All characters belong to Dreamworks
Up on deck Astrid was relieved to see that none of the men Hiccup had attacked were fatally wounded. Fishlegs and the twins landed on either side of the boat just as Dagur emerged from the hull, Snotlout following with the second axe in hand.
Hiccup addressed the Berserkers, "This fight is between Astrid and your leader alone. Should anyone try to assist or intervene, the stern of this ship is going to combust." The Berserkers looked to one another confused and Hiccup sighed, "That dragon," he said pointing at Hookfang, "will set the back of this boat on fire if any of you try and help Dagur during this fight." They nodded in understanding, shying as far away from the Monstrous Nightmare as possible.
Astrid's hand rested against Hiccups shoulder and he turned to her, "Please be careful." She smiled reassuringly and was about to make a witty response when he took her in his arms. "I was so worried Astrid." He whispered in her ear, "I thought I'd never see you again. If I had gotten here any later..." his voice trailed off and she hugged him back as tightly as she could.
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you," she answered, "I'll be careful, but I need to do this."
"I'm wait-ing." Dagur called, swinging his axe at the air as Snotlout backed away.
Hiccup loosened his grip, his hand resting on her waist. "Don't hold back on him. Show him some of that female viking fury."
Astrid grinned, turned, and dove at Dagur.
Dagur couldn't put his finger on it, but something was different about the way she fought now; Astrid was more confident, controlled, calculating even. If he dodged her swings she would roll in pursuit, if he matched her blows she would redirect them. Maybe it's time to rattle her cage with some verbal sparing, he thought since it seemed to work well last time. "You're putting on a pretty good show Astrid; Hiccup looks really impressed." He had hoped at the mention of the man's name Astrid's eyes would dart, even for a second to the young viking. To his disappointment they remained focused on him and her attacks kept coming steadily. "My offer still stands you know," he continued, trying to sound casual through his labored breaths, "I would be honored if you would stand by my side in battle. You must see that I am more manly than your Hiccup."
Astrid's mouth twitched up at the end of his little speech my Hiccup she echoed the thought in her mind; it had a nice ring to it. It was time to end this; time to take her Hiccup home. Using the terrain of the ship to her advantage, Astrid ran from Dagur around the mast.
He followed, hacking at the air behind her as he went. "Why do you run?" He called after her, visibly huffing, "You can't deny the raw energy between us. The sheer power and terror we could command together..." He was so busy talking Dagur hadn't noticed that Astrid had jumped for a rope hanging from the mast; swinging herself around behind him, she knocked him face first onto the deck.
Astrid kicked the axe away from Dagur's hands, straddling him and grabbing a handful of his hair as she drew her blade to his throat. "Do you concede?" She asked, pulling the blade in closer. To her surprise, Dagur began to howl with laughter.
"Do it Astrid," Dagur grinned up at her with his terrifying eyes, "spill my blood across the ship's deck and claim the Berserker tribe as your own! That is the way of my people after all; give me a Berserker chief's death. You've proven yourself ferocious, you've proven your strength. Now prove to my men you are a killer and you will be their chief! Oh the things we could have achieved if I could have made you my own."
Astrid looked to the Berserkers watching her expectantly, then to each of her friends; Fishlegs looked horrified, Ruff and Tuff were on the edge of their saddles, Snotlout was looking away intently as if something on the ships railing was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. Her eyes fell at last to Hiccup who was watching her with a cold unfeeling gaze. She understood then that he would not stop her if she chose to take this man's life. Looking down at Dagur, Astrid considered the consequences of this action. It would change Hiccup and her forever; afterwards she would be a killer, and he would have allowed her to become one.
Setting Dagur's head down on the deck, Astrid struck his head with enough force to render him unconscious. Rising, Astrid picked up the second axe and handed them both to Snotlout. "Take your Chief and get out of Berk's waters." She commanded the Berserkers. "Next time we may not be so merciful." Climbing atop their dragons, the group took off. Watching from the sky as the men on board turned the ship around. Not a word was spoken the whole way home.
It was dark by the time they landed in Berk. Fishlegs flew Meatlug straight home, while the other's put their dragons to bed in the academy. Astrid and Hiccup landed at the docks, sending Stormfly and Toothless on ahead while they walked up the cliff side. They were quiet a long while before Astrid spoke, "You would have let me kill him, wouldn't you Hiccup?" She looked at his face as she spoke, the same cold expression had remained fixed on it since the fight.
"I wish you had let me do it." His voice was as cold as his expression as he spoke; "The things that bastard was going to do to you Astrid..." he flexed his hands then clenched them back into fists. Astrid had never seen him like this before. She remembered the look in his eyes as he barreled through the cabin door, and the twisted smile that formed on his lips when he decided to kill Dagur... she never wanted him to become that person again.
Astrid took his hand in hers, "Dagur never got the chance," she reminded him, "you got there right on time."
Hiccup pulled his hand away from hers, punching the rock wall beside them. In the pale moonlight Astrid could see blood against the grey stone. "If I had been a minute slower... and what did he do that earned him your boot to his kneecap?"
Astrid laughed, "Is that really bothering you? It was the same thing that earned Snotlout a kick in the ribs." Hiccup huffed, he had seen what Snotlout had done, and had not been impressed with his friend. Astrid stood in front of Hiccup with her back to him, taking his left hand in hers. "Dagur started here," she told him, placing his hand on her lower calf, she guided it up her leg to the base of her inner thigh, just above her knee, "and he made it to here before I kicked him."
She released his hand, but it remained, running gently up, and then down her inner thigh. When she moaned Hiccup tensed, "Did you like it?" his voice was shaky as he asked the question, afraid of what her answer might be.
Astrid scoffed at the question, "If I had enjoyed it, I doubt I would have ended up chained to his cabin floor." She pulled away, turning to face him. Confronted with his sad expression she could not lie. "Hiccup it felt good, but I was sickened that he would touch me like that... I don't want anyone but you to touch me like that every again."
Before Hiccup's mind could catch up, his hands were against Astrid's back and waist as he pulled her in to him. They had kissed many times before, but this felt different. This kiss was possessive, passionate and Hiccup could feel his body stir at the touch of her lips. Astrid moaned into him when he nibbled on her lip. When she felt his lips turn up into a grin she bit his lip back a little harder earning a gasp from him.
His hands were traveling her body now, his left buried in her hair as he guided her head back, exposing her neck. He started just beneath her chin, kissing slowly down to the nape of her neck. He lingered there a while, liking the soft noises she made with each kiss, then he traveled up towards her earlobe. She was gasping and panting heavily now, her hands stroking his hair. She pulled his lips back to her own as his right hand moved over her hip. Astrid grabbed it by the wrist, placing it under her skirt. Hiccup chuckled as he came up for air; she had always been forceful, it was something he had always liked about her. Tonight he felt bold enough to match that force.
Grabbing her left leg he wrapped it around his waist, and as his hand grabbed her bottom to support her Astrid obliged in lifting the other. He could feel her against the growing bulge in his trousers and he groaned as she rubbed herself against him; she was warm, and wet. "I want you Hiccup." She whispered, nibbling on his ear, "I want you to make me your woman."
Propping himself against the stone cliff for support, Hiccup pushed Astrid's shoulders to arms length. His words were spoken between gasps for air, "I thought you didn't want to be any viking's woman?" he asked cautiously. Gods he didn't want to stop, but he wanted her to be sure.
Running her hands through his hair Astrid smiled, "It's different with you Hiccup. It's like you said; I might be your woman, but you would also be my man. Equals, just like we've always been. And I love you for that." She leaned in towards him once more.
At that moment they heard a loud voice from atop the cliff, "The brave warrior returns victorious! Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!" Hiccup chuckled and Astrid let out a snort of laughter through her nose. The heat of the moment had been extinguished thanks to their ridiculous friend.
Hiccup looked Astrid up and down, taking in the way she was in this moment; then he leaned into her, breathing in her scent before saying, "One day soon Astrid, if you will wait for me. I want this more than anything, but I want it to be right." Stroking her cheek, his index finger came to rest under her chin as he pulled her lips to him. He kissed her again, full of urgent passion before lowering her to the ground and offering a sad smile. "I don't want Dagur to overshadow our relationship. I think we should move at the speed we are comfortable with." Lifting her top, and resting his hand on her badly bruised stomach he added, "I also think this should be given time to heal at the very least. I don't want to cause you pain."
Astrid smiled at him, taking his hand in hers they walked the rest of the way up from the docks. He was right after all; she would have never allowed Hiccup such liberties before tonight. He had awoken her desires, and she now understood what it truly meant to become someone's woman. It did not mean sacrificing yourself, it meant giving everything you are, and receiving the same in turn. She wanted to have that with Hiccup; she wanted it more than songs, or great deeds. She knew in her dreams tonight Hiccup would be against those rocks, holding her once more, and that memory would sustain her until they were ready for the next step... although her mind might invent some new details along the way.
As Hiccup left Astrid's house and headed for his own home a dull ache began to form in his groin. By the time he was through the door, his hands were clutching his waist where the pain had traveled up into his stomach. "Son is Astrid alright?" Hiccup started on the first step, whirling to see his father.
"Oh hey dad, yes Astrid is fine. I'm really tired though; you know, long day, almost killed a man and all." The pain intensified and Hiccup couldn't help but double over, falling to a sitting position on the step.
His father chuckled. "Astrid really did a number on you today didn't she lad?" Stoik remarked, taking a seat beside his son on the stairs.
"I thought I was going to lose her dad. I...I almost took off Dagur's head!" Hiccup wasn't sure when, but he had returned to his usual self, and couldn't help but be afraid of who he had become today.
"Had you been older and perhaps tasted the blood of battle already, you very well may have son. I know if your mother had ever been in that situation I'd have done the same." His father meant it to be reassuring, but Hiccup shuttered at the memory.
"Dad, I fought today; two axes in hand. Toothless, Stormfly and I disarmed an entire viking ship in a minute. I'm covered in Berserker blood. I swung an axe at Dagur's neck while he was unarmed and pinned to the cabin floor! If Astrid hadn't called out to me..." Hiccup felt another wave of discomfort, and he leaned forward as it passed.
"Love makes a man do things he normally wouldn't," was all the wisdom that Stoik could offer his son, "but I'm proud of you my boy. Not only did you return Astrid home safe, you showed true valor in maintaining that young woman's virtue tonight."
Hiccup's cheeks grew hot and he looked away from his father. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Stoik let out a belly laugh that shook the stairs. "Son, that pain your feeling is what happens when you draw your sword, but aren't ready to use it. And judging from the amount of discomfort you're feeling, I'd say Astrid was very grateful to you." They sat in silence for a moment before his father spoke, "Son, it just occurred to me that you and I have never discussed the ah, way of things between a man and a woman."
Hiccup held up his hands defensively between himself and his father, "Dad please; Snotlout was given the talk when we were eight, and once he knew, we all knew. I feel confident in my understanding of how these things work and I don't need you to review it with me." Embarrassed, Hiccup stood, climbing the stairs once more.
"I suppose you don't want the cure for what ails you then?" his father called after him as Hiccup disappeared around the corner.
Hiccup's head peered back around the stairway, "There's a cure?"
"Aye," his father chuckled, "take yer sword in hand and finish what yeh started. I'm going out for some night air." As the his father opened the door, Toothless ran past Hiccup, down the stairs and outside. Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle. Propping himself up in his bed, he let his mind wander back to Astrid in his arms...
Dagur awoke on his cabin nearly two hours after being struck. Upon opening the door his captain saluted him, "You most Derangedness sir! Good to see you up and about so quickly!" Dagur didn't so much as look at the man as he shoved past him onto the deck. Berk's waters were long gone, and he wondered if these idiots had thought to check their bearings; it would be that new captains head if they hadn't.
"Why didn't she kill me?" He asked no one in particular. His ego quickly dismissed such ideas as "pity"...perhaps she was weak willed after all? No. It was against Hiccup's wishes that he was alive; of that Dagur was certain. For her to disobey him proved her will was strong. Why would she defy the decision of the future chief? "Perhaps Hiccup was right," he mused, "maybe she isn't his woman."
A thought occurred to him and he slammed his fist into his open palm, "That must be it! She wants to give me another chance to prove myself worthy of her!" It would take a lot of planning, but he would find a way to win her back. He would prove that he was the strongest warrior, and her only fair match. "Captain!" He called, "Set port in the nearest island. We have some planning to do.""
Whelp that's the end of the first story arch. I'm not opposed to writing more, I really love these guys, but it will depend on three things:
a) Feedback from this last chapter (If you don't want more why would I make more?)
b) Having a second plot for Dagur (because I could ship Hiccstrid till the end of time and not run out of things to write about, Dagur however is tough. So if you have ideas message me!)
c) IRL commitments (like my 3 cosplay projects, school and work)