Short Stories: Frostcup Oneshots

Stuck in time with you - REWRITE

Part one

~*~

The ævir mountain loomed over small, snow-clad villages. Its sharp peaks speared through the sky as dense clouds kept the top obscured from view. No one knew how tall the mountain really was. It was ominous but revered, a symbol of life to the people that resided in the shadow of the crag made of stone, ore and ice. The people lived in huts bundled together, governed by a chief that was just as revered, at the base of the spire. They lived peacefully.

It was a quiet night, almost identical to every night before; save for the moon that showed its face for the first time in months. Everyone stayed out longer, playing in the snow, or roasting meat from their latest hunt around a fire, just to admire the glistening snow under the moonlight. Even Hiccup, the chief's son, who spent most of his time inside.
The smaller framed man was squished between broad shoulders of his fellow townsfolk, sitting by the fire.

It was cheerful and bright, laughter ringing in the air as ale was passed around, but Hiccup wasn't entirely there. His bright, curious eyes peered up at ævir; the blackened stone glowing in the moonlight.

"Oi! Pass it along youngin!" The burly man beside him cheered, shoving a large mug into Hiccup's hands. The smaller male smiled awkwardly and gave it to the greedy hands to his left.

Hiccup went back to watching the ominous peaks. Something tugged at his heart, like invisible tendrils coaxing him forward. How the young son of the chief desired to know what, or even who, it was calling for him.

"See 'im, watching ævir like a fool." A man said, catching the young ones attention, "What's got you staring, dunga?"

Hiccup grimances and meets the eyes of the intoxicated viking, about to speak when someone shouted, "ævir has cursed him!"

"W-What! No!" Hiccup defended, waving his hands out in front of him, "I'm just curious, that's all!"

"You know what happens when you get curious, don't you boy?" Another man said, his tone darker, more serious. It gave Hiccup chills and he shook his head. "You get lured by an unseen force and you are never seen again. And if you are, you come down blue and cold as ice. Most don't live to see the sun again."

Hiccup gulped and shifted uneasily on the hard dirt, "What's up there?"

The man simply shrugged and went back to his ale, leaving Hiccup speechless and on edge. Though, no matter how hard he tried, he found himself staring up at ævir as his heart continued to be pulled in its direction.

~*~

Hiccup found himself trudging through knee high snow towards ævir late in the night. The moon had tucked back behind thick, gray clouds and the only light came from the oil lantern rattling in Hiccup's cold hands.

The young male was dressed head to toe in thick fur, barely any skin touched the mid winter air, but he was still shivering as if he naked. Regardless of the cold, and the warnings his townsfolk and father had given him, he carried on. The tendrils around his heart got stronger, harder to ignore. And the closer he got to ævir, the stronger the pull.

"Hiccup!" A female's voice called from over the howling winds. Hiccup turned.

Astrid, the woman he was betrothed to, stood bundled up in fur in snow that inched up her thighs. Her wild blond hair whipped around her face, her blue eyes wide in fear for her betrothed. Hiccup felt guilty because he was worrying her, because she was getting battered by winter winds and sharp, icy snowflakes. But, the pull in his chest towards ævir was impossible to ignore. He couldn't fight it no matter how much he wanted to.