The three dragons returned not long after Padrig escorted Baneson back to the village. Astrid heard Shadowfire ask if they could land outside of the arena's entrance and walk in because he apparently forgot his size and scraped his wings leaving by flying earlier. Astrid saw Moondust roll her eyes and bit back her own snort.
Upon seeing the Changewings, Hiccup dismounted Toothless before the Night Fury even stopped walking. Moondust moved aside. Hiccup rushed past her. Sneaky and Sharpshot dove off Astrid's shoulders. Hiccup gently gripped Astrid's upper arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked, eyes roaming as if to see if there were any obvious injuries.
Again, Astrid was reminded that some in her family would believe she would jerk from his hold because of this. Astrid merely smiled and cupped Hiccup's cheek.
"I'm unhurt," she said. "Baneson paid the Academy a visit not long before you all returned."
Hiccup frowned. Astrid placed a finger upon his lips as he opened them to speak.
"The dragons kept me safe and Padrig took Baneson back to the village after smacking him a bit and telling him to leave you and I alone or he'd drop Baneson into the sea."
Hiccup pulled back, his eyes narrowing into slits. "He will not have the chance. I will deal with Baneson if he ever hurt you."
Astrid felt a measure of peace ease some of her concerns even as she heard Hiccup's voice deepen and knew it was because his soul's power was coating his words. She was also honest enough to admit she liked the sound and briefly wondered what a grown-up Hiccup would sound like, especially if he was angered over something. The Head Guard shifted, and Astrid remembered the dragon had done something to Baneson. She looked to the Changewing.
"What did you do to Baneson?" she asked. "He looked dazed and confused before those other two dragged him out of here."
[My kind are able to mesmerize our foes with our eyes. I know the young alpha would wish no bloodshed amongst members of the nest, so I mesmerized the human hatchling.]
"Thank you," Hiccup said, and Astrid heard the relief in his voice.
"Hiccup," Fishlegs said and Astrid glanced over Hiccup's left shoulder so she could see the teen.
"We'll head into the village," Fishlegs continued. "That way you and Toothless can take Astrid flying."
Hiccup released Astrid's arms and turned. Astrid saw him nod then watched the friends leave, though Torgeir looked reluctant and glanced back often. Fishlegs gently pushed the soon to be eleven-year-old, since his Name Day was the day after Snoggletogg, out of the arena. Gyda and Shadowfire remained and Astrid knew why. She also did not mind the mage and her son's presence. She and Gyda had formed a strong friendship while the mage stayed in the Hofferson home and while she would rather the others not see the more tender moments between her and Hiccup, she knew Gyda would not tease or tell the others about those moments.
Astrid cupped Hiccup's cheek again, pulling his attention back to her. He frowned but she buried into him and placed her head upon his shoulder. He immediately enclosed her in his arms.
"Astrid?" he asked in a whisper.
"I'm unhurt," she replied, also whispering.
She did not mind Gyda being there, but she still did not want everyone to hear what she and Hiccup talked about. That was another reason she liked Gyda taking the role of their human chaperone. The mage would stay in sight of them but let them talk about whatever they wanted. If she did happen to overhear, Gyda would never repeat the words they said to any in the tribe.
"I'm mad about something else," Astrid added, still whispering.
"What?"
"Padrig told me he saw Old Man Jorgenson and two of his friends glaring at my family during Bearspit's trial."
Hiccup's hand began a soothing rub of her back and Astrid tighten her grip, pulling him closer.
"The day Dad put your father on the Council that man stormed into the hut demanding an explanation," Hiccup whispered. "You should have seen my dad's face. I think he would have let Toothless bite him and drag the man out of the hut and off the cliff right then."
"The Jorgensons' clan holds a lot of influence. I doubt they would like that even if was your dad."
Hiccup chuckled darkly. "They had influence before the war when huts were always needed. Their own practice of being terrible to those they did not like or those they thought should be put in their place came back to bite them all, especially Old Man Jorgenson. His belief that his clan's influence meant he could dictate what he wanted my father to do also backfired. The tribe is turning to Fintan for repairs and realizing he's not only is trustworthy but a great builder as well, and Dad doesn't have to pacify that man so people can have homes. Not anymore."
"So, I was right. Snot's grandfather hates my family because we rose in influence."
"Well, you are a Dragon Rider and was present at the Red Death battle. You are my second-in-command in this Academy. You are now promised to me and will be my wife one day. The Flightmares cleared the honor taint upon your family. Fintan's taking over much of that clan's business.. Yeah, I can see why he'd be mad."
Astrid lightly smacked Hiccup's back. "You have a smart mouth sometimes," she muttered.
"You love me anyways," Hiccup returned.
Astrid hummed and placed a gentle kiss to his neck. She did love him, something she could never see herself doing before the war ended. Love and a life with a husband did not factor into Astrid's goals when all she wanted to do was restore her family's honor and keep the tribe safe.
Hiccup grunted then moaned softly. She felt him nuzzle into her hair before his lips fell against her ear.
"I'll tell Dad what Padrig told you. We'll all make sure Old Man Jorgenson leaves your family alone. I promise you that, my queen."
"Thank you, Hiccup."
Hiccup was quiet for a few heartbeats then whispered another question. "Did Padrig tell you why he told you all of this now? Bearspit's trial has been over and done with for a while now."
"He didn't say why he waited until now. He did say he was telling me because he didn't want you to turn the dragons upon his tribe."
Hiccup choked, lifting his head. "I highly doubt the dragons would obey even if I did give that order."
[Actually,] Toothless said, [we would.]
[You are Alpha,] Moondust added.
[Who you love and protect, we love and protect,] Sneaky said.
[And who you hate and fight against, we hate and fight against,] Sharpshot stated.
Hiccup stepped away from Astrid and spun to face the dragons. "You are not my slaves! You don't have to do that. You can all think for yourselves."
Toothless glanced at the other dragons and snorted. Shadowfire, on the side of the Academy near the pen Hookfang stayed in during Dragon Training, looked over and chortled.
[And still he wonders why we call him Alpha,] the bigger dragon said. [Ow, Mom. That hurt.]
"Next time my son will remember how big he is and walk out of an enclosure instead of flying out," Gyda said as she spread something over Shadowfire's wing.
Shadowfire snorted. Gyda lifted her head and Astrid saw Shadowfire's horns fall.
[Yes, Mama.]
Astrid giggled softly but noted Hiccup was not smiling. She placed a hand upon his shoulder and spun him to face her.
"Hiccup, I love that you still feel unsure about the dragons naming you their alpha. I love that humble spirit you have. It makes you a great leader, but you have got to stop thinking the dragons following you is akin to slavery."
"They just said they like who I like and hate who I hate," Hiccup protested. "That's not thinking for themselves. Astrid, I've seen slaves. At one of the Things Dad did bring me to, that chief that gave Dervla to Dad was there. He had her and many other slaves. They couldn't think for themselves. They had to say whatever their master told them to say or they were beat. I watched them beat those people." Hiccup took a deep breath and a pained expression crossed his face. "That chief.. He didn't think I was Dad's heir. He… he almost had me in shackles, Astrid. He was going to mark me as a slave. He was going to beat me until I obeyed him. He said my only thoughts would be what he wanted me to think. My words would be what he wanted me to say. All because I told him I didn't like that he hit Dervla when he asked why I was frowning."
Astrid lifted her hand off Hiccup's shoulders so both could clench into fists. Something white-hot rushed through her and she heard growling beyond what the dragons were doing. Growling that seemed to come from within her. Faint, but there.
"It's okay, guys. Dad stopped him and demanded satisfaction. It's how we got to free Dervla. The man thought Dad wanted her as a slave though. It wasn't until he dropped her off at the docks and Dad told him if he ever came near Berk again then Dad would flay the man's skin off his bones, war or no war with the man's tribe. The man's never been back since."
Astrid yanked him into her arms even as her body trembled, with fear or anger or both, she did not know. She did know that was another time she almost lost him without ever really knowing him. Never again. She would never again take his presence in her life for granted. He would know she loved him. He would know she supported him. He would know she thought him the greatest Viking in the world. She vowed that. Right now, she would explain something to him.
"Hiccup, the dragons following your lead on who to trust and who not to trust isn't slavery."
[She's right, brother,] Toothless said. [For three hundred years all humans were bad and murders. Now we know that was wrong but those same three hundred years are hard to overcome. We take our cues from you, brother, to do exactly as Sister says. You teach us about the humans as much as you teach the humans about us. We do think for ourselves, though. And speak for ourselves. I am perfectly capable of doing both, just so you know.]
[Someone's modest,] Moondust muttered.
[Uh, I mean-]
Toothless' voice trailed off. Astrid lifted her head to see Moondust was staring at the Night Fury with one eye half closed and the other wide open, given the female the look of lifting one eyebrow. Astrid shifted her face into Hiccup's shoulder to muffle her giggles. She felt Hiccup bury into her neck and felt his frame shake even as she heard muffled chuckling.
[Shall we take Sister flying now, brother?] Toothless asked.
Hiccup lifted his head no longer chuckling, but Astrid caught his smirk.
"Ready?" he asked her. "You can operate the tailfin."
Astrid smiled, knowing he was saying that so he could hold her and help with the resistance the bond she had with Stormfly was causing at the thought of riding Toothless.
[That will have to wait,] Shadowfire said, head lifted so he could see out the chain dome. [Stormfly's flying over the harbor waters right now.. She's veering… She's heading this way.]
No sooner than he finished than Stormfly landed outside the arena and rushed in. Hiccup released Astrid. She sent him a smile then ran to hug her dragon. For many heartbeats she just held Stormfly's head. Neither she nor the dragons spoke but Astrid felt something inside that was gone fall back into place. She heard purring and realized it was from both her and Stormfly.
"Is it time?" Hiccup asked when Stormfly finally lifted her head and looked at him.
[Yes, my alpha. Sorry, I did not greet you first.]
"No worries. Astrid is your sister and rider. I understand." Hiccup smiled at them. "I'll go tell your parents, Astrid and get your things. Then I'll let Dad know and get mine."
[Alpha,] Stormfly said, [I know you must bring a human chaperone. May it just be Elder Gyda? The other dragons there are unsure about two humans coming to the hatching nest, let alone all the others.]
"Can Shadowfire come with his mother?" Hiccup asked.
[Yes.]
Hiccup nodded. "We'll go and you two can catch up."
Kirika: Hehe, yes, I'm sure he did not expect all of those guards. And given that Toothless does admire Moondust it might happen that she becomes Astrid's sister-in-law. We'll have to see what Moondust thinks of all of that first though.
Prince: Hehe, well, Astrid isn't one to talk to many people or dragons but she really didn't want Moondust to feel bad about not riding on her back after the Night Fury offered. That she knew she could trust Moondust not to judge her or tease her let her open up. Yep. It is an intense thing for a rider and a dragon. They have to trust one another in the air and thus the bond is stronger in some cases than a mate bond or a flock bond, or even the bond the nest dragons have with their alpha, and yes, that will be explained later.
Dark: Hehe, close. Astrid will get to use that axe, don't worry. Baneson was just not worthy of it.
Prince: Aye, Hiccup would not have Astrid any other way. He loves her as she is, not how others think he should. And those two would die for each other.