Saving You

Chapter 3

"Mum," Hiccup jumped off of Toothess' back and ran over to the centre, near the forge, where Valka was talking to some passing villagers. "Has anything happened since we were away?"
"No, nothing. Please tell me you didn't worry over the festival the entire time you were away?" Valka looked at Astrid expectantly, after Hiccup nervously laughed and scratched behind his neck.
"It's fine," Astrid said. "We were fine. Any news on timing?"
"Well we sent a terror mail to head trader Strouse, who says they are on-track for six."
"Great, and the feast-"
"Is prepared and ready to go, along with everything else," Astrid cut in. "Please stop worrying, Hiccup. It'll be brilliant."
As mother and son walked away, Astrid stepped over to Stormfly, and stroked her muzzle. She was good at speaking motivation to Hiccup, but the demon voices and events playing through her head had only gotten worse.
...
"Traders! At the docks!" Hiccup and Astrid looked at one another, before standing up from the bench, giving their dragons the 'follow' command, and following the Berkian down to the harbour, being followed closely behind by a large squad of excited Vikings.
Hiccup stepped down first, approaching Strouse. Boats were lined up in rows along the docks, all belonging to Traders, some from the other side of the archipelago. The 'goodies' that the traders had brought lined their boats- shimmering gold and metal, along with as many bottles and vials as one could count.
"Ah Master Hiccup! How wonderful it is to see you again!" After wincing slightly over the name, as it was the one Johann had used not so long ago, he decided to brush it off, not wanting to cause trouble. The two shook hands and Hiccup turned around to face the village.
"Let the trading festival commence!" Hiccup yelled out to the crowd, and before anyone could say his full name, the Berkians had swarmed the ships, searching through all of the treasure the traders had up for offer.
"Are you sure..."
"Yes, Hiccup. Now go and look for some of that squid ink that you wanted."
He nodded and walked away. Little did Astrid know, Hiccup was experiencing the exact same thoughts as her.
...
"We're here, sir," Drago's henchman said, saluting his leader.
"Good. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III," He spat the words out. "You better watch your back."
...
The great hall was packed as full as it had ever been. People were even standing, holding their food whilst chatting, not waiting to find a seat. The tables were lined with anything you could imagine- from roast chicken (Tuffnut wasn't happy about this) to beans, and from corn on the cob to yaknog (which no one touched). Laughter could be herd echoing around the hall, as well as the excessive chatter exchanged between Traders and Berkians.
"So where is it you come from?" Sven asked a tall, dark haired trader.
"Oh, you know, I never really have settled. My parents were traders, so I've pretty much just been from the sea." The man brushed his braids out of his face and fingered his metal arm, which looked realer than ever.
Hiccup, Astrid, Valka and the others were sitting at the top table. The chief was staring out, watching the happy faces of his people as hey learned of each other's adventures.
"So," Snotlout said, whips ripping another piece of yak off of the bone he was holding. "When does the party begin?"
"Later tonight," Astrid replied for the upmost time. "Learn to have some patience, Snotlout, please," She looks at the way he was eating the meat, juice dripping down his chin. "...and maybe some manners."
The twins, after head butting one another, their eyes beginning to roll back into their heads, decided to join in the conversation.
"Is that when we get to blow things up?" Tuffnut asked, bouncing in her seat eagerly, quickly joined by her brother.
"What? No!" Fishlegs stated abruptly, looking up from the book he was reading on the history of the festival. "No one is blowing anything up!"
"What? No fair!" Tuffnut exclaimed, placing a hand over his heart. "You said we could!"
"I said you could use Barf and Belch to help light the bonfire, not blow things up!"
"Ah potato tomato."
"Umm... that's not how the quote-" Fishlegs just stopped, waking his hand in a dismissive way once the twins bashed their heads once more.
"Hey, I thought you only researched dragons?" Tuffnut said, as Astrid turned away from the conversation. She glanced over at her betrothed, nothing he was still staring at the same spot, and hadn't eaten a thing.
"Hey, Hiccup? You ok?"
"What?" He spun around quickly to look at her. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine... do you recognise that guy?" He pointed to the man Sven was talking to. "I don't remember asking him.
"Neither do I, but we must have, otherwise, how would he have gotten in here?" Astrid attempted to reassure him, but both of them now shared the same doubts-
Was there an intruder on Berk?