Author's Note: Hello all you awesome peoples. It's your girl Moon here, and I'm back with yet another edition to "Sticks and Stones!" =D I don't really have much to say, so I hope you guys enjoy this one-shot! =D

Summary: Hiccup would do anything for Astrid. He would get her axe for her, and he would even give her a ride on Toothless if she needed one. But what Astrid didn't want Hiccup to do for her was to take a stab to the stomach that was meant for her. (Post HTTYD 2.)

For You, Milady, Anything

Hiccup would do anything for Astrid. Absolutely anything. Get her axe for her? Done. Give her a ride on Toothless whenever she needed one? Done! He would do anything for her, which Astrid found very sweet. Sometimes it would get a little irritating. Astrid was an independent woman who liked to handle things on her own. Since she was a little girl, she wanted to prove herself to the tribe of Berk. She wanted to show people that she could handle herself and that girls could do anything that they set their mind to. So, Hiccup getting her things for her even though she could grab them herself did make her feel a little irked, but that feeling quickly subsided when she remembered how much Hiccup loved and cared for her, so she eventually got used to Hiccup grabbing her things for her sometimes, sharpening her axe for her in the forge, or even grabbing her saddle for Stormfly.

But it wasn't just fetching Astrid's items that Hiccup did for her. Multiple times he had placed him in between her and danger. Hiccup was selfless. Maybe even a little too selfless. He didn't mind putting himself in between Astrid and harm, and this was something that Astrid found very kind about Hiccup.

Yet terrifying at the same time.

But those thoughts never plagued Astrid's mind whenever Hiccup did things for her. It had been a long time since they had faced any kind of trouble. Since the battle with Drago had been won, the Berkians had slowly been rebuilding Berk over the course of months. Astrid thought that things were going swell. All of the ice had been removed and disposed of, several buildings were being rebuilt, and they had even started adding places for dragons to perch and nest, which was all Hiccup's unique touch. He wanted the new version of Berk to represent a place where both vikings and dragons lived together as one, and Astrid really liked the idea, but she knew that it was still an awfully long way to go before Berk was fully restored.

Even though Hiccup was busy with his chief duties and work around the village, he always put enough time aside for his friends and Astrid. The Hofferson girl didn't know how Hiccup managed to squeeze out of chief meetings sometimes, but she remembered him saying that spending time with her is important to him, so she knew that he would always make time for her, even when he was extremely busy. He loved her and he would do anything for her.

But what Astrid didn't want Hiccup to do for her was to take a stab to the stomach that was meant for her.

Some scouts had returned and announced that there were a few of Drago's men lurking around on a neighboring island and suggested that they go and check them out in case they were planning something dastardly. Hiccup volunteered to go and find these men and Astrid said that she would go with him and the other scouts. She could tell by the look on Hiccup's face that he wanted her to stay on Berk where she was safe, but she wanted to go with him. She wanted to help him.

Hiccup allowed Astrid to join him on the little patrol mission and in just a small amount of time, the chief of Berk, Astrid Hofferson, and a group of scouts had set off for the island that was said to have some of Drago's former soldiers on it. Astrid hoped that they weren't planning on launching an attack on Berk and capturing their dragons. What she had seen Drago do to dragons made her feel profoundly upset. He had hurt so many of them, and Astrid didn't want that to happen to any dragon ever again.

Drago was gone, but upon hearing that his men were lurking around on a nearby island made Astrid's skin crawl. She knew that compared to Drago, his men weren't as dangerous. But they were still hunters and were armed with multiple tranquilizer guns, and who knew what Drago had taught them while they were still working for him.

"The island's up ahead!" announced Hiccup. "Everyone stay low and don't attack until we know what these men are up to."

Everyone nodded, and they all dispersed into different parts of the small island. Astrid went with Hiccup, and she immediately drew out her axe once they landed. Hiccup pulled out inferno, but he didn't light the blade. The place was still and ominously calm, and Astrid could tell that there was a group of people who wanted to harm dragons on this island. They knew Berk's location and could possibly launch an attack on the already vulnerable island.

Astrid began to walk ahead but Hiccup—being ever so benevolent—said that he would go first. Astrid shook her head, knowing that he only wanted to protect her, so she let him go ahead and she followed close behind.

The ambience was so tense and so unpromising, that Astrid felt the urge to yell for whatever was out there to come and reveal itself. She didn't know who or what was out there, and she didn't like how still, quiet, and soundless the atmosphere was. Astrid gripped her axe and continued forward, staying close to Hiccup for comfort and kept an eye out for whatever moved. A twitch from the bushes. The cracking of twigs snapping below her boots. All those sounds were louder than they should have been due to the silence.

Hiccup, Astrid, and their dragons arrived at an abandoned camp. Both Haddock and Hofferson looked around; the area seemed to have been forsaken and left alone for a long time. Old tents were leaning on their sides, the remains of burned-out fires were scattered on the ground like carelessly tossed pieces of paper. Astrid wasn't fooled by the scene. She felt as if something was watching them…waiting for the right moment to attack.

"I don't see anyone," said Hiccup as he and Astrid stepped into the deserted camp. He still held inferno in his hand, and Astrid could tell that he wasn't giving into the look of the supposedly forgotten camp. "We should take a look around."

Astrid nodded, and the two did just that. Stormfly followed Astrid close behind, and the Hofferson never felt happier with her dragon nearby. The overall mood of the area was too inauspicious, too unpromising, and too…dark. The place seemed abandoned, and it seemed that no one was around, but Astrid knew otherwise. She knew that something was out there.

Astrid stopped walking around and stood still, listening. She had heard the faintest sound of footsteps, and her gut was telling her that she and Hiccup needed to leave now before something happened. Even if they had a Deadly Nadder and Night Fury on their side, whatever was coming might possibly overwhelm them.

Astrid was just about to call Hiccup's name when a dart sped past her, lodging itself into Stormfly's side. Astrid watched in horror as her dragon fell to the ground, and she dodged just in time before another dart hit her. She looked around for Hiccup, and she spotted that Toothless was lying unconscious at his side nearby as well, and he was currently fighting off a few of Drago's men on his own. Astrid felt a strong, vehement desire to help him, but she needed to get through here own circle of hunters to do so.

Swifter than the wind, Astrid attacked. She parried every sword blow, knocked out several hunters, and managed to dodge the darts that were thrown and aimed for her. Astrid didn't even tire. She didn't feel weary. She continued to fight, and she felt that she was doing an astonishing job defeating Drago's hunters. But she was so focused on fighting who she could see and wasn't paying any attention to what was going on behind her.

Before she could react, Astrid heard the all too familiar sound of something being drawn. The shrring of a metal blade went ignored by Astrid, and she didn't see the man who was stalking behind her, ready to impale her with his dagger. The Hofferson was completely unaware of him since she was too busy fighting off the other hunters. Astrid was beginning to get outnumbered. She needed to get to Hiccup, but she didn't know where he was.

The man with the blade grew closer and closer, and then, he lunged toward Astrid. She turned around just in time to see the dagger coming toward her. In that instant, time seemed to slow. Everything moved in slow motion.

Astrid knew that she had to move, but she couldn't. She was completely surrounded and there was no escape. The blade was going to hit her. She had nowhere to run.

Suddenly, she felt something slam into her side, and Astrid toppled to the ground, her axe in hand. She thought that one of Drago's men had run into her and purposefully knocked her to the ground, but that wasn't it at all. That wasn't what happened at all.

Once she recollected herself, Astrid stood up. She was rather dazed from the unexpected, forceful shove, and she didn't know what to expect as she got up. Astrid got to her feet and before her stood Hiccup…for three seconds before he crashed to the ground. In that horrible instant, Astrid knew what had happened.

Hiccup had gotten stabbed.

He took the stab that was meant for her.

He did something for her…something that she did not want him to do for her.

"HICCUP!" Astrid cried. Her head snapped toward the trapper that had stabbed Hiccup and she charged. Her rage was hotter than an inferno. It was blazing like a raging fire. This man had hurt Hiccup. And now he was going to get what he deserved.

Astrid didn't clearly remember what happened next. All she remembered was that she was so enraged. She remembered swinging her axe with more vigor than ever before. She remembered letting out a battle cry as she defeated each and every dragon trapper that she hit. Her axe was only a sliver of silver as she swung, and after that, the trappers were defeated.

She breathed heavily as she looked at all of the knocked out, groaning hunters that laid before her. Soon, she would call the others to come and capture them. But first…

Astrid ran over to Hiccup's side and kneeled next to him. She hissed at the sight of the stab wound, red was soaking Hiccup's usual green tunic and rolled Hiccup over so she could see his face. He was in so much pain, but Astrid couldn't help but feel…upset with him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked. She felt upset but at the same time, Astrid was shocked and scared. Hiccup shouldn't have stepped in front of her. She would have blocked the trapper's stab before it hit her.

Hiccup coughed and looked up at Astrid, his green eyes meeting with her blue ones. "I…I c-couldn't l-let you get hurt…"

"But now you're hurt," stated Astrid. She gripped his hand. "Hiccup, you shouldn't have done that. You shouldn't have—"

"Astrid," interrupted Hiccup. She looked at him, her blue eyes full of worry, fear, and concern. The young chief said, "I…I h-had to protect you. I c-couldn't just…stand aside and w-watch you get hurt…"

"Hiccup…"

"When it comes to protecting you, I'll never hesitate," Hiccup said.

"But you don't have to jump in the way of a blade for me," said Astrid. "I don't want you jumping in the way of danger for me."

"I'll do it all for y-you," said Hiccup, almost in a whisper. He was losing consciousness, and Astrid knew that she needed to get him to Berk for a healer. She shook Hiccup lightly.

"Hey, hey, stay with me, Hiccup," Astrid said, her voice filled with worry. "Help will be here soon, okay?"

Hiccup nodded weakly. "For you, milady, anything."

Astrid ran her thumb over Hiccup's hand and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Hiccup would do anything for her, and she found that both sweet and scary at the same time. But for now, she was glad that he was still fighting for her. He was hanging in there for her.

And those were two things that Astrid wanted for Hiccup to do for her.

Author's Note: Hiccccstriiiiiiidddddd!

Annnnd that's all. X) I hope you guys enjoyed this one-shot, and I'll see you all in the next edition to "Sticks and Stones!" =D

Until the next chapter!

-BeyondTheMoon1203