(Astrid's pov)
We've been sailing toward the Isle of Night for days now, winter was about to hit us and with the dragon raids, they've stolen more livestock than we can raise. Our people are starving, scared and losing hope, I don't blame them at all. I pray to the gods that if Hiccup is the Dragon Master, then he's show us compassion and help us, even though he has every reason in all of the Archipelago not to.
I looked over at Fishlegs, the man had lost weight, and his fat was replaced with bulky muscle and he was growing a small beard, currently the man had his face deep in the Book of Dragons, he'd add as much information in the book almost on a daily basis. He'd grown fat from knowledge, no one knew the facts about dragons better than him.
Snotlout still had his arrogant, bashful personality which I hated...and he still tried to hit on me, even after countless attempts at injuring him...he still didn't get the big picture of how I would never ever go out with him. Ever. He also had sprouted a small beard and had grown a bit taller and put on a bit more muscle. It was the same with
Tuffnut. He was still his...dumb, crazy self I guess you could say...his hair style had changed into dreadlocks, and he also was growing a beard.
Me and Ruffnut had grown quite a bit as well and it was evident on our bodies. Our outline was more defined now, but as we've grown we've still retained the shape from when we were fourteen. I'd say out of the five of us, me and Ruff had matured, well Ruff had matured a lot but still she argued and fought with her brother every once in a while. But I knew this trip had something more in it. Stoick was looking for Hiccup...I wouldn't say looking but to make sure he's still alive or if he's anywhere.
So far the villages we visited in the past had stories of a man in black, violet and golden armor riding a creature black as night coming to their aid with their dragons. I remember only seeing Hiccup and his...dragon. Either way I didn't care because it was none my business and that they had been marked as traitors for life in our tribe, although I had to admit it...I did miss Hiccup...a little. He was the only one who didn't act tough and strong, he acted himself even though all of us didn't like it.
"Hey Astrid, do you want to bunk with me tonight? Because if you're cold, I'll keep you warm." Snotlout called from the deck. I sighed and I threw a harpoon right at the railing at where he was. He squeaked a bit and fell back down. "Does that answer your question?" I asked him and turned back to see Asbjorn, who rolled his eyes.
"When will he get it through his thick skull that you're not into him?" Asbjorn asked looking at him getting back up and dusting himself off. "You and I both know he'll never learn." I said not paying attention to him. "What do you think we'll find at the Isle of Night?" He asked. I didn't know much about the island, only that it was where the Night Furies came to be in the Archipelago. Who knows what we'll find. "I don't know Asbjorn, it's mainly a business trip right now, just to ask the Dragon Master if he's willing to help us and we'll pay him and leave." I said. "Yeah, we'll be staying there for about four days." He said leaning against the railing. "Why don't you ever go out with any one Astrid?" He asked.
"Because I don't want to. Snotlout is just...ugh...and Fishlegs and Tuff are not anywhere near my type. What about you?" I asked. He shrugged and looked out toward the sea. "Honestly? I don't know. I'm not really looking to be in a relationship at the moment." I smiled and stood beside him. "Guess we warriors are destined to be alone huh?"
Asbjorn scoffed and nudged me. "Please, we both know you'll be wife sooner rather than later." I chuckled and shook my head. "As for me? Well, I'll probably die in battle before finding a woman." I punched his shoulder and he looked at me in curiosity. "You'll find a woman, and she'd be an idiot not to be with you. You're handsome, kind, excellent in battle and a good person."
Asbjorn smiles warmly and nodded in acknowledgement. "Thanks Astrid, I appreciate it." I smiled and we both just stared at the horizon in comfortable silence.
"LAND HO!"
Me and Asbjorn looked at each other and then we all ran to the front of the ship to see it. Ships of merchants, fisherman, and fellow tribes. Then we saw it. A dragon rider.
A woman riding a... Night Fury. Everyone on our ship had their mouths wide open in shock, the rider burst forward and headed toward the island. As we got closer to port, we saw more and more Night Furies, I was under the assumption that they were all but extinct, but apparently they weren't. "Unbelievable." Fishlegs mumbled, the man took out the Book of Dragons and began sketching the Night Fury and began writing about them.
Everyone was giving us dirty looks, like our very presence was an insult. I heard them whisper amongst themselves.
"Viking dogs."
"Savages."
"Dragon killers."
And other vile insults, if they knew about us then Hiccup has to be here. We were halted by two guard who were in black and silver armor, which strange looking capes that looked like...dragon scales? Fascinating. "State your business here, Vikings." They demanded, Stoick stepped up. "We seek the Dragon Master." The guards grunted in amusement. "Everybody wants help from the Dragon Master. Why would he help Viking shits like you?"
I was getting offended by these people, thinking they're better than us. Snotlout pushes through and pounded his beefy fist against his chest. "Listen here you low lives, I'm the next heir to the throne of Berk! And you dare insult us?" The guards snickered and walked up to Snotlout. "Ah yes, the Dragon Master has told us about your enlarged ego. Your titles mean nothing here." Gobber walked up and pushed Snotlout back before he caused a scene.
"We need to see your Dragon Master! Please! Our village is on the verge of total annihilation." I begged, throwing insults at these guys wouldn't get us anywhere. The guards looked at each other and sighed. "Follow us." Stoick nodded at me and we marched up the stairs to what looked like our Great Hall back in Berk.
Once the guards pushed the doors open, we were introduced to a massive throne room, the room itself was easily ten times the size of our Great Hall. Night Furies were watching us from the ground and the supports above our heads, the room was filled with the same type of guards that brought here. We looked straight ahead to see two throne chairs and two people sitting in them.
A woman rose from her seat and balled her hands into fists. "I'm Queen Mala of the Isle of Night, what brings you Vikings to our home?" She demanded in a firm tone. Stoick came up and stopped at the beginning of the stairs leading to the throne. "I'm Stoick the Vast of Berk, my companions and I seek the Dragon Master."
Everyone looked at the one still seated on the throne, he wore black, golden, violet armor with a hood covering his face. He rose from his seat and removed his hood, all us Berkians gasped in shock. This man was Hiccup Haddock.
"Hiccup." Stoick breathed out in disbelief, the man gave us all a cold stare, he didn't look happy at all to see us. "You have nerve Stoick. Nerve. Thinking you can come here, expecting me to help you with your dragon problems when you banished me, disowned and placed a fucking bounty on my head!!" I flinched at his tone of voice, his stare alone could send the fiercest Viking warrior crawling under a rock.
(Normal pov)
"Hiccup please! Our people are suffering, we need your help!" Astrid begged. Hiccup crossed his arms and scoffed, he stood unmoved. "You need my help? That's a first." He muttered, Snotlout, being the imbecile that he is spoke out. "Listen here Useless, you're beneath us, as you've always stood, you're going to help us or we'll kill every last Night Fury here just to spite you!"
Enraged, Hiccup threw a throwing knife right into Snotlout's shoulder, making him scream in pain, he stepped down to half the stairs and seethed out. "How dare you. You think you can barge into my home, threaten me and the dragons that live here? Well my answer is no." Stoick, would not take no for an answer, he grabbed Hiccup's arm, but the young man twirled around, slapped Stoick's hand away and dislocated his ex fathers hand, Stoick yelped in pain and backed off.
"Get them off this island now." Hiccup snarled, guards drew their spears and pointed it them at Hiccup's former tribe members. "NO!" Astrid fell to her knees, tears swelling in her eyes and her breath trembling. "Hiccup. I know you have no right to help us, but please, I am begging you... there are starving women, children and elderly, they're scared and losing all hope." Hiccup's face looked like he was in conflict; deciding whether or not to help his former tribe.
Astrid continued speaking. "I know you have no right to forgive me. You trusted me to keep your secret and it was my jealousy that got you banished. Please, for the sake of lives. Help us, please. Help me." Hiccup's face softened, Mala walked down to Hiccup, place a hand around his shoulder and whispered in his ear, Hiccup's eyes were closed, he nodded, and when she pulled away, Hiccup sighed heavily.
Hiccup turned back to the Berkians and gave them a firm look. "The problem is the monster who sleeps in Helheim's Gate." The Berkians looked at each other in confusion, Hiccup scoffed. "I told you all ten years ago, the dragons aren't raiding you intentionally, they're being forced to by the tyrant queen, the Red Death." Hiccup said darkly, the candles' flames were flicking about and the wind had picked up a howling trait outside.
"What's the Red Death lad?" Gobber asked.
"It's the dragon that controls every single dragon that raids the village. It relies on them for food as it cannot leave its home. And if the dragons don't comply, or fail to bring it food ... it eats them." Hiccup said coldly, moving his gaze to the floor. He could feel the tension in the room reach an all time high, with the hushed whispers of the Berkians increasing at the news they heard.
"Eats them whole." He finished, and this time, the Berkians went silent. They had never heard of such a dragon, and to eat a Monstrous Nightmare, or even a Zippleback whole was ... unheard of, impossible really. The young adults were also shocked at this news. The twins said they would love to see this dragon, of course. Snotlout, with his boastfulness, claimed that no dragon is too dangerous for him, and Fishlegs was having a hard time coming to terms with what Hiccup just said. From his vast wealth of knowledge of dragons from the Book of Dragons, not one page talked about a dragon of such magnitude. He could not believe what Hiccup was saying was true.
"Please, how do we know you're telling us the truth? A dragon that size could not possibly exist." Spitelout scoffed.
"Believe whatever you want, it does exist. Toothless and I have seen this abomination. The only reason the Night Fury didn't attack you years past was that it was... I guess you could say an escort, tasked with taking out the defenses, making it easier for the rest of the dragons to move in and take whatever food there was." he explained.
"How do we kill it?" Stoick said, Mala scoffed, she now understood why Hiccup despised these people, because they head rush right into a fight that they can't possibly hope to win.
"You cannot just rush into battle and pray to your gods that you'll be victorious." Mala firmly stated. "Hiccup has informed us that the Outcast and Berserker tribes have plans to enslave and use this monster to reap destruction across the Archipelago." The Berkians suddenly began to panic, if that was true, then Hiccup really was their only hope.
"Odins beard." Gobber muttered, Stoick looked behind him to see his people look to him to make a decision. Stoick sighed heavily and looked back to Hiccup. "Hiccup, our home is on the brink of total destruction. If you'd allow it, we ask if we could have refuge here until we find a way to kill this Red Death."
Hiccup and Mala looked at each other, he looked uncertain and mad, while Mala whispered in his ear, the royal council gathered around their rulers and talked for about five minutes, until they reached an answer. Hiccup sighed and looked at his former people. "Bring the rest of your people here. But know this Stoick. If you or any one of you try to kill any dragon on this island, or inflict any grievous injuries, I ship you all to Helheim's Gate to die." The Berkians nodded in agreement.
"Thank you Hiccup." Astrid said kindly, Hiccup nodded and sat back on his throne chair. "Go. We'll oversee preparations for your return." Hiccup boomed, the Berkians nodded and left the Hall, Astrid turned around to look at Hiccup one more time before rejoining her people.
"Thor give me strength." Hiccup mumbled while pinching the bridge of his nose.