King of Shadows HIATUS

Chapter 18

Hiccup shook his head and steeled his resolve. Now is not the time for sentiment, he has to continue training so that he can get stronger. Hiccup turned to the bewilderbeast, "let's start training"

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Hiccup was walking back to his house. It was almost dawn and he doesn't want to be questioned as to where he disappeared to. As he was trudging along the soil, not really that excited to go home, he heard a shout and the sound of a weapon burying into the bark of a tree. He immediately knew who it was. Hiccup walked towards the clearing the shouts are coming from and saw Astrid training with more ferocity than usual. 

He cleared his throat to let her know he was there so that he wont accidentally get an axe to the head. Astrid turned rapidly, her eyes searching for the threat but calmed when she saw that it was just Hiccup. Astrid huffed and turned to her axe that was stuck to the tree bark. She tried to pull it out but it was not budging. Astrid let out a shout of frustration as she pulled with all her might. Hiccup decided to help her out. He was still weaker than her in strength, his arms not quite becoming stronger holding a light sword compared to a heavy axe, but he lodged around metal in his makeshift forge so he has accumulated some strength. 

He placed his hands around the handle of the axe and together they pulled, putting their body weight into it. The axe was slowly getting out of the bark but then, it dislodged so quickly than it made them unbalanced and made them fall on the ground. They both let out shout of alarm as they fell on the floor beside each other. Hiccup couldn't help laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. Astrid looked at him for a second but was also overtaken with giggles, or laughs because Astrid does not giggle.  

When they had calmed down, Hiccup, still on the ground beside Astrid, looked at her and asked, "you where more violent than usual, what's up?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Astrid turned to Hiccup and glared, Hiccup winced "Right, Svik, yeah I get that" he said, getting up from the ground and pulling up Astrid with him. 

Astrid picked up her axe that was on the ground then faced Hiccup, looking at him like she knew something was bothering him, "so, " she started, looking at him tentatively, "why are you out here this late, or this early?" she said as she realized that dawn was coming soon. Hiccup tensed, something that Astrid definitely noticed, he doesn't know if he should tell Astrid about the garden and the marks, telling her would mean telling the others + telling them that he was a king with powers and can talk to dragons. He was considering what story he was going to make up, because she wasn't going to let this go, until he realized that he doesn't have to, he can just tell her about the nest. Hiccup also realized that they needed to get back soon so he said, in a grave voice "I' ll tell  you when the others are here too"

And so their moment was over and their game faces was back on. They were silent as they speed walked to their houses, barely making it to their rooms before the other vikings started rising with the dawn. 

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Astrid, the twins, Fishlegs, and Snotlout was already there when he arrived for breakfast. This was the usual schedule, Hiccup was always up at night so he was extra tired so he sleeps in and tries to sleep anywhere he could during the day. Because of that he was always late to breakfast, the other teens saves him a seat and a meal though so he never ran out of food. 

"hey" Hiccup said yawning as he sits beside Astrid who nudges his meal towards him, he nods to her in thanks and he faced the other teens. "Hiccup, I've been wondering this for a while, why are you always tired?" Fishlegs said in worry, ever the mom in the group, Hiccup smiled at him reassuringly as he picked up his spoon but before he could respond the twins interjected "It because he's busy at night planning his super secret plan to end the war with the dragons" Ruffnut said through a mouthful of chicken, "a plan that is going to need to be rushed since the Silver tongues found the nest and is planning on rallying the other tribes to fight the queen who I heard, is flipping epic"  Tuffnut continued, making a gesture with his hands as if describing the size of the monstrous dragon. 

The other teens looked at them disbelievingly, Hiccup not even able to take a bite of his breakfast when Astrid, Fishlegs, and Snotlout started barraging him with questions.  

Hiccup immediately shushed them, making calming motions with his hands as he whisper-shouts, "later! I'll tell you later!" he said as he avoided the eyes that looked at their group weirdly. 

He just wanted to eat his food...

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Hiccup sighed as the teens started asking him questions again as they barely entered the tree line of the forest.  He was tempted to yell, he has so many problems all at once, he doesn't need their impatience right now. Hiccup took a deep breath and he turned to the teens. 

"The Silver Tongues found the nest following a terrible terror as their guide" he started as they made their way to the cove "they want berk's help, and the other tribes, in killing the biggest dragons there" he continued, keeping his voice devoid of the fear he felt. He hasn't even seen the queen, but there is this nagging feeling in the back of his head that just wouldn't go away. He was unsettled by this. 

"how big?" Fishlegs said in fear, nervously fidgeting with his fingers, "as big as a mountain" Hiccup said solemnly. Fishlegs let out a squeak of some kind, Astrid gripped her axe and Snotlout, he scoffed. "likely story" Snotlout said, putting up his bravado like he always does "I bet the dragon isn't even that big and their just trying to scare us into not going to the nest ourselves so that they can take the glory for themselves" he continued. "I don't think so Snotlout" Hiccup said, not quiet believing that even Snotlout believes what he just said but humoring him, "they come to our shores with destroyed boats and instead of telling us that their ships where attacked by a big pack of dragons, which would've preserved their pride in retreating, they told us that they took their entire fleet and entered the nest, then encountered a dragon as big as a mountain" he continued, not mentioning that his dragon friends also gave his the same description of the queen "it is too unbelievable to be a lie" 

The teens where silent, still walking towards the cove, until Astrid said, "you don't believe stuff that easily, well, you do, but not when it comes to the safety of the dragons or us" she walked beside Hiccup, her eyebrows raised in suspicion, "something else is telling you they are not lying, what do you know Hiccup? what is your plan?" she asked, now standing in front of Hiccup, making the group halt in their steps. 

Hiccup wanted to curse Astrid's observing ability. It's putting a thorn on his side and it might reveal all the lies he's told them. Hiccup pursed his lips, carefully considering his words. There was a tense atmosphere until, "I've been to the nest" Hiccup said, telling yet another lie, completely forgetting that lies tend to snowball.