000
It was strange seeing any island morph into a speck on the horizon. Every time she had set out on her own, or with her brother, or with a few friends, a small part of her always looked forward to a new adventure. Looking back at Berserker Island, slowly shrinking behind her, brought a brief sense of heartache. After all, the life of Vikings was a rather perilous one. The constant cycle of pillaging and looting, while under the threat of being pillaged and looted, was one they could not escape. Not for the foreseeable future anyway. But watching her home fade into the blackness of the night, in a matter of seconds, on the back of a dragon and the shoulder of her captor, she had a daunting suspicion that it would be the last sight of home for good. Her breathing came in deep, slow, ragged breaths, almost choking on sobs. She couldn't even process that the Jormung had placed her down. Not wanting to look anywhere else, she looked up, at the back of the Jormung. He seemed to be having a conversation with the Whispering Death flying close above. She didn't hear his words though. All she could hear was her beating heart, and all she could see was a growing red hue in the corner of her eyes. She reached for the dagger she always kept in the helm of her skirt and launched at the monster in front of her.
Only to be met with air.
"You're going to have to do better than that." She heard him speak behind her. She planted her feet and launched another attack back at him. She was quicker this time, reaching his space before he could escape behind her again.
"Pathetic." He muttered, side-stepping her attack, right hand landing a blow to her wrist, temporarily disarming her. He seized the same hand, pulling her back. But she was faster than that. She caught the falling dagger with her left, and gave a crack at her leg sweep, using the momentum he generated by pulling on her wrist back to him. He effortlessly dodged the sweep, hoisting her up with that one hand. She let out a cry of pain as her feet lost contact with solid ground. However, he pulled her to a height that left his neck more accessible to an attack. Her left hand swiped at it. Her reach was perfect, but she didn't think he'd catch the dagger with his own fist, fingers curling around the blade. With the moon light behind her, she could now see his face properly, and the dark red liquid, running along her dagger and dripping from his fist. And yet there was no inclination of pain on his face, only a frown.
He wrenched the weapon away, letting it fall next to him while he continued to hold her arm, letting her weight put more strain on her wrist and shoulder. But she wouldn't be deterred by that. In a fruitless struggle, she tried to land a blow to his face. But with no foundation to plant her weight, and him holding her up with one arm like she was dead weight, she simply spun slight around, hitting nothing but the air in front of his face, and doing her shoulder no favors. Anymore useless struggling and might rip something in it. Or he'd save her the trouble and dislocate her shoulder. "Is this what the famous Unhinged Sister of Dagur the Deranged is capable of?" She detested his smirk with a burning passion.
"You swore you wouldn't harm a single person there!"
"I did, yes. My dragon didn't. If anything your brother's men should have been more disciplined."
She unleashed another flurry of uncoordinated punches and kicks. His smirk was slowly waning, making way for a frown instead. "Look, I know how you feel. If your brother keeps up his end of the deal, you'll be back home in no time." Her struggling didn't cease with his words. "For fuck's sake...okay." He released her arm, and she fell back onto her rear at the sudden drop, staring up at him. He peeled his cloak off, and stood before him. "Since my words aren't reaching your ears maybe violence will." She scooted back, dodging the spines on the dragon's back. "If you beat me, hand-to-hand, I'll take you back. If you don't, you'll quit with your feeble struggles." He watched her face for any sign of recognition. They both knew she couldn't win this fight. One misstep here or there and she might impale a limb on one of Frostbite's many spines. When she wasn't making any movements, he continued. "Being taken away from home is traumatizing, I get it. But you'll be okay. At least you have a home to go back to." He took the few steps to her and crouched down to her level, as if he was approaching a frightened dragonling. "I may have gone too far with the rape threat, but it was only meant to rile up your brother further. To help him understand the severity of the situation and what was at stake for him. I don't intend on forcing myself on you."
"I don't trust you."
"I don't expect you to." He stood up and walked back to retrieve his cloak. Heather rose slowly herself, rubbing away the pain in her shoulder, eyes still trained on him. "When we arrive at my island, I'll fill you in on the do's and don'ts of the place. I'll even build a separate area for you to live in."
That didn't ease her concerns. She would still be a prisoner. Under the watch of a Jormung and his dragons. Everything she did would be under constant watch. That really won't help time move by faster.
000
It wasn't easy asking for books about Berk's history, or even journals that recounted relationships with other tribes. It wasn't if you were Astrid Hofferson. A girl who had spent her entire life honing her skills for combat, all of a sudden takes interest in Berk's history? Most people would think nothing of it. But Fishlegs was not most people. But luckily they were in the presence of the Twins, so their banter and inevitable conversation stoppers would put his suspicions at bay for a while.
"My copy of 'Berk's Beginnings'?" Honestly, she didn't know why she was going through this much trouble for him. She had to be careful, otherwise some people would start noticing a change in her routines.
"To help Bjorn brush up on a few things."
His smile at the thought of her teaching her brother put her at ease a bit. "Yeah, that boy needs to stay on top of his studies. No offense but I wish he was a bit like Asta."
"You and me both. He focuses too much on the combat side."
"And what's wrong with that?! Bjorn's a young, impressionable man who needs to only concern himself with forging Berk's future!" Tuffnut waved a yak leg as he spoke, sending bits of crisp skin and flesh toward Fishlegs and Astrid.
"Yep, wouldn't want my impressionable younger brother picking up bad habits." Astrid grimaced as she plucked a small scrap from her tunic and flicked it away.
"Ignore him." Ruffnut shoved her brother's face into his plate of food, getting a muffled thanks in reply. "Why are you taking initiative all of a sudden. You left his studies to Asta before?"
"Maybe he'll take his studies more seriously if I'm the one overseeing them."
Fishlegs smiled. "I'm sorry, but I think he's just following in your footsteps. Don't you remember how much you hated history?"
"I didn't hate it. I just thought it was less useful than learning how to defend myself. Besides, he doesn't need to know that side of me. So you better not tell him." She gave a playful punch to his shoulder, getting a yelp from him.
"Anyway, here, I'll lend it to you." He pulled up his book bag, digging around for it. "Be careful with it. That's the only copy I made." He handed it to her. She turned the book over in her hands, impressed at the work and detail Fishlegs put into it. Berk's crest on the front cover, an index of each section and what page, the pages sewn perfectly into the spine of the book. She just hoped the Jormung would treat it with the proper care it deserved.
"Thanks, Fishlegs. I promise I'll return it in the same condition." She smiled.
"Hopefully Bjorn will take this seriously and get his scores up."
Astrid chuckled, hoping Fishlegs didn't see the look in her eyes. 'Yeah, you and me both.' She'd have to get Asta to double her efforts in tutoring him.
"By the way." Ruffnut interrupted them. "You training for your big hunt right?"
Astrid silently thanked her for the change in topic. She didn't know how much longer she could hide the underlying reason for wanting Fishlegs' book. It's not that she didn't trust Fishlegs. He just...wasn't good at keeping secrets. Really important secrets. And learning that the Astrid Hofferson was harboring a Jormung in Berk's forest was something she planned on never exposing. This secret would only stay between her and the Jormung. And the twins were usually too stupid to catch onto such things.
"Finding time for it is tough, I have to admit. What with all the youth training, patrols and the occasional council meetings."
The hunt was a tradition that all aspiring, young warriors on Berk had to go through. On the verge of turning twenty, participants would sail to the Huntfait Isles, in the northeast region, outside the Barbaric Archipelago's territory. She'd be turning twenty in five months, and she'd set off a week after the celebrations.
The Huntfait Isles were a collection of large islands, each land mass twice the size of the island their own village was situated on. The environment wasn't that different from Berk's. It was a blend of tall forests, rolling hills, steep cliff sides, and even a few bay inlets which were perfect for docking small boats in. However, it did get colder quicker and lasted longer. The massive scale of each island promised a variety of big game. From stag that stood almost nine feet all, not including their antlers, to dire wolves, and finally cave bears. Dragons were no exception either. There were rumoured to be a few Titanwings of different breeds on those islands. It goes without saying, the larger, the more deadly, and the more rare a kill is, the greater the rewards and perks that came with the head of them. As a result of the severity and dangers of the hunt, the Huntfait Isles were unsettled by any Viking. Once she set off for them, she'd be on her own for two weeks with no other Viking contact.
"Too bad we don't have any big game on Berk for you to practice."
"That just beats the purpose of getting out of your comfort zone and putting your life on the line." She could still see the worry on Fishlegs' face. "Don't worry. I'll be asking Erlend how his hunt went." All three pairs of eyes turned on her when she said that. "What?"
"Erlend Hallgrimsson? The same one who currently holds the title of Berk's best warrior? Come to think of it, isn't he three years our elder?" Fishlegs said.
"The same Erlend who brought back the head of a Titanwing Monstrous Nightmare?" Tuff asked.
"And the same Erlend who has the hots for you?" Ruff stated.
Astrid rolled her eyes at Ruff's comment. "Don't all the men in our age group?" It wasn't anything new that almost every guy on Berk and the ones she came across abroad became enamored by her. Despite training and honing her skills to compete with some of the Archipelago's best mettle, all they ever saw was a beautiful girl to add to their bed adventures, and nothing more. She had become partly numb to the mutterings and advances, but it still bothered her when they couldn't take a hint. "Well, excluding Fishlegs and Tuffnut. But yeah, that same Erlend. I've sparred with him and his friends a few times, so it's not like I don't have a rapport with them."
"It's just weird how he and his friends try so hard to get you to go along with them and completely ignore us. I mean, what are we? Chopped yak liver?"
"He's just currying favor from the future Chieftess. Also what sane Viking wouldn't want to have sex with you?" Astrid glanced at Ruff, raising an eyebrow. "That's right sister, men aren't your only suitors. I've chatted with a few women who wished you weren't into the opposite sex."
"So what you're also implying is you'd want to tangle with me?" Astrid smirked.
"A couple barrels of mead in, sure. Your house or mine?" Ruff wiggled her eyebrows, getting a laugh out from her.
"Ew! No! I'm not listening to this!" Tuff stuffed two chicken legs in his ears to drown out the conversation.
"Getting back to topic, I wouldn't be surprised if Erlend was hoping you'd give him a chance. Or his boys. But I'm certain he's just saving you for himself."
"If he is, he's going to be disappointed like every other guy, suitor or not. I'm placing my path as a warrior over some tumble in the hay."
"Well it doesn't help that you've been turning down all the marriage proposals that come your way. Your dad's pretty understanding, but I'm sure he's starting to feel the pressure too, from the council and visiting Chieftains."
"When it all comes down to it, the decision lies with me. Unless it's for the security of Berk, or an offer my family simply can't refuse, I won't be paying attention to any marriage offer. Besides, I'm not totally opposed to exploring, I just wouldn't have sex with anyone from Berk. It'd just be too awkward. And can you imagine the boasting the guy, or girl," she made a quick glance at Ruff, "would do?"
"And here I thought you were going to become the embodiment of the war-maiden lifestyle" Ruff said. "So why not one of those visiting Chiefs' sons, or the occasional handsome, buff traders who dock here every now and then? I've been doing that, so why haven't you?"
"Have her sleep with another Chief's son? Even I'm not that stupid sis." Tuff removed the chicken legs from his ears, suddenly invested in their conversation. "In the unlikely event our dear shield maiden were to fornicate with a visiting dignitary-" Astrid let a grimace form at Tuff's choice of words, "-and if said passionate session led to her being with child, not only would that bring shame on the already tarnished Hofferson name, but it would be a huge burden for said dignitary to find out he had a bastard child in another tribe. Which would not only lead to possibly uneasy relations between Berk and other said tribe, but would force Astrid into an arranged marriage. against her and the father's wishes." Everyone stared at Tuffnut as he plucked at scraps between his teeth.
"The things you could accomplish if you used your brain." Fishlegs said, astonished that Tuffnut understood politics of a bastard heir.
"Eh, too much work. Way easier just being an idiot." He said as he proceeded to eat the chicken leg that he had just used as an ear plug a minute ago, getting disgusted noises from all around.
"Maybe I just haven't found my type yet." Astrid argued. She didn't even know what her type was. There wasn't any variety on Berk, and anyone visiting Berk didn't catch her eye either.
"Are you telling me Fishlegs is your type? Because the only other type on Berk are brawny, thick in the head, oafs who have no appreciation for the delicate things in life."
Fishlegs suppressed a blush. "You say it like it's a bad thing..." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Trust me when I say it's not, Fishlegs." Astrid defended him. "Your way is a refreshing welcome for most girls. We get pretty tired of hearing half-assed, inflated stories. Anyway, I better take my leave. Thanks again Fishlegs!" She bid them goodbye as she headed for the doors. She appreciated Ruff looking out for her when it came to Erlend. He always threw in a few flirting attempts during their sparring and any time they were alone on patrol. She just rolled her eyes and kept telling him in his dreams. Which she was pretty sure he did dream of. She felt a chill run through her body.
She heard their goodbyes as she exited the Great Hall. It was still mid-morning outside. The sun shining brightly with not a cloud for miles. What made the day even better was that she had no duties today. Which meant she could sneak away to see Hiccup under the guise of training.
It had been a few days since their last encounter. She used her alone time to think about her experience with the Night Fury. After years of thinking dragons were thoughtless killing machines, it was strange to just stand in the presence of one and not be attacked. Then again, that could be because Hiccup was there acting as mediator, but still. And what with her familiarity in combat, she noticed the docile behavior of the dragon once her weapon was far out of her reach. It-He seemed almost curious as her, giving her a few good look-overs and sniffs, as if he were committing her scent to memory. She guessed she shouldn't be surprised. As an actual dragon, his senses were twice that of a Jormung's. Given how his rider could be inattentive at times, someone had to look out for him. Which is why it was no surprise she was face to face with the dragon a good distance from the Cove. They both stood there, calmly sizing each other up.
"Here to make sure I'm not someone else?" The dragon grunted, cocking his head to the side. "Well then, mind taking this to him?" She extended the book. The dragon just squinted his eyes, turned his back on her and walked away, presumably gesturing for her to follow him.
'This is going to take some time getting used to.' She couldn't believe she was following a dragon willingly. She'd definitely be branded a heretic if anyone found out about this. Their walk was a quiet, awkward one. For her anyway. She couldn't engage in conversation with the Night Fury. She didn't know if he would understand half of what she'd say, and she wouldn't be able to interpret his grunts or growls now. So she silently followed along until they reached the edge of the cove. The dragon barked a greeting, and she saw Hiccup emerge from his now...bigger tent. She noticed he immediately cheered up at her sight, lips curling into a bright smile, showing off his pearly whites, as he waved at her.
"Hey Astrid!" She raised a hand to wave back with semi-forced smile. She was not going to admit that a minuscule part of her was glad to see him. "What brings you over here?"
"Did you forget about your history lesson?" She shook the book in her hand.
"Oh yeah! Come on down then!" She came down the now easier path, which he probably made himself, and met him at the campfire he made by the pond's edge.
"You've certainly been busy." She said, looking around and noticing how a bit more homely his little corner was. His tent was now about twice its size, and much taller. When he pulled the front flap away, she saw a low bed and a small table and chair on either side. A clothes and weapons rack on either side of the tent. He already had a hastily crafted pickax, a saw, even a tanning rack. He really had been busy the last couple of days. But what really caught her attention...Oh no.
"You are not building a forge here." She said, turning to see him pout.
"What? Why not?"
"Are you serious? I know I'm probably the only one who comes to this part of the island, but do you really want to risk getting caught because one villager decided to come this far out?" She almost laughed at his deadpan expression. "I'm just looking out for you. And how do you know how to build a forge anyway?"
"Back home, I basically lived my entire life in the forge. I spent days and nights making items, weapons, saddles, whatever that was needed really. I was hoping I could restart that."
"Saddles? For...?"
"Dragon-riding. We'd also use the leather for fancy chairs and stuff."
"Dragon-riding, of course." She made a quick glance at the Night Fury and just noticed he was sporting a saddle on his back. Part of her did wonder how in Hel the Jormung rode dragons. Guess it'd even be uncomfortable for them after a while. "What were you planning to do about the furnace? You don't enough coal and you'd have to burn a good bit of trees to for it."
"Well I got Toothless." He gestured to the previously napping dragon, who had his head perked up and Astrid could almost read the dragon's thoughts. 'Yeah, I'm not your personal furnace.' Is something the dragon was probably growling at him.
Her thoughts were confirmed when Hiccup waved an arm in the dragon's direction, earning a scoff from the Night Fury, who laid his head back down. Astrid didn't know what to make of their 'banter.' If she could call it that. "Getting back on track, no you can't build a forge. Where were you going to get your materials anyway? Last time I checked iron doesn't grow on trees."
"Oh...heh, yeah...forgot about materials." He suddenly found their surroundings more interesting than making eye contact with her. He was also rubbing the back of his neck. In their short time together she'd already picked up on his giveaways.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You were going to steal them from our forge weren't you?"
"Well...when you put it like that..." He immediately averted his eyes when he met hers. "I mean I could always fly and scavenge other islands and shipwrecks for iron. I don't necessarily have to take it from your forge."
"Ugh. Look, no forge. We don't want you getting caught now, do we?"
He raised his brows, "We?"
"It takes two to have a secret acquaintance, genius." She rolled her eyes.
"Oh, we're acquaintances now? Before you know it, we'll be sparring partners, who'll then transition to friends, which will inevitably lead to a secret love affair that will be uncovered by the village, and then battling through hardship as we show the world that Jormung and Vikings can in fact live together." He finished with his arms spread out, smiling at her.
"You clearly spent the rest of your time day-dreaming instead of practicing what little I taught you." She shook her head. "And love affair? Really?" She almost pictured it herself but quickly dismissed the idea, otherwise her own imagination might run wild and she really didn't want him collecting ammo to use against her in the future.
"Isn't that what happens most of the time when a man and a woman go against their people's beliefs and laws to meet, learn about each other, find out they like each other but are too afraid to go against their norms, but eventually just break down that imaginary barrier?"
Well, he was partly right. "You're forgetting that most situations lead to that because they let their desires get the better of them when they should have been thinking rationally."
"So what you're saying is you're in full control of your desires."
"Thanks to my training, I would say better than most. But are you saying you'll have a desire to be with me?" She liked the pink hue forming on his cheeks. If anything, his awkwardness had a cuteness to it.
"Well you're the only Viking I'll be contact with. And you're of the opposite sex, so, yes. There is a high chance I'll desire to be with you." She was about to burst out laughing at his attempt to make her embarrassed, but his uncomfortable expression and growing embarrassment, highlighted by how the his pinkish tint was turning a shade darker, were out of his control.
"You're too easy." She smiled, shaking her head as she sat down on a log that was placed right next to the campfire. She heard him grumble something incoherent. Obviously some retort but one that wouldn't have phased her. "So, shall we get started then?" She patted the spot next to her, again taking pleasure in his awkwardness. "Don't worry, I won't bite." She winked. Hiccup took a deep breath to calm himself, deciding silence was a better course of action instead of digging his grave of embarrassment even deeper. He'd get payback at some point in the future. He ignored her gaze as he strode towards her, sitting down beside her in an almost mechanical-like fashion. "I would have thought you'd be able to form a witty comeback, considering how much blood was going upwards." She grinned.
Oh she was asking for it now. "Would you have preferred if it went elsewhere?" He knew it was a double-edged sword but hurt pride was had a strangely calming effect to tense situations. His bid to turn the table on her proved successful when her own grin fell away, as she glanced down to his lap. It would be an understatement to say the least at the smugness he felt when following her eyes size him up, in more ways than one. Coupled with the own heat rising in her cheeks. "Give it a moment. But if you're really interested, losing the tunic will speed up the process." What he wasn't expecting was her smacking the back of his head with the book in her hand, nearly sending him off the log face first into the ground.
"If you're done with your childishness, here!" She thrust the book into his hands once he righted himself. Hiccup grimaced, glancing between the book and her as he rubbed the base of his skull.
"Is it always violence with you?"
"It was the book or my fist. And it's physical communication."
"Duly noted." Hiccup smiled as he turned his attention completely on the book. "Berk's Beginnings huh? The three hundred year old collection of Berk's history, traditions, and values." He read aloud, turning through the first few pages, coming across the index quickly.
"Contains everything you need to know about Berk. And considering the amount of free time you have, I'm sure you'll finish it in no time. And careful not to damage it. I have to return that back to a friend."
"Oh of course..." He mumbled, clearly focused on the book as he flipped through the pages, finally settling on one. "Chief Hamish I...Berk's most successful chief."
"He amassed a huge fortune during his time, eventually passing it onto his son, Hamish II. He basically kick-started Berk's growth into what it is now."
"Wow. Must have been some Chief" he said as he began flipping through to more recent times. "You said this was your friend's book?"
"Yeah."
"That's a pretty good illustration of the real man." He commented, looking at the drawing of Hamish I. "Brings out all the raw Vikingness." It was then he realized he didn't have any books back from his home. Now no one would ever know the real history and culture of the Jormung. Well, that's if there wasn't anyone willing to...He started eyeing Astrid, thinking it over. "You know, since we're doing this study session today, why not ask me anything you want to know about me and the Jormung. Unlike you, I don't have a book about our history with me. And I don't think you'd want to run the risk of someone finding and questioning you about a book about Jormung." He closed the book, putting it aside. "So what do you say?"
She thought about it. He did have a point about him providing her a book. Technically now was the most free time she'd have to spend with him before her chores and duties would keep her busy for the rest of the week. And he was right. There weren't any scrolls or books about the Jormung. Ones that didn't cost a limb and a fortune anyway. Plus she'd be getting the knowledge straight from the source. What Fishlegs wouldn't give to be in her position right about now. "Well, if you're offering, I guess I have no choice but to accept." He flashed her a gap toothed smile. He was happy he got to talk about his people if anyone was willing to listen. Considering they were forming a, dare he say, friendship, he wanted her to learn about the Jormung. Maybe then she'd see that he wasn't so different from her and her beliefs.
She turned to face him better. "How about we pick up from where we left off on the ship, which wasn't much to begin with. For how much Vikings hate the Jormung, I never really knew the past of the Jormung. No one does. I don't believe the stories offer an accurate depiction of you, what with walking out of the fiery depths of Hel and laying waste to anything they touched. So why not explain a bit about your history?"
"Those are stories?" He was mortified.
"Bedtime stories." She clarified. "Usually told to misbehaving kids."
He really did have to give her the origin version. "Well, all Jormung are descendants of Jormungandr, the world serpent. I know in Norse belief that Jormungandr is the son of Loki, who's the son of Odin and brother of Thor. And that's where our human traits stem from. But since we have the blood of dragons, we're all 'children' of Jormungandr. Hence our people's name too - the Jormung."
"So do you worship Jormungandr the same way..."
"Yes. Him and a few others. There's Hallfred - the first Jormung. He was originally a human, but when he first encountered Jormungandr, he was so awe-struck by the size and knowledge of the serpent that he began carrying out missions in his name, spreading his name, ideals, and taking willing travelers to meet him. As a result, Jormungandr amassed a new following of people. And it couldn't have been done without Hallfred. So Jormungandr ordered Hallfred to make a small cut in his mouth, and gather the blood in a cup, and drink it. His blood gave Hallfred strength that rivaled Thor himself, so he became our god of thunder and war."
"Really? One of your Gods going toe-to-toe with Thor? The most powerful God in Asgard?" Astrid asked with a skeptical look.
Hiccup smirked. "Hallfred was also known as the Father of Skrills. It was said he had legions of Skrills at his command."
"Damn. The father of Skrills huh? Could you imagine a battle between those two? It'd be a never-ending thunder storm." Astrid gazed up at the now sunny, peaceful sky, imagining storm clouds as far as the eye could see, lightning dancing across the sky followed by a continuous chorus of thunder and roars as Thor and this Hallfred and his Skrills battled it out.
"Yeah, Hallfred would wipe the floor with Thor." He said, in a challenging tone.
Astrid held back a snort of amusement. "Sure he would." She said in jest. "If anything only Jormungandr could face Thor. Hallfred wouldn't last a second. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. If it does, Ragnarok would be upon us."
"Ragnarok?"
"The end of the world. It's said that Thor and Jormungandr are fated to fight each other then."
"Yeah, let's really hope it doesn't come to that." Hiccup agreed.
"On that note, do all dragons have a father, or mother they originated from?"
"Nope. The dragons already existed with Jormungandr. It was just when Jormungandr gave his most loyal followers his blood, some of them began to form bonds with different kinds of dragons."
"A bond?" What do you mean?"
"Have you ever wondered why Toothless is my dragon?" Said Night Fury perked up at the mention of his name, yawning before walking closer to the pair and sitting in front of them like an enormous dog. Astrid's hands twitched nervously again, fighting against her impulse to reach for her ax on her back. Toothless and Hiccup noticed the twitch too but didn't call her out on it. She was still getting used to his presence.
"Now that you mention it, it is sort of weird that you have an incredibly rare dragon."
"It's because of that bond I was talking about. Almost every Jormung and dragon are born with, in simple terms, a soulmate. Or battle partner in your case. And all Jormung will eventually meet and bond with their intended dragon. That's our belief anyway."
"Does that mean you can't fly other dragons?"
"We can, but the bond wouldn't be as close. I can easily ride a Gronckle or Deadly Nadder if I wanted to, after establishing a bond with it, but it doesn't feel right. I wouldn't share the same connection with them as I do with Toothless."
"And here I thought Jormung just ride dragons for fun."
"Oh we do. You should try it some time."
"No thank you. I like the feel of solid ground below my feet."
"Oh come on! You don't know what you're missing! Hey why don't we have a quick ride on Toothless?"
"Absolutely not!"
"No way!"
"Jeez, alright. Guess you two both have something in common after all. You guys aren't fun." Hiccup pouted.
"You can't just expect me to jump on a dragon I've known for less than half a day, Hiccup. And I hope you aren't forgetting we come from opposite worlds."
"But you're here right now. If anything, that proves people can change."
"That's because we have a history, no matter how short it is, and for Thor knows whatever reason you seem to be comfortable around me." Hiccup quickly turned his face, hoping to suppress his blush before it became evident. He didn't know why he was drawn to her either. But he had a sneaking suspicion that it had to be a more primal reason. One he still couldn't understand just yet. Or it could be because of a distant reality he never quite gave up on. Maybe he saw her as the start of building towards that future. "And the same goes for you too." He turned to face her again. "It would be hard for you to understand why Vikings hate the Jormung and dragons so much. There's centuries of history between us and it can't be mended in a few weeks. It would take time for us to understand both sides before we can live side-by-side."
"So you're saying you're open to understanding dragons?"
"I guess." She shrugged. "I mean I'm still here with you and I haven't chopped your head off." She smiled when she saw him reached for his neck, rubbing it a bit. It was always funny watching him squirm. "How's your training coming along by the way? I do hope you're practicing?"
"Oh yeah! I have been a lot! I think I can last about five minutes with you now." He beamed at her. She shook her head, despite the smile tugging at her lips. He was like a small child eager to please and impress their teacher. Unfortunately they weren't going to be sparring today.
"That's good. Stick to it and hopefully you can give me more of a challenge in our next training session." She watched him flip through more pages, eyes scanning each section intently, tongue sticking out between his lips as the book had his complete attention. In all the stories she heard as a young girl, she never imagined sitting peacefully next to a Jormung, watching him read a book about Berk's history and occasionally engaging in jovial conversation. How was he so different from the Jormung she heard in tales? Especially when most of them were true? And then, as if he was reading her thoughts-
"Why do Vikings hate the Jormung?" He paused his reading, turning to look at her. "It's not like we've ever done anything. Well, not to my knowledge."
"Are you serious? You really don't know?" He shook he head. She was under the impression that everyone knew about the violent history of the Jormung centuries ago. In fact scratch that. She was certain that everyone knew. Not just Vikings either. Some stories had them traveling hundreds, maybe thousands of miles, inland on the major continent, laying waste to any and all settlements they came across. Was he just playing dumb with her? Or did he really not know about his kind's past? "Then you might not even believe the stories I tell you."
"Well, if I want to change your mind about us, that's as good a place as any."
"Okay then." She took a deep breath. "The stories and history passed down to us about the Jormung are far from, well, your whole personality. They were well...monsters. They rode in on their dragons, always taking villages by surprise. They'd burn down half the buildings and kill half the population, men, women and children were all fair game. And it's not like the capable fighters could anything either. One Jormung could take on twenty men on a good day. And no matter how many bruises, cuts or stabs were inflicted, their dragon blood gave them quick healing capabilities. Their one and only option was to surrender. And that usually depended on the mood of the Jormung leading the attack."
"What happened to the ones that survived?" He quickly interrupted. She couldn't tell the emotion on his face. Either he was brushing off what she said as utter nonsense, or he was staying indifferent, not believing a single word.
"They had to live under their new conquerors. And it wasn't like they outnumbered them for long. They raped most women they could get their hands on, producing children mixed with Jormung blood. And I know you know how strong a Jormung's blood is." He gave a small nod in agreement. "Those children were brought up as Jormung. They rejected their human blood and easily took to the Jormung's philosophy of conquer. And as quick as their attacks would come, almost all the land you see on maps today were under their rule."
"Wait, hang on a second." He cut in. "If that was the case, then how come there aren't any more Jormung in those areas?"
"Wouldn't you know why?" She asked, confused. "Since you ride dragons and all, I thought it'd be easier for you to communicate with each other."
"The only Jormung I knew were back...home." She saw the sadness in eyes when he said home. She did want to talk about his past, why the other Jormung despised him, and why they were the only two Jormung left, but she'd save it for when he was prepared to open up. As quickly as his sadness arrived, it vanished as the colour returned to his eyes and he continued his statement. "We never knew of any Jormung outside our village. As far as I knew, we were all the Jormung there, with no contact from others."
"That is really weird."
"Why?"
"Because about three hundred years ago, they just suddenly...disappeared."
"Disappeared? " She nodded. "How? Based on what you just said, we conquered the known world back then. It was hard to kill us. We bred like rabbits. But we just vanished all of a sudden?"
"Hey, I'm just recounting the collection of stories about you, okay? It's not like I'd have all the answers to the questions we're both after, apparently."
"S-Sorry." He apologized, looking down and twiddling his thumbs, almost looking bashful. She smiled a little. He could act such a child at times.
"But hey, these are just stories passed down generation after generation. Who knows what's true in them anymore." She tried to ease the conversation. Maybe her side of it was casting some doubt in his beliefs that the Jormung were always a kind, peaceful people. And it was just hard for him to fathom anything other than. "But is it really true? How if a Jormung and a regular person have a child, he or she will have almost all Jormung traits?"
"It is."
"How would you know?"
"Because my dad was a regular Viking, apparently. I think I told you this, back on the trapper's ship."
"Which was a way's back. Which also happens to be when we both nearly died at the hands of the other Jormung." Hiccup cringed at the memory. That was something he also wanted to forget. "But how did your dad not know your mom was a Jormung?"
"She had regular eyes, not the draconic ones that ninety-nine percent of us have. It's really rare for a full-blooded Jormung to have regular eyes. Which is why he probably wouldn't have noticed."
"What about your crazy strength?"
"She could fake it. She didn't look like a warrior to begin with so, it'd be easy for her." He glanced over at her, eyes lingering a bit longer than she was used to. "You could actually pass for a Jormung based on your strength alone." He said. This time he wasn't surprised when she landed a hard jab to his shoulder.
"Thanks for the compliment." She smiled, standing up, stretching her arms above her head and looking up. It was almost sunset. 'Damn, we really were talking the whole time.' She glanced back down, seeing him staring at her again. "What?"
"Nothing, I just assumed most girls would take offense to being compared to a Jormung."
She smirked back at him, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm far from most girls." Thinking back on it, he thought himself idiotic to forget. When they first crossed paths, she unsheathed her ax and challenged him rather than wait for back-up. On Berk, she pursued and caught him, at first adamant on bringing him in. She sought him out to thank him for saving his sister, and now here she was conversing with him like they were childhood friends.
He chuckled. "Yeah, you definitely aren't." He also looked up, noticing the orange hue. "We've been chatting for a while, huh?"
"Yeah. I'll be heading back now. But this was..." She wasn't going to say nice, "...tolerable."
He laughed. "You just can't be honest with yourself, huh?"
"I am. If you weren't tolerable, I'd have hauled your ass to my Chief days ago."
"And here I thought it was because you couldn't get enough of me. Had to keep this..." He struck a strongman pose, "...all to yourself, huh?"
She rolled her eyes, smiling still. "Don't push your luck." She turned to leave.
"Wait, when will you be coming next?"
"You'll have to hear me. And don't use your dragon to help. That's your next training assignment on top of your sword skills." She climbed to the top of the cove, casting one last look back at him. "You better be ready next time."
Hiccup already couldn't wait. "I will."