Omniscient narrator:

Valka, Hiccup, and Astrid sat on the ground in a circle with each of their dragons sitting behind them. A fire crackled between them as it was a cold, overcast day and it was about mid-afternoon.

"So now", Valka said after the brief summery of Hiccup and her life after he left Berk, "its time we get down to why I called upon you, Hiccup". She turned to Astrid and added, "you can stay too, as long as you promise that you won't say anything to anyone. If word where to get out, two things will happen. Firstly, the people will ask were you got this information and that will lead them to me. Secondly, everyone will need to have a level head while you train Berk, do you understand?"

Astrid nodded but remained silent, eager to here more secrets about Hiccup and his mother. They intrigued her, especially how much he had changed. She still will remember the weak Hiccup who ran away whenever she heard his name, but when she sees him, she only thinks of Rider, not Hiccup. Then, reality would kick in that this was Hiccup now. And that he was all her's. The thought made her blush and smile as she turned to him. Their eyes met and they exchanged their feelings through their eyes. He seemed to know what she was thinking as he smiled back at her. They heard a ruffling of paper which caused them to turn their attention back to Valka.

She pulled out a map and pointed at a place northish of Berk. "This is where Drago Bludvist is-".

"You mean the Drago Bludvist? Stoick told me about him once-".

"Yes Astrid, the Drago Bludvist. Anyways, he is creating a dragon army. As you know my son, but I think I know how and why".

Hiccup leaned closer to his mother and asked in a small voice, "why?" He thinks he knows the answer but-

"I think he has a Bewilderbeast, like the king at sanctuary. I also think he plans to challenge our Bewilderbeast to take our dragons as well. And as you know, many years ago, Drago interfered on a meeting between all the chiefs. He promised to protect them if they'd make him king. They laughed and ridiculed him. As he left armored dragons came in ad destroyed the meeting place and killed almost all the chiefs, almost. Stoick was the only survivor. So, I think he also plans on taking over Berk as well".

Hiccup's eyes widened as he shot up. "this is bad, very very bad. Do you know for sure mom?", he asked as he started to pace.

"Not entirely but my gut has never been wrong. I only remember seeing a giant mass of darkness under the water and two tusks breaching the surface. Also, Cloudjumper was acting strangely...", the dragon perked on hearing his name from Valka's lips. He came by and nuzzled her hand affectionately. She absently scratched his owl like head as she stared at her pacing son with concern. "Then I can only speculate but again, my gut had never been proved wrong and that's what it's telling me".

"I'm at a disadvantage here", Astrid said, "what is a Bewilderbeast and why is it bad that Drago has one? It's bad enough that he is making a dragon army, but-".

"Do you really want to know Astrid? With something like this, ignorance is bliss", Hiccup pointed out.

"I want to know Hiccup", she said, her eyes hard and determined. Hiccup sighed.

"A Bewilderbeast is a tidal base class dragon. He is like a king of all dragons. He controls all dragons. H is possibly as big as a mountain and a powerful creature. The one mom and I know is a peaceful one who lives in an icy sanctuary. I will repeat that they can control dragons, like, mind control. So he who controls the Bewilderbeast, controls the rest. Obviously, other dragons can be an alpha if they are strong enough. Loyalty based on strength and honor. But it's easier when a dragon can actually control the dragons. And that is what the Bewilderbeast can do, and it's hard to resist".

He let the last words hang above Astrid like some sort of gross, unromantic mistletoe. Control the dragons? Astrid asked herself in wonder. She glanced at Valka who nodded to her gravely as if she where reading Astrid's thoughts.

Just then, Hiccup smiled which caused Valka to frown. "Just another day for us isn't it mom?" He joked. Valka started to laugh as she got up and hugged her son.

"Oh Hiccup, you do have a sense of humor!"

"You finally figured that out mom?"

They laughed as Astrid smiled. She liked seeing them so close, she wished she could be that close to her mom. Her real mom.

After some more jokes and talking, they decided that it was time to part ways. Valka gave a few more warnings to Astrid to NOT tell anyone what she had witnessed today.

"Firstly, by what Hiccup told me, I really doubt that Stoick can handle two surprises as big as Hiccup being alive. For me it would be bigger I think. Secondly, well, you two need to train an unstressed Berk, they would be very difficult if they were", she hugged them both turned to Cloudjumper.

"I'll prepare the sanctuary, you two prepare Berk", Hiccup's mother said as she jumped upon Cloudjumper's back. "We are possibly going to war", was all she said until she jumped up into the air and flew off into oblivion.

"Remember Astrid", Hiccup said as he and watched Valka go, "no one should know what was discussed here today. We can't train a panicked people, we can only train calm people faster. You got that?"

Astrid nodded, she hated knowing that a war was brewing with such a threat and not warning anyone, but he was right. When people panic their brain stops working, they can't process information like they could when their calm. She and Hiccup need to be harder on Berk without them knowing why. But that's better than dealing with a people who are ruled by fear.

"Lets not waste any more time here Hiccup, lets go home", she said in a slightly shaky voice. Not shaky in she is about to cry or that she was cold, her voice was shaking with fear.

She was wrapped in a strong, protective embrace as Hiccup enveloped her. His dragon scaled cape also seemed to hug her comfortingly as the wind blew it around them. They kissed and Hiccup whispered, "it's okay Astrid, you've got me. Berk's got me. I'll make sure Drago won't come after us any more". She relaxed suddenly as his words gave her comfort.

As sudden as their moment happened, it stopped and they mounted their dragons and flew off to Berk.

Astrid felt that she finally knew everything about Hiccup, now that the final piece of his unusual puzzle was put into place. But little does she know of the scars under his shirt that she had never seen, the hallowed look he gets when he has time on his own to think. His mother also remembers thise days when she remembered that her son was in some excruciating pain and that she had to do something, yet could do nothing. Toothless who also had it hard as he fought for both, his and his rider's freedom.

But thats in the past and it's just another secret that will not be revealed until she and him are married. He rather not go into the details while there still quite fresh in his memories.

When they arrived back at Berk, they received a warm welcome. Well, until Stoick yelled at them for not checking in with him before they left.

"Especially you Hiccup! I thought you ran away... again!"

"Sorry, dad, something came up and I needed to go see what it was".

"And it turned out to be nothing", Astrid smirked as she winked at Hiccup, the secret message was, I got your back.

Hiccup smiled sheepishly as he decided to play along with her excuse.
"Yah, well... Toothless got spooked for nothing-", Toothless perked up and glared at Hiccup as if to say, 'and now why do you pin the blame on me!?', "-but I checked on it just in case and it turned out to be-".

"Nothing!"

"Yep, absolutely, positively nothing".

"Yep".

"Yep".

Stoick glanced from Hiccup to Astrid. Then he burst into laughter as he saw their awkwardness and assumed something different.

"All right love birds we won't push you for more details".

Hiccup and Astrid's faces turned red as they started jumbling over their own words.

"No no-"

"It's  not like that!"

"We where just-".

"No dad! Why did you assume-".

"Did you and-".

"Ah! The vision! Can't unsee-".

Stoick chuckled and grabbed Hiccup's shoulders in a one armed hug and whispered, "not until your married son, don't want to be burdened to early in life".

Hiccup's cheeks flared. He glanced at Astrid and saw she was red too as Ruffnut started to make fun of her.

Damn! I'm going to be congratulated while she will be scorned. Why did I agree to let her come? Hiccup asked himself as guilt rose into his face. Astrid saw and gave him a reassuring smile, she wasn't angery at him but at the villagers' dirty minds. At least WE know that it wasn't like that. And when we figure out how much a threat Drago really is, then the village will know that ABSOLUTELY  NOTHING transpired between Astrid and I.

A few hours later...

Hiccup and Astrid watched as the moon climbed higher into the sky. "I saw your embarrassment today Hiccup, I've never seen your cheeks go so red in a long while". He laughed as he twiddle his thumbs in a surprisingly decent rhythm.

"It's not everyday that someone thinks that you and I...", his face went red again, it was Astrid's turn to laugh.

"Your to pure to be a viking", Astrid said as she playfully punched Hiccup in the arm. He smiled and kissed her long. "I prefer it that way Astrid. You know what my dad told me?"

"What?"

"Not until I'm married".

They laughed, then covered their mouths and glanced around the sleeping village. Realizing that they hopefully haven't woke anyone, the continued to laugh, muffled by their hands.

Two days later...

Things quieted down surprisingly quick. But that was because everyone seemed to be okay with Astrid and Hiccup being together. It just seemed... right.

They have, however, really upped the intensity of dragon training, the riding kind not the killing kind. Well, both actually.

"Okay, from now on, we will also be teaching self defense from dragons as well as training. Astrid will teach that portion", Hiccup said when everyone was present.

"Why Astrid?" Called Snotlout in a slightly whiny voice.

"Because she has advanced the quickest and is one of the best fighters I know", Hiccup said as he flashed her a smile. She returned it and said jokingly, "business before pleasure Hiccup". His face turned red involuntarily as the villagers laughed at her comment.

I expected her to be more embarrassed, yet she seems to embrace it..., despite knowing it wasn't like that it doesn't make it less embarrassing, Hiccup thought as he turned to Toothless. The dragon stared back with amusement which caused Hiccup to roll his eyes. He climbed onto Toothless and took to the skies. He was going to say that he was going to meet everyone on the other side of the island, but then thought of an idea to get Astrid back. So he hovered in mid air and said with a devilish smile, "today is an all Astrid day". Then he and Toothless darted away from Berk laughing as they heard her receading yell, "HICCUP!"

I accidentally published the wrong Chapter 14 (it was a horrible ruogh draft that had a lot more problems than this one). Sorry about that.