It had been almost a month since the day Hiccup forgave Stoick and still no one in the village knew what he left to do that morning with Astrid. Hiccup on the flight back to Dragons Edge told her not to say a word because he wanted it to be a surprise when Stoick would come for the treaty signing since as far as everyone believed, Stoick wasn't allowed on Dragons Edge under Hiccup's orders. Hiccup flew to Berk once a week by himself to discuss terms of the treaty which basically said that their islands would be trade partners and no longer harm dragons. That if they had a wild dragon problem they would call for Hiccup to handle it but no dragons were to be harmed.
This week, today as a matter of fact. Stoick would be arriving by boat to sign the treaty between tribes but he wasn't due to arrive until after lunch time when everyone would be exiting the hall in time to see it. Hiccup told Stoick to let the guards capture him and bring him to the square so Hiccup could make it seem like Stoick was about to be imprisoned for returning when he was told no too. Then Hiccup and Stoick planned to just start laughing and telling everyone about Stoick being forgiven. It was ingenious and only Astrid knew about it.
More on that was that Hiccup and Astrid had gotten closer to one another, as friends. Astrid was about to be named a full dragon rider since she was top of the training class. She only had one final test to pass, that was taking place this morning in front of the village. It was almost a repeat of dragon training, where she'd be tested on her skills against Hiccup himself being he was the chief and head rider or the village. Hiccup and Astrid spent a lot of time together, she was always with him in the village and helping where she could. She even watched his kids for him if Valka and Alvin were busy, which was fine. Astrid adored his children, they were so well behaved and every bit of Hiccup that they could be. Hiccup still took one day off every two weeks and those were days he mostly spent flying around in peace or spending it with his kids and Astrid. His kids were close to her and it worried him a little too. They liked spending time with Astrid because she reminded them of Cami, and though Hiccup saw the similarities too at times, he knew full well that Astrid could never be Cami or replace her.
Astrid though began to distance herself from Hiccup after that night on the small island where he had hugged her after she talked him in to forgiving Stoick, her heart had raced that night, a feeling she had never gotten being around Hiccup before. She knew she felt something for him that night but also knew given how not over Cami, Hiccup was that trying to be with him wouldn't be a very good idea. Those feelings Astrid felt only grew the more time she was around him or his kids. Everything seemed to draw her in about. She was in a battle with herself about it and didn't know what to do, she didn't have anyone she could talk to about it either. Astrid knew one thing, she was falling for the chief of the Dreki tribe. She was falling in love with Hiccup and nothing was stopping it, she wanted to tell him how she felt but she felt like it was never the right time because she still didn't know how he felt about her. Sure they hung out, talked, spent time together but only as friends. Astrid had also made the decision to stay on Dragons Edge but had yet to tell Hiccup about her choice, Fishlegs chose to stay too. The twins and Snotlout had returned to Berk since Snotlout had to be named heir of it given Hiccup was chief of his own tribe with heirs of his own.
This had been decided two weeks after Hiccup forgave Stoick. They played it off that Stoick sent a letter to them saying that he accepted Hiccup couldn't return to Berk and be heir so Snotlout needed to come back. A few days after that, Snotlout and the twins took their dragons and returned to Berk, one of Hiccup's trainers went with them to make sure the finished their training and Hiccup was getting every few day updates by terror mail. The morning was calm as could be, blue skies and barely any wind. Perfect day for a final exam in Hiccup's eyes. He woke up and did his usual patrol and went straight to the hall, shockingly he was there last which wasn't like him at all. Hiccup was usually always first to arrive to give announcements after others arrived. Hiccup walked in with Toothless as everyone turned to see him standing there. "Sorry I'm late, was enjoying the beautiful day we're having." Hiccup chuckled out.
"Chief is never late, we're just early!" Someone called to him as people began to laugh with him.
"True. Alright...So today after breakfast. I want everyone to make their way to the academy because today...for the first time in Dreki tribe history...an outsider from another tribe will become a full dragon rider! And the lucky one is Astrid Hofferson, member of the Hooligan tribe of Berk!" Hiccup announced with a smile. The room began to cheer and clap at the announcement. Hiccup then made his way towards the main table where his kids sat, as well his mother and father. Astrid was sitting with some of the other riders from the class and Fishlegs.
Hiccup passed Astrid and smiled at her, leaning beside her. "Jeeze Hiccup, you scared me..." Astrid put a hand over her pounding heart.
"My apologies, Astrid. Was coming to make sure you're alright, you look nervous." Hiccup chuckled.
"Of course I am...I'm being...tested in order to be a dragon rider." Astrid replied. "Can you please tell me what the test is?" Astrid asked.
"Nope. It's a secret. Just meet me in the stables that connect to the ring after breakfast. And don't even try asking the other riders because I change the test every time." Hiccup winked at her as he kept walking towards his table. Astrid crossed her arms over her chest and huffed at his response to her. She faced her food with a sigh, it was happening again. Every time she was around him her heard started racing, not today. She couldn't afford to lose focus. Astrid closed her eyes beginning to eat as Fishlegs noticed her saddened expression.
"You okay, Astrid?" Fishlegs asked her.
"Yeah...I'm fine...just thinking about the test it all." Astrid replied with a fake smile, Fishlegs eyed her carefully. He could tell she was lying.
"I'm sure you'll do fine. Hiccup wouldn't test you on something he wasn't sure you could do...You're top of the class, Astrid. You guys have only been in training with us for a little over a month and you've aced every lesson. You're ahead of us! You should be thrilled." Said one of the other students to her.
"Thanks. Its still nerve-wracking though..." Astrid sighed as she glanced back to Hiccup who was eating and talking with his kids and parents.
"Astrid, I ask this because I'm your friend...do you...like him?" Fishlegs asked her quietly. Astrid nearly choked on her eggs, thankfully she grabbed her water and breathed heavily a few times.
"Wh–why would you think something like that!" Astrid growled a bit.
"Sorry...You just...get so quiet around him, calm. Even now...you're blushing..." Fishlegs pointed out, Astrid's eyes widened a bit. Was it that obvious? She glared at him darkly.
"You say one word to anyone and I will kill you..." Astrid warned him.
"Okay okay...Yeesh...sorry." Fishlegs replied quickly. "So you do then...it was easy to figure out with how much time you've been spending with him lately, you always come back smiling..." Fishlegs said to her. Astrid closed her eyes looking down.
"I do...I do like him...Gods, I'm falling in love with him, Fishlegs...I tried so hard not too but...I can't stop it and what's worse...he's not over his wife, I doubt he ever will be..." Astrid sighed heavily.
"Of course he's not, Astrid. That was his wife, first woman he ever really loved. Mother of his kids...No matter how many years pass, he'll always love her. That's not something you stop, just like with Valka and Stoick. Separated for 21 years, but still as in love as they day they got together, and still in love now. Hiccup will always love Cami, Astrid. But...and as much as it sucks to say this...if they were meant to be...she'd still be with him, still be alive and we wouldn't even be here right now...the reason we all ran in to one another again is because Hiccup came to Berk to stop us going after the queen because he wanted to kill her for taking his wife...Everything that happened, has happened for a reason. Hiccup knows this, or we wouldn't be here. He chose to give us another chance, he forgave us...and you know...not for nothing but his kids love you, and he's always smiling around you or his family. I think you should tell him, Astrid. How's he ever going to know if he has feelings for you or not if he doesn't know how you feel...think about that for a while..." Fishlegs told her calmly and only loud enough for Astrid to hear.
She looked at him a few moments before looking down with her eyes closed again. Fishlegs was right, Hiccup would always love Camicazi, she was his first for everything. That was something Astrid could never stop or replace, not that she wanted too either. But there was such a thing as new love, and Astrid couldn't fight the feelings she was having for him. She'd tell him but not right now. She had her exam today, and the treaty signing. She would tell them next time she was alone with him. Not just that she was in love with him, but also that she wanted to accept his offer to stay on Dragons Edge.
Breakfast continued for another hour or so before Hiccup stood up to get everyone's attention, they became quiet and looked up at him. "It is time. Make your way to the academy..." Hiccup said with a smile. Astrid took in a deep breath as she got up and made her way outside towards the ring with the others. This was it, her final exam to be a full dragon rider.
(The Academy)
People lined the outside of the academy cheering happily. Astrid was in the stables with Stormfly waiting for her instructions as per what Hiccup said for her to do earlier, meet him by the stables. She took a deep breath hearing the metal of his foot walking towards her, she looked up seeing him there. "You ready?" Hiccup asked her.
"As I'll ever be...so what do I have to do?" Astrid replied trying to get her nerves under control.
"You'll find out, come on." Hiccup told her.
"Hiccup...are you...sure I'm ready for this...I–I haven't been in the class as long as the others...I don't feel right jumping ahead of them." Astrid said quickly.
"Astrid, if anyone is ready. Its you." Hiccup told her with a soft smile, she gasped a bit with wide eyes. "You can do this. I believe in you. If I didn't, you wouldn't be here right now." Hiccup gave a wink, her cheeks flared up with a blush. He had that much confidence in her? Then she wouldn't let him down. She couldn't. "I'll go out first, you come out with Stormfly after I've called you." Astrid nodded to him, watching him walk out to the center of the ring.
It was weird, it felt like it did the day they cast him out. Watching him walk to the middle of the ring only it was her being tested. Not him. She shook those thoughts from her mind, she had to be focused today. 'I can do this...I know I can.' Astrid thought with confidence. Stormfly nuzzled her cheek as she smiled stroking her dragon's snout lightly.
"Alright, its that time again. The time where we test a student to become a full dragon rider. The test is a culmination of things learned in the class, but you never know which ones they are until I announce them. Today, the student being tested is Astrid Hofferson from the Hooligan tribe of Berk and her dragon Stormfly the Deadly Nadder." Hiccup announced with a smile as Astrid took a deep breath and walked out with Stormfly beside her and came next to Hiccup waving at everyone who was cheering for her. She gulped a bit looking at Hiccup now, he was so calm but his eyes were full of confidence for her.
"I'm ready." Astrid told him.
"I know you are. Astrid's test today will consist of rescuing and trust..." Hiccup announced, Astrid paled. Trust she could do, but rescues? "You see that cliff above the ring?" Hiccup pointed to it, she nodded nervously. "I'm going to be hanging from it, your test is to avoid enemy fire and get me down safely. There will be attacks coming from all around. Got it?" Hiccup asked.
"I–I got it..." Astrid nodded to him.
"Don't worry, I'm not in real danger. Just gotta get me down without you being taken down by the 'enemies' before I fall. Sunflower is on standby to catch me. You got this, Astrid. Your rescue instincts and spot on given how you saved Runa the day of the race. Believe in yourself, like I believe in you." Hiccup told her smiling with a hand on her shoulder. At this she blushed a bit and nodded.
"I–is there...a time limit?" Astrid asked.
"Well not a legit one, just you getting to me before I slip. I'm good but I'm still only human. It starts as soon as you see danger. Its on your judgement call." Hiccup told her as he saluted her, "Good luck." He said as Savage swooped over and grabbed Hiccup from behind while on his dragon and flew out of the ring flying up to the cliff. Hiccup brought his legs up and kicked free sliding down the side of the cliff, he found a spot to grab and hung there. Astrid's eyes widened, he was at least 60 feet up.
Astrid eyes narrowed as she jumped on Stormfly's back and zoomed out of the ring doing a back flip and leveling out heading towards the cliff Hiccup was hanging from. She remembered that she would be getting attacked so she kept her eyes on everything. "Outcasts! Attack the rider!" Alvin ordered, and there it was. Clever too, Astrid watched as bolas, arrows, and boulders came her way.
"Alright Stormfly...lets show them who their messing with...Now girl!" Astrid ordered as Stormfly squawked and flew up to avoid the arrows, and did a barrel roll to avoid the rest. "Haha, atta girl...Now lets get Hiccup..." She instructed, Astrid neared the cliff and noticed that Stormfly wasn't going to be able to get her close enough, she needed to think of something quickly. Hiccup's arms weren't going to hold him there for long, "Think, Astrid...think..." She urged herself. "Got it!" She smiled as she flew up to Hiccup's level. "Don't move..." Astrid told him, he nodded staying still as Astrid took a breath. "Stormfly Spine shot, under the feet and arms!" Astrid commanded.
Stormfly squawked as she whipped her tail sending 4 spines out under Hiccup's arms and then two under his feet. It would have to do for now, at least he would have more of something to hold on to. "Nice work, Astrid, now what?" Hiccup called to her.
"Alright girl, take us down...I got an idea..." Astrid said as Stormfly flew down lower. "Spineshot the cliff side!" Astrid ordered. Stormfly shot at the cliff as Astrid stood up on her back, "Keep steady, Stormfly..." Astrid said, as soon as she saw it she leapt from Stormfly's back towards the cliff and grabbed the spines sticking out of it. "Keep it going girl, two each all the way up!" Astrid told her dragon. Stormfly stayed 3 feet from the cliff side but stayed slightly higher than Astrid to keep the spines going so they were there as Astrid climbed the side of the wall until she got just under Hiccup and looked up at him panting. "4 shots to the left girl!" Astrid said, Stormfly shot 4 to the left of Hiccup so Astrid was right beside him now. "Are you okay?" She asked him.
"I'm fine, sore arms but now we're both stuck up here and the outcasts are coming back..." Hiccup grinned at her.
Astrid looked up seeing the outcasts on the cliff throwing boulders down at them. "Stormfly, cool em off!" Astrid yelled, Stormfly looked up and fired at the outcasts making them jump off the cliff and land in the water below. "Good girl, now come back down here..." Astrid said as she carefully turned around facing out now using the original spines to keep herself standing there, she wrapped her arm around Hiccup's waist as Stormfly came level with them again. "Do you trust me, Hiccup?" Astrid asked him now.
"With my life, Astrid." Hiccup told her with a nod and smile.
"Good..." Astrid positioned her feet off the cliff side and kicked off pulling Hiccup with her. "Stormfly, now girl!" Astrid called in mid air, Stormfly turned around as Astrid grabbed her tail with one arm and grunted as she made sure to hold on to Hiccup tightly. "Stormfly, tail flip!" Astrid called out. Stormfly whipped her tail in the air sending them flying upwards and when they came back down, Stormfly moved under them so they landed on her back in the saddle.
Before either of them could say something, catapults were launching boulders at them again. "Stormfly, evasive twirl maneuvers! Hang on tight, Hiccup!" Astrid told him, he wrapped his arms around her waist as Stormfly whipped around twirling in flight to avoid boulders. Stormfly leveled out and then whipped around heading right for the catapults, "Fire girl!" Astrid ordered. Stormfly opened her mouth and reduced them to ash in seconds, then Astrid directed her back to the ring and landed inside as she climbed off then Hiccup got off facing her, she was panting heavily. "So...how did I...do?" Astrid asked him now.
"Astrid. That was by far the most terrifying, dangerous, crazy, unorthodox rescue I've ever seen in my life." Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest firmly staring at her intently. Astrid froze, she had failed? "But it was also the most brave, well thought out, and carried through perfectly rescue I've ever had the pleasure to be a part of. You avoided danger, you recognized your dragon couldn't get you close to me, but also saw I wouldn't hold on for a long amount of time so you made a way for me to hold on comfortably and safely. You used your dragons spines as a ladder up the cliff to me and asked if I was alright. You made sure to hold me and get us off the cliff, avoid more enemy fire, destroy their weapons and got us back down here in one piece. I am very impressed, Astrid and proud to announce that you have passed the test." Hiccup smiled at her.
Astrid couldn't believe it, she had passed!? "Y–you mean it?" Astrid asked still in shock.
"I never say things I don't mean. Congratulations, Astrid. You're a full dragon rider now." Hiccup nodded to her. Astrid couldn't contain herself, she screamed happily as she jumped at him wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Hiccup!" Astrid exclaimed jumping up and down, Hiccup laughed as he hugged her back before the backed up from one another.
"Don't thank me. This was all you, Astrid. I told you that you could do it. You've earned this." Hiccup chuckled to her as he pulled a pin from under his armor as she stood straight with her arms at her side with her head up proudly. The pin was a gold set of wings and in the center circle was the symbol of a deadly nadder. Hiccup pinned it to her shirt as he put his arm over her shoulder and raised a hand to get the attention of his people. "From this day forward, this young lady right here will be known as Fearless Dragon Rider, Astrid Hofferson!" Hiccup called out as they all cheered again.
"I can't...believe this...I'm really a full dragon rider now?" Astrid asked.
"You are. You can officially fly without a guide now." Hiccup nodded to her. Astrid smiled wide, she could of cried. Fishlegs rushed in and hugged her now.
"You did it, Astrid!" He exclaimed.
"Legs...need air..." Astrid gasped, Fishlegs let go as she panted to catch her breath.
"Alright, there will be a feast in Astrid's honor at lunch to celebrate having another rider among us!" Hiccup announced, more cheering. "Now all of you get back to work. We have a dragon race coming up in a week!" Hiccup smiled, they all began to clear out and get to work.
"So...you gonna tell him yet?" Fishlegs whispered. Astrid elbowed him in the side making his wince out, "Never mind...ugh..." Fishlegs closed his eyes.
"Tell me what?" Hiccup asked curiously, Astrid's eyes went wide and she blushed.
"N–n–nothing...just...um...I uh...have been thinking about your offer...to stay here or not..." Astrid lied quickly. Well it wasn't a lie, she had been thinking about it but that's not what Fishlegs had been asking her to tell him.
"Yeah, you finally decide?" Hiccup asked her with a smile.
"I have...I've...chosen to stay here on Dragons Edge...I–I want to be a member of the Dreki tribe." Astrid told him happily.
"And I'm staying too, Hiccup." Fishlegs added with a nod.
"Well then. Looks like a new job just got added to my to do list..." Hiccup chuckled a bit, "Making you two your own houses, and welcoming you in to the Dreki tribe. We'll do it tonight at dinner. Your houses will take a few weeks, hope you don't mind the inn for now?" Hiccup stated to them.
"We don't mind at all." Astrid said to him with a happy smile. Hiccup nodded as he signaled Alvin over to him.
"Yes son?" Alvin stated now beside him.
"Starting tomorrow morning, I want you to oversee the new homes that are to be built for Astrid and Stormfly, as well Fishlegs and Meatlug. Speaking of which also, Fishlegs. Your final exam will be held with the others in two weeks time. That's when the next full exam is." Hiccup told him.
"Aye sir!" Alvin said to what Hiccup told him.
"Thank you, Hiccup...I–I mean chief." Fishlegs saluted him. Hiccup nodded to them.
"Now, why don't you two go do your jobs until lunch. I have a few other things to handle beforehand." Hiccup said as He jumped on Toothless's back opening his tail.
"Yes chief." Astrid and Fishlegs said together.
"And Astrid...seriously, good work today. If I ever get captured, its you I want leading the team to rescue me. After today, I trust you with my life indefinitely. Congratulations again." Hiccup smiled as she sped off, Astrid blushed deeply. Yes there was no denying it anymore. She was madly in love with Hiccup, and she was going to tell him first chance she got too. She smiled as she and Fishlegs headed to the stables to clean their dragons pens and feed them. Astrid knew what was coming next, Stoick should already be on his way towards Dragons Edge for the treaty signing that no one knew about. This was going to be so good, more so because Hiccup entrusted this secret to her about it. She couldn't wait to see it unfold.