The Hero's Return

Chapter 12 - The Little Moment of Bliss

The journey back was exhausting for everyone, Astrid and Valka were about to collapse while Cloudjumper, Stormfly and Toothless flapped their wind desperately. All of this was an effort to reach Berk as soon as they could, so the five of them headed there without any care for some things like hunger or tiredness. When they finally reached their destination, their stomachs growled in, their limps felt like jello and the burning sun was pouring at their back, but Astrid and Valka pushed through with nothing else but the desire to save Hiccup.

"Get the chief..." Astrid said with desperation.

"Easy, Astrid, you need your strength and your dragon need her if we want to save, my son." Valka said softly. "Go home and rest, regain your strength, their ship will take at least a week to make it back to Drago's main base."

"What about you, Va... Dragon Whisperer?" Astrid quickly corrected herself.

"I will see you tonight at dinner, there is something that I need to see for myself there."

Reluctantly, Astrid headed back home, completely ignored the countless that she was getting and just collapsed onto her bed, as the exhaustion took over and swallowed her whole.

By the time that Astrid woke up from her slumber, the sun had already set. Suddenly, she felt the cold wind washing over her as she missed the warm touch of Hiccup. Slowly, Astrid made her way to the main hall, where every Berkians seemed to have gathered in.

"Hey, Astrid." Ruffnut screamed the moment that she saw Astrid entered through the door. 

"I need your help." Astrid said the moment that she approached the table. "We are going to rescue someone and I need all of you to come with me, this is really urgent."

"What can we do to help?" Heather asked.

"Finally, some chaos and destruction." Tuffnut and Ruffnut yelled in unison before headbutting each other, also knocking each other out.

"Count me in." Snoutlout said confidently.

Instantly, the attention shifted toward the quiet and timid Fishlegs. "I don't know guys... this could be dangerous and what if the Chief says no?"

"Come on Fish. For once, Astrid is asking us for help so this is the least that we can do for her." Heather reassured the nervous Fishlegs.

"Okay... I am in."

Seeing the confidence and trust that her friends had for her, Astrid could not help but smile, a warm smile that almost shocked all of her friends. "Tomorrow, we will leave before the Chief wake up and headed to the Dragon's Haven to meet up the Dragon Whisperer, she will tell us about the details of the mission then."

"Astrid." Stoick's voice suddenly echoed the hall as every Berkian made way for their Chief, the council of Elder, Gothi and even Astrid's parent, Ingrid and Sven, was there.

"Astrid, do you have anything that you wish to tell me?" Ingrid asked softly, while looking into her daughter's eyes.

As for Astrid, the attention sudden converted toward her, Stoick's thrilled look, Ingrid warm and almost happy expression and even her father was gladded. Baffled of what her mother was asking, Astrid quitely asked.

"What do you mean by tell, mom?"

"So you are going to force us to say it out, aren't you?" Sven stepped in with a smirk on his face, a sight that Astrid had never seen before.

"Um... Say what?"

"Astrid... An hour ago, the Gothi announced that you are no longer pure. You have been given yourself to a man, not just any man, but someone who is destined to lead the Berkians in the future." Stoick explained with a fatherly tone. "So is it true and can I ask who was it?"