Molded in flames (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 40: Fifteen years later in Berk

Astrids pov

Fifteen years had passed and my life is miserable.

Being married to a pig who shows me off like a damn trophy and dangling me in front of other men like I'm a piece of meat. It's beyond insulting. Life here has grown dull and hard, dealing not only with my "marriage", but also dealing with the Alvins alliance, we've been at an all out war with them and they've pushed us to the breaking point, even with help from the Bogs and Meatheads, plus the other tribes who're giving us aid, Alvin's forces have hit all of us hard, and word is that Rome has dispatched some of its finest legions to deal with them.

I've been pushing myself to be the greatest warrior on our island, and it help me take my mind off the marriage I'm in.

Marriage... it's not even that, I don't love Snotlout, he forces himself into me when he's having a bad day, and I've thought of nothing else than ending him. Despite that, the only things keeping me from going insane are my family and friends, they've supported me ever since my unfortunate wedding and have been there for me when I need them.

My sister and I are the best of friends, she's now eighteen and very beautiful but at the same time deadly, her weapon of choice is a battle axe too, I've taught her how to wield it with deadly purpose and taught her hand to hand combat, these moments I have with my sister mean much to me.

Her hair is an asymmetrical style, it looks great, she's also the best warrior of her generation, I'm proud of her, as are my parents, and she even admitted to me that her crush is Gustav Larson, I almost laughed at the irony, because Gustav wasn't the richest kid or the most talented with a weapon but he used his intellect and sarcasm.

Like Hiccup.

I put my hand over my mouth, tears swelling in my eyes, he hasn't returned in fifteen years. I'm starting to lose hope that he will return. I felt Helga put her hand on my shoulder. "Sis, are you ok? Is it about Hiccup?" She asked full of concern, I told her everything, even about Hiccup and how he trained Toothless. I just nodded and wiped a tear out of my eye.

"Yeah, I'm good sis, it's just I've thought of Hiccup all these years and have fallen more in love with him, when I was younger I didn't treat him that well, I left him and abandoned our friendship after uncle Finn died to restore honor to our clan. I didn't pick on him like the others, but I didn't help him, I only realized how amazing he was the night he left Berk, and I regret not being there for him when he was still here, but the only thing I have left to remember him are my memories of that day we saw the cause of the dragon raids. That last night I saw him he promised he'd return stronger, I just hope that boy hasn't forgotten me." I chuckle sadly, Helga cups her hand on the bottom of my chin so that I can look at her.

"Sis, he'll return, and when he does just pour out your heart to him, I don't give a damn if you're married or not. That animal the village calls your husband does not treat you like a woman, hopefully Hiccup will do you a favor and kick his ass." She smirked, we both laughed and pulled each other into a hug. "Love you big sis." She said, I smiled a hugged her tighter. "Love you too little sis." She chuckled and hugged me tighter too, thank you Odin for giving me an amazing sister to talk and share my feeling with.

Stoicks pov

I have been hard at work keeping our lands safe from Alvin and his murderous hordes, we've lended aid to the fellow tribes that have helped us and our connections with them have grown all the more stronger. But life for me has been very lonely, I visit Hiccups room everyday, which the only things I have left to remember him are his drawings left behind and most of all, the helmet I made for him out of Valka's breast plate. I keep it in my room now, to remind myself how I failed both my son and my wife, I'd pray to Odin that he'd be merciful and return my family to me, I wonder if Valka still lives, because recently I allowed dragon taming on Berk, see if we can control the beasts so that we can use them as weapons against the Alliance.

But the night Valka was taken from me, was the day I lost half of my heart, and on the day I read Hiccups note telling me that he left, was the day that I died inside, I had failed the only family I have left in this life and all because I didn't give my boy a chance to prove himself and protect him from his oppressors.

I sighed and went outside for a walk, it was evening and I saw Astrid, poor lass being forced to marry Snotlout, I had to train him how to become the next chief, I'd come home with splitting headaches and would need to put two blocks of ice and numb the pain.

I caught up to Astrid and when she looked to see who it was she slowed down for me to walk along side her. "Can't sleep eh?" I ask her, she sighs frustratedly. "Not even a wink." She rubs her eyes while yawning, the lass looked terrible, I placed my hand on her shoulder, she looked up at me.

"Astrid, I know you've gone through much, being forced to marry my troublesome nephew, having to deal with his childish theatrics, and being a senior member of the Berk honor guard, yet you need to rest, if you keep pushing yourself, your body will break, you don't want that do you?" I asked with concern, she had been excelling in her training along side her sister Helga, yet she needs to know that even soldiers deserve to rest.

"Apologizes sir, it's just...the only thing keeping me up at night is the fear Snotlout forcing himself on me, it breaks me and makes me feel weak, I've trained my whole life to help me prevent such actions from men, yet he's trying to break me, it's driving me insane." She looks frustrated and the anger dripping from her voice tells me that I should leave her be.

"Alright lass, I understand, and my apologies if I've upset you, I'll let you be as you were, just remember, you're the 'Pride of Berk' no one more deserving of that title than you." I said, she smiled and nodded at me, I returned the smile and returned to my home, to see if I could drift into the land of dreams as well.