The Dragon Master Part I: Rewritten (A Httyd fanfiction)

Chapter 22: Forgiveness

"So mom, does this visit mean you'll live here now?" Valka smiled and took another bite out of the smoked salmon, after she finished swallowing she nodded. "Yes son, I'll live here with you." She said as she rustled Hiccup's auburn locks and he laughed and gently swatted her hand. "Mom!" Valka chuckled lightly and Hiccup smiled.

The doors opened again and Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins walked along side her, and Hiccup became suspicious. The guards eyed their every move, the Night Furies growled at them and the citizens gave them scowls. "Hiccup." Astrid bowed her head, as did the others.

"What is it?" Hiccup asked in firm tone, Astrid walked up to him until they were arms length of each other. "We've come to thank for letting us stay here." Fishlegs and the twins step. "Yeah, thanks H! And also we came to apologize." Hiccup raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms across his chest and asked. "Apologize?"

Tuffnut nodded and Ruffnut stepped up. "We were complete assholes when we beat you up along Snotlout and his other lackeys." Hiccup inhales sharply, remembering the pain they inflicted on him, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Mala smile warmly at him, Hiccup smiled back at her and then turned back toward the Berkians.

"We realize how badly we treated you, and I know you'd probably want nothing more then to command your army of Night Furies and warriors to kill us, but Ruff and I would feel bad if we didn't apologize to in person." Tuffnut said genuinely. Hiccup looked down for about thirty seconds before looking back at the four Berkians and replied. "I forgive you."

The twins looked like Hiccup had grown two heads. Did they hear him right? "Yes. I said I forgive you two mutton heads." Hiccup smirked at the two Thorston twins who breathed a sigh of relief and butted heads. Hiccup turned toward Fishlegs and Astrid. "Though you two had reasons for ignoring me." Hiccup stepped toward Fishlegs, and his stare along made the man squirm uncomfortably.

"Fishlegs. You were so concerned about yourself and scared that Snotlout and his shits would hurt you too." Fishlegs looked down in shame, he liked Hiccup, he respected his intellect and his inventions, but he was right; he was too scared to stand up toward the former Hooligan prince.

Hiccup then turned toward Astrid. "And you." He walked right in her face. "You were my best friend. When we were kids, we made a promise to each other. Do you remember?" Astrid looked away and then she gasped, realization hitting her hard. "That we'd look out for each other no matter what, and that we'd be friends until the end of our days." She whispered out.

Hiccup nodded and said. "You left me to fend off the wolves alone Astrid." Astrid's lips began trembling, tears swimming in her eyes and she rubbed her arm nervously. "You broke your promise Astrid. You cast me aside to partake in a pointless war. And you... you broke my heart!" Hiccup's own voice choked out, tears freely streaming down his eyes. "I-I loved you Astrid. I loved you with every fiber of my being..."

Astrids vision was clouded with tears and her lip trembling uncontrollably. "...but then you ratted me and Toothless out to my father. And I... I've never felt so betrayed in my life, you tore my heart out of my chest." Hiccup choked out, Astrid too let her tears flow freely and she covered her mouth and shook her head. Everyone in the room was dead quite as Hiccup was pouring out his heart to the woman loved.

(Hiccup's pov)

"You're right." I looked at Astrid as tears poured out of her eyes, her voice breaking apart. "I was too afraid to stand up for you because I was worried on how they would start...t-treating me...and as a result this is where you've turned up...and it probably was the best you left Berk...because it allowed you to find yourself...unlike the rest of us...who are still suffering because of the raids...still caught in the loophole, while you...you escaped a long time ago..." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I never heard Astrid talk like this, and with tears coming down her face at an alarming rate...she couldn't be faking this whole thing... she truly was sorry.

"I could have done something to help you all those years ago...and prevented so much death..." she said and that was the hitting point. She fell down on both knees and began crying, not like in the house, but this crying...she blamed herself for everything that had happened. She feels that she could have done something and as a result she is paying for not going through that thought. She realizes her mistake and has admitted it... it's time for me to forgive her.

"I could have done something to help you all those years ago...and prevented so much death..." She said and that was the hitting point. She fell down on both knees and began crying, but this crying...she blamed herself for everything that had happened. She feels that she could have done something and as a result she is paying for not going through that thought. She realizes her mistake and has admitted it...I guess it is time for me to forgive her.

I walked to her. She didn't look up as she had her face buried in her hands...but she needed someone...someone who understands her. I knelt down on one knee and wrapped my arms around her. She immediately cramped into my chest area and cried more. This Astrid was definitely not the one I knew three years ago...this Astrid was the one I was waiting for.

I had one arm wrapped around her and I put one hand on the back of her head and held her tightly to my chest and I could feel her tears staining my shirt and I felt her quick breathing. "I'm sorry Hiccup... I'm sorry." She said while clasping my black tunic with both her hands, and I just held her tighter, bringing her in closer. I did that because the way she was acting...it was how I was on the inside all those years ago...sad that I couldn't be what the village wanted me to be...sad that I would never be what my father wanted me to be.

Just like when I didn't kill Toothless, I saw myself...weak, helpless and scared I was...she was the exact same way now. She realized the mistake she made...and now wanted to be forgiven...something I never got the chance when Berk didn't accept me...but by choosing the action they did, I would be just like them.

"I forgive you." I said as I kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. She was starting to calm down, I could tell as she started taking deeper breaths and her crying had stopped. I cupped her chin and looked her in the eyes, they were red and tired from all the crying, but she managed a small smile.

"Thank you... thank you Hiccup." She said as she hugged me and I hugged her back. I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned to see Mala, she knelt down next us and gave Astrid a cloth to clean up, she gladly accepted and cleaned her face from the tear stains and saliva that slipped out of her mouth.

After cleaning herself off, I pulled her up and looked at the others. "Are you guys hungry? We're having smoked salmon and potato slices." The group of Berkians nodded. "I guess we could eat. If you're fine with that...?" Fishlegs began, I smiled and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine with that Fishlegs, please join us." I extended my arm out for them, they smiled and made their way up to the table.

The four Berkians ate well and were shocked to learn my mom was alive and well all this time.

But none the less, I've forgiven them for hurting and abandoning me.

Now?

I have to see if Stoick and the rest of his people are looking for a second chance or if they're truly against dragons.