Dragons - Trials of Berk:: Chapter 2 ::

Dragons - Trials of Berk

:: CHAPTER TWO :: ASTRIDe a Dragon

It was another cold morning, the first rays of sun were appearing over the horizon and the rest of the village were mostly also still tucked up in bed, it had just started to snow again. Astrid and Stormfly were doing their best keeping the pathways clear of snow, and trying not to accidentally set fire to anything. Astrid really liked being woken up early by Stormfly, unlike some of the other of the Berk Dragon Academy, who usually needed a little coaxing. Astrid loved the quietness; it gave her time to think. Quite often she was joined by the only other early risers of the BDA, Hiccup and Toothless. She loved flying with them, and though wouldn't admit it to others, loved being with Hiccup.

Just to think a few short months ago Astrid had disliked him as being weak and useless. And although he was still physically weak, he was now one of the bravest people she knew. He thought differently, and usually got results. Astrid loved that about him. He and toothless had single handedly enabled change in their world for the better. They were all hailed as heroes by most, But away from all the adulation they got, their morning flights gave them a chance to talk and be themselves. They got the occasional sly glances from their dragons, but she knew they were both loyal to their riders and they would not tell.

Over the last few weeks Hiccup and Toothless did not show up for their morning meetings, she was worried about Hiccup and Toothless. Hiccup still wanted the flights but no matter what he did, Toothless was just not himself anymore. She had tried Taking toothless out herself and with her he was enthusiastic and responsive. With Hiccup lately he had seemed distant and confused. A couldn't understand what the problem was between them and it pained her to see Hiccup's sadness.

The morning de-icing being over she gently stroked Stormfly's cheek. “Come on girl, let's go and see if we can get some breakfast.” Stormfly nodded her head and made a cooing sound and they started to head for Mulch's house, he made a mean breakfast.

Stormfly was also worried about toothless. In the dragon culture he was also hailed a hero, along with the other dragons and all their riders and was proud of that. She had become fast friends with Toothless. To her he was a role model. He showed the dragons that the humans were much like them. They had the same emotions, the same love for family and friends and intelligence. Before the dragons thought of humans of dumb savages, and Toothless showed them all that dragons and humans were compatible as friends.

She had been one of the first to embrace the idea, as Hiccup had shown them they could be trusted and the humans were loyal to their dragons. Some of the other dragons thought of their humans more like pets, a bit like Hookfang, but Stormfly loved Astrid as a companion and she knew they would be together for life. Something that was seen also with Hiccup and Toothless. What was happening lately frustrated her. Her role model was taking a dive into the sea it seemed.

On the way to Mulch's they needed to fly past Hiccup's place, they looked expectantly hoping to see them up in the air, but alas Toothless was nowhere to be seen. Stormfly let out a small cry, and motioned towards the ground, where Astrid saw Hiccup sitting on the grass outside, his head in his hands. Pain shot through Astrid's heart. She hated seeing him like this. His usual sarcastic and humorous self had given way to misery and despair.

“Come on Stormfly, let's see if we can cheer him up” she scratched Stormfly on the muzzle as they headed in to land. “Hey Hiccup, want to come for breakfast?” Hiccup looked up, his eyes red. Had he been crying? They landed gently next to him.

“Err... oh...... Hey Astrid, Hi Stormfly” Stormfly gently nuzzled Hiccup and let out a mournful sound. Hiccup quickly wiped his eyes “Thank you Stormfly” Astrid slid off Stormfly and sat down next to Hiccup.

“How are you this morning, you look awful!” she put her arm round Hiccup's shoulder.

“Oh yeah thanks Astrid, thanks that really helps” he gave a small smile “You always know how to make a person feel better”

Astrid gave a short giggle “It's good to see your famous Hiccup sarcasm is back, I was starting to miss it. Anyway how is Toothless this morning?” She pulled herself closer to him in support”

“To be honest, I do not know. He usually wakes me up but in the last couple of weeks I have had to wake him up. This morning he just looked at me sadly, groaned and turned away and just laid there.” Astrid frowned and hugged closer to Hiccup. Stormfly made a sad groan and again nuzzled him. “I do not know what to do Astrid, I have tried everything, and I do not know what I have done to make him hate me.” A tear came to his eye and he wiped it onto the back of his hand “I am losing my best friend”


Astrid put her hand and caressed his face “He doesn't hate you Hiccup, I guess dragons are a lot like people, they have their moods, I am guessing He is having bad week or two, maybe something is bothering him, maybe he has something wrong with him. Like when Hookfang had that toothache, maybe Night Furies respond in a different way to pain. Has Gobber checked him over?”

Hiccup Sighed “Yes I took him to Gobber yesterday. Gobber could not find anything wrong, he adjusted his saddle and we checked his tail fin and the metal work for signs of wear or something causing him pain. It was all alright.”

Astrid frowned “Well there has got to be something wrong, I saw Mildew scowl at Toothless on Monday and Toothless didn't growl at him once.”
A small smile crept across his face “Yeah that would be Toothless” Worry crept onto his face again “What if he never returns to his normal self again. I still love Toothless, it feels like a part of me is missing, well in addition to my leg that is”

Stormfly made a little chuckling sound and Astrid and Hiccup both looked at each other and burst out laughing. Astrid hugged him. “Nice one Stormfly, so how about we get that breakfast Mulch has got Bacon”

“I'm not sure; I should really wait for Toothless. In case he needs to find me. I can't leave without him”

Astrid took his hand. “Do not worry, Toothless is amazing, if he needs to find you he will, and besides all he has to do is follow the bacon.” She flashed her adorable smile at him and he sighed and gave her one of his looks and then relented.

Astrid climbed aboard Stormfly and he jumped on behind and they took off. She leaned forward and whispered something into the dragon's ear. Stormfly all of a sudden shot up into the air and headed away from Berk and up into the clouds. Hiccup screamed in shock and grabbed hold of Astrid tight. “Err..... Where are we going, Mulch's house is back in the village. Where are you taking me?”

She patted the dragon who gave her a wink back. “Oh once upon a time I was minding my own business, well sort if minding my own business, err, actually I was spying on you but that is not the point here. Anyway I was scared and confused and all of a sudden a certain someone had their dragon snatch me up and scare the living daylights out of me.... NOW STORMFLY!”

All of a sudden Stormfly barrel rolled and started a steep dive towards the sea, halfway down starting to cork screw. Hiccup let out a loud wail. “Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....Arrrrrrghhhhhh” The dragon all of a sudden changed direction and then sharply pulled up and looped the loop a couple of times and then dived underwater span round and shot back up into the sky and disappeared into the clouds “Why are you doing this?”

Astrid laughed “Well for one, I never did get payback for you “kidnapping” me and two, for this....” She nudged the Dragons side and Stormfly gave a loud roar and levelled out. They floated slowly among the clouds. She looked back at Hiccup “Anyway I would of thought you are used to this kind of speed by now”

He gave her an incredulous look “I thought we were over that by now, and Yes I am used to it but at least give me some warning before you do that. Why are we up here?”

Astrid laughed “Because I can, and when you did it to me, you changed me. Floating up here this high made me appreciate who we are, where we live and the dragons too. It is so beautiful, I felt so at peace up here, and what a great place to be alone with someone I care deeply about.”

Hiccup looked puzzled “Don't you come up here with Stormfly all the time?”

She gave him a grin “I don't mean Stormfly this time, sorry girl, I mean you Hiccup. I care a lot for you and err... all my friends... of course.” Her cheeks flushed red “Anyway I want to help you, not only with toothless but with yourself as well. You have been moping around for the last week and I thought I could cheer you up!”

Hiccup smiled hugged her from behind and rested his head on her shoulder “Thanks Astrid, you are a dear friend” She smiled at his embrace. “And thank you for this I really needed it” He closed his eyes and Astrid rubbed his arm affectionately.

They flew though the clouds for hours and in his sleep Hiccup kept gasping. Astrid was worried for her friend. Now she knew why lately he always looked tired. She looked back at him sadly. She tousled his hair. “My poor Hiccup, I wish you could tell me what is up.” She sighed and looked forward again and rubbed Stormfly's cheek. The dragon nuzzled up against her hand and she smiled to herself. A feeling of pride welled up inside her. Here she was up in the clouds with the two things she held dearest.

Deep down she knew that she was falling for Hiccup, but did not want to admit it to herself. What if he did not feel the same? She feared rejection and did not know why. She was brought up to be tough and hard. All those long hard training sessions she had learned and been told to temper down her feelings. What was she so scared of?

Somehow when she was with Hiccup her feelings fought to the surface and she was confused. She was supposed to be a warrior, what would the other Vikings think of her, Should she carry on bottling up her emotions, should she just tell Hiccup how she felt?

A feeling of guilt flushed over her. “Why am I even thinking this” the thought to herself. “Why am I being so selfish? He has other things on his mind right now, far more important things.” She looked to the horizon and the sun was starting to set. They had been up there all day, her stomach reminded her about that morning of wanting to get breakfast and of the fact that she had not eaten all day.

She chuckled to herself and tapped Stormfly on the head. “I think we have missed breakfast” the dragon seemed to nod in agreement and chuckle. “Come on girl I think it's time to head back.” Stormfly made a sharp turn to head back towards Berk. Hiccup stirred slightly at the sudden movement but was still fast asleep. She looked back at him once more. She now noticed how peaceful he looked. She found herself blushing as she thought to herself how cute he actually was. The revelation struck her and she forced herself to look away.

Anger rose in her, anger at herself, anger at the other teenagers, Anger at the rest of the village. Why had they treated him so badly? Her mind wandered back through the years to her childhood. Hiccup had always been different as long as she remembered. She smiled to herself as her childhood memories flooded back.

Her mother has been great friends with Valhallarama, Hiccup's mother. Back then when the rest of the small children were playing with toy swords pretending to kill dragons, she often used to accompany her mother on her visits to their house. While the adults drank herbal teas and feasted, she would be sent upstairs to “play” with him.

She remembered their first meeting well. The first time she remembered entering the Horrendous Haddock household. She chuckled to herself as she thought back at how big and scary Stoick was, and she hid behind her mother when he came towards her. She remembered Stoick's hearty laugh at that. He was the legendary warrior of the Hairy Hooligans, and all the children told stories about him being mean and tough. In all truthfulness he was gentle and calming and it wasn't long before she was bouncing on his knee giggling uncontrollably.

And then she saw him. A small boy sitting playing with bits of metal in the corner. At first she thought he was another one of these kids playing with a sword. Her memory was hazy of those days and she was forced to remember. The revelation hit her hard, back then she was just like him.
She remembered him putting those bits of metal together. She was shy, as the other kids teased her for being weak and being a girl. She cautiously approached him. “H.... hello.... um... my name is Astrid.” He looked round at her and smiled, “What are you doing?”

“I am building a dragon” he looked at her with wide expectant eyes. She remembered how intelligent he looked even as a small child.

“What is your name?” She asked him sweetly

“My name is Hiccup and I am four.” he continued trying to piece the bits of metal together.

“That's a funny name” Astrid laughed “I beat you, I am four and a half” The boy dropped the bits of metal, turned away and started to cry.

Astrid's mother came over, “ASTRID, WHAT IN ODIN'S NAME DID YOU DO TO HIM”

Astrid started to cry. “I'm sorry, I only said his name was funny, I didn't mean to make him cry”

With a look of thunder on her face Astrid's mother yelled “WELL YOU APOLOGISE THIS INSTANT, I HAVE BROUGHT YOU UP BETTER THAN THAT, ON THE NAME OF THOR”

Hiccup looked up at her, and stopped crying, he would have usually got a sarcastic apology from one of the other children, usually followed by a tongue poked out at him. Her reaction confused him. He wiped the tears from his eyes. She was crying hard now. He reached out and put his arm round her. “It's ok do not cry, it is sort of a funny name, would you like to play with me?”

Astrid stopped crying looked up with her tear stained face, and smiled. “I am sorry Hiccup; I did not mean to make you cry” Small sobs still punctuating her sentence.

Stoick came over to them. “Hiccup have you finished building that sword yet, you have building that for ages, does not look like much of a sword me son”

Hiccup frowned, “It is not a sword daddy, it is a dragon...rawr!”

Astrid laughed, “Rawr.... hee hee”

Stoick chuckled “What am I to do with you son? You are four now, you should be playing games with the other children with your sword, and yet you build dragons. Odin almighty, you should really grow out of this”

A sad look crossed Hiccup's face and he looked at the floor. Valhallarama came over and slapped Stoick on the back of the head. “Stoick, he is four, he is a child. So what if he wants to build dragons instead of fight, he has plenty of time to learn to fight yet, he is your son, he is destined to be the best fighter of all of Berk, give it a couple of years and he will be out fighting the other children like there is no tomorrow.”

Astrid also looked sad. She didn't like fighting. She hoped to grow up and be an artist. She loved drawing and colouring things. She had seen Bucket paint various pictures around town after he came back from a raid a changed man. Like most of the other girls she wanted to get married and be a good wife, but painting, that's what she wanted to do more than anything. She found herself absent minded scribbling in the dust on the floor.

Hiccup was watching her. “Do you want to come up to my room we can draw dragons” She smiled at her. She looked at him and thought he was cute, with his big round eyes and messy hair.

They continued to play with each other for the next few years. She cried with him when his beloved mother did not come back from a dragon raid. She was beside him at the passage of death ceremony in the great hall and held his hand. Then the teasing began. She remembered how all the other children started laughing at Hiccup calling him names and pushing him to the ground. He tried to fight back, but he was no fighter. She begged them to stop, but they started to pick on her too. “Hiccup and Astrid sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G” they used to chant. A few times she got mad and pushed the other children to the ground. The only thing that seemed to happen was that they picked on Hiccup even more. This made her even more determined to fight them, if Hiccup couldn't.

One sunny day, she and hiccup were sitting on a rock on the top tier of the village, it was his 8th birthday. He was his usual optimistic self. She admired him. The whole village seemed to treat him bad, yet he always seemed to be happy. He always seemed to manage to get in the way of the villagers day to day business. He only seemed to get respect from her and Gobber and even Gobber teased him at times.

He has asked her that morning why they were friends, why didn't she want to go and play with the other children. She could not answer him truthfully, she did not know why. All she could reply was “You are different from the other children, they just want to fight dragons all the time, that's boring. We do exciting things, knowing you; you would probably end up doing something stupid, like riding one.”

He laughed, “Yeah like that could happen. I would be eaten alive!” She smiled shyly back at him. He went to put his hand around her, when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Tears came to his eyes, he turned round just to get another rock hit in directly in the face and bloody his nose. He got up screaming and crying ran back to his house.

Astrid spun round to see Snotlout, sniggering with the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Anger rose in her. She marched up to them. “Who dares do that to my friend?” She punched her fist into her hand.

Both Ruffnut and Tuffnut pointed to Snotlout and backed off. Snotlout sneered at her. “Aww, did we hurt your boyfriend, did he go running off to mummy, oh yeah, he has not got one anymore, she was too weak like him.”

This taunt shocked her, how could he say that about Hiccup and his mother, someone she loved almost as much as her own mother. The red mist descended and with tears in her eyes and a yell she ran for Snotlout, and leaped on him. And pummelled him over and over, she could barely see him through her tears and could barely hear him scream until she was pulled off him by her father. Snotlout immediately leaped up and ran back towards his house crying like a baby.

“ASTRID, YOU KNOW THE RULES OF FIGHTING IN THE VILLAGE, NOW GO HOME”

“But Dad, he made fun of Hiccup's Moth.....”

“ASTRID, I won't tell you again, to the house now.”

With tears running down her cheeks she slowly walked home followed by her father. She had beaten Snotlout, probably one of the strongest kids in the village. It felt good, and she did not know why. He deserved it. She hated fighting but even she admitted to herself that she actually enjoyed that. She slipped in though the door just as Stoick intercepted her father at the door.

“I'm sorry Stoick, I don't know what has gotten into her, she knows the rules about fighting in the centre of the village.”

Stoick looked thoughtful “Aye, it's to be expected though, they are growing up, they soon will be taking on the dragons for the first time just like we did many years ago. I have to admit though your Astrid does have fire in her belly. She will be ready soon”

Winter came around and it was her 10th birthday. She was waiting at the cliff overlooking the dock for the latest dragon raid to come home. Her beloved uncle was due back any second. She was excited; she loved hearing all the stories of the dragons and how he had single handedly taken them down. By her side as usual, was Hiccup, much to the glee of the other children who kept whispering and sniggering behind them. It was only the presence of Gobber that stopped them from teasing and bullying them.

He reached for her hand, she moved it away and he looked down sadly. “Not now Hiccup, not with them watching.” she looked back out to sea to see the ships rounding the bay, she ran down the slopes as fast as she could, hiccup could not keep up with her. She reached the main dock, and her smile slowly faded, there were only three ships, there should have been seven. Her heart skipped a beat. Where was her uncle's ship? Not to worry he probably managed to get onto one of the remaining ships, she forced a smile back onto her face, just as Hiccup caught up to her again.

He looked shocked. “Whoa, there are only three ships, and look at the damage on them! Looks like we have lost a lot of our men again”

Astrid turned to him with an astounded look on her face “You think? My uncle is on one of those ships remember?”

Fear crossed her face and Hiccup realised what he had said. “Err... arr... ok. I am sure you uncle is fine, I mean he is one of the finest warriors in the Hairy Hooligans, he'll be fine, I promise”

She shot him a look and Hiccup put her arm around her. Her face was pale as she watched the men slowly disembark from the ships. Most of them were injured, some had lost limbs. The men slowly files past, the forced smile slowly dropping away at each passing man. When finally Stoick disembarked off the remains of his tattered ship. He silently walked towards the pair and Astrid shot him a questioning look. Pain and sadness filled Stoick's face as he slowly shook his head and slowly walked past them looking stunned.

Astrid fell, and Hiccup caught her. He tried to put his arms around her and hold her, to comfort her and be there for her. She pushed him away. She screamed at him “You Promised, You promised he would be okay.”

He tried to grab hold of her again; all he wanted to do was comfort her. “Astrid, I am so sorry, please...”

She pushed him hard; he fell, smacking his head on the ground. “You lied to me, leave me alone.” She ran, ran as she could away from him.

A few days later it was the time for the passage of death ceremony, one of many that week. Hiccup wanted more than anything to be as Astrid's side, but they had not spoken since. She looked back and saw him hanging around the back and she smiled at him. At the end of the ceremony he approached her and gave her a hug.

“I am so sorry Astrid, I am stupid, you know that. I can never seem to get my words our right”

She smiled at him “Yeah, you always seem to put your foot into it”

Hiccup smiled. “Maybe one day I shall learn to thing before I speak. And maybe one day we will have peace with the dragons so we do not keep having to have this happen.”

Anger filled Astrid's face “Peace, there can never be peace while those beasts still breathe, if I see a dragon I will rip out its heart, just like it's done to mine. I shall kill every one I see”

Shock filled Hiccups face “Astrid, but fighting, that's not you, that's why I........”

Rage filled her face and she smacked him in the face, leaving him sprawled on the floor “I am not like you Hiccup, I am a REAL Viking, not some short and weak kid, I will show you what it means to be a Viking.” She game him one last glance and left him sprawled on the ground.

They never really spoke much after that. Astrid had blanked Hiccup whenever he approached and started playing with the other kids. The raids of the village increased and eventually they all reached their teens and found even Hiccup wanted to kill dragons, but he remained small and weak. With all of the long training and fighting she had soon forgotten about their previous friendship. She trained within her training group hard in order to earn a place in the dragon fighting academy, with the top of the class earning the honoured right to kill one of the most fearsome dragons, the Monstrous Nightmare. She soon was fighting her way to the top of her training group, until the day when they were given a place. She was dumbfounded to find that Hiccup somehow also managed to earn a place; no-one had even saw him train once.

The other teens always found and excuse to tease and bully him, although she never had the heart to join in with them, though never failed to give him a piece of her mind when he messed up. Then all of a sudden, Hiccup was rising through the ranks and she found something that she had never experienced before, jealousy. How dare he, she was much better than him and vowed to find out how he was getting so good, and to take him down by any means possible.

She followed him one day to a small cove in the woods. He was acting strange. Anger overtook her and demanded to know what was happening; nobody gets that good that quickly. Astrid was a different person now and had actually tried to beat the truth out of him, and would of probably succeeded if it not for one small factor, Toothless.

The dragon had come to his aid. He had befriended a Night Fury of all things. Befriending any dragon had to be treason, but a Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself the legend said. That was the worst sin anyone could do. This was her chance to take down Hiccup. He would be gone for good and the honour of killing the Monstrous Nightmare would be hers.

But somehow the Night Fury had kidnapped her as she went to put her plan into place and alert the village. She managed to find herself riding the dragon, and she found herself in awe of Hiccup and the dragon. Astrid found herself falling for Hiccup again. He had given her the best gift of all. He had given her the truth about dragons.

Her thoughts came back to the present. Astrid found herself sick to the stomach. She realised that she had had a crush on Hiccup all along, and she had betrayed him, her best friend, in the worse way possible. He always had looked out for her and realised he had always been there for her and how had she paid him back. By totally forgetting about their childhood friendship, so taken in with fighting and revenge.

Astrid knew what needed to be done. Now was the time she paid back that friendship and did all that could be done to help Hiccup and Toothless. Maybe then their relationship could move forward.  

All of a sudden where was a tap on her shoulder.

“Err... Astrid, I don't know what you are thinking about, but you may want to bring yourself back to the real world before we crash into that cliff” Hiccup had one of his sarcastic looks on his face.

“Whoa.... err...... Sorry.” With a hefty tug on the reins and Stormfly pulled up sharply. Astrid knew that Stormfly would not of let them crash, but realised she had been so deep in thought that they had flown right past Berk. How long had he been awake?

“Dragon rule number one: Always keep your eyes on the sky when in control of a moving dragon. Dragon rule number two: Never fly on an empty stomach. Now where was that breakfast you promised me THIS MORNING?” Hiccup grinned.

Astrid laughed as they turned and dived towards Berk.

:: END OF CHAPTER TWO ::