XXX
Hiccup
It was a long hard flight back to Berk and by the time they returned it was well into the night and all of them were exhausted. The others quickly retreated to their houses after a quick good night. Astrid lingered a while longer and after some serious convincing I got her to go home and then I trudged back to my house with Toothless tailing me complaining of his sore wings. The town was quiet and dark while walking through but the air was very tense and it seemed as if something serious was about to happen here. I hoped it was only the oncoming battle with the Romans and dragons and not anything else.
His house was the only one lit, if ever so slightly. Only a single candle light came from the window and it made him wonder who was still awake at this hour. He simply sighed and continued to walk up to the house and then opened the door as quietly as possible. He snuck in with Toothless trailing him and shut it as easily as he could. The candle sat in the window so maybe no one was awake after all.
"Hiccup." a stern voice said.
I turned to see my father standing there with a light in his hand and his face was changing emotions so fast it was hard to get a read. He set the candle down and then I realized that the look was of anger and I braced myself for the coming storm. I shut my eyes waiting for his yells but they never came, instead I was lifted up and crushed by one of his rare hugs. Surprise was the biggest thing going on through his head and he wondered why on earth he was doing this. His father put him down and a smile dashed across his face along with the biggest look of relief as well.
"Dad good to see you." I said awkwardly.
"I was beginning to think yo wouldn't come back again." he admitted.
"Don't worry I intend to see my promise through first."
"Now tell me why you never mentioned your mother was alive." he said sternly.
I flinched and wondered how he knew about that unless she came back for some reason. She always said that she would never return to Berk not unless I told her that she was needed. I never saw the purpose of her going back so I never told her to.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"She showed up two days ago riding a dragon and we almost shot her down if I didn't recognize her. She said she was her for you and no other reason. Why would that be?"
"Well to be honest I met her a few years back and I was surprised too but then she left and I thought that this time she had actually died. Why did she come back?"
"She said it was for you but if you want a straight answer ask her yourself. I have war preparations and a meeting to attend."
He brushed past me clearly angry and stormed out of the house slamming the door behind him. The house was quiet after that and I went up to my room and collapsed onto my be exhausted after such a long day. Not wasting a moment I quickly pulled the sheets and let sleep take hold.
The next morning was quiet a busy one with hundreds running to and from moving various things from food to weapons. I never saw my father but he was most likely busy running everything and the way he was last night it was probably best to keep away from him. I kept Toothless in the house for a while as many would still be jumpy at the sight of a dragon and I didn't want any accidents to happen.
He complained but I told him it was for the best, I meant to find out what was happening in the village. I knew who exactly to talk to, so I went over to the forge. Once close enough I could hear the bang of hammer on metal and I knew Gobber was hard at work. The forge was hot and various weapons were lying around and Gobber himself was over at the anvil hammering a sword into shape. He was covered in soot and ash, and was sweating heavily at the heat of the fire.
He was singing something and took the sword and plunged it into the water and a huge hiss and steam rose. He set the sword aside and strode over to get more metal and that's when I seized my chance.
"Gobber!" I yelled.
He looked up, "Hiccup, good to see you lad! What can I do for ya?"
"Well you can start by telling me what is going on?"
His face soured slightly and then he turned his attention back to his work before answering.
"Alvin and his Outcasts came in and stole all our food and tools, then killed a few guards to escape. Dagur then showed up saying he escaped a huge fleet and asked for refuge."
"He escaped the Romans, impressive even for him. I needed dragons to get away."
"He sits out off the coast where the Outcasts have made camp. We don't have the supplies to go after them if they are planning something. I don't think they fully realize what's coming."
"Well then how can I help?"
"You can start by getting your mother out of the arena and back in the village to calm your father down. Then you and your friends can go burn Alvin and Dagur to the ground."
I was a little shocked at the viciousness but then again very little had changed so far. It made sense that his mother was staying away as she didn't trust anyone in the village anymore. I hope that I could repair the relationship before its too late. With the Outcasts and Dagur so close the Romans would have to wait. It tore at me to divert my attention away from something far more important but if this could be dealt with quickly then all the better.
I left Gobber to work and then went and got Toothless and let him out of the house. I had to warn him to not eat anything or attack anyone that gave him the wrong look. Once he agreed we left and made our way through town to get to the arena and got a good number of dirty looks but no one said anything. Just as we were about to get out of town one man stopped me and stared at me before saying anything.
"You are a dirty dragon loving whore. If your father weren't chief I would've hung you and burnt your shit body. I bet when your alone you let him fuck you too." he said.
Toothless growled but I stopped him from pouncing on the man and I simply held his gaze for a minute.
"You should be grateful I didn't burn this place to the ground when I came back."
I brushed past him with Toothless in tow and he murmured something that only a dragon could hear.
"You better watch your back dragon fucker. You may have beat Snot but it isn't over."
I walked the rest of the way to the arena mad and frustrated that these people still didn't trust me and after everything that I've done and tried to do for them. The arena itself looked like it hadn't been used in weeks but I knew better. Cloudjumper was sitting along the edge ready to strike at whoever came through the gates but upon seeing me he hesitated and then rushed over happy to see me.
"Hey Cloudjumper been a while hasn't it?"
"Its been too long Hiccup. I worried we might never see you again. I fought your mother over leaving but she said it was for the best." he said.
"Where is she by the way?"
"She went into town to gather some food but she should be back soon. Why did you come, didn't you just get back after being captured again?"
"Yeah but my dad yelled at me and I talked to Gobber and this is the first step I need to take in order to get this island back and ready for the coming storm."
"Tis true we arrived the night the Outcasts raided and when trying to stay in town they almost killed us both if your father hadn't intervened. He may be angry but I could still feel the inbounding love for her deep inside his mind."
"Its going to take a boulder to the head to get it out. He's so caught up with everything he won't give a whole deal of attention to her. First though I need to get her to come back and live in the village if there is even going to be a remote possibility of that happening."
He nodded and then I proceeded to remember all the memories and mishaps that happened in the arena all those years ago. It was one of the last times he has a memory of his father smiling at him before the anger took him over. It may have faded since his return but it was still there and with everything that was happening it was coming back in force.
"Hiccup?" a voice said.
I whipped around and my mother was standing there with a few bags and a surprised look on her face. I smiled and she dropped one of the bags onto the ground and ran over and enveloped me in a huge hug. I smiled again and hugged her back with great enthusiasm in the fact that she was back again and this time he would make it for good.
"Hey mom I heard you were back." I joked.
She pulled back and simply smiled and went back to get the things she had dropped onto the ground.
"I came back for you. That girl of yours she was very concerned about you and I had hoped she would bring you back and she did. She's a real catch."
"What? You talked to Astrid before she rescued me. How?"
"She landed on a island just south of the fleet and I saw what happened and I knew it was time for me to come back. You need me, and so does she. I was lucky to cross them on their mission to get you."
"If you intend to stay, why here?"
She didn't say anything but her face twisted in sadness and I knew I had touched upon something she really didn't want to talk about but I if I was to get anywhere than I couldn't be sensitive.
"I thought it would be best if I stayed mostly out of the way." she explained.
"You know dad isn't to happy about this arrangement. He'd rather have you back at home, dragon and all."
She looked up at me and there was a gleam in her eye and I knew I had caught her attention and I couldn't back out now.
"He really does care and I know he is capable of accepting how you are. He did with me, and I know he loves you far more than me."
She smiled slightly and I knew I was on the right track I just needed to seal the deal.
"I would love for us to be a family again, like we should have been before fate got in the way." I said.
She pulled me in for a hug and a fear tears streaked her far and I knew I had her and while this was to help others I couldn't help but feel happy. I was finally getting the family I had always wanted and now to make things the best would be to talk to Astrid about where we stood. So much has happened over the last few days we hadn't had a chance alone with each other to talk things out. So that was my new goal and I hoped to solve it quickly.
"You run along I'll be moved out by this evening, don't you worry. I don't have much to move anyway." she said.
I nodded and left in a much happier mood than I was before and walked through the village with a hop in my step. I saw Gobber working in his forge and decided to pays visit to the old stomping grounds before I went to find Astrid. Gobber was sharpening a sword when I entered and he had a rather large smile on his face.
"Work things out with your ma I think?" he said.
"Yeah, she'll be moving into the house later today. I finally get the family I wanted, and it only took all of this." I said motioning to myself.
"You just pointed at all of you."
"Exactly."
"Well I sure could use your help in the forge with some of your plans you have in mind. Might I ask where these came from?" he said.
"I learned these on my travels and my many run ins with the Romans. You tend to learn a thing or two when you are constantly getting captured." I joked.
"And your leg, how'd ya manage that?"
"A lot of scrap iron and a great deal of time."
"Well whenever you fell like putting in some real work you're always welcome here, especially with them Romans bearing down."
I smiled and left him to his work and I realized that a lot of my plans would require expert metal work to which only I or Gobber could do. I had hoped to get those started soon as they were very delicate and would take a long time to make which we did not have. I would have to begin work tomorrow as I saw Astrid enter the Great Hall and I followed her in. She was simply eating by herself with a blank face and I smiled. I snuck in and made sure she didn't see me enter.
I then went around behind her and slowly I crept up on here trying not to make any noise. I then blinded her with my hands and she gasped in surprise and I smiled to myself.
"Guess who?" I asked.
"I don't know, Fishlegs." she said.
"Seriously, its not that hard."
I pulled my hands away and came around to see her smiling and I laughed lightly. I sat down next to her and she resumed her meal with silence between us as I tried to think of what to say to her.
XXX
Astrid
I was a little embarrassed that I allowed Hiccup to sneak up on me like that but I thought it was cute and let it slide. I was currently sitting eating my meal with a silent Hiccup right next to me with a troubled look on his face. I smiled internally at his apparent discomfort and inability to speak to me which I could only assume was about something serious.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" I asked.
"Yeah…yeah. I, um, wanted to talk about us."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean where we stand, are we friends, or something more?" he asked.
That made me freeze as I didn't know how to respond and I set the cup I was holding down. I looked at him and he was searching deeply hoping for a response.
"Can we take this outside?" I asked.
"Sure."
He got up and walked out of the hall and I quickly finished my meal and then followed him outside. He was waiting by one of the houses and I rushed over to him and he smiled at me and I quickly embraced him in a hug.
"Do you think were more than friends?" I asked.
"I had hoped that we were. I mean I finally got my mother back and if I could get the girl of my dreams that would make life perfect." he said.
I felt touched by how he talked about me and I just knew that this was right. After years of ridicule and scorn he had found his one. Also for me I had finally realized that the one person I had been searching for was here the whole time. I grabbed him by the collar and kissed him roughly and he was caught off guard. After a few moments I felt him return the kiss and I pulled back and looked into his eyes, which were a deep green. They are eyes that I would never forget nor get over in an instant.
"Does that answer your question?" I asked.
"I don't know I think I need a little more assurance."
He pulled me in and this time neither one of us was surprised nor was it fought but it was delicate and full of emotion. Emotion that had been building for years and was finally coming out and being returned fully. Then things began to get heated. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth and it turned into full on passion as his hands began to roam. Everywhere that went my skin was on fire. I had one hand on his collar keeping him trapped and the other running through his hair.
His hands began to lift the bottom of my shirt ever so slightly and I knew that we had to stop as we were out in public. I pulled back and we we're both breathing heavily and Hiccup's eyes were extremely dilated and he had a slightly confused face.
"Why did you stop?" he asked in a husky voice.
"Were outside, in the middle of the village. If you really want things to go further then you're going to have to work out a few details." I said.
"You mean marriage?" he asked totally confused.
"Yes, dipshit, marriage. My parents won't take me hooking up with the chief's son if were not engaged and I highly doubt your parents will approve either."
"Yeah I guess you're right. So later then and we're official now?"
"Yes dumbass. It sure does take a lot to get this into your brain."
He laughed and I smiled and he gave me one last kiss before going and I had to say I had never felt more satisfied before in my life. I slowly walked back to my home with everything that just happened on my mind which made the walk too short. I entered the house and found only my mother home and I just walked past her to get to my room.
"Astrid are you okay?" she asked.
"Just great."
XXX
Unknown
The fleet was beginning to take to the sea for the forward scouting mission. He and sent them out as his force was still repairing and would need more time than he predicted. The dragon queen would take these forces and attack Berk and bleed them out and hopefully his force would be ready to make the final blow and end this war once and for all. He watched from the beach as a fourth of his strength was going out to sea and the huge dragon queen loomed over them with her army.
She roared and the sky shook and she and her arm began the several day flight to Berk. His fleet would be a little behind but she intended to pick up as many dragons along the way as possible so the speed in which the fleet would move served her purposes. He hoped that she would be killed in the fighting so he would no longer have to deal with her ridiculous demands.
"Sir, the fleet reports all ships manned and are setting sail."
"Good, tell them we will follow within the next week. All ships will converge on Berk and surround the island. Make sure nothing gets away."
"Yes sir."
The man ran off and the commander sighed at the coming battle. It would be one for the history books and he was going to be the victor. Even if that meant killing every last person on that island.
Sorry about the wait in between updates I hope to get the next few chapters up. They will be shorter as we gear up for the final battle and don't worry there will be plenty of Astrid and Hiccup scenes during these chapters. Right now the final battle looks to be two long chapters followed by two epilogue chapters so there will be plenty on content at the end. Now that's at the current standing, the last few chapters could very well be longer so don't get too upset. Now I've started a modern version of Hiccup and Astrid titled Dragons and High School so if you would give it a look and tell me what you think I would appreciate it. Enjoy and review. -starwarswiz