Saving You

Chapter 2

"Woo hoo!" Astrid yelled, her hair billowin in the wind. She missed this- long, morning races with Hiccup, where the two could just be free, without a care in the world. Well, no care other than beating the other to the finish line. "Keep up, Dragon Boy!"
Hiccup rolled his eyes. Previously, he was hanging back, letting Astrid take the lead, as usual, but after that remark...
"Toothless, plasma blast!" Hiccup yelled, mid barrel-roll, sending the purple balls of flame in spirals around his competitor. He then used the opportunity to crank up the Nightfury's speed, takin the lead for the upmost time.
"Hey!" Astrid yelled in return, as she manoeuvred Stormfly, narrowly missing the blasts. She knew that she didn't really stand a chance against beating Hiccup, especially not when he is riding Toothless, but she didn't care. Just being here, flying high in the open air, with the one that she loved was enough. She fingered Her betrothal necklace gently, and stared at the man ahead of her.
I meant what I said back on the edge, Astrid thought. I can't imagine a world without you in it.
"What was that?" Hiccup yelled.
Shoot. Astrid, completely unaware that she had spoken out loud, replied with a basic 'nothing', before urging Stormfly onward, trying to do the impossible task of beating Hiccup in the last 100m of the race to Itchy Armpit.
...
"Ah," Hiccup said, as he gracefully landed onto the island, which is a tad different to the crash-landing he experienced the first time they explored there. "Nice flying, Bud."
Astrid then landed, dismounting beside him, before strutting over and punching him on the shoulder.
"Owww!" Hiccup exclaimed, rubbing his arm on the area that he knew was going to leave yet another bruise. "What? WHAT? What did I do now?"
"That was for beating me and making me clean Gobber's earwax."
"I know I said all those years ago that I would get used to this, but I most certainly haven't!"
"And this," she leaned in, brushing her lips against his. "Is for everything else."
Hiccup stood back, thinking over what had just happened. "Now I get where I was coming from. Still, tough, you don't need to punch me!" The couple broke out into staggered, spontaneous laughter, before sitting against a tree, watching as the dragons played with one another, tumbling and rolling across the grass.
...
"So you're saying that you would rather be blasted by a Scauldron than poisoned by a Snaptrapper? Really?"
"Yes!" Hiccup replied, laughing as he stared into Astrid's eyes. "A Scauldron's water blast would kill you instantly, whereas with a Snaptrapper bite you would have to suffer!"
"Yes, but with a Snaptrapper bite, there is still a chance of you surviving!"
"Wasn't the whole point of the question the one that you would rather die from?
Astrid rolled her eyes for the upmost time. "Fine, you win."
"That's a first!"
The two stared off into the distance. They had been sitting there chatting, or more realistically, bickering, for the past four hours, and by now, it was around three in the afternoon.
"We'd better be heading back," Hiccup stated as he pulled back from a kiss. "The traders should be there around six for the feast , and if we factor in the hour flight, we won't have long to prepare."
"Prepare what, Hiccup?" Astrid said. "We have already completed everything anyone could possibly imagine- decorations, food, accommodation, storage, festivities and speeches." She counted off her fingers one by one. "You can just relax."
"Relax? Astrid!" Hiccup snapped. "What if something goes wrong? What if something happens? What if i screw up yet again, bringing back good old Hiccup the Useless?!" He pauses "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
"Hiccup, you are not useless, no matter what you think. We were all stupid back then to think that. And you know that. You know that." Astrid leans over and grabs his arm lightly, giving it a wee shake as she speaks. "Nothing will go wrong today." He looks at her. "Do you know how I know that? Because you are Chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III and you are the most stubborn Viking I know. Nothing can go wrong as long as you are in charge. You won't let it." She clambered to her feet, and extend her hand to Hiccup, who took it, and she pulled him up. "Now let's go get ready to trade."
The two Vikings mounted their dragons and took off. Despite the pep talk, Astrid couldn't ignore the nagging voice in the back of her mind screaming that something was indeed going to happen. Ah, glorious PTSD, she thought, although still fretting slightly over the events to come.
...
A ship sails across the horizon, it's mast blowing in the wind.
"How much longer?"
"Not long, sir! Should be there within the next couple of hours.
"Good. Now, TO WORK! ALL OF YOU! We have a festival to kill, along with a particular Viking."
Drago Bludvist smiles as he looks over he bow of the ship.