Hi lads and lasses i'm back I got to say a few things first is thank you for you patience, work has been a bitch with me the last few months, change from one department to another but because they no one for the previous one i had to cover that too with that and me training up to do whats called the tough mudder in august, means alot of running, alot of time on sorting out the 20+ obstacles i'll have to face, etc. But as it is I've got another chapter out and a good lengthy one at that. Second over 350 follower, wow more than my other ones and seems that this story is far from over, I will be working on the next chapter of something stupid, something crazy next as that one is way overdue. Anyway here is chapter 9 and enjoy.
Chapter 9- What a weird day
Several months later at the village forge
Hiccup had taken up his role as trader and blacksmiths assistant for the village, he didn't mind it one bit even if his first visit didn't go as he planned it to be.
But in truth, he wouldn't change it one bit.
For one he got to see that some of the villagers started to respect him, mostly due to the extra supplies of food and furs he would bring on his days here or that he would help in repair work.
Most of all despite what Snotlout and twins did to him, with the years of bullying him and framing him for the forge fire that caused his banishment, to which Stoick and most of the council agreed would be decided on their punishment by him, he didn't give them the same fate he was given.
Instead he had something more degrading for them to do.
Clean out every farmyard and dragon cells on Berk of manure and send it all to Mildew, for the amount of shit they put him through all those years.
Stoick however made one extra punishment for Snotlout personally, mainly due to the Jorgenson boy, who disrespected his late wife on more than one occasion.
He guaranteed that Snotlout Jorgenson will not become the next chief when he steps down.
Most of the council agreed to this.
In fact the only one who protest was Spitelout, calling it unfair justice.
Stoick however was prepared for that with many fact at why Snotlout wouldn't make a good chief.
The first is because of his ego being too big for his helmet that the second he becomes chief, he'll do something completely stupid.
Second is the fact that Stoick had been training him in secret over the last couple of years, under the advice from the other council members who saw him as the next heir, but no matter how Stoick tried to teach him about diplomacy, he was too busy showing off his Viking physique.
The last was simple, everyone complained about him for his or one of the twins pranks around the village.
The only thing Spitelout could protest on was the fact that his son was still young and will grow out of his ego state.
Unfortunately for him, the council disagreed on this stating that the Jorgenson ego is infamous among the Hooligans and a reason why there has never been a Jorgenson chief ever.
This shut him up completely as the council put it to a vote, to which all but him agreed on the punishments at hand.
Meanwhile at Gobber's forge, Hiccup was taking care of it while the blacksmith was in the council meeting.
He kept himself busy fixing weapons and tools and while Fishlegs was talking talking about the usual stuff.
This time about making the weapons they saw in the book back in Snoggletog.
Fishlegs isn't a weapons type of guy but he did like the look of them and wondered if it could be done by a Viking.
But as he was talking away about the certain pros and cons of Viking forgery, Hiccup was thinking to himself about what happened to him in the last few months.
Mainly finding out his mother was alive and well even riding a dragon of her own to which he discovered to be the same dragon that took her when he was a baby.
A Stormcutter named Cloudjumper.
He remembered like it was only yesterday...
Flashback several months ago
Hiccup, after embracing Valka for a good solid twenty minutes, was looking around her home which was a large cave, big enough to fit several adult dragons in easily, which was handy considering Cloudjumpers large form.
Toothless however has no problem thanks to his sleek form as he happily hangs upside down, staring at the Stormcutter with dilated eyes while his human interact with his long lost mother, who by this point is trying to make dinner.
Trying and failing for, even though she's been living practically on her own all these years, is still just as bad a cook as Hiccup was told.
Dark smoke rose in the air threatening to choke all four in the cave until Toothless decided to jump down and grabbed the burning fish in his mouth before swallowing it.
Hiccup, Valka and Cloudjumper watched curiously before the young Night Fury burped up black smoke from his mouth, followed by a gummy smile earning a laughing from mother and son.
Valka calms her laughter down as she wipes the tears from her eyes before she starts to speak.
"Guess in all my time alone, I never learnt how to cook better" she turns around to Hiccup only to find him filling up the cauldron full of clean water as he carries it to the fire pit, leaving it to boil.
He then locates several ingredient, onions, carrots, cabbages, a two different kinds of fish as he set them upon the stone table to start cutting with one of the daggers in his boot.
Valka looked confused at firs to what Hiccup was doing before he gave her an answer to her puzzled look she was giving him.
"Good thing Gobber taught me how to cook then" he chuckled before putting in all the ingredients he chopped up into the now boiling water followed by a pinch of salt.
Valka changed her expression from confused to proud to sad.
She realized she had missed out on her son growing up, but she had her reasons.
The first being that she was sure he would be safer in the village than living the life of dragons.
The second was because even though she finally knew the truth about the Viking mortal enemy, she was too afraid to try and convince the others the same.
As the stew was boiling, her and Hiccup sat down to talk about what has happened between them.
Hiccup insisted his mother went first starting from how she was taken.
Valka took a deep breath as she starts telling her son from everything that happened.
She first explained about how Berk was a land of kill and be killed, how the raids were devastating, but despite all this she sought to find a more peaceful route, that's dragons were misjudged, this turned out to be a very unpopular opinion.
Hiccup listened on as she explained about how a dragon broke into the house and she went running towards it fearing for her sons life.
"But as I came in to take on whatever was there, I stopped at what I saw" she looks up at Hiccup "the dragon was curious about you son, and you weren't afraid at all, you seemed, happy" she looked down at the white scar on his chin as she recalled how Cloudjumper accidentally caught his chin resulting in that scar, but the Stormcutter felt guilty for making the young babe cry.
Her smile faded as she looked down "then it all went wrong, your father came in, assuming we were being attacked, Cloudjumper panicked and set the room on fire, your father went for you first but Cloudjumper, scared for my life, grabbed me in his claws and flew from the burning room and off the island, that was the last time I saw you both" she then looked out towards the mouth of the cave watching the vast amount of dragons flying about and resting peacefully with their families.
"I struggled to get out of his grip, he didn't hurt me of course but I wanted to get back, I didn't want to be eaten by a dragon" she turn to hear a grumbling sound coming from Cloudjumper, sounding like he was protesting what Valka said that only made her smile as she walked towards him rubbing his head as she got near "of course I know now you wouldn't have boy"
She then looked towards Hiccup again as she carried on.
"When we landed here I panicked, I was scare, hundreds of dragons were here in one place and yet none of them attacked me, not even the alpha"
This got Hiccups attention even more.
"The Alpha?" he questions having never seen many dragons apart from the ones that come to Berk.
Valka looks puzzled at first before smacking her head, realizing she never showed him.
She smiles as she walk towards the mouth of the cave to the outside.
"Come"
Hiccup, confused by his mothers actions shrugged it off as he followed her outside.
He never really got a good look at the sanctuary when he first got here as he was too much in his thoughts that his mom was alive, but now it has sunk in he was now able to admire the shear beauty as hundreds upon hundreds of dragons were flying about, relaxing or with their families.
His mother was right, this was completely different to the dragons that raid the village.
Saying that he remembers the family of Nadders, they seemed so at peace so it was highly possible that not all dragons are vicious as the others.
In a way they are like humans, there good dragons and bad dragons.
But Hiccup is pulled from those thoughts as he sees his mother standing close to one of the edges as she waits for him to finish looking around.
"What do you think?"
Hiccup however was lost for words for a few seconds, he had never seen anything like it in his eleven years of life.
"It's amazing" he whispered as he looked around again.
The whole sanctuary was walled in by a bluish white structure that blocked off the outside world.
Hiccup come to wonder if was some form of ice, but what could produce such vast structure like this.
He got his answer as he could hear movement of water coming from below the edge his mother was standing.
Hiccup went up to it but as he looked over, he couldn't believe his eyes.
There right at the bottom is the biggest dragon Hiccup had ever seen.
It's whole body was snowy white, with two large tusks protruding out of it's calm looking face.
In fact he's sure no other Viking has ever seen if by the book of dragons had anything to go by.
Valka watches over her son curiosity for the large white dragon as she gets closer to him.
"This is the alpha son, a Bewilderbeast" she announces proudly as she gestures it.
"You see Hiccup, every nest has a queen, but this here is the king of all dragons, with his icy breath made this a home for all dragons"
Hiccup was still transfixed upon the large relaxed dragon as he took in everything his mother said in, including every nest having a queen.
"W-wait you said every nest has a queen, does that mean th..."
"Yes son, even the one near Berk" she replied sadly as Hiccup looked up at her as she look at him right back.
"You most likely gathered Hiccup that there are good and bad dragons, some at the hands of humans, but this one however, controls the dragons to do her bidding, and that is to get her food"
Hiccup was taken aback by this, he just learnt that the three hundred year old war between Berk and the dragons was all down to one controlling them all.
That lead to another puzzling thought in his mind but he'll level that for another time as he sees the white dragon rise from its slumber until it was eye level with them.
Hiccup looked from the Bewilderbeast to his mother Toothless, Cloudjumper and the other dragons as they bowed to the vast form, showing their respect toward the alpha.
Suddenly the Bewilderbeast blew its icy breath toward Hiccup lightly frosting his hair before going back to his slumber.
Roemoving the frost from his already messy hair, he heard his mother laugh as she got close to him.
"He likes you dear" she said as she moved back towards the cave.
"Come now son, I want to hear what I've missed out on in your life" this made Hiccup gulp at what he had to tell her.
He could lie but he didn't want to in to his mother, he just found here after being told all his life she was dead, he didn't want to lose her again.
So Hiccup, taking a deep breath, heads towards the cave, readying himself for what he was about to tell her as he mumbled to himself.
"Gods she's not gonna like this"
…...and he was right.
After hearing everything he had to tell her about him being shunned by the village, his father spending no time with him and sticking him with Gobber got her mad.
What drove her to pure rage was when he was banished.
(Warning! Major swearing in progress, you have been warned!)
"Those stupid fucking barbaric, mud dunged, shit for brains heartless bastards! How fucking dare they send a ten year old out to fucking fend for himself! If I get hold of those twats I'll rip their fucking balls off and make them eat each one! I'll shove my staff up their arses so far! I'll be able to use them as scarecrows!" Valka screams out from the top of her lungs make several dragons fly off from the noise and even making the Bewilderbeast, whom had woken up from all the noise, blushed from all the blue language.
(Warning clear, it's safe to read on)
Hiccup however wasn't fazed at all considering he has heard far worse from Gobber.
"Well I see now where I get my temper from" he said amusingly, but he gets no reply as he watches her hopping on top of Cloudjumper with an angry look on her face.
"Err mom, where you going?" he asked cautiously, seeing her expression unchanged.
"What I should be doing as a mother Hiccup, protecting my child!" she replied as she instruct Cloudjumper to head toward the exit and fly to Berk.
But what she didn't expect was Hiccup to be in her way, stopping her.
"Woah mom! You can't just go flying to Berk just because what they did to me!" he retorted holding his own stern look in place.
He may have his mothers fiery temper, but he also had his fathers stoic expression.
"But Hiccup they can't treat you like that! You could have died out there!" she argued back.
Hiccup however stood firm as he retaliated.
"No! Mother! They shouldn't have treated me like that! But they have and in a way this has taught me to be independent! I've used what makes me unique to help me survive and it has served me very well! They will never know how I come to be like this and they never will! So mom, listen to me and listen good, let it go! What's done is done and no matter what, it cannot be changed!" he shouted,making both Valka and Cloudjumper back down, even changing his mothers expression from angry to sad.
What she saw before her wasn't a boy, in age maybe but, someone who had to grow up in order to survive.
She slid off her dragon before collapsing to the ground bursting into tears.
"I-i'm sorry Hiccup, I'm so sorry. If-if only I'd have returned instead of staying away then-then..." she was about to carry on until she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see her son with a smile upon his face.
"Then I wouldn't have known my true potential mom, I would be in that forge right now still getting ridiculed, not knowing how my inventive brain could be used for my own survival"
Valka looks into his forest green eyes with her turquoise ones, she saw his independence, she saw how certain he was to his beliefs.
She hadn't seen eyes like that in eleven years, the same eyes that belonged to Stoick.
Finally she sighed in defeat, she knew that he was stubborn just like any Haddock and stands firm to his beliefs.
"Okay son, I'll not pursue this any further, I'm not happy about it but you're right son, what's done is done" she looks up at him and smile "you know, you're about as stubborn as your father, you know that" she chuckles as Hiccup pretend to look hysterical.
"Oh no! His stubbornness and your hot temper. What a dangerous combination!" he said sarcastically as he lean upon Toothless, whom seem to have gotten the gist of his humans humour as he pretends to gargle in pain before collapsing to the floor, taking Hiccup with him, throwing them both into fits of laughter.
Valka watches on before laughing along too.
Flashback end
Hiccup was happy he found her again but as he was thinking about that day he was completely oblivious to Fishlegs trying to get his attention.
"Err Hiccup, yoohoo Midgard to Hiccup" he said over and over again until he finally snapped back into reality.
"Huh what?"
Fishlegs merely rolled his eyes as he spoke "I was saying you think that making that sword can be done? Looking at it, it looks like a complicated design only done by masters"
Hiccup only chuckle as he kept on hammering away at another broken tool.
"Fish, you should remember, when we Vikings put our hearts into something, we see to the end"
Fishlegs looked at his completely puzzled.
"But I thought you said you were never a Viking to begin with?" Hiccup merely shrugged at his large friends question before tapping his head.
"Here I'm not" he then gestured to the whole of his body "this, no way, but this..." he tapped the left-hand side of his chest where his heart is "yes, mind and body of a Hiccup but the heart of Viking"
Fishlegs thought about it for a second before nodding in agreement.
True Hiccup hasn't got the bulky physique of a Viking, but considering that didn't help the Outcast with their ambush attack, no one could argue otherwise.
After that short conversation the duo fell into silence with Hiccup continuing his hammering and Fishlegs absorbed in the weapons book before he started up the conversation again.
"Still Hiccup, how are you going to make it? As far as I know, Berk is rich in iron but copper and tin?"
Hiccup paused his hammering as he pondered what his friend said.
How was he going to find the necessary ores to make these foreign weapons.
Sure he can make them out of Iron easily however he had a feeling that the wrong metal might throw the weapon off balance.
Besides he wanted to go by the book first before giving it his own personal tweaks.
But back to the matter at hand as Hiccup simply shrugged.
"Well if I can't find it on Berk then I'll have to find it off Berk"
This made Fishlegs look at him with a little worry.
"Wait y-you mean leave the island? By yourself? On a boat? W-wouldn't that be risking your life a bit?"
Hiccup only smiled at his large friend, he wanted to tell him his big secret for a while now but did see how to put it without him freaking out.
After all the village still suffered raids from dragons and he might not take it so well.
On the other hand, Fishlegs is fascinated with dragons just like Hiccup is so he might take it well.
As Hiccup pondered those thoughts, he was interrupted by a knock on the door as Astrid entered holding a broadsword in her hand.
"Oh hey Astrid" Hiccup said calmly as he put the hammer down on the anvil, turning his attention towards her.
Ever since that night when she defended him, he found a mutual respect for her.
True he still had a crush deep down inside of him but he didn't want to ruin what could possibly be a friendship in the making.
Astrid however was standing there trying not to blush, she never expected Hiccup to be in the forge today.
All she wanted to do was drop off this sword for repairs and head out to the forest to practice.
But now she was standing there wondering what to do or say.
"Err hello, Midgard to Astrid"
She shock her head, bringing herself back to reality as Hiccup stands there waiting for her to speak.
"Oh, err sorry, just wondering if Gobber was in"
"Nah, he's in a meeting with the other council members discussing the three twits punishments, but I can help" Hiccup replies before smiling as he carried on "after all you've come to a forge with a weapon so I assume you want it repairing"
This made Astrid blush as she quickly handed the sword to Hiccup.
"Yeah, my fathers sword need some repairs before the next raid"
Hiccup gladly took the large sword with ease as he examined it.
He could see straight away what needed repairing.
The tip was slightly bent, it was starting to feel blunt as he ran his fingers carefully down the blade and for some reason, had a bite mark in the centre of it.
He looks from the sword to Astrid as he gave his signature grin.
"Was he fighting with this or was he trying to eat it?" he said jokily as Astrid just rolled her eyes as she smiled back.
"Very funny Hiccup, but for your information, it was a Gronkle that took it as a snack" she replied before sticking her tongue out as she carried on "you know how long it'll take cause I don't want to lose too much day light, I do want to practice"
Hiccup examined it once again before giving his answer.
"Well a bit of extra iron and some hammering to get it back into shape followed by a good old sharpening and polishing, I'd give or take about... thirty minutes to an hour tops"
That surprised Astrid as she remembered how long it would take Gobber to fix the weapons, even longer when Stoick tried to do it.
But before she could ask at how he could do it that quick, Hiccup was already hard at work, heating up the sword and adding the iron to the furnace as he cleaned the sword down, ready for repairing.
As soon as the iron in the furnace melted and the sword cleaned, he set the sword in the fires to heat it up as he carefully poured small amounts of molten iron to the damaged areas before bringing out the glowing sword, carefully laying it out on the anvil ready to hammer.
Astrid and Fishlegs just stared in amazement that a boy that was smaller and thinner than them could do all these things like it was second nature.
It took ten minutes to hammer out the dents and imperfections of the blade, but Hiccup only smiled as he looked at his handy work before dunking it in the water to cool it off as he stepped towards the grindstone before he started to sharpen it evenly on both sides.
Astrid and Fishlegs were so transfixed on Hiccup that they never saw Gobber and Stoick walk in until Hiccup said something.
"How was the meeting?" he asked, never taking his eye's off the sword as the other two just looked confused before turning around to see the old blacksmith and chief standing there just looking as transfixed as the two teens were.
Well mainly Stoick, Gobber knew how quick Hiccup could work, so wasn't shocked the least seeing Hiccup turn a broken sword back to normal.
"It went well lad, Spitelout still protested but that was to be expected since we jus' declared that his son was removed as heir of Berk" Gobber replied on behalf of the chief who was watching his son at work.
Hiccup shrugged as he kept focused on the sword.
"Well that is to be expected, so who's going to be the heir now, you know you need one dad"
Stoick cleared his throat as he began to speak.
"Well son, the council and I have discussed this and we would like you to be heir again"
Hiccup stopped the grindstone before putting the sword down as he sighed.
"I can't accepted it dad" he put his his hand up to stop his father from protesting "please listen, the Hooligans laws of banishment states that everything to do with the tribe shall no longer be rightfully given to the banishee, this includes the former heir, until the five year mark has past and the council is in agreements to reinstate them back in" he then looks at his father directly in his eyes.
"In other words, I can not be the heir for five years, so you must take another"
Stoick just stood there taking all this information in, but his son was right, Berk needs and Heir now in case something happened to the current chief.
But the question is who?
"But if my opinion does count, can I make a suggestion on the next heir" Hiccup asked as Stoick slowly nodded his head as all four watched him closely waiting for his answer.
It came as a shock however as he gestured to Astrid whom was even more shocked than the others.
"M-me?" he nodded at the question "y-you want me to be the heir of Berk? Why?"
Hiccup moved closer to her as he looked directly into her eyes.
"For one Astrid you are very loyal to the tribe, you put others before yourself and do what you can to bring honour to your house, you are strong willed, smart and a fierce warrior, destined to be a shield-maiden. The other is that besides the Haddock and Jorgenson clans, the Hoffersons are the third highest ranking family on the island, making it ideal"
Astrid just stood there, completely stunned for two reasons.
The first being that Hiccup speaks so highly for her to be considered heir to the tribe.
The other is because throughout the whole speech, she had been staring into Hiccup's forest green eyes, she never realized how mesmerising they truly were.
She was wondering how she missed them all these years.
Stoick meanwhile was pondering this thought his mind.
He came to the conclusion it actually made sense, he wasn't happy about his own son not being heir but that's the price for banishment.
He smiled however at his son, Hiccup made the right decision, no one could argue that Astrid would make a good chieftess.
And no one would argue the fact that because she's female that she wouldn't make a good chief, not unless they wanted to feel the wrath of Big-Boobied Bertha, cheiftess of one of the Hooligans allies, the Bog Burglars.
"And is that your finally decision son?" Stoick asked as Hiccup firmly nodded.
"Very well then, I will talk to yer father later Astrid about chieften training, and congratulations lass"
Astrid was about to speak when her mother came running in a panic looking right at her.
"Astrid, have you seen your brother?!" she said with fear in her voice.
Astrid's eyes widened, her brother is missing? She shook her hear with just as much fear in her as her mother.
"He's over there!" Fishlegs replied pointing towards the cliff edge, they all looked to see young Fern Hofferson standing dangerously near the edge.
"Fern! Get away from there!" Hella shouted hoping he'd hear it, but with the wind picking up, he couldn't, and what was worse was the wind was getting stronger, threatening to blow him off the edge, to which suddenly it did as they all watched in horror as went over.
Hella and Astrid screamed in panic, Stoick, Gobber and Fishlegs watched in horror at the whole event.
Hiccup however was way ahead and knew what would happen, he quickly grabbed a rope from the shelf, jump out of the forge window, making a lasso on one end of the rope along the way tying the other end around his waist, and ran straight for the cliff.
He throws the lassoed end of the rope around a nearby stump before jumping off the edge, straighten his body out to make himself more streamlined so he could catch up to the screaming boy.
Fern was falling fast, but Hiccup was catching up to him.
The crashing wave at the bottom were coming closer and closer to the pair.
As soon as Hiccup got closer enough to Fern, he took his opportunity and grabbed him, holding close to his body before turning his own body so that his back was the first to hit the water instead of his front which was holding Fern tightly.
He knew this was going to hurt badly but it was the only way.
Crash!
Hiccup hit the water hard, he felt the intense pain in his back, as the force of the impact shatter a few of his ribs.
But he forced himself not to pass out, he needed to hold on, he had to get this boy to safety.
Meanwhile up on the cliff, the villagers gathered around in shock and horror as they saw Hiccup jump off to rescuing the young Hofferson boy.
Risking his own life.
Everyone just looked on as Astrid and Fishlegs were pulling on the rope Hiccup used to tie onto the stump.
Upon seeing this the villagers helped pull the rope too, thus dragging Hiccup and fern out of the freezing cold water.
Once the two were safely back up on dry land, Hella took her son from Hiccup and Hugged him tightly, thanking the Gods he was alright.
Hiccup only smiled seeing mother and son reunited before allowing himself to pass out.
As soon as he did, Stoick immediately pick up his son and rushed him all the way to Gothi's, completely scared for Hiccup.
Astrid meanwhile had been comforting his little brother but looked on when Hiccup passed out.
She she had heard about what an impact on water could do to an adult, but someone of Hiccups stature was an entirely different situation.
She was worried for him as she watch the chief quickly carry Hiccups unconscious form to Gothi's.
She wanted to help him.
She wanted to make sure he pulled through.
But she paused as to how she was going to do that.
And then she remembered something, the first time Hiccup was here when he accidentally crushed his hand with his hammer, she blushed remembering his swearing.
But she also remember that foul-smelling liquid Hiccup put on his hand, it seemed to have work since the next time he came back it was as good as new, like it never got a hammer on it.
She wondered if it worked on a broken hand that it would work on Hiccups current condition.
So while everyone was heading towards Gothi's, Astrid rushed towards the forge and into Hiccup's room there.
She was sure Hiccup would have left his bag in there until he needed it.
But as she made it into his room, she spotted something that totally mesmerized her.
All the walls were covered in parchment of drawings, and good one's at that.
She saw one of a grassy hillside overlooking the village and forest in so perfect detail that it felt like she was right there.
Another of a large tree with several birds nests living in it.
There were some that weren't of what he saw but what looked like designs for strange contraptions covered in runes and numbers of measurements and even explain their purpose.
She paused at one particular one however that made her blue eyes widen in awe.
Right in front of her on his desk was a drawing of her, holding her axe over her shoulder with the ocean and a sunset clearly in the background giving herself a glow to her drawn self.
Her heart was pounding seeing how much detail he put into it that she nearly forgot about why she was there.
But as she kept looking at the ocean background, she remembered the cliff incident and why she came in here.
Prying her eyes away from the drawing, she looked around until she saw his bag on the floor.
Quickly she opened before rummaging around until she saw the green box, just like last time.
She took the whole box with her as she ran out of the room, out of the forge and straight towards Gothi's hut, dodging everyone in front of her until she made it to the door only to be stopped by Gobber.
"Woah lass, yer can' go in there"
Astrid only stared back at him with protest.
"I need to get to Hiccup"
"No lass, no one can go in there" he stated still keeping himself to the door as Astrid tried to get through which was hopeless with Gobber's large size.
Gobber only sighed as gently grabbed Astrid's shoulders and made her look at him.
"Lass listen te me, no one can go in there, Gothi's orders, Hiccup was hurt very badly from the impact and fears he may not recover..." he then looked in her hand at the green box in her hand, he recognised it as Hiccup's first aid kit, but why was it in Astrid's hands?
"Lass" he whispered sternly at her so no one else could hear "why have ye got that in yer hands?"
Astrid looked around to make sure no one else was listening as she stood on her toes to get to the blacksmiths ear as she whispered her reply back.
"There's something in here that might help Hiccup recover" Gobber pulled away to look into her eyes to see if she was lying.
Looking into her eyes however all he saw was seriousness.
Finally he gave in as he looked away "I didn' see yer go pass me lass" Astrid looked puzzled at first until a second later she got the point as she sneaked past him and into Gothi's hut where she saw something that made her cringe.
Hiccup was laying on his side, shirtless with his back to her.
She saw the back was red raw and bleeding quite a lot.
He really did take a bad impact when he fell in the water, and all to save Fern.
As she moved forward however she was halted but a staff, as she looked to the holder of it she saw a stern looking Gothi boring her eyes into the young lass.
But Astrid stood firm as she held Hiccup box up, opening it up to show her the contents, taking out the jar of the saliva Hiccup used last time and handing it to her.
Gothi took it and took one whiff of it with the strong fish smell nearly knocking her off her feet, but somehow it was familiar to her.
But where.
Suddenly she looked at the jar before quickly hobbling over toward the injured boy as she start to gently rub the saliva all over his back.
She then instructed Astrid to get her a spoon and bowl by gesture of hands.
Astrid complied and soon return back with both items at hand.
Gothi wasted no time as she poured some of the saliva into the bowl, followed by several crushed herbs before mixing the contents together and quickly sticking a glob of it into Hiccup mouth.
Even though he was unconscious, he still gave a disgusted expression as the gooey liquid slid down his throat.
Gothi, satisfied with what she had done left to inform the chief of the situation, but not before instructing Astrid to watch over him.
As she left, Astrid grabbed a nearby stool and sat next to Hiccups head watching his breathe deeply as she contemplated what had happened through all this.
His banishment, her sudden nightmares, the failed Outcast ambush, her losing her axe only to find out Hiccup had not only risked his life to save it, he even restore it to all it's glory, to him nominating her as the heir of Berk, bringing honour to her family once again and now to risking his life once again to save her little brother.
Why did it all connect between her and Hiccup so easily?
Why has fate entwined them like this?
And why was she feeling like this?
She never used to in the past, but seeing him now how much he had shown himself capable of not only fending for himself but using his own mind to his advantage.
She had to admire him for that.
But why?
But that could wait for now she only wished for Hiccup to be okay.
She sat there for a good while until tiredness caught up with her as she decided to lay her head down for a little while.
Unfortunately her nightmare plagued her once again, not as bad as they were in the past, dark figure everywhere taking women and children and killing the men.
She was so afraid that unknowingly back in the normal world, she gripped hold of Hiccups hand.
He woke up slowly seeing Astrid in some sort of nightmare if her facial expression had anything to go by.
So slowly, as not to disturb her or cause him anymore pain, he grip hold of her hand as he laid his head upon hers.
Back in her nightmares Astrid didn't know what to do until a bright light destroyed the dark figures with what looked like a dragons blast.
One by one they fell as the captured women and children we set free and the dead men came back to life as they carried on a normal as if nothing happened.
As soon as Astrid was smiling back in the real world, Hiccup looked around and surveyed where he was.
He recognized it straight away as Gothi's hut, having been here on multiple occasions.
He recalled jumping off the cliff to save young Fern, the shear pain as his back hit the water and then blacking out.
He seemed to have a strange familiar taste in his mouth and as he felt his back he felt it all sticky, as he looked at his hand to find flakes of dried blood on his hand but no pain in his back whatsoever.
As he was wondering what happened, the door opened revealing Gothi, hobbling in Followed by Gobber and Stoick as they saw him up and about which confused the two.
"Blimey lad yer up quickly, I know Gothi's the bes' at healing bu' not tha' fast" he chuckled earning a smack in the face by a disgruntled Gothi.
Stoick however was relieved that his son was okay.
"Son how do you feel?" he said wanting to hug him but thought better of it since he might bring back the pain.
Hiccup cracked his neck as he stretched his back before replying "a little sore but nothing broken" he said it so calmly that it confused the two even more.
"Son you took a nasty fall, its a miracle you're able to walk at all" Stoick said with concern.
But Hiccup shrugged it off "I actually do feel fine, thanks to Gothi here" he said gesturing to the old healer who instructed the two to go outside a second as she scribe in the dirt that she wanted to examine Hiccup further to make sure he was okay.
Confused but shrugged it off the two large Vikings headed through the door, closing it behind him.
Once she knew they were gone she gestured for hiccup to sit down as she handed him his jar back with several herb before doing something she hasn't done in over fifty years.
She whispered into his ear.
"Put this on once a day and take one spoon full with these herbs" she checked to see if Astrid was still sound asleep as she whispered something into the already stunned Hiccup's ear.
"Make sure no one knows about your Night fury lad, not yet anyway" Hiccup pulled away and looked at her completely shocked.
Not only did he hear her speak but also she know he has a Night fury.
But before he could say anything she smile and taps her nose, indicating him to keep this a secret as she hand him the jar back.
She gesture to him that he's okay to leave so he puts his shirt back on, picks up his box, putting the jar back into it and into his bag before heading out.
Unaware that Astrid was just waking up and seeing him gone.
She panicked at first until Gothi gestured to the door indicating he was outside.
Hiccup meanwhile was being bombarded by many of the villagers on his heroic rescue.
"Nice save Hiccup"
"Yer very quick on yer feet, good thing too"
"You showed bravery there lad, good on yer"
This went on for several minutes with people praising him for it.
It made a nice change to people calling him a menace.
As he made it to the village centre he was stopped by the tall figure known as Agusto Hofferson looking down at the auburn haired boy with his infamous stern look and his arms folded.
"So I heard you made my daughter the next heir of Berk,is that correct?"
Hiccup gulped before nodding quickly.
"And you were the one who jumped off the cliff to save Fern, is that also true?"
Hiccup hadn't been so terrified in his life, he had heard rumours about the Hoffersons and their infamous berserker rage, but still gave him a nod.
"Then I have one thing to say to you lad"
Hiccup was getting ready for anything he was going to be dealt.
But it never came as he was lifted of the ground and given a great big hug from the Hofferson head.
"Thank you Hiccup, you've done so much for my family without even asking for anything in return" he said before putting the stunned boy down.
"Anytime sir" he said trying to get his bearings back.
"Hiccup"
Which didn't last too long as he turned around only to find Astrid looking at him with half the village watching over both.
"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted as she ran towards him, tackling him with a hug before doing something no one ever expected, even her.
She kissed him, deeply on the lips, stunning Hiccup first, then the village then finally Astrid after she realized what she was doing.
She pulled apart from his lips and backed away slowly.
She didn't why she did that, what possessed her to do it.
She was having very mixed emotions as she did the only thing she could think of.
She ran straight through the village and into the forest.
Meanwhile Hiccup was just standing there dazed and confused at what transpired with only one sentence coming to mind.
"What in the nine realms just happened?"