Maiden Fairish

The next day everyone one in the village was walking on eggshells around Hiccup. After his angry outburst they feared that anything they might do could cause the young man to leave and never come back. Stoick was no exceptions, he'd given his son an awkward greeting when he first saw him that morning before quickly leaving, trying to give him space.

Hiccup went about his usual business. Though he skipped training as to not open up his cuts from his duel. He took Toothless out on a long flight to clear his head. He supposed he owed his dad an apology for his behavior. After all, it's wasn't like he didn't want to marry Astrid. He was pretty sure his dad knew he had an interest in her. So in his own way he had thought he was doing a good thing for him. He just wished his dad would talk to him first, actually asked what he wanted before deciding what he was going to do.

He joined his friends for breakfast. They, like everyone else were quiet. Exchanging glances awkwardly and afraid to say something to set him off. Hiccup sighed as he noted the tension in the air around him. He looked up, glancing around as all eye averted away from him. He opened his mouth to say something when someone dropped into the seat beside him. Hiccup glanced over, as did everyone else.

It was Astrid.

But something was...different.

Her cheeks were rosier than normal. And there looked to be a greyish shading around her eyes. She sat up straight and held a basket in her lap. Everyone stared at her, blinking as they took in her alterations to her appearance as if she'd grown another head.

"Morning everyone," she said softly with a gentle smile.

Everyone shuddered for some reason.

"Astrid?" Ruffnut asked.

"Yes Ruffnut?"

"What's that on your face?" Tuffnut asked bluntly as he pointed a finger at her.

"It's nothing," Astrid said evenly.

"Are you wearing makeup?" Ruffnut asked.

"Maybe-yes-so what? I wear makeup sometimes," she said with a shrug.

"Really? Cuz I don't ever recall you wearing makeup ev-OW!" Fishlegs' statement ended with a yelp of pain as Astrid kicked him under the table.

Astrid's eyes had narrowed for half a second before she smoothed her features. She turned to Hiccup and gave him a smile. Hiccup's flinched and blushed a red, subconsciously leaning away. Astrid's smile was...different. Not completely bad though, just strange and sudden.

"Hey Astrid. Good morning," Hiccup said back. He remained staring at her. He wasn't sure what was going to happen between them now. But suddenly Astrid slid her basket closer to him. Hiccup eyed it before asking about it. "What's in the basket Astrid?"

"Oh I just whipped something up this morning. I was hoping you'd give it a try," she asked sweetly.

"Oh well..." Hiccup paused as his eyes flicked over to his friends. He noticed how all of them were subtly shaking their heads, eyes flicking down to the basket.

Snotlout began to cough loudly. "*Cough* can't cook *Cough, Cough* tastes awful," he quickly warned in between coughs.

"Oh well, actually I already have a plate here," Hiccup said as he tapped his fork against the plate.

Astrid's face fell before she slid the basket across the table, knocking the plate and the food to the floor. "Oops. Sorry," Astrid chirped.

"Ok I guess I'll try it," Hiccup said with a shrug. Astrid smiled, opening the basket and pulling out a plate with a fish on it. It well it looked ok. And smelled ok. He picked up his fork as the others kept shaking their heads. He stabbed a piece of the fish, tearing off a piece before putting it into his mouth.

His eyes bulged and his fork fell out of his hand. The fish was awful! Too salty. Too soggy. Too burnt. Too slimy. Too horrible. He grimaced, hacking despite himself.

"So how is it?" Astrid asked beside him.

He turned to her incredulously. "Have you tried this?"

"Should I have?"

"Astrid...it's awful!"

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "It can't be that bad," she said with a huff. She took a piece herself before placing it into her mouth. Her eyes widened and clenched a fist. Oh Odin that is foul! Astrid thought to herself. How could she have made something so disgusting. She followed her mother's recipe. She just may have been a little impatient, what with trying to make herself look nice and all.

She put on a pained smile. "It's not so bad," she lied.

Hiccup had left. They heard the door to the Great Hall open. Astrid immediately stood up and went after him. "Hiccup wait!" she shouted.

The others sat there before looking to the plate of fish.

They had warned him.

The villagers spied Astrid chasing Hiccup around the village. Stoick was among the onlookers, wondering what to make of the strange sight. He and Gobber stood side by side as Hiccup came sprinting past them.

"Hiccup?!" Stoick called out in question.

"Astrid's trying to poison me!" Hiccup shouted.

Soon Astrid ran by the older Vikings. "Oh I just cooked some fish for you, you ungrateful-"

"I've tried Astrid's cooking. Same thing," Gobber muttered. The older Vikings watched as the pair leapt onto their dragons and took to the air. "She's on him like fish on a dragon," Gobber said.

Later that night Astrid flung open the door to their home. She stomped around her home, finding a basin of water before splashing her face and vigorously rubbing the makeup off. She was angry and embarrassed.

She'd thought long and hard about her and Hiccup. And what Ruffnut had said. That perhaps he wanted a different type of girl. With the way she'd gone about it so far, the only thing she'd ever really done was try and fight him. So she'd attempted to be slightly different. To put an actual effort into showing her interest for him. She'd put on the makeup and tried smiling sweetly and talking softly. She'd even gone through the touble of cooking something for him. Trying to be fairer, more feminine.

But what had Hiccup done? Ran? And then flew off like she were the Red Death itself.

"Astrid," came a voice behind her. She turned to see her mother and father standing there. They looked like they wanted to say something. But Astrid wasn't in the mood to talk. She stormed right by them and up to her room.

That same night Hiccup was up in his room, thinking about Astrid's strange behavior and that god awful fish. Was she trying to make it bad? Could someone possibly make something so awful on purpose?

He laid back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in thought as the door to his room opened. He looked to see Stoick entering. He sat up. "Hey dad. Need something?" Hiccup asked curiously.

Stoick stood there awkwardly. "Son. I just wanted to say...I'm sorry," Stoick muttered quietly. "I may have...been overeager and jumped to conclusions," he admitted. The truth was that he'd been ecstatic when he thought that Hiccup was fighting for Astrid's hand. For he'd thought that meant Hiccup would surely rejoin the tribe.

Hiccup blinked in surprise. Stoick apologizing was a rare sight. "Thanks dad," Hiccup said sincerely.

There was more he wanted to say. Stoick wanted to say that he had, or at least was really trying to change. To be better. But in the end he just nodded, giving his son a goodnight before shutting the door.

Hiccup stared at the door before laying back on the bed. He sighed as his eyes began to droop before he eventually fell asleep.

The next morning the door to Hiccup's room burst open. Hiccup sat up, immediately on alert as he grabbed his sword at the side of his bed. He relaxed, seeing it as his. But he took note of his dad's frantic looking expression.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Hiccup asked as he swung his legs off the bed.

"Get dressed son. Something urgent has come up," Stoick said quickly before leaving the room.

Hiccup arched a brow, looking to Toothless who looked just as confused and surprised. Hiccup quickly washed and put on his armor. He grabbed both swords and looped them through his belt. He went downstairs, where his dad was waiting with another Viking. A man Hiccup didn't recognize. The three of them walked to the Great Hall where Hiccup's peers were waiting, wondering what was happening.

Even Gobber was there.

"So what's the deal Chief?" Fishlegs asked.

Stoick looked to them all, face serious. "This man has come from the Uglithug tribe to deliver an important message," Stoick explained. "The Chief's daughter has been stolen."

"Tantrum?" Hiccup asked in surprise, remembering the heiress of one of Berk's allied tribes.

"Those poor bastards," Gobber said on behalf of the kidnappers.

"Yes," Stoick said with a nod. "The Uglithugs have requested our aid in getting her back."

"Head to the home of the Uglithugs immediately," Stoick ordered the riders. All of them nodded before leaving the hall to pack and prepare. They all packed and saddled up their dragons before meeting with the Chief one last time. He put Hiccup in charge before they set out.

As they were in the air Hiccup took a glance at Astrid. Astrid in turn was looking at him. When their eyes met they looked away.

So many questions and unknowns hung between them. Yet both were too afraid to ask the big questions.

Hiccup let out a sigh, there was no running from her now.

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