Took a while to sort out but got there in the end, hope you enjoy. But spoiler, I'm gonna be evil and leave it on a cliffhanger but hopefully the next one will be good. anyway enjoy and review if you want.
Chapter 3 Useless weapon
Hiccup POV
I open my left eye see the sun already out and start to groan "five more minutes, you're up too early Mr Sun" I moan just about to close my eye again until I hear a familiar voice and a clanging of a hammer on iron "nah lad the sun's not up early, jus ye over slept" I open both my eyes and look where the voice came from to see the back of a familiar blacksmith working on repairs to a sword, most likely the one I found yesterday. Suddenly I realise what he said "wait over slept?!" I jump out of...bed? I could of sworn I fell alseep at the desk last night, pondering for a moment but deciding to put it at the back of my mind, today will be touching up Astrids axe, adding a few more details to both the head and the handle, now I got the main part out of the way. I look around to my desk to find the handle missing 'what! where's the handle gone?!' I think to myself searching high and low for it "you've don a fine job with making tha axe lad, I'm very impressed" Gobber says as he walks in with both the axe head and handle in his right hand, I never knew how big his hand was till I saw him holding the axe parts in it, but then it struck me 'wait, did gobber just compliment me on the axe i made?' "t-thanks gobber, but it's nothing really, just wanted it to be less useless than me" I reply taking both handle and head out of gobbers hand and checking all the gold detailing over again, okay I'll admit It was pretty impressive, but if its going to be a certain, shield maiden's axe, it needed to be. "best carry on with this axe, thanks for letting me do this Gobber" I said smiling at the half limbed viking who returned the smile back "'s nothing ye need ta thank me for lad, I knew how much ye like that wee lassie for a while now" he says as he walks off back to the anvil with the broken sword on, resuming his work. Looking at the plans and the axe parts in my hands I set to work on the final stages.
Four Days Later
"Finally! I've done it and not a moment too soon" I say to no one in particular, (I really got to get a friend to talk to) as I look at the shining new double-headed battle axe, adding those last few detail to both the head and the handle really was a very nice touch, strips of thick leather wrapped around the bottom, centre and top of the handle so it can be gripped at different heights while the bare parts of the handle had carved detailings all the way around it, this took a couple of days to do as I wanted to get the detailing just perfect, plus I had no more of that wood to use, the whole handle had been treated with oil to keep it from rotting too quick. Looking from the handle to the axe head I examine both sides check that both sides of the blades were equally sharp and well balance, also to make sure that both sides are polished to the point I can see my face in it, which i realised my hair was sticking, up, by the gods why was I born with this hair, no matter how much I comb it down it jumps back into a mess. No matter it'll not ruin my mood, for if this gift was great, it'll make Astrid smile, and maybe even notice me, now that'll be something. Holding the axe in both hands, I turn around to where Gobber was banging his hammer down and singing? "I've got my axe and I've my mace and I love my wife with the ugly face, I'm a viking through and through..." Gobber singing away happily if not a bit out of tune. Strange, he only sings that unless he's in a happy mood, shaking that thought out of my head I purposely cough to get his attention "err Gobber, I've finished it now, what do you think?" I say as Gobber turns around and looks at me with a wide smile before looking at the axe, he carefully takes the axe out of my hands and starts to examine it "aye lad ye don a goo' job o it, one day you'll be a goo' as ol Gobber here" he says with a sly smile "an jus in time too, Alfsted will be expectin it soon, bu I got to ge these supplies sorted fore the owners come for them, you'll ave to deliver it lad" handing me back the axe with a good amount of force, "oof! I'll feel that in the morning" straightening back up and looking at Gobber "a-are y-you s-s-sure a-about t-t-that G-Gobber?" great I'm stuttering like mad, gods why do you hate me? "aye lad ye'll do fine" Gobber insistently said pushing me out of the forge into the open air. "oh well" I sigh "hope the gods are on my side...for once" 'yeah the confidence is washing all over me' I think to myself as I start to walk on towards the Hofferson's house on the other side of the village. As I walk wit the heavy axe in my arms I start to think of what might happen, will she accept it, would she notice me, will she kill me with the very weapon I made, oh the irony by hey you never she might consider me a friend, my very first friend, I smile at that last one...
*WHACK!"
Normal POV
As Hiccup is lost in thought and smiling what the positive outcome might be for doing this, he doesn't know that Snotlout's around the corner waiting for him. As Hiccup walks by, Snotlout sudden jumps out from his hiding place and *WHACK!* bashes Hiccup in the back of his head making him fall to the ground in a heap, still holding the axe like it was a babe in his arms "hey useless, what's the matter? fallen down again? man your're such a clutz useless, of course you are a hiccup" Snotlout said to his cousin with a smirk on his face "oh yeah Snotlout how clumsy of me that my body is a magnet to your fists, how do you even put up with it" Hiccup sarcastically says back, but Snotlout, never the brightest when it comes to understanding anything Hiccup says, but what intrigues him is the axe in his cousins arm "what you got there useless?" he says trying to pry the axe out of Hiccups arm only succeeding when he kicks him in the stomach "nice axe, too nice to be with a runt like you, who's it for useless?" he ask again examining the axe over and over again "It was a request to make by Mr Hofferson for Astrid's birthday" Hiccup groaned he doesn't understand why his own cousin hates him so. "I didn't know it was Astrids birthday today? well in that case I'll take this to her and say I made it for her, she'll want to totally fall for me then, I mean what would happen if she found out you made it useless? she won't like it knowing it was made by an embarrassment like you, she'd destroy this axe within seconds or go after you for trying to curse her with runtness" Snotlout said with a sly smile still on his face '"runtness" are you bloody kidding me?' Hiccup thought to himself but thinking more...maybe Snotlout was right, what if she did reject it because it was made by him, it would kill more than someone else taking credit for his work then Astrid reject something he put his heart and soul into, but before he could think otherwise, Snotlout (and the axe) was already at the Hofferson household where Alfsted answered the door only to she the most beautiful axe he has ever seen, sticking his head back through the door he shouts for Astrid who walks out to see what her dad shouted her for, her blue eye's widened, mouth hanging open and jumping for joy at the sight of the axe she grabs hold of out of Snotlouts hand to examine the shear beauty and craftsmanship, Hiccup got up and weakly smile knowing his gift made the girl of his dreams smile, he couldn't hear what Snotlout said but what happen next (and to Hiccups heartbreaking sadness) Astrid flings her arms around his cousin and embraces him and kisses him on the cheeks.
Hiccups POV
"No..." I watch in horror that the girl of my dreams hugged and kissed Snotlout for something I made, placing both my hands on the top of my head I start pulling at my hair in frustraision "you stupid, stupid, stupid idiot Hiccup! why didn't you stop him you fool? why did you ever ask Gobber if you could make that cursed weapon? why did you have to love her?..." I shout to myself, I don't care if I look crazy in front of the village, I don't care any more. Tears running down my face onto my fur vest I then I come to my final question "why was I ever born?" with that assumption I start running out of the village towards the forest, not like anyone will miss me, hell even when they realise I'm missing they'll throw a party to celebrate. Little did I know that someone did see me run away...
Gobber POV
I was happy for the lad, he's been pining over that lass Astrid since he was five and they were friends that time, I don't know what made her stop being his friend, she seemed so cheerful when she was near him, then all of a sudden her attitude change and she was more shut up about it. I don't know, youth today so complicated, it's why I never married, well sort of speak. I might as well sneak a peak at the two love birds, that way I can tease the lad about it later, as i start to hobble quietly as I can I suddenly stop and see a sight that shocked me and saddened me, Hiccup on the floor looking over at, I turn my head to what he's looking at only to see Astrid? kissing and hugging Snotlout? wait was that the axe in his hand? putting two and two together I come to realise what happened "why tha snot-face yak farting son of a half-troll" I say quietly to myself but before I could say any more I see Hiccup getting up and shouting to himself "No...you stupid, stupid, stupid idiot Hiccup!" why does he have to put himself down like that? "why didn't you stop him you fool? why did yu ever ask Gobber if you could make that cursed weapon? why did you have to love her?" all these questions and yet what nearly killed me was what he said next "why was I ever born?" wht that he runs out of the village into the forest, looking sad I hobble back to the forge thinking about that poor lad "ah Hiccup, I feel for ye, I hope ye come te realise tha there's nothin wrong wit ye".
2 Days Later At The Forge
Hiccup still hadn't returned home, I was worried as hel about him, sure he has gone out longer than this into the forest but still the way he was feeling I hope he didn't do anything drastic, I don't think I could live with myself. Suddenly my thoughts were dragged back to reality when a certain blond lass comes walking in carrying what looks like a blunt sword "hey, Gobber" she says to me, putting on a fake smile I turn to look at the girl who broke Hiccups heart "hello Astrid, wha brings ye around here?" I say in an upbeat sort of way. "I was just delivering my dads sword that need sharpening" she say's as she hand's me over the sword and take the axe off her back examining it and smiling. I see her as I start sharpening Alfsted's sword, here's my chance to give her the truth, old Gobber style. "say tha's a mighty fine axe ye got there Astrid, fer ye birthday?" I say still having my back to her " yeah Gobber, it's a beautiful axe, one of the best I've ever seen or even heard of, like it was made by the gods" she says cheerfully. "aye lass, that Hiccup can make a fine weapon when he put's his mind te it...opps" I say cheekly, like I said, Gobber style "what? you must be wrong Gobber, Snotlout said he made this" she said as I turn around I see her with an confused look on her face "nej lass Hiccup made tha, took him all week te make, nearly took his arm off twice and los a lot o sleep just so he could make it on time" I say with a genuine straight face, she still look confuse, what can I do to convince her that he made it? oh I know "may I examine ye axe a second lass?" she nods and hands it over, i carefully examine the fine god-like weapon, searching for that one thing that stands out, finally I see it and smile "ah ha, found it, come ere Astrid and look here on the bottom o the axe head and look closely" she looks then all of a sudden, her mouth is hanging wide open as she see's what I see "HHH III" she say's in shock "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock The Third, I know the lads handy work from a mile away, all the weapons he makes, he puts that same thing on every one of them". Now I got her.
Astrid's POV
I can't believe it, I can't believe Hiccup made this beautiful weapon, this weapon that look's like it was forged by the god's themselves and Hiccup up made it...for me, I mean I know he liked me, but not this much. Wait didn't Gobber say that Hiccup left that same mark on all the weapons he made, I wonder what other weapon has this mark on "err Gobber, may I see my dads sword a second please" he nods and hands it to me, I look around for any sign of the mark, sudden I find it, under the hilt of the blade, the mark, his mark, handing the sword back I start to think a few things, why did everyone call him useless for when he could craft so well, all those inventions that he made, sure they didn't work all the time but still to think of things like that, that's not the work of a useless, wait why am I thinking like that? He's a runt but I don't know why but I come to realise that, it's not his fault he's different, in fact he keeps trying to fit in even when others shun him out, he still keeps trying, what have we done to him? what have I done to him?. All of a sudden tears start falling down, what? tears? no it can't be, a warrior never cries, so...why was I? maybe, just maybe there's something more to it, but I need to find out, I need to find the one to make me feel like this, I need to find Hiccup. "Gobber, where's Hiccup? I need to find him, I need to tell him something" I say to him, but what I see next was a change of feature from his wide satisfied smile to a sad frown "I don' kno lass, he's not been home fer two days now, he ran off inte the forest after he saw you wi the Jorgenson lad" he said with a sadness in his voice. Wait he saw me, he ran off because of me. Ouch what's this pain in my chest? Is that my heart? Is it hurting, for him? I need to find him now "I'll go find him Gobber, I need to apologise to him" I say as I start to run out of the forge and through the town, wait did I just say that? my thoughts aside as I start to enter the main square of the village I see the one person I never, ever wanted to see at that moment...or maybe I do "hey babe, how's that axe I made for you" Snotlout say in all his disgusting smug voice. Before I knew it, I got my axe out, rushing towards Snotface with fire in my eye's as I whack him hard around the face with the blunt end of the axe, knocking him flying everal feet "OUCH! WHAT THE F..." he says but before he could finish he sentence I kick him In the jaw just so I didn't have to Listen to his stupid voice "HOW DARE YOU, YOU STUPID TWO-FACE UGLY YAK BUTTED NASTY SON OF A HALF TROLL'S LYING ASSHOLED DRAGON DUNG TWAT! I SHOULD KILL YOU WITH THIS AXE HICCUP MADE..." wow that felt good "but instead i'll make your life a living hell, if you ever, ever come near me again and just for a taster of what I will do to you..." I run up to him and give him a swift in the family jewels "..now imagine that! only with this axe" with that I carry on running towards the forest not looking back as Snotlout still in a fetal position, one hand on his bloody nose, the other cupping what's left of his manhood.
Later On In The Woods
It feels like I've been wondering ages around this forest, but I wasn't worried for myself, I was worried for Hiccup, I hope he didn't do something bad to himself. 'But where could he be' I think to myself, suddenly I stop and think for a few seconds, "let me think, we used to play in here as kids, but what where was it at that used to be our little hiding spot where no one knew about, think Astrid, think..."
The Forest 8 Years Ago Flashback
I was running along with a small boy with messy auburn hair and clothes way too big for him, but he looked so happy, he's even laughing, wait that's Hiccup, little five year old Hiccup, he's running from me with his arm stretched out like he was pretending to fly, oh I remember this, chase the dragon, we played this a lot together. "come on astwid you can catch me" Hiccup saying giggling away "I'll get you dwagon boy" I reply giggling too, I seemed so happy back then, when did that change I wonder? suddenly Hiccup stop and I crash into him, we both fall on the ground our eye's meet for a second before we both turn away in embarrassment, "you okay astwid?" Hiccup asks "yeah I'm okay, but why did you stop?" I ask him, he turns and point into the direction of an opening between some mossy rocks. Curiosity gets the better of us as we get up off the ground and slowly walk towards the opening, both feeling a bit scared we hold each others hand as we pass through the opening to an amazing view, green untouched grass covering the ground, next to a crystal clear lake topped off with a waterfall "wow" we both say at the same time "this is amazing" I hear Hiccup say "yeah looks so beautiful" I reply back as we start running around to explore. After a while of nothing but running about we end up laying down next to the lake, catching our breaths, after a while Hiccup breaks the silence "listen Astwid lets pwomise each othew not to tell anyone about this place, deal?" he says holding out his left fist with his pinky finger sticking out, I smile and do the same with my right "deal"...
End Of Flashback
"...the cove! of course, he's got to be there, that was the only place no one would find us or this case, find him" know where I need to go I rush round the many familiar tree's I remembered as a kid looking round for that opening in the rocks till eventually, there it is, smiling and hoping hiccup is in there I slowly walk through the opening, entering the cove, still as beautiful as ever but the sights will have to wait now, looking around for that certain view I wanted to see suddenly something caught my eye, next to the waterfall. "Hiccup!..."