All should be right with the world, shouldn't it?
It has been a month since Drago had fallen and his leviathan nearly leveled Berk; the ice from the leviathan still leaving its mark. A month since Toothless became the new Alpha, and I, the new Chief. A month since the greatest chieftain Berk has ever known fell; and my father was taken away.
I am fortunate that those around me saw him for the man he was, and me, for who I was becoming. Having reunited with my mother had helped fill the void left by my father, but not completely, and not after the dancing and the dreaming. I was shown a side of my father I have never seen before, and I had never seen him so happy than when he was able to dance with her again. A song made just for them, by them, for no one else but them. A testament to their love. And to have it ripped away so soon after, no closure; all it did was reopen a wound once closed and dip it in the thickest of salt waters.
Now I was expected to fill his shoes, to provide and embrace, to comfort and console the people of this island from all sides. To weather the storm of life and help provide them some level of normalcy as they travel their ice-layered home. It was a tall order for anyone, let alone a man barely into his twenties, even if I do have a Night Fury.
It is my burden to bear, my rune to wear. I am the Chief, and like my father… like my father I must be strong enough to lead alone. I must provide, to ensure my people survive. Not a tear can be shed, I am a fountain from which my friends, family and people can draw strength from. I must learn to need no one.
My thoughts haunt me as I am suddenly brought back to the waking world, the starlight shining down on me as I soar through the clouds. The blistering cold cutting across my face and hair as I lean back on Toothless; the new Alpha gently gliding on the winds like only a dragon can. It was so cold; I hardly noticed the tear that had slicked its way down my cheek.
"It'll be okay, bud. At least I have you still." I mutter, barely audible among the sound of wind.
It was a lie; I knew it was a lie. I had more, I have my mother, my friends, and people. I have Astrid. Astrid.
It was that single name, that single thought that prompted my eyes to squint to fight back the tears. A chief is supposed to be strong, and she's seen me at my worst.. Well, sort of. This is the worst its ever been. I cannot even begin to guess how long Toothless and I have been riding the wind on this night. The moon clear and the stars bright this high in the sky. The clouds beneath me hiding us from sight, I felt free to cry like I could not in the village. But I still cannot, I am the son of Stoick the Vast, Chief of the Hooligan Tribe and Rider of the Night Fury.
"We'll be okay." I say aloud, sighing as I hear Toothless coo. I really wish Astrid were with me, but I cannot distract her, and she is doing so much for me already. Better to keep this my escape, and when I return to the village, return with a smile and head held high.
"We're on patrol. That is it. Just… just another midnight patrol." I resign, though I doubt Toothless believed that. I am sure having trouble convincing myself. I do not need to convince myself. I just need to convince her. I am strong enough to take the mantle of my father, strong enough to do it alone…
It wasn't long after that when Toothless had grown tired from the several hour flight around the greater Berk waters and the clouds had begun dissipating. Setting down at one of the high points of Berks peaks, we sat and watched the moon crest the highest point in the sky; it had officially become tomorrow and here we were, still. I wish I could share this sight with Astrid.
It wouldn't be the first moon we've watched together. It might well be one of the last ones I get to enjoy like this, however. Sinking into myself, leaning against Toothless, I feel a cave erupt in my mind, my body and my soul. I can't seem to stop it anymore, my eyes begun to mist as my heart begins to throb and ebb in a dull pressure of a pain. Struggling to control it, I shake my head and huff a couple times from nose before finally burying my head into my knees. Thank the gods Astrid is not here to see this. I can't belief the Chieftain of Berk, son of the Great Stoick The Vast, was on the verge of a breakdown.
But why shouldn't I be.. I, I can't even feel the cold.
He has been gone since dusk, and I had hoped to steal a moonlight ride with him. He is over working himself, over doing it. He rises before anyone in the village and sleeps only when the last one is settled. I help where I can, lead the Dragon Academy in his wake as Chief and often, I only see him at supper. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. A softness behind the façade of Chief. It is the unspoken words between us, the small kiss we can steal throughout the day, that I have grown to live for. He is not just my chief, my friend or even my boyfriend, he is my future.
Stormfly is settled as the moon crests the horizon, and once again I see nothing but darkness from Hiccup's house. The village was settled and quiet, and the sound of cooing from the perched dragons littering the rooftops could be heard. Even in the brisk cold, it was warming to hear. I was making one final stride through the paths of Berk before retiring, but I felt a heavy tug in my chest that kept me looking up. It is then I heard padded footsteps from behind me, and as I turn, I see none other than Hiccup's mother, Valka.
"Nice evening, Valka." I begin, her still walking with that interesting staff of hers as she takes up a stride next to me.
"Nightly patrol, Astrid?" She asks, the question was an empty one. She knew what I was doing, she wanted something else from me but I could only guess what.
"Yes. Just trying to make sure everything is settled before I turn in. I'd hate something to happen and leave it for Hiccup to have to worry about in the morning." I answer, my eyes slightly drifting up, towards the sky.
"He's certainly working and falling into his role as Chieftain. I, I worry about him. He's grown so distant in recent weeks, like he's suddenly afraid to show any emotion." Valka admits. She's seen it too, I've felt it. I nod with her as we walk.
"He's just trying to be like Stoick; a strong chieftain..." I begin, pausing as I hear her intake a breath.
"Who had to lead alone for Hiccups' entire life, who had to hide his pain of losing me from everyone." Valka admits, her voice nearly breaking.
We walk in silence for a few minutes before I hear her humming the strangest of tunes, glancing at her I see her eyes closed as we walk and a single tear from on her cheek.
"Did you- Did you know, Astrid, that Stoick and I had our own song and dance?" She says softly.
"No. I had no idea. Hey, are you okay?" I ask, stopping and turning to her. She only shakes her head.
"This is the eve of the day he found me again, the eve of the last day we ever had that dance. Astrid, when Stoick found Hiccup and then, me, he asked me to return to the village. To rejoin the family; but not before we had our dance again. Hiccup." She pauses and looks away, slightly shaking her head as I could only watch. I placed a hand on her shoulder as her breath hitched and she nodded.
"Hiccup got to see that dance for the first time, and by Odin's name, I do not think I had seen Stoick as happy in that dance as any other time before I was taken. I don't think Hiccup had ever seen that side of him… and now, he's just… He's gone, Astrid. And Hiccup does not know how to cope. Thor knows, neither do I." Valka admits. I could feel my own breath hitch.
I had been there when Stoick had passed and helped send him to the Halls of Valhalla. Hiccup, I remember his words. He apologized. It was so fast, and we had no time to mourn because of Drago, but I heard him. If we would have had the time then, I would have held him and let him cry. Gods knows he needs it. That is what Valka means; he's becoming like Stoick or trying too.
"Astrid." My name shook me out of my mind as I looked up at Valka, there was something in her eyes. It was almost a sign of fear. "Astrid, please. I know you and Hiccup are close."
I was immediately taken aback but nodded stubbornly. It was common knowledge in the village we were in a relationship. It's been growing slowly for years, since I was nearly blinded. We've only ever kissed, embraced each other, but nothing more.
"I- yes." I finally mutter confirmation. It was still awkward to talk about, especially to his mother.
"Please, show him he doesn't need to be alone. That you…" She sighs, looking away before placing her own hand on my shoulder. "That you can support him, the way I should've done with Stoick. You two aren't like us; you're better. You're the future." Valka says warmly, and confidently. Her soft expression smiling as I nod.
We continued our walk and rounded the corner to her house. After bidding each other farewell, I ran back to my own and woke Stormfly. I'm not going to let Hiccup bear this burden by himself. He's not alone; he's got me.
"Come on, girl. Let's find Hiccup." I said with a smile and heard her chirp as I climbed aboard. Stormfly had become rather adept at finding that Night Fury and its one-legged rider.
The two of them had been riding for hours and the moon was nearing the highest point in the sky, and they'd still seen no sign of the Night Fury or its rider. Immediately, Astrid's mind went through a flurry of thoughts, of fears. Had a new enemy appeared or an old one resurfaced? Had something happened to Toothless's tail that caused them to be stranded? Shaking her fears off quickly, her face hardened. She was going to hurt him when she found him, no one gets to make her worry like this and face no repercussions.
As the moon begun its cresting of the high point in the sky, a familiar black silhouette darted from far above near Berks' highest point that barely caught the Hofferson's eye. Her lips curled into a smile and her heart begun to beat just a tad faster. Shaking her head and clutching her chest, she could not actually stop smiling, as weird as it was for her. The strong and fearless Astrid had finally saw signs of Toothless, and thus, his rider.
Normally, Astrid would have no problem diving in and interrupting whatever the young chief was up too. And normally, he might even appreciate it, but something tells her that tonight might be different. Delicacy wasn't exactly one of her strong points after all, luckily, she knew the general location of where the silhouette of Toothless went. Angling Stormfly to land a few hundred feet away from a cliff's edge near the peak, she settled the Deadly Nadder and made the rest of the way on foot.
Her movements were light and hardly registerable to even the keenest of dragon's ears, she was one of the finest warriors in Berk, after all. But none of her training could have prepared her for the sight of her Chieftain, her boyfriend, her friend, softly sobbing into his own knees with Toothless trying his best to comfort his rider. Astrid could feel her own heart breaking, Valka was right to be concerned.
Approaching softly, only Toothless noticed Astrid and didn't make a sound as the Hofferson brought a finger to her lips to ask for his trust. The Night Fury only nodded and lay there with his rider as Astrid closed in. Just a few more feet, just a few more.
"I'm sorry" Was all she heard muffled from underneath his knees, undoubtedly talking to himself.
Gently placing a hand on his shoulder, Astrid spoke softly and more gently at this point, than she probably ever has in her life. "Hiccup?" She cooed, her voice carrying into the young Chief's ears bringing him back to reality and suddenly his heart was in his throat. Leaping up from his sitting position, he turns and faces her. A sheepish grin and blood-shot eyes along with a couple sniffles greeting her as he recomposes himself.
"Oh, my! Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid… What're you, uh, doing here?" He felt like a kid again, like she just caught him with Toothless for the first time. No, this was worse. She caught him weak; which is par for the course, honestly. He is a Hiccup of the tribe, after all, or at least, he was.
"Babe, Hiccup. Come here." Was all she could say, there was a certain pleading in her voice as she opened her arms, asking for an embrace. She could see him stifle, his breath hitched with a sharp intake as Toothless nudged the young chief into Astrid's arms. He didn't even fight it and embraced her as well, standing in the cold at the highest peak.
"Hiccup. I know what day it is, and I just want you to know" She pauses and breaks the embrace, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "You aren't alone. You have me." And pulled him in. Their noses brushed as their lips touched and their eyes closed. Sinking into it, Astrid ended up nearly sitting on Hiccups lap as their lips parted.
"Thank you, Astrid. I'm, I'm sorry. I've been-" He was cut off by a finger placed on his lips as she shook her head.
"Don't you say it. You've been someone grieving alone. Nothing more. You don't have to grieve alone; you don't have to lead alone. I'm with you, and I always will be." She stated, confidently though softly.
"I love you, Astrid Hofferson."
"I love you, Hiccup Haddock."
Their lips touched once more as they closed their eyes and forgot the cold, their problems and everything. They had each other, and nothing was going to change that.