Hiccup stood in the kitchen packing up the last of his supplies, while his new wife sat at the table finishing her breakfast.
"Do you really have to go?" Astrid asked "And by yourself?"
"It's Haddock tradition," Hiccup explained. "Once a Haddock man is married, he must go on a soul seeking journey to commune with the gods and ancestors. He prays for a successful, happy marriage. It must be done before the first anniversary."
"If it's that simple, why can't you just do it in the caves in the mountain?" Astrid wondered.
"Because Volund Haddock built a specific alter on a specific island to ensure total solitude," Hiccup answered. "Besides, I did the math for the distance between New Berk and Saman Island. It'll take about of month of sailing. I must remain alone on the island for a week. Another month to sail back. I'll be back just in time for New Berk's First Year Celebration."
"At least let me sail with you," Astrid pleaded. "You'll still be alone on the island."
Hiccup closed his satchel and threw it over his head. He knelt down and took hold of his wife's hand. "As much as I would love the company, I have to be alone from start to finish. I promise I will come back. I have more than enough supplies to last me. I can take care of myself."
He gave her one last kiss before standing up to leave. Once he walked out that door, he was on his own.
After Hiccup placed the last crate of supplies he had gathered on to his personal boat, he looked up toward the top of the cliffs and saw his wife and their friends standing there, waving him off.
He climbed into the boat, undid the ropes and pushed away from the docks. He took hold of the rudder and guided the boat away from the shores of New Berk. As he carefully navigated out of the bay, he imagined Toothless trying to come with him. He smirked at the thought of all his friends having to hold the dragon back to keep him from chasing after his rider.
Hiccup wished that were the case, but Toothless along with the rest of dragon kind were safe in the Hidden World. There, no hunters could get them.
Hiccup sailed for several hours, before taking a break to eat something and give his aching hands a rest. He pulled out the sandwich Astrid made him along with a flask of water. He also pulled out his map and a spyglass.
The young chief scanned the horizon with the spyglass and checked his map. He decided he was right where he estimated he would be. He looked through the spyglass again and saw a ship just east of him. He couldn't make out who the ship belonged to, but figured it belonged to a nearby island.
"Probably belongs to the Skirra's," Hiccup said to himself before taking a bite out of the sandwich. He continued to study the map as he finished his sandwich.
Before putting the map away, he looked through the spyglass again and saw that the other boat was getting closer. This time he could make out the symbol on the sail. It was one he had not seen in quite a few years. That ship belonged to the Dragon Hunters.
A/N: Well? What do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews.