=Normal POV=
(Frjadgr, Einmanudur; Afternoon)
(Berk; The Forge)

Officially, today; it was seven days until the wedding of Brenna Rose Grayson and Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. Betrothal gifts had been exchanged a week ago; Brenna had Gobber make Hiccup a new dagger; that he loved and kept on his person at all times, except for when he was likely sleeping or bathing. And Hiccup had made Brenna a betrothal ring, derived from customs outside the Archipelago that a man would present a ring to a female, and ask for her hand in marriage. And as of two days ago, Hiccup completed another preparation for the wedding, which was the rings he and Brenna would exchange and say their vows on.

Hiccup still struggled with his feelings for Brenna, but Brenna, on the other hand, seemed to understand that while she wasn't sure to call it like or love; she felt something for Hiccup. These feelings hadn't been admitted yet, but it was believed Brenna was waiting for Hiccup to sort out his emotions. This was still new to Hiccup, despite having a month to sit with the fact he was getting married. Brenna certainly couldn't blame Hiccup for not being into any of this situation, but it seemed he would cope and make do with the changes as there was nothing he could do except exile himself. And it didn't appear Hiccup was prepared to dishonor his family over a marriage.

Lunch had just finished up; most everyone was leaving the Great Hall and returning to work. Stoick had some things to take care of and didn't feel like bringing the other Chieftains or Heirs with him, so who did that leave to keep an eye on them? Hiccup, of course.

"So, what's a normal day for you?" Eret asked out of the blue.

"Wake up, train, bathe, eat, training, eat, forge, eat, bathe, bed. Repeat every day unless I'm sick or get told to do something else," Hiccup replied while walking through town.

"Well, you're dad told you to keep us occupied…And we're bored," Soren stated.

"That's not my problem that you rather trail me than go find something useful to do with your time," Hiccup informed.

"But he told you-," Dagur started.

"It is the job of the CHIEF to entertain and host guests, not the Heir," Hiccup reminded. "I only agreed to bring you along because your presence doesn't interfere in what I do throughout my day," he remarked coldly.

"Hiccup, easy…" Brenna tried with a hand on his arm and a concerned smile. "We know you still harbor some resentment about how everyone treated you…But try to keep in mind that we are all on the same side here…And two wrongs do not make a right,"

Hiccup sighed. "You're right," he faced the others. "I'm sorry, I'm just on edge today. I feel like something is going to happen. Not sure if soon or later. Also if good or bad. I like to be prepared for anything,"

"Well, if something feels off to you, then we're ready too," Brenna smiled, linking her arm to Hiccup's and laying her head on his shoulder. Hiccup nodded, smiling back as he allowed Brenna to stay in place while reaching the forge.

"Are you going to work on something new?" Brenna wondered.

"Nah, just doing a little organizing," Hiccup replied as Brenna got off his arm now and Hiccup opened his storage room of weapons.

"Oh, can today be the one you tell us about them?" Heather hoped. "You said you would a couple of days ago," she added.

"I mean, you know most of the types in here…It's all stuff you use," Hiccup responded.

"How about the ones we don't?" Fishlegs piped up.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Fine," he sighed. "Just…Don't touch anything," he warned. "Well, what do you want to know about first?"

"Alright, so the thing I want to know is out of all your weapons…How come there isn't a bow and arrows?" Gala questioned.

"There is, just not where you'd expect," Hiccup chuckled.

"Care to explain, lad?" Gobber asked, walking up with Stoick now.

"I carry my bow and arrows with me at all times," Hiccup stated.

"Uh, I don't see it…" Snotlout pointed. Hiccup rolled his eyes, unamused, but he pulled his shield off his back and held the handle.

"Remember I said a couple of days ago that my shield does more than defend?" Hiccup reminded.

"Yes," the group replied.

"My shield acts as a defense to other weapons. Also, it is coated with Gronckle Iron, a catapult, single-shot bola launcher, grappling line, and crossbow," Hiccup informed.

"How does a shield do all that?" Brenna asked, intrigued. "I'm sorry, but I love this kind of stuff. Your creativeness is astounding,"

"I, uh, thanks…" Hiccup replied. "I made this when I was sixteen because I got sick of carrying a bunch of separate things on me while I hunted; I decided to make an all-in-one shield. And this is the finished project, though, the Gronckle Iron plating is something I added to make it stronger and lighter before the banishment was lifted," he added.

"So, how does it work?" Brenna smiled brightly.

"Well, the catapult is along the rim," Hiccup stated, showing where it was. "I know the button that triggers it, but if anyone else tries, they usually get hit in the face," he began. "Center hub has two features; retractable hook grappling line," Hiccup launched it up at the beam above them, and able to reel himself up high. After reaching the top, he unhooked the hook and jumped down, landing in a crouch before them. "I can also load a bola in the center and launch it. And the crossbow mode," he turned the shield up to face upward.

Hiccup pressed the button that caused the shield to split apart into five parts that looked like a bird, or even a dragon. The centerpiece flips over and outward like the head. Two big pieces of the shield shot out like wings, and two smaller pieces looked like a tail.

"That's awesome," Tuffnut high-fived Snotlout.

"I thought so. I can also draw the string and clip it back to act like a traditional crossbow and fire without holding the arrow and releasing it by hand," Hiccup chuckled as the shield snapped back to normal. "My best invention next to Inferno," Hiccup smiled.

"Inferno?" the group asked.

"Flaming sword," Hiccup said.

"Oh!" the group nodded.

"How do you get it to stay lit anyway?" Viggo wondered.

"Trade secret," Hiccup stated, not ready to reveal that much information. Inferno was the weapon he used as Drage Riddari. No, Hiccup couldn't tell them all his secrets without giving too much away that he was Drage.

"You already told us about the Gronckle Iron…" Eret remarked.

"And that's all you get. Besides, you don't know the formula of rocks to make the blast that can form Gronckle Iron. I can't go giving away all my secrets to success; it takes away from the originality that I built this stuff, and no one else has it. This…Is what makes me different from others, and I kinda like it that way," Hiccup retorted.

"Hiccup?" Brenna asked.

"Yes?" Hiccup replied.

"Can you teach me how to shoot an arrow?" Brenna inquired. "Or use a weapon?"

Hiccup arched a brow. "Why would you need to know?"

"Never learned, and I want to," Brenna said. "On Peaceable, only the men fight, and a woman's duty is to the house, farming, and children. But here; males and females fight, and…If I'm going to be your wife and Chieftess…Don't you think I should know how to fight at least…Defend myself if you're not around, or the village to fight beside you?" she tried.

"Typical gender-biased rules," Hiccup rolled his eyes a bit. "Other parts of the world believe men and women should be treated equally, and I agree. So yes, I will teach you," he nodded. "We can start right now," he added as Brenna blinked when Hiccup headed over to a closet and pulled out a traditional bow and some arrows. "Easiest weapons to use, and just as effective as the rest," he stated handing her the bow and an arrow.

"A-Aren't you going to show me first?!" Brenna panicked.

"No one taught me; it's instinct, and you improve with practice," Hiccup chuckled. "Come, show me," he invited. Brenna nervously held the bow and loaded an arrow. Shaking a bit, Brenna aimed for the targets behind the forge and let go. It fell short and landed on the ground, halfway to the target. Brenna huffed a bit.

"My instinct sucks…" Brenna said, defeated.

"You didn't pull back the string enough," Hiccup stated while taking the bow from her, loading an arrow; then taking his stance and firing. Hiccup's, of course, hit the target. Hiccup gave the bow back. "Again,"

"You're not gonna stop until I hit it, are you?" Brenna mumbled.

"You asked for this, Milady," Hiccup smiled. Brenna blushed a little as she sighed and loaded another arrow. "Drawback," he instructed. Brenna began to pull the arrow back on the string. "Fire," Brenna stopped pulling, aimed for the target again, and released. The arrow landed closer to the target, but still on the ground. "Not bad,"

"Yeah, way off target…" Brenna muttered.

"Practice makes perfect," Hiccup handed her another arrow. "Again," Hiccup told her. Brenna did the same thing again, preparing to fire. "Turn your body,"

"Excuse me?" Brenna blinked.

"Turn your body, your stance is off and restricting how much you can pull back your arm," Hiccup informed. "Like this," Hiccup opened his shield into crossbow mode, he grabbed an arrow and turned the shield to be going up and down like a normal bow. Hiccup turned his body and drew back his arm before firing and striking the target on the bullseye.

"He's good…" Mogadon chuckled.

Brenna turned her body and reloaded her arrow, taking a deep breath; she drew back the string and fired. This time, the arrow struck the top of the target. "Oh! I got it that time!" Brenna jumped happily.

"Good, now you gotta learn to aim better," Hiccup stated as Brenna's joy deflated almost, and she huffed.

"You had to kill it, didn't you?" Brenna glared, or tried to; it was more of a pout.

"Had that been an enemy; you would only hit their shoulder or side. Both injuries that someone can get up and fight with," Hiccup informed. "We'll stop when you can hit the bullseye," he stated. "Again," Brenna grumbled as she got another arrow.

"I can't do that on day one," Brenna whined.

"I did," Hiccup remarked.

"Yeah…Well…You're…You!" Brenna argued.

"Yes. Yes, I am," Hiccup loaded an arrow, drew back, and fired again; his arrow hit right next to his first shot all in one swift movement.

"Huh?!" Brenna's mouth dropped open in shock. "How did you-?!"

"Practice," Hiccup loaded another arrow, turning his shield upright and fired; it hit between the first two. "Makes," he said, while grabbing an apple from his bag and throwing it up in the air and then turning the shield on an angle and drawing back again, firing and hitting the apple. The arrow still struck a little under the first three with the apple in place. "Perfect," Hiccup took his stance, drawing back another arrow and firing as it struck the arrow that had an apple on it, piercing through it, splitting the arrow down the middle. Hiccup walked over to it, pulling both out and bringing it over so she could see better.

Brenna's eyes widened. "You…Pierced right through it…"

"I have good eyes and aim," Hiccup stated. "And I practice every day, as I have for two years," he added. "I can also do this with weapons," he drew a dagger and flung it at another target; hitting the bullseye. "So I don't want to hear that you won't get it. Because I'm me and I can," Hiccup remarked firmly.

"Hiccup, I'll never be that good!" Brenna complained.

"It is that manner of thinking that you won't. Stop saying you can't, and say I can! Nobody believed in me, Brenna. Nobody believed I could survive. Everyone told me I couldn't do it, and I believed them. I failed multiple times out on my own, but I kept working, telling myself that'd I've proved everyone wrong about me. And I got better and better until I could do this," he held up the pierced arrow and motioned to the other targets he'd hit. "I stopped believing them and starting believing in myself because that's all I had. Me, and me alone. I said I can; I said I could, that I would, and I did," Hiccup stared intently at her.

"Harder, better, faster, stronger. That's what I lived by," Hiccup said as Brenna's eyes met his, seeing the determination and fire in them. "I realized that everyone here didn't believe in me because not even I believed in myself. I believe in me, and now, so do all of them. You want to succeed, tell yourself that you will. Believe in and worry about only you. Everything else will come with time," he assured.

"Okay…" Brenna nodded.

"Can you hit that bullseye?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes," Brenna replied.

"Will you hit it?" Hiccup pushed.

"I will!" Brenna responded with determination.

"Good, now do it," Hiccup pointed. Brenna loaded the arrow and fired again; this time, striking three rings from the center one. "Again," Brenna tried again and again, and she got closer each time, but none hit the bullseye. Brenna was tired, and panting a bit. "Do you give up?"

"No, I just…Need a break," Brenna admitted.

"There are no breaks in battle," Hiccup reminded.

"Lad, ease up…" Gobber sighed. "Or show her how you do it at least," he added.

"There's only one arrow left anyway…" Hiccup stated as he handed it to her. "Let's go," Hiccup informed as Brenna took it; then took her stance and drew back the arrow, preparing to fire. This time, though, Hiccup moved next to her and stood behind, causing Brenna to get a little nervous. "Lower your arm a bit," he set his hand on her shoulder, moving her arm down just a smidgen from where it was. "Use your mouth as an anchor,"

"Beg your pardon?" Brenna looked at him.

"Don't look at me, focus on your target. Use your mouth as an anchor with the back of the arrow," Hiccup instructed again. Brenna looked back at the target, doing as Hiccup said. Hiccup kept his hand on her shoulder, moving the other one to enclose around Brenna's, which was holding the bow steady. "Relax this hand," he continued. "Take a deep breath," Brenna did so. "Keep both eyes open, exhale, and let go of the arrow," Brenna released the arrow as it zipped through and pierced the target, right next to one of Hiccup's.

Brenna instantly jolted in surprise. "I-I did it!" she squealed a bit, lowering the bow as Hiccup stepped back from her, smiling.

"Always knew you could," Hiccup replied. Brenna instantly hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Brenna repeated, jumping up and down. Hiccup chuckled, hugging her back.

"You're welcome," Hiccup responded. Brenna giggled happily as she leaned up and pecked his lips quickly. Hiccup blinked a few times at the action, but then shrugged with a smile, leaned down and in to kiss Brenna gently. Brenna blushed a bit but didn't fight it. Hiccup broke the kiss and released Brenna. Hiccup went to collect the arrows and set them in a quiver for her, a black one from out of the storeroom. Hiccup handed her the quiver with a smile. "You can keep the bow and these arrows as your reward for a job well done, and keep practicing with. Tomorrow we'll work with some other weapons," he said before strolling off and out of sight.

Brenna only blushed harder as she held the bow and arrows tightly in her grasp, entirely excited and happy about all of what just happened. Gods, she couldn't wait to marry Hiccup in seven days; there was no way this choice could ever be wrong or bad. Brenna knew now that she didn't like Hiccup; she was falling in love with him hard and fast.