Heir and Pride

Chapter Seventeen

As they flew back, Astrid had chattered about the nest all the way, her excitement at the flight and the discovery heartening. She almost seemed to have forgotten she had been about to attack him with an axe or betray him to his father mere hours earlier. Hiccup had listened silently, still wrestling with the dilemma of what to do when they arrived back. He could see they were close and he gently leaned, his foot moving skilfully and sending the Night Fury in an extra, unwarranted lap round the island. Then he took a slow breath. There was something he had to ask before they landed-because he would never get this chance again.

"Why do you hate me, Astrid?" he asked clearly.

He felt her body stiffen against him, the grip on his waist suddenly tight.

"I-I don't..." she stammered.

"Liar!" he accused her sharply, his eyes fixed on the dark coast of Berk. "You know I've had a crush on you, feelings for you ever since...for ever...because I told you. I could barely string a couple of words together when I talked to you!" She noted he was speaking calmly and clearly now and the implication suddenly hit her like a blow. "And when you came and rescued me from Snotlout and the twins, I thought...I hoped you may at least see me as something more than just a punchbag. You knew I wasn't completely useless because you know I made your axe. I felt a tiny-tiny-shred of hope. But then Dragon Training happened and somehow, your face filled with loathing and hatred that I had never seen previously. So what did I do, Astrid? Why did you decide to hate me?"

He could feel her silent for a long moment and the cold wind caressed his skin as he waited.

"You stole Dragon Training!" she said.

He gave a shocked laugh, his mind reeling. "Wh-what?" he gasped.

"Every time, you beat me," she said evenly.

"That's pathetic!" he snapped, knowing it wasn't even true. Not every time. "And believe me, I know pathetic. I'm practically the definition of pathetic! So the great Astrid Hofferson, the finest Shield Maiden in our generation, is jealous of Hiccup the Useless?"

"You had no right to..."

"You know, you're the only one who never congratulated me on succeeding?" he interrupted her. "Even Snotlout came up and hoisted me on his shoulders in the final class. They all cheered for me. They all said 'well done'. All but you. Are you so filled with hatred and-and jealousy that you can't even bring yourself to acknowledge the one time I haven't been a screw-up and shamed you?"

"I couldn't say something that's not true," she snapped. "It wasn't well done. It was a trick! You cheated in the class. Hell, I bet you were given all sort of extra training to ensure the precious Chief's son did well..."

"No!" he said abruptly, his voice sad. "Apart from the obvious-like when have I ever been treated like I was worth a damn?-I didn't want to take Dragon Training. I was forced by my Dad-and you guys made me as welcome as you always did. I almost got killed in the first lesson! The only extra training I got was at the end of Snotlout's fists as he beat me up at the end of class. But I managed-somehow-to defeat some of the dragons. I could only try my best and do what I could because I was never taught anything. But I never pushed forward: I only got to face the dragons after you had tried-and failed. And what did you expect me to do? Let them eat me just so you could have another unsuccessful attempt? My bad-I should have realised!"