Set Fire to the Rain

Chapter 15

Hiccup and Freya sat side by side, peering down as they watched the Vikings on the docks. There, being loaded onto one of the ships, was Toothless, bound to chains, unable to break free.

"Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate." Stoick ordered. The Haddock siblings watched as the ships disappeared into the horizon, desperately wanting to stop them but unable to form a plan in their moment of sadness. They sat there even after the boat was gone and Astrid had joined them.

"Wow, this whole thing turned into a disaster. You two must feel horrible. Both of you have lost everything. Your father, your tribe, one of your dragon friends..." Astrid stated.

"Thank you for summing that up." Hiccup dead-panned.

"Yeah, we appreciate that, Astrid, but don't quit your day job," Freya muttered. She wasn't trying to be rude, but she was tired of horrible prep talks from others.

"Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I got the chance? It would have been better for everyone." Hiccup said sadly, remembering that day in the forest. Hiccup blamed himself for the events that transpired here. After all, he was even the one who revealed their discovery of the nest.

"Our lives would be easier right now." Freya agreed as she recalled her own experience.

Astrid sighed, then spoke up, "That's right. Any Viking in this village would have done it without a second thought, even me. So why didn't you?" She asked Hiccup, then turned to Freya, "What about you? Why didn't you?"

Freya took a deep breath and answered, "I know that isn't who I am. I don't want to be a dragon killer. I never have been and never will be. I'm a healer. I heal things." Astrid offered her a smile before turning her attention back to Hiccup.

"What about you? Why didn't you?" Astrid asked.

"I don't know. I just couldn't." Hiccup said, not looking at her.

"That does not explain anything," Astrid stated.

Hiccup's brow twitched as he became annoyed by her questioning, "Why do you care about this so much?"

"Because I want to remember what you say right now," Astrid answered calmly.

"Oh, for the love of- I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon!"

"You said wouldn't that time." Astrid pointed out.

"Whatever! Wouldn't! Couldn'! It's the same thing! Three hundred years, and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!" Hiccup ranted, turning his back to the girls next to him.

"You two were the first to ride ones, though." Astrid pointed out. Freya and Hiccup both paused as they considered her words. She was right. If they didn't have their dragons, they wouldn't have gotten the achievements they have, "So, why?" Astrid asked Hiccup again.

"...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him, and I saw myself." Hiccup answered, finally turning to look at Astrid and Freya.

"I bet Toothless is frightened now. Are you guys going to sit here and mope? Or are you going to do something about it?" Astrid asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "Probably do something stupid about it."

"Good. But you've already done that." Astrid said.

An idea then suddenly came to mind. Freya and Hiccup exchanged glances, then smiled at each other. With one look, they knew they had the same plan in mind.

"Then something crazy!" Hiccup said, now feeling a bit more energetic.

"We need to get to the Freya! Tell the others to meet us there!" Freya said as the duo ran off.