Heather's discovery had come as quite the shock, and his first question was 'what do I do?' As this wasn't a problem he had on a normal basis. Then he asked, 'why would they be coming?' Given his last experience with Dagur, it probably wasn't a friendly visit.

After he left the docks, he decided to go to the dragon arena. He had to find out how capable they were to defend themselves first!

Fishlegs was almost always in the arena, studying the dragons. No one blamed him, someone had to do it, after all. Hiccup came in just as Fishlegs began to do his weekly cleaning of his Gronkle. "Oh, hey Hiccup. You okay?"

The merman panted heavily as he had attempted to run the entire distance. Attempted, as in he stumbled and fell quite a few times. Dumb legs. Still, he needed to learn to run. Who knew when it would come in handy?

"I'm fine," he waved, catching his breath. "I just need to ask a quick question."

"Shoot." The boy answered, scrubbing Meatlug with a thick brush.

"In the event of...oh, say a raid, how many dragons are trained to defend the village?"

"Well, really Hiccup, the better question is, how many dragons have riders that could instruct them?"

"Okay, how many dragons have riders?"

"Well, there's Toothless, of course. And then Meatlug, Stormfly, the Twins' Zippleback, and Hookfang."

"Hookfang?"

"That's what Snotlout decided to name his Monstrous Nightmare, though, I don't know if we should count that one, since it doesn't listen to him...like at all."

"So four."

"Yeah, just about."

"What about when...that raid happened last winter? How many dragons followed Toothless?"

"Well, a good handful I think. Meatlug and I rode out, as well as the twins and Snotlout. Besides that, well...maybe ten? And out of those, most left partway through the battle. The dragons are smart, and they aren't going to risk their safety."

"Not if they don't have something to protect. And that's the problem. If more people trained dragons, they would be more willing to fight with us."

"Is there something wrong?" Fishlegs asked, concerned.

Hiccup didn't answer right away, as he thought. Then he said, "Maybe, don't worry about it."

"What does that mean?" The boy asked. But Hiccup wasn't listening, he was leaving the arena in a hurry, quick to go back to the village.

He wasn't used to running, and he was awful at it, to boot. His foot caught on rocks and grooves too many times, and his hands filled up with cuts and bruises. But with a stumbling step, he came to the armory and pried the doors open. His eyes scanned the walls, landing on the numerous empty slots. It didn't look like the village had enough weapons to arm themselves.

"Whatcha doing there, laddie?"

Hiccup turned quickly to see Gobber standing in the doorway. "Taking inventory," he replied.

"Ah well, you see we have a lot of things missing."

"Yes, I know." The boy stated.

"The dragon training…and well other attacks…"

"Gobber, you're the blacksmith! What have you been doing all this time?"

"Chief had me taking care of you, if you hadn't noticed! I made ramps all over the village for your wheelchair. Then you had to grow legs and make all my work worth nothing! Do you know how aggravating that is!?"

Hiccup walked back to the door and looked out around the island. Indeed, there were ramps that made the village more accessible.

Hiccup sighed. "I'm sorry Gobber, I shouldn't have snapped at you. Thank you for all your hard work."

"What were you taking inventory for, anyway?"

Hiccup didn't answer, only simpered in reply. He stepped up to the old goat and planted a wet kiss on the man's lips. Startled at Hiccup's behavior, he was speechless. Hiccup then drew his fingers to his lips and whistled low and long. The Nightfury appeared in a moment, and in the next they were gone.

Gobber wiped the spittle from his mouth, then muttered, "Mermaids."

—

He wanted to be sure. There was a slight chance that the ships the mermaids saw were only a handful. After all, Heather never said how many there were. If there were only a few, then chances were, Berk would be able to take them. Maybe, on the lesser, but still possible side, they were coming in peace.

But with Dagur, that wasn't very likely.

Out on the distant horizon, a black cloud formed on the water, looking like a large monster. "What is that?" Hiccup mumbled to himself. Toothless sped on, sensing his rider's unease. The cloud on the water came into view, and both boy and dragon pulled up short.

Ships. Hundreds and hundreds. Some sailed with the Berserker insignia, and others bore foreign sails. There had to be at least a thousand, maybe even more. He could hear the hard beatings of the drums in between his heart beats as the warriors stroked on. Storm clouds followed in their wake.

"We're all going to…die…" Hiccup whispered to himself. There was no way Berk would survive this. The village would be burned to the ground by time the last ships even made it to shore. There weren't enough weapons, not enough dragons…not even enough ships to flee on. Not enough time to train, to make more weapons. Nothing. It would take a miracle, an army that they didn't have! But it was hopeless, completely and totally—…

Wait.

An army.

It could work. It had to work.

"Let's go back bud." He patted the dragon's mane. Toothless whined in uncertainty, but flew back to Berk all the same. While the ships fell away, a plan was tumbling through the keen boy's head. He steeled his jaw and planned what he would do.

It would hurt. It would be awful and agonizing, but it had to be done. For the sake of everyone else, he would sacrifice.

Toothless landed back at the town square, and immediately, Hiccup was off. He headed to the forge, before being stopped by Stoick.

"Son, what's all this about counting and kissing?" He laughed. "Something wrong?"

Again, he didn't answer, but he kissed his father's lips swiftly before cutting away. Truth be told, he was doing this so they wouldn't be hypnotized by the mermaids, now they were allies. They had to stay safe.

"I'm telling you," Gobber said, siding up to the man. "He's acting strange."

"Eh, he's always acting strange." The chief countered. "I didn't know he was so affectionate." He touched his mouth.

"You should have seen him and Astrid this morning when they woke up. All cuddly, like newly-weds."

"Ey, well, I guess that's what happens when you let your kid sneak out at night."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Nah. If she gets pregnant, I'll only be happy. They're basically engaged, it'll be fine."

"I suppose so."

Stoick was still looking at Hiccup as he hurried into the forge. "Though, I think you're right. I think he knows something he's not telling us."

"He always knows something we don't. The only problem is when he should tell us, and decides otherwise."

"Like what?"

"That he could become human, for example. And, oh, the fact he was your son."

"I see what you mean." The chief rubbed his face. "Whatever it is, we'll find out sooner or later."

"I'm really hoping for sooner."

—

Astrid was waiting for him in the forge. "Hey, haven't seen you all day."

Now it was time to put part one of his plan into place. This was probably the hardest part, too. He picked his words carefully. He glanced up, sneered, and replied bitterly, "busy."

The blonde picked up on it immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He lied, going into his room.

She stood outside his door. "Yeah, that's a lie."

"Why don't you mind your own damn business, woman!" He barked back.

"Woman!?" No one spoke to her like that. Not even he would would get away with it. She pushed the curtain away, stormed in, spun him around, and punched him in the face. "Say that to me again, and I'll knock a couple teeth out."

"You punch like a girl." He wiped his nose. "Without warning, and cowardly."

Her nostrils flared in irritation "How's this for cowardly?!" And she socked him again, in the eye. "Knock it off! If you're in a bad mood, then talk to me! Don't just insult me!"

He shrugged away from her, and packed away some items. She wasn't paying attention to his actions, just his words. "And why the Hel would I want to talk to you?"

"Well, you never had the problem before!" She exasperated.

"Yeah, but that was before."

"Before what?"

"You know, when I needed you."

Her shoulders dropped, ever so slightly as she felt herself being knocked off her pedestal. "What…what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't need you anymore." He shouldered his pack and brushed passed her. "Excuse me."

She was frozen in place as his words stung her deep. Her lips quivered, though she couldn't tell if it was anguish or fury. She stormed out behind him. "Hold on, just one moment." Her voice trembled. "What?"

"Are you stupid or something?" He taunted. "I don't need you anymore. I got what I came for."

Astrid inhaled sharply as she raised her fist.

Hiccup saw it, and grabbed her wrist. "Don't you dare raise your hand against me. I'm the Heir of Berk." He sneered.

Her eyes widened in sudden clarity. "You—you used me…"

"It finally figured it out." He threw her arm down. "It does have a brain." He mocked.

"I don't—I don't understand. I thought you loved me…"

"Did I say that?" He asked, continuing on.

"You—…" No, he hadn't. Not directly to her. When he had said it, he was talking to Stoick, and he said it casually. "You! YOU FILTHY BASTARD!" She screamed at him.

He ignored her, and continued down to the docks.

"So what? Was this all pretending? Did you have this planned the entire time?!"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I was just a tool."

"You said it."

She wanted to hit him again, but it really wouldn't do any good. "So why now? Why are you telling me this now?"

"Well, I was going to wait for our wedding night, but we're already engaged. Without a good excuse, you're basically stuck with me."

By this time they had made their way down to the dock. "You really don't care about me at all?" She choked.

"Why would I? You're bossy and annoying. You're emotionally unstable…it's no wonder you don't have any friends."

"I had you." She sobbed. "I thought that was enough."

"Well, that kind of sucks, doesn't it?"

"Why are you doing this?" She wiped her stubborn tears.

"You're mildly intelligent, I'm sure you can figure it out."

She fumed. "If you just pretended to care about me, just to take your place as heir, to take advantage me, then you—you can go right back where you came from! Gods! You—!" Her whole body shook. "You monster!"

Hiccup dropped his baggage on the wooden dock and looked at her. "Do you hate me?"

"Yes! Gods dammit! I hate you!" She hugged herself and screamed. "I HATE YOU!"

"That's all I needed to hear," he said softly.

She looked up and met his face, calm, cold, and expressionless. He spared her a smile before he removed his shirt.

"What are you—…?" She didn't finish her question as he took off his prothesis and withdrew his fake fin from his bag. Her anger vanished almost instantly. "Hiccup…"

"I'm sorry it ended like this, Astrid." Then without another word, he leapt into the water.

Astrid sprinted to the end of the dock and scanned the depths for his figure, but he was nowhere to be found. Her eyes stung with tears, then her hand throbbed with an unforgiving pain. Upon observation, the cut from so long ago had reopened, and blood spilled from her hand, like the tears that cascaded down her cheeks.

The bond was broken.

A little ways out, he surfaced, his hair plastered to his freckled forehead. Their eyes met, and words went unsaid. He turned and dove back underwater. His tail flicked out once more, and then he was gone.

"HICCUP!"

Hiccup...

For hours, she knelt and the end of that dock. She prayed to every god that he would come back. Her voice was raw from her cries, and her eyes were bloodshot from the tears. But still, they came. Villagers heard her mourning and checked on her. When they saw his prothetic left behind and heard his name, they left her to her sorrow.

It was only at nightfall when Astrid had the resolve to go home. Each step was staggering, and her body was exhausted. Her hand still bled.

The door to the chief's home closed with a soft 'clack' and Stoick raised his head. He knew, as all father do, exactly what happened.

She smiled somberly. "He's gone again. We've…We should get a leash for him."

Stoick stood, seeing the blood from her hand, and went to get a bandage. The girl sat near the fire, watching the flames lick the cast iron. She didn't want to think. She couldn't. She was spend.

"Here, give me your hand, lass." Stoick offered, sitting next to her. She didn't even hear him approach.

She held out her hand, and let him tend to her, though she couldn't care less.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Probably. Maybe. Possibly…" She sniveled miserable. "No. Absolutely not."

Stoick cocooned her in his strong broad arms. "It's okay Astrid…"

"Why did I have to say that?" She whispered, mostly to herself. "I said I hated him. I didn't mean it, but I said it anyway."

"I'm sure he knows."

"He said it was all a lie. He never loved me. I was just…a tool, so he could get the position of heir back."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It hurt so badly."

"I'm sure it did."

She pulled away and looked her guardian in the eyes. "He broke my heart."

The great man simpered. "As far as I remember, he also fixed it."

"That doesn't matter now. He was just using me." She rubbed her face angrily. "Why? Why did he say all that?! It was like he wanted me to—…" She looked at her hand. "Break the bond. That has to be it."

"He knows something we don't…" Stoick whispered.

"What?"

"There's something that we're missing. Something that he doesn't want us to know right now. Oh Astrid, I'm sure he'll apologize and beg forgiveness the moment he gets back. You'll see."

"But what if he doesn't come back?"

"He will. Because he loves you. I know he does."

She sniffed. "I…Okay. I'll trust you."

"Don't trust me, trust him."

She nodded.

"Now go get some rest, you look exhausted."

She stood and went to the stair case, but looked back on final time. "Stoick?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you…for everything."

"You're welcome, dear."

—

Exhausted as she was, the young girl could not sleep. The argument kept tumbling around in her head. Things she should have said, things she shouldn't have. Her knuckles hurt from her punch, but not as much as her heart from his words.

That's why you don't have any friends.

I don't need you anymore.

Why the Hel would I want to talk to you?

He really pulled all the punches. He knew exactly what it took to get her to hate him. He knew her. He knew her weaknesses. It was frightening. The thing that kept bothering her, was why. What caused this?

"Astrid!" Stoick suddenly called from outside. "Lass, get down here! Quick!"

Wearily, she stood. It had to be somewhere in the middle of the night. She staggered down the stairs and outside.

At the scene, she was instantly awake. Finally, everything made sense.

The bay was on fire.

Gobber hobbled up the steps to the house.

"Any idea what's going on?" The chief asked.

"It's a Berserker fleet, looked like it was a sneak attack."

"But…?"

Gobber simpered. "Mermaids."

Now that he said it, she could hear the distant screams of terror and fright, the inhuman shrieks of the devils snatching victims from safety and plunging them to the depths below. It was a massive slaughter, and Hiccup was responsible for it.

"Good thing too," Gobber continued. "We never would have been able to hold our own. We should tie Snotlout to an anchor and give him to them as a thank you."

Astrid trained her eyes to the fire. He must have cared about Berk enough to protect it.

She spoke aloud, "He was home."

The village watched in silence as tragedy befell on their doorstep.