Tale of Twin Dragons

Astrid

I could see them standing there. Valka was showing him around. He was strange. He seemed different than those we've had before. Just something about him was off. I planned on ignoring him, like I normally do with newcomers. That was until he looked at me. His green eyes, messy auburn hair, a slight smile. It seemed to strike me like a sword. I had pulled my axe from the wooden mast it was embedded in. I hold eye contact with him. Once back in my spot I throw my axe back towards the mast it just came from, keeping eye contact with the newcomer. He flinched.

I quietly exit the arena. Knowing I scared him made me laugh. For once being a night fury he didn't really look like much. With what little the book tells us about them it makes them out to be a dragon that is widely feared by Vikings across the archipelago. You'd think that their human form would be the same. Not even close. He was scrawny and needless to say one legged.

All I can say is that I have better things to deal with than a scrawny newcomer that in no way affects my daily life. I head to the forge to get my axe sharpened. It's been a while since I've done that. That's when I notice the sound of uneven footsteps behind me. Not the heavy ones I'm used to that Gobber makes. These were small. I whip around to face my follower. Of course, it's the newcomer.

"What do you want?" I ask him, a little impatient.

"You were on the ship. The one that brought me here." He says. It almost seemed like he was growling at me as he said it.

"Yes, I know. No need to thank me or anything. Can I go get my axe sharpened now?"

Anger flashed behind his eyes. "Thank you? Thanking you is the last thing I want to do!" He growls, shoving me back a little. "And no, you may not go sharpen your weapon you vile Viking!"

"Excuse me? You have no right to what I can and cannot do." I yell at him.

"And you Vikings had no right to kill me and all the other dragons!"

I shake my head. "We can agree to disagree. Now please get out of my way. I have things to do and places to be."

"I don't think so." He says, grabbing my arm. Man, this guy doesn't quit.

I glare at him. "Don't touch me. Now unless you'd like to get an axe to your chest I'd get out of my way."

"Go right ahead." He says without flinching. This guy had to be crazy.

"You're crazy." I say shaking his hand off my arm. "Leave me alone. I have better things to do than argue with you."

I hear him start to follow me again. What was his problem? I turn again. "For the love of Odin, please stop following me!"

"No." He says flatly.

"Oh my gods. Look. You can have your own opinion on anything you want, just don't bring me into it. I want nothing to do with it. I have my own problems."

"So do I. And you're one of them."

I roll my eyes. "Great, now you're one of mine too." I keep walking towards the forge trying to ignore him.

He must've got the point because I didn't hear him follow me after that. Or maybe Valka just pulled him away. I don't know. He stresses me out. I already don't like him with a burning passion.

I wait outside the forge. Gobber was taking his time to perfectly sharpen my axe. He knows I like it to be a specific way. My eyes scan the village. Valka stood a little ways away with the newcomer. She was introducing him to Fishlegs who was trying to read the Book of Dragons for probably the twelfth time. The newcomer says something to Valka and points at me. My blood boils. He angered me but at the same time it wasn't hatred. Just annoyance. I don't know. I've never felt like this before. Valka replies to him with a single word. If I had to guess, he asked for my name.

Gobber hands me my axe once finished. I twirl it in my hand to inspect it. I nod and thank him before walking off. It was around midday and to be honest I didn't know what to do with the rest of my day. Normally I'd hang out with the other Vikings my age but I couldn't seem to find any of them. For all I know they were probably gawking over the newcomer. I should really learn his name at least, I'm tired of calling him the newcomer.

I pull open the doors to the Great Hall. There he was. Not surprising that all my friends were here too. They crowded around him at a table, asking him questions about being a dragon. I head towards the table and take a seat across from them.

"What's your name?" I ask him, plain and simple.

He glared at me before replying. "Hiccup. And why do you even care?"

"I think a name is more dignified than calling you the newcomer for the rest of your life." I retort.

"Oh, the Viking does care! What a surprise."

"I have a name too, you know. No need for the sarcasm."

"Yes, I know your name."

"Then I'd expect you have the decency to use it."

"Um... no thanks. I'm good."

I stare daggers at him. From behind him Fishlegs shuffles out. He never likes conflict. I could hear the twins making bets on who had the better argument and Snotlout gawking over how amazing my side of the argument was. I swear I'm going to kill him one of these days.

The day goes by slowly. We sat in silence in the Great Hall. I could almost swear Hiccup was staring at me the whole time. I wasn't paying him any attention though. He wasn't worth my time. The few other Vikings in the Great Hall seemed on edge. I knew what they were feeling to. Night was approaching and wind blew loudly. No doubt there would be a raid tonight.