So Guys! I'm very excited to finally be able to announce you that I just started a new fanfiction called "The Mature Age".

It will be about HTTYD of course but especially about what could happen in HTTYD3. For that, I will use the clips I saw at Annecy and the descriptions I had of the TIFF scenes. So be warned, this fiction will contain spoilers.

Also, I'm really glad to tell you that my beloved friend AlexxP98 will illustrate this story! Thank you again!

And I want to thank Megtoons for translating this chapter and JoyOfBerK, Chiefhiccstrid, Wolfie-dragon-rider for correcting it!

As to this chapter in particular, it constitutes an introduction of the story which means that it takes place before the beginning of HTTYD3.

Enjoy!

P.S : Be warned, explicit scene at the end of the chapter.

At dawn, the sunlight came in, brushing the thin skin of my eyelids with its rays to wake me up. I tried to fight it, wishing to keep the fresh memory of last night in my mind as long as possible. However, my eyes opened. My dream had disappeared but the love that emanated from it left a happy smile on my face. I was walking in my white dress towards Hiccup who was contemplating me with this indescribable look. I woke up this way every morning for two weeks now, without ever managing to join him. That's why I tried to finish it so much; I needed to know what happened next... I woke up, it wouldn't be today.

I put my leggings on at the same time as my spiked skin. After I put on my top, I fixed my shoulder-pieces which I added some fur for more comfort. Thus, I could freely attend to hard work of my hairstyle's elaboration. Yes, it was a daily headache but the result was worth it. And then, this way, I stayed related to the one who had imagined this braid for me: my best friend, Heather. I was tying the tip of my plait when I heard my mom calling me.

"I'm coming!"

I jumped into my furry boots and went down the stairs quickly to join her in the fireplace. She was waiting for me there to have breakfast.

"Morning Mom!" I exclaimed before kissing her on the cheek.

"You are late."

I took place to his left, at the head of the table.

"Late? Late for what, exactly?" I asked while pouring me a big glass of yak milk.

I took a sip before continuing, "Since when did we have a specific time for breakfast?"

"I got things to do unlike you, my daughter. I don't spend my days flirting and waiting to see which crazy adventures a nice brown-haired boy with emerald eyes will take me on today... No. I got a house to run. In this day and age, what I'm telling you doesn't make any sense but don't worry, you will understand when you'll reach what we call the mature age."

I opened my large round eyes.

"The mature age?" I repeated.

My mom raised an eyebrow before smirking.

"Yes, you will have reached this age when you're married to Hiccup. Then, you'll be the lady of your own house and you'll realize the amount of work it needs."

My eyebrows rose by themselves. I held my breath to not breathe a long sigh of exasperation.

"But Hiccup will be there to help me so it should be fine," I retorted.

She seemed to make a mocking laugh.

"Dream on my daughter. With his chief responsibilities, he will not have time for that kind of stuff!"

This time, I couldn't hold what was boiling inside me.

"And why do you think that's the life Hiccup and I want to have? Maybe the one we have now is more than enough for us?"

"Honey, if I'm saying all this stuff it's not to upset you but to prepare you for what's waiting for you in the next few years."

"But how could you know what will happen before it even happen?"

"Well, because it's the tradition of course."

"I thought that you already knew since the time, that Hiccup is changing things for the best."

"You're right Astrid, but now as the chief, he has to follow certain rules..."

"Probably."

There was a pause.

"Speaking of which..." my mom began hesitantly, "has Hiccup proposed to you?"

"Mom, we are already betrothed, it's only a matter of time before we..."

"...that you get married. Yeah, I know that but did he "officially" propose to you?"

"No, not yet... we didn't really have the time to talk about it but there is no pressure you know..."

"I see, he's really taking his time... and that's what I'm afraid of..." she sighed.

She looked up at me and took my hand between hers.

"Astrid, you know, there is a time for everything and at your age, it's normal to be married and there is a reason for that. Remember that sooner or later you will need to give Berk an heir and..."

I stood up from my chair.

"Okay, I think I've heard enough. Have a good day Mom," I reached to say without getting worked up.

I climbed the stairs as fast as I downed them to finally find myself in my room where I fell on the bed. Sometimes, my mother was going way too far with her moral lessons. I closed my eyes, thinking about all she had told me. I never figured that becoming Hiccup's wife would be so hard. Especially as my mother claimed, all this marriage stuff seemed to be a scurrying business. I naively thought that Hiccup and I had still many years left before making the leap. I knew that one day, we would start a family but I tend to forget that Hiccup was chief and consequently, this primordial part just came after the wedding. I opened my eyes to admire what was hanging over my bed: the necklace he gave me for our betrothal.

"This was my father's betrothal gift to my mother. Um . . . And he gave it to me, to give it to you. Astrid, you're a part of our family. You always have been and I hope you always will be."

A thrill passed through my body at the memory of his words. I smiled. Hiccup was a romantic at heart, just like his father. He was one of the happiest at the idea of our future wedding. His father, Stoick, our chief was gone for more than a year now. Even if he took his role as a chief very seriously, I could tell that Stoick's death had affected him more than he wanted to admit it himself. That's the reason why I didn't understand why my mom wanted to rush on it so much. Hiccup loved me, I was sure of it and if he needed some time to process this all, I would wait. I would wait for him to be ready. He made me a promise and he will keep it. I trusted him.

"I love you, Astrid Hofferson, with everything I have. And I always will."

I held the precious necklace tight against me. It was obvious that with such words, I wanted to marry this man right now. More seriously, I loved Hiccup and I had this wish that one day we could live together. I wanted to share his life, being closer to him, physically as well as carnally and that means, discovering him in an entirely other way, our two bodies fitting together, falling asleep next to him on the same bed every night. I felt lust for him. It was at this precise moment that I realized something...

I never said "I love you" to Hiccup.

Of course, I had shown him in many ways but never out loud. And if it was what makes him curb? The fact to not knowing if I loved him back? Was it a source of anxiety for him? I might have went a bit far but maybe unconsciously, that's what keeping him from making the leap. I sighed. It wasn't in staying here to complain about myself that everything will be better. I stood up from my bed and got out of my room. When I arrived downstairs, my mother was already back to her business. At least, on one point, she wasn't very wrong; I needed to go back to the real Hofferson way of life.

I went to find my dragon at the stables to take care of her and eventually prepared her to an improvised flight. It was at this moment that I met Ruffnut who, surprisingly, wasn't in her brothers company.

"Wow, what's that face!" she exclaimed. "It looks like you're not doing well... what's going on?" she finished by asking almost worried.

"W-What? No, you're imagining things..." I shuttered, still surprised by her show of sympathy.

The twin shrugged.

"All right. It's not like I was interested or something. Later Astrid!"

She was about to leave when I reached for her.

"Okay, you're right, things could be better... I had a fight with my mom."

Ruffnut decided to come closer.

"About what?"

"Hiccup."

"Typical. She still thinks he awfully rulesthe village?"

I hit her in her ribs.

"It's true that my mother doesn't really like Hiccup but our fight was more about our relationship that I have with him and it's evolution in the long run."

"I see. She said the forbidden word, right?"

She got close to my ear and whispered.

"Marriage."

I shook my head before lifting it.

"Yeah that's more like it."

"And you, what do you think about all of this?"

"Me? Well... I've been dying to marry Hiccup, that's true! But on the other hand, I understand that he needs his time after his father's death, the village to manage, all of this...

Ruffnut put a hand on each of my shoulders.

"Astrid... Don't try to find him excuses, you know better than me that Hiccup always takes his time when it comes to this... but at the same time, we can't say you're really helping him..."

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

She looked at me top to bottom and pointed at my outfit.

"It's your style, honey, it's not good at all."

"My style? What's wrong with my style?"

"Well, how I can say that... you look kinda 'stuck', 'prude', 'not wife material.'"

I was astounded by her words.

"I mean," she continued, "look at your hairstyle: you must take an eternity to do it! You could let your hair down for example, it will give you a change? Then, your shirt, it goes till your neck! You could show way more tho, you need to be a little wanton, my dear! Or else how do you expect Hiccup to touch you?"

I blushed. Did she really say that? I didn't have time to ask more questions. She took me by the arm and guided me to the center of the village where the traditional Thursday's market took place. We began walking toward the different shop and when I was about to object, somebody touched my back. I turned around.

"H-Hiccup?"

"Hi Astrid," he said with a smile.

"Hi", I answered smiling. "You wanted something?"

His eyes shined with excitement.

"Yeah, I need to show you..."

"Sorry, I'm gonna stop you there, I'm taking Astrid shopping", Ruffnut interrupted.

"Shopping, really?", he asked amused.

"Exactly, I'll give her back later."

She came closer to his face and whispered: "Transformed!". Then she came back to me and pulled me into a shop a little further away. I looked at Hiccup apologetically but with Ruffnut as my personal stylist, I couldn't do much. We walked towards a shop that sold cut shirts; not the place I was used to going.

"Look at all these tops, aren't they great!? You don't wanna try one just to see?", asked the excited twin.

"What! Did you see the length of this cleavage Ruff?", I scandalized.

"Okay maybe you're right, it's true that they are a little bit to peeky. But wait, what do you think about this one!", she exclaimed while presenting me a blue-green type of shirt almost like one I wore a long time ago but that showed a little more skin than the previous one.

"Actually, I find it pretty good, I have to see once worn."

"Perfect, then we will take it!"

Ruffnut paid the merchant and we went to another shop.

"Thanks for the shirt", I said shyly.

"Oh that's nothing, you can thank me later, when you become the chief's wife", she declared by elbowing me in the shoulder and followed by a wink. "So, now we have to find something that you could wear with this shirt, what do you think about a little vest like mine?"

"I don't know, I'll have to see."

I started to search on my side and Ruffnut on hers when I fell onto an article kind of original. It was some sort of bolero made in red leather with diamonds sewed on it, it gave a relief to it and I found it kind of pretty. Seeing me smiling, the blond girl came to me.

"So you found something that you like?" she asked.

"I think so," I said in agreement.

"But, you will need something to cover your shoulders, it will be more stylish. What do you think about this fabric?"

"It could work. I'm gonna cut the sleeves and sew them to the vest, it should give it something great."

"Perfect. And while you are gonna do that, I'm gonna redo your hair."

"Are you sure it is necessary?"

"Go pay," she ordered, with stink eyes.

I excused myself. Maybe she was right after all? And on the other hand, it was kinda funny to do all these purchases and attempts. I gave the money to the vendor before going with our purchases to my hut.

Once we got there, Ruff hurried to put out the stuff that we had just bought and began preparing what she would need to make myself a new hairstyle. She pulled two chairs over and sat on one, ready to start her new hairy mission.

"Whenever you're ready!" she exclaimed.

I shook my head laughing.

"I'm gonna put the shirt on and I'll be back."

"Waiting for ya right here."

I arrived in my room and, seeing all the stuff spreading on my bed, I stopped for an instant. "What am I doing?" I thought. I laughed mentally, she really could make me do whatever she wanted. I took my sewing necessities and went back to her downstairs.

"There, there, I'm here!"

"Finally! Come on, sit here."

She pointed to the chair that was facing me and I sat in front of her.

"Just do it like I wasn't here. Care about your sewing, I'll take care of your hair."

"Fine with me."

"Time to work!" she throwed.

I began the sewing of the vermilion red fabric with the diamonds bolero. I cut the sleeves first into the fabric into a wavy shape style while my acolyte was fussing to undo my braid that I minutely did this morning for brushing out my locks. I felt then her long fingers ceasing a few strands on each side of my skull before joining them into a thick braid.

I had just finished with the sleeves when she shouted, "Done!"

I turned my head towards her.

"Already?" I said, surprised.

She nodded. I went to the house's mirror to take a look. And the result hit me, it changed me... literally. The length of my hair also hit me; my hair was so often braided that I didn't remember it being that long... but it was beautiful. In fact, I was finding my own self beautiful.

"Ruff, it's..."

"Wonderful, great, unique?"

"Amazing!" I exclaimed running to her to hug her tight. "Thanks..."

In the end, following Ruffnut wasn't as bad as I imagined. On the contrary, we had a real fun time, and who knows? Maybe it can be useful with Hiccup...

With my outfit all ready, I could finally join my fiancé. While crossing the village, I realized quickly that people were looking at me with interest. I felt myself blushing, I wasn't used to being the center of attention. As a part of the chief's entourage, I had a tendency to forget that people were watching my every move... In the middle of all the surprised and curious faces, I found one whose expression was more pronounced, it was accompanied by a large smile.

"Hiccup!" I yelled, jumping into his arms.

"A-Astrid!", he shuttered, looking pretty surprised that I came out of nowhere. "Looks like you missed me..." he breathed into my ear.

I smiled before stepping back to face him. He started to blush.

"Wow Astrid! You are..."

He didn't like my new outfit. He didn't like my new outfit. He didn't like my new outfit...

"Yes, I know it's probably too much..."

Suddenly, he seized my hands.

"No, Astrid! It's... it's perfect. It looks really good on you."

He had pronounced his words with kindness, he really meant what he was saying. His body got closer to mine, he was only inches away from my nose.

"I love it...", he sighed before kissing me with an open mouth.

Before I understood what was going on, I had kept my eyes opened and his tongue was dancing with mine in an exquisite ballet. It had been a long time since I felt that, this sensation you feel only in the presence of the person you love. I put an end to the kiss to look at him straight in the eye, I smiled.

"So, what do you want me to see?" I asked, concerned.

He opened his eyes wide like he didn't know what I was talking about. Then, he squinted before suddenly recalling what he wanted to show me, his face relaxed.

"Oh yeah! Come," he ordered me while taking my hand.

In his crazy race, he brought me fast to Toothless where he lifted me by the waist to put me on his back. He climbed in front of me and we took off. We didn't fly for too long. A few miles from Berk, there was a little rock which I've never been on before. Hiccup made me climb off and I was on hard ground again. I put my feet on a carpet of spring flowers. For a stone, it was kinda nice. I started to walk toward the cliff, we probably could see Berk from here. I walked until I was facing the eternal ocean.

"It's beautiful..." I breathed.

That's when I discerned the footsteps of Hiccup, that I left behind me, reduce the distance between us. I felt his breath in my hair; he was quick to get them off my neck to reach my ear.

"Not as much as you..." he declared in a murmure.

I turned back to kiss him. My kisses were hot with desire, I wanted him right now. I caressed his cheek with my left hand while my other hand was losing her way in his brown hair. Suddenly, he lifted me so that I could hold onto him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him more deeply. He was holding me by the backside and I couldn't tell why but this position was exciting. I loved to feel that he was strong, that he could hold me without failure. He pushed his body harder against mine. I could feel his breath as well as his heart beats through his chest. His rhythm was fast and I think mine was fast too. His hand finally slipped under my skirt to skim a sensitive point. I bit my bottom lip, closing my eyes. He started to stroke the place delicately before putting hot kisses on my neck. He stayed on the thin skin a while before licking it. His eyes were on me again and his mouth came on mine. I moed my tongue to play with his while holding him in my arms. He still caressed the spot between my legs. I wanted him to keep going but he stopped, resting me on the ground with me and my frustration. He put his lips on mine one last time; my cheeks reddened by arousal while his hand touched me. He smiled and I forced myself to smile back. I took a deep breath.

"So, this was the place you wanted to show me?"

"Well, it was only a small glimpse of what I truly wanted to show you. I was thinking that spending time just the two of us will be good, you see?", he said to me on a ton that he wished reassuring, obviously searching to hide his visible embarrassment.

He was so cute.

"I can see that," I answered trying not to laugh.

He looked down with a smile before going to catch his satchel. Hiccup took an old dusty book out of it. The brown haired man blew air on it before handing it to me, apparently proud of his new discovery.

"I found it in Berk's archives with Fishlegs. It's called " The Hidden World" and it talks about a place that only exists beyond the archipelago where dragons could live in harmony forever."

"Really?"

"Yes! And by what it says, it could even have Night Furies!"

He pointed with his finger the handwritten page spoiled by time. I looked with care what was written on the illustrations that go with the text. This book was looking old but was surprisingly well conserved. I lifted my head towards my fiancé.

"That's amazing! But where is it exactly?" I asked, interested.

"That's the problem, no one has ever found a precise location... that's why I still need to do some research."

"We could do it together if you want?" I proposed.

"Are you sure it doesn't bother you? You don't have better things to do?"

"Better things than being with you,"I laughed, "I don't think so."

"Perfect then let's go to my house," he smiled.

He took my hand and helped me climb back on Toothless. After a quick flight to Berk, we arrived soon to his hut. When we got in, we were surprised to see Gobber and Valka talking.

"Ah finally you're here!" the old limping man exclaimed.

"Sorry, but we don't have time Gobber!" Hiccup excused before taking my hand to hike fast the stairs that leaded to his room.

"Ha, youngsters...", Gobber sighed.

Hiccup closed the door behind him with a relieved sigh. However, we heard Gobber say goodbye to Valka before leaving, then his mother indicate to us that she was going out too, from what we heard through the walls.

"Finally, some alone time..." he breathed.

I smiled before giving him a peck on his lips. I was about to ask with what we were gonna begin when his face got close to mine. It was him that was kissing me this time. He joined his hands in the hollow of my back to stick my body to his. We were walking together, meanwhile, getting dangerously close to his bed but I didn't care. He was another story entirely. I was still kissing him. My two hands around his head, steadying firmly his face against mine. A hand on my back and the other holding my head, it wasn't too long before he finally toppled me on his bed. He put himself on top of me, his right hand still holding my back, and we continued kissing passionately. I felt his other hand trying to force its way under my shirt to caress the skin below my breast. He didn't dare touch it despite my deep cleavage which made him melt. I moved my hands under his shirt to feel his muscles under my fingertips. Hiccup put his long fingers into my blond hair, snuggled up against them, sniffing them.

"I love your hair... you should let it down more often..." he whispered.

I kissed him as an answer. Then he finally decided to explore a southern part of me. His left hand slipped under my leggings and quickly reached the hidden part between my legs. He touched it slowly still kissing me. I followed the rhythm of his movements while my lips were melting in his. Sharp noises that I didn't recognize were escaping my mouth each time he was touching me there. He sped up while I grabbed him to support the stroke he set on me. Then, he took off my bottom to have more flexibility to touch me. I wanted to reciprocate but I didn't dare, I was scared he could reject me or even not doing it right. I didn't have time to think more longer: I felt a finger thrust inside me.

"Hic-Hiccup..." I moaned.

He started an in-and-out with his middle finger that he stopped from time to time just to caress the outside. When he leaned to kiss me, I felt his hard member against my thigh. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to touch him. I needed to know what it looks like. Carefully, I slipped my hand down the length of his middle until finally reaching through the fabric, the tip of his penis.

"A-A-Astrid ! "

Afraid to be admonished, I put an end to his outcry by tackling my mouth on his. In the meantime, with my thumb, I drew little circles on his member. He didn't object. So I continued and got to push his pants down. While pushing down, I brushed it with my fingertips then grabbed him, caressing it in all its length, from top to bottom like he was doing with me. We were rubbing each other mutually while kissing without an end. I quickened the rhythm to surprise him and he did the same. Our breaths sped up at the same time. I could hear his heart beating without a break through his shirt, wet with sweat. Suddenly, I felt something coming like a heatwave burning. It exploded and I moaned with pleasure. My free hand held Hiccup's shoulder tightly. He also made a cry that came from elsewhere. A hot sticky liquid came out of his sex and flooded into my hand, I got some onto my face. He fell on me putting his head on my breast, exhausted. It's only when he lifted his head to watch my face that he realized the mess. He widened his eyes then bit his lip, embarrassed, and rushed to grab a tissue to clean my cheek.

"Oh my gods... I'm really sorry... I didn't mean to..."

I tried not to chuckle but the situation was too funny not to crack, I sniggered.

"Hey not funny!" he exclaimed trying faintly to stay serious.

I laughed harder and ended up making him laugh too. We both giggled without end.

Once our little laughing fit was over, we lied comfortably on his bed after having put our clothes back on.

"Well... I think it's a little late to help you in your research now..." I breathed.

"True."

We laughed softly. Then, I came to lean on him, putting my head on his chest, looking at him straight in his eyes.

"What made you want to start this research?" I asked, curious.

Hiccup let out a sigh while looking at the ceiling.

"Well, when I was a boy, my dad used to tell me stories of a mysterious, secret world where dragons live and I suppose that's what pushed me to know if this place really exists or not."

I snuggled against him.

"Guess we are going to find out..." I whispered in tightening my hold on his hand with mine. "Together."

We fall asleep right away, holding each other tightly in the intimacy of his cozy bed.

When my eyes opened the day after, I was forced to notice that Astrid was still deeply asleep, and still on me. My lips drew a smile. She was adorable.

I finally decided to get up. With my clothes on me, I pushed my room's door to go take my breakfast downstairs. But I redrew my steps..

"Oh but they have time Gobber!" my mom exclaimed.

"That's what you think Val'! I assure you their wedding is a real question that will need to be solved real soon!"

"My goodness, Gobber, don't you think they have all their life to think about it? Stoick and I, we made the mistake to marry at a really young age and you saw where it went. I want him to have a choice."

"You might not be wrong Val', but what you have to understand, is that your lad is the chief of Berk now and he has responsibilities as such."

"Like giving an heir to Berk? I know the song Gobber, I've also been given this speech younger... But whatever, I'm the only one who thinks that way anyway."

My mom went out of the house in a storm.

"Wait up... Val'!" my old tutor exclaimed before following as fast as his peg leg would allow him.

They didn't see me, fortunately for me. I could come out of my room now. While walking downstairs, I was thinking about what I just heard. Is that what they all wanted? That I marry Astrid right away? I thought suddenly at Astrid's new style. Her hair down, her plunging neckline and cleavage... her strange attitude with Ruffnut. Maybe she was trying to pass me a message? I sighed. I will talk about it with her when the moment is right.

I had all day to think about it.