For those who haven't finished watching Defenders of Berk please don't read the Author's Note.
A/N: Hey guys. It's sad that the season Defenders of Berk is over. But I have to say the last three episodes were really emotional and heart warming. When Stoick released Thornado to look after his new family and the music that played with that scene tied in so well...that I felt sad and nearly cried, but happy at the same time.
Also the last two episodes Cast Out 1 and 2. The last one had to be one of my favourite of the entire series, how the Screaming Death was in fact just searching for its mother and that scene where they finally reunited. It would be nice to see the Screaming Death in How To Train Your Dragon 2 since it is one of my most favourite dragons and knowing now that it was never a villain dragon...anyway, enjoy the story.
Astrid's POV
Ah the songs of birds in the morning...doesn't get much more scenic and surreal as this. It's like adding the right amount of honey to mead...in my mind anyway, something I accidentally discovered when trying some in after my first dragon kill, not one of my best memories now but you get the point, and it is reference to what took place last night. The only thing that could make it memorable was if I woke up beside him, and this whole issue of not being able to court him never existed. But to keep it a secret, our make-out session lasted somewhere till midnight. After that we dressed ourselves and I made my way back home, carefully slipping in, making sure not to wake my parents or my two younger brothers.
My parents already gave me a stern talking to, demanding what happened when I searched for him. I told them it took a lot of convincing to bring him back, and I even had to threaten him with my ax to get him back to Berk. Of course I couldn't tell them what really happened since they wouldn't look at me the same way again. Being the only daughter, shield-maiden and possibly future wife of a Chief, of a highly respected family was challenging to live up to. The first two were easy, but the last one...I'm just praying to all the Gods out there that it won't be Snotlout.
I tossed the covers from me and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, smoothing out a few stray strands of hair that I was sure were out of place. I stretched my arms for a few seconds, before getting up and making my way over to my dresser, taking my hair brush and straightening my hair out. Once that was done, I tied my hair into its braid and placed my leather head band on...which Hiccup had made for me when we were just kids, and had been adjusting its size as we grew older. Gobber took up that job when he ran away.
I grabbed my skirt and tunic off the chair and changed out of my nightgown in quick time, and soon made my way downstairs to meet my parents and brothers who were already having breakfast.
"Stop stealing my bread buttface!"
"I'm not lizard-brains. I'm taking what you took from me!" This is what I usually wake up to every morning. Sometimes it ended with one of them tackling each other to the ground but it usually stopped once mama gave a threat or something.
"Gaulder and Rolof, please stop fighting for the bread...there's more than enough to go around" Papa said from his seat, watching the two of them continue their screaming competition.
"But dad!" Gaulder yelled.
"Will you two stop fighting like dragons and grow up!" I said as I sat down and grabbed a few slices of bread, butter and eggs on my plate.
"Well since the Queen of the Nadders is here...I guess we could" Rolof said with a smile.
"You know Rolof, I hear the Queen of the Nadders has it in with the King of Dragons...but wait, isn't he a traitor?" Gaulder said, looking at me.
"What's it to you trolls?" I asked.
"We heard from our friends that you two have been spending time together" he said.
"Not only me idiot, there are four others along with me under his training..."
"I didn't mean that training sis" he said raising an eyebrow and giving a wink. Of course he would be suggesting that since he's just turned thirteen.
"Listen here Gronckleface, I do not have feelings for him. He might have changed but this whole thing about training is for us to prepare for more dragon raids and to defend against them with our own dragons...and that I means I'm protecting you...so you better treat me nicely if you don't want to be carried off by a Nightmare" I threatened.
"Your sister's right Gaulder...she doesn't and will never have feelings for that fishbone" Papa said.
"That reminds me Astrid, we've gotten a few contract offers" Mama said. As soon as she said that a piece of bread got caught in my throat and immediately reached for my mug of water to wash it down. My mom seemed to have been expecting it because she looked at me with a hint of a smile.
"And?" I asked.
"Your father and I refused them since they were from merchants of other Viking tribes far from here and we wouldn't like to live where it would be difficult to keep in touch with you" she said. I let out a sigh of relief. "But if Spitelout offers a contract, we will accept it no matter what". That did it.
"What?! No Mama! There is no way I am marrying Snotlout!" I yelled, pushing my chair back from the table and standing up.
"Why not Astrid? He is the perfect image of a Viking man that any girl would marry" Papa said.
"You're just saying yes because he'll be the Chief won't he?" I stated.
"That reason outweighs the others dear, but you have to understand that you'll be set for life as the wife of a Chief. You'll have more power than usual, and you'll be the boss of him in the house. Plus you get to bare his children"
"NO! Ugh! Don't say that mama! I don't even want to have the thought of doing...that...with him, in front of everyone on the wedding night which is NOT happening!" I said.
"Mama, what does she mean by that?" Rolof asked.
"You're too young Rolof, once you reach thirteen we'll have that talk" Papa said.
"Wait, what talk?" Gaulder asked glancing between my parents. Oh that's right, he turned thirteen a week ago.
"We'll have your talk tonight" Mama said to him and I could see his face pale to a ghostly white. At least this conversation shifted, but I wasn't done.
"But Hiccup is the true heir to the Hooligan Tribe...he should be the Chief, not Snotlout" I reasoned.
"Give me one good reason why he would be a better Chief, Astrid?" Papa asked.
"One, he's a lot and I mean a lot smarter than Snotlout...he wouldn't make other people want to punch him, kick him or kill him when they meet for the first time. Two, he rides a Night Fury, the most powerful and dangerous dragon known to Vikings and you know as much as I do that Gobber praises him for his work in the forge, and to top it all off, he can train dragons, earn their trust and have them do whatever he wants to! That's what he's teaching us! If that's not Chief material, then no offense Papa, but you don't know what makes a good Chief" I said crossing my arms.
"But look at him Astrid. He relies on a dragon to fight his battles, Snotlout is ten times stronger than he is. Snotlout is what a true Viking should look like, intimidating, powerful, a face that no one would mess with. Plus I hear he's training the Monstrous Nightmare, now that's a real dragon" he said.
"Papa, the Night Fury easily beat that Monstrous Nightmare when it came to rescue Hiccup five years ago" I shot down his point.
"Be that as it may Astrid, but he still remains a traitor to this village and even if he is the true heir, he cannot be the Chief because of his, uh, title. And furthermore, Stoick had disowned him as a son in front of everyone and hasn't even taken him back yet. Based on that technicality, Stoick's only heir is Snotlout, and this is the end of this discussion"
"But Papa..."
"No Astrid...that is the end of that. But I'll leave you with this...I will tell you if Spitelout does offer a contract, but will accept it nonetheless" he said. I looked at Mama and saw her nod her head, she also agreed with him.
"Fine" I muttered before grabbing my cloak off one of the chairs and walking out to be immediately met with the cool, morning crisp air of the day. I shut the door behind me, with the usual bang when I was angry. I couldn't believe my parents...they think they're doing the right thing for me but they're not doing it in my interests. If the heir of Berk was someone other than Snotlout, then I wouldn't mind; in fact that heir is present with us. But no! He doesn't count because he's a "traitor" to all Vikings...a traitor who tamed the dangerous Night Fury, helped train a Whispering Death, saved Berk from the recent Outcast attack and changed the lives of many Vikings out there...yep, that's a traitor alright.
But why do I care? I mean, am I thinking like this just to get out of marrying Snotlout? Wouldn't surprise me but am I really hoping that Hiccup's status changes and I marry him? It wouldn't even be close to the level of me marrying Snotlout, but if it were to come to that, what would the others think? My parents, especially my father wouldn't allow me to marry him, and would resolve signing me off to a visiting dignitary or trader...or if Hiccup doesn't even lose his status and I still end up marrying Snotlout. It's hard to come to terms that people won't realize the person Hiccup has truly become, only I've seen that, and it took being at the receiving end of his anger to realize it.
When I think about it, when we were just seven to thirteen years old...I never really understood why the others picked on Hiccup. My parents said because he was weak and different, and Vikings despised anything that didn't live up to their expectations. I stood by and watched Hiccup trudge alone into the forest; sometimes I would follow him and see where he wondered off to, just to watch him lay back against a tree and hang his head over his knees and cry his heart out...about how no one loved him and continuously wishing his mom was there...Even then I didn't have the courage to go up and say hello at least. I bet that would have made a huge difference in his life.
Even his inventions, when he started making them by nine, weren't that bad. After he left, no one dared go into his little workshop at the back of the forge. I would see Gobber walk in there sometimes and walk out, his face far from its jovial appearance. I even went in there a few times and looked at the sketches. When I took time to study them, they would have been great inventions for fighting dragons...the only problem was how they horribly backfired against him and caused damage to houses or even other Vikings. I remember seeing down notes of improvements on those same sketches, meaning he found a way to fix them...but he never got the chance or he gave up on them, because everyone believed he shouldn't help...he shouldn't be there during raids and only berated him for causing greater damage than the dragons...and he was only trying to help, trying to live up to their expectations and we never acknowledged his efforts. The only person who most probably cared for him was Gobber. He always stood by his side, was there for him to talk to when his own father wasn't.
And all I did was sit on the sidelines and watched him be ridiculed...but I couldn't step in otherwise I'd have drawn attention to myself...huh, I was so foolish then, and was for the rest of my years, convincing myself that Hiccup was always...Hiccup the Useless. But even through those times...I couldn't help but look at him, not in disappointment and hatred, but wonder and hope, that in some way he would be the leader and Viking Berk needed, and he did...all it took was me ratting him out of jealousy.
"Hey Astrid" I heard Ruff call me. I turned and saw her leaning against the post of the vegetable shop. "Someone's deep in thought"
"Hey Ruff, and no...I was just thinking about what else we'd be learning today" I covered up.
"Yeah...might learn to blast some stuff" she said, looking at her nails.
"Yeah...I bet you'd love that"
"Or learning on kissing sessions...but only you or me would be valid for that right?" she said. I looked at her, sure that my eyes had gone wide and my heart had stopped beating. I could see a smirk forming on her face as she folder her arms across her chest.
"What did you say?" I asked finding my breath after a few seconds.
"Oh, I know you heard me right Hofferson, but if you didn't, I implied he might be teaching you mouth to mouth...in an intimate way" she said with that smile on her face growing.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Ruff" I said but she cut me off.
"Don't play dumb with me Astrid, my brother has that right reserved. I saw you run into the forest that night, in the direction of Hiccup's camp, and after that emotional confrontation with Mildew that night, he would have needed a reassuring shoulder to cry on...or kiss" she said.
"Ruff...you can imply what you want, but I didn't go in that forest and nothing happened between me and Hiccup" I said and turned around to continue on my day.
"Believe me Hiccup...you have no idea how much I want you" she said. That stopped me dead in my tracks. She said that phrase in the exact tone I said it to Hiccup last night. She followed me? I turned around and saw her leaving through the alley between the vegetable and baker's shop. I wasn't going to let her get away. I burst into a sprint and soon had her pinned against the wall of the baker's shop by her shoulders and was staring daggers at her...but she wasn't fazed one bit.
"Oh, so now I have your attention...guess I should have jogged your memory sooner" she said.
"How much do you know?" I asked in a deadly voice but she still didn't seem fazed.
"Oh...all from 'you saved me Hiccup' till that sentence I just said" she said.
"Who else knows?"
"Just me, Astrid...and I'm going to keep it that way" ok, now she has me.
"I'm sorry...you're going to keep that secret all to yourself? Not even telling your brother?" I asked letting go of her. She slowly straightened out her shirt.
"I don't trust my brother to keep a secret like that...plus it has to do with your status in the village and we all know what would happen if your secret relationship with Hiccup was found out" she said, actual concern in her eyes.
"Thanks Ruff...that's sort of the best news I've heard all day so far" I said turning away from her.
"What happened?"
"My parents said that is Spitelout offers them a contract, they won't hesitate to accept it" I said in a depressed tone.
"Oh no...that means that you'll be betrothed to Snotface...wow" she said.
"All he has to do is ask his dad that he wants to marry me and his dad will agree with him and before you know it I'll be...I can't even finish that sentence" I said, holding my shoulders.
"Are you going to tell Hiccup?" she asked.
"Why would I? He doesn't need to be burdened by all of this...it's my problem, not his"
"But he cares for you and knowing the old and new Hiccup, he might do something about it" she reasoned.
"Ruff, he's a branded traitor of Berk...if I'm caught being close to him or even if he challenges Snotlout for my hand, he won't be allowed to fight him because he's a traitor, and only his father can undo that status...which most likely he won't" I said.
"So what are you gonna do about it?"
"(sigh) Nothing, I guess...I mean, I can't go against my parents' wishes if they do accept the contract. I'll have to suck it up and marry him" I said, turning around to face her again. Then she did something I never thought she'd do...I felt a pair of arms circle around me and bring me into her. She was hugging me! But as she did, I didn't feel alone in that matter anymore. Guess I just needed to tell someone about my situation.
"You can always count on me in having your back, Astrid" she said pulling away and keeping one of her hands on my shoulders.
"Thanks Ruff" I replied, a smile on my face.
"So...you and Hiccup huh?" she asked, folding her arms against her chest and leaning back with a smirk. "What happened when you found him?" she asked all of a sudden.
"That you don't need to know" I said quickly before turning around and continuing towards the Dragon Ring, while hearing her steps catching up with me.
"Come on...I mean something must have happened for your opinion on him to change...even for you to develop feelings for him. What happened?" she pressured on.
"Ruff...I'll tell you when I'm ready, but until then please keep the other secret on a downside" I begged. I couldn't have any rumours about that night going around town. It won't only be bad for me, but Hiccup might be forced to leave as well.
"Alright, fine...but should Hiccup know that I know about this secret?" she asked again, that hint of mischief in her voice.
"What is with you and causing him to worry about this?" I asked, grinning.
"I just want to see the expression on his face...yours was priceless, which makes the end result for him even more tempting" she reasoned.
"I'll think about it" and as I said that we were entering the Dragon Ring. We saw Fishlegs and with his Gronckle and Tuff was also there with his head in the mout of one of the heads.
"Hey babe" Snotlout greeted putting his arm around my shoulders. "So what do you think of my dragon, the Monstrous Nightmare?" he asked gesturing to the large dragon in the other side of the Ring, which was sleeping. "He and I are very alike, we're the strongest, most dangerous and proud beings there are...the perfect combination...and I could use a beautiful girl like you with me...eh, along with your Nadder" he said wiggling his eyebrows.
I just rolled my eyes, then elbowed him in the gut and brought down that same elbow on his back, sending him to the ground. "Never touch me again" I said, kneeling down, pulling his helmet up and saying that to his face, before dropping it back down with a thud.
"Nice to see everyone is up" we heard a voice and turned to see Hiccup and Toothless walking in. "Did everyone have a good night?" he asked again, glancing and winking at me, and I smiled back.
"Oh I saw something last night that you wouldn't believe even if I told you" Ruff said. I turned to her, arms folding over my chest and staring at her.
"Yes Ruffnut, what did you see?" I asked in a sweet tone, but she along with most people, knew what the outcome was when I used that tone.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out" she said. I saw Hiccup looking over at her with some confusion, and glanced at me. I mouthed 'she knows' and pointed my finger between him and me and I saw his face change to one of shock but he quickly covered it up.
"Oh, did you see Snotlout sleeping with his stuffed yak?" Tuff yelled from inside the head of the Zippleback.
"I do not sleep with Fluffy anymore!" Snotlout yelled but immediately covered his mouth when he realized what he'd done.
"Fluffy? You named your stuffed yak Fluffy?" Hiccup asked with a smirk.
"No! That's the just the name of the stuffed yak of my mom's sister's cousin's daughter's stuffed yak...yeah, that's it" he tried to cover up.
"Anyway, moving on, today we're going to continue on from yesterday with all of you learning how to fly on your dragons" Hiccup spoke. "But today I plan to take the lesson out of the Dragon Ring and to the Sea Stacks" he said.
"But wait, I don't think we're ready to handle that kind of step up" Fishlegs said.
"Don't worry Fishlegs, I'll be there to make sure nothing goes wrong...and Astrid will also be there since she has already mastered flying with her dragon, has even learned a few hand signals and appears to be in perfect sync with her" he said, shooting a smile filled with pride at me.
"Pff...I won't need help out there" Snotlout boasted, getting on his dragon.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, have you guys named your dragons yet?" Hiccup asked.
"I named mine Meatlug" Fishlegs said.
"Barf and Belch" the Twins answered.
"Hookfang" Snotlout said, before all their dragons took off and circled the Ring.
"Well this is going to be interesting" Hiccup said getting on Toothless.
"Interesting? It's going to be fun!" I said with Stormfly finding air and flying out.
Sea Stacks - Hiccup's POV
"Just keep doing what you're doing Fishlegs" I said. He was doing well, getting Meatlug to perform small air manoeuvres and handling the turns around the sea stacks pretty well.
"You know, this is not as bad as I imagined it" he said as Meatlug did another turn around a sea stack.
"Hookfang! Slow down!" we heard Snotlout yell and soon saw a red dragon fly past us, on fire and out of control.
"Get your dragon under control Snotlout!" I yelled from my overlook position.
"Aren't you going to help him?" Astrid asked landing beside me.
"In a while" I said as I saw Hookfang dive below the water and fly back out. "At least the fire's out" I commented.
"Uh Hiccup" I heard Ruff call and turned to see that the Twins and the Zippleback were tangled in some branches and leaves that were jutting out of one of one of the sea stacks. "Hold on, let's go bud" I said, Toothless taking off and was followed by Astrid.
"What happened?" Toothless asked the Zippleback when we got there.
"Our riders got into a fight about who was the better flyer and trying to prove which one was, they flew us right into this mess" the head named Barf said.
"Guys, you both are flying the same dragon and two heads make it a more challenging task to control the dragon" I said as I got Toothless to break some of the branches.
"Uh...English please?" Tuff asked.
"Don't fight each other when flying" Astrid yelled. When Toothless got some of the branches broken, the Zippleback was able to get free along with Ruff and Tuff.
"Please no more fighting when you're flying" I said flying back to my position, and the Twins continued their flying course.
"Are you going to try and fix your relationship with your father?" Astrid asked me all of a sudden.
"Why are you asking me that?" I turned to her with a smile.
"Just wondering" she said getting off Stormfly.
"Astrid, you know that I'm just here to help with the dragon raids and then I'll be on my way" I said, getting off Toothless as well. "Is there something wrong?" I ask. She never seemed to take interest in my relationship with Stoick since coming here. I think there's more behind it.
"No...well" she looks at me and I walk up to her taking her arms in mine, while glancing around to make sure the others weren't there to see.
"Please tell me if something's wrong, Astrid. Don't handle the problem on your own...I learned that the hard way" I said, rubbing my thumb in circles over her hand.
"No Hiccup. It's my problem to bare and has nothing to do with you" she said.
"If it involves my relationship with my father it has nothing to do with me?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"No...it's just" she pulled her hands away and turned around, rubbing her shoulders "...it's just that...I think I'm being selfish or only thinking about myself" she said, and I could tell she had pulled back a sob.
"Astrid...please tell me" I pushed on.
"Hey guys!" Fishlegs called landing beside us, soon followed by the Twins and Snotlout who was drenched in water.
"So what now Hiccup?" Ruff asked. I was still looking at Astrid who had her back turned on me. What was she hiding?
"Hiccup!" Tuff called, snapping me out of my trance.
"Oh yes...well, today I planned to finish early since I have some work in the forge, so class is dismissed" I said getting on Toothless and flying off quickly. I'd find out one way or another what's wrong with Astrid, but not right now, not with the others present. Hopefully she'll meet me at the forge later today or ask me to come to my camp in the night...I just hope she won't hold out on me...unless she doesn't want me to find out something bad if that's the case, then I don't know if I'll be able to handle the drama.
"She'll tell you when she's ready Hiccup, don't worry" Toothless said, trying to cheer me up.
"I don't know bud...how she spoke and her body language...something's got her like this, and I'm afraid in finding out what it is" I said. The flight didn't take that long from the sea stacks. It was only midday and I landed in the centre of the village where the forge was. The people in the streets at the time made way as Toothless landed and looked on in uncertainty at what he might do. We both ignored all of them as we made our way into the forge.
"Ah, there ye' is...ar' ye' alright from last night?" Gobber asked. Good ole' Gobber, always made sure I was alright.
"I'm fine Gobber, just needed time to think and get away from everyone else" I said as I examined a few of the weapons on the racks.
"To tell ye' the truth boy...we all wish'd that Mildew was gone...just no one had the heart to get rid of 'im" he said, hammering away at a sword on the anvil. I couldn't help but laugh at his joke.
"Funny Gobber"
"Who's bein' funny...I was being serious" he said, stopping his work for a few seconds to look at me. I could see how his eyes made searched me, as if examining how strong I was or if I was the same boy who ran away five years ago. "You've changed a lot Hiccup...all for the better" he said.
"Well...this is what the villagers wanted me to become right? Except without the dragons" I said, looking at Toothless who had fallen asleep near the entrance of the forge.
"Sure, yer more taller, more muscle on those once fishbone arms" he said laying a hand on my shoulder. "But what I hope is that the ole' Hiccup is still in there under all...this" he said.
"You just gestured to all of me" I said, before I was enveloped in a huge hug.
"I missed ye' Hiccup" he said.
"I missed you too Gobber" I replied, wrapping my arms around him as best I could, but after a minute or so he pulled away, "I mean, all those years of no witty comments or your cheerful attitude...wow...they were Hel" I said, running my hand through me hair.
"I know...how you survived without yer ole' Uncle Gobber is truly a mystery" he said, resuming his hammering.
"But glad to see nothing's changed here" I said looking around the forge. All the boards were still the same...the one above Gobber was still hanging dangerously low, although some of the boards had started to darken a bit, but not much other than that.
"Your old room's still the way it was when ye' left...I never really went in there, save a few times...as well as Astrid" he said. Wait, Astrid went in there? "She only looked at yer' old plans and sketches, never took anything...always saw a frown upon her when she came out" he continued. Astrid, frowning after looking at my plans when I was gone? Going in that room as well? What has she been holding out on me? "I think she missed yah" he said.
"Come on Gobber, why would anyone miss me?" I said grabbing a sword and examining it.
"You'd be surprised Hiccup. Sure Astrid excelled in Dragon Training after your...eh...tricks...and yes she did celebrate when she first killed a dragon, but I saw something in her eyes...or somethin' missing to be more specific, and I only realized it happened after ye' left. She might have not told anyone, but it was clear to me that she missed yah" he said.
"Even yer own father" Ok, that got me by surprise. "He never came out of his house for a whole week after ye' left. It took me that whole week convincing him to come out, and only on the eighth day did he come out, but he wasn't the same. His eyes had lost whatever care remained in them after Val went missing, he hardly slept causing horrible bags under his eyes, and I swear his hair and beard were growing white hairs. He became more closed off and he talked to me about wishing he didn't disown you, and that if he could go back and fix his mistakes, he'd do it in a heartbeat" my old mentor said.
"He's always let his pride control him, Gobber...I don't think he would have changed" I said. I knew my father, he was the most stubborn Viking out there and wouldn't bow down to anyone.
"Then ye' don't know yer father as ye' think 'iccup" he said. I sat on the old stool that was always by the counter of the forge and looked down when he said it. Could it be possible? Could my father really want me back as his son? But could I forgive him what he's done...or what he's failed to do? "Ar' ye' going to work on something?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Wha-Oh yes, could I have the forge once you're done...I mean to work in it once you leave today" I stuttered.
"Hehe, of course Hiccup...you manned the forge in Sharkslane and it's still standing" he exclaimed with his arms wide open.
"Thanks Gobber...that really got my self confidence up a mountain" I said in fake enthusiasm which he clearly he saw and laughed in response. It was good to talk to Gobber again.
Night Time - Hiccup's POV
"UGH...When can we go flying again?" Toothless asked as I continued working on my new weapon.
"Later bud, I still have to finish this project" I said.
"Unlike me, that project can take time to make, meanwhile I on the other hand have to fly each day" he said.
"Well if you didn't destroy that mechanical tail I made for you we wouldn't be having this conversation would we?" I asked him. I made him a mechanical tail when we were living on Sharkslane but after one day of flying freely he came back and destroyed it in front of me, saying that he only came with a rider. Sure it was touching, but it took me a whole week just to make that tail and seven seconds for him to completely break it.
"Well excuse me for being loyal" he said turning his back on me.
"Loyalty and stupidity are two very different things" I said with a smile but soon got whacked on the head for the comment. "For the offspring of lightning and death you are extremely sensitive" I shot back and it earned a smirk from him. "Alright, let's go" I said putting the sword in a barrel of water to cool. At least the first phase of it was done.
"Finally!" he said and I hung my apron back on the rack and put the fire out, closed the door. "Don't forget the fish as well" he said. I then saw a barrel of fish in one of the alleys of the two buildings.
"Come on, I'm sure the owner won't mind if a few fish go missing" I said leading him to the alley. He soon had his head in the whole barrel, gobbling up what fish he could while I watched to make sure no one saw. I didn't see anyone that night, but a small yellow glow caught my attention. I saw the yellow glow getting brighter from one of the streets that led here and hid behind the corner of the building to see who it was. I soon saw the familiar blonde hair, spiked skirt and red tunic holding the torch. What was she doing here at this time? Dinner was not for another hour and I usually knew that Vikings were either in the Hall or at home with their families.
I saw her making her way to the forge, specifically to my personal room. She hung the torch in a secured hold by the door and walked in. What was she doing? I guess this was as good a time as any to confront her. "Flying will have to wait bud" I said as I began to make my way to the room. As I got closer I couldn't hear any shuffling of papers or talking or any footsteps. I slowed to a tip-toe as I neared the door, and peaked in. She was just staring at a few of my old plans that were on the table, plans that, telling by the few traces of dust on them were moved from time to time, and she was trailing her hand over them. That's when I decided to make my presence known.
"I would try building them but I'm not in that business anymore" I said leaning against the doorway and she gasped as she turned around.
"Gods! Never do that! I nearly reached for my ax and if I did, it would be where your head is now!" she said, her hand still above her heart.
"Why are you in here?"
"People aren't allowed to come in here?" she shot back.
"Well who would since they wanted nothing to do with me" I replied, and she immediately lowered her gaze and looked away. "Astrid...I didn't mean"
"No...you didn't and it's quite alright" she said, still no facing me.
"What were you going to tell me this morning?" I ask, walking closer to her. It was time she came out.
"Hiccup, it has nothing to do with you.."
"Forgive me Astrid...but you know as well as I do that that's just a load of dragon crap...please tell me what's bothering you? Is it something about me?" I push on.
"Hiccup...please, it has nothing..."
"Please don't keep me in the dark...if you tell me you'll feel better. Plus, I know this involves me somehow otherwise you wouldn't be acting like this" I said.
"If I tell you, it'll make me sound like a selfish harridan!" she yelled back. I could see the torment in her eyes and her hands were beginning to shake..and why would she call herself that?
"Astrid...never call yourself a harridan...what could be so bad that you are breaking down right in front of me?" I held both her hands, forcing her to look at me. I then saw a tear drop fall onto the top of her left hand, and I pressed my forehead against hers. I was certain that Toothless was outside making sure no one interrupted us or would give us a warning if someone was getting close.
"It's just that...my parents are pushing me for a marriage...and...the most likely person I'll marry is...(sniff)...Snotlout" she whimpered. Astrid Hofferson never whimpered. "And the thing is...he'll most likely ask soon because summer is just a month away and if he does...my parents will not refuse the offer...and I'll be forced to marry him!" she said and a few more tears fell. Now I understood why. We were all the age to marry, and someone like Astrid; young, beautiful, strong, and her status in society, she'd be the catch of so many men out there, and Snotlout was going to be that man.
"I'll have to consummate with him in front of witnesses, Hiccup! Do that of all things with him! I have received contracts from merchants of other tribes but my parents have refused them...because they want me to be the wife of the future Chief!" she said, finally looking at me, and I could see her red, tear stained eyes. That's when I realized where I played into this.
"I'm sorry that seems just like a means of escape for me...to marry you and not Snotlout...I know how it looks and I'm sorry I..." I cut her off when I silenced her lips with mine. She tried to push away at first but I kept my grip on her. She needed someone and I was going to be that person. She eventually settled into the kiss and wrapped her hands around my neck while mine found her hips and I gently hoisted her onto the table that was behind him. She let her hands roam down the front of my chest while I moved mine to her lower and upper back.
"I would nothing more...than to be your husband...and spend eternity with you, Astrid...and no you don't have to be sorry..." I started as we slowed down to catch our breath "...I know because I am a traitor that I won't even be able to challenge Snotlout...to a duel for your hand...but believe me when I say this...I will find a way to prevent that from happening...you have my word" I said looking into her eyes to see some of its fiery passion had returned.
"I know you'll find a way...you always do" she said with a smile. We closed in for another kiss but that was interrupted by a huge explosion, nearly knocking us off our feet. "What was that!?" she asked.
At that moment Toothless popped his head in the room.
"Dragon raid!"