Welcome back, folks! Before we begin there is gonna be some explaining to do. We're now getting to the part of the story where I start leaning into history and using more old norse. While there isn't anything anything history-wise in this chapter I did end up using some old-norse. For future reference, whenever there is a bracket with a number, a corresponding bracket will be found in the A/N at the end of each chapter. This is where I'll explain historical events and people as well as translate old norse.

Onto the story…

Astrid sat atop the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The sun was setting over the island giving way to the cover of darkness. Astrid was hoping a certain Nightfury and its rider would use it to come back home. Once the sun did sink below the horizon, Astrid scanned the sky for anything blocking out the stars.

Hours passed and Astrid was begging to lose hope. Any longer out here Astrid would lose sleep, besides, she had to feed the Nadder in the arena. Sighing, Astrid stood up from her spot and began to walk towards the village. As she began her walk, the familiar screech of a Nightfury filled her ears.

Astrid stopped dead in her tracks and looked towards the sky. Sure enough, stars in the sky were being blotted out by a dragon-shaped object flying toward Raven's Point. Astrid smiled and broke into a sprint, following Toothless to the cove.

Once she reached the cove, Astrid made her way towards the lake and watched as Toothless landed. Hiccup stepped off his dragon companion and his eyes locked with Astrid's almost immediately.

"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted, sprinting over to the boy.

"Hey Astrid, misse-" Hiccup began to say before being wrapped into a bear hug.

Hiccup laughed nervously, unsure of what to do. "Glad to… uh… see you too."

Astrid quickly pulled away, a blush slowly making it's onto her cheeks.

"Sorry," Astrid apologized.

"It's… It's okay," Hiccup replied, a blush also on his face.

"I'm glad you're back, Hiccup," Astrid told the boy.

"It's good to be back," Hiccup quickly responded, grabbing a bed roll from Toothless's saddle.

"So did you deal with the queen?" Astrid asked.

"Eh, yes and no," Hiccup answered.

Astrid narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What does that mean?"

Hiccup shrugged and began walking out of the cove. Astrid blinked rapidly before quickly tailing Hiccup. She followed him out of the cove, the entire time trying to get the boy to answer her question.

"Hiccup," Astrid began.

Hiccup seemed to pay her no attention as the two made their way towards Berk.

"Hiccup…" Astrid repeated, her patience begging to wear thin.

The boy continued to ignore her, the village growing ever closer.

"Hiccup!"

The two finally reached the edge of the forest and were shocked to see the village on fire. Astrid gasped at the sight but before she could even think about telling Hiccup what to do, the boy had already charged into the burning town.

"Hiccup!" Astrid called after him.

Astrid broke into a sprint and followed Hiccup. Hiccup seemed to be a lot faster than Astrid remembered as she quickly lost him. Astrid turned a corner and watched as a pair of Vikings she did not recognize run past her.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled.

An explosion rocked the ground around her and watched as Stoick emerged from the flames of a burning building. Also emerging from the flames was a thin man, brandishing two axes. The warrior bellowed a war car and charged at her. Astrid reached for her axe to defend herself but was shocked when she couldn't feel it.

"No!" yelled a voice.

Ivar Hofferson ran through the thick smoke and clashed blades with the man.

"Dad!"

Stoick roared with anger and charged towards another man wielding a long axe. Astrid felt useless not being able to help her father and her chief. Hiccup quickly re-entered her mind and Astrid resumed the search for her friend.

Astrid turned the corner and watched Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the Twins running past as they made their way up the streets of Berk, disappearing into the smoke.

"Guys!" Astrid called out after them.

"Leave none alive!" an angry voice yelled.

Astrid turned around and locked eyes with a man dressed in foreign armor. The shield in his arm bore an unfamiliar sigil, a black raven on a white background. On his shoulder was a bear pelt and the majority of his head was obscured by his helmet. Astrid could barely make out a beard but his blue eyes glared straight through her.

"Get her!" he yelled.

Astrid quickly turned around and began running away. She didn't like showing cowardice but with no weapon, she couldn't deal with these armored warriors. As she ran a building collapsed behind her, blocking the path of her pursuers. Astrid turned around and smiled at the wreckage and silently thanked the gods for being in her favor.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid turned around and saw Hiccup facing off against another man she didn't recognize.

"You can't escape me dragon master!" he yelled. "I will take what I am owed, boy!"

The man lunged at Hiccup with a sword and Astrid's heart sunk when the sword entered Hiccup's body.

"Hiccup!" she yelled.

Throwing caution to the wind, Astrid rushed to Hiccup. The Viking removed his sword from Hiccup's gut and let the heir of Berk fall to the ground. Astrid dove toward Hiccup attempting to catch him as he fell but she was too slow. The both of them crashed to the ground but Astrid crawled the remaining distance to Hiccup's side.

"Hiccup," Astrid whispered in shock, lifting his body and cradling him in her arms.

The Viking who had stabbed him began to laugh. Astrid stared up at him and gasped when she looked into empty eye sockets. Where his eyes should be was a black void. Around him, he was joined by the three Vikings she encountered earlier. The man who used two axes against her father joined who she assumed to be their leader in laughter, while the other two men seemed to look at Hiccup in pity.

"A shame, really," the man who stabbed Hiccup began. "He could have been so much more…"

"A worthy advisory if he lived…" the man who gave orders earlier muttered.

"Never took pride in what was done," The man who used the long axe added.

"Guess I'll have to look for a new plaything," laughed the duel-wielding Viking.

Astrid refused to look at the men, focusing on Hiccup who was fading fast.

"Astrid…" she could hear Hiccup whisper in pain.

"I'm here," she reassured him.

"There is no use valkyrie, the seer was wrong. There will be no dragon king," the man with no eyes told her.

Around her, warriors began to form a circle around them and began banging their shields. The man with no eyes raised his sword. "There will be no threat to my realm ever again,' he growled. His sword lowered down on her and Astrid felt a sharp pain as the banging grew louder.

Astrid forced herself awake, her eyes shooting open as she sat up in her bed. Franticly, Astrid looked around for Hiccup and the warriors but was relieved to only see her room. The banging from her dream persisted, however.

"Astrid dear wake up!" Ingrid Hofferson yelled from the other side of the door.

"I'm up," Astrid replied with a groan.

Ingrid burst through the door and gave a disappointing look at her daughter.

"It's nearly midday, what could have possibly done yesterday to make you so tired?" she asked as Ingrid opened Astrid's window.

Astrid squinted once the light entered her room, her eyes adjusting to the midday sun.

"I couldn't sleep," Astrid simply responded as she stood up from her bed.

"Couldn't sleep?" Ingrid replied with a laugh. "Since when did you ever have trouble getting sleep?"

"I don't know, I just…" Astrid trailed off as she made her way to the desk that had Hiccup's journal on it.

Ingrid's gaze followed to where Astrid was walking and saw the book. Astrid simply grabbed it and tossed it under her bed.

"Hiding books now are we?"

"It's not-"

"And what's this?"

Ingrid picked up Hiccup's drawing and eyed it carefully. Astrid had attempted to grab it out of her mother's hands but quickly stopped when Ingrid looked back at her.

"Who drew this?"

"Hiccup," Astrid answered.

"I'm assuming that book was also Hiccup's," Ingrid pressed.

"Yeah," was the response from her daughter as she sheepishly rubbed her arm.

"And does Stoick know you have these?"

Several beats passed as Astrid thought over her answer.

"No."

"So you stole these from the chief?" Ingrid questioned.

"No, I didn't. I-"

"So then how did you get these?" Astrid's mother asked as she folded her arms over her chest.

"They were in the forge. I went there the other night and talked to Gobber. He let me in Hiccup's study, I saw the picture and I had to just take it."

Ingrid looked back at the drawing and sighed before handing it to Astrid.

"What about Hiccup's book?"

"It was also there," Astrid answered. "I swear," she added.

"Then why did you take it?"

"I… I…" Astrid stammerd.

"Well?"

"I feel guilty, okay!" Astrid shouted. "Hiccup saved my life, died because of it and I hardly knew who he was, what he was like."

Astrid looked down to the ground in shame. Part of that statement was true, before Hiccup left she hardly knew what the boy was like. Which is why she hoped Hiccup had some personal details in the journal she had in her possession.

"Oh sweetie," Ingrid replied and wrapped her daughter in a hug. "You dreamed about his death didn't you?"

Astrid simply nodded her head and Ingrid held onto her daughter tighter.

"It's not your fault, Hiccup did a great thing for us. He saved your life and for that, we will forever be in his debt."

Astrid nodded once again in her mother's embrace. Ingrid sighed as she held onto Astrid.

"You and Hiccup were great friends when you were wee things," Ingrid told her daughter. "After Valka was taken from us and Stoick, well became more stoic, Hiccup was all alone. When the chief was busy leading the village I took it upon myself to watch the boy. The two of you used to play well into the evening, oh you two were inseparable. I remember the one night when Stoick came by to pick Hiccup up. You practically begged the chief to let Hiccup stay because the two of you had gotten into a very intense game of tag."

"How old were we?" Astrid asked.

"No more than four, if I can recall. The look on the chief's face when you told him that you were gonna marry Hiccup one day," Ingrid said with a laugh.

"I said what?" Astrid questioned as she pulled away from her mother.

"You told the chief straight-faced that you were gonna marry Hiccup," Ingrid replied. "And with the way things were back then, I believed it."

"What happened between us?"

"Your Uncle Finn died," Ingrid replied with a grim look. "After that, you shut yourself off from everyone and wanted to become the greatest warrior this side of Midgard."

"And Hiccup?"

"Well, the boy lost a friend, a close one at that. He tried his best to get you to notice him again but all his attempts were in vain…" Ingrid trailed off with a sigh.

Astrid couldn't help but feel tears pricking in her eyes as she listened to her mother's stories.

"I'm sure Hiccup still cared for you after everything," Ingrid said attempting to Astrid's spirit.

"That's what Gobber said."

Ingrid nodded, if anyone knew Hiccup better than anybody it was the village blacksmith. The poor man considered the boy like family and Hiccup's death ate him up as much as it did the chief.

"Why don't you forgo your chores and head to the forge? I'm sure Gobber could use some company. It seems like you're the only person he's talked to since it happened."

Astrid nodded and began to grab some fresh clothes out of her closet. Ingrid smiled and began to walk out of the room before turning around.

"Oh and Astrid," her mother began.

"Yeah?"

"Don't beat yourself up too much over his death. I don't want you to shut us out again."

"I won't Mom I promise," Astrid answered.

"Good girl, I'll see you later," with that, Ingrid left Astrid to her own devices.

Astrid walked into the forge and watched as the blacksmith dropped a pile of weapons. She winced as they all clattered to the ground with a loud bang. Gobber sighed and was about to shout something angrily but held his breath when he saw Astrid.

"Oh Astrid, how long 'ave ye been standing there?" Gobber asked.

"Not too long. Here let me help you," Astrid told the blacksmith.

Astrid walked over to the mess of weapons on the floor and started to pick them up alongside Gobber. Once the weapons were placed on a counter, Gobber gave the girl a small smile and silently thanked her for the help.

"What can I do for ye today?" he asked as he changed his hook hand out for one with a comb.

"Mom suggested I come by to learn more about Hiccup and I guess keep you company," Astrid answered shyly.

Gobber nodded and sighed as memories of the boy began flooding back.

"I told ye, he was special, different. I don't think I can tell ye much beyond that," Gobber replied.

"What about when we were kids? Mom was saying the Hiccup and I used to be good friends."

Gobber shook his head, "Nah, you two weren't good friends."

"Oh…"

"Ye were great friends, best friends even," Gobber continued. "I'm sure Ingrid told ya about the whole marrying thing to embarrass ye."

Astrid nodded as her face turned a bright red and Gobber laughed for the first time in a while.

"Aye, the two of ye were inseparable. I wish Finn never had gone the way he did. Maybe the two of ye still would've been friends."

"I see…" Astrid trailed off.

Gobber turned around and hobbled around the shop, stepping over more fallen weapons. Astrid couldn't help but feel sorry for the blacksmith. The Viking teen stepped further into the shop and began picking up more weapons.

"Ah ya don't have to clean up after me lass," Gobber told her.

"Without Hiccup, you're gonna need help," Astrid responded. "I know I have no skills whatsoever when it comes to blacksmithing but please let me help you out Gobber."

Gobber sighed and stared at the girl for a second. The blacksmith slowly nodded before walking to the shop's counter.

"Aye yer right, without him things haven't been easy. Just promise me you're not trying to become him alright?"

Astrid nodded, "I promise."

Gobber was about to say something but shut his mouth when Stoick walked into the shop. Astrid took a good look at her chief. The man had bags under his eyes, no doubt from the lack of sleep. His eyes were red and puffy and guilt crept up on Astrid.

"Gobber," Stoick began.

"Stoick, it's good to see ya," Gobber responded.

Stoick simply nodded as he began to look around the forge, his eyes resting on Astrid.

"Lass."

Astrid bowed her head, refusing to look the chief directly in the eye.

"Astrid here is going to be helping out," Gobber told the mountain of a man.

"Is that so?" Stoick replied, his eyes not leaving the girl.

"I need the help, Stoick, without Hi-"

"Don't!" Stoick shouted turning to the blacksmith startling both him and Astrid. "Don't say his name."

"Stoick…"

The chief sighed before turning back to Astrid.

"Perhaps this is best for you Astrid. Obviously, you weren't capable of fending off a dragon when it mattered," Stoick told her bitterly.

Astrid eyes widened at Stoick's words as she felt her body shrinking from the ire of the chief. With that, Stoick turned and left toward the Meade Hall. Gobber placed his hand on Astrid's shoulder, a small attempt at cheering Astrid up.

"Don't take his words too seriously. He's still grieving he'll let this go… eventually," Gobber told her with a smile. "Now let's get ye to work," Gobber added by tossing her an apron.

(A few days later…)

Toothless slowly approached his rider once again. The boy had been asleep for days with no sign of waking. The dragon missed his friend dearly and wanted him to get better. The Vikings that had picked them up off of the nest did their best to help Hiccup. Toothless was thankful for the strange men that came to their aid, without them, Hiccup would probably be in a worse condition.

Toothless brought his snout close to Hiccup's head and sniffed the boy. The nightfury let out a smile whine when Hiccup made no reaction to his friend. Toothless was about to pull away when heard a small groan escape Hiccup's mouth.

Hiccup slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the light. Once his eyes got adjusted, the sun was blocked out by the head of a nightfury. Said nightfury warbled with joy and rubbed his head against Hiccup's.

"Hey Toothless," Hiccup greeted the dragon quietly.

Toothless continued to rub his head against Hiccup trying to get the boy to sit up.

"Happy to see you too bud," Hiccup said with a slight smile.

The dragon licked Hiccup's chin and went in to rub his head against the boy's once again. As Toothless moved towards his friend, he accidentally stepped on Hiccup's torso. Hiccup shot up in pain, grabbing his midsection as his friend retreated. Once the boy was sitting upright, Hiccup took a good look at his surroundings and realized he was in a hut.

"What, where are we?" Hiccup asked Toothless.

Toothless simply responded with his version of a shrug. Hiccup sighed and pushed the blanket off of his body. He immediately regretted that action because once the blanket fell to the side of the bed, instead of two feet he was greeted with just one. Where his left foot should have been was a simple peg leg made of wood. Hiccup's eyes went wide at the discovery, his mind trying to come up with all the scenarios that could have resulted in him losing a leg.

A coon from Toothless brought him out of his thoughts as the dragon approached him once more. Hiccup slowly placed his right foot down on the ground and cautiously moved his new peg leg down to the floor as well. He took a couple of deep breaths and looked to his dragon for courage. Slowly, Hiccup stood up but lost his balance. Toothless was quick and caught his rider before he could even get close to the ground.

"Thanks, bud," thanked Hiccup as he stood back up.

Hiccup began to lean on his dragon companion and the two slowly made their way to the door. Once they reached it, Hiccup slowly opened the door and was met with a village he was unfamiliar with. Part of him wished that this was Berk but Hiccup knew better than that. There was no way his father would have allowed Toothless in the village.

As Hiccup scanned the village for any familiar faces, a man began to approach them.

"Ah, it is good to see you awake," he said.

"It's- It's good to be a- awake," Hiccup responded slowly.

The man smiled and stood in front of him. He was of average build, not too muscular nor was he a twig like Hiccup. The man was also up there in age, his salt-and-pepper beard and hair gave that away.

"Who are you?" Hiccup asked.

"Horik Erikson, Earl of Eriksbœr [1]" The man, Horik replied. "And you are?"

"Hiccup Haddock the Third," Hiccup answered.

"Hiccup Haddock?" Horik questioned.

Hiccup nodded and started to lean back on his dragon.

"Peculiar name but can't say I've heard worse. You, my friend, are lucky to be alive."

"I am?"

"Oh yeah, there were nights where we didn't think you'd make it to the morning but ya pulled through. That dragon friend of yours though wouldn't let us get too close initially. Had to coax him to let us try and fix you the best we could. Brought you here to our village, dying on the sea was no way to go."

"And where is here?" Hiccup asked.

"Weren't you listening boy? Why would I take you to some random village when I could have taken you to one I lead?" Horik replied.

"Fair point, sorry."

"Eh, no need to apologize. Well, we patched you up the best we could, sorry about the leg though. We tried our best but it was too far gone to save it. Had our carpenter Sigurd widdle you the leg but I doubt it's comfortable."

"No…"

"Figured as much, not much we can do about it though I'm afraid," Horik said with a frown.

"I think I can do something thought," Hiccup quickly told the man.

"Oh?"

"I was a blacksmith's apprentice, if you have a forge I can make a new leg," Hiccup added excitedly.

Horik thought for a moment, then nodded. "I can't have you using material for free so here's the deal. You can make your leg but you're gonna have to put in some work around the village. I also can't have a dragon wandering around the village so he stays with you understand?"

"Yes sir," Hiccup responded with a nod.

"Good. Once your debt is paid, we'll go from there alright. Until then welcome to Eriksbœr Hiccup."

With that Horik left the two standing in front of the hut. From behind him Toothless gave Hiccup a slight shove and warbeled.

"Yeah, I know bud. Let me get back on my feet- er well foot first. Then I can rebuild your tailfin and we'll be on our way okay?" Hiccup told his friend.

Toothless snorted but seeing as they had no other choice but to integrate with the village, the two of them had to stay for a bit.

"Thanks, bud, now let's go pay that forge a visit shall we?"

Hiccup leaned on his friend once again and the two slowly hobbled towards town.

Work kept me from actually finishing this chapter sooner, which sucks but what are you gonna do (I totally haven't been playing Sea of Thieves in my free time). This chapter to me feels very much like filler and more of fleshing out where our characters are in terms of their thoughts, actions, and emotions. That nightmare scene was also a pain to write. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do for it but I struggled to properly portray what I wanted which was another reason it took so long to get this chapter out.

The main thing for this chapter was getting Hiccup set up for his quest away from Berk while we provide some more history between him and Astrid. I think an Astrid who is very much aware of Hiccup and Toothless and accepts the fact that dragons aren't mindless killing machines right off the bat in these runaway AUs is very interesting and seldom done. Yes, that robs the conflict of Astrid the Shieldmaiden vs Hiccup the Dragon Master but I feel like that one is overdone. We will get to explore more of Astrid training Stormfly in secret in the next chapter.

In addition, I've always liked the idea of Stoick wallowing in guilt over Hiccup's "death" and taking that grief and anger out on Astrid. I think it is very well within Stoick's character before the battle with the Red Death. Not to mention his wife is also "dead" and losing that last bit of her as well as your only child, of course, you're gonna feel guilt. For Stoick in his mind, it's completely justified to be angry with Astrid because she could have saved him, especially since she trained her entire life to kill dragons.

One more thing is how I'm thinking about structuring the story moving forward. This is purely how you guys feel. Part of me likes having one chapter show both Hiccup and Astrid's points of view. Another part of me is wondering what chapters would be like if I just focused on just one of them per chapter. The latter half is probably what's gonna happen later on but right now I feel better just having one chapter show both perspectives.

I hope that clears up any concerns/ confusion about where I am taking the characters as well as the story structure. Onto annotations and reviews.

[1]: Eriksbœr translates directly to Erik's Landed Estate. I was originally going to call this settlement Ravensthorpe after the sort of hub town within Assassin's Creed Valhalla but I felt like that was too cheesy.

Guest: Thank you! Glad I could give you something to look forward to!

GojiraRWBYSW18: Thank you very much.

TheDayofRickening: I've always liked this detail in pretty much every story that I have read that includes this. I refuse to believe that somebody other than Hiccup forged Astrid's axe.

Until next time friends…