An hour later, I returned with everything that Hiccup would need. It was mainly furs to keep him warm, but there was also food to last him a week, and my most beloved possession: my axe. The axe has been in the Hofferson family for generations, given to the first born daughter on her 13th birthday. I've only had it for two years, but I know Hiccup's going to need it more. Even if he doesn't know how to use it. He'll learn though. Just as I had. Although, I had my mom to teach me. Anyway, I trust that Toothless will take care of him. While I don't know the dragon as well as Hiccup, I know he'll make sure his human is well fed, protected, and warm.

Hiccup was doodling in the sand with Toothless watching very attentively when I returned. I knew Toothless was aware of my presence due to his ears twitching, but Hiccup was left unaware. So when I dropped the basket, causing it to land in a loud thud, he yelps in surprise and whirls around.

"Astrid, hey. Hey, Astrid. Hi Astrid...um...welcome back."

I smirked. "Am I supposed to say that I'm glad to be back? Because I'm not. Honestly, I'm very anxious right now."

Hiccup nervously laughs as he rubs his neck. "Yeah, you and me both."

An awkward silence falls for only three seconds, and it was three seconds too long for my comfort. "So," I say before it could drag on, and pointed to the basket, "Here's your stuff. It's mainly furs to keep you warm, but there's also food in there to last you for at least a week. I know you won't starve out there though with Toothless by your side. So please try not to get separated. He needs you too. Also," I remove the lid of the basket and pulled out my axe. "I'm giving you this, and I need to teach you how to wield it real quick before you go."

Hiccup's draw dropped and his eyes popped out of his head. "Is that your axe?! Astrid, I can't take this. This is yours."

"And now it's yours," I say, sternly. "Well, at least it is for the meantime. You're going to borrow it for as long as you're gone. I mean it, Hiccup. Don't even bother arguing with me about it. Besides," I look away, already feeling embarrassed at my next words that haven't even escaped my lips yet, "if you had intended on never coming back, now you have a reason to. But you can only come back if you have a way of changing Berk for the better. You can only come back when you're ready."

"And what if there is no way of changing Berk for the better?" Hiccup asked, worriedly. "What if I'll never be ready?"

I shook my head, but smiled. "You will be. I refuse to believe otherwise. I've always believed that someday you'd make us all proud."

"Always?" Hiccup questioned, his brows narrowing, giving me the same confused expression he gave me the hour before.

"Always." I confirmed. "Hel, Hiccup, look at you right now. You trained a dragon. You're ready for this, Hiccup. You're ready to explore the world, to learn everything you can, and when the time comes I know you'll be ready to lead us into a future of peace that we have been fighting for for centuries. I always saw something in you. All you need is one person to believe in you, and I hope I'm enough to keep you going-"

"You are!" Hiccup loudly interrupted, then clamps his mouth tightly shut when he realized his outburst. He shyly looks away and clears his throat. "Uh...sorry. But I mean it. You are."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped me or the heat I felt in my cheeks. "Okay then. Well...let me show you the basics."

It was definitely awkward for the both of us when I tried to show him the proper standing and handling positions. I had tried not to get in his personal space, but he had no idea what the heck he was doing. I had no choice but to get close to him, and while I was a bit awkward since I've never been so close to a male my age, Hiccup's nervous awkwardness definitely surpassed mine.

I ignored it all though and continued on with my short lesson, telling him everything I knew in the short time that we had. When I felt our time was up, I said: "Time's up. Try to remember everything I said and practice as much as you can."

Toothless came to Hiccup's side just then, right as he says: "Thank you, Astrid." Hiccup then climbs in the saddle in one swift motion and once he's settled, he says: "I promise I'll take care of it."

I nodded. "I know you will. Can you promise me something else though?"

"What's that?"

I took a few steps forward, standing right beside Toothless's head, and touched the saddle, keeping it there even though I knew he going to take off just yet. "You showed me a whole new world up there." I look up to the starry night sky. Hiccup did the same. I kept my gaze up and continued:

"You opened my eyes, Hiccup. Promise me when the time comes, when it's right, that you'll do the same with Berk. Show our tribe the world I saw. Help us. Make them believe that we can all live in peace together. Change their minds like you did mine. Most importantly...promise me that you'll come back. Even if...even if there is no hope. Because if there really isn't, if you're so certain, absolutely 100 percent sure that there is no way to establish peace...I want to know."

I looked back at Hiccup and saw that he was already looking at me. I could see all the mixed emotions in his eyes, but only one stood out to me, and that was pain. "Astrid," he began, pausing to swallow. I wonder if his throat suddenly felt tight and dry like mine. "I...I can't promise you all of that. I wish I could, but I can't. They'd be promises I probably wouldn't be able to keep. The only thing I can really promise you is that I'll try."

His honesty made me smile. "Then that's good enough for me."

He stared at me nervously for a brief second before setting his gaze on his fiddling hands in his lap. "A-And since we're being honest, I should probably go ahead and get this off my chest. In case I don't come back." I had to hold back a grimace at that.

"I…" Hiccup started. He then lifted his head to boldly return my gaze. "Astrid, I…" he stops himself again, which caused me to become impatient.

"Hiccup, dawn will be approaching soon, so you better spit it out."

Hiccup suddenly sighs in defeat. "I just...wanted to say that I don't care for Berk as much as you do, but...if or when I come back, you gotta know that it's not because of them. It'll be because of you. And the dragons, but...mostly you."

I didn't like how my heart had increased its beating or how hot my face felt, and I especially didn't like how incredibly shy I had suddenly become. "Yeah, well...you kind of have to come back to me. After all, you have my axe to return."

Hiccup laughs softly. "Yeah, there's that, but it's not the main reason why I'll specifically come back to you."

"And what's the main reason?" I asked, confused but also slightly...hopeful?

"You'll have to find out when I return." The bold playfulness in his voice, along with his smirk, took me by surprise.

"Well," I begin, already knowing that my response is gonna be lame, "I'm looking forward to it. Try not to take too long, and...good luck."

Hiccup smiled fondly at me and said: "Goodbye Astrid."

I shook my head at that. "No, this isn't a goodbye. Goodbye means forever, which this isn't. This is more of a...until we meet again."

Hiccup nods then leans forward and lowers his head, bowing. "Then until we meet again, m'lady."

I smiled as I shook my head at his ridiculousness, then punched him hard in the arm.

"Ow!" Hiccup whined, and before he could ask why I did that, I said: "That was for kidnapping me." And then, I was overcome with a sudden want. Before either of us knew what I was doing, I leaned forward, stood on my tippy toes, grab Hiccup's arm, and pulled him down so I could quickly give him a kiss on the cheek.

"That," I say when I quickly release him and pull away, not once looking at him, "was for everything else." I then quickly turn around before he could say a word and took off running.

I didn't look back when I ran, and due to me not hearing the sound of flapping wings, I knew Hiccup was watching me go. I didn't want to do the same with him, but when I heard a loud whoosh, I couldn't stop myself from looking up into the sky. I could hardly see Toothless due to him blending in so well, but I was thankfully still able to make out his figure, along with Hiccup's.

And as they flew away, my running slowed until I completely stopped. "Go." I whisper once they were out of sight. It was the only thing I was able to say. The only word that really mattered.

Go and prove to our people that everything they thought they knew about you was wrong.

Go out there and become the person you were always meant to be.

Go change the world.