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howtowhumpyourhiccup · 5 years ago

Text

Harpoon

Summary: HICCUP WHUMP! A "What If" fic for 'King of Dragon, Part 1'. The Dragon Riders returned to Berk and Hiccup never knew of the fast approaching harpoon meant for the Titanwing Dramillion. NO MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH.

Rating: Mature

Words: 5 951

Author’s Notes: I don't know how long ago I got this idea, but it was inspired by @ashleybenlove while watching RttE during a stream. I'm pretty sure. Pretty sure.

Constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

Enjoy!

Ao3

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They needed help. That was the conclusion Hiccup came to as it became clear to him that he and Toothless were not winning this fight.

Despite the ships they'd sunk and the Singetails they'd freed, Krogan's men still managed to draw out the Titanwing Dramillion, the rumoured King of Dragons the two of them had come all this way to protect. Half the island was burning, too, and for every enemy they took down another was to take his place.

There seemed to be no end to them. In spite of the blows they’d dealt, Hiccup and Toothless were greatly outnumbered and they weren't holding out for as long as they'd hoped. That fact weighed heavily on them both.

They downed another Flyer through the use of the grappling hook stored in Hiccup’s shield and Toothless roared.

“I know, Bud. I’m getting tired as well.” He admitted, though. He briefly laid a hand on the Night Fury’s head in solidarity. Dodging arrows, dragon fire, bolas, and ballistas on top of trying to dispose of all of their adversaries, they were tiring quickly.

Still, they weren’t ready to give up just yet, stubborn as they were.

It shouldn’t be much longer now. The rest of the Dragon Riders couldn’t be that far behind. Though they had decided to go along with Spitelout after he had come to collect the young heir of Berk, Hiccup remained hopeful that they were on their way, that they had changed their minds about going home and were just moments away from entering the fray.

He didn't lose faith. He knew they were coming. After the year they'd spent together, fighting side by side, protecting each other, growing to be even closer, he knew he could count on them.

That trust was the biggest motive behind Hiccup's and Toothless' decision to keep fighting in the first place. Why they hadn't looked at the odds stacked against them and chose to opt for a tactical retreat.

It was the reason Hiccup decided to look towards his left, towards the ships Johann was commanding while Krogan commanded those in the air. He was simply curious to see what he was up to, make sure there weren't any more attacks that they needed to look out for.

For only a split second he saw the glinting metal of an incoming harpoon he never expected to see.

It was right in front of him.

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"Where Hiccup goes, we go."

That is what Astrid told them and those were the words the Dragon Riders decided to live by. They had been doing so for the bigger part of the past four years, whether they realized it or not.

Astrid spoke to them after they'd returned to Berk.

With Stoick taking a turn for the worst, the council had decided to summon their young heir back to temporarily, or maybe even permanently, succeed his father as Chief and Spitelout had been sent to go get him. The problem was, Hiccup had left them.

With all the Dragon Eye lenses gathered and the location of the Titanwing Dramilion now known to both friend and foe, Hiccup elected to ignore the decision of the council. Much like his father has done many times before, he had decided to make the Chief proud by ignoring them too.

Spitelout was supposed to make sure Hiccup wouldn't run and would go straight home. Gobber, though he had volunteered, had been deemed too soft-hearted for the job, so the Jorgenson patriarch was the council's chosen escort. Hiccup managed to slip through his fingers. As the rest of the Dragon Riders packed up their stuff, Hiccup and Toothless were already long gone.

Upon arriving at Berk and hearing Astrid's reminder that the group of eleven were a family and that Hiccup needed them, the Dragon Riders planned to leave Spitelout and turn right back around.

And they did it. They managed to ditch Spitelout on Berk, let him deal with the council's anger that he wasn't able to get Hiccup home. It took them long enough to catch up with their wayward members, but they hurried.

Now they just had to join Hiccup and Toothless on Dramillion Island to join the battle. Johann shouldn't have reached that island before they did, but the fighting must've already started. If all went right, the Dragon Riders could make a grand entrance as they joined their leader and the Night Fury just in time to save the day.

Except that wasn’t quite what happened.

They arrived and they found fire, sunken ships, and plenty of freed Singetails either flying away or hanging around, but also something else that they didn't quite expect.

"Astrid, look!" Fishlegs pointed and she looked over, all the Dragon Riders did. What they saw were ships and the Flyers leaving.

Together with the Titanwing Dramillion they were hoping to keep safe.

They all halted to watch them go, overwhelmed by an unforeseen sense of defeat. They hadn't even made a move of their own yet.

And they all wondered, with the fighting already over, what had become of their friends?

They weren't in the sky, that was for sure.

"Dragon Riders! New mission. We find Hiccup and Toothless and make sure they're okay first." As Astrid addressed the others, she could see the alarm on all of their faces. They were looks worn by the Dragons too. Catching up with Johann and Krogan could wait.

Hiccup wasn't one to just give up on the Dramillion. Something must've happened that prevented him from protecting the Titanwing dragon. Nobody was quite ready to discover just what that was.

The Dragon Riders decided to split up. To the North, the South, the East and the West of the island. If their friends were still here, someone was bound to find them.

That someone ended up being Snotlout and Hookfang.

They were scouting their side of the island when they found their missing members. The sounds of screaming reached their ears. And like they stopped in mid-air, so did the beating of their hearts.

"Hiccup..." Snotlout spoke with a shaky voice, gazing into the direction the sounds were coming from. Hookfang grumbled in worry, sharing his Rider's fears.

"Hookfang!" Whatever Snotlout was trying to tell him, the Monstrous Nightmare already beat him to it. He send out a shot of fire, signaling that they'd found them and needed help.

They could see the others far away in the distance reacting to the SOS, tiny colourful specks that turned to face them from several different directions. Knowing they were coming, Snotlout and Hookfang already set down where they heard all that yelling coming from.

Toothless looked fine, well enough to watch the duo land and call them over, but the same couldn't be said for Hiccup.

It was from him that the screaming was coming from.

Hookfang set down quickly and Snotlout nearly ripped himself out of the saddle trying to dismount. Their eyes never left the two other Dragon Riders. Hiccup was writhing on the ground, there was barely a break in his yelling. Lungfulls left him and he barely breathed in at all.

Well, he wasn't really screaming. He was more crying, full-on bawling.

Toothless stood over him. He was desperate to calm his Viking down, but no amount of cooing or smushing their noses and cheeks together could get him to relax even a little bit.

As Snotlout reached them after a short sprint, he figured out why.

There was blood everywhere.

Snotlout briefly froze, it took every ounce of his will not to completely freak out at what he saw, but he got himself to move.

He kneeled next to Hiccup, Toothless gave him room as he wasn't getting anywhere. Snot's knees became bloody.

It was covering Hiccup's everything. From his head, his hands, and tunic to the grass beneath him, it all ran red. He was holding onto the right side of his face, covering his eye with both hands and blood still came seeping out. He was bleeding profusely.

Where was Snotlout to begin?

"Hiccup-" He started by grabbing his cousin's shoulders, but that only resulted in Hiccup fighting him. Removing his hands from his injury, Snotlout could see how truly terrible the other's injury truly was. What he saw turned his stomach inside-out. What he saw would be in his nightmares for months to come.

In his shock he let go and Hiccup struggled to get away. He got on all fours, moved to get up on his knees to then stand on his feet, but his wound started pounding like crazy and he became dizzy. His frantic want to apparently escape from Snotlout only got him to fall onto his side, holding his face again in an attempt to stop the agonizing throbbing.

"Stop! Stop it!" He shouted at his own pain, as if that could help.

Composing himself, Snotlout was right next to him again. Having learned nothing at all from a second or two earlier, he grabbed Hiccup's wrists this time.

"Hiccup, it's me. It's Snotlout! I'm here!" It vaguely occurred to him that his cousin may not even realize who it was that grabbed him. Snotlout wanted to let Hiccup know that it was only him.

Once again Hiccup wrestled with him.

He almost seemed to be in complete hysterics. No matter what he did or said, Snotlout couldn't calm him down. What did those bastard Flyers do to him that caused him to act this way?

If Snotlout wasn't so busy trying to console Hiccup, he and Hookfang would've stormed right after Krogan and Johann and given them a piece of their fire.

Speaking of, Hookfang was near him and looking over his shoulder. He tried to rumble comfortingly, but Hiccup wasn't listening to him either. There wasn't much else a dragon of his size dared to do with a human so wounded.

"I don't know what to do either, Hookfang." Snotlout responded when his Nightmare nearly puffed his helmet off his head. All he was doing was keeping Hiccup's wrists captive and that certainly wasn't helping. Still, Snotlout wasn't letting go.

Absentmindedly, as he attempted to search for any way to help, Snotlout noticed Hiccup's leather chest piece was missing. Where had it gone? His tunic and leggings were torn in some places as well. At least his prosthetic was still there.

"Oh Gods!"

Finally, the other Dragon Riders joined them. Jumping off their dragons, the Viking halves quickly made their way over to Hiccup and Snotlout.

They should've left sooner. They should've just ditched Spitelout somewhere along the way instead of waiting until they got to Berk. They all had a hard time comprehending what was happening. Snotlout's hold on the other's wrists showed them exactly where all of that blood was coming from and it made them nauseous.

"Hiccup, it's me! It's me! It's your cousin!" It was no use. No matter how many times Snotlout tried to convince him he was friend and not foe, Hiccup continued to struggle. He grew more desperate every passing second.

"Snotlout." Astrid placed her hands on his shoulders. This wasn't going to help anyone.

Eventually, he had to let Toothless push him away and allow the Night Fury room to attempt to comfort his Rider again. Hiccup didn't recognize him, but he did at least know when his own dragon was near him. After the "hostile" persons trying to get to him, Hiccup clung to Toothless' presence.

For all they knew, he might not even be aware that Krogan, Johann, and the Flyers left already.

As Snotlout and Astrid took a step back, Hiccup quieted down just a tad. Toothless was wrapped around him.

"What is this? What happened?!" Tuffnut was the first to ask, he looked as horrified at their current predicament as they all felt. Fishlegs stood near him and trembled.

"I don't know! I just found him like this! I was trying to calm him down, but nothing I say works!" Snotlout responded. Nobody could blame him for simply trying.

"What did you really do, Snotlout?!" Ruffnut was ready to accuse him, pointing threateningly towards him.

"I told you-"

"Guys! Fighting isn't going to help Hiccup at all!" Astrid scolded the two Riders for their behaviour before addressing Fishlegs.

"Fishlegs, what do you think we should do?"

"To try to calm him down? It's pretty clear he recognizes Toothless, but has no idea who we even are! For all we know the battle isn't over yet for Hiccup." Fishlegs answered to her. Their gazes were stuck on Toothless as he hid his Rider from view. It wasn’t that he no longer trusted the other Dragon Riders, it was purely to make Hiccup feel safe.

Being cocooned, for the time being, soothed him.

“We need to pin him down.” Fishlegs made his suggestion after a few short seconds of silence. The response was instant protest.

“Excuse you? Did you not see what I was doing Fishlegs? Pinning him down only makes it worse!” Snotlout shouted, throwing his hands up.

“Yeah, Fishlegs, I don’t think-“ Tuffnut wasn't so wild about the idea of pinning Hiccup down either. Any other day? Sure! But not with the state he was in. Both mentally and physically.

“Hiccup’s… Hiccup’s blood is blinding him and he’s not thinking clearly. If we want him to know he’s safe, we have to wash it off and he’s not gonna let us do that without a fight. It’s the only way to get him to calm down enough to treat him.” Nobody liked the plan that Fishlegs was suggesting, but nobody could quite think of a better one either.

Looking over to the two, they noticed Toothless gazing back at them. He didn’t like it, but agreed that it was the only way.

Hiccup was wrapped within his forelegs. He wasn't as hysterical for now, he was as relaxed as one could be in his situation, but he shook and his breathing was both rapid and laboured. He was holding a balled-up corner of a blanket to his injury after the Night Fury had pulled it out of the saddlebag for him.

He was still crying. It took him everything to try and keep as quiet as he could possibly be. As if afraid enemies would hear him. Fishlegs may have been right about Hiccup believing the battle wasn't over yet.

A low growl left the Night Fury as he reluctantly moved away from his Rider.

"Toothless?!" He hated the immediate panic in Hiccup's voice, made even worse by the following despairing demands to be let go off when the other Riders enacted Fishlegs' plan.

After he and Hiccup had been downed, it didn't take long for Krogan and the rest of the Flyers to follow suit.

Those bloodcurdling screams Toothless won't be forgetting anytime soon. The way Hiccup acted out now was mild compared to right after the harpoon had hit its unintended target on its way to the Titanwing Dramillion. And those Flyers, Toothless promised to rip them apart for their taunting, for the way they tormented Hiccup when he was in excruciating pain, blind, and vulnerable.

That's why his chest piece was missing. Why there were burns and bruises on top of the gaping wound where his eye should've been. They'd taken advantage of the, for them, fortunate situation. Toothless was pretty sure that Hiccup had a broken wrist too, judging by how useless that hand appeared to be and how dark the bruising was becoming. Though, whether that was because of his assailants or because of their hard landing was unknown.

They had been wary of Krogan's sadistic nature from the moment they found Garf, a juvenile Death Song, nearly tortured to death, but this? Hiccup was out of his mind with fear and pain.

It wasn't easy for the Riders to pin Hiccup down. Though incredibly weakened, he fought with everything he had. Like a cornered animal with little else to lose. It was even harder on Toothless. He shrunk in on himself with every protest. He tried so hard not to interfere and just take his Rider within the safety of his wings, where he couldn’t be hurt anymore.

Stormfly came over as she noticed. She gave the Night Fury a reassuring headbutt to show her support. While Hookfang and Meatlug stayed by their humans, Barf and Belch joined the other two dragons.

"No! I won't... I won't let you! Toothless!"

Astrid didn't like restraining Hiccup. She didn't like putting her full weight on his shoulders, pinning an, obviously injured, arm to the ground, and grabbing him by the chin to keep his head cocked to one side. He was blinded by pain and blood, he may not even know it was them! That is what Fishlegs said. The thought, as it kept mulling around in her mind, made guilt well up in her gut, but she knew it was necessary.

Snotlout was opposite to her, using his own weight on Hiccup's torso and keeping his other arm down. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were each in charge of one of his legs. They were forced to remove the prosthetic or otherwise risk getting hard metal to the face. On any other day, they'd be amused with the kind of strength this thin tree of a man possessed, but if Astrid had the luxury to look, she would've seen they were both in distress.

Not one of them liked doing this to him. Hiccup was still incoherently yelling at them to let go.

Once he could fight them no longer, Fishlegs gently poured the water over the left side of his face. He used both the water and a cloth to wash away the blood that blinded his remaining eye. It wasn't the easiest feat to accomplish. The sight of his injury made him want to throw up his lunch. It was a sentiment they all shared. So did the Dragons, who have seen some things in life themselves.

As Hiccup wasn't completely blind anymore, Astrid could let him go and it allowed him to see it truly was them. It wasn’t Krogan, or Johann, or any of the Flyers.

Eye still wide, he shook terribly in their grip. His fighting and yelling already ceased.

"Hiccup, it's us. You see? It's us!" There was a break in Astrid's voice as she spoke to him and cupped his face with her hands. She minded the horrific injury. He stared up at her, scanning her face.

"Do you know who we are?" Astrid asked and finally, Hiccup nodded. She gave him a tearful smile. Next to her, Snotlout took a sniff and breathed in and out deeply, attempting to keep control over his emotions. This would make treating him slightly easier.

They didn't have much to treat an injury such as this, but they could at least do some first aid here and get him to Berk later.

"They're gone? They're- they're gone?" Hiccup's voice was hoarse by now, but he needed to know.

"Yeah, they are, H." Tuffnut was wiping at his eyes, sitting up straight.

"They took the Dramillion, but don't worry about that right now, okay? We're gonna get it back." It wasn't often that Ruff could be as sensitive as her brother and she was even less easy to faze, but this experience rattled her to her core as well. She wanted to reassure him.

"After we get you some help." Snotlout was decisive. He thought it necessary to put his foot down.

Fishlegs approached, holding an armful of the only on the go supplies they carried with them.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup." There was only so much he could do with them. He already apologized before he even attempted to treat the injury. It needed to be done quickly or their friend would bleed out completely.

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Hiccup didn't remember much of it. He definitely remembered the hurt, the agony as his wounds were being worked on, but what actually happened was a fuzzy blur to him and nothing more.

Fishlegs' delicate, but still on the field, emergency surgery was only a hazy hole of pain in his memory. He was pretty sure he was knocked out completely when the Dragon Riders found the Titanwing Dramillion on their way to Berk and decided to make way for the Defenders of the Wing instead. They had to tell him about that later.

What a surprise it must've been for Mala and Throk. To be awoken in the middle of the night to help save the lives of a Dramilion and a Dragon Rider.

When the Defenders' healer started cleaning and treating him, though, Hiccup was certain he was awake to experience every minute of that.

His face was throbbing. Brows knitted together, Hiccup sat at the edge of his temporary bed in the healer's hut. Clutching the wood, he tried to get used to the feeling of sitting up.

A worried croon drew his attention and Hiccup looked down at the Night Fury taking up most of the space, his head on his Rider's lap.

Toothless hadn't left his side at all. Even when the healer insisted on having the Night Fury wait outside, the Night Fury insisted a little harder on staying. In the end, Toothless was as stubborn as any Haddock.

He'd watched over Hiccup as he slept after he'd fallen unconscious.

"Yeah- yeah, Bud. I'm fine now." He told him and patted him on the head. It couldn't be farther from the truth, but he had put his dragon through enough trauma.

The burns littering his body were bandaged and pulled underneath the tunic and pants he'd been given to wear, provided by Mala. They were somewhat loose on him, which Hiccup saw as a mercy on his body. His wrist had been splinted and would heal quickly. As for his right eye...

Gods, he couldn't get that one tiny glimpse of metal out of his mind. That one life-changing second.

"You shouldn't even be sitting up yet. You know that, right?" Snotlout asked when he entered and caught sight of Hiccup sitting on the edge of the cot. By the way he sat there, he looked nauseous.

His arrival startled Hiccup, his nerves were frayed, but he didn't respond. Though he did look up from Toothless to face the other.

He was tired. He needed to rest. This wasn't lost on Snotlout as he pulled up a stool and sat down opposite to him. Toothless drew his head back.

"How're you feeling?" Hiccup was asked. There was genuine concern on Snotlout's face. An odd sight unless you knew him personally.

"For someone who just lost his eye, part of his orbital socket, and therefore part of his face? Pretty good!" The look on Snotlout's face was worth it to Hiccup. Seeing him annoyed was better than seeing him worried.

Knowing that Hiccup wasn't about to give him a straightforward answer, Snotlout instead let his attention be taken by what was standing on a little table next to the bed.

"Aren't you supposed to take that?" He asked, referring to the little cup with a broth made from herbs.

"They're painkillers. It's fine if I don't take them." Hiccup felt the familiar urge to fumble with something, keep his fingers busy.

"It's fine? You look like you're ready to fall over!" Snotlout stated, taking the cup from the table.

"Hmm... I feel like I'm ready to fall over. If I take the painkillers, I'm not gonna be able to think clearly. And I'll sleep." As if reminded, Hiccup needed to steady himself.

A shiver visibly ran down Snotlout's spine after he took a sniff from the broth the healer had left his cousin.

"Well, maybe you should sleep." He told him, cup still in hand.

"I'll sleep after we have defeated Johann and Krogan." Hiccup eyed it, but was adamant in his decision.

"Hiccup-"

"Snotlout." Hiccup cut him off before he could even begin.

"I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine. After we make sure the King of Dragons is safe and Krogan, Johann, and their Flyers get what's coming to them." There was anger in his voice. Snotlout was certain it wasn't just because of what was done to him after he and Toothless had been downed.

Hiccup hasn't given them the story thus far, but Fishlegs had mentioned on the way to Caldera Cay how Hiccup's hysteria must've been caused by something. They all had their own guesses.

Snotlout stared at his cousin. The haunting image of Hiccup missing a part of his face bled through this cleaner look of him and the sight of the bandages he wore.

"Snotlout? Are you okay?" The sad look in his gaze wasn't missed by Hiccup.

"Do I still have blood on me? In my teeth?" He asked the Night Fury, who gave a "no" in his own way. Hiccup gave a breathy laugh. Though he attempted to be funny, there was no humour behind it.

"We should've been there." Snotlout's words were almost too soft to hear.

"You were there." Head cocked slightly to the side, Hiccup replied.

"We were too late!" The other retorted sharply. If they had just kicked Spitelout off the Edge and went with Hiccup in the first place, none of it would have ever happened. Hiccup wouldn't need to adjust to a life with another part of him missing.

He'd made fun of his missing leg so many times. The truth was, Snotlout has seen him suffer. What Hiccup could keep secret on Berk, he couldn't hide as easily on Dragon's Edge.

It was quiet for a moment. Snotlout sat on his stool and glared down at the cup in his hands. He was seething.

And then.

"Snotlout, you and the Gang arrived just in time to save my life. You have no idea how grateful I am for that."

A deep sigh and a shake of Snotlout's head. That was such a Hiccup-y thing to say.

"How're you gonna make it as Chief with an attitude like that?" Hiccup's undying light never failed to warm him on even the coldest of nights. Snotlout was sure to never let him know.

"I hope I won't have to find out for another couple of years." Hiccup shrugged. It was nice to have a talk with one of his friends. It distracted him just enough to make his suffering just a tad bit less unbearable.

He blinked. Gods, he was tired. That painkilling broth sounded slightly more appealing.

Maybe he will take it and get some rest.

But first...

"Hiccup, we're having a whole conversation about how you need to sleep, not get up." Snotlout mentioned when the other pushed himself up with a suppressed groan. Toothless gave a quizzical sound as well.

"Come on, Bud, Snotlout. Let's see the Titanwing Dramillion and find out why the Flyers abandoned him." Hiccup left for the front entrance of the healer's hut, who would without a doubt not be pleased to see him out of bed. The rest of the Dragon Riders and Mala wouldn't be either.

The Night Fury was quick to follow. After releasing a groan of his own, Snotlout did too. Joining him by his side, Hiccup was much too quick to wrap an arm around his shoulder.

"Need me to support you all the way there?" Snotlout asked and Hiccup nodded.

"Nodding was a mistake." Hiccup casually stated and Snotlout sighed.

"Muttonhead."

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It was over. The battle for the true King of Dragons was over.

Johann was dead, frozen solid like a block of ice thanks to the very dragon he'd been looking to capture. Krogan was missing because he'd fled and left his Flyers behind to either perish or be captured by the Berserkers. As for the King’s offspring, it had been handed over to the Wingmaidens, who seemed to know someone they could go to for help to keep the egg safe until its parents could come for it.

Hiccup was okay with not knowing who they were. Should anybody come to him for information and with ill intentions, he could confidently tell them he had no idea.

Heather and Dagur had insisted on letting the Dragon Riders stay and rest up after the battle, but Berk wasn’t too far away on dragonback and they wanted to go home. Hiccup, for as excited as he had been to leave a year ago, was itching to see Gobber and his dad.

As soon as they arrived far into the night, Toothless brought him home.

"Gods... Hiccup." It's been a long time since anybody made Hiccup feel like a little boy again, but the way Gobber looked at him certainly did it.

They were sitting at Stoick’s bedside. He had yet to fully awaken from his slumber.

Gothi had yet to take a look at Hiccup’s injury, Fishlegs and Astrid were off to get her. His bandage was still dirty, grimy and bloody. The Defenders of the Wing had taken good care of him, but Johann had also made sure to use his wound to his advantage while he was pinning him down in the true King of Dragon's lair.

So while it had been professionally tended to, it was a mess all over again.

As they waited, Hiccup had told his mentor blacksmithing the whole story.

Gobber only saw what little the bandages allowed him to see, but it was enough to send him reeling. And now he sat there, staring at his apprentice. With his remaining hand, he'd taken Hiccup's chin to turn his head and have a better look in the dim light of the fire in the pit.

He wore the expression of a man who's heart was broken.

"Gods, a harpoon?" Gobber asked, sitting back in his stool and letting go of Hiccup.

"Never saw it coming. I just happen to look over to Johann's ships and there it was." If he hadn't looked, it could've taken his head off. The experience left him strangely wary of more sudden surprises.

“And it’s gone? You’re sure there’s no way to save it?” Gobber was usually a man filled with sunshine and sass. The Riders were certain Hiccup got it from him. This was as serious as Hiccup had ever seen him be.

“Well, there’s a gaping hole in my face, so…” Hiccup quickly grew silent. His attempt at lightening the mood wasn’t appreciated.

“The Defenders took good care of it. Their healer told me that it might actually not look that bad once it’s healed a little and the bruising goes away.” Hiccup hoped Gothi could still tell him the same thing after what Johann had done.

Gobber nodded. If anything, this information helped ease his mind.

“You’re gonna have a hard time beating the kids off you now, Hiccup. A metal leg and an eyepatch?” Hiccup chuckled at his comment. It was good to see him in higher spirits again.

It was good for his own well-being too. He hadn’t lost it all that long ago and already he experienced the consequences of having only one remaining eye.

It was through pure, pure luck alone that the King’s egg hadn’t fallen and smashed to bits in the ice cavern’s abyss.

Riding Toothless proved to be troublesome too. Hiccup had adjusted by trusting his dragon completely and changing the tailfin’s position by feeling how the Night Fury moved beneath him as opposed to judging purely on sight alone. Though a familiar thing, Hiccup had never been more acutely aware of all the muscle work that flying required.

“What’re you thinking?” Gobber asked as he noticed Hiccup gazing at his father whilst he slept. He held the Chief’s hand.

"Just that I don't even know how I'm going to tell my dad. He's going to be furious." Hiccup admitted, his gaze never leaving the man on the bed. According to what he had been told, Stoick didn't wake much, but he was at least doing better.

"Oh, he'll be furious, but not at you, Hiccup. So don’t worry about it. If anything, Stoick's gonna regret not getting the chance to lop Johann's head off himself." Gobber reassured him with a laugh.

Though Hiccup appreciated it, smiling at him, he couldn’t see himself not stressing out about it until the moment would inevitably arrive that his father learned of what fate had befallen his son.

His gaze downcast, Hiccup caught sight of the Night Fury as he slumbered on the floor near his feet. His sleep was a deep one. Toothless was exhausted too. In every conceivable way.

His Rider could only imagine how hard this must have been on him. Hiccup knew he already felt like he couldn’t breathe at the mere thought of it happening to any of his friends, to the Night Fury especially.

He remembered the days Astrid had spend in utter darkness after being blinded by lightning. He had seemed put together and levelheaded, but the truth was that discovering her loss of sight had left him devastated, hurting, worried.

So in a strange way, he was grateful it had happened to him and not one of them.

And now that he thought about it, Gods, he craved some proper sleep.

It was as he tried to decide between getting up and heading for bed or simply falling asleep right here in this chair that he felt his hand being squeezed.

The instant Hiccup realized what he felt, his head turned with nauseating speed to look at his father.

Stoick still appeared to be unconscious, but the grip on his son's hand remained strong.

It wasn't angry, it wasn't even strict. In a way, Hiccup could call it comforting. Warm.

As if Stoick had been listening in on their conversation and let his son know there was no reason to worry.

"Dad?" Hiccup called for his father, his free, bandaged, hand reluctantly joining his other as he held Stoick's. Gobber watched expectantly.

There was no reply, no further signs that the man was awake or could've heard a single word said in the room that evening, but Hiccup found that he was perfectly okay with not having a clear answer. He allowed himself to smile.

"I'm gonna go to bed, if you don't mind, Gobber." He told. Toothless' earfins perked immediately upon hearing the word "bed".

"Not at all, lad! Go get some sleep!" Despite the man sleeping in this very room, Gobber wasn't quiet as he bid his son a good night.

Hiccup got up, showing him an appreciative smile, and moved to the stairs. He'd needed to take a moment to adjust after he stood up, but he was yearning for sleep.

Toothless stretched and followed him up, joining his Rider in bed.

The moment Hiccup lied down, he wondered how he even made it here in the first place. He'd never been this exhausted before. The weight of the new challenge awaiting him tomorrow weighing him down, he felt like he could drift off immediately.

Turning onto his side, Hiccup figured a nap wouldn't be a bad way to wait for Astrid and Fishlegs to come with Gothi.

Recovery would be hard. He would need to adapt to a life with only one eye and he would need to do it while leading Berk in his father's stead. At least for another moment, he desired to rest.

Using his Bud's presence to keep him grounded, he didn't want his nightmares to return to Dramilion Island and deliver him back into the hands of Krogan and the Flyers, he fell into a slumber within seconds.

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shipmistress9 · 5 years ago

Text

Ex-Trapper With Benefits - 1

Fandom: How To Train Your Dragon

Pairing: Hiccstrid / Erestrid / Hicretstrid

Rating: Explicit

Genre: Romance/Erotica

Summary: Hiccup's and Astrid's sex life can't be called boring by any means. They want to try everything, the wilder the better. But their latest interest, having sex where they easily could be found or watched, takes on a new turn when out of the blue a new idea comes up. The only question is... would Eret be up for it?

. o O o .

AN: Some while ago, a good friend got a slightly creepy prompt; something about Hiccstrid spicing up their sex life by inviting Eret in – only for Astrid to then leave Hiccup for Eret's enormous dick. There was more to it that I thankfully forgot by now, but it made us all shudder. However, it inspired me to write a counterstory, something that starts like that prompt but then goes into another direction.

Also, this story features a certain HC of me and a friend, that Eret is something like the Captain Jack Harkness of Berk. Ready and happy to jump everything and everyone, but with respect and only in consense of everyone involved, endearing friendliness, and always an amused twinkle in his eyes.

I plan to have this finished in three chapters. It also could turn into four though, we'll see.

Hope you enjoy! ;)

. o O o .

(Lemon below the cut)

#Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot #Outdoor Sex #Vaginal Fingering #Vaginal Sex #Oral Sex #Pervestrid #Pervecup #Exhibitionism #canonverse #Voyeurism #chapter 1+2 are Hiccstrid #kinky Hiccstrid

Hiccup wasn't really surprised when, after the council meeting was over and everyone left the Great Hall, he got pulled to the side by a pair of small but strong hands. In fact, he'd expected nothing else. During the entire meeting, Astrid's eyes had felt like burning coals on his skin, mentally undressing him at any moment, and this certainly wasn't the first time she wasn't patient enough to return to their home before she jumped him. No, not at all.

"Gods, I thought old Spitelout would keep on talking forever," his wife groaned as she opened the belt that held his trousers with sure and quick movements. She had him pinned against the wall of the stairs that led up to the Hall, not a place anyone could easily see but still anything but private. But that, too, wasn't a surprise.

At first, Hiccup let her do as she pleased. She pulled his trousers down just enough to free his semi, and he couldn't suppress a pitiful groan as she dropped to her knees to suck and tease him until he was fully erect. But once he had enough of that admittedly divine treatment, he pulled her back up on her feet, a little rougher than necessary but he knew she liked it that way. With one deft movement, he turned them around until it was she who had her back pressed against the stone wall, and pinned her there with his entire body pressed to hers.

"You're horribly impatient, do you know that?" he growled, letting out another groan when his hand wandered beneath her studded skirt and found her bare and dripping wet already.

"Not my – fuck! – my fault," she gasped when his fingers slipped inside her. Gods, she was a gift. “Nobody told me sex is that much fun.”

Chuckling to himself, he kept tormenting her a little longer. Slowly he moved his fingers in and out of her, taking his sweet time to enjoy having her like this; the slick slide, how her eyes glazed over with undulated lust, and all those wanton little moans she gave in response to him fucking her on his fingers. Every now and then, he swiped this thumb over her clit, making her shudder, until her frustrated whine told him that he would be playing with his health if he continued like this.

He withdrew his hand and silenced her sounds of impatience by pushing his fingers into her mouth, making her taste herself on him. Her sucking at his digits and humming at the taste quickly made him just as impatient as she was.

Eager to be inside her, he hoisted her up with a few deft motions, her legs quickly wrapping around his waist, and without any more preamble, he buried himself in her scolding heat.

"Oh, fuck!" Astrid moaned, loudly, and let her head fall back against the stones. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, and Hiccup knew that, even with his tunic between her fingers and his skin, he would keep visible marks from this encounter. He was looking forward to it.

For a couple of minutes, Hiccup simply enjoyed the sight and feeling of her; her flushed skin all the way down to where it disappeared beneath her flimsy vest, her dazed eyes that wouldn’t register anything of their surroundings anymore, her choked moans and sobs when he thrust particularly hard, and, of course, her silken heat that always felt as if she would suck him in to never let him go again.

Gods, how he loved their heated trysts! Marrying Astrid had been a dream come true, but never in his life had he been able to imagine how actually being married to her would be. Because it was amazing! Living with her was easy, effortless, and always such fun. They worked perfectly together in some aspects of their lives while they equally perfectly completed each other in other aspects. But without a doubt the biggest surprise had been the sex. With them both having had practically no experience before, they'd dived head over heels into this adventure, and it was an endless roller coaster ride ever since. There was nothing they were afraid of trying, the wilder and crazier the better. For once, Ruffnut's countless escapades with passing sailors and her loose mouth had actually turned out to be a blessing, if only to give them ideas about what they wanted to try next.

But lately, Astrid seemed to have found a new favourite. She just loved to have sex out in the open, in places that couldn't by any means be called private – and Hiccup had to admit that he rather liked it too. The danger of getting caught. The thrill.

"Imagine someone finding us here," he grunted, playing into this fantasy. The thought made them both groan, his fingers on her rear twitching just as she tightened around him. He couldn't even say what it was, but just the idea of someone else being involved in their sex life, even just as a watcher, made him almost come on the spot.

But he could tell that Astrid wasn't there yet, that she needed a little more. So he leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "Imagine how Fishlegs would react if he found us like this. He'd turn pale all over, stammer, and stumble backwards to flee and try not to look too closely."

Astrid giggled breathlessly, and the way that made her tighten around him nearly was his undoing. "Or Snot," she suggested. "God, how jealous he would be. He'd turn bright red, with anger and lust, and probably run to jerk it behind the next tree."

Oh, now that was an intriguing thought. Not that Hiccup really needed that sort of validation – not after all these years into his relationship with Astrid, not with them being happily married, and certainly not with her carrying a sweet little secret beneath her heart by now – but the idea of rubbing it in to Snot... he kinda liked it!

"The twins would probably just cheer us on," she went on in that wonderfully breathless and distracted tone that threatened to rob Hiccup of all senses. She was close now too, so he put in more effort, thrusting harder and deeper and tried to hold her with one hand only to rub her clit with the other. "And Eret... mmh, yes, don't stop. Ooohh..."

"Eret wouldn't be shocked at all," he gasped, the words dropping off his lips without even thinking about them. The ex-trapper definitely wasn't new to sex, and pretty much the entire village knew that by now. "He'd probably ask whether he can join in."

Unbiddenly, a picture appeared in his head, just as Astrid came with a beautiful little cry, with her fingernails clawing at his shoulders and her walls squeezing sense right out of him. He followed her into bliss, his desperate grunt muffled by biting into her shoulder – and with the image of him watching as Astrid got fucked by Eret in his mind's eye.

. o O o .

As always, reactions are very welcome! ;)

#Hiccstrid #fanfiction #Lemon #not for children #httyd

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tuffchicken · 6 years ago

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Home is where the Heart Is- Chapter One

//Warning: Angst

The twins chased after Hiccup desperately after he went down. Hearts hammering, although both refused to think to deeply. At least at the moment. Catapults however kept them at bay as the Hunters forces started to turn around. Leaving them behind.

And taking Hiccup with them. Hanging back the twins watched as Astrid made another desperate dive. Trying to save her husband but being hit by an arrow. Piercing Stormflys side, before she could crash into the water though. Skullcrusher and Eret dived down, grabbing her while Hookfang and Snotlout provided cover fire.

"Its all our fault." Tuffnut whispered. Ruff turned towards him, seeing his eyes wide and his hair a bit charred from that prank.

"We didn't know. We didn't know." She said.

--------------

Once everyone was back in the war council. Things blew up. And questions were raised. Like why was Hiccup out there. How did he get injured. All of which related back to the two Thorston twins that were sitting away from the rest of the group.

"I knew this would happen. But you've finally gone and done it. Even when Stoic was here. I told him, those brats will be the downfall of us all. Better to exile them and have it done with." Spitelout mused getting a lot of nods from the more older Vikings. Who were sick of the twins shenanigans.

Astrid despite her disappointed look however stood up, "Nobody is exiling anyone." She called out. Although the look she gave them, didn't exactly warm either twin as they looked away. Tuff even went as far as trying to bury his face in his helmet as he heard the whispers.

"We need to organize rotating search parties as well as have guards posted. Valka and I will lead the search parties while Gobber will help organize a watch shift. Everything else will go as normal. Understand?" She said sternly getting a nod from the people. With that it started to break up.

Tuffnut quickly standing and racing over to Astrid, Ruffnut following more slowly. "Can we, go out and look?" Tuffnut asked hopefully. Astrid however ignored him as she called over Snotlout, a new rider and Eret of all people. "Hoff, or erm, Mrs. Haddock?" Tuff repeated again trying to get her attention. Again he was ignored however as the other team was made up of Fishlegs, Spitelout and Gustav.

"Astrid!" Tuff finally yelled finally causing him to look at him. Her blue eyes hard as she practically snarled.

"You stay here till I figure out what to do with you two." She said harshly. Ruff saw Tuff stumble back and quickly grabbed him to keep him steady. She had a feeling this was gonna happen. Which was why she never bothered but judging by Tuffs face he was devastated.

"It was an accident." He pleaded. Astrid however was numb to it as she walked past them both. The search parties leading away as they once more went in pursuit of Hiccup.

----------

Three days. Three whole days and no Hiccup. No sign of the hunters who took him either. The search had been frantic but they didn't have much to go on. They didn't know who they worked for or why they needed Hiccup. Why they would take him.

The twins weren't permitted on any search parties or even being a guard. Even though both had requested. They were thrown to the sidelines and more then one dirty looks or pushes accompanied them. After the second day both anonymously agreed not to leave their huts.

It was at the end of the first night where Astrid blew up. Catching Ruff alone and calling her a traitor and a useless warrior. Ruff was silent through it all even when Tuff came running from his own cabin and actually pushed Astrid away. The girl not expecting it and falling back.

"We're sorry! It wasn't supposed to happen that way. It was an accident!" Tuff cried. Although he stumbled back when Astrid drew her axe. Aiming it at him. Ruffs eyes widened but the display didn't last long before Astrid lowered it.

"You better pray to Valhalla we find him." She only muttered. Sheathing her axe and walking away. Two pairs of eyes following her leave.

-----------

"We can't stay here Ruff." Tuffs voice said softly. As he helped here rebraid her one strand of hair. While she was out getting food someone had grabbed her and pulled. Ruff was saved by Valka, the only one who seemed to forgive them at the moment. Even the other riders appeared to be avoiding them. Most likely not wanting to be related to the current demonizing they were experiencing.

It had been a week now. And most just accepted Astrid as the new chief. No new search parties were being brought out and the twins often heard the calls of chief killer thrown at them.

"We have to." Ruff responded.

"Why?" Tuff asked.

"Its our fault. This is our punishment." Ruff whispered.

"It was an accident. A prank it showed have bee-"

"BUT IT WASN'T! And now Hiccup is dead." Ruff exclaimed, getting to her feet.

"Hes not dead!" Tuff yelled back.

"Its been a week, Tuff."

Tuff just glared at her before turning and leaving. 'Its been a week,' Ruff repeated as she heard her hut door slam.

----------

"We've searched everywhere on the island. He's... gone." Fishlegs said. Standing in front of Ruff as she looked down at the note and helmet her brother had left behind. She knew they wouldn't have found him. Tuff left.

She was alone.

---------

A month had passed. Snow now falling on the ground. Chilling the air and causing even the river to partially freeze. No more search parties were looking and the village was now more focused on preparing for the winter months. Most still openly despised Ruff but the dragon riders, sans Astrid were back to being her friend.

Although Ruff was no longer the friend they knew. Listless and quiet, she hardly spoke anymore and they often found her sitting on the edge where it happened. Staring off and holding onto her dragon tooth necklace. Her helmet being swapped for her brothers.

Most wisely left her alone.

----------

It was the first real blizzard that hit New Berk. Forcing everyone inside the newly built Great hall. Despite this laughter echoed across the hall as people danced and sang. Enjoying themselves for the first time in months. Ruff just watched from the sidelines.

When she heard someone approach she expected Fishlegs or Snotlout. Both boys adamant lately on feeding her. She never really felt hungry anymore but she would eat when they asked. She hated seeing them look so crushed when she said no.

However today it was neither boys voice.

"Ruff." Astrids voice called.

The leftover twin froze looking down her at her boots. Although her head tilted. Telling the other girl that she was listening.

"I'm sorry."

"For what. It was our fault. You have every right to hate us." Ruff responded mutely. In reflex.

"No, I know it was an accident. If Hiccup was here..." she broke off at that. Voice sounding strained. Ruff turned to look at her at this point. Surprised to see her eyes red, tear streaks trailing down her face.

"He always had patience with you two. He never would have blamed you." Astrid explained.

Ruff looked away, noting Nuffink and Zephyr. The two kids smiling as they played with Valka. Orphaned a parent because of her. "Maybe if he did. He would still be..." Ruff broke off unable to finish it.

"Tomorrow... the council wants..." Astrid couldn't say it but Ruff knew. She heard of it. They wanted a funeral to let Hiccup go. Pass on the tribe of hooligans officially to Astrid.

"You should be there." Astrid finally finished.

Silence.

It was only when Astrid went to walk away that a softly muttered, "Okay," sounded.

//Hows that little snippet of the book. I have an idea planned for this that will also include Hiccup angst. Either way picked this up by a prompt mentioned earlier. Gonna turn it into a book. Wish me luck! Follow me on Archive

#tuffnut #ruffnut #hiccup #astrid #httyd #httyd 3 #home is where the heart is

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bluejevergade · 6 years ago

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Day 6 Dungeons and Dragons AU

Jack was in very bad situation. Nicolas, the leader of the group had died, Tatiana the healer also, as well as Sandy the magician, Kozmotis the master of shadows and Aster the elf. He was alone and he had been captured by the opposite clan. Five warriors had fallen on him above while he tried to run away. He thought that he would be killed, but they had enchained him and returned in their fort. They had thrown him in a room which, in the views of the luxury it showed, belonged to their chief. Black silks sheets covered the immense bed, candles were scattered in every corner of the room. Axes, shields, swords and other weapons were lying almost everywhere. Jack was terrified. The rumors on the leader of the clan of the Hairy Hooligans were terrible. He had tamed dragons and had conquered the half of the known-world with it. He showed no mercy with his enemies. Alvin the Treacherous, Dagur the Deranged, Viggo and Ryker Grimborn, and even Drago Bludvist had succumbed to his attacks.

And Jack found himself in his room, probably to amuse its perverse pleasures.

He tried to get rid of the heap of chains which surrounded him, but he manages only to make noise and to exhaust the bit of strength which stayed in him. He got up to look through the window to see if he had a chance to run away there, but the distance on the ground was too much and he probably finished by water into which he would certainly sink before being able to go out of it. Steps were heard and he turns pale. He looked for an escape, unsuccessfully and the door opened. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the Third faced him.

'Here's what brought to me my troops … Well I have to admit that for once, they have been right …'

'Free me'

Haddock burst of a cold laughter.

'They all ask me for it … No. No, my darling, this evening you belong to me and tomorrow … Well, we'll see…'

'You're going to kill me?'

'Not this evening. You see, it has been too long since somebody warmed my bed …'

'I am not your whore!'

Haddock chuckled one more time.

'The whole world will be in my feet soon. And you believe that you, alone, chained in my room, you can resist me?'

'I shall never surrender!'

Haddock removed its heavy fur coat.

'Keep dreaming … But not too long, because that tends to irritate me … And you know what I'm doing with the things which irritate me?'

Jack swallows.

'Well, I see that you are aware of it...'

Haddock removed its armor, staying only in his bottoms and if Jack was terrorized, he had to admit that the warlord was spoiled by the nature. Haddock approached him.

'Now, let us see what you have under this scrap …'

'I refuse to submit myself.'

'My dear, you will not have the choice' Haddock whispered with a soft voice. 'I take all that I want, and what I want, this evening, it's you …'

He undid his metallic prison and while he did it, Jack noticed that it had an artificial leg. Haddock saw his look and smiled.

'I lost my leg, long ago. During my first fight, when I was fifteen years, it was torn away from me. But that didn't stop me today, ten years later, from forcing half of the world to kneel down. Then if you think that you will have the upper hand with a hand-to-hand fight with me …'

Jack swallows. Even if Haddock had only one leg, he was too strong all the same. And he was only an inexperienced apprentice in magic…

Haddock contemplated him of an enjoying look.

'Well well … That's tasty. '

'What are you going to do with me?'

Haddock left him his handcuffs and lifted him. Jack did not even dare to resist.

'This evening, my darling, I am going to make you imploring me. You'll cry for mercy and you'll beg me to take you again and again. And when I will have finished it with you, well … We shall see if you will serve me tomorrow … If not, knows that my gaols wait for you. And you know what they say on my gaols?

Haddock threw him on the bed.

'Nobody lasts long there …'

The following morning, Jack woke up by the sun leaking out through the window. A muscular arm surrounded his size and another hand caressed his hair.

'Well, my darling' the War Lord said 'had I not warned you? Nobody resists me. And nobody don't …'

He was interrupted by the shrill beep of the phone.'

'Fuck' swore Hiccup, spreading out on the pillow.

'It's too bad' made Jack, 'that started well'

'I had told to everybody that we were not there, for God's sake!'

Jack turned around in face of him.

'Hey, this time we were able to end it. Not like the time your father surprised us making love dressed as…'

'No, please, don't say it. Arg … I don't care, I will not answer.

Jack smiled and put his head on his lover's chest.

'It was good, yesterday evening …'

Hiccup smiled to him.

'That pleased you? I was afraid of being a little too much freaking out …'

Jack kissed him.

'No, it was perfect… And to see you playing war chiefs, it's … A really good turn on.

Hiccup chuckled.

'You were very cute, in prisoner, I have to admit …'

'By the way, what did you told your father to be able to take his weapons of collection?'

'That there were an antique dealer, and that I wanted to make them estimate for the insurance.'

'He believes that? '

'For now. Wait that he understands that there is none …'

'The candles were nice, but I believe that the furnitures didn't appreciate the melted wax …'

The telephone rang again and Hiccup looked at the receiver.

'We aren't there! Leave us!'

Jack smiles and settling comfortably against his lover. Hiccup caressed his hair, forgetting the tone.

Unfortunately, the answering machine started up;

"Hiccup, it's your father. You know, the person who is going to disinherit you if you do not return him his babies at once! Spitelout told me that there is no antique dealer in the area! If you use my babies for I do not know which frenzy with Jack, I warn you … "

Hiccup grumbled, putting himself under a pillow while his lover chuckled by hearing the end of the message. Jack got up to put the phone in silencer and went back to bed near the other man.

'Tell me, my Lord' Jack said, recovering in his role, 'yesterday evening did it deserve your gaols?'

Hiccup smiles.

'That will depend on the awakening which you grant me, my darling … '

Jack smiled and kissed his lover, delighted with the prospect of the having sex again. And he thanked once again the heavens for having met Hiccup Haddock in his life.

#hijack week #summer 2018 #hijack #Day 6 #Dungeons and Dragons AU

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astridthefearless · 7 years ago

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Hi :) Me again reading httyd books. I finished How to Be a Pirate and yeap here are my thoughts while reading.

How to train your dragon

I like how it says “Misadventures of Hiccup” because these are definitely not the adventures one would love to have

Hm pirate training! Gobber is responsible for all trainings on Berk?

Tf is wrong with these kids? They are literally excited to be smooshed by Dogsbreath. This is insane

Wooww!!! Hiccup nominated himself to be smooshed! Wasn’t expecting this one

Aaaa Grimbeard the Ghastly is Hiccup’s great-great-grandfather? Wait! You guys are right. His name really looks like the httyd3′s new villain’s name “Grimmel the Grisly”. I won’t be surprised if the guy doesn’t have one eye in the third movie you know to give the piraty look (sh particularly the left eye haha)

Oh goodness he’s so stubborn he won’t submit

Snotlout removed the wooden case. Wow this guy really wants him to die no kidding

What a luck! And I was thinking who would practice the swordfighting in the middle of the sea

Coffin?

GUYS I LOVE BOOK!FISHLEGS SO MUCH! His sarcastic words which Hiccup cannot say to Snotlout gives me life

Hiccup means the village elders by saying some idiot is going to suggest opening that coffin and his dad is also village elder right? Asfdgkl this conversation comes to my mind +Do you call your dad idiot? -No I’m calling my chief idiot sjfdjg

It’s 3 am here I’m reading this freaking book and the corpse is moving

Alvin the Poor-but-Honest Farmer? Wasn’t his name Alvin the Treacherous? I’m confused now is he the villain Alvin we know or not?

Okay whoever he is I’m not trusting him

Can a lid of a coffin cut off a hand?

“This treasure cannot be found by just anybody” Hiccup’s gonna find it (probably?)

This treasure with riddle reminds me of Hamish II’s treasure in ROB

Achilles heel haha

Asfdgh when your best friend praises you “+But I fell over again - But with such STYLE”

Yes,Toothless, finally someone noticed Alvin’s lying

Toothless is so me, lazy and doesn’t wanna do anything

So we have 2 Tuffnuts? One older and one junior I guess

Snotlout is like those students who are always ready to class, reminds the homework,and teacher always praises them

I’ve said this but I’ll say it again Stoick is such a supportive dad. He believes in Hiccup so much I love it. Okay he wants that treasure but he really wants Hiccup to find it

How many worst days has Hiccup had so far? THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND BOOK

Please don’t let it be Snotlout… Ugh of course it’s Snotlout

“SNOT-LOUT SNOT-LOUT, UGH UGH UGH” I didn’t know this comes from the books

But..but Toothless smelled metal

Ahhhh Stoick is so dissapointed

So did that scar stay on Hiccup’s chest for the rest of his life?

Wow Book!Spitelout too wants to be the chief of the tribe

Ha Outcastese???

LMAO Alvin wants to eat Stoick asfdgf

*gasps* Hiccup saying that HE is the heir to the throne knowing he’s going to be eaten made Stoick so proud I’m gonna cry

Books would beat movies on trying to kill Hiccup!

Aww Spitelout and Stoick fighting together against enemy (sorry I can’t call him Baggybum I’m so used to say Spitelout)

Fishlegs going berserk though!

Aaaa they sank

Toothless’ eyes light up in the dark! Why don’t we have this in the movies? We should

Okay but Alvin convincing Hiccup being the true heir! He’s telling this for treasure but he’s telling the truth!

AAHHHH HICCUP DISCOVERING HE’S LEFT-HANDED

“Goodnight sweet world, hello Valhalla” I’m so in love with this phrase I’m gonna use this everywhere

Holy Freaking Thor the dragon ate Alvin alive

“Isn’t fate artistic?” IT IS

Fiendishly Clever Plan 2.0

What a pity nobody saw their heroism. But I understand Hiccup and I’m so proud of both him and Fishlegs!

Ahh Epilogue! May I not read epilogues? Old Hiccup speaking makes so sad I can’t

AAA HICCUP WANTS SOMEONE TO FIND HIS PAPERS AFTER SO MANY YEARS AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK A BOY FINDS THEM I’M SO HAPPY HICCUP WOULD BE HAPPY TOO!

#httyd #httyd books #how to be a pirate #how to train your dragon books #I've already started how to speak dragonese woho #my commentary

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maedarakat · 7 years ago

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I can’t find the post talking about how the gang would be as parents so I am gonna make one of my own. I’ll keep it as short and sweet as I can though - so I don’t ramble.

Snotlout Jorgenson: The Cool Dad

This guy, this guy right here, is gonna be the best dad. He’s going to do the opposite of everything his own dad did that made him feel like crap, but he’s going to do the things Spitelout did for him that were nice. He’d be protective - sometimes overprotective. He’ll be understanding of mistakes, having made so many of his own. He won’t push the kids to be the best, but he’ll push them to do their best - in whatever they want to do in life.

The only negative thing he’ll do is - because he’s so good at this - Snotlout will go around dispensing free parenting advice. Constantly. Usually at the worst possible time.

Something: *happens*

Snotlout: “You know, when my kid does this, I just -”

All: *groan*

Ruffnut Thorston: The Science Savvy Mom

This lady does not believe in bullshitting a three year old.

If someone asks where babies come from, guess what? There’ll be none of that Stork no sense flowing from her lips, but there will be charts, pictures, and herbology lessons. Sons and daughters will get the same Talk, and any wondering about the way the world works will be encouraged - no matter how tired Ruff is and no matter how late at night.

Nobody on Berk is sure where she gets the energy from. It could be the coffee beans she keeps buying from the Northern Markets or the alfalfa pellet cereal she eats every morning that’s giving her all this energy. Or maybe it’s the dragon nip, who knows? All anyone can agree on is that Ruff’s kids are the smartest little devils Berk has ever seen, and you will condescend to and patronize them at your own risk. RIP.

Tuffnut Thorston: The Living Dad-Joke Meme

You know those dads that absolutely live for making their kids roll their eyes or burst out into giggles because of misunderstandings? Who tell silly stories so you aren’t afraid of the dark or thunder? The dads who wrap Snoggletogg presents forty separate times so you get a box inside another box inside another box? That’s Tuff, who absolutely lives for making his kids happy.

In his life, it’s taken him a while at first to know the balance between funny and upsetting. He doesn’t prank his kids or scare them - rather the laugh is usually at his own expense.

When they need him to be serious and protective and comforting, he’s on it. When they’re sad and need a pick me up? Tuff sings them silly songs, tells ridiculous stories, and if drastic measures are needed, he becomes the dreaded Tickle Monster of Nifleheim.

When the tots become teenagers though, Tuff and Ruff are usually the first to know where their own kids can be found, how they’re sneaking out, and what trouble they’re getting into. While they could drive the kids crazy by easily keeping one step ahead, both eventually decide it’s wiser not to force them to become more devious than they already are.

Fishlegs Ingerman: The Book Dad

Fishlegs decided that he would be ultra-prepared for children and got as many books as he could get his hands on (which may have been two or three in the Viking Age) and when that wasn’t enough, he interviewed parents all over Berk.

He’s a very good dad, but only once he trusts his own intuition. In the beginning, the first thing he does when encountering a challenge is reach for one of his books, whether it’s good timing or not. Eventually he learns its kind of hard to focus on reading when there’s a child screaming in your ear and also puking down the back of your shirt.

As the others explain to him, there’s no manual for child rearing - because there’s always something new to discover. Even the Book of Dragons became somewhat obsolete over time.

Fishlegs will learn to wing it, though slowly, and in the meantime he tries his best to make his home the most calming and serene place he can - with delicious food growing in the garden.

Astrid Hofferson: The Warrior Mom

With a love for battle tactics and survival strategies, Astrid would be that Mom who takes their kids everywhere and teaches them how to defend themselves. Camping, fishing, hunting - you name it. As soon as her kids are old enough to walk, they’re learning - and it comes from a place of fierce love. Of wanting to always protect them, but knowing you can’t.

Stoick’s death scared Astrid in a lot of ways. She knew a warrior’s heart like his would have stubbornly kept beating for Hiccup if it could - to keep protecting him, to spare him even the pain of saying goodbye.

Astrid would want her kids to be fine without her and might sometimes go unintentionally overboard teaching them how. Fortunately the other Riders are there to help nurture both her and her kids, and so is Valka.

Hiccup Haddock: The Busy Dad

Hiccup is going to have a nice long introspective journey as a parent.

He’s the Chief now, which means he barely has enough time to fly Toothless let alone parent a child. All his hard feelings about Stoick are going to crumble away once he realizes just how much the Chief of Berk had to do. And thanklessly.

Everyone thanked him when he was the Dragon-flying Prince, but now? Now it’s just his job to keep everyone safe. And if he fails, there’s no other Chief to clean it up for him. It’ll be a hard thing to get used to.

Even harder will be the kids not understanding why he’s snippy sometimes, or unable to spend much time with him. Hiccup will gain a new appreciation for Stoick and in time will learn what it is to be a Chief and a father at the same time.

#rtte #httyd #the gang as parents

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bovivinator · 7 years ago

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Conversion - HTTYD Fanfic

While Hiccup sleeps, his world transforms around him. Some changes are big, some are small, but he is the unknowing catalyst for them all.

Dedicated to @httyd-was-a-great-movie for letting me request stuff all the time, and to @dragondecker for lots of fun hours in plants class. Good luck in animation! Merry Christmas!

Takes place near the end of the first movie, before Hiccup wakes up after the Red Death battle. I tried subtly focus on changing perspectives. Hint: pay attention to the pronouns.

Fanfiction.net | Archive of Our Own | DeviantArt | Other Stories

Gobber heaved his way up to the Haddock home, grimacing when his peg leg was jostled by a loose stone. In his good hand, he clutched supplies to take measurements for Hiccup’s new leg. He had seen Gothi and her assistant entering the Bjarnesen home several minutes earlier, no doubt to attend to Snorre’s badly-burnt arm, and had taken the opportunity to start his project without getting in her way. A Nadder shrieked as it swooped close overhead and he flinched, clamping down on the urge to rush for a shield. Strange and unnerving as this days-old peace with the dragons had been, he had no desire to reignite the past violence with a too-hasty reaction. Never let it be said that Vikings preferred an uneventful life, but the Hairy Hooligans were not as stupid as his apprentice seemed to believe. Some battles were worth avoiding.

Still, this transition was proving to be a difficult one. The communication barriers between the two groups were much more obvious now that they were actually trying to get along, and there had already been several minor injuries resulting from unavoidable misunderstandings. Hiccup’s survival had certainly been a gift from Odin, but Loki had gotten his say, too, in keeping him asleep where his ability to befriend dragons was out of reach. His fellow trainees’ attempts to spread what little he had taught them when they teamed up with the training dragons were welcome, if rather paltry in the face of this enormous task.

Thankfully, the dragons seemed as eager as the humans to play nice and not hold grudges, or the whole situation might have quite literally gone up in flames already. That these seemingly-bloodthirsty creatures would take deliberate care around their new neighbors, often choosing to fly away from a conflict instead of fighting back, was going a long way to convince Gobber that dragons were also much more intelligent than they had been given credit for.

The biggest proof of that, however, was lurking behind the chief’s door now in front of him.

He tapped on the scarred wood with his tongs-attachment and it opened inward a few moments later. Stoick squinted as the sunlight met his eyes and sagged in relief when he saw his visitor wasn’t there with another dragon complaint. “Gobber. I’m glad you’re here.” His head was bare and the lines in his face were noticeably deeper than they had been only a week before. The main source of his stress lay unconscious in the bed behind him.

Gobber nodded by way of greeting. “How’s the lad holding up?” He glanced around the room as he hobbled in, but there was no Night Fury in sight. Had it finally gone to join the other dragons? “He’s not woken?”

“No.” His friend closed the door behind him. “Mumbled a bit when Gothi changed the wraps, but never opened his eyes. We have Eir’s blessing, though, he’s healing well.” He eyed the bundle in Gobber’s hand. “Is that…?”

“For the leg, yeah. I could whip up another peg in a jiffy, but I’m thinking he’ll be wanting something a little more, ah, unique.”

Stoick smiled at that. “No, I can’t imagine he’d settle for anything simple.” His voice was layered with equal parts affection and sorrow, and the smith clapped a supportive hand to his shoulder.

“Don’tcha worry, Stoick, he’ll be back to driving you up the wall in no time. Then you’ll be wishing you’d appreciated the peace and quiet a little more. And there’s a bright side, too, he won’t have to worry about sock-stealing trolls anymore!” The chief leveled a flat stare at him and Gobber chuckled.

He moved to the bed and used his tongs to lift a corner of the bedcovers. Something creaked above him, and he glanced upward only to jerk back and swear as his eyes met a green, slitted pair that almost seemed to float in the air. Draped over a rafter, the dragon’s body was difficult to see in the dim lighting. It had tensed into a crouch, probably in response to his approaching Hiccup. A rumbling noise spilled from its mouth, not a growl, but still a warning. A reminder of the creature’s watchfulness over its rider.

“He won’t stop you,” Stoick said, when the staring match didn’t seem likely to end any time soon. “He let Gothi do her work just fine.”

“How long has the beastie been up there?” Gobber directed his question to Stoick, his gaze not leaving the Night Fury.

“Since Gothi changed the wraps. He was lying by the bed before, but wouldn’t leave the room when she needed him out of the way. This was the compromise.”

“Huh.” Finally looking back down, Gobber pulled the covers away from Hiccup’s stump again and began to work, eyes occasionally flickering up to the occupied rafter. He hadn’t intended to be ungentle to start with, but his actions held an extra level of care prompted by the feral presence above. The dragon, for its part, relaxed after a few moments, settling against the rafter like an enormous winged cat, tail twitching from time to time. It never stopped watching, though.

“What’d Hiccup call it, again?” Gobber’s question broke the silence. “The Night Fury?”

Stoick grunted in an amused way. “Toothless.”

“Toothless?” The smith’s eyebrows shot upward, and he glanced at the menacing shadow above, which had perked up when the wholly-inaccurate name was voiced. He shook his head and reminded himself that Hiccup’s mind worked in strange ways.

Gobber finished quickly, despite the pressure. Measurements taken and injured boy tucked back in, he sat next to the weary father to keep company a little longer. “The leg should be done day after tomorrow. I’ll make sure to strap it on so he don’t wake up stuck in bed.”

That got him a raised eyebrow. “Maybe I want him stuck in bed for a bit. You know he won’t be as careful with that injury as he should.”

“No, Stoick, the last thing he needs is to feel trapped. It’ll be hard enough as is.”

Nodding, Stoick acquiesced. “I won’t argue with that. Besides,” he sighed “if he couldn’t walk, he’d probably just ride Toothless out of the house anyway. There’s no keeping him down.” This time it was pride that warmed the chief’s voice.

“Too true.” A chortle sprung from Gobber’s lips. “Y’know, maybe I won’t make him a leg after all. Walking’s far too mundane for him, he’ll just fly on dragonback everywhere he goes! Just think of it!”

Stoick began to chuckle as well. “Ay, no need for a prosthetic limb when you’ve got the offspring of lightning and death as your shadow! It’s just the sort of dramatic thing he’d love.”

They laughed together, the oppressive weight of the sickroom lifting with their cheer.

Suddenly, the door banged open and Alva, the village tanner, burst in. “Chief! We need—”

Her interruption was cut short when a black blur shot from the ceiling and tackled her to the ground, hissing and growling. The woman gave a very unvikingly shriek at the sight of the fanged maw (see, Hiccup, plenty of teeth!) and angrily narrowed eyes above her. Stoick shot to his feet.

“Whoa, now!” Gobber cried, following. “Back off, dragon!”

The Night Fury ignored him, continuing to snarl at the villager pinned beneath its paws. Its ear-plates were pressed flat to its head, and its wings were spread to make it look bigger and more threatening. Though it made no move to attack further, it was an intimidating sight.

Stoick approached carefully, hands held out. “Toothless,” an ear rose, “let her go.” The black-scaled head swung around to give at the red-bearded man a look Gobber would almost call questioning. “She’s not a danger,” Stoick stressed, coming closer.

The dragon eyed Alva for a moment longer, then stepped back and slunk over to Hiccup’s bedside, where it kept watch on the Viking men.

Eyes wide and face pale, the woman took the hand the chief offered her and stood on shaking legs.

Gobber released a heavy breath. “Perhaps it’d be wise not to come barging in somewhere a protective Night Fury’s holed up in, eh?”

“What do you need, Alva?” Stoick asked with a hint of exasperation.

Eyes still glued to the dragon on the other side of the room, she couldn’t seem to remember. “Ah...there was a thing...um, a problem with some, uh, Gronckles…”

The giant man sighed. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, go tell everyone.” Alva left quickly, still rattled.

As soon as the door closed, the Night Fury turned away and started tending to Hiccup, nuzzling at his brow and giving little licks to his face. Gobber watched in amazement, the gentle behavior so different from the ferocity it had displayed only moments ago. Stoick crossed to his bearskin cloak hanging on the opposite wall and swung it around his shoulders.

“Hang on,” Gobber started. “you’re not leaving the dragon here alone with him?”

“I can’t depend on Spitelout to do everything until he wakes up, not with all this upheaval.” His friend placed his helmet on his head.

“I can’t stay, I’ve got my work to do.”

“I’m not asking you to. It’s only for a bit, and...they’ve likely already spent more time alone together than I like to think about.”

Gobber now remembered the sketches he’d found in his apprentice’s backroom the day before. He considered their subject, who had now climbed onto the bed and was carefully arranging his body around Hiccup’s so as not to jostle his stump leg.

Stoick opened the door. “Besides,” he said, pausing in the frame. “You were right, Gobber.”

The smith turned back towards him. “About what?”

“I can’t protect him forever...but that doesn’t mean nobody will.” The not-so-weary-anymore father shared a look with the creature next to his son, and something passed between them, an understanding revolving around the boy asleep in the bed. Stoick nodded, Toothless blinked, then they both turned away. The chief left the house and the dragon rested his chin next to the pillow, nose buried in his rider’s auburn strands. Hiccup mumbled something unintelligible and turned his head to press against the scaly snout before settling again.

Gobber regarded the peaceful pair for a few minutes. The Night Fury was so quiet and still, he couldn’t tell if he’d gone to sleep as well. He shook his head and laughed, prompting one green eye to open and peer at him. “Him having a dangerous shadow really isn’t that far off, is it?.” He looked straight at the black beast, who opened both eyes and tilted his head curiously. “You, beastie, are not at all what we expected. But then, things never do happen like they should when Hiccup’s involved.” He smiled at the small form under the covers. “And sometimes that’s not a bad thing.”

Toothless looked down at Hiccup as well, and purred in agreement. Gobber jabbed a finger at him, regaining his attention. “This means it’ll be your job to make sure he doesn’t go and blow himself up again.”

The dragon huffed, offended.

Gobber crooked a grin. “Yeah, you would already know that. He’s very good at it, after all.”

There was a snort of amusement. Toothless laid his head down again and curled closer to his rider. A great black wing unfolded and laid itself across the boy like a blanket.

The blacksmith sized up the asymmetrical tail with its lonely fin. He remembered another part of Hiccup’s sketches and came to a decision. Turning away from the friends snuggled together on the bed, he muttered to himself, “Suppose Stoick’ll have to wait a few more days on that leg. After all, it’s not every week I have to put together a matched set for two amputees.” He limped outside and blinked down at the path before him.

It had never seemed brighter.

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shipmistress9 · 6 years ago

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FTLOAP: Chapter 35: I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You

Fandom: HTTYD

Theme: Hiccstrid - Medieval-style AU - Romance - Angst/Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Reduced to little more than a stable boy, Hiccup, despite his noble birth, has few prospects for more in life. But when he meets a girl who came to look at the horses, being a stable boy might not be enough anymore. Together, they have tough choices to make and great risks to navigate if they want to survive and be together.

Rating: Explicit

FF-net - AO3 -

Discord-server for discussions and questions

Part 1: Prologue; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9; Chapter 10; Chapter 11;

Part 2: Chapter 12; Chapter 13; Chapter 14; Interlude 1; Chapter 15; Chapter 16; Chapter 17; Chapter 18; Chapter 19; Chapter 20; Chapter 21; Chapter 22; Chapter 23; Chapter 24; Chapter 25; Chapter 26; Interlude 2; Chapter 27: Chapter 28 ; Chapter 29 ; Chapter 30; Chapter 31; Chapter 32; Interlude 3; Bonus 1; Chapter 33

Part 3:

Chapter 34

Alpha/Co-author: @athingofvikings

. – * – _ . o O o . _ – * – .

I again want to invite everyone who is interested to athingofviking's Discord server. It's growing constantly and slowly turning into a general HTTYD fan server. You can find the invite like above.

This week's title comes from the song 'Right Here Waiting' by Richard Marx. For this chapter, I was actually looking for an extremely cheesy title (because... reasons) and listened through a playlist of rock ballads. Let's just say... I cried a lot! xD In the end, I choose this title then. It's probably not quite as dramatic as the song, but I thought the line fit nicely anyway. ^^

. o O o .

Absentmindedly, Hiccup brushed over the spot on his arm where he could still feel Astrid’s touch. Last night, she’d gripped him so tightly that her fingers had left bruises. Smiling to himself as he groomed Chomp, he mused about how it must have hurt at the time, at least a little, but he couldn’t remember the pain by any stretch of the imagination. As always, being with her had been perfect, and those bruises were nothing but sweet reminders of their time together.

Although, if he wanted to avoid other bruises of a less pleasant nature, he’d better focus on the big horse in front of him. Of all his charges, Chomp was the most aggressive, and it was probably only thanks to the months they’d spent in close proximity that the stallion hadn’t used Hiccup’s distracted state for his own advantage.

With a hint of nervousness, Hiccup thought about why he had to groom Chomp to perfection today. Any minute now, Eret and Dagur would arrive, and bringing with them Snotlout of House Jorgenson, Chomp’s new owner. Hiccup couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person he was. He’d heard lots of stories about him by now, back during his time on Berk from the occasional merchant and during his years searching for information from the talkative men in the taverns, and then more funny and personal ones from Eret, Dagur, and Astrid over the last few months. All those stories had painted a certain picture of the man, whom Hiccup had never met despite their connection.

He didn’t need to wait long before the men arrived, Dagur’s booming laughter giving Hiccup warning of their approach.

"Morning, Hiccup," Eret greeted him with a tired smile as they came into view.

"Good morning, my lords," he replied, bowing. He was holding formal behaviour with a bit more enthusiasm than usual, and more earnestly. Carefully, he glanced at the new man following Dagur into the stables. He was short, certainly the shortest of them all, but far more bulky than Hiccup at least. He clearly was a trained warrior, muscles shaped by fights and practice. His black hair was relatively short, even though Hiccup still noticed that it had a familiar unruly streak to it. His face was neutral, polite but not really interested, as the man's eyes glided over him, noticing and dismissing him at the same moment. To Snotlout, Hiccup was nothing more than a lowly servant.

Hiccup glanced at Eret. So they hadn't told Snotlout anything yet. That was good, Hiccup supposed, but it certainly couldn't stay that way. Sooner or later, he would notice something anyway, so they had better tell him directly before he drew his own conclusions. He gave Eret a small nod, which he returned after a moment's hesitation.

With a bit of a smirk, Eret gestured from one of them to the other. "May I introduce? Sir Snotlout, ducal heir of House Jorgenson. And this is my squire, Hiccup..."

Hiccup could practically feel the tension hanging between them, how not only he but Dagur and Eret as well had their eyes on Snotlout, gauging his reaction.

At first, the expression on Snotlout's face barely changed. "Nice to meet you. Hiccup, eh? With that name, I guess you're from the North?"

"I am, Sir," Hiccup replied, directly meeting the other man's gaze. He could see the moment Snotlout noticed that something was off. Hiccup didn't know whether it was because Eret and Dagur were still staring at them or because Hiccup met his eyes without the usual deference of a servant, but it was as if something in Snotlout's eyes changed, something shifted, clicked into place.

"Hiccup you said?"

Hiccup nodded, still not taking his eyes off of Snotlout's. The other man frowned. "Are you..." he trailed off, glancing at Eret. "Is he... who I think he is?"

Eret took a deep breath and nodded. "I guess so?"

Anxiously, Hiccup waited for the reaction. What would it be? Surprise, certainly. Disbelief. Maybe anger? A certain hostility? There was a reason why they'd never met before, after all... But when the reaction came, it was nothing like Hiccup had expected.

“I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. “Ayye! Cousin!” He held out his hand toward Hiccup which he took more out of reflex than anything else, and was pulled into a friendly but bone-crushing hug. Snotlout pounded him fondly on the back and said, “I never thought us meeting at last would happen in a stable, of all places!”

Out of all the possible reactions Hiccup had contemplated, this was pretty far off the track. And apparently, Dagur and Eret were just as surprised as Hiccup was. They stood to the side and stared at Snotlout with clear bewilderment on their faces, and it didn’t take long before Snotlout noticed.

“What?” he asked with a huge grin. “Didn’t you know that we’re related?” He gestured between himself and Hiccup. “His father was my mother’s brother, may she have a good spot at Freya’s tables.”

Eret and Dagur shared a look, and Hiccup couldn’t help but feel the same confusion. “As a matter of fact,” Eret eventually answered. “We did know that. But…” he paused, licking his lips. He threw a quick glance at Hiccup, clearly asking a question, and Hiccup nodded. It wouldn’t be feasible to keep this secret from Snotlout anyway. “Is… is that all you’re surprised about? To see Hiccup here?”

Snotlout frowned, quickly glanced at Hiccup as if hoping for an explanation from his cousin, but then shrugged. “Yes? Despite our relation, we’ve never met before. I know you always were close to that part of your family, Eret, but for me it’s been different. We were always busy enough with our problems in Westhill, so visiting family never was a high priority. And it’s not as if his family ever made much effort to stay in contact either…” he added, his tone slightly grumbling.

Hiccup grimaced, but didn’t know what to say. It was true that they hadn’t stayed in contact with House Jorgenson, especially after Snotlout’s mother, his father’s sister, had died and Grand Duke Spitelout had remarried. But they had always been somewhat reclusive, from the mainland branches of the family as well as pretty much from everyone outside of the Tribes; it hadn’t been personal. But Snotlout seemed to take it that way, and Hiccup couldn’t really blame him for that. However, this wasn’t what was odd about Snotlout’s reaction anyway.

“He doesn't know,” Dagur stated flatly, something like hysterical laughter bursting from his chest. Not even he was able to fully make fun of a situation like this.

“‘Doesn’t know’ what?” Snot inquired, clearly getting a little irked now. “Are you making fun of me?”

Again, Dagur and Eret shared a glance, clearly uncomfortable now, but Hiccup felt weirdly detached. “I shouldn’t be here,” he said in a monotone voice. “Because I’m supposed to be dead. My whole family is dead, and I should have died with them.” The truth of these words burned with a sudden flare in his chest, and only the glow of his connection with Astrid was able to soothe the guilt. Yes, he should be dead too… But what would that have done to her?

Snotlout’s eyes widened in shock. “Dead?” he whispered, then turned to look at Eret and Dagur as if seeking confirmation. “They’re dead? All of them? When? How?”

“Nobody really knows how,” Eret sighed. “But it’s already been two years... And you really never heard about it? I know the tribes aren’t exactly forthcoming with any information, but…”

Snotlout shook his head, troubled. “No… I mean, we really have enough problems of our own, but I would have thought…” He glanced at Hiccup again. “I’m sorry to hear that, for your loss and… and for not knowing. I still can’t believe…”

Hiccup took the words with a silent nod. He’d know that meeting Snotlout would probably bring this topic up, had been prepared. But it was still jarring.

“Nobody knows that Hiccup is still alive though,” Eret eventually said. “Hence the squire charade. That way, nobody will look too closely at him. So I hope you understand that you can’t tell anyone.”

Snotlout frowned, but then nodded. ��Of course,” he agreed. “I trust that you have your reasons, so I won’t say anything.”

An uncomfortable silence overcame them. Hiccup couldn't tell whether his secret would be safe with Snotlout; he didn’t know his cousin at all, after all. But Eret and Dagur had assured him that he was trustworthy, and it wasn’t as if he had a choice anyway. He just hoped that Snotlout wouldn’t tell the wrong person after all, ending in Hiccup waking up one day to… well, to not wake up at all.

“All right,” Eret eventually broke the silence, clapping his hands. “We came here for a reason, didn’t we? Snot? This here is your new stallion: Firewind Hookfang–”

“Or Chomp, as everyone calls him,” Dagur threw in.

“He’s got a bit of a temper, but since you’re used to our horses already, I don’t think you’ll have... many problems with him.”

Snotlout took the hint to change the topic, and joined Eret at Chomp’s stall. “I might be used to having them around, but I’m not really used to riding one,” he corrected airily. “But I’ve got to say, I’m looking forward to it. Thor, he looks impressive! Just what I’d hoped for.”

A short while later, all traces of awe or smugness had left Snotlout. Instead, he was cursing all of Eret’s and Dagur’s ancestors as he once more got up from the paddock’s floor, rubbing his backside, while Eret was trying to recapture Chomp and Dagur was laughing cordially.

“Yeah, that’s how I imagined this,” the redhead burst out, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “Beautiful. Ah, that makes up for all the boring training with the recruits and formal dinners. Seeing the fine Lord Snotlout covered in dust and dirt, and for once it’s not even my fault.”

“Nor mine,” came another voice from behind them. “Loki, that almost makes up for having to walk the whole way out here again.”

All four men looked up, and Hiccup felt as if the sun was rising once more when his eyes fell on Timothy – with Astrid two steps behind him.

“Swanja!” Eret greeted her enthusiastically as he led an intractable Chomp at his side. “Now, that’s a surprise. I didn’t expect you to show up here today.”

“And neither did I,” Astrid agreed. “But I certainly didn’t say no when Father suggested I ought to… to enjoy this last day with you.” There was a slight trembling in her voice that certainly nobody missed, but also nobody reacted to – even though Hiccup felt the strong urge to go to her and take her in his arms.

“Plus, there’s not much she can do in the castle anyway,” Timothy added. He leaned down to fish an apple out of the basket he’d been carrying. “The castle is a nightmare, everyone buzzing about preparing for tomorrow. Honestly, I can’t remember things ever being this crazy.”

“It’s been pretty busy,” Eret agreed, frowning. “But I assume that’s because of the accolades? I mean, three high noble accolades in two seasons... well, that’s special, so more people than usual decided to make the journey here and get all three of them done. And they take the royal birthday as a bonus.”

“Aye, that’s probably it.” Timothy took a hearty bite from his apple. “Either way, I’ve got to go back and help too.” He grimaced. “Astrid’s governess was in a bit of a panic just now, something about a missing tax collector, and Ruff threatened to read Chicken scary bedtime stories for a month straight if I don’t return as soon as possible and help her deal with the madwoman. So, as much as I’d like to laze around for a while, I’ve got to go. Eret, she’s your responsibility now.”

“As always,” Eret replied, and shook his head at how quickly Astrid’s warder retreated. Chuckling, he turned his attention toward Astrid. “But since when does your governess care for any belated tax collectors?”

Astrid snorted. “I have no idea,” she emphasised. “I mean, she’s been acting weird for a couple of weeks now, being even stiffer and stricter when it comes to my manners than usual but also being surprisingly supportive whenever I was to spend the day with you guys.” She shrugged. “I gave up on trying to make sense of her.”

Everyone agreed, chuckling, then they all turned their attention back on Snotlout and his new stallion. Hiccup and Astrid shared a quick, longing glance, but with so many people around, they didn’t dare to hold eye contact or, Freya forbid, even move closer. Hiccup had to admit though, just being near her was enough to soothe his anxiety from before. It was enough to hear her laughter when Snotlout landed in the dust again with a vile curse, enough to see her from the corner of his eyes.

All in all, it was a relaxed day. In-between Snotlout’s rather painful-looking attempts to befriend Chomp, they made an extended break, ate the bread and fruits from the basket Timothy had brought, talked and laughed, and generally enjoyed the day.

When the sun was a good bit past its zenith, Astrid yawned, drawing everyone's attention.

"I think I'd like to go for a walk," she declared, and stretched. “As much fun as all this is, just sitting around here makes me tired.”

"Really?" Dagur asked in a playfully exaggerated tone. "How can you get tired of watching Snot land in the dirt?"

"Haha, very funny," Snotlout grumbled.

Astrid chuckled, such a wonderful and light sound that made Hiccup smile despite himself.

"Where would you want to go?" Eret asked, frowning. "Just up and down here along the paddock?"

Astrid shook her head. "No... I don't know. Just walking around a bit; maybe over to the pond and watch the swans." She shrugged.

"I'm not..." Eret muttered, grimacing. "Dagur? Would you want to accompany her?"

"And miss the show here?" he asked, gesturing to where Snot was about to mount Chomp once more. "I don't think so."

Astrid, however, rolled her eyes. "You do know that I can walk that bit on my own, right?" she said sourly.

"I do," Eret assured her. "But I officially took over the responsibility for you. And if anyone was to spot you wandering around unsupervised, your governess will want my head. And I can't leave Snot alone here."

Astrid grimaced, but didn't say anything, and Hiccup had the feeling that she wasn’t really annoyed or even surprised by this anyway. Nobody, surely not Eret, doubted her capability. As always, it was all just about appearances.

Or maybe, it was all part of a plan. She threw him a quick glance when nobody was looking, and Hiccup spoke without thinking much about it. "How about I go with her?"

Two or three months ago, such a suggestion would have been dangerous. But after the past weeks, the only one looking surprised or worried by those words was Snotlout.

"That would be an option. Is that all right for you, Swanja?" Eret asked.

Astrid snorted, playing her role well. "If it makes you feel better," she said, a mixture of amusement and light annoyance in her voice.

With that matter settled, Hiccup and Astrid headed off in the general direction of the little swan lake. It was broad daylight, and being outside where they could get seen by any random by-passer made them cautious enough not to even walk too closely to each other. But Hiccup had to admit that just this, walking side by side through the sunlight, felt good. Another memory he would treasure.

"This is nice," Astrid eventually commented, apparently thinking the same as him. She threw him a warm smile, and her hand twitched as if she wanted to take his but caught herself in the last moment.

"It is," he agreed, returning her smile. And it was. It was good to do something so ordinary as taking a walk together. In a couple of days, he'd dearly miss this.

When they reached the pond, however, Astrid's mood visibly fell.

"They aren't here," she muttered. "Again."

Hiccup let his eyes wander over the water and the high grass around it, but couldn't spot the swans either. "Maybe they're looking elsewhere for food? Or are breeding?"

"Maybe," Astrid nodded, sighing. “But coming here was more of a pretence anyway,” she added, a small smirk tugging at her lips. She glanced around, then looked at him again and gave a nod toward the forest. “Let’s go that way.”

Once they were relatively well hidden between the trees and bushed, Astrid weaved her finger through his as they walked on through the forest. Hiccup mused how different this was from how scared she’d been of getting caught in the beginning, and it made him smile. She’d come so far. Oh, he knew that part of this new-found confidence was due to the desperation of getting separated. But he was also sure that another not quite irrelevant part was due to her being less afraid in general, and he just loved to see this side of her. Confident. Happy. Free.

Hiccup didn’t keep track of where they were going, only followed Astrid’s lead. They only talked occasionally, quietly, and otherwise enjoyed the comfortable silence and the touch of their hands, listening to the singing birds and to the wind rustling through the leaves and branches. It was a wonderful day for a walk like this, warm enough so that even here between the trees where it was a little cooler, it was still warm enough, the sun painting small specks of light onto the ground and their skin.

Hiccup could have walked on endlessly like this, so he was quite surprised when, after only half an hour, the stables came back into view. He threw Astrid a puzzled look, but she just winked and pulled him on. Apparently, their walk had led them around the stables in a wide loop, because they were nearing the building from the backside, invisible to the others who could still be heard at the paddock. Hiccup’s heartbeat quickened when he realised what Astrid’s goal was: a small niche between two parts of the building that wouldn't be visible to anyone unless they came close enough to peer around a nearby shrub.

Astrid didn’t waste time. Her lips tasted of apple and honey from their earlier meal when he returned her kiss, backing her up against the wooden wall as he knew she liked. With her hands in his hair, tugging and pulling, it quickly became difficult to think about anything. In his head, there was only her, only this wonderful and amazing person that owned his heart and soul, and who was so easily able to drive him crazy with her teeth nipping at his lips.

Hiccup lost all sense of time as they kissed, and they only paused when the noises coming from those on the other side of the building changed. There was a shift in voices and tones, then very audibly the opening of the front door and the sound of hooves on stone as Chomp was led inside.

“It’s time to go back,” Astrid murmured. She pushed him back a little until their eyes met. “You’re having a date today, after all. And an important question to ask,” she added cheekily.

“Right,” Hiccup muttered, grimacing. He still wasn’t so sure about her suggestion to try anal sex. Not that he didn’t want to; the idea was lurking in the back of his mind ever since she’d come up with it last night and refused to leave. But still, it felt like cheating, like skirting the rules in a not-quite-acceptable manner.

“I haven’t forgotten, don’t worry,” he assured her. “But remember, I can’t promise anything. Besides, I don’t know how tonight will turn out anyway. With Snotlout being there too, I don’t know if I’ll even get the chance to ask Cami in private or will be able to sneak away at all. It… It’s…”

“It’s okay,” Astrid interrupted him gently. She reached for his hand and started playing with his fingers, averting her eyes. But when she continued speaking, she sounded sincere. “If you can’t get away, I mean. There’s no need for you to feel… bad or anything. And the same is true for when you’re back in Eastervale, or in Westhill come summer. I don’t mind if you sleep with an Ástir, you hear me? You don’t need to hold back because of me.”

Warmth spread through Hiccup’s chest, and he let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. How was it possible that she kept saying or doing things that made him fall in love with her over and over again?

“I know,” he breathed, placing a hand beneath her chin to lift her head and look at her again. “But you don’t understand. I don’t want to. I only want you; every other woman lost her appeal to me. You have bewitched me in the most wonderful way, and I love you, so much, more than words can say.”

Astrid’s eyes grew softer, and nuzzling into his hand she placed a soft kiss to his palm. “It’s the same for me too,” she murmured. “But still…”

But still…

Hiccup grimaced. But still there was the problem that he didn’t even know what to expect from tonight. Sighing, he nodded, then leaned in to bury his face in her hair. The all-too-familiar scent of mayweed immediately made him dizzy and at the same time comforted him, and he idly contemplated whether to buy a bottle of scented oil to take with him to Eastervale. The noises from the other side grew louder, more active, and Hiccup pressed himself closer against her. “I don’t want to go,” he groaned. He was aware of how often he’d said those words lately and the different circumstances were amusing to a degree, so he couldn’t really begrudge Astrid chuckling shakily.

“Yeah, I’d rather stay here with you all night too,” she whispered. She tilted her head to nuzzle against his neck, and a light shudder ran down his spine. “But we both know that won’t happen. Besides, I really want to know what Cami is going to say, so…”

Hiccup couldn’t help but chuckle as she trailed off suggestively. Her eagerness was amazing. “I promise that I’ll do whatever I can to be here with you tonight!”

Astrid's face turned into a soft smile. “I know. And I’ll be right here, waiting for you,” she breathed.

“Swanja? Swanja, we’re heading back. Where are you? Hiccup?”

They both winced as Eret’s voice echoed toward them, and reluctantly, they parted. “Time to go,” Astrid stated, but Hiccup didn’t feel like doing so just yet.

Once again, he leaned down to kiss her, one hand softly cupping her cheek. He was careful not to lose control again though, and pulled back when he felt that the urge to just continue regardless of any consequences grew.

When they finally parted, Astrid’s cheek had turned a lovely shade of pink, her eyes hazy, and the smile she gave him was dazzling. Gods, how was he supposed to live even one day without her?

. o O o .

“You haven’t told him?” Hiccup looked incredulously from Eret to Dagur and back again.

Eret just shrugged. “It didn’t really come up so far,” he muttered.

Dagur, however, wore an obscenely huge grin. “And I’m dying to see his face!”

Hiccup shook his head in disbelief, but didn’t say any more when Snotlout returned from the outhouse to where they’d been waiting for him in the entrance hall of Freya’s temple. Despite their closer relation, Hiccup didn’t feel like it was his responsibility to inform Snotlout about possibly important details, even though he still thought it would have been better if they’d told him about Cami before.

But as it was, they hadn’t, and if Hiccup was honest to himself then that wasn’t what really bothered him anyway. Far more pressing to him was the question of what would happen after he’d seen her. Would Hiccup be able to sneak away and back to Astrid like he usually did? How would Snotlout react if they told him he would spend the night with his secret girlfriend instead? Was that something he dared to reveal to his cousin? And what was the alternative? Snotlout knew about Eret and Dagur, so they wouldn’t need to keep that facade at least. But the idea of having sex with Cami tonight, of possibly even sharing her with Snotlout, just to keep his secret hidden didn’t sit well with him. He hoped there would be another way out.

But when Cami finally joined them, everything went differently than he’d thought it would.

“What in all Gods’ names is this?” Snotlout exclaimed as Cami appeared between him and Eret.

She was dressed in a pretty gown in varying shades of blue and her golden mane artfully arranged in intricate braids all around her head, as usual for her role. As expected, Dagur burst out laughing and Cami joined in with a low chuckle, but to Hiccup it was clear that neither Snotlout nor Eret found the situation even remotely funny.

“This is Cami, an old friend of mine. She’s our date for tonight,” Eret tried to explain. “And Cami, this is Snot. We told you about him, right? Sir Snotlout of House Jorgenson.”

Cami threw Snotlout a cheeky grin and curtseyed elegantly. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Sir Snotlout. I’ve already heard a lot about you.”

Snotlout didn’t seem to be in the mood for pleasantries though. “Is this supposed to be a joke?” he asked, turning his attention back to Eret. He looked angry, but Eret shook his head.

“No, believe me, we were just as surprised as you are the first time we saw Cami like this,” he replied quietly, his body language reserved, as if trying to keep the other people in the atrium from looking in their direction more than they already were.

“And still you…” Snot began, but broke off directly. He threw measuring glances from Eret to Dagur, then one at Hiccup, and eventually nodded. “I see,” he murmured, grimacing, and Hiccup got the impression that Snot’s thoughts probably weren’t so far off the truth.

“Is there a problem here?” Cami asked cheerfully, and linked her arm with Snotlout. “Shall we go upstairs and talk there?”

Snotlout nodded mutely, but pulled his arm back from her, and with a stony expression followed the others to Cami’s room. Once the door closed behind them, however, he didn’t hold back any longer.

“Are you insane?” he hissed, gesturing at Cami without looking at her. “She looks just like Swanja!”

Dagur snorted from where he’d let himself fall into one of Cami’s cushioned chairs. “Believe us, we noticed,” he said dryly, and reached for a cookie on a tray – another visitor must have brought them before.

Snotlout threw him an irritated look. “And still you meet with her? Repeatedly, if I understand correctly? All of you? I mean, I get that this is ‘not what it looks like’ –” he gestured elaborately at Eret and Dagur, “–but still. What are you thinking? What are the people supposed to think?”

Eret closed his eyes and gave a heavy sigh. “The people,” he emphasised, “already think that Swanja and I are a couple. And that she’s supposed to marry one of us one day anyway. So whatever rumours there might be, they won’t say anything new.”

“And what about Swanja?” Snotlout threw back harshly. “What if she hears about this? That we, who should know better, meet with an Ástir who looks like her and indulge in the fantasy of banging her all at once?”

“She already knows,” Hiccup interjected despite himself, but Eret spoke over him.

“Swanja knows better than to believe that,” he replied, equally harshly now. “She knows about Cami, they’ve met–”

“–and became friends,” Cami threw in, but Eret didn’t stop.

“–and she knows why we meet with her. Not because she looks like her, but because we knew her before. Because she’s our friend and covers for us. And even Hiccup knows her from Eastervale and doesn’t see Cami as Swanja.”

Snotlout threw him another calculating look, grimaced, and shook his head. “I still don’t like this. If this works for you and Swanja doesn’t mind, then... whatever. But I can’t do this, not with her!” Again, he gestured toward Cami who at least didn’t seem to be offended.

“And that’s all right,” she said, calmly and in a much more natural tone than before. She even moved differently, much more like Hiccup remembered her from Eastervale. More like herself and not her role. “I understand and respect your reasons, Sir Snotlout. If you prefer, I can see which of my sisters would be available for you?”

Snotlout hesitated, once more throwing glances at those around him. He looked uncomfortable, torn between leaving and staying with his friends.

“Hey, it’s okay. We understand,” Eret said with a slight smile. “We’ll catch up again tomorrow.”

Snotlout nodded, then turned toward Cami and finally looked at her directly again. “Thank you for your offer. And I take it gladly. Please know that I didn’t mean to be offensive, but–”

“Don’t worry, I understand,” Cami interrupted him, smiling genuinely. “In fact, I see it as a compliment that my role is good enough so that it even convinces those who know the Princess in person. Now, if you’d follow me?” She left, and after one last glance around, Snotlout followed her, leaving the other three men in silence.

“Yep,” Hiccup eventually commented dryly, “that went just as brilliantly as I’d thought. Maybe you should have told him earlier after all.”

Eret gave a non-committal grunt, and even Dagur looked a little remorseful. But deep down, Hiccup was actually glad how things had turned out.

Even as the prospect of asking Astrid’s question was a little daunting.

. o O o .

“So, what are we going to do today?” Cami asked once the door to her bedroom had closed behind Eret and Dagur. She sauntered over to her table, sank down into a chair, and reached for a cookie. “Do you want to play cards or just chat a little?” She smirked as his face scrunched up. “Oh, is there something you want to talk about? How do you feel about leaving?”

Hiccup grimaced even more. He tried not to think about leaving, or else he might go crazy. But then, with Cami he at least could talk about it. He followed her to the table and took one of the cookies as well, mainly to distract himself. “What do you think how I feel?” he eventually muttered, and slumped down into another chair, the cookie forgotten in his hand.

Cami cocked her head, her blue eyes never leaving him. But she didn't say a word, and after another minute Hiccup sighed.

“I feel horrible, okay? I've gotten so used to her presence, to talking to her, to feeling her warmth at my side when I wake up. It feels so right, so wonderful, and the idea of going without that for w-… for months is driving me insane.” He averted his eyes, hoping that Cami hadn't noticed his slip up. It would probably only be weeks until Astrid came to Eastervale if everything with the wedding worked out as they hoped. But he couldn't tell Cami that – it might give away too much about his lady love's identity. Although, his worries seemed to have been for nothing.

“Yeah, that's what I thought,” she sighed, shaking her head. “How often have you been meeting lately?”

Hiccup swallowed, and nibbled at his cookie after all. “Every night?” he admitted a little sheepishly. “And we've at least seen each other nearly every day, too. She's become such a big part of my life that I can barely imagine spending just one day without her.”

“Have you exchanged some tokens, something to remind you of the other? I've heard that helps, at least a little.”

Cami sounded truly concerned, and that actually made Hiccup smile. Not because the situation was funny in any way, but because he was grateful to Cami for her genuine interest. That she cared enough about him.

“We have,” he replied with a light nod, his hand wandering to his chest where he carried Astrid’s little key. “Remember the horse statue? Apparently, she placed it next to her bed.”

That made Cami chuckle. “Oh, so that's the perfect place for her to remember you?” she asked, mirth glinting in her eyes. “I really wish you'd tell me who she is so that I can show her how to pleasure herself once you're gone. I'm beginning to think that it actually was rather unfair to introduce her to sex, only to withhold it from her after all. And for so long. I think I'd go insane.”

At that, Hiccup grimaced again, for more than just one reason. “You know I can't tell you who she is,” he muttered, but he knew that wasn't really an issue for Cami and he’d only brought it up to buy time. Because the other thing he needed to talk about with Cami was back at the front of his mind from what she’d said, and he honestly wasn't sure how to begin. He ate the cookie, then a second one and drank a glass of the light wine before he felt ready to start. “But… but on that matter… there's something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh?” Cami’s head perked up in amused – and predatory – curiosity. “What about?”

Hiccup swallowed at the look; she had far too much fun in getting as many details about his and Astrid’s relationship out of him as she could, for Hiccup’s taste at least.

“Yeah,” he went on, hesitantly. “It’s… I need your advice on a certain practice. You know, how to go about it, what to heed. I mean, I do have some experience, but she doesn’t, and I don’t know what to do to make it easier. I want it to be as pleasant as possible for her. And I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt her because I did something wrong.”

Cami nodded, a tiny smirk playing around her lips. “I didn’t expect any less of you. But if you want me to give you any advice then you actually have to tell me what ‘practice’ you’re talking about.”

He gulped. “I... uh... you see... there was this book, and we were reading it, and...”

She snickered. “Last I checked, reading a book to your beloved worked better with less stammering.” He gave her a light glare, which made her break out into giggles. “So, what was this book?”

“The Exotics of the Southlands,” he said, looking down. Cami made a noise of surprise, and he continued, “And, well...” he swallowed and blurted in a rush, “I need advice on anal sex.”

There was a very long pause, so he hesitantly looked up at Cami, and then flinched. She was giving him a cool – no, make that frigid – look, and then fluidly rose out of the chair where she’d been casually sprawled only moments before.

“That book. Oh, yes. I know it. And did you pick it out of the royal library ‘accidentally’, Hiccup?” Her tone was acidic and accusatory. “I know you’re quite the scholar. Did you see it and figure you could convince your lady love to–”

“She’s the one that brought it to me! And she asked me when we found those pages! I had no idea!” he protested in a rush.

Cami blinked and then gave a small harsh chuckle. “Well.” She continued pacing around him.

Hiccup tracked her motions around the chair. “Well... what?”

“If it were anyone else, I’d call bullshit,” Cami said bluntly. “I know men. Hel, my entire profession is about giving men a warm place to shove their cocks, when you get down to it. And while I enjoy what you’re asking for, the thought of having that be the first thing you give your girl as a way to loophole through the rules... well, you’re not the first to come up with that idea, and normally I’d be reporting you to the Fyrir for censure and fining. Possibly some public shaming.”

Hiccup swallowed.

“But... this isn’t normal. And you’ve been honest with me from the beginning – except about who in Freya’s name your girl is – so I’ll buy it for the moment, that she’s as keen as you are, if not more.”

Hiccup relaxed slightly. “Thank you, Cami. And it’s more, I swear.”

She leaned down in front of him and gave him a flat look. “Don’t thank me yet. Before I say anything, do you swear to me before Frigga that this truly was her idea?”

Swallowing again, he nodded and said, “I swear on Frigga, Freya, and Odin that what I told you was true.”

She looked him in the face, sighed, straightened and rubbed her temples. “Great. So, two things before I tell you anything.”

“Yeah?”

“First, I really wish you could tell me who it is,” she said. “She’s in the palace, I’ve figured that much...” she said leadingly.

Hiccup shook his head. “I can’t. I promised.”

“Even if that means I won’t tell you anything?” Cami pressed.

He nodded. “I’d rather go without sex with her than betray my word to her. Like I said, it was her idea, she was very insistent, and I promised I’d ask you. If you say no, then that’s that.”

She smirked. “That was the right answer. Fine.” She eyed him. “But I will find out one day, just so you know.”

“Cami, once everything is settled, you might even be one of the bridesmaids,” he said earnestly.

She laughed. “I’ll hold you to that, then!”

They fell silent for a moment, and then Hiccup asked, “And the second thing?”

“The second thing I’d like to know is… why do you want to try that.” Hiccup wanted to reply what he’d said before, but she waved him off with a quick gesture. “So let’s say I believe you and your oath that it’s not about you just getting it in,” she commented. “And I actually don’t expect you to give me a detailed answer. But I’m going to ask you two to talk about it. If she’s as eager as you said, then what’s her reason? Because if it’s just about getting it over with for her, just about doing it, then that’s not a good enough reason either. Don’t allow that she pressures herself into anything because of this upcoming separation, okay?”

Hiccup nodded mutely, but it wouldn’t have needed her warning; he would never want Astrid to feel pressured into something either.

“Good. And now that that’s settled,” Cami went on, turning away from the chair and walking over to one of her decorated shelves, “let's talk about the technicalities. If I remember correctly you already know about the necessary rules of hygiene, right?”

“I do,” Hiccup murmured.

“Right. No need to go into the details there then.” She reached for a small object on one of the upper shelves. “So we can focus on the preparation. Because that's the key, especially for someone who's never done this before. First point: you need good lubrication.”

She came back to him and handed him the small object. On closer examination, it turned out to be a ceramic pot in the form of a swan, delicately sculpted and painted in white with blue-ish shadows. “What is this?” he asked hesitantly.

“It’s a scented oil. You can keep it and use it as lubrication; don’t worry, I have enough. And be sure to use enough. Go slowly. And by that, I mean really slowly. Take the usual time for foreplay and preparation and at least double it. Actually…” She paused for a moment, then nodded. “You have two nights left, is that right? Good. Then my advice would be to only prep her tonight. Let her get used to the feeling, see if she likes it at all, and let her body get accustomed to it. Play around a bit, but leave the main event for tomorrow night.”

Hiccup nodded to show that he’d understood. “That is a good idea. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And Hiccup?”

“Yes?”

“When I’m your beloved’s bridesmaid...”

“Yes?” he repeated as she trailed off significantly.

“I’m going to ask her about what we just talked about. And if you did just lie to me about whose idea this was, and took the gods’ names in vain for that oath...” she smiled at him with all her teeth. “I won’t deprive the poor girl of her wedding night. But once you’re done, I’ll serve you your dick, fried and with onions. Got it?”

He winced. “You don’t need to worry.”

“All right.” She nodded, still smiling eerily, before glancing at a candle clock hanging near the wall to her bedroom. “Your usual half hour isn't quite up yet. So, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?”

Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head. “No, not really.” After this talk just now, he was pretty much done with talking for tonight. To her at least.

They spent a couple of minutes in companionable silence, and Hiccup's attention turned back to the small pot she'd given him. Carefully, he opened it, and an all-too-familiar scent rose from the oil, making his heart flutter and his head spin. “Mayweed?” he asked, glancing up at Cami still standing over him.

She grinned. “Yeah. Originally I used rose oil, but after your suggestion, I pretty much changed everything to mayweed. You don’t like it?”

Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head as he put the lid back onto the swan-shaped pot, caressing it gently. “It’s perfect.”

. o O o .

And finally... all domino pieces are in place...

Next chapter

#Aaahhh #I'm so excited!!#FTLOAP #for the love of a princess #Hiccstrid #fanfiction #Hiccup and Astrid #httyd #medieval au #royalty au #fluff

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