Chapter 3: Wish
Age: 6 years old.
"Hiccup, it's time to board the ship!" Called out Stoick.
"Coming, one second!" Hiccup called back, before running and leaning up on his toes and peering over the counter of the forge.
"Is it ready Uncle Gobber?" He asked excitedly.
Gobber chuckled at the innocent lad and replied, "Aye it is! I'm sure yer lassie's gonna love it"
Taking the long object wrapped in canvas, Hiccup grinned a gape toothed smile. "I sure hope so!"
Running over to the ship, he boarded it, safely keeping the object tucked away under his pillow in the cabin before running out and leaning on the front railing, trying to push the ship and make it start moving.
He had some distinct memories of his time spent in Romsdal a couple of years ago, and now he was gonna get to go back! He couldn't wait to meet Astrid and Evan again.
On Berk, he didn't really have many friends, as the other kids often singled him out for being too small or weak to play with them. So he often found games to play on his own, like chasing after sheep, sketching in his notebook, or trying to build his own toys from spare parts he got from Gobber.
The two siblings from Romsdal were the only kids he could really call friends, and even though he understood by now it was a temporary visit, he was still flying off the walls in excitement, as he had been for weeks.
The seven days at sea went awfully slowly, and aside from a sighting of a humpback whale on the fourth day, nothing much of note happened.
He was still fast asleep in his cabin when he was roused by his father, early on the seventh morning.
"Hiccup, we've sighted land. Not too long now."
He rubbed his eyes confusedly before remembering that they were supposed to arrive today, and hopped out of bed so quickly he fell to the floor in a tangle of sheets.
Stumbling out the door and onto the deck, he peered over the railing to see the green hills on the horizon.
As they neared the docks less than an hour later, Hiccup noticed that a small group of people were gathered in their wait, and two of them looked smaller- that was Evan! And that meant the girl was... Astrid.
Hiccup couldn't help but stare at her as the ship drew nearer and nearer. Her blonde curls seemed longer and she seemed taller, even a bit taller than he was. But it was still her, his friend.
No sooner had his feet touched the solid ground that he was tackled by her in a big hug. "Hiccup, you're here!"
"Astrid, I am" was all he could reply. Evan was the next to greet him, and then they were on a carriage on the way to the castle, with Astrid insisting they sit on the horses rather than inside the cabin.
At her adorable pouty face, the head charioteer conceded the princess's wish and let Hiccup and Astrid sit together on the right horse while Evan sat on the left.
Hiccup giggled when Astrid wrapped her arms around him from the back. "When they said this morning that you were arriving, me and Evan snuck into the carriage while no one was watching"
"Wow" Hiccup replied. "Won't you get into trouble?"
Astrid shook her head. "Now that you are here, I'm sure they'll forget. I can't wait to have loads of fun!"
Hiccup laughed. "Me too."
"This... is for me?" Astrid exclaimed at the child sized axe in her hands.
"It is" Hiccup beamed. "I had the best blacksmith on Berk specially make it for you."
"I love it!" Astrid grinned, and kissed him on the cheek, making the little boy blush tomato red. "thank you"
She gave the axe a twirl in her small hands, finding it just the right size and weight for her. She'd often tried sneaking into the armoury to try out the stash of weapons there but her parents or someone else had always put a stop to it, saying that it wasn't 'ladylike'.
She couldn't wait to learn how to fight with this axe, even if it meant she had to practice away from the adults' prying eyes.
"Come on, I know just the place to try this out!" Astrid said excitedly, pulling Hiccup by the arm down some corridors until they reached an outdoor training area.
"This is where the grown ups train!" she announced, pointing the axe towards a row of archery targets and some wooden poles stuck in the ground.
"Are you sure we're allowed to-"
"Of course we are!" Astrid interrupted, giving the timid boy a wink. "When there are no grown ups around, everything is allowed!"
With that, she stepped forth and threw the axe, and to Hiccup's amazement, it spun through the air numerous times before striking the pillar dead center with a thunk, and staying stuck. He looked at the girl with equal parts admiration and disbelief.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Astrid giggled and pushed her bangs away from her eyes. "You're okay I guess, so I promise never to use this axe on you."
Hiccup sighed in relief before Astrid added completely seriously, "As long as you don't rat me out to my parents though"
"It's a deal"
Astrid grinned. "Then come on, we have some more targets to hit!"
Panting with exhaustion but wide wide smiles on their faces, the kids made their way to Astrid and Evan's shared room which was large and airy, with tall windows and an even taller ceiling.
Evan's side was relatively simple and tidy, whereas Astrid's side was littered with toys, paints, and clothes. Her bed was adorned with pink curtains, and huge fluffy pillows.
Hiccup had just finished admiring the room when they were met with the stern face of Astrid's older brother, and Hiccup hid behind the young girl who looked onward unflinchingly.
"You two went to the training grounds, didn't you?" Evan asked. Mum will be so mad!
Astrid waved that away. "That's if she finds out"
"I'll tell her"
"You won't! Otherwise I'd tell her you rode on the carriage horse"
"B-But you did that too!" he argued.
Astrid smirked mischievously. "If I'm going down brother dear, then I'm taking you down with me"
Hiccup just stared nervously at the exchange between the siblings, unsure if he should take a side. In the end, he opted with keeping his options open.
Evan finally conceded. "Fine, but if you go there again then I'll tell! and put that axe away before someone sees it!"
Astrid nodded, and opened her little cupboard, digging out colourful and frilly gowns to hide the axe at the bottom.
"No one will find it there!" Hiccup said happily, and Astrid nodded in agreement.
A storm had struck the next morning, and the kids were left with nothing to do but try to make play indoors. They opted to explore the huge castle.
Astrid led Hiccup by the hand up some narrow and twisting stairs until they reached a rusty old door to an attic that had long gone unused.
"I'm pretty sure this place is haunted" Astrid said casually.
"W-What? h-haunted?" Hiccup sputtered.
"That's why it's fun!" Astrid answered cheerily, pushing him inside despite his protests. "I'll protect you, I promise"
Hiccup nodded reluctantly. "If- If you say so"
He wasn't sure if even an actual ghost could be a match for a feisty Astrid armed with an axe.
They rifled through old trunks filled with all sorts of stuff, from antiques, to books, paintings, and clothes. The cobwebs on the ceiling were illuminated by periodic flashes of lightning as the rain pounded outside. Hiccup tinkered with some ancient looking toys while Astrid busied herself with the piles of clothes.
"How do I look?" she asked, posing with a dusty white wedding dress that was way too big for her.
Hiccup couldn't help but stare. She looked really pretty. "Umm-" he managed, cheeks heating up.
Astrid narrowed her gaze. "I asked you a question! And you better say I look pretty or else-" she warned.
Hiccup was surprised, and blurted, "Of course you're pretty! You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen!"
Astrid beamed wide at the compliment, replying, "I'm gonna wear a dress like this for my wedding."
"W-Wedding?"
Astrid rolled her eyes. "Yes. Wedding. You will be the groom and I will be the bride and we will marry and live happily ever after, like in all the stories mum reads me"
Hiccup squeaked in surprise. His dad had told him more than once how he will marry Astrid one day, but he'd always assumed it to be some fatherly teasing or something.
There was no way an actual princess like Astrid would marry him, right?
"Y-Yeah… I knew that" Hiccup said finally, feigning confidence.
"Uh huh. Speaking of weddings" Astrid said, gesturing to the necklace she always wore. "This necklace is getting too small for me now. Will you get me a new one on your next visit?"
The betrothal necklace, of course! It's craftsmanship looked Berkian, and it effectively confirmed that It had been a gift to her from Hiccup's family.
"Of course I will" Hiccup said. "Which color?"
"Blue, like the sky!"
"And like your eyes" Hiccup replied instantly. "They're blue"
"They are, yes"
"They're also pretty"
Astrid was speechless for a moment before she suddenly punched him in the shoulder, and ran off all red faced.
Hiccup wondered what was that all about?
All alone now, he stared at the wedding dress lying on the floor, and it suddenly dawned on him completely. He was gonna marry Astrid?!
When the rain finally stopped, Hiccup and Astrid ran and jumped in every single puddle in their path, while Evan calmly walked behind them, out of the splash zone.
Astrid rolled her eyes at her brother, who tried to act way older and mature than he really was, whenever Hiccup was around. She knew he secretly wanted to go for the 'cool older brother' look.
She was especially glad that Hiccup seemed so much more brighter than the last time he'd visited. She'd been heartbroken and confused when she'd learned that Hiccup didn't have his mum anymore. Despite the horrible loss, she didn't want him to be sad anymore.
She also wondered how Hiccup had spent the last two years back home. It had been so long! Berk was far, but she didn't understand why he couldn't visit more often.
Nevertheless, she wanted to stop worrying and make sure she made full use of the time she did have with him. He was her best friend after all.
"Astrid look" Hiccup said, pointing out a rainbow in the distance. "It's so big!"
"Wow… It is- let's make a wish!"
"Huh? Isn't that supposed to be done with shooting stars?"
Astrid shook her head. "You're no fun! Just do it!"
"Okay okay-"
"Close your eyes first!"
They both did.
"I wish-"
"Shush! You're not supposed to say it out loud!"
"Gosh there are so many rules!" Hiccup complained, before taking a deep breath.
He didn't even have to think about what he wanted.
I want to spend more time with her.
Astrid peeked an eye open then, only to see him deep in concentration. She wondered what he was thinking. She made her wish then.
Please don't let him go so far away from me again.
A few weeks later though, he did go far away. And she could only stare at the ship as it rolled over the horizon. Turning away from her attendants, she wiped a single tear from her eye.
Perhaps I'll try wishing on a shooting star next time.
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A/N: Aww. I will never tire of these cute kids! Hope you enjoyed too :) let me know!
-Gravitybeam