30Epilogue

It had been a very busy and interesting afternoon for Hiccup to say the very least. As long as he had remained on the ground, the people of Berk would not leave him alone for even one minute so it was fortunate for him that Toothless had wanted to spend so much time trying out his new red tail in the skies over the island. It had also allowed him a chance to spend a little time alone with Astrid, if you could call soaring through the clouds on separate dragons alone, but compared to being surrounded by well-wishers constantly slapping him on the back and referring to him as The Hero of Dragon Island, two dragons made for absolute solitude.

After racing around the village, the six riders that had defeated the Red Death made straight for the clouds while looping and turning in an impressive way that only solidified their new reputations as the first and best Dragon Riders of Berk. Although that had not been the plan when they gave the aerial display, their reputation had been created and it was now completely out of their hands. Hiccup even suspected that sometime in the future, a story would be told of how a tall and muscular man named Hiccup, had wrestled a giant dragon to the ground with only his bare hands, while his faithful dragon Bigfang had clamped itself onto the monsters tail in some kind of death grip; so legends tended to grow.

Hiccup had not been given much of a chance to speak with Astrid since the kiss that had given him goose bumps, but as romantic as the clouds were, he knew another rider could appear at any moment so he had kept the moment light with a little small talk about how lovely the sky was and what a fine job Gobber had done on his leg. For her part, Astrid had just smiled and agreed while thoroughly enjoying the effect she was having on him.

"It's good to be flying together on our own dragons" he remarked casually.

"Oh" she smiled "So you don't like having me on your dragon slowing you down and getting in the way."

"NO" he panicked "I didn't mean that at all; I loved flying with you and I only meant…"

Hiccups mood suddenly changed and Astrid wondered if she had taken her playful ways too far.

"Oh wow!" he remarked oddly.

"What's wrong babe?"

"I just had this vision of my father. He was standing over me and he said… he said…"

"What? What did he say?" Astrid asked as Hiccup looked straight into her face.

"He said… 'Don't blow it son, she's worth the effort' and while I agree with him whole heartedly, it just felt a little weird."

Hiccup did not know it, but Astrid was feeling a little weird herself as she remembered how Stoick had said those very words to Hiccup when he lay unconscious in the cave on Dragon Island. If Hiccup could remember that, then he may remember… some other things she had said.

"It's just your mind playing tricks on you" Astrid was desperate to change the subject.

"Yeah I know, but Dad has never spoken to me like that and it feels like a real memory… and there are more of them too."

Astrid began to fear he would soon be telling her about memories of soppy pet names, of Astrid begging him not to die or that he could remember every other word she had said to him as he lay motionless in the cave, but instead Hiccup just slapped himself across the face and apologized.

"I'm sorry Astrid. I didn't mean to kill the mood, but I guess that giant dragon's tail hit me harder than I thought."

Relief flooded over her panicked face when she realized that she was off the hook… for now.

"Hey, I know you're still recovering… so we'll give it time."

"Thanks" he smiled "you're so cool."

"Do you know that it's been three days since you got hit by that tail?"

"It feels like an hour ago for me."

As the sun set below the bright orange sky, the unofficial young couple returned to Berk to take their places of honor at the second feast. As the evening progressed, speeches were given, toasts were made and Vikings joyfully put on weight, but Hiccup noticed one brave warrior did not appear to be enjoying the feast as much as all the others and had even left the Great Hall.

"Dad" he quietly asked his father "is there something wrong with Sigrid?"

He noticed the instant change in Stoick's face as he bent down close to Hiccup and told him of Buttercup the Monstrous Nightmare, what Sigrid and her dragon had done for Toothless and finally of his untimely demise.

"I should go and talk to her" Hiccup said earnestly.

"Aye" Stoick replied "but give her a little time alone first."

Another main course (wild boar this time) and another round of drinks later, the festivities were still showing no sign of abating even though the night was half over. Hiccup was forced to sway back and forth thanks to the firm grip Stoick had on his shoulder as Gobber lead another one of his favorite Viking shanties. Hiccup really had no choice but to join in, plus there was also the fact that all Viking shanties were Gobbers favorite Viking shanties. Although the late hour and the constant swaying was making Hiccups vision a little blurry, he did manage to notice that Astrid had left the head table and he briefly caught her eye as she smiled at him and slipped out the main door. She knew that if they were to indulge in a little clandestine rendezvous, she would have to be patient as Hiccup would find it much harder to escape from the feast than she had with so many people wanting to welcome him back to the land of the living, but she did want to see how hard he would try.

One song later Hiccup excused himself to his father on the true premise of going to see Sigrid, but Stoick had noticed Astrids departure as well and wished his son 'good luck' under his breath.

Outside the hall, Hiccup approached Sigrid as she stood alone in the night.

"My father told me about your beautiful dragon…"

"He was a fine beast for sure" she agreed.

"…and what you both did for Toothless."

"You and he deserved our help."

"Thank you" he said plainly and honestly.

Her smile broadened as she grabbed him in a hug so tight, he began to wonder if he would ever be able to fully inhale ever again.

"You are so very very very welcome."

Astrid sat on a long bench down by one of the island signal fires and waited patiently. From this day forward she would always know when Hiccup was approaching thanks to the squeaky spring in his metal leg and as she listened to the sound of his approach, it gave her a feeling of comfort. That sound meant that he was alive, the long wait was over and life could go on once more.

"It's quite the party" he commented as he sat.

"It was worth the wait" Astrid replied "I'm glad you're okay."

"Ah… yeah I could sorta tell that when you err… um… does this mean that…"

"Yes… does this mean what?"

She was not going to give him any clues tonight; Astrid had decided that it was his turn to pursue her now and he knew it too.

"Does this mean… that you… and I"

"Go on" she smiled.

"That you and I… are… well… no longer you and I, but are now… us?"

"Hmmm… do you want to be… us?"

A massive attack of honesty suddenly overwhelmed Hiccup as he stood up.

"I have lost track of how long I have wanted you and I to be us."

He started to paced back and forth while shaking his finger at Astrid as if she were a naughty child.

"You… oh you… you may think you are cute now, but when you were only four… oh my, you could out cute a baby rabbit at twenty paces and when you turned nine, oh my goodness… blossoms were as rocks in comparison to your beauty and at twelve…"

"ALRIGHT! Alright, I get the message… so… you like me then?"

He sat back down and shrugged "A little."

Astrid hit him again; he deserved it.

"OOWW! I assume that means your gonna kiss me again."

"No, that time I just wanted to hit you."

"Oh well… I guess that makes a change… I suppose… but err… if I do have a choice, I liked it much better when you kissed me."

"Oh really?" Astrid stood up suddenly, turned to face Hiccup and bent down to glare straight into his eyes.

"And who says" she paused for dramatic effect and repeated herself.

"Who says… that it always has to be me" she paused again "ME… who kisses… you?"

Hiccup leaned back with fear in his eyes and his mouth open to speak, but with nothing yet to say until at last… very slowly… like treacle in winter, her words began to make their way deep into his mind and a broad smile made its way up his face that was mirrored by Astrid perfectly.

"Oh…OH…" he smiled and raised his left hand to touch her face, but she jumped back and laughed.

"No you don't dragon boy; it's not gonna be that easy" she giggled as she ran off.

Hiccup leapt to his feet… well… foot, and took off after her as she taunted him.

Stoick the Vast came out of the Great Hall and approached a smiling Sigrid as she stared into the night.

"What on earth is that noise?" he asked in bewilderment.

"That Chief, is the sound of a one-legged dragon rider trying desperately to catch his lady love so he can steal a kiss, but he's not doing very well at the moment."

Stoick listened intently and began to snicker at what he heard.

"Oh come on Astrid, please slow down; I've only got one leg."

"Stop whining Hiccup… you've got one and a half."

"Well what good is that?"

"It's half a leg more than Gobbers got."

"I don't want to catch Gobber, I want to catch you."

Sigrid and Stoick almost fell over with laughter until the Chief managed to compose himself again.

"Would you like to come back in Sigrid? We're about to make a toast… to fallen friends."

She smiled, but her eyes did go a little moist as they re-entered the hall.

Astrid thoroughly enjoyed being pursued and although Hiccup never did catch her that night, she did let him get close a few times and for his part, he had a great time trying… and there was always tomorrow.

Hiccup pondered a few ideas as he chased the girl he loved before he came to the conclusion; 'Life with one leg, was gonna be… fun.'

Thank you for reading my first story and I am hoping you will consider looking at some of the others. As well as more HTTYD stories, I am writing an original work over on the FictionPress site if you would like to check it out (same author name, Marty The Martian).

Bye for now, Marty and Moon.