange to her to have competition. The only one that had come even close to that before all of this Hiccup stuff was Snotlout but sadly, he wasn't much of competition for her, now all of a sudden Hiccup had become to most of the villager's opinion is that he is better than her. Well, if they thought that the fishbone was better then she is? She was just going to prove them all wrong by defeating Hiccup today. This is also truly the first time in her life having a competitor that was ahead of her. Astrid is an extremely competitive person who hated to lose at anything so naturally this didn't sit well with her. Despite her anger about the situation, she was feeling bit jealous to the fishbone boy resent success in training.
The villagers all started to get restless. Everyone had been here since early morning and now it was past noon. "Why wasn't Hiccup here already!?" "Where is Hiccup at right now?!" These questions are being called out by the majority of the villagers. Just when the villagers thought that their heir is changing for the better? Hiccup goes and be late for training that would decide who would face the Nightmare. One would think that something important like figuring out who is going to face the Nightmare, you wouldn't want to be late for something like this.
Before anyone could even get rowdier up Stoick shouts as he stands up from his seat, "I'm going to check my house to see if Hiccup is there now!" Hoping that this would prevent any of his people from rioting, because there wasn't anything more dangerous than Vikings losing their thin patients. Never in his life he was embarrassed by Hiccup than he is now. Just when he thought this awkward phase of Hiccup being a disappointment was finally over. Hiccup goes and does something like this. Now he has to go and drag his son to the arena but not before he lectures Hiccup of his behavior today. Storming towards his home where Hiccup is most likely at the moment. Once he makes it to his home he goes inside, yelling as loud as he can the moment he is inside his house. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, get down here this instant!" To the chief of Berk's dismay Hiccup hadn't come down. With the little of his patients fade completely the enraged father made his way upstairs towards Hiccup's room. The moment he is in front of the door to his son's room he quickly opens it. "Hic-," Stoick screams before he stops himself once inside the vacated room.
Sadly, Hiccup wasn't inside his room so the chief figured that his disobedient son was most likely somewhere in the woods. For a second, he wonders if going inside the forest to look for his son was a good option. As quickly as he thought of that he dismissed the idea. He knew that Hiccup knows the forest better than almost anyone in the village because the heir spends a large portion of his time inside the woods. It's a better idea to have the villagers to accompany him in finding Hiccup because they would be able to cover more ground then if Stoick went alone. It doesn't take Stoick long before he made it back to Killing Ring. To his great surprise he found that his villagers were still waiting patiently as much as impatiently Vikings could wait. "Where is Hiccup, Stoick?!" A villager shouted the moment that their chief returned without Hiccup. That left the villagers even more confused and a bit worried. Where is Hiccup at the moment? Did something happen to their heir? Those are the questions that are running through most of the villagers minds. Despite the popular belief most of all the villagers didn't want anything awful to happen to their heir.
"Hiccup, wasn't in his room when I got there. Who was the last person to have seen my son?" Stoick called out trying to not panic.
"Well, chief I think I saw someone leaving your house last night and went inside the forest. I don't know if it was Hiccup or not?" Astrid answered her chief as the weight of the situation hit her. At the time when she saw something or someone exiting the chief's home through the back door, she was turning into bed when she saw the figure through her bedroom window. If the figure was truly Hiccup? Then she knew something happened because most predators are nocturnal. With that thought immediately her anger towards Hiccup evaporated. She didn't want him harm or even worse dead. Sure, she knowledge that Hiccup knew the woods better than her, but sadly that doesn't mean an accident can't occur. She feared that she would be held responsible if that figure turned out to be Hiccup and he got hurt. She knows that she is being irrational about this. Because by the time she made it to where the figure was, it would have been to because Hiccup could've gone any direction in the woods. Plus, it being night time wouldn't have helped her in tracking down the figure. "I'm so sorry Stoick. I didn't know that was Hiccup." Astrid apologizes to Stoick as sincere as she could be.
"It's alright Astrid. It wasn't your fault but I do want everyone searching everywhere in the woods. Don't leave any stones unturned in there? There just has to be some sort of clue to what happened." Stoick both replies to Astrid's apology and ordered everyone to help him find his son. All of his previous anger towards his son was immediately replaced with extreme worry. He just had to know where Hiccup was at. He had already lost his wife, Valka Haddock. He wouldn't allow himself to lose Hiccup as well. With that being said everyone quickly offered their hand to look for the missing heir because their chief would help them if they lost their child. It is only fair for them to help Stoick in his time of need.
But after hours of searching the woods and finding nothing, regretfully the Berkians all went home for the night that all most everyone is feeling depressed that nobody found anything about Hiccup's disappearance. What the Berkians didn't know? Is that Hiccup is on a faraway island on a journey to a better life. Walking into her house while deep in worry is Astrid. Both of her parents following close behind. But that was she remembered something. "Mom what were you guys wanted to talk to me about this morning?" Astrid asked her mother, Hilda Hofferson, as she turns the older woman so she could face her mom. Earlier before the Hofferson family went to the killing ring Astrid's parents wanted to tell something important. The blonde hair girl recalled that whatever it was that her parents wanted to tell her made them nervous.
"Well, you see sweetheart we been meaning to tell this for some time now." Stopping herself from revealing what she was going to say to take a sigh to calm her nervous. Looking at her daughter knowing what she was going to tell her quick tempered daughter wouldn't agree in the slightest. "Astrid, do you remember that I was best friends with Valka?" Hilda asked Astrid and hoped that this would leave this conversation to the topic of discussion, without a argument between mother and daughter.
Astrid only nods her head while wearing a confused expression on her face. It's no secret that Valka and Hilda were close friends. Astrid remembered all of Hilda's fond memories of Valka her mother told her about. But what wanted to know is why was Hiccup's dead mother brought up. "Promise us you would try not to explode in anger?" Gunner asked in a calm and smooth tone towards his daughter. The last thing he wanted was a fight to break loose between Hilda and Astrid Hofferson.
"Can you guys please just tell me what's going on already?" Requests Astrid tired of feeling the suspense of this conversation.
"Back when I was pregnant with you. Valka and I decided that if our children were the opposite genders, that we would start a marriage contract between them."
Silence filled the air as what Hilda said settled inside the teenage girl's mind. Hiccup and her are in a marriage contract without her knowing this. Astrid felt so sick to her stomach to the point of she actually thought she might throw up at the idea of marrying anyone. She then starts to hyperventilate in panic and fear. Her eyesight begins to get dizzy and it took all of her willpower to keep the tears from steaming down her rosy cheeks. "You did what?!" The blonde hair girl couldn't help but to hollered at her mother. Why did her mother do something like that and never had the courtesy to warn her about this? Astrid didn't want to marry anyone because of the fear that her husband would make the teenage girl change everything that made her Astrid. That her husband make her a glorified trophy wife that was only good at taking care of children. That her dream of being the greatest warrior would die the moment she is married off to her future husband.
This is even worse because Hiccup is the heir of Berk. By Viking laws states, the wedding night of a heir and or heiress had to have witness for the sexual intercourse. This is for if the bride gets pregnant then there are witnesses that could prove who the parents truly are. The image of Hiccup and her having to such an act filled her up with rage. If Hiccup and her are getting married? The moment the fishbone of a boy came anywhere near her to have sex on their wedding night. She would gladly castrate him where he stood with her beloved axe. That castrate punishment is also for any Viking male that thought he could look at her naked. If one of the witnesses happened to be female? She would decapitate them in a blink of an eye. She wasn't going to let anyone see her nude.
"Astrid, I know that you're upset with me. But-." Hilda tries to explain but was immediately interrupted by Astrid.
"I'm more then upset! I'm so cross with you right now! You two never told me that I'm going to have to marry Hiccup! You both knew that I wanted to bring honor and prestige back to our family's name! I don't need some no good for nothing husband to hold me back from what I'm destined to become! It's my dream to become the greatest warrior in Berk's history, and the both of you knew this already! A husband would just ruin my chances of reaching my goals!"
"We never told you cuz we knew you wouldn't react to the news will. Sweetheart, I'm so sorry that you're upset with me. But I'm doing what's best for you. Astrid, it's great you're chasing for your dreams. But I don't want you to waste your life with only fighting the next battle on your mind, until you become an old, bitter, and lonely woman who has nobody in her life. Sweetheart what you need to learn is that it's very lonely at the top without anyone special to share your victories with. Please Astrid makes an honest attempt at this?" Hilda pleaded Astrid trying her hardest not to have an argument with her fifteen-year-old daughter. "That's if Hiccup is still…," Hilda added but unhappily couldn't finish with her statement because of the thought of something terrible happening and or happened to Hiccup. She like the rest of the village were feeling concerned about the disappearance of their heir. She is silently praying to all of the Gods of Asgard that Hiccup was safe and unharmed.
With that being said Astrid angrily stormed upstairs to her room. Opening the door, then entering inside her room, before slamming the door shut. Once in the safety of her room Astrid lets her tears fall. Like a damn breaking are her tears rolling down her cheeks at a rapid pace. Walking towards her bed at a quick speed. Front of her bed she plops down onto it. Her face is planted on her pillow as she lets out sobs. She felt like her life was over.
That when she realized that Hiccup was still missing. She knows that if they don't find Hiccup in the next few days? She would be free from the marriage contract. That thought didn't sit well with her. She doesn't want Hiccup to die. But if somehow Hiccup is still alive? She would be forced to marry Hiccup against her will. What kind of dilemma was she in right now? I guess if she had to choose between these two options. She would definitely pick marrying him despite her hatred of the very thought of marrying anyone. Besides she wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything bad happened to Hiccup without her doing anything to stop it. This day had been Astrid's worst ever. What the villagers weren't aware of? Is that today's events would lead to them to being cursed.
Poor Astrid. Next chapter were going to time skip to do the curse. Anyway, I would like to thank everyone that have favorited, followed, and reviewed this story so far. I do hope you all have a wonderful day and stay safe out there and I will see you in the next update. :)