In the morning, I'm in no better condition than I was the night before. When I wake, I'm paralyzed with fear. My face moist with sweat and my heart racing. I sit up and find another blanket draped over my, still shaking body. My dad must've at least seen to know I was home.
I look all around my room and I find Toothless staring at me. Only then do I realize I'm breathing heavy. He comes up and licks my hand.
"I-it's okay bud. I just, had a bad dream." He snuggles close and I rest my cheek on his head. He purrs and I know he wants to go, but I'm just not in the mood. "I'm sorry bud, but I don't feel like flying today." He lifts his head and I watch his eyes cross to the middle, and his throat bob. Within a second, I have the head of a salmon in my lap. Still disgusting. "Uh, thanks bud, but I think I'll skip breakfast too."
I slip out of bed and after I've washed my face, I go back to my room and that's when I see it. The recurve bow from yesterday along with a full sheath of arrows, just sitting on my desk. I walk over and I find a note just sitting on the handle of the bow. It was from Skullette. She wanted to know if I can meet her today for hunting.
The bow's limbs were still fairly warm from the heat of the day, so she must've been here recently. Probably minutes before I woke up. I trace my fingers along the limbs of the bow. If I wasn't going to go flying, this would be the next best option. I take the sheath and the bow and after I grab one of my wicker baskets, I head outside.
My walk to the woods consumed a good ten minutes, but as I'm walking through the Plaza, I hear my name called. I turn and see Astrid running toward me. She wraps me in her arms before I even get the chance to react.
"Oh my gosh, Hiccup! I'm so glad you're okay!" she exclaims.
"Of course I am Astrid. Why wouldn't I be?" I ask.
"You left halfway through the meeting, and then no one could find you." She says.
Well, nice to know they were concerned I think. Then she punches me in the arm. I rub my bicep for a second. Her punches were becoming less hurtful. Either because I'm growing stronger or more tolerable of them. Probably the second one.
"You scared me." she says.
"Really? I mean it's not like I ran out of the village." I joke.
"No. Not like that. But when you left, you looked really distraught. I wanted to make sure you're okay." She says.
I feel a small sensation of pleasure that she was worried for me, and I'm truly touched by her concern. "Don't worry Astrid, I'm fine. It was just really overwhelming. Which is still weird since we've faced Alvin before." I say.
She just gives me a smile. "Well, listen I've got to meet Skullette in the woods, so I'll catch you later." I say. And as I mention her name, Astrid's face changes. I act fast. "But how about we meet up later, and you can teach me how to throw an axe like you?" I suggest. This makes her feel a little better, and the truth is I do want to learn how she can throw like that.
With that settled, I turn and head into the woods. Once I'm a few yards in, I begin to remember the facts and steps Skullette taught me. I load an arrow and try my best to take light steps when I move. I move slowly and smoothly, making sure I watch where I step. Not cracking any twigs and avoiding moving any pebbles.
This is the one time I'm glad Toothless isn't with me.
This would be ten times harder. He'd scare any game off within a five mile radius. As I prowl through, I begin to test how I can run while still remaining allusive. I manage to kill a squirrel in the process. I'm still sticking to small game. Skullette and I both know I'm not ready to take down bigger game like that wild boar. To most people, it would take years to get to the level of expertise she's at since she's been hunting since age eleven, but with her as my teacher, I can gain enough experience and knowledge to be proclaimed as a professional within a few weeks.
I decide to head to the Cove since I don't know where else to go. I sling the bow over my shoulder and take my time in getting there. Once I arrive, I climb down the stone wall and nestle by the water's edge. I snag a few fish while I'm there before I begin thinking.
What am I going to do?
I know Alvin isn't as treacherous as he proclaims to be, but he's still a man of cruelty, violence, and unforgiving. While I should be discouraged, it only makes me that more cautious of him. The more we win, the more he'll try to top himself. Then there's the matter of the army. I know Astrid will be dying to join.
She's certainly tough enough, she proved that long ago, and I know she'd be more than willing to protect me; but she only adds to my list of people I'm afraid I'll lose. I know I may act all cool and collected around Alvin, and my dad and the other Vikings are more than capable of defeating him, but really, I'm just as scared as everyone else. I just do a great job at hiding. Over the years, I've learned to turn my face into an unreadable mask so no one can read my thoughts.
The sudden crack of a twig startles me, and I jump up and load an arrow. Only to find Skullette, in her elegant beauty walking toward me. I withdraw my arrow.
"You scared me." I say.
"I know sorry. But good job at arming yourself. Nice to know you were paying attention." She replies.
"Of course."
She sits down next to me and I keep the bow at my side. We sit in silence as the bird's chirp. The sunlight reflecting off the water. For a while, we talk about the sketches I didn't even know she noticed in my bedroom. Turns out she's a bit of an artist as well. But she does clothes sketches, unlike my calculated ones depicting Toothless' speed. She says she's working on a new design for the soldiers to wear in combat. Her sketches combine both comfort and agility. So you can move swiftly and comfortably when in combat.
"So, how are you handling everything?" she finally asks. I know the question's been on her mind. I haven't seen anyone since I left the meeting at the Great Hall. Let alone talk to anyone.
"Better than what everyone expects I assume." I joke.
"Definitely. But are you really?" she asks.
"Uh, well, I'm definitely a little worried, but really I don't know if I should be. I mean, I've faced Alvin before and he's not as "treacherous" as he says he is. But he still has a brilliant mind and all."
"But . . ."
"But, even with that I'm still, afraid, of him hurting and possibly killing the people I care about. I mean there was this one girl, Heather, who lied to all of us, just so she could prevent Alvin from killing her parents. If something were to happen to my dad, or Astrid, or Toothless, I'd never forgive myself. And it would all be my fault since they're doing this to protect me." I say.
"So you're not so much scared of Alvin himself, but you're just scared of him hurting everyone?" she concludes.
"Yes, and thank you for summing that up." I classically say.
"Don't worry Hiccup," She places her hand on my shoulder. "Your father's more than capable of keeping you safe. And with the dragons here, there's no way you can lose."
I look to her and her face shows something so, genuine, that I actually start to believe her. And could she be right? Dragons are amazing and definitely powerful creatures, and Alvin still needs to learn how to train them, if he ever can. That's really the only reason he even wants me. I begin to remember about how Toothless and I defeated the Green Death – the head of the dragons back when we were fighting them. It certainly was a challenge, and we managed to outsmart it. But in turn I lost my foot, and nearly died.
"You seem so sure, how do you know?" I ask Skullette.
"Because I know you." She says.
"What? We only met, like yesterday."I point out.
"I know, but, I can just tell. You seem so strong and smart. And you could probably outsmart Alvin any day you wanted." She says.
"Maybe, but . . . I just don't know Skullette. I mean, all I want is for everyone to be safe."
"And with your help, they will be. They're not doing this just because, they're doing it to keep you safe, just like I am." She says.
My cheeks feel red. I don't know if things will be the same with Alvin, but all I know is that I need to keep my friends and my dad safe. But something else catches my senses, she said she's protecting me too, but for her to do that-
"Skullette . . . ?"
She turns and she can tell I've figured it out. And she just nods her head. She's going to be a soldier. My heart suddenly hurts, like someone is stabbing it with pins and needles. She must've gotten approval from her father. He and I both know she's a fighter, but all she's done is ad her names of people I need to protect, or of people I could possibly loose.
"What?! Are you crazy?!" I suddenly snap.
"Hiccup," she starts
"No really, tell me, are you crazy?!" I repeat.
"Hiccup, I just want to keep you safe." She says in a calm voice.
"I don't care! You can't join the army!"
"Why not?" Her voice had a tone as if I had insulted her.
"Because I'm trying to keep you safe!" I blurt out.
This makes her go silent. I don't want anyone to hurt her. I need to keep her safe; even if it seems sexist. But to do that, it would require a previously unthinkable act.
I'd have to be a soldier in the battle.
Convincing everyone to let me in I will be the most complicated, but it's the only thing I can think of. It's the only way I can protect my friends and help in driving off Alvin. But my dad will surely be against it. He'd reject me for the same reason I'm even joining. But he has to let me join, and even if he doesn't, I'll do everything on my own. I'll train on my own, and I'll learn from Skullette and Astrid on how to handle weapons, and I'll fly with Toothless to practice aerial attacks.
Skullette still hasn't said anything. She just stares at me, her cheeks slightly pink. I just stare at her, my mouth clamped shut. But I finally say, "I don't want anyone to hurt you." My voice was barely audible. She stays quiet.
"Why don't we go hunting?" I suggest.
We both get up and leave our posts. For the next hour, we spend it together hunting. Skullette manages to set aside the awkwardness from before, and teaches me everything she can before the hour's over.
She stands aside while I do all the killing to help me tweak my skills, jumping in when needed. She also teaches me about testing and seeing if the animal has any diseases or rabies. Along with trading the kills for either money or any other essentials I need from the villagers. I'm highly open to the options, and it makes me curious as to why I've never done this before. Bucket and Mulch usually catch everything, but doing it all on my own, I can see why she says you get this sense of independence.
It's getting close to where I have to go meet Astrid for my axe throwing lesson. By then I've managed to shoot at least one squirrel that practically ran over my toes in its quest for acorns. But the real prizes came from my snare traps which had caught eight rabbits total. Skullete helps in skinning and gutting them, then loading them in my burlap sacks. As we're heading back, there's this tension or awkward silence between us, and I know it's because of what I said back at the Cove.
As we're nearing the edge of the woods, finally I can't take it. "Listen Skullette, about what I said, I just don't want you to get hurt. I mean, I appreciate that you volunteered, but I'll just be worried about you." I say.
"I know Hiccup. But I don't need you to protect me. I'll be with your father and my father." she retorts.
"Even with that, what if Alvin captures you and uses you as bait. Or what if he hurts you even after I give myself up?" I say, becoming very negative.
"Hiccup, you're overreacting." Skullette says.
"Or being realistic." I snap back. "Look, not only that, but I just feel left out. I mean everyone's protecting me and I don't need it." Skullette gives me this "Are you sure?" look. "Okay, maybe in the sense to keep Alvin away, but not like I need it twenty-four seven."
"Well, then why don't you tell them that?" she asks.
"Because many people won't believe me, and they'll think I'm just being stubborn and-"
"Well, why don't you prove to them you can take care of yourself?"
"I have to my dad, he's just going over-the-top because he's my dad." I say.
"And what about the other Vikings? How're you going to show them?" she asks.
I stop walking and take a deep breath. "I'm going to be a soldier."
~Hey guys, sorry if this seems a little rushed. I couldn't really think of how to expand their time together without boreing you. ;3 But please keep reading and let me know what you think.~