The Thunder and Lightning Rider

Chapter 15: A Mess Together

Astrid's POV

When I woke up, it was the still middle of the night. My nap had been around half an hour, to forty five minutes at most. Hiccup wasn't awake yet. I sighed and I prayed that he would be awake soon. I looked out the window to see that we were nearing Berk. I rubbed my eyes to escape the sleepiness, then started up the stairs.

When I was fully on the deck of the ship, I saw Gobber and Stoick talking to each other in quiet whispers. I carefully leaned up next somethings on the deck, being as silent as possible to try and listen to their conversation. "I shouldn't have yelled at him." I heard Stoick whisper.

"Your right." I heard Gobber whisper back to him. "Ya shouldn't 'ave."

Stoick turned out to the sky and grabbed the railing of the deck with both hands.  Stoick started to say something in a regular volume."I didn't understand what he was saying."

"That ya didn'." Gobber replied in the same volume.

"I was too hard on the man."

"That ya were."

"I shouldn't have told him to go to his room. He's not a little kid anymore."

"Tha' he isn't."

"Are you just going to stand there and agree with everything I say Gobber? Your not going to tell me that I had other things on my mind, and I wasn't focused on the moment?" Stoick said to Gobber, turning to look him in the eye.

"I'm agreeing with ya Stoick 'cause ev'rything ya saying is the truth! I'm not going to tell ya that ya had other things on ya mind, becuase we both know that ya were waitin' for this moment." Gobber mentioned to him.

Stoick turned toward the sky again and was silent for a while. He rested his elbows on the railing of the deck he then put his head in his hands and asked Gobber, "What am I going to do?"

"Ya can start by apologizing to Hiccup when he wakes up." Gobber told him while staring at the vast dark sky around him.

I heard Stoick say, "if he wakes up."

"He'll wake up Stoick. I'm sure of this." When Stoick just grumbled something I couldn't make out Gobber continued. "This man, ain't the Hiccup he was 7 'ears ago. He's more of a survivalist. How do ya think he survived that long with all o' his wounds? This Hiccup, this one's braver an' more confident. He's more of a leader. More of a fighter. Did ya see the way he was commanding his teammates when they first landed here? Did ya see the way he talked to you! Stoick, he bested you in a fight! I di'nt think I'd live to see tha'!" Gobber bumped Stoick's shoulder with his own at the last sentence.

Stoick's head was out of his hands by now so he said, "Yes Gobber. Your right. Hiccup, well, he's fit to be a chief! He does handle his situations quite well I must say."

"Yes." I said, reveling myself to the both of them. "He does. Stoick, Hiccup is a chief."

"How long 'ave ya been there for Lass?" Gobber asked me.

I chuckled a little then said, "Since when Stoick admitted he shouldn't have yelled at Hiccup."

Stoick straightened his back, flipping into a chief again.  "We're nearing Berk Astrid. I suggest that you tell the others this."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Stoick, we are your guests. Not your subjects. I will go and wake them up, but I suggest," mimicking Stoick's voice on the word 'suggest' "that you change your tone towards me and the other riders. We will address you as another chief, not our chief." I told him curtly. I turned and walked away, getting a glimpse of Stoick's red face, and Gobber barely containing his laughter.