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schrijverr · 5 years

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Home of the sky take me to the home of my youth

What if Hiccup left after he saw the red death instead of staying to show how the dragons can be.

This story takes place six years after he left when he has to return to investigate rumours about a rise in raids. He comes face to face with too familiar faces and pains from the past. (11 chapters total)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 7

The next day they were all in the arena waiting for Singultus to show up. Snotlout was just grumbling about how he was going to leave if he didn’t show up when he walked through the door. His long hair was windswept and there was a slight blush on his cheeks. Behind him his dragon followed as he purred happily. It was clear that they had just come back from a flight. “Good morning.” he said, sounding way too chipper for this hour.

They grumbled some good mornings back. Singultus smiled at them and waved to Stoick who had taken place above to see everything. Turning back on the rest, he started explaining: “OK, so, today we’re going to make friends with the big guys. I need to ask you all to leave your weapons outside the arena and to stand near the wall. Even though you’re more comfortable around them, they are scared and will attack if provoked. I smell like dragon and I know what to do. Stoick up there will release them and I will train them. After that they will chose a rider and we can start training. Are there any questions?”

Fishlegs hand shot up and he asked: “If they’re so dangerous, why do we need to release them all at once?”

“Good question. Dragons are flock animals. They work together and make decisions based on what everyone thinks. If we get one, we get them all and that’s easier then training them one by one.” Singultus said.

Fishlegs nodded he understood now. They left the arena to get rid of their weapons and returned to stand against the far wall. Stoick had been looking at the events beneath him and was quite interested how this small man would train four dragons at once. When Singultus gave him a sign he opened the doors and watched the dragons get into the arena.

The dragons circled around, but stayed away from the vikings when they made no move to attack. Then they turned to Singultus who was standing in the middle, completely unarmed. They circled around him, watching him intently for weakspots. Stoick wanted to interfere, to get these dragons away from Singultus, but he stayed put. Then just as the Monstrous Nightmare wanted to attack he got the handle from its scabbard and made it extend into a flaming sword. Everyone gasped and the dragons stopped circling him. He moved the sword in hypnotizing motions and the dragons calmed down, some even lying down. The only dragon that was unconvinced was the Zippleback who looked at him with narrowed eyes. Singultus noticed and grabbed a small metal tube from a storage place on his leg and popped it into the sword. Then it released Zipplebackgas with spread around him. He set it aflame and the dragons looked at him in wonder. “I’m one of you,” he said as he put back the sword and stretched both of his arms.

The dragons then started to nuzzle him and he laughed at their enthusiasm. He looked over to his Nightfury and said: “Hey, Toothless, why didn’t you just love me so easily?”

The dragon huffed and rolled its eyes, which made Singultus laugh more. Then he turned to the dragons around him and started making dragon-esk sounds. The dragons seemed to understand and they turned to the vikings. They started making their way to them slowly and Singultus said: “They will chose a rider. Spread out a bit and stretch your arm out like I did.”

The group complied. They were still speechless of what they had just witnessed. These were the dragons they had trained with, vicious beast who attacked unprompted, but that scrawny man had made them turn into lovable puppies just like that. Still wondering they let the dragons come closer. In the end the Gronkle chose Fishlegs, the Deathly Nadder Astrid, the Monstrous Nightmare Snotlout and the Zippleback chose the twins. They all looked at their dragons with wide eyes, not sure what to do next. Singultus smiled and said: “They won’t bite, just scratch them, go on. Today we are building a bond with them. We are making sure that they trust you enough to let you ride them, come tomorrow.”

The vikings shared a look, but did what he said. Slowly they started enjoying it more and by the end of the day every dragon had a name and a smile when it returned to its cage.

----

The day after that Hiccup started flying lessons. He showed them how to first and rode the dragon in question himself first. After that the rider would try themselves. It was quite a good day and Hiccup felt like he had made some progress. He couldn’t train them how he usually would, there just wasn’t enough time. The Queen was an ever looming threat and time was of the essence. He had feared that the dragons wouldn’t like the vikings after what they had done to them, but so far so good. So he counted his blessings. He was walking through the village and noticed it was busier than normal. Big stones were being carried and weapons were being sharpened. Hiccup realized that tonight they expected an attack. He made his way to the Great Hall were he was stopped by Stoick. It still felt weird to see his dad looking at him with so little recognition. He looked at him questioningly and Stoick said: “You might have noticed, but tonight an attack is coming. I saw your training we use the dragons.”

“What! No!” Hiccup exclaimed, that was way too dangerous, couldn’t his dad see that?

“Yes, we are. They are a valuable asset and we need all the protection we can get.” Stoick shut him down.

“No, it’s too dangerous. The bond is still weak and the riders too inexperienced. I can’t let you do this, they could get hurt.” a tiny crowd surrounded the two.

“You’re too worried about the dragons, you should worry more about your kind.”

Hiccup was really getting angry now. “Don’t you think I care about people? When I say this is dangerous I don’t mean for just the dragons. We need them, but if they fall under the Queens spell again they will rogue and we will lose our greatest asset. It’s too dangerous.”

“I do what is best for my people. You are young, you know nothing yet. I made this dicision and it is final.”

He started to walk away when Hiccup called after him. He said: “You say I know nothing, but I’ve been through more than you can imagine. I’ve seen things I would rather forget and I would love to change how somethings went.”

“What is so dangerous?” Stoick spit.

“I’ve faced the Queen alone and failed. Lost my leg if you hadn’t noticed, but that, that isn’t the worst. No. I’ve faced a Bewilderbeast, a dragon alpha. A dragon bigger than a mountain, with tusks that can wipe out forests in a sweep, who breaths ice that can turn oceans into ice tundras and who can control thousands of dragons without needing to use fear like the Queen. He’s even able to control humans and let me tell you, nothing is scarier than not being in control of your body, but seeing what it is doing and only being able to scream in your head.”

“You said dragons weren’t dangerous. That sounds dangerous to me.”

Hiccup chuckled humorlessly. “You wish dragons were the enemy, but no, just like every time a human wanted more than he could get on his own. Pathetic.”

Astrid cut in, she asked: “You said it was able to control your mind. How is that possible? Can the Queen do that as well?”

The crowd buzzed and looked at Hiccup for answers. Hiccup sighed and regretted telling them this, but it was for the dragons so he could bear it for them. “The Queen cannot do this. She needs to be feared by her dragons, whereas the Bewilderbeast can control them in an instant. He’ll have to let a hundred dragons go for a human and the human has to agree with being controlled and well, after the right kind of torture being controlled isn’t such a bad option and Drago Bludvist can be a very persuading man. A dragon hunter, knew of every species and knew of every weakness, even that of a Bewilderbeast. After he was killed I studied what he found and learned a lot about dragons then I burned it so that no one could ever use the dragons to do harm like he did again.”

He stared lifelessly ahead of him and said: “I’ve seen too much and I know more than I want to know,” he snapped back and went on, “when I say something about dragons, I know how it will end and you better listen. I’m only here, because I can’t do it alone. I tried it, it didn’t work, but if you are not listening to me, I will try alone and I will die, taking the location of the nest with me.”

With that he pushed past a stunned Stoick and he said: “I will provide air support tonight. Lock the other dragons away.”

As he left he shook his head. He hated to think about what happened back then. He survived, he had a future to focus on, the past was the past. Toothless came up next to him and butted him with his head. Hiccup laughed a bit and said: “It’s alright, bud. You know what mood that gets me in. Lets just fly a bit, yeah?”

Is there going to be an attack tonight?

“Yes, but we’re going to help, so it’s going to fine.”

Ego

“Thanks for that encouragement. Lets just go. I know you want to stretch your wings a bit.”

Toothless bounded around happily and Hiccup laughed. He got on and they were off into the night, leaving some shocked villagers behind.

----

The attack came and the dragons stayed in their cages. Hiccup supported them like he said, but this time he hit some houses. He’d never say it was pettiness, but Toothless knew. He hated to talk about Drago and he hated that they never listened to him. Today had been a combination, although they did listened in the end. They shot through the air. It still was an amazing feeling even after all those years.

----

By the end of dawn all dragons were out of sight and the village looked over the carnage they had sown. It was terrible. Four houses had survived the rest had gone up in smoke. People were treating the wounded and saving or salvaging as much as they could.

Stoick frowned. It was getting out of hand, they never had an attack this big and destructive. He turned to Gobber and said: “This is the last time. I won’t wait until they attack again. We’ll strike first.”

Gobber nodded. “Should I assemble the council?” he asked.

Stoick looked around and shook his head. “No, let them rest for now, it was a long night. Ask Singultus and Astrid to meet me. I’ll be home.”

Gobber nodded again and took off. Stoick sighed and rubbed his forehead. Being Chief had it’s perks, sure, but sometimes it just gave him a headache. He made his way home, one of the only left standing.

----

Gobber had called him and Astrid to the Chiefs house, his house. Technically. Gods, this was weird. He climbed the familiar steps next to Astrid, who was looking quite nervous. Hiccup wondered why she would be, had she not attacked as fierce? No, that’s not Astrid. Then why? He shot her another glance, but her face was unreadable. He sighed, even after all these years and all the experiences he still had no clue what Astrid was thinking.

They reached the front door and Astrid knocked, from inside they heard “Come in.”. Astrid took a deep breath and opened the door. The moment they were inside Hiccup looked around. Almost everything had stayed the same. His moms stuff was still where she had left it and even his stuff was still there. His throat closed as he saw the helmet his father had given him before he left standing next to his mothers. He looked around again. His stuff was there, his father had grieved and missed him. He now looked at Stoick from a new light. Here in his house without the village or his helmet he looked older. Deep lines were on his face and Hiccup felt something tug at his heart. He wanted to hug him, say that he was here that he was alright, but he knew that couldn’t, no, this was too important.

When the door fell close behind them Stoick said: “I have decided that this was the last attack, we strike before the next one happens. Tomorrow I will call the council and we will start preparing. I need you two to go and scout the area and see the Queen and her young again. I need to know weakspots.”

Astrid nodded, but Hiccup said: “We don’t need to scout I can tell you what you need.”

Stoick shook his head. “As much as you have done here, I will only trust another viking. Astrid is the best choice, she will come. Go today.”

Then he shooed them out of his house. As the door fell close behind them Hiccup started: “So, uhm.

Astrid cut him off: “In fifteen minutes at the arena, get some rest.” and walked off.

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coneygoil · 6 years

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Gracefully Broken, part 8

Summary: HTTYD | 3 years ago, Hiccup Haddock vanished with only a hastily scribbled note left behind. It isn’t until Astrid is swept away by a dragon and it’s rider that the mystery is finally solved.

“Hey, I was wondering where you wandered off to,” Hiccup commented as Astrid strolled into the workshop. He was only half surprised when he awoke to find no trace of her in his quarters. He’d shrugged it off, figuring his friend had wandered off in search of a bite to eat from the food pantry. The promise of never letting her out of his sight forgotten at his lack of mistrust toward her.

Astrid found an empty spot on one of the work tables and casually hopped up for a seat. “You weren’t worried that I was trying to escape?”

Hiccup smiled, slicing a hand through the air. “Furthest thing from my mind, to be honest.” And it was. He squinted his eyes at her in mock suspicion. “But what were you doing?”

“I visited the aviary,” Astrid paused, and in those few seconds, Hiccup picked up that something had happened, “and had a talk with your mother.”

A tiny jolt darted up Hiccup’s spine. He’d been wary of Astrid and his mother speaking alone, even though he knew it was bound to happen. He cocked his head slightly as he focused on the delicate pieces he was currently working on. “And what did you two discuss?”

“You.”

Hiccup sat up straight at her nonchalant response. “Me? Wha-what about me?”

Astrid laughed lightly as Hiccup unsuccessfully tried to cover up his startlement. “Calm down, dragon boy. She wanted to know what you were like when we were kids. I told her about the scrawny boy who’s weapon of choice was a pencil instead of an axe whenever we ventured into the forest.”

Hiccup relaxed. “Those were the days when the only thing we had to worry about was being late for dinner.” Younger voices floated into his mind from the past.

“Hey Hiccup, first one to that big rock wins.”

He didn’t stand a chance, but he raced her anyway.

“Ha!” She planted fists on her hips proudly. “I’m king of the rock!”

“Not fair, Astrid. You’re taller than me.”

“Stop bellyaching. You knew I was gonna win.” She reached a hand down for him to take and hauled the small boy up on the rock beside her. She grinned, slapping him on the back. “You can be my royal adviser.”

The forest was his sanctuary when he was small and had plenty of daylight to burn, until the forge became a place where he could rear his developing craft. “We should go exploring again, like we used to. There’s so many uncharted islands out there.”

“I’d like that.” Astrid trained her eyes on him. “After I learn how to ride a dragon.”

Hiccup’s hands froze in mid-tinker and turned his wide-eyed gaze to her. “Wait, what?”

Astrid grinned smugly, as if this was the reaction she sought. “Your mother wants me to learn how to ride a dragon.”

“She does?” Hiccup popped up from his seat, and ran a hand through his hair, the gears excitedly shifting in his head of all the possibilities this new development could hold. “That’s fantastic! You’re gonna make a great dragon rider, Astrid.”

“I need to be, if I want to leave.”

The glee that Hiccup was riding on took a steep dive. He halted his entire body and gazed at Astrid with lurking disappointment. “Do you…want to leave?” Hiccup kicked himself mentally. He’d been blinded by the exhilaration of having a new pair of eyes and ears to show off to. He’d been alone with only his mother and dragons for so long, having someone else to share his passion with had shot him to the moon. But now he tumbled back to earth, back to reality that he regularly tried to avoid.

Of course, Astrid wanted to return to Berk. She’d shipped off with the dragon trappers moons ago, and Hiccup doubted the trappers had a letter carrier system in place to keep in touch with loved ones.

“I mean, of course you would like to get back to Berk. Let your family know you’re okay.” A pang clinched in Hiccup’s chest, a face of a father – eyes shining proudly at him – haunting him. And I should do the same.

“And when I do return, you should come with me.” Astrid cocked her head, carefully watching his reaction. “It would be kind of hard by myself to explain why I rode in on a dragon. It’s really not my place to tell your dad you’re okay. It’d be better if you showed him yourself.”

She was hinting quite bluntly. Hiccup chewed his bottom lip as he moiled over her words. He’d avoided a return, convincing himself that Berk was better off without him; that his work protecting dragons was of the utmost importance, a conclusion his mother had filled him with.

Hiccup shrugged, trying his best to sound aloof. “I may take you up on that.” Packing away the conversation and the sharp ache that it stirred up, he threw on his collected exterior. “We need to find you a dragon to bond with.”

“Already have one.”

Hiccup’s eyebrows shot up. “You do?”

“Your mom practically gifted me the Deadly Nadder that was picking at my hair yesterday. She said we’re in the beginnings of bonding.”

“Whoa, what?” This was definitely unexpected. “I leave you alone with my mom for one morning and she gives you a dragon?”

Astrid rolled her eyes playfully. “Yes, Hiccup. Keep up.”

Tiny fireworks popped inside Hiccup’s head. Not only was Astrid bonding with a dragon, but with his mother as well! “You and Mom are hitting it off. Sharing little Hiccup-y stories; gifting a dragon.”

Astrid held up a hand to cut him off. “I wouldn’t go that far, but we’re at least talking without you there to moderate.”

Hiccup set down the forgotten project, another project now occupying his thoughts. “We’ll start training tomorrow.”

“Why wait?” Astrid asked, puzzled, as she hopped off the work table.

He thumbed at the workshop, racking his brain for a good excuse. Something lame and vague came out instead. “Because I have a thing I need to do.”

“Can I help?”

Hiccup hissed in a sharp breath, another flimsy excuse escaping. “Not exactly. Not this time.”

Astrid crossed arms over her chest in indignation. “If you’re busy having a thing you need to do, then I do too. Is there any way I can get a hammer, saw, nails, and boards?”

“Why do you need all that?”

“You’ll have to wait and see. So, do you have any of that here?”

“Yeah, I’ll get it out of my stock supply.” Hiccup turned to visit his stock supply in the far reaches of the workshop, but paused to add, “Oh, and Astrid, think of a name for your dragon.”

***

Though tempting as it was, he promised Astrid he wouldn’t peek at her project. Her sawing and hammering echoed off the rocks in the living quarters, spurring his curiosity as the day went on.

But Hiccup had a secret project of his own to keep him occupied. As soon as Astrid mentioned dragon riding, the possibilities flooded him. The exhilaration of teaching dragon riding to an old friend fueled his skillful hands, and he probably would have worked straight through noon if it weren’t for Astrid calling him out to raid the food pantry.

He’d joked if it were safe to exit the workshop. Astrid assured him her project was covered. Hiccup eyed the large uneven lump hidden underneath his fur blanket as he walked by.

While out, he gave in to Toothless’ persistence to take a spin around the mountain to stretch his wings. As soon as they were back, Hiccup withdrew into his workshop.

By early evening, both secret projects were complete and ready for reveal. “How about you go first?” Hiccup said, anxious to see Astrid’s creation then show her his.

“I didn’t like the fact that you had to sleep on the ground because of me, so I made this.” She uncovered the lump to reveal the frame of a new bed.

The first thought that crossed Hiccup’s mind was Astrid was not carpenter material. There was no head or foot board, just four posts, one at the foot shorter than the other three, holding a pallet off the floor. The pallet sat low to the ground, making it just the right height for a child but a challenge for an adult. Hiccup inspected the frame, impressed at how sturdy it actually was despite its amateur handywork.

“I guess you can have your bed back,” Astrid added.

Hiccup shook his head. Astrid was his guest and he didn’t want to put her out as much as she didn’t want to do the same to him. “No, keep mine. I’ll use your uniquely crafted bed in the workshop.” His genuine gratitude toward her thoughtfulness reached his face. “Thank you, Astrid.”

“So,” Astrid hinted toward the workshop, “what were you tirelessly working on?”

Hiccup waggled a finger at her. “Something you will need,” he replied, receiving an intrigued look from his friend. He retrieved the project from the workshop and held up the leather work that he’d put so much care into. “If you’re gonna be a dragon rider, you’ll need a saddle.”

Hiccup caught Astrid mouthing ‘wow’ as she smoothed her palm over the braided leather. She quietly accepted the gift, checking out the handywork. “This is great, Hiccup.” Her smile was honest, but a shadow laid behind her eyes. “Thank you.”

She set the saddle gently on the new bed. Hiccup went rigid at the arms that unexpectedly enveloped him. Being hugged was an experience that was far and in-between while growing up. His father had given him hugs as a boy, mostly bone-crushing, knock-the-wind-out-of-you hugs, but still. His mother had made up for the years lacking when he first arrived at the safe haven, but the older he grew, the less she initiated them. Cuddles and hugs with Toothless were just about all the affection he received or needed, really. But it felt good to be embraced again, and he gingerly returned it.

Astrid pulled away first, her cheeks slightly tinted. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Is it too late to go fit the saddle on the Nadder today?”

“No, let’s go.” They started toward the tunnel leading to the aviary. “Did you come up with a name for your dragon?”

“I did.” Astrid’s smiled. “I think I’ll call her Stormfly.”

@ashleybenlove, @howtodrawyourdragon

#httyd fanfiction #astrid hofferson #hiccup haddock #hiccstrid #gracefully broken

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bonjourxrenae · 6 years

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Your Horizon to Chase (UPDATED)

Rating: M

Fandom: Hetalia

Relationships: Primarily Liet/Pol, mentions of Lit/Bel, PolHun friendship, Baltic Found Family, Everyone is Found Family Now Because The Author Said So, Okay

Description: A Human!AU as well as a Pirate!AU - it’s basically an affectionate parody of so many adventure and romance-themed pirate or seafaring media (think Princess Bride or Pirates of the Caribbean) There’s adventure, action, romance, drama... all sorts of intrigue... and... pirates.

Plot Summary: Having lost everything to an uprising in his kingdom, Prince Feliks finds himself on the run from those who would have his head for a bounty. With nothing left to lose, he dodges authority and bounty hunters - until years later he is captured by the infamous crew of the Vytis, led by the fearsome Captain Sirot. But when Feliks is brought to his quarters, he cannot believe his eyes: this pirate captain is none other than Toris, his long-lost valet, whom he assumed for dead. Together they find themselves rapidly coming to terms with their diverging pasts while facing the ghosts that linger there.

Under the cut is Chapter 4, Flashback Sequence #2 - You can also read from the beginning on AO3!

A large crowd had gathered along the outskirts of the village when the Royal Family, surrounded by their palace guard, went out to greet their people. The King and Queen were seated on the backs of two white horses at a gentle canter. While the Queen rode sidesaddle and graciously greeted them with the gentlest wave of her hand, the King straddled himself atop the back of his stallion with a bright smile, his strong arm supporting the balance of the young prince as they rode together.

Prince Feliks was no more than seven years of age when he was first formally introduced to his people. It was the first time he’d ever worn such a fancy tunic: it was a white one, the color of lilies, which was adorned with gentle pearl embellishments that caught the warmth of the sunlight and complimented his flaxen hair, which fell at a delicate bob just below his earlobes. A blood red cape spilled loosely over his scrawny shoulders. Admittedly, the roughness of the fabric made his neck itch something fierce, and the sleeves of his tunic restricted his movement only a little. He felt very stuffy and trapped, especially sitting astride the horse in his tight leggings and uncomfortably poofy trousers.

As they rode through, his eyes darted from face to face. Something frantic began drumming in his chest as he realized he couldn’t quite register any of their expressions or features. He tried to smile, but his vision blurred so badly that the most he could manage was a curt nod with hair falling in front of his face. The King let out a soft sort of chuckle from behind him, and he felt his large hands hold him steady on the saddle. It wasn’t until he was being readjusted that he’d realized how much he was trembling.

“Just take it easy, my son,” the King said in a low voice, handing him the reins, “sometimes, when I get nervous, I try to look beyond them.”

He looked up at him in wonder. “Father, you get nervous too?”

The King smiled. “Of course I do. It’s not easy being the monarch of an entire kingdom, you know.” He glanced over at the Queen, and the young prince noticed her glancing back at them both with a serene expression. “That is why I am so thankful to be ruling with your Mother at my side,” The King continued, “she has a natural way with people. And that means I need to try harder to connect with people, too.”

Feliks began to knead the leathery strap of the reins in his hands. He looked away from the both of them just to study the feeling. “But what are you supposed look at when you’re outside the village? There’s nothing but the rye fields out here…”

The King clapped his hand on his shoulder, which only knocked him slightly off-kilter, and he leaned down close to the prince’s ear. “Ah, but have you actually looked out at the rye fields, my son?” he asked quietly, “I think you’ll find it almost as calming as looking out at the sea. Let’s watch together.”

Prince Feliks looked out with the King at the fields behind the villagers. His eyes slowly took them in - have they always stretched out that far beyond the kingdom? There was a light breeze that picked up and he watched keenly as the golden grain bent to the wind like a wave upon the shore. He tucked his hair behind one ear, eager to listen as the crinkling hush swept through the grass and tickled the dry wheat. Waves and waves of gold rolled lazily behind them, and Prince Feliks was nearly hypnotized by it…

But suddenly – a movement in the field that was not the wind caught his eye. It seemed more like a jagged interruption of falling stalks and a small sort of stumbling. At first, he was ready to dismiss it as some sort of animal, but it was only when he caught a faint glimpse of a human-like shape moving through the field that his heart began to race.

Without a second thought Feliks shoved the horse’s reins back into the King’s large hand and pushed himself off the saddle. He fell to the ground with a clumsy scuffle. Heedless of the dirt and grass stains on his knees, and of the telltale ripping of the seams of his tunic sleeves, he took off running toward the sight. The crowd gasped and parted as he stumbled through.

“Feliks! Get back here this instant!” The King called after him, but he did not look back as he shuffled into the field. He took handfuls of the stalks and pushed them behind him, partly walking and swimming through the rye, his nose perking up at the familiar scent as it was carried on the wind. His eyes were fixed forward in his search. Something, no, someone needed his help, and it wouldn’t have befitted a prince to leave someone behind. That was what the King had taught him to do… right?

When he finally stumbled upon the clearing, he immediately jolted backward. His hand, now splintered with light prickles of wheat grass, flew to cover his mouth as he stifled a cry of surprise.

Before him was the body of another boy draped in a thick fur cape and tattered vestments that were dirtied with mud and soot. He lay face down in the field, his hand outstretched and grasping to continue. Prince Feliks willed himself to the boy’s aid, his hesitation fleeting as he knelt beside him in the grass. He could see that the boy was trembling with the effort to get back up; he could hear a strained grunt as he tried – and failed – to push himself up into a crawl. Upon closer inspection, he could see how bruised and bloodied his knuckles were… and also how dark and wet one spot on his head appeared to be. With a careful curiosity, Prince Feliks slowly reached his hand toward the tangled, greasy mop of brown hair and grazed his fingertips over the dark, glistening spot.

The boy hissed in pain and immediately jolted from his position. His body failed him halfway and he ended up falling on his side, panting heavily through gritted teeth. Prince Feliks leaned away; he shuffled a little in his kneel, but kept himself stably on one knee. He first looked to his fingertips, which were now streaked with a telltale smear of blood, before his gaze returned to the boy. He was immediately drawn to his eyes: intense, wild, fearful eyes the color of the evergreen trees on the distant hills. His bottom lip was cut wide open. The young prince noticed how the blood was caked down the other boy’s chin and was still fresh and running down from his temple.

“Y-you’re hurt,” he said dumbly, his voice barely above a whisper. He could feel himself involuntarily blushing at the sound of his own stutter. The boy’s eyes never left Prince Feliks’ gaze. He pursed his lips and attempted to get back up, but with a whimper, he flinched and slumped back onto the ground. On reflex, the young prince sprang forward and held him steady. He looked back over his shoulder.

“S-Someone! Help! There’s a boy! He’s – he’s hurt!” It took all the breath in his lungs to carry his voice over the ears of grain that rolled over them a little more wildly now, and he prayed that at least one person heard him. As he turned his attentions back, his eyes caught a glimpse of something further off in the distance. The sky had been clear and cloudless since they first rode out, but from beyond the borders of the village he saw dark clouds spilling out through the sky like oil…

No, he corrected himself, his eyes widening in shock as the scent of the south-blowing wind wrinkled his nose: that was smoke…

Not too long after he’d called for help, the King and a few of his men stumbled into the clearing, almost heedless of the young prince and the injured boy. “Lord have mercy,” the King breathed as before their eyes they watched as the neighboring territory smoldered in the distance. Several large smoking, blackened ruins where hillside villages and forts used to stand marred the landscape. “It’s the neighboring duchy,” one of the men confirmed. The prince looked up and saw them all crossing themselves, their faces furrowed in both parts sympathy and dread. Another attendant spoke: “Was it another raid?” Another responded bitterly, “Those bandits will stop at nothing, will they…?”

Only the King’s expression hardened. “Send out scouts to the nearest raid sites. Search for any survivors. Any threat to a neighboring land is a threat to us. I shall speak to the council immediately on the matter.”

Before he turned to leave, Prince Feliks spoke up. “Father, about the boy—“

The King turned back briefly, scanning both his son and the fallen child. “Take him to the Queen. Your mother will tend to his injuries.” With that, both the King and his men rushed back out of the field, and the young prince could only watch as their silhouettes disappeared between the tall stalks.

There was a faint whimper coming from the boy as he attempted to push himself up off the ground again. Startled, Prince Feliks snapped his attention back to him. The boy was now studying him through eyes squinted from ache and exhaustion. It caught him off guard, though he tried not to let it show. “D-Don’t cry!” he blurted out, as if the words were pulled roughly out of him. At the boy’s quizzical head tilt, Prince Feliks looked away in embarrassment. He stood himself up at a crouch and awkwardly offered him his hand. “…Can you stand?”

The boy’s eyes squeezed shut as he reached for his hand, grasping it tight. As the young prince pulled him to his feet, the boy drew in a sharp breath before he stumbled forward, a sudden yelp escaping him as his right leg involuntarily buckled beneath him. Prince Feliks managed to react in time, pulling the boy’s arm around his own shoulders to help ease the weight off of his injury. He felt himself tense up as the boy’s fur cloak brushed against his cheek and he quickly wrapped another supportive arm around his torso. Prince Feliks glanced sideways at the boy, making sure that he was no longer in an immense amount of pain before they cautiously took their first, limping steps out of the field together. The ears of grain hissed against their bodies as they went. Prince Feliks focused on backtracking, following the places where the grain bent toward him, carefully moving slowly so as not to re-injure his newfound companion.

“…Where am I?” The boy asked, breaking the long swath of silence that had somehow passed between them. The question came weakly; it was as if the pain were so intense it really was causing him to cry.

Although he felt anxious, being so close to a stranger who was his age and badly hurt, the young prince swallowed hard and managed to regain himself long enough to offer him a sideways smile. The nerves were still there, but somehow it was different than before – almost like excitement. He could hear his recent conversation with the King, still fresh in his memory: Try harder to connect with people…

“This is the Kingdom of Poland. You are safe here.”

“But—”

“Don’t worry… Prince Feliks of House Łukasiewicz is watching over you.”

Upon hearing his full title, the boy’s eyes widened. In spite of his injuries, his lips pulled painfully upward into a slight smile, although his gaze quickly shifted back to his feet as he concentrated on keeping his injured leg elevated. “Y-You have my gratitude, your highness,” he said quietly, fumbling over the words.

Prince Feliks frowned at the boy’s sudden formality. “That won’t do,” he muttered, “you’re my age…”

The boy kept his eyes down, as if he were afraid to argue. The young prince bit his lip. “Wh-What are you called?” he asked awkwardly, trying to make small talk. It was then that the boy lifted his head and their eyes meeting once more. His hair clung to the sides of his face in curls, slicked with exertion and blood. “I am Toris, your highness. I am the first-born son of the Laurinaitis family.”

“Well Toris, first-born-of-Laurinatis,” Prince Feliks said with a grunt, readjusting his arm as they finally stepped out of the field together, “if you would permit me to call you just ‘Toris,’ then please feel free to call me ‘Feliks.’”

“Certainly… b-but your highness, I couldn’t do that—“

The young prince stopped and thought on it. “Then it’s an order. Call me by my first name.” And for a moment, the two of them stood there in the clearing – Toris’s leg held at a slight limp as he clung to the prince for balance. Prince Feliks could feel how he struggled to keep himself upright, and he slowly readjusted himself. He gently took Toris’s arms and, turning his back to him, he pulled them over his shoulders. “Well anyway, hop on. I’ll carry you...” He bent and braced himself, holding his hands out to take his legs.

At first, there was some hesitation, but soon Toris clumsily complied and, with much fussing, he was soon riding piggyback atop of the young prince. He was heavier than Prince Feliks had anticipated, but he grit his teeth and began the long walk back to the Queen’s attendants. He could feel Toris’s hands, uncertain and trembling, finally securely gripped around his shoulders. Soon, he was made very aware of his new acquaintance as he rested his chin on his left shoulder. Prince Feliks could smell traces of smoke still lingering on him. “Thank you… Prince Feliks,” Toris mumbled.

The young prince felt his face grow warm and said nothing more, a secret smile blooming across his face. It was a start, he thought, though he didn’t think too much on it. After all, this Toris Laurinaitis was a boy from the duchy, and he was certain that he would never see him again after he recovered from his wounds. But still, part of him hoped that he would stay. It was lonely being without too many peers his age, let alone the other boys in the village who were too afraid to approach him. As he carried Toris on his back, unknowingly carrying the boy who would later become his closest and dearest friend, Prince Feliks could not shake the feeling that this moment was the start of a brand new chapter in his life.

#Renae writes #fanfiction #Your Horizon To Chase #Hetalia #Lietpol #I'll probably only post the flashback sequences on Tumblr #mostly because I have a distinct fondness for them

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epag88 · 7 years

Text

Dragon Treasure Chapter: 5

Summary: Hiccup is just a little seven year old boy running away from his father’s disappointment and meets a new friend hiding in the woods. Stoick is about to learn that one man’s burden is another man’s treasure.

"How did I get roped into this?" Astrid asked herself irritated as she walked through the forest following the directions Chief Stoick had given her.

FLASHBACK

Stoick asked all of the villagers if anyone would be brave enough to do a quest for him. After learning of the situation between his son and the dragon none stepped forward assuming Stoick wanted them to slay the beast.

"None would be stupid enough to take on Stoick's quest," Astrid's father said.

"If it was our child, would you not see to it that you did everything in your power to get her back," Astrid's mother sneered back in reply.

"That would require a child worth getting back. Give me a son and we'll have a different conversation," the man stated clearly not caring that is daughter was right there.

"You're right dad. You should have a son to save," Astrid piped up shocking her parents as she turned around and glared at her father.

"Cause I don't need saving," she added before tossing her new ax over her shoulder and walked over to Stoick to accept his quest making her mother proud and her father furious.

END OF FLASHABCK

Astrid smirked as she recalled how she stood up to her father, it was the first time she had ever done something so bold. Up until now the six year old had done everything in her power to earn her father's love and approval but realized in that she would never have it unless she was a boy.

'Screw him I'm gonna prove a girl can be the best Viking on the island' she thought determined as she marched on towards her destination.

Besides wanting to put her father in his place there was also the fact that she respected Chief Stoick more than any other person she knew. As far as Hiccup was concerned she didn't know how to feel about him. He was scrawny and a little weird but he never treated her different cause she was a girl either.

Speaking of Hiccup, there he was in the cove. He was hiding behind a tree and he looked like he was hiding from something. Astrid gasped when she saw the black dragon sniffing around close to where the boy was hiding. Thinking quickly the girl dropped the basket and grabbed a rock before chucking it in the opposite direction of where Hiccup was before ducking down so he wouldn't see her. She slowly peeked up and saw the confused dragon walking off in the direction of where she threw the rock before she ran around to where Hiccup was.

"Psst, up here," she whispered getting his attention.

"Astrid?" Hiccup asked surprised.

"Ya, don't worry I distracted it for you. There's a shallower spot over there to climb out," Astrid explained pointing to where she was talking about.

The girl didn't notice that when the black dragon didn't find the source of that noise he became suspicious and opened his ears to any other odd noises. When he heard the whispering, he flew out of the cove before beholding the sight of a tiny human leaning over the edge and talking to his hatchling.

"Umm Astrid…" Hiccup tried to warn her but Toothless' growl got to her first.

The girl whipped around only to come face to face with the irritated dragon and screamed at him in surprise. Caught off guard Toothless stumbled back giving his head a shake. Astrid took advantage of the disoriented dragon, she managed to find another rock and threw it at the beast before she grabbed her ax and held it in front of her.

"Astrid stop!" she heard Hiccup say and turned around confused.

The Night Fury took advantage of the distraction and went to swipe the ax out of the human's hands but ended up sending her flying over the edge of the short drop.

"Oof," he heard from below and walked over to the edge to see that the new human had fallen on top of Hiccup.

"Why did you stop me?" she asked in a tone that sounded terrified and furious at the same time.

"Toothless is my friend. We were just playing a game," the boy explained quickly knowing the legend of Astrid's fury.

"Toothless?" she asked.

"Toothless," Hiccup confirmed calmly pointing behind her.

The blond haired girl turned around to see a mouthful of teeth growling at her before she gazed hesitantly behind her at Hiccup with a look that said 'you should not name things.'

"Toothless, its ok this is Astrid. She's from my village," Hiccup said one wrapping arm around the smaller girl's shoulders and the other he held out in front him, letting the dragon know to keep his distance.

"Hold your hand out," Hiccup whispered to the girl.

Reluctantly the blond Viking held out her hand and closed her eyes tightly and waited for something to happen. Before she knew it, Astrid could feel a scaly snout on the palm of her hand and felt it stay there for several minutes before it left.

Toothless didn't mind this human's smell but it was definitely very different from the scent of his hatchling. This girl smelt strong, confident and loyal but like his human she had a slight smell of desperately needing to feel accepted.

"I think he likes you," Hiccup said before Toothless snorted at her.

"I'll take your word for it," she replied.

"Why are you here anyway?" Hiccup asked suddenly curious about her appearance.

"Your dad needed help. He's been coming here early in the morning to bring you stuff and then staying up really late to help the village. Nobody would help him so I said I would," Astrid explained pointing to the basket above them.

Without a second thought Toothless flew up and found the basket just a little further from the spot where he found the girl and brought it down to Hiccup. As the boy looked in the basket to see what was inside the dragon looked back at the girl with a suspicious glare.

"Umm….I'm sorry about screaming in your face…and hitting you with a rock," Astrid said to the Night Fury as she rubbed the back of her head.

'As you should' he growled back.

Astrid stepped back and looked away suddenly not liking that the big dragon was staring at her so intently.

"Umm I think I should go. Mama will be mad if I'm late," she said turning to leave and Hiccup's head shot up when he saw her climbing up out of the cove.

"Don't even think about it Toothless," he called behind him knowing the dragon would sneak a fish as he went to catch up to the girl.

"Astrid, wait!" he said as she climbed to the top and looked over the edge to the older boy below.

"Thanks for trying to rescue me today….even if it was from a crazy lizard," he said making the other girl smile.

"No problem," she replied. As she stared down he looked like he wanted to ask her something else but was afraid to ask.

"Hey Astrid, are we friends?" he asked finally gathering the courage to do it.

Astrid was surprised by the question and took a minute to quietly ponder what Hiccup had asked her. Finally, after a few minutes she looked back down to the visibly anxious boy.

"Ya I guess that's alright," she replied before getting up to leave.

"Bye you guys," she said as she waved and walked back home.

The Night Fury didn't miss the huge grin that spread across the boy's face at the news that he now had a new friend to play with. He couldn't help but smile back at seeing his hatchling so happy but he didn't know if he liked the idea of sharing his friend with the other girl. For the last couple of days, he had been able to keep the boy all to himself and now this new human was going to cut in on them. Although he had to admit the hatchling was very brave to stand up to him when she thought she had to protect the boy from him.

"I like that Astrid is our friend," Hiccup said smiling as he continued to dig in the basket.

'Our?' the dragon wondered giving his human an odd look.

The boy kept going through the contents of the basket when he stopped to look at something before pulling it out to show the dragon. Hiccup pulled a dagger, it was small and plain looking but plenty sharp.

"Wow, maybe I can use this to hunt," Hiccup said out loud admiring the gift from his father.

'Yes, and perhaps protect you' Toothless thought and then an idea occurred.

Of course, why hadn't he thought of it before? One of the baskets contained a strange flat object with material on the back. He had seen the humans use it in battle before to protect their bodies but he could perfect it for his hatchling.

Hiccup watched Toothless curiously as he walked off into the cave and then walked out holding the shield his father had given to him before he quickly got up to get it back. Toothless saw him coming and took off running around the cove dodging the little boy who was chasing him. The dragon didn't understand why the boy was chasing him, he was only going make the thing useful for him.

"I TOLD YOU THAT ISN'T A THROWING TOY," he yelled.

If anyone had showed up that very second, they would have seen a fearsome black dragon running away in confusion from a toothpick of a human child around their home by the lake. The little boy quickly got tired and stopped to catch his breath as he watched the dragon run off out of the cove with his prize.

"FINE KEEP IT THEN, YOU SCALY THIEF" he cried after his friend as he watched him disappear.

It was not strange that Toothless would fly up and disappear for a few hours to find something for them to eat. Hiccup knew he never really went far because he could hear him hunting for rabbits and other small creatures in the bushes. With a huff Hiccup stormed off into the cave and sat down before crossing his legs and arms in a pout.

…

'He'll love it' the Night Fury thought as he rushed back to his hatchling.

It was a few hours later when he returned to the cove and found it eerily quiet. He sniffed the air for any indication that there were any intruders but found none. Looking around to where all his hiding spots were Toothless still couldn't find Hiccup which only left the cave. He peeked inside and found the child still pouting in the corner of the cave.

"I'm still mad at you," Hiccup said irritated making the dragon grumble.

The Night Fury walked over to the child and as the little boy gave him his undivided attention he brought his tail around to show Hiccup his gift making the child gasp. There was his shield but instead of the painted designs that were there before, it was covered in beautiful black scales that seemed to shimmer in the light of the setting sun.

"Toothless, are these your scales?" Hiccup asked running a hand over the shield.

'Yes, it'll keep you safe' Toothless explained nuzzling the top of his head.

The scales of a Night Fury could only be weakened by the flame of another Night Fury so it was not difficult to weld his shed scales onto the flat round piece of wood. He had given his human the best possible protection from other dragons if by some misfortune the little boy left his side.

'The next thing will be his training' Toothless thought not taking any chances with the queen after his hatchling.

"Hey Toothless," Hiccup said getting the dragon's attention.

"Thanks for looking out for me," the boy said smiling at his friend gratefully.

'No problem hatchling' the dragon grunted back.

'Alright enough of this mush' Toothless growled shooting a fireball at pile of wood that Hiccup had set up while waiting for the dragon.

"Now we eat?" the boy asked excitedly.

'Now we eat' Toothless confirmed with a nod before pulling up two rabbits with his tail.

"Yay!" Hiccup cheered throwing his hands up in the air.

#httyd fanfiction #httyd fandom #hiccup #toothless

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