Again, it's been forever…but I have for you the next chapter of Wheel! Well…I guess it's only been a little over three months. It just feels like forever. I'm glad that you all liked the last chapter because, I dunno, I didn't really, but that may be because I wrote it and I know I'm capable of writing better chapters than that. (I'm always very critical of my own writing).

Review Replies:

Forever Me: I know, right? Two massive reveals in one chapter! Can it get any better? Probably. There's definitely more to know about Valka and we'll see more about her as this arc progresses. As for why Heather didn't "recognize" Hiccup, I can tell you that she does know it is him. She's just focused. Here's the next chapter.

clank2662: Haha. Sometimes you do just need to caps lock type some words to relieve the pent-up stress. I do it all the time.

Dragonbow117: Hiccup recognized Heather and Heather likewise. They just didn't say anything—so as not to clue in Chief Valka and bring up a lot of unwanted questions. Doesn't mean that they won't "catch up" with each other sometime when Valka's not around, though. This takes place…I forget what I said in the first chapter. It's definitely before Defenders, but I think it's about mid-way through the first series (Riders).

Noctus Fury (anonymous): I hadn't actually thought that far ahead…because I think DOB was still not out yet when I started writing this story, but, since this village is at peace with dragons, then I think it's safe to say that she has her dragon from DOB. Yeah, Valka's got…quite a story in this fic…as we'll start to find out. As a side-note, I started planning out this story before HTTYD 2, so the story's gonna kinda reflect that…especially in this arc.

AutomailGrell: Well, unfortunately, it has been awhile again since the last update. Yeah, I planned for it to be Valka all along. The big reveal was pretty fun.

Stylin80: It's really been that long since I started writing this story?! Oh my gods, it has almost been two years! When did that happen? (I keep forgetting about this story too, actually…) Glad you enjoy it!


Chapter 34: Moving Forward

"…I don't think searching for Hiccup is going to help anymore. We'll only find something we don't want to see. Instead, it's probably best—as hard as it is for us all to think of doing so—to instead turn our attention to building a ship for Valhalla and finding a new heir for Berk…"

Even days later, the Chief's words still echoed in the back of Astrid's mind. He's just giving up…just like that. How can he? I know Hiccup's still alive. I can just sense it. Hiccup wouldn't just die. He'd fight his way back to Berk. I mean…he survived the battle of the Red Death…even when many feared that he wouldn't make it. Hiccup's a survivor.

Astrid did not want to leave her house. Today's schedule was the same as the last several days—building the ship that they would send to Valhalla for Hiccup. Not a task that Astrid wanted to help with, but when Chief Stoick orders you to do something, you do it. That's the way things have always been in Berk…and it wouldn't be changing any time soon.

Reluctantly, Astrid changed into her clothing and prepared herself for another long day. The longboat that was being built to honor Hiccup was almost complete. Tonight at sundown, they would complete the send-off ceremony. Still, it felt like blasphemy. How could they send an empty ship out to the Gods of Valhalla?

Dragging herself out of the house, Astrid slowly made her way to the docks where a group of dedicated Vikings (led by Chief Stoick himself) were already gathered and working on adding the finishing touches to the longboat. Tools lay scattered upon the dock and Astrid walked silently over to grab a hammer. She had been working on nailing wooden boards together. The Chief had appointed her for the job because he had known about her pent-up aggravation and this job gave her an opportunity to hit and pound out those feelings.

Taking one last glance skyward, Astrid stepped up to her assigned area of the ship and began another long day of driving nails deeper into the wood. She was well-past the belief that she would look up and see Hiccup and Toothless, but it didn't hurt to check one last time.

Throughout the day, Vikings came and went, taking shifts helping the building process and then returning home or to the mead hall or wherever they went to after leaving the docks. Yet, Astrid stayed. What else did she have to do anyway? Normally, she'd race Hiccup and Toothless or be down at the Academy helping to educate the next class of young dragon riders. What did it matter now anyway?

The sun was approaching the horizon when Stoick the Vast officially declared that the ship was complete. With his word, the remaining working Vikings stepped back from the vessel and returned their tools to the dock.

Discreetly wiping a stray tear from his eye (which he would later attribute to the dust from building the ship), Chief Stoick turned to several of the nearby burly Vikings. "Load the ship," he ordered, his voice thick with grief.

While the ship was to be loaded, the working Vikings would take a short break. Astrid wished she could relax, but that was not possible. When she tried to ease her mind, her thoughts reminded her that she, along with the rest of her friends would join Gobber and Stoick to shoot the fire-tipped arrows to ignite the ship. Her eyes strayed to the quiver of arrows sitting upright among the gold and valuables that would be loaded aboard the ship. Seven arrows. One for each of the shooters. Within the hour, she would stand upon the dock and let one of these very arrows fly from her bow. She did not want to do it…but she had no choice.

888

The loading of the ship was completed just before the sun reached the horizon. It was time. Astrid solemnly took her place in line with her friends as Gobber distributed bows to the teenagers and the chief before taking one himself. Stoick stepped forward first to ignite his arrow's tip on a torch carried by one of the gathered Berk Vikings.

Silently, the Chief raised his bow, drew back and released. His arrow hit the dry wood on the deck of the ship and, even from the dock, everyone could see the flames begin to rise up, ready to consume the longboat.

Stoick stepped aside and Astrid knew it was her turn; she could sense the others staring at her, waiting. Astrid stepped forward and touched the tip of her arrow to the flame of the torch. This moment, Astrid was sure she had seen this in one of the night terrors that occasionally plagued her sleep. The difference, however, was that she couldn't wake up from this. This is really happening.

As Stoick had just done, Astrid lined up, aimed for her target and reluctantly let the arrow fly. When she was finished, Astrid tossed the bow aside and made her way to the end of the line. Unlike Stoick, she let her walls down. Her fierce shieldmaiden exterior disappeared and she allowed herself to cry. Just this once. She still wanted to believe that Hiccup was alive, but that was hard when she stared out at the fires rising on his ship to Valhalla.

The others continued to shoot their own arrows out to the burning ship, but Astrid no longer paid any attention. She cried for the past, thinking how she had treated Hiccup just as badly as all the others in Berk. Why had she acted that way anyway? She had not cared one way or the other about Hiccup…well, until he started to best her in training. She cried for the present, mourning with all the others gathered at the sending-off ritual. She cried for the future, the future that would never exist if Hiccup was actually gone.

While Astrid allowed herself to cry, the others finished shooting off their fiery arrows and everyone stared out in silence as the burning ship approached the edge of their line of sight. Soon, the empty ship would enter Valhalla and Berk would begin to move on…all except Astrid. She supposed that someday she would move on, but that would not be for a good long while.

Even after the ship drifted from sight, the smoke and the light of the flames was still visible. "May the Valkyries guide you home, young warrior Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, former heir to the chiefdom of Berk," Gobber spoke softly. All around, there were echoes of "May the Valkyries guide you home" from the other gathered Vikings.

Swiping a thick arm across his eyes, Stoick straightened and turned to face his people. "Hiccup would not want us to stand here mourning him," he began. "So, I invite you all to a feast in the Great Hall. At the feast, we will celebrate the life of Hiccup and rejoice as he feasts at the banquet table with the Gods in Valhalla."

The others began to make their way to the Great Hall, but Astrid lingered on the docks. Her fists balled tightly at her sides, she stared out at the area of smoke and faded light. Setting her jaw, she played through possibilities in her mind. What do I do now? Do I just give up this hope like the Chief wants? Is it like he said? Is it worth continuing to search?

"Astrid?"

It was but a whisper, but Astrid's trained ears still caught the soft sound of her name. She whipped around to come face-to-face with Ruffnut. "What?"

Ruffnut took a step closer. "Aren't you coming to that feast? Y'know…to honor the life of Hiccup and all that?"

Astrid sighed, knowing that others would notice if she did not make an appearance at the feast. "Yeah, I'm coming."

"Come on, then. I'll walk with you."

Astrid took one final glance out at the illuminated waters before turning to walk side-by-side with Ruffnut towards the Great Hall. Ruffnut tried to lighten the mood by making conversation, but the attempt fell flat as Astrid walked without listening.

"I hear that the Chief is going to announce the new heir tonight," Ruffnut spoke up, catching Astrid's attention. "Who do you think he's going to choose?"

Shrugging, Astrid pushed ahead, walking faster until she made it to the Great Hall. Even with the large doors closed, Astrid could still hear the sounds of wooden utensils hitting against wooden platters. The feast had already begun. It was difficult to enter discreetly when opening the large doors, but Astrid did her best. Not that anyone would've noticed anyway; the Vikings had already broken into their mead storage. Astrid frowned. This is someone's life we're supposed to be celebrating…and yet, they act like we just returned victorious from battle. Laughing and cheering. Do they even care at all about Hiccup?

Finding her friends, Astrid silently took an empty seat with the group. Set on the table in front of her were bowls of food prepared specially for tonight's feast. The food did look tasty, but Astrid couldn't bring herself to eat. Instead, she ran one of her wooden utensils across the wooden platter in front of her and watched her friends eat greedily. Nope, they really don't care at all about Hiccup.

888

Later on in the evening, once the gathered Vikings had their third or fourth servings of food and were on whatever round of mead, Chief Stoick stepped forward and called for attention. It took several tries for Stoick to finally get the Vikings in the hall to quiet down and listen, but that was to be expected; this happened every time mead was served.

"Good evening," Stoick began. "Tonight's feast, as you all know, is in honor of my son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. Tonight, we celebrate his life and his entry into Valhalla."

Astrid stopped listening, turning back to her empty wooden platter. She did not want to sit and hear the chief praise his son, the son whom he was convinced had perished on his latest quest. Hiccup didn't want to leave Berk. He didn't want to go on this quest alone. He was right to be concerned.

Stoick opened the floor to the gathered Vikings to allow them to stand and share a memory or thought about Hiccup. Astrid could feel the eyes on her, waiting for her to speak, but she would not. How could she speak that way of someone that she did not believe to be dead?

Several Vikings stepped up to share kind words and memories of Hiccup. Astrid barely listened; the remarks all sounded so false to her. Until a few years ago when Hiccup all-but single-handedly ended the 300-year war between Vikings and dragons, no one on Berk had anything nice to say about the boy.

When it seemed that no other Vikings had any other words or memories of Hiccup to share, Stoick again stepped forward. "As my son, Hiccup's role within the village was important. He was the heir to the chiefdom of Berk. I proudly bestowed this title upon him and now, with his entry into Valhalla, I must again stand before you and present to you the next heir to the chiefdom of Berk."

Murmurs rose among the quieted Vikings. Who would be the next heir? Stoick had kept the information hushed, changing the subject when anyone would ask. Bets had already been made and many were predicting that Stoick (as he had no other children to name as heir) would choose Astrid Hofferson. Again, Astrid could feel their eyes staring her down. She did not want to be heir; Hiccup would've made a fantastic chief.

Stoick took a deep breath and Astrid, even though she was not facing the center of the hall, could hear many Vikings shift in anticipation. "The next heir to the chiefdom of Berk is…"


This chapter was already getting to be fairly long. You're welcome, by the way. Seriously, though, this story wouldn't be Wheel without a cliffhanger; y'all know that by now. Haha. So…who do you think Stoick chose as heir? I'm interested to hear your thoughts! (The answer will be revealed in the next Astrid chapter).

Coming Up Next: Hiccup seeks answers. Heather and Valka will provide him those answers…well…maybe…

Thank you all for reading and supporting Wheel in the Sky!

Posted: December 1, 2015