The dragon riders

Chapt 13

Astrid's pov
         The night unfolded amidst roaring bonfires, delectable food, and copious amounts of mead, accompanied by a tantalizing grape juice known as wine. The soldiers were partying like there was no tomorrow. One member of Hiccup's original crew, a man named Eret, son of Eret, took it upon himself to regale us with captivating tales of his leader.
           Eret painted a vivid picture of Hiccup, who was hailed as the Peace Prince by some, the Dragon Master by most, and an absolute pain in the ass to anyone unfortunate enough to be deemed  as his enemy. With animated gestures and lively expressions, he recounted numerous instances where Hiccup selflessly came to the aid of others. Eret reminisced about the time Hiccup saved him, the daring escape he made from his own wedding, boldly flipping off the bewildered groom while sporting a wedding dress. He spoke of Hiccup's return from a meeting with a neighboring village, laden with barrels brimming with wine.
           "Oh yeah, he has a daughter," he casually revealed, causing a collective spurt of mead and wine from our astonished mouths. The group's curiosity peaked, and Snoutlout couldn't resist asking, "Well, who's the unlucky lady?" Eret chuckled knowingly. "Oh no, Hiccup found her abandoned as a mere babe, all alone. He took her in, but he's not married. That man certainly knows how to make an impression on people, though," he continued, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
         "What do you mean by that" fishlegs asked. "Oh well Hiccup has had flings all across the archipelago, with both women and men. However, they tend to be short-lived. The longest relationship he had lasted for about two years, but it ended a year ago, when his partner was too reckless with his daughter" he said. We were in disbelief, "our hiccup? Really?" Ruffnut said.
          "Well what can I say he's quite the charmer with a magical tongue, it's great for smooth talking and other things" he said and laughed. When we realized what he meant we blushed, "But now, he's sworn off dating for a while, focusing all his energy on being the best father he can be."
          As the night wore on, we continued our merry revelry, immersed in the joy of celebration. A few had hours passed, and amidst the laughter and clinking of cups, a familiar face appeared on the scene—Merida. However, Hiccup was absent. I needed to talk with him, I wish to help him and become a part of his army, not only as way to save my people but to also make it up to him for not believing him and for not being a better person.
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       The next morning was a scene of disarray, with some soldiers back in their tents or sprawled out on the ground. Rising early, I embarked on my training routine, hurling my axe at any tree in sight. Suddenly, I heard rustling behind me and instinctively launched my axe in that direction, narrowly missing a man. I had recognized him, it was the same guy who had been talking to Hiccup the other day. My axe found its mark on the tree next to him.
           "Wow, impressive throw, lass! But here's a pro tip: raise your hands higher when you throw, for maximum impact on your opponent," he advised, giving me a nod of approval. "Oh um Thank you," I replied. As he was about to leave, I needed to ask, "Do you happen to know where Hiccup is? I really need to talk to him."
            He turned to me and replied, "He's by the springs on the left side of the island. Just follow the trail marked by red trees, and you'll find him there." I thanked him once more and followed the path of crimson-marked trees. It led me to a breathtaking oasis of springs. As I scanned the area, Hiccup was nowhere to be seen. That's when I noticed a hidden opening, concealed by rocks and vines. Without thinking, I ventured inside, calling out, "Hiccup, are you in--" and then I froze in shock.
            There he was, immersed in the springs, completely naked. His muscular upper body adorned with tattoos and scars was partially revealed above the water. His hair was dripping wet and the way he looked at me made me feel something. Hastily averting my gaze, blushing I stammered, "I am so sorry for intruding."
          "Nah, you're good. What do you want?" he responded, seemingly unfazed. "I just wanted to apologize for not listening to you and--" I began, but he interrupted with a playful smirk. "You said that yesterday" he teased. Gathering my courage, I continued, "I just wanted to know if I could join your army. Yesterday one of your crew was telling us about your daring adventures, how you save people and bring peace. I want to be like you."
         A moment of silence hung in the air. I wouldn't blame him if he rejected me; after all, I had been cruel to him. Augh this stupid I should have never asked. He pulls me out of my thoughts as he surprised me,  he placed a hand on my shoulder and beamed at me. "Of course you can," he said, his smile derpy but cute. "Though it won't be easy. If you're going to be part of the Dragon Riders, you'll need to train your own dragon. Luckily, I might just have the perfect one for you."
           "Really?" I exclaimed, genuine surprise lighting up my face. I had genuinely thought he would turn me down. Overwhelmed with joy, I couldn't help but hug him, and to my surprise, he hugged me back. However, our embrace was short-lived as we simultaneously realized Hiccup was only clad in a towel around his waist. In a flurry of awkwardness, we quickly pulled away, both of us averting our gazes.
             "Um, anyway, so I'll teach you later," he stuttered, trying to regain composure. "Sounds good," I replied, my voice tinged with amusement, eager to embark on this new adventure together.
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      A few hours later, we meet in the dragon ring, my mind still lingering on the image of a shirtless Hiccup. Swinging the keys that unlocked the cages, he appeared with an air of mischief. "Does your father know we're doing this?" I inquired cautiously. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him," Hiccup replied with a mischievous grin, opening the cages one by one. The first dragon to emerge was the Night Fury.
        I couldn't help but feel apprehensive, but then the legendary "unholy offspring of lightning and death itself" immediately pounced on him, showering hiccup with affectionate licks. "Ok, ok, bud, I missed you too," Hiccup cooed, the bond between them palpable. Suddenly, Toothless noticed my presence and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. He began circling me, keeping a watchful gaze. "Toothless, no! She's a friend," Hiccup assured him, attempting to intervene. Toothless just growled.
           I cautiously kept my distance, circling in the opposite direction. "Astrid, you're going to need to get closer," Hiccup advised. "Are you crazy?" I exclaimed, incredulous at the idea. "Completely, but trust me. He needs to know you're not a threat. Get closer and extend your hand," Hiccup explained, his voice filled with conviction.
            Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and gradually approached Toothless, extending my hand. As I drew near, the magnificent dragon gradually relaxed, curiosity lighting up his eyes. When I finally reached his face, he sniffed my hand, emitting a contented growl before enthusiastically pouncing on me, licking me with fervor. "Hiccup, what's he doing?" I giggled.
            "That's his way of making new friends," Hiccup chuckled, moving closer to gently pull Toothless away. Extending a hand to help me up, he remarked, "It looks like you're covered in dragon saliva. It doesn't wash out, by the way." "Great," I replied sarcastically, but with a hint of amusement.
             "Well that's toothless my best friend and dragon of 10 years," he said proudly, "and I thin- oh toothless don't do that in front of the lady". Toothless was cleaning himself his back was turned to us. He looked up and stuck out his tongue. I giggled and hiccup sighed. "As I was saying I think your going to get along well with the dragon I have in stored for you" he said.
          Hiccup went over to unlock the dragon behind the cage. Hiccup released a Deadly Nadder, and she seemed thrilled to see him. However, when she caught sight of me, skepticism flickered in her primal eyes. "Hold your hand out," Hiccup instructed. I obediently raised my hand, and the Nadder inched closer, sniffing intently. Her large eyes widened in wonder, and she began licking my hand, a gesture that filled me with delight.
          Hiccup started to walk away, "where are you going" I ask. Grinning mischievously, Hiccup exclaimed, "Hold on a moment!" He disappeared briefly and returned with a saddle, presenting it to me. "Well, you need something to ride on," he declared. My smile grew wide as I regarded him, filled with excitement.