(Normal pov)
Stoick the Vast roamed the forests of Berk and his destination was the hut of Sigurd the Wise, who was Berks seer. The Hooligan chieftain had questions for the old man, specifically his fate and the fate of Berk itself. It had been five years since Hiccup's apparent "death" but as the years had gone by? Traders and spread the word and news of how Hiccup Haddock, now king of Danes along side five other Danish kings and queens have not only conquered Paris, but the whole of Frankia in the name of the Viking empire.
The traders and merchants that came to Berk informed Stoick that Hiccup was... a ruthless, ferocious and battle hardened warrior now. The thought of his son being a warrior would cause Stoick to laugh, but with news coming in left and right about his son and Danish allies conquering worlds beyond Norway? The Hooligan chieftain knew full well that Hiccup would soon turn his eyes towards Berk and reclaim vengeance for what he and his people did to the boy.
Finally reaching Sigurd's hut, Stoick entered and could see the old man sitting by a fire while wrapped in heavy furs. The Hooligan chieftain closed the door behind him and shivered as he too clutched his bear fur cloak tighter around his hulking frame, the old seer looked up at Stoick and let out a dry chuckle. "So... you wish to know the fate of us all Stoick?" Sigurd asked, the Hooligan chief grunted in confirmation. "Tell me." He demanded, the old Viking nodded as began making a potion so that he could take a glimpse into the unseen future.
About three minutes later, the potion was complete and Sigurd took a small stick and placed it over his fire pit, when the stick was burning, he placed the burning piece of wood in the bowl he mixed his potion with and dark purple smoke filled the air. The old seer inhaled the smoke and he then let out a raspy groan and he opened his eyes to see the fate of Berk.
"I see... blood and gore slick upon Midgard. The bodies of Snotlout Jorgenson and Tuffnut Thorston stripped of all flesh and their cocks severed. I see... the people of Berk... being burned alive by a... five headed dragon the size of a mountain." Sigurd let out a cough and then rasped out. "Fearless Astrid Hofferson is torn to pieces by six Night Fury's and... Stoick the Vast himself? He will meet his end by... someone he once believed to have perished by dragons."
Stoick absorbed this knowledge and his mind was scattered, he didn't know what to think right now. So, squatting across from Sigurd, the Hooligan chieftain seethed out. "Is there no hope for the Hairy Hooligans at all?!" The old seer gazed into Stoick's eyes and answered. "None at all. The consequences of our actions towards your son are about to bring dire circumstances." Sigurd scratched his bald head and chuckled dryly. "And they will happen quite soon."
Hearing enough, Stoick exited the old mans hut and returned back to the village to inform his people of Hiccup's imitate return to Berk.
(Astrid's pov)
The Great Hall, which was usually filled with laughter, celebration, music and heated conversation were all absent now. Because we've all heard the news over the years that Hiccup survived and has become a Danish king! A king who is allied with five other Danish rulers, and together, they have conquered Paris and the whole of Frankia itself. To make matters worse, we've also heard that Hiccup has dragons under his command, specifically six more Night Fury's and a five headed dragon the size of a mountain and millions more of the winged devils.
Hearing this news? It didn't sit well with me at all. Because I knew deep down that we were all going to suffer for what we did to Hiccup in the past. He was going to rain down hell upon us all and I don't know whether or not our allies would wish to aid us against Hiccup and his hordes of Danes and dragons combined.
This news also will embolden Berks greatest enemies-- Lava Louts, the Outcasts, Murderous tribe and Berserkers. They'll all rally to Hiccup just to partake in our destruction, and for the first time in a very long time... I'm afraid.
I had killed the only living being Hiccup truly cared for when he had nobody, and now? I know he'll savor every second of my suffering. Who knows what kind of person he's become now, one that I should be afraid of.
Currently I was sitting at my usual table and drinking done a mug of ale, attempting to forget about the fact that we all may die very soon. For all his... clumsiness and failures, Hiccup was still a human being, he's not perfect and neither are any of us. And I think that is one reason why we all treated Hiccup so badly, because we wanted him to be this... "perfect Viking heir." But instead he was born as a runt of the litter and we all hurt him in our own way, and now five years later, our past has come back to haunt us.
The doors of the Great Hall opened and I looked up to see my lover Sihtric, he quickly closed the doors to keep the winter blizzard outside, he shivered as he clutched his white wolf fur cloak tightly around his body, spotting me at our table, he made his way and sat right beside me. "Astrid." He murmured, he leaned in and kissed me, I closed my eyes and returned his kiss, once we broke off, Sihtric grabbed an empty mug on the table and poured himself some of the freshly brewed ale on the table and took a drink.
Sighing in contentment after taking his first drink, Sihtric turned to me and shook his head. "I still cant believe that Hiccup is alive, and a Danish king no less!" Humming in agreement at his words, I took another drink of my ale and pinched the bridge of his eyes. "That, and he has eclipsed us all in reputation, fame and glory!" Pounding my fist on the table in outrage by being eclipsed by Hiccup the Useless. My lover sighed and looked around the Great Hall to see only a handful of people drinking and warming themselves by the huge fire pit in the center of the room. "Everybody's on edge. We don't know what kind of person Hiccup is now." Sihtric began as he stroked his goatee and continued. "But undoubtedly he is consumed by vengeance and will stop at nothing to make sure we're all dead."
"Sihtric, I came here to forget about that fact, not to be reminded of it." I growled out, causing him to wince at my tone and apologize, he took another drink of ale and nodded. "Well, at least the winter buys us time to make prepare for an attack by Hiccup and his Danish allies." He said, I however looked at my lover like he lost his mind and pointed out. "Hiccup and the five other Danish rulers have millions of warriors and dragons under their command! Even if we sent a call for help to our allies, I don't believe we would win." I groaned out before burying my face into Sihtric's shoulder, he then wrapped his arms around me and kissed my hair. "I won't let him hurt you Astrid, I swear it." He promised, I just hummed in acknowledgment and held my lover as close as I could.
Odin help us all.
(Hiccup's pov)
"SHEILD WALL!!"
My warriors quickly formed a shield wall and I approached the wall smacked the rows of shields with my newly invented sword I named Inferno, it took quite some time to create on my spare time, but I finally created it, and it served me very well in battle, intimidating my enemies and to calm aggressive and wild dragons.
"Upon the overturned keel
Clamber with hearts of steel
Cold is the ocean spray
and your death is on its way."
I sang out and my warriors then got into their secondary defensive positions while still holding their shield wall as they sang the second verse of our shield wall song as they then began to engage in a heated sparring session with each other.
"Be strong though rain beats down
Upon your balding crown
With maidens you had your way
Each must die some day."
Our glorious city of Paris has served as the Danes capital in Frankia, it has taken the Black Danes five long years to conquer this whole new world for our people, we lost many good warriors and friends, but their sacrifices and deaths were not in vain. Every Frankish soldier or citizen that remained after our bloody campaign against their nation are now slaves to the Black Danes, to live out the rest of their lives in labor, our pleasure and our entertainment.
I approached a nearby water basin and took out a clean rag from my satchel and began to wash my sweaty skin. The five years have been very good to my body, my hair was very long, so I had my hair braided into four twists and was kept together by a bridge of hair in the back of my head, the sides of my head were braided, I had a pointy goatee and a mustache above my lips and light stubble on my razor sharp jawline. My body was clean lithe muscle, I had a tattoo of Toothless on my back, Danish tattoo sleeves on my forearms and impressive scars on chest going down my abs and one across my right bicep.
As I was washing my body, I shivered slightly as the cold winter air and snow crept into my bones, though I shook off the cold and focused on the vengeance I'd claim very soon. The thought of massacring the Hairy Hooligans lit a fire inside of me and that thought alone kept me warm.
Turning behind me, I could see Gunhild training a group of younger shield maidens, the sight of her brought a genuine smile to my face. During the five year conquests? Gunhild and I grew closer and closer and we nearly lost each other many times during heated battles with the Franks, but thank the gods we survived and still of Midgard. I pulled out a golden ring out of my pocket and examined it with a smile, I planned on purposing to her very soon.
"Freyr, vi indkalder dig. Vi indkalder dig. Med dette offers blod er nu tiden."
Gunhild cried out in Danish tongue, with her group shield maidens repeating after her and then engaging each other in sparring contests. As I had finished cleaning the sweat off my body, I heard a chuckle and a loud bite behind me, turning around, I laid eyes on Cnut who was messily eating a fat chicken leg. Rolling my eyes at King Haesten's heir, I acknowledge his presence. "Cnut." Said man turns to me and smirks. "King Haddock." He then turns and gazes at Gunhild who moves like a serpent; fast and sure, swatting away the younger shield maidens attacks with ease and giving some of them fresh cuts across their bodies and sprinkling the streets with their blood, offering it to the goddess Freyr.
"A fortunate man you are Haddock, to have such a woman like Gunhild." Cnut said with a mouthful of chicken, he then swallowed and I could see his eyes darken with lust towards my woman, I snort at him and speak while watching Gunhild sweep a shield maidens legs out from under her and point her sword at another ones neck. "You will point your cock elsewhere Cnut. She's mine, make no mistake." I say firmly, Cnut turns to me and cocks his head. "Touched a nerve did I?" He asked teasingly, turning to the man, I give him a menacing smirk and reply. "Indeed you did. I would advise you don't speak about Gunhild with such... lust anymore Cnut, if you value your life."
King Haesten's son turned to face me fully and asked. "What is it about you that she has taken an interest in? Hmm?" Turning to face Cnut fully, I answer him. "Maybe because I care about more than just her beauty and her skills as a warrior. I care about her well being; if she's feeling lonely? I'm there for her. If she feels guilty about her mothers death? Then I reassure her that her death wasn't her fault." I then lean in closer to Cnut and snarl out. "She's a woman. Not just someone you can forcibly take to satisfy you lust. I like you Cnut, which is why I'm warning you only once, find yourself another woman. Gunhild is mine."
Cnut then chuckles and nods in understanding. "Apologies King Haddock. I will take my leave." He said with a submissive bow of his head, I hummed in agreement and watched him walk away while still eating his chicken leg and cheering on our sparring warriors. Turning back to my beloved, I saw her approach me with a bright smile, I returned her smile and pulled her into a passionate kiss, once breaking apart, I nod at and then gesture to the younger shield maidens who were getting a drink. "Whipping the younglings into shape, hmm?" I asked, Gunhild nodded and unclipped a water skin off her belt and drank from it, when she had her fill of water she responded. "They all hold great promise of becoming fine warriors. They'll all receive fame and glory among our ranks."
I then put on a crimson tunic over my cold body and strap on my Danish armor before urging Gunhild to walk with me, while walking along the streets of Paris, I could see many of our Danish dragon riders patrolling the skies for anything at sea and on the ground, our warriors patrolled the streets, Danish citizens and other Viking people wandered the streets while dealing with Northern as well as foreign merchants and traders.
"I'm deciding on assembling Cnut, Frodo, Aslaug and Hild into a war council with the intent on destroying Berk." I say while watching slavers auction foreign slaves to our people, Gunhild turned to me and cocked her head. "You intend to attack Berk in the winter?" Turning to my beloved, I nod at her. "They will not expect it. It is the perfect opportunity to attack them." My nose twitching with anger, I then add. "I have waited five years to exact my revenge. I can wait no longer." I then interlace my fingers with Gunhild's and look into her gorgeous eyes. "Do I have your support?" I murmur into her skin, I then began nipping playfully at her neck, causing her to giggle and gasp at the sensations and she murmured back. "Of course you do. But you already knew that."
"Mmm, I know." I purred into her ear, causing her to shiver pleasantly, we then make our way towards the castle which now serves as the home of our kings, queens and military leaders while the rest of Paris belongs to our forces, but since there are still so many of us, we've had to build homes outside the city, which was no problem at all. For the dragons, the Hydra lived outside the city along with the swarms, but the dragons who had bonded with their Danish riders remained in Paris, if we needed the Hydra, I would simply give out the dragon roar and he would come swiftly.
Finally, upon reaching the palace, Gunhild and I make our way to our shared chambers and I strip my armor off approach the nearest window to gaze at our conquered prize. "Such beauty. Such a prize. And it belongs to the Black Danes." I say with pride, turning back to Gunhild, she too stripped out of her armor and gave me a coy smile, she then made her way over towards me and hugged me from behind, wrapping her arms around my toned torso and peppering my back with gentle and delicate kisses. "I want you." She murmured into my back, I tensed slightly at the prospect of having sex, because deep down? I still held back when it came to sexual desires because of what happened back on Berk.
Gunhild immediately noticed my tension and pulled back. "If you don't want to have sex, then I won't push you my love." She reassured me, turning around to face her, I smile at her in thanks and embrace her, she returned my warm embrace and I whispered in her ear. "Will you marry me?" She broke away from my embrace and her face was twisted with surprise and shock, I then pulled out the golden ring I had made and presented it to her, she gasped at the beauty of it and looked into my eyes. "Of course I will marry you." I grinned at her and slid the ring on her finger before pulling her into a deep kiss, she eagerly returned my kiss and we made our way to our bed to just hold each other and murmur words of love to each other.
Despite everything that has happened to me; being beaten within an inch of my life, suffering humiliation and rejection, being raped and watching Toothless being murdered? I thanked Odin for blessing me with Gunhild. She made me so happy and I would do everything in my power to ensure that she stays happy. Revenge against Berk could wait a little while longer, right now? I just wanted to hold Gunhild close to me and thank the gods for blessing me with such a woman.
A/N: So for those of you who want know what Gunhild looks like, go ahead and look up Alicia Agneson, thats what Gunhild looks like, and for those of y'all who want to see Berk tremble in fear? The wait is is nearing an end. Hiccup and the Danes will sail winter seas back to Norway and to the Barbaric Archipelago to engage the Hairy Hooligans and their allies, so stay tuned for that. And as always, catch y'all in the next update.