When I Come Back

Wedding Planner

Astrid

As Oliver revised his sketch, I watched as Stormfly and Frolic played in the water.

"So, how did the two of you meet?" Oliver asks, snapping my attention back.

"We both grew up here on Berk and our parents have always been close, so I think we met as babies. We were best friends for a long time, but then Hiccup began to get teased by the villagers and the other kids our age for his lack of growth. While defending him, I found out that if I stuck by him, I would be made fun of too. Unfortunately, I was too prideful for that so I joined the other kids in putting him down. We even bullied Fishlegs into making fun of Hiccup." I sigh, wishing that I had never done that, "Even his own father, the cheif, would treat him poorly. For me that was the saddest part because Hiccup lost his mother and was now being treated poorly by his father."

Oliver finally looks up from the sketch, "He went through all that? Wow!! People always here about all the great things that heroes accomplish, but never about the hardships they had to face in getting there. That's very interesting. When did he forgive you??"

I sigh, being even more disappointed in myself, "He may have been mad at one point, but sometime throughout the years he was convinced that he deserved it. Of course that caused him to become sarcastic and dry, but it helped him always come up with a witty comeback to the hurtful comments he was receiving. I never needed to earn his forgiveness because he wasn't mad at me."

"So when did you guys start being friendly again?" Oliver asks, brows furrowed.

"When he was 15 and Gothi had just chosen him to kill the Monstrous Nightmare. I was extremely frustrated, so I waited for him in this cove he kept vanishing to after training. As soon as he came I bombarded him with questions, trying to get some dirt on him so the right to kill his first dragon in front of the whole village would be taken away. Then Toothless came to his rescue and I was running back to the village to tell everyone that Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III befriended a Night Fury. However, before I could, Hiccup and Toothless grabbed me and took me for the most memorizing flight and I instantly fell in love with them."

   Oliver raises his eyebrow, "It took him taking you on a flight with his dragon for you to fall in love with him?"

"It wasn't just the flight, the experience showed me how brave, stubborn, and determined Hiccup is. That he hadn't changed into a weakling as he got older, but that he grew in a different way than we all had. Toothless showed me that dragons can be trusted and that we've been wrong about them for so long. "

"Hiccup definitely is something else, but you were the one to tie the boy who wears a flight suit, rides a Night Fury, and stopped the war between dragons and Vikings. So don't feel guilty about the way that you treated him because you have the rest of your life to make up for it. Besides anyone who looks at the two of you would be a fool to think you guys aren't madly in love." Oliver's statements left a smile on my face.

   He had continued with his drawing for another 10 minutes before the rain started to fall. We moved to the great hall and asked the cooks to bake a few new desserts for us to try, mostly out of boredom.

***

   I was raising the mini meat pie to my salivating mouth when it disappears into another.  Looking behind me in surprise chews with his eyes closing, inhaling deeply as he takes the different tastes in.

"That's really good! Is this a dessert?" He asks

"Why yes! We're trying new foods and making notes for the wedding." Oliver responds excited for Hiccups presence.

   I would be really happy to see him as well if it weren't for the tired look in Hiccup's eyes and the way he was trying to hide the frustration in his voice.

   Oliver brings Hiccup up to speed on what we planned throughout the day.

"Yeah yeah that sounds great. Let's also add yak stew to the feast and maybe so-" Hiccup was cut off.

"Great job Hiccup! You're first storm preparations are taken care of. How do you feel?" Stoick asks, question dripping with hope. To the chief this was another step towards Hiccup becoming the next chief.

"Uh great I guess? I don't know."

   Oliver started gathering his things, "I have many sketches to finish and many terrible terrors to send out. This is all I'll be needing from you guys today."

"Wait I-" Hiccup tries to finish telling Oliver want else he wants added to the list, but Stoick talks over him.

"You'll get used to it soon." Stick pats his shoulder and walks away.

"Come on let's go to your hut and we can talk"

   He sighs, " Thanks Astrid."