Twenty: Almost a Hero

Their arrival back in the village around dawn caused nothing short of a commotion as everyone stared at Astrid, who was already being mourned as being lost. Both looked exhausted and Astrid's wounds needed tending but people kept staring as they walked down the village to stand in front of the Chief in the Plaza. Stoick's mouth dropped open in utter amazement.

"Astrid?" he mouthed. "But they said...I thought...you were taken..." She nodded.

"I was, Chief," she admitted clearly, "but Hiccup saved me."

Silence fell over the village.

"Useless?" Snotlout's voice echoed across the Plaza and Astrid's fists tightened in fury.

"Clearly not since he saved my life!" she yelled. "What have you ever done for this village or anyone but yourself?" Hiccup gently caught her hand and pulled her back.

"Easy, Milady," he soothed her softly. "You're safe here and he isn't worth it."

"But...how?" Stoick mouthed, his cool grey-green eyes wide with shock. He had prepared himself to comfort the boy who used to be his son, to share his desolation over the loss of Valka, the boy's mother and sympathise with another who had seen their love stolen from them by the curse that was dragons. Yet here Hiccup was, Astrid by his side and quietly confident. Emerald eyes flicked up and he looked embarrassed.

"Um...shot down the dragon and...um...it let her go..." he said, stammering, rubbing the back of his neck in a sure sign he was very self-conscious. "But...I had to try because I can't lose Astrid." The girl smiled at him, her eyes relieved.

"I have never felt so relieved as when I saw you," she assured him before turning back to the Chief, assuming her usual responsibilities after a raid. "Do you need any help with the clean-up, sir? There seems to be a lot of damage..." Stoick blinked and shook his head.

"A number of the houses were protected but we lost more food," he told her. "I don't feel the Berserkers were of much help..."

"That's for sure," Hiccup murmured darkly and Astrid gave a small smile at his residual protective anger.

"Easy, babe," she soothed him, her hand finding his. "I guess they've gone and left us to clear up without them..." Hiccup leaned closer to her.

"You need Gothi," he reminded her gently. "Once you're there, I'll go and help Gobber..."

"'E should be Outcast!" a voice piped up-Hiccup recognised Mildew with a shudder. "'E angered the Berserker Chief and almost wrecked the Treaty!" Fists suddenly clenched, Hiccup raised his chin and turned to face Mildew, who was standing centre of a crowd of angry-looking villagers.

"His stupidity and recklessness caused Astrid to be taken!" he retorted. "The man was telling me it was Astrid's fault she was taken while the woman I loved was in the clutches of a dragon being taken to her death. Who here wouldn't shout at the idiot who had caused that?" There were murmurs.

"And Dagur were 'elpin' us fight the raid..." Mildew began but Stoick walked forward.

"Even the most generous of us could see his efforts were making the damage worse," he announced. "And the only reason why he was here was to try to shoot down a Night Fury. And we all know how well that activity goes for the village!" There were audible chuckles and snorts.

"And they weren't working with us in any case," Gobber added. "They were disrupting the Chief's battle plan-and in some cases, doing exactly the opposite! Dagur has signed a Treaty and he will abide by it-unless we give him reason not to. And his 'brother' yelling at him certainly isn't it." There were sniggers from Snotlout and the Fire Crew at the description of Hiccup but the young man blushed.

"Stand down, Mildew," Stoick ordered him. "No one is being Outcast."

"Then 'ow did 'e shoot down that dragon? It were long gone and..."

"I have one of my devices hidden up in Raven Point," Hiccup cut in. "I ran there because the dragons were going slowly and circling to fly back as a group once the whole raid was over. I-I've seen them go that way before. I got lucky and shot down the Nadder that had Astrid. She fell onto the cliffs and it took ages to get her back." He looked at her and wrapped an arm around her, seeing her pale. "Now, I need to take her to Gothi. She's injured..."

"That's ain't an explanation!" Mildew protested. "And them dragons was really fast! 'E's lying!"

"So what are you suggesting, Mildew?" Stoick asked him irritably. "The dragon just brought Astrid back? Maybe Hiccup flew after him?" A ripple of laughter ran through the assembled villagers.

"With those stick arms?" Lars scoffed. "As if!"

"We all know the boy has dragon-fighting devices-which nearly destroyed the village on a number of occasions," Sven added cheerfully. "By chance, he must have managed to get one to work!"

"We're just glad it wasn't in the village!" Thorstein yelled. "The Berserkers did enough damage without Hiccup adding to it!" But the tone wasn't threatening, merely relieved. Hiccup's arm closed tighter around the swaying shape of Astrid and he leaned close.

"It'll be fine, Milady," he murmured into her ear as he steered her away from the crowd. "Now lets get those wounds tended..."

But a number of pairs of suspicious or unfriendly eyes trailed the tall shape as he tenderly escorted his girlfriend down the village towards the Elder's house. Snotlout turned to his sister and their cronies.

"I don't believe Useless could have done the impossible," he growled, ignoring the evidence of his own eyes. "There's something very wrong with his story. Search the forest and find out what he's up to!"

oOo

Astrid had insisted Hiccup go back to the forge once she as at Gothi's and he had walked tiredly through the village and slipped into the forge, where Gobber was pounding a mace cheerfully and singing horribly.

"I'm a Viking through and through..."

"And I'm not," Hiccup commented as Gobber caught sight of him. The blacksmith tossed the weapon he was mending aside-further denting it-and lunged at his assistant, giving him a bone-crushing hug. Hiccup stiffened for a moment and then realised he was being crushed. He patted Gobber and struggled for air. "Gobber...need to breathe..." he gasped as the big man released him with an embarrassed look.

"Laddie! Ye managed ter save yer lass!" he exclaimed, his big face suddenly filled with admiration. Hiccup nodded and stared at the floor.

"Um...yeah..." he mumbled but Gobber grabbed his shoulders as best a man could with one hand and one hammer, his eyes more serious than Hiccup had seen for a long while.

"No, I don't think yer understand what yer've done," he said seriously, looking at the self-conscious young man.

"Saved Astrid," Hiccup said quietly but Gobber was shaking his head, his face suddenly enthusiastic.

"No," he said. "Well, yes...but you did something more. You brought back someone who was taken, something we thought was impossible. You rescued her. You gave us all hope." Emerald eyes flicked up guiltily.

"Um...I...what?" he asked. Gobber gave his wide grin, something Hiccup had seen too little of the past three years.

"Yer gave us hope that the impossible is possible!" he exclaimed. "Oh, I know yer father still gives that 'Vikings can move mountains' speech on occasion but no one really believes it. Sometimes, when yer've take too many blows, yer start tae give up."

Yeah, I know that all too well, Hiccup thought silently but allowed his mentor to ramble on-because Gobber was clearly enthused as he hadn't been since Mulch died.

"But suddenly-someone who was taken, who was given up fer dead, is brought back-alive and we can believe again," Gobber continued. "If you could get Astrid back, mebbe we could finally find that nest and end the war!"

He couldn't help it then: he flinched. Horrific memories of that hideous heat and stench, of the urgency and the fear of losing her, of the roiling abyss with the monster that controlled the dragons and had almost eaten Astrid reared up. He blinked, knowing that if his father ever found the nest, he and the Tribe would be destroyed. They wouldn't stand a chance!

"Um...yeah..." he managed. But Gobber was on a roll now, an arm wrapped avuncularly around Hiccup's shoulders.

"And yer shot down a dragon!" Gobber enthused. "Yer actually shot down a dragon! Without killing yourself or blowing everything up. And Astrid survived! So...yer machine works! And if it shot that dragon down, then it can shoot more down here in Berk!"

Oh Thor...that is the last thing I want! Why did I say I shot down a dragon? Well, how else could I explain how I got Astrid back and it was sort of the truth-except Toothless shot the dragon down, not me and...oh Thor. I don't want to fight dragons. Not any more. And I don't really want to help them kill them either.

But he smiled weakly and nodded. "Um...great...go me!" he said unenthusiastically. Gobber's unibrow dipped and he stared at the younger man, his blue eyes raking the uncomfortable shape.

"Okay-spit it out!" he demanded, folded his arms across his ample belly. "Yer used tae be completely obsessed with shooting down a dragon, Hiccup..." The apprentice looked up then, his eyes accusing.

"And you know what happened," he shot back, unable to control himself. Gobber stiffened and guilt washed over his face.

"Oh..." he mouthed, guessing why the younger man was so wary. "I-I'm sorry, Hiccup. I never thought...but surely yer gotta be happy that people are finally impressed by yer?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I gave up on that a long time ago," he said quietly. "You're being nice to me now but come tomorrow when you're cranky or drunk, you'll go back to being how you normally are. And so will everyone else. They'll call me 'useless' and sneer at me or punch me or ambush me once more and all this will just be forgotten." He swallowed. "I always wanted my Dad to be proud of me-but he never will. He's proved over and over that, no matter what he says, he never cares enough to actually do anything about it. I am nothing to him. The only person I care about and who cares about me-is Astrid. So I risked everything to get her back."

Gobber gaped.

"I care about yer, lad," he protested and shivered as Hiccup's emerald eyes bored into his. And then, after a long moment that had Gobber sweating inexplicably, he gave a small shrug, looking away.

"You're just really, really bad at showing it a lot of the time," he admitted defeatedly. "I mean, you did take me in when my own father threw me out of the family and took everything away from me...and I am grateful, Gobber. But I'm not going to trust this village to treat me any better. That's not why I did this. I just wanted to save Astrid." Gobber hugged him again, this time more gently.

"Yer may have to get used ter people looking at yer differently," he told the boy gently. "Differently good. But be yourself, lad. Yer chewed out Dagur and then punched him! That got their attention! And then yer run off and managed to bring Astrid back alive-which is worthy of a saga all of itself. Stay true ter who yer are, lad-because the more I see of that young man, the more impressed I am." Closing his eyes, Hiccup hugged him back.

"Thanks, Gobber," he managed through the lump in his throat. Then he forced a wan smile onto his face. "Um...maybe we should get back to mending some of these weapons? I think you just dented the mace more than it was when it was brought in!" Gobber pulled away and gave his broadest grin.

"Ha! That will teach that Snotlout!"

oOo

Astrid had returned to the forge once Gothi had tended her and sat quietly as Hiccup and Gobber repaired the weapons damaged in the raid. And though he was still barred from doing the heaviest work, he was able to service and hone weapons with a skill and dexterity that Astrid found herself admiring. And she blushed when he looked up, emerald eyes twinkling as he smiled at her.

"Um...have I grown a second head, Milady? Pair of wings? Third eye?" he teased her and she blushed harder, shocked. Astrid Hofferson didn't blush! But this skinny, unVikinglike, inventive, brave, kind young man turned her into a...a girl!

"Hmm...I was just wondering how come a skinny self-conscious unconfident guy can look so hot when he's sharpening a sword?" she asked him in a sultry voice and saw him blush beet red.

"Wha...how...I..." he gabbled and she burst out into laughter.

"And now he's lost the power of speech!" she giggled. Gobber grinned as well from the anvil, where he was hammering a sword that the owner seemed to have been trying to turn into a corkscrew.

"Lass, please stop breaking my assistant!" he said gruffly, trying not to laugh as well. "How are yer?" She smiled up at him, moving gingerly.

"Bruises, a deep slash to the side and claw marks both shoulders," she reported calmly. "I'll live-though I may have to limit my practice for a few days..." Hiccup cocked an eyebrow cynically and Astrid folded her arms carefully. "Yes-I will, Mister Skinny! Because some of us are capable of actually following Gothi's orders..."

"And what were those?" he asked her, resting his sword down and looking carefully into her azure eyes.

"Food, rest, someone to take care of me," she told him softly and he read the residual shock she had been fighting. Quietly, he took her hands and looked at Gobber. The blacksmith checked the small remaining pile of damaged weapons, then nodded.

"Off with yer!" he said gruffly. "Yer've put in a good shift, lad-and she needs you." Hiccup smiled and removed his leather apron before he offered Astrid his hand and gently led her up to the house-but she pointed further up the hill.

"Let's eat first, Hiccup-and then I can rest," she suggested and they slowly walked up the long flight of stairs to the entrance of the Great Hall with Hiccup watching her as if she was a Monstrous Nightmare about to explode. She paused then glared at him. "What?" she asked sharply.

"Um...are you okay?" he asked her solicitously and she glared at him.

"Hiccup," she said in a low voice, "I'm a warrior. I can take a few knocks..." He gulped but the concern remained in his wary emerald eyes.

"Of course, of course-I mean you're Astrid! You can take anything! It's just..." He paused. "It's just...I can't. And seeing you taken by that Nadder, seeing you fall into the pit...I just keep seeing that and I just want to make sure you're okay because Icouldn'tgoonwithoutyou..." The last words were mumbled and he looked away ashamed. "I'm sorry I'm too weak. You are so much braver and fiercer than I am but I just don't want to let you out of my sight because I'm afraid you'll be taken and I won't be able to do anything about it this time and that would kill me and..."

"Hiccup..." she said gently, resting a hand very gently against his cheek, fingers splayed. He closed his eyes.

"You don't need me hovering over you because you're tough enough...but I'm not..." he said tiredly, lifting a hand to rest on hers, savouring her touch on his skin. "Sorry, Milady. Coming over here pathetic and needy again..." She stepped forward and pressed against him, head tucked under his chin as his arm automatically wrapped around her.

"Right now, I need you more than ever, babe," she told him softly. "Let's eat now and then you can watch over me as long as you want..."

"Now sounding creepy as well as needy," he grumbled gently and her lips curved into a small smile.

"That's my Hiccup," she commented, grasping her hand as they turned to the doors and quietly walked into the huge room...

...to a ragged but heartfelt round of cheers. Both froze and Hiccup's grip tightened on Astrid's hand as he backed up a half-pace. The girl looked up into his face and then looked around the room.

"They're cheering for you," she told him and he gulped, dipping his head self-consciously and staring at the ground for a long moment before looking up with a shy smile.

"Thank you," he mumbled quietly and nodded. "Thanks."

"Hooray for Hiccup!" came a voice which sounded very much like Fishlegs and three ragged cheers were duly provided as Hiccup blushed and looked very self-conscious.

"You do know, if you were Snotlout, you would be proclaiming your magnificence, your bravery and your qualifications to rule the Tribe right about...now!" Astrid whispered into his ear.

"Thank Thor I'm not Snotlout," Hiccup hissed back, "though if he finds out about this, he is going to kill me even more than he was planning to before."

"Good thing we just came for a plate of fish stew, then," she smiled and pulled him forward. He politely acknowledged everyone who congratulated him on his feat but said nothing more than thanks-no boasting or arrogance and Astrid felt very proud of him. He really was very different to all the other Vikings of Berk...including the group sitting at the favoured table. Snotlout's eyes trailed over her, lingering indecently where they shouldn't and then he leaned over to mutter a comment. Dosgbreath, Lars and Sven the Dim all roared with laughter but Tiril, Yaklegs, Hilde and Gustav all looked uncomfortable at the comment while Else scowled at her brother, though she said nothing. A small shiver danced down her spine before she led Hiccup to 'their' table-a long way from the fire-and they settled quietly, eating while both consumed by their thoughts, though Hiccup kept flicking concerned looks in her direction.

"What was it like?" Both looked up at Fishlegs's question as the husky boy settled opposite them, digging eagerly into his stew. "I mean, being carried by a dragon?"

Hiccup stared at him. There was a slight edge to his words that suggested the husky young man had wondered exactly what Hiccup had: what is it liked to fly with a dragon? Of course, Hiccup had the answer-amazing-but he could never tell Fishlegs because the boy was pretty much incapable to keeping a secret, though he seemed to be a genuine friend now. Astrid sighed.

"Pretty terrifying," she admitted. "I kept fighting all the way but that dragon had me tightly grabbed and I couldn't get free. And honestly, I would have preferred falling to my death to being eaten..." She chewed her lip, not wanted to say any more in case she gave something say-but Fishlegs's eyes had grown round with interest.

"So why did it grab you?" he asked curiously. "I-I saw Hiccup sort of calming it down and it looked like you were about to get away..."

"Dagur," Hiccup growled, unable to contain himself. "He had to rush in and scare it-and then it just grabbed Astrid." Fishlegs stared at him.

"But you were calming it down, weren't you," he murmured. "So it is possible. They certainly respond worse to aggression...so how can you calm them?"

Trust. You demonstrate you trust them and you are not threat. And I can never tell you how I learned that...

"I-I was just trying what I've seen other people do when approaching aggressive animals," Hiccup mumbled, staring at his plate. "I mean, that's all they are, isn't it?"

Fishlegs stared at him and nodded, his eyes wide with shock and admiration. Because no one else in Berk had made that deduction. To the Hooligans, dragons were 'demons' or 'devils'...but never animals, because those could be useful, could be tamed...and sometimes loved. Yet dragons were animals...and that mindset opened a host of new opportunities...

"Yeah," he commented and took a mouthful of stew. "Mmm mph 'ook of 'agons." Hiccup gave a small smile.

"Yeah, it needs amending," he smiled and met Astrid's eyes. She was looking exhausted but wanted to give him the time with his new friend. "Though I'm not sure we can make any changes to Dragon Training until someone could show how it works so it can effectively help us during a raid." Fishlegs nodded, seeing their empty bowls and grinned.

"Look-if you need anything-any help or um...you know where I am," he said. "Your device saved our home again last night-and Mom. So whatever you need-I'm there for you!" Despite his wariness, Hiccup grinned. There was a small warm glow when recalling he had another friend.

"Thanks, Fish," he grinned. "But right now, I have a tired blonde to get home..."

"Don't get any ideas, Mister Skinny," Astrid grumped back, half-heartedly. The events of the night were hitting her finally and she looked very pale. He gently rose and took their bowls back to the barrel to wash them clean, before calmly walking to collect her but she rose quickly to stand by his side. "See you later, Fishlegs."

"Just remember-anything I can do to help..."

oOo

Yaklegs was enjoying the pleasure of scouting with Tiril because he had a massive crush on the slim, blonde girl. She was slender, athletic and very decisive-the complete opposite of the husky young man, who was rather timid at heart. And though Tiril had a slight family resemblance to the twins, she had a slightly less angular face though her long blonde hair was still done in two long fat braids.

"Well, this sucks," she announced as they scrambled through another huge pile of brambles and Yaklegs, who had just scratched his hand, nodded.

"Yeah-I mean why do we have to wander through the woods?" Yaklegs asked grumpily, looking at his bleeding hand. "We've been at this for days!"

"Snot wants us to..." Tiril snarked, peering into the clearing. "Ever since Hiccup got Astrid back he's been furious. It's safer to be out here than in the village..."

"Look, he's obsessed with Hiccup-and I don't know why," the boy sighed. "I mean, he's not liked or admired by anyone, he was disowned and he doesn't want Snotlout's position..." Tiril cast him a 'really' look, her grey-blue eyes amused.

"Ya think?' she challenged him. "He's quiet and unassuming, he's developed that fire control thingy that everyone wants-except the Jorgensens-because it's brilliant and he miraculously saved Astrid from being taken by a dragon. He performed brilliantly as Heir when the Meatheads visited and he stopped Snotlout angering Dagur when the Berserkers came. Oh, and he's actually pretty hot when he's not bruised and battered." Yaklegs glared at her, stung by her words. He could never hope to compete with that!

He cast her a disappointed look but he didn't want to ruin his already meagre chances with her by pointing out that her cousins were involved in almost battering him to death. So he just said: "Don't say that in Astrid's hearing." She sniggered.

"Anyway, Snot wants to find that machine he used to shoot the dragon down, sabotage it and use it to damage the village so Hiccup gets blamed!" she told him and for a moment, Yaklegs couldn't believe his ears.

"So he wants to damage people's homes just to get Hiccup into trouble?" he checked. She nodded. "Sorry-what is wrong with you? How did you feel when your house was damaged earlier this year?" She stared.

"Well, I was pretty pissed," she admitted with a shrug. "But..."

"So why do you want to hurt your neighbours just to make Snot feel better?" he asked her. "Be honest-do you want to live in a village with a Chief who thinks about destroying people's homes-who thinks it's okay-just to get someone else in trouble?" She shrugged.

"As long as it's not me, I guess," she mumbled, her quick eyes scanning the forest.

"Tiril..." he asked her softly, his blue-green eyes pleading. She threw her arms up in the air.

"Okay, it would probably suck," she admitted. "But whatya gonna do? I mean, you lied for him when none of you were there on the cliffs-only my cousins, Snot and Hiccup. And no one asked Hiccup at all." Yaklegs sagged.

"The problem is that Snot is gonna be Chief...and you don't want to be his enemy, right?" he admitted.

"Your brother doesn't seem to mind," she pointed out, walking slowly towards the western cliffs that ran at the very edge of Raven Point. "He's friends with Hiccup." Yaklegs nodded and followed her.

"Snot isn't kind to him," he admitted. "He's pretty cruel, in fact. And he stabbed your cousins in the back. And he's hanging more and more with Dog and Lars...and you heard what he said about Astrid..." There was a pause and the girl sagged.

"Look, Astrid is awesome," she admitted. "Even more than Ruff and Tuff. I mean, she kills dragons, she teaches us, she is one of the Chief's most trusted seconds...her only fault is being friends with Hiccup...but if she wasn't, she would be dead. And she doesn't deserve what Snot plans for her." Yaklegs shook his head.

"I know," he admitted. "And..."

They both ducked as a dragon swooped low over them through the grey sky, rapidly losing height as it zoomed between the tall pines. Yakleg's jaw dropped, his eyes round with shock as he recognised the shape-sleek, black, huge bat wings...

"Night Fury!" he gasped. "And it's heading in to land!" His jaw hung open. "So there is one round here..." Tiril shared a mischievous look with him and grinned.

"Let's go find it!" she said eagerly and raced after the dragon-with Yaklegs in hot pursuit, all concerns forgotten as they sped along the trajectory and broke through the tree line-to see a sunken cove spread before them, the black shape of the Night Fury landed on the mossy ground by a pretty little lake.

And sitting on its back was Hiccup.