The End of the Beginning (Hiccup x OC) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9

I didn't want to talk to anyone, but Hiccup. My mother would question me too much about my behavior that morning and anyone in Berk I passed sent me a deathly glare. Wooly was still asleep from the bump on his head and there was no way I was going home, so I sat in the grass beside the Great Hall. Stoick had taken Hiccup there and I was sure I had nothing better to do than wait for him.

I had waited patiently, ignoring the comments from passing Vikings. I wonder if this is how Hiccup feels. Hated, rejected just for standing up for what you believe in. I pulled up a small tuft of grass and played with it in my fingers, twisting and braiding it. I threw it away and sighed lethargically.

My eyes stared at the Great Hall's doors and as if controlling them, they opened suddenly with Stoick bursting through. "Ready the ships!" He ordered to the village, stopping a moment to glare at me before continuing down the stairs.

Hiccup soon appeared in the doorway and looked at me sadly. After a minute, he sighed and walked over to me, sitting down. He pulled up one blade of grass and stared at it.

"What happened?" I asked, observing him carefully.

"He's going to find the nest," he responded, tossing the blade away.

"But only a dragon can—oh, no." The realization suddenly hid me. "We're dead."

"No. They're dead."

Silence passed between us for a moment.

"Why didn't you kill it?" I asked suddenly, looking down at the grass. The question had haunted my mind for a long time.

"Kill what?" he looked at me.

"You know what; the dragon."

"I couldn't."

"Why?" I looked at him, challengingly.

"Oh, for the love of—!" Hiccup stood up and looked down at me irritated. "I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon."

I stood up and smirked. "You said wouldn't that time." I crossed my arms.

"Whatever!" He threw up his hands and began to pace in a line, crossing his arms. "I wouldn't! Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon." He stopped and looked at me, hurt and anger in his eyes.

"But you're the first to ride one." I walked to him an placed my hands on his shoulders.

He blinked, realization crossing his face. "I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was." His eyes drifted away from me and looked off into the distance. My hands dropped from his shoulders. "I looked at him and I saw myself."

"He's probably really frightened now." I looked down at the docks. "So, what are you going to do?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Probably something stupid."

"I'm pretty sure you've already done that." I looked back at him and found his eyes were already looking at me.

"Then something crazy."

I smiled. "I like crazy. Let's do it."

He began to get excited, the way he did when planning something. "Okay. Uh- I'll need you to gather the other recruits and meet me in the arena." He started to run toward the building.

I watched him for a moment before running through the village, gathering the trainees. They all agreed, some more cautious than others. The twins were excited, as was Snotlout. While Astrid shrugged it off and Fishlegs seemed timid about the idea. I didn't know Hiccup's plan, so they had to agree blindly. I brought them all to the arena and into the ring where Hiccup waited for us. He lifted the bar that closed the cage to the same Monstrous Nightmare that had attacked him earlier and turned to look at us.